A Fall Weekend...Kale Soup and Margaritas!

   I'm back at school, tutoring afterschool, and never seem to "fall" in home until after 7:30.  So, I made the decision that the weekend would be void of any trace of schoolwork!  My weekends will be dedicated to relaxing, rejuvenating, friendship and family, and of course cooking.  I know I'll be a better teacher (and person) on Monday because of this game plan.  Plans are in the making for me to formally open a craft cocktail (and savory bites) catering business.  With this plan in mind, I went to bartending school this Summer. Since then, I've been shaking, stirring, straining all sorts of inventive cocktails; trying to choose some original finalists for my menu.  Then, there are the classics...gotta have some classics on the menu.  My sister, Gina, took me to a scrumptious Mexican restaurant in Easton, Pa. several times this Summer, named Mesa Modern Mexican.  While the food was excellent, we were equally satisfied with the Margaritas.  On a side note, Easton has a great farmer's market on Wednesdays and Saturdays right in the town square, complete with many organic selections and raw milk, cheese and yogurt.  I decided I had to learn to make these Margaritas, myself.  I learned the key is.....Patron!  Salt the rim if you'd like (I used Pink Himalayan Salt). I filled a glass with ice and a shaker too.  Squeeze a small lime into the shaker, add 1 1/2 oz. Patron Silver, 1/2 oz. Patron Citronge (orange liqueur), swirl, strain and top with a splash of sparkling water.  Sante!

 

 

   Alongside my perfect Margarita, I opted for some creamy kale soup, which included no cream.  A couple of  years ago, I made  squash soup every week.  I used to share it with a friend until she said "please no..no more butternut squash soup".  I think I ruined it for both of us....not usually craving this soup that I had once loved.  So, I decided variety is important.  There has been a lot of great looking kale in the stores and markets lately, so I went for that.  So easy to make, that you don't even need a recipe.  Feel free to improvise.   First, I sautéed some onions, garlic and celery (just because I had some around).  I took the stems out of the center of the kale and added a big bunch of it to the pot.  Next, I added 2 small boxes of organic chicken stock (you could also use veggie stock).  I let it simmer to marry the flavors, pureed using an emulsion (hand held stick) blender.  You could also puree in a regular blender. Finally,  I tasted the soup and added salt and pepper to my liking  (nutmeg and cinnamon would have been good too).  Viola, a 10 minute, easy, delicious and healthy meal!

 



Back to School Baking

   It's a gorgeous Sunday in N.J.  I'm doing wash, paperwork and getting ready for the week ahead with some baking.  This week, I decided to make carrot muffins, peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies.  These recipes are gluten free and sweetened with rapadura sugar, as a better sugar alternative.  I bake then freeze the muffins.  I unfreeze one in the morning and it's ready when I am.  If you want to enjoy these muffins for dessert, you could make a buttercream or cream cheese frosting, or a mascarpone buttercream for an Italian flair.  I'm just going to top them with organic cream cheese, since I'll most likely have them as a morning snack.  I will bake off a few cookies for me and some friends to enjoy tomorrow, and I will form cookie dough balls and freeze the rest of them that way.  I freeze them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and transfer to a freezer bag when they are frozen.  This way, I can grab a couple of cookies whenever I want, pop them in the oven and in 11 minutes I have fresh baked cookies.  They are a crowd pleaser, for sure!

Carrot Muffins
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a stand mixer (or bowl if using a hand-mixer), combine :
4 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups or 1 cup for less sweet muffins rapadura sugar (I've also used coconut palm sugar and it's a tasty choice).

Next, add in and combine:
2 1/2 cups almond flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
A generous shake of cinnamon
A generous grating of fresh nutmeg

Finally, add in and mix just until blended:
A generous handful of nuts (pecans, walnuts, or whatever you choose)
3 cups of grated carrots

This recipe is enough to make 12 Texas-sized muffins (go big or go home!).  Fill the pan liners 3/4 of the way and bake for 30 minutes or until they pass the "done" inspection.  I find I can tell when baked items are done, because you can smell them outside the oven.

Peanut Butter Cookies:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or bowl if using a hand mixer), combine:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups of natural peanut butter (I use smooth but crunchy is good too)
1 cup rapadura sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Next, add in:
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1 tsp. baking powder

Mix until all ingredients are combined.  You can form dough balls right away or let the dough chill for a little while, which seems to help the cookies stay together more.  When you are ready to bake, scoop out small balls of dough, place them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, slightly flatten by making cross-hatch marks with a fork.  Bake for approximately 11 minutes, until they are golden brown.  Let them cool a few minutes before serving.

 

 

 

Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

 

In a stand mixer (or bowl if using a hand mixer), beat until fluffy (ish):

2 sticks softened butter

1 1/2 cups rapadura sugar

 

Next, add in and mix until well-combined:

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

 

Now add in dry ingredients and mix until well-combined:

2 1/2 cups oat flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

 

Finally, add in a bag of quality chocolate chips and a generous handful of nuts of your choice.  You can mix these in by hand, or gently with the mixer.  Scoop out tablespoons of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 11 minutes or until done.