Ham, Asparagus, and Swiss Cheese Crepes

Crepes are so fun, why don't I make them more often?! The filling options are endless - these have a savory filling and are great for brunch or dinner and make use of fresh asparagus which is at it's peak right now.

I served these crepes with their recommended side - "fresh fruit with lime gastrique". Ignore the pretentious title of the recipe. Basically, it's chopped fruit that has been tossed with a lime juice and sugar slurry and allowed to soak for 15 minutes. I used bananas, mango, strawberries, and kiwi fruit. If you have about 4 cups of fruit total, you'll want to mix 2 tablespoons lime juice and 1 tablespoon sugar for your sauce. Or skip the sauce altogether and just eat plain fresh fruit with your crepes. Either way, it's more fun to serve it in a fancy glass.

Not related to crepes at all, but I discovered a great make-ahead lunch idea that I wanted to share. One Sunday, I bought a bunch of veggies: broccoli, red bell peppers, a head of red cabbage, and a bunch of carrots. I chopped them all up into bite sized pieces, stored them in the biggest tupperware container I could find, and they sat there in the fridge for two weeks, ready for lunches or whatever I wanted to use them for.

For weekday lunches, I packed a container with about two cups of these raw veggies to work with me, steamed them in the microwave, then either topped them with various things or stirred them into something else. Most days, I had a low carb lunch by topping them with edamame, sunflower seeds, a little shredded cheddar, and a heaping dollop of Yumm sauce. For variety, one day I topped them with leftover homemade nacho cheese sauce (blog post next week!). Another day, I brought a frozen meal (a rare occurrence), a four cheese penne with spinach, with a very creamy sauce. I knew it wouldn't make me feel full on its own (frozen meals never do), so I stirred in some of the steamed veggies to bulk it up. Besides lunches, I also used some of the broccoli and red bell pepper for a weekend omelet.

How else can I use steamed veggies in my lunches? I'd love to get your suggestions!

Basic Crepe Recipe
adapted from Cuisine at Home - April 2009
makes about 10 crepes

Notes: If you are planning on chilling the batter overnight, it's probably better to use the oil rather than the butter because it won't solidify. Remember, the first crepe of the batch is usually total crap, so just know that and don't get discouraged, the other ones will be much better. If nothing else, it's something to munch on while you make the rest.

2 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl using a hand mixer on low speed. Scrape sides of bowl, then mix on high for about 10 seconds, or until ingredients are thoroughly combined. It should be about the consistency of heavy cream. Cover and chill for at least one hour or up to 24 hours. This resting time helps relax the gluten in the flour, making the finished product more tender. This also means you don't have to worry as much about over-mixing in the first step like you do with pancakes and other baked goods.

Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. When hot, spray bottom and sides of pan with nonstick cooking spray. Measure out 1/4 cup of the batter, pour into one corner of the skillet, then immediately swirl the pan, tilting it so that the batter covers the bottom as much as possible. You can fill in any holes with more batter. Cook for about 1 minute, until the edges start to turn brown. You will know it's ready to be flipped when you can gently shake the skillet and the whole crepe shifts side-to-side in one piece. To flip, gently lift the crepe using a spatula and your fingers, and flip it. Cook on the other side for about 20-30 seconds. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Continue to cook the remaining crepes, coating the pan with nonstick spray between each one. It also helps to give the batter a quick stir with a whisk before measuring it out when making each crepe.

Ham, Asparagus, and Swiss Cheese Crepes
adapted from Cuisine at Home - April 2009
Makes about 10 crepes and 2 cups of sauce

Notes: These can be made ahead of time - just assemble the crepes but do not bake, cover them in plastic wrap and chill for 2-3 hours. When ready to serve, make the sauce while the crepes bake.

For the crepes:
8 ounce cooked ham, chopped (I bought some ham from the deli and asked them for thick slices, but thin sliced ham would be just fine too)
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
Ground black pepper to taste
1 pound fresh asparagus spears, trimmed, cut in half (thin spears are best for this recipe)
10 prepared crepes

For the sauce:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup milk
1/4 cup stone-ground mustard
Kosher salt and pepper
Chopped fresh chives

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Coat a baking sheet with nonstick spray.

In a medium bowl, add the ham, cheese, and pepper and toss to combine. Place 1/4 cup of this mixture plus 4 asparagus halves down the center of each crepe. Roll them up and place them seam side down on the prepared baking sheet (at this point you can cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake). Bake crepes for about 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in the broth and milk, bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Whisk in the mustard, salt, and pepper and simmer until heated through.

Serve crepes with the sauce, garnish with chives.

Sweet and Spicy Pineapple Pork

I have a sweet cat sleeping on my arm, making typing is difficult, therefore I will get right to the point. This is tasty - you should make it. The pork goes perfectly with the sauce, and fresh pineapple can't be beat! I have yet to be disappointed with anything I've made from this Rachael Ray cookbook. I've given away just about all my other books by her except this one.

Sweet and Spicy Pineapple Pork
adapted from Rachael Ray - 365: No Repeats
serves 4

Notes: Serve with white or brown rice and a simple steamed veggie, like snap peas.

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 (1 1/2-inch thick) boneless center-cut pork chops
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, finely chopped
8 ounces pineapple chunks, fresh or canned (use the juice if canned)
1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add two tablespoons of the oil. Season the pork with salt and pepper and place in the skillet. Let them sear for about two minutes on each side. Transfer them to a rimmed cookie sheet and place them in the oven to finish cooking all the way through. Rachael says you can tell the meat is done when it is firm to the touch, but I prefer the precision of a thermometer (145 F). Remove the pork from the oven and let rest, covered with a piece of aluminum foil (as they rest they will get closer to 160 F, the actual "done" temperature).

While the pork chops are in the oven, return the skillet you were using to medium-high heat and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onions, garlic, bell peppers, jalapeno, salt, and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the veggies begin to soften. Add the pineapple (juice if you have it) and the chicken stock. Continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add the parsley and stir to combine. Serve the sweet and spicy pineapple sauce over the pork chops. 

Avocado-Mango Salad with Blue Cheese, Bacon, and Toasted Pumpkin seeds

I just got back from California, where I spent a glorious week with my family. While I did manage to work out every single day (yay me!) I was, unfortunately, a lot more lenient when it came to my diet.

I ate stuff like this:

And this:

And a few too many of these:

All I can say is that I'm SO GLAD I don't eat like this all the time.

Oh yeah, did I mention that at one point during my trip I was a few feet away from the delicious Mario Lopez? One word: Flawless.

Now that I'm home I can get back to my regular eating habits, which include this salad from Rick Bayless. After coming off of a week-long binge of nothing but fats and carbs, this salad felt like the perfect transitional meal. It feels indulgent because of the bacon and blue cheese, but well-rounded because you are including good unsaturated fats from the avocado and olive oil. The pumpkin seeds are rich in iron, and the mango is chock full vitamins A and C.

Honestly, I never expected to see mango and avocado on the same plate as blue cheese, but I say with confidence that it is a trio I would be happy to eat again and again. If you are wary, you can always use queso fresco, as Bayless suggests.

The dressing is really what makes this salad sing. We couldn't believe it when we tasted it. Lime juice, garlic, jalapeno, pumpkin seeds, honey, it's such an amazing combination of flavors. I'm salivating just thinking about it.

Avocado-Mango Salad with Blue Cheese, Bacon, and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
adapted from Rick Bayless - Mexican Everyday
serves 2 as a hearty main dish salad

Notes: I have adjusted this recipe to serve two (his recipe serves 4), but you will have extra dressing and pumpkin seeds - enough to go on a small salad the next day for lunch. Our favorite type of mango these days is the Ataulfo mango. It's yellow, very sweet, and they are sold in 6-packs at Costco! They are ripe and ready to eat when they get slightly squishy and shriveled.

4 slices bacon
1/2 cup hulled untoasted pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/3 cup vegetable or olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 large serrano or 1 small jalapeno, stemmed (and seeded, if you like)
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
6 cups lettuce (I used mixed baby greens, because that's what we had, Bayless used Boston/Butterhead lettuce leaves
1 large ripe avocado
2 small or 1 large ripe mango
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese, Gorgonzola, or queso fresco

Lay the strips of bacon on a paper towel-lined plate and microwave on high, 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 minutes, or until crispy to your liking. Set aside to cool.

Put the pumpkin seeds into a small skillet and toast over medium heat, stirring constantly as they pop. Once they have all popped from flat to round and look a little toasty, pour them onto a plate. Put about 1/3 of the seeds to a blender or food processor and add the lime juice. Leave the rest to cool on the plate for topping the salad later.

Return the skillet to medium heat and add the oil. Add the garlic and jalapeno. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic had softened and is lightly browned. Slowly add the entire contents of the skillet to the blender or food processor with the pumpkin seeds and lime juice. Add the honey and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Process until smooth (Since I was using a small food processor, I pulsed a couple of times to break things up more carefully since it was so hot, then after that I was able to process constantly). Taste. Freak out because it's so fabulous. In the off-chance that you don't think it's seasoned enough, add a little more salt.

Divide the lettuce between your two plates. Pit the avocados, scoop out the flesh, then slice or dice. Peel the mangos, then cut the flesh from the pits, and slice or dice. Arrange the avocado and mango over the salads. Drizzle with dressing, then add the blue cheese and pumpkin seeds. Crumble or chop the bacon and sprinkle over the top. Serve immediately.

There are lots of ways to vary this salad. Use smoked salmon instead of bacon. Pine nuts instead of pumpkin seeds. Peaches or nectarines instead of mango. Goat cheese instead of queso fresco. You could also top with grilled chicken to increase the protein content.

Risotto with Spring Vegetables and Smoked Ham

It seems like we barely had a spring this year.  The weather was so cold and rainy for so many months.  Then all of a sudden there was a heat wave and we were thrown headfirst into summer.  Or so it felt like to me.  

Anyway, I guess I'm just looking for something to blame, because I nearly missed my chance to make this recipe.  The weather seems like an appropriate scapegoat.  I was waiting for fava beans in the CSA, then I was waiting to harvest my peas, then the weeks got away from me and I almost missed my chance to buy asparagus.  Luckily everything came together for me last week and I was able to cook this fabulous risotto.  

I don't know why I was being so picky, you can make risotto with just about any mix of vegetables.  It calls for ham too, but only 3 ounces worth, and since you can't buy ham in that amount at the store (at least I couldn't), I honestly wouldn't bother unless you have plans for using the rest of what you'll ultimately buy for other meals.  It was good with ham, don't get me wrong, but that creamy blend of rice, broth, and heavy cream would be good with just about anything.  By the way, this is a recipe where you definitely want the heavy cream; it's only 1/4 cup for the whole recipe, and it really adds so much to the dish.  

Note: Fava beans require a little work.  First, you have to remove them from the pod.  Then you have to boil them for one minute, then plunge into ice water.  Once cooled, you have to use your fingernail and peel off the outer skin to finally reveal the bright green bean.  From this point they only have to be lightly cooked before you are ready to enjoy their buttery texture and nutty flavor.  

The Fava Bean: deconstructed:

Risotto with Spring Vegetables and Smoked Ham
adapted from Cooking Light - April 2008
serves 6 (serving size = 1 cup)

3/4 cup shelled fava beans (about 1 1/2 pounds unshelled)  
2 cups water
2 cups (1-inch slices) asparagus (about 1/2 pound)
4 cups fat-free, less sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion (about 1 small)
1/2 cup finely chopped smoked ham (about 3 ounces)
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice or other medium-grain rice
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup shelled green peas (about 1 pound unshelled)
3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
1/4 whipping (heavy) cream
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cook fava beans in boiling water for one minute.  Drain, then plunge into a bowl of ice water, then drain again.  Remove the tough outer skins to reveal the bright green beans, and set aside.  Discard skins.

Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Add asparagus.  Cook for about 4 minutes of until crisp-tender.  Remove asparagus with a slotted spoon; do not discard the water.  Rinse asparagus in a colander under cold water; set aside.  Add the broth to the water and reduce heat.  Keep warm over low heat.  Reserve 3/4 cup of this broth mixture in a small saucepan, and keep this warm also.   

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  When hot, add the onion and ham to the pan and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the onion is tender, stirring occasionally.  Add rice and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Turn up the heat to medium-high.  Stir in the wine and cook for another 2 minutes or until all the liquid has nearly absorbed into the rice, still stirring constantly.  

Basically from here on out you are stirring constantly until told otherwise.

Add the remaining broth mixture slowly, just 1/2 cup at a time, each time stirring until the liquid has absorbed before adding more.  This will take about 25 minutes.  Have a glass of wine handy and some good music on and the time will fly by.  

Stir in the peas, beans, and asparagus.  Add that reserved 3/4 cup broth mixture, stirring for about 4 minutes or until the liquid has absorbed.  

Now you can be done stirring constantly.  Remove pan from heat.  Stir in about 1/2 cup of the cheese, along with the cream, butter, salt, and pepper.  

To serve, spoon about 1 cup risotto into a shallow bowl and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of the remaining cheese.  

Spinach and Sweet Potato Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

If I didn't already have a full-time job, I would have the time to make a recipe as many times as it took to get it right.  But since this blog is just a hobby in my off-hours, I make the recipe once, then blog (eventually) about whatever actually happened, good or bad, learning as I go.  As a side benefit, you (all 6 of you) get the benefit of knowing what not to do if you choose to attempt the recipe yourself.

That statement was probably more ominous than I intended it to be, as nothing really went that wrong with this recipe.  It's hard to screw up a salad, especially one with as many awesome ingredients as this one.

This recipe came from Food Matters, A Guide to Conscious Eating, a book by Mark Bittman.  I haven't actually read the book yet, but it has a lot of really good sounding recipes at the end that I was dying to try.

If I made this again, however, I would do one thing differently: I would cook the two strips of bacon at the time (like the recipe suggests) rather than using bacon that I had cooked the day before for our weekend breakfast.  I was thinking that I was being efficient, cooking a couple of extra strips knowing that I would need them for this salad the next day.

But if I had read the recipe thoroughly beforehand I would have seen that you first cook the bacon in a pan, then remove the fat and make the rest of the dressing in the same pan, allowing the darkened bits left behind at the bottom of the pan to incorporate themselves into the dressing, intensifying the bacon flavor.

I'm sure that what I did - crumbling the precooked bacon into the dressing at the last minute - did not allow this dressing to live up to it's full potential, though it was still pretty good (let's not forget it has fresh ginger and cumin!).  When you make this dressing, according to the recipe, mind you, I'm sure it will be fabulous.

Spinach and Sweet Potato Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing
adapted from Mark Bittman - Food Matters
Serves 4

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 thick slices of bacon
1 red bell pepper, cored and chopped
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon peeled, minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Juice from one orange
1 pound fresh spinach leaves

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Pile the potatoes onto a baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Toss to combine, then spread out into an even layer on the sheet.  Roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes look crisp and browned on the outside but are just tender on the inside.

Meanwhile, put the bacon in a cold nonreactive pan (i.e., stainless steel) and turn on the heat to medium.  Cook, turning once or twice, until crisp.  Drain on paper towels, and crumble into pieces when cooled.  Pour or spoon off the fat from the pan, leaving the darkened bits.

Put the pan back over medium heat, and add the last two tablespoons of oil.  When hot, add the bell pepper, onion, and ginger to the pan.  Cook, stirring a couple times, (the ginger will smell so good!) just until the vegetables are no longer raw, then stir in the cumin and the reserved bacon.  Stir in the orange juice and turn off the heat.  You can make it ahead of time up to this point, just warm the dressing gently on the stove before proceeding.

Put the spinach in a large bowl (large enough to toss the salad).  Add the sweet potatoes and the dressing toss quickly to combine.  Taste, adjust the seasoning if necessary, and serve.

Clean out the fridge night: Fried Rice

Tonight we made Mark Bittman's Fried Rice recipe using all kinds of odds and ends we had leftover from our CSA box and other leftovers from the week. I love that he gives a recipe for basic fried rice, then says "the list of things you can add to fried rice is longer than the list of things you cannot". That really gives me confidence to play around with it ad use what I have on hand to create something unique.

We had one small kohlrabi about one cup of cauliflower florets from our CSA. Add to that about 3/4 cup of diced ham leftover from when we made the pea soup, and of course all that rice from the stuffed baby squash.

We also had half a head of cabbage from the CSA and the leafy tops of the kohlrabi. I didn't think those would go all that well in the fried rice so I sauteed those separately in a little oil and added some chopped almonds and sesame seeds at the end.

Fried Rice with Shrimp and Pork

adapted from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything

Serves 4

1 cup fresh or frozen peas

3 tablespoons peanut or neutral oil (I used vegetable oil)

1 medium onion (he says to roughly chop it, but I like smaller onion pieces so I did more of a small dice so mine were about the size of the peas)

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and roughly chopped (instead of this we used the kohlrabi and cauliflower, and it was more like 1 1/2 cups)

8 ounces small shrimp, peeled (optional: we didn't do this because we didn't have any)

8 ounces diced roast pork, Chinese sausage, or other cooked meat (optional, we used ham)

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (we used the stuff in the jar)

3 to 4 cups cooked any long-grain rice (start with about 1 1/2 cups raw), preferably basmati or jasmine and preferably chilled (i.e., leftover rice)

2 eggs, lightly beaten (optional)

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar, sherry, dry white wine, stock, or water

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon dark sesame oil (we used toasted sesame oil, not dark)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup chopped scallion or fresh cilantro

For this recipe, it's best to have everything prepped before you start, because once you get going things move pretty fast.

If you are using frozen peas, put them in a bowl of cold water so they defrost. Give them a stir after a few minutes in case any remain stuck together.

Meanwhile, put 1 tablespoon of the oil into a large skillet over high heat. Once heated, add the onion and bell pepper. Cook about 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they soften and start to brown. If the mixture starts to stick and looks like it's starting to burn, lower the heat a bit. Transfer the mixture to a bowl with a slotted spoon.

(I had to add a bit more oil at this point) Add the shrimp, if using, and cook over a high heat until they turn pink. Add the pork (or other meat) and cook until it browns slightly, about 2-3 minutes. Add it to the bowl with the vegetables.

Drain the peas if you had to defrost them, and add them to the skillet. Shake the skillet while they cook for about a minute, then add them to the bowl with everything else.

Put the remaining oil in the skillet, then add the garlic and ginger. Cook for just 15 seconds, then start adding the rice, a little at a time, breaking up the clumps with your fingers and stirring it into the oil. After all the rice is added, push the rice away from the center of the pan to make a well to add the eggs (if using). Stir them until they start to scramble, then mix them into the rest of the rice.

Add your bowl of meat and veggies back to the pan and stir everything together gently. Add the rice wine vinegar, stir and cook for about a minute. Add the soy sauce and sesame oil. Taste and add salt and pepper, if necessary (ours didn't need any). Off the heat, stir in the scallion and/or cilantro, and serve.

Pea and Mint Soup

Last night, I was reading through one of my new cookbooks, Jamie's Food Revolution by Jamie Oliver, and thought his recipe for Pea and Mint Soup sounded really good. The deciding factor that convinced me to make it tonight was that the mint in our Aerogarden was getting big, and that's one herb I never seem to use unless I plan for it, besides floating a few leaves in my tea every once in awhile. Not that I need much convincing to make pea soup, but I always like to choose recipes that use up things I already have around the kitchen. I already had the mint, carrots, onions, and some homemade vegetable stock, so my shopping list was pretty much just frozen peas and ham.

I also made some garlic croutons to go with it. The whole meal came together in a little under an hour and it was delicious! Lots of soup for lunches this week too.

Pea and Mint Soup

adapted from Jamie Oliver's "Jamie's Food Revolution" cookbook

Serves 6-8

2 carrots, peeled and roughly sliced

2 celery stalks, sliced

2 medium onions, peeled and roughly chopped

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced

1 3/4 quarts chicken or vegetable broth, preferably organic

2 tablespoons olive oil

5 1/2 cups frozen peas

Small bunch of fresh mint leaves

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Optional: 3/4 pound cooked ham, preferably free-range or organic

Pour the broth in a saucepan and heat until it boils. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the chopped carrots, celery, onions, and garlic. Cover the pan partially with a lid and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the carrots are soft but still holding their shape and the onion starts to turn golden brown.

Add the boiling broth to the vegetables, then add the peas and bring the soup to a boil. Once it's boiling, let it simmer for about 10 minutes.

When the peas have softened, take the soup off the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add the mint leaves. Using an immersion blender, pulse the soup until smooth (or transfer the soup to a regular blender or food processor and blend that way).

If using the ham, chop into small pieces and stir it into the soup. Heat the soup on the stove for a few minutes before serving if it cooled during the blending process.

Garnish with the croutons and a couple of mint leaves, if you're feeling fancy.