Polenta takes on a Cinco de Mayo spin

One of the reasons I read when I go to the gym is so that I don't get sucked into the cooking shows that are always tempting me. But sometimes, a book just isn't enough to keep my eyes off the screen.

And this time I'm glad. I'm pretty sure I was watching Sandra Lee's "Semi-Homemade Cooking," which didn't suck me in at first because I never trust a skinny cook. But she piqued my curiosity when started frying up polenta, and when she added the black beans, I was sold.

Unfortunately, I can't find that specific recipe, but since I didn't really follow it anyway, I'll just share with you what I made.

Polenta with Black Beans and Salsa
2-4 T. canola oil
1 tube polenta
1 can black beans
1/2 c. salsa
1/2 c. sour cream
1 T. Tapatio or other hot sauce
1 T. lime juice

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Cut polenta into 1/2-inch slices. Coat the bottom of the skillet with oil, then add the polenta. Let cook until crispy, about 5 minutes, then turn and cook until the other side is crispy, about another 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and blot off oil.

While polenta is cooking, drain and rinse black beans and place in a bowl. Add salsa, and mash together until still chunky. Heat on stovetop or in microwave until warm.

Meanwhile, mix together sour cream, hot sauce and lime juice in a small bowl.

To assemble, place three pieces of polenta on a plate, then top with black beans and sour cream mixture.

Sandra Lee topped it all with iceburg lettuce, but iceburg lettuce bores me, so I used Broccoli Cole Slaw instead. Eh, maybe it wasn't the best combination, but it's what was in the fridge and it worked for us!

Ruining Easter with German brunch

My friend Lino posted a photo on Facebook of his delicious-looking Filipino Easter:

It made me feel a little guilty about the German feast that I had prepared, and my lack of actually writing about, much less ruining, Mom's recipes. But it turns out I am also talented at ruining Mom's idea of what a meal should be. For instance, our German Easter brunch was seriously lacking of anything of nutritional value.

At the very top, we've got an Austrian Amadeus cheese, which reminded me of one of my favorite German cheeses, Butterkaese. Just below it on the left is Brie de Nangine, which actually relates more to a wine-tasting trip a year ago that introduced me to this earthy, soft deliciousness. Continuing counter-clockwise, you've got your liverwurst, Mortadella and Emmantaler.

And to the left is the reason I even considered making this brunch. Earlier this year, a new cafe opened that I now pass daily on my commute. With an uber-German name like Kaffeeklatsch, I just had to look it up. And lo and behold, I saw photos and descriptions of German treats I've been missing for a decade, especially their Sourdough Rye with Sunflower Seeds. So I stopped by a couple of times to quench my thirst, but it just made me thirstier for German food. So I dove in and started planning an Easter of gluttony.

The only things I spent any time on were even more carbs: German Potato Salad and homemade pretzels. And not shown is the main course, the Weisswurst, whose main ingredient I will not name out of shame. But it tastes soooo good with Hefeweizen and my homemade pretzels!

OK, I gotta be honest. It wasn't completely devoid of nutrition. Mom actually brought a salad, which everybody just picked at, and Stephen and Koshare brought one delicious fruit salad, and another one in honor of Dad that is also delicious ... but in another way (fruit cocktail and Cool Whip, I kid you not).

Feast we did on Easter. Sorry, Mom, if I ruined another holiday!

Arugula helps bring pesto back to the table

I still haven't figured out what to do with all the arugula I keep getting from my CSA, but I think I finally may have found an arugula recipe that's worth trying again.

Tonight I made some arugula pesto, mixed with chicken, asparagus and penne. I'd forgotten how much I've missed pesto until I took my first bite, which was even better than the more typical basil-based sauce because of the spiciness of the arugula.

So, why has pesto not appeared on my menu for so long? Back in the '90s, I think Mom, Stephen and I may have overdone it with the pesto after we discovered how delicious it is. We also soon learned that it's much too rich of a dish to eat repeatedly, and it soon disappeared from the table.

Perhaps it's time for a return.

Quiche just isn't as elegant without crust

This may not be as pretty as a real quiche, but it smells just as good when it's cooking and is much easier to prepare than one with a crust. I even prepared it a day in advance so I could just put it in the oven when I got home tonight. Whole Foods calls it "Spinach, Mushroom and Swiss Crustless Squares," but perhaps our version should have been called "Spinach, Mushroom and Swiss Crustless Quarters," because yes, rather than cut the quiche into 24 squares, we cut it into just four!

My first Bastyr recipe: Carrot Ginger Soup

Photo from Derek Sheppard.

Just so you don't get the wrong idea, I'm certainly not complaining about having a full-time job. Especially since the perks come with a whole new set of recipes that I definitely will be experimenting with in these pages.

Over the weekend, the second edition of my e-newsletter went out, and it included a link to one of our cafeteria's favorite recipes, Carrot Ginger Soup. I was hoping to give the recipe a whirl before I actually included it in the newsletter, especially since I was a bit wary of the huge portions of garlic and ginger: 1/4 cup each! But it turned out delicious, tasting just like the soup that's made in a much bigger batch for the Bastyr campus. Well, mine wasn't quite as smooth, since I didn't bother to pass it through a wire strainer after blending it. But it sure went down smooth!

Coconut Couscous with Prawns inspires

I realize that including recipes in Ruining Mom's Recipes that I found in the coupon section of the local paper has absolutely nothing to do with ruining mom's recipes, and for that I apologize. But honestly, since I started working full time again, it's been a bit difficult for me to find the inspiration to make new dishes as frequently as when my workload was a little more flexible (hence the slowdown in blog activity, again, I apologize).

My cooking magazines are stacking up, untried recipes marked and patiently waiting for a second glance. Meanwhile, the recipe I cut out from the Near East coupon page just a few day has been sitting on the counter, calling out to me: "You want Bangkok Prawns With Coconut-Infused Couscous." They are sneaky like that.

So finally, after weeks of tried and true recipes, I gave this newbie a try, and I will definitely be making it again. This is adapted from the Near East website (you have to find the recipe yourself because there's no permalink):

Bangkok Prawns With Coconut-Infused Couscous
For the couscous:
3/4 c. coconut milk
1/2 c. chicken broth
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 T. soy sauce
1/8 t. turmeric
1-1/4 c. couscous

For the prawns:
1 T. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 t. ginger, minced
1 jalapeno, minced (seeds removed if you're a wussy like me)
2 T. fresh basil, chopped
1 lb. large shrimp, deveined and shelled
3/4 c. coconut milk
1/2 c. chicken broth
2 T. lime juice
1/2 t. turmeric
1 T. cornstarch mixed with 2 T. chicken broth

Make the couscous: Bring the coconut milk, chicken broth, scallions, soy sauce and turmeric to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Add the couscous, stir, then remove from heat and cover. Let set for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and serve.

Meanwhile, make the prawns: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the garlic, ginger and jalapeno, and stir for about 1 minute. Add the prawns and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring frequently. Then add the coconut milk, chicken broth, lime juice, turmeric and cornstarch slurry. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, until thick, then serve over the couscous.

(The asparagus was coated with about 1 T. olive oil, 1/8 t. garlic salt, 1/8 t. kosher salt, 1/4 t. Mrs. Dash Garlic Seasoning and a dash of pepper, then roasted for about 12 minutes at 400 degrees F. It's a no-fail dish!)

Gorgonzola Tortellini still a treat despite its ubiquity

When I lived in Munich, one of my favorite non-German dishes was Cheese Tortellini with Gorgonzola Sauce. Because we were just over the Alps from Italy, there was no shortage of amazing Italian food in Bavaria, and I took as much advantage of that as I could. Since returning a decade ago (seriously?!?), a lot of the dishes that at the time seemed like they were only available in Europe since have migrated to Seattle. But I still like to make this dish on my own.

Cheese Tortellini with Gorgonzola Sauce
9-oz. package cheese tortellini
2 T. unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. flour
1 c. fat-free half-n-half (or use cream and forgo the flour!)
1-2 oz. Gorgonzola
1 c. frozen peas
1 c. chopped ham

Cook tortellini according to package directions.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet. Add garlic and flour, and stir with a whisk until thick and bubbly, about 2 minutes. Add half-n-half and continue whisking until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Turn the heat to low, add the Gorgonzola and stir until cheese is melted. Add peas and ham, stir until heated through.

Add tortellini to the sauce. Add a little of the water from the pot to moisten the sauce if it's too thick.