Beet Quinoa & Mushroom Quesadilla

This wonderfully, colorful dish is a great way to start the fall season.  This dish comes together rather quickly, even though it looks complex.  The quinoa is tossed with lots of fresh herbs left over from the summer gardens, white balsamic vinaigrette, cranberries and cubed beets.  Then topped off with toasted walnuts with a honey, sea salt drizzle and herb goat cheese.  The quesadilla is filled with a mushroom saute which is deglazed with sherry, sharp cheddar, arugula then toasted.



Quinoa & Beet Salad

(4-5 side servings)

1 cup of quinoa, rinsed if not pre-rinsed.
1 cup of low sodium chicken stock
1 cup of water
2 large bay leaves
2 smashed cloves of garlic
1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt
few sprinkles of black pepper


8 oz of cooked vacuum packed beets, cubed.
1/2 cup of walnuts, toasted at 350 for 10 min., then drizzle with honey, sprinkle fine sea salt, toss.
4 oz of good herb goat cheese, crumbled

fine herbs such as dill, thyme, mint and/or basil, chives scallions, grated lemon zest (choose at least two, preferably four)

1 tablespoon of white balsamic
1 tablespoon of honey mustard
1 tablespoon of honey
1 tablespoon of orange juice
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
1/4 cup of good olive oil
1/4 teaspoon of fine sea salt or to taste
few sprinkle of black pepper


Directions:  Bring 1cup of water and 1 cup of chicken stock to a boil with bay leaves, 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt, few sprinkles of black pepper, and two smashed garlic cloves.  When at a steady boil, add 1 cup of rinsed quinoa.  When a boil has resumed, turn heat down to simmer, cover and cook for twenty minutes, until all liquid is absorbed.  Then let sit five minutes with cover off, undisturbed.  Next, you will spread out quinoa on a sheet pan to cool.  Remove bay leaves and garlic.

Prepare dressing, and toast and honey walnuts if not done already.  When quinoa is still a little warm add to a bowl.  Toss with dressing, cubed beets and fresh herbs.  Top with crumbled goat cheese and prepared walnuts.

Dressing and quinoa ingredients.

Bringing back up to a boil.

Cooling on a sheet pan.  Now, you can easily remove bay leaves and garlic.

Mushroom Quesadilla

( servings:  4 people, 1 filled quesadilla will feed 2 people)

8 oz package of white cremini mushrooms, sliced
4 oz of sliced shiitake mushroom caps
2 shallots, diced 
1/4 cup of dry cream sherry or dry sherry
1 tsp. of fresh or 1/2 tsp. of dried thyme

3-4 oz of shredded cheddar cheese

handful of greens such as spinach or arugula

4 whole wheat or white flour tortillas, 8 inch

mild olive oil and/or 1/2 tablespoon of butter, for frying


Prepare mushrooms as directed above.  Heat skillet on stove on medium high, when hot add oil.  Now, add shiitake mushrooms, and let them sit undisturbed for a few minutes to sear.  Add a little more oil, if necessary before adding cremini mushrooms and diced shallots.  Give it a good stir and stir-fry mushrooms for about four minutes, before deglazing with sherry.  After adding sherry, reduce till mushrooms are almost dry.  Remove from heat and add thyme.  

To take the gumminess out of the tortillas toast on an open flame for 30 seconds a side and flip.

To prepare tortillas:  Place one tortilla down on work surface, and spread half of mushroom mixture atop.  Next, add the shredded cheese.  Then add the greens, before topping with second tortilla.  Warm fry pan up, and add 1/4 tablespoon of unsalted butter and a little mild oil.  When hot enough add tortilla sandwich to hot fry pan.  Toast for approximately three minutes on first side, then flip for two minutes on second side.  Remove to cutting board.  Slice in half.  Then cut each half into three wedges to serve. Three wedges a person.

Shiitake saute

Addition of the cemini mushrooms and shallots

Firing up the tortillas

Assembly ready for pan fry

Last flights of Indian summer!

Banana Bread

    

     We all have those weeks, where we are left with brown speckled bananas.  I would like to share my  go to recipe with you for banana bread.  Moist, sweet and healthy, this bread is a must in your cooking regime.  It appeals to all ages, and can fill in as a supplement to any meal or stand alone as a snack.  I've been using this recipe for years.  I've adapted this recipe from The New England Cookbook, by Brooke Dojny.

Banana Bread

2 cups of all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon of fine salt, preferably sea salt

3/4 baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon of allspice

4 bananas, very ripe

2 eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup of granulated sugar

1/2 cup of dark brown sugar, packed

6 rounded tablespoons of yogurt, either plain or vanilla, regular or Greek

4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

topping:  1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon mixed with 1/4 cup of raw sugar

optional mix-ins:  chocolate chips or toasted walnut pieces
(for large loaf:  3/4 - 1 cup;  for small loaves:  1/3 cup)


makes one large 9 1/2 x 5 1/4 loaf or 3 small 6 x 3 inch loaves

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray pan or pans with Pam and sprinkle with Wonder flour, tapping out excess.  Otherwise, grease pans and sprinkle with all-purpose flour.

Whisk dry ingredients together, 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of fine salt, 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of allspice.

Peel bananas, and place in a large bowl.  Mash the bananas with a potato masher, fork or clean hands.  Add 2 cracked eggs at room temperature, 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, 1/2 cup of dark brown sugar, packed, four tablespoons of melted and cooled unsalted butter, 6 rounded tablespoons of yogurt and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Whisk together, a few lumps is fine.

Now, slowly add the dry ingredients and continue to whisk slowly.  When most all the dry ingredients are added, switch to a rubber spatula and gently fold in the remaining dry ingredients.  Try not to overmix, that is the secret here.

Ladle your mixture into your prepared pan or pans.  If using the optional mix-ins, do so now.  Add in all at once and swirl in with a table knife.

Combine 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon with 1/4 cup of raw sugar.  Sprinkle on top of loaf or loaves.  For one large loaf, bake for 55-65 min.  or until a skewer comes out clean from the center of loaf. Let cool for 10 min.  Then run knife along the edges, and gently turn out onto a cooling rack.   For smaller loaves bake about 40-44 minutes, and cool for 5 minutes.  Let cool completely before slicing with a serrated knife.

Butternut Squash Soup

An instant crowd-pleaser that's healthy, flourless, velvety and sweet with hints of spice.  I can't think of a better way to welcome Autumn, then to sit down to a warm steaming bowl of Butternut Squash Soup. Think of a velvety soup with layers of flavors, both sweet and savory, which only needs to be garnished with a scattering of sharp, smoked cheddar and a Macy's Cheese stick.  The recipe is here!  Your friends and family will be more than grateful to sit down at your table.  Serve this alongside a grilled cheese or a warm Quinoa salad, and you will be in "pig heaven".

The recipe is quite simple.  I will provide you with my baseline, and you may take liberty to make substitutions depending on your ingredients at hand or dietary considerations.  The yield this recipe will provide will vary depending on the size of your vegetables, and of course the amount of liquid you add.  I am usually able to get about three to four quarts, out of the recipe below if my squash is a good size.  I will provide you with the levels of spices that I use, but it will vary depending on your yield.  Use your taste buds as your guide.  You can always add more spices and/or salt at the end, but you can't take away. Each batch is a little different, I find.  Taste, you decide.

Ingredient List:

• butternut squash (cubed)
• 2 shallots, sliced, or 1 onion, diced
• 1 apple (peeled, cored, diced)
• 2 carrots (peeled, sliced)
• 1 celery (sliced)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 6 cups of unsalted stock (vegetable/chicken or combination)
• 1/4 cup of white wine (optional, for deglazing)
• 1/2 cup of evaporated milk
• 2 Tbsp. of unsalted butter
• 1-2 Tbsp. of olive oil for roasting squash
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 2 tsp. of apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp. of sugar (preferably sugar in the raw)
• 1 tsp. of cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. of allspice
• 1/4 cayenne
• salt and pepper to taste, be generous

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Peel and cube your butternut squash.  Remove any seeds.   Prepare sheet pan with foil for easy clean-up.  Toss cubed butternut squash with 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil, and salt and pepper.  Roast for 25 minutes.

While squash is roasting, prepare shallots, apple, carrots, celery and garlic for saute.  Warm butter in a dutch oven.  When melted add spices, cinnamon, allspice and cayenne to "bloom" with the butter.  This will toast the spices and bring out the flavors.   Once this is accomplished, add your shallots, apple, carrots, celery, two teaspoons of raw sugar.  Saute for five minutes with medium heat, stirring frequently. If using, white wine for deglazing, add it now.  You can also substitute apple cider if available.  Use one quarter of a cup if choosing to deglaze. If not, just omit this step.  Once your deglazing liquid evaporates to two Tbsp. add your six cups of stock.  Bring to a simmer, than turn down heat to low and cover.  

When squash is done roasting, remove it from the oven.  You will carefully add your squash to your stock and vegetable mixture.  Continue to simmer for twenty to thirty minutes, covered till the vegetables are nice and soft.  Once done, let cool slightly before pureeing.

Puree your soup using an immersion blender, food processor or blender.   Add one half a cup of evaporated milk to puree.  Now, add plenty of salt and pepper with 2 teaspoons of cider vinegar and one tbsp. of honey.  Now taste.  Think about it.  The soup should have enough salt to bring out the flavors, but not taste salty in any way.  It should taste sweet, with a backdrop of heat.  The cider vinegar should add a lemony note.  Decide if the soup needs anything more.

You can garnish the soup with shredded cheddar, smoked mozzarella, chives, creme fraiche, Macy's cheese stix and/or soup crackers.