Asian Dumpling Soup with Shitakes and Edamame

Inspiration:
Have you ever returned from a vacation where you overindulged, and all you wanted to do was eat spinach and drink water for a week? Tim and I just had a fun-filled trip to the Caribbean, and we enjoyed all the food--perhaps a little too much. This soup was just the healthy, vegetable-packed recipe we were craving.
Recipe adapted from Real Simple


Ingredients:

• 64 ounces low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 16-ounce package frozen pot sticker dumplings or Japanese gyoza
• 2 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 4 ounces shiitake or white mushrooms, stems discarded and caps thinly sliced
• 2 cups frozen shelled edamame
• 1 bunch watercress, thick stems removed (or spinach, see note; about 3 cups)
  
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• kosher salt
• 4 scallions, sliced

Instructions:

1. In a large saucepan, bring the broth and ginger to a boil. Add the pot stickers and carrots and simmer until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Add the mushrooms and edamame and simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes.
3. Stir in the watercress, soy sauce, and ½ teaspoon salt. Sprinkle with the scallions before serving.

Notes: I substituted 3 cups of spinach for the watercress as my food co-op didn't have watercress. I doubled the mushrooms as Tim loves them.
This is really easy to make as long as you don't mind chopping a few carrots/mushrooms/scallions.

See recipe for nutritional information.


Liz's Rating: 9.5/10
Tim's Rating: 9/10

Rösti

Inspiration:
The Amazing Race 14's first pit stop: Switzerland!

When looking for a Swiss recipe, I considered fondue, Älplermagronen, and Rösti. Since we recently had a fondue party (using this recipe), I decided to skip fondue. When my mother decided to grill steaks for dinner, I decided to go with the Rösti as it would be a good side dish.

My recipe was adapted from one found on The Food Network's website. My friend Lindsay, who lived in Switzerland last summer, told me that my ingredient list seemed authentic.


Ingredients:

• 6 large baking potatoes
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3 1/2 ounces smoked bacon, thinly sliced vertically
• 3 1/2 ounces onion, diced
• 1 sprig thyme
• 3 1/2 ounces mushrooms, diced
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 ounces butter
• 6 slices Gruyere

Instructions:

1. Boil the potatoes in their skins for 20 minutes, drain and leave to cool. Peel them. Using a cheese grater, grate them into a large mixing bowl and sprinkle with salt.

2. In a frying pan saute the bacon and onions. Strip the leaves off the sprigs of thyme into the pan. Add mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes until soft. Combine with the potatoes and mix gently, taking care not to mash them too much.

3. Heat oil in a frying pan and add 3 or 4 spoonfuls of the mixture, See cook's note*. Using a spatula, pat the mixture into a round flat cake. Brown it over a high heat. When the bottom side is cooked flip it over. Repeat with remaining potatoes to make 6 cakes.

4. Put 1/2 tablespoon of butter and a slice of Gruyere on each cake and melt under a hot grill or broiler. Turn the Rosti onto a plate and serve with a green salad, if desired.

Recipe Note: We find that it's better to cook the Rosti individually. 3 or 4 spoonfuls will serve 1 person.

My Notes: I would first like to note that I am not happy with this photo. However I realize this is a food blog, not a photography blog, and while I would prefer to give you appetizing photos, the point is to share recipes. :)

As I am on vacation visiting family, I didn't want to boil and shred potatoes. I skipped the first step by substituting a package of Simply Potatoes. I purchased sliced smoked Gruyere as that is what was available at the local grocery. I had some problems frying the potatoes as my mother has a flat top stove, and I am used to gas. I think they would have turned out a little better if I prepared them in my own kitchen. However, they were still good. (Of course they were, there is bacon involved!)

Vegetarian Option: These would be almost as tasty without the bacon.

Liz's Rating: 8.5/10
Tim's Rating: 8.5/10

Next week on The Amazing Race: I don't want to spoil the locations for those who would like to be surprised, but if you want to see the season 14 map, click here.

Portobello Mushroom Fries

Inspiration:
Big City Cooking


Ingredients:

• 4 portobello mushrooms
  
• 1 c. all purpose flour
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 1 c. panko bread crumbs
  
• salt and pepper
  
• Olive oil
  

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Make assembly line with flour, eggs, and bread crumbs. Slice mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Dredge mushrooms in flour, eggs, and bread crumbs. Place on oiled pan.
   
2. Drizzle with extra oil and put in oven and cook for 15-20 minutes.

Notes:
These are best fresh out of the oven.I served these with my Tomato Basil Soup and a salad with a basic balsamic vinaigrette. They would also be delicious as an appetizer, served with a tomato-based dipping sauce.


Tim's Rating: 8/10
Liz's Rating: 8.5/10

Siberian Pelmeni

Inspiration:
The Amazing Race's pit stop in Moscow, Russia
and
Erin's suggestion of Pelmeni, which she had at our local restaurant Moscow on the Hill
The recipe below is very loosely based on this recipe from The Food Network.


Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground pork
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill, divided
  
• 2 ounces breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half
• 1 egg, beaten
• salt and pepper
• gyoza or potsticker wrappers
• 8 cups chicken broth, hot
  
• very thinly sliced button mushrooms, to garnish (about 1/2-3/4 cup per person)

Instructions:

1. Soak breadcrumbs in cream.
2. Combine pork, 1/4 cup dill, egg, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add breadcrumb mixture and mix.
3. Let sit up to 2 hours for flavors to combine (in refrigerator).
4. Place 2 teaspoons of pork mixture in each gyoza wrapper, preparing 4 at a time. Wet the edges and seal in half-moon shapes. Set aside under plastic wrap as you make the other Pelmeni.
5. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil.
6. Boil Pelmeni for 7-10 minutes.
   
7. Place 8-12 Pelmeni in a large soup bowl. Top with a few ladles of broth, chopped dill, sliced fresh mushrooms, and more pepper.

My Notes:
I don't think the original recipe was very authentic, and my alterations make it surely non-authentic, so we'll call these "Lazy Non-Authentic Siberian Pelmeni." We both enjoyed this dish. You must use fresh dill.


Tim's Rating: 9/10
Liz's Rating: 9/10


Next Week on The Amazing Race Season Finale: Oregon, USA.

Cheesy Acorn Squash

Inspiration:
allrecipes.com
as well as acorn squash from our CSA

Ingredients:

• 1 acorn squash, halved and seeded
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• Optional: sliced fresh mushrooms or chopped parsley
  

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place squash cut side down in a glass dish. Cook in microwave for 20 minutes on HIGH, until almost tender.
3. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and add celery and onion; saute until transparent.
   
4. Stir in mushrooms; cook 2 to 3 minutes more.
   
5. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and parsley.
   
6. Divide mixture in half, spoon into the squash and cover.
7. Cook 15 minutes in the preheated oven.
   
8. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese and put back in the oven until the cheese bubbles.

Notes: It would be easy to prepare this ahead of time. Microwave the squash and then refrigerate. Chop the celery and onions, and then refrigerate. From there, it will take just a few minutes to throw this together. I suggest serving it with rice pilaf.

Tim's Rating: 8/10
Liz's Rating: 8.5/10

Stuffed Zucchini with Ham and Mushrooms

Inspiration:

Simply Recipes

as well as zucchini, summer squash, and parsley from our CSA

Ingredients:

• 4 medium sized zucchini (at least 1/2 pound each) OR 3 large zucchini (3/4 pound each) OR 1 jumbo zucchini (2 pounds)
  
• 4 Tbsp butter, divided
  
• 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
  
• 10 ounces of fresh mushrooms, sliced
  
• 1/2 cup finely chopped ham
  
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley
  
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  
• Salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste
  
• 1/3 cup bread crumbs
  
• 1/3 cup grated Gruyere or Parmesan cheese
  

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Wash and scrub the zucchini; slice each in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and pulp.
   
2. Steam the zucchini halves until almost tender either using the traditional steaming method or by microwaving in a covered dish (cut side down) with 2 tablespoons of water for 3 minutes.
   
3. Meanwhile, sauté chopped onions and sliced mushrooms 3 tablespoons of melted butter until soft. Stir in the ham, parsley, and Worcestershire sauce. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Divide the stuffing between the pieces of zucchini.
   
4. Mix the bread crumbs and grated cheese together and distribute over the stuffed zucchini. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and drip over the bread crumbs. Bake stuffed zucchini in a greased baking pan for 20-30 minutes.

My Notes:
I like this idea; I think I would like the result much more if I wasn't so tired of zucchini!
It's clearly easy to turn this into a vegetarian recipe by omitting the ham.

Liz's Rating: 8/10
Tim's Rating: 7/10

Country-Style Curry with Ground Beef and Green Beans

Inspiration:
Quick & Easy Thai
as well as zucchini and green beans from our CSA and ground beef from a local farmer

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons red curry paste
• 1/2 pound ground beef or ground pork
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 3 cups chicken broth or water
• a handful of green beans, cut into 1-inch lengths (about 1 cup)
• 2 medium zucchini or 2 long Asian eggplants, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch lengths (about 2 cups)
• 4 wild lime leaves, torn or cut into quarters (optional)
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• a handful of holy basil (bai graprao), or other fresh basil leaves or cilantro leaves
• cooked rice, for serving

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the garlic and toss well. Add the curry paste and cook, mashing and stirring to dissolve it until fragrant and softened, 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Crumble in the ground beef and then add the mushrooms. Cook, tossing often, until the meat and mushrooms are browned and seasoned with the curry paste, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add the chicken broth, green beans, zucchini, lime leaves (if using), fish sauce, sugar, and salt and bring to a gentle boil. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the meat is cooked. Stir in the basil leaves and remove from heat. Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot or warm.

Recipe Notes:
Serves 4 to 6
Thai name: gaeng bah neua sahp

"This firecracker version of vegetable-beef soup uses red curry paste, simmered in broth rather than coconut milk. The word bah means "forest," evoking the soup's origins, where hunters of old made curry over an open fire, without the luxurious addition of coconut milk.

Bamboo shoots, eggplant, and baby corn would make tasty additions in this hearty dish, an upcountry favorite yielding intense and fiery flavors in a flash. You could also make it with thinly sliced beef or pork, or with chicken cut in big, bite-sized chunks. Serve this curry with lots of rice and a plate of coarsely chopped tomatoes, cucumber slices, and halved hard-boiled eggs. Pair it with new potatoes tossed with butter and a hunk of crusty bread for a volcanic but delicious supper on a winter night."


My Notes:
This was an ok recipe. I think the amount of broth is a bit much; start with half the broth and then add the rest to your liking. I was happy with how many vegetables were incorporated into the curry. I think that we prefer green or yellow curry to red. Like I said, it was ok.


Tim's Rating: 8/10
Liz's Rating: 7.5/10

Spinach-and-Feta Potatoes

Inspiration:
Rachael Ray

Ingredients:

• 4 baking potatoes (about 3 pounds)
• 1.5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
• 2 bunches spinach, coarsely chopped (about 8 cups)
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
  

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Bake the potatoes until cooked through, about 50 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over mediumhigh heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
3. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet; add the spinach and cook until wilted. Stir in the vinegar and cook for 1 minute. Add the spinach to the mushrooms; add the feta and stir until mostly melted. Stir in the pine nuts and dill; season with salt and pepper.
4. Cut a deep "X" into the top of each potato and squeeze together to open. Add 1/2 tablespoon butter to each potato then generously stuff each with the spinach mixture.

Suggested Beverage: Red wine (nothing sweet)

Rachael Ray's Notes: This meal for 4 costs $8.96, takes 15 minutes to prep and takes 50 minutes to cook.

My Notes: I don't really like baked potatoes, but this was really good!! It was also very filling. I ate one large baked potato with 1/2 the topping mixture and was very full. Notice that I said one large potato with 1/2 the topping mixture-- I think that the recipe works with two large potatoes, not four. I just kept the other two baked potatoes and will make breakfast home fries with them.

Tim's Rating: 8.5/10 ("I don't think I've had a baked potato in 10 years, and I didn't think I'd like this, but I do.")
Liz's Rating: 9/10

Pork Chops with Bok Choy and Rice Noodles

Inspiration:
Everyday Food

Ingredients:

• 1 package (6 to 8 ounces) rice noodles
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 boneless center-cut pork chops, (about 6 ounces each)
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 large bok choy, (about 2 pounds), trimmed, cut crosswise into 1-inch strips, and washed (with some water still clinging to leaves)
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 piece (about 2 inches) fresh ginger, peeled and minced

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl of hot tap water, soak noodles until soft, 10 to 15 minutes; drain and set aside. Meanwhile, make sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and red-pepper flakes; set aside.
2. In a large skillet with a lid, heat oil over medium-high. Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Place in skillet, and cook, turning once, until opaque throughout, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer chops to a plate; loosely cover with aluminum foil, and set aside.
3. To skillet, add bok choy, scallion whites, garlic, and ginger. Cover and cook, tossing occasionally, until bok choy stems are crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Add noodles and sauce from step 1. Cook, tossing gently, until noodles are heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Thinly slice pork chops. Serve on top of noodles, and sprinkle with scallion greens.

Notes:

• I used a heaping 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper, because we love spicy food. You can reduce the amount to 1/8-1/4 teaspoon if you prefer.
• Garlic lovers should add another clove or two.
• Vegetarians: this recipe would be fine without the pork. You could also add sliced mushrooms or carrots with the bok choy instead.
  

Tim's Rating: 9/10 ("What is this green stuff? I like it.")
Liz's Rating: 8.5/10

Hung's Clay Pot Rice

Inspiration:
Hung, the winner of Top Chef season 2, was featured in the February 2008 issue of Food and Wine Magazine. I decided to try his recipe for Clay Pot Rice.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup short-grain rice (7 ounces)
• 3 ounces mixed mushrooms such as oyster and stemmed shiitake, quartered if large (2 cups)
• 2 scallions, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 thick slices of fatty bacon, cut into 1/2-inch dice (1/2 cup)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, cover the rice with water and let soak until the grains turn white, about 1 hour. Drain the rice.
2. In another bowl, toss the mushrooms and scallions with 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce and season with salt and pepper; let marinate for 10 minutes.
3. In a small, enameled cast-iron casserole, clay pot or medium saucepan (I used a 4-quart enameled cast iron dutch oven), cook the bacon over moderate heat until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the soaked rice and stir to coat with the fat. Add the ginkgo nuts, marinated mushrooms and scallions, the water and the remaining 1 teaspoon of soy sauce. Bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Drizzle the oil around the edge of the pot so it runs down the insides.
   
4. Cover the pot and cook the rice over low heat until tender and the liquid has been absorbed, 10 minutes. Raise the heat to high and cook the rice, covered, until sizzling and a crust forms on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve.

Notes: The crispy crust part of the rice is the best part- just like paella!

Tim's Rating: 10/10
Liz's Rating: 9/10

Stuffed Mushrooms

Inspiration:
Book Club
Giada De Laurentiis' recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Italian-style dried bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 28 large (2 1/2-inch-diameter) white mushrooms, stemmed

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Stir the bread crumbs, Pecorino Romano, garlic, parsley, mint, salt and pepper, to taste, and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium bowl to blend.

3. Drizzle a heavy large baking sheet with about 1 tablespoon olive oil, to coat. Spoon the filling into the mushroom cavities and arrange on the baking sheet, cavity side up. Drizzle remaining oil over the filling in each mushroom.

4. Bake until the mushrooms are tender and the filling is heated through and golden on top, about 25 minutes.
   

Notes: These tasted good, but didn't look that great. Next time I would use grated Romano instead of shredded, and work better at getting the stuffing inside the mushrooms before baking.

Tim's Rating: ?/10
Liz's Rating: 7.5/10

Chicken Hotdish

Inspiration: Tim's love for the "hotdish" made me choose this recipe from allrecipes.com, and Tim loved it.

Ingredients:

• 8 boneless chicken thighs
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch paprika
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
  
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed (optional)
  

Instructions:

1. Brown chicken in oil over medium heat and place in a 9 x 13 inch greased baking dish.
2. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika to taste.
3. Combine mushroom soup, onion soup mix, sour cream, lemon juice, and dill weed and pour over chicken.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for one hour, or until chicken is tender and sauce is brown.

Notes: I omitted the lemon juice and dill as I didn't have any on hand. Next time I will add them.

Tim's Rating: 9.5/10
Liz's Rating: 6/10

Vegetable Barley Soup

Inspiration:
allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 3 quarts vegetable or beef broth
• 3/4 cup uncooked barley
• 2 large carrots, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 8 ounces baby Portabella mushrooms
  
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions:

1. Pour the broth into a large pot. Add the barley, carrots, celery, tomatoes, garbanzo beans, onion, and bay leaves. Season with garlic powder, sugar, salt, pepper, parsley, curry powder, paprika, and Worcestershire sauce.
   
2. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 70 minutes.
   
3. Add the mushrooms and simmer 20 additional minutes.
4. The soup will be very thick. You may adjust by adding more broth or less barley if desired. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Tim's Rating: 8/10
Liz's Rating: 7/10

Beef Barley Stew

(not my photo)

Inspiration:
allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 1 pound beef stew meat, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups sliced carrots
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 2 cloves garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups sliced baby portobello mushrooms
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/3 cup uncooked medium pearl barley
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cold water
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• Minced fresh parsley

Instructions:

1. In a Dutch oven, cook beef in oil until meat is no longer pink.
   
2. Add the carrots, onion, celery and garlic; cook for 5 minutes.
   
3. Add the mushrooms, stewed tomatoes, water, wine, broth, bay leaves, salt, thyme and pepper.
4. Bring to a boil.
   
5. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour.
   
6. Add barley; cover and simmer 45 minutes longer or until barley and meat are tender.
7. Combine flour and cold water until smooth. Gradually stir into pan.
   
8. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
   
9. Remove from the heat. Discard bay leaves.
   
10. Stir in balsamic vinegar just before serving. Sprinkle each serving with parsley.

Tim's Rating: 7/10
Liz's Rating: 6/10