Recipe: Broccoli Bites

Eat food.

Not too much.

Mostly plants.

~Michael Pollan

Bright and early this morning, I picked up my Bountiful Baskets co-op order, the first in a very long time. I forgot how much I love getting all these vegetables. Plus getting up early starts my day off well because I feel so productive.

I've been trying to make a concerted effort to eat more healthfully, to eat REAL food. Real food doesn't have labels. Therefore, eating real food requires spending more time (not necessarily more money) preparing food. More time reading recipes. More time planning the week's meals. But I've noticed that as I make a focused effort to eat well, all of that time becomes much more meaningful and therapeutic.

Food is medicine. Food is fuel. And food is fun. Recently, I completed an online course with Stanford University, through CourseEra, called Stanford Introduction to Food and Health. I'd recommend it. As I went through the course, I was reminded of all the reasons cooking at home is generally best: it's healthier; it's tastier; you know what's in your food; it's therapeutic and rewarding to spend 15 minutes preparing your meal or a few hours once a week making meals that will last.

And so, I'm making an effort.

Today's Bountiful Baskets offering

With a table full of vegetables (and some fruit) this morning, I knew I had to be creative with my food preparation. All of this for $28 (regular basket plus a St. Patrick's Day add-on - everything in the plastic bags is the add-on) and I'm certain it will last me at least two weeks.

So far I've made a batch of vegetable soup with onions. leeks, garlic, broccoli, carrots, fresh thyme, dried herbs (Costco's blend is terrific), and some salt and pepper. I may add some chicken at a later time, but it was pretty tasty.

Because I not only had the two heads of broccoli you see in the picture, but an additional three heads already in the fridge, I decided to make some broccoli bites. I've read a few recipes in the past (probably on Pinterest) and decided to try a batch of these.

Broccoli Bites

For a first time shot, they turned out really yummy, but I'd still change a few things next time. Although, I didn't measure many of the ingredients, here is the recipe I came up with, with a few modifications I would make next time.

Broccoli Bites by Emery 

2 cups of broccoli, lightly steamed and chopped (do NOT over do it; the broccoli will cook a little more in the oven)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 eggs
1/4 onion, finely chopped and maybe sauteed
1 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs
Any fresh or dried herbs, to taste (Costco's seasoning mix would be great)
Salt and pepper, to taste 

Mix it all together in a large bowl. With hands, form small patties and place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes, depending on the size of your patties, allowing to brown a little. Turn over once after the first 15 minutes. Serve warm alone or with your favorite dipping sauce.

This recipe makes about a dozen 2.5 inch patties or 2 dozen 1.5 inch small patties.

Delicious! And I still have three broccoli heads left!

First time hosting Thanksgiving dinner and a turkey brine recipe.

"We can choose to be grateful, no matter what. "This type of gratitude transcends whatever is happening around us. It surpasses disappointment, discouragement and despair. It blooms just as beautifully in the icy landscape of winter as it does in the pleasant warmth of summer."

~President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Grateful in Any Circumstances"

Thanksgiving 2014 Sunrise

Just about every year for the past 40 years my mother has hosted Thanksgiving dinner to which usually upwards of 30 people come. This year, I offered to change to course of history. With Thanksgiving dinner at my house, only a handful of guests were invited. I just don't own that many chairs. Plus it was my first time hosting and making a turkey, so I didn't want to overwhelm myself.

Speaking of turkey, I read all kinds of recipes and tips online before I decided to brine my turkey. Everything I'd head and read convinced me that my turkey HAD to be brined to be juicy and moist. So the night before, I got started with my preparation of both the turkey and the veggies.

After two and a half years living in my new house and being SO careful, this guy finally attacked me. I was surprisingly amused at myself. Laughing sure is good for the soul.

So the brine. There are endless recipes for turkey brine on the internet, but all of them seem clear about the basic salt and water ingredients and ratio. The salt must be coarse kosher salt. And you must have one cup of salt per gallon of water. Also, use two oven bags (Reynolds makes these) one inside of the other to avoid any leakage. As for a recipe and instructions, this is what I came up with:

1 cup coarse kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar
16 cups water (split in half during the process)
3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
5 fresh sage leaves
1-2 Tbsp of peppercorns (crushed)
a few random celery sticks and leaves

Combine salt, sugar, and half the water (8 cups) in a large saucepan and stir on stove. Add all the fresh herbs and bring to a boil. Let boil for a minute or two and then turn the burner off. Let the saucepan sit for as long as it takes for the liquid to cool.

While brine is cooling, take turkey out of it's plastic and rinse off. Remove the neck and the giblet and set aside for later. Place the oven bags in a large stock pot or bucket or casserole dish that can fit in your fridge and fit the turkey. Place the turkey, breast side down (this is important since you want it to get the most access to the brine, since it will cook breast side up and the juice will drain down to the back), in the two oven bags. Add remaining 8 cups of water (cold) to turkey bag.

When the rest of the brine is cooled, add it to the turkey. At this point, be very careful that you have a good hold on the edges of the bags so that the brine doesn't spill right out as you're pouring it in. Make sure all the herbs go into the bag. 

Now you will take the inner bag and wind up the top as tight as you can, pressing out as much air as possible so your turkey is completely immersed in the brine. Secure it with a twist tie. (Reynolds oven bags come with a handy tie.) Then do the same for the out bag. Next place the container in the fridge. If your container with the turkey in it doesn't fit on a shelf  (like mine) then you should have planned better to start, but just transfer it to carefully to another container.

Leave turkey in the fridge in the brine for 8-10 hours. In the morning, place the bag in a freshly scrubbed and disinfected sink, undo the bags, and pour out the brine. You will want to rinse turkey to get any excess salt or wilted herbs off and dry it thoroughly, inside and out, before placing it the roasting pan.

Then just prepare your turkey as you like. I put onion quarters, celery and carrots in the cavity, along with some other aromatics (more rosemary and thyme) and then slathered the outside with melted butter, crushed fresh rosemary and thyme, and pepper. Then I cooked it for 3 1/2 hours until it was perfect. And it was perfect.

I have to admit, I'm pretty proud of myself. That turkey tasted so yummy, I'm ready to roast another. Apparently, even the white meat was tasty. I'm not a big fan of white meat; I much prefer the dark and juicy thigh meat, myself. Everyone's offerings made for a beautiful plate.

And, I've been enjoying leftovers for last two days. Yum! First Thanksgiving dinner as host was a success! I think I'll go make myself another plate.

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While I cook up an actual blog post...

"God has promised forgiveness to your repentance,

but He has not promised tomorrow to your procrastination."

~Augustine of Hippo

So, I've not been intentionally procrastinating all the posts I want to share with you... it just has happened that way. So, during this "down time" here are a few things you can think about, laugh at, roll yours eyes at, or whatever it is you choose to do while I'm procrastinating posting pictures of my new house. Yes, I said, my new house. :)

My cousin Lindsay sent me me this link a long time ago and I just found it again. Enjoy.

I've made this recipe twice since I found it nearly two weeks ago. If you're ever looking for a pretty yummy, quick, and easy recipe when you're wanting something sweet fast and you don't want to have to work very hard for it, try this. :) Like that ever happens. What? :) Now go ahead and click on it and make it. You'll thank me.

Oh, and this one. This one you don't want to miss. I've been meaning to post it for some time, but keep forgetting. I've been reading this girl's Name updates for a couple of years now. Hilarious. Seriously, I can't make this stuff up. Ha...but people do! People MAKE UP THESE NAMES AND GIVE THEM TO THEIR CHILDREN FOR THE REST OF TIME! Gosh. I won't pretend to say that I understand the heavy weight parents must feel as they choose a word (a name) by which this new human being will be known for the rest of eternity. Heavy stuff. But with that weight on your shoulders, you went ahead and chose Reggie Tayzlie? Seriously? Or Razdyn? Gosh. I know I may have unusual ideas for names (maybe it's good I don't have children), but at least they aren't a combination of letters arbitrarily put together. I LIKE unusual names, people. Trust me. My name is Emery, for heaven's sake. I LIKE having a fairly unique name. Trust me. I'm all about being the only "Emery" around (had a near identity crisis when I read that in 2005 "Emery" entered the top 1000 names for baby girls receiving SSNs in the U.S.--about near died.) But my name isn't made up. It's a name. It's spelled correctly. But Arkadian? I looked it up--it's an Xbox game. Seriously people? And Kasten? Sure as heck you won't catch me castin' my vote for Kasten. Heh. I'm funny. Anyway, enough. Check out the link here.

Speaking of babies, my friends D&S are having one, so I've had them on the mind. I saw this supercool airplane contraption. SO cool. I like it. But they're sold out. Put myself on the waiting list in case they get more in stock. Maybe by that time, I'll have a baby to put in it. :) Here's hoping.

And lastly, my love for the Royal Family (okay, my love for the Duchess of Cambridge) has not waned and I   often go to this website to see her latest sartorial picks or this website. Both are good. I mean anywhere you can see this Kaleidoscope Kate is worth visiting regularly. :)

Well, that's it for now. More later. Lots more hopefully. Pray that procrastination doesn't get the best of me.
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Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Cranberries with a Balsamic Vinegar Reduction.

Hated Brussels sprouts.
Then got old and figured out
Brussels sprouts are yum.
~Brussels Sprouts Haiku
by eclaires

Is your mouth watering just from the title? No? You hate Brussels sprouts, you say? Well, really, I still urge you to try this recipe.

Roasting is my favorite way to cook vegetables. Toss any vegetable with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper and then roast and you've hooked me. Roasting brings out such a rich earthy flavor.

I found this particular recipe on Pinterest and modified it for a smaller portion on Saturday night. I only wish I had more Brussels sprouts now so I could make more. So delicious!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Vinegar Reduction Topped with Dried Cranberries
(adapted from Pioneer Woman's blog)

1 pound Brussels sprouts
1/8 cup Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/8 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Dried Cranberries

Trim/clean Brussels sprouts, then cut them in half if desired (or you can leave them whole). Put Brussels sprouts in a mixing bowl. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange on a baking sheet covered in tin foil, for easy clean up, and roast at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, or until brown.

Combine balsamic vinegar and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and reduce until very thick, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Drizzle the balsamic reduction over the roasted sprouts, then sprinkle on dried cranberries. Toss and serve immediately.
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Discoveries of 2010.

"You learn something every day if you pay attention."
~Ray LeBlond

On the Caribbean Sea.
(Photo from my mom's cruise in January 2011)

Every year my friend Amber has a Girls Night party celebrating the things we have learned and discovered in the past year. (Yes, this is the same Amber who only a few short months ago was in the hospital in a coma. Miracles do happen.) The idea is to come up with a Top Ten list of things you have recently learned or discovered such as: new beauty products, new websites, recipes, stores, books, gadgets, cleaning supplies, etc. We put together lists and print out enough to give one to each guest. And what is a party without some food? No worries. We all make and bring our favorite recipe from the last year. It always ends up that we have the perfect amount of main courses, sides, desserts, bread, etc. The recipe is included on your list, so that everyone gets a copy of it.

This year was special year because we all have learned so much in the last year. Our thoughts shared were rather poignant because they all included major learning experiences from almost losing Amber. I'm so grateful she's still around and that she chose to come back. I haven't written much about the thoughts that have been swirling around in my mind since last October when Amber came home, about what I learned each and every day she was in the hospital and from the overall experience, but I will sometime soon. I've struggled with how to put it all into words. Suffice it to say, I've learned that life is a blessing, God is good, and we are deeply, deeply loved by Him. But more on that later.

For now, here is my list of discoveries from 2010. (And in case you want to look back, here are my previous lists: Discoveries of 2009 and Discoveries of 2008)

Emery’s Discoveries of 2010

1. Roasted Almonds w/Bragg™ Aminos from Whole Foods – I've always loved roasted almonds because it brings out the natural flavor of the nut, but these almonds are a special treat. They are infused with Bragg Liquid Aminos (soy proteins from soybeans, purified water)non hydranate canola oil.
2. Dried Blueberries – I've always enjoyed dried cranberries tossed into a salad, but Costco's Kirkland brand of dried blueberries was a new discovery this year. Tossing a few on a bowl of cheerios (my favorite) adds a healthy kick.
3. Rolo Pretzel Delights – Need an easy treat for any party or activity? These Rolo Pretzel Delights are the answer. Set Rolos on a cookie sheet covered in wax paper. Pop in the oven at 300°F for exactly two minutes. Pull them out and immediately begin pressing a small pretzel on top of each softened Rolo, until the chocolate begins to come through the holes of the pretzel. Let sit on the counter for an hour or speed up the hardening process by placing the cookie sheet in the fridge.
4. The Knife Matters – There is nothing like one of these great big Chinese choppers for chopping vegetables or meat. No kitchen should be without this tool. (Also, if you give this to your husband, he will happily help you in the kitchen. Haaaaa-yah! Just watch out for your fingers.)
5. Finger Puppets – Primary kids love finger puppets. You can also keep a couple in your purse and share them with tired kids at church or your own kids while you are waiting in line, in the car, or at the doctor. Instant theater.
6. Pinterest – Pinterest is a social catalog service. Think of it as a virtual pinboard — a place where you can post collections of things you love, and "follow" collections created by people with great taste. It's a great place to keep ideas for Christmas gifts, or birthday party themes, or wedding ideas organized. Or simply use it to archive all the pretty, fun things you find online. Find my pinboards at www.pinterest.com/eclaires
7. Groupon.com, LivingSocial.com, CityDeals.com – If you haven't checked out these sites and signed up for their daily deals, you are missing you. All deals are at least 50% of the regular price and definitely worth it!
8. Monopoly Deal – Definitely better than the board game, Monopoly Deal is a fast-paced, totally addictive card game that you can play in minutes! Deal and steal your way to success - just collect 3 property sets to win. Sounds easy... but beware the dreaded Debt Collectors and Deal Breakers, which can flip your fortunes in the play of a card! Fast-dealing, card-stealing fun for family and friends! fast-paced, too! Play with as few as two players.
9. “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” – One of the greatest of our hymns, which was inexplicably deleted in the 1985 version of our Mormon hymn book, is "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing."  Mack Wilberg's arrangement of this hymn as sung by the combined BYU choirs in 1994 will bring tears to your eyes, and fill your soul with the spirit.
10. Spray Bottles – I detest being hot. I simply cannot function when I am hot and feel overheated. Bring along a spray bottle on any hike, to a parade, to an outdoor picnic to keep cooled off. Such a simple idea that will make a world of difference.

One of my new favorite recipes this year comes from my mother’s cousin, Robin.

Robin’s Yankee Cranberry Cake

This cake is chock full of cranberries and reminds me of a really tasty blueberry muffin, with more fruit than cake. Even if you think you don’t like cranberries, try this. It’s simple and fabulous. The butter sauce really makes the cake.

1/2 teaspoon butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 cup flour

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups fresh cranberries (if you double the recipe, you can use a whole (small) bag of fresh cranberries.)

Mix ingredients together and fold in cranberries last. Bake in a 9x9" pan for 1/2 hour at 350 degrees. Cut in squares and serve warm with butter sauce spooned over each piece.

Butter Sauce:

1 cube of butter

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup cream

A dash of vanilla

Melt butter and sugar in a small sauce pan until sugar dissolves in the butter. Add cream and vanilla and heat through.

2010 sure was a great year. Here’s to a happy 2011 with lots of new discoveries!

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Winter Cooking.

"I eat merely to put food out of my mind."
~N.F. Simpson

Last week, I decided it was time to start making some winter soups to get me through the winter months and save some money while I'm at it. I whipped up some bean soup. Sounds appetizing, right? Eh. Well, actually it did taste good, and beans are supposed to be healthy for you, aren't they? Especially when you've mixed in lentils. I can hear you now, "Lentils? You cooked with lentils?" I know, I know, they taste kind of like pockets of severely compounded sawdust. Well, the soup was pretty good and served to provide me with meals for the last week. I still have three more servings.

I planned to go to the store on Saturday to pick up a couple of extra ingredients to make another soup, Italian sausage soup, but winter decided to arrive that night... I ended up not leaving the house because it was so snowy outside. With no snow on the roads on my way home from work tonight, I stopped at Smith's and picked up the key ingredients I was missing. This soup is similar to Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana, only without the cream and bacon, so it's healthier. It's pretty delicious, if I say so myself. Plus it has mass amounts of kale, which I find so incredibly delicious in soup.

Here's the recipe:

Italian Sausage Soup

Ingredients
2 lbs of ground Italian sausage (½ mild & ½ spicy hot)
1 tsp dried crushed red pepper
6 slices of bacon diced (cook bacon to a crisp)
1 or 2 large diced onions (white or yellow)
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic (4 cloves of garlic)
6-7 cans of chicken broth (or approx 12 cups water with 6 cubes/teaspoons chicken boullion)
2-3 lbs of russet potatoes - unpeeled and chopped into bite-size pieces
1½ teaspoons salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 cup of heavy cream (I've actually never used the cream, to reduce calories, and I think the soup is delicious without it)
4 cups of roughly chopped kale (stems removed)

Directions
1. Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat and set aside while preparing the remaining ingredients
2. In the same pan, sauté bacon till fat is rendered and add onions and garlic for approximately 10 minutes or until the onions are soft.
3. Mix together the chicken bouillon and water, then add it to the onions, bacon and garlic. Cook until boiling.
4. Add potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Add heavy cream (if desired) and cook until thoroughly heated.
7. Stir in the sausage.
8. Add kale just before serving, allowing it to cook for no more than 5 minutes. Delicious!

Then, I have also had a craving for these Chocolate No Bake cookies. Yum. Made a quick batch of those. I'm thinking those won't last all winter...

Well, goodnight. I am headed to bed. I can hardly wait to fall asleep.
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I want some of these right now.

These cookies were one of the reasons I started craving peanut butter (a substance I'd previously, openly abhorred) while living in Lithuania, where peanut butter is hard to come by... as in, it didn't really exist (at that time, anyway). Something about ... absence makes the taste buds grow needy?

INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 cups white sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in peanut butter, oats, and vanilla. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper. Let cool until hardened.

You want them too, now. Don't you?!

I just can't get enough butternut squash!

My friend Amiee recently posted a recipe on her blog for Butternut Squash Fries, which I decided I just had to try! Delicious! Even though the butternut squash peak season is on its way out, here is the recipe along with one of my favorites for butternut squash and apple soup. Yum!

Bake-tastic Butternut Squash Fries! aka Squash Snacks
1 butternut squash
kosher salt
Pam or olive oil (optional)

Yields enough fries for 2 people to snack on.

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Peel and de-seed your butternut squash. If you're unfamiliar with handling these large items, you may have a little trouble at first. They're fairly easy to peel, but you'll need a sharp knife to cut them. Once your orange friend is peeled and sans seeds, slice it in half. Then cut it up into french fry shapes. Place on a cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick spray. Cover lightly with kosher salt (regular salt works, too) and spray with a bit of Pam or lightly brush with a tasty olive oil. Place tray in your pre-heated oven and bake for 40 minutes or so, flipping halfway through baking process. Fries are done when they are starting to brown on the edges and get crispy. Serve with ketchup, or however else you enjoy fries or sweet potato fries!

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons good olive oil
4 cups chopped yellow onions (3 large)
2 tablespoons mild curry powder
5 pounds butternut squash (2 large)
1 1/2 pounds sweet apples, such as McIntosh (4 apples)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups water (I usually prefer to use vegetable broth)
2 cups good apple cider or juice

Warm the butter, olive oil, onions, and curry powder in a large stockpot uncovered over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the onions are tender. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pot.

Peel the squash, cut in half, and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into chunks. Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Cut into chunks.

Add the squash, apples, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of water to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, until the squash and apples are very soft. Process the soup through a food mill fitted with a large blade, or puree it coarsely in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. If you don't have either, just use a potato masher and do your best to mash the apples and squash to a smooth, but still chunky consistency.

Pour the soup back into the pot. Add the apple cider or juice and enough water (or vegetable broth) to bring the soup to the consistency you like; it should be slightly sweet and quite thick. Check the salt and pepper and serve hot.