The Charmed Kitchen

Purple and Pink Potato Salad

Sometimes we just need a little extra color in our day. My pop of color came in the form of a potato salad.  Yes, a potato salad. I had picked up some purple potatoes at a local produce market. I’ve had them before. Normally, they lose a little color once cooked. For whatever reason, these potatoes retained all of that purple color.  I cooked them in the microwave, and maybe that is why. Maybe they were just a brighter color to begin with. All I know, is that when I started cutting them up for my salad, I was amazed at how purple they were. Since I had some red onions, I decided to use some with the potatoes for my salad. I ended up with a purple and pink salad. Pretty and quite tasty. I do think, a salad made with less colorful veggies, would still taste as good, but it would not be nearly as much fun to eat.

Purple and Pink Salad

1 lb. purple potatoes

1 lb. red onions

1 c. apple cider vinegar

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 c. water

salt and pepper to taste

1 t. celery seed

1/4 c. oil

Bake potatoes until tender. I used the microwave and it took about 7 minutes, but you can bake in a conventional oven, too. While potatoes are baking, peel, then slice onions thin and place in a saucepan with the rest of the ingredients, except the oil. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 5-8 minutes until onions are just tender. Some of the liquid will cook off. Peel and cube potatoes and place in a bowl. Drizzle with the oil. Add the onion mixture and stir gently. Adjust seasonings, if needed. Chill. Serves 4.

Challah

I just updated my website with the Winter and early Spring class dates.  Some fun new classes, including one on Winter Salads and another on Baking with Whole Grains, among others.

Cooking Classes

Bok Choy and Leftover Rice Salad

This salad came about by accident. We had gone out for Chinese food on New Year’s Day. There were leftovers to take home, including some white rice. Once I got home and looked at the leftovers, turned out there was a lot more rice than I thought. I decided to use some of it in a salad. I had some bok choy, which seemed like a natural ingredient to add. I thought about using the bok choy raw, but decided to saute it just a little. It was still crisp, and the greens had just wilted a bit. Played around with what I had on hand and ended up with a pretty good salad. I left it vegetarian, but could easily have added chicken or shrimp and made it more of a main dish, rather than a side.

Bok Choy and Leftover Rice Salad

4 T. oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2-3 c. sliced bok choy- I used baby bok choy, but use what you like
2 c. cold cooked rice
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
½ of a sweet pepper, seeded and chopped
1 green onion, sliced

Dressing:
1/3 c. rice wine vinegar, or white wine vinegar
2 T. oil
2 T. chopped parsley or cilantro
1 T. sugar
1 t. soy sauce
1 t. sesame oil
1 t. fresh grated ginger
Salt and hot sauce to taste

In skillet, sauté garlic for a couple of minutes, being careful not to burn it. Add bok choy and stir fry a few more minutes, just until bok choy wilts a little, but is still crisp. In medium bowl place the bok choy/garlic mixture, being sure to include the oil used in cooking. Add rice and veggies to boy choy mix. In small jar, with a tight fitting lid, place the dressing ingredients. Secure lid and shake until well mixed. Pour over the rice mixture and stir until well mixed. Chill a few hours or overnight before serving. Serves 4-6.
Note: You can make this a main dish salad by adding a little protein. Cooked chicken or shrimp are great. For a vegetarian version- scrambled eggs or edamame work well, too.

Beet, Carrot and Red Onion Salad

This recipe was inspired by pickled beets. I love that sweet/sour flavor combination and wanted to make it into a salad. Not too many generations ago, if you lived in a cold climate, produce selections were pretty limited in the Winter. This is the sort of dish I could see a relative of mine making in January or February.

I chose to roast my beets, but you could also boil or steam them. Once cooked, the carrots and beets are combined with the onions in a dressing that is similar to what you would use to pickle beets, or other veggies. Then, just place in the fridge and let the flavors blend. The veggies almost become “pickled” in a day or so. I made this for a party and people seemed to really like the salad.

Beet, Carrot and Red Onion Salad

1½ lbs. beets
1 lb. carrots
2 red onions
Dressing:
1½ c. apple cider vinegar
½ c. oil- I used olive oil
½ c. sugar
¼ c. lime juice
2-3 T. chopped parsley
1 T. mustard seed
1 T. salt, or to taste
2 t. dill weed
1 t. celery seed
½ t. ginger
Hot sauce to taste

You’ll have to cook the beets. You can roast them or boil or even steam them. To roast the beets- Place beets in a roasting pan and drizzle with a little oil. Cover pan and place in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes. Smaller beets will be cooked in less time- about 35 minutes. Really large beets could take up to an hour. I always check by poking one of the beets with a fork. If boiling, just place beets in a pot with enough water to cover them and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, until the beets are tender, about 30-45 minutes, depending on the size of the beets. When beets are cool enough to handle, removed the skins and cut into bite sizes cubes. Place in mixing bowl. To cook the carrots, just peel, slice and steam or boil until just tender. Combine with beets in mixing bowl. Peel and slice the red onions. Place in a saucepan with the dressing ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes, or until onions are wilted and tender. Pour onion and dressing mixture over beets and carrots and stir to combine. Chill overnight. Serves 6-8.

Cabbage and Noodles

Cabbage and noodles is not a glamorous dish and it never will be. That’s fine with me. It is a dish that will always remind me of my childhood. My Mother would make cabbage and noodles as a side dish, at least a couple of times a month. I loved it. I think of her every time I make it.

The reason it tasted so good is that she took the time to caramelize the onions and to let the cabbage brown some, too. That added another layer of flavor to the dish. Simple and very tasty. I used green cabbage this time, but you can use red cabbage, or a combination. You can play around with adding other ingredients. Sometimes I add cooked bacon, or leftover ham.

Cabbage and Noodles

1 onion, chopped
Oil
4-6 cups chopped cabbage
4 c. cooked noodles
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh or frozen chopped parsley
Heat oil in skillet and cook onion until wilted and a little brown. Add cabbage and stir fry until cabbage in tender and starts to turn a little brown. Stir in noodles and cook until heated through. Season to taste and toss in parsley. Serves 4.

Cherry Pie Won Tons

I had an open package of won tons and needed a quick dessert the other night so I made these cherry pie won tons. I started with a can of tart cherries I had gotten from King Orchards. They are just cherries, so I sweetened them and added vanilla, thickened them a little a made what amounts to cherry pie filling. The nice thing about starting with plain cherries is that I was able to control the amount of sugar I added. I am not a fan of overly sweet desserts. I placed a small amount of filling in a wonton and moistened the edges of the wonton with water so it would seal. Some I rolled up like little egg rolls. I also made some more like ravioli, placing filling in the middle and pressing a second wonton on top of the first. I fried them in a minimum amount of oil in a small pan and dusted them with powdered sugar before serving. It was a great last minute dessert. You could just as easily use frozen cherries or fresh cherries, pitted.

Cherry Vanilla Filling

1 can (15 oz.) plain tart cherries

3 T. cornstarch

1/2 c. sugar

2 t. vanilla

Combine all ingredients in saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Allow to cool before using in wontons.

Cherry Pie Won Tons

Wonton wrappers

cherry pie filling- I made my own

oil for frying

powdered sugar

Place wonton on work surface and spoon in a little of the pie filling. Moisten edges and press to seal. Try to press out any air as you seal the wonton. Helps keep them from splitting.  Heat oil to 350 degrees. I use a small pan so I don’t need much oil. Place a few prepared wontons in at a time and cook until golden on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Cool a little before serving. dust with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

Herb and Spice Crusted Pork Roast

I know a lot of folks who serve pork for New Year’s Day. If you want to dress up your pork roast, try using a simple herb and spice rub. They add so much flavor. I made this rub recipe for a pork roast and really loved the way it came out. I added some cinnamon, because I was serving the roast with home made applesauce and I thought it would all work well together. I was not disappointed.

Spice and Herb Crusted Pork Roast

The Rub:

2 T. coarse sea salt

1 T. paprika

1 T. dried parsley

1-2 cloves minced garlic

2 t. fresh grated ginger

2 t. cinnamon

2 t. fresh ground pepper

Combine all the rub ingredients.

1 pork roast- I used a 3 1/2 pound pork sirloin roast- bone-in.

Spread the rub over the roast, pressing in to help it stick. You can do this a day ahead, then just wrap the roast and keep in the fridge until you are ready to cook it. Place pork roast in a roasting pan and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 2- 2 1/2 hours. Serves 4.

This rub would also be nice on poultry. Maybe I’ll try it on duck the next time.

Turkey Won Ton Soup

In a weird way, Christmas cookies are responsible for this soup. I decided to wrap up and freeze leftover cookies. When I went to put them in the freezer, I spotted a package of won ton wrappers. We had turkey for Christmas and I am still using it up. I’ve had hot turkey sandwiches and I gave leftovers to family and friends. The foster dog has certainly had her share, too. I used the carcass to make stock yesterday. When I saw the wrappers, inspiration hit. I decided to make won ton soup with the leftover turkey and the turkey stock I just made.  I normally add strips of roast pork to won ton soup, but the turkey was a great substitute. I used mostly dark meat, which worked well in the soup. I actually had bok choy that needed to be used up, too. Spinach would have also worked. In the end I had a great soup that was just right for a rainy, chilly evening. I also used up the last of the turkey!!

Turkey Won Ton Soup

1½ lbs. cooked turkey, about
1 head bok choy
3 T. hoisin sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
24 won ton wrappers
2 qts. Turkey stock
1 t. ginger
1 t. hot pepper sauce
Chopped green onions
Sesame oil

I used dark meat from the turkey, mostly. I minced enough to give me a cup of meat. The rest I cut into thin strips. I then took stems from the bok choy and minced enough of them to make 1 cup. Combine the minced turkey with minced bok choy, the hoisin and the garlic. This is the filling for your won tons. Slice more of the bok choy- using mainly the leaves, into thin shreds. This will go into the soup later, along with the strips of turkey. You should have at least a couple of cups of the shredded bok choy, but more is OK, too. To make the won tons place one on your work surface and spoon a rounded teaspoon of the filling into the middle of it. Moisten edge with water, fold in half and press to seal. I used round wrappers, but square wrappers are fine, too. I like the round ones, labelled for dumplings, because they are a little thicker. I get them at a local Asian grocery store. Repeat with remaining won tons and fillings until done. Bring stock to a boil and add the ginger and hot sauce. Add the won tons to the simmering stock. Simmer gently for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the strips of turkey and the shredded bok choy greens. Cook about 5-6 minutes longer. Finish soup with chopped green onions and a drizzle of sesame oil. Serves 6-8.

Pumpkin Scones

I had a request from a friend for some tiny scones. She is planning a tea party for her niece and some other family and friends. I posted this recipe last year, but it is worth a re-post. These scones are easy to make and not only great for breakfast and tea parties- they make a fun base for shortcakes.  Once baked, they are drizzled with a vanilla glaze and then a cinnamon glaze.  The scones are slightly crisp on the outside, but tender and delicate on the inside. By making the scones smaller, I actually got 4 dozen from this recipe. I rolled them out- I have just used an ice scream scoop in the past. I used a 1-inch biscuit cutter. They came out so cute. You can of course, make them larger. I have included directions for both.

Mini Pumpkin Scones

4 c. all purpose flour

1/2 c. sugar

1 T. baking powder

1 t. each salt, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and ginger

1/2 t. cloves

1 1/2 sticks cold butter

1 c. cooked pumpkin or winter squash

3 oz. milk

2 eggs

Vanilla glaze

2 c. powdered sugar

1 t. vanilla

4-6 T. milk

Cinnamon Glaze

2 c. powdered sugar

2 t. cinnamon

4 T. milk

Preheat oven to 400. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets or line them with parchment paper. Set aside. Combine flour with sugar, baking powder and spices and stir to blend. Cut in butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Combine pumpkin or squash with the milk and eggs and stir into the flour mixture. Stir until well mixed. Dough should be just a little sticky. For the standard scones: Use an ice cream scoop to scoop dough onto the prepared baking sheets- leaving a couple of inches between them. Hint: If you spray a little non-stick spray on the cookie scoop first the dough will pop out easier.  Bake for 15 minutes or until scones are browned on the bottom and just getting golden on the top. If you want to put both baking sheets in the oven at the same time- switch them half way through the baking time and allow a few extra minutes. Remove scones to cooling rack.Meanwhile make both glazes by combining ingredients and stirring until smooth. Drizzle with the vanilla glaze while still warm and allow scones to cool and glaze to harden before drizzling with the cinnamon glaze. Makes about 20-30 depending on the size of the scoop you use.

For the mini version. After the dough is made place a little flour on a work surface and toll the dough about an inch thick. Dough is sticky, so roll gently and don’t use too much pressure. Cut out dough and place scones on prepared baking sheet- they can be pretty close together. I got 24 on each baking sheet. Re roll scraps and continue to cut out scones. I ended up with 48. For the smaller scones I baked them at 375 degrees for about 12 minutes.

Won Ton Appetizers

If you are looking to serve appetizers for New Year’s Eve, here are some easy ones that your guests will love. Some can be made ahead of time, saving you time the day of the party. The won ton appetizers pictured here are from left to right- Crab Rangoons, Sesame Spinach Triangles and Honey Ginger Chicken Won Tons.

Sesame Spinach Triangles

oil

1 small onion, chopped fine

12 oz. fresh spinach, cooked, chopped  and drained or 1 (10 oz.) box frozen spinach, thawed, cooked and drained

1/2 c. chopped water chestnuts

2 T. oyster sauce

2 t. sesame oil

1 t. hot sauce

won ton wrappers

Heat oil in skillet and cook onion until tender. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining ingredients, except won ton wrappers. Adjust seasonings, if needed. Allow mixture to cool. Place 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center of a won ton wrapper. Moisten edges with a little water and fold over to form a triangle. Press to seal edges. Place filled triangles in 375 degree oil and fry for about 2 minutes or until golden.

Honey Ginger Chicken Won Tons

1 c. cooked diced chicken- I used thighs

1/4 c. minced celery

1/4 c. mayo

2 T. honey

2 T. dried minced onion

1 T. hoisen sauce

1 t. fresh grated ginger

salt and hot sauce to taste

won ton wrappers

Combine all ingredients, except the wrappers,  and mix well. Place 2 teaspoons of filling in the center of each won ton wrapper. Moisten edges with a little water. Fold in 2 corners to meet in the middle. Starting at one of the remaining corners fold up and over and form into a roll. Press to seal edges. Fry in hot oil ( 375 degrees) for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown.

Crab Rangoons

1 clove garlic, minced

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

1 (6 ounce) can crab meat, drained and flaked

2 green onions with tops, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce

won ton wrappers

Combine all filling ingredients and chill until ready to use. Place 2 teaspoons of filling onto the center of each wonton skin. Moisten the edges with water and bring 2 corners together. Bring the other 2 corners up and press all together to seal. Press all seams to seal. It should look like a little bundle.  Fry in hot oil until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes.

Hot Crab Dip

8 oz. crab meat or faux crab, if you prefer

8 oz. cream cheese

1/2 c. mayo

1 T. chopped chives or green onion, optional

1 heaping teaspoon horseradish

1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 t. hot pepper sauce, or to taste

Combine all ingredients in ovenproof bowl and mix until smooth. Bake in a 300-degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. You can also heat mixture in microwave for 90 seconds or until hot. You can mix the ingredients ahead of time and chill until ready to heat and serve.  Serve  with crackers, crusty breads or veggies. You can also spoon mixture into hollowed out tomatoes and broil until crab dip is hot and bubbly.

Pineapple Glazed Chicken Wings

12 chicken wings, cut into 2 pieces, save tips for another use

1 medium onion, chopped

1 can (or jar) of pineapple chunks, drained, reserving liquid- I used a pint jar- if using store bought use the 20 oz. can.

salt and pepper

Sauce:

1/2 c. apple cider vinegar

1/2 c. sugar

3 T. ketchup

3 T. sherry

2 T. soy sauce

1 t. minced garlic

1 t. red pepper flakes

reserved pineapple juice

3 T. cornstarch

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place wings in pan and season with salt and pepper. Bake chicken wings in roasting pan for 30 minutes. Add the onions and pineapple chunks to the pan with the chicken wings and return to the oven for 30 minutes longer. While chicken is cooking combine the first seven sauce  ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil. Check baking pan for any juices- Spoon them out and add to the sauce. Combine pineapple juice and cornstarch in small bowl, stirring until smooth and add to the sauce. Return to boil and stir until sauce is thickened and bubbly. Pour hot sauce over chicken and return to the oven to bake 20-30 minutes longer or until wings look nicely glazed and sauce has started to brown. Makes 24.

Brie Truffles

8 oz. brie, room temperature- I remove the rind from the brie for a smoother texture.

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 stick ( 4 0z.) butter, softened

2 c. fresh pumpernickel bread crumbs*

In food processor combine cheeses with butter until smooth.  Chill mixture 30 minutes or longer. With a small cookie scoop or teaspoon form mixture into small balls. Place crumbs in a bowl and roll the balls of cheese in the crumbs to coat. Place in small paper cups and chill until ready to serve. Makes 3-4 dozen.

* To make the crumbs just place torn

Caramelized Onions “Toasts”

2 lbs. Onions, chopped

3 T. oil

1 t. salt

2 T. brown sugar

¼ c. balsamic vinegar

Dash red hot pepper sauce

Paprika

Sauté onions in oil with salt over low heat for 25-30 minutes. Onions should begin to caramelize and brown without burning. Add remaining ingredients and cook slowly another 15 minutes. Adjust seasonings, if needed and serve warm with crusty bread, crackers or smoked meats. Keeps in fridge for a couple of weeks or can be frozen. To make the toasts I placed a little of the onions on Wheat crackers and topped with squares of sliced Swiss cheese. Placed in a 400 degree oven until the cheese melted.

Brie with Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

2 c. basil leaves

3 T. Pine nuts, walnuts or pecans

2 T. olive oil

2 cloves garlic

3 T. Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

½ c. sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in water and chilled overnight

1 T. oil

1 t. oregano

small wheel of Brie 1-2#

Combine first five ingredients in a blender or processor until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drain tomatoes and chop coarsely. Combine with remaining oil and oregano and season to taste. Split Brie horizontally into 3 pieces. Spread

One layer with pesto and top with a piece of Brie. Spread with tomato mixture and top with remaining Brie. Wrap and chill overnight. Serve at room temperature or warm slightly. I warmed it wrapped in foil at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.Wanted it to brown a bit. Goes best with crusty breads.

 Caponata

2 small eggplants, unpeeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces, about 5-6 cups

1 large onion, chopped

1/2 c. olive oil, or a little more

4 celery ribs, sliced

2 sweet peppers, seeded and chopped

1 heaping tablespoon chopped garlic

3 tomatoes, chopped- or 1 (14.5) can diced tomatoes- undrained

1 c. sliced black olives

3-4 T. red wine vinegar

salt and pepper to taste*

Soak eggplant in salted water for at least 15 minutes. Rinse, drain and pat dry. Set aside. Meanwhile in skillet cook onion in 2 tablespoons of the oil until tender. Add the celery and cook until the celery is tender-crisp. Place mixture in a mixing bowl and set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons more of the oil and cook the peppers until tender. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Add the tomatoes and cook 1 minute longer. Add this mixture to onion mixture and return skillet to the heat. Add remaining oil to skillet and cook eggplant until golden brown and tender. You may have to do this in 2 batches. Add remaining ingredients to bowl while eggplant is cooking. When eggplant is done add it to the bowl and mix well., Season to taste. Serve with crusty breads cold, hot or at room temperature. Serves 10-12.

* While I don’t have any herbs listed in the ingredients I often add oregano and basil or an Italian or Tuscan seasoning blend. I also like to add capers.

Mushroom Spread

½ lb. mushrooms, trimmed, washed and chopped

2 T. butter or oil

1 medium onion, chopped

½ t. salt

Fresh ground pepper

Dash of nutmeg

1 t. lemon juice

2 t. flour

½ c. sour cream or strained yogurt

½-1 t. dill weed

Sauté onions and mushrooms in butter or oil for 4 minutes. Add seasonings, lemon juice and flour and cook 3 minutes more. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream or yogurt and dill. Serve with pumpernickel bread, crackers or in mini cream puff shells.