Bicycles, Aubergines, and Lounging

Sam was making eggplant parmesan for dinner. YUM. A baked version. Baked is almost always better than fried.

Anyway, he didn't have the parmesan, so I hopped on my bike and rode to the grocery store to stock up on produce, spices, and the always essential orange juice. SO much better than sitting in traffic. The weather was great; very pleasant ride overall. I think it's funny that now that gas is always on the rise people act like it's not so crazy to ride your bike. The idea that a young adult would ride her bike for the sheer joy and convenience would still seem crazy to most... I think.

Anyway, eggplant parmesan, Moosewood Cookbook Page 132 style: Yummy.

Don't be fooled by the gross Olive Garden version. This was a million times better than what you'd get in most restaurants. Try it!

Someone typed out the recipe here if you don't already have this cook book.

Fall is now official!

...and that means acorn squash.

Acorn squash is the most delicious squash on earth. You can stuff it with anything and it will taste wonderfully. Usually we make a filling of bread crumbs, cheddar, celery, onions, sunflower seeds, and some stuff that I'm forgetting at the moment. This time, I tried a variation of apples, brown rice, sauteed onions, garlic, cinnamon, allspice, honey, and almonds. Yum. I like our classic version better but this is still very savory and satisfying.

Cut the squash in half, place it upside down on a greased baking sheet, and cook for 30 minutes at 350. Take it out, fill the squash, bake again for 20-30 minutes.

And for dessert, it doesn't get more autumnal than pumpkin pie!

Magazines Motivate Me

I have been feeling a little ornery and off-kilter the last few days.

How will I deal with this? Magazines.

1.) I subscribed to Vegetarian Times because I WANT IT and it will hopefully make me happy repeatedly and provided recipes for good food that will make me happy.

2.) Look at Runner's World Online. Be inspired to get my but in gear. I need endorphins to make me happy. The left-over birthday pizza I just ate will not accomplish the same feat.

Today's run of choice: Bike ride the mile from home to Hermann Park and run at least the 2.5 mile loop. Now I feel accountable and will actually follow through...

Disasters and Successes

I am in love with this cookbook. That is decided.

However, I have had one disappointment with it so far. After an exhausting day at work on Thursday, I was excited to try another new recipe. I waited in Houston traffic to get to the grocery store to get fresh spinach, stayed on my feet when I got home so I could clean the kitchen, diced and spiced, and made Spinach Rice Casserole (Pg 135). When I took the first bite, I wasn't a big fan. By the fourth bite, I no longer wanted dinner. When Sam packed the left-overs in my lunch on Friday, I ended up eating a lunch of brownies and apple slices instead.

Even though I disliked that recipe, I ADORED another. There's this darling cafe down the street where you can get heavenly white chocolate bread pudding for $7. I've often wondered if I could pull off the same divinity at home. Yesterday, I did! The oatmeal raisin bread that I didn't eat fast enough transformed into one of the easiest and tastiest desserts that I have made to date. And please, realize that when I say easy, I mean it. All I had to do was cut up the bread, put it in a pan, mix together eggs milk and some spices, and pour that stuff over the bread. I think it took 5 minutes total. Glorious. Plus, all the ingredients together for an entire pan probably cost me about $2. Good savings and great food.


WHITE CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING

3 to 4 packed cups cubed bread (OK if stale or frozen)
3 eggs
3 cups skim milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup white chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 350. Have ready a 9x13 inch baking pan.
Spread the bread in the pan. Sprinkle white chocolate in along with the bread.
Beat together remaining ingredients. Pour the custard over the bread.
Sprinkle with nutmeg and cinnamon.
Bake about 35 minutes.
Eat warm with vanilla ice cream and/or strawberry slices.

MOOSEWOOD!

I just got the Moosewood Cookbook.

It is amazing. Everyone should have it.

Our first recipe made was asparagus-mushroom sauce (Pg 770) over whole wheat spaghetti. Delicious. Try it.

Why didn't anyone tell me about risotto!?!

I had my first taste of risotto at a friend's for a dinner party and I was amazed. This dish is SO good! Strong flavor, creamy, filling... good. In a word- good.


So what I'm confused about is: why don't I hear more people lauding the glory of risotto. It's not that hard to make. If you and a dining partner (kid, significant other, random person you want to feed) prepare the dish together, you'll have an enjoyable evening and your hands won't be too full.

I have also never cooked anything using heavy cream, so I can't be sure that the reason I'm in love with this dish isn't because I've never experienced the joy of such a heavy ingredient.

So, here it is. I made this today and am still basking in the stupor of creamy goodness.

ARTICHOKE RISOTTO
(adapted from a recipe from The Food Network)

• 1 TBS olive oil
• 2 TBS unsalted butter
• 3/4 c. chopped onion
• 1/4 c. red bell pepper
• about 2 TBS of garlic, chopped or pressed
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 5 c. vegetable stock
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 2 tsp. salt
• ground black pepper
• 1/2 c. chopped green onions
• 1 can of artichoke hearts, rinsed and quartered
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 1/4 c. Parmesan
• some parsley to garnish

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add butter and then onions, bell pepper, and garlic; cook until vegetables are wilted.

Add rice and saute 1-2 min. stirring constantly, until grains begin to look opaque. Add wine and cook until evaporated, stirring constantly. Add 3/4 c. stock, the lemon juice, and some salt and pepper. Keep stirring. Continue to stir constantly, adding 3/4c. more of stock every time it looks like the rice has absorbed most of the liquid in the pot.

After rice has cooked for 10 min, add green onions and artichoke hearts. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add heavy cream and Parmesan. Stir well. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 min. before serving. Garnish with parsley.

Fresh green beans made a great side dish.

This meal was incredibly rich. I looked in some of my cookbooks and found a lot of other recipes for risotto that do not call for any cream; I'll have to experiment with those another time. Since we were stuffed (but never willing to go without dessert), I cut up some fruit with a little bit of vanilla yogurt. Scrumptious.

Side note- We're finally going back to school post hurricane so I will have less of this crazy abundant free time to spend baking, cooking, and blogging.

Finding Great Recipes

• Mollie Katzen, beloved author of the Moosewood Cookbook, has a great website with a healthy sampling of nutricious recipes for soups, salads, casseroles, etc.
• Post Punk Kitchen is a vegan publication with some really interesting options!
• Veg Web is a bit of a hodge podge, which makes it difficult to navigate, but the reviews are really helpful.
• Whole Foods has a good collection of recipes neatly categorized. Obviously, the ingredients are easy to find if you shop there.
• And, of course, my beloved King Arthur Flour. Baker’s Banter is their blog and they also have recipes listed on the main website.
  
  There are also the staples:
  www.allrecipes.com
  www.epicurious.com
  www.cooks.com