I'll Cook Like Your Mother

I cook, eat + chill. Join me.

[santanacaress]

Chewy, gooey Cocoa + Beetroot Brownies

I will not lie to you and call these “healthy brownies”...there is a whole stick of butter and 3/4 cup of sugar in these (as there should be!). I will say that these are “healthier brownies” than your average, though. Around half the fat, a tiny amount of flour and the added earthiness of beetroot. They are still so indulgent and hit that chocolate craving. Crazy easy and quick to make, too.

INGREDIENTS:

-2 Large beets

-1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted. Plus 1 Tbsp (unmelted).

-3/4 cup sugar

-1tsp. vanilla extract

-2 large eggs

-1/2 cup all-purpose flour

-1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

-1/2 cup mini dark chocolate chips or roughly chopped dark chocolate

OPTIONAL: almond or orange extract to splash in. You can also zest in some orange peel if you want a little citrus. Adding your nuts or seeds of choice is also a nice touch.

INSTRUCTIONS (12-16 brownies)

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Grease 9inch square baking dish.

2. Thoroughly wash beets and be sure to cut away the rough, dirty root end. TIP: Don't forget to save the beet greens if they are in good shape. Sautee them up later in olive oil, kosher salt, and lemon juice. You can even throw them in hot soups.

3. Cut the beets into even sized cubes and don't worry about peeling the skins. Boil the beets until they are tender and puree them while still hot with 1 Tbsp. of unmelted butter until they are smooth. Feel free to add in a bit more butter if your beets need more movement in the food processor.

4. Whisk together the sugar and melted butter until smooth. Add vanilla, then whisk in eggs one at a time. Stir in the beets.

5. Whisk together flour and cocoa powder in separate bowl. Fold in flour mixture into beet mixture until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and top with chocolate.

6. Bake until the batter is set. Insert fork or toothpick and ensure that the batter is no longer raw. Cool brownies, cut into squares and serve.

[santanacaress]

This week on Working, Slate’s L.V. Anderson talks to Santana Benitez, a freelance chef in New York City. Santana talks about building a pop up kitchen for a private event, how she prepares to cook for a party, and the different cultures she draws upon for her recipes. Plus, our freelance chef shares her thoughts on culinary school and the proper way to slice an onion. Find photos of her work by searching #illcooklikeyourmother.In a Slate Plus extra, Benitez talks about her influences, different food trends, and meal presentation. If you’re a member, enjoy bonus segments and interview transcripts from Working, plus other great podcast exclusives. Start your two-week free trial at slate.com/workingplus.This episode of Working is brought to you by Braintree. Looking to set up payments for your business? Braintree gives your app or website a payment solution that accepts just about every payment method with one simple integration. Plus, we’ll give you your first $50,000 in transactions fee-­free. To learn more, visit BraintreePayments.com/Working.And by Citrix GoToMeeting. When meetings matter, millions choose GoToMeeting. Hold a meeting with anyone from the convenience of your computer, smartphone, or tablet. Try it free for 30 days by visiting GoToMeeting.com and clicking the "try it free" button. That's GoToMeeting.com … "try it free."Email: [email protected]: @LV_Anderson

[santanacaress]

FRAGRANT COCONUT MILK RICE WITH LEMONGRASS + GINGER

Like most people, rice is an important staple in my home.  I eat it with soups, beans, proteins and even for breakfast with a little egg (like my Korean roommate taught me). I couldn't live without it.

Last night, I went in on some pan-seared salmon with lemon cream sauce and a nice mix of watercress, spinach and haricot vert. Instead of doing my normal  steamed jasmine rice, I decided to step it up a bit. I had some coconut milk, a nice chunk of ginger and a stalk of lemongrass that I knew could go into a pot of lovely fragrant rice. I'm glad I switched it up because it came out super moist and smelled bright and citrusy.

I'm officially in love with it. You probably will be, too. Easy recipe and cheap to produce. Check it out:

INGREDIENTS: -2 cups Jasmine rice, thoroughly washed -2 stalks of lemongrass, cut into 1inch pieces (white parts only) and split in half -a nice chunk of ginger (about 1inch) -1 cup coconut milk -1 1/2 cups water -1tsp salt -thinly sliced scallion (to garnish)--OPTIONAL -sesame seeds (to garnish)--OPTIONAL

DIRECTIONS: Add your washed rice and the remaining ingredients to a pot and stir well to combine. Be sure that the lemongrass and ginger are fully submerged in the rice.

Place the pot over high heat, bring it to a boil and give it a good stir to prevent your rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot (note: the liquid will thicken slightly as it comes to a boil). Once the liquid is boiling, immediately reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Continue to cook until the rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.

After the rice has absorbed the liquid, remove the pot from the heat and allow the rice to steam with the lid on for an additional 10 minutes.

When you go to plate your rice, you can discard the lemongrass and the ginger, but I like to leave them in the bowl for a more interesting presentation (just be sure that your dinner guests know not to eat them). Gently fluff the rice with a fork and transfer to a deep serving bowl. Garnish with thinly sliced scallion and sesame seeds (optional) The rice may be served hot or just warm. Enjoy and pass it on :)

[santanacaress]

SOFRITO 

In my mind, every bangin pot of beans starts with a good sofrito. Nothing smells quite like it when it's sizzling around in some oil, ready to pack some real flavor into whatever it's combined with. It's not just beans that sofrito goes in; meat, fish, veggies and rice also get taken up a level when sofrito goes in the pot.

Sofrito is a cooking base that is *essential* to Puerto Rican cuisine; every solid Puerto Rican home cook and chef either has it on hand in their fridge (or OG style...frozen in ice cube trays).

The beauty of sofrito is that you can make a big batch that will last you for tons of meals. You also can't beat that all it takes to throw your sofrito together is a quick rough chop and blend on the ingredients. Bottom line... it's definitely worth it if you're going for that true Puerto Rican flavor. But before you get started on your sofrito, peep the notes below:

1) Freezing your sofrito in ice cube trays makes it easy to pop out a cube or two when you are getting your meal started.

2) Depending on where you live, culantro, cubanelle peppers and aji dulce may be hard to find. Unfortunately, there's no real way to replace them. If you can't find these, you can still blend the rest of the ingredients for a nice cooking base...won't be a true sofrito, though.

3) Sofrito is NOT a sauce on its own; the flavors are super concentrated and must be cooked into a meal.

4) Olive oil in the recipe is simply to give your sofrito a smoother texture when blending.

5) It is *not* recommended that you season your sofrito. No salt necessary, as you should adjust the seasoning of your final dish that the sofrito goes in.

6) Never, EVER use tomato.

That's it! Wepaaaaaaaaa  :)

INGREDIENTS: 18-25 cloves garlic, peeled (I tend to go overboard with the garlic because too much of it is never enough in my book)

2 Spanish onions, cut into large chunks

4-6 cubanelle peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into chunks

1 large bunch cilantro, washed and roughly chopped

8-15 ají dulce peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into chunks

4-6 leaves of culantro

1- 2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and roughly chopped

1-2 tablespoons of good olive oil

DIRECTIONS: 1) put onions and cubanelle peppers in workbowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse until coarsely chopped.

2) keep the motor running and add the remaining ingredients one at a time and process until smooth. Transfer to ice cube trays and freeze or store in your refrigerator for immediate use.

[santanacaress]

4/20. Can’t wait. 

[santanacaress]

Coconut-Lime Broth with Chinese Long Bean, Bok Choy + Sticky Purple Rice

I had a sincere craving for a bright, citrusy, coconut broth based soup so I came up with this solution. I'm still rubbing my belly after today's lunch and I really wanted to share this recipe. The beauty of this recipe is that you can easily customize it to incorporate your favorite veggies. I used two of my favorites here, Chinese long bean and boy choy. The long beans have a really good snap/crunch and the bok choy is just a nice, juicy green. I love them both. You can also try adding in radishes, carrot, mushrooms, peas... Like with anything else, you should be constantly tasting your food to check for necessary adjustments. This broth is very simple, but it takes a nice balance of flavors to get it right. The fish sauce will give you the umami, the lime juice will brighten it up and the honey adds a little sweetness. Start with adding my suggested amounts of each and then go on tasting from there. 

INGREDIENTS: -4cups/32oz chicken or vegetable stock: Homemade is always best, but you can find good quality stock in the grocery store. -1 (13.5oz) can of *good quality* coconut milk: If you shake the can and don't hear any liquid slosh around, it's good to go. -1-3 Tbsp fish sauce: I suggest you season to taste, but I like to be sure that my broth is nicely seasoned. 

-2 Tbsp honey: There needs to be a bit of sweetness in this broth. Adjust to your taste. 

1 Tbsp olive oil Juice from 1-2 limes 4 garlic cloves, crushed 2-4 jalapeños, sliced into thin rings Fresh mint Fresh cilantro (thin stems, as well) 1 bunch scallion, sliced thin 1 bundle bok choy, sliced thin 2 cups Chinese long beans, cut into 1inch pieces. If you don't have long beans available, fresh haricot vert works as well. Purple/Forbidden Black rice cooked to package instructions

INSTRUCTIONS: Heat the olive oil to medium in a soup pot. Add the crushed garlic cloves and allow them to get a little color. Add the stock and let it come to a simmer. Once the stock is warmed through, whisk in the coconut milk. Let the mixture come to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. 

Add the fish sauce, lime juice and honey; adjust to your taste. Once the broth is where you would like to be, add in the jalapenos and let the broth simmer for another 10 minutes. Add the long beans and bok choy to the broth and let them simmer for 2 minutes. After the 2 minutes, turn off the heat.

To serve, scoop a nice heap of cooked rice into your bowl, top with scallion, then ladle your soup in the bowl around the rice. Finish it off with fresh cilantro + mint. Enjoy the hell out of it. 

[santanacaress]

Did you know that adding a tablespoon of vinegar/lemon juice to a cup of any non-dairy milk gives you vegan buttermilk? Stir it together and let it sit for at least 10 minutes to "sour". Try it out on soy or almond milk :)

[santanacaress]

CUMIN SEED CRUSTED FRIED OKRA INGREDIENTS: 1 pound fresh okra (If you can't find fresh, frozen works just as well) 1 cup buttermilk 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons salt 1/2 tablespoon cumin seeds 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper grapeseed, vegetable or canola oil, for frying INSTRUCTIONS: Clean okra and cut into "wheels" about 1/2 inch thick. Put okra into a bowl and cover with the buttermilk, making sure all of the okra is well-coated. Let this sit for at least 15 minutes. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan or deep fryer to 350F. If you're using a pan, you want enough oil to go about 1 inch high up the pan. In another bowl, mix together flour, salt, pepper, cumin seeds and cayenne pepper. Drain okra and dredge in the flour mixture, turning to coat all sides. Carefully drop the okra into the oil and fry until golden brown...be sure to turn the okra so that it fries evenly. Once the okra is out of the oil, drain it on paper towels and immediately sprinkle with kosher salt and toss. Serve hot with your sauce of choice.

[santanacaress]

CAULIFLOWER STEAKS + PAN-ROASTED TOMATO GARLIC SAUCE, CAPERS + LEMON GREMOLATA From time to time, I get the itch to shakeup my eating habits. I'm a meat and cheese kind of gal, but I can definitely get down with vegetarian and vegan eating. I figured since my birthday is only a couple of days away and Thanksgiving is a little more than a week away, now is a great time to eat light and clean things up a bit. I've decided to eat 100% vegan for a few days, which means I need to get creative with meals in order to keep on track. This cauliflower steak with the pan-roasted tomato garlic sauce and lemon gremolata was wholly satisfying last night. It was the main event at dinner, but you could certainly eat this as a side for fish or meat, as well. Enjoy :) INGREDIENTS (Cauliflower steak) 1 large head of cauliflower 2-3 tablespoons of olive or grapeseed oil, divided. Kosher salt, to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to taste INGREDIENTS (Tomato garlic sauce) 5 garlic cloves, peeled 4 plum tomatoes, cored, cut into 1/2 inch slices Kosher salt, to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to taste honey for drizzling, to taste 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil, divided 2-3 sprigs of thyme INGREDIENTS (Lemon gremolata) 1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs) 1 tablespoons olive or grapeseed or olive oil Zest of 1 lemon 2 cloves garlic, finely minced 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley 1 tablespoon capers INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove leaves and trim stem end of cauliflower, leaving the core intact. Place cauliflower core side down on your cutting board. Using a large knife, slice cauliflower into four 1/2" "steaks" from center of cauliflower (some florets will break loose; reserve those for another use). Heat a large, heavy ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat then add 1 tablespoon olive oil and swirl it around the pan. Once the oil is hot, add the cauliflower steaks and cook them until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes), then flip them over and do the same on the other side. If you find that your pan is looking a little dry, add another tablespoon of oil to the pan when you turn the cauliflower over. Once the steaks are nice and golden on both sides, transfer them to a large rimmed baking sheet. Reserve skillet. Roast cauliflower until tender, about 10-15 minutes (this will all depend on your oven). While the cauliflower is roasting, return the skillet to medium-high heat, add one tablespoon of oil and then add the garlic cloves and tomatoes. Cook both sides of the tomatoes to a golden brown (2-3 minutes), lay thyme sprigs on top of the tomatoes, then transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the garlic and tomatoes until tender, about 10 minutes. While the veggies are roasting, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add panko crumbs and stir to coat in oil. Cook, stirring constantly, until the bread crumbs are a light golden. Add the lemon zest and garlic and toss until mixture is very fragrant and bread crumbs are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Put the bread crumb mixture in a medium bowl and add the parsley, stirring to combine. Set aside. Once the tomatoes are tender, transfer them and the garlic, plus 1/2 tablespoon oil to a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If you would like to adjust the sweetness, I recommend drizzling in a little bit of honey...it's magic. Divide tomato sauce among plates. Place 1 cauliflower steak on each plate on top of the sauce; spoon capers and lemon gremolata on each steak. Serve warm or at room temperature.

[santanacaress]

SHAVED BRUSSELS SPROUTS with DRIED CHERRIES, WALNUTS + LEMON I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Brussels sprouts. Oven roasted, fried, sauteed...just never boiled. They have a really lovely nutty aroma when you're cooking them and they pair well with just about anything. The cranberries in this recipe give these sprouts a sweet tartness and the walnuts are great for crunch. Enjoy :) INGREDIENTS: 1 1/2- 2lbs Brussels sprouts 1 cup dried cranberries, chopped 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped juice from one lemon kosher salt, to taste fresh ground black pepper, to taste INSTRUCTIONS: If using a mandolin to shave the sprouts, do not remove the hard root of the sprout, simply peel away any outer leaves that look dry, wilted or sad. Keeping the hard root on gives you something to hold onto firmly while you shave the sprout on your mandolin (BE CAREFUL!). If you do not have a mandolin, You can use the same method of trimming and use a very sharp knife to thinly slice the sprouts. Once your sprouts are trimmed and ready, heat a large sauté pan and add your oil to it. Once your oil is hot, add the sprouts and stir to coat them in the oil. Allow them to caramelize a bit (they will turn golden in some spots and release a nutty aroma), then toss in the cranberries and stir to mix. Add the lemon juice, then season with salt and black pepper (to taste). Toss in the walnuts to mix, then serve.

[santanacaress]

I made some boombastic Indian-style red lentils for dinner last night.

[santanacaress]

"fresher than the others...I'll cook like your mother..."

All thanks to Badu for the inspiration. 

[santanacaress]

Apple-Cranberry Kuchen with Butter Coconut Flake Crust

I'd been having some issues with my oven these past couple of weeks. I haven't been able to roast a proper pork shoulder or bake a cake and that is completely unacceptable! I'm happy to say that the oven issue was *finally* resolved a few days ago and that I was able to bake a kuchen for my tiny dinner party last night. 

  Kuchen means "cake" in German, and this kuchen recipe was adapted from a recipe I picked up while cooking at a restaurant a while ago. This kuchen may be the best apple cake I have ever come across and it also happens to be an unbelievably easy recipe. It really is the perfect holiday dessert and people will love you for it. It's also relatively cheap to make.

As usual, I have made a few notes that you should keep in mind while making this. Have fun and enjoy :)

INGREDIENTS (Serves 8-12, depending on your slices):

Crust: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 2/3 cup sugar 1 stick unsalted butter, melted 1 cup flaked coconut 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

  Fruit: 2  1/2 - 3 1/2 cups apples, sliced into thin wedges 1 1/2 - 2 cups cranberries (frozen cranberries work just fine, just be sure they're thawed) 1/3 - 1/2 cup sugar  1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping: 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (you can also use sour cream or regular yogurt, I'm just a Greek yogurt fan)

1 egg yolk

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

Whisk all dry ingredients together, flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Gently mix in melted butter, coconut flake and vanilla extract and form a crust (NOTE: the crust will may be a bit crumbly, but as long as all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed, you're doing great).

Spread crust evenly in a tart dish or 8x8 baking dish (NOTE: this dough requires no rolling, so you will have to evenly press the crust into your dish by hand). Bake for 12-15 minutes, depending on your oven. What you want to see is just a tiny bit of color on your crust. Remember, all ovens are different, so times may vary. Also, be sure to rotate your baking dish midway. 

  While the crust is blind baking, mix the fruit, sugar and vanilla in a bowl. Once the crust is out of the oven, arrange the fruit on the crust. I like to do a pretty swirl of apples and then scatter the cranberries on top. 

  Lastly, throughly mix the egg yolk and Greek yogurt in a separate bowl and drizzle lightly over the kuchen. 

  Bake kuchen at 350 for 30 minutes or until topping has set. 

[santanacaress]

Refried Chickpeas with Jalapeños

I spent some of my childhood years in San Antonio, TX, so I have a serious soft spot in my heart for refried beans (and jalapeños). Traditional refried beans aren't the healthiest, so I wanted to see if I could do a lighter version at home with what I had on hand. I came up with these SUPER easy chickpeas that have been blended in a food processor with aromatics and cooked spices, then pan fried in olive oil. Check it out:

INGREDIENTS (serves 2-3):

1 can Chickpeas (with about half of the liquid drained)

2 jalapeños, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 cup spanish onion, diced

1 Tbsp tomato paste

3 Tbsp Olive oil

juice from half a lemon

1 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp ground cumin

salt, to taste

black pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat pan and then add 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Add the onion, cumin and cayenne pepper to the hot oil and stir to coat the onions. Reduce heat to medium and cook the onions and spices together until the onions are translucent.  Add the garlic, stir and cook for about 30 seconds. Add in the tomato paste then stir and cook until the mixture looks rust colored (a minute or so) then remove from heat and cool down just a bit. 

In a food processor, combine the chickpeas in their liquid with the garlic/onion/tomato mixture and blend until smooth. 

Re-heat the pan, then add the remaining 2 Tbsps. Once the oil is hot, add the chickpea puree and constantly stir, allowing the remaining liquid to cook out and the chickpeas to thicken. Once the chickpeas are thickened, add the lemon juice and hit it with some salt and pepper (to taste). Then, shut off the heat and stir in the jalapeños. 

How easy that?

[santanacaress]

Watching episodes of Julia Child's show (The French Chef) on Youtube has me in heaven. She really was lovely and knew what she was doing. This croissants episode is too good not to share.

[santanacaress]

So Simple and So Pretty: Creamy Old-Fashioned Oats with Fresh Berries, Cinnamon + Walnuts.

Oats are a great source of fiber and iron so this is definitely a comforting, healthy and hearty breakfast (or late night snack) for these upcoming colder months. SIDENOTE: You can replace the strawberries with any other type of berry, it all depends on what your tastes are. Also, a scoop of peanut butter is good when you need a little extra protein…it makes your oatmeal taste like a cookie :)

INGREDIENTS (serves 2): I cup Old Fashioned Oats (not instant) 1 3/4 cups Milk (cow, almond or soy) 1/8 tsp salt 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped 1 cup strawberries, sliced cinnamon, to taste fruit compote, to taste (click for recipe)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Bring milk and salt to a boil (be careful not to scald the milk). Reduce heat to medium and stir in the oats. 2) Cook about 5 minutes, or until the oats are tender and the milk has thickend. Be sure to constantly stir the oats so that the milk does not scald. 3) Stir before serving.

To plate the oatmeal (split between two bowls): Spoon hot oatmeal on the bottom of the bowl and sprinkle desired amount of oatmeal on top. Next, lay the berries on top of the oatmeal, scoop desired amount of compote on top of berries and garnish with walnuts.

[santanacaress]

Cinnamon Apple-Pear Compote with Cardamom + Thyme

I just love a good fruit compote. By definition, a compote is made up of whole fruits or pieces of fruits that are stewed in a syrup of water (or alcohol) and sugar and spices. The syrup can be seasoned with an array of extracts, juices or spices like vanilla, lemon, orange peel, cinnamon, cloves, whole peppercorns, coconut, raisins, etc., and it can be served warm or cold. You can even add different nuts or seeds…think Indian chutneys.

I personally really like compote paired with various cheeses, wines, and as french toast/oatmeal toppers. It’s even great with a nice roast pork loin or chicken. When selecting your fruits, it’s a nice idea to think seasonally. For this recipe, I went with apples, pears, warm cardamom and a handful of thyme.

INGREDIENTS (8-10 servings): Juice of one lemon Zest of one lemon 1 1/2 cups of water 1/3 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Pinch of salt 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 4 cardamom seeds Pinch of nutmeg 4 sprigs of thyme, chopped 3 apples (I’d go with red delicious) peeled, cored and cut into bite-sized pieces 2 pears (I’d go with Bartlett) peeled, cored and cut into bite-sized pieces

INSTRUCTIONS: Bring water to a boil, then add sugar and stir to dissolve. Add in lemon juice, lemon zest, cardamom seeds, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon and stir well. Add in fruits and reduce to a simmer; cook until the fruits are soft and until the liquid is reduced by half( it should have a syrupy consistency). Add chopped thyme, stir and let the compote cook for another 2 minutes. Shut off the heat and let it cool down a bit. SIDENOTE: be sure to remove cardamom seeds before serving.