I'm Back!

     I realize I have not posted here for quite some time, but this was not because I stopped cooking.  Rather, I was cooking for so many things I couldn't keep up!  Slow Food UW was the first to take my time.
     Slow Food is a wonderful organization which focuses on "Good, clean, fair food for all," meaning we use food that is grown and raised with care from local farmers at a fair price for both the consumer and the farmer.  I will be in my third semester with Slow Food UW as a Cafe Cook intern, which means I am one of several cooks who make food for a Cafe we hold every Wednesday lunch, serving two entrees (veggie or meat) two side options, a soup, and a dessert, and we serve anywhere from 180-280 people per service.  I got to share this incredible time with a group of students, none professionally trained, who simply loved food and worked hard to put on the Cafe.  Below are a few pictures of the Cafe, food, and people I worked with.

Chi Carrot Cake with Salted Whipped Cream served at Cafe

Open Faced Egg Bahn Mi topped with a Veggie Slaw served at Cafe

Celeriac Soup topped with apple slices served at Cafe

Bahn Mi and our Sweet Wheat Berry Salad served at Cafe

Vietnamese Meatball Bahn Mi with Celeriac soup served at Cafe

Candid pic. behind the scenes of Cafe service 

Housemade Goat Cheese Ravioli with Brown Butter Mushroom and Spinach Sauce

Cafe in the middle of service

Group photo with Alice Waters after dinner

Cafe cooks pausing for a pic. during service

Alice Waters and friends at her dinner

Jessica and I cutting the corn off over 150 ears of corn for a Sweet Corn Bisque served at Cafe

Group photo after successfully making dinner for our Distinguished Lecture Series guest Dave Arnold 

Group photo after Cafe service 

Our Cafe Director Abby and I toasting a friend's birthday on a quick break from Tuesday night prep

Another attempt at getting a good picture of us all with Alice Waters 

     These pictures show only a little of what Slow Food UW has accomplished in the past two semesters.  We participated in multiple events such as Fermentation Fest, Bike the Barns, and our Chilly Chili 5K.  We made dinners for guests such as Alice Waters and Dave Arnold, and even worked with Will Allen, the founder of Growing Power, on a dinner he hosted.  

     Working with Slow Food was an amazing experience for me and I hope that this next semester will bring in new people and experiences, and help further my knowledge of cooking and sustainable foods. 

Stuffed Red Peppers

     This is a filling and flavorful dish that is great on a chilly fall night.  This dish can be made in a variety of ways, different fillings, different peppers, etc.  I stuffed red peppers with brown rice mixed with some sharp cheddar cheese, serano peppers to add some heat.  For this recipe you will need:

• 1 Cup (dry) brown rice
• 2 Large Red Bell Peppers
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil 
• 4-5 Medium Scallions Minced
• 2-3 Serrano Peppers Minced
• 2-3 Diced Tomatoes 
• 1/2 Cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese 
• Salt
• Pepper

    Preheat oven to 375 Degrees F.  Then make the rice according to the package instructions.  Wash and cut the produce, gutting and cutting the bell peppers in half, then placing them cut side down on a cookie sheet covered in tinfoil and put them in the oven.  While the peppers and rice cook, heat a small sauté pan on medium heat, add in oil, then minced scallions and let cook until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Then add in Serrano peppers, and diced tomatoes and let cook for about 5 minutes.  Once done, mix the vegetables in the rice along with the cheddar cheese, then salt and pepper to taste.  By now the peppers should be tender, take them out of the oven and fill them with the rice mixture, top lightly with cheddar cheese, then place back into the oven to cook until browned, about 15 minutes.  Take out and you are ready to enjoy!

I hope you liked this recipe!!! Be sure to follow my blog using the button in the upper right hand corner! And feel free to leave any question and/or comments in the comment section!!!

Tomato and Spinach Fritatta

      Fritattas are a great way to keep your breakfasts (or brunches) healthy, veggie filled, and delicious.  This is another food that is very versatile: eggplant, tomatoes, spinach, parmesan cheese, feta...just about anything can be incorporated in this dish though you will need a cast iron pan.  I did a simple tomato and spinach fritatta, for this you will need:

• 6 Eggs 
• 2-3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 3-4 Medium Scallions Minced (cut about 1/4th into green)
• 1 1/2 - 2 Cups Baby Spinach
• 1-2 Thinly Sliced Tomatoes
• Salt
• Pepper
• Other Seasoning (I used Tuscan Seasoning)

     Preheat the oven to 375 Degrees F., then wash, and cut all the produce.  Crack the eggs into a bowl, whisk until light color and bubbles form.  Whisk in salt, pepper, and other seasonings to taste.  Put the cast iron pan over medium heat on the stove, when heated, add olive oil and scallions.  After about 2-3 minutes, add in the spinach and sauté for about 5-7 minutes stirring occasionally, the leaves will shrink a lot.  Take off the heat and let cool for about a minute, lay in the slices of tomato.  Gently pour in the eggs.  Place in the oven and let cook until the top is browned and the eggs are cooked, about 15 minutes.  Take out, let it cool slightly, then cut, serve, and enjoy.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Remember to follow my blog using the button in the upper right hand corner, and feel free to leave any comments or questions in the comment section.  :)  

Teriyaki Tempeh Stir-Fry (Vegan)

    This dish came about due to an assignment given to me for a Food Science class.  The assignment was to learn something about a food or ingredient that you have never worked with before, so I chose Tempeh.  I discovered there are many kinds of tempeh, though I chose "Whole Grain" for this recipe.  To make this dish, you will need:

• 1 Cup (dry) Long Grain Brown Rice
• 8 Tbsp. Teriyaki Sauce
• 2 Tbsp. Honey
• 2 Cloves Garlic
• 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 3 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
• 1/2 Sweet Onion
• 1 Cup Broccoli
• 1 Orange Pepper
• 1 Yellow Pepper 
• 1 Cup Mushrooms

    Start out by cutting the tempeh and putting in a bag to marinate with 5 Tbsp Teriyaki and honey.  Then bring the rice to a boil, adding a teaspoon of salt, then turn the heat down to a simmer and cover it.  While the rice is cooking, wash and cut the produce.  Brown the garlic slightly with the olive oil and onions in a sauté pan on medium heat. Add in the broccoli, then after about 3 minutes, add in the rest of the produce and 3 Tbsp. Teriyaki sauce and the soy sauce.  Let the produce cook for about 5-8 minutes, or until they have the desired tenderness.  Then take the veggies out of the sauté pan, placing them in a bowl.  Using the same sauté pan, place the tempeh in with the marinade.  Let it sit on each side for about 2-3 minutes or until crispy brown.  Once done, place the rice at the bottom, then the veggies, then top the dish with the tempeh and serve. 

I hope you liked this recipe!!! Feel free to leave any comments or questions in the comment section! And be sure to follow the blog using the button in the upper right hand corner to get more great recipes like this!!! :)

Spinach Ravioli

    This is a simple dish that tastes as amazing as it looks.  Both the ravioli and sauce are store bought, but that is the life of a college kid: not a lot of extra time.  You can make both of these though they tend to be time-consuming; it works for a weekend project that you make in bulk then freeze for easy meals during the week.  I did purchase the spinach at the Farmer's Market here, any spinach will work; I liked the larger leaves for this dish, though they are a little bitter compared to baby spinach.  So, to make this dish you will need:

• 1 Bag Ravioli (Flavor of your choice-I just used regular)
• 3 Cups Spinach
• 1/3 Cup Cooking Wine (marsala or sherry)
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 2 Cloves Garlic 
• 1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 Jar Sauce

    Start out by putting the sauce in a pan on low-medium heat and bring a pot of water to boil for the ravioli.  Then wash the spinach and mince the garlic.  Brown the garlic slightly in a sauté pan with the olive oil (medium heat) then add the cooking wine and spinach to the sauté pan, salt and pepper to taste.  Let cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then take off heat.  Spoon the ravioli into a bowl with about two tbsp of the pasta water (the ravioli is done once it starts to float), then add in the sauce and spinach.  Top with the graded parmesan and serve.  

    I hope you liked this recipe!!! Please feel free to leave any comments or questions in the comment section.  And be sure to follow my blog using the button in the top right corner to get more recipes like this!!! :)

Fruit Smoothy!

    It is hot out today so I thought I would share this healthy recipe to help cool down and reenergize.  I really love making Fruit Smoothies because there are so many combinations that you can use so it never gets boring and it is SUPER easy!  The ingredients for this smoothie are:

• 1/2 Cup Frozen Mango
• 1/4 Cup Frozen Pineapple
• 1/4 Cup Orange Juice
• 1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt 
• 1/4 Cup Almond Milk
• 1 Package Stevia (if desired)  
• 1 Dollop Whip Cream

    Place all these ingredients in a blender or food processor.  Blend well, adding more liquid if too thick and more yogurt or frozen fruit if too thin.  Pour into a cup, top with a little whip cream and enjoy your creation! 

 

TIP: I really like using frozen fruit to make smoothies because it gives you that smoothy texture without  adding ice which can water down flavor, and stevia is a nice, no calorie, sweetener that I enjoy because it is not as intense of a sweet (as long as you don't use too much) as granulated sugar and I feel it distributes a more even taste.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Feel free to leave any comments or questions in the comment section and be sure to follow me using the button in the top right corner! :) 

The Dude takes on Child Hunger!

    I had the Food Network on in the background this Sunday as I was studying Organic Chemistry.  I looked up when I heard a familiar voice, Jeff Bridges the actor who played The Dude in the Big Lebowski.  Because I never expected to see The Dude on the Food Network I began watching the documentary playing, which turned out to be on child hunger.  I found it incredibly interesting and important to share! Please take the time to watch this amazing documentary.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/hunger-hits-home/96181.html