Check Out Quinoa: Quinoa with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

We had a great weekend hosting our cousins who were in town for a post-holiday visit. These newlyweds were unable to make it for Christmas, as the snowy roads weren’t safe for them to drive here. But they had a whirlwind weekend trying to stop by and visit with every family member who was available. We were lucky enough to have them overnight, which meant we went out for a great Creole dinner on Saturday (followed by some live Irish music at a nearby pub), and had a homemade brunch on Sunday morning.

My sister and her family joined us for brunch and I made one of our cousins’ favorites, and my mom provided some pumpkin bread for us to serve them. While the men tinkered outside with an unfortunate flat tire, the women sipped mimosas inside and looked after the kids. (My nephew is always entertained at his “Auntie” and “Unc”’s house with our one and only "toy", the “Big Red Ball”.)

Prior to our guests arriving on Saturday, I spent the day stocking up on the necessary groceries. While in the checkout line at Trader Joe’s (home of ever-friendly employees), my cashier commented on the quinoa I was buying like it was being discontinued in bulk. She mentioned that she liked quinoa but didn’t know what to do with it. I started rattling off several recipe ideas, and as her eyes widened, I tore off some paper from my grocery list, and scribbled down the URL for my blog. This is one of the recipes I mentioned to her, and while I made it a week ago, in the event that she is joining us here online looking for ways to use her quinoa, I must deliver!

I love tomatoes (in any form) and quinoa. I recently did a search for some ideas of how to incorporate sun-dried tomatoes, and found a recipe which I then slightly adapted. This is delicious, and also has a spicy kick! (You could avoid the spice by substituting the Jalapeño with a green bell pepper, and omitting the cayenne.)

Quinoa with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
(Adapted from Lisa's Kitchen)
Ingredients
1 cup of quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 cups low sodium vegetable stock
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 large Jalapeño pepper, chopped
1 cup of corn
½ teaspoon of ground cumin
½ teaspoon of ground coriander
½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon of kosher salt
¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons of grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Directions
Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. When hot, add the shallots and garlic and sauté for a few minutes. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and Jalapeño to the pot, and stir cook for 4-5 minutes.

Add spices, corn, quinoa, and vegetable sock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed.

Add parsley and Parmigiano Reggiano, stir, and serve.

Room Service: Kate's 'W' Spiced Nuts

Last year we celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary with our first trip to San Francisco. We were guests at the W Hotel, which was a short walk from both the Ferry Building (food market) and Union Square (clothing stores). Yes, my husband planned that one perfectly for me. As soon as we arrive in town we ditched our bags at the hotel and headed straight to Alcatraz. It was a bright and sunny day, and we had clear views of the bridges and the city from Alcatraz. The tour is a self-paced audio tour, which we found to be quite interesting. If you have never been there, I definitely recommend going – especially on a nice day!


We returned to the hotel for a quick change before heading to dinner at Isa, when there was a knock on our door. Room service had brought by a bottle of champagne, a cheese tray, and a card wishing us a happy anniversary! The champagne and cheeses were delicious, but what was particularly delectable were the spiced nuts on the cheese tray. They were sweet with a great spicy kick. The only problem was that there weren’t enough! The next night we found our way to the hotel bar where we were able to order a bowl of them to snack on.


A few weeks after we returned home I set forth to make a similar cocktail nut. They turned out really well and were easy to make. We returned to the W in San Francisco last summer and stopped by the bar just to order the spiced nuts. We were actually disappointed when we tasted them, because as my husband put it, “yours are better than this!”.

I made my spiced nuts for my niece’s birthday party. This recipe makes a large batch, so if you're having a gathering they’ll feed your crowd. If you’re just making them to snack on yourself, be warned because they’re a bit addictive!

Kate’s 'W' Spiced Nuts
Ingredients
12-16 oz. Roasted Almonds
12-16 oz. Roasted & Salted Cashews
12-16 oz. Pecan Halves
12-16 oz. Macadamia Nuts
2 egg whites
½ cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 250°F. Spray a baking sheet, liberally, with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk egg whites. Stir in sugar, cayenne pepper, and salt. Add nuts and toss until nuts are coated with egg white mixture.

Arrange nuts in a flat layer on baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes, until nuts are golden but not burnt. Allow nuts to cool on baking sheet for 45 minutes, and then use a metal spatula to remove nuts from baking sheet. Break into bite-sized pieces and serve.

Ambitious or Insane: Seasoned Goldfish Crackers

I never thought I would be sharing a recipe for Goldfish Crackers. In fact, I can’t recall the last time I had one prior to making this. This recipe is a fun way to make a common cracker a little fancier, and yes, there is a reason why I did it myself!

In early December, my niece turned one-year old. My sister planned a “Brown Bear” themed birthday party for her, based on the popular children’s picture book. Per usual, I was assigned to bring the hors d'oeuvres to the party. One week ago my sister and I shared the backseat of her car, as our husbands sat up front and drove us on a mini-road trip to attend our cousin’s wedding. With cooking magazines piled on our laps, I asked for her input on what I should make for the birthday party. Understanding how busy and chaotic my job has been lately, she advised me to do whatever would be easy (as long as I brought my layered taco dip). We continued talking and looking at recipes, and an idea was born! I grabbed a scratch piece of paper, found a pen in the glove box, and we started formulating a menu. We decided that in keeping with the party theme, I could make one appetizer for each corresponding color used in the story.


The list came together easier than we thought it would. There were some items my sister recommended I just buy from the store, to make my life easier (which I, of course, didn't do). One of her suggestions was to just put out a bowl of plain Goldfish Crackers.


Once we returned home from the wedding, I had five days to plan, shop, and prepare all of the hors d'oeuvres. I did whatever I could ahead of time, and got started early on Saturday morning. I was excited about this creative approach, and felt ambitious to be trying so many new recipes (only one was a personal repeat). I was about three-quarters of the way done when I started running out of time. I realized that I was leaning more towards insane than ambitious. With the clock ticking, it was like my own Iron Chef episode, however the version where the chef is also trying to do laundry and get dressed for a party.

When my last item came out of the oven, we dashed over to my sister’s house and arrived on time (although not early like she had asked). The guests were waiting and they were hungry. (Only one person asked where my layered taco dip was, and I suspect that he may have been prompted to do so!) The hors d'oeuvres were inhaled, and I was ready for a nap! (This recipe makes a ton!)

Seasoned Goldfish Crackers
Ingredients
18 ounces cheddar cheese goldfish crackers
1 ounce powdered ranch dressing mix
3 teaspoons dill weed
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2/3 cup olive oil

Directions
Place crackers in a large bowl. Combine the remaining ingredients. Drizzle over crackers and toss to coat evenly. Transfer to a large baking pan. Bake at 250°F for about 15 - 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Best Chili Ever: Quinoa Chili

Are you sick of quinoa yet? Because I am certainly not! I keep trying out new recipes of this wonder-grain, and I can’t seem to get enough of it. Just the other week my friend, Beth, forwarded me a recipe for Quinoa Chili. I was rather anxious to try it, because I’ve eaten at Beth’s place before, and I know that she is an excellent cook. At a mid-summer dinner that she and her husband hosted me and my husband for, she prepared our entire scrumptious meal from scratch, including the corn tortillas!

The Quinoa Chili goes together easily, and it is delicious! This is the best vegetarian version of chili that I have ever had. It is hearty yet healthy, and I am so thankful that Beth sent this one my way! You can gave fun with the garnishes, and add whatever you like.

Quinoa Chili
Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large green pepper, diced
2 teaspoon cumin
1-2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
2/3 cup quinoa, rinsed in warm water and drained
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
2 (14 oz.) cans tomato sauce
1 (14 oz.) can small diced tomatoes
1 cup vegetable broth or water
1 (14 oz.) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained (I sometimes substitute with black beans)

Directions
Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large skillet on medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, salt, garlic, green pepper and spices; sauté 5 to 10 minutes. Add rinsed uncooked quinoa and stir in. Add corn, tomatoes, tomato sauce and vegetable broth/water to onion and quinoa mixture. Cover and simmer together 20 minutes. Add kidney beans; simmer another 10 minutes.

If chili is too thick, just add water or more vegetable broth until it is to your liking.

Toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, corn chips, green onions.