February 11, 2019

Stovetop lasagna

February 11, 2019/ Rebecca Davis

Stovetop turkey lasagna | Me & The Moose. This one-pot meal is the fastest, easiest route to cheesy pasta that will comfort anyone in these cold, dark months. #meandthemoose #lasagna #stovetoplasagna #onepotmeals #easydinner #dinnerrecipes #dinn…

Listen, chatty Kathy, take me to the recipe

It’s so cold. And so dreary. And so dark. All I want to do is hibernate under a giant blanket and eat cheesy pasta. You?

But, I also feel really low energy. Like, I don’t have the wherewithal for a complicated, multi-step, multi-method recipe. So, I reconcile these incompatible ideas with stovetop lasagna. Cook the noodles in a jarred sauce, top with cheese, and serve. Seriously, so so easy and so so good.

A few notes:

I added turkey to this dish to increase the protein, but feel free to leave it out to make it vegetarian.

There’s pesto in the ingredients photo because adding some dollops of pesto in this dish is fab. But I bought a mass-market brand pesto that was, in a word, inedible. So, I wanted to add it to the photo, but we actually eat the food I photograph and I could NOT stomach this sauce. Use one you’ve had before and liked, one you’ve made, or skip it.

When you start the noodle cooking, make sure the noodles aren’t touching (see the photo above). They’ll start touching through the cooking process and you’ll stir to keep them from sticking together, but I’ve found that as long as you start off with the noodles not touching, they’re easy to separate later on.
It might seem like a lot of liquid, but the noodles soak up a lot of it and you still want the sauce to be saucy.

Stovetop lasagna

1 Tbsp olive oil or butter
1 small onion, minced
2-3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 lb ground turkey
3 cups tomato sauce (about a 32 oz jar of sauce)
2 cup stock (turkey, chicken, or vegetable), divided
13 regular or no-boil lasagna noodles (half of a box, uncooked, broken in half)
Mozzarella balls

In a large cast iron pan (with a lid) or Dutch oven, saute the onions on medium heat until translucent and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute, until fragrant.

Add the turkey and cook, breaking up any large chunks, until no pink remains, about 10 minutes.

Add the tomato sauce and broth and stir to combine. Turn the heat to high to start heating the sauce.

Break the uncooked noodles roughly into halves or thirds (don’t mind the noodle shrapnel that will ensue; just toss it all in the pot) and tuck them into the sauce, making sure they don’t touch each other. (You want them to be perpendicular to how you would normally layer the noodles in lasagna.)

Turn the heat to medium high and cover your pot and cook the lasagna for five minutes.

Turn the heat down to medium or medium low and stir the noodles around (it’s okay if they touch now), cover, and cook for another 5 minutes.

Uncover and stir the noodles and separate any that have begun to stick together. If the sauce looks like it’s cooking down too much, add more stock ¼ cup at a time.

Cook, uncovered, for 3-5 more minutes. Stir the noodles and sauce frequently to ensure that nothing is sticking or cooking too fast. Add more stock as needed. Cook until the noodles are al dente and just about done.

Add the cheese, cover, and cook for another 5 minutes until the cheese melts.

Yield: 6 large bowls

January 08, 2019

Romesco hummus

January 08, 2019/ Rebecca Davis

Romesco hummus is like roasted red pepper hummus, but make it glamour. There’s smoky paprika for some mystery and cayenne for a little kick and tomato for a little sweetness. It’s an all-around treat and game-changing snack.

Take me to the hummus!

It’s happening, people. The “new year, new anxiety” phase of January has begun.

Can we talk about having a second child? I have mixed thoughts about it. Sometimes it feels like a member of our family is missing. And both my husband and I have siblings and love it (both the idea of having a sibling and the actual people that our siblings are). AND being an aunt is one of my very favorite things. I don’t want M to miss out on any of that.

But it took so long for us to get pregnant with M, that I’ve been mentally preparing to have one child since he was born.

And the fact is, it took me a long time to feel like myself again both mentally and physically after having M and I’m scared to give that up. I wouldn’t necessarily claim that we’ve “hit our stride” as a family, but we’ve achieved a sort of equilibrium, so the idea of purposely throwing a HUGE wrench into the works with another baby is very scary.

I’m also scared about the change to M’s life. He’s actually cried a few times because he doesn’t have a sibling, but I know that his sadness is purely theoretical. When another little person actually takes up our time, he’ll be PISSED. I don’t want to ruin his life, you know?

But what about the joy a kid brings? And the funny family stories we’ll have in the future? And M will need someone to complain to about all of the mistakes we’ll inevitably make.

And here’s where the anxiety comes in: We are entering my 39th year of life, so my time to perseverate about having another child is swiftly coming to an end. UUUUUUUUGGGGGHHHHH.

What is your advice? Have any of you felt this way? How did you make the final decision? I NEED TO KNOW.

Anyhoo, I can’t think of a good segue, so HUMMUS.

Hummus was one of M’s favorite snacks until…it wasn’t. He actually told me one day that he was “done” with hummus and carrots. Rude.

So I combined plain hummus with the veggies and spices from Romesco sauce, had him measure the ingredients and press the food processor buttons, and HUZZAH he likes hummus again.

To anyone wondering why they should make hummus rather than buying it in the store, I say, it’s truly so easy that a small child can do it (and did). Unlike regular Romesco sauce, this hummus is nut-free, so you don’t have to toast or roast anything. You don’t even need to chop because, food processor.

A couple of notes:

There is a lot of smoked paprika in this recipe, so start with 1/2 tsp and add more to taste if you prefer milder flavors.
I use a brand of roasted red pepper that comes in a tall, thin jar, so the peppers are really big. If your peppers are smaller, use two.

Romesco hummus

Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 16 oz or about 2 cups

1 can chickpeas, drained
1 large roasted red pepper (or 2 smaller peppers)
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 large garlic cloves
1/2-1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp cayenne (or more if you want more of a kick)
3 Tbsp tahini
1-2 Tbsp sherry or red wine vinegar

Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth.

January 01, 2019

Sheet pan dinner: Mustard salmon with crispy lentils and green beans

January 01, 2019/ Rebecca Davis

This sheet pan dinner is as delicious as it is easy and the clean up is a snap. If any of your resolutions involve more cooking, this is one you should add to the list!

Take me to the recipe!

Happy new year, all! Thanks for reading and cooking along with me this year. I hope you’ll stick around for 2019 too!

Are you all making resolutions this year?

There’s much talk about whether or not resolutions are a good move. I’ve historically used my resolutions as a way to punish myself for everything I think is wrong with me. And that feels like a negative way to start the year, no?

So, instead of resolving to eat “healthier,” I’m going to just make delicious food that emphasizes both deliciousness and nourishment. Staaarting….now!

This sheet pan dinner is fast, easy, and requires minimal prep. You can also make it even simpler by using some store-prepped ingredients. I use pre-cooked lentils that are available at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and other grocery stores in the refrigerated aisle.

I also opt for haricots vert over of straight green beans because you don’t have to trim the ends. Haricot vert are just a thinner and smaller variety of green beans. They can be more expensive, but if time is the priority, it may be worth the extra $1 or $2.

A couple of notes:

If using frozen salmon, thaw it before cooking. If cooking from frozen, the fish releases a lot of water, which affects the final texture of the vegetables and lentils.
Make sure you separate the sauce into two different bowls to reserve some for after the fish has cooked. You don’t want to dip your spoon or brush into the whole batch of sauce once you’ve touched the raw fish.

Mustard salmon with crispy lentils and green beans

Time: About 25- 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

1.5-2 lbs salmon (about 4 medium fillets)
1 lb haricot vert or green beans (if using green beans, trim the edges)
1 cup cooked lentils
2 very large shallots (or 3-4 smaller ones), cut into 1/4 inch slices
2-3 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for the sheet pan underneath the salmon
2 large pinches kosher salt
Mustard sauce (recipe below)

Mustard sauce
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp grainy mustard
Zest of 1 medium lemon
1 Tbsp lemon juice (from ½ a lemon, reserve the leftover juice)
1 tsp coriander
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 425.

On a large rimmed sheet pan (about 13x18), mix together the green beans, sliced shallots, and cooked lentils. Toss with olive oil and salt and push to the sides of the pan.

Roast for about 7 minutes and remove from the oven.

While the veggies cook, make the mustard sauce. In a small bowl, mix together the sauce ingredient. I use a garlic press to really mince the garlic, but if cutting by hand, mince finely. Put half of the sauce into a separate bowl for later.

Once you remove the veggies from the oven, add some more olive oil to the center of the pan.

Place the salmon fillets skin-side down in the middle of the pan so that the skin is directly on the pan or foil.

Cover the flesh side of the fish fillets with about half of the mustard mixture and spread evenly. Reserve the rest of the mixture for later.

Roast the fish and veggies for 12-15 minutes, or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and reads 145 on a thermometer.

Serve immediately.

December 14, 2018

Cardamom and coffee blondies

December 14, 2018/ Rebecca Davis

Coffee and cardamom blondies | Me & The Moose. These bar cookies are spiced, sweet, and dense, require one bowl, and are great for a crowd. #meandthemoose #blondies #coffee #cardamom #batchbaking #Christmasbaking #uniquedesserts #easydessertrecipes

Bar cookies are so much easier to make when cooking for a crowd and these easy, one-bowl cardamom and coffee blondies will make your cookie box extra special while saving you a lot of time and energy.

Take me to the recipe!

Growing up, we made chocolate chip cookies a lot and there was always a cookie that wound up with, like, one chocolate chip…and I secretly preferred those. I know, right? BIZARRE. But I still have a soft spot for chocolate-less desserts.

I ALSO have a soft spot for anything with cardamom. We used to visit a chainlet of restaurants in NYC that served cardamom coffee and it felt like such a unique indulgence. The cardamom and the strong coffee paired perfectly with a bit of sugar.

Anyway, these blondies bring me right back to that little cafe with a mini M eating dosas and drinking that brew.

As I mentioned last week, bar cookies are SO MUCH EASIER when cooking for a crowd and these beauties couldn’t be easier. They only require one bowl and the butter gets partially melted at the beginning. These guys are ready in about 40 minutes start to finish (and that’s if you go slooooowly.)

A couple of notes:

I used decaf espresso because the last thing my energetic toddler needs is caffeine. OMG. If you don’t have those concerns, feel free to use regular espresso. If you don’t have an espresso maker, strong coffee will do in a pinch, but I recommend heading to your local coffee place and ordering a double shot of espresso to bring home for this recipe.
If you prefer a more cake-like texture and subtler flavor, add a second egg to the batter. You end up with a lighty spicy and sweet cake with an airier crumb. Using a single egg yields a denser, more brownie-like consistency and much stronger flavor. M loved both.

Cardamom and coffee blondies

12 Tbsp butter (1 1/2 sticks)
250 g (1 cup) light brown sugar, firmly packed and slightly domed
55 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
3 Tbsp brewed espresso (decaf or regular)
200 g (1½ cups) all-purpose flour
1½ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt
1 scant tsp ground cardamom (measure out a teaspoon and then knock some out to avoid any bitterness)

Preheat the oven to 350.

In a large mixing bowl, melt the butter halfway so that it has some shape left, but is beginning to pool on the bottom (this usually takes about 45 seconds- 1 minute on high in our microwave).

Add the sugars, vanilla extract, egg, and espresso and mix well.

Add the dry ingredients and mix until no streaks or lumps remain.

Pour into a 9x9 baking pan that has either been greased with more butter or lined with parchment allowing an overhang so you can get the blondies out more easily.

Bake for 20-24 minutes, until the blondies are set and springy in the middle.

Yield: 16 medium-sized pieces.

December 07, 2018

Cranberry bars

December 07, 2018/ Rebecca Davis

In under an hour, you can have a unique holiday dessert that’s equal parts festive, beautiful, and delicious using minimal dishes, steps, and ingredients.

Take me to the recipe!

I love a holiday cookie situation. But I HAAAATTEEEE how long it takes to actually bake the cookies. So this year, we’re only making bars that can be baked in one go and cut into pieces. You’re welcome.

One place where most bars fall short is in their appearance. I love a brownie or blondie, but they’re not the most attractive dessert. Instead, make these simple cranberry bars and you have a holiday showstopper without much fuss.

These bars have the same sweet/tart profile of a lemon bar, but in a more festive color. I’ve also simplified the recipe so that you can reuse the same kitchen tools for the crust and the filling. And unlike most cranberry curd or bar recipes, I recommend not straining the cranberries after they’re pureed. It doesn’t make enough difference to justify the extra time, effort, and dishes.

A couple of notes:

I like these bars to be tart, so I used the smallest amount of sugar possible. If you like things a little sweeter, don’t be afraid to increase the sugar up to 3/4 of a cup. But remember that you’re going to dust the tops with a mountain of powdered sugar, so there’s always a chance to add more later.
I listed a vast range in the cook time for the tart because it has cooked at wildly varying speeds for me. When I pour the filling directly into the hot shell, it cooked faster, but when my timing was off and I left the crust out to cool while I made the filling, it was a little slower. Also, when I used super fresh cranberries, there was more liquid in the filling and it took longer. Anyway, you get it. Check the tart at about 15 minutes knowing that there is a chance it will take much longer.

Cranberry bars

Time: About 50 minutes, plus time to decorate once the bars are cooled
Yield: 16 medium squares or slices

Shortbread base
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
10 Tbsp cold butter (1 stick + 2 Tbsp), cut into ½-inch cubes
1/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
Heaping ¼ tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350.

Butter the bottom and sides of a 9x9 tart pan or a 9x9 brownie pan. Set aside. (If using a brownie pan without a removable base, line the tin with parchment paper with a bit of extra paper overhanging on two sides so that you can remove the tart whole before decorating.)

Combine all of the shortbread ingredients in a food processor and pulse 15-20 times until the mixture looks like coarse sand.

Dump the mixture into your tart pan or brownie pan. Start by pressing the mixture into a medium-thin layer up the sides of the pan. Then press the remaining shortbread mixture into the bottom of the pan in an even layer.

Bake in the middle of the oven until blondish-brown, about 17-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prep your filling.

Filling
10 oz of fresh cranberries (a scant 3 cups or most of the bag you can buy fresh in the store)
Juice and zest of 1 large lemon (about 2 tsp zest and 2 Tbsp juice)
1/2 cup sugar + 2 Tbsp- 3/4 cup (I start with the smaller amount and taste the pureed berries and sugar BEFORE adding the eggs to see if I need more. If your berries are really fresh, they’ll be more tart and you may want to increase the sugar.)
3 Tbsp flour
3 large eggs

In a small saucepan, combine the cranberries, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Heat over a medium flame until bubbling and the cranberries can be squished with a spatula without any give, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Wipe out your food processor and puree the cranberries until smooth, about 30 seconds.

Add the sugar and flour and puree for another few seconds until combined and the mixture looks like liquid. TASTE YOUR PUREE HERE. If it’s too tart for your taste, add more sugar, but don’t forget that we’ll be adding powdered sugar to the top of the tart once it’s baked and cooled.

Add the eggs and puree again until combined, about 10 seconds.

Turn the oven temperature down to 300.

Remove the tart shell from the oven (if you haven’t already) and fill with the cranberry mixture. Depending on what base you use, you may have some filling left over.

Bake for 18-34 minutes, until there is no wobble left in the middle when the tart is jiggled and the filling feels firm, but springy when lightly touched.

Let cool completely before decorating.

Decoration

2 oz cranberries (whatever is left in the bag)
1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup powdered sugar

In a small sauce pan, combine 1/4 cup of water and 1/4 cup granulated sugar and heat over a low flame. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves, about 1 1/2 - 2 minutes. Don’t let the sugar water get too hot; you’re just trying to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat.

Add the cranberries and cover well with syrup. Remove from the syrup with a fork or slotted spoon and tap off the excess liquid. Roll the berries in the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and cover completely. Remove to a plate and let harden for 20-30 minutes.

When bars are cool, cover with powdered sugar. Add the cranberries in whatever pattern you like.

Elevated family food

Stovetop lasagna

Romesco hummus

Mustard salmon with crispy lentils and green beans

Cardamom and coffee blondies

Cranberry bars

Me & The Moose