Favorite Recipes

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread (adapted from America's Test Kitchen)

Biga (pre-ferment):
2 cups bread flour
1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1 cup water

Mix all ingredients together until well incorporated.  Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 8 to 24 hours.

Soaker:
3 cups whole wheat flour (I used King Arthur brand)
1/2 cup ground flax seed (the original recipe calls for toasted wheat germ)
2 cups milk

Mix all ingredients together until well incorporated.  Knead if necessary.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.

Remaining Ingredients:
2 T active dry yeast (the first time I did this recipe, I just used two packet of rapid rise yeast)
6 T softened, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 T vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
4 tsp table salt (I used about 3 tsp)

Scrape biga into mixing bowl of a standing mixer, fitted with a dough hook.  Rip chilled soaker into one inch pieces and add to mixing bowl.  Add remaining ingredients to bowl and mix on low until well incorporated. Increase speed of mixer and let mix for approximately 8 minutes.  (Note: my mixer apparently doesn't hold all of this dough very well, so it kept creeping up the dough hook, trying to get stuck in the motor.  The second time I did this recipe, I kept stopping the machine and scraping it down.)  Scrape the dough out onto a floured surface and knead lightly.  (Note: dough will be VERY sticky.  It helps to have lots of extra flour and a bench scraper to assist.)  Let rise in an oiled bowl, covered with plastic wrap for 45 minutes.  After 45 minutes, deflate and turn (pull dough from the bottom/sides over onto the center) a total of 8 times.  Let rise again, covered, for 45 minutes.  Put dough on a well floured surface and cut into two equal pieces.  Press each piece, with your fingers, into an 8 by 17 inch rectangle.  Roll each rectangle into a roll, brushing off excess flour as you go.  Pinch the seam of each loaf closed and place each into a 9x5x2 un-greased loaf pan.  Cover each pan with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 1/2 hours.  After the last rise, preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Uncover dough and slash the top of each loaf 1/4 inch deep.  Place another metal pan on the bottom rack of the oven and heat 1 cup of water to boiling.  Just before placing the filled loaf pans in the oven, pour this boiling water into the third pan.  Turn the oven down to 350 degrees and bake for approximately 40 minutes, rotating the loaf pans halfway through that time.  Bake until the loaves reach an internal temperature of 200 degrees and remove from oven.  Let cool in the pans for 20 minutes and then let cool for at least two hours on cooling racks.

Thai Chicken and Rice Soup

1 onion, finely diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
1 rib of celery, finely diced
2 tsp cooking oil (I used rice bran oil)
5-6 garlic cloves, minced
3 quarts water (or chicken stock, if you have it)
1 stalk of lemongrass, outer peel removed, cut into 3 in lengths and bruised with the back of your knife
4 in. section of ginger root, cut into 1 in. chunks, unpeeled
2 dried chiles, whole
2 dried bay leaves
1 large bunch of basil, washed
salt
freshly ground black pepper
6 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
3 tbsp Worchestshire sauce or fish sauce

1 lb chicken (breast, tenders, or thighs), cut into bite-sized pieces
1-2 cups cooked rice
2 limes, juiced

Garnishes (optional):
cilantro, minced
green onions, sliced thinly
fresh or dried chiles, sliced 

1. Saute the onion, carrot and celery in the oil until they are softened and start to brown.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
2.  Add liquid (water or stock) and start to bring to a boil.  Add lemongrass, ginger, chiles, bay leaves, basil.  Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.  Add soy sauce and either Worchestshire or fish sauce.
3.  Re-taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.  Add raw chicken.  Bring back to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook until chicken is completely cooked (165 degrees F), about 20 minutes. 
4.  Add cooked rice and bring back to a simmer.
5.  Remove lemongrass stalks, ginger, whole chiles, bay leaves and whole basil.
6.  Add fresh lime juice and garnish to taste.  Serve immediately.

Asparagus and Goat Cheese Pasta (adapted from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food)

1 pound pasta of your choice (I use whole wheat rotini pasta)
1 to 2 pounds of fresh asparagus, washed and trimmed
4 ounces of fresh goat cheese

1.  Toss asparagus with approximately 2 tsp of olive, salt and pepper to taste and place on a rimmed baking sheet to roast at 425 degrees F for approximately 20 minutes.  Stir halfway through cooking time.  (This will vary, depending upon the thickness of your asparagus stalks.  Thin stalks are typically more tender and will cook more quickly.)
2.  While the asparagus roasts, cook the pasta in boiling, salted water until just al dente.  Reserve about a cup of cooking water and drain the pasta.  Return drained pasta to cooking pot.
3.  Crumble goat cheese into the hot, freshly drained pasta.  Mix well, adding reserved water as needed to loosen/create a sauce. 
4.  Cut asparagus into 1 to 1 1/2 inch lengths and mix with pasta and cheese.
5.  Garnish with freshly snipped chives or fresh herbs of your choice.  Enjoy immediately!

Cuban-Style Black Beans and Rice (Megan's original recipe): Serves 4 to 6

1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup brown rice
1 onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp annatto powder (optional)
1 poblano chile, stemmed, seeded and diced
2 + cups water or low-sodium chicken broth (the + means, "as needed for cooking the rice until tender")
2 cans petite diced tomatoes, drained
3 cans no-salt-added black beans, drained and rinsed

1 bunch green onions, sliced and reserved
4 Roma tomatoes, cored, seeded and diced, reserved
1-2 limes (or lemons, if that's what you've got), reserved
2 tablespoons of cilantro, minced and reserved

salt and pepper to taste

1.  Saute onion in olive oil over medium high heat until translucent and starting to turn golden brown.  Add poblano chile and saute until softened.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2.  Add rice and saute until individual grains turn chalky, stirring almost constantly to avoid burning.  Add garlic and continue to saute for 30 seconds or until fragrant.  Add annatto powder (optional) and mix in thoroughly.  Add broth or other liquid.  Reduce heat to simmer. 
3.  Add canned tomatoes.  Return to simmer and cook rice until al dente.  Add beans.  Return to simmer and finish cooking rice until tender.
4.  Add reserved green onions, fresh tomatoes, juice of 1 to 2 limes and cilantro.  Mix thoroughly, check for seasoning, add salt and pepper to taste and serve.
5.  Optional garnishes: fried plantain slices, sliced fresh or pickled jalapenos, sour cream, Mexican crema, additional limes and/or cilantro.

Chinese Chicken Salad (Adapted from America's Test Kitchen's Healthy Family Cookbook: Serves 6

1 head of Napa cabbage, cored and shredded
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, poached and shredded
1 red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks
1 carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 bunch of fresh cilantro, minced
1 bunch of green onions, sliced
1 cup bean sprouts (optional)

Chow Mein Noodles (to taste, as a garnish)

Dressing:
2 T canola oil (I used brown rice oil)
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 1/2 T low-sodium soy sauce
1 T grated, fresh ginger
1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil (I did not add this)

Whisk dressing ingredients together.  Toss ingredients for the salad together (needs a BIG bowl).  Pour dressing over the top of the salad, toss and top each serving with chow mein noodles. 

Salmon with Pasta and Mint (adapted from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food): Serves 4 - 6

1 pound of salmon (or other fish)
1 pound whole wheat farfalle (bow-tie) pasta (or other shape)
1 pound frozen peas (or other preferred vegetable)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh mint, thinly sliced (or other herb)

1.  Remove any pin bones in the salmon and poach in a large skillet.  (Add salmon, skin side down to the skillet and add enough water to reach 1/2 way up the sides of the salmon.  Salt and pepper to taste on the top of the salmon.  Cook covered in lightly simmering water until fish is mostly opaque and flakes into large chunks easily.)
2.  While the fish is cooking, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add pasta.  Cook until almost al dente and add peas.  Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes or until peas are bright green and begin floating to the surface of the water.  Drain pasta and peas and return to the same pot. 
3.  Add olive oil, lemon zest and lemon juice (if using) to the pasta and pea mixture.  Add pepper to taste.  Stir to combine.
4.  Flake poached salmon into large chunks and add to the pasta and pea mixture.  Stir gently to combine, taking care not to break salmon up too much. 
5.  Add fresh mint and serve immediately.