In the Kitchen.....

Ok this hummus is promised to be the best I will ever have. That is a lot to live up to but I am going to give it a go. Hummus is one of my favorite things and I am always looking for a new way to eat it. I have never made it myself before but I think this recipe by By Sara Forte of Sprouted Kitchen {via a cup of jo} will be quite doable. I have an outing with the girls coming up for an upcoming wedding and I might have to bring the snacks.

Lemon and Herb Hummus
Serves 6-8 

You'll need:
3 cups cooked garbanzo beans
1 roasted shallot, see note
3 tbsp. tahini
Zest and juice of one lemon 
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp fresh parsley 
3 tbsp. fresh dill
3 tbsp. basil leaves

Optional garnish:
1/2 an English cucumber, sliced thin
1 tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp. Champagne vinegar
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese, optional

Holiday Extravagance

I came across these tiny tarts by Früute in west hollywood on Express-o and Oh Joy had to see for myself. You simply order the amount and flavors you want, and they ship them right to your door. They would make a fabulous addition to that holiday cocktail party and you didn't do any of the work.

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

3/4 cup flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 1/4 cup Italian Cheese blend
4 ounces Pepperoni Mini’s (or regularly-sized pepperoni, chopped)
1 cup your favorite marinara for dipping
2 Tablespoons fresh basil, thyme, or italian parsely, chopped

Grease a mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients together, stirring until completely mixed. Spoon into the prepared mini-muffin cups. Bake in an oven preheated to 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh chopped herbs, and serve with warm marinara for dipping.

I put a tablespoon of Italian seasoning in the batter.

Valentine's Day

I wanted to post my valentine's day basket of goodies I put together for Derrick on Monday. We had a breakfast celebration with mimosas, quiche, and muffins. I also made some valentine themed cake pops.

 

Lunch

I got a new tart pan for Christmas that I have been dying to try. I had every intention of making an asparagus tart with it; I even bought all of the stuff, but ended up grilling the asparagus with dinner the other night. In an effort to use the crust I bought, as well as my pan, I made one delish quiche. 

It had:

2 eggs

about 1/4 cup milk

pinch of salt and pepper

hand full of mozzarella

hand full of fetta

tomato slices

refrigerated pie crust

I cooked the crust for 10 min at 450. I put the cheese in, placed the tomato on top, and filled it with the egg mixture. 

I cooked it for another 30 min and it was done.

The Results

OK, I tried the recipe for the sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving and they were quite good. I adjusted the recipe slightly because my red wine vinegar had some foreign contaminants of an undisclosed variety. I used white wine vinegar instead. I did not use the entire shallot because they were all huge at the grocery. The end result turned out very well, and my family all seemed to like them so, I think I might do this one again. 

Thanksgiving

Sweet Potatos with Goat Cheese

Thinking of food for the last few days, I have come across a recipe I am looking forward to trying.  I found the sweet potato recipe on Smitten Kitchen and plan to add it to the Thanksgiving line up.

It takes:
1 1/2 pounds sweet potato, scrubbed, unpeeled, in 3/4- to 1-inch coins
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 cup toasted and cooled pecan halves
2 tiny or 1 small shallot
2 stalks celery
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon dried cranberries or cherries (optional)
2 ounces firmish goat cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon smooth Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat a large baking sheet generously with olive oil, about 1 to 2 tablespoons. Lay sweet potatoes in one layer on the oiled sheet. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast, without disturbing, for 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully flip each piece: the undersides should be blistery, dark and a bit puffy and should release from the pan with no effort. If they’re not, let it cook longer. Sprinkle them with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper and return the pan to the oven for another 10 minutes or so, until the undersides match the tops.

Meanwhile, prepare your salad. Chop your pecans well, mince your shallot, chop your celery and parsley, mince cranberries if using them. Crumble your goat cheese. If you, like me, got too soft of a goat cheese for mixing, set it aside and sprinkle it on top. If it’s firmer, stir it into the mixture. In a small dish, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon dijon. Pour half over salad.

When the sweet potatoes are done, scoop a spoonful of the salsa over each round. Pour remaining salad dressing over top, to taste. Eat immediately.