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Irish Boxty

March 17, 2012

Despite multiple trips to Ireland, I have failed miserably at taking an important culinary opportunity. I’ve read about it, and put it on the agenda, but pudding, scones, and chips always get in the way of Irish Boxty.

This week, as I thought about what Irish food to make in celebration of March 17, I found a beautiful Instagram photo by Edible Ireland. Just like that, my plan was made.

Boxty is a potato pancake. I know that sounds simple enough, but with the right ingredients it is so flavorful and comforting that you may never turn back to baked potatoes or fries. I hate that I missed the opportunity to try authentic boxty in the past. It prevents me from being sure if I have really nailed a recipe, but that doesn’t stop me from giving it a try anyway.

Irish Boxty | Fake Food Free | An easy dish to make for St. Patrick's Day!

We had potato cakes made from leftover mashed potatoes growing up, but now I know – boxty is different. The shredded raw potato mixed with the mashed potatoes gives it texture, and after pan frying there is a crispy, golden edge that is rich with butter flavor. Our version was meat-less, but I have no doubt bacon would make these even better.

I decided not to adapt the recipe at all other than leaving out the bacon, so you can head over to Edible Ireland for the Boxty with Bacon and Scallions recipe. While you are there, take a look around. It is one my favorite new-to-me blogs in 2012.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes or images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Beef Tenderloin Tips and Purple Potatoes

February 20, 2012

We’ve had about two pounds of beef tenderloin tips in the freezer for a few months now so we decided to serve them up last week for a very low-key Valentine’s Day dinner. If you are unfamiliar with the cut, it is a great option for getting a tender piece of high quality beef for a reasonable price. It is basically the tips from a larger piece of meat that turns into the very popular filet mignon.

I think this is one reason it took me so long to use it. I’m not exactly an excellent beef cook, unless a slow cooker decides to show up, and I didn’t want to ruin it.

To ensure success, I used a recipe as opposed to creating one myself. And by I, I mean my husband. After dinner I told him his cooking with me was like the boy in the Google video on Valentine’s Day. He jumped rope with me, and that’s all I really wanted for the occasion.

We used a recipe for Tenderloin Tips with Mushrooms and Herbs from the Food & Wine section of the Seattle Times posted last year. We doubled the recipe due to the amount of meat, and we also doubled everything else except for the mustard and rum. We used rum instead of brandy.

Tenderloin Tips with Mushrooms and Herbs

The final result was tender pieces of meat in an amazing sauce with the sweetness of red wine, but the bite of dijon mustard. I rarely like a stew-type beef, but this one far exceeded my expectations.

The rest of the meal was plain and simple, but with a colorful twist. I found purple potatoes in Cincinnati last weekend! I’ve read a lot about their production and health benefit, and about the research being used in the evaluation of the crop so I was interested in trying them. They’re still rare in this area.

The color can’t help but make you happy in the kitchen. It is so deep and rich, and only intensifies when roasted. I chopped them up with some Fingerling potatoes, coated them in olive oil, sprinkled on some sea salt and dried rosemary from last summer’s herb garden. They were ready to go after roasting about 20 minutes at 425 degrees F.

I wouldn’t call myself a meat and potatoes person, but every now and then I can see why people love them so much.

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Tequila-Lime Shredded Beef

January 3, 2012

As we enter this New Year I’ve decided I am not taking one single glance back at my 2011 goals. While 2010 was a great year for accomplishing my goals and resolutions, I barely got things off the ground last year. I did learn the basics of knitting, but it stopped there.

Yes, I said New Years goals. Yes, I uttered the word resolution. I know it’s cool to be anti-resolution, but truth be told, I love this time of year. I love new beginnings.

It’s good to set goals for yourself whenever you choose: at the beginning of every day, week, month or year. I just happen to enjoy the fresh start of a new calendar.

So out with the 2011 (no looking back), and in with 2012.

This year, I decided to take the advice of Chris Brogan andchoose My 3 Words. Words that will guide me through this year; words I will revisit often to keep me on track.

My 3 Words for 2012 are:

Progress. Learn. Honor.

I will work to Progress my blog to the next level, a level that really only matters to me. I hope this will be reflected in the quality of my posts and my photographs.

I will be open to all Learning experiences whether it is a cooking method, camera technique, culture or language.

I will Honor my health and my body be revisiting my commitment to real food, and by making the most of the incredible food resources available to me.

Do you have 3 Words for 2012?

Now before I jump too far into the New Year, I need to back track into 2011 for just one day; to New Year’s Eve. We spent this NYE at home which I could not have been happier about. I only wanted to relax, and honestly didn’t even feel much like cooking.

Surprisingly this recipe is perfect for just this type of occasion. This version comes from a recipe adapted by one of my favorite international food bloggers, Tangled Noodle.

I modified the ingredients to meet our preferences, including using beef as opposed to pork. Not exactly because I prefer beef, but we’ve had a roast in the freezer we’ve wanted to use for weeks.

Mix, rub, pour, wait.

Seriously, that is all you need to do. As a result you are left with some incredibly tender meat with a hint of citrus and a bit of a spicy kick.

From there, turn it into a taco, roll it up in an enchilada, toss it on top of a salad or add it to a soup. The flavor is outstanding and the options endless.

Tequila-Lime Shredded Beef

Adapted from Slow Cooker Tequila-Lime Pork Loin Roast from Tangled Noodle

3 lb tri tip beef roast

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp sea salt

1 tbsp chili powder

4 cloves garlic, minced

Juice and zest of one lime

1/3 cup unsalted beef stock

1/3 cup gold tequila

1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder

1 bay leaf

In a small bowl combine the cumin, oregano, salt and chili powder. Rub mixture over the beef roast. Place the roast in your slow cooker.

Add the garlic, lime juice and zest, beef stock, tequila, chipotle powder and bay leaf. Turn the meat over a few times in the mixture to coat. Set the slow cooker to high, put on the lid and cook 3-4 hours.

Once beef has reached your desired doneness, remove from the slow cooker and place on a cutting board to rest. Discard the bay leaf. Shred the beef with a fork and knife. Return the meat to the slow cooker and coat with the remaining sauce. Keep on warm until ready to serve. Serves 10-12.

Holiday Baking

December 15, 2011

At the beginning of the holiday season I set a goal for what I want to bake; then I plan to fall short of that goal. I know that sounds awful, but there is never enough time to make all I would like to and I find if I prepare myself I’m not disappointed when it all doesn’t get done.

I love to bake and make candies, but there is something about the marathon sessions of the holidays that truly wear me out. I always feel so motivated when I start, but by the time I dry the last dish I’m ready to throw in the towel for a while. Fortunately, I get my groove back in time for Valentine’s Day.

This year wasn’t quite so bad. I was much better at taking on only what me and my mixer could handle. I had planned on trying many new things this year, but ingredients that required extra errands made me choose to fall back on some old favorites.

I did throw one new candy into the mix – peanut butter cups! I’d never made my own before. The recipe isn’t mine, but it is one that I will keep around for many holidays to come.

Here’s a sampling of this year’s treats. The links will lead you the original posts with the recipes.

I put a twist on my Cafe & Cream Shortbread this year, literally. Instead of the original checkerboard shape, I simply rolled out each batch of dough after it had chilled for 30 minutes. Next I put one on top of the other, rolled and sliced. I actually think I like them better this way. It is definitely a less labor intensive process.

Recipe: Cafe & Cream Shortbread

The Ginger Rum Molasses Cookies I reviewed last year from the cookbook Baked Explorations remain my favorite gingerbread. This year I cut them into gingerbread men (and women) and Christmas trees. I iced a few for variety as well. If you like a soft gingerbread, don’t roll the dough too thin. Keep it a bit thicker, at least a quarter of an inch, and they will be perfect.

Recipe: Ginger Rum Molasses Cookies

Now for the newbie this year. These Peanut Butter Cups come from Brown Eyed Baker. The only change I made was I used dark chocolate chips (60%) and I added about 1 tbsp of unsalted butter instead of vegetable shortening to smooth the chocolate. These must be hidden. Much too dangerous.

Recipe: Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

I will be taking a short blogging break until after Christmas. I hope you have a wonderful couple of weeks regardless of what you may or may not celebrate. Here it will be Christmas followed by a much anticipated New Year. Happy Holidays!

2011 International Blogger Holiday Cookie Exchange

December 13, 2011

Let the parade of cookies begin!

Over the past few weeks several bloggers have been trading recipes, baking up treats and posting about their goodies. The 2011 International Blogger Holiday Cookie Exchange has been a huge success.

So get your oven preheated and your flour measured, and check out these great recipes from food bloggers around the globe!

Picture Perfect Cooking – Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Sugar Glaze

The World in My Kitchen – Double Chocolate Snowball Cookies

Quick and Easy Cheap and Healthy – Cranberry Pistachio Cookies

Urban Sacred Garden – Cinnamon Pecan Pinwheels

Flex Your Food – Mexican Wedding Cakes

The Rauber House – No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies

Open Mouth Insert Cookie – Oatmeal Raisin Drop Cookies

The Heritage Cook – Green Tea Shortbread Cookies

Mele Cotte – Chinese Almond Cookies

Eats Well with Others – Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Cookies

Fake Food Free – Crunchy Peanut Butter Date Balls

My McDonald Meal – Biscotti Regina

Each of the photos in this post are the property of the participating bloggers.

Eggnog Latte Cupcakes

December 8, 2011

My favorite holiday coffee drink becomes a dessert in this recipe for eggnog latte cupcakes!

What’s the first food or drink you think of when you hear the word culture?

For me, it’s coffee.

Coffee brings about memories of travel and some of my favorite places in this world. And it’s not just the coffee itself that I enjoy; it’s the culture that surrounds it. I love to smell it brewing in the morning, and sharing a cup over conversation with my husband or friends. I find it fascinating to watch it grow in the fields, and I feel fortunate to support those who grow it as they share a piece of their world with me in each cup.

So a few weeks ago when I was asked if I would like to review a very special coffee, I was given a great opportunity to offer my support.

Equal Exchange buys products directly from small-scale farmer cooperatives for Fair Trade prices. Then they pass these amazing things on to us in the form of chocolate, cocoa, tea and coffee. The Congo Coffee Project was created by Equal Exchange in partnership with Panzi Hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Congo Coffee is a blend of African coffee beans that was described to me as smooth and balanced. I have to agree. I took it to work with me this morning and enjoyed every sip. This is a coffee that is worth an online order.

This is coming from someone who still recruits friends and colleagues to bring me coffee from Brazil, and who stocks up on 100% Blue Mountain coffee any time my feet touch ground in Jamaica. Yes, I love quality coffee.

And now is a great time to place that order as Equal Exchange will donate $2.00 per bag sold through their retail web store to the Panzi Foundation. The Panzi Hospital offers treatment, counseling and aftercare programs for over 2,000 survivors of sexual violence each year.

So, go. Buy the coffee-lover in your life a bag for the holidays.

When I agreed to review the coffee, I knew that I couldn’t show you a simple cup of coffee and be done with it. Although, a simple cup alone is worth a photo and sip. No, I needed to figure out a way to get it into some of my baking.

My favorite holiday coffee drink turned cupcake? That will work.

These Eggnog Latte Cupcakes start with a rich chocolate, coffee-flavored cake that uses virgin coconut oil, mascavo (muscovado) sugar and white whole wheat flour. Feel free to substitute butter, brown sugar and your favorite flour, if you desire.

Although, I will say that these are made only slightly sweet on purpose. The eggnog frosting on top is the real deal and full of sugar. I wanted a less sweet cake to balance out the frosting so my final produce wouldn’t make your teeth hurt. The minimally refined sugar and strong brewed coffee did the trick.

Eggnog Latte Cupcakes

Makes: 8 cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes
3 ½ tbsp virgin coconut oil, soft, at room-temp
½ cup mascavo or muscovado sugar
2 large eggs
3 tbsp Congo Project Coffee, brewed strong and cooled
¼ cup cocoa powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ cup white whole wheat flour
1/8 tsp nutmeg
½ cup plain Greek yogurt

Eggnog Frosting
½ stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 ½ cups confectioners sugar
7 tbsp eggnog
1 tbsp coffee, ground extra fine

Prep

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with 8 cupcake liners.

In a bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the coconut oil and sugar. Mix for about 2 minutes, until almost smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the coffee.

In a separate bowl, stir together the cocoa powder, baking soda, flour and nutmeg. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the batter. Mix just until combined. Fold in the yogurt.

Divide the batter evenly among the 8 cups in the tin. Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

For the frosting, combine the butter and confectioner’s sugar in a mixing bowl and mix on medium and then medium-high until well combined. Slowly add the eggnog, 1 tablespoon at a time. Frost your cupcakes once cool and sprinkle each with a dusting of finely ground coffee.

Disclosure: This coffee was sent to me free of charge. I was not required to use it in some pretty rockin’ cupcakes or write about it, and I received no compensation for doing so.

Crunchy Peanut Butter Date Balls

November 30, 2011

A few weeks ago I put out a call out for bloggers interested in the 2nd Annual International Holiday Cookie Exchange. I’m excited to say that we had nearly 20 people respond and they are all now sharing recipes and baking away.

The idea behind the exchange is to share cookies or candies without the shipping; so we share recipes instead. Over the next couple weeks those participating will be posting about the recipes they received from a fellow blogger.

So now it’s my turn. There is no way I could help host such a fun event without participating myself!

My recipe comes from Melissa of My McDonald Meal. Melissa just happens to be a fellow Kentucky Food Blogger and friend. If you haven’t checked out her blog, definitely stop by. She creates delicious, real food recipes that are kid-friendly and approved by her beautiful daughters.

When Melissa sent me the recipe, she wrote:

I tend to stick with old time favorites when it comes to holiday cookies; not something you would likely see on my blog during the rest of the year… I’m going with a favorite of mine from my childhood. — Date Balls. Sounds kind of boring but I found a way to kick these up a notch!

I have to say, while I’ve heard of Date Balls, I had never made them. I’ve used dates in a few recipes, but they aren’t a staple for me. So, long story short, I had no idea what to expect.

Well, Melissa wasn’t kidding when she said she kicked these up a notch. Wow, they are so good! I’d be tempted to say that even if you are not a date fan, you will like these. The flavor of the nuts and peanut butter really come through and the cereal adds a great crunch.

I got a little creative with my dark chocolate; a different style depending on how much you like – a drizzle, half and half or a solid dip.

Crunchy Peanut Butter Date Balls

Recipe from My McDonald Meal

1 cup natural peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 cup finely chopped almonds

1 cup brown rice crispy cereal (you can use regular rice crispy cereal too)

1 cup finely chopped dates (pits removed)

1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

4 oz. dark chocolate

Mix peanut butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Add in almonds, cereal, dates, pour in butter and combine.

Scoop out rounded tablespoons of mixture to make balls and place on a wax paper coated cookie sheet. Place balls in freezer for about 10-15 mintues. Melt chocolate in a double boiler. When balls are ready, dip the top of them in the melted chocolate and let cool. Makes about 50-60 balls. (I made mine a bit larger and came out with about 30).

Stay tuned for the official round-up of the International Blogger Holiday Cookie Exchange the week of December 12! There will be lots of great ideas for your cookie tray.

Caribbean-style Pumpkin Soup

November 20, 2011

This creamy pumpkin soup uses scotch bonnet peppers for a subtle, pleasant heat.

Caribbean-style Pumpkin Soup | Fake Food Free

When we travel to Jamaica we always look forward to the pumpkin soup. Although the version I make at home uses a similar squash, I like the pumpkin soup of the Caribbean much better. It has taken me a long time to figure out what exactly makes the difference in the flavors.

First of all, there are the spices. Despite the fact I use pumpkin in all sorts of dishes, the temptation to put in a seasoning such as cinnamon or nutmeg is a force I can rarely overcome. After years of only eating pumpkin pie and bread it’s as if my brain says – there’s pumpkin, must add some variation of pumpkin pie spice – even when it’s a savory dish.

Second is the heat. I never added any type of hot peppers to my version, but I now believe that is what makes a pumpkin soup outstanding. It isn’t spicy; it’s just a mild, warming heat in the back of your throat after each bite. That’s accomplished with Scotch Bonnet peppers which I just happened to grow in our garden this year. They came on late, but I have a nice bag full in the freezer to pull from for occasions like this one.

On one of our recent trips I picked up the cookbook, Eat Caribbean by Virginia Burke. Inside is a recipe for Pumpkin Lobster Bisque. Now pumpkin I had, but lobster I did not, so I tried modifying the recipe hoping it would turn out like the pumpkin soups we’ve had while traveling.

It’s definitely the closest I’ve come and much better than my standard version of winter squash soup. In this case, I think it’s the closest I want to get. Sometimes you want to make sure that there is still plenty of reasons to travel for the real thing.

Caribbean-style Pumpkin Soup via @Lori_Rice

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Caribbean-style Pumpkin Soup

Adapted from Pumpkin Lobster Bisque from Eat Caribbean by Virginia Burke

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, chopped

4 cups mashed roasted pumpkin

3 tbsp of tomato sauce (or 2 plum tomatoes, peeled and chopped)

1 sprig fresh thyme

1 whole scotch bonnet pepper

1 ½ cup chicken or vegetable stock

1/3 cup cream or half and half

1 tsp fine ground sea salt, or to taste

1/4 tsp ground black pepper, or to taste

Croutons for garnish

Prep

In a small soup pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter and add the garlic and onion. Cook for about 3 minutes, reduce the heat if necessary to prevent burning the garlic. Add the pumpkin and tomato sauce. Next, add the thyme and scotch bonnet pepper.

Pour in the stock, stir and bring to a simmer. Simmer over low to medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stir occasionally. If you want more heat, gently pierce the scotch bonnet pepper as it cooks.

Remove the thyme sprig and pepper and discard. Remove the soup from the heat. Using an immersion blender, puree all the ingredients. Or you can transfer the soup to a blender, blend until smooth and return it to the pot.

Stir in the cream. Add salt and pepper to taste. Return to low heat if necessary to heat the soup through. Garnish with croutons, if desired.

______________________________________

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Cranberry Orange Quinoa Stuffing with Pecans in an Acorn Squash

November 11, 2011

The first smells of Thanksgiving drifted through our kitchen this week. I’m talking about that aroma of celery, onion and sage cooking on the stove; the very core of the standard stuffing.

From that point, stuffing can go just about any direction. This time mine headed straight towards cranberry, orange and quinoa and then took a right turn and hopped directly into an acorn squash.

I used the unseasoned croutons I made from leftover Pain de Mie Complet and instead of using all bread as I would with my usual stuffing; I substituted some of it with cooked quinoa. Pecans added a little crunch and I loaded mine with cranberries. You can adjust most of the ingredients to your liking and perhaps add some diced apple or apricots, use walnuts or change the flavors with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

I was a little unsure of what the result would be, but was pleasantly surprised. This could easily make the Thanksgiving table both for flavor and appearance, but we used it as a main course and training for the big day.

Cranberry Orange Quinoa Stuffing with Pecans in an Acorn Squash

1 small acorn squash
2 tbsp butter or olive oil
½ lg onion, diced
2 ribs celery, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Zest and juice of one orange
1 ¼ tsp poultry seasoning
¼ tsp dry mustard
¼ tsp celery salt
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 cup unseasoned croutons
½ cup cooked quinoa
1 – 1 ½ cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/3 cup chopped pecans
½ cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prep the squash by splitting it in half. Remove the seeds. Gently pierce the flesh with a fork. Drizzle and coat with olive oil. Place in a greased baking dish and sprinkle with a bit of salt. Set aside.

In a large skillet, melt the butter or heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes. Next, stir in the orange zest, poultry seasoning, dry mustard, celery salt, salt and pepper. Cook 1 minute.

Turn off the heat and add the croutons and quinoa. Stir in the orange juice and then add the stock one ½ cup at a time. The amount of stock you need will depend on the type of bread pieces you use. Mine were chopped fine so I used about 1 cup. You want the stuffing to absorb all the liquid, but be moist enough so that you can firmly stuff it into the squash. It should be able to hold its shape when pressed together.

Once the stock is added, stir in the pecans and cranberries. Evenly divide the stuffing and use a spoon to transfer and gently stuff the mixture into each half of the acorn squash.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork. Serves 2 as a main course and 4 as a side dish.

Need some more ideas for ways to stuff your acorn squash? Check out A Healthy Passion and Find Your Balance Health.

2nd Annual International Holiday Cookie Exchange

November 3, 2011

The International Blogger Holiday Cookie Exchange is back for 2011!

Last year Adrienne of Gastroanthropology and I created this event as a way to have a cookie exchange across international borders. Since it’s not always feasible to ship cookies, we trade recipes instead.

Adrienne has a lot going on this year that has taken her away from food blogging for a bit (including a new baby – congratulations!), so one of my favorite blogging buddies has stepped up to partner with us this year, Andrea of Food Embrace!

Without further delay, here’s how it works:

As a part of this recipe exchange you’ll be doing three things – sending a recipe to another blogger, making the recipe another blogger has sent to you, then posting about the recipe you made.
The recipe should be something you’d find on a holiday cookie plate, so anything from rugelach to alfajores to fudge squares to gingerbread men qualifies!

To participate email me at Lori (at) fakefoodfree (dot) com or Andrea (at) foodembrace (dot) com (or leave a comment with your email address below).

So here are the important dates:

Let us know you want to participate by next Thursday, November 10^th.

(We will email you soon after with whom you should send your recipe to and who you will be receiving one from.)

Send your recipe to the blogger randomly selected for you by Sunday, November 20^th.

Make, photograph and post about the recipe you received from a fellow blogger by Sunday, December 11^th.

The round up will be featured here at Fake Food Free and Food Embrace the week of December 12^th.

We hope you will join us!