Mango Macadamia Crisp

Mango crisp never crossed my mind until recently. I'm crazy about mangoes and wondered for some time how I could incorporate them into a dessert. And then it just came to me. Soft, sweet mangoes bubbling under a crunchy oatmeal crust. With vanilla ice cream melting on top. It sure sounded good in my head. It was one of those rare occasions where I dreamed up what I wanted to make before ever finding a recipe. So I went on a search and found that several other people had the same brilliant idea.

I based my version on a Cooking Light recipe that incorporated macadamia nuts into the crumbled topping and freshly squeezed lime juice in the filling. I spiced it up with ginger and cinnamon, but cardamom and nutmeg sound like plausible options, too. This crisp was just as wonderful as I'd imagined it would be. A light and refreshing tropical treat!

Mango Macadamia Crisp

INGREDIENTS
Filling:
4 cups ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and chopped
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
3 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. butter, melted

Topping:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
pinch salt
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
6 Tbsp. cold butter, diced
1/3 cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup roasted macadamia nuts, roughly chopped

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly butter or grease an 8x8 inch baking dish.

2. To make the filling, whisk to combine the sugar and cornstarch. Add mango, lime juice, and butter and toss to coat. Pour into the prepared baking dish.

3. To prepare the topping, whisk to combine flour, sugars, salt, ginger, and cinnamon. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender until pea-size chunks remain. Stir in the nuts and oats until the mixture clumps. Sprinkle evenly over the filling. (This step can also be done in the food processor. Mix the flour, sugars, and spices and then pulse in the butter until coarse. Add the nuts and oatmeal and pulse several more times until clumps form.)

4. Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling (cover partway through cooking if it is browning too fast). Let cool several minutes before serving warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

Fills an 8-inch square pan.

(Adapted from Cooking Light)

Garlic-Mustard Glazed Skewers

I had a fantastic time visiting Utah last week and left with only one complaint: the snow. The second half of my trip was cold and dreary and it snowed for two days. Not how I envisioned my April would begin. It was such a stark contrast to what I came home to- spring in full bloom. Richmond has been beautiful, sunny, and warm. And I'm thrilled. In honor of the glorious weather, for my first home-cooked meal in a week I decided to break out the grill. It had been sitting shivering in the back yard all winter long, no doubt anticipating this moment of its unveiling. It turned out to be the perfect welcome home and warmth and springtime meal.

Kabobs are one of my favorite things to grill. They're fast, easy, and fun. This garlic-mustard glaze was meant for beef tenderloin, but I adapted it as a marinade for chicken. (Not that beef tenderloin skewers wouldn't be to-die-for. I can't afford them.) Instead of brushing the glaze on right before grilling, I let the meat soak in the fridge for about five hours. Every bit of that chicken was infused with garlic, mustard, rosemary, and smoked paprika. The charred vegetables threaded in-between picked up a hint of the flavors as well. Don't hesitate to use this recipe on beef, turkey, or pork as well. Just adjust the method and cooking time accordingly.

Garlic-Mustard Glazed Skewers
INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp. whole grain mustard
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 lbs. chicken breast (or turkey, pork, or beef tenderloin), cubed

DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together mustards, garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, honey, rosemary, paprika, salt, and pepper. Pour over meat and marinade for at least 30 minutes, up to 6 hours.

2. Preheat grill to medium-high. Discard excess marinade and thread meat onto skewers. Grill (drizzle with a little olive oil to prevent sticking) until the juices run clear (if using chicken).

Makes enough marinade for 2 lbs. of meat.

(Adapted from Bobby Flay's Grilling For Life)

Spinach, Green Onion, and Smoked Gouda Quiche

I didn't realize how atrocious my grammar was until I started blogging. Blogging is like writing in a journal, except there's one big difference: the whole world (or at least a few people) will read it. You have to worry not only about what you say, but how you punctuate and spell it. And you become suddenly aware of your imperfections. I'll be honest, when I sit down to type a post I'm usually focused on being expressive and creative. And I assume that spell-check will catch my mistakes. Not so. On occasion (when boredom strikes) I read through old posts and encounter all the grammatical errors I've shared. They're everywhere! Each improperly used pronoun or misplaced comma makes me cringe slightly upon discovery, but then I fix them and move on. And hope that someday I'll learn how to spell.

And so I officially apologize to all my past English teachers and to you, my readers, for my writing blunders. You put up with a lot. I swear I read through posts before they're published. But I guess that's the hazard of self-editing. Much eludes me. But I didn't start a blog to share poetry or short stories or anything more than recipes, really. We're both here for the food, so let's focus on that, shall we? (I know you'll all be searching this post for errors now that I mentioned them. Today calls for triple-editing!)

Now for a word or two about this quiche. It's wonderful. Delightful. Makes for an outstanding breakfast or brunch. Though, personally, I'd be happy to devour it any time of day. I've determined that anything containing smoked Gouda tastes good. It just has to. If you are trying to save a few calories, you can forgo the flaky butter crust. Skip steps 1 & 2 and just lightly grease a pie dish and pour the filling in. It should take approximately the same amount of time to bake.

Spinach, Green Onion, and Smoked Gouda Quiche

INGREDIENTS
1 recipe butter pie crust
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped
3 large eggs, whisked
1 cup milk
packed 3/4 cup smoked Gouda, grated
dash freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare crust according to recipe directions.

2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake crust for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute several minutes until tender. Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped spinach to wilt.

4. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, milk, cheese, nutmeg, salt, and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the spinach mixture. Pour filling into the crust.

5. Bake in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes until golden brown and the center is set. Cool slightly before serving.

Serves 6.

(Adapted from Cooking Light)

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Knots

I'm a little behind on finishing this post since I spent the majority of yesterday in a car or on a plane. But now I'm home. I had a splendid time in Utah- despite a few inconvenient days of snow. The friends and family (and food) made it worth putting up with winter for a little longer. And now I've only got a week left before I start my internship. That means a week to make all those time-consuming recipes that I'll never get around to once I'm a working girl. What I always miss the most when I'm busy is having the time to bake bread. Or rolls, pizza dough- anything with yeast that's got to proof and rise. Bread never tastes better than when it comes warm out of your own oven. I guess it makes sense that the best things to eat take the most effort and time to make.

This whole-grain roll recipe comes from Cooking Light and in addition to whole wheat flour, features flax and oats. I was impressed with how high the dough rose and how light these rolls turned out. Although I was too rough when I brushed on the egg wash and my rolls sunk a little before making it into the oven. So they're not as tall as they could have been. But still soft and chewy and completely yummy. Versatile too- serve them with butter for dinner, as a side for soup, or as a healthy sandwich or burger bun.

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Knots

INGREDIENTS
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup honey
2 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups boiling water
1 package (2 1/4 tsp.) active dry yeast
1/3 cup warm water (100-110 F)
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
4 cups white whole wheat flour
~1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg, whisked + 1 tsp. water
1 Tbsp. old-fashioned oats
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine the first 4 ingredients in a large bowl, and add 2 cups boiling water, stirring until well blended. Cool to room temperature.

2. Dissolve yeast in 1/3 cup warm water in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Add yeast mixture to oats mixture; stir well. Stir in flaxseed meal.

3. Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Gradually add 4 cups whole wheat flour to oats mixture; stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of all-purpose flour to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).

4. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 60-90 minutes or until doubled in size. (Press two fingers into the dough. If indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down, and let rest for 5 minutes.

5. Divide dough in half; cut each half into 8-12 equal portions. Working with one portion at a time (cover remaining dough to prevent from drying), shape each portion into an 8-inch rope. Tie each rope into a single knot; tuck top end of rope under bottom edge of roll. Place each roll on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap coated with cooking spray; let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, for 30-60 minutes or until doubled in size.

6. Preheat oven to 400 F.

7. Combine water and egg in a small bowl; brush egg mixture over rolls. Combine oats, poppy seeds, and sesame seeds; sprinkle evenly over rolls.

8. Bake in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire racks.

Makes 16-24 rolls, depending on size.

(Adapted from Cooking Light)

Pizza with Bacon and Asparagus

During one of the recent long afternoons I spent on my couch, I watched Pat and Gina Neely (Food Network's down-home barbecuing couple) make this pizza. I'm always on the lookout for new ways to top a pizza and with the arrival of Spring, asparagus seemed like just the thing. The bacon and asparagus and mounds of mozzarella were great. But what really stood out to me about this dish was the quick-simmered tomato sauce. Fire-roasted canned tomatoes are improved with sliced garlic, red pepper flakes, and torn fresh basil. Simple, fast, and yet fantastic.

Pizza with Bacon and Asparagus

INGREDIENTS
1 recipe pizza dough
1 lb. fresh asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
pinch red pepper flakes
14.5 oz. can crushed tomatoes (I used fire-roasted)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
pinch sugar
3 Tbsp. fresh basil, torn
6 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
8 oz. (2-3 cups) mozzarella, shredded
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare pizza dough according to recipe directions.

2. While dough is rising, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch asparagus in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, until tender-crisp. Remove immediately and shock in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking; drain and set aside.

3. To prepare the sauce, heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes and cook for about a minute, until the garlic browns around the edges. Stir in the tomatoes and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of sugar. Simmer for 15 minutes until thickened slightly. Remove from the heat and stir in the torn basil.

4. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 F.

5. Spread the tomato sauce over the prepared crust. Top with half of the mozzarella, the asparagus, bacon, and red onions. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella. Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, until the crust is puffed and golden and the cheese is bubbling. Let cool several minutes before slicing.

Makes 1 large pizza.

(Adapted from Food Network)

Caramelized Banana Ice Cream

Three years ago we graduated from undergrad at BYU, stuffed almost all of our belongings into our tiny blue Civic, and left Utah in the rear-view mirror. Now for the first time since then, I'm back! I'm here on my own (while Dustin is busy with school) for a few days to spend time with my sisters, friends, and relatives who I don't see often enough. I thought it would feel strange to return after such a long absence, but it feels more like returning home. Is that possible? To have several places where you feel you belong? We love Richmond and I'm so happy there. But I have so many fond memories of our four years here. It's where I first moved after leaving home, where I met Dustin, where I got married, and where I fell in love with food. That's right. My cooking adventures started in the teeny one-bedroom apartment we rented while going to school here.

This week I get to revisit all the people and places (mainly restaurants, of course!) in Utah that I love and take my mind off the big change awaiting me. Only two weeks until I start working full time. Yes, I'm excited about being an OR intern, but the anticipation is getting to me. (And I had to take advantage of my current free time, since there won't be any vacationing in the near future.)

So I'll be out of the kitchen for a while. But no worries- I've saved a few special recipes to share from afar. Starting with this luxurious dessert: caramelized banana ice cream. I served it with the Browned Butter Cake with Cinnamon Chocolate Frosting I recently posted. Ripe bananas are roasted with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until soft and syrupy. Then they're churned with a vanilla cream base to create a distinctly banana treat. Yummy and unique.

Caramelized Banana Ice Cream

INGREDIENTS
4 ripe bananas, sliced
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
1. To roast bananas, preheat oven to 400 F. Line a 9x13 baking dish with aluminum foil and place banans in it. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon and pour melted butter over top. Toss to coat. Spread in a single layer. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until caramelized. Set aside to cool.

2. Meanwhile, combine cream, milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Place in the refrigerator to chill.

3. Once bananas have cooled completely, puree them in a food processor or blender until smooth. Whisk bananas into the milk mixture until well combined. Refrigerate several hours or overnight until chilled.

4. Churn mixture in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's direction. Transfer to an air-tight container and freeze several hours to set up.

(Adapted from Our Best Bites)

Browned Butter Cake with Cinnamon Chocolate Frosting

Sometimes I find a recipe that instead of stuffing into the back of my file (or favorites folder) to eventually try, I have to make right away. There will be no waiting. That's how it went with this cake. I didn't immediately dash to my pantry and pull out the mixer and get busy. But I did dream up the soonest occasion that serving a cake of this caliber seemed appropriate and set my heart on it. I had a date with a cake. Well, a group date actually. As I often say, baked goods are best enjoyed in the company of others. When the excitement can be passed among friends and you're not left feeling sick after eating a two-story cake (or a dozen cupcakes) on your own.

Well how did the date go? The fact that I'm sharing the details of it with you, suggests success. This was a splendid cake. The base looks like a plain yellow cake, but it is so much more than that. It's nutty and aromatic from the inclusion of browned butter. And that's no ordinary chocolate frosting- it has been lightly spiced with cinnamon! If you too choose to set a date with this cake, my main piece of advice would be to not over-bake it. Too long in the oven and it it'll turn crumbly instead of moist. (I often take cakes out slightly before they pass the toothpick test. And I never trust a baking time. Always check early and often!) And if I had a chance to do it over again, I think I'd go for cupcakes. They can be enjoyed much quicker and are infinitely easier to slather in frosting.

Browned Butter Cake with Cinnamon Chocolate Frosting

INGREDIENTS
Browned Butter Cake:
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup milk
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter (if using unsalted, add a pinch of salt)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp. baking powder

Cinnamon Chocolate Frosting:
5 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (I used Ghirardelli 60% bittersweet chips)
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, room temperature (if using unsalted, add a pinch of salt)
3 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
4-8 Tbsp. milk (to desired consistency- I used 4 Tbsp.)

DIRECTIONS
1. To brown the butter, melt butter in a heavy-bottomed saute pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until foam subsides and brown flecks appear in the bottom of the pan. Continue stirring until it reaches a brown hue with a nutty aroma. Remove from the heat to cool.

2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter and flour 2 9-inch round cake pans. (Or line a 12-hole cupcake pan.)

3. To prepare the cake batter, beat sugar and eggs with an electric mixer until slightly thickened, about a minute. Add the milk, browned butter, and vanilla, mixing until just combined. Add the flour and baking powder and beat until well incorporated, about a minute.

4. Divide the batter among the two cake pans (or cupcake tins) and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes (18-20 minutes for cupcakes), until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (or the cakes spring back lightly when touched). After cooling on a rack for several minutes, remove the cake from the pans to cool completely before frosting.

5. To prepare the frosting, melt chocolate in a double broiler (or in the microwave, stirring at 15-second intervals) and set aside. Beat butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in the melted chocolate. Add powdered sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, and vanilla and beat until smooth. Slowly add the milk, 1 Tbsp. at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. Spread over cooled cake (or cupcakes) and serve.

Makes a 9-inch round 2-layer cake or a dozen cupcakes.

(Adapted from Honey and Jam)

Slow-Cooker Carnitas Tacos

I contemplated starting this post with an ode to spring. But it doesn't look much like spring out my window. Lately it has been blustery and cold and frankly, I'm not willing to extoll a season that has been dragging its feet, teasing us with its arrival. A hint of warm warm weather and then right back to dreary drizzle. I'm in no mood for picnics and smoothies by the pool. I need bowls of soup and warm comfort food. And so that's what I've been making.

Last week my brother arrived home after spending two years in Ukraine in desperate need of some good "American" home-cookin'. My mom and I made him this lasagna and then I settled on carnitas (adapted for the slow-cooker). I assumed he hadn't eaten too many tacos in Ukraine and could use a dose of Tex-Mex. Chili-rubbed garlic-infused pork slow-simmered all day (or night actually), wrapped in warm tortillas with cabbage, cojita, and guacamole- comfort food at it's best.

Slow-Cooker Carnitas Tacos

INGREDIENTS
3 lb. pork shoulder (Boston butt), trimmed of excess fat
2 tsp. ancho chile powder
1-2 tsp. chipotle chili powder (I used 1 tsp., but it was hardly spicy at all)
1 tsp. ground cumin
4 cloves garlic, sliced
juice of one orange
salta and freshly ground black pepper

whole wheat flour or corn tortillas, warmed
guacamole
red and green cabbage, shredded and tossed with freshly squeezed lime juice and seasoned with salt and pepper
cotija cheese, crumbled
sour cream
fresh cilantro, chopped
lime wedges

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine chili powders and cumin in a small bowl. Season pork with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Rub spice mixture over entire surface of pork.

2. Place seasoned pork, garlic, orange juice, and about 1 cup of water in a large slow-cooker. Cook on low for 8-10 hours, until the meat shreds easily with a fork.

3. Remove the meat from the slow-cooker and set aside to cool. Drain the juices from the slow-cooker into a large bowl and also set aside to cool. Shred the meat once it is cool enough to handle, removing any fat and gristle. Skim the fat off the surface of the reserved juices.

4. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker to re-warm, adding some of the reserved juices to keep it moist. Serve in warm tortillas with cabbage, guacamole, cojita, sour cream, cilantro, and lime.

Serves 4-6.

(Adapted from The Year in Food)