Archive for the ‘Cooking’ Category
Quinoa and Lentils
I absolutely love quinoa and lentils. I cook with them a lot, and lately I’ve been doing this a lot without a recipe. In an effort to not forget what works, I need to record it. Here’s what I made tonight– you make up your own version and thank me later. (No picture, cause it doesn’t look all that great).
This is heavily adapted from a Mark Bittman recipe, another food-related standby.
One large onion, chopped
One red pepper (sweet), chopped
One purple potato (other colors would work), chopped
garlic to taste, minced
dried spices to taste, but definitely thyme and cinnamon, plus pepper and salt
handful of golden raisins
3/4 cup white quinoa (I think white rather than red would work better in this recipe)
1/2 cup red lentils (really should be red.)
1 1/2 cup water
Saute the onion in a covered skillet until very translucent and maybe just beginning to get golden. Then add the pepper and potato. Stir this all around and then add the spices and salt. Cook more, until soft and fragrant. You will want to deglaze the pan from time to time. Then add the raisins, stir again. Now add the quinoa and lentils (remember to rinse off, as quinoa is poisonous before washing!!!), stir to mix with the vegetables. Add the water, bring to a simmer, and let cook for 15 minutes. I served with some yogurt and parsley, but use cilantro if you have it.
Homemade bagel recipe
For everyone who’s asked, this is the bagel recipe I use. I don’t really know who this guy is, but the recipe has plenty of detail that suggests long practice.
When I follow this recipe to the letter I have been successful. It takes about an hour and a half. Last time I made these I made the dough the night before and stuck it in the fridge, but this is only because I didn’t want to wake up early enough to do it in the morning. In that case the dough was probably too fluffy–normally you want it kind of dense. I also have substituted whole wheat flour for much of the flour, but in this case you will have to add extra water and recognize the texture will be different. Two tips: oil the baking sheet more than you think you need to, and I would highly recommend a spider for pulling the bagels out of the water.
Is it worth it to make your own bagels at home rather than getting them from a bakery? I would say yes, as it’s difficult to find really good bagels most places, and you can easily make real ones at home, unlike homemade baguettes or similar. Also this keeps them the sometimes food they ought to be.
Artichoke Cheese Dip Recipe
Thanks to popular demand, I will attempt to recreate my artichoke cheese dip recipe that made its first appearance last week.
6-8oz. cream cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup yogurt
1 cup grated mozarella
1/4 cup grated parmesan
14 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2-3 slices asiago
paprika
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Whip together cream cheese, mayo, and yogurt. Mix in grated cheese and artichokes.
3. Place in large casserole–make sure it’s not too deep so that it will cook through. Top with asiago and paprika.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Serve with anything you like.