Four Breakfast Ideas For Your Upcoming Weekend

One of my favorite things is big, homecooked breakfasts on Sunday mornings.  Here's some of the recipes that have my attention.

Tomato Breakfast Pie - Drizzle and Drip

Chipotle Black Bean, Rice and Egg Skillet - Naturally Ella

Scrambled Egg and Basil Sandwich - Darling Magazine

Veggie Quinoa Breakfast Bowl - Reclaiming Provincial


For more breakfast ideas and many other recipes go here.

Warming Up With a Hot Coffee Liquor Recipe

Last month we went to an outdoor winter festival where I had a warm coffee beverage with chocolate and coffee liquors.  It was a welcome treat on a cold afternoon and it got me thinking about the many variations that could be used with my grandmother's coffee liquor recipe.  Yesterday might have been the first day of Spring but we just had another big snowstorm in New England.  We're still covered in snow so this nice warm coffee recipe doesn't sound so bad right now.  I bet this would be a great iced beverage in the warmer weather too!


1 part irish whiskey
1 part condensed milk
2 parts homemade coffee liquor
3 parts hot coffee
whipped cream (optional)
cinnamon (optional)

Combine ingredients, mix well and garnish with whipped cream and sprinkled cinnamon.



Image:  Rebecca Tollefsen

Recipe: Homemade Coffee Liquor {Kahlua}

My mom passed down my grandmother's version of homemade coffee liquor (also known as Kahlua). Just after John and I married my mother passed my grandmother's recipe onto us and we've made it a few times. A couple of weeks ago when John and I were making our version of infused vodka it reminded us about the homemade coffee liquor recipe.  We made up a batch and I've been looking forward to sharing it here. This coffee liquor recipe seems to be a pretty standard recipe.  You let it sit for a couple of weeks which is sort of fun to wait and let your creation come to life.  The liquor turns out sweet, almost rich, and it packs a little punch. You don't need to add much to it - maybe a little milk or cream for a White Russian or enjoy it on its own chilled over ice.  It was thinking it would be fun to experiment with strong coffee brews - let me know if you make this recipe or have another version of this recipe - we'd love to try it out.

Ingredients:
3 3/4 cups water
4 cups sugar
3/4 cup instant espresso
26 oz. vodka
1 pint of brandy
1/2 vanilla bean split

Process:
Boil water and sugar for five minutes. Remove from heat and add espresso. Bring to boil again. Remove from heat to add vodka and brandy. Pour this mixture into a large bottle (we used a mason jar) with the vanilla bean. Let it sit in a cool dark spot (do not refrigerate) for about two weeks.  Enjoy!

Images: Rebecca Tollefsen

Recipe: Cod Tacos

These recent warm temperatures have prompted John and I to crave light and summery fare.  John made these delicious cod tacos for lunch the other day and they were so yummy.  My favorite part was the lightly fried cod which added a crunchy, flavorful texture to the dish.  John shared the recipe below.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
8 oz. of cod cut into medium size pieces
¼ cup milk
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup of chopped scallions
½ cup cherry tomatoes halved
1 habanero pepper diced
Pinch of fresh cilantro for each taco
4 tortillas of your choice - we used a very soft whole wheat tortilla
As much cheese as you want - we used Jack and it worked great
Hot sauce to taste
Salt and pepper for the fish

The Process:
Heat oil in pan over medium heat.  Place all fish pieces in a bowl with the milk.  Remove fish from milk and lightly salt and pepper each piece.  Next, dip each piece of fish in flour just enough to provide a light coating.  Add fish to the pan, leaving plenty of space between each piece.  Lightly fry the fish until lightly browned and cooked through.  Remove fish from the pan and set aside. Heat a clean pan on low and add a tortilla. Sprinkle as much cheese as you would like onto the tortilla and let it melt. Remove tortilla from pan and assemble tacos with the fish and any toppings you like.  We used cilantro, tomatoes, scallions and an avocado sour cream (recipe below).

Avocado Sour Cream

Ingredients:
2 ripe avocados
8 oz sour cream
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Big pinch of cumin

The Process:
Add all of the ingredients to a blender - Vitamix works great for this recipe - and blend on low until silky smooth.

Enjoy!

Images:  Rebecca Tollefsen

Recipe: Strawberry Lemon Basil Infused Vodka

A few months ago John and I saw an idea for infusing mango in tequila in a magazine.  We had some vodka leftover from a recent party so we thought it might be fun to give it a try.  We infused the vodka with strawberry, lemon and basil.

Ingredients:
1 lemon
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 small handful of basil
750ml bottle of vodka

The process:
Slice the lemon and strawberries. Add a few slice marks to the basil so the flavor infuses into the vodka a little easier. Add lemon slices to a mason jar and pour the vodka over it. Add the basil leaves and using a gentle pour add some more vodka. Add the strawberries and fill the remainder of the mason jar with vodka. John squeezed the juice of one full strawberry and the juice from the heal of the lemon into the mix to get the infusion going.  Add the cap and let the mason jar sit in a cool, dark place for two weeks.

Drink ideas:
-Pour the vodka over ice with bits of fruit from the infusion mix and garnish with a fresh lemon slice on top, fresh strawberry and sprig of fresh basil on the rim of glass (as shown below).

-Add the infusion to champagne, prosecco or soda water for a light, refreshing twist on a spritzer.

-For a fruity, fun cocktail add the infusion to classics like cranberry juice, orange juice, pineapple juice etc.

Infused liquor would be a great conversation piece at a party and a clever gift idea. Infusing liquor is versatile - you can choose tequila, rum, vodka, etc. and pair them with fruits and complimentary herbs. The drinks you see in the photos used an infusion that sat overnight. We have a second infusion going that has been sitting for ten days. The vodka is a dark pink color. The strawberries are white as their color has infused with the vodka. The fruit flavor will be really prevalent in that infusion and the fruits themselves will add a nice extra kick of flavor when added to beverages.

Images: Rebecca Tollefsen

Recipe: Avocado Cacao Pudding

A while back my friend Kim passed along a recipe for Avocado Cacao Pudding. You may have heard of this recipe before. Kim explained it is one of those recipes that many people have their own version of.  I prepared the recipe according to Kim's variation and was amazed by how quick and easy it is.  But the best part is how delicious it tastes.  It is the perfect solution to your sweet tooth needs.  I had to share!

Ingredients:
2 avocado
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 cup sweetener of choice such as raw agave, raw honey, maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut milk

The Process:
Blend avocado, cacao powder and honey (or your choice of sweetener) paying attention to consistency. Add coconut milk in as you blend until you reach a pudding like thickness. You may need a little more or less coconut milk depending on achieving your desired consistency.  You can let chill or eat right away.  Kim suggested garnishing with shredded coconut, bananas, berries or almonds.  This recipe produced two medium sized servings.

Tip:
You can play around with the amount of sweetener you add in depending on your own sweet tooth needs ;).  You can also use any milk or cocoa powder you have on hand.

Kim also gave me a recipe for transforming this dessert into a pie. This is another quick, easy recipe with the same simple ingredients (and SO delicious).

Ingredients:
Pie Filling:
4 ripened avocados
3/4 cup raw cacao
3/4 cup sweetener of choice
3/4 cup coconut milk

Pie crust:
1 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup raw pecans
1/2 cup raw walnuts
1/4 cup shredded coconut
3 dates

The Process:
Prepare the pie filling in the same way the pudding is prepared in the first recipe above.  Let filling chill while preparing the crust.  For the crust:  pulse all nuts in food processor until a coarse meal type consistency is achieved. Add in the dates and coconut and pulse a bit more.  You want the nut mixture to be moistened enough to press evenly into the bottom of a pie pan to form a crust.  Once the crust is prepared in pie pan spread the pie filling mixture evenly and let chill in your refrigerator for a bit to set.  Add your choice of garnish and enjoy!

Images and design:  Rebecca Tollefsen

Recipe: Rustic Croutons

John makes really great croutons and they always make the house smell amazing. Yesterday he sought out some bread for a salad we had for dinner. He choose a rustic multigrain loaf that toasted up into beautiful, hearty croutons that added a nutty flavor and wonderful texture to our salad.

Ingredients:
3 cups of cubed bread
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
pinches of sea salt

The process:
Heat olive oil and garlic in skillet. Add the cubed bread to the pan and toast over medium heat; about two to three minutes per side. You can eyeball the croutons depending on the level of toastiness you desire. Let cool and sprinkle lightly with a touch of sea salt.

Pairings:

Obvious pairings are the old standards of soup and salad. These multigrain croutons would be a hearty addition to any light broth soup or even a plain cream based soup that needed a little jazz (think tomato or garlic cream).  They were delicious on the shrimp Caesar salad John prepared last night.  I imagine they would also be excellent for Panzanella Salad or dipping into various infused oil concoctions.  John added the suggestion of pairing these with some cheese and wine for light party fare or as an appetizer.

Images:  Rebecca Tollefsen

Recipes: Three Snack Ideas

Pumpkin Steel Cut Oats
Ingredients:
3 tbsp. prepared steel cut oats, 2 tbsp. pumpkin puree, 1 tsp. cinnamon, drizzle of sweetener of choice ( I used honey).
Prep work:
Prepare steel cut oats, stir in pumpkin puree, sprinkle with cinnamon and drizzle with sweetener.
Tips:
Trader Joe's has organic canned pumpkin and organic steel cut oats for a great price - always a plus!  Prepare a larger portion of steel cut oats ahead of time - reheat oats and this snack can be enjoyed the whole week through.

Salted Cranberry Trail Mix
Ingredients:
3 cups nuts/seeds of your choosing (used above are: 1.5 cup cashews, 1.5 cups almonds, 1/2 cup sunflower seeds), 2 tbsp. sesame seeds, 1 cup dried cranberries, sea salt to taste
Prep work:
Add all nuts and seeds and mix well.  Add in the cranberries and mix well.  Next sprinkle in the salt in small batches - mix each small addition of salt evenly to ensure mix is not over salted.
Tips:
This is a big batch that can be stored in mason jars for easy on the go access.  This mix can also be stored in the freezer for longer quantities of time.  Adding the cranberries separate from the rest of the ingredients is intentional as the cranberries are a bit sticky.  That stickiness acts as a mild 'glue' for the mix.  Be sure to sprinkle the salt evenly and in small batches - it tends to stick to the cranberries the most. Use just enough salt to compliment the tangy cranberries.

Berry + Greens Smoothie
Ingredients:
1 cup frozen raspberries, 1 banana, 1 cup of cold water, 1 hearty handful baby spinach
Prep work:
Add ingredients to blender and enjoy! Use additional water if you prefer a thinner smoothie.
Tips:
This is a perfect starter smoothie for those wanting to venture into green smoothie land.  The berries and banana mask the mild taste of baby spinach but you still get all the goodness of  the greens.  This smoothie is also a great take along drink as you won't get all the "what are you drinking???" questions that green smoothies bring. :)

You might also like:
Three New Smoothie Recipes
Starter Granola Recipe
Winter Squash Soup Recipe

Three New Smoothie Recipes

Roasted Beet Berry Smoothie
1 beet - roasted until soft and cooled, 1 cup raspberries, 1 cup blueberries, 1 frozen banana, 1/2 cup pineapple, 1/2 cup almonds, 1 cup cold water - blend and enjoy.

Carrot Mango Smoothie
1 cup baby carrots, 1 mango, 1 frozen banana, 3/4 cup cabbage, 1/2 cup pineapple, 1 cup green grapes, 1 cup cold water - blend and enjoy. adapted from VitaMix Whole Foods Cookbook

All Green Smoothie
1 avocado, 1 Bartlett pear, 5 broccoli florets, 2 handful baby spinach, 1 cup green grapes, 2 frozen bananas, 1 cup cold water - blend and enjoy.  adapted from VitaMix Whole Foods cookbook

General Information:
-All recipes were made for 2-3 generous servings and can be increased/decreased depending on your need
-Recipes are toddler/child friendly.  As soon as Sylas hears the blender he finds a cup hands it to me. :)
-Water can be used to thin out texture while blending - do little batches of cold water at a time until you reach the texture you are looking for.
-You'll note frozen bananas are included in each recipe.  They help add a creamy texture without having to add dairy such as yogurts, etc.  Pineapple is a great fruit to add in small quantities because just a little bit can balance out more pungent tastes of various greens/vegetables.
-We freeze our bananas whole on a cookie sheet and then store them all together for later use.  We also pre-cut the pineapple and freeze on a cookie sheet before storing.  Note: we use a Vitamix for our smoothies.  The bananas can go into this machine frozen and whole - it may quite a while to blend/break up the whole banana if using a low powered blender.  If pre-freezing you can cut up the bananas and lay them out on a cookie sheet to freeze.
-We roasted a bunch of beets and kept them in the refrigerator for later use.
-In short, taking time to prep foods all at once assists smoothie making to be simple and easy during busy morning routines.

Recipe: Starter Granola

Granola and toppings!  Consider this a base granola - it is great on its own and it starts you off on a path to experimentation - you can add to it depending on your mood, likes, etc. After much trial and error we found a wonderful granola recipe from this cookbook (an essential in our kitchen). Our recipe is an adaptation of their  granola recipe:

Ingredients
5 cups organic old fashioned rolled oats
2 cups slivered unsalted almonds
1 cup cup shelled, raw, unsalted sunflower seeds
1 tablespoons cinnamon (optional)
1 1/2 cups maple syrup
1/3 cup olive oil

Process
Preheat oven to 325 F. Add oats, almonds, seeds and cinnamon to a large bowl and mix well. Add oil and syrup and stir until all ingredients are incorporated well. Spread mixture evenly on a cookie sheet and toast in oven. Stir granola on cookie sheet at the 20 minute marker. Stir again at the 40 minute marker. If you feel this is a good level of toastiness for you take granola out and set on a cooling rack. I let ours go for another 10-15 minutes (total of 50-55 minutes) before allowing it to cool on cooking rack because we like a strong toasty flavor.

Tips
-Trader Joe's has a large variety of affordably priced nuts and dried fruit. We shop for all of our granola ingredients there. Trader Joe's organic maple syrup comes in a cute glass jar that is perfect for reusing for homemade oils or teas or even as a bud vase. We're going to make a batch of rosemary olive oil in our jar.
-When stirring the granola while it toasts be sure to get the mixture up from the bottom and edges of the pan as this where is tends to crisp up or burn the most.
-We often omit the cinnamon (some say a sin when it comes to granola!), but we find the flavor bold enough without it and we tend to add other components to our granola after toasting to add lots of flavor.

Additions
You can get creative when it comes to granola and this recipe is a perfect canvas to play around with flavors. Sesame seeds, pecan, coconut, flax seeds and walnuts are popular additions. Playing around with spices is also fun - try adding some sea salt or cayenne pepper to add a little interesting snip of flavor.
This recipe fills two quart size mason jars which means one batch will last for a while.  We find mason jars to be excellent storage for granola (and any other nuts/grains) as it keeps things fresh for a long while.

Recipe: Winter Squash Soup

Butternut squash soup - my version adapted from this recipe:

1 large butternut squash - peeled and cubed

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion - diced

4 cups water

4 vegetable bouillon cubes

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 eight oz. package cream cheese softened

Coat squash with a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper.  Roast on 400 degrees F until is soft.  Add butter and onions to a saucepan  I used a cast iron dutch oven for this dish and it worked great.  Heat onions through until tender.  Add in water, bouillon, roasted squash, cayenne, oregano and a bit more ground black pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat.  Let the mixture simmer for about 45 minutes, then turned the burner off, add the lid and let sit for another 45 minutes.  This method allows the mixture to thicken considerably - a perfect base for a hearty soup.  Next add the 8 oz. of cream cheese and half of the squash soup mixture to the VitaMix blender.  Start off at variable 5 to let the ingredients mix together a bit.  Add the remaining squash soup mixture to the VitaMix and speed it up to variable 10.  Let the soup run in the VitaMix for a few minutes on variable 10 and then soup is ready to serve.

Images and design: Rebecca Tollefsen

Recipe: Shrimp and Quinoa Collard Wrap

Hello, It's John here to share a recipe.  We created many meals with our take home from Week #1 of the farm share.  I used the thick collard greens we got as wraps with lots of fresh vegetables and grilled shrimp.

Shrimp and Veggie Leaf Wraps 
Hint:  You can take your time with the process since the wraps are served at room temperature…..grill your shrimp first and then tackle the veg.

The ingredients:
 8 hearty Swiss chard leaves
1 red pepper
1 Jalapeno
1 medium bunch of asparagus cut into 2 inch pieces
1 cup of cooked quinoa
4 oz of red pepper hummus
2 oz of cream cheese
1 lb of large size uncooked shrimp

Marinade for Shrimp 
One medium bunch of Genovese basil - stems removed
4 garlic cloves peeled
A palm full of mustard greens
2 green onions
¼ cup of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

The Process
Toss all the marinade ingredients into a Vita Mix or blender and pulse until smooth. If using a Vita Mix take it slow with pulsing so you don't over mix.  Pour the mixture over the peeled shrimp to marinate for a minute or two while your grill heats up to a medium high temperature.  Grill the shrimp on both sides until cooked through and some nice grill marks form.  While the shrimp cool down on the counter fill a medium sauce pan with about a half inch of water with a pinch of salt.  Heat to a boil and place the cut asparagus into the water and turn down the temp to a simmer.  Cook for 5 minutes. 

While the asparagus simmers dice the jalapeno and red pepper into small pieces.  Prepare the Swiss chard by laying the leaves out on a flat surface.  Smear each leaf with a dollop of cream cheese and hummus.

Drain the remaining simmering water from the asparagus pan and add the diced pepper and jalapeno and cook on high heat for a minute or so.  You don’t want the peppers to get to soft; the added crunch is beneficial to the wrap. 

You can build these leaf wraps however you want.  I thought they looked pretty hot while I was assembling them in this order:  Asparagus, peppers, quinoa and shrimp on top.  Roll them up and enjoy.