Turn Vegetables Into Noodles!

My new toy!

The popularity of recipes using spiralized vegetables is on the rise. Spiralizers, whether hand turned or electric, produce the likes of zoodles from zucchini and swoodles from sweet potatoes to name a few! Grocery stores, and even Costco are selling vegetables in noodle and ribbon forms... low carb, gluten free, Whole30 and Paleo diet compliant... a fun and healthy option.

Simple to assemble with few parts

I have been following a fairly strict Paleo diet since completing a month of Whole30 in May 2018. I was beginning to get bored with the meals until I found a few tools to help make cooking and eating a bit more fun. For almost a year, I had been searching for an electric spiralizer... my strict requirements include; compact, easy to use, easy to clean, minimal storage space. Most of the electric versions I found didn't tick the boxes until someone turned me onto the 'Gourmia Curly Q Electric Spiralizer'... Thank You DC!!

Compact for storage

This little gem compacts neatly for storage and requires only a 10-1/2" height clearance. The bowl is easily used for storage if you want to prepare the vegetables earlier in the day and store your vegetable 'pasta' covered, in the fridge until meal time. There are three cone blades; ribbon, fettuccine and spaghetti. 

Zoodles and conical ends that remain

The vegetables must be trimmed to fit in the chute. 
Very skinny vegetables, like carrots will not work well, as there is a small, center core of waste from the blades. Also a cone shaped piece remains after spiralizing. I just set them aside and chop these ends for another use. I have been obsessed with Asian inspired flavor profiles lately. This is my new favorite zoodle salad recipe...

THAI 'ZOODLE' SALAD         Yield: 6 servings
This flavorful, crunchy salad is night shade free and is also Whole30 and Paleo compliant. 

4 medium zucchini, spaghetti spiralized
1 medium carrot, coarsely grated 
½ English cucumber, sliced into 2" long, thin strips 
4 green onions, sliced on the diagonal 
½ cup of fresh cilantro 
¼ cup activated, toasted almonds, roughly chopped 
kosher salt 

Thai Dressing: 
1/8 tsp. wasabi powder 
2 cloves garlic, finely minced 
2 Tbsp. fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced or grated 
¼ cup green onion, thinly sliced 
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar 
2 Tbsp. coconut aminos 
2 Tbsp. almond butter 
1 Tbsp. sesame oil 
1/3 cup coconut milk

Instructions: 
1. Run the zucchini through a spiralizer spaghetti blade, then break the zoodles into 8" length pieces. Place it in a bowl.
2. Add the grated carrot, sliced cucumber and green onions. Set aside while you make the Thai Dressing.
3. For the dressing; combine the wasabi powder, garlic cloves, ginger, green onions, vinegar, coconut aminos, almond butter, sesame oil and coconut milk in the jar of a blender. Blend on high until you have a smooth dressing.
4. Toss the zoodles with just enough of the dressing to get it well dressed, season to taste.
5. Add the fresh cilantro and gently toss, garnish with chopped almonds. Serve immediately. 
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This summer I tried a new zucchini seed in my garden from William Dam, called 'Cassia Organic'. It is a true Italian Romanesco summer squash. I will definitely grow this variety again next year. High yielding and cool tolerant, a nutty flavor, firm flesh and makes sturdy zoodles. I had several comments from friends that my Cassia Zoodles, after a gentle stir fry in coconut oil, then a quick steaming were very close to the texture of 'real' pasta! If you don't garden or just want to try them out first, Jeremy and Kerri of Rhubarb Ranch had the Romanesco summer squash at the Saturday Market ... watch for them next summer!

Gently saute in a bit of clarified butter or coconut oil

Until next time ... Bon Appétit!


Photos by Sally Rae
Recipe by Sally Rae

How to Make Ricotta Cheese

Fresh Homemade Ricotta Cheese

Fresh, creamy 'Ricotta Cheese', is easy to make at home and very versatile. Drizzle on some good olive oil and serve as an appetizer spread, use in pasta recipes, as a base for Ricotta Cheesecakes or make 'paneer'; a firm, chewy, fresh cheese. My next post will give instructions on 'How to Make a Simple Paneer' from the Ricotta Cheese recipe below. 

You are not going to believe how fast and foolproof it is to make your own Ricotta. Once you make this easy and delicious recipe, you'll never buy grocery store ricotta again! The process for making ricotta works best when using organic whole milk. Enough milk is needed to separate into curds and whey. You can control how wet or dry the ricotta is by simply how long it is allowed to drain.
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*CHEF'S NOTES:
  *For a higher yield and a creamier, more silky ricotta cheese; replace 1-1/2 cups milk with heavy cream.
  *Non-reactive cookware is made from stainless steel, ceramic, glass or enamel coated metal.
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HOW TO MAKE RICOTTA CHEESE       Yield: about 1-1/2 to 2 pounds Ricotta 
If the ricotta will be used for a dessert or for higher yield, use the heavy cream replacement.

1 gallon whole milk  (OR replace 1-1/2 cup milk with heavy cream)
1/3 cup white distilled vinegar 
1 tsp. salt

In a non-reactive pot, slowly heat the milk on medium-low heat to prevent scalding. Stir often until it reaches 185F. Remove from the heat and add the vinegar and salt, stir gently just to mix. The curds will begin to form immediately. Cover the pot and let sit for one to two hours to allow the curds to fully develop. 

Drain to separate the curds and whey

Line a shallow colander with 2 layers of damp cheesecloth and pour the curds and whey into it. Discard the whey or reserve for another use. Place the colander and curds over an empty bowl and let the cheese continue to drain for one to two hours, or overnight... depending on how dry you want your ricotta cheese to be. One to two hours is generally sufficient for a soft ricotta. Six hours or overnight is required for a firm ricotta cheese.

For a firm cheese, drain overnight

Keep the colander over an empty bowl so any remaining whey can drain and keep the cheese from becoming soggy while stored in the fridge. 

Once drained, transfer to a container, cover and refrigerate it promptly. It will keep up to a week in the fridge. To be on the safe side, discard ricotta cheese that has been in your fridge for longer than two weeks.  

Alternatively, ricotta freezes very well. To freeze, tightly seal the package and freeze. If freezing for longer than two months, place the container inside a heavy duty freezer bag in order to prevent freezer burn. When ricotta is thawed there may be some liquid at the top of the container, simply stir it back into the cheese or place in a cheesecloth lined colander and crumble it up so it can drain a bit more.  

The whey can be used in any baking recipe in place of water, whirled in your smoothie or drink it over ice. Freeze the whey in one cup containers to use in pancakes, bread or any recipe in place of water. I have even used it to extend turkey gravy when there wasn't enough turkey stock. 

Till next time... Bon Appétit!

Photos by Sally Rae
Recipe by Sally Rae

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes are a traditional side dish for Thanksgiving and Christmas. In a previous Blog, 'Sweet Potato or Yam?', I wrote about the different colors of these tubers and history of the term 'yam'. I have added a new 'Label' for 'Sweet Potato' to my Blog. Click on the label for a quick reference... from recipes all the way to DIY slips and information on growing them.

Hasselback potatoes are commonly prepared using white fleshed potatoes. For anyone avoiding the nightshade family this is a delicious substitute. You may even find you prefer this easy, sweet and crispy version instead!

Use 2 wooden spoon handles

Use the dark orange flesh variety of sweet potato. They remain moist and sweet when baked. 
If you are not confident in your knife skills, use either two chop sticks or the handles of two wooden spoons to prevent slicing completely through. I have heard specialty kitchen shops sell a gadget for cutting hasselback potatoes but these methods will work just fine. 

HASSELBACK SWEET POTATOES
Sweet and moist on the inside and crispy on the outside. These sweet potatoes are the perfect side to serve at any festive occasion!

4 medium sweet potatoes
1-1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. minced fresh thyme 
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 
 

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Make a series of 1/8-inch slices along each potato, slicing 2/3 of the way through. (*See notes above using wooden spoon handles or chop sticks as a guide.)
Stir together the melted butter, oil, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the potatoes all over with the mixture, getting in between the slices.
Place on the baking sheet and roast until the center of the potatoes are tender and the outside is crisp, 50 minutes to 1 hour. 
Halfway through the roasting time, remove the potatoes from the oven and run a fork gently across the tops of the potatoes, using light pressure, to fan the slices and separate them from one another. 

Till next time... Bon Appétit!

Roasted Hasselback Sweet Potato

Photos and Recipe by Sally Rae 

Comment about 'LOOK!' Oven Bags

After Christmas I received an interesting comment about the 'LOOK!' oven bags from a self professed 'fan' of my Blog. Elfi wrote...

"I read your blog on cooking the turkey, bought a goose, bought the LOOK bag and cooked it. It was the best goose I had ever prepared!"

I love goose and never thought of trying it in a 'LOOK!' bag!  

I asked her a few questions, including permission to post her information and she willingly allowed me to share her experience...

 
"I didn't do a thing to the goose while cooking remembering your comments that the turkey didn't need basting while it cooked in the LOOK bag.  When I opened the bag (after cooking)  I carefully poured the excess fat into a container for use during the year.  I keep it in the freezer.  There are German recipes, such as red cabbage, that use goose fat.

Thank you dear friend, Elfi"
 

Thank you so much for sharing Elfi! I appreciate comments and topic requests, so don't hesitate to let me know.

It may be helpful to review my previous Blog Post on how to use the 'LOOK! Oven Bags' from December 15, 2015.  

Till next week... Bon Appétit! 
       ...and keep those comments and requests coming in!

Photo by Sally Rae

Cookie 'Dough-to-Go'

My household is spoiled with impromptu, 'fresh baked' cookies. This idea was inspired through my cookie shop years ago. It all began with the request from a customer who wanted to purchase their favorite cookie as raw dough to bake fresh at home. Through that request, 'Dough-to-Go' was born!

Portion with a scoop onto a parchment lined bakesheet

I still use our favorite recipes from the cookie shop, in smaller batches, then portion and freeze individual cookie dough balls. Most cookie dough freezes well, try it with your favorite recipe. 

Here are a few tips to make the process more efficient. Line a bake sheet with parchment paper, the parchment can be reused later for baking your cookies. I use a #30 scoop to portion the dough balls. For a smaller cookie use a #50 scoop for an even larger cookie use a #20 scoop. 

Place the bake sheet of dough balls in the freezer. With a permanent marker, write the following information on a large, zip-type freezer bag; the flavor of cookie dough, the date, baking temperature and baking time. Once the dough balls are frozen solid, quickly transfer to the marked freezer bag. If the balls are stuck or frozen together, separate them. Store in the freezer until ready to bake. Fresh baked cookies are now as fast as preheating the oven and a trip to the freezer!  

To bake fresh cookies from frozen dough balls; remove the amount of cookies you want to bake from the freezer. Place the frozen dough balls on a parchment lined bake sheet, space properly for baking and allow to defrost at room temp. Meanwhile, preheat oven to required temperature. When defrosted, slightly press down the cookies with the heel of your hand or a fork... or prepare as required for your recipe, then bake. Fast, easy and the house will smell great!

Fresh baked Gingersnap Cookies

CHEF'S TIPS: Our constant favorites for the freezer are 'Chocolate Chunk' and 'Fudge Mint Chip' cookies. The secret behind my chocolate chip cookies loaded with chocolate, is to use different sized chocolate chips and almost double the amount of chocolate called for in the recipe. I incorporate 3 different sizes of chocolate pieces; small pure chocolate chips, large pure chocolate chips and hand-chopped Belgian Callebaut chocolate slab. This results in the dough to chocolate pieces at about a 50/50 ratio. Warning, this dough becomes very difficult to mix and scoop, but well worth the effort! 

You can transform most fudge or chocolate based cookie dough into chocolate mint by substituting pure mint flavor instead of vanilla and using half or more of the chocolate called for in the recipe of mint flavored chocolate chips.  

A few more cookie tips I learned from professional baker Anna Olsen; if you want a 'chewy' cookie, use baking soda. For a 'crunchy' cookie, use baking powder... and for a 'soft center' add 2 Tbsp. cornstarch to your recipe.  

Till next week, Happy Baking and Bon Appétit! 

Photos and 'Dough-to Go' method by Sally Rae 

How to Cook a 10lb. Turkey in 2-1/2 hours

I can't remember when I first used 'LOOK Oven Bags', but to this day I keep a package on hand for a quick, easy, no mess turkey dinner.

Available in grocery stores in the food wrap aisle

*The cooking time will vary for 

different sized turkeys.*

The easy to use directions and chart are provided on the package...

Preheat oven as directed for specific meat. DO NOT use 'LOOK Oven Bags' at temperatures higher than 400F.

1.) Add a tablespoon of flour to the bag and shake to coat, to protect against bursting. 
2.) Season the meat and place in the bag. Add liquid if called for. Close bag with plastic tie that is provided.
*Chef's Note: Before closing the bag; I add a few fresh sage leaves, 4-6 whole garlic cloves, 3-4 stalks of chopped celery and 2 large onions quartered. 
3.) In the top of the bag, cut six, half inch slits and place the meat in bag in a large baking pan. The oven bag should not hang over the pan. 
4.) Place pan on lowest rack of oven, allowing room for bag to expand without touching oven walls or racks. Bake following the directions from the chart for; roast beef, roast pork, ham, whole chicken or whole turkey stuffed or unstuffed. Or until the internal temperature of the thigh meat reaches 180F (85C).  
5.) To serve, carefully open bag to avoid steam. 

Season, close bag with tie, place in large pan

The meat stays moist in the bag. The resulting juices can be strained and used for a delicious gravy and clean up is a snap. If you are expecting a beautiful looking, photo-ready, cooked bird, forget this method... go back to oven roasting and get out your turkey baster! 
On the other hand, if you want an easy method where you don't have to baste or watch the bird and clean up is a breeze, this method is great!

You will find 'LOOK Oven Bags' at your local grocery store in the aisle with food wraps.

Till next week...

Happy Cooking and Bon Appétit!

PS~be sure to check out the comment below on cooking goose in a 'LOOK!' oven bag!  sr


Photos by Sally Rae