Lentil and Vegetable Chili: and a few other things

First of all I would like to apologize for the lack of attention that I have given my blog these past few months.  Time certainly flies by.  But a few days ago I had an epiphany! Recently, producers and film crews came to the school to film our food program for a Katie Couric documentary on child hood obesity in America.  They heard of our efforts in educating and feeding young children healthy substantial meals.  I had the honor of being able to step in as "Chef" for the day.  As soon as I slipped into my chef whites everything seemed right in the world.  I've spent the last few months putting my cooking career on the back burner, thinking maybe it wasn't the path I was suppose to take.  I couldn't have been more wrong, one 12 hour day back in the kitchen reignited my passion and desire to get back on track!  So with that being said, here is a delicious and healthy lentil and veggie chili to warm you up on these lingering cold days!

Ingredients:

2 cups Sprouted Lentil Trio: cooked

2 15 oz cans Red Kidney Beans: rinsed and drained                         

8 oz Mushrooms: diced

1 Red pepper: diced

1 Yellow pepper: diced

2 Jalapeno's: diced

1 Cubanelle pepper: diced

1 Serrano pepper: diced

1 clove garlic: minced

1/2 Red onion: minced

1 sprig each thyme and sage, leave whole

5 plum tomatoes: diced

1 Carrot: diced

Olive oil

Vegetable broth

1 can tomato sauce                                                                                 

1 T salt

1/2 tsp chipotle chili, smoked paprika, ground cumin

pinch of cinnamon 

Instructions:

Cook lentils according to package and drain

In large saute pan, heat olive oil (enough to cover the bottom) add garlic and cook for 3 min

Add hot peppers, thyme, sage,carrots and onions, cook for 10 min

Add lentils, cook for 5 min

Add peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms cover and cook for 5 min

Add a splash of vegetable broth, and can of tomato sauce

Add kidney beans, and spices

Salt and pepper to taste.  Cook wild rice, I used Rice Selects, Royal Blend.

Serve rice on the bottom, cover with chili and top with cheese.  Enjoy!             

Welcome!

So typically this would be the first post on a normal person's blog, but lets face it, I'm far from normal.  I should probably start off by telling you a little bit about myself.  I'm a chef turned semi-preschool teacher who still has no idea what I'd like to be when I "grow up".  I was always obsessed with cooking. I remember being glued to Emeril Lagasse on the Food Network and frantically scribbling down his recipes in my 8 year old scrawl. Whenever anyone asked what I wanted to be, my answer was a chef, and the response I always got " you know the hours suck, you'll never have weekends, you won't be able to spend holidays with your family", the remarks were negative and endless. And you know what, they were right!  I knew they were right all along, I just wanted to experience it for myself.  So I transfered out of a four year college, moved to Boston, where I knew absolutely no one and went to culinary school!  It was one of the most life changing years of my life... I went to school every morning at 6 am, then straight to work at a daycare until 6 pm.  I excelled and proved to myself how good I really was at cooking, and also found a love of children!  When it was time for me to complete my schooling and begin an internship, I moved back home, landed an awesome kitchen job in a great restaurant and started what I thought would be the first step in my life long cooking career.  However, things never work out quite that easily. Yes I loved cooking and being the only girl in the kitchen, I held my own and proved myself.  I got oven burns and knife cuts and was initiated into the culinary world, but something didn't click.  It wasn't the life I had pictured.  That's when the opportunity came for me to become a teacher at a highly respected preschool in my town, so I took it!  Now, here I am, loving my job, but in ways regretting leaving the culinary world because I miss it dearly.  One day I will own my own restaurant, but for now I will blog, play with kids all day, and hopefully provide you with wonderful recipes you can share with your families and friends!              

Pumpkin Cupcakes!

Fall is my absolute favorite time of the year!  The changing colors of the leaves, the sweatshirt and jeans weather, I love it all!  I especially love pumpkins. I've experimented with my pumpkin recipe a few times and have finally found the perfect combination of spices, moistness, and creamy goodness all baked up into one scrumptious little cupcake!  I hope you find this recipe as satisfying as I do :) 

Abbreviations: tsp = teaspoons,  tbsp = tablespoons,  c = cups,  oz = ounces

You would be amazed how many people do not know!

Pumpkin Cupcake:

2 2/3 c Flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1 15 oz can pumpkin puree ( NOT pumpkin pie mix!)

1 c sugar

1 c dark brown sugar

1 c canola oil

2 tbsp sour cream

4 eggs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.  Set aside

In a stand mixer combine sugars and pumpkin puree with paddle attachment until combined. Add canola and sour cream until combined.  Add eggs one at a time, until completely incorporated.  Last, add the dry ingredients, mix just until combined.  Portion into greased or lined cupcake tin.  Fill 3/4 of the way to the top. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until tooth pick comes out clean.     

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 c heavy cream

4-5 c confectioner's sugar

Combine in stand mixer with paddle attachment: cream cheese and butter until fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Add vanilla and heavy cream until incorporated.

One cup at a time, add sugar, add more or less depending on consistency.  I usually add 5 cups to get a nicer texture for piping onto cooled cupcake.

First Post! Jambalaya!

So here it goes, my first post, short and simple. Everyday I plan a mental "mise en place" in my head of the food and recipes I'd like to make.  Some days I'm too busy to actually follow through, but they're always stored away until I can find the time to experiment and create!  Today's dinner was quick and simple, I've been waiting to make jambalaya and I think I've come up with something rather easy and pretty tasty.

Jambalaya Recipe:

1 lb raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp

8 oz chicken tenderloins, chopped (bite size)

1 T paprika

1 T onion powder

1 T salt                                             Combine all: Creole Seasoning 

1 T cayenne

1 T garlic powder

1 T dried oregano and thyme 

Olive oil 

2 red peppers, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 cup rice

3 cups chicken broth

1 tsp sriracha hot sauce

1 tsp worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Combine shrimp, chicken and creole seasoning.

In large frying pan, heat olive oil (just enough to cover the bottom) on medium/high and add onion, celery, and peppers.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Then add the tomatoes and garlic.  Cook for another 5 minutes.  Add hot sauce and worcestershire sauce.  Add rice and chicken broth, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, you want the rice to absorb about half of the liquid and be tender.  Last, add your shrimp and chicken, cover and cook until meat and shrimp are cooked all the way through (10-20 minutes).  Fill up  a nice big bowl, make a strawberry margarita and enjoy your jambalaya!  Yes, it is that easy! 

Always remember: recipes are a base for a dish, everyone has their own personal tastes so feel free to add more seasoning/hot sauces depending on personal preferences!