Eggplant and Sunchoke Dip

We decided to have a traveling girl's night this week and go have a picnic at Kerry Park on Queen Anne; it's not every day you have 70+ degree weather in Seattle! This dip is what I decided to take to our outdoor girl's night as it was quick to make and easy to transport. I had never heard of Sunchokes before until my girlfriend, who is one of the chefs at Chaco Canyon Cafe, made a dip similar for an event I attended. Their dip seemed more chunky (which I prefer in dips), but this was good! Light, refreshing and not too filling. I served it with a sliced baguette which rounded out the "artichoke" flavor. A great dip for a summer picnic! 

Eggplant and Sunchoke Dip

from Spud

4 to 5 cloves of garlic

1/2 an eggplant

5 sunchokes (you may know them as Jerusalem Artichokes), washed well

juice from 1/2 fresh lemon

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

salt, pepper, and oregano to taste

1 to 2 green chiles to spice it up (I used a jalapeno)

5 to 8 leaves fresh basil

1. Boil 2 quarts of water. Add sunchokes whole and eggplant, chopped in 4 to 5 pieces and boil for 20 minutes, or until sunchokes are tender. Add garlic for last 5 minutes.

2. Drain the veggies and blend with lemon juice, olive oil, and spices.

3. Chill for 10 - 20 minutes in the freezer or for a couple hours in the fridge. 

Curried Lentils with Sweet Potatoes and Swiss Chard

This is a delicious, vegetarian dish for all you vegetarians out there (you know who you are ;))! It was a hit with all the girls at girl's night and we all decided we'd definitly make it again (a true testiment to whether a recipe is good or not). I absolutely love sweet potatoes - they may even be my favorite vegetable, so I feel like they made the dish. Sweetness with the healthy flavors of lentils and curry...absolutely wonderful! Enjoy!

Curried Lentils with Sweet Potatoes and Swiss Chard

from Smitten Kitchen

1-2 Tbsp. Canola Oil

1 onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 Tbsp. grated ginger

1 1/2 tsp. garam masala

1 1/2 tsp. curry powder

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

4 to 5 cups vegetable broth

2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubs

1 1/2 cups dried lentils

1 bay leaf

1 bunch swiss chard, center ribs removed, leaves thinly sliced

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Juice of 1/2 lime

1/4 cup chopped almonds for garnish (optional)

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, garam masala, curry powder, and jalapeno. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

2. Stir in 4 cups broth, sweet potatoes, lentils, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 25 minutes. (If the mixture seems dry add more broth). Stir in the chard and salt and pepper, and continue cooking until the chard is cooked, another 10 minutes).

3. Stir in cilantro and lime juice and serve immediately, plain or over rice, garnished with almonds.

Mexican Chopped Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing

I'm always looking for healthy salads and this one is GREAT! Nothing else to say, besides trust me....make it and you won't regret it!

Mexican Chopped Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing
from Epicurious
2 1/2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 can (15.5 oz) black beans, rinsed and well drained
3/4 can chopped seeded tomatoe
3/4 cup chopped peeled jicama
3/4 cup fresh corn kernels, uncooked (canned)
3/4 cup thinly sliced radishes
Half a ripe avocado, diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese

Honey-Lime Dressing
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 tsp chopped jalepeno pepper

1. Toss all salad ingredients in a large bowl. In seperate bowl, mix dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over mixture and toss again. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Dungenous Crab Mac-n-Cheese

You have heard me mention Kelsey before, well this is straight from her kitchen prepared by her and Meg's loving hands for Caitlin's birthday potluck. They made this perfect meal to also introduce us to an amazing partnership she just created between the Arthritis Foundation and The Celebrated Chefs cookbook. Chefs from some of Seattle's most well-known restaurants have banned together to compile some of their best recipes. When you follow a few easy steps when purchasing the cookbook, eating out becomes philanthropic every time. Here's how it works; when you purchase a cookbook, you register your credit card and choose your favorite non-profit, then when you eat out at any of the participating restaurants 5% of your bill goes towards that non-profit you have chosen. The Arthritis Foundation was my choice, not just because of Kelsey, but because it is an amazing organization that truly touches millions (including the 10,000 children effected this year)! I hope you make this delicious recipe, but I really hope you check out the cookbook and maybe buy it to have your weekly philanthropic moments too.

Dungenous Crab Mac 'n Cheese
from Celebrated Chefs

(serves 6)
12 oz. penne pasta
8 to 10 oz. Dungeness crab meat
1 quart heavy cream
4 oz. cheddar cheese, cubed (we used mild)
4 oz. american cheese, cubed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup panko (Japanese - style breadcrumbs)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat the oven to 450*

2. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boil. Add the penne and boil over medium-high heat until just tender but still with a bit of bite, about 6 minutes. Drain well and set aside.

3. Pick over the crab meat to remove any bits of shell.

4. Put the cream in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the cream has reduced by about 1/2, careful to not let it boil over, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add both cheeses, and stir until the cheese is fully melted, 2 to 3 minutes longer.

5. Gently fold in the cooked pasta and crabmeat, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

6. Stir together the panko and butter in a small bowl until well blended.

7. Spoon the macaroni and cheese into 6-ounce ramekins or small baking dishes and sprink the panko bread crumbs on top. Set the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake until the crumbs are lightly browned and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes.

Bon Appetit!

Marble Cheesecake

I get together once a month with a Bunco group (don't ask - believe me when I say I am in my 20s) to just kick back, relax, and sometimes win! Last month's Bunco proved to be a big night for me in the sense I won the pot (a whopping $20 and a Chocolate cookbook)! If I hadn't thrown my back out this week (ouch) I had planned on bringing this Cheesecake to the group to share in the winnings; unfortunately for them and fortunately for me I did; none-the-less I'm glad to be able to share this recipe with you!
Cheesecake is my favorite dessert, so when I saw this marble cheesecake recipe I thought I'd give it a try. The crust was unusual, but scrumptous and the filling reminded me more of a mousse with the essence of Cheesecake. Pretty tasty for a light, quick dessert that is sure to please the masses!

Marble Cheesecake
from Perfect Chocolate

base
8 oz toasted oat cereal (I used Kashi cereal)
1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped
4 tbsp. butter
1 oz semisweet chocolate

filling
12 oz full-fat soft cheese (cream cheese)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup thick yogurt (plain yogurt)
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 packaged powdered gelatin
3 tbsp water
6 oz semisweet chocolate, melted
6 oz white chocolate, melted

1. Place the toasted oat cereal in a plastic bag and crush it coursely with a rolling pin (do the same with the hazelnuts) and then mix together in a bowl.

2. Melt the butter and chocolate together over low heat and stire into the cereal mixture.
3. Using the bottom of a glass, press the mixture into the bottom of an 8 inch cake pan (or glass pie dish).

4. Beat the cheese and sugar together with a wooden spoon until smooth. Beat in the yogurt. Whip the cream until just holding its shape and fold into the misture. Sprinkle the gelatin over hte water in a heatproof bowl and let it go spongy. Place over a pan of hot water and stire until dissolved. Stir into the mixture.
5. Divide the mixture in half and beat the semisweet chocolate into one half and white chocolate into the other half.
6. Place alternate spoonfuls of mixture on top of the cereal base. Swirl the filling together with teh tip of a knife to give a marbled effect. Chill the cheesecake for at least 2 hours, until set, before serving.

Delicious!