almond butter

I have been absent for quite some time now! Life has been a little crazy for the past few months to say the least. Between work, keeping up with menial chores like laundry and, oh yeah, trying to have some fun in there, I've been running myself on all cylinders. As a result, I've been trying to find extra hours in the day and simplify life in the most general sense of the word. I'm about to embark on the tedious task of finding a new place to live, a necessary evil that is also driving the bus towards simplification. I never realize how much stuff I own until it's time to put it all in boxes and drive it across town. Oh the joys of moving!

In keeping with the theme of simplification, I decided to make something easy and oh so yummy today - almond butter. 5 ingredients and 15 minutes to delicious. Simple.

Few things to note...

If you've never roasted nuts before, it's super easy so long as you keep an eye on them. I have burned many a tray of almonds, pine nuts, walnuts and the like. Almonds take about 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven. You can always buy your almonds roasted if you'd like to skip this step.

Don't add the honey, cinnamon and salt to the mixture until the very end after processing for the full 12 minutes. Adding the extra ingredients early will cause the mixture to seize and get super thick. Ew.

Almond butter and raspberry jam sandwiches are amazing. Just sayin.

Enjoy! - jz

almond butter

2 cups dry roasted almonds, unsalted
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Place the almonds in a food processor. Process on high until ground almonds begin to form a ball. Drizzle olive oil over almonds and continue to process, stopping occasionally to scrape sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.  Continue to process for 12 full minutes. Add honey, cinnamon and sea salt. Process for another 30 seconds to mix. Transfer almond butter to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. 

warm black bean & veggie wraps

I'm ready for summer.

Really, really, really ready for summer. Really.

Sad as it may sound, I have been spending my evenings planning fantasy getaways to exotic locations - basically anywhere with beach, bungalows and sugar laden foo foo drinks with umbrellas. Yes. This is what I dream of in the middle of a rainy Seattle January. Sigh.

Since I can't exactly hop the next flight to Bora Bora, I decided to at least take a vacation from soup and all other standard winter fare. These wraps are so simple, so yummy and so easy to make. I added kale to the recipe because I had some in the house and it made a great addition. Chop a bunch coarsely and add it to the veggie mixture for the last two minutes of saute time until it just begins to wilt. You won't be sorry! Oh. Don't forget avocado, sour cream and salsa for "garnish." Enjoy! -jz

warm black bean & veggie wraps

makes 4

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 cups diced red or yellow bell peppers
1 cup 1/2 inch cubes zucchini
1 cup 1/2 inch cubes peeled seeded butternut squash
1 cup chopped red onion
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 15 oz can black beans, drained
1 cup (packed) grated hot pepper Monterey Jack cheese
4 10 inch flour tortillas
4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds. Add all veggies and saute until crisp-tender (about 8 minutes). Mix in cumin and saute until vegetables are tender (about 2 minutes longer). Place beans in large bowl; mash coarsely with a fork. Mix in veggies, then cheese.

Spoon 1/4 filling down the center of each tortilla. Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon cilantro. Roll up tortillas, enclosing filling. Arrange wraps, seam side down, on a baking sheet. Cover wraps with foil and bake until filling is just heated through (about 10 minutes). Devour immediately.

eggnog-esque pancakes

HellO 2011!

OMG am I happy to see your face - metaphorically speaking of course! I'm jumping up and down as I type this out of sheer excitement for the New Year - metaphorically jumping I mean. (Who can jump and type at the same time??)  2010 was a little crazy for my tastes so I wasn't too sad to see it come to a close - especially since that meant celebrating.

And especially since I heart holidays. Turns out.

Christmas, Halloween, the 4th of July....my birthday! (ha!)

This past New Year's will surely go down as a favorite. Friday night was filled with good food, even better company and excessive amounts of fabulous wine. There were even presents! Belated and oh so lovely Christmas presents. It was a great way to end 2010 and set the tone for 2011.

Even though the holiday season had officially ended, I decided one last decadent breakfast was necessary. I discovered this recipe while lazily perusing the internet in lieu of doing anything responsible Saturday afternoon. I was hungry (hence food blog stalking) when these pancakes became a Sunday morning must - and thank goodness they did. They were absolutely yummy and you don't even need eggnog to make them.

I followed the recipe to the letter using spiced rum, since I just so happened to have some on hand. One thing to note, don't be afraid of the thick fluffy batter. I was tempted to add extra milk once I had mixed everything together but I thankfully ignored my instincts. These pancakes are some of the lightest and fluffiest I've ever made - and I've made quite a few pancakes in my day. Trust me.

Enjoy! -jz

eggnog-esque pancakes
serves 2 

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
heaping 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of ground allspice
3 Tablespoons butter melted until browned
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1 Tablespoon whiskey or spiced rum or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
butter or a lightly colored oil for cooking pancakes
maple syrup for serving

In a small sauce pan, melt butter until much of the water has evaporated and little brown bits appear in the bottom of the pan.  Remove from the flame and add the nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice.  Set aside to cool a bit.

In a small bowl, beat the egg with the buttermilk.  Add the melted butter, being to sure to scrape all the browned bits and spices into the buttermilk and egg.  If the butter seizes up a bit in the cold milk, that’s ok. Add the whiskey/rum or vanilla extract and just whisk it all together.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to incorporate.  Don’t overmix.  It’s ok if there are a few lumps.

Let the batter rest, untouched for 5 minutes while you heat a griddle or skillet.  Add a tablespoon of canola oil or butter to the hot skillet.  Dollop heaping tablespoonfuls onto heated and oiled skillet and cook until evenly browned, flipping once.  Place cooked pancakes on an oven-proof plate in a warm oven until ready to serve.

Recipe repeated from: Joy the Baker (If you've never checked this blog out, now is the time! She's awesome!)

bacon and egg muffins

I have a confession to make. I have fallen in love with the incredible edible egg all over again. I'm not sure that I was ever truly out of love (?) with them come to think about it. Regardless though, our relationship has rekindled and taken a new turn. This may seem like a risky love affair considering the current salmonella outbreak - but I can't help it. I'm pretty sure it all started when I recently learned how to poach eggs. It was eye opening (think poached eggs with roasted asparagus and prosciutto) and honestly fun! Try it if you never have. There are videos online to help you summon your inner Julia Child.

A few weeks and quite a few eggs after the poaching experiment, I stumbled upon the latest issue of Edible Seattle while out for Sunday coffee with a friend. As if my subconscience was leading the way, the first thing I saw when I opened the magazine was the recipe for these muffins. A bacon biscuit with a whole egg baked right into the middle. I practically bee-lined home to try them....and have made them twice since that day. The recipe is perfect as is. They are best served hot, but are great to grab on the run in the morning and still just as satisfying, and filling, cold. I'm headed to the beach with my family in two weeks and will surely be making these for everyone to munch on for breakfast. Think I can smuggle my mega muffin pan through airport security?? -jz

bacon and egg muffins
makes 6 mega muffins

non-stick vegetable oil spray
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 pound thick-cut bacon, cooked crisp and finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 cup whole milk
7 large eggs
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease 6 jumbo muffin tins (or 1 cup ramekins) with the vegetable oil spray and set aside.

Whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, bacon, chives and cheese in a large bowl. Combine the milk and one egg in a small bowl, then add to the dry ingredients along with the melted butter. Fold the ingredients together gently until no dry spots remain.

Spoon about 1/4 cup batter into each of the muffin tins. Using a soft spatula spread the batter up the sides of the tins a bit, leaving a depression in the middle of the batter. Crack an egg into the center of each cup. Divide the remaining batter between the cups making sure you cover the yolk. It's easiest if you work with small dollops of batter.

Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes until the visible egg white is set and the muffins are just barely beginning to crack. They won't be very brown. Cool 5 minutes, then run a small knife around the edges of each muffin to release. Serve hot.

Recipe taken from: Edible Seattle

fresh rosemary focaccia

For those of you who are reading this post from Seattle, you're well aware of the fabulous October weather we've been experiencing. You would never know that it's actually June considering the onslaught of grey rainy days we've been having. Even as I sit here typing this post I am watching a downpour out my front window. It looks as though today's intended hike will have to wait....possibly until July.

There is an upside to this rainy weekend though - and that upside is focaccia. I've only played with making yeasted bread a few times. It's one of those things that seems like it should be easy, but can in fact prove to be challenging. Focaccia, I am happy to report, is not one of those breads. This recipe is quick - only 2 hours including rise time - and the results are delicious. I can attest to that. Once you have a loaf made the possibilities are endless. Saturday night I made sammies with oven roasted zucchini, mushrooms, red peppers and sweet vidalia onion sauce. (By the way, this onion sauce was so good that I gave it it's own post. Check it out!) Sunday morning, a breakfast sammie with tomato, sauteed mushrooms, sharp cheese and yummy sausage on toasted focaccia. I've started running again so I'm justifying this as carb loading for the upcoming week....or month maybe? Enjoy! -jz

fresh rosemary focaccia

makes 1 large loaf

1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups warm water
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, plus extra whole leaves for garnish
3 cups all-purpose flour (or 1 1/2 cups each all-purpose and whole wheat)
1 teaspoon salt
Olive oil for brushing
Coarse salt for garnish

Combine the yeast and warm water in a large bowl. Stir in the olive oil, chopped rosemary, salt and flour. Knead to form a soft dough. If the dough is sticky, work in a little extra flour, 1 teaspoon at a time. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 to 6 minutes, until smooth. Pour a little olive oil in the original bowl, add the kneaded dough and turn it a few times to coat the dough with oil. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise 1 hour or until a hole poked into the side of the risen dough fills up slowly.

Punch down the dough, return it to floured surface, and knead it a few times. Then, using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a large circle about 1 1/2 inches thick. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased cookie sheet. Poke several holes into the dough with a fork, sprinkle with coarse salt and rosemary leaves, and brush with a little olive oil. Cover again with dish towel and let rise for 20 more minutes.

While the dough is rising for the second time, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the bread is lightly browned and firm. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

Recipe taken from: Veganomicon

sweet vidalia onion sauce

I'm not really sure why this is deemed a sauce considering it never is really reduced to a typical "sauce" texture. Regardless of classification this stuff is pretty amazing. The recipe is taken from Veganomicon and is suggested to be eaten over portobello mushrooms or on veggie burgers. I would eat this sauce with pretty much anything or even on it's own, spread over a piece of fresh focaccia. It's sweet, it's oniony in just the right way - it's simply delicious.

If you've never caramelized onions before, be advised that you cannot rush the process. 20 minutes is no joke. Keep the heat low and keep an eye on them. While the onions should turn a lovely caramel color, they shouldn't crisp. I promise they will be worth the wait! Enjoy! -jz

sweet vidalia onion sauce
makes a little less than 2 cups

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large vidalia onions, quartered and sliced thinly (about 2 cups once sliced)
1/4 cup mirin or white wine*
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon white balsamic or red wine vinegar*
1 teaspoon smooth Dijon mustard
pinch of salt

* I used white wine and red wine vinegar 

Preheat a large, nonstick pan over medium - low heat. Saute the onions in the oil for about 20 minutes, turning often so they don't burn. If it looks like they are getting crisp, reduce the heat. They should be very soft and honey brown. Add the remaining ingredients and stir for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Turn off the heat and cover to keep warm until you're ready to serve.

orzo soup

I literally just made a promise this week that I wouldn't post about soup again until September. Apparently I shouldn't make promises I know I can't keep.

This soup is just to good to keep quiet. I'm justifying the post by the fact that it's hardly "soup" in the traditional sense. Since it does have a broth base though, I suppose it has to keep it's name. It's a breeze to make and I've made no alterations to the original recipe as it appears on 101 Cookbooks. I typically cut the chard into "ribbons" to add some interesting texture. If you can get your hands on these fire roasted tomatoes, I whole heartedly recommend them. They have chilies which pack a little extra heat with the red pepper flakes. Also, for those of you who may want to default to chicken broth, this is a case where you need to stick to veggie broth. The flavor is well worth it. Have fun with the egg whites, they're my favorite part of the process! Enjoy! - jz

orzo soup
serves 4 to 6 (taken from 101 Cookbooks) 

7 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups whole wheat orzo (or other small pasta i.e. pastina)
2 cups chard or spinach, chopped
1 14-ounce can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes, well drained
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
good quality extra virgin olive oil
3 egg whites
fine grain sea salt
some grated Parmesan cheese (to finish)

Bring the broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the orzo and cook until just tender - about ten minutes. Stir in the chopped spinach;In the meantime, heat the tomatoes, red pepper flakes and a splash of extra virgin olive oil in a separate saucepan. Taste, and salt a bit if needed. Just before serving, slowly pour the egg whites into the soup, stirring quickly with a whisk. The whites should take on a raggy appearance. Taste and add more salt if needed. Serve the soup in individual bowls, with each serving topped with a generous spoonful of tomatoes, a drizzle of olive oil, and dusting of cheese.