Simple Hummus (Revisited)

Posted on 04.11.2012
Hummus

Back when we first started this blog, we posted a hummus recipe that we used every now and then. Welp, times have changed! I (Whitney) have a full time job and I like to take my lunch to work. Every Sunday afternoon I make a batch of hummus and take it to work on sandwiches (or with carrots if I’m watching carbs ) throughout the week. It’s super cheap, healthy, and travels well. After making many batches of this stuff, I’ve become somewhat of a hummus snob. I like my hummus to be smooth and creamy. I like to taste the lemon, garlic, and whatever herb is used. How I use the hummus will dictate the consistancy. I like a bit more firm hummus if I’m using it as the star of a sandwich, but I like more of a creamy thin hummus when I’m dipping with pita chips. Anyhow, here is the recipe I make every weekend. Meet the starting lineup:

Ingredients:

15-oz. can organic garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 large clove (or two small cloves) garlic, minced

2 tablespoons tahini

1 lemon, juiced

1/4 cup (give or take a bit) extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup fresh herbs, chopped (whatever you have around, flat leaf parsley, cilantro, basil, etc.)

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. If needed, add more 1-2 more tablespoons of olive oil until desired consistency is reached. This is a very basic recipe, but the flavor possibilities are endless. Try adding ingredients like roasted red peppers, pine nuts, cayenne pepper, jalapeño, and more. The sky is the limit!

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Ice Tray Giveaway!

Posted on 04.08.2012

The Easter bunny stopped by our blog and left a little something for one of you! These fun ice trays from Ikea add pizzaz to any drink. The black one is shaped in long sticks that will form ice cubes to drop in a water bottle. The others are perfect for the coming warm weather and kids of all ages are sure to love them! To enter, simply post a comment on this post answering the following question:

What beverage will you drop these ice cubes in? Lemonade? Diet coke? Milk? (ew… does anyone do that?)

To earn extra entries, post additional separate comments after you do the following:

1. Follow us on Twitter @newlywedchefs

2. Like us on Facebook

3. Mention us somewhere on your own blog. If you don’t have your own, mention us on someone else’s blog and let us know where to find the mention!

Comment must be posted by 11pm EST on 4/22/12. Winner will be selected at random and announced on this blog, our Facebook page, and Twitter (@newlywedchefs). Winner must contact us at thenewlywedchefs@gmail.com within 48 hours of winning to claim prize, or a new winner will be selected (who also will have 48 hours, etc.).

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Caesar Salad: A Guest Post by Steve Haines

Posted on 03.28.2012
Caesar Salad

We are thrilled to feature our dear friend Steve on the blog today. He’s a professional jazz bassist, teacher, hockey player, and has mad cooking skillz. Steve had us over for dinner a couple weeks ago and served this salad with the meal. It knocked our socks off and we immediately requested the recipe. He is so kind to share it with us! The flavor of this caesar is out of this world. It’s better than any restaurant or store bought dressing we’ve had. Take it away, Steve!

MacIsaac Caesar Salad, from Steve Haines

Taught to me from Canadian sailor Captain David MacIsaac, this Caesar salad is extremely rich and can stand alone as a meal in itself. I like this recipe because it doesn’t have anchovies, usually a staple in Caesar salad.

First, mash together the following with a fork:

8-14 cloves of garlic (bring it! The more you add, the more it burns. Ohhh yes)

10-12 capers

ground pepper

Then, add:

Juice from one lemon (a little more if the lemon is young)

1 teaspoon red malt vinegar

2 egg yolks

2 heaping tablespoons Dijon mustard

Once this is mixed up, use ¾ of a cup of extra virgin olive oil… pour 2 tablespoons in with the mixture, then use a an egg beater to froth up the dressing as best you can. The process of beating all of the oil into the mixture should take about 20-30 minutes, if it’s done correctly (There is a foofy name for this process, but I don’t remember it!) If you don’t have time, you can use a hand beater and do it all at once, but it won’t quite be the same. The result should be a thick, somewhat pasty dressing.

From there, add the dressing to Romaine lettuce, destalked and torn into bite sized pieces. You will probably use about half of the dressing for one head of romaine, and all of it for two. The dressing should be liberally added to the lettuce. Add lots of parmesan cheese, and big whole made bread croutons, if you like. I avoid the bacon. As good as it tastes, the new photos and videos out on how pigs are treated at farms have seriously turned me off to pork.

David was out at sea a great deal, but when he came home, his two vices were the Tavern, and this Caesar. It’s not for the faint of heart! I hope you all enjoy it!

P.S.- I had some sauce leftover from the recipe, and used it to top chicken and rice, which was delicious!

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Cookbook Corner: Pioneer Woman Review

Posted on 03.18.2012

“It’s here! It’s here! It’s here! It’s here!!” -My words yesterday at about 5:45pm. Jumping up and down and with my heart going pitter patter, I struggled to rip open the tightly sealed cardboard like a three-year-old on Christmas morning. With the help of some kitchen scissors, I managed to open the package and was greeted by Ree Drummond smiling at me. Her second cookbook had arrived!

Folks, you have GOT to get this one. The photography, writing, and delicious recipes are an essential addition to your cookbook collection. I can not believe how many recipes there are! They are all mouth-watering but some that I am especially looking forward to making are:

-Knock You Naked Brownies

-Whisky-Mustard Meatballs

-Buttered Rosemary Rolls

-Drip Beef

-Blackberry Chip Ice Cream

-Homemade Glazed Doughnuts

Whew! Can’t wait!  There are plenty of photos of the ranch, notes about Ree’s darling family and friends, and step-by-step instructions for the recipes. Ree’s quirky writing style made me literally laugh out loud while reading. It’s $29.99, but if you order online from Barnes & Noble, you can buy it new for only $16.98.

Let’s talk about cookbook corner. Well, in the corner of our kitchen we have a breakfast table. It’s kind of the landing pad of the kitchen. We fling groceries there right when we get back from the store, we keep our vitamins there so we remember to take them in the morning, we put bills there to pay that need to go out, we write reminders and cute notes to each other there, and it acts as extra prep space while cooking or packing lunches. Also on this multifunctional table is a cookbook stand which displays a seasonal cookbook or one that is currently inspiring our meals. Can you guess which book is currently in cookbook corner?

 

 

Good guess.

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Nanaimo Bars

Posted on 03.08.2012
Nanaimo Bars

Neil was born in Canada. Although he moved to the states while he was still young and doesn’t remember living there, it’s still neat that he COULD be Canadian, eh? Just like Neil, this dessert was born in Canada. It is originally from the city of Nanaimo, British Columbia. This bar is relatively simple to make, but the rich chocolate flavor is so deep it will take your breath away.  If you don’t like coconut or chopped nuts in your desserts (like Neil), just sub more graham cracker crumbs to give the bottom layer additional texture. These elegant bars are great to make for your friends, co-workers, and favorite food bloggers (that’s right- if you make these, we’d be happy to sample your version…)  Oh, and sorry for posting this during Lent.

Bottom Layer Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or almonds (optional)

1 cup unsweetened coconut  (optional)

Bottom Layer Preparation:

Melt butter, sugar, and cocoa powder in a medium-sized saucepan over low heat. Once well combined but not too hot, whisk in egg. Continue to whisk until mixture is thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in nuts and coconut. Finally, add the graham cracker crumbs about 1/2 cup at a time. Add enough so that the mixture sticks well together but is still moist. Remember, if you don’t add the coconut and nuts, just add more graham cracker crumbs. Press mixture evenly into an 8″x 8″ pan lined with wax paper. Chill for 1 hour.

Second Layer Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

3 tablespoons heavy cream

2 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix

2 cups powdered sugar

Second Layer Preparation:

Beat all ingredients using a stand mixer or hand mixer until light and creamy. Spread evenly over the chocolate layer (we recommend using an offset spatula) and chill for another hour.

Third Layer Ingredients:

6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Third Layer Preparation:

Melt butter in a medium-sized saucepan over low heat. Add the chocolate and stir continuously until smooth. Remove from heat. Pour cooled chocolate atop the second layer and distribute evenly with an offset spatula. Chill for about 45 minutes.

Slice into 2″ bars when chocolate has set. Store in refrigerator. Makes 32 bars.

 

 

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White Chicken Chili

Posted on 03.04.2012
White Chicken Chili

Think we can sneak in one more cold weather meal this season? Why not? This comforting dish is full of flavor and easy on the wallet. It’s super easy to make and holds up well as leftovers throughout the week. Grab a bowl and dig in!

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons cumin seed
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 red onion, medium chopped
2 anaheim peppers, deseeded and chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 4-oz. cans fire roasted green chilis
15-oz. can cannellini or great northern beans, drained
15-oz. can whole sweet corn kernels (or 2 cups frozen corn)
1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 cup chicken stock

Preparation:

In a small sauté pan, toast the cumin seeds and ground coriander together over low heat until fragrant. Crush together using a mortar and pessel. Set aside.

Salt and pepper each side of the chicken breasts. In a large dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat and sauté chicken for 2 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.

Turn heat down to medium, and add the remaining olive oil. Add onion, anaheim peppers, garlic, chilis, beans, corn, and the toasted cumin/coriander mixture. Add the flour and stir until all ingredients are well combined. Cook for 2 minutes.

Add chicken stock and stir, scraping any bits off the bottom of the dutch oven. Add butter.

Cover, turn heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Slice chicken into 1″ pieces and add to the chili. Add cream. Cook for 15 minutes covered, then another 10 minutes uncovered until chili is thick and chicken is cooked through.

Top with pepper jack cheese, cilantro, lime, and sour cream.

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