Happy Halloween!

Turkey Sausage Ragu

This meal was fantastic.  Easy to prepare ingredients as you went along, very flavorful, and you are left with an almost full bottle of wine to consume - what's not to like?  It has a nice heat from the spicy sausage and crushed red chili pepper flakes, so my husband adored it.  I've decided I'm not the world's biggest kale fan, so I think next time I'll use spinach.  Overall, a lovely dish. 

Turkey Sausage Ragu
Source: Clean Eating Magazine, November/December 2009, page 27, by Chef Nathan Lyons
Serves: 4

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 8 ounces spicy italian turkey sausage, casings discarded
• 1/4 tsp chile flakes
• 3 cloves fresh garlic
• 1/2 cup red wine
• one 14.5 ounce can chopped tomatoes in juice
• 1 tbsp fresh oregano leaves, torn
• 1 large bunch fresh kale, cleaned, stems discarded, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• kosher salt and pepper, to taste
• 8 ounces whole wheat pappardelle, fettuccini, or tagliatelle pasta
• 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, for garnish
• Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, for garnish

1. Add 1 tbsp oil, onion and thyme to a medium pot over medium heat.  Stir to coat, cover and cook until onion is softened and just beginning to color, 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.  Uncover pot, add sausage, chile flakes and garlic, and continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Off the heat, carefully deglaze by adding wine.  Return to heat and reduce for 1 minute.  Add tomatoes, oregano, and kale.  Stir well, cover and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove cover and continue coking until sauce is reduced and slightly thickened, 10 minutes.  Stir in additional 2 tbsp oil plus vinegar.  Season with salt and black pepper.
2. When sauce is almost finished cooking, add pasta to large pot filled with boiling salted water and cook until al dente, following package directions.  Drain well and immediately toss with tomato reduction to coat.  Then serve, topped with a drizzle of oil, a sprinkling of parsley and cheese shavings.

Nutritional Information per serving (2.5 ounces pasta and 1 cup sauce)
Calories: 477
Total Fat: 17.5 g
Sat Fat: 3.5g
Cholesterol: 33 mg
Sodium: 474 mg
Carbs 63g
Fiber: 11g
Sugar: 9.5g
Protein: 21g

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

This is another gem from Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads.  I don't know how many ways I can express my love for this book, and the recipes therein, but this one has me singing its praises again!  I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved the chopped walnuts and pecans (I did a mix of both) worked into the dough.  They add a nice bite to an other wise soft dough. I could see after the fact that I should have used every last bit of the cinnamon/sugar mixture in the swirl, as mine is not terribly pronounced.

I think it ended up being a bit too cold in my house, and the bread didn't rise well after rolling into shape.  I got impatient and just baked it anyway, but I think it would have looked a lot nicer had I let it rise appropriately.  I could also see, after the fact, that I should have used every last bit of the cinnamon/sugar mixture in the swirl, as mine is not terribly pronounced.  Any way you slice it, it tastes fantastic and I can't wait to make it again!

Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Source: Rewritten/Slightly adapted from Whole Grain Breads, by Peter Reinhart
Yield: 1 loaf

Day 1:
Soaker:
170 grams whole wheat flour
3/8 teaspoon (3 grams) salt
170 grams milk or yogurt
170 grams raisins

Mix all ingredients except raisins together in a bowl for about one minute, until all of the flour is hydrated and the ingredients form a ball of dough. Add raisins and knead with wet hands until incorporated.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and leave at room temp for 12 to 24 hours. (If you need more time, place in refrigerator for up to 3 days, but leave at room temp 2 hours before continuing with bread).

Biga:
170 grams whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) instant yeast
85 grams milk or yogurt, at room temperature (about 70 degrees F)
56.5 grams melted butter or vegetable oil
1 egg (47 grams), slightly beaten

Mix all the biga ingredients together in a bowl to form a ball of dough. With wet hands, knead dough in the bowl for 2 minutes to be sure all ingredients are evenly distributed and the flour is fully hydrated. The dough should be tacky. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes, then knead again with wet hands for one minute. The dough will be smoother but still tacky. Transfer to a clean bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 3 days.

Day 2:
Remove the biga from the fridge two hours before making the dough.

Final Dough:
All of the Soaker
All of the biga
7 tablespoons (56.5 grams) whole wheat flour
5/8 teaspoon (5 grams) salt
2 1/4 teaspoons (7 grams) instant yeast
28.5 grams honey or agave nectar
1/2 teaspoon (4 grams) plus 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
85 grams chopped pecans or walnuts
3 Tablespoons sugar or sucanat


1. Chop the soaker and biga into 12 smaller pieces (sprinkle flour over pieces to prevent sticking).

2. By hand: combine biga and soaker into a large bowl with flour through honey, plus 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.  Stir vigorously with a mixing spoon or knead with wet hands for about 2 minutes, until all ingredients are evenly integrated. Dough should be soft and slightly sticky, if not, add more flour or water as needed.

By stand mixer: combine biga and soaker with flour through honey, plus 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon into mixer bowl and mix on low speed for one minute with paddle (preferred) or hook. Switch to hook and mix on medium-low speed for 2-3 minutes until dough becomes cohesive and assimilated into each other. Add more flour or water as needed until the dough is soft and slightly sticky.

3. Dust a work surface with flour, the roll the dough in flour to coat. Sprinkle nuts on dough and knead by hand for 3 to 4 minutes, incorporating only as much flour as needed, until the dough feels soft and tacky, but not sticky. Form the dough into a ball and let it rest on the work surface for 5 minutes while you prepare a clean, lightly oiled bowl.

4. Resume kneading for 1 minutes to strengthen the gluten and make any final water/flour adjustments. Dough should have the strength to pass the windowpane test, but still be soft, supple, and very tacky. Form dough into a ball and place in prepared bowl, rolling to coat with oil. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for approximately 45 to 60 minutes, until it is about 1.5 times its original size.

5. Dust work surface with 1 tablespoon of flour.  Transfer dough to work surface without tearing.  Roll into 8"x8" square that is 1/2" thick.  Mix 2 teaspoons cinnamon with 3 tablespoons sugar or sucanat and sprinkle mixture evenly on dough.  Roll dough into a tight loaf.  Place in a greased 4 1/2"x9" pan.  Mist the top of the loaf with cooking spray, then cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 45-60 minutes, until it is about 1.5 times its original size.

6. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Reduce the temperature to 325 degrees F, remove plastic wrap and place pan in oven on middle rack.  Bake for 20 minutes, then rotate the pan and continue baking 25 to 40 minutes more, until bread is golden brown on all sides and a thermometer inserted registers at least 195 degrees F. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for at least one hour before serving.

Think Pink Sugar Cookies

Last year, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, I sent some close friends and family “Kick Cancer’s Bum” cookies.  They were a big hit and I decided to send cookies again this year (since I sadly could not mail the delicious cheesecakes!).  I kept it simple this time by flooding the cookies with white, thinned royal icing, then following with a piping bag filled with pink, thinned royal icing in the shape of the ribbon. 

I’ve been making this sugar cookie recipe for well over a year and love it.  Fantastic flavor and they bake up like a dream! 

The Most Fabulous Sugar Cookies
Source: As seen on Good Things Catered, by Ashlee

• 1 1/2 c. butter
• 1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 1/2 c. powdered sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1 Tbsp lemon zest
• 5 c. flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• Powdered sugar, for rolling

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cream butter and sugars in a mixer for 5 minutes.
Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly.
Add vanilla, almond, and lemon zest.
Sift in flour, baking powder, and salt a little at a time.
Do not over mix, this process should take about one minute.
Chill dough for up to a week in the fridge, or roll out and cut right away.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and bake cookies for 7-8 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom.
Wait until cookies are cooled before icing.

Think Pink Cheesecake

I am blessed to have two very special women in my life - two very special breast cancer surviving women - my grandmother and a very close friend.  For that reason, October has always been a very special month, as it is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  Last year, I sent them some fabulous Kick Cancer's Bum cookies, which I had a blast making and (I hope) they had a blast eating!

This year I wanted to participate in Jen's The Power of Pink Challenge.  Katie had yet another great idea of making mini cheesecakes with a ribbon swirl made of berry puree.  I originally found a recipe for mini cheesecakes (which helped me with timing and temperature), but later realized that I should probably consult my copy of Baking Illustrated, which as been collecting dust on my bookshelf.  I made some adjustments to the first recipe based on the information in Baking Illustrated. The resulting cheesecake is light, with an almost whipped texture, and absolutely delicious.  The hint of strawberry from the incorporated puree is wonderful.

 

Think Pink Cheesecake
Adapted from: Fresh from the Oven / Junior's Cheesecake Cookbook: 50 To-Die-For Recipes for New York-Style Cheesecake (Juniors) / Baking Illustrated

Yield: 13 mini cheesecakes

For the crust:

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
  
• 3 tablespoon sugar

For the cheesecake:

• 6 ounces fresh or frozen strawberries
• two 8-ounce packages Philadelphia Cream Cheese (use either full fat or 1/3 less fat Neufchtel), at room temperature
• 2/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar, divided
  
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 extra large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
  
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  

1. Place the strawberries and 1 teaspoon sugar in a bowl and allow berries to macerate for 1-2 hours, then add to a small food processor or blender and process until smooth.  Strain puree to remove seeds.
2. Preheat over to 350 degrees F.  Line 13 standard muffin cups with silicone, foil, parchment, or paper liners.(You can use Reynold's disposable aluminum foil cups if you don't have 2 pans). 
3. Prepare crust by combining graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar in a bowl and stirring to combine.  Press 2 teaspoons of crust mixture into the bottom of each lined muffin cup.  Bake 6 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, prepare filling. Put one package of cream cheese and 1/3 cup of sugar in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl a few times. Blend in the remaining cream cheese and 1/3 cup sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs and yolk, one at a time, beating well after adding each one. Beat in the sour cream just until it's completely blended.
5. Add 1/4 cup of strawberry puree to a small bowl.  Add 1/4 cup of cheesecake batter and stir thoroughly, then add the puree blend to a ziplock bag.
6. Add remaining strawberry puree (about 1/4 cup) to the cheesecake batter and stir thoroughly to blend.
7. Divide the batter among the 13 muffin cups (fill each one almost up to the top). Cut a very small tip off the corner of the plastic bag containing the puree, and gently pipe ribbon shape with puree in the top of each mini cheesecake.
8. Place the muffin tin in a large shallow pan and add hot water until it comes about 1 inch up the sides of the tin. Bake the cakes until set and slightly puffy, about 30 minutes.  Remove the cakes from the water bath, transfer the tin to a wire rack, and let cool for 2 hours.*Transfer the cake to a container and chill for at least 4 hours before serving.  If there are any cakes left, cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator or wrap and freeze for up to 1 month.
   
   

Fun with my Freezer

I decided to finally clean a few things out of my freezer today (making room for bagels, of course) and found some beautiful ice crystals on the inside of a container. 

BB: Blue Cheese Souffle

I knew this would be in interesting recipe for me. I don't care much for blue cheese or eggy things, but I was certainly intrigued by the thought of finally attempting a souffle. I also knew that it wouldn't come out perfectly for me, as "over-mix" seems to be my middle name in the kitchen. This time, I actually don't think I overmixed, but since I cut the recipe in half and used a smaller ramekin, I wasn't sure how long to bake. I checked at 25 min and it had risen and was golden brown, so I took it out. On the way to the photo area... yeah. Deflation. The taste was good, just a hint of the blue cheese, but the eggy-ness really isn't my thing. Still, this was a fun adventure in cooking something new. See how the other Barefoot Bloggers fared, here.

Blue Cheese Soufflé
Source: Barefoot in Paris on page 50
Chosen by Summer of Sexy Apartment

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the dish

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup scalded milk

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pinch cayenne pepper

Pinch nutmeg

4 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature

3 ounces good Roquefort cheese, chopped

5 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Butter the inside of an 8-cup souffle dish (7 1/2 inches in diameter and 3 1/4 inches deep) and sprinkle evenly with Parmesan.
3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. With a wooden spoon, stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the hot milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, the cayenne, and nutmeg. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, until smooth and thick.
4. Off the heat, while still hot, whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time. Stir in the Roquefort and the 1/4 cup of Parmesan and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
5. Put the egg whites, cream of tartar, and a pinch of salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on low speed for 1 minute, on medium speed for 1 minute, then finally on high speed until they form firm, glossy peaks.
6. Whisk 1/4 of the egg whites into the cheese sauce to lighten and then fold in the rest. Pour into the souffle dish, then smooth the top. Draw a large circle on top with the spatula to help the souffle rise evenly, and place in the middle of the oven. Turn the temperature down to 375 degrees F. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes (don't peek!) until puffed and brown. Serve immediately.

Pico de Gallo

Every once in a while, my husband comes out with a gem from his childhood. Last weekend, he said he wanted to make this fresh salsa that his mom made when he was growing up.  He gave me the ingredients he would need so I could get them at the store - and it sounded like a pico de gallo to me.  I was super excited because I love pico de gallo and anything his mom makes is awesome, so I knew it would be good.  After the first bite, I told him he was absolutely making this every weekend, from now on.  It's absolutely fantastic - and even better the next day!

Pico de Gallo

• 5 plum tomatoes, diced
  
• 1 12-oz can of pickled jalapenos, diced (seed them if you don't want it too spicy)
• 1 to 1.5 cups fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 of a large red onion, diced fine
• 1 to 2 avocados
• juice of 4 limes

Combine all ingredients except avocado and lime juice in a large bowl and refrigerate at least one hour. Dice avocado(s) and add to the bowl, along with the lime juice. Toss together and let sit for 15 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.

Pumpkin Penne

For a few years we have enjoyed a pumpkin sauce over pasta and turkey sausage, but I never got around to sharing it on here. Partly, I'm sure, because I have no idea where the recipe came from, and it certainly didn't come from my head. I decided it was about time to put it back on the menu, but when I pulled out the recipe I realized it used a butter/flour mixture to thicken it.

Certainly there is nothing terribly wrong with a tablespoon or two of butter throughout the dish, but I had recently been reminded of Cara's version using cottage cheese. I decided to give Cara's recipe a try and I'm so glad we did! I didn't miss the butter and the sauce really stuck to the pasta, vegetables, and sausage. I made a few small changes, using kale for the spinach and turkey sausage for the chicken (at least, I think it was turkey sausage... I must remember to label my freezer bags!). This version isn't quite as pumpkin-y as the old one, so next time I might increase the amount of pumpkin and slightly decrease the milk/cottage cheese. Either way, it's a wonderfully delicious fall meal!

Creamy Pumpkin Penne
Source: Cara's Cravings

• 4 oz penne pasta
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced (about 75 g)
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh sage
• 2 links cooked chicken sausage, sliced
• 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese (1% milk fat)
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup nonfat milk
• pinch of nutmeg
• 5oz torn spinach, thick stems removed
• grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese, optional

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook gently for about 10-15minutes, until softened and beginning to caramelize. Add garlic, sage, and chicken sausage; continue to saute.

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions.

3. In a blender, combine combine pumpkin, cottage cheese, and milk. Blend until no lumps are present. Add to sausage mixture in skillet and continue to cook over low heat. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg.

4. Drain pasta and return to pot over low heat. Add sausage mixture and baby spinach, and toss together until the spinach is wilted. Serve with parmesan cheese, if desired.

Lemony Almond Spinach Pesto Pasta

As summer was drawing to a close, I decided it was time to get as much as I could out of our happy little mint plant.   We also had precious little grilling weather left, so that was a must!   Since I was pairing it with grilled chicken and vegetables, I omitted quite a few ingredients, and then substituted pine nuts for the almonds because… well… I felt like it. :-) 
This is, perhaps, my first time using mint in a savory dish, and it turned out really good.  I tried it once in mint ice cream and found it way too grassy for my taste – so I guess that’s why it works so well here.  The pesto is great, and a nice variation to have on hand for when the basil plant isn’t being quite so fruitful.  Next time I will definitely have to go the tuna and almond route – I can see how that would be a fabulous pairing!

 

Lemony Almond Spinach Pesto Pasta
Source: Clean Eating Magazine, Sept/Oct 2009, page 63

• 1/2 lb whole-wheat pasta, any shape
• 3 cups tightly packed baby spinach (3 ounces)
• 1/2 cup packed fresh mint
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
• Zest and juice of one large lemon (2 tsp zest and 1/3 cup juice), divided
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup unsalted toasted almond slivers
• 1 6-ounce can solid white tuna, packed in water
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cored seeded and diced small
• 1 small zucchini, diced small
• 1 1/2 cups cooked white beans (or 1 15-ounce can low sodium white beans, drained and rinsed)
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain pasta and rinse with cold water to stop it from cooking further.  Set aside.
2. Put spinach, mint, garlic, cheese, and lemon zest in a food processor and pulse to form a chunky paste. Combine lemon juice  and oil in a liquid measuring cup. With food processor running (on but not pulsing), add juice-oil mixture through the food chute in a slow drizzle until a thick, smooth pesto forms. Combine pesto with cooked pasta in a large bowl. 
3. Put almonds in processor and pulse about 10 times, until finely chopped.  Stir almonds into pasta.
4. Drain tuna and flake with a fork.  Add it to pasta, along with yellow pepper, zucchini and beans. Toss to combine and season with salt and black pepper.