Get your hoard on

Fall makes me hoard food. I think subconsciously I'm prepping for hibernation and making sure I have enough for the spring, when I emerge from my den, the epitome of hangry (Mom, this mean hungry and angry). 
But I'm not a bear. 
I don't sleep through childbirth, nom on passing tourists or provide a marketing mascot for Coke. 
Instead I overcook and stock the hell out of my freezer. If the world does end, you'll want to be with me. 
But only if there is power. 
Or else we'll eat everything really fast and then hibernate and live off our fat stores. 
Problem solved. 




Minestrone Soup 


1 white onion- minced
1 zucchini- chopped
1/2 c fresh green beans, chopped 
1/4 c celery- chopped
4 cloves garlic- minced
4 c vegetable broth
1 can red kidney beans- drained
1 can small white beans- drained
2 medium tomatoes- diced
1/2 c carrot- shredded
2 tbsp fresh parsley- chopped
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp fresh basil- chopped
1/4 tsp dried thyme
3 c hot water
1/2 c red wine (never optional)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
4 c fresh baby spinach
2 c small shell pasta (use brown rice or other GF pasta to make this gluten free)

-Saute onion, celery, garlic, green beans, and zucchini over medium heat for 5 minutes or until onions begin to turn translucent.
-Add vegetable broth to pot, plus tomatoes, beans, carrot, hot water, wine, and herbs and spices. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
-Add spinach leaves and pasta and cook for an additional 20 minutes or until desired consistency

If you're going to freeze this, put it in gallon ziplock bags and lay flat in the freezer until it's solid. That way you have more room. 
And everything is better with siracha. 




Monagle (see Fig Newton's post) will hold this over my head for years. He knew about this artist before I did...I was just as surprised as you all are. 
While prepping for the long sleep, I was listening to My Brightest Diamond-  "All Things Will Unwind" 
Shara Worden is an operatically trained version of Joanna Newsom, really similar to Jeseca Hoop.
It's surprisingly beautiful, upbeat and pop-ish, but with really strong lyrics about being a new mother and the global financial meltdown. 
I dig it. 
You win Monagle. 

Short bread cookies

Shortbread Cookies (from Chef Magnus Nilsson)
2 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
10 1/2 tbsp butter- room temp
1 egg- room temp
1 egg yolk- room temp
3 tbsp raspberry jam

Preheat oven to 400
whisk flour, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl, add butter, mash it in using your fingers until a meal forms.
Whisk egg and yolk in a bowl, add to flour, mix to blend.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll balls of dough (about 2 tbsp worth) (it's very very crumbly, it'll take a while to form a cohesive ball. Be patient). Place on prepared sheets, make hole with your finger on the top. Fill hole with raspberry jam.
Bake for about 12-14 mins. Cool on a rack.

Now, you may be thinking to yourself," that recipe looks great! But, I really need a picture to seal the deal."
I have to apologize, dear KDP aficionados.
In my excitement over baking these amazing cookies, I forgot to take pictures.
So instead of knowing what they look like, just imagine that when you are eating them, your taste buds feel like this:

This tasty firework display is well accompanied with the sweet tune-age of James Blake, a producer/electronic music maker from London. It's pretty amazing, the texture of the arrangements, layering voices, acapella and synthesized, dubstep, chord shifts and drums. 

I'm just discovering London's electronic scene and though it's a shame it's taken me so long, I am very excited for unearthing gems. If you have any good ones, please let me know. 

I am the God of Granola!

That's right. You heard me. I am
This is also a shout out to the God of Cake- Check it out here

I've been in a big make my own everything kick. I like controlling/being able to pronounce what goes into my food.

Enjoy this tried and tested Granola Recipe. Then bow down to it's master.

Granola
3 c oats
1 c chopped nuts- I used almonds and cashews
1 c pumpkin seeds
1 c shredded coconut
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp salt
1/2 c honey (or Agave syrup)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 c dried fruit- I used raisins, craisins and crystallized ginger.


Cover sheet with foil/parchment paper
Mix the oats, nuts, seeds, coconut and spices in a large bowl.
Heat the honey and oil over the stove until smooth, pour over the oats, toss to coat and spread out over the pan.
Bake at 350 for 40 mins, stirring every 10 mins. Let cool

Ginger gives this a really good kick.
Stirring it is very important, or else it'll burn. And then you'll feel my wrath.

Bjork's new album, Biophilla- It began as a collection of songs written about themes of nature,  science and our relationships to them. But of course, Bjork is a go big or go home type of gal, so she also explored how people explore and collaborate with the music. She designed an Ipad app where users could manipulate and remix her songs. It's not really an album, it's a "digital environment." Having researched it after listening, I think it's an album more about the statement that it's making than the music. But that being said, the album still stands on it's own. It doesn't deserve the multi-tasking, distracted listen I gave it. So I'm going to go turn off all the lights, flip on the lava lamp and give it another, full attention listen. I'll keep you posted.

The Best Chickpea Salad EVER

It's been said many times before, but I just moved and am in the slow process of stocking a kitchen.

On this particular night, I got home late and needed to make a lunch to last the next couple of days.
In this situation, my go to is chick pea salad, it's good, it's easy, it turns into an "everything but the kitchen sink" salad very easily. Basically chick pea salad cures all that ails you.

So I start raiding the fridge, I chop veges, I find some craisens, this is going to be best chickpea salad ever. Everything goes into the bowl and I find some farmers market kale I need to use. Yes! I'm in a good place.
I pull out the cans of chickpeas and start to look for my can opener.
And then I realize that I never bought a can opener....

No problem, I was a girl scout, I can figure this out and nothing, I repeat,  NOTHING is going to stand in the way of "The best chickpea salad ever."
So I dig, I'm looking for a pocket knife, anything that will help me free these tiny beans from their tin cage.
And the only implement I can track down is a cheap wine bottle opener.
In my chickpea crazed haze, I figure, this has a sharp end, easy-peasy.

Not so much.

It took 30 minutes to open one can.
I had blisters on my soft middle-class hands for days.
And I ruined the corkscrew.

I'm this serious about chickpeas. 

It's worth noting- there is a 24 hour CVS within 2 blocks of my apartment.
Chickpea crazy thought that this way would be faster.
Never again.


Basic Chickpea Salad's (tried and true by me)
1 can chickpeas- drained (best bets are Progresso, Bush and Goya)
2 Tbsp fresh basil- chopped
2 Tbsp fresh parsley- chopped
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
4 tsp olive oil
1/3 c Parmesan Cheese- grated
salt to taste

Variations:
This is a really good "everything but the kitchen sink" salad. Throw it all in, it'll be fine.
Seriously- kale, green onions, mushrooms, black beans, frozen veges, dried fruit, cheese, green onions, feta, olives, artichoke hearts...you get the picture.
Curried chickpea salad- omit the cheese, add in shredded carrots, craisens and curry powder.

One more reason why you should make this right now:
Chickpeas are very very tasty vessels for Siracha.
Sold.

Music to accompany your chickpea/destroying cans/corkscrews experience:
I've listened to Chad VanGaalen newest, Diaper Island (NSFW), a couple of times now and I really can't make up my mind. It's not pretty, it's gritty and honest, which I appreciate, but I have to be in a very specific mood to be able to sit down and listen, i.e. breaking a corkscrew to open a dumb can kind of mood.

KDP's New York Office!

Setting up a new kitchen is fun, expensive and really hard (if you rely on public transportation and have to schlep everything EVERYWHERE (I'll post my rant about the New York schlep later)).

Welcome to KDP's New York Office! Although there is something missing....

Proficient at Photoshop is listed as one of my special skills. 

That's more like it. 

Tofu, Quinoa and Vegetable Pilaf


Tofu marinade
Soy Sauce
Ginger- grated
Garlic- grated
Chili Garlic Sauce
Pepper
Firm Tofu

-Press the tofu (Lay the tofu on paper towels, put towels over the block, put a weighted object on the tofu and let sit for 15 mins. Gets some of the water out so it'll take in more of the marinade).
- Cut the tofu into blocks
- Put all ingredients in a bag/container, add in the tofu. The longer you let it sit, the better.
- When ready, saute the tofu over medium high heat until brown-ish.


Quinoa and Vegetable Pilaf
1 1/2 c quinoa
1 c vegetable broth
2 c frozen peas, thawed
5 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
1 garlic clove
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large leek, thinly sliced
3/4 c chopped shallots
8 oz fresh shittake mushrooms, thickly sliced
14 oz asparagus, cut into 1 in pieces.

-Boil 2 1/2 c water. Add quinoa and 1 tsp salt. Return to boil, then turn to low heat, cover and let simmer for 15 mins.
- Puree the broth, 1 c peas, garlic and 4 Tbsp mint in a blender to make a paste (if you don't have a blender, do as I do and just mash with a spoon until you get bored and call it good).

One thing I need to schlep: a blender

- Put olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add leak and shallots. Saute until soft and light brown.
- Add mushrooms and asparagus, saute until mushrooms are tender and asparagus is crisp-tender.
- Mix in puree, tofu and 1c peas. Stir until heated through.
- Add quinoa. Stir to coat.

TOO MUCH FOR ONE PERSON.
COME VISIT.


Music:
Wilco has a new album: I haven't listened yet.
Clap Your Hands has a new album: I haven't listened.
Bjork has a new album: I haven't listened.
Because....
I'm rocking out to this:

Pickled Fiddleheads

Bo! Drunkard! It's fall and I'm already yearning for early spring and picking fiddleheads before they grow into big, beautiful ferns *sigh* at least we can make big plans for when that time comes. The first week of May was when the fiddleheads were just right for picking and pickling. I spent a couple of lunch breaks and a few hours after work that week picking bags full of the pretty little green friends as this was my first year knowing what to do with fiddleheads and I had no idea what was involved in prepping them! Turns out it's a major PIA to clean the brown skin-like stuff off of them and I spent as much time cleaning them as I did picking them (seriously, con a friend into helping with that part) but I have no problem guaranteeing that all of the effort is

totally worth it.

Lookit how stinking pretty fiddleheads are!

I spent a lot of time trying to find a simple recipe for pickling and canning my haul and surprisingly to me found a great recipe on the State of Alaska WIC website which goes something like this (with a few changes added by me):

• Fiddleheads, Raw- about a gallon bag full
• Garlic, Raw -8ish cloves
• Shallots, 2 or 3 (I had some laying around and wanted to pickle them)
• Dill Weed, about a cup fresh from my garden
• Variety of Fresh Herbs, I used Rosemary, Basil and Thyme
• Red Pepper 1/4 cup (I don't like spicy things)
• Water 2 Quarts
• Apple Cider Vinegar 6 Cups
• Pickling Salt 1/2 Cup

Pick and clean about one gallon of fiddleheads (best with about 3 inches stem and before they curl out). Place in cold water until ready to blanche them.

Sterilize jars and lids.

Blanche fiddleheads for 5 minutes in boiling water (safety first!). Place them in a colander to drain.

Peel and cut into quarters about 8 cloves of garlic. Set aside in small bowl. Have dill weed and crushed red peppers ready with the garlic and shallots.

In large pan, pour 8 cups water, 6 cups apple cider vinegar and 1/2 cup pickling salt. This mixture has to be boiling when poured over fiddleheads.

Take sterile jars out of water and sit on thick towel. Place equal amounts of garlic in each jar. Place approximately 3 stems of dill weed, your variety of fresh herbs and 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper in each jar with garlic. Stuff drained fiddlestick on top of garlic, dill and peppers. I try to pack mine tight by pushing the fiddleheads down into the jars, otherwise they tend to be bulky and take up a lot of space.

Pour boiling vinegar mixture over fiddleheads leaving a small space at top of jar. Quickly cover with sterile lid and ring and finger-tighten immediately. Boil the jars with lids on for 10 minutes. Remove sealed jars and place on a thick towel or wood cutting board to cool overnight.

After jars cool, check that they have sealed properly. Label and let sit in pantry for a month or two. They are best if served chilled on delicious gouda or atop a tasty bloody mary.

Tunes: While picking I listen to my silly blonde dog run around sniffing marmot poop and while canning I think I was just listening to some NPR.

Cup-tarts

Cup cakes, cup pies and now cup tarts...Muffin tins are taking over the world. 

Roasted Tomato, Mushroom and Goat Cheese Tarts (I invented this shit)
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 c sliced mushrooms
5 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp sugar
salt and pepper to taste
Phyllo dough- thawed
Butter- melted
Goat Brie- cut into 1 in pieces
Goat Cheese- grated


- Preheat oven to 425.
- Mix the tomatoes, mushrooms. garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper into a oven proof dish. Roast for 30 mins, until the tomatoes are slightly shriveled, but have retained their shape.
- Prep the phyllo cups.
    - Take 1 sheet of phyllo (please see Hannah's Tips for Working with Phyllo), fold hamburger style 2      times, so you end up with a rectangle of 4 sheets. Cut the sheets on the folds, so the 4 are seperate.
    - brush Butter on the square and layer in the muffin tin.
    - Repeat this so that each muffin tin has between 4 and 6 layers of phyllo, creating a cup.

Phyllo prep stations

- Place 1 piece of the brie in the bottom of each tart, spoon some of the tomato mix over, then sprinkle with the grated cheese.

- Bake for 20 mins at 350, until the cheese is melted and the phyllo is golden brown.
- VERY IMPORTANT- Let the cup-tarts rest in the muffin tins for at least 10 minutes. They need to cool quite a bit before you can pull them out and.....
- Stuff your face.

 

Music stuff:
Black Prarie's Feast of the Hunter's Moon from April 2010.
I'm sure you've all deduced how I feel about The Decemberists and Bluegrass (the answer is pretty f-ing positive), so adding those two together is the best things I've heard in a long time.
Plus, when I play the "this is the soundtrack to the film about my life" game with these tracks, I'm in a Western.