Baklava Butter

I adore Baklava. I’ve never met one I didn’t like! But as far as making it, I’m not sure I have the patience, with all the layering that needs to be done. And then, after making it, I’d want to eat all of it! It’s so sweet and nutty--completely addicting. How could I turn it away, with all of those nuts, the sweet honey, and the crunchy, paper thin layers of phyllo dough?

I’ve found a way to get all of my favorite things from Baklava, without all of the work. How does it taste? Nutty, crunchy, sweet--but not too sweet, and there’s the telltale signature spice, cinnamon. I don’t see how I can go any amount of time without this in my kitchen.

The other day, while out shopping with Billy, I stopped to check out the cooking mags. I have an addiction, ok? I know, you do, too! The rack was filled with comfort food related issues for slow cookers (of which I don’t have) and casseroles (Billy strongly dislikes casseroles of almost any kind). I saw an issue of Cuisine at Home, which I’ve only ever picked up once or twice. But skimming through it, I saw quite a few promising recipes.

I didn’t even pick the magazine up to read it until a few days later when we got some free time. This recipe for Baklava Butter nearly jumped off the page while screaming my name. It’s true! I went out almost right away and got the nuts to make it.

Speaking of nuts, I know they can be expensive. Trader Joe’s has very reasonable prices on nuts if you’re near one. Whole Foods allows you to buy just the amount you need in the bulk foods aisle. If these aren’t options for you, try your nearest natural foods store. They’ll likely have a bulk food section. If none of these options are going to happen for you, then pick up the nuts you can. I’m sure this spread would be just as fantastic if you can only get one or two types of the nuts.

Don’t even get me started on the health benefits of nuts! By now, you should already know how fabulous they are for you, but if you don’t, check out this site. Every single nut in this recipe is so good for you! And it’s sweetened only with honey. Best part? You don’t have to mess around with blanching and skinning the nuts. Plus, it’s a no bake, quickie snack. So make some!

Baklava Butter

Makes just over 2 cups.
Adapted from Cuisine at Home.

1 cup almonds
2/3 cup walnuts
2/3 cup cashews
2/3 cup shelled pistachios
1/2 cup honey (Use organic! Cheap honey is full of nasty hidden chemicals and HFCS.)
1/2 cup water
Couple pinches kosher salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Pulse all of the ingredients in a food processor about 20-30 times. you still want to have some of the nutty texture, so don't overdo it.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Note: All of the nuts I used were roasted, not raw. You can certainly use raw if you'd like, and combined with honey, can be a raw spread for you to enjoy! If any of the nuts are salted, taste for seasoning before you add some salt.

So simple!

• Serve this with your favorite bread, bagel, roll, etc.
• Billy chose to swirl some into some Greek yogurt and said it was amazing. A must try!

Summer Harvest Salad

I’m sure you all know by now, we’re huge fans of salad in my house.  We usually have one large salad dinner per week, and sometimes twice a week.   I do mean large--like complete meal salads packed with mix ins for wonderful texture and “chew.”

Do you remember my post a while back on Olivia’s Organics?  Yep-still love their salad greens!  They’re amazingly fresh and there are so many blends to choose from.  Olivia’s Organics is sponsoring a recipe contest for…salad, of course!  The winning recipe will snag you a $500 Williams Sonoma gift certificate, and your recipe featured on their site.  Nice, right?  This salad is my entry in the contest.

In celebrating the “flavors of the season,” I came up with this recipe for Summer Harvest Salad.  I’m in love with it!  I usually just throw salads together, tossing in whatever is fresh and looks good at the moment.  This time, I actually gave it some thought!  I brought together some of our favorites, and I think, created a wonderful salad that celebrates some of summer’s freshest fruits and vegetables.

There are the tender greens, ranging in flavors from sweet to bitter. The crunchiness of the fennel, pear and pistachios. The fresh soft figs, and let’s not forget the bite of the dried cherries, cheese cubes and bacon!  We’ve also got some sweet and sour action happening in the vinaigrette, with the honey and orange playing off of the tangy vinegar.  The salty bacon is an excellent contrast to the dressing. 

Summer Harvest Salad with Orange Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

serves 2 for a main course

1 large container of Olivia's Organics Asian Salad Blend
a handful of torn Romaine lettuce leaves (feel free to add more greens)
1 small fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced crosswise
5-6 fresh figs, halved, then each half cut into 4 pieces
1 medium red pear, cored and thinly sliced
2-3 oz. Gouda, cut into chunks or sliced
a handful of dried cherries
a handful of shelled pistachios
a handful of crumbled bacon

Orange Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

makes approx 1 cup

3 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp honey
about 4 tbsp fresh orange juice
zest of half an orange
1 tbsp poppy seeds
pinch of salt and cracked black pepper
1/2 cup canola oil (or other neutral oil)

In a bowl, whisk everything except the oil.
While whisking, pour in the oil in a thin stream, whisk until emulsified.

Assemble the salad:

In a large bowl, gently toss the greens, fennel, figs, and pear with some of the vinaigrette to taste.  Remember, less is more--and you can add more if you need to, but you can't take it away once it's in there.  Taste for seasonings, add a touch more salt and pepper if needed.

Divide the salad between the plates, and top each serving equally with the Gouda, dried cherries, pistachios and bacon.  Serve immediately.

Go check out the contest, and think about submitting a recipe of your own!  You may discover a brand new salad that will become a family favorite.

Mediterranean Style Stuffed Peppers

Do you remember your mom’s stuffed peppers?  I do.  I was just a kid and wouldn’t touch the peppers.  No way!  I loved the filling, though--and it was so simple.  Tomatoes, rice, ground beef, seasonings…I loved that part!  My mom gave me a pass and let me skip the peppers without a big showdown, thank goodness!  She used green bell peppers, which are good in some things, like sausage and peppers, but to eat them stuffed--they’re just too “green pepperish.”  Do you know what I mean?  Bitter. 

In fact, growing up, my mom always bought green peppers.  Were red bells not very common then?  I have no idea!  Red bells are just green bells that have been allowed to ripen--were growers too impatient back then?  In my opinion, green pepper overwhelms most dishes.  I know--a lot of you will probably disagree, but red, orange, and yellow bell peppers are so much sweeter.  We even love them raw!  Plus, they’re good for you:

• They’re great sources of Vitamins C, A, B6 and Folic Acid
• They contain Beta-Carotene and Lycopene
• These are all good things that do good things for you!
• Eat some peppers today.  (That’s my PSA for the day.)

I saw these stuffed peppers in the June edition of BBC’s Good Food magazine.  It’s one of my all time favorite food mags.   Every single issue I have is “well read” and full of dog eared pages and a few cooking spills.  Living in the US, it’s a bit pricier to buy here, but it’s well worth it.  It’s a large magazine--and I dare you to look at one issue and not find ten recipes you want to try immediately.

The original recipe uses couscous as the base for the stuffing.  I opted for quinoa.  Haven’t tried quinoa yet?  You should!  Why?  Quinoa is all at once creamy, a little chewy, tastes sort of nutty--and is so good for you:

• It’s related to leafy greens, like powerhouses spinach and Swiss Chard.
• Quinoa is an ancient “grain,” and once referred to as “the gold of the Incas.”
• It’s high in protein and contains “complete protein,” which means it has all 9 essential amino acids.
• Quinoa's a good source of magnesium and riboflavin, reported to help with easing migraines.
• It’s a good source of manganese and copper, two minerals very important in superoxide dismutase enzyme, which is an antioxidant.
• There’s 12 grams of dietary fiber in 1 cup of quinoa.

So you see?  This dish is a nutritional powerhouse!  The recipe will make a bit more stuffing than you need for the peppers, but the leftovers make a nice light lunch the next day.  Also, measurements aren’t exact for the add-ins, so go ahead and eyeball those to your taste.  The original recipe uses pine nuts, which were nowhere to be found at TJ’s that day, so pistachios agreed to be stunt doubles.

Mediterranean Style Stuffed Peppers
adapted from BBC Good Food
serves 3

1 each red, yellow, and orange bell peppers, halved, seeds and membranes removed (leave stems on)
1 1/2 cups dry quinoa
Vegetable or chicken broth (for cooking the quinoa in--I needed 3 cups)
1/2 cup pistachios (this is approximate-you can add more if you like), lightly toasted
1/2-3/4 cup black olives, roughly chopped
Feta cheese (about 3/4 cup, divided) (I used an herbed feta from Trader Joe's)
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup fresh basil, shredded (stack leaves, roll them up, and slice across for ribbons)

Heat oven to 400.
Rinse your quinoa and prepare according to package directions--using your choice of broth in place of water.

Place the prepared peppers on a plate and microwave on medium for about 5 minutes, until slightly soft.
Place them on a baking tray, open side facing up.

When the quinoa is done, stir in the remaining ingredients, leaving some of the feta aside to sprinkle over the top of the peppers.
Stuff the peppers--really pack them full, you'll have more than enough stuffing!
Top with the rest of the feta.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the feta looks browned and delicious.
Serve with a nice green salad, if you like.

These aren’t your mom’s stuffed peppers!  Well, not my mom’s, anyway.  If old school stuffed peppers make your spine tingle--in a not so good way, give these a try!