Mexi Turkey Burger Recipe

I love a good burger, but don't always love the gut bomb that follows. Turkey is a great option to avoid that stuffed sensation, but can sometimes be dry and tough. I've found that a little egg and bread crumbs can boost a turkey burgers ego and a little spicy jalapeno never hurts either.

Makes 4 burgers

1 pound ground turkey
1 small yellow onion, small dice
1 large jalapeno, stem and seeds removed, small dice
1 large egg
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1/4 cup panko
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Combine all ingredients except oil in a large bowl and gently stir to incorporate all ingredients evenly. Divide evenly into 4 patties.

2. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once shimmering place burgers in the pan and let cook, undisturbed, until browned on the bottom, about 6 minutes. Flip and cook about 5 to 6 minutes on the other side, or until cooked through. Serve on toasted hamburger buns with your favorite condiments.

Basic Roasted Beets Recipe

My only beef with President Obama is that he doesn't like beets. I suppose it's an acquired taste, but I find them so sweet and delicious and surprisingly enough, very hard to come by here on the Great Plains (at least in the winter).

Roasting them whole is my favorite way to prepare them—it intensifies their inherent sweetness—although I did see a technique for wrapping them in foil and placing them among the coals in the grill that I think I will try this summer.

Once the beets are roasted and peeled I like to cut them in half vertically, then into thick slices and toss them into a green salad with shredded carrots and a spicy Dijon vinaigrette. Or combine them with cucumber slices, a generous splash of apple cider vinegar and a sprinkling of kosher salt.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

6 medium beets
olive oil
salt

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Scrub beets and dry with a paper towel. Place in a baking dish and drizzle generously with olive oil and salt. Cover with foil and roast until a knife is easily inserted, about 45 minutes.

2. Remove from oven and set aside until cool enough to handle. Trim off ends with a pairing knife and rub off skin with a paper towel. Quarter or slice beets as desired.

Cornbread Muffin Recipe

Calling cornbread a muffin allows one to avoid all the North-South contentious battles over what true cornbread really is. Calling it a muffin readily admits that there will be sugar present so maybe its not real cornbread but whatever, I'm from Iowa, not Georgia and this is how I like it.

Cornbread muffins are essential for dipping in chili and really meaty stews of all kinds and since we are nearing the end of stew season I wanted to post this recipe before it was too late.

This recipe can't be easier (honest to god, my lil' jalapeno can basically make them on her own if I hand her the ingredients), and it is dairy-free which is great if you have any milk sensitive people in your lives, if not you can substitute buttermilk or whole milk for the soy milk.

Cornbread Muffin
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Makes 12 muffins

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup plain soy milk
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg

1. Heat oven to 400°F and grease 1 (12 well) muffin tin or line with cupcake liners.

2. Combine all dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Add remaining ingredients and stir just until moistened. Divide batter evenly between muffin wells and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Pasta with Tomato-Mushroom Sauce Recipe

My newest cooking revelation is to not drain my pasta, but to scoop it out of the boiling water with tongs or a bamboo skimmer and plop it into the sauce pan.

It seems quite silly that I would start doing this now seeing as I have been watching Lidia Bastianich do this for years. I guess I hadn't been paying close enough attention, because I was watching Mario Batali last week on the Martha Stewart Show and he was doing the same thing and I thought, "now why have I not been doing that with my pasta?"

For this to be as earth shattering as I hope you think it is, there has to be some clarification on how a proper pasta is made, or should I say not made. A proper pasta is not boiled pasta laying naked on a plate  loosely draped with bottled sauce.

Nope, as a matter of fact, pasta is intended to be tossed with the sauce, which sometimes turns out to be thicker than one would assume when it was happily simmering away on its own. Once the pasta gets added it may need a little extra liquid to coat the noodles evenly, and the perfect liquid for that job is the starchy, salty water you just cooked the pasta in. Therefore, you always want to save that liquid in case you need it and if you have just dumped it all down the drain, well, your screwed.

So that was a completely roundabout way of explaining why it is such a fantastic idea to retrieve your pasta from the water and not the other way around.

Makes 4 servings

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces crimini or white mushrooms, sliced
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1 pound dry pasta
Grated Parmesan for serving

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add onion, garlic and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and cook stirring occasionally until onions are just starting to brown.

2. Add tomatoes, thyme, anchovy paste, and 1/2 cup of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 30 minutes.

3. While sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add pasta and cook according to package instructions. Remove pasta from cooking water into sauce and toss to combine, if sauce seems too thick add a ladle or two of pasta water. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Serve with grated parmesan cheese over the top.

Cucumber Tomato Salad Recipe

This may seem ridiculously simple, but it was so pretty and delicious I just had to post the "recipe". 

Try as I might to only buy produce in season, I sometimes have to break my code and satisfy my cravings a little early—I live in North Dakota people, I can't only eat cucumbers and tomatoes two weeks out of the year.

I saw these delightful little cherry tomatoes in the store and they pleaded with me to buy them, so I did—judge away. 

1 medium english cucumber, peeled, quartered, and cut into 1-inch pieces
8 to 12 large cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 an avocado, peeled and diced
olive oil, salt and pepper

1. Arrange the vegetables on a large plate, drizzle with several splashes of good extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Chicken with Artichoke Ragu and Angel Hair Recipe

Don't know how to clean an artichoke? Check out step-by-step instructions here.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 large globe artichokes
1/4 cup flour
3 (10 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally
6 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 small yellow onion, small diced
2 cups chicken stock, or reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 pound angel hair pasta
salt and black pepper

1. Fill a medium bowl with cold water and stir in lemon juice. Slice off the top third of the artichokes and snap off tough outer leaves. Trim 1/2 inch off the bottom of each stem then peel tough skin off remaining stem and artichoke bottom. Cut artichokes in half lengthwise and scoop out sharp inner leaves and choke. Cut into 1-inch slices and place in lemon water. Place a small plate on top of artichokes to keep them submerged.

2. Heat oven to 300°F. Place flour in a shallow dish and season generously with salt and pepper. Cover both sides of the chicken pieces in flour and shake off excess. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add 3 chicken pieces and brown on one side. Flip and cook on other side until browned and cooked through, transfer to a oven-proof dish. Add remaining 3 tablespoons oil to the pan and repeat with remaining 3 pieces of chicken. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place in oven to keep warm.

3. Return pan to heat and add onions. Season with salt and pepper and cook until starting to brown. Drain artichokes and add to pan and toss to coat in oil. Add chicken stock, capers, and chili flakes and bring to a boil. Simmer until artichokes are tender, about 30 minutes.

4. While artichokes are cooking, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Once boiling add pasta and cook according to package instructions. Once cooked, lift pasta out of the water with tongs and place into the frying pan with the artichokes and toss to combine. Drizzle with more olive oil and add some of the pasta cooking liquid if it seems dry. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Transfer pasta to plates, top with chicken and serve.

How To Clean An Artichoke

Artichokes along with their cousins asparagus are the harbingers of spring and while asparagus is the easygoing child, artichokes can be malicious little beasts. 

From the outside, they offer no enticement to be eaten—all prickly leaves and tough skin and the inside is even worse, no other vegetable has a part of it's anatomy that is literally called a choke. Artichokes fall into that category of food titled, "Who Thought It Would Be A Good Idea To Eat That?"

Well whoever had the tenacity to disarm this thorny thistle was onto something because artichokes have a natural earthy-brininess that cannot be found in any other vegetable. 

The easiest way to deal with an artichoke is to snip off the spiky leaf tops, slice off the stem and steam or simmer them. Serve the globes whole with garlic butter, flavored mayo, or vinaigrette for dipping. Just tear off a cooked leaf, dip, and scrape off the meaty leaf bottoms with your teeth. Once you get to the tender heart, remove the hairy choke, cut the heart into quarters and eat that too. 

To cook with the artichoke will require a bit more work, so here's what you do...

First cut off the top third of the artichoke. (I think this is easiest with a serrated knife.)

Next remove all the tough outer leaves until you get down to the tender light green or purple colored leaves. (Yes, you will remove about a third of the artichoke.) Slice about a 1/2-inch off the bottom of each stem and peel the tough skin off the stem and artichoke bottom. (I think this is easiest with a pairing knife.)

Then cut the artichokes in half lengthwise. Which, I do with a chef's knife and I realize that I have now used 3 knives for this process, remember when I said they were malicious little beasts? 

Now scoop out the prickly little inner leaves and the choke with a small spoon and discard. 

Then cut however the recipe indicates and place in acidulated water. As you can tell from the photos, artichokes oxidize very quickly; some people rub them with lemon as they are cutting to prevent them from turning brown. 

Submerge them in the water using a small plate until you are ready to cook. Enjoy!

Vegetable Biryani Recipe

This is a vegetarian main that is impressive and substantial enough to fill even the heartiest meat-eater's stomach.

It is a beautiful casserole layered with saffron scented rice and filled with this...

Need I say more?

Adapted from Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant 


Makes 6 servings

For  the rice:
1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
generous pinch saffron
pinch turmeric
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/4 cups hot water

For the vegetables:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium yellow onion, medium dice
1 red or green bell pepper, medium dice
1 medium jalapeno, seeded and minced
2 teaspoons freshly grated, peeled ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 cinnamon stick
pinch cayenne
1/2 cup water
1 small sweet potato, peeled and medium dice
1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 medium tomato, medium dice
1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas
1/3 cup raisins
1 cup canned or cooked chick peas
Roughly chopped roasted salted cashews and cilantro leaves for garnish

For the rice:
1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once shimmering, add rice and toss to coat in oil. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until all water is absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes.

For the vegetables:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Oil a 2 1/2-quart casserole and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onions, bell pepper, and jalapeno and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are starting to brown. Add ginger, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cayenne, and cook, stirring constantly, to toast the spices.

3. Add water, sweet potato, and cauliflower and season again with salt. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomato, peas, raisins, and chick peas and continue to cook until vegetables are just tender, but still have a little crunch, adding more water if necessary to prevent sticking. Taste and add more salt if necessary.

4. Spread half of the rice on the bottom of the greased casserole dish. Top with vegetable mixture and spread remaining rice over the top. Cover tightly and bake for 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender, but not mushy and dish is heated through. Serve with bowls of roasted salted cashews and cilantro leaves for garnish.

Simple Stewed Green Beans Recipe

Although I got this recipe from Cat Cora who attributes it to her Greek upbringing, my Mexican mother-in-law makes a very similar dish, sometimes with green beans and on occasion with nopales or cactus paddles.

It's no surprise that this method of cooking crunchy green vegetables spans the globe, it's a wonderful, easy way to cook them. You completely skip the two-step blanching process normally done when sauteing fresh green beans, and simply toss all the ingredients together. As the green beans cook they soak up the flavors of the onions, garlic and herbs and best of all, you only dirtied one pot.


Adapted from Cat Cora's Kitchen


Makes 6 servings

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, medium dice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 cup water
1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook until translucent and just starting to brown.
2. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and let cook until beans are tender, but not mushy. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.

Lemon-Oregano Roasted Potatoes Recipe

This is another one of my all-time favorites from my days at CHOW. Their beauty lies in their versatility, they go with practically anything—with eggs for breakfast, roast chicken at dinner—not to mention they literally take five minutes of active cooking time, so they can be tossed together in a flash and then just wait for them to cook.

Here I have made a smaller batch than the original and used medium-sized Yukon Gold potatoes instead of the large russets so the recipe is a little different—perfect for 3 to 4 people.

Makes 3 to 4 servings

4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered
1 teaspoon packed lemon zest
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Place all ingredients in a shallow 2-quart baking dish just large enough to hold potatoes in a single layer. Toss all ingredients together to coat potatoes, then arrange them in a single layer.

2. Bake until potatoes are well browned and crispy on all sides, turning halfway through about 40 minutes.

Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe

I go through phases with recipes. For a while I will be dedicated to the internet, spending the little time I have scouring new sites and checking the tried-and-true ones I love for new inspiration until I hit a wall and start to feel like I've seen everything the internet has to offer. (Which I realize is ridiculous because there are something like 5,000 food blogs alone, not to mention web magazines and websites and on and on and on.) 

Anyway, when I get to that point I turn to my library of cookbooks and pick a few that I feel I have yet to actually cook from. This particular recipe was inspired by one such cookbook, Cat Cora's Kitchen. This is the Iron Chef's first cookbook and it is a tribute to all aspects of her life, there is a section to commemorate her childhood in Jackson, Mississippi, a section dedicated to her Greek heritage, and a section honoring her life now in Northern California.  

This recipe for stuffed bell peppers jumped out at me and even though I switched it up a little bit, I give her all the credit, they were delicious. 

I used a rainbow of colored peppers and the sunset-hued varieties were tastier than the green. They are just that much sweeter and add a richer, more rounded flavor, plus they bake nicely and melt in your mouth, the green peppers stayed a little crunchy for my taste. The downside is they are much more expensive, so if you are on a budget, the green ones weren't bad, just not as good as the red, orange or yellow.

This makes enough stuffing for 8 medium to large peppers, but I only stuffed 4 and froze the remaining stuffing for later on. If you are serving passionate eaters these peppers as a main course they are likely to eat more than one, so plan accordingly.

Peppers can be stuffed with room temperature filling, covered, and refrigerated one day in advance.

Adapted from Cat Cora's Kitchen


Makes 6 to 8 servings

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, small dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 stalk celery, small dice
1 pound ground beef
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 small cinnamon stick
1 cup dry long-grain white rice
8 medium bell peppers

1. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large frying pan until shimmering. Add onion, garlic, and celery and season with salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and starting to brown. Add beef and cook until browned, breaking meat up with the back of a spoon. Season again with salt and pepper.

2. Add tomatoes with it's juice, mint, oregano, and cinnamon and simmer for about 5 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Add rice and simmer just until the liquid has been absorbed. Remove cinnamon stick.

3. Heat oven to 350°F.

4. Slice off enough of the stem end of each pepper to expose the cavity; reserve the tops. Remove all the seeds then loosely fill each cavity with the meat filling, leaving enough room for the filling to expand. Replace the tops and place the peppers in a 9-x-13-inch baking dish and pour in enough water to reach 1/2-inch up the sides of the peppers.

5. Bake, basting every 15 minutes, until rice is tender and peppers have browned, about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Mushroom and Barley Soup Recipe

This is a nice light soup to serve on the breezy, rainy days of spring. Mushrooms and barley have an affinity for each other, they both have a rounded earthy flavor that in this instance becomes quite sophisticated with the addition of a little sherry or Madiera.

Whole grains like barley are the perfect foods if you are on a budget, a half cup of barley may not seem like that much when you are measuring it out, but it expands to three times its size—any more and you would need an army to take this soup off your hands.

You could make this soup vegetarian by using vegetable stock instead of chicken stock and it would be equally delicious. I just happened to have chicken stock on hand so that's what I used.

Makes 6 servings

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, diced
1 pound white button, Cremini, or Portabello mushrooms, wiped clean and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup dry sherry or Madiera
5 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 cup pearl barley, rinsed
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large stock pot. Add onions, garlic, carrots, and mushrooms and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are browned, about 10 minutes. Add sherry or madeira and scrape up any browned bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pot.

2. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook until barley is tender, about 30 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed; remove thyme stems before serving.