Gazpacho

Sometimes I hate the heat.  Don’t get me wrong, I love summer and most things associated with it (the biggest exception being bugs), but there’s something about muggy days that I just can’t stand.  I think the problem is that I’m no good at dealing with random changes in temperature, and sometimes it seems like that’s all summers in New York are.  One day the weather will be sunny with a high of 75 degrees and no humidity and then the next day it’ll be muggy with a high of 93 degrees.

If living in an area that has random weather changes has taught me anything its how to adjust cooking styles to fit the weather, and this is one of the many reasons why I love recipes that require no heat.  They’re perfect for hot days when you can’t even think about cooking over a stove without wanting to pass out.

Over the last few years I’ve gained a big appreciation for gazpacho and how refreshing it can be on a hot day.  It’s crisp and spicy flavor make a simple vegetable dish into something completely delicious, and even though it might be an acquired taste for some it’s so easy to make and perfect on hot summer days.  You can make it chunkier and have the vegetables coarsely chopped, or you can use a food processor to make the vegetables smaller and easier to mix.  Either way, this is a simple and full-bodied dish that can't be beat!

Here’s what you’ll need (adapted from here):

1 ½ cucumbers

2 red bell peppers

4 plum tomatoes

¾ red onion

3 cloves of garlic

3 cups of tomato juice

1 jalapeno

1 green pepper

¼ cup rice vinegar

¼ cup olive oil

2 tsp kosher salt

¾ tsp ground black pepper

½ tsp cayenne pepper

Chop the tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, jalapeno, and onion so that each piece is about ½ inch in size.  One at a time put each vegetable into a food processor and chop them.  Make sure that the pieces end up being about the same size, but you don’t want to overprocess the vegetables and make them into a paste.

After processing each vegetable put it into a large bowl and when all of the vegetables have been processed add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, oil, salt, and peppers.  Stir together and let chill before serving.

The longer you let the ingredients mix together the more unified the flavors become!  Next time you’re in the middle of a heatwave and can’t even think about turning your stovetop on to make something for dinner, try this gazpacho.  You won’t regret it!

Chop the tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, jalapeno, and onion so that each piece is about ½ inch in size.  One at a time put each vegetable into a food processor and chop them.  Make sure that the pieces end up being about the same size, but you don’t want to overprocess the vegetables and make them into a paste.

After processing each vegetable put it into a large bowl and when all of the vegetables have been processed add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, oil, salt, and peppers.  Stir together and let chill before serving.

The longer you let the ingredients mix together the more unified the flavors become!

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

Sometimes I think people overestimate my skill level when I tell them that I’m going to culinary school... or at least they underestimate my laziness.  There are certain dishes that sound like they take a lot of prep work and a lot of effort, but in reality they take a total of 30 minutes to make.  That’s where the majority of my “impressive” dishes are from, and these cheesecake stuffed strawberries are one of them.



Yes, you heard that right: cheesecake stuffed strawberries... and they’re easy.  So easy that anyone with a bowl, a knife, and a ziploc can make them, and that’s not an exaggeration by any means.  For maybe 30 minutes of effort you can get delicious, creamy, juicy, fruity, wonderful dessert that is sure to impress any crowd (I know from experience).  I’ve already had three people ask me to make them again and last night was the first time I made them, but it definitely wasn’t the last.



So give them a try, especially during the summer when strawberries are at their peak.  The juiciness of the strawberries gives the cheesecake an entirely new, and even more amazing flavor.



Here’s what you’ll need (more or less stolen from here:)
1 lb of large, whole strawberries
1 8 oz block of cream cheese
3 tbsp powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract



Rinse the strawberries and cut the tops of the strawberries off.  With a small melon baller if you have one, or a paring knife hollow out the inside of the strawberry.  Repeat this step with all of the strawberries and place them aside.



In a medium sized bowl mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until they’re fully incorporated.  Then put into a ziploc bag and cut one of the corners off; this acts as a makeshift piping bag for the cheesecake mix.



Fill the strawberries with the cheesecake mixture and try to even out the cheesecake mix inside of it.



Next, dip the tops of the strawberries into graham cracker crumbs to make a ‘crust’ and chill in the refrigerator until they’re ready to serve!





Rinse the strawberries and cut the tops of the strawberries off.  With a small melon baller if you have one, or a paring knife hollow out the inside of the strawberry.  Repeat this step with all of the strawberries and place them aside.

In a medium sized bowl mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until they’re fully incorporated.  Then put into a ziploc bag and cut one of the corners off; this acts as a makeshift piping bag for the cheesecake mix.

Fill the strawberries with the cheesecake mixture and try to even out the cheesecake mix inside of it.  Next, dip the tops of the strawberries into graham cracker crumbs to make a ‘crust’ and chill in the refrigerator until they’re ready to serve!

Hummus

Sometimes it takes me a lot of effort to write a blog post, it can take hours just to think of what to write or how to say what I want to say, and sometimes when I finish I delete the entire post because I’m not happy with how it turned out.  I hope that leads to better blog posts, but sometimes it just leads me to not posting at all.  If you’re wondering, this post has been one of those challenges, so here goes nothing:

I’m convinced that hummus is one of the greatest foods on this planet.  It’s creamy, hearty, healthy, and delicious with anything you can conceive of putting on it.  Back in school during especially bad days I’d knock back an entire container of hummus in one sitting, and I’m not talking about the small containers either.  Hummus is one of my many comfort foods, but it’s one of my favorites because it’s so easy to make and customize.  You can add roasted red peppers, or sun dried tomatoes and basil, or chilies in adobo, or really whatever your stomach desires. 

If you’ve never tried hummus you need to, even my mom likes it… and that’s saying something.  So give it a shot, it’s easy, cheap and delicious; which makes it worth it in my mind!

Here’s what you’ll need:
1 15.5 oz can of chick peas/garbanzo beans drained
5 tbsp tahini (between ¼ cup and ½ cup)
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 ½ tsp salt
2 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp cayenne powder

Drain the can of chick peas and save the drained fluid.

Half the garlic cloves and place aside.  Place all of the ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.  If you want a more smooth consistency add some of the liquid from the can and continue to process

Spoon into bowl and refrigerate before serving.  The hummus will keep in a refrigerator for up to a week.  

Drain the can of chick peas and save the drained fluid. Half the garlic cloves and place aside.  Place all of the ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.  If you want a more smooth consistency add some of the liquid from the can and continue to process   Spoon into bowl and refrigerate before serving.  Will stay in refrigerator for up to a week.  

Homemade Girl Scout Cookies - Samoas

About a month ago I promised a recipe for homemade Girl Scout cookies, and even though it’s taken me a month to get myself to post this recipe the day is finally here.  Now, it’s pretty apparent that I have a bit of an obsession about making things from scratch... things that most normal people wouldn’t even consider making from scratch.  I guess I’m just weird like that, and I’ve completely come to terms with it. 

I know the aim of my recipes is to make things that are simple and quick that anyone can make, but I sort of cheated here.  These cookies do take a lot of time and they’re worth the effort!  I’ve had an itch to make these since they showed up on the Food Network blog, and I’m glad I waited for when I had time to make them.

 If you get the chance you really do need to make them! They’re healthier than regular girl scout cookies because they don’t have palm oil, preservatives, or trans fats.  And if you’re not concerned about the health factor at least you can brag about making your own samoas!

They taste exactly like the samoas that the girl scouts make.  The shortbread is crispy, the caramel is chewy and the chocolate and coconut tie the whole cookie together and make it complete.  So if you’re looking for something to make that will take up a few hours of your day, these cookies are definitely the ones you’re looking for!

Here’s what you’ll need:

For the shortbread (adapted from here):

3 sticks butter at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 ½ cups flour

½ tsp salt

For the toppings:

One bag of chewy caramels

One bag of coconut

One bag of chocolate chips

First, cream the butter and sugar in a blender until smooth.  Then add the vanilla extract and eggs one at a time mixing fully after each egg. 

In a separate bowl mix the flour and salt in a separate bowl and slowly add the flour into the wet ingredients.

 When the dough is completely mixed place it onto a piece of wax paper and mold into a cookie dough log.  Wrap in the wax paper and use that to make the shape more uniform.  Place in the refrigerator for about an hour, or until the dough is firm.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and cut the dough into circles that are about a quarter of an inch thick.  Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown.

Once the cookies are done baking, place 30 caramels into a greased microwave safe bowl and microwave for 15 second intervals until all of the caramels are melted.  Then add about ¾ cup to 1 cup of shredded coconut into the melted caramel and place about 1.5 tsp of the mixture onto each cookie. 

If the mix gets hard to work with put it in the microwave for 15 seconds until it is more workable.  Make more of the coconut caramel mixture as needed. 

In another microwave safe bowl melt a bag of chocolate chips using the same method as the caramels.  When the chocolate is melted pour into a Ziploc bag and cut a small hole into the corner of the bag and drizzle the melted chocolate on top of the cookies. 

Let the cookies cool and enjoy!  Cookies will stay in an airtight container for up to 5 days. 

First, cream the butter and sugar in a blender until smooth.  Then add the vanilla extract and eggs one at a time mixing fully after each egg.  In a separate bowl mix the flour and salt in a separate bowl and slowly add the flour into the wet ingredients.  When the dough is completely mixed place it onto a piece of wax paper and mold into a cookie dough log.  Wrap in the wax paper and use that to make the shape more uniform.  Place in the refrigerator for about an hour, or until the dough is firm.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and cut the dough into circles that are about a quarter of an inch thick.  Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown.

Once the cookies are done baking, place 30 caramels into a greased microwave safe bowl and microwave for 15 second intervals until all of the caramels are melted.  Then add about ¾ cup to 1 cup of shredded coconut into the melted caramel and place about 1.5 tsp of the mixture onto each cookie.  If the mix gets hard to work with put it in the microwave for 15 seconds until it is more workable.  Make more of the coconut caramel mixture as needed. 

In another microwave safe bowl melt a bag of chocolate chips using the same method as the caramels.  When the chocolate is melted pour into a Ziploc bag and cut a small hole into the corner of the bag and drizzle the melted chocolate on top of the cookies. 

Let the cookies cool and enjoy!  Cookies will stay in an airtight container for up to 5 days.  

Father's Day Grill Seasoning

Have I mentioned that I have the best Dad ever?  Because if I haven’t I should.  I have the best Dad ever.  His name is Gil, and he’s smart, funny, kind, caring, down to earth, and just all around awesome.  And I’m not just saying that because it’s Father’s day today (Happy Father’s Day to all you dads out there)!

This year for Father’s Day I wanted to get my Dad something special that I knew he’d not only like, but really appreciate as well.  Being broke limited my options greatly so I decided to make him something.  First I was planning on making a macaroni portrait for him, but that’s a bit dated.  So I got a little adventurous and made him some grill rubs this year.  It’s a super easy and not too expensive gift that definitely means a lot to someone that loves to grill.  If you’re the griller in your family you should give them a shot! They’re definitely worth it! 

Here’s what you’ll need:

For the Montreal Steak Seasoning (adapted from here):

4 tbsp salt

1 tbsp black pepper

2 ½ tsp onion powder

2 ½ tsp garlic powder

1 ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 ½ tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 tsp fennel seed

For the cayenne seasoning (adapted from here):

2 tbsp salt

2 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp black pepper

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tbsp dried thyme

4 tsp garlic powder

4 tsp onion powder

2 tsp cayenne pepper

For both recipes combine the spices in a bowl and mix thoroughly.  Pour into an airtight container and seal.  When using the mixes apply a layer that covers the fish, chicken, beef, or whatever your heart desires and cook.  You can add more while the dish is cooking, but don’t over season.  The spices will stay good for as long as you have them!

Banana Bread

When I got home from school I went on a bit of a baking bender.  I basically just took anything that I could get my hands on and tried to bake things with it.  Now I’ll tell you right off the bat, it wasn’t pretty.  But I did end up with a few recipes that were worth sharing, and this banana bread is one of them. 

I changed the recipe around a bit, since I only had ¾ a stick of butter.  I also decided to lower the sugar and see if I could make the recipe a bit more healthful while still keeping the delicious flavor and texture of banana bread.  It worked. 

So try this banana bread.  It’s delicious.  It’s healthy.  It still tastes like the banana breads that have 2 sticks of butter in them.  It’s fluffy and dense at the same time… I know that sounds like a giant contradiction, but try it.  You’ll understand afterwards.   Just do it, you know you want to.

Here’s what you’ll need:

¾ cup granulated sugar

6 tbsp butter, room temperature

2 large eggs

3 ripe bananas

1 tbsp milk

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and butter or spray a 9 x 3 x 5 inch loaf pan.

Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl and when combined add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

In a separate bowl mash the three bananas and mix in the milk and cinnamon.  In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt 

Add the banana mixture to the eggs, butter and sugar and stir until they’re combined. 

Then add the dry ingredients and mix until the dry ingredients are completely incorporated.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool for 15 minutes and then remove from the pan and let it cool completely before slicing.   

Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl and when combined add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  In a separate bowl mash the three bananas and mix in the milk and cinnamon.  In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the banana mixture to the eggs, butter and sugar and stir until they’re combined.  Then add the dry ingredients and mix until the dry ingredients are completely incorporated. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool for 15 minutes and then remove from the pan and let it cool completely before slicing.   

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Blondies

Graduating from college is a funny thing.  Suddenly people start asking you these overly convoluted and comprehensive questions about your college experience like “did you like it?” or “did you learn things?” or “do you really say wicked now?” And while the answers to all of those questions are yes they’re still very loaded questions.  My senior(ish) year at Wheaton was one of my best years so far, especially academically. 

This past semester I took a senior seminar on Emily Dickinson.   Yes, I know this sounds terrible, but I promise it was far from it. A few weeks into the semester I turned everyone into my senior sem into my guinea pigs for whatever I wanted to make (and eat) that week.  Luckily, they all enjoyed it and I didn’t eat whole batches of monkey bread or blondies by myself.  One day before my class I was looking at Kevinamanda.com and found their blondie recipe, and it looked freakin’ delicious so I had to give it a try. 

I changed their recipe a little, instead of adding nutella like suggested I put chocolate chip cookie dough in.  Let’s just say that it worked out really well, like gooey, melty, gives-you-the-warm-and-fuzzies, really well.  I’d make them again in a heartbeat, especially if I knew I wouldn’t be sitting there eating the whole 8x8 pan by myself.

Here’s what you need:

1 1/2 sticks butter
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8-12 oz of chocolate chop cookie dough

First you’ll need to heat the oven to 350 degrees and grease or line and grease an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper or foil.  Next melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat and add the light and dark brown sugars and mix until the sugar is melted. 

Mix together the flour, salt and baking powder in a separate bowl and place on the side.  Then, whisk together the eggs and vanilla extract until they’re fully mixed. 

Start to slowly add the butter and sugar mixture while constantly mixing.  When the butter and sugar mixture is combined add the flour and mix until it’s completely incorporated. 

Pour into the baking dish and add small spoonfuls of the dough around the dish until you’ve added as much as you’d like. 

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick that’s been inserted comes out clean.  Let cool and remove from the pan and cut into 16 pieces. 

Eat them quickly because if you don't they'll be gone before you know it!  

First you’ll need to heat the oven to 350 degrees and grease or line and grease an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper or foil.  Next melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat and add the light and dark brown sugars and mix until the sugar is melted.  Mix together the flour, salt and baking powder in a separate bowl and place on the side.  Then, whisk together the eggs and vanilla extract until they’re fully mixed.  Start to slowly add the butter and sugar mixture while constantly mixing.  When the butter and sugar mixture is combined add the flour and mix until it’s completely incorporated.  Pour into the baking dish and add small spoonfuls of the dough around the dish until you’ve added as much as you’d like.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick that’s been inserted comes out clean.  Let cool and remove from the pan and cut into 16 pieces.