Love the ingredients, not the food.

Watermelon With Mint And Lime

Written on August 5, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Snack

Watermelon is without question my favorite Summer fruit. I go through 2-3 a week and to be honest I don’t remember what I ate instead before the season started. It’s going to be a real problem when Autumn rolls around but I’m trying not think about that.

I could eat plain watermelon all day, but where’s the fun in that? This no-fuss fancified melon packs a big flavor punch. The lime and the mint balance each other out nicely and make the watermelon even more cool and refreshing.

You can use any time of mint in this recipe–wintergreen, peppermint, spearmint. Just use whichever is on hand or whichever you have a preference for.

Watermelon With Lime And Mint

Ingredients:

1/4 watermelon, cut into wedges
Juice of 1 lime(~3 Tablespoons)
2 Tablespoons sugar
7-8 mint leaves, torn

Method:

Mix together the lime juice and sugar until the sugar has completely dissolved.
Toss together the lime mix with the watermelon wedges so that all the sides get layered with the juice.
Plate and garnish with the torn mint leaves.

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Strawberry Almond Salad Dressing

Written on August 4, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Sauce

As much as I like salads, I’ve never really liked most salad dressings I’ve tried. They’re usually oily and watery; I want something thick and hearty. Because of that I pretty much stuck to Caesar salad dressing and buffalo wing sauce to flavor my greens growing up. What could be more appetizing than a plate of iceburg lettuce with hot sauce and butter slathered on it? I’m not sure what I was thinking back then, either.

Enter this dressing, which has completely changed how I think of salad dressings. It’s not oily or watery; in fact, there’s no oil whatsoever. It has a thick body but you won’t find any cream in the ingredients. Instead this dressing gets its body from whole strawberries and almonds. What could be more delicious? It’s sweet with a tang and slight nuttiness—much better and better for you than buffalo wing sauce.

Strawberry Almond Salad Dressing(inspired by this recipe)

Ingredients(Makes 2 cups):

1 1/2 cups strawberries, stems removed
2 Tablespoons almond butter
1 1/2 Tablespoons white vinegar
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
~1/4 cup water to thin

Method:

Combine all of the ingredients except for the water into a food processor and blend until smooth.
Slowly incorporate the water while still blending until the dressing reaches a thin consistency.
Bottle and keep stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Since it’s fresh without any preservatives, use this dressing quickly to make sure it stays fresh. Something tells me that won’t be a problem; you’ll never go back to bottled again.

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How To Make Mint Simple Syrup

Written on August 3, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in How To, Miscellaneous

One thing I’ve had to get used to working in a restaurant this Summer is never having a recipe. Chef’s don’t use recipes, don’t you know; so when I’m doing something for the first time, it’s usually with one or two of the chefs giving me directions one step at a time, not always agreeing with each other on their methods. It’s definitely a “dive in” approach to learning that usually leaves me wanting to sit down, read a recipe through, and then start cooking.

All of that is a roundabout way of saying that I learned how to make simple syrup and now I’m obsessed with the idea. The first one I wanted to make was a mint flavor, because mint makes everything better. With it you can make mint drinks, mint soda,—mint anything. I’m more interested in making frozen desserts with it.

How To Make Mint Simple Syrup

For 1 cup of simple syrup, you’ll need:

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
10 mint leaves

Method:

Combine all of the ingredients together in a small sauce pan
Over a burner, bring the mixture up to a rolling boil keeping an eye that the mixture doesn’t boil over.
Once the consistency of the mixture turns from a free-flowing liquid to a syrup(about 10 minutes), turn off the burner and remove the sauce pan from the heat.
With a mesh strainer, strain the mint leaves from the syrup while pouring it into a container.
Let the syrup cool and store in the refrigerator when not using.

If you’re curious about the color of the syrup, it comes from the sugar granules. For a clear white syrup, use sugar that’s completely white. I used cane sugar that had a slight beige tint from trace B vitamins which created a darker, amber syrup.

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Japanese Sesame Cucumber Salad

Written on August 2, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

My favorite thing about Japanese food is how little is actually done to it. It might be cut and plated fancily but with hardly any cooking or ingredients they manage to fit in a ton of flavor.

These cucumbers have hardly any ingredients—sesame oil, vinegar, and seasoning—,but they taste better than any cucumbers I’ve ever had. It doesn’t hurt that it’s the Summer and any form of cooking sounds off-putting. All you need to make this refreshing side dish is a sharp knife and a bowl.

Japanese Sesame Cucumber Salad

Ingredients(Makes 4 servings):

2 cucumbers
1 1/2 Tablespoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons sesame seeds

Method:

With a mandolin or sharp knife, slice the cucumbers into circles about 2mm thick.
Combine the cucumbers with the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl and toss together until completely incorporated and the sugar has dissolved.
Serve immediately at room temperature.

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Peanut Butter Magic Shell

Written on August 1, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

One of my favorite treats in the Summer when I was growing up was a Dairy Queen ice cream cone, specifically one dipped into cherry sauce that hardened up as soon as it hit the ice cream into a shell coating.

I have no idea how to make that.

But what I do know how to make is peanut butter magic shell, and that’s almost as good, especially with chocolate ice cream(or chocolate banana soft serve in this case).

Really, if you look up the ingredients in that cherry magic shell it’s about 20 things you can’t find in supermarkets and shouldn’t be putting into your body. This recipe has only 3 ingredients, all natural and easy to shop for. Let’s see Dairy Queen beat that.

Peanut Butter Magic Shell

Ingredients(For one bowl):

1 Tablespoon 100% peanut butter
1 Tablespoon liquid sweetener(maple syrup, agave, corn syrup, etc.)
1/2 Tablespoon coconut oil(preferably refined), melted or softened

Method:

Mix together the peanut butter, sweetener, and oil into a thick, even sauce
Pour the peanut butter sauce over plated ice cream. Wait a few moments for the sauce to harden before digging in.

This works best with ice cream straight from the freezer; if using softened ice cream or banana “soft serve”, the shell might not form immediately. Simply pour the sauce over the ice cream and refrigerate or freeze it for a few minutes until the shell has hardened

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have more eating to do.

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Microwave Chocolate Fudge

Written on July 29, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

I’m kind of a scatterbrain when it comes to making desserts; there are only a few recipes I can make without having to look at a recipe. Because of that, I usually end up making those same ones again and again like this fudge. It’s hard to forget 4 ingredients and how to use the microwave. You don’t even need to dirty any dishes. On top of that, it tastes just as good as any other fudge I’ve had. That’s probably why I keep making it again and again.

Microwave Chocolate Fudge

Ingredients(Makes 16 servings):

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 4oz stick butter(coconut oil and Earth Balance work, too)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk(or non-dairy substitute)

Method:

Melt together the chocolate chips and butter.
Sift in the powdered sugar and pour in the milk. Mix until completely uniform.
Pour the hot fudge into a 6 x 6 pan. Refrigerate until set.
Cut into 1 1/2 inch squares and serve slightly chilled.

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Spicy Maple Baked Beans

Written on July 28, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Entree

I really love making beans from scratch. It’s kind of like the vegetarian version of roasting a chicken: You take something from inedible to edible making the whole house smell great in the process. I probably hadn’t made this recipe for a good year, which is a shame because I liked it so much the first time. The flavor is incomparable to store-bought brands—truly unique. It’s sweet with a spicy kick that lingers.

There’s also a homemade Worcestershire sauce recipe at the bottom since looking for a bottled vegetarian/gluten-free sauce is sort of like looking for the Holy Grail.

Spicy Maple Baked Beans

Ingredients:

1lb dry white beans
1 yellow onion, peeled and halved
2 bayleaves
1 6oz can of tomato paste
2/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground mustard seed
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
3/4 teaspoon paprika

Method:

Soak the beans in water for 8 hours or overnight. Drain the water and put the beans in a large pot with new water, the bayleaves, and the onion.
Boil the beans for 70-80 minutes, scooping off the foam that forms on top of the water. Once done boiling, remove the pot from the stove and drain the beans from the water, also removing the bayleaves.
Combine the beans with the rest of the ingredients in an oven-safe pot or a Crockpot. Bake at 350 degrees for 3 hours or simmer on high for the same period of time until the beans have darkened and most of the moisture has evaporated. If the beans dry out too much, add 1/2 cup of water and continue cooking.
Remove from the oven and serve hot when ready.

Homemade Worcestershire Sauce

Ingredients(Makes about 1/3-1/2 cup):

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce or wheat-free tamari
1 tablespoon cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Method:

Combine all of the ingredients in a small pot over the stove.
Keep between a boil and a simmer for 8-10 minutes until reduced to half its original volume.
Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

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Grilled Zucchini Boats

Written on July 27, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Entree

As excited as I am to move back to Providence in a month, there are a few things I’m going to miss. Things like Trader Joe’s and grilling. Did you know you can get zucchini any size at Trader Joe’s for just 79 cents? Between those, 3.99 watermelon and 19 cent bananas, the crew members must think I’m feeding a small colony of chimpanzees. It’s a good thing I buy the 2.99 Vahlrona chocolate to throw them off.

Because I went a little crazy on the zucchini and had the grill at my disposal I decided to make grilled zucchini boats. I’ve never made stuffed zucchini before so I didn’t know what to stuff them with; since we had beans and leftover vegetables on hand I went with that. I also topped mine with a cashew “cheese” sauce that was pretty much just cashews, water, and nutritional yeast. It’d be good with shredded cheese or even a pesto sauce, anything thick and hearty.

Vegetarian Grilled Zucchini Boats

Ingredients:

1 zucchini
1/3 cup grilled or cooked vegetables
1/3 cup beans
1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Shredded cheese or cheese sauce for topping(optional)

Method:

Cut the zucchini lengthwise and scoop out the center.
In a bowl, mix together the vegetables, beans, oil, salt, and pepper. Scoop the mixture into the center of the zucchini.
Grill over high heat for 5 minutes until the bottom has begun to char and the filling is heated.
If using shredded cheese, sprinkle on the top of the filling during the last minute of grilling and close the grill lid to melt it. Serve hot.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Written on July 26, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

This is by far one of my favorite dessert recipes; it’s one I come back to again and again, the kind I don’t need to look at the recipe anymore to know how to make.

Chocolate and peanut butter is already an established pair, so you don’t really need to do much to doctor or dress these up to make them a crowd favorite. Just a smooth layer of sweet peanut butter covered by a soft chocolate ganache is plenty impressive enough.

The best part about this recipe is that it doesn’t need anything more than 4 ingredients that should always be in your pantry. If you want to elevate the flavor without much work, try using a special peanut butter like roasted honey or even almond butter.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars(adapted from Oh Baby Bars)

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 24 servings):

3/4 cup peanut butter, runny or no-stir
7 Tablespoons butter, divided
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
10oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method:

In a large bowl, melt 6 tablespoons of butter along with the peanut butter until completely liquid.
Add the powdered sugar into the peanut butter and butter mixture and beat until completely incorporated. Press the peanut butter mixture into a loaf pan or a 9 x 9 pan for smaller portions.
Melt the chocolate chips and remaining tablespoon of butter together and mix. Pour this over the peanut butter layer.
Refrigerate until the chocolate has set. Cut at room temperature into 1 x 1 square servings.

Totally worth the effort.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats

Written on July 25, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

Here are two things to know about me:

1. I’m a perfectionist.

2. I make mistakes. A lot.

I can’t count the number of times I have a kitchen mishap where something doesn’t go how I think it would. In cooking it’s easy to make that up by adding new ingredients. In baking it usually ends up in the trash.

I underestimated how much peanut butter and butter these crispy treats needed. The first time I refrigerated them, they fell apart as soon as I cut in. I had to sweep a few rice crisps off the floor and redo the process, remixing the batter. I don’t think it was as good as if I got it all right from the start. I even debated whether to still serve these, but I’m glad I did because they got two thumbs way up at a party over the weekend. This recipe reflects the fixed version. And you can’t bet I’ll be making these the right way one day soon; what kind of perfectionist would I be otherwise?

Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats

Ingredients:

6 cups cocoa crispy rice cereal
1 1/2 cups no-stir peanut butter, divided
1 cup Fluff(or marshmallow crème)
1/4 cup butter
1 cup chocolate chips

Method:

In a large bowl, melt 1 cup of peanut butter along with the butter until it’s runny. Mix until the two are combined.
Add in the cereal and Fluff and mix until the cereal is completely coated by the wet ingredients. Press the cereal into a 9 x 13 baking pan.
Melt the remaining peanut butter and chocolate together and mix. Pour evenly over the tray of cereal. Refrigerate until set.
Cut into even squares and keep cold until serving.

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