Hungry Dancer: craving spring

Spring may officially be here, but Pittsburgh seems to have missed the memo.

My view on Monday morning.

I'm craving fresher, lighter meals, but I also find myself still wanting food that warms the bones.

Green beans. Strawberries. Peas. Asparagus. Rhubarb. These are my objects of desire as I peruse the market these days.

I found a recipe that was just right. Spring lentil stew stocked with spring veggies. I eliminated the tenderloin, wanting a li'l vegetarian fare this time around. Sub the chicken stock with veggie to make it 100% vegan.

It warmed the bones and satisfied the veggie crave. Spring lentil soup for the win.

What recipes are you dishing up to ease the awkward transition between winter and spring?

Happy eating!

xoxo
J

Hungry Dancer: C is for {Oatmeal Raisin} Cookie

And that's good enough for me! (Sesame Street anyone? Anyone?)


I love oatmeal raisin cookies. LOVE. But I'm kind of an oatmeal raisin cookie snob. They must be soft and chewy, with emphasis on the chewy. The edges should be oh-so-slightly-crispy to complement the chewiness. Nuts are okay, I guess, but I really just want raisins in mine. Nuts mess up the chewy experience. Dried cranberries are great, too - the more chewy goodness, the better! (Are we seeing a theme here?!)

A little soup 'n salad cafe back home in Fort Collins, Colorado, called Spoons, makes the best oatmeal raisin cookies. Trouble is, Fort Collins is a long commute from Pittsburgh for a cookie.

So I set out to find thee perfect recipe for thee perfect oatmeal raisin cookie. Turns out, that recipe was no further than a cookbook in my own kitchen. I'm not sure what the magic is, but I have a sneaking suspicion it's the butter and sugar.

This recipe is copied directly from my Taste of Home Cookbook, and the recipe was contributed by some lady named Jan, from Missouri. Thank you, Jan from Missouri. You made this Hungry oatmeal-raisin-cookie-loving Dancer very happy!

Hungry Dancer bakes Jan's Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup raisins (*the recipe calls for 1/2 cup, but I like my cookies loaded)


Directions
1. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
2. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in oats and raisins. Drop by the rounded tablespoonfuls 2-inches apart onto an ungreased baking sheet.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 1 minute before removing to wire racks to cool.


Makes 4 dozen.

Serve with cold milk!

:)

Happy eating!

xoxo
J

Hungry Dancer: No-Brainer Chili (a.k.a. the easiest recipe of all time)

Now that I'm a full time working girl who gets her sweat and dance on in the evenings after work, I don't arrive home until almost 10 p.m. most nights. Hubs himself goes to the gym, so between the two of us, we had to figure out a plan. A hungry dancer and her hungry hubs can't live on cereal alone.

Enter the good ol' fashioned crock pot! Oh crock pot, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways... If you don't own one, stop reading this right now and go buy one. Then come back and finish reading. :)

My crock pot transformed my life. Whoever invented that thing is my hero. I whipped up the easiest pot of chili ever known to humankind, brewed in the amazing crock pot.

Hungry Dancer's No-Brainer Chili

Ingredients
1 white onion, diced
1 bell pepper, seeds removed and chopped
1 lb. cooked lean ground beef
1 14-oz can of corn
1 14-oz can of diced tomatoes
1 14-oz can of kidney beans
1 14-oz can of pinto beans
1 14-oz can of black beans
3-4 cups of water
2-3 T chili powder
1 tsp cumin
Cayenne powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Toss the onions, bell pepper and cooked beef into the crock pot. Drain the corn and throw it in there. Add the tomatoes, including the juice.
2. Drain and rinse the beans, and add them to the mix.
3. Pour 3-4 cups of water over everything, adjusting the amount based on how soupy you like your chili.
4. Add the chili powder and cumin, again adjusting to your spicy preference. I love cumin, so I added a teaspoon more than listed here. Add a few dashes of cayenne, more if you like heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Give everything a stir or two to mix in the spices.
6. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours (until the onions and peppers are done).
7. Eat and be happy!

Colorful and tasty!

Just yum. Spicy chili fills the tum, and warms the body and soul.

What's your easy, go-to crock pot meal?

Happy eating!

xoxo

J

Hungry Dancer: Borscht, pozhaluista! (Borscht, please!)

Growing up, I hated beets. My mom and grandmother used to pickle beets and I thought they were just gross. Thus, I categorized all and any beets as nasty and wrote them off. Until the Russians.

Caution: your hands will turn pink

While still a student over the last few years, I was pretty involved with the international student community at my university. I made friends with people from many different countries, including Russia, and as such, I got to try my first bowl of authentic borscht. One bite and me and those beets became friends once again.

This cold weather has had me craving a hearty bowl of borscht. Chock full of veggies, it's both tasty and good for you, and it fills you up. You can make it vegetarian by omitting the meat, but I need my animal protein, so beef it is for me.

As usual, I modified a couple different recipes to make my own. And as usual, my measurements are flexible :)

Hungry Dancer's Slow-Cooker Borscht

Ingredients
1 lb. of stew beef cubes (leave out to make vegetarian)
3 or 4 carrots, peeled and thickly chopped
2 or 3 potatoes (depending on size), peeled and cubed
3 tomatoes, diced
Half a white onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
Half a head of cabbage, chopped
3 beets, peeled and cubed
2 cups of water
1 6-oz. can of tomato paste
6 T. apple cider vinegar
3 T. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. dill weed
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Bay leaf
Sour cream or plain yogurt

Directions
1. Throw beef, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, onion, garlic, cabbage and beets into a slow cooker.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the water, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, dill, salt and pepper. When mixed, stir in bay leaf.
3. Pour sauce over meat and veggies.
4. Cover and cook on high for ~5 hours, or until meat is cooked through and veggies are soft (specifically the beets).
5. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt on top.
6. Enjoy!

Yes, yes, y'all, this hit the spot. The earthiness of the beets mellows out to a subtle sweetness and the cool sour cream is the perfect match to the bite of the vinegar. I hope I made my Russian chums proud!

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

What's your favorite hearty, mid-winter stew? If you're not afraid of fuschia hands and fuschia soup, give this one a try!

Happy Eating!

xoxo
J

Hungry Dancer: chicken pot pie for the soul

You guys. I made the best chicken pot pie last weekend! I feel I can make such a claim only because I had zero expectations for this one. I was craving basic comfort food and you can't get more basic than good ol' fashioned chicken pot pie. Boy was I surprised at the outcome!

I originally planned to make this in the slow cooker so it would be ready to eat when we got home from work Friday night. But true to form, I hit the snooze button too many times Friday morning and there was no time for prep. Believe me, most of the time I barely get out the door in one piece. Mornings are not my forte. Alas, I had to revert to plan B, cooking it in the oven later than night.

I got home and scrounged my cookbooks and the interwebs for a recipe, but of course I couldn't find just one that made me happy. I ended up using various parts of three different recipes, creating my own recipe. If you try it, keep in mind that my measurements are flexible :)

Hungry Dancer's Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients
1 lb (give or take) chicken breast tenders
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup of butter (1 stick)
1 medium onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
Salt
Pepper
1 teaspoon powdered thyme
4 tablespoons of flour
1 1/2 cups of milk
1/2 cup of heavy cream
Half package of frozen peas (I used half a 10-oz. package)
1 1/4 cups of Bisquick mix (more if batter is too thin)
1/2 cup of milk
1 egg

Directions

1. Boil the chicken in water seasoned with salt and bay leaf for about 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Drain the chicken and let cool. Discard the bay leaf. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred into bite-size pieces and set aside in a medium-sized bowl.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
3. Saute the onion in a couple tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Cook until they just begin to turn translucent. Add the carrots and season the veggies with salt and pepper to taste, along with the thyme. Cook just until the carrots become tender and then remove from heat. Add the onion and carrot mixture to the bowl with the chicken.
4. Melt four tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan. Once the butter is melted, whisk in flour, along with salt and pepper to taste. Whisk until smooth. Gradually whisk in the milk and cream, constantly stirring until it boils. Once it begins to boil, reduce heat slightly and keep stirring until it begins to thicken. Once it thickens, let is simmer for 10 minutes more over low heat, stirring occasionally.
5. Add half the package of frozen peas (add more if you really like peas!) to the chicken and veggies mixture. Pour the white sauce over everything, stirring to coat. Transfer the mixture to a glass baking dish (9x9 square is a good size).
6. In a separate bowl, mix together Bisquick mix, milk and egg (note: if the batter is too runny, just keep mixing in Bisquick mix until it thickens). Pour over the chicken and veggies.
7. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until the biscuit topping is golden brown.
8. Remove from the oven and let set for 10 minutes before serving.

Yowza, was it gooooood. I'm sure glad my original plans were foiled by my inability to wake up on time. And the husband couldn't stop raving. Really, he's never gone on and on about something I've cooked. This one's a keeper. And like I said on Facebook, no way does this jive with any New Year's Resolution, unless yours involves a comfort food diet.... But it sure is good for the soul!

What's your go-to comfort food? Have you ever set out to make something that came out far more stellar than expected? I want to hear all about it!

Happy eating!

xoxo
J

Hungry Dancer goes International: Persian stew, Abgoosht

Before meeting my husband, I knew nothing about Persian cooking, much less Persian culture. Of course, being married to a tall, dark and handsome Persian man is slowly enlightening my ignorance.

I say this with no judgement since I was in the same boat, but most Americans are clueless about what Persian even means, so here's a quick crash course. Persian is the culture of the people from Iran. The name comes from Iran's former empirical name, Persia. You may think of modern flicks like "The Prince of Persia" or "300" (the peeps the 300 Spartans were fighting off, led by the abnormally tall and golden-skinned Xerxes, according to Greek legend... the husband hates this movie, btw)... That's the extent of our idea of Persian, according to Hollywood.

Anyway, most people confuse Iran to be part of the Arab world, but they're not. Most of Iran's neighbors are Arab, and they share the Muslim religion, but they're not Arab - they're Persian. And they don't speak Arabic, they speak Farsi. Both are very rich with their own respective histories and cultures, but there are vast differences between the two. I'm no expert, so the culture lesson ends there. I am a hungry dancer, however, so let's move on to the food.

Slowly but surely I'm learning to cook Persian food. I'm not sure why, but cooking middle eastern food is completely intimidating. There's no logic to this, as it's just like cooking anything else: just follow the directions and most likely you will end up with something edible and hopefully delicious.

For starters, there is the rice. Rice is the foundation and staple of Persian cooking and as embarrassing as it is, I was never able to cook rice. Even with a rice cooker. Epicurean fail, I know. But! I'm happy to announce that I can now successfully cook rice, after Hubs walked me through it step-by-step. Now we share the rice-cooking responsibilities (enter his sigh of relief).

I have made a couple of Persian stews, both being successful on my first attempts! The one featured here is called abgoosht.

This is the recipe I followed as a guideline. Per usual, I deviated and forged my own path. My modifications were due to necessity, really. For example, I didn't have lamb or beef stew meat, so I made meatballs instead. I also didn't have four tomatoes, but I had 1 fresh and 1 can of diced, so I figured that would work. And it did.

Abgoosht (Hungry Dancer style) 

All the ingredients are the same according to what the recipe above calls for, except:
1 cup of chickpeas/garbanzo beans
1 cup of pinto beans
1 12-oz can of diced tomatoes
1 fresh tomato
Meatballs

A note about the beans:
I used dried beans, but I prepped them using the quick-soak method, which you can find here.

Meatballs:
Mix together 1 lb of ground beef, half a finely diced white onion, approximately 1 cup of crushed saltine crackers, 1 egg and salt & pepper to taste. Mix with your hands. Don't be afraid to get in there and get dirty. If the mixture is too wet, just gradually add more cracker crumbs. Form and roll into balls. Set aside.

Toss the other ingredients into the slow cooker, starting with the chopped onions.

Top the onions with the meatballs.

Add the beans, canned tomatoes and spices.

Pour about 8 cups of water over all of this. Cover and turn the slow cooker on high.

After three to four hours, I added the fresh tomato (which I coarsely chopped) and the potatoes.

If you use dry beans like I did, plan for 10-12 hours of cooking time. If you use canned beans, I estimate that it will take about 5-6 hours on high (to ensure that the meat is cooked through and the potatoes are soft).

Note: The traditional way to eat Abgoosht is to strain the meat and veggies from the liquid, puree the meat and veggies until smooth, and then serve the meat/veggie puree alongside the liquid. (See pic here.) The husband and I are fans of chunky soup and stew, so I skipped this step.

Enjoy with a squeeze of lemon and a dollop of plain yogurt, and a slice of crusty bread on the side!

The verdict: I received two thumbs up from Hubs. He said the stew tasted just like it should. Take that, rice!

You should try this. The spices are warm and savory and it's perfect for a chilly day. It's not difficult at all - I mean, the slow-cooker does all the cooking, after the prep work is complete. Let me know if you try it and how it turns out!

Are there seemingly "simple" foods you struggle to cook with success? Oh, like rice?

Bon appetit!

 xoxo

J