Steel-cut Oats with Cranberries and Almonds

Well, it's snowing again. Still. We've got another snow day for the kids, another day of shoveling a foot of snow at a time, and that means another day of warming, filling foods. My mom gave me an unopened canister of steel cut oats when I was there over Thanksgiving. I'd been meaning to try them out - I'd heard good things about them - and we love oats in this house anyway. I was intrigued by others' description of the chewy texture, rather than the glue-like paste of some rolled oats' dishes.

This version is pretty low-maintenance to boot. Instead of standing over a pot for a half hour, stirring constantly to keep the oats from sticking, you start these the night before and then let them sit overnight to soak. In the morning you just heat them up, sweeten to taste and then serve.

Steel-cut Oats with Cranberries and Almonds

Makes 3 servings

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup steel-cut oats
• 3 cups water
• 1 teaspoon orange peel 
• 1/4 cup chopped salted roasted almonds
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• Agave nectar

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, boil the oats, dried cranberries and orange peel in the water for 1 minute. Cover, remove from heat and set on a heat-resistant surface.
   
2. Let sit overnight.
3. The next morning, uncover the oats and bring them to a boil over high heat.
4. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, until the oatmeal is hot and creamy, about 5 minutes.
5. Garnish with the chopped almonds and some additional cranberries if you like and sweeten to taste with agave nectar.

One serving is worth 6 WW points.

Notes:

• There is a very large discrepancy between the points I got when I entered this recipe into the WeightWatchers online calculator and when I entered the nutritional data generated by Living Cookbook software. Like, a HUGE difference. I don't know what bit of pixie dust they have in the WW algorithms, but, man, it makes no sense.
  
  They revamped the points system to get away from assigning points value strictly on calories and to account for specific nutrients: fat, carbohydrates, fiber and protein. Still, when I entered that specific data which my software generated from the exact same recipe, I got a points value of 10 per serving. I think that the food database in my software might be hinky. :/

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Vegetarian Chili

It's still cold here. I burned off god knows how many calories shoveling snow today and it looks as though I'll be trekking back out there today to shovel some more. I am still in my soup/stew kick, and today made up a pot of vegan chili. I was not in the mood for a long time spent on the mise en place (lol I love saying that "mise en place"). I really wanted to toss stuff in a pot and let it simmer because I just wanted to sit and catch my breath and rest before I had to go back outside into the snowstorm. Right? So I thought to myself: "Hmmm. Chili. Yes."

Now, chili is one of those foods which can attract controversy and strong opinion. There are those who believe that beans have no place in chili, like the chili con carne often also called Texas chili. Others like a lot of beans and minimal meat in their chili, while still others like to call a chicken and white bean stew by the name "chili." Many vegetarian chili recipes will also include high-protein grains like bulgur, though many chili purists would turn up their noses at it.

Honestly, if it's good, I like it all.I won't fight to the death over some literal interpretation of what a dish is supposed to be called, I'll just eat it.

Vegetarian Chili

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 15-ounce can chili beans in sauce (I used Full Circle Chili Beans)
• 1 15-ounce can dark red kidney beans
• 1/4 cup red quinoa
• 1/4 cup bulgur
• 1 20-ounce can diced tomatoes, with the juice
• 1 T tomato paste
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup Morningstar Farms crumbles
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 small dried chipotle chili pepper
• 1 T dried minced onion
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon oregano

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients in a large pot bring to a near-boil and then reduce the heat and let simmer on low for about an hour. Stir frequently so that nothing sticks to the bottom and burns.  Or you could just throw everything in a crock pot, put it on low and walk away.
   
2. Taste to adjust seasonings, remove the chipotle and serve.

One serving of this chili is 5 WW points on the new PointsPlus Plan.

Amount Per Serving Calories 259.25 Calories From Fat (10%) 24.72 % Daily Value Total Fat 2.83g 4% Saturated Fat 0.4g 2% Cholesterol 0mg 0% Sodium 884.16mg 37% Potassium 888.31mg 25% Total Carbohydrates 46.75g 16% Fiber 12.87g 51% Sugar 9.08g Protein 15.75g 32%

Notes:

• This chili is flavorful but not spicy. The chipotle gives it a little bit of heat, but even better, a wonderful smokiness which I think rounds out the flavor. Of course, if you have to have a number of alarms on your chili, feel free to add diced jalapenos or hot sauce to taste.

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Potato, Leek and Celery Root Soup

There's been a lot going on lately, not the least of which is that I have joined Weight Watchers for their all-new PointsPlus plan. One of the changes is that most fruits and vegetables are freebies, with 0 points. You can read more about the changes here. So, this means that I am going to be slimming down my recipes, at least for the next three months, although if I do a Cookie-Palooza again, I just won't be the one eating many of them.

Ok, maybe one or two, to "test" them. ;-)

Today, I kick-started it with a nice, warming and filling soup. It's a blustery winter day here in Syracuse, with a forecast for Lake Effect Snow until Wednesday; the kids have a snow day and we're all trying to stay warm, so I opted for a nice pot of soup. I had a celery root languishing in the vegetable crisper, and a few fresh leeks and potatoes.... can you see where this is going? I adapted the classic vichyssoise by adding the celery root for that crisp celery flavor and omitted the cream. The result was a thick, luscious soup that clocks in at 5 points per bowl, or 29 points for the whole thing, so you can divide it up as you like.

Potato, Leek and Celery Root Soup

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp butter
• 4 cups thinly sliced leeks
• 1 celery root, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 3 medium red potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• Salt to taste (optional)
• 1 sprig fresh thyme, plus additional for garnish
• celery seeds

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
   
2. Add the leeks, cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
   
3. Add the celery root and cook, stirring often, 5 minutes.
   
4. Add the chicken broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil over medium high heat.
   
5. Reduce the heat, then simmer 25 minutes, covered, or until vegetables are soft.
   
6. Remove the sprig of thyme and discard.
   
7. Puree the soup using a blender until nice and smooth.
   
8. Season to taste with salt- though this will probable not be necessary if you used regular chicken broth. Garnish with thyme and celery seed.

Notes:

• I am trying out a new recipe software for maintaining my recipe library, and it includes an option to create a table with nutritional date for the recipe.

Amount Per Serving Calories 173.07 Calories From Fat (44%) 76.93 % Daily Value Total Fat 8.68g 13% Saturated Fat 5.13g 26% Cholesterol 20.35mg 7% Sodium 519.77mg 22% Potassium 614.77mg 18% Total Carbohydrates 19.31g 6% Fiber 1.53g 6% Sugar 1.63g Protein 5.26g 11%

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Brownies

I made some changes to my Crisis Brownies recipe.

They are really good. Fudgey, chocolatey, gooey.

MMMM.

I'll add the new recipe soon.

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Almond Pastries

I had a hankering for a cheese danish the other night. Well no, first it was a craving for almond-filled croissants, croissants aux amandes, but then later on, I'd moved on to drooling after a good old cheese danish when the thought hit me: Why not combine them?!

So, practically the first thing I did this morning was take out my box of puff pastry from the freezer and let that last sheet of pastry thaw out. Then I took a look at what I had in the fridge that could simulate a cheese danish filling. A little cream cheese, confectioner's sugar, some ricotta, almond paste and an egg yolk formed the base of it. I added orange zest and almond extract to round it out, and finished it off with a lovely egg wash to give it a sheen.

Going into the oven, they were kind of a mess, I'll be honest. The crimped-together edges were not the least bit pretty and I wondered if I'd have anything photograph-worthy. I thought if the filling turned out ok, I could  troubleshoot the presentation the next time I made them, but to my surprise, when they came out of the oven, they were gorgeous, attractively puffed-up and golden brown.

The final test, then, would be how they tasted.

Sublime. The texture was just right, smooth and creamy, and the orange and almond flavors worked nicely with one another. It is strongly reminiscent of almond without being too strong.

Almond pastry

Ingredients

• 3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
• 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1 T ricotta cheese
• 1 1/2 T almond paste
• 1/2 t pure almond extract
• 2 t grated orange zest 
• 1 sheet  frozen puff pastry, defrosted
• 1 egg beaten, for egg wash

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
   
2. Unfold 1 sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out with a rolling pin until it's a 12 by 8-inch rectangle. 
   
3. Place the cream cheese and confectioner's sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and cream them together on low speed until smooth.
   
4. With the mixer still on low, add the ricotta and crumble in the almond paste and let the mixer combine them well.
   
5. Then add the almond extract, orange zest and egg yolk and mix on low speed until just combined.
6. Cut the sheet of puff pastry into eight rectangles with a sharp knife.
   
7. Place one heaping tablespoon of cheese filling into the middle of 4 of the rectangles.
   
8. Brush the border of each pastry with egg wash and then cover it with a free pastry rectangle, pinching the edges together so that they stick together.
   
9. Brush the top of the pastries with the egg wash.
   
10. Place the pastries on the sheet pan.
11. Bake the pastries for about 20 minutes, until puffed and brown. Serve warm.
    

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Supper Popover

Growing up, this was my most-requested dinner dish. My mom said she'd found it in a magazine years ago (we're talking back in the 70s here, people). I've seen some people cite this as from a Betty Crocker cookbook. Whichever it is, I have always loved it. This and Pizza Without a Crust were my favorite meals growing up.

They were certainly way better than cube steak, which I had to eat all the time, my dad being a meat and potatoes kind of guy, and I could never stand it. I haven't eaten cube steak in almost 25 years now and despite Pioneer Woman's recipe for her husband's favorite sandwich, I don't think I will be able to eat it ever again. I have not-so-fond memories of trying to chew through grey bits of gristle, and yes, gagging.

This dish, on the other hand, I would eat once a week for dinner and gladly eat the leftovers for lunch the next day. My kids love it too.

Supper Popover

Ingredients :

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 can (15oz) diced tomatoes in juice
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 T sun-dried tomato pesto (optional)
• 2 T all-purpose flour
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t black pepper
• 1/2 t garlic powder
• 2 t Italian seasoning
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 t salt

Instructions :

1. Heat oven to 425.
2. Brown the ground beef in 10-inch skillet until brown and cooked through; drain.
3. Stir in the diced tomatoes, red bell pepper, garlic, onion, sun-dried tomato paste, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, garlic powder and Italian seasoning.
   
4. Raise heat to high. Cook 1 minute, stirring to make sure nothing sticks and burns.
   
5. Add 1 T flour. Stir until well-combined.
   
6. Pour into ungreased 9 x 13 baking pan. Sprinkle the cheese on top.
7. Beat eggs, milk, oil, 1 cup flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt with hand beater; pour over cheese.
8. Bake until puffy and golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Notes:

• I once made a version of this using salsa in place of the diced tomatoes and substituted 1 cup of pepperjack cheese for some of the cheddar.
  

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Snark, the Universal Seasoning.

The bigger you are, the larger target you present, so when you have your own magazine and morning talk show, you are a damned-large target. Really, Rachel Ray ought to know better than to post something like this as a recipe on the Food Network site:

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The comments people are posting in response to Late Night Bacon are hilarious. They're as funny as those found in response to the Three Wolves shirt at Amazon.

"Wow! Thank god for this recipe! I had to use toilet paper because I was out of paper towels. Luckily, I use Charmin, so there were no little toilet paper bits left behind, just like the little red bears in the commercial. Well, maybe one or two little bits, but they just added to complexity of this amazing dish. Everyone who logs onto foodnetwork.com is looking for a great recipe like this. In the words of the master herself, it was "Deelish"."

or this one:

"An unabashedly modern twist on a seemingly-unimprovable classic! I like to substitute a country-themed tea towel for the paper on special occasions. I've found it even works at 10:00 am, in case you're considering adding "Late Night Bacon" to your next book club brunch menu. When I unwrap and reveal sur la table, everyone asks "How do you do it???" Only Rachel and I know for sure ;-"

and my favorite:

"This recipe saved my marriage."

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