the snack that bites back

I was reading the Sweet Amadine blog and she had a recipe for parsnip chips that sounded interesting.  Now, I have never had parsnips but I was willing to give it a try.

I did not have one of the spices she called for and I changed one out for another.  I actually sliced the chips a bit thin but these turned out yummy.  My Beloved is looking for snack foods occasionally and thisis a good one.  He keeps snacking on the bits that I did not take pictures of because they are not pretty.  And then breathes fire.  You may wish to calm the spices down.

Parsnip Chips

1 pound parsnip, peeled and sliced in 1/8 to 1/4 inch rounds

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon paparika

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon chipolte

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit.  Mix all the spices together.  Set aside.  Put the oil in a large bowl.  Add the parsnips and coat.  Add the spices and make sure everything is covered.  Lay out in a single layer on two cookie sheets.  Bake 10 to 20 minutes or until golden.  Watch these!!!!!  They brown fast.

Just slightly addictive.  You could change up the spices if you did not wish something that bit you.  Basil and garlic would be good expecially with a bit of parmesan.

wild mushroom and rice soup

My Beloved was not feeling hungry on Saturday evening.  I decided to make a simple meal.  He really likes mushrooms therefore I decided to tempt him with a mushroom soup.  I made this out of the freezer and pantyr and it turned out very well.  The rice I used was arborio which is used for risotto.  It made the broth thick so the soup had a heartier quality to it.  Not stew but a very thick soup.  I am not a very bit mushroom soup fan and I liked this.

Wild Mushroom and Rice Soup

1 quart homemade broth - I used beef that had a few bits of meat in it

1 quarter onion minced

4 cloves garlic minced

6 dried wild mushrooms, dice or mince

1/4 cup arborio rice

2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/2 teaspoon black pepper or to taste

In a medium pan, pour the oil and heat over medium high heat.  Add the onion and let brown.  Add in the mushrooms and let get coated with oil.  Add the rice and garlic.  Let the garlic brown a little bit and make sure all the rice is covered in oil and starting to turn translucent.  Add the broth.  Bring to a boil.  Turn down to a simmer and let cook for 30 minutes or until the rice is done.  Season with salt and pepper.  The amount you will need will depend on how the broth you use is seasoned.

I served this with toast and gluten free crackers.  It was quite lovely.

risotto balls

A couple years ago, I had balls of mushroom risotto fried into balls in a restaurant as an appetizer.  I really liked them.  I had only one problem with trying to make this recipe for the last couple of years, having enough leftover risotto.  This last batch, I started with three cups of rice and I did have leftovers.

We always like risotto reheated the next day or even cold.  This is just a away to liven that concept up a bit.  I used cheese as a filling but you would not have to.  My Beloved and I thought mushrooms, a mushroom brie, or imitation crab might be lovely.  Whatever you wish to fill them with you could.  It is very easy to make them too large so if you are using these as appetizers, work on starting with small bits all around.

Risotto Balls

leftover risotto

filling:  cheese, cooked mushrooms, cooked crab, anything you can imagine

Take a teaspoon to a tablespoon of risotto and flatten it out.  How much you start with will control the size of the balls.

Place your filling in the middle of the flattened risotto.

Add a bit more risotto over the filing and roll into a ball.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit or until golden.  I baked them with an apple crisp in the oven.  

I used an asedero cheese because that is what I had.  Lovely.  My Beloved said the cheese popped even more when the balls were warm instead of hot.  I just think they are tasty.

broiled peaches

It was an interesting day yesterday.  My family went grocery shopping without me there.  I was not even tracked down to answer any questions.  They just took the list and went.  Then, my Beloved planned dinner and cooked.  Not his normal cooking which is reheating and lovely because I am not having to make dinner, but actually cooking.  Steak salads were made.  I felt like I was being pampered.

One of the things they found at the grocery store was peaches.  Peaches that smelled like peaches and were ripe.  I decided that it was going to be dessert today.  I have read about grilled peaches forever but the warm winter means that the misquitoes swarm me and try to carry me off.  I am the one you wish to bring with you to a picnic!  I decided that I was going to try broiling them instead.  

I will do this again.  If the peaches are truly ripe, this is just lovely.

Broiled Peaches

1/2 to 1 peach person

1 to 2 teaspoons brown sugar

Wash your peach.  Cut in half and take out the pit.

I sliced the peaches and layed them out on a piece of aluminum foil that fits my toaster oven.

Sprinkle with the brown sugar.

Broil for 7 minutes.

Spoon into a bowl and enjoy.  You may wish to let cool a bit.

This is just a bit of sunshine and made me smile.

croquants

My Tall Short Person loves macaroons.  I actually have egg whites aging in the refrigerator to make them for her right now.  But my Beloved thought they were too sweet.  I have to agree with him, but I liked the idea of macaroons.  How light they were.  How crunchy.  I came acros a recipe for croquants on Sweet Amandine.  It is a recipe she adapted from Dorie Greenspan.  I thought it sounded interesting and maybe the best qualities of macaroons.  

The batch I made did not last the evening.  My Beloved liked the nuttiness of them.  My Tall Short Person liked that they were similar to macaroons.  I liked that they were not as sweet as macaroons but the flavor was very good.  The Smallest Short Person even stuck his tongue on one and did not make a scrunchy face.  He does scrunchy faces for most everything but momma.  These are a winner and they were really easy to make gluten free.

Croquants

3 1/2 ounces mixed hazelnuts and almonds, skins on

1 1/4 cup sugar

2 egg whites

1/2 cup sourgum flour 

1/4 cup almond flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahernheit.

Roughly chop the nuts, you want pieces.  Or process the nuts and sugar together in a food processor.  Again, the nuts need to be small pieces, not flour.  If you chopped the nuts separately, mix in the sugar.

Mix in the egg whites.  Mix in the flours.

Drop by espresso spoons on to cookie sheets that are covered in parchment paper or silpat.

You want room between because the cookies spread.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes.  I actaully rotated the cookie sheets from a top sheet to a bottom sheet at 4 minutes and baked another 4 minutes.

I had to threaten to get this picture.  Do not eat all the cookies before I take a picture.....  I need proof!

These I will make again.  They may end up in the Tall Short Person's Christmas cookie box.  She is already got a list!