Texas Beef Chili with Poblanos and Beer

by christen.grasso, October 29, 2011 | Permalink

Pumpkin Spice Skillet Granola

by christen.grasso, October 28, 2011 | Permalink

Perfect for a rainy Sunday, this skillet granola serves that comfort craving in 15 minutes flat. Use this recipe as a base for homemade granola throughout the year!

Pumpkin Spice Skillet Granola

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 cup halved raw cashews

3/4 cups dried cranberries

Serves 6-8

Preparing

Melt butter in a large skillet. Add the oats, cashews, cranberries and pumpkin pie spice to the skillet and cook for 13-15 minutes. Eat warm, or spread out on a pan and cool. Store in air tight container.

Add-Ins

Maple syrup, chopped hazelnuts, white chocolate chunks—the works!

Recipe adapted from Whole Foods Market-Fairfield’s Chef Michelle Ryan’s Skillet Granola.

5 Ingredient Dish: Turkey Chili with Kidney Beans

by christen.grasso, October 22, 2011 | Permalink

As the temperatures start to fall, cozy up to a bowl of chili. This recipe is a canvas for bolder flavors, but would be perfect for the kids at home who prefer not to handle the heat.

Turkey and Kidney Bean Chili

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey

1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes, plus more as needed

1 15 oz. can kidney beans, drained

1 tbsp chili powder, or to taste

1 onion, finely chopped

Serves 4

Preparing

Add the onion and a few tablespoons of crushed tomato to a pan on medium heat. Once the onions have softened, add in the turkey and cook until it just begins to brown, breaking up the pieces with a wooden spoon while cooking. Transfer the turkey and onions to a crock pot along with the chili powder and remaining crushed tomatoes. Cook on the “low” setting for 5-6 hours, adding in the kidney beans and additional crushed tomatoes (if needed) in the last hour.

Add-Ins

Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top of each portion and serve alongside a hunk of cornbread from our Bakery department. For more flavor, add paprika, red pepper flakes and freshly ground black pepper while cooking.

5 Ingredient Dish: Bratwurst and Beans

by christen.grasso, October 14, 2011 | Permalink

“Get in the Game” with this hearty dish! Bratwurst and beans are a winning match, so just add wild rice for some sophistication and serve while watching the game.

Bratwurst and Beans

Ingredients

4 3oz fully cooked bratwurst (I used The Original Brat Hans)

1 cup 365 Organic Wild Rice Medley

2 ¼ cups vegetable stock

½ 15 oz. can aduki beans, drained

3 garlic cloves, minced

Serves 4

Preparing

Add the minced garlic, rice and vegetable stock to a pan on medium high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cover with a lid for 30-35 minutes. Let the rice stand covered for 10 minutes. In the meantime, cook the bratwurst in a pan until they become hot and begin to brown. Once the rice is fully cooked, fold in the aduki beans, plate and serve with sliced or whole bratwurst.

Add-Ins

Add a splash or two of beer such as Samuel Smith’s Organically Produced Ale to the pan just before you’re about to remove the brat; this will deglaze your pan and create an additional layer of flavor.

5 Ingredient Dish: Nutty Apple ‘Chip’ Salad

by christen.grasso, October 7, 2011 | Permalink

Between apple picking and our LOCAL apple sales, you’re kitchen is probably host to a ton of those green-and-red fall favorites. Switch things up by making apples look like a family favorite– the potato chip! Our mini shoppers loved biting into this hearty salad.

Nutty Apple ‘Chip’ Salad

Ingredients

11 oz spinach

1 apple, such as Fuji or Gala

1/3 cup cooked cracked freekeh, kamut or other hearty grain

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Squeeze of lemon, to taste

Preparing  

Slice a washed apple in two and discard the pits and stem. Hold one half of the apple in your hand so that the skin is facing directly away from you and the flesh is facing you. Using a mandolin with a waffle-cut blade in place, move the apple across the blade to create potato chip-like slices. In a serving bowl, toss the spinach, apple slices, freekeh, walnuts and lemon juice.

Add-Ins

Whisk together plain Greek yogurt, lemon juice, honey and poppy seeds for a creamy, protein-filled dressing.

Apple Cobbler Focaccia

by christen.grasso, September 25, 2011 | Permalink

Up by popular demand is the recipe for Apple Cobbler Focaccia, featured in today’s in-store Pie Smackdown! Shaun– our store’s Bakery Buyer and Pastry Chef Extraordinaire– whipped this up in Darien’s Bakery kitchen, but it’s easy enough for anyone to put together at home for a fun treat!

Apple Cobbler Focaccia

Ingredients

1/2 sheet par-baked focaccia

6 Granny Smith Apples, or other baking apples

12 oz. apple sauce

2 cups Streusel Topping:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/3 cup butter

1 8 oz. container caramel sauce

Preparing

Peel, core and slice apples. Saute in a pan with a pinch of sugar and cinnamon until al dente. Add apple sauce to satueed apples and spread on focaccia. For the Streusel Topping, mix all of the ingredients together until a crumbly texture has been achieved. Sprinkle on top of the focaccia. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until the top has browned. Heat caramel sauce in a microwave until warm and drizzle on top of the finished focaccia. Slice and serve immediately.

Par-baked focaccia is a holiday season staple (heat and top with rosemary, sea salt and extra virgin olive oil for a 5 minute appetizer!) and can be purchased in our store’s Bakery Department.

5 Ingredient Dish: Penne with Peas and Vodka Sauce

by christen.grasso, September 23, 2011 | Permalink

Vodka sauce turns a bowl of plain penne into instant comfort food (as if pasta weren’t comforting enough…). Brighten with peas and fresh basil to “wow” dinner guests in minutes!

Penne with Peas and Vodka Sauce

Ingredients

8 oz dry penne rigate

½ cup peas

1 cup vodka sauce, plus more for cooking (I used Cucina Antica’s sauce)

Red chili flakes, for finishing

Fresh basil, torn for finishing

Serves 4 as an appetizer.

Preparing

Cook the pasta according to the directions on your package. In the meantime, add a few tablespoons of vodka sauce to a pan on medium-low heat and add in the peas. Once the pasta has cooked, add the pasta and a few teaspoons of the starchy pasta water to the pan. Combine with the remaining vodka sauce and serve once hot. Finish each plate off with fresh basil and red chili flakes.

Add-Ins

Dice and cook ¼ pound of pancetta in a pan before adding in the sauce and peas to make this dish even more savory.

5 Ingredient Dish: Coconut French Toast

by christen.grasso, September 16, 2011 | Permalink

Who doesn’t love breakfast for dinner…especially in the form of french toast? Add some coconut for a sophisticated twist and you’ve got a sweet treat that can be ready in minutes.

Coconut French Toast

Ingredients

8 1-inch slices of challah bread or brioche

4 eggs

¼ cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons Earth Balance Coconut Spread, plus extra for finishing

Coconut flakes, for finishing  

Serves 4

Preparing

Whisk the sugar and eggs together in a large bowl. Dip each slice of brioche in the egg mixture until all of the eggs have been absorbed. Add 1/2 tablespoon coconut spread to a pan on medium-low heat and place two slices of bread in the pan for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until the egg is fully cooked. Continue this method working in batches of two until all of the French toast has been made. Top each slice with additional coconut spread and a sprinkling of coconut flakes. Serve immediately.

Add-Ins

Whisk a pinch each of cinnamon and nutmeg into the egg for added spice and top with sliced strawberries.