Smoked Salt & Pepper

Ingredients:   Sweet potato or mixture of root vegetables, diced    Red onion, chopped    Garlic, chopped    Black been, 1 can   Fire roasted tomato, 2 cups diced (see note below for Mexican style)   Dried red quinoa, 1/2 cup    Vegetable stock   Chili powder, chipotle pepper, cumin, kosher salt    Lime juice   Some chipotle pepper in adobo sauce Method: Roast cut root vegetables such as sweet potatoes, turnip, butternut squash, Kabocha squash…with chopped onion and garlic until caramelized and charred. Drizzle some oil if you wish to keep them moist. Cook all in a soup pot, low heat to simmer until done. Adjust to your taste. Serve with lime wedges, cilantro, avocados, grated cheese and sour cream 

When I read this recipe, it was so simple and genius it blew my mind.  I couldn't wait to try it.  Who doesn't love eggplant parmesan?  But the breading, and frying, and layering can all be a bit time consuming and laborious. This proved to be a great recipe with all the great flavors of eggplant parmesan, that really was unfussy.  And delicious.  And probably slightly healthier with no frying.   I made it even more 'unfussy' by using pre-made tomato sauce, but adding a few fresh tomatoes for a better taste.  The idea came from this Food52 recipe . Unfussy Eggplant Parmesan Serves 4 Ingredients: 2 large globe eggplants 1 24 oz. jar tomato sauce (or you can make your own like the Food52 recipe) 1 Roma tomato, cut in quarters 1/2 c. shredded low moisture mozzarella cheese 2 tbs. grated parmesan  1/2 c. roughly torn bread salt olive oil optional: Basil leaves for garnish, Parmesan curls Directions: Preheat oven to 400F.  Cut ...

Sometimes, you tire of heavy Holiday foods. I mean...not really a lot. But there's gotta be like, ONE, meal where I don't crave thick slices of ham and full-fat egg nog. Spiked with a bit of rum. ...anyway. I was NOT referring to my own holiday let-loose diet. But on the off chance you want some veggies. And if you can get your hands on some eggplants still good from fall harvest then this recipe is a winner. winner. Eggplant dinner. I wrote this post SO LONG AGO that I'm not sure where I sourced the original recipe or idea. Possibly Martha Stewart Living subscription circa 2011? 2012? I stay on top of my blog, as you can see ;) Quinoa-Stuffed Eggplant with Yogurt Sauce Serves: 2 Ingredients: 2 large Eggplants 1 c. quinoa, rinsed and drained 1/2 lb. mild Italian sausage 1 quart baby bella or white mushrooms, cleaned Italian parsley, stems removed and roughly chopped salt and pepper Directions: Cook quinoa according to package directio...

I don't know about you, but allergy and cold and flu season has been kicking my butt. Maybe it's the lack of sleep while waking up so frequently to breastfeed the baby, the Bells Palsy, or just being post-partum, but my immune system just hasn't been working great.  So this is a great way to quickly get some vitamin C in that's easy to gulp down.   I love the taste of cardamom  and cinnamon and the turmeric adds anti-inflammatory benefits. Raw honey is supposed to help with allergies.  Flax seed adds omega 3.  I have a Blendtec blender so it's super easy to throw everything in (can be prepped night before) and blend in the morning while I'm toting the baby around in the morning.   Then it goes in my shaker cup! 2 c. Unsweetened vanilla almond milk 1 large Fuji apple 2 carrots 2 mandarin oranges 2 tbs ground flax seed 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp Indian turmeric  2 tsp ground cardamom  Directions: combine all ingredients in a blender. 

I'm really bad at posting great holiday recipes until it's too late.  I'm just not that good of a food blogger.  But posting ON THE ACTUAL DAY? Does that count? HEB is open until 2pm so if you're still looking for a last minute Thanksgiving dish to bring to a dinner or add to yours, here it is! Mom's Bourbon Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole Ingredients: 4 lbs. sweet potatoes 3 green apples, peeled, cored and sliced 6 tbs. butter 1/2 c.dark brown sugar 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. ginger 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg 1 &1/2 tsp. vanilla 2 tsp. maple syrup 1/4 c. bourbon 1 c. toasted pecans or chestnuts optional: 1 bag mini marshmallows Directions: Roast and peel sweet potatoes in a 375*F oven for about 30-45 minutes.  Slice in 1/4" thick rounds. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine butter, sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.  Lower heat to a simmer and add vanilla, maple syrup, and bourbon.  Simmer until sugar is di...

I love fall flavors.  I think I already rambled on about that in my butternut squash soup post .  There's just something so comforting with fall flavors.  It's like getting a big, warm, spice hug.  I also love bread.  And muffins.  And pie.  And pretty much everything I'm not supposed to eat according to the nutritionist that is helping me manage my gestational diabetes.  I've been pretty good lately and hadn't baked anything recently,  but it was starting to get really hard to not fill my Sunday early afternoon with the oven on and tinkering with baking recipes.  So, I decided to try to 'healthi-fy' or low-carb-a-fy? a pumpkin bread recipe. Pumpkin bread/muffins/cupcakes are pretty good for my diabetes since pumpkin has fiber and protein and beta-carotene, and only 8 g. of carbs per cup.  Basically, it's good stuff.  I'll even recommend canned pumpkin to some of my doggie patients that are having some GI issues (helps firm u...

We had about 4 days of 'fall weather' about 2 weeks ago and it was amazing.  Fall is Reid's favorite time of year here in Central Texas.  On any good day/night he'll take a deep breath in and scan the sunset and declare, "Just another beautiful day in Central Texas!"  That is, of course, once we get out of the >100 degree brutality that is the summer here.  I really enjoy fall as well.  I like pulling out all my light clothing layers, and my cowboy or fashion boots from the back of the closet.  I like wearing a rain jacket with the hopes it will actually rain and then feeling like an idiot when it doesn't.  I like the smell of roasting squash like pumpkin and butternut and acorn and weird ones I've never seen before, and cinnamon, and nutmeg, and all those warm flavors.  So when we had those 4 days for fall weather a while back I loaded my grocery cart with butternut squash and grabbed my Dutch oven from the cabinet. This butternut squash sou...

After many requests from my sister and cousin, I finally documented my mom's vegetarian bun bo chay !  Get ready, this recipe is kind of intense and usually takes 2 days to make.  My mom makes a giant pot of it and the whole family eats it in the span of a day or two.  She freezes the broth for later use (if there is any left over!).  The flavor does enhance each time the broth is reheated, so it's usually better the second day and each subsequent time.  It's so good, I often prefer it to regular bun bo (Spicy Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup). Bun bo Hue  is a specialty of the central region of Vietnam, where my dad's side is from.  You won't find it as commonly as pho  or bun  (vermicelli bowls) in most Vietnamese restaurants.  This is a soup that is a labor of love and family and spicy-tolerance.  My ong noi  (paternal grandfather) used to make the best bun bo hue !  Now my Aunt Angelique/ Co Be  makes a cleaner, tast...

I remember a time period when I was younger, maybe about 10 years old, when my mom would bring this flan (or as she called it by it's fancy French name, creme caramel ) to every family or friend gathering. It was tasty and looked pretty. Maybe it was a thing to do in the 90's, because my husband said his mom also went through a similar flan phase. Well, here is my mom's recipe. I made it for the first time yesterday when we had a few friends over and I had to get creative with things husband-who-just-had-wisdom-tooth-removed and guests could eat. Though it is a very simple and easy recipe, I was pretty nervous the entire time I made it. Worrying about the caramel sticking to the pan or the flan breaking while I flipped it. Came out great, though!  Like my mom says, it's a simple and easy recipe. Mom's Flan aka Creme Caramel Ingredients: 2 c. sugar, divided 6 eggs 6 egg yolks 5 c. whole milk 1 tsp. orange liquor  1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sl...

My last post was a recipe for nuoc mam chay  (Vietnamese vegetarian 'fish' sauce).  A great way to use that condiment is on vermicelli bowls.  Rice vermicelli bowls are pretty versatile.  Although there are the traditional pork bowls; see recipe here:  http://smokedsaltandpepper.blogspot.com/2013/03/bun-thit-nuong-cha-gio-vietnamese.html I made a vegetarian version of a vermicelli bowl using a combo of tofu, avocado eggrolls, and other delicious things I had in my kitchen.  This was a great way to use the giant cucumber growing in my vegetable garden! Bun Chay (Vegetarian Vermicelli Bowls) Ingredients: 1 8oz. package of vermicelli rice noodles, cooked and drained according to package 1/4 c. or about 3 small carrots, shredded 1/3 c. rice vinegar 2 tsp. sugar canola oil egg roll wrappers (banh trang cha gio) 1 large Haas avocado, chopped small shallot, minced salt and pepper 1 block of firm tofu 3 tbs. soy sauce lettuce, fresh mint, sliced ...

I'm pretty convinced that the only way my dad has been able to stay a vegetarian for the past 10+ years is through the brilliance that is my mom's cooking ability.  She can vegetarianize pretty much anything.  Her bun bo chay  (vegetarian Vietnamese spicy beef noodle soup) is so good that I prefer it to the real version a lot of the times.  One of the huge struggles for a Vietnamese vegetarian is fish sauce.  We put fish sauce on EVERYTHING.  Like, seriously, everything.  Have you had nuoc mam on scrambled eggs?  Well, it's freaking amazing.  So, rather than having to use soy sauce condiment as the lone vegetarian condiment, some amazing people have figured out how to make vegetarian fish sauce.   Of course, it does seem to lack that extra 'funk' that fish sauce has, but it's pretty darn close.  This recipe is from my mom's cousin.  She makes a huge batch and takes most of it over to the Buddhist temple where they use or s...

Hummus is a staple snack at hour house. Paired with some Stacy's Pita Chips, the O. G. of the pita chip aisle, or some sliced cucumbers or bell peppers, I love it as an appetizer or snack to have on hand.  Sometimes we'll have 'sninners' (snack dinners) and eat hummus and a cheese and meat board or something light like a salad. My hummus does not have tahini in it, and I know it should, but I don't really care for the taste of tahini and I don't like to keep things in my tiny pantry I wouldn't use for other uses. Quick Hummus Ingredients: 1 16 oz. can garbanzo/chick peas, 1 tbs of canning juices reserved 2 cloves garlic 2 tsp of smoked paprika, plus more for garnish sea salt juice from 1/2 a lemon, or more depending on taste olive oil Directions: Combine chick peas, garlic and sea salt in food processor and chop. Add paprika and lemon juice

I'm posting this recipe mainly for my mom, who was interested in my overnight oats when my parents stayed with us a couple of weeks ago.  I'm always looking for easy, quick breakfast meals and overnight oats is as good as it gets for me as far as meal planning goes.  I can make a batch of 10 of these jars on Sunday night and have breakfast on-the-go for both me and hubs for the whole work week.  These are so easy to put together, that even the hubs can assemble them.  I'm always amazed at people who can plan an entire week or month's worth of meals for their family.  I'm lucky if I can get it together enough to defrost some chicken to eat for that night's dinner.  So overnight oats is my stepping stone to those Pinterest boards of months of freezer-to-crockpot pictures I'm oh-so-envious of. Overnight Oats (makes 4) Ingredients: 4 pint sized mason jars 2 c. old fashioned or steel-cut oats 8 tsp. maple syrup 1 tsp. vanilla extract 4 tbs. chia seeds ...

I have basil overload in my garden right now.  After making a bunch of pesto, we've been making caprese salad almost every other night.  This caprese pasta was a way to incorporate the basil, tomato, mozzarella and balsamic tastes of the salad into a dinner meal.  The sauce was a little sweet, so it is a bit different than what I would typically make.  This is great warm, or as a cold pasta salad (chop the mozzarella and toss with rest of cooled ingredients instead of melting). Caprese Pasta Ingredients: 1 lb. penne pasta 1 c. balsamic vinegar 1 tbs. brown sugar salt and pepper 1 tbs. olive oil 1 pint baby bella mushrooms, washed and sliced 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved 1/4  cup packed basil leaves 1 16 oz. mozzarella cheese, sliced in 1/4" slices Directions: Boil pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, combine balsamic vinegar and brown sugar in small saucepan over medium heat until reduced about a half, about 6-...

My vegetable garden this year provided me with lots of beets and carrots! So beside roasting them, I found this Martha Stewart recipe for a beet and chickpea gallette. I love beets, but they can sometimes taste a too much like dirt.  This recipe was a great way to use lots of beets and has a freshness of flavor that is really nice.  I use a food processor to shred all the vegetables, but you could also use a box grater and get a great work-out! and warning, like this hilarious Portlandia skit, beets will make everything red.  Don't worry, it's not an emergency, it's not blood, it's just beets... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw2WsXIgO6A Beet and Chickpea Gallette recipe from Martha Stewart  Ingredients 4 medium beets, peeled and grated 1 russet potato, scrubbed and diced 3 carrots, peeled and grated 1 15 oz. can of chickpeas, rinsed, drained and coarsely chopped 1/2 c. flour salad greens goat cheese 1 tbs. lemon juice 2-3 tbs. olive oil salt...

It's national veterinary technician week! So give all your pet nurses a hug, because they work hard to help make your dog/cat/horse/goat/cow/snake/guinea pig feel better!  Sometimes as vets, we get busy trying to diagnose crazy illnesses (I diagnosed my SECOND case of Addison's in the past 3 months, what?!) that we don't get to love on your pets.  That's why we have awesome staff who help us provide the TLC your pet needs to feel better, help restrain animals during exams, pull blood, run labwork, and take x-rays.  They work hard, often coming home bruised, bitten, scratched and smelling like who-knows-what, but still manage to come in the next day with a smile on their faces.   I brought in cookies and pumpkin-ginger snap bites to the office as my little way of saying thanks to all our awesome vet techs.  A few of our vet techs are vegan or vegetarian, so I had a bit of a baking challenge.  Usually, I'd be all about adding 1/2 lb. of butter to make my...

Meatless Monday is here! Reid and I occasionally do a meatless Monday since I like to decrease the amount of meat we eat in a week.  It's kind of insane how much meat we eat as Americans, compared to many other countries.  Since my parents are vegetarian, I'm used to not eating meat when I'm home, but things are a little harder when I'm on my own.  I don't have my moms amazing vegetarian Bun Bo Hue to eat, or any of the other countless creative dishes she makes.  I wanted to do something other than just fried (although the Sirachi Honey Glazed Fried Tofu recipe I made the other week was ah-mah-zing!) or broiled/sauteed tofu, so I picked up some vegetarian Italian sausage.  Definitely does not taste like meat, but it is tasty! Pairs well with homemade garlic bread.  I made a loaf of the four-ingredient no knead bread yesterday and used some of that for the garlic bread, but any rustic type bread would work.  Just smeared it with some butter, Italian s...

This was a super easy, throw-together-10-minutes-before-dinner, fridge left-overs kind of meal.  Reid was out-of-town, and it was difficult for me to put in the effort to make a usual dinner so I peaked in the fridge and found kale, eggs, and chicken broth.  Yay! A meal! I did a little googling and found a similar recipe on  http://www.yumsugar.com/Spicy-Garlic-Kale-Poached-Eggs-30574463 .  Most recipes poached the eggs separately, but why dirty another pot? I just poached the eggs over the kale.  It was a tasty, healthy and simple dinner!  Serve with some toast so you can sop up all that yummy egg yolk! Kale and Poached Eggs Ingredients: 2 cups kale, ribs removed and cut into 1/2" strips 2 large eggs 1 c. chicken broth 1 tbs. olive oil 1 tbs. butter 2 cloves garlic, sliced 1 tsp. paprika, smoked if you have it salt 2 tsp. red pepper flakes Directions: Bring a large, straight-sided pan to medium-high heat; add olive oil and butter. Sau...

I love potato gnocchi! It's kinda a miracle marriage between potatoes and pasta, two things I could eat all the time.  I'd tried to make a sweet potato gnocchi once and it went horribly.  The dough fell apart and it took forever and was inedible.  So it's been quite a few years since I wanted to attempt it again.  But this recipe, from Food Network , is awesome.  It's light and fluffy and delicious to pair with a sage butter sauce or tomato sauce.  I made the latter, with lots of fresh basil, tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella.  Paired the dinner with a caprese salad. Potato Gnocchi Ingredients: 1 lb. russet potatoes, roasted and peeled 3 to 4 large egg yolks 1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg 1/2 tsp. sea salt 1/4 tsp. freshly grated pepper 1 c. all purpose flour Directions: Pass the potato through a ricer or food mill in a large bowl Make a mound of the potato with a well in the middle.  Add 3 of the egg...

This was a delicious discovery of a recipe I found in Martha Stewart Living magazine.   http://www.marthastewart.com/1033653/zucchini-rollatini   It was a great way to use the basil that's growing like weeds in my herb garden (also made pesto this week...so much basil!) You can even make the dish vegetarian by omitting the prosciutto.  It was very tasty, and pretty, and Reid even said the next morning, that was really tasty! Zucchini Rollatini 2 large zucchini (8-10 inches long), cut lengthwise into 1/8"-thick slices coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed 5-6 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto 1 lb. fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced 24 large fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish (about 2 handfuls)-I think I used more like 3 handfuls 2 c tomato sauce Preheat oven to 425*.  Season zucchini slices on both sides with salt and pepper.  Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook ...