Acorn Squash Ravioli

A friend we made on our trip to Rome inspired me to take a stab at making my own ravioli the other day.  We were sitting outside at a restaurant, overlooking a busy piazza, enjoying a tasty meal and an equally tasty bottle of Rosso Di Montalcino (I haven't seen this wine here, but let me know if you have) when we started talking about food and cooking.  Somehow we got to the topic of pasta, which I love, but I am iffy about store bought tortellini and ravioli, etc--that's when our friend was raving about making his own at home.  I know a lot of people do, but the difference between them and myself:  I do not have a pasta machine.  I explained this to our third dinner guest who exclaimed "Neither do I!  But you can just use a rolling pin, it's so easy!"  Duh, why did I never even think about doing that before?  I finally decided I'd give it a try. With big board and rolling pin in hand, so I started my acorn squash ravioli adventure...yes, adventure, it was messy, but the end result was quite delightful!


What you need:
Ravioli Filling--
-1 acorn squash
-about 5 oz ricotta cheese
-cinnamon
-nutmeg
-salt & pepper

Ravioli Dough--
-1 1/4 cups of all purpose flour
(I imagine you can with substitute whole wheat flour)
-2 Eggs
-about 1 tablespoon olive oil

Garnish--
-about 10 large fresh sage leaves
-1 tablespoon of butter
- olive oil
-brown sugar

Start by cutting the acorn squash in quarters and scooping out the seeds.  Roast the squash at 400 degrees with just a drizzle of olive oil if you so desire, it should take about 35 minutes for the acorn flesh to be tender.  Once cooked, leave the squash to cool before scooping out the flesh and discarding the skin.  It is better to use a food processor for the next part--put the squash, ricotta cheese, about a 1/4 teaspoons of cinnamon and nutmeg.  Season the the mixture with some salt and pepper and start the processor watching as the filling starts reaching a somewhat smother consistency (the squash should be broken down and not lumpy).  While blending, make sure to taste the mixture in between to see if additional salt (or pepper) are needed--it will be likely that additional cinnamon and nutmeg are not needed, but it is up to you.  Once the filling is complete, set aside and start making the ravioli dough.

Just like any other dough, mix the flour, eggs and olive oil until you can form dough into a smooth ball.  You can separate the dough into however many smaller pieces as is manageable to work with using your rolling pin and board...if you have a pasta machine, even better--and I would need you to share instructions on how to use it! :) (I think it would need to be set so the dough is rolled out as thin and wide as possible)   Roll out each section at a time as thin as you can without letting it tear--keep in mind to keep dusting the space and dough with plenty of flour to prevent things from getting stick.  Once rolled out in a rectangular shape, start spooning the filling in about an inch or so apart from each other on one side of the dough.  Fold the empty side of the dough over and apply pressure around the filled parts creating small pillows.  Now cut out each ravioli using either a cookie cutter or a small cup for even, round edges.   Once each ravioli is cut out, press down hard with your fingers along the sides of each ravioli and place aside.  Repeat this process with the rest of your dough and filling. Once the ravioli are made, go ahead and put them into a pot of boiling salted water (they will float once they are done--simply drain after they are cooked and place into your serving dish).  As the ravioli cooks, heat a small pan between low to medium heat, drizzle with olive oil and place sage leaves flat in the pan.  Keep them in the pan stirring around every so often until they are stiff and crisp, now add the butter, 1/4 teaspoon brown sugar (optional) and a little salt and a dash of nutmeg.  Give this a quick stir and pour over the ravioli.

What I liked about making the ravioli was the thought that I could, in theory, mash up any tasty vegetables or leftover roast chicken or beef, and make a new dinner out of it in the form of ravioli.  Can you think of any other 'left overs' ravioli filling that would make for a tasty next day meal?

Kale Chips

I've never been a big potato chip eater, but I like salty crunchy treats as much as the next person.  A tasty and low-fat option--packed with antioxidants--is Kale.  Kale chips are my new favorite snack food, and they're really simple to make.

What you need:
-1 bunch Kale
-Ground Pepper
-Sea Salt
-Garlic Powder
-Olive Oil
-Baking/Parchment paper

How to:

I generally start by tearing the kale apart into chip size pieces (discarding the thick spine from the middle of the leaves) and tossing them into a colander to wash.  Wash and dry completely.  Heat the oven to 275 degrees and line your baking pan with the paper. Toss the kale leaves in a big bowl with a drizzling of olive oil, sea salt and ground pepper (I'm usually a little generous with the sea salt), and a few dashes of garlic powder.  Assemble the kale by spreading them out on the baking sheet laying as flat as possible, and go ahead and stick them in the oven.  They should be done in about 20 minutes or less, just check on them in between--if they are crisply, they are done!  Enjoy with a movie....or as a side for lunch or dinner.

Quick Provence Chicken

South of France is one of my favorite places to visit. This chicken dish is something I started making after a visit and coming back home with a jar of Edmond Fallot Dijon mustard and a packet of herbs de provence.  The nice thing is you can buy both at the grocery store down the street too, and the herbs are an easy way to try out a variety of rustic Provencal dishes home. I'm not sure exactly how they made the turkey version I ate in France, though they probably would not have had the room for me to go back to the kitchen and watch them, it was such a tiny little place; but it was so delicious and aromatic, I had to experiment once I was back.

What you need:
-1 pound chicken breast
-1/4 cup chicken broth
-1/4 cup white wine (any white wine you like drinking--I've always used Pinot Grigio)
-1 to 1 1/2 tablespoon of Herb De Provence--if the aroma seems to strong for you, stick with no more than a tablespoon
-1/2 cup chopped white mushrooms
-1/2 cup carrots sliced or chopped small
-1teaspoon of butter
-1 1/2 tablespoons of flour
-2 tablespoons of Dijon Mustard
-Olive Oil
-Salt & Pepper

Start by grabbing a deep pan with a lid and drizzle olive oil on the bottom while setting it just below medium heat.  Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper, and rub about half a tablespoon of the herbs de provence.   Place the chicken breast in the pan with the carrots, mushrooms (be sure to season the veggies as well while adding into the pan), mustard (make sure to distribute the mustard over the chicken and veg), and the remaining herbs de provence; pour the broth and wine over the components, then allow to cook for about 5 minutes covered.  Uncover and turn the chicken over and also stir the veggies--at this point, see if you can tilt the pan slightly to get the liquid towards one side and add the butter and drizzle in the flour while constantly mixing, then proceed to mix the entire dish together so the butter/flour mixture gets distributed evenly, this will make for a slightly creamier sauce.  But, you can always leave it out if you prefer. Cover the dish again and let it cook until the vegetables are tender and the chicken has cooked through.  At this point you can leave it on low heat until you are ready to serve.  Over a bed of wild rice or with a side of arugula salad makes this such an easy quick Provencal meal.

Beet Salad

After a weekend of camping and downing smores like it is a full time job, I needed a salad this week!  But I'm over the usual and was craving something different and colorful; I saw some beets at the grocery store that looked pretty good and grabbed them as one of the main fixings for our Monday night salad supper.

What you need:

-About 3 large beets
-2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
-Sea Salt (or regular salt) & black pepper
-Olive Oil
-Spinach greens
-1 box of crumbled Feta cheese
-2 Drops of organic honey (optional)
-1/2 a cup of chopped walnuts

How to:

Prepare your beets by washing, peeling and then chop them into very small cubes, something with the measurements of around 1/4 of an inch in width and length--basically you want them small.  Lay the beets spread out in a baking sheet, season with salt & pepper; drizzle olive oil and the 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar--as well as the optional honey.  Mix around in the baking sheet and stick in the oven at approximately 385 degrees for about 20 minutes, until tender.  Once cooked, set these on the counter to cool off a little while you wash your spinach.  This salad actually works when being assembled once you  are ready to eat.  Pour the beets and any liquid contents from the pan over the spinach in your salad bowl, add the crumbled feta cheese and chopped walnuts and toss.  The sweetness of the beets interacts wonderfully with the feta cheese, and the remaining olive oil/balsamic vinegar from the pan serves as a bit of a dressing (feel free to drizzle a little over the salad itself if there is not much remaining in the beets pan), and the walnuts give a nice crunch.  Healthy and tasty!

Citrus Carrot Soup

A citrusy carrot soup is nice for the hot weather outside.  While it can be served warm, I've found it to taste best, especially for this time of year, at room temperature.  Plus the orange zest in the soup makes this feel like a more seasonal and light soup...okay, I use some butter to make it a little silky, but a tiny bit isn't bad for you, right? :)

What you need:

-1 Bunch of Carrots (slightly over 2 cups chopped into small pieces)

-2 Sprigs of Tarragon (one for soup, the rest for garnish)

-1 Cup of Chicken Broth

-1 Teaspoon Orange Zest (and a few longer pieces of zest for garnish)

-Save 2 cups of the water your carrots were boiled in before discarding the rest when straining the carrots

-1 Tablespoon butter 

-Salt and Pepper (to taste!)

How to:

Scrub and chop carrots into small pieces. Place the chopped carrots into boiling water until they are well covered; let cook until carrots are very tender. They need to be tender to the point where carrots can be punctured with a butter knife or fork without effort. Once the carrots are fully cooked, set aside about 2 cups of the water you cooked the carrots in and then strain the rest of the carrots. Place all the carrots in a blender and pulse, then add one cup of the water and one cup of chicken broth, and continue blending the soup.  Take a break and add the butter, season with salt and pepper, and leaves one of the sprigs of tarragon and the orange zest.  Continue blending, stop to check consistency--add the remaining water in small portions as necessary, if the mixture is lumpy or not smooth in any way (it should not need it, but just incase, it's better to add this saved water since it is almost as if a carrot broth since the carrots were cooked in it) to reach a smooth consistency.  Pour back into a pot on the stove on low heat, and stir--take a taste to make sure you have enough salt and pepper.  Turn heat off and let the soup sit as it cools down.  Pour the room temperature soup servings (makes about 2 servings) and garnish with a few tarragon leaves and orange zest.
            

What's so nice about soup?  Once you know the basic ingredients of soup (water, broth or stock, sometimes olive oil or butter, depending on what type of soup, and the actual soup content)--you can start making a wide variety, and it is a simple but still elegant addition to anyones "back pocket" menu.  

Lentils with Roasted Red Peppers

Cooking for any vegetarian people tonight?  Well, we're not vegetarian, but there was a bag of lentils in my cupboard that looked a little sad about me not having opened it, so I decided to give the chickens and fish a break and chow down on this healthy, and high in protein, food.  This recipe is quite light and nice for summer, and it still packs some heat--which my husband loves.  The nice thing is, that lentils are not as dense, so you don't have to soak them over night like you might other beans; as long as your water or stalk is boiling, and you are able to leave them cooking for around 40 minutes--you have a wonderful meal waiting to be made.

What you need:
-2 Large Red Bell Peppers (cut lengthwise, then in halves)
-1 Cup Lentils  (the ones I used are the small green lentils)
-1 1/2 to 2 cups of Chicken Stock
-2 Jalapeno Peppers (chopped small)
-1 Small Red Onion (chopped small)
-1 1/2 Teaspoons Mesquite Seasoning (I used the same one I always use: Mccormick's Grill Mates)
-1 Small Bunch Flat Leaf Parsley (chopped)
-Salt & Pepper
-1 Very Small Bay Leaf (or half of one big leaf)
-Dash of Paprika


How to prepare:


Begin by washing you lentils.  Sometimes you can weed out any lower quality pods, and every bag has one.  Meanwhile, boil your chicken stock--and once the lentils are washed put them in with your stock in a heavy pot and you can decrease the heat; I use a cast iron stock pot (if you use cast iron, you can set the heat on medium as cast iron conducts and retains heat incredibly well). Let the lentils start cooking and in the meantime put the bell peppers in a heavy baking tray or dish, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; put them in the oven with your broiler on.  You will want to broil (or roast) these until the skins begin to char slightly.  


So, putting peppers in the oven does not really consume much time--once you've stuck them under that heat, throw your chopped up jalapenos and onion, as well as the bay leaf in with your cooking lentils.  Also make sure that you are now seasoning the stock/lentils with salt and pepper.  Once the lentils are almost tender--you will know by picking one up with a spoon and checking to see if it's starting to go soft.  Now add in your Mesquite seasoning and dash of paprika and add the parsley--also throw in your roasted peppers.  Give this a good stir and leave the pot to simmer until the lentils are tender--you should still have a little taste, incase you need to season it some more; it's always easier to add more salt than it is to take it away :) 

Now you can eat the lentils with a bed or rice--or on their own; and still have some leftovers for lunch tomorrow! 
    

Mokomandy

So, today I'm going to write about the food that someone else made--food prepared by the chef at Mokomany to be exact.  I love tapas--for me it's the satisfaction of being able to eat multiple small bites; sampling a variety of new food, or getting to enjoy a little of each of my favorite things.  So, when my husband's friend recommended Mokomandy in Sterling with it's menu of small plates, I was really excited to try it out.

Hidden off Algonkian Parkway, Mokomandy is unexpectedly city chic in the suburbs of Northern Virginia.  With it's contemporary interior, the setting felt clean and modern, without feeling cold.  And, of course, the simple setting keeps the focus on the food--which was worth focusing on!

For the person who likes to try new things, the restaurant offers turtle and wild boar dishes; but there are also Mokomandy's spin on the traditional deviled eggs or s'mores.  With a menu consisting of many small, appetizer, or tapas, type dishes; followed by slightly larger meals, there is something for everyone on the menu.

I have to say that my favorites were the Catfish Po'Boy Sandwiches,  Foi Gras Dumplings, and the Kobe Carpaccio.  The catfish sandwiches, served in the form of mini burgers, were tasty and melt-in-your-mouth; can you say that about fish?  I don't know, but you should be able to in regards to this particular fish sandwich.  The foi gras dumplings were small bites of delight--mixed in with pieces of braised duck and served with a small salad that included onions and whole red pepper corns, the dumplings were light and flavorful.  I would think if you've never tried foi gras before, this would be the perfect dish to start with since it's all packed into a small tasty dumpling...so no reason to feel queezy.   As for the kobe beef carpaccio, this had to be my favorite.  The meat on its own was delicious, but what made the carpaccio stand out were the flavors that topped it off--a mini salad made up of radish and green apples which really complimented the carpaccio.

This may not be the place for those who equate the quantity of food with the quality of the restaurant--but I will say that the small servings are interesting and tasty, and the quality of what you are getting certainly need not be questioned.  In all, for any foodie who doesn't feel like driving East of the beltway, Mokomandy is a fantastic find.  Small plates with an asian feel make this a different type of tapas restaurant--and with a fully stocked bar, their own signature cocktails, and a menu that changes according to 'what's good,' as our waiter explained, this is a great place for a spontaneous date night or to meet up with friends for a bite to eat.