Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup with Whole Wheat Rolls

Let me preface this post by saying that I am not a huge fan of slow cooker recipes. The ones that I have tried out were just subpar to other methods of cooking, albeit super convenient! My crock is mostly reserved for mulling wine... which is a highly important task that I take very seriously.

I decided to take a chance on this split pea soup mostly because I am on Christmas break and feeling a little lazy. These days following Christmas have been a chance for me to really let me hair down. Things had been super hectic in the weeks leading up to Christmas and I was feeling the stress of getting everything done in a short time! Thankfully, everything went very smoothly and I had a wonderful couple days with family. I really am so blessed.

And, oh my goodness, was this slow cooker soup worth the risk!! Slow cooking the soup with the hambone over 7 hours allowed the bone to entirely shed the remnants of ham, and the peas to break down thickening the soup into one beautiful mess. Plus, it allowed me to run errands, go to the gym, and even finish up the Jinx (you NEED to watch that mini series if you haven't yet!) and nap it out before it was done! I don't think I'll be jumping on the slow cooker bandwagon anytime soon, but this is one recipe I would certainly do over again in the crockpot.

In all the extra time I gained by putting this in the crockpot, I decided to take on another adventure. I have tried working with yeast a couple times, but have failed in getting bread to rise properly and gave up. Lame, I know. I decided that today I would face yeast yet again in an attempt to conquer my fears and also to make some yummy looking whole wheat yeast dinner rolls by one of my favorite bloggers, Half Baked Harvest. Let's just say, I won!! They were amazing! And a perfect compliment to the soup. There might have been a victory dance involved.

One impromptu dinner guest even exclaimed "Amy... This is OUTSTANDING." The soup, not my victory dance. But now that I think about it, probably both. 

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

Serves 6

1 ham bone (be generous with the meat you leave on it!)

1 16oz bag of split peas

1 yellow onion, diced

2 cups chopped carrots (about 5 small)

4 stalks celery, chopped

4 cloves garlic

2 tbsp chopped parsley

6 cups chicken broth

Place all ingredients in the slow cooker. Make sure everything is covered by the chicken broth. If your ham bone is barely fitting in the crockpot like mine was, check back in a few hours. It will be much more flexible and you can make sure the entire bone is submerged.

Cook on high for 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove the bone when finished. Season with salt and pepper!

Whole Wheat Rolls

http://www.halfbakedharvest.com/easy-fluffy-pull-apart-whole-wheat-buttery-dinner-rolls/

Croque Madame with Spinach and Smoked Salmon

Since I started blogging, I've started actually reading some of the entries by food bloggers instead of just scrolling down in a hurry to read the recipes. Some of them are truly very creative and inspirational cooks, some of them I feel like I could be best friends with, but others I have found repeat recipes they have encountered elsewhere on Internet without citing the original source. I was honestly flabbergasted when I read an entry by a blogger that I thought was great, but did exactly that. "I found this recipe on all recipes and it had over 3000 likes. I tried it and it was amazing"... And this is followed by a recipe titled "My Chocolate Chip Cookies". That's extremely selfish… And that's plagiarism! 

I have made a point on the blog to site the original source even if I slightly modified a recipe. That person should get the credit! And it really irks me that someone would take credit for something that is not theirs. What does it hurt to give that person a pat on the back and say, great job! I recognize you and you inspired me ! Definitely the fourth-grade teacher in me talking, lol. It's one of those lessons that I work really hard to instill in my students and then of course when I see it in the adult world it makes me kind of crazy. 

So, here's a recipe that I definitely found on the Internet and I definitely followed step-by-step. Their picture is a way more glamorous than mine, so kudos to you blogger! It's a very simple, traditional French sandwich, basically a super fancy and impressive grilled cheese. As you can see from the background of this picture, I really didn't have a ton of time to be cooking and staging a photo so this was the perfect quick and delicious meal. I've been overwhelmed lately with Christmas preparations! 

Anyway, follow the link below to make this unbelievably delicious sandwich. And maybe while you're at it, leave a comment for the author telling them how amazing they are :-)

http://drizzleanddip.com/2015/08/14/croque-madame-with-spinach-and-smoked-salmon

Cranberry Orange Cupcakes with Candied Orange Peel

The Happy Friday!! I can't believe I've made it to Christmas break. Much needed rest, relaxation, and simply hanging out! Perks of being a teacher!

I'm in a really good place right now. I've settled nicely into my new job and really, really like the people I work with. Good people, you know what I mean? The kids are great and we have fun learning everyday. I am happy in my new home with my other half and our canine other half. Just lots of love all around. Not to mention my love for Ugly Sweater Day at work, which was the perfect excuse to wear my favorite purchase from China.

And what better to celebrate love with than cupcakes?! At school this week, as part of a holiday celebration, people bring goodies each day. For my day, I knew I needed to seize the opportunity to BAKE. There were two cupcakes that had been working on my mind lately (this is what I think about WAY MORE THAN ANYONE SHOULD) and it was awesome to finally have the excuse to bring them to fruition.

The first was the well realized cranberry orange cupcake. It really turned out to be quite an elegant cupcake and I was definitely feeling proud of myself. The second was a new technique I have not tried yet, a chocolate peanut butter cupcake dipped in chocolate. I'll need to buy a new piping tip for this one before I unveil it, as they were not as pretty as my perfectionist self would have liked. Very very tasty however!

My apologies for the strange amounts - I needed to make smaller batches so I could be overly ambitious and make different  cupcakes on the same night... Not to mention complete them in time to go to the Bulls game!

Cranberry Orange Cupcake with Swiss  Merengue Buttercream

Makes 10 cupcakes

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup cake flour

1/3 tbsp Baking soda

1/3 tsp Salt

5 1/2 tbsp butter

1/2 and 2 tbsp Sugar

1 egg and 1 egg white

1 tsp Vanilla

1/3 + 1 tbsp Milk

1 cup cranberries, quartered

Zest of 1 orange

For the Swiss Merengue:

2 egg whites 

1/2 cup sugar

1 stick butter (room temperature)

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 (and more depending on your taste) of the Cranberry Orange Compote

Cranberry Orange Compote 

2 cups cranberries

1 tsp basalmic vinegar

Juice of 2 oranges

1/4 cup sugar 

Preheat the oven to 375°F. 

Line 10 cupcakes tins with liners.

First, combine 3 cups of cranberries, the juice of 2 oranges ( zest this orange and use for it in the batter) basalmic vinegar, and 1/4 cup sugar. Cook down until fruit has broken and is really cooked down. about 20 minutes. 

In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until fully incorporated, light and fluffy, about two minutes. At the eggs one at a time and a corporate fully, about four more minutes. Add vanilla.Add the dry ingredients, alternating with the wet. Add in the grated zest of 1 Orange

Fold in the fresh cranberries. Fill cupcake liners about two thirds of the way full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile prepare the Swiss meringue buttercream. Heat the egg white  and sugar in a double boiler our hot water, whisking. This make sure he needs to reach about 160°F, or just before it begins to boil.

Transfer the mixture once it reaches the correct temperature into a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Beat on high for at least 10 minutes. After the mixer has cooled, continue beating on low as you add the butter tablespoon by tablespoon. Once the butter is fully incorporated, add in the cranberry orange compote and vanilla. Whisk to combine. Frost your cakes, top with candied orange peel (below), and voilà!

Candied Orange Peel

Serves 10

One orange (I took the peel from one of the oranges that I later juiced for the compote above)

3 cups sugar

1 cup water

First, cut the peel off the orange. Cut into thin 1/8 inch slices.

Combine 1 cup of the sugar and one cup of water into a sauce pan. Heat over medium heat until simmering. Reduce heat to low and add in the orange peel. Simmer on low for 45 to 60 minutes or until the orange peel is translucent. I did mine for the full 60 minutes.

Drain from the syrup and toss in a bowl of sugar. Make sure each piece has separated from the next and is covered in sugar. Let sit for about 15 minutes. Save that syrup to make your own orange soda!

Turkish Pide

Let me just preface this post by saying that what you are about to see is RIDICULOUSLY delicious!! Unless you are well versed in your Eastern Europe/ southwestern Asian cuisine, you might not have heard of pide. Instead of pitying you, I will show you the following picture and guide you to enlightenment.

It's basically a lamb flatbread, but with the right veggies and seasonings is simply fabulous. For me, it brings back memories of Istanbul, drinking raki on a rooftop bar in Taksim, enjoying time with my students in Sirinevler, or scouring the Egyptian Bazaar for fascinating finds. Istanbul was such a fun stint in my teaching-English days, and the wonderful thing about making this dish is that it brings back all the memories. 

This is a traditional food, found pretty much on every corner in Turkey. I used the dough recipie below. I rolled it out thin to make 4 long boat shaped pide. 

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/20171/quick-and-easy-pizza-crust/

Turkish Pide

Serves 4

1 lb ground lamb

1 small yellow onion

1 can diced tomatoes 

3 cloves garlic, diced

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 tbsp basalmic vinegar 

2 tbsp of chopped parsley

2 tbsp of chopped mint

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne

Salt and pepper

Parmesan (if desired)

First, finely chop the onion. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add a tbsp of olive oil to the pan with the onions and sauté for about 5-7 minutes. Add in the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Drain the can of tomatoes of the juices and add to the pan, along with the wine and basalmic vinegar. Cook these down until all liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat about allow to cool. 

Meanwhile. Prepare the dough recipe above.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Prepare the rest of the filling. Combine the ground lamb, herbs, and spices. When cooled, add in the tomatoe mixture. Layer the filling over the dough and fold in the edges. Brush sides with olive oil. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. 

Top with Parmesan (if desired) and enjoy!

Sesame Crusted Tuna with Wasabi Sunomono and Spicy Miso Soup

Sometimes I feel like there's nothing much new to write about. Just working on and enjoying the same old things. So here's a semi boring life update!

 I haven't been to the gym as often the past 2 weeks due to being busy, but I'm looking forward to Christmas break for this reason. I'm planning to make some pretty chocolates next week, which is a fun adventure I look forward to filling you in on! I got some really cute chocolate molds and am more excited than I should be. 

I finally taped off guidelines for where my picture wall will go, and the art is in transit! Can't wait to share! I'm also rewatching Heros (because I was lost at the beginning of Heros Reborn) and I forgot how good it was. Great show to distract me on long elliptical runs. Kenny and I have both been sick with different ailments in the past week, so boo. Karma is doing well, still as loveable and silly as always, forever searching for more belly scratches wherever she can find them. Which is most places!

Actually, something out of the ordinary did happen recently! I don't usually have visitors on weeknights because I'm old, but tonight was a special exception! One of my best friends, Kimmy, came over to collect some apple butter we had made for Christmas gifts and stayed for dinner. We also needed to get some cookie baking out of the way and to #BakeItForward to get that $1 out of Food Network for those hungry kids. We tried out this Ginger Mollasses cookie from a great blogger, Gimme Some Oven. It sounded like it was going to be interesting and yummy, but it was ridiculous yummy. Like eat all of them right away yummy. Luckily, we kept our wits about us and brought the leftovers to work the next day so that others might enjoy them. 

Both of us are focusing on eating healthy (but everything in moderation! You can't deny us cookies around Christmastime!) so this was the perfect meal for us. I've been wanting to try out Sunomono for myself. It's a Japanese salad consisting of cucumbers and seaweed which is super healthy for you, not to mention delicious!! I put my own little twist on it bychanging  up the vinaigrette; I just purchased some wasabi and apologize in advance for putting it in everything the next couple weeks.

The miso soup I make is not the traditional soup. For one, I don't have and can't find kombu, which is a seaweed, or bonito flakes, dried fish flakes. Without these ingredients, I can't make the dashi, which is the traditional broth. That being said, this soup still tastes awesome, especially with deviation #2, jalapeños. 

Sesame Crusted Tuna

Serves 3

3 4 oz Tuna Steaks

 1/4 cup Black and white sesame seeds

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Bring your tuna steaks to room temperature. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Using a cookie sheet, spread out the sesame seeds. Press the seeds into the steaks until the steaks are mostly covered with seeds on all sides.

Heat a skillet on medium high heat. Melt coconut oil in the skillet, and then cook each steak about 1 - 2 minutes per side. Serve immediately!

Sunomono

Serves 3

1 Cucumber 

1/8 cup dried Wakame (dried seaweed)

1 tsp Wasabi

2 tbsp Rice wine vinegar 

2 tbsp Olive oil

Salt to taste

First, prepare the wakame. Bring about 2 cups of water to a boil and then add the wakame, cooking for about two minutes until the seaweed is hydrated. Drain.

Prepare the vinaigrette by adding all the remaining ingredients together.

Slice the cucumbers thin. Add In the wakame and the vinaigrette and stir to combine.

Spicy Miso soup

Serves 3 

5 cups water

3 tbsp white miso paste

1 jalapeño, sliced thin, half seeds removed

2 tbsp dried wakame

1/4 cup scallions, chopped

Bring the water at jalapeños to a boil. Add miso and stir to combine, another two minutes. Make sure to taste test at this point. I find that different miso pace have different salt levels, so you may need to adjust. 

Add the wakame and cook for another two minutes until the seaweed has expanded and is fully hydrated. Remove from heat, divide into bowls, and garnish with scallions.

Spicy Honey Mustard Chicken with a Butternut Broccoli Salad

So many times recently I've heard people talk about how hard it is to eat healthy. Tired of eating salads, tired of eating boring food. Without seeming overly helpful or rude, I want to open their eyes to the very real and very delicious world of healthy eating! It does absolutely not have to be boring, or difficult, or expensive. Come under my wing!!

This meal was an awesome one. I was inspired by a salad by and thought I would do my own take on it. It's really quite simple, but chock full of rich antioxidants and awesome flavor. Plus, in season ya'll! The best way to cook!

Spicy Honey Mustard Chicken

Serves 2

2 chicken breasts

1 Tbsp dijon mustard

1 tbsp honey

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp siracha

2 cloves garlic, diced

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the grill pan on medium high heat, brushing the surface with olive oil.

Combine all ingredients except for chicken into a sauce. Salt and pepper the chicken to taste, and grill 5-7 minutes on each side. After flipping the check in the first time, brush with the sauce. When you put the chicken on to the plate, flip to the other side and continue to brush the chicken with the sauce. Let site for 3-5 minutes, then slice and serve over the salad below!

Broccoli Butternut Squash Grain Salad with an OrangeVinaigrette 

Serves 2 - 3

I followed this recipe! I omitted the lentils, however and used fresh broccoli and butternut squash (cubed, roasted at 400°F for 15 - 20 minutes). 

http://www.edibleperspective.com/home/2014/12/3/broccoli-and-butternut-squash-grain-salad-with-orange-vinaig.html

Chipotle Sweet Potato Zucchini Fritters

Every grownup knows that the best and most important meal of the day is not breakfast, but brunch. Brunch is a miraculous combination of breakfast food and "rest of the day" food, and with the basically mandatory accompaniment of mimosas, a party! How could you not love brunch??

There are so many amazing brunch places in Chicago. For example, Wilde, where I was today with my Book Clud ladies (a truly stellar bunch of readers). This city has its priorities straight on that at least... All the other corruption aside. It's been shameful everything that has put Chicago in the spotlight lately. SHAME.

Fantasy football playoffs are well underway. We have 2 week playoffs which is very interesting. I just toppled my first opponent (take THAT, Mom!) and move onto the next round to face a monster of a team. I'll keep my fingers crossed and my lineup stacked!

In the mean time, I'll dream about my next brunch to take the edge off the anxiety of Fantasy Football ... the only cure is more brunch!

Chipotle Sweet Potato Zucchini Fritters

Serves 4

1 large sweet potato 

2 small zucchini 

2 cups corn

2 chipotle pepper in adobo

1 tbsp of that adobo sauce

1 tsp cumin

1 tbsp chili powder

1/2 tsp Cayenne

2 tbsp honey

1/2 cup flour

1 egg for fritters

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs for topping

2 tbsp vinegar

Bacon

Shred the sweet potato and zucchini using a cheese grater. Add the next 9 ingredients and mix thoroughly.

In a medium skillet over medium high heat, fry the bacon. After you have removed the finished bacon, add up to a half cup vegetable oil. When the vegetable oil is heated through, form your fritters into 1/4 cup sized balls. Drop into the oil and flatten with a spatula (about 1/2 inch thick). Cook 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until crispy.

Meanwhile, poach the eggs. Heat water in a small saucepan until boiling. Add in 2 tablespoons vinegar. When the water reaches a boil, swirl vigorously around in a circle with a spoon. Drop one egg in and let it sit for three minutes. After three minutes, remove the egg with a slotted spoon and repeat the process.

Top fritters with a poached egg and crumbled bacon. Enjoy!

Butternut Squash & Barley Salad with a Cranberry Orange Compote

The weeks are just flying by! I can't believe it's Monday night again and the weekend is already one whole day past. It feels like I am always saying to Kenny, "I'm so happy it's Friday!" And then, "I can't believe it's Sunday night already!" Yet somehow it always feels like it's the middle of the week... 

I'm hosting Christmas this year for Kenny's family which has been a bit stressful to think about.  This is our first year hosting, and since we just moved to our project house in May, not much is done. I haven't even put pictures on the walls because I can't paint because we are getting new woodwork next year but in order to do that we need new floors so basically I'm a sitting duck! It's begun to be really frustrating, so I decided that I would put up my art wall at least, using Christmas as my motivation to get it done. I've been eyes a few pretty prints/ paintings on Etsy, and just made a couple purchases today. Once we FINALLY get our engagement photos (I know, the wait is killing me too!) it will be complete. Exciting little project! Feels great to finally begin to do something.

Anyhow, because I'm so busy with obsessing over how the art wall will pan out, I don't have a lot of time to spend prepping dinner. This recipe is an amazing weeknight meal for exactly this reason. Simple, hearty, and nourishing. Perfect for Meatless Monday as well!

I was inspired by a recipe I found on Pinterest (when am I not?) by blogger Cherry on my Sundae. I followed her recipie pretty closely, though I used fresh cranberries and cooked them down into a delicious compote. See that recipie below, and substitute for "dried cranberries" in the the recipe on her site.

P.S. Definitely make extra berries. Maybe too with a little vanilla bean ice cream and eat the leftovers for dessert? Just saying.

Cranberry Orange Compote

Serves 2 salads (and a little more for that ice cream business we discussed earlier)

1 cup fresh Cranberries

Juice of 1 orange

Zest of 1 orange

1 tbsp Basalmic vinegar

1/2 tsp garam masala 

3 - 5 tbsp Honey (depending on your desired level of sweetness... I err towards tart)

Combine all ingredients into a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir frequently and bring to a boil. Cook 5-10 minutes uncovered until berries began to break down. Remove from heat.

Turmeric Grilled Chicken with a Pomegranate Slaw

I'm clearly on a turmeric kick, and a low calorie one at that. This was an awesome meal that was under 500 calories! I mean, one of those meals that you sit back and think, damn! That's good! I DID that! Also, those yellow turmeric stains in my nail beds and on the countertop. I also did that.

I've been working on a website to officially launch my baking business the past week. I'm pretty excited about it... but also terrified. I feel like I'm really putting myself out there, and yeah, I could certainly fail. But I have to try, right? You'll never know what could have been if you don't take a leap of faith. And it's not like I'm on a time schedule anyway... That's the nice thing about a side job:) So, if you're having a party seriously call me and I will make you dizzy with delightfully delicious desserts (and my tendency to alliterate when excited).

Until then, seriously try this out. Yummaayyy yo! *high five*

Tumeric Grilled Chicken

Serves 3

3 chicken breasts (about 5 oz each)

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tbsp siracha 

1 tbsp packed brown sugar

1 tbsp turmeric 

1 tsp coriander seeds

1/2 tsp pepper corns

For the Pomegranate Slaw

Serves 3

2 1/2 cups Cabbage, shredded

1/2 cup Red onion

1/2 cup Carrot

1 tbsp Honey

3 tbsp Mayonnaise 

1 tbsp Rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp Olive oil 

1/4 cup Pomegranate seeds

Salt and pepper to taste

First, marinate the chicken. Toast the coriander seeds in a skillet over medium heat, then transfer to a mortar and pestle, add peppercorns, and grind to a powder. Add in brown sugar and continue to grind. Combine with al other ingredients, including chicken, and marinate for at least 1 hour.

Prepare the slaw. I used a julienne slicer to finely cut up the cabbage, onion, and carrot. Combine with all ingredients, pomegranate seeds last with care, and salt and pepper to taste. 

Heat your grill pan over medium high heat. Brush with olive oil. Cook chicken breast about 5-8 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Let rest for a few minutes until serving. Serve over slaw!

Turmeric Detox Bowl

Back to school again. Sigh. It's kind of bittersweet heading back to work after an extended break. On one hand, I'm happy to see everybody again and get back to my routine (I'm always so much more productive), but on the other hand, there's rest and relaxation a glass of wine! Yes please!

I don't know about you, but around this time of year I eat a lot. A lot of stuff I don't normally eat and a lot of it! My body always feels thrown off by the added sugar and fat, which tells me 2 things. One, I need to throw in a little detox, and two, I'm getting old. Older and bolder!

Detox for me is not a juice cleanse, or a fast, although NPR had an interesting piece on this!

http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/01/12/376712920/minifasting-how-occasionally-skipping-meals-may-boost-health 

For me, it's a day where I hit the veggies hard, drink tons of water, and eat really, really clean. That does not mean sacrificing flavor however! Healthy and clean absolutely can be delicious and satisfying and easy!

This bowl was a great way to end a "detox" day. The turmeric broth has a really excellent flavor that it's everything together, and not to mention the health benefits it brings. I feel great this morning and think I'm going to continue this "detox" streak for another day. Will let you know what I come up with next!

What do you do to put yourself back on track? Would love to hear!

Turmeric Detox Bowl

Serves 2

2 large carrots, sliced

2 bulb onions, halved lengthwise 

4 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 cup cooked barley

1/4 cup diced red onion

1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

2 cloves garlic

2 tbsp coconut oil, melted 

1 1/2 tbsp tumeric

2 - 2 1/2 cups water

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit. Toss carrots and onions in 1/2 of the oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes (you can roast the meatballs at the same time to maximize efficiency!).

While vegetables and meatballs are roasting, prepare the broth. Add red onions to a deep skillet over medium high heat. Cook for 5-7 minutes off until beginning to carmelize. Add the ginger, garlic, and thyme and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add tumeric and more oil if necessary and sauté for an additional 3 minutes. Add the water (less at first) until you reach your desired concentration. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and squeeze in lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with vegetables, barley, and meatballs below.

Turkey Meatballs

Makes about 8 meatballs

1/2 lb ground turkey

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs 

1 egg

1/4 cup red onion, diced

1/2 tbsp siracha 

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp coriander  seeds

1/2 tsp curry powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

In a skillet, toast the cumin and coriander seeds over medium heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Grind using a mortar and pestle. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Mold into balls and place onto a baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes at 375°F.