Corn Crepes with Lime Honey Chevre and Strawberry Mango Compote

Sometimes I just feel like something a little sweet for dinner...which was the case tonight.  I could have gone with the usual pancakes with fruit, or belgian waffles, but I decided I wanted something a bit on the lighter side, but with plenty of creamy filling.  Crepes came to mind...the wonderful little french creations with endless filling possibilities.  I wanted to go the non traditional route however, so I decided on corn crepes instead of the usual flour. I used a mixture of corn flour and corn meal, so that the batter would remain light. Tonight I decided that a bit of chevre filling would be nice in the crepes...so I guess these are similar to blintzes in that sense.  I spiked the chevre with a bit of honey and lime since lime loves corn.  Not being one to leave fruits or vegetables out of any meal...I had to make a fruit compote that complimented the crepes...and strawberries and mango seemed like a wise choice.  Since the fruit was perfectly ripe, it hardly needed to be sweeened, so I simply added a touch of honey, and some lemon juice to keep the flavor bright.  They were wonderful...the creamy tangy chevre married well with the sweetness of the corn in the crepes and fruits...heavenly!  Try these if you feel like a treat for dinner...and you won't need any dessert! 

Corn Crepes with Lime Honey Chevre and Strawberry Mango Compote

Serves 3 (9 filled crepes)

1 medium organic mango, diced
1 1/2 cups sliced organic strawberries
juice of one lemon
1 Tbsp honey

12 oz chevre
juice and zest of 1 large lime
3 Tbsp honey
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 large organic egg
1 1/4 cups milk
3/4 cup corn flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 Tbsp maple sugar
butter or non-stick spray

To make sauce, combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes until fruit is just starting to soften. Remove from heat. To make filling, combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well until completely blended, then set aside in the fridge. To make crepes, combine all batter ingredients in a food processor, and process until smooth. Let rest 15 minutes. Heat a non-stick 8 inch pan over medium heat and melt a small amount of butter in it (or use non-stick spray if you are not a butter fan). When hot, add about 1/4 cup batter and swirl to spread out batter a little. Let cook until the surface is dry, then loosen edges with a spatula and carefully flip to the other side, and cook 30 seconds more. Place on a plate. Repeat with remaining batter using more butter or spray if necessary and stack crepes on the plate. To assemble, place about 2 Tbsp of the chevre filling on each crepe in a line down the center, then roll up. Repeat with remaining crepes, and place 3 on a plate spooning the fruit compote over.

Eggs in Puttanesca

Occasionally I get a craving for something with Italian flare!  Which was the case last night...however, I did not want pasta, it seemed a bit too heavy.  I was tired from work and not wanting to make anything too complicated.  A puttanesca sauce sounded good...the type laced with capers, olives and mushrooms...and a splash of wine as well as some Italian herbs.  A sauce so good, you could eat it simply with some toasted bread for dipping...but of course, it would need a protein source as well!  Since I don't eat chicken or beef and didn't have any seafood on hand...eggs would be my protein!  I thought I would poach some eggs, and serve them in the sauce with a bit of pecorino and some toasted bread for a delicious meal.  It ended up being just what I needed after feeling a bit snarky from being busy at work all day...nothing like some comfort food to boost your mood!  Try this the next time you are craving something Italian, but a little different! 

Eggs in Puttanesca

Serves 2

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp red wine
1 Tbsp capers
6 kalamata olives, sliced
1 15 oz can crushed fire roasted tomatoes
a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp fennel seed
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
water
6 cups water
2 tsp vinegar
1 tsp sea salt
4 large organic eggs

1/2 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
4 baguette sliced, toasted


In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add shallots and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms, and saute a few minutes untl garlic is fragrant, then add wine, capers, olives, tomatoes, pepper flakes, herbs, fennel, and sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Let the mixture simmer on lower heat for about 20-25 minutes. Meanwhile, when sauce is nearly done cooking, to poach eggs, heat water to a simmer in a medium saucepan with the vinegar and salt. Crack an egg into a ramakin. Stir water with a spoon to swirl, and carefully pour egg into it. Let cook for 3-4 minutes or preferred doneness, and remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate, and cover with a bowl to keep warm. Repeat with other 3 eggs. When eggs are done, sprinkle a bit of sea salt and freshly ground pepper over each (if desired), spoon tomato sauce mixture into 2 bowls, dividing evenly. Top each with 2 eggs, then sprinkle with the romano and serve with the baguette slices!

Roasted Allium and White Bean Hummus

There are the people in this world that love garlic and onions who could care less if they reek of them...and there are the onion/garlic phobes who fear smelling of the alliums and pick them out of just about everything...I am the first!  I am always fitting garlic and onions into most savory dishes I make.  I love roasted garlic the most...all soft and mellow, but with wonderful garlic flavor!  Roasted garlic is wonderful just simply spread on bread, but I also love it pureed into dressings and sauces!  I recently made some hummus, and decided that it must have roasted garlic and onions included, since I had an overabundance of them on my counter, not to mention that they are delicious!  I used white beans as the base, and almond butter instead of the traditional tahini.  A bit of lemon and time found their way into the mix as well, to make the flavor more interesting. You could use any mix of alliums if you have them.  Although I feel that this recipe must contain the garlic, feel free to substitute shallots or spring onions for the onions, or even leeks.  They would all taste wonderful in this recipe! 

Roasted Allium and White Bean Hummus


Makes about 4 1/2 cups

1 head garlic
1 large red onion, sliced
1 bunch scallions, cut into 1 inch lengths
3 cups cooked navy beans (canned is fine)
juice of 3 lemons
1/2 cup almond butter (roasted unsalted)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup water
1 1/4 Tbsp sea salt
2 tsp thyme
freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Wrap garlic in foil, and roast for about 45-55 minutes until very soft inside. Remove from oven and let cool. In the meantime, you can roast the onions at the same time. Line a baking sheet with foil. Toss onions and scallions with olive oil, spread out on baking sheet and roast for about 15-20 minutes, or until starting to brown and soften. Remove from oven. Squeeze garlic out of it's papery covering place in a food processor, along with onions and shallots as well as all remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Serve with chips or veggies for dipping!

Roasted Garlic Lemon Penne with Toasted Almond Breadcrumbs

I walked out of work today, and was immediately hit with cold rain...brrr!  I cranked up the heat in my car as I drove home.  It is 45 degrees today, in Minnesota, and rather dreary, which made me decide to make something warming and comforting for dinner, like a casserole.  I like to heat up the oven and the stove when it is cold in the house, and eat something warming! I had a head of garlic on my counter and some lemons, so I thought I would incorporate them into a pasta dish!  Mac and cheese sounded good, but not wanting to mess with a roux and melting cheeses I thought I would use neufchatel to make the dish creamy.  I roasted the garlic in the oven, which mellows it and gives it a wonderful flavor, and pureed it in the blender with the lemon, as well as the neufchatel and some pecorino romano for some saltiness.  I felt that the dish was needing some veg, so I threw in some spinach for color.  I could have left it as was, just simply creamy, but I wanted a contrast to the creamy, so I added an almond breadcrumb topping.  As the dish immerged from the oven, a wonderful aroma filled the air, and not even waiting for it to cool a minute I had to dive in!  The dish was warming, comforting and delicious!  Just what I needed on a cold rainy day like today!  Give it a try the next time the cold rain hits, or when you feel like some delicious pasta!

Roasted Garlic Lemon Penne with Toasted Almond Breadcrumbs


1 head garlic, unpeeled

sea salt
water
6 oz dried penne pasta
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped

8 oz neufchatel or cream cheese
3/4 cup shredded pecorino romano
juice and zest of 2 lemons
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup sliced almonds broken up slightly
1/4 cup shredded pecorino romano
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Wrap garlic in foil, and rost until very soft, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool until managable, then squeeze the cloves out of the papery part and set aside. Lower oven temp to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta to salted water and cook according to package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water and drain pasta. Place pasta in a large bowl with spinach. Place garlic in food processor, along with neufchatel, lemon juice and zest, 3/4 cup pecorino romano and salt and pepper to taste and enough extra pasta water to make a creamy sauce. Pour the sauce over the pasta and spinach and toss to coat. Pour into a medium sized ovenproof casserole dish. In another bowl, mix together the panko, almonds,1/4 cup pecorino romano and olive oil. Spread the breadcrumb mixture over the pasta. Place in the oven and bake about 10-15 minutes, or until hot and breadcrumbs are lightly brown.

Mother's Day Salad

My Mom and I are both fans of strawberries and rhubarb, and since Mother's Day falls in the spring, when they are both plentiful, I thought it might be a good idea to incorporate them in my Mother's Day dinner menu.  I was not using strawberries or rhubarb in the dessert course, so I thought they might go well in a salad!  So strawberry rhubarb salad it would be!  Since rhubarb cannot be eaten raw, I roasted it along with some maple sugar until it was caramelized...to bring out its wonderful flavor.  The srawberries I left uncooked, but I decided to puree a few in the dressing along with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil to distribute their flavor throughout the salad.  I decided on spinach for my greens, since it looked the most beautiful when I was walking through the produce section at the store, and it pairs well with the berries.  Although I could have left the salad as was, simply veggies and fruits, I decided to go ahead and add some spiced almonds and chevre as well to make it more substantial and vary the textures and flavors a bit.  The salad ended up being a hit with my Mom who told me that this was one of the best salads I have ever made for her...which says a lot, since I am a salad girl and make them often!  It might end up being one of my favorites as well, and I am sure it will need to be made a few more times before the rhubarb is used up!  If you are a fan of the strawberry rhubarb combo, you must try it as well!

Strawberry Rhubarb Salad

Serves 4
3 cups thin stalks rhubarb, sliced into 1 inch pieces
3 Tbsp maple sugar
3/4 cup blanched almonds
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp maple sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp cardamom
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 large strawberries
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
3 cups fresh strawberries, sliced thinly
5 cups spinach
2 oz chevre, crumbled

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with foil, and spray each with non-stick spray. In a bowl, toss rhubarb with sugar, and spread out on one baking sheet. In another bowl, toss almonds with maple syrup, maple sugar, sea salt, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, and chipotle until well coated. Spread out onto other baking sheet. Roast for about 10 minutes, until rhubarb is carmelized and browning, and nuts are toasted and fragrant. Remove from oven and let cool.
In a food processor, combine balsamic, oil, 4 strawberries, and sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Puree until smooth. In a large bowl, combine strawberries, spinach, and rhubarb, and toss with the dressing, being sure to coat evenly. Divide the salad between 4 serving plates, and top each with almonds and crumbled chevre.

Cherimoya Lemon Margaritas

So yesterday was Cinco De Mayo...and of course after one of THOSE days at work, and it being the holiday, I decided that I simply had to have a margarita when I got home.  Although I had all the ingredients for a classic margarita, I decided to think outside the box, and make a non-traditional one.  I had a few over ripe cherimoyas sitting on my counter...so the puree of the delicious fruits found its way into my post work stress relieving drink.  I also decided to veer away from the traditional lime juice and orange liqueur and use lemon juice and honey as well as some vanilla extract.  Now that I look back on it the only thing traditional about this drink was the tequila!  But what the heck...the end result was delicious, stress relieving and I can still call it a margarita because it contains tequila right?  It actually ended up reminding me of a pina colada sort of flavor with the cherimoya puree...but better!  You don't need a holiday to whip up a batch of these...so go ahead and make one...relieve some post work stress and enjoy a delicious drink!

Cherimoya Lemon Margaritas

1 cup cherimoya puree

juice of 2 lemons
1 Tbsp honey
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 oz tequila of your choice, I used 1800 Silver Tequila
a few ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in a martini shaker, and give about 15-20 good shakes. Pour into margerita glass and enjoy!

Southwest Black Bean and Vegetable Wraps

So, I had an avocado, a jicama, and some black beans....hmmm, what to make?  A salad of course!  I suppose I could have made some salsa, but no, a salad sounded better!  I was in a southwestern sort of mood, so I made a chili spiced creamy dressing for my salad (using vegannaise, since I much prefer it to mayo) and threw in a carrot and some scallions as well!  But simply a salad was sort of boring to me...so I decided that it needed to be wrapped in a whole grain tortitlla to make it a more substantial meal, since I was very hungry!  If you are very hungry, or craving something southwestern, try these wraps! 

Southwest Black Bean and Vegetable Wraps

Serves 4
Dressing:
1/2 cup vegannaise
Juice and zest of 1 lime
2 tsp honey
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
sea salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste
Salad:
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans
1 bunch scallions, sliced
1/2 cup jicama, cut julienne
1/2 cup carrots, cut julienne
1 avocado, diced
2 Tbsp toasted pepitoes
2 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro
4 whole grain 10 inch tortillas
4 romaine lettuce leaves

In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients. In a large bowl, combine beans, scallions, jicama, carrots, avocado, pepitoes, and cilantro and toss with dressing. To assemble wraps, place 1 lettuce leaf on the upper 1/3 of each tortilla, then top each with the salad, dividing evenly between the four. roll up tightly and secure with a toothpick if desired.