pink raspberry moscato cocktail

Happy New Year!  2014 was a great year.  We went to Disneyland, Jack learned to walk, Liam started preschool, Jeff got a new job (!), and so many other great things happened too.

Now that we have two kids (and my parents have a busier social calender than we do...) we don't do all that much to celebrate New Years.  Chinese take-out, some good movies, and some champagne and sparkling cider.  It's lame and simple, but perfect for us.  All four of us can stay in together for the evening, and if we miss the ball drop because we've already fallen asleep, eh, so what?

This year I thought I'd make the pink moscato I bought a bit more fun.  Here's a red raspberry compote to add to the champagne (or clear soda for a non-alcoholic version).  The best part of this cocktail is that its easy, contains only 3 ingredients, and takes about 5 minutes (not counting fridge time).

Start out with 1/4 cup of sugar and 1 1/2 cups of raspberries (fresh or frozen).

Add the sugar and raspberries together in a small pot and stir together over medium heat.  As the raspberries absorb the sugar and soften gently muddle them.

Allow the raspberries to boil for 1 minute, then take off heat.  This part is up to you.  You can allow the berries to keep there shape, or muddle them into oblivion.

Pour the compote into a bottle and let it cool in the fridge until ready to use.

Once your compote and pink moscato are both chilled, pull them out of the fridge and pour!

Pour about a tablespoon of compote into the bottom of a champagne flute, then fill the rest of the way with pink moscato.

I like to quickly stir the contents once in the flute so the compote doesn't adhere so much to the bottom.

Enjoy and have a happy New Year!  There should be plenty of compote to enjoy with an entire bottle of champagne, and even some left over for to spread on some toast tomorrow morning.  Beware those evil hangover you crazy party animals.  :)

Pink Raspberry Moscato Cocktail
makes: about 1 1/2 cups
cook time: 5 minutes

ingredients:
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups red raspberries (fresh or frozen)
1 bottle pink moscato, chilled

directions:
1.  Combine the sugar and raspberries in a small pot on medium heat.  Stir to combine ingredients.  Muddle fruit and allow to boil for 1 minute.  Remove from heat.  Pour into a glass container and refrigerate until cool.
2.  Pour 1 tablespoon fruit compote into base of champagne flute.  Fill remainder of glass with pink moscato.  Stir gently to mix.  Enjoy.

potatoes and cauliflower 3 ways

I love both potatoes and cauliflower.  I could easily find ways to cook them differently and be able to eat them happily every day.  It recently dawned on me however, that they can be enjoyed together quite easily 3 ways.  Each way is good, but they all build upon each other.

level 1: roasted cauliflower and baked steak fries
level 2: veggie hash
level 3: corn chowder

All three of those dishes are great, and come on, you know you want to surprise someone by telling them you put french fries in your chowder!  You can make one of these dishes straight through, use leftover fries and cauliflower to make hash, use leftover hash to make chowder, etc.  Make sense?

Level 1: roasted cauliflower and baked steak fries

This is great for an easy weeknight dinner.  Just add a baked chicken breast on the side, or some seasoned beans or lentils.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Cut 2 large russet potatoes into about 12 pieces each (3x4) and lay them flat on a parchment covered baking sheet.  Lightly drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle with black pepper and sea salt. Set aside.

Cut up a small head of cauliflower into florets.  Spread out on a parchment covered baking sheet and lightly drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkles with black pepper and sea salt.  Pop into the oven with the potatoes and bake for 45 minutes.  Remove when fork tender.  If you prefer the potatoes and /or cauliflower to have a bit more crisp broil them for up to 2 minutes.

You can stop here and enjoy alone, or with some chicken, beans, or lentils on the side for a full meal.
OR

You can continue on to the next direction to make hash.

Level 2: hash

Chop up the steak fries and cauliflower into bite sized pieces (leave the potato skins on, it brings nutrients, flavor, and texture).



Set these pieces aside.

In a large pot on medium heat, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil, then add a small diced yellow onion, and 4 diced garlic cloves.  Sprinkle lightly with salt and stir occasionally to prevent burning.  After about 3 minutes add a diced red bell pepper.  Once softened add the potatoes and cauliflower.

Combine well.

Add 1 1/2 cups of corn kernels and stir often for several minutes until everything has softened and warmed.  Season lightly with more salt and pepper.  Add in 1/2 teaspoon each thyme and cayenne.

You have now just made hash.  You could enjoy this now, serve with some chicken for a full meal, refrigerate it and heat it up in the morning with eggs mixed in for breakfast...

OR you could continue on and make corn chowder.

See?  So many options just from the original potatoes and cauliflower?

Level 3: corn chowder

Add three 14.5 oz cans (a little over 5 cups) of chicken broth (preferably low sodium) to your hash.  Add 1/2 teaspoon thyme and 1 1/2 teaspoon cayenne.  Mix well.  Turn the heat down to medium-low and put the lid on the pot.  Walk away.  Yup, you heard me.  Walk away.  Set a timer for 1 hour.  Come back once or twice within that hour a stir briefly.  Otherwise, leave the pot alone until that timer goes off.  When it does, stir quickly (if any skin has developed a brief stir will get rid of it) and remove from heat.  Pour in a cup of milk , stir and serve immediately.  If you didn't know better you'd think this soup was soo bad for you.  It's thick and rich and delicious.

The chowder picture above is before simmering for an hour.  You CAN eat it then if you're really hungry, or like thinner soups, but it thickened beautifully, and the flavor gets better (I swear) after the hour of simmering.  See below, so much thicker!

potatoes and cauliflower 3 ways
(roasted, hash, corn chowder)
serves 4

ingredients:

• 2 russet potatoes
• 1 small head of cauliflower
• 4 tsp olive oil, divided
• sea salt
• pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, diced
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 1/2 C corn
• 2 tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp thyme
• three 14.5 oz cans of chicken broth
• 1 C milk

directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Slice potatoes into roughly 12 long slices each (cut 3x4) and spread on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil, sea salt, and pepper.  Set aside.  Cut cauliflower head into florets and spread on a parchment lined baking sheet drizzle with a teaspoon of olive oil, and sea salt and pepper.  Bake both sheets for about 45 minutes, until both vegetables are fork tender with crispy edges.  Remove from the oven.
2.  In a large pot on medium heat, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil and add the onion and garlic.  Stir around until soft, a few minutes.  Add the bell pepper and cook until that softens as well.  Add the corn, potatoes, and cauliflower.  Mix well and season with 1/2 teaspoon each of thyme and cayenne.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
3.  Add chicken broth and remaining thyme and cayenne.  Turn out down to medium-low and pot the pot lid on.  Set a timer for one hour and stir briefly only once or twice before timer goes off.  Remove from heat and add the milk.  Serve immediately.

All three levels of this recipe store in the fridge well for up to a week, and reheat easily.

roasted veggies with couscous and garbanzo beans

This is such a good weeknight meal.  The prep is quick, the flavor is great, and it's healthy.  Jeff likes to call this dish "middle eastern ratatouille" and that's really as accurate as any description I can think of.

I always think of meals that our whole family will like when I cook.  I don't generally remember to mention this when I blog, but about 95% of the recipes I make are approved by all of us.  That's no small task.  A vegetarian, a guy, a 3 year old who barely eats, and a 1 year old.  I try my best to make sure that dinner especially can be enjoyed by all of us, and still be healthy.

I love recipes like this where the recipe breaks down into several parts, all of which can be made simultaneously so you can enjoy it quicker.

Chop up all the veggies and roast them with some drizzled olive oil, salt and pepper over top.

All that's left now is to make the couscous and heat up a can of garbanzo beans.  Honestly, that's all there is to it.  Easy.

Once all three sections are ready, spoon the couscous into a bowl and top with the veggies and garbanzo beans.  Enjoy!


Roasted Veggies with Couscous and Garbanzo Beans
serves 3-4

ingredients:

• 3/4 cup dry, uncooked couscous
• a 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 zucchini, sliced thin
• 1 medium tomato, chopped, 
• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil, divided
• sea salt (to taste)
• black pepper (to taste)
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp cayenne 
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Chop the veggies and spread them evenly on a foil lined lipped baking sheet.  Drizzle lightly with 2 teaspoons olive oil, sea salt, and pepper.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, until veggies are fork tender.
2.  Once the veggies are roasting, start the couscous.  Boil 1 1/2 cups of water in a medium sized pot.  Take off heat and pour in the couscous.  Place a lid over the pot and let sit for 10 minutes, until the couscous has absorbed all the liquid.  Fluff with a fork and mix in a teaspoon of olive oil, the oregano, cayenne, and garlic.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
3.  Drain and rinse a can of garbanzo beans and heat in the microwave for 2 minutes, or until warmed evenly.
4.  Plate the couscous, lay the veggies and garbanzo beans over top.  Enjoy.

This is a very simple dish.  It doesn't require many ingredients, and if you prefer to change up the spices or veggies, that's just fine.   I love having the option to make easy variations on a good dish!

easy egg bake

This is a great easy breakfast option.  You bake the eggs in individual mason jars and can eat them right out of the oven (well, after you allow them to cool a bit...), or seal them up and eat them up to a week later.

Even better, these can be customized to everyone's liking.  I made these for Jeff so of course these contain bacon and cheese, but the mix-in options are endless.

Don't worry if the jars look very full directly out of the oven, the eggs loose the puffiness when they cool, and they sink down a bit.  After they cool there is plenty of room to seal them and store them in the fridge.

Start by prepping your mix-ins, in this case bacon.  Cook two strips of bacon and set aside.

I like using large measuring cups because they pour easily.  Beat in the eggs, then add the remaining ingredients, and pour evenly into 3-4 mason jars depending on size.  Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper over top and they are ready to bake.  It is so easy.

This is a good height to fill the jars.

Bake the jars on the oven rack for about 30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Don't be concerned if the jar contents have puffed up.

Warm and fluffy.

See, they shrink down to easily seal.  Don't worry, there's still plenty egg-y goodness in each cup to fill you up.  Just take the lid off and microwave for about a minute when you plan on eating them.  So quick and easy.  Great for busy morning breakfast on the go.

Easy Egg Bake:

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 1/2 C milk
• 1/4 C shredded cheese
• 2 strips bacon, cooked
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Cut the bacon into matchsticks and cook.  Set aside.

2.  Whisk the eggs well, add the milk, cheese, and bacon. 

3.  Pour the egg mixture evenly into 3-4 mason jars and sprinkle over top with salt and pepper.

4.  Bake for about 30 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

5.  Let cool slightly before eating.  Otherwise, let cool completely, then seal and refrigerate for up to a week.  Microwave with lid removed for about a minute or until warm.

Other mix-in options:

• diced sausage
• ham
• green onions
• multiple cheeses
• basil
• garlic

Mediterranean tapas

Sorry, I've been a bit absentee lately.  Thanksgiving, having company stay, getting sick, having two wild and crazy boys, etc.  It's been a bit mental this Fall!  This recipe has actually been in the works for a while, but as you'll see when you scroll down, its fairly long and actually involves multiple recipes.

Okay, I know most people wouldn't really put Mediterranean and tapas together, but I really don't know what else to call this, because its accurate.  And yummy.

This spread is great to just leave out on the counter and grab at will.  The veggies are easy, just use what you have.  I made some pitas pretty quickly (they taste better than store bought, but they aren't as pretty).  I like to put a little of everything on my plate, and I've learned to make a lot of hummus because Jeff will eat gallons of the stuff in one sitting.

This hummus recipe can be easily halved, and is very quick and easy to make.  You don't even need that many ingredients (other than seasonings).  I don't use tahini because I really dislike the flavor and consistency.

This is all you need to make a good basic hummus: garbanzo beans, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, parsley, salt, cumin, water (not pictured), and a food processor.

Pulse until smooth, adding more water if necessary.  If you like a little heat add some cayenne.  I know this sounds weird, but before adding the garbanzo beans into the food processor I microwave them in a bowl for 2 minutes.  This helps soften them and they puree better.  Once the hummus is ready, scrape it into a bowl and refrigerate until cool.

Now comes the finish.  This isn't very pretty is it?  Not so much.  Time to dress it up with a light drizzle of olive oil and a few shakes of paprika.

So much better.

This hummus is easy, yummy, healthy, and will last over a week in the fridge in an airtight container.

Onto the carrots!  These are very simple to make too.  Start by dicing the carrots and steaming them until they are soft (not mushy!)

Saute some garlic until it turns golden and soft.

And here are your seasonings: cayenne, paprika, cinnamon, ginger, cumin, and coriander.

Toss the carrots in a pan with the garlic, salt, seasonings, lemon juice, and water.

Voila.  All done.  Healthy, delicious, easy to grab, colorful tapas.  Also, I can tell a meal is a winner when the kids take all of it before I can eat it!

Once again, store bought pitas are fine, but these were easy and so good.  Here's the excellent recipe from the view from great island on how to make perfect pitas every time.  I made 8 pitas with this recipe.  They were thick and doughy (in a good way), but thin enough to have pockets and be pliable.
I highly recommend this recipe, but make sure you give yourself about an hour and a half to complete it, there is a lot of resting dough time involved.

My stomach is officially growling now... :)

Mediterranean tapas:

ingredients:

• veggies (red bell peppers, spinach, etc.)
• pita triangles

hummus:

• two 15 oz cans garbanzo beans
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp olive oil (more for top)
• 1 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp cayenne (optional)
• water as needed
• 4 cloves garlic, diced
• paprika for top

carrot dip:

• 3 large carrots, diced
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 garlic cloves, diced
• 1/4 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• water as needed

directions:
1.  Cut up some veggies and pitas and spread them on a plate with some greens (spinach, lettuce, etc.)
2.  To make the hummus, drain and rinse the garbanzo beans.  Microwave in a heat safe bowl for two minutes, until warm through.  Add into food processor with salt, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, cumin, garlic, and optional cayenne.  Pulse until smooth.  Add water 1/2 tablespoon at a time to get the consistency you want.  Occasionally scrape the sides down.  Once smooth, scrape hummus into a bowl and refrigerate until cool.  Serve.  Store in an airtight container for at least a week.
3.  To make the carrot dip dice the carrots and steam them until just soft.  Set aside.  Saute the diced garlic with the olive oil until lightly golden and fragrant on medium heat.  Add in the carrots and season with the salt, coriander, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, paprika, and cayenne.  Mix together well.  Pour in the lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of water at a time until you have a bit of a sauce.  Serve warm.