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Kale Soup for the Sick (with a Side of Mostly Whole Wheat Bread)

soup
November 12, 2010 By In eat me, three points kitchen

I’m the kind of person who likes to crawl into their man-cave when sick. The down side of this is that when the fridge is empty, the only path to sustenance is to drag one’s self from said cave to either the kitchen or the grocery store. I decided that combing my hair would be more work than chopping veggies, so I opted for culinary duty. Plus, all those market veggies had come to the party last Saturday and had yet to get a worthy invitation for a good dance dish.

Now, I’m not normally a broth-based soup person. I like it blended or stewed, but not with bits of things floating in admittedly tasty almost-water. However, two weeks into a hacking cough, hot water with honey was getting pretty boring (even if the menthol cough drops had deadened most of my taste buds) and I wanted something with enough liquid that I could dip in for a ladle or two of hot liquid in between meals. As I had fresh navy beans, kale, and even a parmesan cheese rind on hand (I really think that part is essential to a broth worth sipping–do not skip!), I made a small vat of this soup, making it a vegetarian version by skipping the sausage and substituting vegetable stock for all liquid (though at less volume than indicated in the recipe–probably about 7 cups total). It was super tasty and perhaps the most effective medicine I’ve tried so far. Plus, half went into the freezer and I’m now prepared for the next time I am either too sick or, more likely, just too tired to cook.

I was also out of bread, so this morning I fired up Sir Mix-a-Lot again. B has asked me to work on a 100% whole wheat loaf for him, and since my parents had brought me a bag of whole wheat flour from a local Ohio source, I decided to give this King Arthur version a try. As this flour was a pretty course grind, I erred on the side of caution and did half-and-half with some white unbleached bread flour, and kicked in some vital wheat gluten for good measure. Since I wanted this to be the simplest (read: neatest) making of bread ever, I vowed to only do a mixer knead–not a pinch of flour on the counter. In the end, the dough was beautiful and the rise amazing. I think this household is primed to go 100% on the next venture!

Keep safe and stay healthy out there, everyone! I’m sure trying to leverage a holiday bird one-handed is no fun at all and you certainly don’t want to get caught by family members coughing on the turkey.

Sir Mix-a-Lot

bread
November 1, 2010 By In eat me, three points kitchen

I used to say that bread kneading by hand was a great way to vent stress and anxiety after a long day at the computer. But I have just learned something very important: watching your brand new KitchenAid stand mixer knead that same dough can be just as, if not more, cathartic. After years of insisting that this appliance was just a pricey gadget I could get along without, we have become fast friends and I suspect are unlikely to part ways anytime soon.

Anxious to get things swirling, I mixed up a starter for my usual King Arthur French Baguettes before heading to bed last night. On reflection, however, this recipe didn’t seem quite difficult enough to christen the new arrival. Did I recall a bread recipe that required kneading until “your upper arms are strapless gown-ready”? I did. Unable to waste my already-started starter,  New York Deli Rye was simply added to the production docket.

Though I’d never tried out the rye recipe before, the baguettes have been made in this kitchen a few times already. This batch, however, was one of the best I’ve ever turned out. Perhaps less exhausted by the process than normal, I even felt that my shaping and baking were more professional. The spritzing and slashing and even the whole “ice in the cast iron under the loaves” were all accomplished. (In the case of the slashing of my dear baguettes, accomplished poorly, but I’ll keep practicing. When I did the rye, I fared a bit better. I found that it really helps matters to use just the very tip of a razor and say “aaaaand slash” aloud as you work.)

I don’t think the French need be jealous, but the New Yorkers may have something to fear over here in Baltimore. This is some seriously amazing rye bread. I did have to supplement the machine knead with a little old-fashioned counter work to get the dough a bit less sticky (one whole minute!), but I am quite confident that without a mechanical friend to lend a hand, we would never have gotten close.

Smelling pleasantly of yeasty bread, my kitchen is both toasty and full of potential toast! Now then, what can we mix next?

Did Someone Say Toast?

toast
October 25, 2010 By In eat me, three points kitchen

Toast, as friends well know, is one of my most favorite comfort foods. An odd choice for a wannabe foodie, perhaps, but I am the kind of low-rent aficionado who can still appreciate the power of crispy bread smothered in peanut butter. Especially when dad makes it.

My father being absent and my store-bought bread being moldy (ewwww, I hate that) when I went to make my midnight snack last night, I decided to stir up a batch of no-knead bread before retiring. This bit of yeasty deliciousness has already been blogged about endlessly elsewhere, but in the face of fancier loaves I had half-forgotten about my once go-to breakfast standby. Consider this post a shout out reminder for anyone else who may have also unintentionally pushed the recipe to the back of the box. It’s endlessly forgiving of sloppy measurement and substitutions. I like to cut the water down to 1.5 cups and sub in a cup of rye flour and some caraway seeds when I’m feeling fancy.  And if you have a fear of bread baking and have actually never even tried it, you can put that one to rest right now. If you can stir, you are prepared to succeed here.

Now if you’ll pardon me, I think I hear some fresh toast popping up!

Eggplant Endgame

eggplant
October 14, 2010 By In eat me, three points kitchen

So, I don’t stalk the Smitten Kitchen exactly (ahem), but the growing season being the growing season, I also happened to have three small eggplants that needed to be put to a good use tonight (okay, probably two nights ago–it’s been a long week!). So at the end of the workday, into the oven they and the tomatoes and garlics and onions went. Roast, roast, simmer, simmer, blend, season, and BAM!–there was soup.

I swapped Penzeys sweet (2 tsp) and hot (1 tsp) curry powder for the thyme, and tahini and lemon for the cream. It ain’t the prettiest dish I’ve ever made, but it is dee-lish. Promise.

Meditations in Green

haul102101
October 3, 2010 By In eat me, three points kitchen

Every Saturday I start off my farmers’ market shopping with a visit to the bean stall for fear that it might be my last chance to eat fresh limas or crowder peas ’till next year. However, since I still had some of last week’s produce to use up before launching into the fresh ingredients, I put the beans in the fridge and made up for lost time with several ingredient-interlocking recipes.

Leek and Swiss Chard Tart

A leek and swiss chard tart, but with an olive oil crust. Less work, but also no flakiness. I’m remain undecided about this one…

Eggplant, Swiss Chard, Mozzarella, and Sun Dried Tomato Stromboli

The dough is via the King Arthur Flour Company, but the filling is courtesy the leftover roasted eggplant, mozz, swiss chard, and sun dried tomatoes in my fridge. Always amazed at how a fresh wrapping makes for an exciting new meal.

Leek, Butternut Squash and Potato Soup

Too pressed for time to peel a squash at this point, I cheated and used a couple of sweet potatoes to make this soup. No one complained.

When Libras Decide: Birthday Edition

bdaycake1
October 2, 2010 By In eat me, three points kitchen

I am a Libra to the core, a woman who can spend 10 minutes in a supermarket aisle just trying to decide on the best bathroom cleaner to buy.

However, with so many birthdays coming up, we have decided(!) to have a Libra birthday potluck this weekend (an event three years in the making). Everyone has to pick a dish to bring! There may also be fun party games, like choosing the best whiskey or deciding which movie to watch. The Virgos will referee.

In a fit of bravery, I volunteered to bake the celebratory cake since I had so recently been schooled by Rebecca in the basic techniques of the process. I have to say, if I can get from flour sifting to cake stand without crying, this recipe is a no-stress keeper for pretty much anyone interested in having a non-box party cake in their repertoire.