Two Quick Breakfast Recipes

Post by: Jennie on in Recipes

AAY Nutrition has a program where they give you a menu for the week with a shopping list. Recipes are included,  and you shop at Trader Joe’s. I did it twice. It really helped with portion control and incorporating more vegetables into the daily mix. It was very easy and definitely improved our  eating habits.

As a person who talks about food all the time, I found myself sharing these two recipes all the time.

So I wrote them down! There are many other delicious recipes in the six week program, but these are my two go-to breakfasts, a year later!

I do the pancake in the bullet blender, adding a  splash of vanilla and cinnamon is also nice.

Sometimes I add a splash of rice milk to loosen it up depending on the size of the egg and banana.

For the granola and apple, you might need more milk. It’s important to coat everything for maximum deliciousness.

AAY represents at the Funk Run, too!  They’ve ben warming up the Silverlake Conservatory of Music Community for three years and counting! (sign up here!)

Here’s a picture of  my pancake this morning, with a little coconut whipped cream.

And syrup.  I love syrup.

Time to Stew

Post by: Jennie on in Food News, Recipes

Perhaps it’s the time of year, but I’ve had three conversations about beef stew this week. All of them  quality conversations, invoking beef stew cravings.

Shopping for meat can be tricky. Typically, I go to the Jimenez Family Farm stand at the Atwater Farmer’s Market, and ask what’s available.

This is a nice leg of lamb I got from them, that made a beautiful Lamb Perigourdine.

It took all day to roast. I hated the smell of  Sunday’s roast lamb filling the house while I was growing up. But this, had the most wonderful aroma. See? People DO change.

 

My GM Megan has made the Beef stew from “Who Wants Seconds?” many times.  I asked for her tips and tricks – here they are in no particular order.

She follows the recipe exactly, no variance (wow really?)

She hates picking out the meat and really likes when she finds a pack of cut of stew beef in the grocery store.

She uses the whole bottle of red wine! YAY!  So good!

She advises not to add potatoes if you’re gonna freeze.

She says it turns out perfect every time! (what a great recipe I wrote!)

I’m prone to add some fingerlings the last hour or so for a traditional beef stew, my Johnny loves potatoes.

Enjoy!

Recipe Alert! Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

Post by: Jennie on in Recipes

This Al fresco pasta is a Jennie Cook’s classic.  The recipe takes about 5 minutes to put together, plus pasta cooking time. It has an unexpected tanginess, and the  earthy texture of the dried tomatoes adds to it’s delight.  Fantastic for potlucks and  simple supper, and a nice change from a classic pesto.

So…

Get all your stuff together.

I use my little chopper for this, but it could also work in a blender or full size food processor.

If you’re using hydrated oil free tomatoes, it’ll result in more of a paste than the ones here, which were packed in olive oil. At the shoppe, we always use dry pack tomatoes.

Get the tomatoes, garlic, some oil and the thyme in the chosen machine, and give it a whirl!

Then you toss all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix!

Here’s the printable recipe.

  I had it for lunch and dinner. Then my Marla June knocked the bowl off the counter and ate the rest, in between the shards of glass.

Here’s the finished product before the dog ate it.

Potato, Endive & Avocado Al Fresco Salad Recipe

Post by: Jennie on in “Who Wants Seconds?” My Cookbook!, Food News, Recipes

Potatoes.

Could not live without them. They are so versatile and satisfying. I like them every way. Perogies, smashed with Pommery Mustard, salt, roasted, steamed with butter and salt, and here’s my dirty little secret, ketchup, yum. I mean come on, french fries!!

Potato chips give me super powers!!

We make a bomb roasted potato salad with a couple of secrets I’m willing to share.  So simple –  we roast red potatoes in salad size pieces, when just done but not too brown, allow to cool slightly, toss with Mayo and a healthy dollop or Pommery mustard. Oh, and a bunch of sliced scallions, too. Do not refrigerate, the starch in the potatoes gets too hard, so prepare this dish before you are ready to eat. It’s warm and different and delicious.

We use Veganaise at the shoppe to keep it vegan!

I recently slow roasted a leg of lamb in celery, onions and white wine, and added these beauties the last half hour. Oh my.

The recipe I’m sharing today is in my cookbook.  Oh, and BTW,  my publisher lauded in the L.A. Times!  I think this recipe came to me by way of Alice Waters, but honestly, I don’t remember.

It was probably her, she’s very clever.

You’re gonna love it. Now, get some cake, call your friends and get together over supper.

You can thank me later.

Soup Hacks and Four Favorite Recipes

Post by: Jennie on in Food News, Recipes

I’ve been making soup, again. Soup takes time to make, but it’s easy. Everyone should have a few good soup recipes at the ready.

Tomato soup is one of my go-to’s. I was desperate to not go shopping the other night and I found some tomatoes we put up in 2016, and a can of coconut milk. I added grilled cheeze sammies, It was a little bit perfect dinner.

I love this recipe. Be sure to soften the onions before blending, mine had a little too much tooth. I didn’t add carrots, so I added a little sugar, and I subbed granulated garlic for fresh garlic, cuz I was being lazy, and I was just gifted some amazing dehydrated garlic from Irene’s Farm, and I was dying to use it.

My all time favorite soup at a restaurant is the pasta fagiole at Farfalla on Hillhurst. I think they use orzo and refried beans for this delicious and hearty soup. Brilliant results. Try it.

 I make a mean white beans and greens soup, and a good black bean, too. I tried the Trader Joe’s black bean soup and thought it was terrible. I added a can of strained and rinsed black beans and sautéed peppers and onions, and it helped a lot.

This mushroom barley is delicious, but takes a little more dedication in the kitchen.

Miso adds amazing flavor. Don’t forget some nutritional yeast if it’s tasting a little flat. Dried vegetable stock is also a great fortifier. I got some vegetarian broth from the Trader, too. Tasted like water. I also like to finish all my soups with a little apple cider vinegar and a pinch of sugar.

The first soup I ever made, all by myself, back in my New York City apartment in the late seventies, was this  lentil soup. It never ceases to satisfy.

I also add a little squirt of ketchup, sometimes, to sharpen flavors and to add a ruddy color. If you happen to have a can of creamed corn in your cupboard,  use that instead of pureeing the frozen corn.  That’s how it originated.

If you’re near a Farmer’s Market, Pick up some healing broth at Korean Dave’s. By itself, or jazzed up with some earthy ‘shrooms and greens, this is the best broth around.

Don’t forget to spread a little mayo on the outside of your grilled cheese before griddling,  and bon appetit!