Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Sometime back in the late seventies, my sister introduced the family to a new salad dressing she had discovered.  I no longer remember where or how she found it, but at the time it was only available in packet form, and you added the packet ingredients to mayonnaise and buttermilk.  It sounded horrible, but one taste was enough to raise it front and center as the dressing of choice for our family.

And it turned out that we were not alone.  Within a few years Ranch Dressing was ubiquitous, and all of the major brands had their own versions of the stuff.  Of course, the bottled versions tasted nothing like the original, but the convenience of not having to mix it up made it the more frequent choice, and over time I forgot how the original version tasted.

And then I stopped eating processed foods and learned how to make this lovely vinaigrette. Because it is a versatile enough recipe that I can mix it up with different kinds of vinegars, oils, mustards and herbs, I rarely feel the desire to use any other dressing.

What I do feel the desire for, however, is to find more uses for mayonnaise when I make it.  I only make mayonnaise when I have a specific use for it and it does not have a long shelf life so if I do not need it all I have to find ways to use what is left over.

Enter Buttermilk Ranch Dressing.  It had long occurred to me that it should be fairly easy to make, as the packaged mix was added to mayonnaise and buttermilk, so the last time I made mayonnaise and had some left I did a quick search online and found an easy peasy recipe posted by Elise on her wonderful site Simply Recipes.

There are two differences between her recipe and what I made. The first is that I used homemade mayonnaise. The second difference, as you can see immediately if you compare our photos, is that I used more herbs in my version. Hers also looks a bit thicker than mine, but I don't know whether or not that is just the way it looks, or our measures were slightly different, or this batch of my homemade mayonnaise was thinner.

Whatever the differences, the end result was complete and utter deliciousness. Now that spring has arrived and I can get greens at the City Market, I have made this three times in the past few weeks. I even made mayonnaise specifically for the purpose.

But you don't have to make your own mayonnaise to enjoy the benefits of making your own ranch dressing. Even if you use prepared mayonnaise it will taste so much better than any prepared version you will find on your grocer's shelf (and have less chemicals in it if you care about that sort of thing). You can find the recipe here.   Enjoy!

Homemade Bow Tie Pasta with Arugula Pesto and Dandelion Greens

Here is one of the ways that I utilized the arugula pesto I made last week. It is significant in two ways. The first is in the pasta. That bow tie pasta you see up there is homemade. Yep, I made it myself. It was surprisingly easy to do.

I followed my usual recipe for the dough. When it came time to roll it out and cut it, I realized that I wanted something that would match well with the pesto, and in my experience that means a short pasta. I had already experienced some success making noodles, but I wanted something a little more exciting than that. I wondered what would happen if I rolled out small rectangles and pinched the sides together, as I had recently seen someone do on a cooking show; I think Iron Chef America. I rolled out the dough, cut out the rectangles, and squeezed the middle of one of the rectangles together.

And got a bow tie! It was quite simple, and once I got the hang of how to grab it and squeeze for maximum effect it went quickly. I laid them out on a cookie sheet and let them dry out a little while I put the water on to boil and prepared the rest of the dish.

I am inordinately happy with these little beauties, and am eager to see into what other shapes my homemade pasta can be formed. I will keep you posted!

The second significance of this dish is in the rest of the ingredients. Several years ago I started a short-lived project called "What's In Your Pantry?" A friend suggested I write some posts on how to come up with ideas for meals that use what you have on hand but that don't require a specific recipe. I thought it was a great idea, and while the official project did not last long, the concept has stayed with me and has become one of the purposes of this blog. How do you learn how to cook on a daily basis without recipes, using what you have in your pantry? How do you shop to cook that way?

Along with the arugula I purchased for the pesto, I bought a couple of bags of mixed baby greens, french breakfast radishes and red and orange peppers for salad. I went through the greens faster than the vegetables so I had leftovers. I also had a handful of cooked pinto beans left over from another dish I had made earlier in the week, and I had a small bunch of dandelion greens that had been intended for a frittata that never materialized. Why not just throw all of those bits and pieces into the pasta?

It worked beautifully. The bow ties were sturdy and wide enough to carry the pesto, and all of the vegetables added texture and additional bursts of flavor. The beans added a creamy texture and combined with the pasta to make a complete protein. As a throw whatever you have in the refrigerator together for a quick dish, it's a keeper. With a little bit of planning, it is something you could serve to guests with confidence.

Home Cookin Chapter: My Recipes

BOW TIE PASTA WITH ARUGULA PESTO AND DANDELION GREENS

4 servings

12 oz fresh or dried bow-tie or other short pasta
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
1 bunch dandelion greens, stems and leaves separated, stems chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 orange bell pepper, cut in half and sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, cut in half and sliced
1/2 bunch of French breakfast radishes, sliced diagonally
1/2 cup cooked cannilini or pinto beans
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup arugula pesto
grated parmesan cheese, for garnish

Put a large pot of water over high heat on the stovetop for the pasta. In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and dandelion green stems and saute for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and cook until the onion is translucent. Add the peppers and the radishes and cook another few minutes until they have just started to soften.

Add the beans and the wine and let simmer until the pasta water is boiling. Lower the heat if necessary to keep the vegetables from overcooking.

Add salt to the pasta water and cook the pasta for 1 or 2 minutes less time than indicated on the package directions. Reserve a cup of the pasta water, drain the pasta and add it to the vegetables. Add the pesto and mix everything well, adding pasta water as needed. Cook for another 2 minutes or until the pasta is at the desired consistency.

Remove from the heat and serve immediately, garnished with parmesan cheese.

04/27/2013

Exported from Home Cookin 7.50 (www.mountain-software.com)

Arugula Pesto

There have been lots of little changes chez moi the past few months.  All good, but blogging has taken a back seat for the duration.  I am still cooking and hope to start showing off the results soon, but posting will be somewhat spotty for the near future.

In the meantime, spring continues to strengthen its presence.  Baby greens are springing up at the Green City Market, and I have been enjoying many a salad.

And this lovely arugula pesto.  I bought a bag of arugula at the market and it was so fresh and beautiful I wanted to do something special with it.  I haven't made pasta in a while so I decided a nice pesto was in order.  I had the rest of the ingredients in the pantry so it came together quickly.

In addition to serving it with pasta, I used it as a base for a salad dressing and as a topping for focaccia, all delicious.  It would also nicely top roasted vegetables or potatoes.

The recipe I used was slightly adapted from Elise Bauer's recipe on her site Simply Recipes.  By slightly, I mean that I used a fourth of a cup of olive oil rather than the half cup called for in her recipe.  Other than that, I followed it as it is written here.

You should follow it, too.  It's a quick, easy and delicious meal that can be prepared in the amount of time it takes to get the pasta water boiling.  
This weekend the market moves to its outdoor summer location on the south end of Lincoln Park. Color me excited!

Spring Cleaning

Now that spring is in the air, and while I was on my little blogging hiatus that lasted longer than I anticipated, I made a few trips to the store for some items I had postponed buying long enough that they became necessary.  (That's how much I love to shop, by the way.)  While I was there I detoured through the kitchen section to see what new things I could add to my "want that" list.

What I found were some nice glass storage jars at a reasonable price so I grabbed some.  And immediately put the fantastically fresh dried beans I have been buying from the Three Sisters Garden at the Green Market this winter into them (there they are in the left-side case, on the right side of the third shelf from the top).

They looked so pretty I decided to go back for more jars.  They were out of that size but I got the next size larger for my raisins, and then I saw a beautiful stainless steel canister set that looked like it would be perfect for the many nuts, seeds and grains I always have on hand.  I bought two sets of those, which you can see on the top shelf of the left side and the second shelf from the top on the right side.

What started as a simple switch-out of a few containers culminated in a full-on purging of old items, wiping down of shelves, rearranging for maximum effect (and efficiency), and the beautiful array you see spread before you on my pantry shelves.  The impulse even spread beyond the pantry and into the kitchen itself and the closet where I store my pots and pans.  The end result was a leaner, cleaner cooking area that once again tempts me into the kitchen so I can play with all of these delicious toys.

So if you need to do a major overhaul of your cooking space but just can't get yourself motivated, allow me to suggest that you obtain some pretty new kitchen items to provide that little boost you need to get started.  Once you start you will be amazed at how quickly and easily the task can be accomplished.

Greetings from Austin

I seem to have taken an unplanned vacation from blogging.  Right now I am enjoying this view on a sunny 75-degree morning from outside of my brother's house in Austin.

My plan is to pick up again when I return to Chicago next week.  Until then, sit back with me and enjoy the view.

Baking Class: Irish Soda Bread

I had intended to make soda bread for St. Patrick's Day last year, but time got away from me and I never got around to it.  So I was determined to make it happen this year, and I am so glad that I did!

I was not really familiar with soda bread, so I assumed that it was more like a quick bread which, having no yeast, is a lot softer and more cake-like than yeasted breads.  But I was wrong.  This bread has a dense crumb that is strong without being tough.  It toasts beautifully.  It is not overly sweet.  In a word, it is delicious.

And quite easy to make.  You mix up the dry ingredients, cut in a little bit of butter, stir in the wet, knead it a few times, mold it into shape with your hands, cut a cross into the top (I didn't cut quite deeply enough so you can't see it that well, but that had no affect whatsoever on the texture or taste), and bake it for 40 minutes.  C'est tout.

I also like that there are only two tablespoons of butter in soda bread, compared to the half cup you find in scones and biscuits.  The small amount of sugar, combined with the raisins, gives a sweetness to the dough without being too sweet.

I can make no attestation as to the authenticity of this recipe.  I looked at quite a few recipes before deciding to try this one and the ingredients were comparable in most of them so I decided to go with this one.  It was a wise decision.

Whip up a loaf or two of soda bread for your St. Paddy's day celebration and your guests will be quite happy.  In fact, you should whip up a loaf anyway.  You won't be sorry.

Home Cookin Chapter: Breads and Muffins

IRISH SODA BREAD

Makes 8 servings

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp white sugar
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup dried currants

Preheat the oven to 375 deg. F.  Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Cut butter into flour mixture with pastry cutter.  Add buttermilk until dough is soft.  Stir in currants.

Turn dough out only a lightly floured surface.  Knead for 5 minutes or until smooth.  Form dough into a 7-inch round.  Place on a lightly oiled cake pan or cookie sheet.  Score with a cross 1/2-inch deep on the top.  Bake for 40 minutes.

from Larissa's Bread Book:  Baking Bread & Telling Tales with Women of the American South, by Lorraine Johnson-Coleman (Rutledge Hill Press, 2001)

Exported from Home Cookin 7.47 (www.mountain-software.com)

Orzo with Ancient Sweet Peppers and Chayote

This recipe was a total win!  I had two chayote squashes in the crisper and not much else and I needed something for dinner last Friday night.  So I stopped at Treasure Island on the way home from work to see what I could find there.

What they had were the same beautiful ancient sweet peppers I first discovered last year and first used in this stir fry.  I thought they would pair well with the chayote and would add some color to whatever dish I decided to make.  My thoughts next turned to protein, and as soon as I thought of pancetta I knew I would be making some kind of pasta dish.

After a quick look in my pantry when I got home, I decided to use whole wheat orzo.  I got to work and in about half an hour I had a surprisingly satisfactory dinner.  Add a fresh green salad and a crusty slab of garlic bread and you have dinner fit for company.

Home Cookin Chapter: My Recipes

ORZO WITH ANCIENT SWEET PEPPERS AND CHAYOTE

4 servings

1 cup wholoe wheat orzo, cooked a minute less than package directions
1 scant Tbsp olive oil
1/4 lb pancetta, diced
4 large or 6 small cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, halved and thinly sliced
2 ancient sweet peppers, cored and seeded, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 chayote squash, seeded, quartered and thinly sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup sauvignon blanc, or white wine of choice (or white wine vinegar)
3/4 cup tomato puree
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup chopped parsley, plus extra for garnish
grated parmigiana reggiano cheese for garnish

Put the olive oil and pancetta in a large skillet over medium high heat.  When the pancetta is just done add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots are translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the sweet peppers an cook for 2 minutes, then add the chayote squash.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring often, for a few minutes.  Add the wine and cook for a minute or two, then add the tomatoes and the water.  Bring the skillet to a boil, then lower the heat and cook until the vegetables are just tender, about 15 minutes.

Add the orzo and bring it back up to heat.  Cook for another minute, until the orze is done.  Remove from the heat and add the parsley.

Serve immediately, garnished with the cheese and more parsley.

3/1/2013

Exported from Home Cookin 7.47 (www.mountain-software.com)

Simple and Satisfying: Baked Chicken with Vegetables

Chicken Baked with Vegetables is the perfect example of how to use what you have to make something delicious, and also illustrates that you do not need a recipe to come up with a quick, delicious dinner.

My project to cook more vegetables fell by the wayside a little just before the holidays, and I was having some trouble getting back into the habit of having them on a regular basis.  I decided it was time to get back on track with that, so last week I made a point of buying a broad range of produce so I would have no excuse to get cooking.

I bought:

a fennel bulb
zucchini
organic yellow pepper (on sale)
organic orange pepper (on sale)
chayote (reduced for quick sale)

I already had onion and garlic on hand.  I had a vague idea of roasting the vegetables but was having some trouble coming up with a method.  Saturday morning I finally had the brainstorm to cook the vegetables with chicken, so I went down to the Apple Market and bought four leg quarters.  Once I had the chicken, everything fell into place.

I will post a recipe for this, but it should be looked at as more of a template than an item-by-item list of ingredients.  I used the crushed tomatoes because I had some leftover from a previous dish.  If I did not have them, I would not have used them and might have added some broth or a little more olive oil.  If I did not have the fresh dill I would have added dried basil or marjoram to the thyme.  If I did not have the fennel and the peppers I would have used potatoes and carrots. If I didn't have the chicken I would have cooked the vegetables alone and served them alongside whatever meat I was using, and if I didn't have any meat I would add some legumes and serve it with brown rice or pasta to make a complete protein.

I purposely used a large amount of vegetables in comparison to the chicken.  That satisfies my goal of eating more vegetables and keeps this dish relatively low in calories and high in fiber.  It  couldn't be any easier and the possibilities are endless.  Give it a try and you'll see what I mean.

Home Cookin Chapter: My Recipes

BAKED CHICKEN WITH VEGETABLES

Makes 4 servings

4 chicken leg quarters
1 head of garlic's worth of cloves, peeled
1 large onion, cut into 8 pieces
1 fennel bulb, cut into large pieces
2 chayote squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeded, and sliced 3/4-inch thick
1 yellow pepper, seeded and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 orange pepepr, seeded and cut into 2-inch pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 cup fresh chopped dill
kosher salt and freshly grated black pepper
1-1/2 cups crushed tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 350 deg. F.

Arrange the vegetables in a 13" by 9" baking dish.  Season to taste with the salt and pepper, then crumble the dried thyme on top.  Sprinkle the olive oil over the vegetables.

Lay the chicken quarters over the vegetables, then season with the salt and pepper.  Pour the crushed tomatoes over the chicken, then sprinkle the chopped dill over the tomatoes.

Cover loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove the foil and cook another 40 to 45 minutes uncovered, until the skin is crispy and the juices from the chicken run clear.

2/23/2013

Exported from Home Cookin 7.47 (www.mountain-software.com)

Chickpea Soup with Tahini

A few months ago I came across a recipe in an Italian cooking magazine for Chickpea Soup with rosemary.  I decided to make it and, while it was good, it was not great.  I have this recipe for Chickpeas Simmered with Tomatoes and Rosemary that I like much more than I liked the soup, so I could see no need to ever make it again.

However, I did really like the texture of the soup.  A lot.  So much so, in fact, that I started to think about other flavor profiles that might complement the nuttiness of the chickpeas.  And it was hardly a stretch at all to come up with the idea of using tahini and lemon juice and making hummus soup.

When I first started to make hummus, I experimented with different seasonings - cumin, turmeric, even ginger.  But the recipe I found that worked the best works along the same principles as my preferred way of making guacamole:  keep it simple and let the flavor of the main ingredient shine.  The hummus recipe I finally settled on has chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice and tahini.  Salt and pepper to taste and a finish of extra virgin olive oil.  I decided to follow the same theme of simplicity for the soup, with a few exceptions.  I knew the soup would need a garnish that would provide some color, extra flavor and texture.  Gremolata, while not middle eastern, has the same flavor profile as tabbouli minus the bulgur and tomatoes so I was confident that it would complement the chickpeas.  Toasted sesame seeds would add a little texture and nuttiness.

It worked out quite well.  I found that an extra teaspoon of lemon juice and just a dollop of cream (really, a teaspoon is enough) stirred in just before I add the garnishes adds an extra bit of brightness.

This would make a great first course for a middle-eastern themed dinner, served with toasted pita points.  It also makes for a nice lunch. 

Home Cookin Chapter: My Recipes

CHICKPEA SOUP WITH TAHINI

Makes 4 servings

3 cups cooked chickpeas, with 1 cup of the cooking liquid*
2 Tbsp tahini
juice of 1 lemon
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
gremolata, cream and toasted sesame seeds for garnish

*use organic chickpeas so you can use the cooking liquid

Heat the chickpeas with enough of the cooking liquid to cover over medium heat in a 3-quart saucepan.  Remove from the heat and puree, using either an immersion blender or a counter-top blender.   Return to the pan and return the pan to the heat.  Add the rest of the cooking liquid and cook over medium-low heat until the soup is heated through.  If the soup is too thick, add hot water as needed.

When the soup is hot, add the tahini and the lemon juice and season to taste with the salt and pepper.  Serve warm, garnished with a teaspoon of cream, about a tablespoon of gremolata, and a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds.

2/9/2013

Exported from Home Cookin 7.47 (www.mountain-software.com)