30/30 - #8 Broccoli Salad

The #8 favorite is for my sweet, sweet Hubby and his love for creamy dishes. But this is not an extremely creamy, not good for you kind of recipe. Today's favorite is from another one of my favorite bloggers, Smitten Kitchen. This version of Broccoli Salad has just the right amount of creaminess to it that doesn't make you feel guilty for eating it. Loaded with lots of fresh broccoli, this is a great side dish for summer picnics and parties!

Smitten Kitchen converted me to a Broccoli Salad lover :)

You can find the recipe for my version of Broccoli Salad here.

Mushroom and Spinach White Lasagna

I hope everyone had a very Happy Mother's Day. I got to spend it with both of my mothers, cooking all day. So yes! I'm back in the kitchen ladies and gentleman! After 5 straight weekends of traveling, I am so happy to be home for a while.

My return to the kitchen is timely, since there are many exciting things happening in my friends lives - babies! Lots and lots of babies everywhere. Since I haven't been through this myself, I try to help the new mothers or mothers-to-be as much as possible. I do this by cooking (like I do for everything else). I love bringing meals to new moms so they don't have to worry about cooking. I have two go-to meals - Mushroom & Spinach Lasagna or Spinach Salad with Homemade Balsamic Dressing - decadent and healthy.

Lasagna is the absolute perfect freezer meal! Since most Moms can't plan when they go into labor, freezer meals are perfect to have on hand for the first few days back to the house. A lasagna is hearty enough for a dinner and freezes for up to a month.

There is no doubt this lasagna is a labor of love! When I make this recipe, I usually double it and freeze the leftovers for another time (or another pregnant friend)! But it is TOTALLY worth it! I mean, come on, look at all those cheesey, rustic layers...

I found this recipe from one of my favorite blogs, Smitten Kitchen, who altered the original recipe (slightly) from Ina Garten. Even though the béchamel-y and Parmesan layers add a rich and delicious texture, I always like a bit of color in my food, so decided to add fresh spinach into the layers. In addition, the Hubby decided that we should increase the amount of mushrooms in the layers as well. We like a lot of "stuff" in our lasagna. Other than those two small additions, the recipe is delicious the way it is. 

Mushroom and Spinach White Lasagna

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen and Ina Garten

Yields: 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 45 minutes

Salt
Olive oil
3/4 pound dried lasagna noodles
1 large clove garlic, minced
4 cups whole milk
3/4 cup (12 tablespoons or 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg (I used less, because this seemed like a lot)
2 pounds Cremini or Portobello mushrooms, stems removed and sliced 1/4-inch thick1 cup freshly grated Parmesan2 cups fresh spinach (can use more if desired)

To make the béchamel sauce, bring the milk and garlic to simmer in a saucepan. Melt 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons or 1 stick) butter in a large separate saucepan. Add the flour and cook for one minute over low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon. Pour in the hot milk, a little at a time at first and stirring until combined (with a whisk). Once half the milk is added, you can add the second half all at once, along with 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt, the pepper, and nutmeg. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring or whisking frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until thick. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of water to boil with salt and a splash of oil to help the noodles from sticking together as they drain. Add the lasagna noodles and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

To make the mushrooms, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter over medium in a large sauté pan. Cook the mushrooms with a couple pinches of salt for about 5 minutes, or until they are tender and release some of their juices, tossing to make sure they cook evenly. If you can't fit all the mushrooms, cook them in 2 batches.

Now it is time to assemble the lasagna! Spread some of the béchamel sauce in the bottom of an 8 x 12 or 9 x 13 baking dish*. (If you’d like to freeze or give this dish as a gift, remember to use a foil pan). Arrange a layer of noodles on top, then more sauce (about 1/4 of what remains), 1/3 of the mushrooms, layer of fresh spinach and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan. Repeat two more times then top with a final layer of noodles, your remaining sauce and last 1/4 cup of Parmesan.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until top is browned and the sauce is bubbly. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving. To freeze for future use, allow it to cool completely and wrap two to three times in plastic wrap before freezing.

*Note - I make several small lasagna's in loaf pans and freeze them. These are great for an easy weeknight meal with the Hubby!

NY Times Purple Plum Torte

Oh Smitten Kitchen, you did it again! You brought a wonderful recipe to the surface and to my attention! I saw this and thought, this would be a good "cheat" recipe. 

I have been so good about getting back into my gluten free diet since returning from Costa Rica (and yes, those posts are coming soon). I just knew this recipe was going to be the one to throw me off, and it was! I behaved though, I only had a little bit and shared the rest of the cake with Ryan and friends. 

Since I wasn't born when this recipe first appeared in the NY Times, I was excited to try it for the first time considering the praise it received from Deb herself and millions of NY Times readers!

Deb wasn't lying when she said this was an easy, no-fail recipe. It has simple ingredients, minimal dishes and utensils needed, and cooks perfectly every time! I couldn't find the Italian plums that she refers to, but used regular plums instead and it turned out fine.

This would be a great early Fall dessert or a nice sweet brunch addition. For the recipe and story behind it, hop over to Smitten Kitchen.

Happy plumin'!

Purple Plum Torte

Yields: 1 9-inch round cake
Recipe found at Smitten Kitchen

Almond Crisped Peaches

For the last sweet peaches found in various Farmer's Markets, this recipe is a must try as summer slips away! 

Peach season was pretty good this year, not the best, but pretty good. I was able to make a few crumbles, cobblers and galettes! However, possibly one of my favorite peach recipe that I came across this summer was Smitten Kitchen's Almond-Crisped Peaches.

We all know my love affair with Smitten Kitchen after discovering the Red Wine Chocolate Cake. And her blog and cookbook continue to impress me. The best part about this recipe is that it is gluten-free! I love finding gluten free recipes that don't require a ton of expensive ingredients. The only thing here I had to buy was the peaches (and the ice cream of course)!

As we say "Goodbye" to summer here in NC, we welcome Fall with open arms. But first, Costa Rica!! Ryan and I are off for a much needed vacation. Don't worry, we will be back with a full report and plethora of Fall recipes!! See you in October :)

Almond Crisped Peaches

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen

Yields: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 45-60 minutes

4 ripe peaches
1/3 cup (55 grams) whole almonds
1/4 cup (50 grams) sugar
3 tablespoons (45 grams) cold unsalted butter, cubed

1/4 cup (20 grams) rolled oats

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

pinch of sea salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Halve peaches and remove pits. Place fruit cut side up in baking dish. 

In a food processor, grind almonds and sugar together until coarsely ground (with a few pebbles left). Add oats and other flavorings, if using, then butter, pulsing the machine until the ingredients are just blended. 

Spoon the almond mixture into the center of each peach, then press it flat, as if icing the tops of the peaches with it. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour (baking time varies with peach size), until the top is brown and crisp and you can easily slice through the fruit with a fork or spoon.

Serve warm or at room temperature, with creme fraiche, lightly sweetened whipped cream or even plain yogurt, cold, for breakfast.

Without a food processor: Use an equivalent weight of almond meal or finely chopped almonds, stir in sugar and any other ingredients, then the same volume of butter, melted. It will be less clumpy, but the oven won’t know the difference.

Broccoli Salad

Ryan and I made a deal a long time ago....that I would cook anything he requested. However, there was nothing mentioned about tweaking recipes to make them healthy (sneaky wife)! Through the years, Ryan has learned to cope with this and now actually enjoys healthy eating and cooking. So when my sweet husband requests one of his favorites, broccoli salad, I couldn't say no. Although I did turn up my nose thinking the only way to make it is with a ton of mayonnaise, and we all know that creamy sauces and salads are NOT my favorite. According to one of my favorite bloggers Smitten Kitchen, broccoli salad doesn't have to be that bad for you! Unbeknownst to me, she has a cookbook too!

I was such a happy girl when I got my latest order of cookbooks in the mail (Hi, I'm Jessica and I am addicted to cookbooks). My newest additions to the collection:

• Plate to Pixel by Helene Dujardin. Thanks Meg!!
• Superfood Kitchen by Julie Morris. For my ongoing obsession with health foods.
• Smitten Kitchen by Deb Perelman. LOVE her blog and LOVE this book even more!

I am hitting myself for waiting so long to get Smitten Kitchen, especially since I turn to her site for recipe ideas all the time. She has a great way of telling stories behind a dish and delivering a fool-proof recipe.

As for the cookbook, Smitten Kitchen, GET IT! This is a beautifully written and photographed book with fantastic recipes. I have tried several of her dishes to date and enjoyed them all.

Broccoli Salad

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen: Broccoli Slaw
Makes: 6 cups
Prep Time: 20 minutes

2 heads of fresh broccoli, chopped
1/2 cup thinly sliced almonds
1/3 cup raisins or dried currants
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced and soaked in water for 15 minutes
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup mayonnaise (I use lite mayo)
2 T cider vinegar
1 T sugar
salt and pepper, to taste

In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk, mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar until well combined and set aside. For quick prep, chop the broccoli in the food processor with a few pulses. Or simply hand chop the broccoli with a knife - add into a large bowl. Stir in the almonds, raisins and onions. Pour the dressing over the broccoli salad and stir until well combined. Season with salt and pepper and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This salad will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Red Wine Chocolate Cake for My 100th Post

Chocolate? Yes!

Red wine? Yes please!

Cake? Uhh...Yea!

100th post....YAY!

It is amazing to me that the food gods have allowed two things to happen:

1. That chocolate, red wine and cake can come together in blissful harmony and 
2. That I am able to keep up this blog in the midst of my busy life. 

Hard to believe that I have cooked, experimented with and written 100 posts!! Yay, go Kettler Cuisine!! 

100th Post on Kettler Cuisine

I was so excited when I noticed that I was approaching my 100th post that it was hard for me to decide on what to write about. One thing was obvious, write a huge THANK YOU! I have so much in store for all my followers, and can't wait to keep this blog going for many more posts. I can't express how grateful I am to many people in my life that encourage me, my love for cooking, and this blog. So thank you to my family, friends, and the culinary community for all your support. And what better way to say thank you, than with cake?

       

I've made Smitten Kitchen's Red Wine Chocolate Cake in the past and for some odd reason, waited an entire year to make it again. I DO NOT know why, for the life of me, I waited another year to try this recipe again because it is so easy and delicious!! My 100th post seemed like the perfect opportunity!

The website recipe for Chocolate Red Wine Cake is a bit different than the cookbook recipe, but they're both delicious! This has become my go-to cake for all occasions. Not only is this an extremely easy recipe, it gives a nice excuse to open a bottle of red wine. :)

So, raise your glass (of red wine or preferred libation) and cheers with me....Here's to many more posts on Kettler Cuisine! 

Do you have a favorite recipe? Do you have recipes you want me to write about? Email me or "like" me on Facebook and let me know.

Red Wine Chocolate Cake

Slightly adapted from Smitten Kitchen Red Wine Chocolate Cake 

Yields: 9-inch round cake
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

8 oz unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1 egg + 1 egg yolk, room temperature

3/4 cup red wine (I use a Cabernet Sauvignon)

1/4 cup milk (any kind)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup + 1 T all-purpose flour

1/2 cup raw cacao powder (or unsweetened cocoa powder)

1/8 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Favorite frosting or whipped cream to top - I like Mascarpone Frosting 

Preheat the oven to 325F and line the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper (I use a pencil to trace a circle around the cake pan on the parchment paper and cut the exact size). Butter and flour the sides of the pan and parchment paper well.

In a large bowl of a standing mixer, cream the butter until smooth, then add in the sugar and beat for about 3 minutes. Add the full egg and additional egg yolk and beat well. Add in the red wine, then vanilla and mix well. The batter might seem a bit uneven - no worries according to Smitten Kitchen (and Kettler Cuisine kitchen)!

Over a separate medium mixing bowl blend the flour, cacao, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together. Pour into a sifter and sift about 3/4 of this mixture right over the wet ingredients. Then fold in the rest with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 20-25 minutes. Test the cake (insert toothpick into the center, should come out clean) after 20 minutes. The cake will overcook fast, so watch it carefully!

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully flip the cake out of the pan and cool the rest of the way on a cooling rack. Once the cake is fully cooled, dust with powdered sugar right before serving or serve with fresh whipped cream or Mascarpone frosting...and of course, a glass of red wine!