Macaroni and Goat Cheese with Roasted Red Peppers...Eat.Live.Be. for a Better 2011

There were exactly approximately two rules in my house growing up.  (Okay, maybe three if you count the ban on play-doh.  But that was more of a lifestyle choice rather than a "rule".  The result of which is that I currently have a huge box of play-doh.  Sitting on my bookshelf.  At 23 years old.  Thanks mom.)



Rule #1 - No Simpsons.  None.  Ever.  And then, when they came out - no Family Guy, Futurama, or South Park either.  My mother had a very specific hatred for the lewd crude humor that these shows spewed forth.  Sure, she would allow a five year old to watch Seinfeld and Frasier and Mad About You.  But a satirical parody of a shockingly jaundiced "typical American family" in cartoon form?  Absolutely not.

Ah but I know what you're thinking.  "Sure Joanne, you didn't watch it as a child but I bet that as soon as you left for college, you binged and watched every episode on end back-to-back in a row one boring Tuesday night."

Um.  Nope.  I think from not watching it for so long, I have lost the ability to really get it.  Can't teach an old dog new tricks.  Or something like that.  There was a window of opportunity. I missed it. I'm okay with it.  Moving on.



Rule #2 - No blue box.

You know what I'm talking about.  That box with those little noodles that turn out impossibly mushy every time and that eerily orange powder that probably turns your intestines fluorescent and would probably make for a very interesting colonoscopy.

They were also a no-go.  It was homemade mac and cheese or the road in our house.  Which was fine.  Because my mom may not have been much of a cook.  But her mac and cheese has yet to be matched.

Before you get all excited.  This is not that mac and cheese.  That mac and cheese, with its sauce that consists entirely of milk and American cheese (yes.  You heard me right.  American. Cheese.  Who would have thought?) is reserved for my next 20 mile long run.  I'll deserve it then.

However, after my 10 mile run this Saturday.  I felt like I needed some kind of recompense and since dairy is oh so good for your muscles with its easily digestible proteins and all.  I went with this.  Macaroni and goat cheese with roasted red peppers.  Another Bittman masterpiece.

This will not be the cheesiest mac and cheese of your life.  But it will certainly be one of the most decadent.  It has a very distinct Mediterranean flair with its mix-ins of basil and roasted bell peppers.  The flavors of which distract from the richness of the sauce making it so that your taste buds can handle it and appreciate it without being overwhelmed.  Delicious.



Today at Eat.Live.Be. we're talking about our favorite healthy habit that we've picked up along the way towards living a healthier life.  And for me, it is doing away with all of the pre-packaged goods.  Realizing that a calorie is not just a calorie.  And doing it from scratch.

In college, when I was first trying to be healthier, I was all for the 100 calorie snack packs and frozen meals and all that jazz.  As long as it fit into my daily calorie allowance, who cared what kind of synthetic and artificial compounds were in it.  Right?

Wrong.

I should have remembered the lesson my mother tried to teach me by not allowing Kraft's into our house.  And that is that homemade is always better.  Even if it's not super good for you. It's always better.  So the habit that I've picked up along the way is that, if I can make it from scratch - whether it be mac and cheese, pizza, hummus, Chinese food - then I do.  And if I can't make it from scratch (cough Doritos cough)...then I probably shouldn't be eating it.

What is your favorite healthy habit that you've picked up along the way?  Share it in the comments or write about it on your blog and link up here:



And be sure to check out the posts written by my fellow Eat.Live.Be.-ers!

• Sarah Caron - www.sarahscucinabella.com
• Cate O’Malley - www.sweetnicks.com
• Maris Callahan - www.ingoodtasteblog.net
• Chris Arpante - www.melecotte.com
• Faith - www.clickblogappetit.com/
• Kristen - www.dineanddish.net
• Emily - http://andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com/
• Jenna - FireMom - http://stopdropandblog.com/
• Casey - http://www.thestarnesfam.com - e-mail
• Patsy - http://familyfriendsandfood.blogspot.com/
• Tri-Fit Mom - http://trifitmom.blogspot.com/
• Claire - http://cookiedoc.blogspot.com/
• Allison - http://sweetflours.blogspot.com/
• Jen - http://njepicurean.blogspot.com/
• Leslie - www.thehungryhousewife.com.
• Rivki Locker - http://www.healthyeatingforordinarypeople.com/
• Claudia - Journey of an Italian Cook
• Jennifer Schulz - http://lick-a-plate.blogspot.com/
• Sarah Rogers - http://sarahssweetcreations.blogspot.com
• Denise and Lenny - http://www.chezus.com

Baked Macaroni and Goat Cheese with Roasted Red Peppers
Serves 4-6, adapted from Bittman's How To Cook Everything Vegetarian

salt
2 1/2 cups almond milk
1 lb pasta
3 tbsp "light" butter (butter made with olive oil)
3 tbsp AP flour
1 cup grated sharp cheddar
1 cup softened goat cheese
1/2 cup basil, chopped
2 roasted red peppers, chopped
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1. Preheat the oven to 400.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil with it.

2. Heat the milk over medium-low heat.  When small bubbles appear along the sides, about 5 minutes later, turn the heat off and let it stand.

3. Cook the pasta to the point where it is almost done, but you feel like it still needs another minute or so.  Drain and rinse to stop the cooking.  Place it in a bowl.

4. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add 3 tbsp butter.  When it is foamy, add the flour and cook, stirring, until the mixture browns - about 5 minutes.  Add about 1/4 cup milk to the hot flour mixture, stirring with a wire whisk all the while.  As soon as the mixture becomes smooth, add a little more milk and continue to do so until all the milk is used up and the mixture is thick and smooth.  Add the cheddar and stir.

5. Pour the sauce over the noodles.  Toss in the goat cheese, bell peppers, and basil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Turn the pasta mixture into a 9x13 inch baking pan.  Top with bread crumbs and bake until bubbling, about 15 minutes.  Serve hot.

This is my submission to:
Presto Pasta Nights hosted by Ruth of Once Upon A Feast
Meatless Mondays hosted by Chaya of Sweet and Savory
Midnight Maniac Meatless Mondays hosted by Rebecca Jean of Midnight Maniac
Tackling Bittman hosted by Alex of A Moderate Life
The Hearth and Soul Blog Hop

Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

Look, if anyone asks, I am a goddess in the kitchen.

I never make mistakes. 

Everything always turns out beautifully. 

And sure, I may lick my share of spatulas.  And stick my fingers into just about everything I create.  And double dip.  But who doesn't? 

(And never have I ever given anyone Salmonella.  Which, for those of you who care is a gram negative, lactose negative bacteria that causes gastroenteritis, turns black on a test for hydrogen sulfide, and causes more of an inflammatory type of diarrhea than osmotic or malabsorptive or secretory.  Yes.  I said it.  Diarrhea.  We are in the middle of the GI module.  If I have to hear about diarrhea at 8AM every day then so do you.  Amen.)



But I am going to let you in on a little secret.  Sometimes. I  mess up.  Sometimes.  I mess up big time.  Sometimes.  I mess up enough to have to make two batches of cupcakes in one night.  True story.

Take these mint chocolate cupcakes, for instance.  Maybe I was distracted or in a rush or got it into my head that I was actually in lecture and thus was not paying attention at all whatsoever. Who knows. 

But I was speeding along, mixing up batter as quickly as possible.  (And with mint chocolate cupcakes lurking in your future, what are you doing hemming and hawing?  Get to it, people!)  And when I got to the end of the mixing, I thought.  Hmmm.  That's weird.  This is a really thick batter.  But because I am stubborn and occasionally think I can never make mistakes ever and certainly never forget entire ingredients, I didn't bother to recheck the recipe. I just forged ahead. 

And what happened was.  That I pulled out my cupcake tins.  And instead of having a moist light and fluffy batch of chocolate cupcakes. I was presented with a cupcake disaster in the form of dense, dry really bad brownie-esque cupcakes.  All because I forgot 3/4 cup warm water. 

Goddess status.  Revoked.

Thankfully, these are actually super easy to whip up.  There is no butter to soften.  Only three tbsp of vegetable oil to measure.  And so another batch went into the oven within about 10 minutes.  This time, with that 3/4 cup of water included. 

Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, shame on me.  And all that jazz.



So what my point is that while these cupcakes are obviously not indelible.  Nor will they hold up to any major baking errors.  They are worth any potential blows to your ego that may or may not ensue should you omit key ingredients and then expect everything to turn out for the best.  When made right, they are deliciously moist and light and fluffy.  Chocolate with a hit of mint.

And topped with a swiss meringue buttercream that, especially after the cupcake baking fiasco, will have you growing gray hairs like there's no tomorrow as you worry at each and every step that your eggs are curdling and that nothing will come together and that it might actually be too buttery, as if that's even a possibility. 

They won't.

It won't. 

Everything will be okay.

You will end up with something slightly sweet and minty (after all, it has been infused with the flavor from actual mint leaves and not just that overpriced extract that you purchased this holiday season) and absolutely ideal for those of us with a slight mint chocolate obsession. 

It took all the strength that I could muster to only eat one.  But that one.  Was kind of like heaven.  Even to this fallen baking goddess.



Mint Chocolate Cupcakes
Makes 18, adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups AP flour
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp pure peppermint extract
3/4 cup warm water
Mint Buttercream (recipe below)

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.  With an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk together the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, extract and the water.  Beat on low speed until smooth and combined, scraping down teh sides of the bowl as needed.

2. Divide the batter evenly among lined cups, filling each about two thirds full.  Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes.  Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes.  Turn out cupcakes onto racks to cool completely.  Cupcakes may be stored overnight at RT or frozen up to 2 months in airtight containers.

3. To finish, fill a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip with buttercream and pipe onto cupcakes.  Once frosted, cupcakes can be stored up to 1 day at RT or 3 days in the fridge.  Bring to room temperature before serving.

Mint Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Makes about 3 1/2 cups, adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

2 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar, separated
2/3 cup milk
1/3 tsp pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves
1 lb unsalted butter, room temperature (4 sticks)
1/2 tsp pure peppermint extract

1. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix egg yolks and 1/4 cup sugar on high speed until pale and thick, 2 to 3 minutes. 

2. Prepare an ice water bath.  Bring milk, vanilla, and mint leaves just to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Remove from heat.  Whisk about one third of milk mixture into yolk mixture to temper.  Pour yolk mixture into pan with remaining milk mixture and whisk to combine.  Clip candy thermometer to side of pan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture registers 185 F.  Remove from heat.  Strain through a fine sieve into a heatproof bowl (discard solids).  Set bowl in ice bath, stirring and mixing until cool.

3. In another bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy.  Beat in chilled egg-yolk mixture.

4. Heat egg whites and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in the clean heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over a pan of simmering water, whisking constantly by hand until mixture is warm to the touch and the sugar has dissolved.  Attach bowl to teh mixer fitted with the clean whisk attachment.  Starting on low speed and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, whisk until stiff peaks form and mixture is completely cool, about 10 minutes.  NOTE - the peaks were not stiff in the usual meringue sense but were a bit thicker and wetter because of the sugar.  Do not be alarmed.

5. Add egg-white mixture to butter mixture.  Switch to the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed until smooth.  Beat in peppermint extract. Keep buttercream at RT if using the same day or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.  Before using, bring to RT and beat with the paddle attachment on low speed until smooth again, about 5 minutes.

This is my submission to Weekend Herb Blogging, which is being hosted by Astrid of Paulchen's Foodblog.

Pork and Black-Eyed Pea Chili

And somehow, here we are.  Right smack dab in the middle of another holiday season.

Okay, maybe we are not in the middle yet.  But as you walk through the streets in your neighborhood. Or up and down the aisles of a lecture hall (for those of us who have no time to actually see daylight or inhale fresh air).

You can't help but hear the buzz.  Or smell it in the air.

Or. 

Maybe that's just the chili. 



Either way.  In case you live in a hole or don't speak to anybody with a penis ever, I am here to alert you to the fact that in a little over a week we will be celebrating the national holiday traditionally called "Superbowl Sunday".

I prefer to call it "most boring day of the year ever" or "sushi day" or "day in which I once again get terminally confused as to what exactly it means to reach the endzone" or "day in which I could go to a bar naked and no guy would pay any attention to me at all whatsoever because they are glued to the tv screens". 

(And yes, for the inquiring minds out there, last year my roommates and I spent superbowl Sunday eating sushi.  We thought it would be a good way to meet guys who don't actually care about football (PLUS!). Unfortunately, such guys don't exist and even if they do they would never admit it to their friends and so they were most certainly not at the sushi joint across the street from my apartment.  Bummer.)

Hmmm?  What's that?  Oh yes. I did say holiday season, didn't I?  Well, in case you have not frequented a single convenience store since approximately the day after Christmas, you may not know that the week after Superbowl Sunday is my other least favorite day of the year. 

Valentine's Day.

Yeah, worst holiday season ever.  Basically.



However, I do recognize the fact that some of you have significant others in your life and thus will not be spending the day of February 14th in a Benadryl-induced stupor that will allow you to sleep through the entire debacle and wake up on the 15th as if the previous day had never existed. 

And so I've plotted.  Schemed.  Connived.  "Figured out" how you can use Superbowl Sunday to your advantage.

It's easy, really.

Make this chili.

This chili, which is smoky spicy stick-to-your-ribs-but-not-to-your-thighs delicious.  It will win you brownie points.  And chocolate points.  And take-you-out-to-a-Michelin-starred-dinner on V day points.

Yes, I know. I love you too.



Just for the record, I adulterated this chili.  Originally meant to serve 12 people with 5 pounds of pork shoulder, I cut it down to size.  I quartered the pork (and used a much leaner loin instead), upped the beans, and left the sauce the same.  And what I was left with was sheer deliciousness.  So if you want to see the original recipe, you can find it here.  But I highly recommend sticking with this and doubling it if necessary.  Your tastebuds (and your thighs) will thank me.

Pork and Black-Eyed Pea Chili
Serves 6, adapted from Symon's Live To Cook

1/2 tbsp ground coriander
1/2 tbsp sweet smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1 lb pork loin, trimmed and cut into 2-inch chunks
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 lb bacon, sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and very finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and very finely diced
12 oz amber ale or porter
2 cups chicken broth
1 28 oz can whole Italian tomatoes, crushed
1 canned chipotle in adobo, minced
3/4 lb black-eyed peas, soaked overnight
1 small cinnamon stick
kosher salt and black pepper
shredded smoked cheddar cheese, cilantro and creme fraiche for serving

1. In a large bowl, combine the coriander, paprika and cumin. Toss with the pork.  Season with salt and pepper.

2. In a large pot, heat 2 tbsp of the oil.  Add the pork and cook over moderately high heat, turning once until browned.  Transfer the pork to a plate.

3. Add the bacon to the pot and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and slightly crisp, about 7 minutes.  Add the onion, garlic, jalapeno and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until veggies are softened, about 5 minutes.

4. Return the pork to the pot.  Add the ale, chicken stock, tomatoes, chipotles, black-eyed peas, and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil.  Cover and cook over very low heat until the meat and beans are tender, about 2 1/2 hours.  Season with salt and pepper.  Spoon off the fat from the surface and discard the cinnamon stick.  Serve in bowls and top with garnishes, if desired.

This is my submission to Symon Sundays, which is hosted at Veggie By Season and to Souper Sundays, which is hosted at Kahakai Kitchen!

Roasted Pumpkin, Wild Rice and White Bean Salad with a Ginger Sunflower Seed Dressing...Eat.Live.Be. for a Better 2011!

My father occasionally refers to my adoration of all things good and wholesome as if it were a drug seeking behavior.

"Do you have to be so obsessed?" he'll hiss when I add a pound full of some green vegetable to what would otherwise be "a perfectly good pasta dish".

It could be worse.  I tell him.  I could be snorting it.



This week at Eat.Live.Be. we're talking about some of our biggest challenges in regards to leading a healthier life.  When I was first trying to lose weight and get healthier, about four years ago, a huge challenge for me was having to deal with the people around me - I was changing, but my environment wasn't.  My parents still insisted on dousing everything with oil, eating dessert with every meal, and making the most monochromatic dishes known to man.  And it wasn't just them.  It was everyone.

And I think we can all attest that while it's easy to eat healthy when you are preparing each and every meal for yourself, all hell can break loose as soon as you're let out into the real world. 

Temptation lurks around every corner. 

People ask if you're sure that you don't want seconds. 

And they put tortilla chips on the table.  To snack on.  Sigh.

I know.  It's rough.

But here's my solution.  Be obtrusive. 

If you're going over to a relative or friend's house and you know they have a certain proclivity for deep frying everything in sight and putting little bowls of M&M's on every counter?  Insist on bringing a dish that you know you can feel good about eating.  This way you'll have an option.  Sure, have one of those crab cakes that is literally sitting in a pool of oil.  But then also reach for a helping of whatever it is that you brought.  You'll feel better the next day. I promise.

If you're going out to eat and the restaurant pairs everything, including pasta, with a side of fries? (Well, first of all, why are you going to this restaurant again?)  Don't be afraid to ask for what you want.  I don't eat fries, so I'm constantly cajoling waiters into giving me a side salad instead.  I know you're going to feel incredibly obnoxious doing this, at least the first few times.  But eventually you get used to it.  Or you realize they don't really care as much as you think they do.  Who knows.

So now, I want to know - what is your biggest challenge and how are you approaching it?  Write about it in a post or leave a comment letting me know!  Next week we'll be writing about our favorite healthy change and how it's helping us to better our lives.



And check out the posts from the other Eat.Live.Be. bloggers:

• Sarah Caron - www.sarahscucinabella.com
• Cate O’Malley - www.sweetnicks.com
• Maris Callahan - www.ingoodtasteblog.net
• Chris Arpante - www.melecotte.com
• Faith - www.clickblogappetit.com/
• Kristen - www.dineanddish.net
• Emily - http://andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com/
• Jenna - FireMom - http://stopdropandblog.com/
• Casey - http://www.thestarnesfam.com - e-mail
• Patsy - http://familyfriendsandfood.blogspot.com/
• Tri-Fit Mom - http://trifitmom.blogspot.com/
• Claire - http://cookiedoc.blogspot.com/
• Allison - http://sweetflours.blogspot.com/
• Jen - http://njepicurean.blogspot.com/
• Leslie - www.thehungryhousewife.com.
• Rivki Locker - http://www.healthyeatingforordinarypeople.com/
• Claudia - Journey of an Italian Cook
• Jennifer Schulz - http://lick-a-plate.blogspot.com/
• Sarah Rogers - http://sarahssweetcreations.blogspot.com
• Denise and Lenny - http://www.chezus.com

So in contrast to my last post in which I tried to convince you that I bring nothing but temptation, doom and destruction (in the form of pies with flaky buttery heavenly delicious crusts) when I am invited to other people's houses.  I will have you know that I do actually practice what I preach.

When my mom called me to alert me to the fact that we were going to my aunt's house, I had a vision.  A vision of every single artery clogging food that was going to be served to me.  A vision of every glass of champagne that my mother was going to have as she got increasingly belligerently drunk.  (Not that that really has anything to do with anything.  I just thought I'd share with you. My mother gets irrationally belligerent when she's drunk.  So it goes.)

And then, after my vision. I had a dream.  A dream that I would put an end to the intense anxiety that I felt at having to eat all of that terrible horrible no good very bad food.  And how would I do it?  By bringing this salad.

I first encountered this salad on 101 Cookbooks but then doctored it up to suit my needs. I added white beans, because they are beautiful.  I added ginger because the dressing tasted a little...well...boring without it.  And I doubled it so that I could at least pretend that I was bringing it to share with other people. 

Sometimes, I can be selfish in such an altruistic kind of way. 

And in the end, everyone actually did eat it.  And like it.  Except for my father who said that it was good, although it had some kind of spice that he didn't like.  By which he means that it had spice and so he didn't like it.  But I commend him for trying even though it was way outside his comfort zone.

See what I mean? Altruism.  I'm expanding horizons, one pumpkin salad at a time. 



Roasted Pumpkin, Wild Rice and White Bean Salad with a Ginger Sunflower Dressing
Serves 12, adapted from 101 Cookbooks 

1 cup white beans, cannellini beans, or flageolets, rinsed and soaked overnight

1 large butternut squash, about 6 pounds, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
cooking spray
fine grain sea salt

3 medium red onions, peeled and quartered
1 1/2 cups wild rice

2/3 cup sunflower seeds
2/3 cup olive oil
4 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp honey
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 375.  Spray the pumpkin/squash with cooking spray and toss with some fine grain sea salt.  Place onto a baking sheet.  Repeat with the red onion quarters.  Roast both for about 45 minutes or until brown and caramelized.

2. In the meantime, cook the beans and the wild rice (separately) according to package instructions.

3. To make the dressing, combine the sunflower seeds, olive oil, lemon juice, ginger, salt, and honey in a food processor or blender.  Puree until creamy.  Add a few tbsp of warm water if it's super thick, although mine wasn't.  Stir in the cilantro.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

4. In a large bowl, toss the wild rice and beans with a dollop of dressing.  Mix in the onions and the squash, gently tossing with your hands.  Top with remaining dressing.

I am submitting this to Souper Sundays, hosted at Kahakai Kitchen, Meatless Mondays hosted at My Sweet and Savory, and the Hearth and Soul Blog Hop.

Cranberry Blueberry Pie

If ever you thought that pie season was over as soon as that last bough of mistletoe made it's way into the garbage disposal.  (Taking with it any chance that I am going to be kissed this holiday season.  Santa, didn't you get my list?)

Well, you may be right.

But my parents have yet to take down their Christmas tree.  Their halls are still decked.  They've still got Frank Sinatra's Christmas Album playing.  On repeat.  Loudly.



And, this past weekend.  They insisted that we attend yet another family Christmas party.

Yes, I know it's January 21st.  Yes, I know we are now closer to Valentine's Day (oh the horror) than Christmas.


But they can be irrational.  And belligerent.  Especially after drinking five too many glasses of cognac.  It's often best just to nod and smile.

So I humored them.



In case you haven't noticed.  Not much pie making goes on around here.

Pies are notoriously difficult to make.  Especially fruit pies.

What if they don't set up?  What if the fruit isn't quite sweet enough?  Or ripe enough?  What if it tastes bland?

It's enough to fling you into a full-blown anxiety attack.  Or at least give you a few gray hairs.

And then there's pie crust.  Which is a whole other beast.

And which I've never successfully made until this past weekend, when my mother called me 24 hours before we were supposed to leave for my aunt's house and said, "You know what would be nice?  If you made dessert."  And so then I didn't even have enough time to worry about whether it would be flaky and buttery or encompass everything that is right in this world.

I just forged ahead.  And honestly, I think it was the better for it.



Now I know you're thinking, but Joanne.  Wherever can we still find cranberries at this time of year?

My fridge.  Seriously.  There are so many bags, I could bathe in them.  And still have more left over to make another pie with.

Or Whole Foods. They sell frozen cranberries year round which are just perfect for those days in the middle of summer when you fool yourself into thinking you miss winter.  You know, those 90 degree humid days when you are deluded enough to think that 20 degrees would actually feel really good right now.  I'm writing this so that you remember that it never feels good.

What I mean to say is, do whatever you have to do.  But make this pie.  The cranberries give it a hint of tartness which really offsets the sweet blueberry mixture beautifully.  And did I mention that it is rife with antioxidants?  So you won't even be breaking your New Year's resolution by eating it.  And you'll be staving off cancer with each and every bite.

Score.



Basic Pie Dough
Makes enough for 2 9-inch pie crusts, adapted from Annie's Eats

2 1/2 cups flour
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 sticks, cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
6 tbsp very cold water

1. Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix to blend.  Add in the butter pieces and mix on medium-low speed to cut the butter into the flour.  Continue until the mixture resembles coarse sand and the largest butter pieces are no larger than a pea.  Mix in the cold water on low speed just until the dough comes together.

2. Shape into two balls, wrap in plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 48 hours.  (Dough can be frozen for up to 2 months.)  Remove from the refrigerator.  Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface.  Use as directed in your recipe.

Cranberry Blueberry Pie
Serves 8-12, adapted from Bon Appetit, November 2010 

16 oz frozen blueberries (do not thaw)
12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries (do not thaw)
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon peel
1 recipe pie dough (above)
half and half (for brushing)
demarara sugar (for sprinkling)

1. Combine all the ingredients, from the blueberries through the lemon peel in a medium-large saucepan.  Cook over medium high heat, stirring to blend, until the mixture starts to boil, about 12-14 minutes.  Once the mixture reaches a boil, continue boiling for 2 minutes. stirring constantly.  Transfer to a bowl or other container and let cool completely.  Mixture can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

2. Preheat the oven to 400.  Roll out one disk of pie dough on a well-floured surface into a 12-inch round.  Line a 9-inch pie plate with the crust.  Remove the cinnamon sticks from the filling.  Spread the filling into the bottom pie crust.  Roll out the remaining disk of pie dough and cut into thin strips.  Use the strips to form a lattice over the top of the filling.  Cut off the excess crust and pinch the edges together to create a fluted pattern.  Lightly brush the top of the pie crust with half and half.  Sprinkle with demerara sugar.

3. Place the pie on the top rack of the oven.  Place a rimmed baking sheet on the lower rack, beneath the pie.  Bake, rotating midway through, until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling - 60-70 minutes.  If the crust seems to be browning too quickly, tent with foil to prevent over-browning.  Allow to cool on a wire rack before serving.

I am submitting this to Weekend Herb Blogging, which is being hosted this week by Min of Honest Vanilla.

Braised Veal Shanks with Gremolata and Whipped Root Vegetables

What vegetable activates your gag reflex?

I know you have one.  We all have one.  (Unless of course, you're one of those people who doesn't have a gag reflex.  In which case...food blogging?  Really?  Don't you think there are bigger and better things you could be doing with this "talent" of yours?)



For me, it's celery.

And no people.  Get your minds out of the gutter.  It is not because of any inappropriate usage of the ever so phallic-ly shaped stalk.  And really, if it were would I even be telling you about it.  Here.  On a food blog.

(Sadly. Probably yes. Don't judge me.)

Seriously, though.  I hate the stuff.  It's stringy and stalky and has this overpowering taste that makes me feel like it's trying to take over the world or at least my palate.

And it makes my skin crawl.  There.  I said it.  It. Makes. My. Skin. Crawl.

(I'm sorry to all you celery farmers out there.  But you are ruining my life.)

Which explains why I cannot say a single good thing about these whipped root vegetables. 

You see.  These have celeriac in them.  A.K.A. celery root.  And somehow, somewhere, I got it into my head that celery root doesn't actually taste like celery.  I read it somewhere. Or someone mentioned it once.  Or I'm delusional.  One of the three.

So I thought, eh, what the hell.  I'll try it.

Oh how wrong I was.

From the moment I peeled that ugly, dirt encrusted vegetable (top left in the picture above).  And that god-awful smell permeated my kitchen.  Which was enough to send the gag reflex atwitter, might I add.  I should have known.

But no.  I decided to forge ahead.  Be the bigger person.  Try not to judge a vegetable by its odor.

And all that got me was a big pile of mashed vegetables that I can barely even look at.  Such a shame.  Because I can tell that beneath that offending, obtrusive flavor.  Is sheer deliciousness.

Next time. I'm using a sweet potato instead.  Hellz yeah.



I'm always one to look on the bright side, though.  And so, yeah.  Maybe the root vegetable thing didn't quite work out. It happens.

But the veal.  Oh, the veal.  It is fall-apart, melt-in-your-mouth-but-not-in-your-hand good.  It is lemony and caper-y and you will squeal the entire day while it is cooking in your kitchen and you can smell it's heady scent from your bedroom.  It will comfort you while you are in the middle of watching "The Back-Up Plan", an amazingly terrible chick flick with Jennifer Lopez that will essentially be the story of my life someday, and thinking that no one will ever love you enough to want to raise the children that you were artificially inseminated with just mere days before you met them.

Really, you smell this and you feel like you are being encased in a warm hug.  And then you taste it.  And it's like love.  Really.  Do it.



Braised Veal Shanks with Gremolata
Serves 6, adapted from Symon's Live to Cook

3/4 cup brine-cured green olives (I used garlic-stuffed green olives)
6 2-inch thick veal shank pieces (osso buco)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
flour, for dredging
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 medium-large onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 salt-packed anchovy fillet, rinsed and chopped
grated zest of 2 lemons
1 1/2 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp freshly grated lemon zest
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic

1. Preheat the oven to 275.  Or if you oven only goes as low as 300...preheat to 300.

2. Lightly crush the olives with the side of a large knife and discard the pits.  Finely chop a third of them and set aside.

3. Pat the veal shanks dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.  Dredge each shank in flour and shake off the excess.  In a heavy saute pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil and the butter over medium-high heat until the foam subsides.  Brown both sides of the shanks in batches, about 2 minutes on each side.  Transfer the shanks to a roasting pan.

4. Wipe out the saute pan.  Spray with cooking spray. Add the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring, until golden, 5-10 minutes.  Add the garlic and anchovy and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.  Add the olives, lemon zest, capers, rosemary and stock and simmer for 5 minutes.  Pour over the shanks and cover the roasting pan tightly with foil.  Braise the shanks in the oven for 4-6 hours or until the meat is very tender.  I went with 4 hours.  If desired, let the shanks cool before covering and refrigerating for up to 2 days.  Discard the fat from the top before reheating.

5. To make the gremolata, combine the parsley, zest, and garlic in a small bowl.

6. Transfer the shanks with a slotted spoon to another roasting pan or deep oven-proof platter and keep warm, covered, in the oven.  Strain the cooking liquid through a sieve into a 1 quart glass measuring cup and reserve the solids, discarding the rosemary.  Let the liquid stand until the fat rises to the top.  Skim and discard the fat.  Add the reserved solids to teh liquid, heat through, and pour over the shanks.  Serve sprinkled with the gremolata.

Whipped Root Vegetables
Serves 4, adapted from Symon's Live to Cook

1/2 lb potatoes (about 1 large russet)
1/2 lb parsnips (about 2 medium)
1/2 lb celery root (about 1 medium) OR 1/2 lb sweet potato
1/4 lb turnips (about 2 medium)
2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp butter
1/4 cup almond milk

1. Peel the potatoes, parsnips, celery root, and turnips.  Cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces.  Combine in a large pot and cover with cold water and 1 tbsp of the salt.  Bring the water to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium and boil gently until the veggies are tender, about 20-30 minutes.

2. Strain the veggies well and return to the pot.  Let the pot sit for 5 minutes over low heat to cook off any excess liquid.  Whip the veggies using a hand mixer or run through a food mill.  Add the remaining tbsp salt.  Whip in the butter and then, if not smooth enough, add some milk.

This is my submission to Symon Sundays, which is hosted over at Veggie By Season!

Pasta with Ruby Chard and Cranberries...Eat.Live.Be. for a Better 2011!

Winter makes me not want to leave the house.

It makes me want to curl up in bed and argue with myself about going out for a walk.  Or putting on four layers of clothing to go for a run.  Or walking five blocks to the gym.

Sometimes.  It even gives me second thoughts about going grocery shopping.

That's when I know things have gotten bad. 



And yet, day after day.  Week after week.  I find myself lacing up my sneakers.  Putting on four layers of running shirts.  Telling my roommates that if I'm not back in two hours, they should probably do a sweep of Central Park.  And heading out the door.

Given that our theme for this week's Eat.Live.Be. is "Baby, It's Cold Outside", I spent a fair portion of my 8 mile run on Saturday pondering how I inevitably get from Point A to Point B. Day after day.  Week after week.

And what I came up with was a whole lot of disjointed and confused thoughts.  Best presented in list format so that you can't really tell just how disjointed and confused they are.  Here goes.

1.  Good old Catholic guilt.  It's not just for Catholics anymore.  I know that if I don't go to the gym or go for a run, I will inevitably just sit on my butt all day.  I will feel lazy. I will feel fat.  I will feel like I have cheated myself of that happy, inspired, post-workout glow.  And knowing just how much that guilt will ruin the rest of my day is enough to get me out the door.  ASAP.

2. Endorphin rush.  This is the positive spin on point 1 up there.  Rather than thinking about how terrible I'll feel if I don't go, I also remind myself of how amazing I will feel if I do go.  Whenever I come back from a run, I feel like I'm walking on air.  You can ask my roommates - I'm like an entirely different person.  You would think I had just gotten engaged.  Or had the best sex of my life.  (Neither of which, tragically, is anywhere close to coming true.)  I feel so good about myself.  I've heard it said that you never ever regret a workout and, in my experience, it's true.  That feeling of accomplishment that I get at the end dominates any reticence I may have felt about heading out the door in the first place.  Moral of the story - just do it.

3. Tell everyone you know.  The day before I'm going to go for a long run, or if I'm going to go to an exercise class at the gym, I make sure everyone knows about it.  About sixty times in the few hours preceding my workout, I tell my roommates what time I'm going to leave, where I'll be going, how far I'll be going or which class I'll be going to.  The night before, all my friends know that I won't be drinking or going out until all hours of the night because I have a run to do.  Oh, and I tweet about it.  This holds me accountable.  Once I put it out there, it's done.  I'm doing it.  This way, when and if someone asks me, "Oh so how was your run?", I don't have to hang my head in embarrassment over the fact that I was just too damn lazy to leave my room.

4. Make a schedule.  I go to the gym at approximately the same time.  Every day.  While this may make me seem boring.  Predictable.  Anal retentive.  It also means that exercising has become as intrinsic a part of my daily routine as, say, brushing my teeth.  You wouldn't think to not brush your teeth just because you had an exam the next day, right?  Same goes for me and going to the gym.  It is just something that I do.  Every day.  No matter what.

I hope you guys found this helpful, and if you have any other tips you'd like to share with how you manage to stay in shape or eat healthy even with the winter dragging you down, feel free to post about it and link up here, or write about it in the comments!

Next week we are going to be writing about our biggest challenges and how we are tackling them, so get thinking and stay tuned.


And feel free to check out the other Eat.Live.Be. blogs to see how they keep themselves motivated!

• Sarah Caron - www.sarahscucinabella.com
• Cate O’Malley - www.sweetnicks.com
• Maris Callahan - www.ingoodtasteblog.net
• Chris Arpante - www.melecotte.com
• Faith - www.clickblogappetit.com/
• Kristen - www.dineanddish.net
• Emily - http://andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com/
• Jenna - FireMom - http://stopdropandblog.com/
• Casey - http://www.thestarnesfam.com - e-mail
• Patsy - http://familyfriendsandfood.blogspot.com/
• Tri-Fit Mom - http://trifitmom.blogspot.com/
• Claire - http://cookiedoc.blogspot.com/
• Allison - http://sweetflours.blogspot.com/
• Jen - http://njepicurean.blogspot.com/
• Leslie - www.thehungryhousewife.com.
• Rivki Locker - http://www.healthyeatingforordinarypeople.com/
• Claudia - Journey of an Italian Cook
• Jennifer Schulz - http://lick-a-plate.blogspot.com/
• Sarah Rogers - http://sarahssweetcreations.blogspot.com
• Denise and Lenny - http://www.chezus.com

Now for the food.  I think we can all agree that summer produce makes us all want to eat better.  The farmer's markets are filled with color and vibrancy.  There are peppers, heirloom tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini.  It is a veritable rainbow of health and goodness.

Winter, on the other hand?  Eh, not so much.  Root veggies, while delicious, are not the prettiest things to look at.  And so they just don't feel as inspirational.  Which may or may not be why so many of us crave good old meat and potato dishes at this time of year.  That's fine, of course, every once in a while.  But you still need to get a little color into your plates.

One of my favorite ways to eat the rainbow during the winter months is to eat greens.  Kale, swiss chard, collards - all of these are beautifully in season at the moment.  Swiss chard happens to be my current favorite as it is a little less bitter than collards and a bit lighter than kale, which is why when I saw this recipe for pasta with ruby chard in one of my cookbooks, I knew that I was going to have to make it.  Simple though it may seem, the red pepper flakes and the tart cranberries give it just enough spice and pizazz to make you want to keep eating it.  And, you know.  The ridiculously high amounts of vitamin A, along with the knowledge that you are doing something so ridiculously good for your body?  They don't hurt either. 



Pasta with Ruby Chard and Cranberries
Serves 4-6, adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Cooking For Health 

1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 lb chunky-shaped whole grain pasta
3 bunches ruby or red swiss chard (1.5-2 lb)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
red pepper flakes
1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  When it comes to a rapid boil, ladle a few tbsp of it into a bowl.  Add the dried cranberries and set aside to soak.  Cook the pasta until al dente and drain.

2. While the water heats, rinse the chard and remove the bottom 1/2 inch of the stems.  Discard.  Cut the remaining stems crosswise into 1/2 inch slices and set aside.  Chop the leaves.  Set aside.

3. While the pasta cooks, warm the oil in a large soup pot on high heat.  Add the chard stems and saute for a minute.  Add the garlic and the chard leaves and cook, uncovered, stirring often, until the chard is limp but the leaves are still bright green, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the salt.  Add a sprinkling of black peper and red pepper flakes to taste.

4. Drain the soaked cranberries.  Divide the pasta into serving bowls and top with the garlicky chard, plump hot cranberries, and toasted walnuts.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

I am submitting this to Presto Pasta Nights, which is being hosted by the lovely and wonderful Heather of Girlichef!  And to the Hearth and Soul Blog Hop!  And to Meatless Mondays hosted over at My Sweet and Savory!