Thanksgiving is Coming...Not Lent(il)

I'm quite excited! After work on Tuesday, I'm finished for five days at home. I haven't been home (or seen my dad) since August. It's time!!! While I'm there I will definitely be making some fun and new things, so watch for them. Last week, I pulled out a half-used bag of lentils to make something that would be comforting for the cool weather coming up. Let me just say that I am SO glad I discovered lentils. I was under the impression that lentils were like your typical bean and took a while to cook (or at least required soaking). Well, I was WRONG! Lentils cook SO quickly. In fact, they are a great meal to make if you don't have much time (or at least not much hands on available time). Basically, you do a 4:1 ratio of liquid to lentils, bring to a boil and then simmer for 20-30 minutes. I cooked mine in vegetable broth (I had previously used chicken broth and DO think that the chicken broth lends a good bit more flavor but the veggie broth worked well.). While the lentils were cooking, I cooked a bag of frozen gumbo vegetables. You could really use any veggies you want but these were the ones that worked for me. After the lentils were done I stirred in the veggies, added about half a bag of spinach and allowed it to wilt. The last thing I added was a can of diced tomatoes. I thought about adding rotel tomatoes, and in hindsight, wish that I had! For some reason, I forgot to add any seasonings, and though this was VERY good, it could have used a bit more flavor. The spice from Rotel tomatoes would have been a perfect addition. Anyway, if you haven't tried lentils, I highly recommend that you do. They are easy to make, full of HEALTHY protein, no cholesterol, and are really VERY filling and satisfying. As to the title, though it's not lent, this would make a great meal if you decided to give up meat for lent. :-)Lentils with Spinach and Vegetables
1 cup lentils (1/2 bag)
4 cups vegetable broth (or another flavor broth you want to use)
1 bag frozen gumbo vegetables (or any vegetables you want)
1/2 bag (4-5 cups?) spinach
1 can diced tomatoes
seasoning, to taste

In a large pot, place lentils and broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until lentils are tender (the broth will be mostly absorbed at this point.). It's probably a good idea to check at 20 minutes to be sure the liquid isn't gone...the first time I made lentils I burned a good bit of them because the liquid was all gone. Meanwhile, cook the frozen veggies. When lentils are ready, stir in the veggies and any extra seasoning. Add the spinach and stir. Cover pot with a top for a couple of minutes to allow the spinach to wilt. Stir in the tomatoes and enjoy!

An Apple a Day

....makes the doctor happy! I always love a good reason to try a new recipe. Sometimes I'll try one and just take it to the lounge, but I really like an even to cook for. This weekend, I got just that! My Sunday School class had lunch together after church. Mrs. V made a yummy brisket with dirty rice and salad. Michelle brought chocolate delight (which we call Joe's surprise...I'll have to make it some time and tell the story...it's a good one). I decided to try Abby's Apple Streusel Cake. It turned out great! Everyone liked it (I think!). :-) M went back for another piece and Mrs. V kept a piece for breakfast (I think it would be a GREAT breakfast!). Abby served her cake without the glaze but when I asked the crowd whether they wanted glaze or no glaze, the IMMEDIATE response was "Glaze!" Okay...glaze it is. I think I have to agree...the glaze was a great addition. I did make a couple of adaptations to make it a bit "healthier" and because of what I had on hand. Three other changes were because I forgot to add an ingredient and didn't completely read the recipe! First off, I forgot to add the melted butter to the apple mixture before I put the first half in. I did add it to the portion used for the topping. Honestly, since you mix the first half in, I don't think it really needs that extra butter. So you really could just add about 1-2 tablespoons melted butter the apples AFTER putting the first half in the batter. The second change I made (because of what I had in my pantry) was to use apple sauce instead of apple juice. Now, my cake was a tad dry. I don't know if it was due to the half and half flour, the apple sauce, or because I cooked it a bit too long. It wasn't overly dry, so I'm not too concerned. Thirdly, I didn't read the part about pouring half the batter in the pan then adding half the apples then topping with batter. SO, after I put all the batter in the pan, I swirled (with generous swirls!) half the apples into the batter...it worked well. This recipe uses surprisingly little butter for a cake recipe (Oh...I did decrease the butter to 6 T instead of 8 T. Another possible reason for slight dryness...though I'm apt to believe that it was more due to slight overbaking than otherwise.). I highly recommend this cake...it's a nice fall cake that I think will please many palates.
Apple Streusel Cake adapted from Creative Cook's Kitchen
Streusel:
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup chopped apples
1 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 cup AP, I cup whole wheat)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (I used 6 T)
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup apple juice (I used apple sauce)

Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons apple juice

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350*. Grease 9- or 10-inch tube pan. To prepare streusel, in a medium bowl combine brown sugar, apples, pecans, flour and cinnamon. Stir in melted butter (I did this after the first addition of the apple mixture to the batter)

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and baking soda; mix well. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time; beat well after each addition. Add vanilla.

3. Set mixer to low; alternately beat flour mixture and apple juice (or sauce) into egg mixture. Spoon half the batter into tube pan. Sprinkle half the streusel over batter. Spoon remaining batter over streusel, carefully spreading it to make an even layer. Swirl batter with a knife to make a marble pattern. (or do as I did and vigorously swirl the apples into the batter after putting all the batter in)

4. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove cake from oven; sprinkle top with remaining streusel (that now has butter in it). Return cake to the oven; bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (I checked at 20 minutes and cooked for 10 more minutes but probably could have taken it out earlier. Yours may take up to 35 minutes. Watch carefully and don't let it overbake or the cake will be dry.) Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

5. Combine powdered sugar and apple juice. Mix well. Turn cake onto a serving plate; invert so streusel is on top. I did this by transferring it to a plate and then flipping onto the dish I was serving from. Drizzle glaze over cake and serve.

Jumbo Fun

I saw a yummy looking treat on katrina's site a while back and decided to try it, but I failed to get the caramels needed, so I just make "regular" rice krispie treats with the jumbo version. There is something different about these jumbo krispies...I really liked it. They are made from whole grain (supposedly), so I guess that technically makes these healthier. Plus, rice krispies aren't the most decadent of treats to start with. I do recommend these, though...it is a jumbo pan of fun! Also, check out Sarah's giveaway here. It's her first food giveaway and would be a great snack to have if you're on call or running around busy with the kids or just out and can't get to food quickly.

Jumbo Krispies
3-4 T melted butter or margarine
1 bag (14-16oz) marshmallows
6 cups jumbo rice krispies

Melt the butter and marshmallows in a sauce pan. Stir the melted mixture over the krispies while stirring. Very quickly spread the mixture in a greased 13X9 pan and allow to cool. Enjoy.

Simple Spaghetti Squash

Whenever I get spaghetti squash, I tend to simply use it as a base. this time I wanted to make something with it. I found a yummy looking yet simple recipe on allrecipes. I was unsure of how it would turn out but when I finished the portion I packed for call I said, "Mmmm, I wish I had more." The biggest problem was that i put too much onion in it. I thought my onions looked small, so I put two in...yeah, one means one! The saltiness of the olives and feta is a good compliment to the sweet squash taste. Highly recommend this one...if you like spaghetti squash.
Simple Squash Dinner

• 1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes (I used 3 roma)
  
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 3 tablespoons sliced black olives
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  
  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
  Place spaghetti squash cut sides down on the prepared baking sheet, and bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a sharp knife can be inserted with only a little resistance. Remove squash from oven, and set aside to cool enough to be easily handled.
  Heat some olive oil or cooking spray in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, and cook only until tomatoes are warm. Use a large spoon to scoop the stringy pulp from the squash, and place in a medium bowl. Toss with the sauteed vegetables, feta cheese, olives, and basil. Serve warm.

A Day Late and a Dollar Short...but It's a Cookie!

So, these are "halloween" cookies, but they're too good to pass up showing you...maybe you could use them for something else slightly modified. When I saw this cookie, I knew that I wanted to make it for our last call this month. It was so much fun and so fall-y. It comes from Oatmeal Cookie Guy, so you know it's pretty good. Honestly, I would have rather left out the oatmeal and just used flour for a shortbread cookie...some people thought the oatmeal was coconut! Somehow, mine ended up a little too dry...I did only use 2 2/3 T (tablespoons) butter for each, but somehow I don't imagine that 1/3 T being so detrimental. Who knows! When I started cutting the dough I thought I was in trouble...it was breaking apart, but as I moved in more, it held together and made pretty little cookies. The response was good. One of my co-residents tasted one and immediately got excited because it reminded her of the chocolate orange candies; and, indeed, it does have a slight orange taste but it's not overpowering...I almost wish there was more. One of our docs even came in and, after asking me if I was good at this, replied "Yep, you're good at this" as he grabbed two more cookies. :-) This would be a fun one to try and modify for other holidays. Maybe red, white, and green with int for Christmas? Hmmm!

Vanilla (yellow) Layer

3 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon scrambled egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon yellow food coloring

1/2 cup finely ground oatmeal

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup finely ground Nilla Wafer cookies

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

Orange

3 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon scrambled egg

1 teaspoon orange extract

1/8 teaspoon orange food coloring (or the formula given on back of box)

1/2 cup finely ground oatmeal

1/2 cup flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

Chocolate Layer

3 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon scrambled egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon black food coloring (or just combine colors until you like the color!)

1/2 cup finely ground oatmeal

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup cocoa

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

Repeat Steps 1-4 for each of the three layers of dough.

1. In your Kitchen Aid or a large mixing bowl, cream together the creamables.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients and then add to the creamables. Mix together until smooth.
3. In another bowl, add the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold together until evenly distributed. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the creamables and wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.
4. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until chilled and firm.
   

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5. Roll out each chilled dough ball into a 1/8-1/4"-thick sheet.
6. Stack the three layers of rolled-out dough on top of a piece of plastic wrap.
7. Roll the stack onto itself to create a cookie dough log and wrap with the plastic wrap. Smooth out the log until it is even and cylindrical.
8. Place the dough log in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to firm up.
9. Preheat oven to 350º.
10. Remove the dough log from the freezer. Using a serrated knife, cut 1/4"-thick disks from the log.
11. Place the dough slices about 2 inches apart on Silpat- or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
12. Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Then place cookies on wire racks to cool.