Monthly Archives: July 2013

Spicy, Chunky Peanut Dip for the Fair

A couple of locals

The Hanover Center Fair is the first stop on the ox pulling circuit and a slice of country life. Book sale, fair food, bouncy house, kids games, clowns, old cars, crafters, live music, cotton candy, parade, snowcones–it’s got it all. It also happens to be in our front yard, and so it’s a natural way to open patio season with a bang. This dip came from the first page of an appetizer book I bought one year at the fair in the church book sale. It’s so darned good I never bothered to get past page 1. It’s great as a dip with fresh or roasted veggies. And it’s E…Z! Leaving you more time to enjoy the fair and some frosty summer cheer!

Ingredients

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1/4 cup dry sherry
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp white or red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp flavorless cooking oil
1 Tbsp dark sesame oil
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp Asian chile sauce
2 cloves garlic minced
2 Tbsp finely minced ginger
2 Tbsp finely minced green onion

Method

In a small bowl combine ingredients until well blended. If necessary thin with a few tsp cold water. Store in refrigerator. Will keep for up to one week in fridge.

Friday night fair food

Yoga Cookies

These cookies came from my sister Amy who asked me to bring dessert to a gathering of primarily yoga instructors. As you can imagine, yoga instructors have a focus on healthy food that cannot be deterred. I knew immediately that bringing Whoopie Pies or Double Chocolate Mousse Cake were out of the question. And so I turned to my sister, Yogi that she is, and asked for help. She sent me the recipe below which comes from her friend Anne Novak, an accomplished Kundalini yoga instructor, who lives and practices in northwestern Connecticut. For a link to other recipes from Anne click here.

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup brown sugar or honey (use brown sugar to make these vegan)
2 cups oats
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1 cup dried fruit (cranberries, blueberries, raisins, whatever you have on hand)
1 cup nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, again whatever strikes your fancy at the time)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup shredded cocount (or as Edie has coined it, “vegan bacon”) (optional)
2 cups dark chocolate (optional)
2 tsp each cinnamon and ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup oil (sunflower or any good quality vegetable oil will do)
1 cup soymilk, almond milk, coconut milk, or regular milk

Method

Mix dry ingredients. If using honey, mix oil and honey together, then mix with dry ingredients.
Mix well, then add whatever milk product you’ve selected. Allow batter to sit for 10 mins.

Form 2 inch round balls on oiled cookie sheet (or use parchment paper). NOTE: They will be sort of runny before you bake but this is okay! Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Do a couple Downward Dogs while they bake.

Bring It!

You can put these in a fancy little bag with a bow or put in a cookie tin to deliver. And you don’t have to be a Yogi to enjoy. These are great with or without regular yoga practice. Namaste!

Summahhhhhh! Brilliant Frozen Daquiris

Sandy’s Daquiris

“With a batch of these, and a peanut butter pie in your freezer you’re ready for anything.” That’s Sandy wisdom, and around here we love Sandy. First we love her for bringing her daughter, the fabulous Suzi, into the world. Before Suzi this neighborhood was a lot more like the Wizard of Oz before the Yellow Brick Road scene. Now, it is full on Technicolor. Anyway, we also love Sandy for bringing freezer daquiris into our lives. It is not unusual in our hamlet to see frozen Tupperware vats getting walked from house to house in the summer, the surplus from one party inspiring the next. As Sandy’s (also fabulous) son-in-law says, “The great thing is that it’s always just ready in the freezer. So, you know, at 2 or so on a Sunday after you’ve cut the lawn…” You might want to nab him for any serious chores before he cuts the grass.

This is Sandy’s basic recipe, with some freelance suggestions.

Ingredients

2 cups white rum (or white firewater of choice)
24 oz. Squirt (Fresca for New Englanders)
1 12-oz can frozen pink lemonade or limeade (one of each if making a double batch)
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 cups pineapple juice (or any combo of juices…half ruby red grapefruit makes it darned pretty)

Method

Mix together and freeze in a big rectangular Tupperware stirring every 2 hours. (Count on at least 10 hours and up to a day, depending on the container. I do not bother stirring it until just before serving.) Depending on the party you can use 3 cups rum*, and try adding stuff such as grapefruit juice.

*This is the only place I take issue with Sandy. I’d say the party may depend on the three cups of rum. Go with it!)

Bring It!

Now, here’s the brilliant part. Use this frozen block of daquiris as ice and internal structure when packing a cooler for the lake/cabin/weekend escape. At your destination chunk it up with a serving spoon or simply let it thaw into a pitcher of perfect drinkable slurpees. Lifechanging I tell you. And who do you think is always welcome back at that lakehouse? You got it.

Brilliant for cooler packing, but also as a great way to store leftover cocktails that you can then revisit/re-serve at will. (See fabulous son-in-law note above)

Summahhhhhhhhhh!

Simply Sue’s Granola

I have baked granola from what seems like the beginning of time. It is easy to make and even easier to give away. Everyone loves when I show up with a bag or two. My sister even hides it from the rest of her family so as to get the whole bag for herself (you have to know my sister, the most self-less person on the planet except when it comes to my granola). The thing I like most is you can add whatever you like or whatever you have on hand that day. I often add seeds – some combination of flax, pumpkin, or sesame seeds. This granola is healthy, crunchy, sweet but not too sweet, and so yummy. Make it in huge batches – you won’t be sorry!

Ingredients

3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts of your choice
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon (generous) salt (key ingredient)
1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup assorted dried fruit

Method

Preheat oven to 300°F. Mix oats, nuts, coconut, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl. Stir honey and oil together with vanilla in a separate bowl. Pour honey mixture over oat mixture; toss. Spread on baking sheet. Bake until golden, stirring every 10 minutes, about 40 minutes. Take out of oven and stir a few times while it is cooling so it doesn’t stick together. Once cool, mix in fruit.

Ready to go in the oven, yum….

Toasted coconut (vegan bacon)

Bring It!

To transport, zip lock bag works great. If you want to get fancy, make a label and stick it on the front of the bag. You can also package it in mason jars with a ribbon and everyone will love it.

Eliteam Banana Yogurt Bread

Good friends, good food.

Hot from the oven. Mmmm mmm good!

This recipe comes with a big shout out to Doug and Kelley Lewis who every summer for the past 24 years have psyched up the sportiest of sporty youths at their Eliteam training camps in Vermont (and now Park City). Doug is a two-time Olympic Downhill Racer and World Champ bronze medalist, so he’s got the creds. But he’s also got charisma, boundless energy, an infectious positive attitude and an equally impressively awesome wife Kelley who makes it all happen.

The camp challenges kids with ropes courses in the woods, climbing walls, agility and obstacle courses, mountain biking, yoga and team building. But Eliteam goes well beyond mere sweat and smiles. What gives Eliteam serious chops is its goal to develop healthy, confident, “complete” athletes by incorporating sports psychology, sports physiology and sports nutrition into the mix.

All this means that Doug could be the Patron Saint of Positive Snacks, a concept inspired by Positive Tracks that we are all about. Here’s what he says on the topic: “As athletes, what they get out of their bodies on the race hill or on the field of play depends on what they put into their bodies. Nutrition is critical to performance. At ELITEAM we teach them the foundations of good nutrition so they are better informed when shopping, cooking and eating before training and competition. It would be such a waste of time to train so hard for an entire year and then sabotage your race day with a poorly planned breakfast.”

These photos from a recent camp session show athletes taking on the kitchen to make Yogurt Banana Bread, which is healthy and, as you can tell from the pictures, fun to make. “The campers get a lot of pride eating what they baked,” says Kelley. “Plus it tastes soooooooo good!”

FUN! It’s all part of the mix.

Ingredients

3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup applesauce
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup white flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp wheat germ (optional)
1 Tbsp wheat bran or oat bran (optional)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed banana (approx. 2 large bananas)
1/2 cup Greek yogurt (plain or flavored)
1/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or spray one 5×9 inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar, eggs, applesauce and vanilla.

Add all dry ingredients, then mashed bananas, yogurt, chocolate chips & nuts. Mix well and pout into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately one hour. Let cool, if you can. As Kelley reminds us this bread, like most, is best eaten right out of the oven when it is warm. Enjoy!

Makes 1 large loaf.

PS: Check out the Eliteamers at last year’s CHaD Hero Half event last fall.

Positive Tracks doubled their fundraising efforts for CHaD (Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth) and everyone got the chance to dress up in capes and work out. Want a piece of that? Then join them this October!

Pickled Fig, Creamy Cheese and Crunchy Nut Crostini

The happy figs at comfycooks.com

Inspired by Bon Appetit, but with much artistic license for slackers who will not likely track down Robiola cheese and will not make a special trip for pistachios. See Bruschetta Deconstructed for in-depth coverage on the topic.

Ingredients

12 slices ciabatta bread (or the toasts here)
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar
6 dried figs (or twice that depending on the size of fig.)
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp pistachios, toasted and shelled (or almonds, walnuts or filberts)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Robiola cheese (any soft brie-like cheese, or even cream cheese will work)

Method

Combine red wine vinegar, sugar, and dried figs with 1/4 cup water in a saucepan; bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and let sit until figs soften, about 30 minutes.
Halve figs lengthwise if small. Slice larger figs into several flat pieces.
Finely crush pistachios and combine with extra-virgin olive oil.
Grill bread slices (or use these toasts).
Smear room-temperature Robiola cheese onto warm toasts. Top with halved figs. Drizzle with pistachios and oil.

Bring it!

Store and transport figs and nuts in their own to-go containers, bring toasts in a ziploc bag and bring cheese in its original package. To make prep very easy pre-slice figs and return them to their liquid so they can steep in comfort.

The fig and nut combo is delish melted with sharp cheddar in quesadillas or on pizzas as an appetizer.

Bacon Wrapped Dates

Sue describes herself as “almost vegetarian” so she will not be looking at this post. I suggest others of the veggie persuasion do the same. Now, for the rest of you, listen up, because we are talking sweet, chewy, salty, crispy and bacony all in one bite. You need to know this recipe. In fact when my son heard I was starting a food blog the first thing he said was, “You HAVE to put those bacon wrapped thingies in there.” So here they are.

Ingredients

1 lb bacon (not thick cut)
3/4 lb or so pitted dates. I used Deglet because that is what is readily available (read cheapest).
**Optional: Almonds or chunks of softish cheese

The amounts here vary on the size of the dates. Wrapping anything in bacon is not a perfect science. Roll with it.

Method

With your handy kitchen shears, cut the entire slab of sliced bacon into thirds crosswise.

Wrap-ready bacon

Wrap each date in one piece of bacon and place it seamside down on a baking sheet. Toothpicks make this process neat and easy but are not necessary.*

Bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes or until its all you can do to not reach in and grab one off the pan. Nobody but nobody likes raw bacon, but these will crisp up a bit as they sit, so don’t overdo it.

Yield: It varies depending on the bacon you use, but 1 lb of Mackenzie bacon is 16 slices, times 3, which with my math makes 48 nuggets of bacony bliss.

Bring it!

Pre cook them on the baking sheet, then transfer to an oven safe serving dish, and cover with foil. If it’s a long drive pop them into a warm over for a few minutes at your destination. These will even lure kids off the trampoline.

*Make ahead: You can knock these off up to this point first thing in the morning. Cover the pan in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge until you are ready to bake them.

**Ramp it up: If you’re feeling nutty, stuff a smidge of cheese or an almond in the vacated pit space of each date before wrapping them. Honestly, dealing with cheese is a bit of a pain, and sometimes involves slicing the date, so while yummy I opt for the almond variation if anything. Those babies nestle right into the date like they’re heading into a mummy bag. If you really want to escalate this brush the outsides with maple syrup before baking.

But trust me, you won’t get complaints from the simple two-ingredient version.

Bruschetta Deconstructed

We’re taking liberties and calling every iteration of tasty stuff delivered on small pieces of toast “bruschetta.” This is of course not a purist approach. Some of my all-time favorites in that family of apps are called “crostini” which is technically grilled bread. And many of the best bruschetta or crostini fixins are just as good on flatbread, pizza crust, tortillas, pita chips, baked mochi or really any other carb vehicle. They’re also good on planks of taro or sweet potatoes or even rolled up in a leaf of romaine for our paleo friends.

But because we don’t want to leave anyone hanging on how to make bruschetta, crostini or whatever you want to call it we are simply offering up a good basic method for making appetizer-worthy toasts, and an illuminating crostini blurb in Bon Appetit to help you avoid common mistakes that threaten to RUIN EVERYTHING, if you are so inclined to have toasts ruin anything in your life.

Ingredients

Take a loaf of Easiest French Bread Ever, or a store bought baguette-like loaf that is not too airy inside. You want to have a solid surface for toppings. Slice thin (1/2″ thick or less), but again remember this bread has a job to do, so it has to have some heft. Arrange as many slices as you can on a baking sheet by fitting them together with Tetrus-like space management. Brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle some kosher salt over all.

Bake in a 350-400 degree oven until just beginning to brown. Oven temp is not critical, which allows you to bake these up while you are baking other things. Cooking time will vary according to temperature, but at 350 degrees start looking at the toasts after 15 minutes. Cool and use immediately or pack away for later.

Method

Its nice to have pre-made hors d’oeuvres, but sometimes its also nice to allow guest to create their own combinations…especially when you are short on time. If you go the DIY route just present a few pre-made masterpieces as a guide and offer each component with the proper implement.

First Layer: Here you are creating a base of flavor and also a barrier between the toast and toppings that are often steeped in juice or vinegar or something that could turn toast to mush on contact. A spreadable consistency for your base material makes your job easier and allows for build-your-own-options. Fancy, creamy, goat, blue and brie-like cheeses are great, as is plain old cream cheese mixed with herbs, spices, dried fruit or whatever sounds good to you. Whipped lemony feta à la Ina Garten is a good place to start as well.

Second Layer: This is the really good stuff. Pickled figs, tomatoes and fresh herbs, caponata, marinated fruit, citrusy/herb-infused anything. Insert purr sound here. There are so many possibilities, including the ever-popular and oh-so-easy Funitella Bruschetta.

Third Layer: This is all about crunch. Toasted nuts or seeds, a pinch of something salty, fried, candied or otherwise decadent (turn away Sue…pssst–crumbled bacon!) Pull out whatever favorite topper is in your pantry arsenal. Steal an idea from the “pickled fig crostini” and keep a small stash of your favorite toasted nuts, chopped fine then lubed up with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. That’s a worthy topper for pretty much anything, unless you hate nuts, in which case you might want to avoid anything I bring.

Bring it!

Pack the toasts in a good ziploc bag, and bring all other mixtures in their own separate sealed travel containers, or covered serving bowls. Make sure the crispy/crunchy stuff is isolated to maintain its mojo. And don’t forget the serving tray, spreaders, spoons and knives if needed.

Roastarama

I never mean to go overboard in the kitchen, but when my compulsions kick in one thing leads to another and events like “roastarama” ensue. I have a thing about making use of a good hot oven. It may stem from not having a working microwave or it may go way back to some primal cavewoman worship of the discretionary use of fire and heat.

Whatever the cause, I find myself uncomfortable firing up an oven without using much of its interior real estate. This happened most recently when I set about simply roasting a pile of beets, after being inspired by some luscious looking recipes including balsamic roasted beets on Stone Soup.

Ingredients and Method

: Balsamic roasted beets

The beets only filled up one baking dish so I figured I might as well roast the remaining beet with the parsnips and sweet potatoes that were kicking around too. Then I looked at the grape tomatoes languishing on the counter and made a pan of them with garlic and onions. And then I remembered the portabella mushrooms that were drifting around in the veggie drawer, having never made an appearance with the all male guest list at my last bbq. All of a sudden my oven was full, the kitchen smelled great and I was set up with days worth of salad and sandwich fixings, pizza and bruschetta toppings, omelet fillings etc.

The beauty of it is that the whole mess of extra veggies (except the mushrooms, see below) followed the same basic protocol: Cut them into largish pieces, spread them on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, scootch them around to distribute then give them a sprinkle of kosher salt. They all went in at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes. When they look and smell amazing, they’re done.

Continue reading →

Hero Slaw

Behold the humble cabbage that became a neighborhood icon. It all started when I found this recipe in Sunset magazine. (When you are a west coast girl living in the east, Sunset is like crack, with all its pictures of patio parties, seaside picnics and year round outdoor showers.) I started making it one summer and people loved it. They asked for the recipe, cautiously, which was the first time I realized some people guard their recipes like state secrets. As if one person’s resolve is any match for google. Anyway, I made it more and people kept asking.

But as many times as I emailed the recipe, nobody ever made the slaw. It was as if I was the only one with neighborhood rights to it. One friend claimed she had tried to make it but it “just wasn’t the same.” Nobody took ownership for making it, but they darned well knew about it. One time I brought the slaw to an end of school party and realized I had forgotten the dressing at home. As I headed to my car to retrieve it back at my house, one of the other guests quickly looked in the fridge and pulled out some ranch dressing. “Here!” she said helpfully. “This will work fine.” The assembled mothers looked at her like she had just proposed year round school. “No,” said another woman shaking her head with resignation. “She needs to go home.”

I always sent the recipe along with its original name, but it became “Edie’s Slaw” by reputation. Then one time I paused before hitting send, and changed the title to “Edie’s Slaw.” I have never been great at self-promotion, but I figured with all the dicing and slicing I deserved some credit, right?

Still, I never felt comfortable with putting my name on something just because I saw it first. It was our neighbor and plumber who solved both the distribution and naming issues. He had tasted the slaw at a mutual friend’s house and one time when he came to fix our frozen pipes he mentioned how much he liked the slaw. I passed along the recipe. A few years passed, and as far as I could tell I remained sole bearer of the slaw. Finally, one summer I ran into the plumber on a non-professional basis, and he said he needed to make a confession.

“I bring that slaw to every barbecue I go to in the summer,” he admitted sheepishly. “And I feel so guilty, because every time I’m the hero, even though I tell people it’s not really mine.”

“It’s yours,” I assured him. “Run with it!”

That’s when I decided to name it “Hero Slaw” and leave it at that. Not two days later a woman I barely knew waved me down as I made my way home: “I made your slaw again yesterday. It’s great!” So here it is, your key to getting an invite to every pot luck you desire.
Continue reading →

Funitella Bruschetta

Red alert, in June 2020!!!

This was one of my very first posts on Bring It, and just today, nearly seven years later, I discovered from a friend that it has a giant hole in it. It’s fixed now below, to put in the step where you pour the tomato mixture over the feta before baking. Wow! I am so sorry for all those raw tomatoes the devoted have consumed over the years, though, as Uschi will attest, it’s kind of awesome that way too. And now for the real Funitella Bruschetta…

This was my first course in neighborhood recipe dynamics. I got it from Pierces Inn, and they later scoffed at taking any credit since they got it from another neighbor in Etna. As I let myself become locally famous for my bruschetta another neighbor went to visit my parents in Squaw Valley where he rode the funky tram-like gondola called the Funitel. In a flash of inspiration the next time I saw him, on our patio enjoying said dish, he dubbed it “Funitella,” which sort of tied it to my Squaw Valley roots. It later became funitella bruschetta, which gave a better clue about the recipe type, while also sounding like a stripper or a hot Austin Powers agent.

Ingredients

35 oz canned tomatoes, well drained over a sieve. (Petite dice is ideal but not necessary. I use a combi of regular, and burgundy+olive oil, or Italian herb tomatoes)
½ cup olive oil (I use a bit less)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (I use more…enough that Pierce’s Inn disowns the recipe as made by me. Your call to taste.)
4 garlic cloves minced or pressed
A good handful fresh basil, chopped fine
Coarse salt and pepper to taste
Chunk of feta cheese (enough to crumble over the bottom surface of your dish)

Method

The tomato mixture

The feta. These two really ought to meet…

Mix all ingredients except feta. Let it sit awhile if you can to combine flavors. Crumble feta in the bottom of a shallow baking dish. Pour tomato mixture over the feta, in an even(ish) layer. Bake uncovered at 350 for 20 minutes. Top with shaved Parmesan if desired. Serve on top of bruschetta toasts (ideally made from easiest french bread ever).

Bring It!

I always serve it in the Simon Pearce round white dish the fabulous Suzi gave me. It just seems better in a friend’s dish. You can also bring it deconstructed, in separate containers and quickly assemble it at your destination. Any leftover tomatoes are awesome in omelets, quesadillas, salads, etc.

Easiest French Bread Ever

RED ALERT NOTE! This was originally published with the wrong flour measurement. It is corrected here, and please accept my sincere apologies for the gluteny messes that ensued from mistake. I owe y’all some bread flour!

The title says it all. If you are intimidated by the thought of making bread, but you really like the idea of busting out homemade bread, start here! It is a no knead bread that takes way less time than other bread recipes, and, like the very best friends, is totally low maintenance. You can cut the second rise time, leave it in the loaf pans way too long, manhandle it into the unruliest looking loaves imaginable and it still turns out tasty. And whose going to complain about looks when you bring fresh bread? That’s right–nobody!

Ingredients:

6 cups bread flour
1 Tbsp EACH sugar, salt (a little less) and instant yeast
3 cups warm water

Method:

Mix in large bowl—it will be wet enough that you only have to use a wooden spoon. Mix until [wet] ball forms. Don’t waste time over mixing and do not knead. Cover with towel and let rise about 1 1/2 hours.

Dough is risen and ready to be punched/shaped.

Very imperfect loaves rising in their pan

Sprinkle dough liberally with more flour. Punch down and divide the mass in ball-like halves. It’ll still be wet and will get your hands goopy. Grab one ball at a time and pull/shape/plop it onto a French bread loaf pan coated with non-stick spray (or give the ozone layer a break and just wipe it with some vegetable oil. Let loaves rise about another hour. If it overflows just fold the overflow back over the loaf. * Trust the process. It’ll be fine, though you may have funky shaped loaves the first few times.

Golden and delicious. Turn your back and there’s already a piece missing.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bake about 20 minutes or until it’s deep golden brown. Let cool in pan and then gently pry it out with a small spatula or metal frosting spreader.

As mentioned above some of us have fudged the timing mightily— roughly wrestled over-risen loaves back in their place; cooked it too long or brought it partially baked and finished it by warming it at the place we are visiting. It’s always a hit. The only must is that you get the French or Italian bread pan. It’s a $20 investment that will change your life…or somebody else’s life if you give them a pan along with a freshly baked loaf. Mmmmmm–Good idea!

*At this point if you realize your math was off and what were you thinking–pick-up is in an hour!– just pop the pan in the fridge and come back to it.

Bring it!

Make it a double gift by bringing it in its own loaf pan (see above), or wrap it in a nice dishtowel and wedge it into the bag of whatever else is making the trip.

Ingredients

Method

Ingredients

Method

Bring It!

Sandy’s Daquiris

Ingredients

Method

Bring It!

Ingredients

Method

Bring It!

Ingredients

Method

Ingredients

Method

Bring it!

Ingredients

Method

Bring it!

Ingredients

Method

Bring it!

Ingredients and Method

Ingredients

Method

Bring It!

Ingredients:

Method:

Bring it!

Like this? Please spread the word :)