Conscious Cooking

Party Food!

ptenbroek@arg-stl.com — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 00:24:00 GMT

Party Food!

We love to celebrate at CSL and seem to find many times and ways to bring people together with food. We love lots of color, variety, tastes and textures. Veggie trays have green beans, steamed broccoli, jicama, cucumbers, celery, carrots cut on the diagonal, colored peppers and cherry tomatoes. Dip goes into a hollowed out red cabbage, veggies stand up in hollowed out red, yellow and orange peppers, little tiny sweet colored peppers get cut a week in advance and left in the refrigerator to turn into flowers for garnish. Arrange it all on top of some collard greens or ruffled lettuce for a spectacular and appetizing array.

Baked Brie is also a favorite of ours as part of our cheese assortment. We love cheese! I use the smaller one pound brie wheel. Roll out a pre-made pastry crust found in the biscuit section of the grocery store. Set the Brie on top and cut around. That goes on top. Set remains aside. Take the second pastry crust, roll out, and set brie on top. Spread cranberry chutney or cranberry sauce on top of Brie. Add chopped pecans or toasted pine nuts. Put pastry round on top. Bring pastry up around the sides and pinch edges to seal. Cut decorative pieces out of remaining dough, wet one side and place on top. Make sure it is all sealed well. Wrap in plastic film or waxed paper and place in the freezer until solid. I usually do this up to a week in advance. Pre-heat oven to 425. Place frozen Brie on small round aluminum pan. Whatever you bake Brie on you will most likely have to serve it on. It is difficult to remove it from the pan to a serving dish without it breaking open. I use a cake pedestal and set the pan right on top. Bake 35-45 minutes or until the crust is brown. You can use an egg wash on the crust if you want. (Beat one egg with a little water and brush over crust with a pastry brush.) Let Brie rest a few minutes before serving. Serve with crackers or French bread. Your guests will swoon!

Another easy party dish we love is Stroganoff Meatballs. Buy pre-made, pre-cooked ½ ounce or 5/8 ounce meatballs in the freezer section. (Sam’s has 6 pound resealable bags.) Let meatballs thaw while making the sauce. For stroganoff sauce, start with about 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add a clove of garlic finely chopped and 1 large red onion diced. Sauté over medium high heat for a few minutes until onions are limp. Add 1 cup chopped mushrooms and 1 cup sliced mushrooms. Cook until well done. Add one can veggie broth (you can use chicken or beef) and 1 cup red wine. Cook until reduced by half. Add 2/3 cup heavy cream (or half n half). Stir well. Add ¼ cup chopped fresh dill. Pour sauce over meatballs and heat in oven or chafing dish. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and chopped fresh dill. Serve with pieces of crusty French bread to mop up all that wonderful sauce. Listen to your guests rave!

Ratatouille (Not the movie, the food!)

ptenbroek@arg-stl.com — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 22:48:00 GMT

Hello Fellow Foodies,

As many of you know, I was in the restaurant and catering business for many years (many years ago) and The Silver Palate Cookbook was my bible. It was the one cookbook that never failed to stir my imagination and get me excited about cooking for dozens, even hundreds of people. Even now, as I cruise through it, I find new recipes and ideas I have yet to try. Ah, so many recipes, so little time!

When I get an idea to make a dish, either from some craving, or some group of vegetables in my refrigerator drawer, or when my freezer and pantry are overflowing with staples I bought on sale, I like to look through three or four or more resources. I have my assortment of favorite cookbooks right in the kitchen and my stacks of Gourmet, Martha Stewart Living, Saveur, and other magazines. I flip through each one of them looking at the ingredients and methods of preparation for the same dish. It’s then that I can get the gist of the idea and create my own version.

While thumbing through my torn, tattered and splattered copy of Silver Palate Cookbook I came upon this bit of wisdom which I heartily endorse:

“There is one rule in our kitchen, made in the very beginning, which still holds true: When cooking, you must taste. To think that you can follow a recipe and do today what you did yesterday is erroneous. A good cook needs to be able to taste, and trust his or her own judgment. Only through developing taste (and we stress developing- no one is born with this kind of a silver spoon) can you begin to trust your cooking self.

Don’t be afraid to taste. It is the only way we know to understand food, to know how to experiment, to build our own confidence. Treat it like two pieces of a puzzle; if you try and it doesn’t work, what has been lost? If it does, perhaps you can improve upon it the next time. To follow a recipe repeatedly because it is safe, tried, true, and from a reliable source is boring and impersonal. Take our recipes, make them your own, and improve upon them. That will be our greatest pleasure.”

Thank you so much to Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins for all their wit, wisdom and inspiration. I checked out their Ratatouille recipe on page 167 and, as usual, came up with my own version based on what I like.

RATATOUILLE

Ala Bette Crocker

1 cup best-quality olive oil

2 small to medium sized eggplants cut in bite sized cubes

2 teaspoons salt

2 small yellow onions, peeled and coarsely chopped

3 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into bite sized disks

2 small yellow summer squash cut the same as zucchini

1 red pepper, seeded and cut into strips

1 green pepper, seeded and cut into strips

1 yellow pepper, seeded and cut into strips

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 cans (14 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained

2 tablespoons tomato paste

¼ cup chopped parsley

¼ cup chopped fresh dill

2 tablespoons dried oregano

2 tablespoons dried Italian Seasoning

1 tablespoon dried sage

Salt and Pepper to taste

1.Preheat oven to 400’ F.

2.Pour ½ cup olive oil in large bowl. Add eggplant, sprinkle with salt and toss until all pieces are coated.

3.Line baking sheet with foil, add eggplant, cover tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes, until eggplant is done but not mushy. Uncover and set aside.

4.In a large skillet, heat remaining oil. Sauté onions, zucchini, squash, peppers, and garlic over medium heat until wilted and lightly colored, about 20 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, dill, dried herbs and black pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5.Add eggplant and simmer another 10 minutes. Taste and correct seasoning. Serve hot or at room temperature.

8 – 10 Servings

Great as a main course with a tossed salad and crusty bread, or serve as a side dish for a Mediterranean lunch or dinner with hummus, pita bread, and olives. Top with Feta cheese or lean toward the Italian and serve with freshly grated Parmesan. Sprinkle chopped fresh Italian parsley for garnish. Tastes great the second day and makes a wonderful sandwich on crusty bread or stuff into a pita pocket. Get creative and surprise yourself!

Happy Cooking!

Classic Salmon Mousse

ptenbroek@arg-stl.com — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 04:42:00 GMT

Happy New Year Foodies!

We had a fantabulous night at CSL on New Year’s Eve. The best dance music ever, the best food ever, gorgeous decorations, and the most beautiful people ever. It was definitely a night to remember.

If you weren’t there, or even if you were, the food was delicious, perfectly presented and heartily consumed. We had a whole smoked salmon with dill mayo, horseradish cream, and pumpernickel toasts, shrimp with cocktail sauce, shrimp cheesecake, baked brie with cranberries and pecans, stroganoff meatballs, smoked sausage bites, assorted imported and domestic cheeses, a wonderful variety of veggies with pesto ranch dip, bruschetta with tomato medley and olive artichoke tapenade. And of course, the ever popular chocolate fountain and assorted variety of tasty treats to dip.

The centerpieces provided by Melody Human were absolutely stunning floral arrangements of white lilies, hydrangeas and mums with Christmas greenery. The design, color and fragrance were amazing and the perfect backdrop for our buffet of crystal and silver trays. Thank you so much Melody!

One of the hits of the evening was the whole smoked salmon and yes the head and tail were still on. Although it looked like there was nothing left, I was able to salvage enough to make a smoked salmon mousse. With this recipe you can use canned salmon, bones and skin removed; or you can buy a small piece and cook it yourself. I like to poach fresh or frozen salmon in a little water with lemon juice or white wine. Add a bay leaf and a few peppercorns for a wonderful flavor. Here is the recipe. It is light, refreshing, pretty, and a perfect accompaniment to a chilled glass of
extra-dry, extra-cold white wine or champagne.

Salmon Mousse

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

¼ cup cold water

½ cup boiling water

8 oz cream cheese

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped green onions

Dash of Tabasco

2 tablespoons chopped dill

2 cups salmon

1 teaspoon salt unless using smoked salmon

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 oz jar of pimento

Soften the gelatin in the cold water in the food processor. Let sit for 1 minute. Pour in the boiling water and pulse until mixed. Be careful of hot liquids in the processor.
Add the remaining ingredients and process until just smooth.
Pour into a decorative mold, 6 to 8 cup bowl, or individual cups.
Cover and chill for at least 4 hours until mold is very firm.
Serve with pumpernickel or black bread, crusty bread or cracker.

Serves 12 to 15 as an appetizer.

Present this on a bed of dill or baby spinach. Garnish with capers, lemon slices, or chives. Be Creative Have Fun!

See you next time!

Perfect Brunch Casserole

ptenbroek@arg-stl.com — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 16:57:00 GMT

Thank You to everyone who has enjoyed my food after the services at CSL on Sundays. You have given me so many compliments that I want you to know how much I appreciate all of you who love to eat! It certainly makes it so much more fun to cook and try new ideas. I have also had many requests for recipes, so I will continue to share my vegetarian food ideas with you in hopes of inspiring you to have more fun and freedom in the kitchen.

Some of my favorite food in the winter time is casseroles. My Mom was the queen of leftovers! It seemed she would toss everything together, put it in a casserole dish and send it to the oven. Most of the time her combinations came out very interesting, a term we use when the dish is not really fantastic, but not really awful either. Occasionally her experiments wouldn’t come out at all and we would moan and groan until the next round of fresh ingredients.

Now I love to make casseroles too, but not having to feed five kids, I rarely have enough leftovers to have to make another meal, so I always use the freshest ingredients. One great leftover is bread. Not the sandwich kind, but any kind of French or Italian loaf. Mostly I buy a couple of loaves, let them sit out and get crusty and stale, cut them into slices and freeze them for my bread puddings and Tomato Basil Strata. This is a wonderful, savory brunch dish perfect with a salad, fresh fruit, or assortment of sweets. If you can get some good fresh tomatoes, use them, otherwise I used canned diced tomatoes, drained well.

Butter a 2 quart casserole dish. Heat oven to 350`. Slice one long loaf of crusty French bread crosswise. If bread is fresh you can toast the slices in the oven until golden brown. You will need a shallow bowl with 1 cup milk or half n half and ¼ cup white wine. Dip slices of bread in milk mixture and put first layer in casserole. Spread a thin layer of pesto over bread slices, add layer of thinly sliced tomatoes or drained diced canned tomatoes. Sprinkle layer of Parmesan, Romano, Asiago, or combination of shredded cheeses. Continue layering until casserole is filled to the top. You will have to continue to add more milk and wine to your dipping bowl. Finish with layer of bread. Lightly beat 4 eggs and 2 cups milk or half n half. Pour mixture over the top of the bread. Sprinkle additional cheese on top. Bake for 45 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown on top.

This dish can be prepared in advance and left in the refrigerator over night. Bake in the morning. The Strata also holds over well and can be reheated. The layers are more defined when cooled, refrigerated and reheated.

Have fun with this. You really can’t mess it up. You can add more eggs if you like it eggier or substitute heavy cream for a rich, decadent treat. Add fresh basil leaves on top of the tomato layers if you have them. Lay a few tomato slices on the top before you put the cheese on for color and a burst of flavor. Finely chop fresh basil or Italian parsley to sprinkle on top.

Happy Holidays and Happy Cooking!

Vegetarian Lasagna

ptenbroek@arg-stl.com — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 02:30:00 GMT

Do you find you are spending lots of time in the kitchen this time of year? I love baking in the winter time. Nothing is better than turning the oven on to 350`, dragging out all the big bowls and rummaging around in the pantry and refrigerator. I love to get creative and use up all those little bits of stuff left in the fridge. I just made a wonderful vegetarian lasagna using this method. I had a big bag of spinach from Sam’s that was about two thirds full, half a red pepper, one small zucchini, three tablespoons of olive tapenade, a few sun dried tomatoes, and a cup or so of parmesan cheese. Here’s what I did:

Put water on to boil for the lasagna noodles. In a deep skillet put two tablespoons olive oil, a couple cloves of garlic (I keep a jar of roasted garlic in oil on hand) and sauté for a minute or so until the oil is hot and garlic nicely golden if using fresh. First I add zucchini sliced very thin on the mandoline, then a tablespoon of Italian Seasonings or one tablespoon of any combination of basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, etc. Next sauté the zucchini until soft. Put in a dish and set aside leaving any extra oil in the skillet.

Next, a little more olive oil in the skillet, a little more garlic, then add the washed spinach. Cover with the lid and let steam for a few minutes. Toss to coat with oil until wilted and cooked. Remove spinach and set in a colander. Mash against the sides to get out liquid. Chop evenly. Set aside. Slice red pepper thinly on mandoline. Saute in skillet in remaining oil and liquid from spinach until soft. Remove from skillet leaving in any liquid. Set peppers aside.

In same skillet add a little more oil and a can of crushed tomatoes. Here is where I added a few tablespoons of olive tapenade and a few sun dried tomatoes soaked in water for a few minutes. Chop tomatoes and add along with the soaking water to the skillet. Add more herbs if you like. Mix together and cook until liquid is reduced and sauce is thick. Next boil the lasagna noodles according to package direction. While boiling, get ingredients ready for the assembly line. Don’t forget to have your cheese ready, some serving spoons and of course the pan. I used a rectangular pan that fit the size of the noodles. Spray the pan with PAM to make cleanup easier. I cooked the noodles al dente and put in a colander.

Now for the fun! Ladle enough tomato sauce to cover the bottom of the pan, put in one layer of lasagna noodles, spread half the chopped spinach evenly over the noodles, add one third of the tomato sauce, sprinkle with cheese and add the next layer of noodles. Next, layer all the zucchini, one third tomato sauce, cheese and next layer of noodles. Add remaining chopped spinach, red pepper slices, remaining tomato sauce and cheese to taste. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until bubbling.

Add your own variations. Mushrooms and onions sautéed in garlic and oil (of course!) add lots of flavor, or use a mix of red, green and yellow peppers. Yellow squash is good. If you don’t have time to cook the tomatoes, use your favorite spaghetti sauce in a jar. If you use frozen spinach, put it in a colander and rinse with warm water until thawed. No need to sauté it, just squeeze as much excess water out as you can. Lasagna that holds together well and cuts clean is accomplished by reducing any excess liquid from the ingredients. This recipe is also good minus the cheese if you are looking for lots of flavor and not a lot of fat. Or put one pound tofu in the food processor with two tablespoons olive oil, salt to taste and a dash of nutmeg and voila!, you have ricotta cheese! Your family will never know the difference!

Let me know your favorite variation on this old favorite.

Happy Holidays!

ptenbroek@arg-stl.com — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 21:41:00 GMT

Tips on food presentation and Holiday Curry Fruit Dip Recipe.

Fall Harvest Recipes

ptenbroek@arg-stl.com — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 03:00:00 GMT

Happy Fall to all you Foodies out there. What a great time to cook. There are still lots of great vegetables to cook this time of year. I love all the Fall and Winter squash: acorn, butternut, spaghetti, plus the wonderful yellow summer squash and the tiny green zucchini.

Spaghetti squash is so easy to prepare. It can even be done in the microwave. Cut in half, remove seeds and put cut side down in an oven proof or microwave safe dish with a little water in the bottom. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 or microwave until tender. (Stick a fork in to see if it is tender.) Pull spaghetti strands out, toss with butter, fresh garlic or garlic powder and parmesan cheese. It's fun, it's fresh, it's healthy.

Yellow summer squash is another great vegetable that is so healthy and tasty. Take several small, firm squash, cut into rounds or half rounds. Cut a yellow onion into small pieces. Put a couple of tablespoons of oil in a skillet, you don't need much oil because the squash has a lot of moisture. Get the oil hot, throw in a 1/4 teaspoon corriander seeds and toast them for a minute or so. Don't let them burn. Then toss in the squash and onion. Salt to taste. Saute, stirring frequently until squash is very tender but not falling apart. Add a few teaspoons of water if necessary to create a bit of juice. Eat as a side dish or put over your favorite pasta, add parmesan or asiago cheese. Fast, easy and a delightful change. The squash and onions develop a nice sweetness that contrasts nicely with the saltiness of the asiago cheese. I like to put this over angel hair pasta. The texture of the angel hair pasta keeps this dish light and succulent.

Now for my newest recipe that has got me wanting to make it again and again. A great fall dip that is absolutely addictive. I love good healthy food that is addictive! I must give credit to Martha Stewart. I found this recipe in her October issue of Living Magazine. I have adapted it slightly.

Winter Squash Dip
Makes about 4 cups
Looks fabulous served in a hollowed out Turban Squash

2 lbs winter squash unpeeled, seeded and cut in 3 in pieces
I used half butternut and half acorn
1 head garlic with top cut off to expose cloves
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temp
8 green onions, white and pale green parts only, chopped
1 chipotle chili (canned in adobo sauce)
1 cup sour cream
8 ounces softened cream cheese
4 ounces of grated Parmesan cheese
4 teaspoons lemon juice

1.Preheat oven to 400`. Place squash on rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. spread in single layer. Drizzle garlic with olive oil and place on same pan. Bake until squash is soft and golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool.
2.Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in skillet over medium heat. Add green onions and cook until soft, about 4 minutes.
3.Scoop flesh from squash and transfer to food processor. Squeeze garlic from skins and add to squash. Add green onions and chipotle pepper, and pulse until smooth. Add remaining 6 tablespoons of butter, sour cream, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese and lemon juice, and pulse until combined but not smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
4.Pour into hollowed-out squash or serving bowl. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Sprinkle with paprika and garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds. Serve with breadsticks, toasted pita bread, bagel chips, or apple slices, carrot and celery sticks.

That's all for now. Next time I will share my Firecracker Beans! What a great combination of slightly sweet and hot in the tradition of great Jamaiican cuisine. My friends ask me to make this again and again.

Until then,
Happy, Healthy Eating!

From the Kitchen of CSL's Bette Crocker

ptenbroek@arg-stl.com — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 07:02:00 GMT

Hello CSL Foodies!
First I would like to thank you for your generous donations of food for our Sunday Celebrations. We have had some beautiful and tasty treats from some of the fabulous cooks that come to CSL. The intent of this blog is to:
1. Have Fun
2. Share Recipes
3. Get to know the Foodies

Secondly, the recipes I will be sharing will be vegetarian. I have been a vegetarian for 13 years. I love to cook and I love to present beautiful food. I also like preparing food to be simple, easy and fairly quick. Most of the recipes I will provide will be simple, with few ingredients and a little twist - something that makes it jolt your tastebuds. I like to use as much fresh ingredients as possible, and I love to take an old classic and spice it up!

That being said, here is my recipe for Pumpkin Bread Pudding. It has been a big hit at CSL and is perfect for the season and upcoming holidays.

Recipe for: Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Serves: 6

From the Kitchen of: CSL’s Bette Crocker

Ingredients

1 cup Half n Half

1 can solid pack Pumpkin

½ cup soymilk or whole milk

½ cup sugar

2 large eggs

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Ingredients

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon allspice

5 cups cubed day old crusty bread or baguette

¾ stick melted butter

Recipe instructions

Preheat oven to 350* F with rack in the middle.

Whisk together half n half, pumpkin, milk, sugar, eggs, salt, and

spices in a bowl.

Toss bread cubes with butter in another bowl, then add pumpkin mixture and toss to coat. Transfer to an ungreased 8-inch square baking dish and bake until custard is set, 25 – 30 minutes.

Good Cooking to you all! Let me know how your dish turns out and watch for more great recipes right here at Conscious Cooking.

Bon Apetite!
Bette Crocker