Brown Rice And Mushroom Casserole

Brown Rice and Mushroom Casserole

Easy and satisfying, this brown rice casserole works just as well as a main dish as it does a side.  Sautéed mushrooms make it savory, and low fat cream cheese adds a creamy richness.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoons olive oil

8 oz. white mushrooms

1 small onion chopped, about 1 cup

1 teaspoon dried thyme 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cups cooked brown rice

4 oz. low fat cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons sliced, toasted almonds

2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

Directions:

Heat oven to 400*F.  Spray 1 quart baking dish or 9X5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray. 

 

Heat oil oil 10 inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently for 4 or 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.  Add onions and continue to cook, stirring for another 3 to 4 minutes until the onions are softened.  Add the thyme, salt, and pepper and cook for another minute.  Remove from heat and stir in rice and cream cheese until well combined.  Transfer to baking dish.  

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and the casserole is hot.  Let stand for 10 minutes.  Garnish with almonds and parsley and serve.

Poppy Seed Roll

Poppy Seed Roll   (Polish Makowiec)

This traditional Polish holiday bread has a beautiful filling of poppy seeds, citrus peel and almonds. The poppy seeds must be ground first so you’ll need a spice grinder or an old fashioned meat grinder. And be sure to toast the almonds first. - Jenny Jones
Prep Time: 40 minutes   Cook Time: 35 minutes  

Total Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes

Ingredients:
Dough:
1 1/2 cups bread (or all purpose) flour
1 packet (2 tsp/7 gms/1/4 oz) yeast - instant or active dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk (I use 1% or 2% low fat milk) heated to 120-130° F for instant yeast (or 110-120°F for active dry)
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg
about 3/4 cup extra flour
Filling:
1 cup poppy seeds
1/3 cup boiling water
1/4 cup ground toasted almonds (20 count)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
zest of 1/2 a lemon & 1/2 an orange

Directions:
Grind poppy seeds (see note below).
Place in a small bowl, stir in boiling water & let stand uncovered.
Grind almonds and set aside.
Place flour, yeast, sugar, & salt in large mixing bowl.
Stir in milk followed by oil & egg.
Beat on high for 2 minutes. Stir in extra flour until dough forms a mass.
Place dough on floured board and knead 100 turns (about 2 minutes). Cover & let rest 10 minutes.
Meantime, add ground almonds, sugar, vanilla & zests to poppy seeds.
Roll dough into a 10 x 12 shape. Spread filling almost to edges, roll starting at 10-inch end and place on parchment-lined baking sheet, seam side down. Pinch and tuck ends under.
Cover with a towel and rise in a warm spot for 1 1/2 hours or until double in size.
Preheat oven to 350° F and bake for 35 minutes.
Cool for 10 minutes & drizzle with glaze (1 cup powdered sugar + about 2 Tbsp. milk, added slowly)
(Another option): Before baking, you can brush with eggwash and sprinkle with poppy seeds.  

Note: If using a spice grinder (mine is a Cuisinart Spice & Nut Grinder) grind seeds slowly, 2 Tbsp. at a time, until they feel moist – about 10 seconds per each portion. Scoop out any that stick to the bottom of the grinder as you go. Once they are all ground, I use the same grinder to grind the almonds.

Ayocote Bean and Mushsroom Salad

                                             

                                       Ayocote Bean  Salad

Heidi Swanson continues to inspire a lot of us every day. From her website and books, she always has something interesting going on and she’s quick to share. She’s been a supporter of Rancho Gordo almost from the start and when she opens a bag of beans, it’s always fun to see what she comes up with. Recently she posted this delicious recipe using the Ayocote Negro beans. The Ayocote Morados or Scarlet Runners would also be comparable but I think if I have time this weekend, I may experiment with Christmas Limas. Hearty beans and mushrooms always seem to play well together.

 Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
shallot vinaigrette
1/3 cup minced shallots
1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salad:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pound sliced mushrooms
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
4 cups cooked Ayocote Negro beans (see above for more options)
3 celery stalks, chopped
1/3 cup sliced dried figs
1/3 cup chopped toasted almonds
1 big handful of shredded radicchio and/or kale
micro greens or chopped chives to finish

Directions:
Combine the shallots with the red wine vinegar in a small bowl. Allow to sit for ten minutes or so. Whisk in the salt, and olive oil. Taste and adjust if needed. If your vinaigrette is too harsh, add a small amount of honey or a sprinkling of sugar to take the edge off.

In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, and salt, and cook, stirring a few times along the way, until the mushrooms take on color and release their water. About 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and gently fold the beans, celery, figs, and almonds into the skillet with the mushrooms. Pour the shallot vinaigrette over everything, add the shredded radicchio/kale, and toss before serving.

Mocha Almond Fudge

Mocha Almond Fudge

Yield: 4 dozen
Ingredients
1 (12 oz.) bag dark chocolate chips
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup toasted almonds, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

*

Directions:
Line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on both sides.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine chocolate chips with butter and condensed milk and, stirring continuously, cook until mixture is totally melted and smooth. 4-7 minutes.

Once smooth, stir in vanilla and almond extract, and espresso powder and salt.  Fold in toasted almonds and pour mixture into lined baking sheet.

Place in refrigerator and let set at least 3 hours before extracting from baking dish and cutting into squares.

Leek Soup With Dill Oil

Leeks Being Prepared To Be Cleaned Leeks Chopped in Food Processor

Leek Soup With Dill Oil

I follow several blogs with great interest. A favorite is 101 Cookbooks which Heidi Swanson creates. Heidi is the author of several cookbooks and lives in the San Francisco area. As you might guess, much of her blog is devoted to vegetarian cooking but also so very nutritious. Recently a recipe made my taste buds perk up. My husband complimented me as he enjoyed the flavor.

Ingredients:

1 small bunch of fresh dill~1/2 oz.

9 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 1/2 pounds leeks

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

fine grain sea salt

2 large thin skinned potatoes, thinly sliced

3 medium garlic cloves

6 1/2 cups good tasting vegetable broth

*

Toasted almonds for garnish

Grated Gruyere cheese for topping

***

Directions:

Use a food processor or blender to process the dill and olive oil into a creamy green emulsion. Set aside.

Cut the dark tough green leaves from the leeks, trim off the roots, and wash/rinse well. You can slice the leeks lengthwise too get in-between the layers, or make a few rough chops and give them a quick soak or whatever method you prefer. Use a food processor to chop the leeks in two batches. You can also chop them by hand if you wish.

In a large soup pot, heat the butter and 5 tablespoons of the dill oil over medium-high heat. When the butter has melted and is bubbling, stir in the leeks and a couple big pinches of salt. Stir well, then cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks soften up and collapse, 6 to 8 minutes. 

Now stir in the potatoes and garlic and cook uncovered, stirring regularly, for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the potatoes are very, very soft. If the leeks at the bottom of the pot are getting too much color, reduce the heat and be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan when you are stirring. At this point you can mash everything with a potato masher or large fork. If you prefer a smoother soup use a hand blender, but this soup is great a little on the chunky side. 

Stir in the hot broth, adjusting the amount based on whether you want a thin or thick soup. Bring back to a simmer, serve topped with almonds, grated cheese, and a generous drizzle of the remaining dill oil. Serves 8 to 10