tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069322330665044542024-03-05T04:27:11.970-05:00Itty Bitty BistroKarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574414620218179535noreply@blogger.comBlogger232125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-906932233066504454.post-34136468052166376092011-09-14T14:20:00.000-04:002011-09-14T14:20:41.485-04:00We're Moving!On November 1, 2011, we will be moving back to a blogspot address. Our new address will be:<br />
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http://ittybittybistro.blogspot.com<br />
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If you want to be able to find us after November 1, please update your bookmarks! <br />
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Celeste and I had a lot of fun starting up Itty Bitty Bistro back in 2008, but our girls have gotten a lot bigger, a lot less picky, and we have both moved on to other projects. We're not ready to lose our recipes (or our memories!), but we are ready to ditch the custom domain payments :-)<br />
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Kara :-)Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574414620218179535noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-906932233066504454.post-52672529349395373112011-02-28T13:51:00.000-05:002011-02-28T13:51:00.057-05:00Chickpea SauceThis was a little sauce I threw together yesterday, and I was so pleased with how it turned out. We've had a stomach bug going around our family, so I wanted something kind of gentle to serve. The sauce tasted kind of like hummus, which the girls adore, and we served it over brown rice. It didn't photograph well at all, so this is just a recipe!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Chickpea Sauce (in the slow cooker)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 Tbsp olive oil</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 large onion, diced</div><div style="text-align: left;">ground cumin</div><div style="text-align: left;">dried oregano</div><div style="text-align: left;">salt & pepper</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 to 3 potatoes, scrubbed and sliced thin</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 cups stock (veggie or chicken)</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 14oz can diced tomatoes</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Heat up the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with ground cumin, dried oregano, and salt and pepper to taste; I used about 1 tsp of cumin, 1 tsp of oregano, and a few shakes of salt and pepper. We would probably do more cumin in the future, but tailor to your family's taste buds. Cook 1 minute more.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">In the slow cooker, combine the potatoes, chickpeas, stock, tomatoes, and cooked onions. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, until potatoes are very tender. I used a hand blender to puree most of the sauce, leaving a few chunky chick peas and potato pieces. You could also (carefully!) blend some portion of the sauce in the blender or mash it by hand.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
This was a great sauce for brown rice, but we will be having the leftovers over pasta. We served some raw veggies as a side dish and had one of the most pleasant, food battle-free dinners we've had in a while!</div>Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574414620218179535noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-906932233066504454.post-59701999514817919282011-01-06T07:00:00.000-05:002011-01-06T07:00:03.370-05:00Overnight WafflesThese waffles have been the biggest hit in my Breakfast Initiative. Every time that I make them, the girls both get so excited - and so does my husband! The big advantage to this recipe is that instead of having to whip up some egg whites to fold into the batter (like just about every waffle recipe out there), it uses yeast. The only disadvantage is that the batter has to be made at least 12 hours before cooking - I'm not used to planning out breakfast the evening before, so I have to make a conscious effort to remember to get these done when I'm making dinner.<br />
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</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Overnight Waffles</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfaDA9HtNm40KCQatYXOKHxGI7-9_DsUdSVgWMIZBJXX6ZaJafy7pF760lyyXxOF53QkbI4PiNcYOvASmh2IRk4U3MmgKQUTQ9czxdk5O5_85NT_KWQJcRIzlrrm48VKiwzqDwschvyM/s1600/IMG_2503.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfaDA9HtNm40KCQatYXOKHxGI7-9_DsUdSVgWMIZBJXX6ZaJafy7pF760lyyXxOF53QkbI4PiNcYOvASmh2IRk4U3MmgKQUTQ9czxdk5O5_85NT_KWQJcRIzlrrm48VKiwzqDwschvyM/s320/IMG_2503.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 3/4 cups milk (any kind - I've used skim, 1%, and whole)</div><div style="text-align: left;">6 Tbsp unsalted butter</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 cup whole wheat flour (or white whole wheat flour)</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 cup all-purpose flour</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 Tbsp sugar</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 1/2 tsp instant yeast</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 tsp salt</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 eggs</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 tsp vanilla extract</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Heat the milk and butter together in a small saucepan over medium heat until the butter is melted. Let cool until just slightly warm.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Whisk together the flours, sugar, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk in the warm milk until smooth. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Heat the waffle iron. Remove the batter from the fridge (it should have about doubled in size) and whisk to recombine and deflate. Make waffles according to your waffle maker's instructions. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">If there are leftovers, they heat up excellently in the toaster the next day!</div>Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574414620218179535noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-906932233066504454.post-57151028828705970062011-01-03T06:39:00.003-05:002011-01-03T06:39:00.584-05:00English MuffinsMy goal for this school year has been to accustom Abby to eating a real breakfast. If it were up to Abby, she would have a single slice of toast and a glass of water in the morning. Over the summer, I let that go - after all, we were home, I could feed her as needed. But now that she's one year away from kindergarten, and in preschool now, I want her to get used to anchoring her stomach and her brain with a real breakfast. This has forced both of us to change our habits - <i>her</i> to try some new things, and <i>me</i> to actually make something besides toast or cold cereal!<br />
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I've been really happy with how the first few months of this school year have gone. One easy change has been to introduce Abby to homemade English muffins. They are a little heartier than toast, and they make an excellent base for breakfast sandwiches.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>English Muffins</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQSYYyZ0XNM4n1rHdWorSZh8PB5G1gOdXXq7Vm1SUSOX23H968U1xAmZwQko2rx9IL-75vqsGasCLPhrXuHqP8utnVOF2r3R5O9b6ORKG5dggqL2gYLKpi5XJuv3kLt1Da3cYz7FamwQ/s1600/IMG_1857.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQSYYyZ0XNM4n1rHdWorSZh8PB5G1gOdXXq7Vm1SUSOX23H968U1xAmZwQko2rx9IL-75vqsGasCLPhrXuHqP8utnVOF2r3R5O9b6ORKG5dggqL2gYLKpi5XJuv3kLt1Da3cYz7FamwQ/s320/IMG_1857.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 1/2 cups skim milk</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 Tbsp butter, melted</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 egg</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour</div><div style="text-align: left;">3 cups all-purpose flour</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 tsp salt</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 3/4 tsp bread machine yeast (a.k.a., rapid rise yeast)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">cornmeal (for dusting the work surface) </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Pull out those bread machines! Mine now sits out in my kitchen full-time. I love that thing.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Place all ingredients (except for the cornmeal) in the bread pan and program for the dough cycle.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">When the cycle is finished, turn the dough ball out onto a work surface dusted lightly with cornmeal. Roll the dough out to about 1/2 inch thick. Using a 3- or 4-inch biscuit cutter, cut out muffins. Roll the trimmings and repeat. (If you try to re-roll a second time, the muffins get pretty tough - but if you don't to waste any dough, go for it!). </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I use a lightly greased electric griddle heated to 350F to cook them. If you don't have a griddle, use whatever you use when you make pancakes. Place several muffins on the griddle and cook for about 8 minutes. Turn them and cook about 8 minutes more - until they are quite brown on both sides. They will swell and be very puffy while baking! Let them cool on a rack.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">To eat them, puncture the perimeter with the tines of a fork and pull them apart. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574414620218179535noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-906932233066504454.post-7310889437767995832010-12-22T08:04:00.001-05:002010-12-22T08:04:00.355-05:00Mulligatawny SoupI'm realllllly trying to get the girls to eat soup. Any kind of soup. We've been at work on this for a year, and they still groan when I serve soup. The most success I have is with brothy soups, I think because the girls can identify the ingredients better. I've loved this Mulligatawny Soup for years (I originally got the recipe from Better Homes and Gardens, so no claims that it's "authentic"), and the girls will grudgingly pick out some of the carrots and turkey and raisins and rice. I almost always have the ingredients on hand, and it's darned tasty. Someday, I hope the girls will agree!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Mulligatawny Soup</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAESW6cOPg7Iv4dFhknKxhTvQraWZPKX_W9zOwb9CjhNKB3vGVjdc73uG1Z6iT9OMzaqmIBCBmxYAIRSXoYiBxiA5Ytr0GPhbFxBwDQ8mIimjCGCFqom01f3S-ZsUxcNNRjYHQFFzsBP8/s1600/IMG_2340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAESW6cOPg7Iv4dFhknKxhTvQraWZPKX_W9zOwb9CjhNKB3vGVjdc73uG1Z6iT9OMzaqmIBCBmxYAIRSXoYiBxiA5Ytr0GPhbFxBwDQ8mIimjCGCFqom01f3S-ZsUxcNNRjYHQFFzsBP8/s320/IMG_2340.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
4-5 cups chicken broth<br />
2 apples, chopped<br />
3 carrots, chopped<br />
14 oz diced tomatoes<br />
3 stalks celery, chopped<br />
1/2 cup brown rice<br />
1 small or medium onion, chopped<br />
1 big handful of raisins<br />
2 tsp curry powder<br />
1 tsp lemon juice<br />
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg<br />
1 lb ground turkey, cooked<br />
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In a large pot, combine all ingredients aside from the ground turkey. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30-40 minutes, until rice is tender. Add turkey. Simmer for another 10-15 minutes.Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574414620218179535noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-906932233066504454.post-55455326435041630772010-12-18T07:25:00.001-05:002010-12-18T07:25:00.389-05:00Sloppy Joe CasseroleI adored Sloppy Joe Casserole when I was growing up - it was a recipe from my grandma, and I thought it was the best thing ever. I made it all the time when my husband and I were first married, but somehow it fell out of the rotation over time. I made it for my kids the other night, and Abby devoured her bowl and asked for seconds - a rare event! Time for this recipe to make a comeback!<br />
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The original recipe (which is such a 1950's kind of recipe) calls for a packet of sloppy joe mix, but I season the sauce myself. This allows me to adjust the spice level for my kids and avoid whatever oddities are lurking in those packets!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Sloppy Joe Casserole</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWCq1tSts6K_xIqnkebjWxY17h3MyAO_-g67pq-Lq9s-zKxdlwBjqDEQR3Am0lULIapdwqWUWPJS-_ReOYDPqTqLGnCJgGELyY3iluZrJji2QhnlkLN9IXL_jr9utcxJ1tFEjZ3Bd_Bc/s1600/IMG_2330.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWCq1tSts6K_xIqnkebjWxY17h3MyAO_-g67pq-Lq9s-zKxdlwBjqDEQR3Am0lULIapdwqWUWPJS-_ReOYDPqTqLGnCJgGELyY3iluZrJji2QhnlkLN9IXL_jr9utcxJ1tFEjZ3Bd_Bc/s320/IMG_2330.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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1 lb ground turkey<br />
1 small onion, diced<br />
8 oz small pastas (elbows or shells), cooked <br />
16 oz small curd low-fat cottage cheese<br />
1 large can tomato sauce (15 oz, I think?)<br />
2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce<br />
2 tsp dry mustard<br />
1 Tbsp white vinegar<br />
onion & garlic powder<br />
pepper<br />
<i>Optional: shredded cheddar cheese for topping </i><br />
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Cook the turkey and the onion together. Toss in a large bowl with the pasta and the cottage cheese. Preheat the oven to 350F.<br />
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the tomato sauce, worcestershire sauce, mustard, and vinegar. Add onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper to taste (and more worcestershire or mustard - or add some Tabasco to give it kick!). Don't add any salt - the cottage cheese is pretty salty already. Pour the sauce over the pasta mix and stir well.<br />
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Pour the pasta mix into a 2-qt casserole dish. (<i>Optional: top with shredded cheddar cheese</i>) Bake until heated through, about 25-30 minutes. This dish can be prepared early in the day and baked at dinner time.Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574414620218179535noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-906932233066504454.post-77354913219625217322010-12-16T07:22:00.001-05:002010-12-16T07:23:39.990-05:00Flax-Wheat RollsIt's been a while! My cooking obsessions over the summer trended to things like learning how to make my own sausage, and my kids were good eaters all summer - they love the simple fare that a summer night calls for. Now that we're back to school and entering the dark times at the grocery store (as produce in New England is sadder and less kid-friendly), I'm back to working hard for my kids. Darn!<br />
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The other night was soup night, much to the girls' chagrin. I've been serving soup once a week all year, and they still hate it. They will now at least take little bites of the components they can recognize. To compensate, I've been making these rolls to serve on soup nights - something hearty, with ingredients I feel good about. Plus, these rolls are fantastic with scrambled eggs for breakfast the next morning!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Flax-Wheat Rolls</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0n15xN1Sjnz1yVS2f1Nly1-tm9BWJEC6AYK51wQjVgyT_Ia3KghKRCd1KNneIoCqSlsuPe7Sp4zh8pEsSzhud8tjTHpF2xW1Hp0qo8kv47Mibq81dL0mqit-ESNLLKiByIMWgjYrK_z4/s1600/IMG_2331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0n15xN1Sjnz1yVS2f1Nly1-tm9BWJEC6AYK51wQjVgyT_Ia3KghKRCd1KNneIoCqSlsuPe7Sp4zh8pEsSzhud8tjTHpF2xW1Hp0qo8kv47Mibq81dL0mqit-ESNLLKiByIMWgjYrK_z4/s400/IMG_2331.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2/3 cup milk </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/4 cup honey</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 eggs</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4 Tbsp butter, cut into pieces</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3 cups all-purpose flour</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 cup whole wheat flour</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/4 cup flax seed</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 1/2 tsp salt</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast (also called instant yeast)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Place all the ingredients in a bread machine pan and program the machine for the dough cycle.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When the dough cycle has ended, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough in half, then roll each half into a cylinder with about a 2-3 inch diameter. Cut each cylinder into eight pieces (so you have 16 rolls all together). Shape each piece into a nice roll shape (<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>ignore the shape in the picture - I was trying something different and didn't like how they turned out!</i></span>) Cover with a clean towel and let rise for about 40 minutes, until about doubled in bulk.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Preheat oven to 375F. (Optional: brush some melted butter over the tops of the rolls.) Bake the rolls on parchment-lined baking sheets for about 25 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm - that's the best part!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">* * * * * </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm going to try to be around a bit more - I've had some other ideas rolling around, and I've made a few kid-friendly dinners that have been big hits lately. I've tasked myself with taking charge of our family's breakfast this year (i.e., not just having cereal and toast every morning!), and I have some make-ahead waffles that we are all crazy for.</div>Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574414620218179535noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-906932233066504454.post-52689454881042438932010-04-21T07:19:00.003-04:002010-04-21T07:27:06.284-04:00Artichoke HummusI made this dip to bring to a playgroup yesterday, thinking that only the mommies would really go for it. After all, as I made it, Abby watched me and said "Oh yuck! I don't like artichokes! They are the yuckiest!" Even when I pointed out that she had never had an artichoke, or at least not in a long time, she maintained that they were the yuckiest, end of story.<br /><br />As it turned out, the kids at the playgroup flocked to the veggies and dip, even bringing it down to their own kiddie table to share. And when my girls needed an afternoon snack, they requested the leftovers! So while I didn't take a picture of the dip per se, I do have a picture of the girls going at the dip and - even better! - scarfing down a bunch of veggies in the process!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Artichoke Hummus</span><br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_ekCFaA1Pu6nlwWzeas_mLYZpD2R5242MXCH0O5NYKZ8urGC2ptH3IiH_Kzfz075Ml9MI-PaF6CpJCPbDw9KCbTKCGI5IlFAgQMNS4-dt-j4t48kONsrFNCRRQ9s1d0sfHwz6sxhVmA/s1600/IMG_6288.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 226px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_ekCFaA1Pu6nlwWzeas_mLYZpD2R5242MXCH0O5NYKZ8urGC2ptH3IiH_Kzfz075Ml9MI-PaF6CpJCPbDw9KCbTKCGI5IlFAgQMNS4-dt-j4t48kONsrFNCRRQ9s1d0sfHwz6sxhVmA/s320/IMG_6288.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462548974381303074" border="0" /></a><br />1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed<br />1 can/jar of artichoke hearts, drained (I used a 12 oz jar, but I think the cans come in 14 oz sizes)<br />2 Tbsp lemon juice<br />1/2 tsp dried rosemary<br />2 Tbsp olive oil<br />kosher salt (add to taste)<br /><br />In a food processor, blend beans, artichoke hearts, lemon juice, rosemary, and olive oil together until smooth. Add kosher salt to taste, blending well after each addition of salt. Garnish with sweet paprika, if desired, and serve with lots of fresh-cut veggies!Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574414620218179535noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-906932233066504454.post-48417848429925770692010-04-15T07:03:00.004-04:002010-04-15T07:17:31.209-04:00Chicken Baked in Curry-Peanut SauceI failed to get a picture of this dish, as my camera battery had died - but it is chicken breasts baked in a beige sauce. Not that photogenic! It was, however, delicious. Both girls gobbled their chicken right up. Abby said, "Mommy, this sauce is so tasty! Thank you!" So, woo!<br /><br />This recipe made about twice as much sauce as I needed for the 5 chicken breasts I was baking, so I popped half of it in the freezer for a future tasty dinner.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Chicken Baked in Curry-Peanut Sauce</span><br /></div><br />1 inch chunk of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped (if you're not a big fan of ginger, use less)<br />2 tsp garlic, chopped<br />1/2 cup smooth natural peanut butter<br />1/4 cup rice vinegar<br />2 Tbsp soy sauce (I always use reduced sodium)<br />1 tsp red Thai curry paste<br />1 1/4 cups light coconut milk<br />1/4 cup cilantro leaves<br /><br />4-6 chicken breasts<br /><br />Preheat oven to 375F.<br /><br />In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients (except for the chicken breasts). (Or put the ingredients in a bowl and use your immersion blender, if you have a nifty little one like I do!) Blend them until smooth.<br /><br />Place chicken breasts in a 9x13 baking dish and pour sauce all over. Freeze any leftover sauce. Bake chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165F - for me, this was somewhere between 35-45 minutes.Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574414620218179535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-906932233066504454.post-26250334073866619852010-04-12T07:05:00.000-04:002010-04-12T07:05:00.554-04:00Creamy Asparagus SoupI bought one of those 2-lb bags of asparagus from Costco (indeed, I adore Costco and it's mountains of produce!) for roasting up alongside out Easter lamb - but when the time came, I was just not in the mood for asparagus. So I needed to use it up, and I was in the mood for a creamy soup. I used potato to help thicken the base, so I could use just two cups of 1% milk instead of cream, butter, etc. - and I achieved an incredibly creamy soup.<br /><br />As with all soups, my kids were a little iffy on this. Abby ended up eating about half of her bowl, though not without some prodding. Lizzy tried a bite... which is, well, something at least!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Creamy Asparagus Soup</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguAyEJIW7CrZwKO_Y2w6SdFlUT08eUSu4l1xoftBqmNpgD90mRT2fzvpv_jSLMj3wjCshCI1TkWXa6rr2TJHmavt37lsKNGcmDiTTW0T9jxj8SftAawtq2Lit6iT-ZK23KIYCjoTE0YdA/s1600/IMG_6200.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguAyEJIW7CrZwKO_Y2w6SdFlUT08eUSu4l1xoftBqmNpgD90mRT2fzvpv_jSLMj3wjCshCI1TkWXa6rr2TJHmavt37lsKNGcmDiTTW0T9jxj8SftAawtq2Lit6iT-ZK23KIYCjoTE0YdA/s320/IMG_6200.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457350171498995954" border="0" /></a><br /><br />2 lbs of asparagus, washed and chopped<br />1 onion, chopped<br />2 stalks of celery, chopped<br />1 Tbsp olive oil<br />1/2 tsp dried dill<br />1/4 tsp dried lemon peel<br />salt<br />1 large potato, peeled and chopped<br />2 cups of stock (vegetable or chicken)<br />2 cups of milk (I used 1%)<br /><br />In a large pot, stir together asparagus, onion, celery, olive oil, dill, lemon peel, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have begun to soften.<br /><br />Add potato and stock. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until potato is soft enough to fall apart easily. Stir in milk.<br /><br />Use an immersion blender to puree soup (or, puree in a blender, working in batches. Be careful when blending piping hot soup!!). Continue to keep warm over low heat until ready to serve.Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574414620218179535noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-906932233066504454.post-8506869933693384062010-04-08T07:00:00.000-04:002010-04-08T07:00:05.228-04:00Banana-Oatmeal BreadI've tinkered with this recipe over the years, and it is currently our favorite toasting bread (needless to say, it makes great pb&j, too!). It's got this lovely hint of banana flavor, and it tastes fabulous toasted and buttered. Mmm. This recipe is for the bread machine - I've made bread by hand a few times, but I honestly don't see a difference in the final outcome, and the bread machine allows me to be so wonderfully lazy! <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Banana-Oatmeal Bread</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_KbiqD91ZQOgg5-C98N6XV2PylTZBqy5AKx6r8KnDH8oJrhyphenhyphenzSammZ_3XqEK2xO5yar31FKRHdmk9vpDt2wOo-iL3gmDM0jj2dtYyCO4sPopcVXR6m8Hm5Mzx8jhlsD99juKHqJ53i4w/s1600/IMG_6152.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_KbiqD91ZQOgg5-C98N6XV2PylTZBqy5AKx6r8KnDH8oJrhyphenhyphenzSammZ_3XqEK2xO5yar31FKRHdmk9vpDt2wOo-iL3gmDM0jj2dtYyCO4sPopcVXR6m8Hm5Mzx8jhlsD99juKHqJ53i4w/s320/IMG_6152.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455137184435282946" border="0" /></a><br /><br />1 cup ripe banana, sliced<br />3 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces<br />1 1/3 cups milk<br />1 3/4 tsp salt<br />1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour<br />2 1/2 cups bread flour<br />3/4 cup rolled oats<br />3 Tbsp sugar<br />1 Tbsp gluten<br />1 Tbsp + 1/2 tsp rapid rise yeast<br /><br />Add ingredients according to your bread machine's instructions (I add mine in the exact order listed here). Set for the whole wheat cycle. This is a 2-lb loaf, if your machine requires that info. Walk away while the bread machine works its magic, and then take all the credit and glory when people compliment the yummy bread.Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574414620218179535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-906932233066504454.post-53677234002185851522010-04-05T07:00:00.001-04:002010-04-05T07:00:13.467-04:00Zucchini Nuggets, Take Two<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaqduRJvGo0sHYZRkTycM0pB4uiTg-WHrZF0ETuQMI2hqfpBQUHXoDP9d6vZQTMsyUAH8_3qPp2fJQhHwmvyVof18mZes4a1Wz5Rane1H62ptW9N14__pbg7iAavDxvrGTuzMAvjMe7JQ/s1600/IMG_6151.JPG"><br /></a>Waaaaay back when we started this blog, I posted <a href="http://www.ittybittybistro.com/2008/08/zucchini-nuggets.html">zucchini nuggets</a>. I made those all the time that fall, and then they kind of fell by the wayside. I found myself once again with some lonely, unused zucchini in my veggie drawer the other night, so I thought of those nuggets. I revamped the recipe this time around, largely because I had run out of Panko bread crumbs, also because I had more zucchini to use up. These were just as big a hit with the girls as the originals - served alongside some home-baked sweet potato fries, these made a great "fries and nuggets" dinner!<br /><br />I used homemade bread crumbs for these. No one in our family really loves the crusty ends of loaves of breads (or "bread bums", as we call them), so I collect them in a bag in the freezer. When I need bread crumbs, I whirl up a few "bums" in our food processor - and voila, I have coarse, whole wheat bread crumbs!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Zucchini Nuggets, Take Two</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaqduRJvGo0sHYZRkTycM0pB4uiTg-WHrZF0ETuQMI2hqfpBQUHXoDP9d6vZQTMsyUAH8_3qPp2fJQhHwmvyVof18mZes4a1Wz5Rane1H62ptW9N14__pbg7iAavDxvrGTuzMAvjMe7JQ/s1600/IMG_6151.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaqduRJvGo0sHYZRkTycM0pB4uiTg-WHrZF0ETuQMI2hqfpBQUHXoDP9d6vZQTMsyUAH8_3qPp2fJQhHwmvyVof18mZes4a1Wz5Rane1H62ptW9N14__pbg7iAavDxvrGTuzMAvjMe7JQ/s320/IMG_6151.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455134188551622450" border="0" /></a><br />3 small zucchini, grated<br />2 cups coarse bread crumbs<br />2 Tbsp flour<br />2 eggs<br />1/2 cup cheese (cheddar, jack, whatever you like)<br />canola oil for frying<br /><br />In a large bowl, combine zucchini, crumbs, flour, eggs, and cheese. You want the mixture to have a meatball-like quality to it. <br /><br />Heat up a small amount of canola oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Gather up scoops of the zucchini mixture, slightly smaller than a golf ball. Mush the ball in your hands a few times until the mixture is really holding together, and then flatten into a nugget shape. After all the nuggets are formed, cook them in batches. <br /><br />I cooked them "low and slow" - about 4 to 5 minutes per side, over medium-low heat - to let them get nice and golden. This made about 24 nuggets.Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574414620218179535noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-906932233066504454.post-36476818261578310002010-04-03T07:00:00.000-04:002010-04-03T07:00:03.716-04:00Mushroom-Spinach Sauce<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaK_gG7vAM_xDln4Nabr1sXJCIhvaxxYxi6WA0g2WSQfd5kiKdMBeUhNSnLZxME2MWPHmOLamXy0ay1LeDU6MN9kX2TFQ1nRdMLt8jZBYangi_xVOmNeNp1UwkK3HHGiZFUNdt7SrFQh4/s1600/IMG_6109.JPG"><br /></a>We had a day last week when I realized the girls had reached dinner time with nary a fruit or vegetable to their day. This is very uncommon for us - but it was a day when we were running around with school, ballet, and errands, and we had done more "on the fly" eating than usual. I wanted to pack as many fruits and veggies into dinner as I reasonably could, while also making something the girls would eat without complaint (as they were very tired and likely to kick up a fuss). I resorted to the favorite mom trick of pureeing veggies into a sauce for pasta, and served the pasta with smoothies. I like to use a rotini pasta with sauces - the spirals hold a lot of saucy goodness! The girls cleaned their plates (and their cups), and I felt much better about our day!<br /><br />(<span style="font-style: italic;">I'm continuing my goal of one vegan and one vegetarian dish per week, which has been much easier than I expected. This was our vegan meal of the week (the smoothies were bananas, strawberries, pomegranate juice, and vanilla soy milk).</span>)<br /><br />Mushroom-Spinach Sauce<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaK_gG7vAM_xDln4Nabr1sXJCIhvaxxYxi6WA0g2WSQfd5kiKdMBeUhNSnLZxME2MWPHmOLamXy0ay1LeDU6MN9kX2TFQ1nRdMLt8jZBYangi_xVOmNeNp1UwkK3HHGiZFUNdt7SrFQh4/s1600/IMG_6109.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaK_gG7vAM_xDln4Nabr1sXJCIhvaxxYxi6WA0g2WSQfd5kiKdMBeUhNSnLZxME2MWPHmOLamXy0ay1LeDU6MN9kX2TFQ1nRdMLt8jZBYangi_xVOmNeNp1UwkK3HHGiZFUNdt7SrFQh4/s320/IMG_6109.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455131467048402626" border="0" /></a><br />1 box rotini pasta<br />2-3 handfuls of baby spinach<br />1 zucchini, sliced<br />5 large white mushrooms, washed and chopped<br />1 Tbsp olive oil<br />dash of oregano, salt<br />2 tsp balsamic vinegar<br /><br />In a large pot, cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water when draining the cooked pasta.<br /><br />In a sauce pan, heat up the olive oil over medium heat. Add the spinach, zucchini, and mushrooms. Season with oregano and salt. Cook, stirring, until the zucchini and mushrooms are soft. Transfer the veggies to a blender, adding balsamic vinegar. Blend veggies until smooth, adding some of the pasta cooking water as needed.<br /><br />Toss the cooked pasta in the sauce before serving.Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574414620218179535noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-906932233066504454.post-75505454047090292732010-04-01T07:25:00.003-04:002010-04-01T07:35:49.163-04:00Rosemary Beef Stew with Greens<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqI9ojVfbn908goBhyphenhyphenz0gqfrNX3fa7y17ptg9HPevghJvcLeQF4bLSN1oVtICMcOSX3B_ubd6KnEJdNPw1rlUm5aJBOuAKJ2yCvfCbOG-u2oikSzXiF_TnMCtXQ7MCJ9e3wpx9DyULtqI/s1600/IMG_6116.JPG"><br /></a>In continuing to use up that big bag o' spinach last week, I made a wonderful rosemary beef stew. I adore rosemary, and we've had enough rain and gloomy temperatures to make beef stew a welcome addition to the weekly menu. The spinach was fine in this soup, although I generally prefer hardier greens, like kale, in my soup.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rosemary Beef Stew with Greens</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqI9ojVfbn908goBhyphenhyphenz0gqfrNX3fa7y17ptg9HPevghJvcLeQF4bLSN1oVtICMcOSX3B_ubd6KnEJdNPw1rlUm5aJBOuAKJ2yCvfCbOG-u2oikSzXiF_TnMCtXQ7MCJ9e3wpx9DyULtqI/s1600/IMG_6116.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqI9ojVfbn908goBhyphenhyphenz0gqfrNX3fa7y17ptg9HPevghJvcLeQF4bLSN1oVtICMcOSX3B_ubd6KnEJdNPw1rlUm5aJBOuAKJ2yCvfCbOG-u2oikSzXiF_TnMCtXQ7MCJ9e3wpx9DyULtqI/s320/IMG_6116.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455129583098074498" border="0" /></a><br />1/2 lb cooked and cubed beef<br />4 cups chicken stock<br />1/2 cup red wine<br />1 cup water<br />1 cup chopped celery<br />1 cup chopped onion<br />4 carrots, peeled and chopped<br />1 tsp dried rosemary<br />1 clove garlic, minced<br />2-3 handfuls of washed, chopped greens (spinach, kale, chard, whatever you like)<br />1 cup sliced mushrooms<br /><br />I took the easy route on making this, and would do it in a slow cooker in the future (I wasn't thinking quite that far ahead that day). In a large pot, combine beef, chicken stock, wine, water, celery, onion, carrots, rosemary, and garlic. Bring to a boil and lower heat. Simmer until vegetables are soft (I let mine go for about an hour). Stir in the greens and mushrooms - simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes, until mushrooms are soft and cooked through.<br /><br />I served this with some cheese toast, and the girls did a fairly decent job on it - they picked out and ate the beef and carrots, and Abby also ate the "lettuce" (as she calls all greens). I've made tremendous progress on getting the girls to at least <span style="font-style: italic;">try</span> soup this winter!Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574414620218179535noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-906932233066504454.post-7672555125396630302010-03-25T07:50:00.000-04:002010-03-25T07:50:00.991-04:00Spinach Tart Crust<span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><br />This week, I have a challenge on my hands. I bought a 2.5 lb bag of spinach at Costco last weekend, as I needed a little bit of spinach for a dinner party menu. I am bound and determined not to let this spinach go to waste, but I'm also not much in the mood for spinach salads all week. So I'm finding ways to use it up! First up, a double spinach tart - spinach in the tart filling, and the crust. This crust was so good, and it was an easy way to pack more spinach into my kiddos. I got the idea from my friend Ana, who has long made a tart crust with basil mixed in. I can see myself trying out cilantro and parsley in the future, too!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Spinach Tart Crust</span><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLQ7nhVhK0tbVm0uLLGtaVmu8sy4COFezkZFYy9uJgbqYgHrqr2xTWut-DE-xB15HtAEOWY6FgSjt4J53qS7lKkzowJK3AhfNs6auTyrUxo9SEKPTEW3NFk9I1sTmFxpEw1ROP1-LrZU/s1600/IMG_6113.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLQ7nhVhK0tbVm0uLLGtaVmu8sy4COFezkZFYy9uJgbqYgHrqr2xTWut-DE-xB15HtAEOWY6FgSjt4J53qS7lKkzowJK3AhfNs6auTyrUxo9SEKPTEW3NFk9I1sTmFxpEw1ROP1-LrZU/s320/IMG_6113.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452532700451396466" border="0" /></a><br />1/2 cup whole wheat flour<br />1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour<br />1 big handful of baby spinach<br />1/2 tsp kosher salt<br />1/2 cup butter, cut up into pieces<br />1/4 cup chilled water<br /><br />In a food processor, blend together the flours, spinach, and salt until well-combined. Pulse in the butter until mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs. Pour in the water, and blend until dough just starts to come together. <br /><br />Remove the dough from the food processor and knead it lightly until it comes together. Form it into a disk and wrap it in plastic wrap. Chill for about an hour. <br /><br />Preheat oven to 350F. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured board and press it into a removable-bottom tart pan.<br /><br />Fill as desired (I sauteed some sliced mushrooms and a few handfuls of baby spinach in some oregano olive oil and laid that mix across the bottom, then topped it with four beaten eggs, a splash of milk, and some shredded cheddar cheese). Bake for 35-45 minutes.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">* * * * * * *<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">My kids absolutely adored this, and each had seconds. They rarely ask for seconds, particularly of something involving spinach, but they thought the green crust was a lot of fun. If I can incorporate beets and create a pink crust, I think I would blow their minds!<br /></div></div>Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574414620218179535noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-906932233066504454.post-26902512158642671612010-02-16T07:59:00.003-05:002010-02-16T08:24:52.030-05:00Avocado Goddess Dip<span style="font-style: italic;"></span>For some wonderful, miraculous reason, my girls have been all about trying new vegetables lately. In the last week, they have had grape tomatoes, broccoli, cucumber, romaine lettuce (new to Lizzy), and asparagus. They have done this without complaint and without me having to nudge them into trying them. What on earth?! Either all of my attempts to get them to try more things is finally paying off, or it's some fluke never to be repeated again. We will see!<br /><br />Last night, Abby held up her broccoli and said "Look, Mommy, it's like a tree!"<br /><br />Remembering Jenna's recent post about having her boys "<a href="http://foodwithkidappeal.blogspot.com/2010/02/eat-like-dinosaur-get-kids-to-eat.html">eat like dinosaurs</a>", I said "You can eat that tree like a dinosaur!"<br /><br />"But Mommy," she said, "I'm not a dinosaur. I'm a little girl."<br /><br />"I know, Abby, but the broccoli is like a tree, so -"<br /><br />"But Mommy, it's not really a tree. It's just a broccoli."<br /><br />"I know, Abby, but -"<br /><br />"And I'm just a little girl, eating broccoli. Okay?"<br /><br />"Okay, Abby."<br /><br />So, the dinosaur thing is not quite working for my little girl - but hey, she's eating the broccoli, so woo!<br /><br />I've been trying more dips and dressings as the girls have been willing to eat more vegetables. One of my first tries was a green goddess dressing, but based with avocado instead of mayo. It was delicious and had a lot more nutrients and good fats than our usual dips!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Avocado Goddess Dip</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIkPhA3_tI8yeRT6seExnXvi1mpbazVNSS2oQ-7J6FUZ3oDlA2PnveR6QDENp9TPuFkXYk7kAOCpqzgbYBu4-vjwRA317EcVZw5x9kJ8cEUufaJuVGmuRPHdfRAc7oJqS2ownjgZxaeJo/s1600-h/IMG_5706.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIkPhA3_tI8yeRT6seExnXvi1mpbazVNSS2oQ-7J6FUZ3oDlA2PnveR6QDENp9TPuFkXYk7kAOCpqzgbYBu4-vjwRA317EcVZw5x9kJ8cEUufaJuVGmuRPHdfRAc7oJqS2ownjgZxaeJo/s320/IMG_5706.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438825789041802018" border="0" /></a><br />2 ripe avocados<br />1 bunch tarragon, chopped<br />1-2 Tbsp chopped chives (depends on how much you like chives!)<br />1 handful chopped parsley<br />salt & pepper<br />2 Tbsp lemon juice<br />1-2 cups milk (start with 1 cup, add more as needed to get to desired consistency)<br /><br />De-seed and scoop out the avocado. Add everything to a blender or food processor and puree. Add more milk as needed, depending on how thick or thin you want your dip to be (I added more milk after I served the girls, to make a dressing for my salad).<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I've submitted this post to the </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://foodwithkidappeal.blogspot.com/2010/02/big-words-little-foodie-recipe-swap.html">Big Words, Little Foodies</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> recipe swap over at Food with Kid Appeal. See what other little foodies have to say about their dinners!</span>Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574414620218179535noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-906932233066504454.post-78856989188380798402010-02-02T16:30:00.000-05:002010-02-02T16:39:51.128-05:00Polar Bear CupcakesI am just tickled pink that "Lost" is back tonight (even though, with my husband's schedule, we may not get to actually watch it until this weekend - sob!), so the girls and I made up some polar bear cupcakes today as a tribute!<br /><br />When I bake cakes or cupcakes for birthdays or actual celebrations, I keep it basic with white sugar, all-purpose flour. But when I'm baking cupcakes on a Tuesday because my favorite show is back on, I like to go a little healthier. I find you can basically make a muffin, with flax and whole wheat and blah blah - because once the frosting is on, it's just as yummy as a true cupcake!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Polar Bear Cupcakes</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKFBbXjWvt5Gf3ZQZMVT4CH35qaPXoxc59yvRhl8Q1EiKpwrwfY8BodUdP5t_l1aUbAD-iSIH_kOMuGeIfH2JjNckeCjUwlLkkXS17hzjJFaxa_S72BX-ByTD73TV6brJ9oUj20athtiI/s1600-h/IMG_5695.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKFBbXjWvt5Gf3ZQZMVT4CH35qaPXoxc59yvRhl8Q1EiKpwrwfY8BodUdP5t_l1aUbAD-iSIH_kOMuGeIfH2JjNckeCjUwlLkkXS17hzjJFaxa_S72BX-ByTD73TV6brJ9oUj20athtiI/s320/IMG_5695.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433748262312626930" border="0" /></a><br />1/2 cup whole wheat flour<br />3/4 cup all-purpose flour<br />1/4 tsp salt<br />1 1/4 tsp baking powder<br />2 Tbsp unsalted butter<br />3/4 cup milled flax seed<br />1/2 cup raw sugar<br />1/2 tsp vanilla extract<br />3/4 tsp maple extract<br />1 egg<br />3/4 cup milk (I used 1%)<br /><br />Preheat oven to 375F. Line 10 muffin cups with liners.<br /><br />In a bowl, sift together the flours, baking powder, and salt.<br /><br />With an electric mixer, cream together the butter, flax, sugar, vanilla extract, and maple extract. Beat in the egg. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and the milk, beating until combined.<br /><br />Divide batter evenly between 10 muffin cups. Bake for 15-20 minutes (I started checking at 15 minutes; I took them out of the oven at 18 minutes). Let cool<br /><br /><br />Frosting - I use the Cook's Illustrated buttercream frosting, although it's been a while since I actually looked at it! Here are my rough proportions:<br /><br />1 stick unsalted butter<br />2-3 Tbsp half and half (or cream)<br />1 tsp vanilla extract<br />pinch salt<br />2-3 cups confectioner's sugar<br /><br />With an electric mixer, cream together the butter, half and half, vanilla, and salt. Add 2 cups of confectioner's sugar and beat on high speed for several minutes. Add more sugar as desired to reach frosting consistency, but be sure to beat on high speed for several minutes after additions - you want it to get really nice and fluffy!<br /><br />We decorated with shredded coconut, chocolate chips... and animal cracker bits for the ears. That's what happens when you don't keep mini marshmallows on hand and decide to make cupcakes with no prior planning! ;-)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">* * * * * * *<br /></div><br />One of these already leaped into my mouth and forced it's way into my stomach... yummmmm. Abby hates cake and has already said that she won't be trying one after dinner, but we'll see if her tune changes. I feel fairly sure, based on her enthusiasm for licking the frosting beaters, that Lizzy will be more than happy to have dessert tonight! Perhaps these cupcakes will give me the sugar rush I need to stay up until 11 p.m...Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574414620218179535noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-906932233066504454.post-31375122586534978582010-02-01T07:00:00.000-05:002010-02-01T07:00:05.587-05:00Black Bean and Millet Burgers<br /><br />I mentioned a little while ago that I'd like to find a good go-to vegetarian/vegan burger recipe before this summer. Beth, of <a href="http://cbethblog.blogspot.com/">C. Beth Blog</a>, nominated a burger from her sister's blog, <a href="http://theveganishexperiment.blogspot.com/">The Vegan(ish) Experiment</a>. <br /><br />One factor decided me in making this the first one I'd try: the millet. A few months ago, I read a book extolling the virtues of whole grains, and went on an absolute shopping binge in the bulk bun aisle at Whole Foods. Some of the grains have become staples in our house (like quinoa), and others have languished in my pantry. Millet is among them. So few recipes call for millet, so I was psyched to have a recipe that actually used millet!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://theveganishexperiment.blogspot.com/2009/07/day-198-black-bean-and-millet-burgers.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Black Bean and Millet Burgers</span></a><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmiiJDFTG-jw556pSkSMEkEIPL9w-ndl9AtuOOqx-EYahKNoqQaGhJ_6JevoqpwXvTb-pQjmxidhms7jEIozPgdQffChKjZRkNl8Smdjrp23BbavBsKxP13ScHwSbXS6i0VRj_U1Hooac/s1600-h/IMG_5589.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmiiJDFTG-jw556pSkSMEkEIPL9w-ndl9AtuOOqx-EYahKNoqQaGhJ_6JevoqpwXvTb-pQjmxidhms7jEIozPgdQffChKjZRkNl8Smdjrp23BbavBsKxP13ScHwSbXS6i0VRj_U1Hooac/s320/IMG_5589.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433007313304081762" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://theveganishexperiment.blogspot.com/2009/07/day-198-black-bean-and-millet-burgers.html">(go check out the recipe!)<br /></a></div><br />Folks, these were good. Like, <span style="font-style: italic;">goooood</span>. I had frozen some of the black beans that were cooked up with cilantro and scallions from the <a href="http://www.ittybittybistro.com/2010/01/beans-and-quinoa-with-beets.html">Beans and Quinoa with Beets</a> recipe, so I used those in place of plain black beans. I also didn't have a bell pepper on hand, nor did I have the motivation to go out and procure one, so I used a small amount of carrot and celery instead.<br /><br />The Pros:<br /><br />Excellent flavor!<br />Easy to put together!<br /><br /><br />The Con: <br /><br />Fell apart - I tried to cut them up for the kids, and they were not thrilled to be presented with a pile of mush. They did, however, eat them when I smooshed them in a flatbread.<br /><br />I ended up eating these in a flatbread wrap, and they were like a really yummy sandwich that way. I don't know if these will become my go-to for vegetarians attending barbeques at my house, but they will certainly stay in rotation for a yummy lunch/dinner!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">* * * * * *<br /></div><br />Got a vegetarian/vegan burger recipe you think I should try, either your own or some funky thing you saw on-line? I love being a guinea pig! Email me at kara at ittybittybistro dot com!Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574414620218179535noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-906932233066504454.post-86848789176427884252010-01-26T08:19:00.004-05:002010-01-26T13:09:03.270-05:00Stages of Acceptance: Cold Chinese Pasta Salad, revisited<span style="font-style: italic;">This post is to participate in </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://foodwithkidappeal.blogspot.com/">Food with Kid Appeal's</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> new "</span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://foodwithkidappeal.blogspot.com/2010/01/mr-linky-test-post.html">Big Words, Little Foodies</a><span style="font-style: italic;">" recipe swap. I know we've had more than a few moments with Abby like Big Boo's "Long Avocado," though rarely have they been about food!</span><br /><br />Last night, I trotted out an old favorite for the kids - <a href="http://www.ittybittybistro.com/2008/08/cold-chinese-pasta-salad.html">Cold Chinese Pasta Salad</a>. I make this a lot in the summer and fall, but we hadn't had it in a while. Not wanting to go out and buy red pepper, I finally tried swapping in ribbons of carrot - with great success! I vastly preferred the thin ribbons of carrot (achieved with a simple vegetable peeler) to the bulky strips of red pepper. Even better - the kids preferred it, too!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG8bz9CjTDNXOLjOauHPbaqHMbAciBVz5a_5GC0FzI3a-8HugkzfLNNJhpHVrR0TO54bHiQ95Hu0hP2pawoncUEulAyqL9gFWzYoWkd8imGDFgMjy8XLSb5C4ZORrIyoXCvUavLbcLN6g/s1600-h/IMG_5600.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG8bz9CjTDNXOLjOauHPbaqHMbAciBVz5a_5GC0FzI3a-8HugkzfLNNJhpHVrR0TO54bHiQ95Hu0hP2pawoncUEulAyqL9gFWzYoWkd8imGDFgMjy8XLSb5C4ZORrIyoXCvUavLbcLN6g/s320/IMG_5600.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431040507976952018" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Though she has had this dish a bunch of times, we still had to go through Abby's stages of dinner acceptance:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Initial rejection</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">for imaginary, petty reasons</span><br /><br />Abby: Mommy, what are you doing?<br /><br />Me: Boiling the pasta for dinner.<br /><br />Abby: Oh. I don't like boiling.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. Visual inspection</span><br /><br />Abby: Oh! These orange ribbons <span style="font-style: italic;">(the carrots) </span>are so pretty! Like a present!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. Continued petty rejections</span><br /><br />Abby (who hates anything that is warmer than room temperature): This pasta is pretty cold.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. Continued petty rejections, again and some more</span><br /><br />Abby: This pasta is not getting on my fork! Mommy, it won't get on my fork!.... Oh. There it goes.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. Acceptance:</span><br /><br />(finally eats a piece) Abby: Oh! This is so yummy! I love it, Mommy!Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574414620218179535noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-906932233066504454.post-88559171933887398462010-01-25T07:00:00.000-05:002010-01-25T07:00:04.782-05:00Pizza PancakesThis was another "pantry clean-out" cooking night - and this week's vegetarian dish! I made pancakes for breakfast over the weekend, and in the course of naming silly kinds of pancakes I should make, Abby said "pizza pancakes!" As it turned out, that didn't sound half bad to me! These were a fun dinner to make with the kids, and they went over pretty well - Lizzy and I gobbled ours down, Abby picked out and ate the olives, told me the sauce was yucky, and ended up eating only about 1/4 of her pancake. So, a pretty normal night for her!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pizza Pancakes</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKFSJgyPfsoCTD7XDzK9MuyWMDWeXXR1oZ_ba8pUZDaO8cREpm5bE3x5shg2xXZJAJvRU2Klg7J3Bn5TpKnhOPmJaw9tTRXiB5Wte6mhsLg874I0suMXKY2aKlR4DAIgFlPBqoo_3a8bE/s1600-h/IMG_5565.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKFSJgyPfsoCTD7XDzK9MuyWMDWeXXR1oZ_ba8pUZDaO8cREpm5bE3x5shg2xXZJAJvRU2Klg7J3Bn5TpKnhOPmJaw9tTRXiB5Wte6mhsLg874I0suMXKY2aKlR4DAIgFlPBqoo_3a8bE/s320/IMG_5565.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430044707979994546" border="0" /></a><br /><br />2 cups all-purpose flour (<span style="font-style: italic;">I was out of whole wheat flour, shockingly. I assume these would work well with a half AP, half WW blend</span>)<br />4 tsp baking powder<br />3/4 tsp salt<br />3/4 tsp dried oregano<br />1 cup water<br />1 cup spaghetti sauce, plus extra for dipping<br />2 eggs, beaten<br />your favorite toppings, diced, about 3-4 handfuls worth (we did one handful of diced mushrooms, one handful of sliced olives, and 2 big handfuls of shredded Italian blend cheese)<br /><br />Preheat your griddle / griddle pan / pancake cooking method of choice.<br /><br />In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and oregano.<br /><br />In a smaller bowl, whisk together the water, spaghetti sauce, and eggs.<br /><br />Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until almost blended. Stir in your toppings, and stir until blended.<br /><br />Drop by 1/4 cupfuls onto the hot griddle and cook for about 3-4 minutes per side. Serve with extra sauce for dipping!Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574414620218179535noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-906932233066504454.post-71369205948863505002010-01-20T07:00:00.001-05:002010-01-20T07:00:03.179-05:00Shepherd's Pie<br /><br />I'm having a "no shopping" week, as it is beyond time for me to clean out the stockpile in my freezer and pantry. I unearthed some lamb sausage, purchased from <a href="http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M12403">Drumlin Farm</a> late in the fall and forgotten in my freezer. I wanted to do this lamb some justice, so I turned it into a shepherd's pie. Lizzy tucked right into the ground mixture but eschewed the mashed potato; Abby wouldn't try any (but then proved that she had a tummy bug later that night, which may have tainted her willingness to try new things!). My husband was in heaven with this dinner!<br /><br />If you are in the area and ever visit Drumlin Farm with your kids, check their freezers in the fall - they sell their beef, goat, and lamb meat, and we've gotten some amazing meats from there.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyX5u_gVxEMj-Nys0rVt4vv6xB3RHKAqH08TjVSiAIbl6g1AtwPP95FFOfpF3BIlvbE9Mx_HQsCNYmjT1NFhEt_RJilUqECkC-eSonZljj1AaihUIrJRg2yoeTvR6cstdREUAtEyKd84Y/s1600-h/IMG_5557.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyX5u_gVxEMj-Nys0rVt4vv6xB3RHKAqH08TjVSiAIbl6g1AtwPP95FFOfpF3BIlvbE9Mx_HQsCNYmjT1NFhEt_RJilUqECkC-eSonZljj1AaihUIrJRg2yoeTvR6cstdREUAtEyKd84Y/s320/IMG_5557.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428587324277327186" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Filling:</span><br />1 lb ground lamb (I used lamb sausage, but we couldn't detect much seasoning)<br />1 lb ground beef<br />1 cup diced onion<br />1 cup carrots, sliced into thin rounds<br />1 cup diced celery<br />1 Tbsp tomato paste<br />1 Tbsp flour<br />1 clove garlic, minced<br />1 tsp worcestershire sauce<br />1/4 cup red wine<br />1 cup chicken broth<br />1 cup water<br />1 cup frozen peas<br /><br />In a large pot, brown the lamb and ground beef. When it is mostly cooked through, remove the ground meats and set aside in a bowl - keep the fat drippings in the pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 10-15 minutes. They will start to get a little bubbly and very soft. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste, and then stir in the flour. Cook for about 1 minute, and then whisk in the worcestershire sauce, red wine, chicken broth, and water. Stir in the browned meats and bring the whole mixture to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the sauce has thickened a little. Remove from heat and stir in peas. Spread mixture into a 2-qt casserole dish. (I prepared my filling to this point early in the day and then stuck it in the fridge until I was closer to dinner time. I love dishes that I can prep ahead of time!).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNyIXzaB8dUbWjAea7H7wNcwNPpLtgnKLXgMkDAcXEoGOFk1bzZ3Mvp8p98P5oSzOG9yNgOJzNCAXPC3RisOz6pmTjV7mXFRH9a5su2WreWMYIo1mDxhoIG3jbyhKY3hYKQqGYbUtgbJ0/s1600-h/IMG_5559.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNyIXzaB8dUbWjAea7H7wNcwNPpLtgnKLXgMkDAcXEoGOFk1bzZ3Mvp8p98P5oSzOG9yNgOJzNCAXPC3RisOz6pmTjV7mXFRH9a5su2WreWMYIo1mDxhoIG3jbyhKY3hYKQqGYbUtgbJ0/s320/IMG_5559.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428587319143654482" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Mashed Potato Topping:</span> 1 - 1.5 lbs mashing potatoes, scrubbed well and chopped (and peeled if desired - I always leave my peels on)<br />1 clove garlic, peeled but whole<br />1/2 - 1 cup milk<br />2 Tbsp butter<br />1 egg<br />salt to taste<br /><br />Put the potatoes and garlic clove into a big pot, filled with enough water to fully cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil, lower heat slightly, and cook for 20-25 minutes, until potatoes are tender and can be easily pierced with a fork.<br /><br />Drain potatoes and return to pot. Mash with a masher. Stir in 1/2 cup of milk and the butter and some salt. Mash some more. Add more milk as desired. Check to see if you need additional salt, and then mash in egg.<br /><br />Preheat oven to 400F.<br /><br />Spread potatoes over the meat filling in the casserole dish, creating a few pretty peaks. Cook for about 25-30 minutes, until the peaks of the potatoes are browning and the mixture below is starting to bubble out.Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574414620218179535noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-906932233066504454.post-52951636944868792372010-01-18T10:47:00.004-05:002010-01-18T10:56:09.910-05:00Winter Night's SoupOur vegan dinner last week came courtesy of a new blog, <a href="http://myfamilydish.blogspot.com/">My Family Dish</a>, started by a friend of mine from my old neighborhood. Her <a href="http://myfamilydish.blogspot.com/2010/01/winters-night-soup.html">Winter Night's Soup</a> (a minestrone) jumped right out at me; I was intrigued by the slow-cooking of the celery, carrots, and onion at the beginning and by the promise of big flavor without relying on stock. I also wasn't sure what to think about butternut squash cubes in a soup (I love butternut squash bisques, but haven't had many soups with the squash left in cubes). This soup was amazing!<br /><br />Now, my kids hate soup, but I took a great tip from Jenna at <a href="http://foodwithkidappeal.blogspot.com/">Food with Kid Appeal</a> and served some cheese toast alongside the soup. This dinner was vegan for me, not so much for the kidlets. But, it worked! They adored their cheese toast, dipped it in their soup broth a little, and even deigned to try a few bites of the soup (Lizzy picked out every bean, Abby said "I'm only eating the celery" and proceeded to eat every bit of kale. I certainly didn't correct her!)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://myfamilydish.blogspot.com/2010/01/winters-night-soup.html">Winter Night's Soup</a><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgim12gfAh50xy280Yd9A_vQD5tq9690ttOvYOYmp_0IzKgUFD6LcY1PYBdtMx7xj04bqRpe82z6qu6l7CuwJ0spIdxiHe1-jhSzwCWJOtC6PLY1rGXmecjEce-kwPubX22yRTh7pskD44/s1600-h/IMG_5547.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 358px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgim12gfAh50xy280Yd9A_vQD5tq9690ttOvYOYmp_0IzKgUFD6LcY1PYBdtMx7xj04bqRpe82z6qu6l7CuwJ0spIdxiHe1-jhSzwCWJOtC6PLY1rGXmecjEce-kwPubX22yRTh7pskD44/s400/IMG_5547.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428107181183015394" border="0" /></a><br />How can you not love a soup with this many colorful ingredients?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinu3oEYr4KNSwqrdrX3sTk9AqX5QmTfhu0youkfY57sgOKmfdo3R7q_2ZdTPV2FRwCH3GMlD1tVOnfySdyDToaO8gY15kHHID1vMNbsMX5bOdItszd0ZkU1h5IJtlYu2KO17LAHufQlaQ/s1600-h/IMG_5541.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 330px; height: 247px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinu3oEYr4KNSwqrdrX3sTk9AqX5QmTfhu0youkfY57sgOKmfdo3R7q_2ZdTPV2FRwCH3GMlD1tVOnfySdyDToaO8gY15kHHID1vMNbsMX5bOdItszd0ZkU1h5IJtlYu2KO17LAHufQlaQ/s400/IMG_5541.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428107183142285490" border="0" /></a><br />I was out of cannellini beans, which the soup called for, and subbed in black beans and garbanzo. The garbanzo were not a good substitution, although at least Abby would eat them (she adores hummus, so I just told her they were un-smooshed hummus, and she delighted me by eating each one!). I adored the butternut squash in this soup - it was unexpectedly rich.<br /><br />Definitely give this soup a try; it was fabulous, rich, chock-full of veggies, and the leftovers made for some great lunches!Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574414620218179535noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-906932233066504454.post-13429721204516591322010-01-14T11:49:00.003-05:002010-01-14T12:05:04.719-05:00Penne Alla Vodka with SausageMy husband's birthday was this week, and he requested that I try to duplicate our favorite dish at Vinny T's - penne alla vodka with sausage. My attempt was yummy, though fell short of the restaurant's version... but I suspect that they use <span style="font-style: italic;">a lot</span> more fat in their version than I was willing to use!<br /><br />I did have some qualms about posting this, as the evidence on just how much alcohol is burned off in cooking is mixed, and I know some people would never serve this dish to their kids. I serve my children beef stews that have been simmered in beer and chicken that has been braised in wine - and one of our favorite breads is yeast bread made with a bottle of beer. Vodka gave me some pause, but it's a small amount spread over a dish that had a large yield of servings (for my family, at least - my girls will only ever eat about 1/2 cup cooked pasta at most, so we have leftovers coming out of our ears!), and it simmered for about 20 minutes.<br /><br />Better yet, it was something both girls liked and ate without complaint, and the dish was a breeze to put together. So, woohoo!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Penne Alla Vodka with Sausage</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfBRJhln_SoFpGOPxTH6YhXCITR-bfL0ojQlveAXrS1dYx-RwQtkwhmuNcHHYdFb96JQCHNcn2tIRF6geDs-_lo_mjNGLLdMdQGp3K3RmUqhEIO41Q3ciQKRJsuGoI4EHjlOtou-aae2Q/s1600-h/IMG_5512.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfBRJhln_SoFpGOPxTH6YhXCITR-bfL0ojQlveAXrS1dYx-RwQtkwhmuNcHHYdFb96JQCHNcn2tIRF6geDs-_lo_mjNGLLdMdQGp3K3RmUqhEIO41Q3ciQKRJsuGoI4EHjlOtou-aae2Q/s400/IMG_5512.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426638687726436530" border="0" /></a><br />1 lb whole wheat penne, cooked according to package directions<br />1/2 lb sweet italian sausage, removed from casing<br />1-2 cloves garlic<br />1 tsp dried basil<br />1 28oz can crushed tomatoes<br />1/4 cup vodka<br />1/2 cup light cream<br />1/2 cup grated parmesan, plus more for serving<br /><br />Start making the sauce while you are bringing the pasta water to a boil. In a skillet over medium heat, cook sausage, breaking up into chunks.<br /><br />When the sausage is cooked, add the garlic and basil and cook until garlic is softened. Add tomatoes and vodka. Bring sauce to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until the pasta is done cooking (it took forever for my water to come to its first boil, and then cook the pasta, so my sauce simmered for about 15 minutes).<br /><br />Drain the pasta and return to pot. Stir the light cream and parmesan into the sauce. Pour the sauce over the pasta. Cook the pasta and sauce together, stirring constantly, for about 5 more minutes, until the pasta has absorbed some of the sauce.<br /><br />Serve, covered with more parmesan if desired.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">* * * * *<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Abby's birthday was the following night - her requested birthday dinner? PB&J, carrots, and tortilla chips. It could be worse! We used whole wheat bread, organic peanut butter and jelly, and multigrain tortilla chips... and it made for one happy 4-year-old!<br /></div></div>Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574414620218179535noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-906932233066504454.post-26497749114869858532010-01-11T13:52:00.002-05:002010-01-11T13:58:57.863-05:00The Great Veggie Burger Search!As I begin another week of menu-planning (and thus another week of vegan and vegetarian recipe hunting), it occurs to me: What is missing from my life is a great veggie burger recipe.<br /><br />I don't care if it's bean-based, grain-based, or vegetable-based, but I want a yummy burger that I can serve alongside hamburgers this summer. I'd love something that I can grill, but I understand the nature of the veggie burger often demands that it be pan-fried. <br /><br />So... do you have a veggie burger recipe that you love that I should try? Please email me either the recipe or the link to your blogged recipe at kara at ittybittybistro dot com - I'd love to try out any and all recipes and give them a mention here!Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574414620218179535noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-906932233066504454.post-39992965052018853072010-01-07T17:47:00.004-05:002010-01-07T17:55:30.918-05:00Sausage, Lentil, and Kale SoupMm-MM! I just had a big bowl of this for dinner and thought it was delightful. Neither girl tried it, of course, being a combo of many dreaded things for them (greens... soup... lentils...), so they had something else for dinner. But hey, maybe your kids are more tolerant of new things than mine are! This is certainly something to please the adults in the house, at least!<br /><a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/sausage-lentil-and-kale-soup"><br /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/sausage-lentil-and-kale-soup">Everyday Food Magazine Sausage, Lentil, and Kale Soup</a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRu4zD0UN9NrfuN4M_APS9_cObvkERrhUvrU_PSnbJe8ewfUt23rQJ3SEn8IqwFeuZVt11gR399W0jbxAa19_A0AdbsRs_Rj60I1__td12WbhvrVdIsvUExXm6cEg2Lz-iqWnQX6SYQS8/s1600-h/soup.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 281px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRu4zD0UN9NrfuN4M_APS9_cObvkERrhUvrU_PSnbJe8ewfUt23rQJ3SEn8IqwFeuZVt11gR399W0jbxAa19_A0AdbsRs_Rj60I1__td12WbhvrVdIsvUExXm6cEg2Lz-iqWnQX6SYQS8/s400/soup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424133835829540642" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">(not my photo. my pix made the soup look awful!)<br /></span></div><br />I added a bunch of spinach that was on the verge of getting too wilted for me to care to eat, and I threw in the beet stalks that were left over from <a href="http://www.ittybittybistro.com/2010/01/beans-and-quinoa-with-beets.html">dinner the other night</a>. Perhaps because of all this, I had to add a few extra cups of water with the kale. This soup had so much more flavor than I expected it to (I know that sounds bad, but...) - I am normally not a fan of kale, but it was just right to stand up to the sausage in this.<br /><br />Go check out <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/sausage-lentil-and-kale-soup">the recipe</a>!Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574414620218179535noreply@blogger.com5