Roasted Carrot & Sweet Pepper Soup

So a few weeks back I had some surgery.  Nothing huge (not in the slightest) but I couldn't eat anything with a consistency tougher than baby food for a week and a half. To add a whole bunch of insult to injury, I got my CSA box two days after surgery; it was full of leafy greens, end of summer vegetables and delicious, delicious peaches.

Usually this would make me skip all the way home but instead I shed a tear for the vegetables that had to fall into the hands of my friends.  Giving up some baby bok choy? I've never been so heartbroken. Pattypan squash? Left me in a funk for days.  However, anything that I could roast and puree up I kept.  End of the day I was left with a bunch of rainbow carrots, an array of sweet peppers, some tomatillo's and a variety of foods I could bring to that Sunday's BBQ.  Cue Roasted Pepper Carrot soup with tomatillo salsa.

It was easy to make, had a depth of flavor and magically lasted a few days in my fridge. Even though I made this in a moment of desperation, I'm looking forward to making it again.  Actually… what did I get in my CSA box again…?

Homemade Sriracha Sauce

I love all things spicy, but I think it comes with the territory of being a redhead.  I always order the hottest sauce possible at restaurants and Trader Joe's jalapeno hot sauce is drizzled on even the most inappropriate of foods.  To me, eggs are almost inedible without hot sauce.  I almost wonder why it took my so long to make my own hot sauce... especially because I have a strange love of making my own condiments.

To make this recipe even better, it is so easy to make.  Essentially all you need to do is let roughly chopped peppers sit overnight in a brine.  The hardest part is simmering the peppers and waiting for them to cool.  But that glorious moment that you get to taste your own hot sauce on a veggie burger (...well, that's what I did...) it's worth it.  I brought the sauce to a game/"make-your-own-pizza" night with some new friends here in Seattle and it worked well on most of the pizzas that we made!  I know I poured an obnoxious amount of it on the pizza I ate.  But please remember, I like hot sauce on everything.  There is definitely some heat to this sauce, but the actual flavor of the peppers and garlic is still able to shine through.

Homemade Sriracha Sauce
Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound red fresno chiles, coarsely chopped (I used 0.7 lb)
• 4 garlic cloves (5.6)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (I used 1 2/5 tsp)
• 1 cup distilled white vinegar (I used 1 2/5 cups)
• 2 tablespoons palm sugar (I used 2.8 TBSP)

Directions:

1. Place all the ingredients except the sugar in large glass bowl, loosely cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit overnight.  This brine helps mellow the heat of the peppers.
2. Place the mixture and sugar in small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
3. Blend with an immersion blender (or a food processor/blender) until a smooth, orange-red mixture forms. Run through a strainer and smush out as much juice as possible.
4. Once refrigerated, the sauce should have the same consistency and texture as Sriracha, BUT I think it tastes better, is less salty and tastes much fresher.

Zucchini & Pepper Enchilada's with Red Sauce

I made these for dinner Sunday night thinking that I'd have enough to feed Zenka, Zach, and myself, and maybe have enough left over for lunch the next day.  I was sorely mistaken.  I now have two sizable tupperware in my fridge full on Enchilada's that will probably feed me through the week.  Now, don't take this as me complaining, I am kinda glad I won't have to cook as much this week, but I was surprised at how much I made.  I this the reason I made so many enchilada's is because the zucchini I bought wouldn't be considered "small" by most people… So, if you do use small zucchini's, you may get a more reasonable (and manageable) amount of filling.

BUT, these enchilada's were soooo good.  I loved the texture of the zucchini and the flavor was bold enough without being overwhelming.  While Mollie Katzen's thinks the whole assembly should only take an hour… it took me a little longer.

How to Assemble an Enchilada:

Step 1: Prepare filling & sauce

Step 2: Moisten the corn tortillas by sauteing them briefly in a little hot oil (and when I say briefly, I mean 10 seconds total)

Step 3: Assemble the enchiladas by planing a few spoonfuls of filling (see recipe below) on one side of the tortilla and rolling it up. Pour a small amount of the sauce (see recipe below) into a shallow baking dish, add the enchiladas, and pour the remaining sauce over the top.  Cover with foil, and bake for about 30 minutes in an oven heated to 325 degrees.  Serve hot (over beans and rice, if you feel like making it… I didn't).

Zucchini & Pepper Enchilada's with Red Sauce

Adapted from Enchanted Broccoli Forest by Mollie Katzen

Red Sauce:

Ingredients:

• 5 medium-sized ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 large red bell pepper, minced
• 1 tsp. salt
• 5 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper (I probably added a little more than this)
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Lower heat, partially cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes.
2. Mash a little bit with a fork, and you're done.  (I guess could could also puree it, but I have a very small kitchen that was filling up with dishes and I couldn't find a place on the counter for my food processor)

Zucchini & Pepper Enchilada Filling

Ingredients:

• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups minced onion
• 6 medium cloves of garlic, minced
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 large bell pepper (I used red, but you can use any color), minced
• 5 small zucchini, diced
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 TBSP dried basil
• 1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• cayenne & black pepper to taste
• 1 1/3 cups of packed grated jack cheese

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet.  Add onion, garlic, and salt, and saute over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the onion is quite soft.
2. Add the bell pepper, zucchini, and seasonings.  Stir and cook over medium heat for another 5 to 8 minutes, or until the zucchini is just tender.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese.  Allow to cool for a few minutes before filling the tortillas.

Thai Inspired Stir-Fry

I made this for dinner a few nights ago (and finally finished eating the left overs yesterday night for dinner) and I was very pleased with the results. The 'peanut sauce' for the noodles is a go-to sauce for me and I have used it countless times. Most of the veggies I bought at the Ann Arbor's farmers market and I think that made all the difference for me - the dish tasted so fresh! So, no more boring rambling, here is the (kinda long) recipe!

Ingredients:

For Stir-Fry:

• Onions
• Potatoes, sliced thinly
• Celery
• Carrots, thinly sliced
• Asparagus (thin stalks)
• Peppers (orange, yellow, and red), diced
• Summer (yellow) Squash
• Chard
• Scallions
• Mung Bean Sprouts
• Tofu (optional)

For Stir Fry Sauce:

• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 Tbs. grated fresh ginger
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 Tbs. honey
• 2 tsp. Chinese Sesame Oil
• 2 Tbs. cornstarch

For Noodles:

• 1 package of Trader Joe's Rice Noodles (I like the width)
• 2 Tbs. Brown Sugar
• 5 Tbs. Peanut Butter
• 1/2 cup (ish...) Soy Sauce
• Zest and Juice of one lime
• (side note: I have never measured for this sauce before, every time I make it I 'eyeball' it until it looks/tastes how I want it)

Directions:

1. Cook Rice noodles according to package directions. While the noodles are cooking, mash together brown sugar, peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, and lime zest until it is a smooth paste. Drain noodles, place back into pot, mix in sauce, and set aside with lid on top to keep it warm.
2. For stir-Fry sauce: Combine the first 6 ingredients. Place the cornstarch in a bowl & whisk the liquid mixture into it. Set aside and whisk again before you add the sauce into the stir-fry.
3. Heat the woke alone (for about a minute), then add in a little peanut oil. Add the onions and saute them alone first until transparent. Add potatoes, celery, and carrots and saute until partially done. Add Sauce now. Add in the peppers (all three colors), summer squash, and asparagus - saute until almost done. Finally, add in the chard, scallions, and mung bean sprouts. If you decided to use (pre-cooked and marinated) tofu, add it in now.
4. Plate the noodles so that they look like a bird nest. Scoop the stir-fried veggies into 'the nest' - serve immediately.