Archive for January, 2012

Jan 30

Blood Orange Curd and Buttermilk Scones

2012 © copyright Savory Simple, all rights reserved

My friends and I had a tea party today! Not to be confused with anything political, this was just a good old-fashioned girl gathering with tea, coffee, finger sandwiches and dessert. I brought blood orange curd and buttermilk scones. I also made these cucumber tea sandwiches, which were a hit.

Blood orange curd is no different than lemon curd, if you’ve ever had it. You can make curd with any citrus fruit. It’s a rich, tangy custard that goes well in tarts or spread thick on fresh scones. If you’re feeling especially decadent it’s also heavenly by itself. Blood oranges are typically available in winter months, and sometimes you can find the juice bottled at the grocery store near regular orange juice. The recipe yields 5 cups, which is clearly a lot of curd and more than you’ll need to serve with the scones. You can certainly cut the recipe in half, but I think it makes a great gift! Buy some decorative canning jars and add cute labels. I gave everyone at the party a small jar of blood orange curd. Homemade gifts are always a special touch.

With regards to the scones, I only made a few changes to the original recipe. Most notably, I cut down on the sprinkled sugar since I knew I’d be serving them with sweet curd. If you’re making these scones as a stand-alone recipe, I recommend increasing the sugar to 4 tablespoons.

Jan 22

52 Comments

Super Foods Power Smoothie

This is my daily breakfast. It’s very filling and so healthy. I like this smoothie so much that I used it to kick my morning caffeine habit. I used to look forward to coffee. Now I crave my smoothie.

May I talk about flax seed for a moment? One of the most common nutrition complaints I hear from people is that they don’t get enough fiber in their diet. Indeed, it can be quite difficult to get the recommended 20-35 grams per day, especially if you don’t eat a lot of fruits and veggies. 1 1/2 tablespoons of flax seed has 4 grams of fiber! That’s the same as eating a cup of brussels sprouts. In addition to containing fiber, flax seed has omega-3 essential fatty acids and lignans, which have antioxidant properties. There’s evidence that flax seed may help reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Adding flax seeds to a smoothie is a perfect way to incorporate natural, healthy fiber into your diet. I recently discovered roasted flaxand prefer the flavor and texture over standard flax seed. But either will work fine.

This recipe is totally customizable. I like using almond milk and butter because almonds are another super food. But feel free to swap out the almond milk for soy or coconut (coconut milk tastes amazing with the other ingredients and is a healthy fat). Use any nut butter you prefer. You can also add more nut butter for decadence. I know a lot of people are squeamish about green smoothies, but I promise you won’t notice the kale. It’s so good for you and this is any easy way to fill your tummy and add nutrition. I freeze individual servings of banana and kale so I simply drop them into the blender. The kale chops up better when frozen. Read more

Jan 18

46 Comments

Potato Croquettes with Chorizo, Manchego and Pine Nuts

I absolutely love croquettes. When I see them on a restaurant menu I simply must order them. Yet it occurred to me recently that I’ve never made them! This recipe gave me a great excuse to play with my new deep fryer again.

When I put this recipe together, I was focused on creating a perfect balance of flavor in each bite. This took quite a bit of experimentation and several test rounds. I wanted them to be extremely flavorful, with bits of sweetness, spice and crunch. The balance of chorizo, Manchego, pine nuts, and slightly caramelized onions achieved my goal. The chorizo is spicy and meaty, and the toasted pine nuts add just the right amount of crunch. The cheese is gooey and adds a bit of extra savoriness, or umami. The onions add just enough sweetness (if you caramelize them too much they add bitterness). Every bite really is perfect.

You don’t need a deep fryer to make these. You can heat a neutral flavored, high smoke point oil (vegetable, canola, peanut, etc) in a large sauce pot or dutch oven. I recommend using a thermometer to make sure you’re around 360 degrees. If the oil is too hot, the outside will brown before the inside is properly cooked. If the temperature isn’t hot enough the croquettes might absorb oil and become greasy. You can try baking them but I can’t promise you’ll have the same results. The outside won’t be as crunchy.

Lastly, you can substitute regular milk or cream for the evaporated milk. I like using it because it has a subtle tang, almost like yogurt. It adds another dimension of flavor.

Jan 8

62 Comments

Basil Apple Lime Juice

I don’t know about you, but I’m still feeling really stuffed from the holidays. Getting back into my work and exercise routine has been slow moving, to say the least. At times it has been downright painful. Since returning home I’ve been watching my processed sugar and gluten intake to try and detox from all of the heavy food I consumed for 11 days straight. I’ve also dusted off my juicer. A glass of fresh juice can do wonders when I’m feeling rough around the edges.

This basil apple lime juice is very refreshing and full of health benefits. Basil contains antioxidants, can improve digestion and aid in stress relief. Lime juice is a great source of Vitamin C. Apples are believed to have cancer fighting properties. I feel almost like new after enjoying a glass!

Almost.

Jan 2

138 Comments

Tubac Olive Oil and Balsamic Gift Set Giveaway

Happy New Years! I hope you all had fun ringing in 2012. Last year was very special year for me and I was a bit sad to see it end, though I’m incredibly excited to see what new adventures lie ahead. In 2011 I got married, moved forward with my culinary career and took some very memorable vacations.

Today we leave Arizona and return to the East Coast. I had a wonderful time visiting with friends and family, seeing sights and enjoying local cuisine. We took a few day trips over the past week and one of the most memorable for me was Tubac, a small town close to the Mexican border.