Bekah Kate’s Weblog

LAMB RAGU WITH CAVATAPPI                                     Serves 4
 
 
Meat Sauce
2T extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 lb. lean lamb or beef, ground
½ c red wine
1c beef stock
3T tomato paste
2t cinnamon, ground
1T fresh mint, chopped
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
 
½ lb. cavatappi or any tubular dried pasta such as, penne or elbow.
 
In a large skillet, heat oil.  Add onion and cook over medium heat until soft.  Add garlic and cook an additional minute or so until garlic is cooked but not browned.   Increase heat and add meat.  Cook until browned.  Remove meat from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Drain fat from skillet.  Put meat back into pan and add the wine.  Cook over high heat for 1 minute or until it is nearly evaporated.  Add the stock, tomato paste, mint, cinnamon, salt and pepper.  Reduce the heat and simmer 15-20 minutes or until sauce is reduced and thickened. 
 
Meanwhile cook the pasta in salted water until al dente.  Drain.
 
Add the pasta to the ragu and toss until meat sauce is incorporated. 
 
Serve with a Greek style salad.
 
 
CHICKEN CUTLETS with Spicy White Beans & Kale                             Serves 4
 
 
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally
4 T all purpose flour
Sea salt and black pepper
½ c extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 c diced onion
4t all purpose flour
2t fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 ½ c chicken broth
2 cans (15oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 c kale leaves, stemmed and sliced
1 ½ t chili garlic sauce or to taste
2 T chopped fresh parsley
 
 
Pound chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap until each piece is 1/8 inch thick.  Stir together the 4T of flour seasoned with salt and pepper in a shallow dish.
 
Heat a large sauté pan over high heat. 
 
Dredge cutlets in flour mixture and shake off the excess.  Heat 4T of oil in pan and sauté chicken cutlets until they are browned, about 2 minutes per side.  Transfer to a warm plate cover with foil to keep warm until ready to serve.
 
In the same pan, sauté onion in remaining 4T of oil over medium high heat until translucent, 3-5 minutes.  Stir in the 4t of flour and rosemary; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
 
Deglaze the pan with the broth, bringing the liquid to a boil and cooking until mixture is slightly thickened. 
 
Stir in the beans, kale and chili garlic sauce; cook until kale is wilted, 1-2 minutes.  Remove from heat; stir in parsley.  Season with salt and pepper.
 
Serve with cutlets.
 
 
GAMBERI IN GUAZZETTO                                                           Serves 4
Prawns in White Wine
 
 
 
 
1 lb. large prawns
1/3 c extra virgin olive oil
1 T Italian flat leaf parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
¾ c dry white wine
1 t lemon zest
Pinch of salt
 
 
 
Wash and de-vein the prawns, leaving the shells on.  If using frozen prawns, buy uncooked, de-vein and rinse well under cold water.
 
 
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet.  Add the prawns and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes on each side, turning the prawns only once.
 
 
Add the chopped parsley, minced garlic, white wine, lemon zest, and salt.  Continue to sauté over low heat for 5 minutes or until prawns turn bright pink and are opaque.
 
 
DO NOT OVERCOOK OR PRAWNS WILL BECOME TOUGH!
 
 
Serve immediately with rice or noodles dressed with pesto paired with a simple steamed vegetable or salad.

Almost No-Knead Bread from Cook’s Illustrated
Published: January 1, 2008
Makes 1 large round loaf

An enameled cast-iron Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid yields best results, but the recipe also works in a regular cast- iron Dutch oven or heavy stockpot. (See the related information in “Making Your Dutch Oven Safe for High-Heat Baking” for information on converting Dutch oven handles to work safely in a hot oven.) Use a mild-flavored lager, such as Budweiser (mild non-alcoholic lager also works). The bread is best eaten the day it is baked but can be wrapped in aluminum foil and stored in a cool, dry place for up to 2 days.
INGREDIENTS

3      cups  unbleached all-purpose flour (15 ounces), plus additional for dusting work surface
1/4      teaspoon  instant or rapid-rise yeast
1 1/2      teaspoons  table salt
3/4      cup plus 2 tablespoons  water (7 ounces), at room temperature
1/4      cup plus 2 tablespoons  mild-flavored lager (3 ounces)
1      tablespoon  white vinegar

1. Whisk flour, yeast, and salt in large bowl. Add water, beer, and vinegar. Using rubber spatula, fold mixture, scraping up dry flour from bottom of bowl until shaggy ball forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 8 to 18 hours.
2. Lay 12- by 18-inch sheet of parchment paper inside 10-inch skillet and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and knead 10 to 15 times. Shape dough into ball by pulling edges into middle. Transfer dough, seam-side down, to parchment-lined skillet and spray surface of dough with nonstick cooking spray. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until dough has doubled in size and does not readily spring back when poked with finger, about 2 hours.
3. About 30 minutes before baking, adjust oven rack to lowest position, place 6- to 8-quart heavy-bottomed Dutch oven (with lid) on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Lightly flour top of dough and, using razor blade or sharp knife, make one 6-inch-long, 1/2-inch-deep slit along top of dough. Carefully remove pot from oven and remove lid. Pick up dough by lifting parchment overhang and lower into pot (let any excess parchment hang over pot edge). Cover pot and place in oven. Reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees and bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove lid and continue to bake until loaf is deep brown and instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers 210 degrees, 20 to 30 minutes longer. Carefully remove bread from pot; transfer to wire rack and cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.

Transferring dough to a preheated Dutch oven to bake can be tricky. To avoid burnt fingers and help the dough hold its shape, we came up with a novel solution: Let the dough rise in a skillet (its shallow depth makes it better than a bowl) that’s been lined with greased parchment paper, then use the paper’s edges to pick up the dough and lower it into the Dutch oven. The bread remains on the parchment paper as it bakes.

Dutch Baby Pancake

3T Butter
3 Lg Eggs
¾ Cup whole milk
½ Cup Flour
¼ t salt
½ t vanilla
¼ cup sugar
1T lemon juice

-Melt 2T butter in Le Creuset Braiser Pan.  Set aside.

- In blender combine: eggs, milk, flour, salt, vanilla, and sugar.  Blend until foamy, about 1 min.  Pour batter into skillet, bake until pancake is puffed and lightly browned.

-Quickly dot with butter, sprinkle 1T sugar and 1T lemon juice and serve immediately.

-Slice into wedges.

Frittata

8 Lg eggs (beaten well)
6 med sized potatoes (peeled and sliced in thin ¼ in circles, about 4 cups)
3 T c green onions or chives
½ C ham, diced (Can substitute bacon, chorizo, prosciutto or sausage or leave out meat)
1/3 C milk (2% or whole)
1/3 C onions (finely chopped)
1 C Parmesan or Asiago Cheese (freshly grated)
2 T olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

~Par boil potatoes by either placing them sliced in a bowl of water in the microwave for 3-4 minutes, or boil them on the stovetop.  You don’t want them too soft.
~Beat Eggs and milk together and salt and pepper well.
~Heat oil in Le Creuset Braiser Pan over medium high heat.  Turn oven onto low broil.
~Lightly sauté onions and meat together.
~Pour in potatoes and blend well with meat and onions, Turn heat down to Medium-low Cover and let stand 3-4 min.
~Stir potatoes.  Pour Egg mixture into pan.  Cover for 3 minutes.  Mixture should be almost completely set.
~Sprinkle Cheese and chives on top and broil until firmly set and nicely browned.
~Cut into wedges and serve.  Serve with nice crunchy toast.
~Can be served hot, cold or room temp.  Can be eaten for breakfast lunch or dinner!

Quick-Reference Lunch Ideas
Breads
bagel
baguette
bread sticks
crackers
English muffin
focaccia
lavash bread
pita bread
pizza bread
rice cakes
rolls
sandwich bread
tortillas

Spreads
hummus
jam (spreadable fruit)
ketchup
mayonnaise/mustard
peanut butter
pesto
pizza or tomato sauce
cheese (lite/low-fat)

Sandwich Fillings:
chicken salad
egg salad
hard boiled egg
nitrite-free hot dogs
tuna salad
BLT
Peanut Butter and Jelly
Deli Meat

Other:
Meatballs
Hard Boiled Egg
Mini Pizza (English Muffin)

Fruits:
apples
apricots
pears
bananas
blueberries
cherries
cranberries (dried)
mango
pears
raisins
grapes
kiwi
melon
nectarines
orange sections
peaches
pineapple
plums
raspberries
strawberries
tomatoes (Cherry)

Vegetables:
bell peppers
broccoli
carrots
cauliflower
celery
cucumbers
green beans
green salad
lettuce
shelling peas
snap peas
pickles

Sides/Snacks:

Fruit cup
applesauce
baked chips (salsa and/or dip)
dried fruit
fruit bar
fruit leather
granola
homemade cookies
popcorn
pretzels
trail mix
vanilla yogurt with fruit
cottage cheese with fruit
garlic toast
pasta
rice
String Cheese/ Cheese Sticks
Yogurt or yogurt drink
Hard boiled egg
Hummus and veggies

Step 1:
Get input from your children about what they want. They’ll be more likely to eat what they choose (except, of course, nutritional zeros like chips and soda).

Step 2:
Prep lunches with leftovers from dinner the night before. You’ll be more creative and less frazzled in the evening. Save some chicken breast for salad with red grapes and celery, a slice of meatloaf for a sandwich, or cooked vegetables for pasta salad with Italian dressing.

Step 3:
Strive for balance. Healthy lunches should have a complex carbohydrate such as whole-grain bread or pita, a source of protein (peanut butter is fine), at least one serving of fruit or vegetables and one source of dairy (string cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese or milk).

Step 4:    Get creative
-Use cookie cutters to carve sandwiches into fun shapes or include the fixings for “ants on a log”–aka peanut butter and raisins on celery.
- Make faces on open sandwiches.  Skewer fruit on a straw (kiwi, pineapple, grapes, strawberries, watermelon, banana, apple, cantaloupe, honeydew, mango)
-Mismatch breads to get them to eat some whole grain.
-Make “sandwiches” with crackers instead of bread…cracker stackers.
-Lunch on a stick- use a straw or pretzel rod- cheese cubes, roll ham or salami on pretzel.
-Skip the sandwich and put in cold meatballs instead, or beef sticks.

Step 5:
Sneak in fresh vegetables and fruits. While your child may leave a whole apple untouched, she may love diced apples in her chicken salad sandwich.

Step 6:
Cultivate adventurous eating. Introduce new foods gradually, pairing them with your child’s favorite snacks. For example, if he loves carrots with ranch dressing, slip in some cucumber and zucchini slices as well.

Step 7
Indulge in desserts, but don’t go overboard. Rice crispy treats are low fat, oatmeal raisin cookies pack a nutritious punch, anything homemade is better than store bought!  You don’t want to deprive your children, but you also don’t want them to be high-wired on sugar or falling asleep in class from a heavy rich treat.

Helpful Websites:
www.mealsmatter.org
www.parents.com
www.parenting.ivillage.com
www.laptoplunches.com

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CAKES
Makes 24 cakes
½ c milk
¼ t white vinegar
½ c room temperature butter (1stick)
½ c vegetable oil
1 ¾ c sugar
2 large eggs
2 t pure vanilla extract
2 ½ c all-purpose flour
4T natural cocoa powder
1t baking soda
¼- ½ t cinnamon
½ t salt
2 c grated zucchini (about 3 small)
1 c high quality semi-sweet choc chips
¼ c chopped pecans, walnuts or hickory nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line 2 standard muffin pans with cupcake papers.
Mix together milk and vinegar and set aside. Note:  if a recipe calls for sour milk, this is how it is accomplished.
In a large bowl, beat together the butter, oil and sugar until creamy.  Add the eggs, vanilla extract and sour milk.
In a separate bowl, blend the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Add the butter mixture, and stir by hand to combine.  Add the grated zucchini and half the choc chips and stir well.
Spoon the batter evenly into the pans filling each cup 2/3 full.  Sprinkle the tops with remaining choc chips and nuts, if using.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and top is springy to touch.  BE CAREFUL NOT TO TOUCH THE HOT CHOC CHIPS ON TOP.  OUCH!!!!