Easy Banana Cake with Vanilla Bean Frosting

Posted on October 2, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery


Sometimes I am not sure where the day goes between waking to the sound of my husband’s voice urging seven year old Silas to “Hurry, baby! Brush your teeth! We’re going to be late for school…” and then the slow murmur of snores reminding me that the day’s gone and bedtime’s here. Between laundry piles, stacks of dishes, dirty socks lingering on the floor from room to room, two needy dogs at my heels at every given moment having their best lick mat dog on its mouth waiting patiently for food, frogs croaking to be fed, recipes that plead to be written, photographs that wait their turn to be edited, lists of errands and chores, etc., time is a rare commodity around these parts.

Many of my days are laden with unplanned things that take time, too: unintended gardening that lo-and-behold needs to be done; unfortunate course-of-nature animal deaths that need handling before Silas happens up on the tragic scene accidentally; trips to the library to help guarantee that second grade homework will get done, despite a long day of school and an afternoon of football practice; trying to heal a wound on the dog’s foot, paying careful attention to make sure the whole thing doesn’t get infected, even though she continuously licks it raw; editing photos for band shows and sporting events and food and fun; last minute runs to the grocery store because I forgot THAT! ingredient… Sometimes dinner’s the last thing on my mind. Sometimes the only thing that makes sense is dessert. Sometimes I don’t want to mess with tons of dirty dishes and meal planning. Sometimes dessert needs to come first and easily, at that.

This cake is so simple and can be decorated easily by placing them on the cake boards. So moist. And so delicious. I first saw the recipe on ButterYum and with a description like “To Die For Banana Cake with Vanilla Bean Frosting,” how could I resist? I opted for yogurt instead of sour cream, mostly because it’s what I had on hand. I also added some cinnamon, as I love the way it tastes with bananas. You can mix the entire cake batter together in one bowl, sans your mixer. A fork, bowl, measuring cup, and measuring spoons. That doesn’t take long to clean up at all! That alone was enough to convince me to try this recipe and it did not disappoint!

 

Easy Banana Cake with Vanilla Bean Frosting

Recipe adapted from Patricia at ButterYum


Ingredients:

For the cake:
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
½ cup plain yogurt
1 egg
2/3 cup cane sugar
2 ripe bananas
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup flour
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. baking soda
For the frosting:
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 vanilla bean, scraped
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1¼ cup confectioner’s sugar
2-4 tbsp. milk

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Butter an 8×8-inch square pan.

In a bowl, cream together the softened butter, yogurt, egg, and sugar, until smooth. (I just used a fork to do this; no mixer needed.) In a separate small bowl, mash the bananas until they’re completely broken up. (I don’t like getting larger chunks of banana in my cake after it’s baked; if you’re into that, mash less harshly. :) Add the smashed bananas to the butter/yogurt mixture. Add the vanilla extract. Mix until combined.

Add the flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda to the wet ingredients. If  you’ve got a knack for keeping things proper, you can sift those dry ingredients together first, but I find it completely unnecessary in this recipe. So, save yourself from dirtying another dish unless you simply can’t help yourself. Stir until just combined.

Pour the batter into your prepared baking pan. Bang the pan on your countertop a couple times to let some of the air bubbles out. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Prepare the frosting: cream together the softened butter and confectioner’s sugar until smooth. (Again, I did this by hand, but a mixer would make things simpler!) Add the vanilla bean and vanilla extract, then one tablespoon of milk. Stir until smooth. Add more milk if needed, one tablespoon at a time, always fully incorporating each addition before adding another!

Evenly spread the frosting on your cooled cake. Serve and enjoy!

Posted in Baking, Dessert, Life, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Roasted Tomato Lentil Soup with Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes

Posted on September 26, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

It’s officially fall. My favorite time of year. Temperatures are noticeably cooler in the early morning and evening. While the colors around here haven’t begun to change yet, I know it’s coming. Vibrant reds and oranges, yellows somewhere in there. I do this thing every year, come fall. I tell myself that I’ll make more soups. Because one-pot meals are so easy. Plus you can cook them all day, filling your home with warm, filling smells that draw everyone in. Plus in the fall and winter, how can you go wrong with a bowl of warmth, vegetables, spices, flavors that are both compelling and filling? You really can’t.

But I fail at following through with my soup endeavor. Every single year. Until this year. I even started early: the very first day of fall, which allowed me to use some of the goodness we grew this summer. We’ve got a number of fresh tomatoes of all colors, ripening faster than I want to eat them raw. So, there’s a good amount of roasted tomatoes in this soup that offer a brightness that’s reminiscent of summer, layered with earthy warm flavors of fall. If that sounds way too “hippie” for you, it’s all good. Make this soup anyway. You’ll be pleased.

I made this to feed our family plus my husband’s band mates who had been practicing for some upcoming shows (which are “current” and not “upcoming,” as I write this). I’ll be honest. I’ve never made such a huge pot of soup, only to be left with zero leftovers. I like to think that means this would be a recipe worth repeating. Hopefully you’ll find it that way as well.

 

 

Roasted Tomato Lentil Soup with Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

4-5 cups tomatoes, cut into large chunks (about 5 medium tomatoes)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. fresh oregano, chopped
1 tsp. fresh marjoram, chopped
salt and pepper

1 tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
3 cups sweet potatoes (yams), peeled and diced
3 cups red potatoes, diced (skins on or off)
1 cup carrots, peeled and diced
1- one inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1½ cups red and/or orange lentils
½ cup wild rice
1 tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped
1 tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. smoked paprika
8-10 cups water or No-Chicken broth
1 can coconut milk
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Roast the tomatoes: Preheat your oven to 325°F. Place the chopped tomatoes on a baking sheet in a single layer, then drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle on the chopped oregano and marjoram, along with a generous amount of black pepper and salt. Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes, until the skins begin to blister and char. Set aside to cool.

Prepare the soup: Heat the one tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and diced onion. Sauté until the onion is translucent. Add in the diced potatoes, carrots, and ginger. Stir to evenly disperse everything. Add the lentils, rice, oregano, thyme, cumin, and paprika. Stir to evenly coat everything in the spices and herbs. Add a generous amount of salt and pepper. Stir in 8-10 cups of broth (or water). Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for about one hour.

Puree the roasted tomatoes in a food processor or blender. Add the pureed tomatoes and can of coconut milk to the pot. Stir well, to evenly combine everything. Cover again and cook for another 2-3 hours at least. Taste and add more salt or pepper to your liking.

You can cook the soup longer if you’d like. After adding the tomatoes and coconut milk, I actually cooked the soup for an additional 6 hours before serving.

Serve hot along with some sour cream or plain yogurt to top the soup off. This soup is also quite delicious with some homemade bread, or at least a tasty baguette of your liking!

Posted in Dinner, Lunch, Soup, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Hasselback Barbeque Tofu

Posted on September 22, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

I have a bad Pinterest habit. I’ll pin recipes… hundreds of recipes… always intending to go back and cook the things I save… 99% of  the time, that doesn’t happen. So I’ve got some tasty looking recipe boards merely waiting within the inter-webs for me to come back and give them some much needed love and some real world tangibility.

I’ve been seeing hasselback potatoes all over Pinterest and various food sites. What the heck is hasselback style, right? I wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t been browsing Pinterest food posts. The first time I saw hasselback anything was a recipe for hasselback potatoes with spinach cashew pesto, from Joy the Baker. Turns out “hasselback” is a Swedish way of preparing baked potatoes. The potatoes are fanned out then baked, making the presentation absolutely gorgeous. The name actually comes from the namesake dish from Restaurant Hasselbacken located in the Hasselbacken Hotel in Stockholm.

Last week though, I came across a crazy looking photo of a giant log of barbeque tofu, hasselback-style! I was immediately intrigued, pinned that business, and committed to not allowing this recipe to join the 99% of unused pinned recipes. It was more the idea than the recipe, which didn’t include a recipe for the barbeque sauce anyway. I decided to make my go-to sauce and opted for the 30 oz. block of Wildwood vacuum-packed hi-protein tofu (perfect for feeding many, all with one fanned out log of tofu).

You can serve this barbequed tofu as I did, with cornbread, black-eyed peas and rice. Or you can use it in a sandwich. Silas kept calling the tofu “meatloaf,” so perhaps it can accompany mashed potatoes (or hasselback potatoes if you get really carried away with the hasselbacking!).

Hasselback Barbeque Tofu

Recipe adapted from Healthy. Happy. Life.

Serves at least 6.

Ingredients:

For the sauce:

1 cup ketchup
½ cup water
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2½ tbsp. light brown sugar
2½ tbsp. cane sugar
¼ tsp. fresh ground pepper
¼ tsp. onion powder
¼ tsp. granulated garlic
½ tsp. fresh lemon juice
1½ tsp. yellow mustard
1½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
½-1 tbsp. red chili pepper flakes (depends how spicy you want it!)

For the tofu:
1- 30 oz. block Wildwood extra firm vacuum-packed tofu *
¼ cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp. granulated garlic
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. dried thyme
¼ tsp. smoked paprika
pinch of salt
pinch of fresh ground pepper
1 tbsp. oil

*If you can’t find the 30 ounce block of tofu, you can use two packages of refrigerated extra firm tofu (I still prefer Wildwood’s version). Just make sure to drain the tofu well, then wrap in a clean towel and press for 30-60 minutes before using for this recipe. Don’t use silken tofu.

Directions:

Prepare the sauce: Whisk together all of the ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer. Cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow the sauce to cool at least to room temperature before using for the tofu.

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch pan.

Prepare the tofu: Cut the block of tofu into thin, skinny, “fans.” As thin as you can cut them making sure to not cause the block to fall apart. Slice about ¾ of the way through the block, leaving the bottom part intact. Place the tofu (gently) in your lightly greased pan.

In a small bowl, combine the nutritional yeast, granulated garlic, oregano, thyme, paprika, salt, and pepper. Gently rub these combined ingredients onto the block of tofu, working some into the slices.

Pour ¾ of the barbeque sauce onto the tofu. Use your hands to work some sauce into the fanned slices. (Though suggested – and I’d love to try this next time – I didn’t marinate the block overnight from this point.)

Bake for 25-30 minutes. Brush on the remaining sauce, then broil for an additional 5-6 minutes, creating a very sticky, slightly crisp topping. Serve hot.

Posted in Dinner, Kids, Lunch, Sauces, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Homemade Glazed Pop Tarts

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

When I think of pop tarts, it’s very nostalgic. I remember funny things about growing up. Like obsessively listening to the radio on the weekend, waiting for Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 after looking up what was in the charts, cassette player ready to record my preferred top hits. I remember running around barefoot outside until Mom yelled that it was time for dinner, often after dark. I remember saving my allowance to buy a Tamagotchi and how mine always died because I’d forget to feed it. I remember enjoying shows like Doug, Ren and Stimpy, The Secret World of Alex Mack, and Are You Afraid of the Dark? I remember having dial-up internet and whenever we accidentally picked up the phone while one of our siblings was online in the other room, it was cause for lots of commotion. I saved my money to buy books like The Babysitter’s Club and Sweet Valley High. Fruit-by-the-foot? Heck yes. Pop tarts? We always had them in the kitchen. Frosted, unfrosted, eaten toasted or straight out of that foil package.

I saw recipes for homemade pop tarts not too long ago and got really excited. I think the last time I had a “real” pop tart was when I was in college. It probably happened around 3AM when the vending machine downstairs didn’t offer a better sounding option than A11: Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts. Despite the nostalgia, really, my thoughts of these toaster pastries just reflect dry, overly sweetened cardboard-like shells and sticky, extremely sweet fillings. When I decided to make my own pop tarts, I knew the pastry was key. It had to be flaky, light, buttery. I looked around at various recipes and pulled ideas from all of them. The result was a light, very flaky crust: spot on for what I was aiming to make.

About a month ago, I received an e-mail from Paradise Fruit Company, asking if I’d be open to them doing a guest post on my blog, about the versatility of candied fruits like the ones they supply. I replied, saying I wasn’t really into guest posts at the moment, but if they wanted to send along some samples I’d be happy to come up with some recipes using them. Very kindly, a few weeks later, I received a very generous supply of candied cherries, ginger, orange peel, lemon peel, pineapple… These pop tarts seemed like a perfect way to incorporate a couple of those fruits. I decided on an apple ginger tart, using Paradise crystallized ginger  and McIntosh apples. I also decided to make a peach pop tart, using the candied lemon peel and gorgeous fresh peaches. Both the ginger and lemon peel were great additions to the fillings and helped to balance the fruits in a not too overly sweet way.

 

 

Homemade Apple and Peach Pop Tarts

makes about 10 pop tarts

Ingredients:

For the pastry dough:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 sticks butter
¼ cup quick oats (not instant or old-fashioned)
1 tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. salt
2 tbsp. milk
1 egg

For the apple-ginger filling:
2 apples, cored, peeled and diced small (¼-inch cubes)
3 tbsp. Paradise crystallized ginger, minced
2 tbsp. light brown sugar
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tbsp. melted butter
¼ tsp. vanilla extract

For the lemon-peach filling:
2 ripe peaches, peeled and diced small
2 tbsp. Paradise candied lemon peel, minced
1 tsp. light brown sugar
¼ tsp. Penzey’s Baking Spice (you can sub fresh nutmeg, cinnamon, and pinch of cardamom)
1 tbsp. melted butter

For the vanilla glaze:
¾ cup powdered sugar
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1½ tsp. milk
1 tsp. coconut oil, melted

1 egg, whisked for brushing the tops before baking

 

Directions:

Prepare your pastry dough: in a large bowl, mix together the flour, oats, sugar, and salt. Cut in the butter (I like to use a box grater and just grate the butter in, then mix with my hands to get the right consistency), until the mixture resembles large crumbs. It’ll be quite buttery. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and two tablespoons of milk until completely combined. Pour into the dry ingredients. Stir until a ball forms. Knead the dough for 3-4 minutes, then separate into two even balls. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least one hour before using.

Prepare your fillings: in a medium-sized bowl, stir together the diced apples, minced crystallized ginger, brown sugar, cinnamon, melted butter and vanilla. Set aside. To make the peach filling, combine the diced peaches, minced lemon peel, light brown sugar, baking spice, and melted butter. Stir well and set aside.

Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Roll out one ball of dough on a lightly floured surface, to a large rectangle about 1/8-inch thick, 9-inches by 17.5-inches. Cut the dough into small rectangles, 4.5 x 3.5 inches. You should be able to get about 10 rectangles. Refrigerate these cut rectangles while you prepare the other ball of dough. Do the exact same thing you just did, with the second ball of dough.

Place five of your cut rectangles on each of the prepared baking sheets. Spoon about 4 tablespoons of filling in the center of each rectangle, leaving about a 1/2-inch around the outside edges. Place another rectangle of dough over the filling, aligning the edges. Gently press the top dough down, letting out as much air as you can in the process. Use a fork to crimp all four edges. Place on your parchment-lined baking sheets. Continue doing this, ultimately having 5 apple-filled tarts and 5 peach-filled tarts.

Use a toothpick to poke 10-15 small holes in the top of each pop tart. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes before baking (so the butter re-solidifies a bit, creating a flakier crust).

Brush the tops of each pop tart with the whisked egg. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until nicely golden brown in color. Cool for about 10 minutes before frosting.

While the pop tarts are in the oven, prepare the glaze. In a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, milk, and melted coconut oil until smooth. Brush the glaze lightly on each pop tart. Allow the tarts to cool at least to room temperature before eating. The glaze will harden as the pop tarts cool.

Eat within 3 days for best quality.

 

* If you want, you can prepare these pop tarts up until the point of brushing them with the whisked egg, then freeze them. To prepare after frozen, simply heat your oven to 350° F, line your baking sheet with parchment paper, and bake for 25-30 minutes. Perhaps 35-40 minutes. Be sure you don’t thaw them before baking!

Posted in Baking, Breakfast, Kids, Life, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cheesy Herby Scramble

Posted on September 15, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

First of all, let’s just put it out there: it takes about 30 minutes of initial complete utter silence and 2 or 3 cups of coffee for me to be a “morning person.” It’s a love hate thing. Once I’m up at the butt crack of dawn (or, say, 6:30 am) and actually awake, I love being up. I feel much more productive throughout the day and I thoroughly enjoy the gradual shift in cold morning temperatures to warm mid-mornings. Even when I was in school, I didn’t mind having to be up early, so long as it wasn’t this urgently rushed affair.

School has started, which means regular bedtimes, wracking my brain for ideas for home-packed lunches, and early hour breakfasts. I’m lucky and seem to have worked out a schedule with my husband I adore: I take care of setting the coffee maker to go off in the early morning hours, pack Silas’s lunches the night before, and then Dad handles breakfast in the morning, allowing me to sleep in. It’s heavenly.

On the weekends, though, we have football games. Early *&^%ing football games. So weekly, I try to relearn the graceful art of being a morning person and get up to make a hearty, energy-fueling breakfast. The typical athletic breakfast around here includes eggs, oatmeal, pancakes, veggie sausage, fruit. The following recipe is more or less my go-to egg scramble. Sometimes I use different herbs (whatever’s growing out in the garden, or available in the kitchen), or incorporate other cheeses, peppers, sundried tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, garlic, etc. It’s difficult to mess up a scramble, so long as you’re using good tasting and quality ingredients.

 

Cheesy Herby Scramble

Ingredients;

6 eggs
3 Tofurky breakfast links, cut into ¼-inch thick rounds
1 tbsp. garlic butter *
¼ cup milk
1 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp. fresh marjoram, chopped
2 tsp. fresh oregano, chopped
1 tsp. dill
¼ cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. feta cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

* To easily make garlic butter, melt one stick of butter. Mince 6-7 cloves of garlic, then stir into the melted butter. Pour into a small container, cover and refrigerate until re-solidified. Use as desired.

 

Directions:

Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl, then beat until frothy and pale yellow in color. Heat a medium-sized nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic butter and let it melt. Sauté the Tofurky sausage in the butter until crisp and browned on the outsides.

Whisk the milk into your eggs, along with the basil, parsley, marjoram, oregano, dill, and a good amount of salt and pepper. Whisk the mixture thoroughly, trying to incorporate air into them (for fluffier eggs). Pour the eggs into your melted butter and browned Tofurky sausage, and let them cook for a minute or two, until the bottom of the eggs begin to set. Sprinkle in the cheeses.

Use a spatula to gently push one edge of the egg towards the center of the pan, tilting the pan to allow any liquid to move underneath the set portions. Repeat with all the other edges, until there is minimal liquid left. Continue stirring the eggs gently, until all the uncooked parts become more firm. Try to keep a good portion of the eggs in larger curds. Transfer the eggs to your serving dish or plates once the eggs are set, but still fluffy, soft, and moist. Serve hot, optionally topped with more fresh chopped herbs.

Serves about 3 or 4.

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The Art of a Homemade Veggie Burrito

Posted on September 13, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

A few years back, my husband wrote an article for the local paper, rating various taco trucks and hole in the wall taquerias around the Rogue Valley. Being a vegetarian, his firsthand experience was strictly set on the veggie burrito at each of these locations. Since this article was written before I ever met my husband, I’ve lucked out and have spent the last five and a half years simply eating already tested, tried, highly rated burritos. That said, when we’re traveling and come across a new taqueria or taco truck, it’s a gambling game. One we both enjoy playing!

If you’re in the Rogue Valley looking for a good veggie burrito, my top three favorites are the Tacos Michoacan food truck in Talent, Tacopancho truck in Medford, and Los Arcos also in Medford. All three locations can be called ahead of time, then picked up for take-out.

But honestly, who can afford to eat out (even from a taco truck) every single day? We love burritos in this house. Seven-year-old Silas brought home a worksheet from his second grade class the other day called “Getting to Know You.” When I looked through his responses, “favorite food” simply stated “BRETO.” If you’ve got any hesitation about what that means, that would be bree-toe, as in burrito. Ask the boy what he wants for dinner and it’s often a toss up of burritos, tuna melts, or pizza.

What I’ve learned is there’s an art to making homemade veggie burritos. The really good ones are all about how the ingredients blend together once they’re wrapped up. If each individual ingredient is tasty on its own, you’re halfway there. My favorite veggie burritos contain beans, rice, cheese, salsa, sour cream (or crema), and avocado. Occasionally it’ll also have one or all of the following: cilantro, chopped tomatoes, lettuce. Let’s break it down by ingredient:

Beans: You can opt for pinto or black, refried or whole. I prefer homemade beans, as it’s another way to impart flavor into the final product. Plus dried beans are cheap and easy to make. Canned beans can be used too, though. Even then I like to drain off the liquid, rinse the beans, and reheat them in vegetable broth laden with fresh herbs and garlic.

Rice: I use long grain white rice. Typically, I’ll sauté 1 cup of rice in 1 tablespoon of oil until it’s toasty and lightly browned. At that point, I’ll add some cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and oregano. Then I’ll add 2-3 tablespoons of tomato sauce, along with 2 cups No-Chicken broth, then cover and cook the rice until it’s tender (20 or so minutes).

Cheese: One thing I’ve found is that blending a few different kinds of cheeses gives me a variety of taste and consistency. I like to use sharp cheddar for flavor, mozzarella for stickiness and holding things together, and some monterey jack for both of the above reasons.

Salsa: There is so much variety here. You can go for fresh salsa, homemade salsa, chunky salsas, smoother blended versions… The spiciness is entirely up to your preference. I recently discovered Frontera gourmet salsas in our grocery store. Having tried various flavors, my favorites are the chipotle (with roasted tomatillos and garlic), the tomatillo salsa (with roasted serrano chiles and cilantro), the double roasted tomato salsa (with roasted onion and jalapeno), and the guajillo salsa.

Sour cream: This element works so well with the salsa in the final wrapped up burrito. Placed in the right spot, you end up with a creamy, spicy, saucy burrito. It’s magic. More or less. I like light versions, whole fat versions… whatever tickles your fancy.

Avocado: Also creamy and delicious, avocado blends so nicely with everything else in a good veggie burrito!

Cilantro, chopped tomatoes, lettuce: All three of these I say use with caution. You don’t want too much of any of ‘em, but a little of each creates a nice flavor and texture. If you prefer, you can leave all three off of your burrito and you won’t regret it, either! I know that doesn’t sound very helpful, but merely go with what sounds delicious to you!

The tortilla: We recently discovered Don Pancho Homestyle tortillas and I may have dropped the F-bomb in overzealous excitement right in the middle of the grocery store. Around here, often the largest flour tortillas I can find are 10-inches. These Don Pancho tortillas were 14-inches in diameter! That makes for a potentially large burrito! If you can only find 10 or 12 inch wheat or flour tortillas, they’ll work – you’ll just have to stuff them with less filling.

Putting it all together: I like to heat a cast iron griddle to very hot, then place a tortilla on it for about 30 seconds, flip the tortilla, then sprinkle a very generous amount of cheese on the tortilla, leaving about 2-3 inches around the perimeter of the tortilla. Once the cheese has begun to melt, remove from the griddle either to a plate or a large piece of foil. Spoon a generous amount of rice in the center of the tortilla, in a line, again leaving about 3 inches all the way around the tortilla. Spoon a generous amount of beans over the rice, again in a line. Next comes the sour cream and salsa, be generous and place it right on top of the beans. Place your avocado on top of the sour cream and salsa. I like to add another light sprinkling of cheese next, but that isn’t necessary. Add the cilantro, chopped tomatoes, and lettuce if you’re using them.

Turn the tortilla so the line of ingredients is running parallel to you. Fold in the right side of the tortilla, just over the ingredients. Fold in the left side of the tortilla. Now fold the bottom of the tortilla up, over the ingredients and the tucked-in right and left sides. Keep rolling, tightly. Wrap in foil for easier handling, or simply go for it!

Posted in Dinner, Kids, Life, Lunch, Restaurants, Travel, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Vegetarian Thai Green Curry with Tofu

Posted on September 9, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

While we live in excellent walking distance to all the restaurants in downtown Ashland, I often prefer making a home cooked meal. The cost is usually significantly lower and often brings a greater guarantee that both my family and myself will be satisfied with the meal afterwards. Recently, we discovered a new Thai restaurant 50 or so footsteps away from our home. Within one meal to-go, Anya’s Thai Bistro became my favorite restaurant in Ashland. It’s the only place in town I can imagine going to daily, always inspired and always assured that I’ll be treated to a delicious meal. (Don’t get me wrong, there are various other places in town I respect, enjoy, and would recommend, but Anya’s would be my top choice, hands down.) We have enjoyed their peanut red curry and massaman curry very much. The drunken noodles are intoxicating to all your senses in a deliriously happy way… add some tofu and you’ll hesitate sharing with anyone but yourself.

That said, eating out every day isn’t exactly kind to our budget. (And Anya’s is closed on Mondays…) So what do you do when you’re craving a thai green curry and dreaming about tasty red curries and saucy thai noodles? First, you feel sad for yourself. Then seconds later, you concoct something as close to what you’re craving as you can. That’s where this green curry came from. While I’ve tried to make green curry paste from scratch before, this time around I opted for a premade version. I enjoy Thai Kitchen products, often because they’re pretty readily available around here and the taste never really disappoints (although fresh ingredients are difficult to beat, as far as taste and quality go!).

You can vary the vegetable ingredients if you wish, but we enjoyed this curry just as follows. If you’re ever in Ashland, however, do yourself a favor and check out Anya’s Thai Bistro – you will be so glad that you did.

 


Vegetarian Thai Green Curry with Tofu

Ingredients:

4 oz. green curry paste
2 cans coconut milk (not “light”)
2 tbsp. soy sauce or tamari
1 tbsp. fish sauce
2 kaffir lime leaves
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
½ tsp. ground coriander
2 tbsp. oil
2 tbsp. peanut sauce
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced in thin rounds
1 small red pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
1- 14 oz. can baby corn
1- 8 oz. can bamboo shoots
1 box extra firm silken tofu (like Mori-Nu brand), cut in cubes
1 large tomato, cut in slices with seeds removed
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 small lime, juiced


Directions:

In a deep sauté pan, heat the oil, green curry paste, garlic, ginger, and ground coriander over medium-high. Cook for a minute or two until fragrant. Add the coconut milk, soy sauce, fish sauce, peanut sauce, and kaffir lime leaves. Reduce heat to medium-low then add the carrots and red pepper. Cover the pan and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the carrots are soft enough to pierce with a fork.

Add the baby corn, bamboo shoots, and cubes of tofu, gently stirring to evenly distribute everything. Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes. Taste the curry sauce and if needed, add more fish sauce, soy sauce, or even some salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in the sliced tomato, fresh cilantro, and lime juice.

Serve immediately on a bed of jasmine or long-grain brown rice.

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Mini Vanilla Custard Tarts with Chocolate Crusts and Raspberries

Posted on September 8, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery


I’m not sure how we happened upon the end of summer, yet here it is… school has started, evening temperatures are steadily dropping as the days pass, the skies darken just a little earlier, and I can’t wait for fall to arrive shortly. Truthfully, that feeling comes around with most seasons for me: impatience for winter to finally arrive, simply to have an excuse for sinking into the cold and quiet, into the snow when it chooses to arrive in our little valley, to fill our home with the all day smell of slow cooked meals and a heated oven. Then an overwhelming eagerness for spring to get here, the urgency for fresh blooms and brightly colored produce… Followed by the hope for warmer summer temperatures, longer days, and few demands… only to be recycled back into the yearning for autumn all over again. It’s pretty silly, really.

Despite it being the end of summer, I’m still finding mid-summer berries perfectly ripe for eating around this lovely Northwest town. The following pies were born out of curiosity and raspberries sitting in our home, needing to be eaten. I was curious about a chocolate pie crust that was made of something other than crushed chocolate cookies. And as it has been my go-to gadget for the summer, the Babycakes Mini Pie maker worked great for these petite pies, too. The crust isn’t overly sweet, but the vanilla custard balances that out wonderfully. The raspberry topping simply adds a fruity sweetness with a lovely splash of color.

 

 

Mini Vanilla Custard Tarts with Chocolate Crusts and Raspberries

Yields about 1 dozen mini pies

Ingredients:

For the crust:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
4 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ cup sugar
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
5-7 tbsp. ice cold water

For the filling:
½ cup sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 egg yolk, beaten
1½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean, scraped

For the topping:
1- 10 oz. jar raspberry jam
1- 6 oz. container fresh raspberries 

 

Directions:

Prepare the dough: whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and sugar until completely combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the vanilla and egg. Set aside. Either cut or grate (with a box grater) the cold butter into the flour mixture, pinching together the ingredients until it resembles coarse meal. Stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture until well combined. Add in 5 tablespoons of the cold water, to form a soft dough. Add more cold water as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, just until the dough combines. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

Prepare the custard filling: in a medium pot, whisk together the sugar and flour. Add the two cups of milk and turn the stove on to medium heat. Stir continuously until the mixture begins to thicken (10-15 minutes). Once the custard has thickened, whisk in the egg yolk (whisk quickly to keep the eggs from cooking immediately!). Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and vanilla bean. Set aside.

Prepare the chocolate crusts: once the dough has cooled for an hour or two, roll it out to about 1/8-inch on a lightly floured surface. Use the pie cutting tool included with the Babycakes Pie Maker, cutting the larger circles for bottom crusts. You should be able to get at least 12 crusts out of the dough. Lightly brush the wells of your pie maker with oil. Use the pie-pressing tool, placing four of the dough rounds into the pie maker. Prick all over the dough with a fork (keeping it from puffing up while cooking. Close the pie maker until it locks, then plug in and bake for 11-12 minutes, until the crusts are crisp, but not burnt. Unplug the pie maker, transfer the crusts to a wire cooling rack until completely cooled, then repeat the above cooking process until all the dough is used. Be sure to allow the pie maker time to cool completely between each batch. Cool before trying to fill the pie shells.

Prepare your pies: spoon about 3-4 tablespoons of custard filling into each pie shell, smoothing out the filling as best as you can. Refrigerate the mini pies until the custard just sets (15-20 minutes). In a small bowl, whisk the raspberry jam until it’s smooth. Evenly spread about 2 tablespoons of jam on the top of each pie, over the custard. Place a fresh raspberry on the top of each pie. Either serve, or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Wrapped, you can keep these pies refrigerated for up to about 3 days, but eat as quickly as you can for the best flavor and quality!

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Cinnamon Apple Cake

Posted on September 4, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

The following post contains the recipe for a cake reminiscent of fall, that is also ridiculously moist, good-looking, and tasty. You could call it a cinnamon apple cake, or apple spice cake, which it is. I jokingly referred to it as a Magic Hippie Juju Cake as I worked around the kitchen to create its existence.

Last week Wednesday my brother and sister-in-law were in a hospital in Illinois, trying to welcome their first baby girl into this world, a few weeks earlier than planned. My first niece. By the time Thursday afternoon came around, John sent me a text saying that he and Kim were more than ready to go home and the baby hadn’t shown up yet, despite the doctors saying she’d be here soon. I told him I’d bake baby Keira a magic hippie juju cake to let her know it was supposed to be her birthday. Now. That day, at least. I apologized for not knowing how to send scents through my telephone, but assured him I’d send a photo.

As I mixed the ingredients together, I thought of my brother becoming a father and it was simultaneously the strangest, loving, tender, funny, sincere experience. My brother who is barely one year younger than me, who I spent over a decade fighting with over nothing important? John who tried to drown me in our Disney World hotel pool when we were 6 and 7? The same kid who snuck toads into unsuspecting neighbors’ mailboxes? That guy was, at any moment, becoming a dad? I was awestruck. I thought about how much he’s grown up, his intelligence and love, his wisdom and ridiculousness. I’ve got no doubt he’ll be a great father.

Back to that cake. About half an hour after it came out of the oven, I was sitting at Silas’s football practice and received a text: “She’s on the way!” Magic Hippie Juju. Or as I told my sister… perhaps those labor-inducing drugs finally kicked in.

Regardless, this cake was a celebration of my new niece, of a life welcomed with love. Celebration of humor, of memories that tie siblings in ways that only make sense to them but are still entirely universal. Celebration of my kick-ass superhero sister-in-law who is humored by my sincere cheesiness.  As I prefer most of my celebrations, this cake isn’t overly fancy, but it holds its own… you will not be disappointed.

Keira Leilani Hashimoto McCreery

 

 

Cinnamon Apple Cake

Yields one 8-inch round cake

Ingredients:
2/3 cup unrefined cane sugar
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. sea salt
3 eggs, separated
3 tbsp. fresh meyer lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2-3 medium apples (granny smith, golden delicious)
1/3 cup unrefined cane sugar
juice from ½ an orange
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tbsp. unsalted butter

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375º F. Evenly coat an 8-inch round cake pan with one tablespoon of butter.

Prepare the apples: peel and core the apples. Cut in half, then into slices about 1/8-inch thick. Place the apple slices in a bowl, then add the 1/3 cup of sugar, orange juice, and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Stir (or use your hands) to toss and evenly coat the apples. Set aside.

Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Set aside.

In a large bowl, or your stand mixer, cream together the six tablespoons of room temperature butter and 2/3 cup of sugar, until light and fluffy. Whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time, then the fresh lemon juice, and vanilla.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar mixture, until just combined. The batter will be thick. Stir about one third of the egg whites into the batter until completely incorporated and then gently fold in the remaining egg whites. Pour the batter into your prepared pan.

Work from the outside of the pan towards the center, overlapping the apples by about ¼-inch and slightly pressing them into the batter. Pour all the liquid from the bowl of apples evenly over the top of the cake.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Serve warm.

John and Keira

Posted in Baking, Dessert, Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Broccoli Pesto

Posted on August 30, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

Sometimes it gets close to dinner time and I find myself wandering through the kitchen, rifling through the cupboards, examining what vegetables and herbs are on hand, not exactly sure where dinner is going to be found. Lots of times I’ll scour the internet, reading my favorite blogs, searching for recipes by the ingredients that sound appetizing for the time being. The other day, I stumbled upon a blog named Five And Spice, filled with recipes by a lady named Emily. The first recipe that caught my attention was a sweet corn polenta with broccoli pesto. Fresh ears of sweet corn, grated then cooked with just a little butter and salt… topped with a slightly thick, beautifully green pesto. I was intrigued.

When I got to the grocery store, I couldn’t find any corn. Not fresh, anyway. What to do when you’ve got your dinner plan in mind and the store doesn’t help you out? Improvise. There was a lot of fresh salmon available and broccoli was on sale… I decided to make the broccoli pesto and use it on both typical polenta cooked from dried ground corn, and slow baked salmon. Good decision!

At first I followed the recipe at Five And Spice, but found it lacking in the flavor I wanted. So I added more garlic, more basil, and more cheese. The result was delicious! I didn’t tell 7-year-old Silas what the pesto was made out of, but he was hesitant. I said, “Si, I’m not sure you’ll like this… if you don’t, you can eat your polenta and salmon plain.” He ate a bite, spit it out, and said “UGH! That’s too spicy!” So I tasted again… and it wasn’t “spicy,” at all – but the broccoli does carry some weight to it. This pesto won’t leave you hungry! Silas tried the pesto again, this time on his fish, and actually liked it!

The following day, my husband said he was going to make lunch for us all. I like to joke that this is dangerous territory, but when we first met my man cooked for me all the time. I burned rice on the stove. And made pancakes from storebought mixes I didn’t like. It’s true. Anyway, he toasted up some Dave’s Killer Blues Bread (my favorite), then spread a bunch of broccoli pesto on it, finally adding slices of fresh beefsteak tomato on top. It was so good, simple, filling, and pretty. :) This pesto’s extremely versatile and delicious on or with nearly anything. True story.

 

Broccoli Pesto

Ingredients:

3 cups broccoli, cut into stems and florets
4-5 cloves garlic, peeled
¾ – 1 cup fresh basil
approx. ½ cup good quality oil
½ – ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 lemon
salt and pepper

Directions:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Add the broccoli florets and cook until true broccoli is tender (5-7 minutes). Don’t overcook! Drain the broccoli.

Place the broccoli, garlic, and basil in your food processor (fitted with the large chopping blade) or high quality blender. Pulse/blend until all the broccoli is well broken up. Drizzle in the oil while the food processor is running, then add in the parmesan cheese and lemon juice. Add more oil if needed, for your desired consistency. Taste, then add salt and pepper to your liking.

Use the pesto on pasta, polenta, fish, as a spread on crackers or toast, whatever sounds tasty.

Keep in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. Stir before using (color may change over time).

Posted in Appetizer, Dinner, Gluten-Free, Kids, Lunch, Sauces, Sides, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments