Everything Bagels

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Bagels are one of the final frontiers of baking I have yet to dabble in. We love a good bagel, but they’re hard to come by in the DC area. Whenever we go to New York we bring empty containers and fill them with bagels from our favorite shops and gift them to relatives and co-workers.

Recently the Washington Post charted a path to homemade bagels that made it seem more approachable. Sadly, the bagels just didn’t have the right chew or flavor, even when doused in everything seasoning. I’m going to blame my amateur bagel skills rather than the recipe, as many did receive good results with their recipe. I think the key is to develop the gluten more by rolling them more consistently. In the meantime, I have my eye on the more tricky looking ChefSteps version.

Grab the recipe from Washington Post’s RecipeFinder here →

Romesco Sauce

Back in August of last year our cat Leopold had a scary incident where he couldn’t walk. After a visit with the neurologist and a MRI we decided that he was having a feline vestibular episode. While we were monitoring him for the week while he was visiting with the doctor and recovering, we were under a sort of house arrest and made a few recipes, including 45-second strawberry frozen yogurt. We also made a big pot of this romesco sauce to get us through lunches and dinners.

This sauce is very simple to make, yet has a depth of flavor that tops jarred sauce. We used it as pasta sauce, topped chicken with it, and even spread it on sandwiches.

Maple-vinegar Marinated Frenched Venison Racks

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Venison is one of those common, yet rare meats to find. Deer are plentiful throughout the northeastern woodlands and has been an important food since pre-colonial times. But somewhere during the history of America, it became a less common meat and though deer still roam in large numbers, it is hard to find venison in the grocery store or on dinner menus.

Most of my experience with venison has been with the wild kind that has been hunted and meant to feed a family for months. There’s only so much venison jerky you can stomach in the winter months before you need to call it quits. But recently, venison has been making a resurgence in fine dining. I’ve had venison sausage, venison ragu, and most recently venison heart tartare.

That’s why I jumped at the opportunity to receive some grass-fed, free range New Zealand venison from Marx Foods. Venison, like other meats, has unique flavors depending on its habitat and diet. I was excited to compare North American venison to New Zealand venison, especially since it wasn’t “wild” and wouldn’t have the traditional gamey-ness.

Though I created a few meals out of the venison I received, the recipe I am featuring today is from Spirit of the Harvest: North American Indian Cooking. Since I made this the week of Thanksgiving, I thought it seemed appropriate to reach for a very traditional Native American recipe that was simple and focused on the flavor and quality of the meat itself.

The flavors were kept simple out of respect for the venison and served with a warm roasted sunchoke salad tossed with spinach, quinoa, and a ginger vinaigrette. The meat itself was firm yet easy to chew. Pieces that were more rare tasted grassy with a strong iron after taste while pieces that were more cooked had the texture of pork and a more neutral flavor.

About  the  Venison

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Silver Fern Farms Venison is grass fed and pasture raised in New Zealand’s open fields and rolling green hills.

Farmed venison comes from deer born and raised on lush, green New Zealand pastures and has a fresh, consistent, delicate flavor, whereas game venison comes from hunting wild animals, which provides an inconsistent eating experience and a tough, “gamey” flavor. The animal’s natural leanness means it’s a lighter, healthier red meat option. It has more protein than any other red meat and is rich in iron and full of B vitamins.

Product provided for review.  All notes & opinions are my own.

Thank you Marx Foods for the opportunity to taste this unique venison.

Two-Pea Chicken Salad #MadeWithChobani

Two Pea Pesto Chicken Salad, Made with Chobani

It’s no secret that I am a fan of greek yogurt. I like the slight tang that it offers and the thicker consistency. Even my cat, Leopold enjoys it!

When I received a lovely package from Chobani as part of their #MadeWithChobani campaign, we were so excited!

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We’ve already set to work putting the greek yogurt to use in many ways.

Replacing  Sour  Cream  or  Mayonnaise

Using Greek Yogurt is a great way to make a dish healthier while still keeping the tang of sour cream or mayonnaise. Some ways that I’ve used greek yogurt to replace those ingredients are:

Adding  Creaminess  to  Sauces  and  Soups

Sometimes you need just a little more creaminess in a dish but you don’t want the added fat. I often add some Greek yogurt to my dishes to help emulsify sauces or thicken broths. Recently I boiled some pasta, added some Indian Vindaloo sauce, mixed it with Chobani Greek Yogurt and Voila!.

In  Desserts

Yogurts are a good dairy-alternative in baked goods as well, especially breads and muffins.

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And of course, who couldn’t love an amazing yogurt dip to cool a hot dish or a frozen yogurt?

Other  uses  for  Greek  Yogurt

Check out Chobani’s recipe section for more inspiring recipes using greek yogurt!

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Product provided for review.  All notes & opinions are my own.

Thai Basil Pesto Pasta with Shrimp

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I’ve been wanting to make this pasta ever since I saw it appear on Woks of Life in May. Unfortunately (or fortunately?) a pair of doves made a nest in our Thai basil plants so we couldn’t kick them out and harvest it. When I was able to get to the Asian supermarket in the suburbs, I went ahead and doubled the pesto recipe. Stored it in a jar, I’ve been using it in sandwiches, chicken salad, and even pizza.

Do yourself a favor and make this Thai Basil Pesto pasta, stat! If you can’t find Thai basil you can sub in regular basil or even cilantro.