Rhody Style Clam Cakes

Why hello there!  Yes it's been a while.  But no time for apologies, no time for explanation, I'm just glad you're still here.

Let me tell you about something incredible.  Something that defines me.  Something like Dell's, coffee milk, Rocky Point, Portuguese sweet bread and clam bakes.  It's a food so dear to Rhode Islander's hearts that eating it brings back visions of lopsided tables sinking into the sand on a Block Island beach with a Jimmy Buffet tribute band playing in the background.  And it's virtually unknown outside of the state!

Behold the clam cake!  More of a fritter than a cake, it's sort of like a hush puppy embedded with salty, sweet & tender clam meat.  Light and fluffy inside, with a crisp exterior and little bits of pleasantly chewy clams.  They're great alongside a bowl of chowder (white of course!  is there any other kind?) or with a squeeze of lemon or dash of hot sauce.  This is the flavor of the Narragansett Bay in summertime.  Perfect for this Independence day weekend!

Clam Cakes

Adapted from the Clam Fritter recipe by Craig Claiborne of the NYTimes as posted on One Perfect Bite

Use a large and flavorful clam for this dish.  Since you're chopping them anyway, you don't need to shell out the extra money for tender cherrystones or littlenecks.  Furthermore, they won't quite deliver the flavor of the larger clams.

approximately 2 dozen fresh quahog or mahogany clams (should yield about 2 1/2 cups clam meat)

2 eggs
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup reserved clam juice
1/4 cup 2% milk
1 Tbsp melted butter
zest of 1/2 a lemon
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup finely ground yellow cornmeal
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

vegetable oil

Rinse the clams under cold water and pile into a stockpot.  Add about 1/2 an inch of water to the bottom of the pot and bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Cover and reduce heat to low.  Simmer only until clams have started to open.  Stir to allow more to open and simmer covered briefly until the majority have opened up.  Allow to cool slightly

Remove the clam meat to a cutting board and discard all shells and unopened clams.  Coarsely chop the clam meat and set aside.  Strain the clam juice through a coffee filter to remove the grit.  Some of this will be used later.  Don't throw away the rest!  It's great in chowders and other soups and it freezes beautifully!

Whisk together eggs, lemon juice, 1/3 cup of clam juice, milk, butter, zest and seasonings.  Sift in flour, cornmeal, baking soda and baking powder and stir until just combined.  Add chopped clams and parsley and stir until well distributed.

Fill a heavy cast iron skillet to about a 1/2 inch depth with vegetable oil.  Preheat the oil over medium high heat until it is hot but not smoking.  At the right temperature the handle of a wooden spoon will bubble when held in the oil.  Dollop the batter into the oil about 2 Tbsp at a time, leaving plenty of room in between the cakes.  Fry about 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown and crisp on the outside and light and fluffy inside.


Drain on paper towels and season with sea salt while still hot.  Serve with lemon slices or hot sauce.

Getting Baked...Twice!

I've had a glut of scallions and potatoes from the CSA lately. Although normally I would turn to Loaded Potato Soup, it's been approaching 100 degrees in Baltimore and soup is just not an option. So I turned instead to Twice Baked Potatoes - admittedly the oven does get some use, but it's not nearly as bad as standing over a simmering pot. This is classic American - like overstuffed potato skins - a guilty pleasure. They're just so good!

Twice Baked Stuffed Potatoes


4 large or 7 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed clean
olive oil

1 Tbsp butter
2/3 cup light sour cream
8 oz. shredded 2% sharp cheddar cheese
3 large scallions, sliced thin
6 slices hickory smoked bacon, cooked until crisp
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ancho chile powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rub potatoes with olive oil and put on a baking sheet. Roast until cooked through, about an hour.

Using an oven mitt to hold the potato, slice down the middle and scoop the insides into a bowl, leaving a 1/4 inch of potato around the skins. Set aside skins and mash butter and sour cream into potato. Stir in 2/3 of the cheese, all of the scallions, bacon and seasonings. Refill the skins with the potato mixture, pressing it into the skins. Press remaining cheese on top. Bake for another 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Dinner's Going Green

"Green" - it's no longer just a color, it's a catchphrase for easy environmental fixes. One thing is for sure, we've abused our planet for a long time, selfishly exploiting its resources, and now it's fighting back. We're entering a period of consequences, and unfortunately we are not yet rising to the challenge in a way that will ensure our future. Green has become the word of the moment, but only for baby steps. As much as every little bit counts, baby steps will not take us the miles we need to go before time runs out.

Hot, Flat and Crowded is a fantastic book about the challenges we are facing and the best ways to rise up and seize the American entrepreneurial spirit to reduce the effects of our dependence on fossil fuels. I highly recommend it to everyone, since this is an issue we will all have to face. I hope President Obama has read it as well. If America leads the world towards higher efficiency standards and cleaner fuels, the world will follow, and probably respect us a little more as well.

As for steps we all can take without the government's help, green baby steps are still better than a lack of forward motion. Energy star appliances, SMALL hybrid cars, reusable grocery bags and compact florescent bulbs are tremendously helpful in cutting CO2 admissions when everyone starts to use them. Reducing electricity use, by using power strips that cut power to appliances and chargers when not in use and driving less are a huge help. We have only used the air conditioner in our house a handful of days this summer. A little sweat has paid off with more money in our pockets.

CSAs are a great way for foodies to be a little more green. Community supported agriculture means food travels only a few miles from farm to table, drastically reducing its carbon footprint. Plus local small farms stay solvent, not caving to sell their valuable land to developers of McMansion complexes. And we get the freshest produce possible, so everyone wins. One Straw Farm gives me so much organic produce that I've only had to go grocery shopping once since school let out. Which has meant way less miles on my car and way more money in my pocket.

So here's a green meal with a green sauce that will rock your taste buds and get you going on a greener path to change.

Grilled Stuffed Patty Pan Squash and Fish with Salsa Verde


Grilled Salsa Verde
4-5 tomatillos, husked and washed then halved
2 tomatoes, washed and halved
1 small red onion, halved
1 jalapeno
2 Tbsp lime juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Preheat a grill to high heat. Brush the tomatillos, tomatoes, onion and jalapenos with vegetable oil. Grill them all over high heat until tomatillos and tomatoes are carmelized and onion and jalapeno are charred. Chop up the tomatillos, tomatoes and onion. Seed and stem the jalapeno and mince. Toss them all with lime juice and cilantro. Let sit for 15 minutes for flavors to meld. (Leave the grill on low for the squash.

Stuffed Squash
2 cups chicken stock
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp butter
3/4 cup white rice
1 Tbsp chile powder
1 tsp cumin
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1/2 cup shredded mexican cheese

6 medium patty pan squash

Bring chicken stock, lime juice and butter to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add rice and spices and reduce to low. Cover and cook until rice has absorbed the water, and is al dente, about 20 minutes. Toss in about a third of the salsa verde and the rest of the cilantro along with the cheese.

While you're waiting for the rice to cook, slice the tops off of the patty pans and hollow out the insides with a spoon. Brush the squash with olive oil and put top side down on the covered grill to cook and char a bit. After the tops are charred, stuff with rice and put back on the grill, but right side up this time. Cook until tender and evenly charred.


Finishing it off...
2 (1/3 lb.) filets of firm white fish, such as halibut or cod

Brush the fish with vegetable oil and season well with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat until just cooked - about 2 minutes per side for thick filets. Serve over remaining rice with squash on the side and salsa on top.

Light & Hearty...

Light: \ˈlīt\ adjective. Low in calories or fat, easily digested, not heavy in the stomach

Hearty: \ˈhär-tē\ adjective. abundant, rich or flavorful enough to satisfy the appetite

Is it possible for a meal to be light, yet hearty? Low-calorie, yet filling? Is it possible to please your waistline and your tastebuds? This vegan recipe will prove to you that the two can coexist. Bold African-inspired flavors and naturally filling, fiber-filled ingredients offer up a lunch or dinner that will keep you going, smiling all the way. These "burgers" are not pretending to be meat, and there will be no mistaking them. They have a sweet, spicy nuttiness that's all their own. And the entire meal (1 burger with accompaniments and 1 cup of chickpea salad) has under 500 calories and keeps you full all day!

Sweet Potato & Pecan Burgers with Caramelized Onions and Chickpea Salad


2 1/2 cups sweet potato
1 tsp olive oil
2 1/2 cups red onion
3 large garlic cloves
1 cup rolled oats
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon chipotle spice mix
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp ancho chile powder
1/4 tsp allspice
1 1/2 Tbsp cumin
3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans
3 Tbsp olive oil
6 whole wheat or whole grain bread or buns
2 cups caramelized onions
Barbecue sauce

1 can low-sodium garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
1/2 large bell pepper, chopped
2 Tbsp minced onion
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp seracha (chile garlic sauce)
1 1/2 tsp cumin

Cut sweet potato into 1/2 inch cubes. Add to a small saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Return heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, or until potatoes are soft. Then strain. Meanwhile, saute onions in 1 tsp olive oil until soft. Add garlic and saute for 2 minutes.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine oats and dry seasonings. Pulse until oats are finely ground. Add sweet potatoes, onions and garlic, and cilantro and pulse until well mixed. Let cool if still warm, then stir in pecans. Form the burgers into 6 patties.

Heat 1 1/2 tsp of olive oil over medium-high heat in a nonstick pan. Sear 3 burgers at a time, until browned - about 4 minutes per side. Serve on whole wheat buns spread with BBQ sauce and topped with Boston lettuce and 1/3 cup carmelized onions.

For Chickpea Salad: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well. Enjoy!

The Crisp that Crunches...

It's no secret that we Americans are a fan of the fried onion. Walk into any restaurant in the U.S. and you'll find onion rings, onion straws, or a giant onion blossom. And there's a reason! Sweet, soft and sharp onions contrast perfectly with the crispy salty rich crust that only frying can give you. With all these perks, everyone should have a great fried onion recipe in their repertoire, even if they are just an occasional treat. These steal the show, even though they act as a side to crispy calamari. Using the same marinade, breading and oil for both saves time and makes this completely painless (Plus if you're gone ruin quarts of oil you may as well make the most of it!)

Classic Onion Straws & Crispy Calamari

Marinade
3 cups of low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce

Blend together to combine. Set aside.

Breading
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp cracked black pepper
2-3 tsp cayenne pepper, to taste
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp paprika

Mix together in a large plastic bag. Set aside.

Onion Straws


1 extra large sweet onion such as Vidalia
marinade & batter
vegetable oil for frying

Slice the onion to your desired thickness. I prefer about a quarter of an inch thick rounds. Separate rounds into a shallow dish or bowl. Pour over a little more than 1/2 of marinade. Let sit at least 10 minutes.

In a tall stockpot (very important as the oil tends to foam up when these go in), fill with oil until it's about 5 inches deep. Use a deep fry thermometer to preheat oil to 375 degrees F.

Use tongs to pull onions out of marinade, let them drip off and put them into the breading bag. Seal the bag and toss around to coat the onions. Shake off flour by the handful and fry (only one handful at a time) until golden. Let cool on an upside down baking rack on top of a double layer of premium paper towels. Try not to devour them before dinner.

Crispy Calamari


1 lb. frozen calamari rings (I get mine at Trader Joes), thawed and drained
marinade
breading
one lemon, cut into wedges
1/2 cup banana peppers (or less, to taste)

Toss calamari in marinade. Use tongs to let it drip, then toss in remaining breading (add a little more flour if needed). Once oil is up to 375 degrees (no lower or calamari will get rubbery before it is golden!), fry until golden- no longer than 3 minutes. Serve hot with lemon wedges for squeezing over it and hot peppers to be eaten with it.


Make sure the oil has cooled completely before disposing of it. It's biodegradable, so it won't hurt to dump it in the corner of the yard. And your pipes will probably thank you that it didn't go down the drain.

An Autumnal Salad

I am a fan of summer salads. It's always nice to have something cool and crisp on a hot day, especially if it doesn't require the use of the stove. But when the weather turns cool and the days end sooner, the typical salad gets traded out for heartier fare. Fortunately, this dish encompasses the bright vinaigrette of a great salad with richer, more satisfying ingredients. Lentils provide great earthy texture, complemented by spicy keilbasa and creamy sweet squash. Delicata squash has become my newest infatuation, since it's skin is tender enough to leave on and it's flesh is richer and creamer, and altogether more, well, delicate in flavor than butternut or acorn. The mustardy bite brings it all together in a satisfying meal.


Black Lentil, Sausage and Squash Salad


1 medium delicata squash, seeded and cubed
ancho chile powder
Chinese 5 spice powder
garlic powder
salt and pepper
1 link of lite kielbasa, sliced down the middle
1 package Trader Joe's precooked black beluga lentils
1 1/2 tsp spicy white wine Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp Chianti wine vinegar (I actually used 1 Tbsp plus a Tbsp of orange muscat vinegar - but it's hard to find)
drizzle of maple syrup
1/2 tsp chile oil
1/2 tsp garlic oil
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Toss cubed squash with some olive oil to coat and a generous sprinkling of chile powder, 5 spice powder, garlic powder and salt and pepper. Turn out onto a large sheet pan. Roast until squash starts to caramelize and even blacken slightly at some of the edges.

Meanwhile, grill the keilbasa over high heat, until nicely charred. Remove and wrap in aluminum foil to keep it warm. Reheat the lentils according to package instructions. Combine the remainder of the ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to make the dressing. When squash and lentils are done, toss them in, followed by chopped keilbasa. Let sit for at least 5 minutes to soak up some of the dressing. Serve while just slightly warm for a punch of flavor.


P.S. As you can tell from the posting date on this, I've had it in the archives for a while, I just couldn't seem to get it typed out. Forgive me, there are more recipes on the way!

Better than You Know Who's Biscuits

There is a certain seafood restaurant empire named after a scarlet crustacean that serves up baskets of cheesy biscuits with every meal. They're a favorite of many, and I decided they couldn't be that hard to make at home. I was right, these are one of the simplest recipes, and sure to impress. I served them up next to some fancy fish and broccolini at a dinner party last week, and every time I bring one in to work people scrounge for a bite. Neither too casual or too standoffish, these should definitely find a place on your table.

Although you can certainly roll these out and cut them, I find they rise better as drop biscuits, plus I love the texture of those crispy, craggy corners.

Smoky Cheddar Scallion Drop Biscuits
Makes 24 (halves easily).


4 1/2 cups all purpose flour (preferably White Lily-not the self rising kind)
5 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp sugar (for browning)
2 tsp hickory smoked salt (or regular salt)
2 tsp chile powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 sticks of butter, cut into cubes
2-3 cups coarsely grated smoked cheddar
5 finely chopped scallions
1/2 cup finely chopped jalapenoes or two finely chopped chipotles in adobo(optional)
1 cup buttermilk (shake well before measuring)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with two racks dividing it into thirds. Line 2 cookie sheets with silpat or parchment paper.

Whisk together all dry ingredients. Add butter cubes and use a fork or pastry blender to cut them into the flour until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add remaining ingredients, stir until just combined. Do not over mix.

Use your hands to form large biscuits. Drop 12 rounds onto each cookie sheet.

Bake until golden (about 20 - 25 minutes), rotating pans halfway through.

Best served warm. These reheat easily. I make a lot because they freeze well and everyone always wants more. Feel free to halve the recipe.

The Snack of Champions

Most of you know I teach high school. Many of you may not know that I teach at the High School that Michael Phelps graduated from not so long ago. His hometown has been a little crazy this year, to say the least. You'd have to live under a rock to avoid hearing his name every 5 minutes. Although I never taught him, I've met him since he won his 8 golds in Beijing (when he came to thank our principal) and one of my good friends taught alongside his mom. Next weekend they'll hold an Olympian parade in front of Towson U to honor himself, Katie Hoff and the other Baltimore olympians and many of us are walking in it.

Now, as you know, Micheal Phelps is known for eating lots of food. Not really very good quality food, just in massive quantities. He's known for downing a dozen eggs, pancakes, waffles, sausage, etc, etc at breakfast and following up with tons of pizza and chinese food. I think it's time his taste took a slightly more balanced route, with more veggies and sophisticated flavors. If it was my job to lure him over to the other side, I'd do it with this tart.


Inspired by Smitten Kitchen's butternut squash galette, my rustic fall tart is even spicer with a mellow note from good blue cheese and a kick from a parmesan and black pepper crust. This was a rockin snack on a stormy autumn afternoon. I highly recommend it, as does L, a normally vehement squash hater.

Autumn Galette


Parmesan Peppercorn Crust
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup grated parmaggiano reggiano
1 Tbsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 tsp sea salt
1 stick (8 Tbsp) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
ice water

In a small bowl, combine flour, parmesan, salt and pepper and mix well to combine. Use a fork or a pastry blender to cut butter into the flour mixture until it resembles a coarse meal. Add ice water, a few drops at a time, until mixture stays together when pressed. Form into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least one hour.

Filling


1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp chile powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp butter
1 large red onion
2 Tbsp garlic rosemary seasoning
1/4 cup cream sherry

1/4 cup good quality mild blue cheese

Preheat oven to 400 F. Toss squash with a drizzle of olive oil until coated. Turn out onto a baking sheet. Roast until caramelized, stirring occasionally. Remove from the oven and toss with seasonings.

Meanwhile, saute onions in butter until caramelized. Add seasoning and deglaze with sherry. Cook until sherry has reduced to a syrupy glaze.

Roll out dough to a 13 inch round. Top with onions, then blue cheese and finally spiced squash. Fold edges of crust over filling, leaving the middle open, and pleat to fit.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and flaky.

Bistro Classics: Potato Gratin

I have been a bad food blogger. Not only have I not be blogging, I haven't even been cooking. This past week I had one day where I actually made something for dinner and it was the spaghetti and meatballs I've already raved about twice. Our other meals have consisted of leftovers, a dinner out for the anniversary, pizza, hot wings, and sushi. So yes, even I get too busy to cook. Even I order takeout (although I cringe while doing it). So when Saturday rolled around, it was time for some home cooked pleasure. This heavenly potato gratin certainly delivers.

I must ask you to excuse my deteriorating photography skills. The problem is I have no natural light after 6:30, and I never manage to make dinner by then. I've been trying all the tricks I have up my sleeve, but I think I'm going to have to fold and get some real photography lights like these ones I've been eyeing. Until then, I apologize, but guarantee you that this is SO good, even if it doesn't look it.


Don't even think about using another variety of potato here. Trust me, I've tried. Waxy potatoes don't absorb any liquid, leaving you with a funky separated sauce, russets absorb too much and get mushy like mashed potatoes. Yukon Golds are richer in flavor, absorb just enough liquid to result in a thick, creamy sauce and hold their shape well. I've also found this method allows the potatoes the perfect amount of cooking time and results in a tender, well sauced gratin.

Golden Bacon, Leek and Gruyere Potato Gratin


6 slices maple smoked bacon
8 oz cleaned leeks, white and light green parts only, cleaned and sliced into half moons
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp thyme
1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
pinch of salt
2 1/2 lbs. yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and sliced 1/8 inch thin (if your knife skills could use improvement, employ a mandolin)
7 oz shredded gruyere cheese
3/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated parmaggiano reggiano
2 Tbsp melted butter

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

In a large nonstick skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Set aside on paper towels to cool, reserving grease. Add leeks and saute until softened but still green. Empty into a bowl and set aside.

Combine stock, cream and seasonings and bring to a simmer. Add potato slices and simmer until they are just starting to get tender, about 8 minutes.

In a large greased gratin dish, layer in 1/3 of potatoes, followed by 1/2 of gruyere, leeks and bacon. Repeat, then top with remaining third of potatoes (pour any liquid left down over the gratin).

Mix together breadcrumbs, parmesan and butter with a fork. Sprinkle in an even layer over the top of the gratin.


Bake until breadcrumbs are golden and bubbling sauce has thickened, about 25 minutes.

Serve alongside another bistro classic, such as steak au poivre and haricots vert. (I had chicken marsala with mine)



P.S. Omit the bacon, sub milk or veggie stock for chicken and this is an oh, so satisfying vegetarian meal!

Americana

There are few things as American as Thanksgiving. In fact, I think it speaks more to what it means to be an American than the fourth of July. Gathering with family, partaking in a feast with so many ingredients that were here hundreds of years ago, such as turkey, corn, cranberries, taking some time to realize how lucky we are. The fact is, we have a lot to be thankful for, and I don't think one day is really enough time to devote to gratitude for the privileges we have in this country. What's more - traditional foods served at Thanksgiving are just too good to deprive yourself of the rest of the year. So I try to make one Thanksgivingish weekend dinner every couple of months, and it helps me put things in perspective when times are tough, as they have been for much of the past year.

With the mild weather we've been having and the return to school, I've been longing for my favorite season: autumn. While I love the scarlet tomatoes and sweet corn and will be sad to see them go, I'm dreaming of roasts and braises, hearty soups and root vegetables. In this meal I found some of those fall flavors, without departing completely from the lightheartedness of summer.

Maple Herbed Roast Turkey Thighs with Roasted Vegetables


1 1/2 cups baby carrots
1 cup baby patty pan squash
1 cup frozen pearl onions
1 cup new potatoes, cut into the same size pieces as the squash
1 Tbsp olive oil

2 turkey thighs
1 tsp chopped sage
1 tsp chopped rosemary
1 tsp chopped thyme
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 Tbsp softened butter

2 slices of thick-cut bacon
2/3 cup maple syrup

Preheat oven to 425. In a 9 x 13 pyrex dish, toss veggies with olive oil.

Stick a finger in between the skin and turkey meat at one edge of the thigh. Separate skin from thigh, creating a large pocket, while leaving the edges connected. Combine herbs, garlic and butter in a bowl and squish together with your fingers to form a paste. Rub paste into pocket between meat and skin. Place turkey thighs on top of veggies.

Place bacon on any seams in the turkey thighs were meat is not covered by skin. Alternatively, wrap around outside edges. Brush with some maple syrup (you won't use all of it yet). Sprinkle turkey and veggies with salt.

Bake on the middle rack of the oven, brushing with maple syrup every 15 minutes, until turkey reads 155 degrees F on an instant read thermometer and skin is lacquered, crispy and caramelized. Remove turkey to a plate to rest.


Preheat broiler. Strain vegetables of turkey drippings (reserve). Broil veggies until they're caramelized. In the meantime, mix the drippings with a slurry of marsala wine and cornstarch in a small saucepan to make a gravy. Bring to a simmer (should thicken).

Serve turkey with roasted veggies, gravy, cornbread stuffing and cranberry orange relish.



Cranberry Studded Cornbread Stuffing with Bacon and Leeks


6 large (storebought-size) or 12 small (homemade size) corn muffins- dry corn muffins work best for this, especially low-fat or fat free. If the flavor is pure corn, and it's really too dry to be a pleasant muffin, it will be perfect - day old muffins also work well.

6 slices thick center cut bacon
1 1/2 cups sliced cleaned leeks
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp cream sherry
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 tsp chopped sage
1 tsp chopped rosemary
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp chile powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 1/2 - 2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
coarse salt, pepper and coarse sugar

Crumble muffins onto a sheet pan. you should have some larger chunks and lots of crumbs. Let sit for 2 hours to dry out. Alternatively, toast in a 350 degree oven until golden and dried out. Place dried out muffins in a large bowl.

Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat, until it has rendered it's fat and it's crispy. Remove bacon. Add leeks and cook until tender. Add remaining ingredients, including 1 1/2 cups stock (except salt, pepper and sugar) and bring to a simmer. Pour over muffin pieces and mix with a wooden spoon. If it's not moist enough, add additional stock. Transfer to an oven safe dish and sprinkle with coarse salt, sugar and ground pepper. Bake in the oven with the turkey for 20 minutes, or until golden on top.



Cranberry Orange Relish


This is my mother's recipe. It's simple, but such a bright, textural contrast to turkey, it's so much more interesting than a traditional cranberry sauce. This is a classic on my Thanksgiving table, and if you freeze a few bags of cranberries in the fall, you can have it year round. I make it with less sugar, since I like it a little more bitter than most people. This quantity of sugar seems to please most palates.

1 bag whole fresh (or thawed frozen) cranberries
1 fresh mandarin orange (also works well with clementines - but use 2)
3/4 cup sugar

Combine cranberries and zest of the orange in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped.


Seed and segment the orange and add orange flesh and sugar to the bowl. Pulse until it comes together in a fine relish. Transfer to a plastic container and let sit at least 2 hours (the sugar is grainy at first - this time lets the sugar dissolve and flavors meld).

For The Love of Lime...

Back to school tomorrow, although I won't be seeing any of those pesky teenagers ;) until next week. Another year with its own challenges, its own rewards and a whole new hundred and fifty smiling (or not so much) faces to keep track of. I love teaching, but I'm not really a fan of the beginning of the year. I never was good at introductions. Things go slowly at the beginning, before my students know what I want and how they need to do it, when they're testing me with their every move to see what they can and can't get away with. It's an uncertain time because they don't know what to expect from me and I'm not sure what I'll get from them. You develop such a relationship with kids over the course of the year, so you really know them, well enough to predict their next move. By the end of the year, I feel like my classes can almost teach themselves. Everything works together like one big machine (or at least most of the time).

Working with ingredients is much the same. New ingredients are intimidating, unpredictable. You brave it, trying a bit of the new stuff with tried and true flavors, feeling it out until you know its flavor, how it behaves, if it plays well with others. And over time, you develop your favorites, ones that you turn to time after time (OK - so I try not to do this with kids, but I'm definitely biased with flavors). My teacher's pet is lime (Ok - and vanilla and basil - why else would I have named my blog this way?). Lime lends a fresh finish to sweet and savory concoctions. It gets along best with mexican and thai flavors, tropical tastes like coconut, mango and macademia, pumps up berries' sweetness, and lends bright character to baked goods, such as these cardamom lime sweet rolls.


So on the eve of uncertainty, of course I turned to my favorite team player. Since I firmly believe in dessert first, and this is in fact the order in which I cooked, photographed and ate my lovely limey creations, I will start you off with a delicate lime cookie. If you stick around for dinner you'll get a yummy grilled garlic lime chicken, with coconut lime rice and corn on the cob. This food deserves the limelight!


This type of cookie has many aliases, russian tea cakes or mexican wedding cakes, meltaways or liar's cookies (because your shirt will give you away!). When I was growing up my mom made a gluten free version that always came out looking rather grey, so we called them moldy mice, a name that I've now realized is not all that appetizing to people outside our family. I think I like Dorie Greenspan's name the best, so these will be called powder puffs. These are traditionally made with pecans and can be made with or without citrus zest. L happens to love lime as much as I do, and it paired perfectly with buttery rich macademias, and earned the title of his favorite cookie!

Key Lime & Macademia Powder Puffs


1 cup macademia nuts, toasted until golden
1/4 cup sugar, divided
1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
pinch of ground green cardamom
1 stick (8 Tbsp) unsalted butter at room temperature
zest of 5 key limes (or one regular lime)
2 Tbsp key lime juice
1 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 cup confectioners sugar

Grind nuts with 1 Tbsp of sugar with short pulses of a food processor, until they form a chunky paste. Add flour, salt and cardamom and pulse until well combined. Transfer to a small mixing bowl.

In the bowl of the food processor, combine butter and sugar. Pulse until creamy and pale. Add lime zest and juice. Pulse to combine. Add dry ingredients back in and use short pulses to mix until just combined (scraping the bowl as needed). Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350. Line a large cookie sheet with Silpat or parchment paper. Ball up dough into small, bite sized spheres and place on cookie sheet (don't worry about spacing them too much, they don't spread a lot).

Bake 13-16 minutes or until slightly golden. Let cool on sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. When just slightly warm, roll in confectioners sugar.




Garlic Lime Chicken with Grilled Red Onions


4 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp orange muscat vinegar (or other fruity vinegar)
3 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp crushed garlic
1 packet Baja Citrus marinade seasoning (McCormick makes this)
2 lbs. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (you can use boneless but cook them for less time)

Combine marinade ingredients. Marinate at least 3 hours in the fridge.

Preheat grill on high. Start chicken on hottest part of the grill (if it flares up you may have to move it or turn down the heat). Cook over direct heat 5 minutes / side. Move to indirect heat, and continue to cook with grill lid down until the internal temperature reads 165 F on an instant-read thermometer (carryover will take it up almost another 10 degrees), about 30 minutes. Baste chicken periodically with marinade during cooking. Grill a halved lime alongside chicken (only about 1 minute on either side).


Grill onions in an oiled grill pan until charred, but still crunchy in parts. Transfer to a plate, top with chicken pieces and a squeeze of grilled lime.

Grilled Corn on the Cob


1 ear corn / person

Peel back husks and remove silks from corn. Replace husks back around the corn, removing the tougher ones on the outside.
Preheat grill to high and brush with oil. Place corn in husks on grill and cook, turning regularly, until husks begin to burn. take off grill and let cool.


Remove husks and knobby end part. Brush with some of the chicken marinade and return to grill over direct heat until lightly charred.



Coconut Lime Rice


1 13.5 oz can coconut milk (not light)
2 cups chicken broth
zest of one lime
2 kieffer lime leaves
2 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chile powder
1 3/4 cups basmati or jasmine rice

Mix together all ingredients except rice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat. Add rice and return to a simmer. Turn heat down to low and pop a lid on it. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 20 minutes. Add chopped scallions or cilantro if desired (I didn't have any).



To serve:


Make a bed of rice on the bottom of a plate. Pile on grilled onions and chicken, place grilled corn alongside. Squeeze a grilled lime half down over the whole dish. Finish with a dash of salt.