Quinoa and Swiss Chard Fritters

I know what you're thinking....I love quinoa and I love swiss chard, but they're TOO HEALTHY! Well, I can fix that for ya. Just add some egg and cheese and fry em!

I found this recipe on the New York Times website.

INGREDIENTS

I bunch Swiss chard, washed and stemmed (do not discard the stems) I like to just grab the leaf in one hand and the stem in the other and pull them apart

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 plump garlic cloves, minced, or 2 teaspoons minced green garlic

1 tsp ground cumin

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup quinoa

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon canola oil

For serving:

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1 tsp honey

1-2 tsp curry powder

1. Fill a bowl with ice water. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously and add the chard leaves. Blanch for two to three minutes until tender, then transfer to the ice water. Drain, squeeze out excess water and chop medium-fine. I squeezed the chard with my hands and then sliced the clump like when you make basil chiffonade). Add the chard stems to the water, and cook four to five minutes until tender. Transfer to the ice water, then drain and cut in 1/4-inch dice. Measure out 3/4 cup of the stems, and reserve the rest for another purpose (or just toss with salt and pepper and munch while cooking the fritters)

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a medium or large skillet. Add the garlic. When it is fragrant, in 30 seconds to a minute, stir in the chard leaves and stems and the cumin. Stir together for about a minute, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large bowl, and add the quinoa, Parmesan and egg. Stir together.

3. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the canola oil together over medium-high heat in a large, heavy skillet. Moisten your hands, and shape the quinoa and chard mixture into four hamburger-size patties (or make smaller, fritter-ish patties). Carefully place the patties in the hot oil, taking care not to crowd them in the pan. Press down on the tops of the patties with the bottom of your spatula to prevent them from falling apart; if they are thick enough, they should stay together. Cook for four to five minutes on each side until nicely browned. Remove from the heat and serve.

Variation: Substitute 2 pounds bunch spinach for the chard. Stem and wash the leaves (discard the stems) and wilt, in batches, in a large frying pan in the water left on their leaves after washing. Proceed as instructed.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

I've been working overnights, and my hours are kinda weird, so  I've been watching more Food Network. Ina Garten made these on her show, so I decided to bring some to work.

INGREDIENTS
2 sticks butter at room temp
1 1/2 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 c smooth peanut butter
3 c all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 c jam
2/3 c salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350
Grease and flour 9x13in pan
Cream butter and sugar
Add eggs 1 at a time, then add vanilla and peanut butter
Sift dry ingredients and add gradually, mixing just until combined
Take 2/3rds of dough and pat into greased pan and chill
Spread jam evenly over dough
Break remaining dough into chunks and sprinkle over jam
Sprinkle chopped peanuts on top
Bake 45min, cool and cut into squares  

Cherry Berry Port Crisp

I was at the ICA waiting to meet a friend for their Talking Taste series, and I decided to buy a copy of The Boozy Baker from the gift shop.

It didn't take long for me to make something inspired by it. In this case a crumble made with frozen cherries from Target and blueberries from the farmshare, and the remainder of ruby port from a bottle.

INGREDIENTS

Filling
12 oz pitted cherries
1 c blueberries
1/4 c ruby port
1 tbsp cornstarch

Topping
1/2 c flour
3/4 c chopped walnuts
1 c old fashioned oats
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp butter cut into cubes
(I added a tbsp or 2 of scotch)

INSTRUCTIONS
Whisk the cornstarch into the port and then let the berries soak (the longer the better)
Combine dry ingredients and use fingertips to rub butter into dry goods
Sprinkle with scotch

Heat oven to 400. Pour fruit and port into pie pan and sprinkle topping over it. Bake for 20-30 min til bubbly with brown crispy top. Be sure to let it cool off a smidge. Goes great with vanilla ice cream

Blueberry Walnut Maple Tart

One of the best things about summer in New England is fresh blueberries. The're great just to eat, or to put in smoothies, salads or yogurt. Blueberry pie is another option, as is this tart, which is kind of like a no-bake cheesecake. I found the recipie at Eating Well, and made a few adjustments

INGREDIENTS

Crust
1/4 c toasted walnuts
2 c graham cracker crumbs
1 egg white, beaten until frothy
2 tbsp melted butter
1 tbsp olive oil

Filling
8oz cream cheese (I used the low fat one)
1/4 c plain yogurt
1/4 c maple syrup
1 tsp lemon zest
2 c blueberries

Instructions
Run the walnuts in the food processor until pea sized, then add the rest of ingredients and pulse until it looks like coarse sand. Press into tart pan and bake at 325 for 8 min

While crust is cooling combine cream cheese, yogurt, lemon zest and syrup til smooth. Pour into crust, top with berries, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Baked Raspberry Custard

I got some raspberries in the farmshare a while back and looked for some things to make with them. I found this recipe from Martha Stewart, which is SUPER easy, and tasty. I was alarmed at how much it grew in the oven, but a pie plate is just right.

INGREDIENTS
3/4 c milk
3 eggs
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup (give or take) berries

Grease a pie plate and preheat oven to 400
Pour everything in a blender (except berries) and pulse untill smooth
Pour batter into pie plate and scatter berries. Sprinkle top with sugar
Bake for 20-25 min

Creamed Collard Greens

I was looking for something different to do with the greens I got with my farmshare, and thought that collards, being a bit hardier than spinach, might do well creamed. I found this recipe at the nourished table and adjusted it for one bunch.

Ingredients
1 bunch greens, stems removed and cut into 1 inch strips
2 tbsp butter
1 small onion chopped
1 cup cream
Fresh nutmeg, salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter in a pan, sautee onions untill soft. Sautee greens until bright green. Add cream and simmer until cream is reduced and thickened. Season to taste

Butterbeer Cupcakes

My friends and I have a kids book book club, and we are watching all of the Harry Potter movies in order to prepare for a trip to see the latest one in theaters. Yesterday we watched The Prisoner of Azkaban, and so I thought I would make Butterbeer Cupcakes.

So, how do you make Butterbeer cupcakes? Well, I looked at a bunch of Butterbeer recipes, and they all seemed to call for either beer or cream soda and butterscotch schnapps. Some of the more involved recipes called for additional spices to add warmth.

I decided on making a chocolate beer cupcake with some added spice, and a cream cheese frosting with butterscotch schnapps.

I based the cupcake recipe on Chef Chloe's recipe. I used a vanilla porter instead of chocolate stout, and substituted butterscotch schnapps for vanilla. I also added a teaspoon of garam masala spice to add some heat (it is a combo of cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper and other spices). I used my standard cream cheese frosting recipe.

Ingredients

Chocolate Beer Cupcakes

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free all-purpose flour plus ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum)
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup stout beer (I use Trader Joe's oatmeal stout)
• ½ cup canola oil
• 2 tablespoons white or apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon pure butterscotch schnapps
• 1 teaspoon garam masala

Instructions

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Whisk together liquid ingredients. Mix just until everything is moist and bake at 350 for 16-20 min.

Frosting

8oz cream cheese

6 tbsp butter softened

3-4 cups powdered sugar

3 tbsp butterscotch schnaaps

pinch salt

cream butter and cream cheese together. Add sugar to desired consistency. Add salt and schnapps for flavor.