Strawberry Rhubarb Yogurt Cakes

A perfect warm weather picnic mini cakes.  I used mini cake or giant muffin pans but adjust baking times to 20 minutes for cupcakes or 45 for a loaf.  

Makes 9 giant muffin or mini cakes. 

Strawberry Rhubarb Yogurt Cakes

2 rhubarb stems, thin diagonal slices

1 1/2 cup strawberries, quartered

Juice and zest of 1 lemon, divided

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1 pinch

3/4 cups sugar plus 1/2 tablespoon

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup plain greek yogurt

3 eggs

1/2 cup coconut oil, warmed but not hot

In a small pot, combine rhubarb, strawberries, juice and zest of half the lemon, a pinch of salt and 1/2 tablespoon sugar.  Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes until rhubarb is soft.  Drain and set aside.  (Save juices for future dessert garnishing.)

While the fruit is stewing, heat oven to 350 degrees.  In a bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, remaining sugar and salt.  Mix in yogurt, then eggs, then warmed coconut oil, lemon juice and zest.   

Portion into greased or lined tins, filling halfway.  With spoon, create a divot or crater in each cup and fill with a large spoonful of strawberry rhubarb mix.  The cake will rise around the fruit as it bakes.  Bake 25 minutes.  

Cool and serve.   

Vegetarian Dinner Salad

I really don't know what to call this salad but it came about the other night when i was feeling vegetarian and wanted a complete full meal salad, some thing healthy and vegetal with plant based protein.   

serves 4.

Vegetable Barley Lentil Salad

1 cup pearl barley

1 cup french lentils

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed, halved lengthwise

5 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise

olive oil

s + p

1/4 lb peashoots, rinsed and dried (salad spinner is great for this)

1 tablespoon champagne vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon squash seed oil  

1 tablespoon olive oil

pinch of cayenne pepper

about 12 cilantro leaves, chopped

4 teaspoons pepitas

4 teaspoons roasted sunflower seeds (salted or not is up to you)  

Cook barley in a small pot with 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 45 minutes.   Fluff with fork and set aside.

Cook lentils in another small pot by covering lentils with water, no salt, and simmering for 30 minutes.  Drain lentils and set aside. 

Meanwhile, heat oven to 400 degrees.  Toss carrots with a splash olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Place on baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes.  Add asparagus to the sheet, toss with a splash of olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast, carrots and asparagus for another 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside.

Make vinaigrette by whisking together champagne vinegar, lemon juice, squash seed oil and olive oil.  Add cilantro leaves, pinches of cayenne and s + p to taste. 

Toss carrots, asparagus and peashoots in vinaigrette.  

To serve, portion barley into 4 dishes, top with portion of lentils, then veggies.  Top each dish with one teaspoon pepitas and sunflower seeds.   

Thai Flank Steak

I was craving a Thai style marinated steak last week.  I like it best with flank steak but a skirt steak would be great too.  I prepared this with a side of steamed veggies but it would also be great main component in a salad, bahn mi or asian style tacos.    

serves 4.

Thai Steak Marinade

1 flank steak, 1.5 - 2 lbs

juice of 2 limes

4 inches of lemon grass, smashed, coarsely chopped

1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes

2 tablespoons tamari (for gluten free) or soy sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

s + p

Give the steak a few pokes with a knife tip.  Combine all remaining ingredients together, in a large ziplock freezer bag.  Place steak in bag and seal.   Let marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.    

Remove steak from bag and discard marinade.   With high heat cook steak to desired temperature.  I suggest grilling but a lightly oiled cast iron skillet or grill pan are perfectly fine.

To test the steaks doneness, give it a poke.  If it's squishy, it's on the rare side and if it's firm, its medium well to well done.  

Let steak rest a few minutes and slice thinly and against the grain.  

Ramps!

I had ramps for the first time this weekend and can't believe how delicious they are.  

Ramps are a wild leek that are found mostly on the east coast.  They have a very short season of a joyous two weeks and are one of the first spring vegetables to show up at farmers markets.  They taste like a delicate garlicky onion.  The whole ramp is edible, minus the roots.  

Serves 2.

Springtime Ramp Pasta

4-5 oz dried linguini

10 fava bean pods

1 oz morel mushrooms, brushed clean and halved

2 tablespoons water

olive oil

1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes

1 bunch ramps (about 9) 

juice of half a lemon

s+p

grated pecorino cheese, for serving

Cook pasta, drain and rinse.  Set aside.

Fava beans have to be shelled twice.  First, remove outer pod, blanch beans for 60 seconds, drain and remove thin shell.  Discard shells and set clean, blanched beans aside. 

Clean ramps and remove roots.  Cut stem just under the leaves.  Set leaves aside.  Slice bulbs/stem in half lengthwise.  Set aside.

In a pan, heat a teaspoon of olive oil.  Add morels, cook about 30 seconds and carefully add 2 tablespoon of water.  (Water will hiss and splash a bit.)  Cook until morels are soft and water has been absorbed.  Push morels to on side of pan and on the other side, heat a splash of olive oil and red pepper flakes.  Add ramp stem/bulbs, combine with morels and cook about 1 minute.  

Add fava beans and ramp leaves.  Cook until leaves wilt.  Add pasta, cook until hot.  Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice.  

Serve with a grating of pecorino cheese.

Hoppin' John

The concept of hoppin' john was new to me.  It's a black-eyed pea and rice dish often served new years day for good luck.  It's not new years day but an overcast April day seemed just as good for luck and black-eyed peas.  

Bacon may be used in place of sausage.  Makes 8-10 servings.  

Hoppin' John

1 lb dried black-eyed peas

drizzle olive oil

2 links andouille sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced 

1 yellow onion, diced

3 carrots, peeled and diced

2 stalks celery, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, seeded, minced

32 oz chicken stock

3 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

s + p

4 sprigs thyme

2 cups water

1 cup green beans, chopped

1 cup white rice

splash red wine vinegar (optional)

Rinse and then soak peas in water while ingredients are prepped.  

In a large pot, in a bit of olive oil over medium high heat, sauté sausage, onion, carrots, celery, garlic and jalapeno until glossy and fragrant, 5-8 minutes.  Drain peas and add to pot with chicken stock, bay leaves, coriander, salt, lots of black pepper, thyme and 2 cups water.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered 1 hour.  Beans should be tender.  Add green beans and rice.  Simmer 20 minutes more.  Adjust seasoning and add splash vinegar. 

Spaghetti Squash Dinner Bowls

I like when a food is its own bowl or dish.  Like soup in a bread bowl, or coconuts you can drink directly out of, oysters, twice baked potatoes and so on.  This one is kind of like that.  

Spaghetti squash is a great thing.  If roasted in the oven for a bit the flesh can be raked with a fork to form 'spaghetti'.  Still tasting like a vegetable but with a firm texture that holds up as a gluten free and healthier substitute for pasta.  

I say this recipe serves 2 people because I can eat a whole squash but realistically, it makes 4 servings.

Spaghetti Squash Bowls

2 spaghetti squashes

4 cloves garlic, minced

dash olive oil

1 shallot, minced

1 lb ground lean turkey breast

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

red pepper flakes, to taste

few fresh basil leaves, chopped

8 oz cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

1 28 oz tin diced tomatoes, pureed in blender

s + p

4 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Rinse and dry squashes.  Cut in half lengthwise, remove seeds and lightly rub with olive oil and sprinkle on a pinch of salt and pepper.  Place cut side down on a baking sheet and bake about 40 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside.

While the squashes are roasting, saute garlic and onion in a medium pot.  Add turkey, red pepper flakes and oregano and cook until turkey is cooked.  Add mushrooms, basil and tomatoes.  Bring to a simmer.  Season with s + p.

Switch oven to broil and adjust a rack to a higher position.  

Flip cooked squashes over.  With a fork, scratch and loosen squash flesh, it will look like spaghetti.  Fill with turkey mushroom sauce.  Top with mozzarella slices and any extra basil.  Cook under broiler until cheese it melted, about 10 minutes.  

Spicy Oven Fries

I love french fries, but can't eat them everyday.  So sad.  These potato wedges or oven fries are just as good as any seasoned fry but are baked.  (yay!)  

Spicy Oven Fries / Potato Wedges

4 idaho potatoes

drizzle olive oil

2 tablespoons onion powder

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 to 2 teaspoons chile powder

2 teaspoons salt

several turns of black pepper

1/2 teaspoon mustard

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Scrub potatoes and dry.  Cut into wedges.  Transfer to rimmed baking sheet and toss in a drizzle of olive oil.  

In a small bowl, mix onion powder, garlic powder, chile powder, salt, pepper and mustard.  Sprinkle over oiled potatoes and toss until evenly coated.  

Bake about 30 minutes.  

Cold Killer Juice

I know a lot of smart people and one of those people used to make this juice when they were begining to feel under the weather.  It may seem like too much work for one (really good) cup of juice, especially if you're fatigued from sickness or hungover, and it is.  So hopefully you have a juicer.  (I don't but squeezing orange quarters in my citrus press worked well.) 

Makes 1 serving.

The Cold Killer

1 inch of ginger, peeled and sliced

about 3 oranges (I used 2 small Navels and 1 large Cara Cara)

as many pinches of cayenne pepper as you can

Muddle ginger slices in the bottom of a drinking glass.  Squeeze juice out of oranges and into glass, over the muddled ginger.  You'll want about one cup of juice.  Stir, stir, stir.  Strain ginger and add pinches of cayenne pepper to taste.  (I maybe did about 1/4 teaspoon. nice and spicy.)  Stir and drink up.

Blood Orange Upside Down Cake

I love an upside down cake. The pineapple type is my mom's territory so I thought I would give this citrus version a try.  

I used only 3 blood oranges because I ate some of the ones I had.  While it looks pretty (notice the ombre?)  I  think it's better if the top is covered with blood orange slices.  Just a thought.  

If you like that dark sugary, caramelized cake top like you get on a traditional upside down cake, rub 1-2 tablespoon of butter on the bottom and sides of the baking dish and sprinkle with 1-2 tablespoon of brown sugar before arranging orange slices.  

Makes one 9.5 inch cake.  

Blood Orange Upside Down Cake

4-5 blood oranges

6 tablespoons butter, soft

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon angostura bitters

3/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/4 cup flour

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 9.5 inch round baking dish.  Set aside.

Cut tops and bottoms from oranges, slice off peels and slice into medallions. Remove seeds. (Save peels for candying or future zesting needs.)  Arrange slices on bottom of baking dish.  Set aside.  

Mix butter and sugar until smooth.  Add egg, bitters, milk, poppy seeds, salt, baking powder and flour.  Mix until combined and pour over fruit lined baking dish.   Bake 40 minutes or until done.  

Let cake cool 5 minutes in pan.  Run a knife along the edges to loosen and carefully invert onto flat surface.  

Chicken Lettuce Cups

This is really just a chicken stir fry served in lettuce cups but it's also good eaten on its own, over a salad or over rice.  (To keep things lighter, I like to use a spray bottle of olive oil to coat the pan before cooking chicken or veggies.)  Makes about 4 servings.  

Chicken Lettuce Cups

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, cup into thin strips

2 tablespoons soy/tamari + 2 tablespoons soy/tamari

2 tablespoons rice vinegar + 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

dash olive oil

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 small bunch scallions, white part, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, diced

3 cloves garlic, diced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and cup into strips

1 carrot, peeled, grated

1 cup red cabbage, thinly chopped

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 cup peanuts, lightly crushed

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon fish sauce

juice of 1/2 lime

about 12 lettuce leaves, rinsed, dried

Marinate chicken strips in 2 tablespoons soy and 2 tablespoons rice vinegar for 15 minutes in the fridge.  Remove from marinade and cook in a hot skillet 10 minutes, pouring out liquids as needed.  (I like very well cooked and slightly caramelized chicken so i cooked mine for an extra 8 minutes or so.)  Set aside.  

Wipe out skillet and add a small amount of olive oil.  Saute onion 5 minutes.  Add scallions, ginger, garlic, bell pepper, carrot, cabbage, red pepper flakes and peanuts.  Cook about 8 minutes, stirring frequently so veggies don't burn.  

In a small bowl, combine sesame oil, fish sauce, remaining soy sauce and remaining rice vinegar.  Add this and chicken to skillet.  Add lime juice and stir to combine.

Serve in lettuce leaves.  

Candied Meyer Lemon Peels

The Meyer Lemons have been hanging around whole foods and The Brooklyn Kitchen for weeks and I decided it was a good day to make candied lemon peels.  Save the fruit flesh for other uses.

Substitute any citrus peel.  

Makes about 1 cup.

Meyer Lemon Peel: Candied

3 Meyer Lemons

2 cups sugar, plus extra for coating 

2 cups water, plus more for pre boiling

Wash and dry the lemons.  Cut off tops and bottoms of lemon and cut in half lengthise.  Remove peel from flesh.  There will be a considerable amount of white pith attached to this peel.  Carefully scrape all of this white pith out with a spoon.  Cut pith free peels into strips.  Boil peels in an inch or two of water in a small pot for 15 minutes.  Drain peels, rinse and set aside.  

In the same pot, stir sugar and 2 cups water to dissolve and bring to a boil,  Add lemon peels and simmer about 40 minutes or until translucent.  

Remove peel from liquid and roll in sugar to coat.  (Or leave sugar less and/or coat with dark chocolate)  Set on rack on a baking sheet to dry.  Dry over night or until no longer sticky.  

Vegetable Shepherd's Pie

Something cozy to make and enjoy during this rainy day.  This one is pretty easy.  Just saute the veggies in the skillet, top with potatoes and pop it in the oven.  

Not too sure if shepherd's pie is exactly the right name for this as it's meatless.  Thoughts?  

Vegetable Shepherd's Pie

4 potatoes, peeled

splash milk

2 tablespoons butter

1 yellow onion, chopped

8 cremini mushrooms, sliced

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

3 cloves garlic

2 sprigs thyme

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 cup vegetable stock

s + p

grated paresan cheese (optional)

Boil potatoes.  Once soft, remove from water and mash.  Add a splash of milk or two as needed.  Season with salt and pepper.  (For richer potatoes add tablespoon of butter and/or a splash of stock.)  Set aside.  

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  In a 10" skillet on medium heat, melt 1 of the tablespoons of butter.  Add onion and sauté 2 minutes.  Add mushrooms and cook another minute.  Add carrots, celery, garlic, bay, thyme and last tablespoon of butter.  Cook 5 minutes more.  Sprinkle with flour.  Stirring to coat.  Add stock and cook until thickened.  

Cover with mashed potatoes.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper and a grating of parmesan or a drizzle of olive oil or even chopped herbs if you like.  

Place skillet in oven and bake 20 minutes until edges are slightly browned and bubbly.  

Careful, it's hot!

Chipotle Turkey Chili

This chili is spicy, satisfying and healthy.  Makes about 8 servings.  

Chipotle Turkey Chili

olive oil

1 lb lean ground turkey breast

s + p

1 yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, diced

1 jalapeno, diced

1 poblano pepper, diced

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 large tins whole peeled tomatoes, blended smooth

1 cup water

3 bay leaves

2 teaspoons dried oregano

4 teaspoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon chipotle powder

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 tin black beans, drained, rinsed

1 tin kidney beans, drained, rinsed

3/4 cup frozen corn, thawed a bit

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

In a skillet, cook turkey 10-12 minutes.  Set aside.  

In a large pot, sauté onion in a dash of olive oil about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, jalapeno, poblano and carrots.  Cook 5 minutes more until onions are clear and vegetables are glossy.  Add blended tomatoes, water, bay leaves, oregano, cumin and chipotle powder.  Simmer 25 minutes.  Stir in bell pepper, turkey, black beans, kidney beans, corn and vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper as needed.  

Blackened Fish Dinner

February hasn't included the healthiest of foods here on Meats and Sweets so here's a dinner idea to lighten things up.  

I used tilapia for this recipe but have decided that tilapia isn't my favorite fish.  Use any thin, white fish filets, like red snapper, bass, sole, founder... it's really up to you.  

To help ensure you're making ocean friendly choices in your seafood shopping take a peak at the Monteray Bay Seafood Watch Guide.  There is also a free app.  

Serves 2.

Blackened Fish

2 fish filets

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

pinch fennel powder

Lemon wedges, for serving

Combine all ingredients except fish, butter and lemon to make seasoning.  

Dredge fish filets in melted butter and sprinkle over both sides of each with seasoning. Cook in a skillet at high heat about 5 minutes on each side until blackened. 

Serve on sandwiches or with a side of vegetables.  I needed something fresh tasting so I served the fillets with vegetables packets.  It was carrots, yellow squash and zucchini folded into parchment paper with olive oil, thyme sprigs, lemon slices, salt and pepper.  Then it was baked in the oven at 400 degrees for 10 -12 minutes.  

Strawberry + Cream Cupcakes

I had to make cupcakes.  Had to!  I think this mini size is just right. 

These are more white cupcakes with strawberries in them than strawberry flavored cupcakes.  Creamy frosting tops them off.  

Makes 24 regular cupcakes or 56 (ish) mini cupcakes.  

Strawberry Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 stick butter, softened

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup milk

2/3 cup  fresh strawberries, diced

Cream Cheese Frosting

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter, softened

1 lb powdered sugar

2 tablespoons milk (maybe more or less)

For cake:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  In a bowl whisk flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.  

In a large mixing bowl and with an electric mixer beat butter until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.  Add sugar and mix for 1 minute.  Add eggs, vanilla and mix for 1 minute.  

Fold in flour mix and milk until just smooth.  Fold in strawberries.  Spoon into paper lined cupcake pans, filling the cups 2/3 full and bake 25 minutes for full sized cupcakes, for mini cupcakes, bake 20 minutes.   Let cool completely and frost.  

For frosting:

With an electric mixer, whisk butter and cream cheese until well combined.  Add sugar and 1 tablespoon milk.  Add 1 more tablespoon or two of milk as needed.  Mix until combined.  

Mushroom + Asparagus Risotto

Valentine's Day is fast approaching people!  (What happened to January?)  I make risotto every year.  What will you make for your loved one?  

If you decide to make this risotto you can either make the mushroom stock or use an already made one, it's up to you.  The Crescenza cheese is also sometimes called Stracchino cheese.  It is a soft, young cheese from Italy that tastes like milk. 

Makes 2 large servings.

Mushroom + Asparagus Risotto

for the stock

4 cups water

1/2 oz dried porcini mushrooms

for the risotto

About 12 spears asparagus, chopped

1/2 lb cremini mushrooms, cleaned, sliced

drizzle olive oil

1 shallot, minced

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup aborio rice

1/2 cup white wine

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

s + p

3 oz Crescenza Cheese

For stock:

 In a small pot, bring to a boil water, dried porcini mushrooms and stems from the 1/2 lb of cremini muchrooms.  Boil for 1 minute and remove from heat.  Let sit for about 20 minutes and then strain through a fine mesh sieve.  Discard solids and set liquid aside.

For risotto:

 Blanche Asparagus for 1 minute and set aside.  

In a pan, sauté mushroom caps (stems on if you didn't need them to make above stock) in a drizzle of olive oil for 3 minutes.  Set aside with asparagus.  

In a pan, cook shallot in butter about 2 minutes until soft and clear.  Add aborio rice and stir to coat in butter about 1 minute.

Add white wine and evaporate then begin adding mushroom stock 1/2 cup at a time.  Stir slowly, letting rice absorb stock before adding more.  This will take about 20-25 minutes.  After all stock has been added rice will appear creamy and be just cooked.  

Stir in mushrooms and asparagus, reserving some asparagus tips for garnish.  Add parmesan cheese and an optional 1/2 tablespoon of butter.  Season with salt and pepper.  

Spoon into bowl and top each with asparagus tips and crescenza cheese.  

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread aka Nutella

I don't know about you but I can't be trusted around Nutella.  I took a trip to Paris a few years ago and I think the 6 or so pounds I gained on that trip is due to the fact that I was helpless to resist the street side windows of creperies and their Nutella and banana crepes.

 Nutella + Banana is possibly my favorite food combination.  

This recipe makes about 4 cups, so plan accordingly.   (Most of this batch is going to friends and co workers.)

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

10 oz hazelnuts, blanched + skinless

1/4 cup sugar

1 lb bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 stick butter

1 cup cream

pinches of salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Place hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast about 30 minutes until medium brown.  Turn pan once during roasting for evenness.  Remove from oven and let cool.  

Combine sugar and roasted hazelnuts in the smaller bowl of a food processor and process with the multi purpose blade for 12 minutes of so.  Mixture will have to consistency of melted, oily, creamy peanut butter.  

Meanwhile, set a metal bowl over a pot of simmering water and melt chocolate.  Add butter, stirring to melt and combine with chocolate.  Stir in cream.  Stir in hazelnut/sugar mixture and salt.  While warm, pour into clean jars.  

Will keep at room temperature of 4 days or in the fridge for a month.  

Chantrelle + Mahon Pizza

Sadly, I don't have a wood burning oven for perfect pizza making at home.  (Luckily, Motorino and Forcella both do and are not more than ten minutes away.)  

So, how to make great pizza at home?  I have some suggestions:  use very good ingredients, make your own sauce, heat oven to its highest setting, aim for a thin crust and use a pizza stone to keep the temperature high and consistent.  

Someone told me about this crust recipe and I didn't believe them but it's the quickest and my new favorite for at home pizza making.  Makes two small thin crust pizzas.  (The crust in the above photo is not this crust, it was a portion of whole wheat dough I had in the freezer.)  

Quick Pizza Crust

1 cup self rising flour

1 cup plain greek yogurt

Chantrelle Pizza

4 cloves garlic, diced, divided

olive oil

1 shallot, diced

fresh thyme leaves, about 1 teaspoon

1 cup chantrelle mushrooms, brushed clean

s + p

1 1/2 cup mahon cheese, grated

1 inch cube parmesan cheese, grated

1 large tomato, sliced

For the Crust:  In a bowl combine yogurt and self rising flour with your hands until it comes together.  Should resemble playdough.  Adjust with more yogurt or flour as needed.  Knead for 5 minutes.  Form two discs and roll out on a floured surface very thin.

For the Pizza:  Place a pizza stone in oven and heat to 500 degrees.  Saute 2 cloves garlic, shallot, thyme and chantrelle mushrooms in a tablespoon of olive oil until shallot it clear and chantrelles are soft, about 5 minutes.  Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.  Rub each pizza with a drizzle of olive oil and rub with 1 clove diced garlic.  Top each pizza with half the cheeses, tomato slices and mushroom mixture.  Bake for 8-10 minutes.  You may have to cook the pizzas one at a time.  Serve hot.

I used a pizza pan that is circular and has holes in it. (Usually called a pizza crisper)   I place this on the pizza stone (extra crisp) or place the stone on one rack and the baking sheet on a rack right above it (crisp).   

Spicy Lentil Soup + Parmesan Toasts

Perfect soup for a snowy day, hearty and healthy with a spicy kick.  Also good served with rice or a side of sautéed leafy greens.

Spicy Lentil Soup

1 cup french green lentils

1 cup red lentils

drizzle olive oil

1 medium onion or leek, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 celery stalks, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced

2 bay leaves

few sprigs fresh thyme

1 dried guajillo pepper, sliced in 1/2 and seeded

2 quarts vegetable stock

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander seed

1 - 2 parmesan cheese rinds

s + p

splash red wine vinegar, as needed

Parmesan Toasts

baguette bread, sliced

olive oil

parmesan cheese, grated

black pepper

For the Soup:  Rinse lentils thoroughly in cold water and carefully pick through for stones and other debris.  Set aside.  In a large soup pot sauté onion, carrot and celery in a drizzle of olive oil over med high heat until onions are clear, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, poblano, thyme and bay.  Cook, stirring frequently for 2 minutes.  Add stock, guajillo, cumin, coriander, parmesan rind and lentils.  Wait to add salt until the lentils are almost done.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until green lentils are soft, about 30 minutes.  Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and maybe a little red wine vinegar.  Serve hot.  (Chopped fresh parsley and a small drizzle of olive oil are nice garnishes.)

For the Toasts:  Slice as many pieces of bread as you like.  Brush with oil and toast in a dry pan over medium heat.  Flip once and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Turn off heat.  Season with a turn or two of fresh black pepper.  Remove from pan.  Serve with soup.