Greek Yogurt

Stop eating sour cream. Stop it now!

I tried Greek yogurt for the first time a year or so ago and HATED it. But then, I never cared for plain yogurt of any kind after growing up on flavored (ahem, sugared) Yoplait. Yoplait and I had an on again off again relationship for years. I'd eat it everyday for two straight months and then take a six month break. But for some reason or another I jumped on the froyo (frozen yogurt) bandwagon last winter and suddenly had to have it all the time. When I got to California there were froyo places a plenty, but at $5 a pop it was getting kind of expensive. Plus, all of the places with unique flavors were nowhere near the neighborhoods I frequent. So I bought a frozen yogurt maker. I read on various blogs that Trader Joe's full fat Greek yogurt was the best for frozen yogurt, so I bought that and their 2% version. I had the sugary syrup set aside and was simply scooping the yogurt into the bowl when I decided to lick the spoon for kicks--fully expecting to gag. But I didn't gag! I literally had one of those moments where I was like, "Oh... Oh! Oh my God!" as I licked the container clean. Greek yogurt is awesome! It is thick and creamy, so it holds its form like those Yoplait custard yogurts I used to like, and it's so fresh and pure and tart! It's hard to describe. After trying a few brands I've decided that Trader Joe's 2% is my favorite for regular yogurt purposes, but Fage (fa-yeh) is essentially sour cream. I am ecstatic that I never have to eat sour cream again! Sour cream bad! Greek yogurt good! Greek yogurt is packed with protein and good bacteria and it's lower in fat (the 2%) than sour cream. If any of my recipes on this site call for sour cream please substitute Greek yogurt. Here are some suggestions for use (will add more later):

• Greek yogurt & (thawed) frozen raspberries: If you like sugary yogurts this is a great alternative. Add a bit of the juice with the berries and blend. You won't even miss the sugar.
• Greek yogurt & lavender honey: Heat a couple tablespoons of honey (per serving) a little and mix. You can use regular honey but if you can find lavender honey use it because it's such a unique flavor! And again, you won't miss the sugar.
• Greek yogurt and scallions on a baked potato: Obvious substitute for sour cream. I honestly can't tell the difference. I plan to replace it with my dad's sour cream at some point to see if he can. That will be the ultimate test!
• Greek yogurt with any Mexican dish: Duh.
• Greek yogurt as a base for salad dressing: A couple of my dressing recipes use sour cream, but this would be so much better.
• Greek yogurt dollops on thick soups: Bean soups! Squash soups! Yum yum yum!
• Greek yogurt as a substitution for coconut milk/dairy products: I just did this for my Peanut Sauce recipe. Added a little soy milk to thin it.

Peanut Sauce

I remember a time when I hated peanut sauce. That time has passed. Peanut sauce with steamed veggies and tofu is now one of my go-to meals not only because it's easy to just chop and steam vegetables but also because this sauce keeps well in the fridge (or frozen!). You can heat and pour this sauce over your meal but I'm a fan of dipping.

Ingredients:

1 cup chunky natural peanut butter (do not use anything that has more ingredients than peanuts, oil, and salt!)
1 can of light coconut milk
2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons rice vinegar (or plain white vinegar)
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons corn starch

Directions:

Put all ingredients into a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat and serve (or save).

Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

I've tried many chocolate chip recipes over the years but this is my favorite. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 1/4 cups milk chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 360 degrees. Cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar until it is nice and fluffy. I use an immersion blender. Add both eggs and vanilla and beat for an additional 2 minutes. Add sifted baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour until cookie batter is fully incorporated. Finally, add chocolate chips and mix. The cookie batter should be somewhat thick. Drop about 2 tablespoons of dough onto a baking sheet. I lined mine with foil. Bake for 10 minutes and then check to see if they are ever-so-slightly brownish. I usually bake one minute longer. It is essential that you take the cookies out at the first sign of browning. They should appear slightly underdone. Transfer to a flat surface like a cutting board.

The trick to good cookies I've found is the right amount of flour and under-baking.

Nuts Online

Nuts Online

I've never written a non-recipe post before but this online store I've just discovered merits mentioning. I am in love! Nuts Online has a fantastic array of baking supplies as well as candies, nuts, and other such things. And they are so reasonable! I found the taro powder I've been looking for for $5.99, as well as cocoa dusted almonds, bulk sprinkles, green tea powder (for frozen yogurt!), mochi, and so much more! The only thing they don't have is rose water, lavender water, or orange blossom water. But I have sent in a request. If that's approved I will probably never buy baking supplies at the grocery store again. Check it out!

Maple Pumpkin Soup

This is flagrant theft, but I'll cite my source (as good archivists are wont to do) because this soup is so lovely! I found this on Girl Chef so do please go and check her site out. There's lots of other delicious-sounding recipes, which I plan on trying.

I did consider changing the date stamp on this post because this is definitely an autumn soup, but it's cold in San Francisco and I've been surviving off soup for awhile (side note: I'm escaping to Palm Springs this weekend partially to enjoy cold dishes). I changed a couple of things from the original recipe and here it is:

Ingredients:

2 maple flavored sausages, sliced and browned
1 red onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 large can pumpkin puree
3 cups stock (+/- depending on how thick you prefer your soup)
1 can Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
4 tablespoons real maple syrup
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Salt, to taste
Fresh sage, to garnish

Directions:

Saute minced onion in stock pot. When soft, add garlic and toss. Add pumpkin puree and mix. Add stock, beans, syrup, sausage, and nutmeg. Cook on medium heat for 15 minutes. Add salt to taste. Serve with crusty bread and garnished with sage leaves.

Pear Cardamom Frozen Yogurt

"Still Life with Pears" Vincent Van Gogh

Having fun with the new ice cream maker again! I got this idea from my favorite Thanksgiving cranberry sauce recipe (it is on this blog), but I wasn't feeling the cranberries this time. I don't like particularly tart frozen yogurts. But this the pear and cardamom combination is a lovely subdued flavor, which I value in desserts.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup organic sugar

1 can pears, drained and blended (save the juice)

2 teaspoons ground cardamom

A few drops of green and yellow food coloring for a slight pearish color

2 containers of Trader Joe's Greek Style Yogurt (about 4 cups)

Directions:

In a saucepan mix sugar, blended pears, cardamom, and a couple tablespoons of the reserved juice. Stir with whisk till boiling and mixture bubbles. Turn off heat and remove from stove. Continue stirring till mixture stops bubbling and you're left with a simple syrup. Mix together yogurt and syrup and food coloring. Add mixture to ice cream maker and churn for half an hour. Transfer to airtight container and store in freezer.

Versatile Blended Cannellini Soup

For the past six months or so I've been playing around with blended cannellini soup not only because it's (typically) a super cheap and easy meal but also because there are so many directions you can take it. Here are two of my favorites!










Southwest Italian Blended Cannellini Soup

Ingredients:

2 cans drained (and washed) cannellini beans
1 can Progresso (or similar) Light Southwest Vegetable (noodle-less) soup
2 cans stock (or 1 1/2 can water)
1 onion, diced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 pinch of red pepper flakes
2 shakes each of Oregano and Basil (or an Italian spice blend)
Mexican Chili Powder
Olive Oil
Garlic salt/pepper/salt to taste

Directions:

Begin by sauteing the onions with a sprinkle of chili powder and olive oil in a dutch oven or stock pot. When soft, add the rest of the ingredients (adjust water/stock to whatever thickness you prefer). Cook on medium heat for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and blend completely with an immersion blender (my favorite kitchen appliance). Adjust garlic salt/salt/pepper to taste. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, ground pepper, and crusty bread.

Blended Tomato Cannellini Soup

Ingredients:

2 cans cannellini beans, strained and washed
1 can Campbells Tomato Soup
1 onion, diced
Mexican chili powder
Olive Oil
Garlic, minced (however much you prefer)
2 cups stock or water
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
Salt/Pepper to taste
Oregano/Basil to taste

Directions:

Saute onions and a pinch or two of chili power with olive oil in a dutch oven or stock pot till soft. Add the rest of the ingredients (except ricotta cheese!). Cook on medium heat for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and blend with an immersion blender. Add salt to taste. Serve with a dollop of ricotta in the center, a drizzle of olive oil, and ground pepper.

EXTRA:

Grilled Cheese Croutons

I know these have become super fashionable but I'm still a fan--especially with these soups. Just make a grilled cheese sandwich like normal (however you prefer, though good cheese and crusty bread helps). Let cool, and with a sharp knife slice into crouton-sized bits. Heat in the oven for a minute or so before serving with either soup.

Marshmallow Mermaid Pie

What pie-maker who has seen "Waitress" has not fantasized about Jenna's Marshmallow Mermaid Pie? Ever since I fist saw the movie and her pie topped with (childhood favorite!) fruit-flavored mini marshmallows, I've been looking for a recipe. I was shocked to find that the DVD includes a recipe for "Marshmallow Mermaid Pie" but it looks nothing like the one in the movie and the ingredients do not make me think mermaid. It's more like a cookies and cream kind of pie--plain white marshmallow filling mixed with chocolate wafers, I think. I didn't even bother making it. Instead, I set about imagining what Marshmallow Mermaid Pie would actually consist of. In the movie it looked like a pinkish custard with the colorful mini marshmallows. So what kind of custard is pink? Um, rose custard of course. If you know me you know I look for any excuse to use rosewater. But it needed something more and my favorite companion to rosewater is coconut extract. So this is a rosewater/coconut custard-y pie topped with the classic colorful mini marshmallows we all know and love.

Ingredients:

1 precooked pie crust (see recipe in my blog)
1 pint cream, whipped (I use an immersion blender)
1 6oz package instant vanilla pudding (and necessary ingredients to make)
2 tablespoons rosewater
2 teaspoons coconut extract
1/2 cup coconut flakes
1 package plain gelatin
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 cup water
Red food coloring
Flavored Mini Marshmallows

Directions:

In separate bowl mix together vanilla pudding till thick. If necessary, chill. Blend cream till thick, chill. In a saucepan mix sugar, rosewater, coconut extract, and water. Pour packet of gelatin over mixture, let sit for 1 minute. Turn stove to high heat and mix until mixture bubbles. Remove from heat and continue mixing till mixture is syrupy. Immediately blend with pudding first then add whipped cream and coconut flakes. Add food coloring at this point till desired pinkish color. Pour mixture into baked & chilled pie crust. Top with mini marshmallows till covered. Chill overnight. I would use a shallow pie pan for this one as the custard makes it difficult to remove in nice pieces, and it's rather rich.

I think Jenna would be proud.

Rosewater/Coconut Frozen Yogurt

I was inspired recently by an article on a San Francisco ice cream parlor called Humphry Slocombe. After checking out the unique flavors listed on their web site I started thinking about my recent love affair with real frozen yogurt. I have been spending way too much money every weekend at my local yogurt hot spot (cold spot?) and on top of that they only have two flavors, both of which are incredibly boring. Now, I'm a fan of toppings as much as the next person but I think frozen yogurt should be able to stand on its own two feet. I recently moved to a studio apartment and this is the first time since I began baking that I've lived alone; so I can no longer bake pies every week and have been desperate for new creative culinary outlets. My mom very sweetly offered to buy me a Cuisinart ICE-30BC Pure Indulgence Ice Cream Maker (~ $70) as a housewarming gift and I made my first batch last night. I don't usually prefer standard fruit flavors and I wanted to try something different, so this recipe is a frozen yogurt take on my Rose/Coconut Cake (which you should try, by the way). I was so excited I actually started eating it while it was still churning. I am in love. I think Trader Joe's Greek Style Yogurt really made all the difference; if you use regular yogurt you're supposed to strain out the water with cheesecloth for a day or so.

Ingredients:

1 cup organic sugar

1/4 cup milk or soy milk (or water)

2 tablespoons rosewater

2 teaspoons coconut extract

1/3 cup coconut flakes (optional)

2 containers of Trader Joe's Greek Style Yogurt (about 4 cups)
Red Food Coloring

Directions:

In a saucepan mix sugar, milk, rosewater, and coconut extract. Stir with whisk till boiling and mixture bubbles. Turn off heat and remove from stove. Continue stirring till mixture stops bubbling and you're left with a simple syrup. Mix together yogurt and syrup and enough red food coloring to make the mixture pink. Add mixture to ice cream maker and churn for half an hour. Transfer to airtight container and store in freezer.

Butternut Cashew Corn Chowder

Cashew Fruit

I have been playing around with other people's recipes again. There was something similar on AOL and I messed with it. This is the result! A warm, wintery, yummy chowder! Hooray for immersion blenders!

1 large butternut squash
Olive oil
1 cup raw or dry-roasted cashews
2 cups frozen or canned corn
1/3 cup water
2 medium onions, chopped fine
2 stalks celery, chopped fine
2 carrots, peeled and chopped fine
1 garlic bulb, cloves peeled

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
4-5 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Cut the squash in half and scoop out seeds. Rub with olive oil and pour some in the holes. Put garlic cloves in holes and bake for an hour at 400 degrees. Meanwhile, chop onions, celery, and carrots and put in dutch oven with water, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Saute for 5 minutes or so and add stock. Simmer till vegetables are soft. Scoop out squash from the skin and put in dutch oven with garlic. Process cashews till they are a sort of paste/flour-y consistency. Add to dutch oven and puree ingredients with a hand blender. Mix corn with a little salt, pepper, and oil. Bake for 10 minutes at 325 (this step can be skipped and the corn can just be added to the soup). Add corn to soup and serve!

Sweet Walnut Poppyseed Dressing

1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/3 cup walnuts
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds
 

5 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic, minced & roasted 

Chop the walnuts and roast them with the garlic till sizzling (not black). Mix with olive oil while still hot. Then mix the rest of the ingredients together. I had to use a lot of honey to make this palatable for me, so basically just add as much as you need till it tastes good to you.

Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Cinnamon Chicken"

 I'm fairly certain there is no mention of cinnamon chicken in the actual Little House books, but for those of you who remember the TV show there was an episode where Nellie invites Almanzo Wilder to dinner (before he married Laura). Laura is so jealous that she offers to prepare Almanzo's favorite meal for Nellie because Nellie can't cook. Laura sabotages the meal by using cayenne pepper instead of cinnamon--you can imagine the result. I got this fabulously simple recipe from The Prairie Blog, which is now defunct.

1/2 c. flour
2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 egg
2 tbsp. milk
2 chicken breasts
1/3 c. crushed corn flakes (or bread crumbs)
2 tbsp. oil

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, salt, cinnamon, turmeric, and pepper. Beat egg and milk. Coat chicken pieces with flour mix. Combine bread crumbs/cornflakes and remaining flour mixture. Dip chicken into egg and coat with bread crumbs/corn flakes. Arrange in a roasting pan. Sprinkle with oil, or just spray the top with oil (I use the self-fill spray cans). Bake until crisp and brown, about 40 minutes.