CRISPY ORANGE GINGER TOFU WITH BROCCOLI

We are trying to get more Iron into our diets as it seems like someone is always low on iron. This one looks like a good potential, with Iron in the tofu, vitamin C to help it absorb, and no dairy to block absorption. I made it as written, except used cauliflower, red pepper, and carrots instead of the brocolli. It was ok but I think next time needs more salt in the sauce for balance -- at least 2x the soy sauce. Also maybe leave the zest out for the kids?

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CRISPY ORANGE GINGER TOFU WITH BROCCOLI 

From Epicurious

Ingredients

• 1 lb. extra firm tofu
• 1 cup orange juice
• ¼-1/3 cup cornstarch, divided
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce (NEXT TIME TRY 2)
  
• 1 tbsp. fresh grated ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp. orange zest (NEXT TIME TRY LEAVING OUT)
  
• vegetable oil
• 2 broccoli crowns, chopped (Instead of this I used 1 head cauliflower, 1/2 red bell pepper and 1/2 carrot)
  
• 2 scallions
• sesame seeds
• red pepper flakes (optional)

Preparation

1. Press tofu for 15-20 minutes (I JUST DRAINED THE TOFU ON A PLATE). Meanwhile, in small bowl or cup, dissolve 1½ tbsp. cornstarch in a few tablespoons of your orange juice. Set aside. Place remaining orange juice in a small saucepan, along with brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and orange zest. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook for about 15 minutes. Stir in cornstarch mixture until completely blended. Remove from heat and set aside. Cut tofu into cubes and roll in remaining cornstarch to coat. Coat the bottom of a large skillet with vegetable oil and place over medium-high heat. Add tofu cubes and cook a few minutes on each side, until browned and crispy. Transfer to paper towel to drain. Steam or boil broccoli florets to desired tenderness. Return tofu to skillet, along with broccoli and sauce. Toss everything to coat. Serve over rice, topped with scallions, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes

Black Forest Cake

 I made Black Forest cake the other day, using this recipe. I have never made a sponge cake like that before but it came out pretty well. Although there are many steps, the toughest is the cake itself. For the rest, I was surprised how simple it was to make, I had thought it would be more complicated. The frosting is basically just whipped cream! 

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Black Forest Cake Recipe

from Natasha's Kitchen

Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Cook Time: 22 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 52 minutes

 

This Black Forest Cake is a German chocolate cake with 4 chocolatey layers, 1 lb of kirsch infused cherries and a light whipped cream. If making for children, omit kirsch and add 1 Tbsp sugar to the cherry syrup.

Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com

Skill Level: Medium

Cost to Make: $18-$20

Keyword: Black Forest Cake

Cuisine: American

Course: Dessert

Servings: 12 -14 slices

Ingredients

Ingredients for Chocolate Cake Layers:

• 9 large eggs room temp
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 Tbsp 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temp
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

What you'll need:

• Two 9" cake pans and flour sifter or fine sieve

Ingredients for Cherry Filling:

• 4 cups 1 lb bing cherries, pitted, plus 12 whole cherries for decor (I used frozen Costco cherries for these, with maraschino cherries for the top)
• 3 Tbsp kirsch a cherry liqueur (I lowered this to 2 T, next time I might add some Maraschino cherry juice for a bit more cherry flavor)
• 1/4 cup cold water

For the Frosting/Topping:

• 3 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 cup Confectioners powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp kirsch cherry liqueur
• 3 oz good quality dark chocolate

Instructions

How to Make Cake Layers: Preheat Oven to 350˚F. Line bottoms of cake pans with parchment (don't grease sides).

1. Beat 9 eggs with the whisk attachment for 1 min on high. With the mixer on, gradually add 1 cup sugar and continue beating on high speed a full 8 min. It will be thick and fluffy. Tip: the mixture it should fall off the whisk and still ‘stand up’ on the cake mixture
2. Whisk together 1 cup flour and 1/2 cup cocoa powder and sift in thirds into batter, folding with a spatula between each addition. Once all flour is in, continue to fold just until no streaks of flour remain, scraping the bottom of the bowl to get any pockets of flour; do not over-mix or you will deflate the batter.
3. Gently fold in 1/2 tsp vanilla and room temp butter, folding as you add butter in a steady stream and scraping from the bottom to make sure you don't have butter pooling at the bottom. Fold just until incorporated. Divide batter equally between two prepared cake pans and BAKE RIGHT AWAY in fully preheated oven at 350˚F for 20-25 minutes (my oven took 22 min), or until a toothpick comes out clean. Note: Once the butter is added, it must be transferred to baking pans and put into the oven immediately or the batter can deflate quickly.
4. Let cool in pans for 10 min then run a thin edged spatula around edges to loosen cake. Transfer to a wire rack and remove parchment backing. When cakes are at room temp, and you're ready to assemble, slice cake layers in half with a long serrated knife.

Making the Syrup:

1. Roughly chop pitted cherries and place in a medium bowl with 3 Tbsp kirsch. Let sit at room temp for at least 30 min, stirring a couple times, then drain cherries in a sieve over a bowl. Keep the cherries and syrup. Add 1/4 cup cold filtered water to the syrup to get about 3/4 cup total syrup.

Making the Cream: For best results freeze bowl and whisk attachment 15 min before using.

1. Beat 3 1/2 cups heavy cream with whisk attachment on high speed until soft peaks form, add 1/3 cup powdered sugar and 1 Tbsp kirsch and beat on high until stiff and spreadable (1-2 min). Refrigerate until ready to use (tip: keep whisk attachment in the bowl - you can re-whip if it seems slightly loose after refrigeration).

Assembling your Black Forest Cake:

1. Place first cake layer on a cake stand and brush with 1/4 of the syrup. Cover top with about 3/4 cup frosting and top with 1/3 of the chopped cherries. Repeat with remaining layers and top with the flattest layer. Transfer 1 1/2 cups frosting to a pastry bag with a large flower tip and refrigerate until ready to use (don't handle the bag too much or the cream will soften). Fill the cracks along the sides of cake with frosting then frost the top and sides with remaining frosting.
2. To make chocolate shavings, you can either melt chocolate in the microwave, spread it thin over the back of a baking sheet, then refrigerate a few min and use a food scraper to create bark-like shavings. This is the more authentic way. Alternatively, you can use a potato peeler to shave a chunk of chocolate.
3. Cover sides and top of cake with chocolate shavings leaving a 1" perimeter on top for piping frosting. Pipe rounds of frosting around the top of the cake and place a whole cherry over each one. Refrigerate cake for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.

Recipe Notes

*Recipe Tips: Measure flour by spooning it into a measuring cup and level off top with back of a knife. You can use thawed frozen cherries or canned cherries. If using canned cherries, select cherries in water or juice, omit the 1/4 cup additional water and use the juice from can instead. Maraschino cherries can be used for the topping/decor.

Creamy Cauliflower soup with Rosemary Oil from New York Times

 We tried this the other day and Mahesh called it "sizzling." I normally would not make a soup that called for 1 cup of oil but I am trying to get the kids to eat more vegetables and I had many ends of bread saved up that I needed to use so I tried this, everyone liked it so this recipe is a winner in my book. The lemon zest is optional but makes the final soup taste fancier which is good for grownups. We didn't try it for the kids. 

Creamy Cauliflower Soup With Rosemary Olive Oil 

 From New York Times

Ingredients

For the Rosemary Oil:

• 1 cup olive oil
• 4 (4-inch) sprigs fresh rosemary

For the Soup:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 quart low-sodium vegetable stock, plus more as needed for reheating
• 1 medium head cauliflower, cored and broken into 1 1/2-inch florets (about 2 1/2 pounds)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
• Freshly grated zest of 1 lemon, for serving

For the croutons (optional):

• 3 cups diced rustic country bread (3/4-inch pieces)  - OR the equivalent amount of bread loaf ends works also. 

Preparation

1. Make the rosemary oil: In a medium skillet, combine the olive oil and rosemary sprigs. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes, lowering the heat if the oil reaches a full simmer. (You want to cook it at a very gentle simmer to avoid frying the rosemary.) Carefully pour the oil and rosemary into a small bowl, leaving a slick of oil in the pan if you plan to make croutons. Allow the rosemary to cool completely in the oil while you make the soup.
2. Make the soup: In a heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. (Be careful not to let the garlic scorch!)
3. Add the stock, cauliflower, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil over high. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer until the cauliflower is tender when pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, make the optional croutons: Heat the reserved skillet with the residual rosemary oil over medium. Add the bread cubes, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, and cook, tossing often, until toasted all over, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the croutons to a plate or board to cool.
5. Strain and discard the rosemary stems from the rosemary oil. Working in batches if necessary, carefully transfer the vegetables, stock and 1/4 cup rosemary oil to a blender and blend on high until creamy. Add more rosemary oil to taste, and blend to combine. Return the soup to the pot and bring to a simmer. If the soup seems thin, let it simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to reduce slightly. (Remember: The soup will continue to thicken as it cools.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Serve hot. Garnish each serving with a swirl of rosemary oil, a few croutons, and a sprinkle of lemon zest. The soup will thicken as it sits; add more stock as necessary when reheating. Leftover rosemary oil will keep in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 1 week.