Poco-Cocoa

My nephew, Andres, is one of the smartest kids I know. He can hold his own in conversation with any adult, and he is super-respectful and loving. When he was really little, he used to have that cute tiny-kid voice, and he would create funny words, like “tikka tikka,” which meant “give me a horsie ride!” You’d get on all fours, and he’d jump on your back and say, “tikka tikka!” And away you’d go.

One of the words he created that has stuck with us is jalapica. I think he must have been trying to say jalapeno at some point, but for him, it was jalapica. It makes sense, because something that’s very spicy is referred to as picante in Spanish. We’ve adopted this word in our everyday talk. “Does it have jalapica in it?” “Is it very pica?” Generally, Justin loves anything that’s pica, while I tend to shy away from it.

This dinner was definitely pica. I didn’t think the one lonely jalapeno I added could affect the spiciness that much, but it created a burn that made Justin love it. I loved the flavors, too, but by the end of the dish, I was frantically trying to cool off my tongue.

Of course I changed a few things…I used one jalapeno instead of the 2 serranos, and I used half a head of regular cabbage instead of Napa cabbage, which I couldn’t find at the store that day. I served it over brown Texmati rice. I think next time I might saute the tofu a bit first, or maybe add it to the broth a bit earlier so it can absorb more flavor. Otherwise, this was a yummy dish.

Thai-Style Tofu and Vegetables in Spicy Coconut Broth

• 1 cup thinly sliced shallots (about 4 large shallots)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 serrano chiles, with seeds, thinly sliced
• 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 1/2 cups Napa cabbage, cut into 1/2-inch wide strips
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and thinly sliced on the bias
• 1 cup sliced fresh shiitake or white mushroom caps
• 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
• 1 pound firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt or kosher salt
• 2 medium tomatoes, cored and cut into wedges
• 1 cup snow peas, strings removed, cut in half crosswise
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
• 1 scallion, green part cut into 1-inch lengths, white part thinly sliced
• 1 lime, cut into wedges, for serving

In a large saucepan over high heat, combine the shallots and oil and saute for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, add the chiles, ginger, garlic, and turmeric, and saute for 1 minute more. Add the cabbage, carrot, and mushrooms and saute for 2 more minutes, until the vegetables soften.

Pour in the coconut milk and 1 cup of water and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the tofu, soy sauce, and salt and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and snow peas and simmer for 3 more minutes. Add the basil and scallion and simmer for 1 minute more.

Serve over rice with lime wedges.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Fresh Food Fast by Peter Berley.

My sister Michelle sent me a cookbook out of the blue the other day. I was very excited to see Mollie Katzen’s Vegetable Heaven in the package, since it’s a book I’ve been wanting anyway. I love how creative the recipes are, yet they’re still simple enough to try on a weeknight.

This is the first recipe I’ve tried from the book, and of course I changed things up a bit. Mollie Katzen recommends wok-frying the broccoli florets and stems separately, creating a stir-fry instead of a brothy sauce. We love brothy, we don’t have a wok, and we usually use the pre-cut fresh broccoli florets, so that’s what we went for when making this recipe. It’s so simple and delicious…it will definitely be added to our regular-repeaters list.

Linguine with Broccoli, Cherry Tomatoes, and Feta

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups broccoli florets
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1 (14-ounce) can vegetable broth
• 1 (9-ounce) package fresh linguine
• 1 cup reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a large skillet, saute garlic in olive oil until just turning golden. Add broccoli, tomatoes, and broth, stirring to combine. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat until broccoli is tender and cherry tomatoes have started to burst.

Meanwhile, cook the linguine according to package directions. When it is al-dente, drain it and add it to the vegetables along with the feta cheese. Toss to combine, and season with salt and black pepper.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Adapted from Mollie Katzen’s Vegetable Heaven.

I decided to try a new cookie recipe today at the bed and breakfast. I found this recipe at the Bed & Breakfast Inns Online website, and it didn’t disappoint. The cookies are dense and soft, and the filling complements them perfectly. They’re such a treat…it’s not often I take the time to make a cookie that requires assembly. But today was such a perfect Sunday, a perfect sandwich cookie day.

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 to 6 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter, peanut butter and sugars. Add vanilla. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Mix flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Add to mixture in mixing bowl.

Shape into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten with tines of a fork. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes (do not overbake!). Remove from oven and leave on cookie sheet for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the cookies to continue absorbing the heat from the cookie sheet. They should be slightly brown on the bottom. Cool on wire racks.

In a mixing bowl combine and mix the filling ingredients until smooth. Spread on half of the cookies and top each with another cookie.

Makes 5 dozen.

Source: Donna’s Premier Lodging, Bed & Breakfast Inns Online.