Jerk Chicken Chili

I should have checked the weather forecast before I went and made chili. I didn't realize the last few days of May would be warm hot sweltering. Nevertheless, we cranked up the AC and hid indoors slurping this spicy soup. It's richly flavored with chiles, allspice, and cinnamon and brimming with black and white beans and tender chunks of chicken. And there's another ingredient that puts it totally over the top- chocolate! Just enough semi-sweet chocolate is swirled into the pot to impart flavor without making the chili sweet. It adds a certain something that's hard to describe. You'll just have to try it to understand.

Jerk Chicken Chili

INGREDIENTS
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 3 lb. chicken, cooked and meat shredded or diced
4 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14 oz.) can crushed or diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can white (Canellini or Great Northern) beans, drained and rinsed
2 Tbsp. pickled jalapenos, diced
1 oz. semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped + extra for garnish
sour cream, for serving

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, pepper, and garlic and cook until softened. Stir in the chili powder, cinnamon, and allspice and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the chicken and stir to coat with the spices. Add the broth, tomatoes, beans, and jalapenos and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover partially, and simmer 20 minutes.

2. Stir in the chocolate and cilantro. Remove from the heat and let rest 5-10 minutes. Serve with cilantro and sour cream.

Serves 6-8.

(Adapted from Pam Anderson's Perfect One Dish Dinners via Smells Like Home)

Veggie and Cheese Bagel Sandwich

I'm still in the mood for less meat and lots of veggies. And I'm always craving avocado and cheese. Two of my favorite things. Soft chewy whole wheat bagels top the favorites list as well. Basically, I love everything about this sandwich. It's filling and good for me. And it's user friendly. Anyone can toast a bagel, slather it in stone-ground mustard, and pile it high (in no particular order) with veggies and cheese. The hardest part is keeping it in one piece while slicing and eating. The tomato is slippery and slivers of cucumber like to slide out the sides. Otherwise- super easy.

Veggie and Cheese Bagel Sandwich

INGREDIENTS
whole wheat bagel, sliced in half
avocado, sliced
Muenster or Havarti, thinly sliced
butter lettuce
tomato, sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
cucumber, thinly sliced
radishes, thinly sliced (optional)
red onion, thinly sliced
alfalfa sprouts (optional)
stone ground mustard

DIRECTIONS
1. Toast bagel. Season tomato with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Layer bottom half of bagel with avocado, cheese, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, radish (optional), onion, and sprouts (optional). Spread mustard on the top half of the bagel. Place on top. Slice and serve.

Makes 1 bagel sandwich.

Portobello, Brie, and Caramelized Onion Quesadillas

Cooking is a convenient hobby because inspiration comes from everywhere. I could be watching TV, perusing a restaurant menu, or listening to a stranger describe their favorite meal and the creative juices start to flow. Friends and family, the internet, the grocery store- all possible sources for ideas. And the best part is that everyone needs to eat. At least three times a day (usually). So there's no shortage of opportunity to be consuming or dreaming about food.

A few weeks ago I was looking over the online menu of one of my favorite Richmond cafes and a certain quesadilla, stuffed with portobellos, spinach, and brie, caught my attention. We never made it to the restaurant for dinner, but I couldn't get that quesadilla off my mind. The solution? Make it myself. So I rounded up the necessary ingredients, plus a few. I added caramelized onions, which take some time, but make everything better. I sauteed the meaty mushrooms in olive oil, garlic, and balsamic vinegar, and then wilted in the spinach and seasoned it with salt and pepper. With thick slices of brie oozing out the sides of the stove-top charred tortillas, these veggie quesadillas were delicious. Just as good, if not better, than anticipated.

Portobello, Brie, and Caramelized Onion Quesadillas

INGREDIENTS
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 large clove garlic, minced
6 oz. portobello mushrooms (about 2 large), stems and gills removed and sliced
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
handful fresh spinach, chopped
2 large whole wheat tortillas
brie, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS
1. To caramelize onions, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft and caramelized, 25-35 minutes. (Reduce heat as necessary to prevent onions from browning too quickly.)

2. Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a second large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the balsamic vinegar. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Place the tortillas on the skillet and top half of each of the tortillas with thinly sliced brie, half of the caramelized onions, and half of the mushroom-spinach mixture. Fold over the second half of the tortillas. Cook, flipping halfway through, until the cheese is melted and the tortillas are golden brown. Slice and serve.

Makes 2 quesadillas.

Spicy Shrimp Fettucine

This meal started with a box of fresh whole wheat fettucine from a Richmond pasta shop. (I haven't got the time- or gadgets- to be making fresh pasta of my own. Someday I hope to.) Purchasing the pasta was easy. The hard part- finding a recipe worthy of it. Fresh shrimp happened to be on sale this week at Whole Foods and that led me here. To fettucine with a spicy tomato sauce and big juicy shrimp. Finished with julienned basil and freshly grated Parmesan. To a fabulous restaurant-quality dinner in a hurry.

I have a habit of taking Cooking Light recipes and making them slightly heavier. I don't mess around with low-fat this or light that (a.k.a. more additives and less flavor). I use the real deal. I tend be generous with the cheese. That kind of thing. Not that this dish isn't good for you. It still is. It just tastes like it shouldn't be.

Spicy Shrimp Fettucine

INGREDIENTS
1 lb. whole wheat fettucine
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
1/2- 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (I used 1/2 tsp. and it was mildly spicy)
1 1/2 lbs. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes (I used crushed tomatoes with basil)
1/4 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 tsp. dried basil (because I used canned tomatoes with basil and fresh basil for serving, I omitted)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
fresh basil, julienned for serving

DIRECTIONS
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente and drain (reserving a little of the cooking water).

2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and crushed red pepper and saute 1 minute. Add shrimp, season with salt and pepper, and cook 1 minute. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, sour cream, tomato paste, and dried basil (if using). Bring to a boil; reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes until the shrimp are cooked through (they turn opaque and curl). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat. Thin the sauce with some of the pasta cooking water, if desired. Stir in a handful of Parmesan and fresh basil. Serve with extra Parmesan and fresh basil for topping.

Serves 6.

(Adapted from Cooking Light)

Zucchini Brownies, Revisited

I know I've posted a lot of desserts lately. I promise I'm cooking other things. But the un-sweet dishes aren't turning out as well as the treats. Or it could be that I just don't think they taste as good because of my recent decrease in appetite. I'm still having trouble stomaching meat. So I'm eating a lot of peanut butter and jelly, cheese quesadillas, hummus and veggies. Seafood is safe though. It doesn't resemble anything I've seen so far in surgery. So tomorrow I'm going to try a new shrimp pasta dish. And hopefully- if all goes well- I'll be sharing it with you soon.

I've probably already told you a dozen times- I'm not a chocoholic. Dustin holds that title in our family. But every so often I get the urge to have something dense and dark and cocoa-y. That's how I felt this weekend. I considered baking a chocolate cake. But then I got lazy and opted for the quicker solution to my craving. And we ended up with zucchini brownies. They were so moist and warm and fudgy when they came out of the oven that I couldn't wait long enough to let them cool- I slathered them in a quick chocolate frosting and sunk my teeth in. (Which explains the frosting oozing everywhere.) These odd brownies are ridiculously good!

4/28/09: If I had to pick a favorite vegetable, it would be zucchini. My husband would argue that carrots are my favorite, because he's watched me plow through hundreds of bags of baby carrots since we've been together. But I don't love them. They are just convenient (no cooking required) and have a pleasant crunch. But zucchini is fabulous. I love it prepared every which way (even raw once in a salad). It also bakes well- into breads and muffins and... brownies!?!

Yes dear world, zucchini brownies. Last week when I told my husband I was going to make him brownies, his face lit up. Then I mentioned I would be putting zucchini in them and his grin turned sour. He then told me he didn't want them. But I knew better. I know this is a strange notion and quite frankly, it's a strange recipe. But you have to trust me!

The batter doesn't contain any egg, and really isn't a batter at all, because it's dry. Barely moist enough to come together into a big clump, which you have to press into your baking pan. But don't despair, when the zucchini hits the high oven heat it sheds all it's moisture and you will end up with the softest, gooiest brownies ever! Don't mess with this recipe- just try it and I promise you will be amazed!

The chocolaty frosting tops off the best brownie I've ever made (and can remember eating, ever). Dustin was completely flabbergasted. We were both shocked that a veggie (the best vegetable, mind you) could make such a rich, sinfully delicious dessert! I swear it must be magic, because zucchini goes into the oven but has disappeared when you pull these fudgey brownies out!

I've seen a black bean brownie recipe floating around the blogosphere. I can't decide if it's more/less repulsive sounding than the zucchini brownies. But since the zucchini was such a hit, I'll have to try that one as well!

Zucchini Brownies

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups zucchini, shredded
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Frosting:
6 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the oil, sugar and vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Fold in the zucchini and walnuts. (Mixture will be very dry.) Press evenly into the prepared pan.

3. Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until brownies spring back when gently touched. Remove from the oven and let cool.

4. To make the frosting, melt together the cocoa and butter; set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, blend together the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. Stir in the cocoa mixture. Spread over cooled brownies before cutting into squares.

Makes a 13x9 pan of brownies.

(Adapted from All Recipes)

Pineapple Carrot Muffins

I don't know where my mother came across this recipe, but she's been making it for years now and I'm finally getting around to including it in my collection. When I first left home for college (almost 7 years ago- wow) she typed up a binder full of all the recipes I grew up on. That was before I cooked much of anything. But as you can see that changed. And I still consult that notebook regularly.

My mom and I have both tweaked this recipe multiple times and, if anything, learned that it is very forgiving. She (accidentally) left out all of the sugar on one occasion, but had included raisins, and the muffins were still pleasantly edible. We've tried various combinations of all-purpose and wheat flour, used applesauce to replace the oil, and even added nuts. All successful. These softly spiced muffins always turn out moist and yummy.

Pineapple Carrot Muffins

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/4 cup organic cane sugar (or brown sugar)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. canola oil (or unsweetened applesauce)
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 cup carrot, grated
8 oz. can crushed pineapple (do NOT drain)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line or lightly grease a 12-hole muffin pan.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk to combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk to combine oil (or applesauce), egg, milk, carrot, and pineapple (and its juices). Add dry ingredients and mix until just moistened throughout. Fold in raisins (optional). Spoon into prepared muffin pan, filling almost to the top.

3. Bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Makes 12 muffins.

Fresh Pineapple Upside Down Cake

This is one of the best things I've tasted in a long time. It's the first pineapple upside down cake I've ever had and boy have I been missing out! I knew when I decided to attempt this classic cake that I would be using fresh pineapple. Forget the limp fruit that comes in a can. Fresh is best. So after consulting two popular recipes, I took what I liked about each and combined them into one. And it was awesome. The cake base was buttery, moist, and not overly sweet. The caramel soaked into the cake and oozed over the sides. And the ripe juicy pineapple turned tender and irresistible. We devoured it warm underneath a scoop (or two) of vanilla bean ice cream.

Fresh Pineapple Upside Down Cake

INGREDIENTS
Topping:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 fresh pineapple, cored and sliced

Batter:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
6 Tbsp. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 eggs, separated
1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
vanilla bean ice cream, for serving

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan.

2. Melt one stick of butter and brown sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, four minutes. Remove from heat and pour into the bottom of the prepared cake pan. Arrange pineapple on top of caramel, overlapping slightly.

3. To make the batter, whisk to combine flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form and set aside. In a third bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Add half of the flour mixture and beat on low until just blended. Beat in the pineapple juice, then add the remaining flour mixture beating until just blended. Fold in the egg whites by hand. Pour batter over the pineapple topping and spread evenly.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool 5-10 minutes before inverting onto a cake platter. Replace any pineapple that sticks to the pan. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Makes a 9-inch round cake.

(Adapted from All Recipes and Smitten Kitchen)

Caramelized Onion and Roasted Veggie Pizza, Revisited

Last week I developed a sudden aversion to meat. I couldn't figure out why the turkey on my sandwich looked so unappetizing or how come a juicy burger was such a turn-off. While I'm not a hard carnivore, I've never disliked meat. At first I blamed the warm weather. I thought the heat was causing me to crave lighter, healthier foods. But that seemed silly. And then it hit me. I've spent the majority of the last month in an operating room. Around exposed muscle, bone, and tissue. Inhaling the fumes of burning flesh. (Pleasant images, I know.) Hmmm. I'm guessing there's a correlation here.

Luckily, Dustin has been gracious about my change in appetite and hasn't complained too much that I'm currently leaning vegetarian. (He confessed to similar feelings after spending a semester of anatomy in the cadaver lab.) So we're clear- I'm not giving up on meat. I just need a break. (Which would do us all some good on occasion.) Over the weekend I was craving pizza and remembered this favorite recipe I first posted two years ago. Oven-roasted vegetables and sweet caramelized onions are piled high on my homemade pizza dough and smothered in mozzarella and fontina. This time I added mushrooms to the veggie mix. There's no rule about what to include. All vegetables are welcome here.

6/11/09: I'm especially fond of this pizza because I developed it on my own. I take my inspirations from everywhere, but for the most part, this one came from within! I fall more and more in love with my pizza dough recipe every time I make it, which is very often. I enjoyed this pizza so much that I made it twice in one week (and we know I rarely repeat the same recipe twice within a year)!

I'm all about incorporating more vegetables into my diet, and what better way to enjoy them than atop a pizza?! You can roast whatever vegetables you prefer, but I definitely recommend including peppers and squash. The caramelized onions are essential. If you've never tried caramelized onions, you are in for a treat. Literally. They are sweet and aromatic and I can't stop myself from eating them right out of the pan! The Fontina is another required ingredient. I can't quite describe how it tastes- it just makes all the difference! Basically, don't make any substitutions or you won't get the same result. And then I can't be blamed if your pizza is sub-par.

Another note: I never actually measure how much cheese ends up on my pizza. Just judge for yourself how much is enough. Shoot for a ratio of about half Fontina to half mozzarella.

Caramelized Onion and Roasted Veggie Pizza

INGREDIENTS
1 recipe pizza dough
roasted veggies
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups Fontina cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare pizza dough according to directions. While pizza dough is rising, roast veggies according to directions (or you can use previously roasted vegetables that have been kept in the refrigerator).

2. In a large pan heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute, stirring occasionally, until caramelized (they will reach a deep golden brown), 25-40 minutes.

3. Place pizza stone in oven and preheat to 450 F.

4. When dough is ready, turn out on to a lightly floured surface to form your crust (see pizza dough directions). Sprinkle parchment paper with cornmeal and place your formed crust on it. Brush the crust with the remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Spread half of the Fontina and mozzarella over the crust. Next layer with the roasted vegetables and caramelized onion. Top with the remaining Fontina and mozzarella.

5. Place pizza onto the preheated pizza stone and bake for 10-12 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Makes 1 pizza.