Moo-less Chocolate Pie

'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through my head, recipes were stirring, filling me with dread. We were hosting the festivities on Christmas Day, and I wanted to make two desserts. I'd already decided on an apple pie, thanks in part to my husband bringing home a huge box of apples, each one the size of a small child's head. Scrambling for another recipe, I racked my brain for something easy that wouldn't need much (or any) time in the oven, since we were already planning on roasting some vegetables that morning.

Randomly I cruised around the Food Network website, thinking maybe something chocolate would pop up. And there it was: Alton Brown's "Moo-less Chocolate Pie." I scanned it - quick, no-bake, and no trips to the grocery store needed. Bingo!

I used a block of tofu I had stashed in the fridge (soft, not silken, but close enough) and a bag of chocolate chips purchased in last week's cookie-baking frenzy. The recipe calls for coffee liqueur, which I didn't have, so I used an equivalent amount of coffee. Since my pie plate was already occupied, I made a quick graham cracker crumb crust in my tart pan. Two hours later, and with the addition of a little whipped cream, I had a rich, decadent, relatively healthy dessert that walloped you with chocolate. Easy as pie, indeed!

Moo-less Chocolate Pie

(Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown at foodtv.com)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet)
• 1/3 cup coffee liqueur (I'm assuming Kahlua would be great)
• 1 block silken tofu
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 prepared chocolate wafer crust (though any pie crust would be delicious)

Directions:

1. Place a small metal bowl over a saucepan with simmering water. Melt the chocolate chips and coffee liqueur in the bowl. Stir in vanilla.
2. Combine the tofu, chocolate mixture and honey in the jar of a blender. Liquefy until smooth.
3. Pour the filling into the crust and refrigerate for two hours, or until the filling is set.

(Note: I tried making this in my blender. Maybe my motor isn't strong enough, but it didn't mix well. I poured it out of the blender and into my food processor - much better! You want this really smooth so you don't see the white of the tofu, with a uniform, creamy texture.)

Carrot Raisin Salad, All Grown Up

My friend hates mayonnaise. No biggie. But in June, she emailed me asking for help. She needed a recipe for a summer salad to bring to a teacher appreciation luncheon for her son's school. She didn't want to do a green salad, but couldn't think of anything else. "Hmm," I thought to myself, "Potato salad ... out. Macaroni salad ... no go. Waldorf salad ... nope." And for whatever reason, I literally couldn't think of one side salad dish that didn't have any white and creamy components. I felt like a failure!

The one recipe that didn't come to mind was this one, a different spin on one of my childhood favorites, carrot and raisin salad. The one my Mom used to make was simply shredded carrots and raisins in a little mayonnaise. I loved it then and still do. But if you have mayo haters in your life, or are bringing something to a potluck (and want to avoid food poisoning fears of leaving a mayo-based salad out too long) this one is for you. The mint and lemon dress up this old favorite, and the raisins add just enough sweetness and balance. Tie it together with olive oil and a shake of salt and pepper, and you're good to go. (Better late than never, right Sena?)

Carrot, Mint and Golden Raisin Salad

(from Martha Stewart's Living Cookbook)

Ingredients:

• 1 pound large carrots
• 3 tablespoons golden raisins (I used some mixed variety raisins from the farmer's market, and probably used more than than what Martha calls for)
• 2/3 cup fresh mint leaves, cut into 1/4 inch strips (I used less mint, probably a 1/2 cup)
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Grate the carrots on the large holes of a box grater or with a food processor using the grater blade. In a medium bowl, combine the grated carrots with the golden raisins, mint, lemon juice, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine well. Serve.

Avgolemono

It's that most wonderful time of the year -- Soup Season! When it gets cold, nothing is better than a giant bowl of soup. Avgolemono (coming from the Greek, "avgo" means egg, and "lemono", well, you can probably guess that one!) is a quick, easy chicken soup spiked with lemon, thickened with egg, colored with spinach, and chock full of bright, cheery flavors!

If you are looking for more recipes to use up chicken carcasses, here is one of the best. I'm sure a turkey carcass would work just as well. Use two breasts with bones if you don't have a carcass handy. The starch component offers a little leeway: I like orzo best, but you can try rice (be sure to add the rice about 20 minutes before the spinach and other ingredients so it has time to cook through) or another small pasta or grain.

Avgolemono

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken carcass, or 2 chicken breasts with bones and skin included
• 1 10-ounce box of frozen chopped spinach
• 3/4 cup orzo
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Put the chicken carcass in a large pot with enough water to cover. Boil until chicken is cooked through and falling off the bone. Remove carcass to a large bowl to cool. Strain broth and return to pot.
2. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove from bones and chop into small pieces. You should have 2 - 3 cups of chicken.
3. Return broth to the stove and heat on medium. Add the box of spinach (it's fine it it's still frozen, just drop that green block in there!) to the broth, along with the bay leaves and the chicken. Now look at the consistency of your soup. Do you like it really brothy? Add more water. Do you like your soup thicker? Now is the time to raise the heat and reduce your broth.
4. When you have your preferred consistency, add the orzo to the soup. Cook on medium heat for about 8 minutes.
5. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs with the lemon juice. Slowly add a ladle-full of your broth to the eggs, to temper them, so they don't seize up when you introduce them to the soup. When the eggs have been warmed by the broth, turn the heat off the stove. Slowly stir the egg and lemon mixture into the soup. Keep stirring to make sure you don't get any eggy clumps. Season with salt and pepper.

I like this soup with a big salad and some bread. Enjoy!

Indian Comfort Food: Lamb Kofta Curry

For Middle America, it's Meat and Potatoes. For Asians, it's Meat and Rice! Any way you slice it, protein and carbs go together to comfort and satisfy. This dish is one I've made several times now, and I think I like it more and more each time we have it! It's rich and spicy but not hot, and the ginger adds a bright and cheery note to a dish that could conceivably seem heavy. It's like the Indian version of Spaghetti and Meatballs!

That said, I've never made it exactly according to the recipe. The recipe (as the name implies) calls for ground lamb, and instead, I've used ground turkey, ground beef, and a combination of the two. Ground lamb is not something I see often in my grocery store, and when I do, it's usually a dollar more expensive than the beef. (Remember, folks, Frugal is the name of the blog!) Also, the recipe calls for a "fresh green chilli [sic - maybe an Indianized Britishism?], roughly chopped" and I've never added one, mostly because I'm afraid it would add more heat than my preschooler would eat (and she does like these), but also because I'm not sure what kind of chile I'd use. I'd probably play it safe and use a jalapeno, if you wanted to add it in at your house.

I serve this with Basmati rice with plenty of cilantro (what the book calls coriander) mixed in.

Lamb Kofta Curry

(Recipe courtesy of Best-Ever Curry Cookbook, by Mridula Baljekar)

Ingredients:

For the Kofta (aka Meatballs)

• 1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
• 1 fresh green chilli, roughly chopped
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1-inch piece of fresh root ginger, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

For the Sauce:

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1-inch piece of fresh root ginger, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 can (14 oz.) chopped tomatoes
• fresh coriander (cilantro) to garnish

Directions:

1.) To make the meatballs, put the lamb, chilli, garlic, ginger, garam masala, salt and cilantro into a food processor and process until the mixture binds together.

2.) Shape the mixture into 16 balls, using your hands. Cover with clear film (plastic wrap) and chill for 10 minutes.

3.) To make the sauce, heat the oil and fry the cumin seeds until they splutter. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and fry for 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining sauce ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes.

4.) Add the meatballs. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked though. Garnish with sprigs of fresh cilantro and serve with basmati rice.

Easy Mexican Vegetables

I pretty much guarantee you can make this, tonight, for under $5. This dish is so easy it's nearly criminal, and can be the jumping-off point for many other recipes.

I made this dish, sort of a South-of-the-Border Succotash, last night to go with some soft tacos. Not only does it look beautiful, it's incredibly healthy and a great way to get your anti-veggie kids to eat up.

As far as what to do with the leftovers (since it does make a big batch, and would serve 6 as a side dish), I sandwiched a big scoop of it, right out of the Tupperware container in the fridge, between two corn tortillas, with some goat cheese. That was my lunch today and it was delicious!

The succotash is also a tasty filling for omelets or breakfast burritos (just add scrambled eggs and cheese). For dinner, boil a chicken carcass, take the meat off the bones, and add the rest of the succotash and a can of chopped tomatoes for a Mexican chicken soup. It really doesn't get easier, healthier, or tastier than this.

Easy Mexican Vegetables

Ingredients:

• 2 bell peppers, red, yellow, or orange, sliced thin
• 2 zucchini or summer squash (I used one yellow and one green), cut in half lengthwise and then sliced into very thin slices
• 1 large onion, sliced thin
• 2 ears of corn, kernels cut from the cob
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon butter
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.) Prepare all your veggies - slice everything thinly, but remember, the thinner your veggies the faster they cook, so timing is everything.

2.) Heat the butter over medium heat in a very large skillet. Add the onions first and salt them, then the corn, and then, a minute or two later, the squash and the peppers. Season with the pepper and oregano, and keep everything moving in the pan so nothing sticks.

3.) Cook for two or three minutes, then add the cilantro and stir, just to heat through. You don't want your veggies mushy, so take them off the heat while they're still firm but tender. Taste again for salt and serve.

Mocha Brownie Torte

Mocha brownie torte: the Holy Grail of desserts for my family when we were growing up. This appeared at least once a year with candles in it, as someone chose it for a birthday cake. Don't let its simplicity fool you - this stuff rules.

You can, of course, omit the nuts if you have an allergic family member, but I really recommend you leave them in - the walnuts add crunch amidst the dense and chewy brownie. And the frosting? Heck, I'd happily mix up a batch right now to eat with a spoon. I dare say I like the frosting more than ice cream. Yes, it's that good!

Mocha Brownie Torte

(recipe is courtesy of my Mom's battered and splattered 1970's Betty Crocker Cookbook)

Ingredients:

• 1 package (15 oz.) fudge brownie mix
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (pecans would be nice too)
• 1 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon powdered instant coffee or espresso
• Shaved chocolate for garnish

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix brownie mix, water and eggs. Stir in the nuts. Grease and flour 2 8-inch cake pans. Divide the brownie mix evenly in the pans.

2.) Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and let them cool completely on a baking rack.

3.) Chill a big metal bowl and your beaters in the freezer for a while. Pour the whipping cream into the cold bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Gradually add the brown sugar and powdered coffee. Continue beating until stiff peaks form.

4.) Put one cake down on a serving tray, flattest side down. Top with one cup of the whipped cream frosting. Put the other cake on top of the frosting, so the flattest side is up, and use the rest of the frosting to cover the top and sides of the torte. Grate or shave some dark chocolate over the torte and chill for at least an hour before serving.

Soba Noodles with Salmon and Miso

I love fish. It's my favorite protein, and I am always looking for new ways to cook it. I found this recipe in another maddeningly-generically-titled cookbook, "Homestyle Asian." Aside from the salmon itself, all the other ingredients are cheap and will keep for a while, so you don't have to rush to use them before they spoil. Miso paste can live in your fridge for a decent amount of time, and can be used to make soups or add umami flavor to everything from pan sauces and gravies to salad dressings. Soba noodles are another fun thing to keep in your pantry. It's a dried pasta, so, like spaghetti, it will be fine on your shelf until you're ready to use it again. I love its chewy texture and nutty flavor.

The recipe in my cookbook served six, so my version has been pared down to serve two (plus a toddler, if you have one that likes fish and noodles, like I do!) Also, the original recipe called for 1 cup of bean sprouts, which I didn't have, so I substituted 4 heads of baby bok choi (that I picked up at the farmer's market for a dollar.) This recipe was delicious and elegant, with subtle flavors and a clean finish. Definitely a keeper.

Soba Noodles with Salmon and Miso

Ingredients:

• approximately 2 oz. of dried soba noodles (mine came conveniently packaged in five single-serving bundles - gotta love Japanese ingenuity!)
• 1 heaping teaspoon miso paste
• 1 ounce honey
• 4 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
• 1 pound salmon filet
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 4 heads of baby bok choi, cut into individual leaves
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Cook the soba noodles according to the package directions. Drain, add back to the pot you cooked them in, and toss with a teaspoon of the sesame oil, just so they won't stick together. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350*F.  Whisk together the miso, honey, one teaspoon sesame oil, and one teaspoon water to form a paste. Brush over the salmon , then sear on a hot grill or frying pan for 30 seconds on each side. Brush the salmon with the remaining paste and place on a baking tray. Bake for 6 minutes, then cover and leave to rest in a warm place.
3. Heat one teaspoon of sesame oil in a wok or frying pan. Add the garlic, ginger, carrot, green onion and bok choi and stir-fry for 1 minute -- the vegetables should not brown, but remain crisp and bright. Add the noodles, rice vinegar, soy sauce and one teaspoon sesame oil and stir-fry quickly to heat through.
4. Divide the noodles among two plates, top with half the salmon and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.