Random Food Fridays - Tropical Banana Bread

I've mentioned that I love coconut, right? 

And pineapple too, right? 

So, add them to banana bread? 

You bet!

I've been experimenting with this banana bread for a while. I wanted it moist and chewy and not too sweet. I wanted to include coconut oil, but not so much that it made the bread dense. I think I've finally found the right balance.

This is good toasted or room temp. This photo shows it embellished with butter. You might try peanut butter for a breakfast treat. I like it that way.

This bread keeps well. Although, none have lasted more than a week at my house. It's too good. I guess I'm predicting it keeps well based on the fact that the last slice tastes as good as the first.

Tropical Banana Bread
4 medium bananas
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple, well drained
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup dried, shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease two 8x4 inch loaf pans.

Peel bananas and break into chunks in a mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice and mash thoroughly. (I use an immersion blender.) Stir in the drained pineapple, sugar, vanilla and melted coconut oil. Set aside. In another bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and coconut. Stir the fruit mixture and the dry mixture together until just combined. Divide into the two prepared loaf pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. When done, remove from oven and immediately turn out of the pans on to a cooling rack. Makes two loaves.

Random Food Fridays - Puff Pastry to the Rescue!

I've had a few weeks. Boy Howdy! Have you ever had a run of stuff? None of it was about me, I just had several people in a row (and simultaneously) to worry about. Too many trips to the hospital. Too much emergency stand by. Too much stress.

I like my life a lot. Emergencies make me super edgy and super schmoopy-grateful all at the same time. My worry-people are out of danger and in recovery. I'm looking at the azaleas and dogwoods and seedlings coming up. I have a robin family living in my yard. The world is busting out green and new.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! All kinds! All kinds!

That's a little song I sing when I'm feeling grateful. When I sing All kinds! All kinds! I lock my eyes on some thing of beauty and splendor and address it directly. It's silly, simple and repetitious, but it sure works. 

I want to acknowledge all those people who are going through extraordinary stresses in their lives. I like to share good, homemade food on my little blog. I hope that folks will find my food accessible and encouraging. But I, for one, will not give you the stink-eye when you stop for pizza or a sandwich or a burger when your life has prevented you from seeing to your own needs. Sometimes you just have to eat what you can and get through it.

That said, a Saturday of shopping, chopping, cooking and eating can be a blessed relief after two weeks of mostly eating out. I was also able to get out in the garden and plant my little lemon tree and some seeds. Tending my life is so sweet. Chores can seem like a chore, but when you know you are willing and able to care for your own life and home, chores become a sacred occupation.

Our lovely, at-home meal had an assist from frozen puff pastry. I'm really sold on this stuff. I found a version at whole foods that came in rounds. The one I've gotten from Trader Joe's is square. Both are almost impossible to render un-delicious.

I was inspired to make an asparagus tart by this entry from Good Life Eats. I didn't read the instructions very carefully, so mine is a little different. Really, you could make this yummy with any veggie and cheese you like.

Another of the magic properties of puff pastry is that it comes in packs with two sheets. TWO SHEETS! That means a jammin' girl like me can make a tart, lickity-split! I spread red raspberry jam on half of this circle, leaving about an inch for sealing. I brushed the edges with an egg wash made from the egg whites leftover from the asparagus tart. After folding and sealing, I brushed the top with egg wash and sprinkled with sugar crystals. 20 minutes at 400, and Ta-Daaaa! Jam Tart!

Asparagus Tart
1 round of frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 cup grated gruyere
1/2 cup sour cream
2 egg yolks
about 1 lb. asparagus
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the thawed puff pastry on the parchment. Mix the cheese, sour cream and egg yolks and spread on the pastry, leaving an edge of dough. Trim the asparagus by snapping off the woody ends. Arrange the asparagus on the cheese. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Random Food Fridays - The Sore Throat Action Plan

Meyer Lemons, Ginger, Licorice Mint Tea

There's been a pretty bad cold going around these parts. Luckily, I'm well past it and this tea helped me get through it. It is simple, soothing and effective. If you have never had licorice in tea, it is delicious. It adds a natural sweetness without sugar. 

For one pot of tea:

1/4 of a lemon

6 slices fresh ginger

1 Licorice Mint tea bag

Squeeze the lemon juice into the tea pot, then drop in the whole thing. Add remaining ingredients and cover with boiling water. Allow to steep for at least 5 minutes, but 15 minutes is better. Drink up and get some rest!

Tonight's Dinner - Colcannon with Chicken and Roasted Broccoli

Whenever people tell me they don't like vegetables, I wonder if they've ever met my very good friends, Butter and Mr. and Mrs. Seasoning. I have had people rave about veggies at pot lucks and wonder what magical trick I used to make them so delicious. It's almost always butter, salt and pepper. The loss of cooking skills and health fads have made people afraid to flavor their own home cooking then they wonder why it doesn't taste as good as in a restaurant. I'm telling you, it's butter, salt and pepper. So, I ask you, wouldn't it be better for you to splurge at home with a little buttery luxury, rather than getting your satisfaction from fast food?

My lecture is now over and I'll talk about this yummy dinner. The chicken is boneless, skinless chicken thighs that have been seasoned with salt, pepper, granulated garlic and (my new BFF) smoked paprika. After the seasoning, they were simply dipped in an egg wash and dry bread crumbs. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes, flipping them once. Crunchy, flavorful and good! The broccoli was tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper and granulated garlic and roasted in another pan in the same oven for the same amount of time. Boom! Another yummy veg, seasoned well and coated with a flavorful and healthful fat.

Now, for tonight's recipe - colcannon. If you think you don't like kale, I double-dog-dare you to make this dish! This is a traditional Irish dish that makes use of humble ingredients and transforms them into something deeply comforting and delicious. I recently took this to a party in a crock pot and it was a big hit. On that occasion, I used some dino kale from my garden and a leek from my farm box. Today, I used Russian kale from my garden and green onions from the farmers' market. The foundations of this dish are russet potatoes, some kind of kale, some kind of onion and lots of butter and cream. Feel free to use any kind of kale and any kind of onion. My only advise would be to pre-steam and chop curly kale, if you use it. Dino kale and Russian kale are both tender enough slice and cook along with the onions.

Colcannon
4 lbs. russet potatoes (6 large or 12 medium)
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. butter
1 cup sliced green onions or leeks
4 cups kale that has been trimmed and sliced into thin ribbons
1/2 to 1 cup half & half
salt and pepper

Peel the potatoes and cut them into pretty large chunks - about 2 inches. Rinse the potato chunks in a colander. Add the potatoes and 1 tbsp. salt to a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender - about 15 minutes. Drain and allow to air dry while you proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Place 1/2 cup butter into a large, heavy-bottomed, sauce pot. Melt the butter over a medium flame. Add the sliced onions and kale ribbons and saute slowly until tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Return the drained potatoes to their cooking pan. Add the cooked onions and kale along with their butter. Add about 1/2 cup half & half and half a tsp. of salt and some generous grinds of black pepper. Mash them all together with a manual potato masher. Depending on the moisture of the potatoes, you may have to add more cream until they reach a creamy texture. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper, if needed. Finnish by mashing in the remaining 2 tbsp. butter.

This can easily be kept warm while you make the rest of your dinner.

Enjoy your vegetables!

Pineapple and Meyer Lemon Marmalade

I love pineapple. I've been known to say, "I'll throw pineapple into just about anything." Have you ever seen a cat on cat nip? That's me on pineapple. I'm not even that picky. Canned pineapple still works its way into my dishes. For years, I've used canned crushed pineapple in my plum and pineapple jam. For this marmalade, I chopped a whole fresh pineapple. I'm really happy with the results and it wasn't that much more work.

I'm getting pretty good at weeknight jamming. If you plan, you can do it too! For marmalade, generally, you can process the fruit one night and make the marmalade the next.

Chopped pineapple sitting on top of the lemon pulp and fruit. The simmered zest and liquid on the right. (And yes, those are extra jars of Lovely Lotion in the background.)

Marmalade that is not made with commercial pectin remains like a thick syrup. I'm good with this. The boiling may take up to 45 minutes. That's why I like to prep one evening and boil the next. Easy Peasy.

Pineapple and Meyer Lemon Marmalade

1 large, fresh, pineapple, peeled, cored and chopped (reserve the cores)

1 cup thinly sliced Meyer lemon zest

8 large Meyer Lemons

4 cups water

6 cups sugar

Prepare jars and lids and boiling water bath. Place a few saucers and teaspoons in the freezer. (If doing this recipe in two steps, save the canning prep for the second night.)

Wash and peel a thin layer zest off of the lemons. Reserve 1 cup of the zest and place in a sauce pan. Add 4 cups cold water. Add the pineapple cores. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Use a sharp knife to cut the remaining peel away from the lemons. Carefully cut the lemon pulp segments away from the membranes. Hold the lemons over the bowl to catch all the juice. 

(The lemon segments, peel with liquid and pineapple can be stored over night for canning the next day.)

Measure the pineapple pieces, lemon segments and simmered peel in an 8 cup (2 quart) measuring cup. Add the zest simmering liquid to bring the measure up to 8 cups. Place all of this in a very large stock pot. Add 6 cups sugar. Bring to a boil and boil until it reaches somewhere between 220 and 226 degrees. Stir frequently. When it comes up to 220 degrees, begin testing with your frozen spoons - scoop a small amount of the marmalade into a frozen spoon and place back into the freezer on a saucer. When it is cool, push it with your finger. If the surface of the marmalade wrinkles, it is done. I should feel like honey on your mouth when you taste it. 

Remove from the heat and skim any remaining foam. Allow to cool for a minute or two and stir to distribute the bits. Carefully ladle into hot jars. Wipe the rims and top with lids and rings. Process in the boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Carefully remove to a towel lined tray and allow to sit overnight. 

Makes 7 half-pint jars.

Random Food Fridays - Basic Stir Fry

Here is another one of those basic techniques that can be adjusted in any number of ways. Stir fries and soups are both great ways to use up bits and pieces of veg at the end of the week.

 Tonight's stir fry included snow peas, daikon, asparagus, carrots, onion, garlic and ginger. 

I gave my wok to my daughter sometime last year. When I stir fry, I do it in a very hot cast iron skillet. The only disadvantage to a flat-bottomed pan vs. a wok is that the wok is designed for the liquid that is released by vegetables to collect at the bottom in the area of highest heat. I try to keep my stir fries a bit dry so that they don't over steam. The only items I would consider non-negotiable in this recipe are the garlic and ginger. That's the where the flavor is!

 Here are the veggies all prepared. All are small enough to cook at the same time. The other ingredients are peanut oil, sesame oil, soy sauce and some mandarin orange marinade. My mom picked up the marinade from a farmer at the Mountain Mandarin Festival in Auburn. You could substitute any commercial teriyaki sauce. Sesame seeds get sprinkled over the finished dish.

My dinner! Yum!

I needed a little quick protein, so I added some frozen shrimps. I thawed them in water while preparing the veg. If you use them, add them at the very end, so they just get warmed through and do not over cook. When I make this with chicken, I like to marinate the chicken in the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, mandarin marinade and sesame oil. Again, this is just a foundation for your to adjust to your tastes. Have fun and be brave! 

Basic Stir Fry

1 tbsp. peanut oil

1 tbsp. soy sauce

1 tbsp. mandarin marinade or teriyaki sauce

1 tsp. sesame oil

1 large clove of garlic, minced

1 tsp. minced fresh ginger

1 cup snow peas

Some shreds of daikon

Some shaved carrot

5 or 6 asparagus, diagonally sliced

1 large green onion, or some other type of onion, sliced thin

1 cup shrimps 

Sesame seeds

Heat a wok or skillet over high heat. Add the peanut oil and sesame oil. Add the garlic and ginger and stir to coat with oil. Add all the veg and toss to coat with oil and distribute the garlic and ginger. Add the soy sauce and mandarin or teriyaki sauce. Continue to toss the veg in the hot pan until tender-crisp. Add the shrimp and toss until heated through. Remove to serving plate, leaving any excess liquid behind. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

Makes one large or two medium sized servings.

Note: to make with chicken, cut up boneless, skinless chicken thighs and marinate in the soy sauce, mandarin or teriyaki sauce, sesame oil, garlic and ginger. Heat the pan and add the peanut oil. Add the chicken pieces and cook until nearly done before adding the veg.

Tonight's Dinner - Brats, Greens and Smoked Paprika Roasted Potatoes

Sunday is cooking day. I've had to admit that while cooking real food can be easy and sooooo tasty, to enjoy real, home-cooked, food does take some time. I enjoy puttering in the kitchen so much, that it doesn't seem like a chore to me. It's comforting and creative and I feel in my element. (Sometimes the resulting dishes do feel like a chore, but that's where Mr. Dwayne comes in!)

Today, the contents of my fridge turned into a delicious meal and some awesome soup for weekday lunches. Our dinner included Sheboygan Brats from Morant's - the premier artisan sausage makers in Sacramento. I think it would be seriously challenging to remove the deliciousness from these things! As long as they are cooked to a safe temp, you're good to go. I just pan fried mine with some onions and olive oil. I used up beet greens from last weekend's farmers' market run, and the last little bit of some balsamic vinaigrette for sweet and sour greens. The recipe I want to share from tonight's dinner is for simple roasted potatoes.

Organic potatoes have a habit of sprouting and growing if not dealt with in a timely manner. This an excellent quality that I am counting for potato growing in my garden. However, those little eyes have toxins and they are not to be eaten. My pantry provided a pound of little yellow potatoes from my farm box and three red potatoes from the store. Both were getting their growth on. I trimmed and scrubbed them, dried and cut them and tossed them with olive oil, salt and pepper and smoked paprika. I can't believe it has taken so long for smoked paprika to come into my life! (Thanks Garrett!) It adds so much smokey goodness to these simple potatoes. Smoked paprika took these potatoes from a salvage job to a sublime dish, perfect for a stormy Sunday. Do try it!

Smoked Paprika Roasted Potatoes
2 lbs. potatoes, trimmed, washed, dried and cut into large chunks
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. granulated garlic
lots of freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Toss all of the ingredients together to coat and place in a 9 X 13 inch baking pan. Roast, uncovered for about 40 minutes. Stir once or twice during the roasting time.

Served two with some leftovers at my house. We probably ate too many!