Dinner 365 | Faux Pho

Faux Pho from Bon Appetite

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 small onion
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 3x1" piece peeled ginger
• 2 1/2 cups low-salt beef broth
• 1 whole star anise
• 1 3"–4" cinnamon stick
• 4 ounces(2 cups) mixed mushrooms (such as oyster or stemmed shiitake), thinly sliced or torn (These were omitted for us because mushrooms cause a revolt and/or gagging sounds in this house)
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt
• 2 packages instant ramen (preferably not fried; noodles only)
• 1 1/4–1/2-pound piece beef eye round, sliced crosswise 1/8" thick
• Bean sprouts, basil leaves, and thinly sliced serrano chiles

Preparation

• Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add onion, cut side down, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is golden, 3–4 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups water, broth, star anise, and cinnamon; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until flavors meld, 7–8 minutes. Add mushrooms; simmer 2 minutes. Add scallion. Season with salt.
• Meanwhile, boil ramen until tender but still firm to bite. Drain; divide among bowls.
• Add beef slices to soup; simmer until just cooked through, about 20 seconds. Using tongs, transfer beef to bowls.
• Discard ginger, garlic, star anise, and cinnamon; ladle broth into bowls. Garnish with bean sprouts, basil, and sliced chiles.

Dinner 365 | Lentil Soup

It's not like I'm not cooking, but I didn't really have the time to photograph food like I wanted to last year. Other life/work things took over.

I was looking for an 365 Photo project for 2012 and I have decided to shoot my dinner or other interesting meal with my iPhone every night. So far, so good.

The photos certainly aren't as pretty as the ones I take with my SLR, but I promise to throw in some 'good' ones as the year goes on. I hope my little project helps you plan your dinner if you're stuck or makes you feel better when YOU have pizza or a piece of toast with avocado on it for dinner (yep, done it several times already this year).

Let's get started!!!

January 1, 2012 - Lentil Soup from The Engine 2 Diet Cookbook (I halved this recipe)

This is a vegan, but crazy healthy, easy and delicious soup. The original recipe did not include any salt or oil, but it does help the flavor a lot!

A bit of vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
4 tomatoes chopped (can also used a can of diced tomatoes or a package of cherry tomatoes)
2 1/2 Cups lentils
5 cups vegetable broth
5 cups water
Salt and pepper to taste
2 large head of leafy greens chopped (kale, collard greens, spinach, Swiss chard, etc)

In a large soup pot, add onion, celery, garlic and carrots. Stir-fry for about 5-10 minutes, add the tomatoes, cook for 5 minutes more. Add the lentils, broth, water, salt and pepper and bring to a boil uncovered on high. Cover and simmer on low for 45 minutes. Add the greens and simmer for 10 more minutes.

Bacon Cheddar Scones

About a week ago, I took my daughter to see a movie at what is the best movie theater in Austin, if not the world, The Alamo Draft House. They have great food, drinks and just an all around fantastic movie going experience. We saw Rio, by the way - highly recommended for kids and adults.

One of the treats of seeing an early movie on the weekend is you have access to their brunch menu, more specifically, the Bacon-Cheddar Scones. After having them last weekend, I was determined to find a recipe that would duplicate the heavenly-ness of the Alamo's and I think I found it.

Make it for the mom (or anyone you like) in your life this weekend and quickly become the favorite child.

This is an Emeril Lagasse recipe from The Food Network.com

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon, chopped
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream, plus 2 tablespoons

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a medium skillet, cook the bacon, stirring, until crisp, about 5 minutes.

Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well on paper towels.

Into a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.

Cut in the butter, cheese, green onions, and pepper with a pastry blender or fork (i used a fork - super low tech), and work just until it starts to form lumps and come together. Add the bacon.

Add 1 cup of the cream and work just until it becomes a sticky dough, being careful not to overwork.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and pat until it comes together. Form into 2 large circles, about 7 inches in diameter and 3/4 inch thick and cut each into 8 wedges with a sharp knife.

Transfer to baking sheet with a spatula, leaving 1/2-inch space between each wedge. Paint the tops of the wedges lightly with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cream and bake until golden brown, 22 to 23 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the baking sheet. Serve warm.

Eat and eat and eat them. I can't stop eating them.



Chicken/Turkey Crescent Square

I LOVE this recipe. It was one of my childhood favorites. yes, this recipe has been around for a while. I believe my copy was actually TYPED by my mom.

It is the perfect leftover roast chicken/turkey recipe and is SO adaptable. I'll give you some of my favorite additions below, but seriously: MAKE THIS RECIPE.

Crescent Turkey/Chicken Squares

2 cups leftover cooked turkey or chicken, chopped
One package crescent rolls
3 oz, butter or margarine (I use butter), softened
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp chopped chives or onion
1/4 cup bread crumbs
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Combine turkey/chicken, 2 tbsp butter and cream cheese
Add chives/onion
season to taste with salt and pepper

Combine two crescent rolls together to form a rectangle. Smoosh them together.

Spoon a bit of the chicken/turkey mixture into the crescent roll and twist to close.

Brush a bit of melted butter on the top and sprinkle with bread crumbs.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Shannon's Adaptations!!

This is the greatest recipe to throw some veggies into to make healthier. Or, as the case is in my house, sneak some veggies into. I do think the recipe benefits from some crunch.

I always add some of the following:

carrots,
celery,
winter greens of any kind (kale, bok choy, collard greens)
spinach
onions
herbs

Really, add anything you have in the kitchen - I'm sure it'll be good!

Cherry Tomato, Ricotta and Olive Galettes

 

Cherry Tomato, Ricotta and Olive Galettes

Use up the last of the good summer tomatoes and your basil!! This recipe came last summer in my farmhouse delivery box and I didn't get around to making it until this summer. It's a great lunch or appetizer.

3 tablespoons olive tapenade (I just used store bought from Whole Foods)

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, washed and dried and cut crosswise into thin strips

1/4 cup ricotta

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan (use the good stuff!)

2 galette rounds, baked

1/2 pound small cherry tomatoes, halved

Galette Rounds

1/4 cup milk

3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3 large egg yolks

1 large whole egg

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 3/4 teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

To prepare the Galette Rounds

In a bowl whisk together milk, butter, yolks and whole egg.

In another bowl, whisk together flour, salt and chives and stir into milk mixture just until combined.

On a lightly floured surface with floured hands, knead dough about 8 times or until smooth. Wrap dough in plastic and chill for one hour (I left mine overnight).

Preheat oven to 450 F

Divide dough into four pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece to an 8-inch round.

Transfer rounds to a baking sheet (or 2) and crimp edges decoratively

Chill dough 10 minutes and bake in the middle and lower thirds of the over for about 5 minutes (it took mine 7) or until golden brown.

Transfer galettes to a rack and cool.

For the Galette Filling

Preheat oven to 400

In a bowl, stir together the olive tapenade and basil. In another bowl, stir together ricotta, Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste. (Quick note - the olives are already pretty salty, so I personally don't think this recipe needs a ton of additional salt. It calls for adding salt several places, but I only added a bit. Cook's choice)

Spread olive mixture evenly onto galette rounds and spread cheese mixture over it.

Cover cheese mixture with tomatoes and season with salt and pepper (see...more salt)

Bake galettes on a baking sheet in the middle of the over for about 15 minutes.

Serve, cut into wedges at room temperature (I ate one of mine right out of the oven for lunch!)

Makes 2 galettes.