It has been entirely TOO long since I have last posted.  I have no excuse, except for saying that teaching has completely consumed my life.  Whenever I’m not teaching, I thinking and reading about teaching.  Therefore, food/cooking/baking has become merely a means of survival.  

However, I’m dipping my toe back in the water, hoping to reclaim some of my love for the foodie world, including blogging about new recipes.  This will require me to actually start preparing new recipes (lately, I’ve been heavily leaning on my recipe archives for tried and true successful dishes).  I am confident that if I ease myself back in, with no real pressure on myself, I will be able to get back into food blogging mode.  (famous last words, right?)  

Or I’ll just take it one day at a time, and start by sharing a recipe I made awhile back, one that sounds perfect to accompany the warming weather trends.  I bring to you today Smitten Kitchen’s delicious recipe for Spaghetti Squash Tacos.  These tacos consist of a spaghetti squash spiced with chili powder, black beans, and feta.  Everything gets jazzed up with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and a generous drizzle of hot sauce.  

These tacos are a delightful break from the standard vegetarian taco formulas (either avocado and beans, potatoes, etc.).  The squash absorbs flavorings quite nicely and pairs well with the feta and black beans.  Overall, a keeper of a recipe.  

Spaghetti Squash Tacos with Black beans and Feta

Recipe from the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds spaghetti squash (either one large or 2 small) –
  
• 2 tablespoons (about 1 lime) freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 15-ounce can of black beans, rinsed and drained very well
• roughly 1/4 cup finely diced red or white onion –
• crumbled feta (or really any cheese of your liking)
• fresh cilantro leaves
• hot sauce (I went with Tapatio)
• additional lime wedges for squeezing over tacos
• 10-16  6-inch soft corn tortillas

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and prep and cook up your spaghetti squash: rinse your squash, cut it in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, throw about 1/2 tablespoon olive oil on each half and roast both halves face down on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast the squash halves in the pre-heated oven until tender and easily pierced with a fork, about 45-60 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside until they are cool enough to handle.  If you need more detailed instructions, google away (it’s really pretty simple).

2. While the squash is cooking away, prep your ingredients. Squeeze your 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice into a small bowl. In another small bowl mix together the 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, set aside. Dice up your red onion, wash up the cilantro and trim off the bottom stems, rinse and drain your black beans and throw your cheese into a bowl. 

3. When the squash is finished cooking, let it cool for a few minutes so its easier to handle.  Working over a large bowl, gently scrape out the flesh with a fork. Compost the skin. Add the 2 tablespoons of lime juice to the bowl with the chili spices and whisk to combine.

4. Pour the chili and lime mixture over the squash strands and toss well to combine.  I used a pair of tongs here so that I could really get everything mixed well together.  You will notice that the color of the squash will change from a golden-yellow to an orange color.

5. You can heat up your tortillas whenever you are ready to assembly.  The microwave or oven works in a jiff, but I prefer to lightly char my on the stove burners.  Extra flavor! (takes about 30 seconds per side)

6. Now comes the fun part, assembling your tacos!  I start off with a layer of beans and spaghetti squash, folllowed up with cheese, onions, and cilantro.  My final touch is an extra squeeze of lime juice and drizzle of hot sauce…yum!

When January rolled around, I pledged to abstain from baking for the month, to help even out my allotted butter and sugar quota that had spiked during the holidays.  Aside from a chocolate bundt cake (that I will share soon) that I prepared for a traditional Eat Like a Hobbit Day celebration, I stuck to my pledge.  Then, last weekend, I spent an afternoon perusing through the dessert section of Deb’s cookbook, and all was lost…

The recipe that caught my eye was a recipe for cinnamon butter cake.  Basically, Deb took two delicious desserts: St. Louis gooey butter cake and Snickerdoodle cookies and merged them together.  The result is a decadent, super tasty dessert.  

The actual preparation time for this recipe takes a smidge longer than your standard single layer cake, because two batters are required.  However, there really isn’t anything complicated about the actual process.  The first batter is basically a riff on Snickerdoodle cookie dough.  The second is a butterlicious batter that will turn to magic in the oven.  Once the batters are layered together, the whole delicious mess gets heavily sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.  YUM.

While I felt some initial guilt in breaking my pledge to not bake for the month of January as I slid the cake into the oven, those feelings dissolved the second I tasted this dessert.  This cake is utterly delicious!  I easily ate more than half of it the five days it existed in my house.  I blame it on the gooey cake layer.  It’s addictive.  The cinnamon crust that develops in the oven certainly does not hurt either.  Seriously, make this cake as soon as you can, it’s worth every calorie :).  

Cinnamon Butter Cake

Recipe from Deb’s The Smitten Kitchen

Cookie Base

1 1/2 cups white flour
2 teaspoons baking powder (aluminum-free)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/4 cup whole milk

Soft Gooey Layer

1/4 cup light corn syrup or golden syrup
1/4 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups white flour

Cinnamon Topping

2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1. Line a 9- by 13-inch cake pan with foil, leaving an overhang on all four sides.  Spray the foil in the pan with nonstick spray or brush with melted butter.  (I skipped the foil and had no problem removing the cake from the pan.)

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

2. To make the cookie base, whisk together the 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl.  Beat the 8 tablespoons of softened butter and the 3/4 cup  of sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or by hand, until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.  Really important that the butter is softened at this point, otherwise you’ll wind up with a kitchen covered in both butter and sugar.

3. Add the egg and the milk and mix in, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Stir in the dry ingredients, until fully incorporated. Put the mixture in the cake pan in dollops (it’s too thick to spread if you add it all in the same place), and spread it into an even layer with an offset spatula.

(You don’t need to clean the bowl; you can reuse it for the next step.)

4. To make the soft gooey layer, in a small bowl, whisk together the corn syrup or golden syrup with the milk, and vanilla.

5. Beat the 12 tablespoons of softened butter with the 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of sugar, and salt until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, scraping down the sides of the bowl.

5. Add one-third of the 1 1/4 cup flour, then half of the milk/corn syrup mixture. Add another one-third of the flour, then the rest of the milk/corn syrup mixture. Then stir in the remaining flour. Dollop the batter over the unbaked cookie layer and spread evenly.

6. Mix together the 2 tablespoons of sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle it evenly over the cake.

7. Bake the cake for 25 minutes, or until the cake feels slightly damp, but gently set in the center. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. When cool, lift out the cake using the overhang of the foil, and cut the cake into 1-inch squares.

Whew.  January has FLOWN by so far.  Yet at the same time, it feels like we should surely be in February already.  I was so worried to head back to my classroom after the winter break, worried that the kids were going to be unruly and unhappy to be back at school.  In fact, the opposite has happened.  Sure, that first Monday was terrible, but aside from that, my students are excited to be back in the swing of things, excited to learn and grow.  

Naturally, this has meant I’ve had little time to do much else outside of lesson planning.  While I’ve been failing at blogging, I have improved at returning to the kitchen.  Over the past two weeks, I’ve made many a new recipes, the majority of which I plan on sharing here.  

First up, thanks to this 3 day weekend and MLK Jr., is a recipe for a super simple, delicious cabbage slaw.   It comes from the beautiful pages of The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook.  I liked it so much last week when I made it, that I made a fresh batch for this week!  It’s merely a mixture of green cabbage, cucumber slices, fresh dill, and a vinegar dressing.  The vinegar is the magic ingredient here.  As the slaw sits in the fridge, the vinegar dressing breaks down the cabbage a bit and adds a delightfully addictive tang.  Better yet, this salad only improves as it sits in the fridge throughout the week.  A real winner.

This is one of the few super tasty recipes I’ve made recently from Deb’s cookbook and I have loved them all.  Look for some other Smitten Kitchen gems in the next few weeks.  Now, go get your slaw on!

Vinegar Slaw with Cucumber and Dill

Recipe from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

Ingredients:

• 1 medium head green cabbage, cored and thinly sliced or shredded
• 1 large English cucumber, sliced as thinly as possible
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1/2 cup cold water

Directions:

Toss the cabbage, cucumber, and dill together in a LARGE bowl.  In a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk the vinegar, salt, and sugar together until dissolved.  Stir in the water.  Pour the liquid over the salad and let it marinate, tossing the cabbage occasionally.  Allow the salad to sit in the fridge for 2 hours for optimal taste.  The slaw keeps well in the fridge for up to one week.

Happy 2013 to all!  I hope everyone brought in the New Year safely and surrounded by family and friends.  Today is my mother’s birthday, so a very Happy Birthday to her as well!  Happy Birthday, Mom!  May this New Year bring peace, creativity, and happiness to us all.  

I still have a few days off before the second half of the school year starts up, and while I have a bit of lesson planning to cram in before it begins, I also want to spend these next few days relaxing, catching up on organizing my life, and spending time with friends while I have more free time on my hands.  

Part of the life organization portion and one of my resolutions for 2013 involves me catching up on blogging.  As I scrolled through my photo archives, I realized I have a few recipes that I never got around to sharing, recipes I quite enjoyed and fully intended on posting.  Thus, I share with you today a hearty, healthy winter stew from the ever wonderful Heidi Swanson cookbook, Super Natural Every Day.  

This farro and lentil stew doesn’t look like much when it comes to together.  It’s honestly not the most attractive of foods.  But the flavors and textures come together quite nicely and the end result is a wonderful vegetarian stew that promises to warm you up on a chilly winter evening.  The stew is comprised mainly of farro, lentils, and sweet potato chunks.  Curry powder lends just the right amount of spice and heat, while a swirl of lemon infused Greek yogurt adds the perfect complimentary tang to complete the dish.  

Do something fun today to kick 2013 off right!  Happy New Year!

Farro and Lentil Stew

Recipe from Heidi Swanson’s Super Natural Every Day

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• 2 large yellow onions, chopped
• 1 cup peeled and diced sweet potato or winter squash (I went with sweet potato and added a little extra)
• Fine-grain sea salt
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons Indian curry powder
• 2/3 cup whole or semi-pearled farro, rinsed
• 1 1/4 cups green or black lentils, picked over and rinsed 
• 6 to 7 cups vegetable broth or water 
• 1 cup plain yogurt or Greek-style yogurt, or creme fraiche (I like the thickness of Greek-style, so I used that)
• Grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon (or to taste)

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the onions and sweet potato. Add a big pinch of salt and saute until the onions soften a bit, a couple of minutes. Add the curry powder and stir until the onions and sweet potatoes are coated and the curry is fragrant, a minute or so. Add the farro, lentils, and 6 cups of the broth. Bring to boil, decrease the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 50 minutes, or until the farro and lentils are cooked through. (If you’re using semi-pearled farro, the cooking time is about 25 minutes.) Taste and season with more salt if needed; how much you’ll need depends on the saltiness of your broth. Don’t under-salt; the soup will taste flat.

While the soup is cooking, in a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, lemon zest and juice, and about 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Serve each bowl of soup topped with a dollop of lemon yogurt and a drizzle of olive oil. 

Well, I’m taking advantage of my down time at my parent’s house and sneaking one more post in before the new year.  I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my first week of winter break thus far, I’ve managed to read several books (a feat for me these days), cook up a storm, spend way too much money, and actually get a bit of my dreaded BTSA work completed.  Oh, and catch up on much needed sleep.  SO.  GOOD.

A few days before winter break, I had my students write down their resolutions for the new year for one of their journal entries.  The rules were that they must write at least one related to school and one related to life outside of school.  I’m taking a cue from them, and writing down a few of my own resolutions for 2013.  I like putting them out there, as it makes me feel more required to stick to them (though it certainly doesn’t mean I will :) ).  Thus, here we go:

Teaching Resolutions for 2013:

1. Return student work more rapidly (I’m great at grading it, not so great at returning it for some reason.

2. Spend less money on my classroom (sorry kids!).

3. Take LESS work home on the weekends.  

4. Implement my Marcy Cook Tile Math into my classroom.  

ME Resolutions for 2013:

1. Return to blogging, at least two times per month with quality posts.

2. Read a book not about teaching once per month.

3. Make time to exercise/move more daily.  Be it a walk, dance class, run, stretching, anything.

4. Go on “clean” eating kick post New Years.  

To start the new year off right, I thought I’d share a recipe I made for Thanksgiving.  It’s a brussel sprout salad, complete with apple, fennel, and pomegranate seeds.  It was a refreshing contrast to all the rich and heavy dishes on the table that day, and was happily enjoyed as leftovers days later.  I’ve been thinking about it more recently, and just might make it again to go along with my resolution for cleaner eating in 2013.  

This salad does take a bit of time to throw together, as it is a bit of a pain to slice up all the brussel sprouts.  Alternately, cabbage would probably work just fine and be quite a bit quicker.  One could also really speed things along with the help of a food processor.  Either way, your on your way to crisp and refreshing winter salad/slaw.

Brussels Sprout Salad with Apple, Fennel, and Pomegranate

Recipe from Joy the Baker

Ingredients:

• about 1 pound of Brussels sprouts (about 20 sprouts)
• 1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
• 1 small fennel bulb, sliced very thin
• 1 Fuji apple, sliced thin
• handful of toasted slivered almonds
• salt and pepper
• lemon and olive oil

Directions:

Rinse brussels sprouts of any dirt or grime.  Place on a cutting board horizontally, and slice thinly, creating little brussels sprout rounds and ribbons.  Place in a large bowl and set aside.

Deseed pomegranate in large bowl filled with water (you won’t get juice on you and the seeds will separate from the skin more easily)and gather about 1/2 cup of seeds.  Add to the brussels sprout bowl.

Add thinly sliced fennel and apple, as well as the slivered almonds.  Toss together using hands.  Add the juice of 1 lemon, a good drizzle of olive oil, and a healthy pinch of salt and coarsely ground pepper.  Toss together, let rest for about 20 minutes* in the fridge so the lemon can slightly soften the sprouts.

*This step is key, I initially ate some prior to letting it rest and wasn’t that impressed, but was amazed at the difference later on.

Serve in generous portions, preferably alongside rich and decadent dishes.