Cupcakes and Sushi

So last night we had Esther's bday party (her actual birthday is Wednesday, but with Thanksgiving it was getting hard for some of the kiddos to make it). After months of various and random ideas for a party, she finally decided she wanted to have her friends over to make sushi :) (veggie of course, I wasn't going to risk preparing raw fish with little ones). So, we went to the local Asian market and picked up nori sheets, mats and PINK chop sticks. Then she had a few girls over, made sushi, decorated paper lanterns and enjoyed Esther's and my favorite- red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese icing :)

Tortas, Rick Bayless Style

So Rick Bayless Mexico One Plate at a Time is one of my favorite cooking shows on PBS. Everything he makes always looks super amazing. Last night I was in a Mexican mood so I made these delicious tortas I saw him make once on the show. First you take a can of black beans (I always go for no salt added) and add them, strained, to a pot in which you've sauteed some diced garlic in olive oil. Let the beans cook until you can smash them up real good like refried beans. Scramble some eggs in a seperate pan. Slice some bolillos in half and throw them in the oven just long enough to get them nice and toasted. Spread the black beans, add the egg on top and then your choice of toppings. I did cheese, sliced avocado, salsa and spread sour cream on the top slice. Tomatos and spinach though are other nutrient rich toppings that could easily be added. Such a great,  quick meal :).

New Finds

So I'm not sure how long these toothbrushes have been around but I just discovered them and think the idea is way awesome :) The brushes are made of recycled yogurt cups which is cool, but the package they come in converts into a postage paid envelope which you can send back so the toothbrush can be recycled again..love it :). Burt's bees has a new chapstick called ultra-conditioning.. It's so awesome, really moisturizing and the effects last a lot longer than their traditional chapsticks, which is great for Esther because her lips get so dry during the winter months, and I hate giving her chapsticks full of chemicals. Lastly I came across the new cliff crunch bars this week, I bought the white chocolate macademia ones, they are sooo delicious, they are just the  right amount of crunchy and crumbly and the white chocolate melts in your mouth. Hope you enjoyed my 'finds' :)
-Valley

Fall is near

The seasons are getting ready to change as were seeing glimpses of with random days with highs in the 60's. Summer comes and goes so very fast it seems. I for one am mot ready for cold weather dishes (soups, chilis and crockpot meals). Last night we had a delicious home made pizza with pesto sauce, mozzarella, olives, fresh tomato, artichoke and banana peppers. It came out really good :). To go along with the pizza we had a nice big ceasar salad with fresh parmesean, and both red and yellow cherry tomatoes, also super good. I think one of the biggest downfalls to winter cooking is that people tend to get away from fresh raw veggies and throw everything into soups and stews, which is still good, but even when its cold out its nice every now and then to add in some yummy fresh raw foods to the mix  (as your grocery selection provides in the winter months) and take in all the nutrients they have to offer :)

Skillet Baked Pineapple Upsidedown Cake

This may not look like anything exciting, but when you cut into it and taste the super moist, fresh-cut pineapple on the bottom... You'll realize it's pretty amazing. I got this recipe from Rick Bayless' cookbook Mexican Everyday.
Serves 8
3 oz (6 tbsp) butter, preferably unsalted
1/2 C firmly packed brown sugar
3 cups 1/2 inch-cubed, cleaned pineapple (you'll need about 3 quarters of a medium pineapple)
3/4 C all-purpose flour
3/4 C whole wheat flour (or additional all-purpose flour) (*I used whole wheat flour for the whole recipe and thought it came out great)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 large egg
3/4 C white sugar
3/4 C buttermilk or plain yogurt

Turn on the oven to 375 degrees and position a rack in the middle. Melt the butter in a large 10 inch skillet, with an ovenproof handle, preferably non-stick, over medium heat. Swirl the butter in the skillet until it turns nut-brown, then pour it into a medium bowl. Without wiping the skillet, sprinkle the brown sugar evenly in the bottom. Top with the fruit in an even layer.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, soda and baking powder. Add the sugar to the browned butter and whisk until thoroughly combined. Whisk in the egg, then the buttermilk or yogurt. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ones. Whisk thoroughly to combine.
Pour the batter evenly over the fruit in the skillet. Slide the skillet into the oven and bake about 35 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and springy to the touch at the center. Remove and let cool 10 minutes.
Invert a plate over the skillet, then holding plate and skillet firmly together with towels or pot holders, invert the two in one swift movement. Remove the skillet and the cake is ready to serve, it's best right out of the oven.
This makes a great dessert, hope you enjoy :)

Sweet Potato Gnocchi With Basil Cream Sauce

This recipe came out of a cookbook called 'The Urban Vegan' by Dynise Balcavage. I love gnocchi and what a great idea to switch it up a bit with nutrient packed sweet potatoes. This is a vegan recipe, but don't let that freak you out, if your preference or all you have in your kitchen is cows milk and butter, that's ok too.
Yields 6 servings.
Gnocchi:
2 large sweet potatoes
2 tbsp earth balance butter
1/2 tsp salt
3/4-1 C flour
1. Microwave sweet potatoes until soft, about 6 minutes. Using a potato ricer, squeeze filling from the sweet potatoes into a large bowl. Mash with earth balance and salt, then add about 1/2 C of flour. Work through with your hands, adding additional flour 1 tbsp at a time, until the dough is no longer sticky. Add as little flour as possible (this will depend largely on the humidity of your city). Roll a handful of dough at a time into a 1/2 inch wide rope. Using knife, cut rope into 1/4 inch nuggets.
2. Hold a nugget in the palm of your hand, and roll against the tines of a fork to create grooves. These indentations not only beautify the gnocchi, the "hold" the sauce.
3. Store finished gnocchi on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper, refrigerated until ready to cook, or freeze on a cookie sheet and then transfer to an airtight ziplock bag. (Will keep in a freezer about 1 month)
4. To cook the gnocchi, gently toss in a large pot of boiling, well-salted water. When they're done, gnocchi will float to the top. Remove immediately with a strainer. Drain well and toss in sauce.

Basil Cream Sauce
Yields about 1 & 1/4 cups:
1 tbsp earth balance butter
1 tbsp flour
1 C soy milk
1 C nutritional yeast flakes
1 tsp miso paste
1/4 C basil leaves, minced
Salt & pepper to taste

1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Sprinkle in flour and stir with a wire whisk to make a roux. Slowly pour in soy milk, whisking constantly. Sprinkle in the nutritional yeast flakes and miso, again whisking until smooth. Turn heat down to low.
2. Chiffonade the basil and add to the cream sauce. Mix, then season with salt & pepper.

Jamie's Vanilla Cheesecake With A Rasberry Topping

This cheesecake is super delicious as is, but you could make it patriotic for the 4th and throw some blueberries on top :)

Serves 8
13 tbsp butter, plus an extra knob for greasing tin
1 cup quick cook oatmeal (not instant)
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla extract
3- 8 oz bars cream cheese
3/4 c superfine sugar
1 lemon
1 orange
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
6
For the rasberry topping:
1/2 c superfine sugar
4 c rasberries

To make your base:
Grease a 9 inch springform cake pan with the knob of butter. Put a saucepan over low heat, add the oatmeal, and toast until it turns darker in color. Cut the butter into cubes and add it to the pan with your graham cracker crumbs. Gently stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture combines. Remove from the heat and spoon the mixture into your cake pan, smoothing it out evenly. Gently push down on the crumb base using the back of a metal spoon or your hands- you want to pack it down flat and even. Put the base in the refrigerator to chill and set for 1 hour.

To make your filling:
If using one, cut your vanilla bean in half lengthways and gently drag the edge of your knife along the insides of the bean to scrape out the seeds. Put all of the cream cheese into a mixing bowl and add the vanilla extract or seeds and the sugar. Grate over the zest of the lemon and the orange and then squeeze in the juice from the lemon. Give it all a good stir until nice and smooth. In another bowl, whisk your cream until it gives you soft peaks. Add half of it to your cream cheese mixture and fold it in. Then fold the remaining cream in gently. Once everything is blended, spoon the mixture over the crumb base and use a spatula to smooth it out. Place your cheesecake in the fridge for at least an hour.

To serve your cheesecake:
Lift the cheesecake out of the cakepan by easing around it with a metal spatula. Place on a serving plate. Mix the sugar and rasberries in a bowl-use your hands to scrunch them together. Pour this mixture over the top of the cheesecake and smooth it out to the edges using the back of a spoon.

Enjoy, and then 'pass it on' :)