Improv Pot Pie

I <3 Pot Pie, especially in the winter when you just can't seem to warm up no matter what you do. It has been a very harsh winter so far where we are and this recipe couldn't have popped up in my mind at a better time! The best part of this recipe is that there really isn't one; this is another one of my "garbage dishes" and I just used whatever I had on hand. So I will tell you exactly what I did/used in this dish but experiment for yourself and see how many awesome combinations you can come up with, because let me tell you, nothing beats an impromptu recipe that ends up tasting amazing! My notes in red are suggestions for modifications to my original recipe

This "recipe" makes 5 individual (8oz) ramekin sized pies but you can use individual disposable pie tins or one big pie. I did end up having about a cup or so of the filling left over.

Pie crust

2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

2 sticks of cold unsalted butter (cubed)

1 teaspoon salt

Ice water

Place the flour and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the cubed butter all at once (make sure to keep it chilled until the moment you are ready for this step) and as you are pulsing the machine, add the ice water one tablespoon at a time (slowly!!). Do this just until the dough comes together in a ball. (it usually only takes me 6-8 tablespoons of water). The dough should be in that fine line between crumbly and sticky (meaning it should be neither). Separate the dough ball into two portions, one being about 60% of the dough the other being 40%. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate while you make the filling.

Pie Filling

For this particular filling I used ingredients that I had on hand which were:

2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic smashed and chopped

1 large yellow onion roughly chopped (or cubed)

1 medium turnip cut into 1/2" cubes

1 large carrot peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes

1 each of white/red/and purple potatoes cut into 1/2" cubes

1/2 a head of cabbage chopped into bite sized pieces

1 small bunch broccoli separate florets and peel and chop stem into bite sized pieces

2 cups of vegetable broth (you can use whatever kind of broth you want)

1/4 teaspoon of dried sage

1 teaspoon of dried thyme

1 bay leaf

1 small bunch of rainbow chard chopped into bite sized pieces

2 tablespoons of butter

2 tablespoons of flour

1 cup of milk

1 tablespoon of heavy cream or milk -Or- beaten egg

You could substitute/add veggies like mushrooms, spinach, or frozen veggies like corn, peas, green beans, etc. If you like you could also add any kind of meat or protein you think will taste good (e.g. Chicken/turkey breasts, beef, pork, tofu, or seitan cut into 1/2" cubes). The general rule of thumb would be that you want to have the filling pretty much cooked most of the way through before putting it in your crust therefore you want to add the ingredients at appropriate times so that they end up being fully cooked at the same time. 

Start by heating the olive oil a deep skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, sauteing it until fragrant, then add the onions and saute until the onions are translucent. At this point, you would want to add all the hard veggies that take the longest to cook; turnips, carrots, potatoes and any other root veggies and meat/protein (if you are using it) into the skillet. Saute for about 5 or 6 minutes or until they start to soften. Add the cabbage and broccoli and cook for 3 minutes. Pour in the 2 cups of stock, the sage thyme and bay leaf, reduce the heat to low simmer for another 7-10 minutes. Finally the chard (and/or spinach, mushrooms if you are using). Season to taste with salt and pepper.

While you are waiting for the chard to wilt, make a roux; Heat up a small frying pan over medium heat and melt the 2 tablespoons of butter. Sprinkle in the tablespoons of flour and whisk lightly to prevent the mixture from clumping. Cook until the flour turns golden and no longer smells raw (about 5 minutes) Remove from heat and while whisking add the cup of milk make sure there are no clumps and add this to the filling in large skillet. Adjust seasonings if necessary and continue to simmer the filling for another 5 minutes or until the liquid becomes thick and bubbly.

Remove from heat and set aside to cool while you prepare the pie crusts (at this point add frozen corn/peas/green beans if using since these would already be fully cooked and only needing to be heated through).

Preheat oven to 400ºF

On a floured surface with a floured rolling pin roll out the 60% portion of dough to a 1/16" thickness. Cut out the appropriate size base for your ramekins or pie pans so that there is a 1/2"-3/4" overhang of dough (as shown in picture). 

Gathering scraps, re-rolling and cutting as needed. Fill the dough fitted ramekins/pie pans to the rim with the filling (as shown).

Roll out the 40% portion of dough and cut the tops to just cover the filling, place these on top and fold the overhanging dough from the base over the top and pinch to seal (this is where you can get as fancy or not with the edging as you please).

Cut a vent hole at the top and if the dough on the top is glossy and looking kind of melted you will want to chill the pies before putting them in the oven. Since it is below 0 here I just put them out in my enclosed porch for about 10 minutes but placing them in the freezer for about 15 minutes should suffice.

Place the pies on a foil lined baking tray, brush tops with heavy cream, milk or beaten egg and bake uncovered at 400ºF for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF and bake for another 25-30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the filling is bubbling over.

Remove, allow to cool for about 5 minutes and ENJOY!!

Veggie Banh Mi

Gorditas Dulces

IT'S FALL! My favorite time of year. I love everything about fall; The crisp air, the colors, the smells, and most of all the flavors. Cinnamon is the epitome of fall in my opinion and lately I have been craving its warm, sweet and savory flavor.

The other day I had arepas for the first time at a local Venezuelan restaurant. The savory cornmeal cakes reminded me of my Tia's sweet Mexican gorditas (similar to gorditas de horno) and I have been craving them lately, so I decided to make them. They are sort of like an unleavened cinnamon English muffin, so they pair very nicely with your morning coffee, tea, or spicy Mexican hot chocolate!

A few things to note about this recipe is that it utilizes piloncillo, a cone of unrefined cane sugar, which can be found at most mexican stores, if you are unable to find it you may substitute with regular brownsugar but the taste will not be the same. Also, this involves taking whole sticks of cinnamon and grinding them to fine pieces, so yes, there will be tiny chunks of cinnamon bark in the gorditas. If this doesnt appeal to you, you can use half the called for amount in regular powdered cinnamon.

Tia Sandra's Gorditas Dulces
  
 4 cups whole wheat flour
12 oz piloncillo (Mexican brownsugar)
1/3  cup whole mexican cinnamon (3-4 sticks)
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/2 lb shortening

Take the cinnamon sticks and pulse them in a blender, food processor or blade grinder until they are about 1/4 inch pieces. Combine the whole wheat flour and cinnamon and set aside. Dissolve the piloncillo in about 1 1/2 cups boiling water until completely dissolved and set aside to cool completely. 

Add the shortening to the flour cutting it with two knives (or a pastry cutter) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the cooled water/piloncillo mizture in parts mixing with a wooden spoon or your hands after each addition until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl discard any remaining liquid. 

Roll the dough into 2 inch balls and then roll each ball in flour to completely coat the outside. 

Set the balls aside to rest for about an hour. 

Heat a large griddle or thick non stick pan (I used my comal) on medium low heat. DO NOT USE OIL!!Roll out the balls with a rolling pin (or flatten with your hands as I did) to about 1/2 inch thickness. Slowly cook the gorditas until the inside is done. the outsides of the gorditas should be dark but not burnt. Lower the heat if they start to burn. This step is the most time consuming. The gorditas should take about 15 minutes each side to cook otherwise the inside will taste like raw flour.. There may be a way to cook all of them in the oven, but I haven't experimented. 

Serve warm gorditas alongside a cup of a hot beverage of your choice. Enjoy!

  

Sweet and Sour Tofu

I have been trying different ways to work with tofu. It is such a versatile food since it absorbs anything it touches, and it can be prepared many different ways. Here, I took frozen and defrosted super firm tofu, cut it into cubes, breaded and fried it and tossed it with a homemade sweet and sour sauce recipe I found online.

Fried Panko Breaded Tofu

3 cups of peanut or canola oil

1 cup of cornstartch

2 eggs slightly beaten

2 tablespoons of water

3 cups of Panko bread crumbs

1 tablespoon of seasoning ( I use thai five spice seasoning)

Salt and Pepper

Preheat the oil in medium sauce pan to 375 degrees. To prepare the tofu: Freeze and thaw tofu ahead of time. It changes the texture pleasantly and makes it absorb more flavor (though if you haven't done it ahead of time this step isn't completely necessary, but the food will taste better if you do). Gently squeeze any remaining water from the tofu. Line up three bowls, in the first bowl put the cornstarch, in the second, mix the egg and water and in the third mix the panko bread crumbs with the seasoning and salt and pepper to taste. Cube the tofu block into 3/4 inch cubes, dredge them in cornstarch and shake off extra , dunk the cubes in the egg and then into the panko bread crumbs and finally into the hot oil. Fry until golden and drain on a paper towel lined plate.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup water

4 teaspoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (If you don't like spicy reduce)

1 teaspoon sesame oil

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons minced ginger

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons dry sherry

1 red bell pepper, stemmed,seeded and cut it into squares

One carrot peeled and cut diagonally

2 cups cubed pineapple

1/4 cup green onion, for garnish <-- I used chives

cooked rice (for serving)

In a large sauce pan heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil over medium high heat. Add the ginger and garlic and saute about 30 seconds. Pour the pineapple juice mixture into the saucepan with the ginger and garlic and bring to a boil. Add the carrots and the peppers and cook until the carrots are tender Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar, about 3 minutes. In a small bowl combine the cornstarch and the sherry, mixing well. Add the cornstarch-sherry mixture to the simmering pineapple juice mixture, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes then remove from heat. Add the pineapple chunks.

Mix with tofu and serve over rice. Garnish with chives.

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Homemade Spagetti Noodles with Pesto, Goat Cheese and Grape Tomatoes

This is the first recipe I made using my fresh homemade pasta. The pesto is just a basic pesto recipe and it's spicy garlic taste is toned down by tangy goat cheese and fresh grape tomatoes. It is the perfect recipe for a quick no cook sauce that is both tasty and fresh. Great for using up excess basil you may have lying around.

Fresh Basil Pesto Recipe

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
• 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
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• Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more. Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Serve with pasta, or over baked potatoes, or spread over toasted baguette slices.

From: www.simplyrecipes.com

Mix cooked pasta with the pesto and add crumbled goat cheese to taste. (I use about 2 oz per 1/4 lb of pasta) Rinse and halve grape tomatoes and toss. Serve immediately.

Homemade Semolina Pasta

As I mentioned before, I love to use my bread machine for cutting time on preparing doughs from scratch. My bread machine has a pasta dough kneading function and I used it for the first time today to make some Semolina pasta. It only takes 14 minutes for my bread machine to mix the dough and then it needs to rest for a half hour (44 minutes that you don't even have to touch the dough. So, in this time you can make a sauce, watch an episode of your favorite show, or catch up on facebook.) In 5 minutes, I can roll and cut it with my pasta machine. Home made fresh pasta cooks in under two minutes so really making pasta from scratch isn't that much more time consuming than cooking commercial pasta, and I promise you, the work put into this is worth it! The taste of fresh pasta is not replicable! Note: You don't need to have a pasta roller/cutter rolling and cutting by hand can be done. Though it will take longer.

Semolina Pasta

(From The bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook by Beth Hensperger)

7/8 cup warm water

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups unbleached all purpose or bread flour

1 cup semolina pasta flour

1 teaspoon salt

Place all the ingredients in the bread pan according to the order in the manufacturer's instructions (I just put them in according to whatever mood I am in. I am not sure it makes a difference maybe it does... but I couldn't tell you) Program for the Dough or the Pasta Dough Cycle; Press Start. Set a kitchen timer for 7 minutes. When the timer rings, check the dough ball that has collected on the blade. It should be firm but pliable. If it is too dry, add a couple drops of water while the machine is kneading. if it is too moist, sprinkle in some all -purpose flour, a teaspoon at a time. Reset the time for 3 more minutes. When the timer rings, press stop to cancel the cycle. (I have actually just left it to go the full 14 minutes and haven't had any problems). Remove the dough from the machine, wrap in plastic wrap, and let sit for 30 minutes.

Click here to watch how to roll pasta by machine This guy uses a mixer attatchment roller, I have a hand crank. To roll by hand, you need a lightly floured surface and rolling pin. Basically you mimic the steps as done with a machine but with your rolling pin. Roll out to the desired thickness... Here is an interesting site that shows how to cut various pasta shapes by hand.

You can use homemade pasta in place of commercial pasta in any recipe.

Grilled Vegetable Frittata

I like to grill veggies in bulk. They can be used in lots of recipes. One of my favorite ways to incorporate grilled veggies into a hearty breakfast is by mixing it with eggs and stale bread in a frittata.

Frittatas are what I like to call garbage dishes, because you can put whatever you want or have on hand into them: veggies, pasta, meats, cheese, stale bread, etc. The only thing that is necessary for a frittata is egg, and you will need an oven safe frying pan or skillet. So try it with whatever you like! Enjoy!

Grilled vegetable Frittata

1 tablespoon of butter

1/2 cup Any mixture of grilled veggies (for this particular frittata I had grilled grape tomatoes, asparagus, zucchini, mushrooms, red and yellow bell peppers, and red onions)

1/2 cup Stale ciabatta (or any kind of bread you have) cut into cubes

3 eggs slightly beaten

1 teaspoon heavy cream (or milk, or half and half)

1/4 cup of shredded cheese (any kind you want, I used a quattro formaggio mix from trader joes)

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. In a medium sized OVEN SAFE frying pan or skillet (I think I used my 8 inch), melt the butter over medium heat. Add the bread to toast slightly, and then the vegetables, season with a little bit of salt and pepper. Stir until the veggies are warmed through and arrange everything evenly over the bottom of the skillet. Mix the beaten eggs with the cream and cheese, and slowly pour the mixture over the arranged veggies and bread. Immediately put the skillet onto the middle rack of the oven and cook for about 15 minutes or until the eggs are fluffy and cooked through. Remove from the oven, let cool in the pan for about 5 minutes and turn out onto a large plate. Serve warm or at room temperature. (This is even tasty as leftovers, cold from the fridge)