Coconut Basil Chicken Curry

Since my friends and I started doing our Iron Chef nights I've really tried to be more open-minded about experiencing different types of food. Sure, there are still some things I refuse to try such as duck, veal, snail, etc. But, I'm definitely opening up to more International Cuisine such as Indian, Thai, etc. One of the blogs we have linked on ours is TasteSpotting. Today I went searching for another recipe to make tonight. I found this one that sounded international, easy, and delicious. This evening, I went to the store to purchase some of the ingredients, and as soon as I got home started preparing this recipe. It took about an hour to make, and I must say it was very, very good.

Ingredients
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
2 baking potatoes, dices
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 – 14 oz can coconut milk or cream
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1/2 cup torn basil
kosher salt
pepper
steamed white rice

I began by prepping the ingredients. First, I chopped up the onion, and set it aside. Next, I peeled the potatoes and cut them into cubes. I used white potatoes, and three of them at that. I took a 1 1/2 chicken breast and sliced it into cubes and sprinkled with salt and pepper. Next, I prepared a large skillet by drizzling it with some olive oil and setting the heat to medium. Once the oil was warmed, I tossed in the potatoes and diced chicken. I sauteed the chicken and potatoes with the lid covering the skillet. I sauteed for about 15 minutes so they begin to caramelize.



Around this point I started my rice, which takes about 20 minutes to make. Next, I tossed in the onions and sauteed for about five minutes until the onions were translucent. I tossed in the minced garlic and cooked until fragrant. Next, I poured in the coconut milk and the curry paste. I stirred and let it simmer until the sauce thickened.



Once the sauce thickened, I then removed from the heat and added the basil. I thought it could use something else, so I added about 1/4 tsp of red hot pepper flakes, a touch of ginger and cayenne, and some more salt.



Serve on top of the rice, and enjoy!

(Click here for printable recipe)

Spicy Sweet Potato & Carrot Soup

Here in Richmond, fall and cold weather are upon us. One of the few things I like about cold weather is the good, warm, comfort foods. And, soup is definitely one of those warm, comforting foods. I came across this recipe when looking up different types of soup recipes. I like sweet potatoes, carrots, and spicy foods so how could it go wrong? Well, it didn't. I very much enjoyed the smokiness of this soup, and hope you do too!

Ingredients:
3 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
2 ribs celery, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 c white wine
1-2 tsp chipotle powder
1 quart vegetable or poultry broth
1 1/2 lb garnet sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1 inch chunks
1/2 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch lengths
1/2 c whole milk
salt and pepper to taste
Yogurt and/or Cilantro optional

First thing I did was gather up the vegetables and peeled and chopped them. I ended up using a pound of carrots, because I wanted to get rid of all the carrots. I did not cut the carrots into strips. I just chopped them up roughly. I'm not certain I understand the point of cutting the carrots into strips. Oh well. Also, I just used any ol' sweet potato I found at Martin's. I have no idea if they were Garnets.

Next, I took a soup pot, and over medium heat, warmed the olive oil. Then, I threw in the chopped celery and onion. Also, add the minced garlic and thyme. Stir the ingredients until the veggies are soft. It says it takes about 10 minutes, but I think I waited about 15. I then proceeded to open myself a bottle of wine, and pour myself a glass. Oh, and I measured out a half cup of the wine and poured it into the pot along with the chipotle powder. Now, I have no idea where you find chipotle powder, but I did find Chipotle Chili Pepper at Kroger. So, I used about 1 1/2 teaspoon of this pepper. I am pretty sure it's similar, and maybe it's exactly what the recipe called for. If you happen upon chipotle powder, please let me know.

Anyway, cook until the alcohol smell dissipates. Then, add the chicken broth, (or vegetable broth) carrots, sweet potatoes, and the salt and pepper. Bring this to a boil and simmer until the vegetables are soft. I believe it took about a half hour for this to happen.

You are supposed to cool the soup and then transfer the soup to a blender and puree in batches until the soup comes out smooth. However, I just pureed it immediately, and placed a towel over the blender, and made sure I was very careful. As I worked, I put the pureed soup into a bowl. Once the soup has been pureed, transfer back to the soup pot and add the milk. Continue seasoning with salt and pepper until it tastes about right. I also added a bit of cumin and nutmeg. I did not garnish with yogurt nor cilantro as the recipe indicates.


(Click here for printable recipe)

General Tso's Chicken

Since we're on such a roll, I thought I would do one more recipe for the month of September. My neighbor one row over at work had Chinese for lunch. And, boy, did it smell divine. So, I had this wonderful idea to try making General Tso's Chicken from scratch. I've never made this before, and went on a hunt to find the perfect recipe. Well, there were definitely plenty of recipes in google-land. I came across one that looked and sounded good. So, I decided to go with it. I thought it turned out pretty good, but I'm a little flummoxed as to what could be missing. The good thing about these recipes is you can tweak whichever way you'd like. Overall, the recipe was definitely very good!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp hoisin sauce
3 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 cup water

1 tbsp Sesame Oil
6-8 sprigs green onions, chopped
3 tbsp fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated
Red Hot Pepper Flakes
1 lb boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

Chicken Dredge
3 eggs
3/4 cup corn starch

Preparation
Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

If you go to the website that this recipe came from it said to sautee the chicken in olive oil until browned. Well, I wanted to go all out and fry up some chicken. So, I used the chicken dredge from this recipe. Prepare the chicken dredge in a bowl by combining the 3 eggs (stir well) and the corn starch. Drop the chicken cubes in the bowl. Around this point you may want to start preparing your rice depending on how long it takes to cook. Prepare a deep pot with enough oil to fry up the chicken. Make sure the oil heats up to about 350 degrees. Fry about 7-8 pieces of chicken at a time. Place on paper towel. Continue frying until chicken is cooked.

Next, put the tablespoon of sesame oil in a wok or deep sautee pan. I forgot to get the green onions, so I used some scallions from my garden and about a cup of chopped white onions. Sautee for a couple minutes over medium heat. Pour in the sauce that you had set aside from earlier, and bring to a boil. I didn't feel like it thickened much so I added about a tablespoon of corn starch to the sauce. I also added some red pepper flakes, and 2 cloves garlic minced. I forgot the ginger, so instead I put about 1/4 tsp ground ginger in the sauce. Since it was about 20 minutes since I fried up the chicken I decided to fry it a second time. So, I heated the oil back up and in 3 batches re-fried the chicken. This helped to crisp it even more. I placed the fried chicken into the sauce mixture, and coated well. I topped the chicken over the rice and served.

(Click here for printable recipe)

Secco Wine Bar

Secco has only been around for a few months, but in this moment in history when Carytown is having so many turnovers, I have no doubt this is one restaurant that’s going to stay. When perusing the wine-list, I had the chance to choose not only organic but also biodynamic varieties. When I didn’t know what ‘biodynamic’ meant, our waitress didn’t scoff or snicker. She explained the term with a smile as she told us her recommendations.

Of course, when you’re going out for wine, some sort of appetizer plate is a perfect complement, and again, we relied on the expertise of our waitress to help us choose three cheese selections ranging from Langa Bocconcino to Rosen Manchego. I feel so naïve in my cheese education, but her recommendations were amazing, as was the chutney served on the side.

Nice but not stuffy, relaxed but not sloppy, Secco is the wine bar that Carytown needed. I’m sorry Bin 22, but you have a new rival.

My rating: 5 sporks out of 5.

Location: 2933 W. Cary Street, Richmond, VA (Carytown)

Website: http://www.seccowinebar.com/

Cuisine: European style eatery

Pricing: $$

The Bellytimber Tavern

Bright and open are not necessarily words that I would have associated with Border Café, the former establishment at 1501 West Main Street in the Fan, but Border is no more. The Bellytimber Tavern has taken its place, and this change is a great one.

A rugged open-faced brick wall mixes with a retro red tin ceiling, while a long wooden bar stretches down the length of the restaurant. There is plenty of room for seating and mingling while the tunes play, setting a mellow mood with a lot of natural light in the daytime.

When I look at a menu and find pirogies, I cannot help but order them, and these were definitely good ones rivaling the best of Table 9 memory. Of course, the sandwiches are also solidly done, well presented and tasty.

The Bellytimber Tavern is smooth and cool, taking the address up a notch in reputation. If you didn’t realize that this spot has a new restaurant, definitely check it out.

My rating: 4 sporks out of 5.

Location: 1501 W Main Street, Richmond, VA

Website: http://www.bellytimbertavern.com/

Cuisine: American

Pricing: $$

Chicken Piccata

I’ll be absolutely honest. It was the name of this recipe that hooked me, not the easy instructions or the luscious picture of the finished product (to be perfectly un-humble, I think my pic beats out the one on the Tasty Kitchen Blog). Chicken Piccata. Doesn’t it just roll off of your tongue like you’re some worldly, dignified chef who has a mastery of all things? Maybe that’s just my kitchen naïveté showing itself again.

This recipe was not only easy but one that made my kitchen smell great. I got to take out some stress with the pounding of the chicken and the dancing around my kitchen with my flour-filled ziplock bag (see below), and our dinner dishes were practically licked clean at the end.

Ingredients:
Butter
Olive Oil
¼ cups Whole Wheat Flour
2 pieces Chicken Breast
Garlic powder
½ cups Chicken Broth
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice.
(The original recipe called for garlic cloves, but I only had powder in the house. It also called for capers, which I think would have added in well, but as I said, this recipe was awesome as I made it).

Pound your chicken breasts until they are of uniform thinness. This can be done, of course, with a meat hammer, but as mine apparently ran away from its drawer, the same effect can be reached by putting the chicken inside a gallon sized ziplock bag and pounding away with a can of soup. I highly recommend this on a stressful day.

Next, melt butter and a little olive oil in a large sauté pan. I’ve started eye-balling these things, but it was roughly a tablespoon of butter. Spoon a few tablespoons of flour into the ziplock back with one of the chicken pieces. Shake it or dance around the kitchen with it in your hands (making sure the ziplock is well sealed!). Stop dancing (shaking) once the chicken is well coated.

Then sauté chicken piece in the oil and butter for roughly 3 minutes on both sides. Repeat the dance with your other chicken breast, adding more butter and oil to the pan and more flour to the ziplock. When finished, cover your chicken breasts on a nearby plate.

Add garlic to the remaining butter and oil in the pan, adding more olive oil if necessary. Saute briefly until you can smell the garlic. Add chicken broth, whisking it into the mixture. Again, sauté for about 2 minutes. When the sauce starts to thicken, whisk in a little bit more butter and squeeze in lemon juice. If you had capers, you would also add them here.

Add back in the chicken pieces, and let them heat up in the pan for a few minutes until they are cooked fully. Sprinkle on parmesian, salt, and pepper to taste.

Happy cooking!

-KSP

(Click here for printable recipe)

See's Fudge

This particular dessert is an oldie but a goodie. It's a recipe my Grandma has made for 40 years. It's so classic and timeless and easy that you can't go wrong making it. It's a very creamy and smooth fudge. It's very simple to make and your friends and family will think you are a superstar baker because you made fudge! ;) Hope you like it!

Ingredients
6 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
10 Large Marshmallows
1 small can Evaporated Milk (or 2/3 cup)
1 stick butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped Walnuts

Directions
Prepare an 8x8 pan and spray with cooking spray.
In a large bowl combine the chocolate chips, the butter, and the vanilla.
In a small saucepan on medium heat, combine the evaporated milk and the marshmallows and bring to a boil. Stir constantly for exactly 6 minutes.
Pour into the prepared bowl, and stir until the chips and butter are melted. Stir in the chopped walnuts. Place in refrigerator until cold. Best served cold.

(Click here for printable recipe)

Five Alarm Stir Fry Ginger Beef

I’m calling this “five alarm” not because it’s incredibly spicy (although this does have a nice slow burn that builds up over time). No, the name comes more from the fact that we almost had to call the fire department while making it! Well, ok, that might be a slight exaggeration, but the house did fill up with smoke alarmingly quickly. Still, it was quite tasty. Although now I wonder if yours will taste like ours did, since ours had a lot of smoky flavor and burny bits in it. At any rate, I recommend you try it. Just don’t cook it on high, and maybe turn off the smoke alarm in advance.

Found this one on Simply Recipes, via Tastespotting.

Ingredients

Marinade

2 Tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar

5 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp peeled, grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon chile pepper flakes

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Stir-Fry

1.5 lb top sirloin steak

1 Tbsp cornstarch

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 Tbsp sesame oil

3-4 green onions, cut on a diagonal, 1/2-inch apart, including the greens

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2-3 hot chiles, preferably serranos, sliced

1-inch knob of ginger, peeled, cut lengthwise into matchsticks

1/2 cup loosely packed, chopped cilantro

Slice up the steak into thin pieces. We didn’t make them bite-sized because I think that helps the steak cook better. If you cut it too thin you’ll end up with well-done beef, and I prefer mine more on the medium rare side. Whisk all the ingredients of the marinade together, add the sliced beef and sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours. I only did 30 minutes and it still got quite a bit of flavor, but if you have more time, it certainly couldn’t hurt. I also just realized as I read the ingredients again that I totally forgot to put in the fresh ginger. Not sure how that would have changed the flavor. D'oh! 

Do all your chopping and have your veggies ready because they cook quite quickly. Also, stir together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of cold water. You’ll probably need to mix it up again right before adding it.

Heat the oil in a wok or pan. The recipe calls for high heat, and this is where our smoke problem came in. They directed us to heat the oil until it was NEARLY smoking. Obviously, we went past that, but I really feel like high heat was too hot anyway. Pat off the beef and cook it in the wok in small batches (a handful is perfect). You only need to cook it for about a minute to make sure it’s brown on the outside. Ours was pretty black, actually. Put the beef aside.

After all the beef has been cooked and removed from the wok, add the garlic and chilies and stir-fry for about 45 seconds. Next add the ginger and stir-fry for another 45 seconds. Add the beef, the cornstarch mixture, and the scallions and mix it together, cooking for about another minute. At this point, if you aren’t smoking out your house, you’re doing better than we were. Go ahead and take the wok off the heat and stir in cilantro. Don’t skip this step as I think the cilantro was a big part of the flavor. Serve over rice, with a steak knife.

Steve and I felt like this could probably use some more veggies so I think if we make it again, we’ll probably add some broccoli when we put in the chilies and garlic, or maybe even cook the broccoli for a minute or two before adding them. I also felt like it needed something else, so I sprinkled some lemon juice on top, which gave it a little more of an edge. Not necessary, but if you taste it and feel like you need something, that’s what I recommend. Then you are ready to hook your smoke alarm back up, and enjoy!


(Click here for printable recipe)

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

In anticipation of Fall, I wanted to get a head start and make one of my favorite fall soups; Butternut Squash. I made this once before a couple years ago, and very much enjoyed it. I decided to give it another whirl but give it a different dimension by adding some spicy elements to it. This recipe is also out of my favorite cookbook The New Best Recipe. If you don't have this cookbook in your arsenal I recommend you get it ASAP!

Ingredients:
4 TBSP unsalted butter
1 large shallot, chopped fine
3 pounds butternut squash (reserve strings and seeds)
6 cups water
Salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp dark brown sugar
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

Curried
4 tbsp plain yogurt
2 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves
1 tsp lime juice
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp curried powder

Directions:

First I prepared the squash by taking a sharp knife and slicing the squash down the middle. If you have a crappy knife you may need to use a cleaver to knock the knife into the squash so it splits it down the middle. The cookbook has a picture on how to do this. Scrape out the strings and seeds with a spoon and set aside (DO NOT THROW AWAY). Next, chop up the squash into chunks. Now, get a large stockpot or Dutch oven and melt the butter over medium-low heat until it foams. You are supposed to add the shallots next. I didn't have a shallot so I just used a white onion cut in half and then chopped. Stir frequently for about 3 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the strings and seeds from the squash and cook until the butter turns a saffron color. It took about 5 minutes for this to happen. You are supposed to add the water and a tsp of salt next. I used about 5 cups chicken broth that I had in my freezer and a cup of water. Bring to a boil. If you haven't already, add the squash into a steamer basket and place the basket into the pot. It says to cover and let steam for about 30 minutes. This actually took me about an hour probably because I forgot to cover the lid after a half hour. You have to poke the squash with a fork to determine if it's tender. And, once it is remove the steamer basket from the pot, and let the squash cool. Then, when it's cool enough to handle careful remove the skin from the squash and place in a bowl. Discard the skin. Then, strain the liquid from the pot thru a mesh strainer. Discard the onion, seeds, and strings. It says there should be about 2 1/2 to 3 cups of liquid. I'm pretty sure I had more than that. Don't ask me how. Rinse and dry the pot. Next step is to take the 2 tsp of curried powder and add the squash and a little bit of the liquid into a blender and puree in batches. Be sure to add a towel over the lid of the blender so the liquid doesn't explode into your face. Transfer the puree as you go into the clean pot and stir in the remaining liquid, the heavy cream, and the brown sugar. I didn't have dark brown sugar, so I just used light brown sugar. I also didn't have whole nutmegs, so I just used about a tsp of ground nutmeg. Warm the soup, and adjust the seasonings.
At this point you need to mix together in a small bowl the yogurt, cilantro leaves (which I left out, because I didn't have any), lime juice, and salt. Refridgerate until ready to serve. Add a dollop of the mixture to each of the individual bowls you are serving. I just dumped the mixture into the pot of soup since it was just me I was serving. Enjoy!

(Click here for printable recipe)

Magic Cookie Bars

Continuing with the coconut theme; one of my favorite go-to desserts when I'm craving something chocolate is this delicious cookie bar. It has a graham cracker crust, walnuts, coconut, and chocolate chips. Yum! Yum! Yum! I've been eating this dessert ever since my mom made it for my family 20+ years ago. It's super easy to make and very scrumptious.

Ingredients
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 1/2 cup coconut flakes
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup butter

First you set the oven to 350 degrees. Next, take a 13x9 baking dish and place the stick of butter in the pan, and stick it in the oven. As soon as the butter is finished melting take out the pan (careful it's hot) and sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs over the butter. Then, take the can of condense milk and pour evenly over the crumbs. Then, sprinkle with the chocolate chips, coconut flakes, and walnuts. Place in your oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the coconut flakes are a golden color. Enjoy.

(Click here for printable recipe)

Faux Mashed Potatoes

You can’t believe it either, right? This bowl of creamy goodness is not mashed potatoes, it is actually mashed cauliflower. I absolutely love this recipe because I feel like I am eating comfort food, but I am actually getting one of my daily servings of vegetables. And it’s super easy.

1 medium head of cauliflower
3 or 4 tbsp of cream cheese
Garlic powder
Salt
Pepper

Break up the cauliflower into small pieces then boil for about 6 minutes or until they soften. Drain the cauliflower and pat dry. I thought it might take a while to pat dry so I actually ran them through a salad spinner. I think it did the trick nicely. Then just combine all the above ingredients into a food processor and blended until they are smooth.

I actually had to run two batches in the food processor, but this allowed me to taste the first batch and adjust the salt and pepper for the next one. I used garlic powder becuase I just didn’t feel like dealing with smelly hands, but I would highly recommend using real garlic.

Finally top with butter, cheese and/or chives.

(Click here for printable recipe)

Iron Chef Coffee: Black-Bottom Cupcakes

Yes, the Iron Chef competition was a few weeks ago, but better late than never to post the winning recipe, right? I’m not much of a cook, but I love to bake so I called dibs for a dessert entry. Good thing, since I don’t like the taste of coffee and you can disguise it pretty well with chocolate. I did a lot of hunting (and trial runs) before finding the winning recipe – enjoy my cup o’ cupcake. http://desertculinary.blogspot.com/2005/05/black-bottom-cupcakes.html

Filling:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 2 ounces coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate

Cupcake batter:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 5 tablespoons natural cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Finding the espresso powder was a bit of a challenge. It doesn’t seem to be available in the local grocery stores, though there are alternatives on the internet. I decided to splurge and bought some from King Arthur Flour. All the reviewers raved about how it enhanced the flavor of chocolate…apparently, they were right.

To make the filling, beat together the cream cheese, sugar and egg. I used an electric beater to get it nice and smooth. Stir in the chopped chocolate – I used Nestle’s chunks. It was cheaper than a bar of bittersweet chocolate and I had some left over from another recipe.
In a big bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, espresso powder and salt. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In another bowl, whisk together the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. (The vinegar seems like a strange addition to me, but most of the recipes I looked at in my recipe hunt called for vinegar - who knew.) Pour the liquids into the dry ingredients, stirring just until combined. Evenly divide the batter into muffin tins lined with paper liners. The recipe says it makes 12, but I ended up with 14 or 15. You don’t want to fill them too full or they’ll puff all over the place.

Evenly divide the cream cheese filling between the chocolate batter-filled wells, aiming the filling into the center of each. Bake for 22-26 minutes or until the tops are springy when gently pressed. Remove and let them rest for 2-3 minutes before removing and placing them on a rack to cool completely.

I think they taste best after they’ve cooled a bit, but before you store them in the fridge.

(Click here for printable recipe)

Spaghetti Squash Gratin

I am in the midst of a squash resurgence. Well… I guess a squash “surgence” would be more accurate (though less grammatically correct) since I never really ate squash growing up. But I have recently discovered the joys of butternut squash, and this weekend, I experienced my first spaghetti squash.

If you have never had spaghetti squash, I highly recommend dropping everything (or if you’re holding something fragile, like an antique plate or a baby, just set it down gently) and getting one. They are one of the most interesting vegetables I’ve ever eaten. The texture actually seems a lot more crisp and crunchy than spaghetti, in a good way. It really doesn’t have a strong taste. I’d say it’s more like a vehicle for salt and pepper and butter, or whatever you put on it. And what did I put on it? Well, there’s nothing I like more than taking a healthy vegetable, dousing it in cream and topping it with cheese. So I made a gratin. A tasty, bubbly, parmgiano reggiano-y gratin.

Ingredients

1 spaghetti squash, baked until tender
1 large (or two small) shallot(s), chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 t. dried thyme (or 1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme leaves)
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 cup grated parmigiano reggiano, divided in half
salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste


I found this recipe on Pinch My Salt via my new favorite food site, Tastespotting.

So, first you’ve got to prepare the spaghetti squash, which takes a little time, so make sure to plan ahead. Pick a nice yellow squash with no bruises. I knocked on it to see if it was hollow, but that was really just for show. At home, stab the squash in a few places on all sides. Really let out your inner “Dexter.” I used a big barbeque fork. This is an important step so your squash doesn’t explode. Don’t skip it. Then put it in a roasting pan and cook at 350 degrees for one hour. When it’s cool enough to handle, cut it open lengthwise (or if you’re weak like me, get a manly man to cut it open) and scoop out the seeds. Then use a fork to gently scrape the meat of the squash, pulling the strands like spaghetti. This sounds strange, but it’s really easy. When you are finished, put the squash in a big bowl.

From then on, this gets even easier. Saute the shallot in butter until soft, then add the garlic and cook about a minute more. Add that mixture to the spaghetti squash, along with the thyme, heavy cream, sour cream, half the cheese, and salt and pepper. Mix it well and pour it into a casserole dish. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top and bake in a 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. Let it rest for 5-7 minutes (and avoid burning your mouth). Then serve! It’s probably not too healthy because of the cream and cheese, but hey—it’s not as bad for you as a pasta side, or mashed potatoes. I hope you enjoy and begin your own squash surgence!


(Click here for printable recipe)

Black Bean and Coconut Milk Soup

Okay all you coconut haters, give this one a shot. You won't regret it. I found this recipe out of Fitness magazine several years ago, and I've been going back to it ever since. It's very easy to make and very healthy for you. I know, I know, it has coconut milk in it, but really you can't taste the coconut. Try it, and if you taste the coconut milk, then go ahead and let me know that I was wrong. But, I really think you will like it. It is pretty spicy due to the chipotle chiles you add to the soup, but you can always dial that back if you'd like. Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small white onion, diced small
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced or 1 1/2 tsp Tabasco chipotle pepper sauce
1/4 c fresh cilantro (not dried)
2 (15 oz) cans whole reduced sodium black beans
1 (15 oz) can reduced-fat coconut milk
2 1/2 c water or vegetable broth
salt
pepper

Garnishes
lime wedges
diced white onion
fresh cilantro leaves

Preparation
In a soup pot, pour in the olive oil and sautee the onion, garlic, cumin, and chipotle. Saute for about five minutes over medium heat, and make sure you stir. Then, you add half cup of water and reduce the heat to low. Let simmer for about 15 minutes or until the onion is softened. Next, you add the black beans (include the bean liquid), coconut milk, and 2 1/2 cups water or stock. Next, you increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, reduce to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.
Once the allotted time has past take about 1 cup or so of the beans and some of the liquid and puree in a blender. Then dump the contents back into the soup, and stir to thicken. I think I used about 2 cups of the bean mixture including the liquid. Or, if you have an immersion blender you can bled the soup that way). Stir in the cilantro, and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to your liking. Garnish in each bowl with cilantro leaves, onions, and lime wedges.


(Click here for printable recipe)

Restaurant Review: Friend or Pho

Combine the delicious Vietnamese soup of Pho 79 on Staples Mill Road with the indie style of so many Fan restaurants and you'll get Friend or Pho, a new restaurant on Main Street. When you walk in the door and down the steps, the cozy White Dog atmosphere has been transformed. A vivacious mural by local artist, Christian Detres, sets the groovy mood for a lunchtime bite or chill nighttime scene.

I don't think it's quite possible to finish a bowl of their pho. The portions are huge, and personally I found it delicious. I should give a fair warning that Vietnamese might not be everyone's cup of tea, but for those who love pho, this restaurant is great. We had the spring rolls for an appetizer, and I had the chicken pho for my main course. Adding my own basil, lime, peppers, bean sprouts, and sauces allowed me to perfect an already awesome soup.

Their outdoor signage was not all hung upon my visit on their 6th day open, nor did they yet have to-go containers. But I think that comes with the new restaurant territory. Besides a typo on the menu ("desert" rather than "dessert"), these were the only flaws I could find.

My rating: 4 sporks out of 5.

Location: 2329 W Main Street, Richmond, VA

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Pricing: $$

You should definitely check Friend or Pho out!