Roasted Garlic Hummus with Pita Chips

While continuing on our healthy kick for January, healthy snacks have been difficult at times. When we decided to host people at our place to watch the Patriots play, I decided that it would be a good opportunity to try hummus and accomplish 2 things - it would be a healthy snack, and I would get to cross something off my 30 by 30 list! This recipe is originally from Cook's Illustrated, but I made a few changes to suit our tastes. If you love garlic, you will love this hummus. I can't wait to try other versions using the same basic idea. Enjoy :o)

Roasted Garlic Hummus

makes approximately 2 cups

Ingredients

2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

1 (14 oz.) can chickpeas

¼ cup liquid from canned chickpeas

2 heads roasted garlic (*see note)
1 clove raw garlic, minced (optional)
½ tsp. salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper, to taste
3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

6 tbsp. tahini
1 tbsp. fresh parsley, minced

pita chips for serving, recipe follows

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a small pan over medium low heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Drain the garlic on paper towels and reserve the cooking oil. 

After reserving 1/4 cup of canning liquid, rinse and drain the chickpeas. In a food processor, combine the drained chickpeas, the roasted garlic, minced fresh garlic (this will make the hummus extra garlicky, so use with caution!), salt, and cayenne pepper. 

In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice and canning liquid. In another small bowl combine the tahini with the oil used to cook the sliced garlic.

With the food processor running, stream in the lemon/water mixture. Scrape down the bowl. Run the processor again and stream in the tahini/oil mixture. Scrape down the bowl and process again until smooth. 

To serve, top with the cooked sliced garlic and the chopped parsley. Serve with pita chips.

*note: to make roasted garlic, cut the top part of a whole head of garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle with a little olive oil and wrap tightly in foil. Roast at 350 degrees for about an hour, or until the cloves are soft. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze the head of garlic to remove the roasted cloves. Discard any papery skins, and mash gently into a paste.

Pita Chips

Ingredients

1 package whole wheat pitas

2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400. Cut the pitas into 8 wedges. Combine the remaining ingredients and brush a light coating onto the pitas. Bake for 7-8 minutes or until toasted. Serve with hummus.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

These muffins were originally from the mother of my childhood friend Julie. I remember that whenever I would go over to her house, sure enough there would be a bag of homemade pumpkin chocolate chip muffins waiting for us in the freezer. All it took was a few minutes in the microwave to warm these tasty treats up and to get the chocolate chips ooey and gooey! Julie’s mom passed along the recipe to my mom (because I raved about them so much) who later passed it to me so I can make them on my own. Ok, so these aren’t exactly the healthiest muffins you’ll ever have, but they sure are delicious! I have made this recipe a little lighter by replacing oil with applesauce, but if you prefer you can replace the applesauce in this recipe with an equal part of canola oil. The pumpkin really makes these muffins moist and delicious (we often refer to them as “muffcakes” due to their cupcake-like qualities). Bake a full batch and freeze the extras. You can microwave one each morning for breakfast or as an after-dinner treat (about 20 seconds on high). Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Yield: 15 muffins (approximately)

Ingredients

1 ½ cups flour
1 cup granulated sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup applesauce
1 cup canned pumpkin or squash (not pumpkin pie filling, just plain pumpkin – check the ingredient list, it should only say “pumpkin”!)
2 eggs
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350.

In a small bowl, combine the chocolate chips and one tablespoon of the flour.

In a medium bowl, sift together the remaining flour through the salt and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the applesauce, pumpkin, and eggs until well blended. Slowly mix in the flour mixture with a wooden spoon until well combined, being careful not to over-mix. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Bake according to the following times (it is done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out crumbly):

Muffins, lined with cupcake liners, ¾ full: 17-20 minutes

1 loaf pan (pumpkin bread): 45-50 minutes

Yum! :o)

Source: Carol Garmin

Mussels with Fennel, Garlic, and White Wine Sauce

One of our first dates was at Stella in Boston and we had a delicious dish of mussels in a spicy, creamy sauce. That was my first experience with mussels and I was hooked! Initially, I was a little turned off by the orangey color and "new" texture of mussels, being so used to clams, but I was converted at Stella. Since then, I have seen mussel dishes similar to this one at all types of restaurants, but it is so easy to make at home. These mussels are a delicious, healthy meal - and very filling. Definitely invest in some good, crusty bread to soak up all of the extra liquid from the bottom of the bowl. Enjoy!

Mussels with Fennel, Garlic, and White Wine Sauce

yield: 2 servings

Ingredients
1 pound fresh mussels (I get ones harvested from Maine at Whole Foods around here)
1 tbsp. olive oil or butter
1/2 small bulb fennel, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 small onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 cup white wine, such as pinot grigio
Crusty bread, lightly toasted, for serving

Directions:
Scrub and de-beard the mussels (look for beards poking out of the shells and pull them out). In a large pot, heat the oil or butter over medium heat. Add the fennel and onion and cook until the fennel is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute more. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Boil the mixture for approximately 5-7 minutes, or until it has reduced by half. Add in the mussels and cover the pot. The mussels will start to open after a couple of minutes - I find it helpful to shake the pot or give a big stir to help distribute the broth and also to help some of the mussels have more room to open. Once open, allow the mussels to cook for approximately 2 minutes, then remove to a serving bowl. Once all mussels have been removed, pour the cooking liquid over the mussels and serve with crusty bread on the side (discard any mussels that refuse to open after a few minutes - they don't want to be eaten, and trust me, you don't want to eat them either!). Yum! :o)

Breakfast Frittata

This past weekend we were very lucky to host the Fabbris for a fun-football-filled weekend (and other revelry). To help us prepare for tailgating, I wanted to make something simple for breakfast that was also satisfying... this frittata was the perfect thing. I wish I had a picture to add to this post, but once the frittata hit the table it was devoured pretty quickly! I had never actually made a frittata before, but I seemed to come up with an effective strategey that involves both stovetop and broiler cooking methods. The eggs didn't dry out, and the fillings were awesome! This is an easy go-to breakfast for any weekend morning, and it's delicious and hearty as well! Enjoy :o)

Breakfast Frittata

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

6 large eggs

2 tbsp milk or cream

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

2 strips bacon

1 link chicken or pork sausage, chopped into bite sized pieces (I'm into Al Fresco brand)

1/3 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup arugula leaves, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

3 tbsp. blue cheese

You will need a large, non-stick, oven proof skillet for this frittata. Preheat the broiler.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. In the large skilled, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove from pan and wipe out excess grease. Add the sausage and onion and cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes longer. Add the arugula and blue cheese. Pour over the egg mixture and make sure everything is covered. Sprinkle the mozzarella on top of the eggs. Cook over medium low heat for about 4 minutes or until the edges are firm but the middle of the frittata is still loose. Transfer the frittata to the oven and broil for about 3-4 minutes or until the eggs are set and the frittata is cooked through. Remove from the oven and slide onto a plate. Cut into wedges and serve! Yum!

The best part about this recipe is that you can use whatever fillings you like - keep it vegetarian, add extra meat or cheese, or experiment with some new combos. The method remains the same.

Croque Monsieur

Oh. Em. Gee. If you like grilled cheese, you will LOVE these sandwiches! Croque monsieur is basically a glorified French version of a kicked-up grilled ham and cheese sandwich. Layers of Gruyere cheese, ham, and decadent bechamel sauce get toasted together in a scrumptious, hand-held delight of a sandwich. (Can you tell how excited I am about this recipe?!). I first discovered "croque" at a restaurant called Aquitaine in the South End of Boston - they have a legendary brunch, and I found that each time we went (it was right around the corner from our old apartment, so we went every month) I never strayed from my good old croque with a side of watercress salad and a mimosa. Sometimes I got more adventurous and got the "croque duck", which I am sure had a much fancier name on the menu. Instead of ham, they used duck confit in the original sandwich... delightful! Is this sandwich diet friendly? No. Is it amazingly delicious? Yes! Hey, we all need to splurge every once in a while... or maybe once a year. Trust me, it's worth it. Enjoy! :o)

Croque Monsieur

Yield: 4 sandwiches

Ingredients

2 tbsp. butter

3 tbsp. flour

2 c. hot milk

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Pinch nutmeg

12 oz. Gruyere, grated (about 5 cups)

1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan

8 slices of good, rustic, crusty white bread

Dijon Mustard 

1/2 lb. thinly sliced black forest ham (from the Deli counter)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk together for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the hot milk and stir constantly until the sauce is thickened, about 4-5 minutes (should coat the back of a spoon). Remove the pot from the heat and add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup of gruyere, and all of the Parmesan. Set aside for later. 

Toast the bread - put on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes, turn, then bake for about 2 minutes more or until lightly toasted.

Spread a thin layer of Dijon on one side of half of the bread slices. Layer a quarter of the ham on each slice, sprinkle with half of the remaining gruyere, and top with a plain slices of bread. Arrange the sandwiches on a baking sheet and smother the sandwiches with the cheese sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining gruyere. Bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes. Turn ont he broiler and broil for 3-5 minutes or until the tops of the sandwiches are golden brown and bubbly. Cut each sandwich in half and serve warm. Yum! 

Adapted from Ina Garten

Oh-So-Easy Candied Nuts

This isn't even a recipe... it's more of a technique. I've had some pretty crazy salty/sweet cravings lately, so I decided to make some candied nuts. This delicious snack takes only minutes to make, and the result is walnuts covered in a salty, sweet and sticky coating. These are perfect as snack-on-the-go in a lunchbox or for anytime you need a little treat! Enjoy!

Oh-So-Easy Candied Nuts

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients

2 cups walnut halves, pecans, or other nut of your choice

1/3 cup maple syrup or agave nectar

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the nuts, syrup, and salt. Cook, stirring, until the syrup is thickened and caramelized.  Spread out the candied nuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet and allow to cool. Yum!

Homemade Marshmallows

Yep, I went there. I made homemade marshmallows. Our class was hosting a bake sale for an upcoming field trip and I thought it was a great opportunity to try these out - they were a hit! I am not a huge fan of storebought marshmallows (they are so powdery and plastic-y tasting) but these were soooo fluffy and delicious. My mind is spinning with ideas for the marshmallow batter - fluff and PB sandwiches, moonpies, mini marshmallows, Rice Krispies treats... oh man. I kept these simple with toasted coconut, but you could certainly just make them plain instead. If you have a stand mixer, you have to try these... yum!

Homemade Marshmallows

Makes 1  13"x9" pan

Ingredients

2 cups toasted coconut (toast in a dry pan until golden)

1 cup cold water (divided)

3 packages unflavored gelatin

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the gelatin and 1/2 cup cold water.  Allow to sit while you make the syrup.

Prepare a 13x9 baking dish by spraying with no-stick spray and then sprinkling with 1 cup of the toasted coconut. *

In a small saucepan, heat the remaining 1/2 cup water, sugar, salt, and corn syrup over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then raise the heat to medium high and cook until a candy thermometer reads 240 degrees F.

With the whisk attachment on, slowly (and carefully) pour the hot syrup into the gelatin on low speed. Increase the speed to high and whip for 15 minutes. Add the vanilla and whip to combine. 

Pour the marshmallow mix in the prepared pan. Using wet fingers, smooth the top of the marshmallow and then sprinkle with the remaining coconut. Allow to sit uncovered overnight to set.

The next day, cut the marshmallows into one inch squares and dust the sticky edges with confectioner's sugar. Enjoy!

* If you want plain marshmallows, mix 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar with 1/4 cornstarch. Spray the bottom of a 13x9 pan with no-stick spray and sprinkle with a layer of the cornstarch/sugar mix. Proceed with the remaining steps, omitting the coconut.

Adapted from Ina Garten and Alton Brown