Recipe: Quinoa with Kale and Goat Cheese

Quinoa with Kale and Goat Cheese

Adapted from a recipe by "deensiebat", on the food52 website

Yield: 2 as a Main Dish or 4 as a Side Salad

Ingredients

2 cups salted water

1 cup quinoa

1 bunch lacinato kale, washed and coarsely chopped

1 meyer lemon, zested and juiced

2 scallions, finely chopped

1/4 c olive oil

3 Tbsp pine nuts (toasted, if you like)

4 oz goat cheese

salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

In a heavy gauge sauce pan, bring the salted water to a boil.  Add the quinoa, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer the quinoa for 10 minutes, then top with chopped kale. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes, and then turn off the heat.  Allow the kale to steam for an additional 5 minutes.

Fluff the cooked quinoa and kale.

In a separate bowl, make the vinaigrette by whisking together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest and scallions. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

If you are using the quinoa as a main course:  Add the goat cheese and pine nuts to the lemon vinaigrette. Then add the warm quinoa and kale to the mixture. Stir until well combined. Serve immediately.

If you are using the quinoa as a side salad:  Add the warm quinoa and kale mixture to the lemon vinaigrette. Stir until well combined.  Let the mixture cool.  Before serving, stir in the pine nuts and crumbled cheese.

As a variation, you can substitute baby spinach for the kale.  Because it is so delicate, there is no need to precook.

Recipe: Mom's Creamy Rice Pudding

Mom's Creamy Rice Pudding

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

1/2 c long grain rice

1 qt whole milk

1 tsp salt

1 c evaporated milk

1/2 c raisins

2 eggs

1/3 c sugar

1 tsp vanilla

nutmeg

Preparation

Wash rice well and drain.

Place rice in a heavy gauge sauce pan.  Stir in milk and salt.  Cook rice mixture for approximately 45 minutes, or until tender.

Add 1/4 cup evaporated milk and the raisins to the rice mixture.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla and remaining evaporated milk.  Add some of the hot rice mixture to the egg mixture (to temper the eggs).

Return egg mixture to the pot of rice.  Cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.

Spoon cooked pudding into 8 small molds or decorative glasses. Sprinkle with nutmeg before serving.

Recipe: Blueberry Tart

Blueberry Tart

Yield: serves 6-8

Ingredients

9 inch tart shell, well chilled

For the Filling

1 pint blueberries

1/2 c sugar

2 Tbsp minute tapioca

1 Tbsp lemon juice

For the Crumb Topping

1/2 c (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1/2 c all purpose flour

3/4 c packed light brown sugar

1 cup rolled oats

Preparation 

Preheat oven to 375F

Place the blueberries in a large bowl.  Sprinkle with sugar, tapioca and lemon juice.  Gently stir to combine.  

In a separate bowl, cut the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter (or your fingers). Mix in the brown sugar and the oats.

Pour the blueberries into the prepared tart shell*. Spoon the crumb topping over the fruit filling.

Bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until the blueberry juices have bubbled and thickened.

*It is helpful to place the tart pan onto a cookie sheet before filling and baking. 

Recipe: Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Cake (Devil's Food Cake, to be more precise)

Yield: 9 inch layer cake; 10-12 servings

Ingredients

2 c sugar

1 3/4 c all purpose flour

3/4 c cocoa

1 1/2 t baking powder

1 1/2 t baking soda

1 t salt

2 large eggs

1 c milk

1/2 c vegetable oil

2 t vanilla extract

1 c brewed coffee

Preparation 

Preheat oven to 350 F

Sift sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and coffee.  

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.  Beat on medium speed of mixer for approximately 2 minutes.  The batter will be very thin.

Divide batter between 2 greased and floured 9 inch layer pans. Bake for approximately 35 minutes, or until wooden tooth pick inserted into the layers comes our clean.

Cool on a baking rack for at least 10 minutes, before removing the cakes from the pan. When the layers are completely cool, ice with your favorite frosting.

Recipe: Coconut Rice Pudding with Raspberry Compote

Coconut Rice Pudding with Raspberry Compote

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the Rice

6 Tbsp long grain rice

1 c heavy cream

1 c coconut milk

1/4 c sugar

2 Tbsp butter

1 vanilla bean or 1 t pure vanilla extract

For the Compote

1/2 pt fresh raspberries, plus additional for decorating

2 Tbsp Chambord Raspberry Liqueur

2 Tbsp sugar

Preparation

Wash the rice well and drain.

In a heavy gauge sauce pan, bring the cream and coconut milk to a boil. Add the rice and stir.

Reduce the heat, and add the sugar, split vanilla bean and butter to the pan. Simmer slowly for approximately 45 minutes or until the rice is tender. Stir the pudding intermittently to prevent sticking.

Spoon cooked pudding into 4 small molds or decorative glasses.

To make the compote: Place the raspberries, Chambord and sugar into a clean pan. Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes until the mixture thickens. Pass the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds. Let cool to room temperature.

To serve, drizzle raspberry compote and the remaining raspberries around the base of the pudding.

Enjoy!