Peanut Butter Doggie Treats

Have a dog? Have friends with dogs? Ever try one of their treats, even just a little nibble to see what they taste like? Well try these on for size- homemade peanut butter dog treats! I don't even have a dog, but I was a bit at a loss for what to make for the holidays this year for some of my friends. And somehow, I arrived at the idea to make some dog treats. That way I can kind of give a gift to my friend for being a good friend, and their dog for being a good dog. Perfect! I have a little bone shaped cookie cutter that was perfect for the job, but you should cut these into whatever shape and size will suit the dog or dogs they are intended for. Your dog(s) will be in for quite the...treat! (Sorry couldn't avoid the pun on that one...) Enjoy! :)

1 C. wheat flour (regular all-purpose flour is suitable as well)
1 C. corn flour
1 C. corn meal
1/2 C. smooth peanut butter
1 C. water
1/3 C. oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg

Preheat oven to 375F, and grease baking sheet. In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. In a microwave safe cup, heat peanut butter until it is a thinner liquid so it will be easier to mix in your dough. In a smaller bowl combine waiter, oil, vanilla, egg, and liquefied peanut butter. Stir this mixture into the dry ingredients bowl, and mix to make a stiff dough you can roll out. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/4" thick and cut it into whatever shape you choose. Bake for 12-15 minutes, and allow to cool before storing. 

Put cooled treats in a large jar with a tag sent to the lucky puppy to make personalized gifts!

Love,
H.

Parsnip and Carrot Fries: Sweet or Savory

For a second serving of the root flavor of the month, LHF brings you a healthier alternative to those deep fried potatoes at your local fast food stop: sweet or savory parsnip and carrot fries.

Here what you'll need:
Parsnips (I only used one for myself, so the number depends on how much you want to eat)
Carrots (Again, I only used one)
Olive oil
Sea salt
Pepper
Garlic
Brown sugar
Cane sugar

I couldn't decide whether to make the fries sweet or savory, so I opted for both in two separate batches.

Begin by preheating the oven to 425 degrees. Once the parsnips and carrots are cut into long, medium-thin slices, you can coat them in olive oil. Then, lay them out on a baking sheet (you may want to cover it in tin foil to help with the clean up, since the brown sugar sticks), and sprinkle the savory fries with sea salt, pepper, and garlic. On the sweeter side, sprinkle the remaining fries with brown sugar and lightly with cane sugar (I sprinkled some extra brown sugar on the fries once they were done baking as well).

Bake for about 10-12 minutes, and enjoy your sweet and savory root delights.

-Ianna

Rooting for Ginger

Hello Love Handlers. After a bit of a break since LHF's last post, the last ten days of November are going to be packed with new recipies. It should be very exciting, since with Thanksgiving right around the corner, November is a month that truly needs special attention.

To fit right in with the feel of fall, the flavor featured this month is: roots!

It's amazing just how much can be made with roots and LHF has some yummy treats, a fun craft, and a soothing drink in store. To start us off, I want to share that soothing drink, and also let everyone know why they should go out and buy a tea ball if they don't already have one.

Tonight, after a long day of work, I needed something to wind down. I opted to made some fresh ginger and honey tea, which is one of my favorites because not only is it incredibly good for you, it is also very easy to make if you have the right tools.

To make this, you will need:
Fresh ginger root
Honey (I bought mine from a local producer in Julian)
Tea ball (or a tea straw)
Grater

Simply grate enough of your fresh ginger root to fill your tea ball. Then, place your tea ball filled with ginger in a mug and let it steep in boiling water. Add honey.

Relax. Enjoy.

-Ianna

Pumpkin Pizza

Today, we have a fun and collaborative post with fellow blogger and friend, Katy, from Eat. Live. Thrive. She helped make the latest recipe for the pumpkin flavor of the month extra delicious...and nutritious.

What we decided to make was a pizza that used a pumpkin sage sauce rather than one with a highly salty tomato base. It was a unique take on a old-time favorite. Here's what you will need:

Photo courtesy of Eat.Live.Thrive.

Ingredients:
Pizza dough (we used pre-made whole wheat dough from Trader Joe's)
Pumpkin filling (we used about 3/4 can)
Fresh sage (about 2 tbs., chopped)
Fresh rosemary
2 tsp. crushed garlic
Mushrooms (sliced and grilled)
Red onions (chopped)
Spring mix (we used Trader Joe's "Power to the Greens" mix, which has
           baby kale, chard, and spinach)
Gorgonzola cheese
Mozzarella cheese
Balsamic glaze/balsamic reduction

Instructions:

Before you prep your ingredients, make sure to leave your dough out according the package directions. It needs a little time to adjust to room temperature. While you are waiting, you can prepare your other ingredients or maybe enjoy a nice cold beer and conversation with a friend. You can also take a moment to preheat your oven to 450 degrees. :)

To make the sauce is very simple. Simply sautee the chopped sage in olive oil with 1 tsp. crushed garlic. This helps to release the sage's flavor. Once the sage has become a darker green and softer in consistency, simply stir in the sage with the pumpkin filling. That's it! 

Photo courtesy of Eat.Live.Thrive.

 The only other topping that requires a little preparation is the mushrooms. We sauteed them in olive oil and 1 tsp. crushed garlic just so they would not dry out while baking. So, once your sauce and mushrooms are ready, you can prepare your pizza dough by spreading it out, and layering it will all the yummy ingredients. As a note though, for the Gorgonzola cheese, make sure it is still cold when you put it on. This will help it to crumble and spread easily on the pizza.

At this point, you should be ready to bake your pumpkin pizza. The bake time will vary based on the dough, size, and thickness of your pizza, so just make sure to keep an eye on it. You can be pretty sure that it's ready when the cheese is lightly browned and bubbly.

I promise that the pizza is nearly as fun to make as it is to eat....but maybe I'm biased. If you want, adding a balsamic glaze or balsamic reduction (accomplished by cooking balsamic vinaigrette) to your pizza adds a tangy-ness that nicely compliments the sweet sauce. We found that Gorgonzola cheese was also the perfect addition to the pumpkin flavor. 

As Katy is studying nutritional science, I was elated when she informed me how healthy pumpkin filling is for you (not the spiced one with sugar). She also packed in the nutrition with extra greens to top the pizza. I gobbled every cheesy bite with a mouth full of baby kale, chard, and spinach, and I loved every moment of it. Of course, I quenched my thirst with a Stone Pale Ale, which might not be too healthy for my body, but I insist that it's good for my heart.

If you want some fantastic and healthy recipes and advice, or if you just want to go check out some food porn, please visit Katy's blog here! It's totally safe for work!

-Ianna

Nuts For Fruity Pasta Salad

Uncooked pasta (I used tri-colored rotini)
1/2 Granny Smith apple
1/2 Gala apple
1/2 Bartlett pear
1 cup walnuts (chopped, to your preference)
Feta cheese
Balsamic vinaigrette

Upon having one of my weekly dinners with my friend, Sarah, I opted to get a little creative with pasta salad. In my attempt to successfully mix sweet and savory, I think this recipe turned out to be a great success. Even Sarah, who was nervous to try the dish, loved it!

It's a super simple meal that can be prepared in about 10-15 minutes, and it fits a variety of occasions. All you have to do is cook the amount of pasta that you desire, and while it is cooking, chop up the amount of apple, pear, and walnuts that you wish to toss in the pasta salad. You can use more or less than I did, because it really all about personal preference for this dish. When the pasta is done cooking, drain it and run it under cold water until it has reached a cool temperature. Then, let it drain further, and add it to a serving bowl. Toss the pasta with the chopped fruit mix, and add the crumbled feta cheese. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette.

If you're trying to lessen your carb intake, this dish would also taste great as an apple, pear, walnut, feta salad.

Enjoy!

-Ianna

Granny Apple Quesadilla

Flour tortillas (whatever your preference)
1 Granny Smith apple
2 medium sweet yellow onions, chopped (These will be caramelized. They cook down a lot!)
baby spinach and arugula
crumbled goat cheese
sharp white cheddar cheese
chicken breast fillet
balsamic vinaigrette
rosemary (dried or fresh)
1 tsp white sugar
1 tsp salt
olive oil
*Makes 2-3 quesadillas

Apples can put an unexpected and unique twist on a variety of savory dishes. Quesadillas are one of my go-to options if I'm wanting something to eat fast, so I thought it would be a cool idea to throw some apple in the mix when making dinner with my friend, Zara.

For the most part, this meal can be prepared fairly quickly, however, caramelizing the onions does take time (20-30 min). So, I would begin with this step. Heat your olive oil on a medium-low heat in a large skillet, and add your onions, making sure that they are coated in the oil. Then sprinkle the salt on them, as it helps them caramelize a little faster. Also, don't worry, because your onions will cook down a lot, even if it looks like there are way too many onions in the pan for a couple of quesadillas. Stir the onions occasionally. If they slightly stick to the pan, this is ok. It is all part of the browning and caramelizing process. Just be sure there is enough oil in the pan that they are not burning. After about 20 minutes, you can add sugar to heighten sweetness and aid in the caramelizing process, and by about 25-30 minutes, your onions should be done!

While your onions are cooking, you can prepare the chicken. Chopping up the chicken breast first helps it to cook quickly, just be sure not too over-cook it! Simply saute the chicken in some olive oil, balsamic vinaigrette, and rosemary until thoroughly cooked.

Now that both the onions and chicken are done, you are ready to assemble the quesadilla. I spread a thin layer of margarine on the sides of the tortillas that would be on the pan so that they would get nice and crispy. Then, I layered the crumbled goat and cheddar cheeses, caramelized onions, chicken, thin apple slices, spinach and arugula between the tortillas, and cooked the quesadilla on a medium heat for a few minutes. The trickiest part, is flipping the layers of deliciousness!

This is one of the best quesadillas I have had. I hope you can say the same if you try it!

-Ianna

Homemade Apple Butter

Iiiiiiiiiitttts apple season! One of my favorite times of year. When apples are in season, I think I could honestly eat two a day. They are beautiful colors with anything from a sweet to sour flavor. This last week when my roommate and I both had a night to relax together and make something, we decided to make apple butter. The day before she had gone apple picking with her family and brought back a big bag of Gravenstein apples and some half pint mason jars.

Here's what you can do at home to get the same chunky spicy spread:

You Will Need:

At least 4-5 lbs fresh apples

2 C. water

2 C. apple cider vinegar

4 C. sugar

4 Tsp. cinnamon

1 Tsp. allspice

1/2 Tsp. ground cloves

Sterilized glass jars with lids

A friend to help you

PROCESS

-Wash and quarter apples

-Add to a large pot and bring to a boil, along water and apple cider vinegar

-Reduce heat and simmer for about 40-45 minutes

-Remove from heat and pass through a food mill or some sort of strainer to separate out the seeds and stems :)

-Add sugar and spices

-Simmer on low heat for about 2 hours, stirring constantly. You will want to have a friend around to help you for this part.

-In the mean time as you and your partner are taking turns stirring, prepare the jars for sterilization. There are two general methods, wet and dry sterilization. You can boil your jars to sterilize them, but I find this is too much hassle in my small kitchen. Instead, we washed our jars with soap and warm water and allowed them to dry. Then we put them in the oven on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, and allowed the jars to sterilize in the oven for about 30 minutes on 425F.

-As the apple butter mixture thickens, make sure to keep stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot so that nothing sticks and no layer of burned butter at the bottom forms. What you end up with is a very fragrant chunky syrup mix that can be ladled carefully into the jars. It will be mostly a matter of preference, but you will want to get a thick consistency. To test, spoon a small amount on a plate that has been sitting in your freezer. The apple butter should set up and not be too runny or think on a cold plate if it has cooked and reduced down enough.

-H.BOMB

Apple, Fig, Peach Cobbler

I have been known to procrastinate, so I suppose getting some apple recipes posted for our "Apple" Flavor of the Month is no exception to my bad habit. Many apologies! I'll make it up to you in baked goods. :)

How about a cobbler to start making amends? I promise that this apple, fig, and peach dessert will not disappoint!

After suffering a recent cat attack on my right hand, I even made the cobbler for you wonderful followers solely with my still functional left hand...which was a lot harder than I thought it would be. Luckily, I got by with a little help from my friend, Sarah.

Ingredients:
1 Granny Smith apple
1 Gala apple (Although, the apples you choose are really all up to you)
4-6 figs
1 peach
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup oats
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbs cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup butter (softened)
1 tbs honey
1 tsp vanilla
*Adding a small amount (~1 tbs) of flour to the fruit mix to thicken it is optional

*Makes 4-5 servings

Directions: 
Making this recipe is pretty simple, even if you only have one hand.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Begin by slicing up the fruit for the cobbler. I sliced the apples and peaches fairly thin so that they would soften easily. The figs should have no trouble softening, so there is no need to slice them too thin...in fact, I think slicing them too thin could result in fig soup! Once the fruit is sliced, toss it in a large bowl with the white sugar, cinnamon, and flour if you desire a thicker fruit filling. Transfer this tossed fruit mix into a small to medium glass baking dish prepped with non-stick spray. A metal pan will also suffice.

Now, to create the topping. Chop the walnuts to your desired thickness. I left mine pretty chunky out of personal preference. Mix the walnuts with the oats, butter, brown sugar, honey, nutmeg, and vanilla until it is a loose, doughy, crumble-like consistency. Once this is done, simply layer this on top of the fruit mix that is already in the baking dish. I sprinkled a little extra brown sugar and drizzled extra honey on top too. Bake for 30-40 minutes, and let it cool for about 20 minutes before serving. It goes great with ice cream!

I hope this recipe makes up for my lagging this month. But stay tuned...I have a quesadilla recipe coming soon. It is the best quesadilla I have ever made, and YES, it contains apples!

-Ianna

Coconut Kheer and Vegetable Korma

Photo courtesy of Ianna Angelo.

Photo courtesy of Ianna Angelo.

When it comes to Indian food, what I love most about it is the focus on complex spice arrangements in every dish. Because of this, I knew that in attempting to make Indian food for the first time, I was up for a challenge. The final product turned out pretty tasty though, so of course I am sharing my spin on the traditional vegetable korma and kheer (rice pudding) with you all. Best of all, the meal features our coconut flavor of the month!

Coconut Kheer:
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup uncooked rice
1 tablespoon cardamom
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup sugar
3 cups milk (but this really depends on how thick you want your pudding)
1/4 cup crushed cashews
2 cups fresh, grated dried coconut

Photo courtesy of Ianna Angelo.

Instructions:

Traditionally, this dessert is not made with coconut at all, but with coconut being the flavor of the month, I had a feeling it would pair well in this sweet and creamy dessert. Making it is actually pretty simple too:

First, mix rice, milk, and coconut milk in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, and once it has reached a boiling point, decrease the heat to a medium-low simmer. While it simmers, add in the cardamom, cinnamon, sugar, crushed cashews, and grated, dried coconut. Simmer until the rice is tender (typically 20-25 minutes). Now, depending on how thick you like your kheer, use more or less milk. I preferred it as a thicker, pudding consistency, while many others may like it more on the thin side. Once it is cooked to your liking, serve it up, and garnish with some more grated dried coconut, and cinnamon. What is also so nice about this coconut kheer, is that it tastes good warm or chilled! You can't go wrong.

Vegetable Korma:
1 can tomato sauce
1 1/2 - 2 cups milk
2 medium potatoes, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 tsp cardamom
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp tarragon
1 1/2 tbs garlic
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp cumin

  2 diced shallots
vegetable oil
1 tbs ginger
1 cup sugar
1 bell pepper

Photo courtesy of Ianna Angelo.

Instructions:

Now, the veggie korma is a little more complicated than the coconut kheer. But, it is worth all the work:

Begin by sauteing chopped potatoes in olive oil on a medium heat in a large, deep skillet. Once potatoes begin to soften slightly, add tomato sauce, and bring this mixture to a slow rolling simmer. Then add in chopped carrots, shallots, and ginger. Cook on a medium-low heat for a few minutes, and then add in the curry powder, cardamom, cinnamon, tarragon,  garlic, cayenne, and cumin. Stir well, and continue to cook for 3-5 more minutes. You are now ready to add in milk and sugar and at this point, your potatoes and carrots should be near completely cooked. As your last step, you will add the chopped bell pepper, as this will cook the fastest. Continue to simmer dish until ingredients have softened to a desired consistency. Enjoy!

The Saag Aloo that Sarah made. Photo courtesy of Ianna Angelo.

Naan, compliments of Trader Joe's. Photo courtesy of Ianna Angelo.

Finally!

Although my contributions stopped at the vegetable korma and coconut kheer, I had the pleasure of enjoying a couple other Indian dishes, courtesy of my friend Sarah, and naan, courtesy of Trader Joe's. Sarah and I had a blast cooking together, and we had an even better time eating the fruits of our labor. I look forward to making more Indian dishes in my future, because this was a very successful first try!

-Ianna

A Healthy Stuffed Sweet Potato?!

Photo courtesy of Ianna Angelo

Upon making dinner with my friend Jennifer recently, her one request was that it be healthy. Normally, suggesting a stuffed baked potato would not fulfill her request, but we decided to prove that there is always a healthier way. What is so great, is that this meal was equally as delicious as the traditional baked potato that is slathered with butter, sour cream, chili, and cheese. Here's what you will need:

INGREDIENTS:
1 sweet potato
1-2 cups kale, chopped (remove the thickest spines because they do not get tender easily)
2 shallots, chopped
2-3 button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup brown cooked rice (you also can use quinoa, couscous, etc.)
1 carrot, sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped thick
Non-fat Greek yogurt (amount really depends on your preferences)
paprika
sea salt
garlic powder (just because there is no such thing as too much garlic)
1/2 lime
fresh ground pepper
1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1-2 sprigs fresh thyme

Bake or microwave the sweet potato until soft. While the potato is cooking, you can prepare the stuffing ingredients, such as the rice. Using a shallow pan, cook the sliced carrots on a medium heat in a thin layer of water until they are soft. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, heat a small amount of olive oil and saute the kale, garlic, shallots, and mushrooms over a medium heat. I had to add small amounts of water to the pan while the stuffing mix cooked to allow the kale to get tender, and to prevent the ingredients from burning. According to your taste preferences, season the mix with paprika, ground pepper, sea salt, garlic powder, fresh rosemary and thyme, and freshly squeezed lime juice. Once the kale is tender, the mixture is done cooking.

Now its time to stuff the sweet potato. First, spread a layer of the non-fat Greek yogurt. Next, add some brown rice, and cover this with the veggie mix. Top this veggie mix with the sliced, cooked carrots, and then add a dollop of the non-fat Greek yogurt. Garnish the potato with more fresh rosemary and thyme.

If you want to make the side salad, simply combine spinach and thickly cut tomatoes. Sprinkle the salad with flax seeds for added fiber, and lightly toss with balsamic vinaigrette and extra virgin olive oil.

Enjoy eating your guilt-free loaded baked potato!

-Ianna

Coconut Curry Fish Fry with Coconut Lime Rice

Lately I have been on a fish fix. I have been craving sushi, salmon, tuna, and shrimp all week. Five days a week I work as a server at a crazy little seafood cafe in Pismo Beach, but this isn't exactly the seafood I want to eat on my nights off. My cafe serves basically all fried seafood, from cod to Atlantic clams and calamari, save for some grilled salmon and ahi tuna. Don't get me wrong, its all good food and I am glad to serve it, but what I have been wanting is something much fresher and with some crazy flavor and texture.

First I went to the fresh seafood market a couple of miles from my new house, where I got about a pound and a half of cod, which was the daily special for $6.99/lb. Then I went to the local grocery store like I usually do, with one or two ingredients in mind, and ended up with a super yummy fish dinner perfect for summer, and I even got to get my hands a little messy in the process. With the volume on the boom box cranked up and a frosty cold IPA popped open, I got to cookin' and broke in my new kitchen.

This recipe is a simple breaded fried fish recipe, with some spice and flavor mixed in to make it taste like a pro made it. If you have ever made fried chicken, for example, this will be easy as pie. You will simply marinate your fish while you prep your breading station. 

INGREDIENTS

Fresh fish of your choice

Lemons

Limes

Garlic, fresh or powder

Sweet Chili Sauce

Curry Spice powder

Flour

Eggs

Coconut Milk

Coconut Shavings

Olive Oil

Rice

  *To make a more flavorful rice, replace some water with coconut milk and lime juice.

ALSO

Glass baking dish

Foil

2 Bowls or Dishes

2 Additional Dishes

Tongs or Spatula

Begin by cutting your fish into pieces. I cut mine into large chunks, probably about 1 oz each. Place these in your glass baking dish. Add lemon and lime juice, garlic, sweet chili sauce, and curry spice to taste. Toss the fish well, but gently, to evenly coat. Cover with foil and leave to marinate for about 30 minutes while you begin to boil water for rice and prepare the breading station. As I suggest above, I replaced about one cup of water with coconut milk and added the juice of one lime to the rice while it cooked. I also used a double boiler and used the steam from the rice to cook some roughly chopped bok choy. YUM!

Prepare your breading station with a total of 4 bowls and/or dishes/plates. In the fist dish you will need a cup or two of flour, more garlic seasoning, and curry spice. Mix these well. In the second dish, you will need 2 eggs and about a cup of coconut milk, whisked together. In the third will be coconut shavings only. The last dish is for placing prepared breaded (or coconut-ed) fish pieces before frying them. The order you will dip and coat your fish pieces will be flour mix-egg mix-coconut shavings (dry-wet-dry). Be sure to fully coat each piece in each mix. (Helpful hint: only load the coconut plate with about a 1/4 of the bag at first because the egg drippings make the shavings stick together and not want to stick to the fish, so only use a bit of the coconut at a time so you don't gunk it up too bad from the beginning).

Heat olive oil in a pan. Cook each piece of fish for about 2-3 minutes per side, depending on how big you cut them. Turn them over as they begin to brown and smell like toasted coconut. Serve the fried fish with prepared coconut lime rice and some veggies for a delicious dinner! Enjoy!

-H.BOMB

Thai Coconut Soup

Yumm. Photo by Ianna Angelo

Like Helaina, I also recently tried to make my own interpretation on a dish we loved while traveling around Europe. What I chose to make to introduce August's Coconut Flavor of the Month, was a spin on the Thai Coconut soup that I had in Hungary, of all places. As one of my favorite soups, it has a complex flavor profile, but I was up for a challenge. It is usually made with ingredients such as chicken, mushrooms, cilantro, curry paste, garlic, ginger, coconut milk, and A LOT of lime. I wanted to be able to stay true to some of the staple flavors in this soup, but I also wanted to mix things up a bit. Since my cooking partner, Sarah, is vegetarian, I opted to use fresh rice noodles and tofu instead of chicken. To substitute mushrooms, I used sliced zucchini. The creaminess of the coconut milk was complimented nicely by the tartness and aromatic nature of of the lime juice and lemongrass, while the sweet flavors of brown sugar and shallots danced gracefully on my tongue. Don't underestimate this dish though, it delivers a lot of heat from the red curry paste. Its texture was thicker and heartier than most Thai coconut soups I have tried thus far, which I enjoyed greatly. I think it could even make a wonderful sauce to put on top of rice. Here's how you make it:

INGREDIENTS:
1 can coconut milk
2 cups vegetable broth (or more if you want a thinner soup)
2 tbs red curry paste
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs vegetable oil
1 tbs brown sugar
6-7 cloves of garlic, chopped thick
1 tbs diced ginger
5-6 limes
1 -1 1/2 cup cubed tofu (firm)
1 hand full of fresh rice noodles
1 cup sliced zucchini
handful of chopped cilantro
1-3 inch stock of lemon grass, thickly chopped (do not eat them at the end)
2-3 shallots, chopped
a few fresh basil leaves, which I got home grown from my garden
          *Serves 4-6 people

INSTRUCTIONS:
Begin by chopping the garlic and dicing the ginger to prepare to saute them. I prefer my garlic chopped thick, but you can do as you wish. Heat some vegetable oil (or whatever kind of oil) in a medium-large saucepan. Saute the chopped garlic with the diced ginger on a medium heat, and add in the red curry paste once the ingredients begin to soften. Be careful not to burn your ingredients.

Shortly after sauteing the garlic and ginger with the curry paste, add the vegetable broth, coconut milk, and brown sugar, and increase to a medium-high heat. Stir well. Then, add in the chopped shallots, lime juice, soy sauce, and lemon grass. Bring mixture to a boil, and then decrease the heat to a medium-low once a boiling point has been reached. Let simmer for about five minutes, and then add in the zucchini, tofu, rice noodles, and cilantro. Cook on the medium-low heat until the zucchini has reached your preference of consistency, or for about 5-10 minutes.

Your soup is now ready to serve! Garnish each bowl with some fresh basil leaves. As a reminder, do not eat the large pieces of lemon grass in the soup, they are merely cooked in the soup to infuse flavor.

I can't wait to make this dish again!

-Ianna

Black and Blue Chocolate Cheesecake Pie

Cheesecake Trials Part II

If you can remember a few weeks ago, I got a little excited over some mini berry cheesecakes I had fun preparing and decorating one night with my roommate Christy. Here is another report back on my personal challenge to develop and try out some fun new cheesecake recipes. As it turns out, once you figure out how to get the basic consistency of the cheesecake batter, you have basically gotten through the tough part. You just keep adding delicious little bits of flavor and texture, and BOOM! you have a delicious dessert that is sure to impress. I got the idea for this dessert from an absolutely delicious pie I tried at a cafe in Budapest, Hungary. I hope I've done it some justice.

INGREDIENTS

CRUST
1 1/2 C. chocolate cookie crumbs
1 Tbsp. sugar
6 Tbsp. butter, softened or even melted

FILLING
1 8 Oz. pkg of cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tsp. vanilla
1 Egg
Juice from 1 medium sized lemon

TOPPING 
1 C. fresh blueberries
1/2 C. fresh blackberries
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4-1/3 C. slivered almonds

ALSO
2 mixing bowls
1 8 inch round non stick baking dish
1 small sauce pan
1 sandwich bag

Begin by preheating your oven to 375 F. Place chocolate cookies in a sandwich bag, and crush until they are a semi fine texture. Place the cookie crumbs in a mixing bowl and add softened or melted butter and sugar. Mix until you can compress the crumbs together in your hand and they can loosely hold their shape. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of your 8 inch round to form a thick chocolate crust.

On the side, prepare a mixed berry sauce to top off and marble into the cheesecake batter later. Just take fresh whole berries and a tablespoon of sugar and allow it to simmer and cook down over a medium heat for about 15-20 minutes. Use a fork or spoon to crush a few of the berries and release some juice for the rest to cook in. You can basically leave this alone while preparing the batter, just stir occasionally. What I was going for was a sort of berry syrup with a bit of flesh still for some texture. Besides an extra sweet tart taste the berry syrup mixture adds a beautiful rich bluish purple color to the finished pie.

In a second mixing bowl, use a fork to mix together softened cream cheese and sugar. You want smooth consistency. Add one egg, vanilla, and lemon juice. Whisk these all together until you get a very smooth texture, about 5-7 minutes. Spoon the cream cheese mixture into the prepared chocolate crust, and even it out. Then spoon on top in a sort of random pattern at least half of your berry mixture, if you want to save some to use at the end to pour over a warm slice. Use a knife or toothpick to swirl the dark purple berry mix into the off white cream cheese mix. Don't mix too much or else you will just end up with a purple pie, unless that is what you are going for :) Sprinkle on top some almond slivers for some crunch, and throw it in the oven for 25-30 minutes, checking often towards the end to make sure the top doesn't brown too much.

Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 10-15 minutes. Enjoy the it plain, or with some leftover berry syrup. More importantly, remember to enjoy it with a friend.

The pie which inspired this post. Chocolate cheesecake with tart blueberry sauce and star fruit from Cafe Jelen in Budapest, Hungary. Delicious then and delicious now.

Berry Cheesy Crescent Rolls

A seemingly fancy snack can be surprisingly simple.

A few days ago, my friend, Nikki, came over to throw back some beers, hang out, and make some food. I wanted to contribute something that was a more savory take on berries for the flavor of the month. Knowing that berry and cheese can at times compliment one another very nicely, I opted to make Berry Cheesey Crescent Rolls. 

Since I was feeling indecisive on which cheese or which types of berries to use, I decided to cook up a variety of stuffed crescent rolls comprised of strawberries, cranberries, brie, goat cheese, and some fresh herbs from my garden. It is still debatable which berry cheese combo was the best. My favorite was the strarberry, goat cheese, and thyme roll, while Nikki preferred the brie cheese and cranberry combination. I'll let you be the one to decide once you try it for yourself.

INGREDIENTS:
Pillsbury crescent roll dough
Brie cheese
Goat cheese
Strawberries (sliced, diced, or however you like 'em)
Dried cranberries
Fresh rosemary
Fresh thyme

All you have to do, is roll up each roll with a berry-cheese-herb mix of your choice, and get baking. They're quick, easy, and scrumptious.

-Ianna

Rakott Töt

This dish was one of my favorites in Hungary. Although I'm not exactly sure what the name translates into, from what I understand, rakott indicates some sort of baked layered sausage casserole, which is exactly what this dish is! Consisting mostly of rice, squash, cheese, and sausage, this a really simple dish that delivers big flavor with just a few ingredients. As far as spices go, a generous amount of dill, some salt and pepper, and in true Hungarian fashion, a dusting of paprika for a bit of spice and color, do just the trick. When I tried it for the first time at a market with Ianna in Budapest, I immediately grabbed my notebook and scribbled down a list of what I thought I was tasting. And it turned out fantastic! Although I took a wild guess on what cheeses to use in my version, my feeling is that whatever your favorite cheese or cheeses are (or whatever looks good at the store) will work great and give you a dinner you will love! 

INGREDIENTS

2- 2 1/2 C. White Rice
Sausage
2 Small Yellow Summer Squash
2 C. Havarti Cheese, grated 
1/3 C. Soft Goat Cheese
2-3 cloves of Garlic, chopped
Dill weed
Paprika
Lemon Juice
Salt & Pepper
Olive Oil

ALSO
aluminum foil
glass baking dish

Begin by boiling water for rice to cook in. While the rice is cooking away, prepare the sausage and squash by slicing them and frying them together in a pan with olive oil, chopped garlic, salt and pepper, and a little bit of dill weed. Although neither has to cook 100 percent through since everything will continue to bake, it is important to make sure the sausage is mostly cooked in the pan, so it doesn't have too much further to go in the oven. As your stove simmers away cooking rice, sausage, and squash, grate the Havarti cheese, or whatever hard cheese you may be using.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Towards the end of your rice being done cooking, squeeze in the juice of one lemon, and stir in about a tablespoon of dill. As everything finishes cooking on the stove, turn off the flames. 

Drizzle some olive oil into your baking dish. Scoop in your cooked lemon-dill rice and spread it evenly in the dish. Then add a layer of half of your grated cheese. On top of this layer the garlic squash and sausage mix. Add to this the other half of your grated cheese. Fill in the holes with some chunks of goat cheese that will add a pungent earthiness to the dish. Top it all off with a bit more dill and a dusting of paprika. Cover with foil, and bake for 20-25 minutes, allowing to cool 5-10.

You will begin to smell aromas of dill, lemon, garlic, goat cheese, and paprika as your casserole continues to bake. When you pull it out, I promise, you are going to have a hard time waiting for it to cool to eat it! Probably an appropriate moment to pop open a nice bottle of a tart dry white wine, or nice refreshing floral Hefeweizen. It will be a hard decision. But by the time you get past that obstacle, the steaming hot Rakott Töt will be just cool enough to enjoy.... So enjoy it!

-H.BOMB

Strawberry-Banana Trifle

I have been pretty busy this past week, so it has been challenging to make meals that require a lot of time. Yesterday, I went to a good friend's BBQ, and I was a slightly stressed when it was the night before, and I realized how little time I had to make a dessert for the get-together. Luckily, the delicious savior by the name of Trifle came swiftly to my rescue.

In only an hour, I was able to go to the store, pick up the few needed ingredients, make the dessert, stick it in the fridge to chill, and be on my way to work. But, don't let the trifle's fast and easy demeanor fool you, it packs a punch on the taste buds. The simple combination of creamy vanilla filling, soft wafer cookies, and sweet and tangy sliced bananas and strawberries was a hit with my friends. I wish I had taken photos of their delighted expressions as proof, but once you make this, you will see that the proof is really in the pudding.

INGREDIENTS:
6 oz sour cream (this can be substituted with non-fat Greek yogurt)
6 oz whipped topping, thawed (cool whip)
1 cup milk (whole works best)
5 oz pack instant vanilla pudding mix
3-4 bananas
10-15 strawberries
Vanilla wafer cookies
        *Serves about 8 people

Ok, so first you will combine the thawed whipped topping, sour cream, milk, and pudding mix in a large bowl. Once it is smooth and blended, you are ready to get layering! Grab another large bowl, and create an initial layer of wafer cookies. Then, cover the cookies with a layer of vanilla cream blend.  Next comes a layer of sliced bananas and strawberries. Simply repeat until you are out of the vanilla cream blend. Top with a dollop of the remaining whipped topping, and pop your trifle in the fridge to let it chill. This allows the wafer cookies to get nice and soft, although I'm sure it is just as delicious to serve right away if need be.

Fast. Easy. Tasty.

This would likely be a great recipe to mix up and use different pudding mixes, fruit blends, and cookie types. A vegan interpretation would be great to try. 

-Ianna

Mini Berry Cheesecakes

All week long I have been having a major sweet tooth. This has not been made easier by the fact that I just got a second part time job at a chocolate shop on the beach. What I've had a sweet tooth for though, I something fruity and not so rich for summer time. Last Wednesday afternoon after getting off work, I invited my roommate, Christy, to join me in going to the small farmer's market in downtown Pismo Beach that is still growing in size and popularity. There was a very friendly vendor who was selling freshly picked strawberries and raspberry baskets for a decent price, so of course I bought some. These mini cheesecakes are what Christy and I came up with after a little brainstorming. Best part of all, these are super simple and nearly fool proof, so you will be indulging in some sweet little treats in practically no time at all ;p

INGREDIENTS
CRUST

1 C. crushed graham crackers, about one plastic sleeve

1/3 C. brown sugar

3/4 stick of butter, softened to room temperature

FILLING

1 8oz. package of cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1/3 C. brown or white sugar

1 egg

*optional- 1/2 C. berry puree for extra color and flavor

OPTIONAL TOPPING IDEAS
-berry puree and a few tea spoons of sugar reduced over low heat, spooned over the top

-fresh raspberries, strawberries, blueberries

-left over graham cracker crumbs

-lemon zest, dark or white chocolate, honey, the list goes on!

YOU WILL ALSO NEED

Muffin tin

Paper baking cups

2 Mixing bowls

Blender???

Begin by crushing graham crackers to make the crust. It is easiest to break the graham crackers into squares and putting them in a sandwich bag to crush so you don't make a huge mess in your kitchen. Crush the graham crackers, and mix with butter and brown sugar. Spoon the mix into a muffin tin lined with baking cups, about 2 spoonfuls per cup. Use the back of the spoon to compress the crumb mix into a firm crust.

In a separate bowl, combine softened cream cheese and sugar. Mix well and add an egg. Whisk the entire mixture until it is smooth. If you prefer, this is also a good moment to add some fresh berry puree if you want to add some extra color and flavor to your mini cheesecakes. I made two half batches of plain and berry flavored minis. 

Spoon the cream cheese mixture on top of the prepared crusts. Fill the cups to about 3/4 full of the mix. Place these in the oven preheated to 350degrees F for about 15-17 minutes. After about 13 minutes I spooned the last 1/3 cup or so of my cooked down berry puree over half of my plain batch. This cooked for the last few minutes to make a sort of yummy berry jam on top of a few of my minis. Also, don't forget to lick up and enjoy every last bit of the berry goodness off of your utensils and fingers. Trust me, you won't want to let any go to waste.

Remove the done minis from the oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from the tin and decorating. But remember, have fun and be creative when decorating. What makes them cute isn't really the fact that they are some berry petite treats, although it helps, its the fact that each one can have its own personality, texture, and flavors.

These little treats were so fun, easy, and delicious that my roommate and I have become inspired to attempt other versions of these minis...chocolate, pumpkin, peanut butter, cookie...the possibilities are only limited by our imaginations! More reports on those mini adventures to come.

-H.BOMB

Feelin' Berry Patriotic

Hello Love Handling followers. I hope everyone had a festive fourth of July that was full of good food, booze, entertainment, and company. I had a great 4th in San Diego, where I spent it with some of my best friends just eating some vegetarian BBQ food (not on purpose, but still delicious), and drinking lots of sangria (thus we couldn't drive to the fireworks show, but instead shared some giggles watching them on TV). It was potluck style, and there were some amazingly delicious contributions, such as baked mac 'n' cheese, and a wonderful caprese salad. One of my favorites was Mexican Street Corn, which I certainly plan on making one day because it was just oh so addicting. Here is the link to the recipe that was said to be used to make this fabulous tasting side.

Photo courtesy of Diane Twitchell

I personally opted to bring a sweet treat for the post-BBQ pig out, which introduces LHF's new flavor of the month: berry. With perfectly summer ripe strawberries and blueberries, I skewered them, drizzled them with chocolate, and then added colorful sprinkles, and some red, white, and blue star-shaped marshmallows. As they were not too heavy of a dessert, they were the perfect follow up to gorging ourselves on other foods from the potluck. The red, white, and blue color scheme added a berry nice and patriotic touch of color to the meal, and I mean c'mon, who can resist chocolate covered...well, anything?

-Ianna

Vegan Coconut Lemon Mousse

 

Summertime brings so many great things, such as warm weather, cool water, and appetites that seek refreshing flavors. Appropriately, we present to you with a refreshing dessert that features June's flavor: lemon.

In this flavor of the month recipe, I decided to whip up a coconut lemon mousse, layered with blueberries. This recipe is fully vegan, and is a perfect alternative if you are looking to steer clear of dairy. This recipe does take a little preparation work, but worry not, it is super easy! Here is what you will need:

Ingredients:

-1 can of coconut milk (Do not get the fat free kind)

-1/2 cup powdered sugar (Use more or less, depending on your sweet tooth preference)

-1/4 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed or from a bottle...I used freshly squeezed)

-2 tsp. lemon zest (grated lemon rind)

-Blueberries (or any other fruit you wish to layer with the mousse)

                *An electric mixer is needed for this!

Instructions:

-Place the can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight so the thicker coconut cream can separate from the liquid.

-After the can of coconut milk has sat in the fridge overnight, carefully open the can and scoop out the thicker cream that has settled on top into a mixing bowl. You can save the thin coconut syrup leftovers for other recipes that need a coconut flavor.

-Using the mixer,  beat the coconut cream on the low setting, increasing the speed as the milk thickens. 

-Once the milk has thickened to form a light, mousse like texture, add the powered sugar and continue mixing. Next, slowly add the lemon juice and lemon zest.

-Continue mixing until the desired mousse consistency is reached. 

-Layer blueberries and mousse in a bowl or glass. 

-I decided to chill my glass for a little while after I layered the ingredients so the mousse got even thicker and colder, but this is totally up to you.

Whipped coconut milk also makes a great addition to a variety of other dishes, such as a topping for ice cream or pie, so you can enjoy it a number of different ways, with or without lemon flavoring! 

Please, check back soon to see what other lemony recipe treats we have.

-Ianna