from Sophistimom
2 large beets (enough for at least 1 1/2 cups puree)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (juice of one lemon--if your lemon yields slightly too little juice, don't add more!)
1 cup coconut oil (chilled)
1 cup buttermilk
2 2/3 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsps baking powder
1 1/2 tsps kosher salt
4 TBSPS natural (not dark or dutch processed) cocoa powder
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place beets in a small baking dish and add a 1/2 cup of water. Cover with parchment paper and foil, and roast until quite tender, about 60-90 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
2. Butter 3 8 inch cake pans (I used 2 9-inch pans and then made some cupcakes with the extra batter). Cut out parchment paper circles and place in the bottoms of the pans. Butter the parchment paper and dust with flour. Set aside. Peel the beets and cut into large chunks. Place in a food processor (or a very good blender) with the lemon juice, and pulse until smooth and pureed.
3. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together coconut milk and sugar. Add in eggs, one at a time, mixing well until each is incorporated. Mix in vanilla. Set in refrigerator to chill.
4. While ingredients are mixing, whisk together four, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder in a separate bowl. Slowly add flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of the beet puree mixture, and fold into the cake batter. Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans. Tap pans on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Invert cakes onto cooling racks, and allow to cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze until ready to frost.
Cream Cheese Frosting
2 packages cream cheese, at room temperature
2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 pound (4 cups) confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
Combine all ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Switch to the whisk attachment, and mix until smooth and slightly fluffy.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Christina's Stuffed Cabbage
from Smitten Kitchen
1 head Savoy cabbage
1 head Savoy cabbage
1 pound ground beef
1 small to medium onion, chopped small
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 carrot, shredded
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced (I used half a bulb of kohlrabi)
1 parsnip, shredded (I used one large turnip)
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1 to 2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 15 oz cans tomato sauce plus water to cover
1 small to medium onion, chopped small
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 carrot, shredded
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced (I used half a bulb of kohlrabi)
1 parsnip, shredded (I used one large turnip)
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1 to 2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 15 oz cans tomato sauce plus water to cover
Wash cabbage and remove leaves for use. Place leaves in a large bowl. Boil a small pot of water and pour the water over the cabbage and let it sit for ten minutes.
Heat the oil in a saute pan. (I like to use the large one I will cook the final dish in — a deep 12-inch saute pan — to save dishes.) Cook the onions until they are soft, add the carrot, celery and parsnip and saute them for a couple extra minutes — until they are also soft. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, transfer it to a bowl and let it cool a bit. Mix in the meat, rice and tomato paste and season again with salt and pepper.
Drain the cabbage. Pat the leaves dry with towels. Roll about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of filling in each leaf (depending on the size of your leaf) and arrange in a large, wide pot. Pour in enough juice or sauce to cover the rolls. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat, letting them simmer covered on the stove on low for about 45 minutes. Serve immediately. If sauce has thinned a bit, you can heat up any additional sauce you didn’t use and pour it over as you serve the rolls. [These also freeze very well.]
Christina's Moroccan Rib Roast
from Better Homes and Gardens
2 tablespoons coriander seeds, crushed
2 tablespoons finely shredded lemon peel
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds, crushed (or just use a few dashes of cumin)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 4- to 5-pound beef rib roast (I used country-style pork rib chops instead)
8 cloves garlic, peeled and cut into slivers
Assorted peeled and cut-up vegetables, such as carrots, turnips, and sweet peppers
1. In a small bowl stir together coriander seeds, lemon peel, olive oil, cumin, red pepper, and salt. Rub surface of meat thoroughly with coriander mixture.
2. Cut 1/2-inch-wide slits randomly into top and sides of meat. Insert garlic slivers deep into slits. If desired, cover and chill meat for up to 24 hours.
3. Prepare grill for indirect grilling. Test for medium heat above the drip pan. Place meat on the lightly oiled grill rack over the drip pan.
4. Cover and grill for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 155 degree F for medium doneness. Add assorted cut-up vegetables to grill during the last 45 minutes of grilling, removing and setting them aside as they become tender. Carve meat and serve with the grilled vegetables. Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Test Kitchen Tip: You may prepare this recipe using leg of lamb instead of a beef rib roast as part of a more authentic Moroccan feast. For a 3- to 4-pound leg of lamb, grill for 2 to 3 hours or until a meat thermometer registers 155 degree F for medium doneness.
2 tablespoons coriander seeds, crushed
2 tablespoons finely shredded lemon peel
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds, crushed (or just use a few dashes of cumin)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 4- to 5-pound beef rib roast (I used country-style pork rib chops instead)
8 cloves garlic, peeled and cut into slivers
Assorted peeled and cut-up vegetables, such as carrots, turnips, and sweet peppers
1. In a small bowl stir together coriander seeds, lemon peel, olive oil, cumin, red pepper, and salt. Rub surface of meat thoroughly with coriander mixture.
2. Cut 1/2-inch-wide slits randomly into top and sides of meat. Insert garlic slivers deep into slits. If desired, cover and chill meat for up to 24 hours.
3. Prepare grill for indirect grilling. Test for medium heat above the drip pan. Place meat on the lightly oiled grill rack over the drip pan.
4. Cover and grill for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 155 degree F for medium doneness. Add assorted cut-up vegetables to grill during the last 45 minutes of grilling, removing and setting them aside as they become tender. Carve meat and serve with the grilled vegetables. Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Test Kitchen Tip: You may prepare this recipe using leg of lamb instead of a beef rib roast as part of a more authentic Moroccan feast. For a 3- to 4-pound leg of lamb, grill for 2 to 3 hours or until a meat thermometer registers 155 degree F for medium doneness.
Christina's Rosemary-Lemon White Bean Dip
source unknown
This takes less than 10 minutes if you start with canned beans, but is best made with freshly cooked dried beans: Cook them in water to cover, with a couple of bay leaves, until very tender.
2 cups cooked white beans, like cannelini, drained but moist
1 to 3 cloves garlic, peeled
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
Grated rind of 2 lemons
1. Put the beans in the container of a food processor with 1 clove of garlic and a healthy pinch of salt. Turn the machine on, and add the 1/4 cup olive oil in a steady stream through the feed tube; process until the mixture is smooth. Taste, and add more garlic if you like; then, puree the mixture again.
2. Place the mixture in a bowl, and use a wooden spoon to beat in the rosemary, lemon zest and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Taste, and add more salt and pepper as needed. Use immediately, or refrigerate for as long as 3 days.
Variations
The puree can form the basis of a wonderful sandwich. For example, combine a thick layer of puree with grilled vegetables and a little olive oil on rolls or between thick slices of crusty bread. It can be used to thicken and flavor cooked beans. Just stir a few spoonfuls of the puree into simmering white beans (if you have pesto, add some at the same time). Thinned with the cooking water from beans or pasta, it makes a good pasta sauce.
A small mound of the puree served next to braised chicory or other bitter greens (both drizzled with olive oil) makes a fine side dish. Similarly, serve it at the center of a plate of lightly and simply cooked vegetables: carrots, green beans, turnips, asparagus, potatoes or cauliflower.
Layer the puree with grilled eggplant or zucchini and bake or broil to form a simple vegetable napoleon. You can make this dish even more elaborate by incorporating thin-sliced toast and grated Parmesan cheese in the layers.
Or roll smoked salmon or thin-sliced cooked vegetables -- again, zucchini and eggplant are good candidates -- around a bit of the puree, and serve as hors d'oeuvres.
This takes less than 10 minutes if you start with canned beans, but is best made with freshly cooked dried beans: Cook them in water to cover, with a couple of bay leaves, until very tender.
2 cups cooked white beans, like cannelini, drained but moist
1 to 3 cloves garlic, peeled
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
Grated rind of 2 lemons
1. Put the beans in the container of a food processor with 1 clove of garlic and a healthy pinch of salt. Turn the machine on, and add the 1/4 cup olive oil in a steady stream through the feed tube; process until the mixture is smooth. Taste, and add more garlic if you like; then, puree the mixture again.
2. Place the mixture in a bowl, and use a wooden spoon to beat in the rosemary, lemon zest and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Taste, and add more salt and pepper as needed. Use immediately, or refrigerate for as long as 3 days.
Variations
The puree can form the basis of a wonderful sandwich. For example, combine a thick layer of puree with grilled vegetables and a little olive oil on rolls or between thick slices of crusty bread. It can be used to thicken and flavor cooked beans. Just stir a few spoonfuls of the puree into simmering white beans (if you have pesto, add some at the same time). Thinned with the cooking water from beans or pasta, it makes a good pasta sauce.
A small mound of the puree served next to braised chicory or other bitter greens (both drizzled with olive oil) makes a fine side dish. Similarly, serve it at the center of a plate of lightly and simply cooked vegetables: carrots, green beans, turnips, asparagus, potatoes or cauliflower.
Layer the puree with grilled eggplant or zucchini and bake or broil to form a simple vegetable napoleon. You can make this dish even more elaborate by incorporating thin-sliced toast and grated Parmesan cheese in the layers.
Or roll smoked salmon or thin-sliced cooked vegetables -- again, zucchini and eggplant are good candidates -- around a bit of the puree, and serve as hors d'oeuvres.
Christina's Thai Peanut Noodle Salad
from Our Best Bites
Not gonna lie, this tastes more Chinese than Thai due to the sesame oil in the salad dressing, but it's still yummy!
8 oz Linguine Fini, regular Linguini, Spaghetti or Angel Hair
4 C shredded greens: napa cabbage, romaine lettuce, spinach or whatever you have
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, julienned
1/2 medium cucumber, halved and sliced
1/4 of a red onion, thinly sliced
3 C diced grilled chicken
honey roasted peanuts (about 1/2 cup--optional)
Thai Peanut Salad Dressing (save some time and make this part ahead!)
Start by bringing a pot of water to a boil. Add a spoonful of salt and then add your pasta. Drain when al dente and rinse with cold water. Add some dressing and stir to coat.
When you're ready to assemble the salad, place noodles, veggies, and chicken in a large bowl.
Pour the Thai Peanut Dressing over everything, stirring as you go until you have enough to coat.
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, julienned
1/2 medium cucumber, halved and sliced
1/4 of a red onion, thinly sliced
3 C diced grilled chicken
honey roasted peanuts (about 1/2 cup--optional)
Thai Peanut Salad Dressing (save some time and make this part ahead!)
Start by bringing a pot of water to a boil. Add a spoonful of salt and then add your pasta. Drain when al dente and rinse with cold water. Add some dressing and stir to coat.
When you're ready to assemble the salad, place noodles, veggies, and chicken in a large bowl.
Pour the Thai Peanut Dressing over everything, stirring as you go until you have enough to coat.
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