Lemon Bars

My dad is a sucker for all things lemon. The other night he pulled out a Company's Coming "Most Loved Treats" cookbook, turned to lemon bars and let me know I should make them, if I had the time.

The crust called for 2 sticks of butter, so I got to googling, trying to find some waist-friendly alternatives.

I used David Lebovitz's crust, because it reduced the sugar and butter:

1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick butter, melted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a large, microwave safe bowl, melt the butter. Add the flour, sugar, salt, and vanilla, stirring until well-mixed. Spread out into a 7" x 11" pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes, until browned. Remove and let cool while you make the filling.

For the filling, I adjusted the cookbook's recipe to include less sugar:

4 eggs
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 Tbsp peel (I didn't have any, so I omitted)
1 1/4 cup sugar (it called for 2!!)
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
confectioner's sugar, optional

Whisk the eggs until frothy. Add the sugar, flour, baking powder, and peel if using, mixing until incorporated. Stir in the lemon juice. Pour into the cooled crust. Bake for ~20 minutes, or until set. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. Sprinkle the top with confectioner's sugar if desired.

Cut into bars and enjoy!!

I met Ree!!!

Chances are if you've talked to me on the side you know I love Ree and her blog, The Pioneer Woman. I've wanted to meet her for quite some time, but timing has just never worked out for when she's in town.

Earlier today I saw her tweet about being in Naperville, which isn't far from Johnny's work, which isn't too far from our house. So I met him at work and we drove out to the bookstore.

I was really nervous, so I texted Mara and Sophia to get rid of some giddy anxiety and tweeted with a bunch of you to pass the time.

I grew up a piano playing, ballet dancing, straight A kind of a gal, so I haven't led the most exciting life.

My celebrity spottings thus far have included handing Van Cliburn a bouquet of roses at a concert and asking him to blow my mom a kiss (which he did).

I also was in the same building as Joey McIntyre once. (He was Fiyero one of the three times I've seen Wicked.)

I know she's not a movie star (yet), but I kind of think of Ree in celebrity-like status. I've loved her books and her blog and seeing her on TV. I was going to have to walk up to her and talk! Eep!

Anyways- there I was, wearing my holey yoga pants, and the line finally dwindled down. There were 103 tickets and we were #98, so it had really dwindled down.

Ree sang Ethel Merman for the girls in line ahead of us, much to my delight. Then we approached her and I gushed bout loving her blog, and her, and Johnny and I talked about her little son that we find adorable, and then poof! it was over and I survived! She is so down to earth and sweet that I forgot my irrational fears of turning bright red, puking, or bursting into tears, embarrassing myself.



We were starved, so after we headed to a little Italian place just up the street, Rosebud. It was the first time either of us had eaten there, but J's friend highly recommended it.

I started with fried calamari. Hands down the best I've ever had! Delicious!

Then I had fetticine alfredo. (I went with a low-fat, low-cal dish since I have to fit into a wedding dress eventually.)

Johnny had some vodka penne dish. He almost always chooses vodka sauce dishes when we eat Italian. He loves them. And he ate this entire plate to prove it.

Then he had a creme brulee for dessert (I snuck a few spoonfuls of it). I ordered some cannolis to go, which I'll eat tomorrow in my PJs while catching up with 16 & Pregnant online since I watched every Glee episode in existence and now have to wait for new ones.

Sorry the restaurant photos are dim. I just have a point and shoot. Which brings me to a survey:

Vegetable and Quinoa Bake

I've been turning to my health cookbooks more and more lately for inspiration. This Healthy Heart Cookbook had a recipe for a rice and broccoli bake. I thought it sounded like a really good idea, so I took it and ran with it. I changed the rice to quinoa, added way, way, wayyy more veggies, and left out some of the cheese.


Crust:
2 cups plain cooked quinoa
1 egg
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
salt and pepper, to taste

Filling:
1 cup frozen spinach
1 bell pepper
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
2 jarred, roasted red peppers
5 eggs
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
salt and pepper, to taste

Note: This can be made in a single 11 x 7" casserole dish, or separately in two pie plates.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg for the crust. Fold in the cheese and quinoa until evenly incorporated. Season with salt and pepper. Spray your baking dish or pie plates with non-stick spray and turn the crust mix out into them. Using the back of a spatula or your hands, carefully form the crust along the bottom of the dish(es) and up the sides.

Preheat the oven to 375°. In a large mixing bowl, add the veggies as you chop with the cheese. Feel free to add any combination of vegetables and cheese according to your individual tastes or preferences. You could even add beans, potatoes, or salsa - get creative! Reuse your medium bowl to beat the 5 eggs. Add to the large bowl and keep folding with the vegetables until everything is mixed. Season with salt and pepper.

Gently pour the egg and vegetable mixture into the crust(s), using a spatula to even out if necessary. Pop in the oven, uncovered for 20-30 minutes. Check the center for doneness with a knife. Let stand a few minutes before cutting. For breakfast or lunch, I would say this could serve 5-6. For dinner it serves closer to 3-4.

I was nervous about this one, but it really knocked our socks off! The quinoa crust was delicious. It held up really well, and the crunchy bits were really nutty and delicious.

I loved the combination of all of the vegetables. It was a really colorful meal, which always makes me feel like I'm eating healthy!

If you haven't already, could you please take a second to vote for my Lucia Buns? It's one-click to vote, no registration required. Thank you! (Voting ends March 4th)

Chicken and Barley Soup

In light of the PFP Challenge, I've been making every effort to make our meals more healthy. I wholeheartedly agree in splurges and indulgences, but in moderation. My weight started to creep up when I let indulgences become an everyday thing.


I've turned to cookbooks like these. I have a bunch in my arsenol from thrift stores. Even though I'm not a real recipe-follower, I still own many cookbooks for their inspiration. I like using their recipes as a "starting point" to then add my own to the recipes.


Chicken and Barley Soup
(Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Low Fat Meals)

2 quarts stock (I used my homemade, unsalted version)
28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
4 stalks celery, chopped (include leaves)
4 carrots, chopped
1/4 small green cabbage, chopped
1 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup quick cooking barley
~3 cups cooked chicken, cubed
2 leftover baked potatoes, cubed

Add the liquids and raw vegetables to a large stock pot, and bring to a boil. Add the salt, pepper, and barley. Cook for about 10 minutes until the barley is tender. Add any pre-cooked ingredients (the chicken, potatoes, and any other veggies on hand you want to use up) and let come up to temperature.

Makes about 6 quarts - you will have lots of leftovers and some to freeze!


This was a delicious, comforting dinner. The tomato broth was a turn from our usual soups. I loved that it was packed with a ton of veggies, it made it filling without being heavy.

Culinary Mysteries

I've been having a blast reading a series of books I checked out from my local library, so I thought I'd share with you.

The author's name is Diane Mott Davidson and she writes culinary mysteries. They're centered around a caterer as the main character. She finds herself in all kinds of situations, sometimes deadly, which results in a mystery.

It's kind of like a grown up Nancy Drew with some Food Network thrown in! The cool thing is, when she is cooking in the book, the next page will list the recipe. So, if she is stressed and baking a big batch of cinnamon rolls, you turn the page and the recipe for the rolls is right there!

The titles are all kinds of puns too, like The Cereal Murders and Dying for Chocolate.

If you're a reader, or you like mysteries check them out! They're cute!

Baked Chili Rellenos

Johnny's absolute favorite meal is chili rellenos. I had never even heard of it before I moved in with him, but silly me offerred to make it for his birthday dinner. Wow, I was nervous! First of all, his ex Mother-in-law was a Mexican immigrant and used to make it for him, so that's tough competition. Second, it's a pretty labor intensive dish. I was determined so I googled around and found a few recipes and resources to make it. It was a smashing success and I've cooked it a handful of times since. The problem is that it takes so darn long and usually makes a mess out of the kitchen with all the battering and deep frying.

I was flipping through my Better Homes and Gardens Vegetable cookbook I still had out from the beet recipe, and found one for baked chili rellenos! Could it be?! I immediately put the ingredients on the next grocery list!

I made some changes to the recipe including using fresh poblanos instead of canned chilis, as well as using Chihuahua cheese instead of Monteray Jack cheese. Feel free to use what you prefer, the technique is pretty much the same, regardless!

5 poblano peppers
6-8 oz Chihuahua cheese
4 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup shredded Chihuahua cheese

Raise the top rack of your oven and turn the broiler on. Lightly coat the poblano peppers in oil and place on a baking sheet. Broil for about 5 minutes a side, flipping 3 times to char each side of the triangular shaped peppers. Remove from the oven and place in a heat-proof bowl with plastic wrap sealed over the top. Let sit for about 15 minutes to steam the skin and become cool to the touch.

Lower the oven rack and turn the temperature to 350°. While waiting for the peppers to cool, slice the cheese into small rectangles and grate 1/2 of a cup. Prepare the batter by whisking together the eggs, milk, flour, baking powder, and salt until smooth.

Once the peppers have cooled, hold them by their stems and gently peel off their waxy skin. Pull off the stem and gently cut a slit through one side of the pepper, taking care not to cut all the way through. Using a spoon, gently scrape the membrane and seeds from the poblano. (These are where the heat is and once you remove these, there is just a delicious chili taste left, but if you prefer spicy then you can leave some.)

Lay the peppers flat and arrange a rectangle or two of the cheese in the center. Wrap the roasted pepper around the cheese and place seam side down in a small to medium sized greased casserole dish.

Pour the batter over the peppers. (Here is where I realized I used too large of a baking dish - oops!)

Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese over top. Pop in the oven for 30 minutes until the top is golden.

You can see how it puffed up beautifully and browned. If I had used a smaller baking dish it would have been more on the peppers, not along the sides so much.

This was just as delicious as the deep fried version! It hit all the same notes with a fraction of the prep and mess! I'll definitely be adding this one to the "keeper" pile!

If you have been nervous to try chili rellenos before, I think this version is perfect for starters. Keep in mind that you could also use canned chilis if you don't want to go through the trouble of roasting fresh ones, which would cut down even less on the time and mess!

Ooey, gooey, cheesy, and chili roasted battered goodness! What more could you ask for in a dinner?


I'm submitting this delicious and fulfilling meat-free dish to Just Another Meatless Monday. I think Mexican is a great way to add vegetarian meals to the dinner plan. Cheeses, beans, and mushrooms can replace meats as a hearty flavor and filling for fajitas, tacos, or burritos.

BSI: Beets (Beets with Sour Cream)

This week's Blogger Secret Ingredient (BSI) was beets, one of my favorites! Ok, I don't really have a fruit or a vegetable (besides raw tomatoes and all fungus) that isn't my favorite, but I digress...

Then I realized that I don't really have a recipe for beets. I just eat them. I searched and searched online and wasn't really finding anything except a lot of people that hate beets.

I came to the conclusion that beets, for whatever reason, are kind of an outdated food of yesteryear. Something that used to be eaten a lot more often than they are now.

Which, lucky for me, kind of worked out since I have an odd obsession with old cookbooks. You know, those weird ones from the 1950s with jello molds or church recipe collections with bindings hand sewn with yarn - they are my weakness in thrift stores. I struck gold in this little baby that is older than my boyfriend (and he's old!)

It has a section for each vegetable and tells a little about how to select, prepare, cook, and serve them. Then a few pages follow with recipes devoted to that veggie. I made my selection and went to town!

1 can whole beets
1/2 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp sliced green onion (I subbed normal onion)
1 Tbsp vinegar (I used white)
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
dash cayenne, optional

In a small saucepan combine sour cream, milk, onion, vinegar, sugar, salt, and cayenne if using. Heat through over low heat, but do not boil.

Halve rinsed beets and add to the mixture. (*Note: You could easily use fresh beets that you would prepare by boiling and skinning. However, fresh beets were $5.29 for a bunch of 3 or 4 so I went the canned route.)

Stir until incorporated and let cook a few minutes until the beets are warmed through.


Serve immediately. (Johnny said it looked like we were having beets with Pepto Bismal and I had to agree.)

It was also cool with each forkful you took, the beet would "bleed" its true red more.

Overall I think this was a nice side dish to dinner. You could still very clearly taste the earthy beets, and the sauce acted like a dressing. It was a tad tangy and creamy which was a nice compliment to the beets. I'll still love them plain, but it's cool to have another way to eat them in the future!

Cajeta

A few weeks ago somebody asked Rick Bayless via Twitter what to do with goat's milk. He excitedly replied "CAJETA!!!" Curious, I first googled to find out cajeta is like a dulce de leche. A sweetened milk (usually goat) cooked down until it becomes a thick, syrupy treat with caramel undertones. I flipped to the index of my Authentic Mexican cookbook to see if cajeta was in there. I was in luck!

I've mentioned a few times that we get our eggs fresh every week from Johnny's mom who has a lot of hens and a few roosters. She also has 3 goats for milk, which Johnny's little brother prefers over cow's milk. I asked during our Sunday visit if she had some to spare and she happily handed over a quart-sized (4 cup) jar. If you are unable to find goat milk in your store you can use cow's milk, the end result will just taste different.

1 quart (4 cups) goat milk
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp corn syrup
1/2" cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp grain alcohol (or sherry, rum, or brandy)

In a medium saucepan combine the milk, sugar, corn syrup, and cinnamon. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently.

Dissolve the baking soda and water together. Remove the pan from the heat and add the baking soda mixture. It will bubble up, use a spoon to stir it down.

Return the pan to the heat and adjust the heat so the liquid simmers in a steady roll. It took me a little bit of playing, but it eventually landing a hair above medium-high. Stir regularly as the mixture reduces. The bubbles will begin to change from small, quick-bursting to larger and glassier in 25-40 minutes. This took me about 30-35 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir frequently, washing the spoon each time until the mixture thickens into a caramel-brown syrup that is a little thinner than corn syrup. I read when you drag the spoon in the pan and the mixture is thick enough to part so that you can see the bottom of the pan, it is done.

Strain the cajeta through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl or sterilized jar. Let cool a few minutes and stir in the alcohol (I used brandy). Cool completely and then store in the refrigerator, it will keep for months. Yields about 1 1/2 cups. Overall it took about an hour, so make sure you have the time to devote before you start!

This is really yummy and sweet, so hard to believe it derived from milk! Rick suggests eating on wafer cookies, swirled into ice cream, drizzled warm over ice cream like hot fudge, or in crepes with toasted nuts. Guess which one we tried first?

Ice cream of course! Vanilla ice cream, sliced bananas, walnuts, and a drizzle of warmed cojeta. Johnny said it made it taste almost like a creamy flan! Absolutely delicious!


Ok, now for the reveal of my "Creative Writer" award lies from a few posts ago.

1. I don't know how to swim.
False - of course I know how to swim! Growing up on an island where the widest part is 1 mile wide I spent more time in water than dry land! I took swimming lessons for many years, but never was able to pass my junior lifeguard test due to the elusive butterfly, which I've never mastered.

2. I skipped 2nd grade.
False - but I did start kindergarten early. I was 4 turning 5 while all my classmates were 5 turning 6, so throughout school I was always the youngest in my grade.

3. I played the clarinet in middle school band.
False - I played the flute!

4. I type 40 words per minute.
False - I actually type 90 words per minute!

5. I was born in Poughkeepsie, NY.
True - I was born and lived in New York until I was 4, when we moved to the Outer Banks, NC. A lot of my family is still in New York, so we've visited often my whole life.

6. My bellybutton is pierced.
False - perhaps it's a "beach thing" but I went to school with popular girls who got their bellybuttons pierced as early as 13 years old. I've always associated bellybutton piercings with being like them so I never got mine pierced, only ears!

7. I wear a size 6 shoe.
False - I wear a size 8.

Queso Fundido con Rajas y Chorizo

Translation: Melted cheese with roasted peppers and chorizo. Verdict: Yum.

If any of you have watched Top Chef or Top Chef: Masters you know who Rick Bayless is. He's been a favorite celebrity chef of Johnny's and mine because he's local so his restaurants and Frontera products are accessible and he's mastered one of our favorite cuisines: Mexican. The attention to detail and love that Rick pours into learning Mexican food is really impressive, as is his sharing of the craft. Rick and his wife lived in Mexico and studied every little in and out of local cuisine.

Since 2003 Rick has hosted Mexico: One Plate at a Time on PBS, which Johnny and I have a few seasons of on DVD and it's better than anything currently on Food Network. He's written five award-winning cookbooks, one of which we own a signed copy of. (No, we weren't lucky enough to witness the signing, Johnny's SIL won it in a gift basket and generously gave Authentic Mexican Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico to us!)

He's also really respectful and responsible in his ingredient usage. He was a founding member of Chefs Collaborative for environmentally friendly practices, and he uses only sustainable seafood. Him and his staff started the Frontera Farmer's Association, his charity of choice on Top Chef: Masters, which provides grants to local family farms.

As you can tell, I really like and respect Rick, so imagine my delight when I tweeted him for chorizo suggestions from our cookbook and he tweeted me back with two recipes and their page numbers! I love that I got a personal recommendation from the cookbook author and chef himself! He's such a cool guy, he tweets often and makes himself accessible to his fans, answering questions left and right.

This recipe made enough to fill 6 tortillas and was a little deceiving in the fact that so little can be so filling! Johnny had three, I had two, and it was plenty!

2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
1 fresh chile poblano, roasted, peeled, seeded, thinly sliced
4 oz (1/2 cup) chorizo sausage
8 oz (2 cups) melting cheese *see note

Roast the poblano over the open flame of a gas burner until the skin is blistered and black. If you do not have a gas stove you can cook these under the broiler of your oven.


Carefully rinse the skin off under water and remove the seeds and membrane. Slice into strips.

Turn the oven to 375° and set a pie pan or ramekin inside to heat while the oven comes up to temperature.

In a medium skillet heat half the oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook about 8 minutes until the onion is slightly browned. Add the pepper strips and cook until they're softened, then remove everything to a bowl.

In the meantime slice the cheese into small 1/2 inch cubes and place in an even layer in the warmed pan. Bake for about 10 minutes so the cheese can evenly melt. *Note: Rick has taken great consideration in identifying everything in the back of this book, down to which ingredients and sometimes specific brands, he recommends. I used an authentic Chihuahua cheese a local company makes, but otherwise he suggests Monteray Jack or mozzarella.

Add the second tablespoon of oil to the skillet and add the chorizo, frying until done, about 10 minutes. Drain off excess fat. This was the first time both Johnny and I tried chorizo and it was delicious!

Remove the hot cheese pan from the oven and drain excess fat if necessary. Spread the chile and onion mixture along with the chorizo over top. Place back in the oven for another couple minutes to heat everything.

Scoop onto warmed tortillas (again I bought from a local company that makes them fresh and delivers to stores) of your choice. Johnny opted for corn and I went for flour. The sausage is surprisingly subtle, with complexity and a hint of heat. The poblanos, once roasted and their seeds removed, are not hot, but full of chile flavor. Since being slowly sauteed the onions have a sweetness that lends itself to the other bolder ingredients.