Casual Plates

A Wee Problem

2011-07-12T10:49:00.000-07:00

Oh dear, we've done it again. Someone forgot to put the lid on the butterfly jar, and here we are with a perfectly wild swarm. Whatever will we do? Hmm... might as well enjoy and invite a few little girls to lunch.

For the girls: Tiny PB&J or ham and cheese sandwiches. Very fancy, no?

We clearly survived the infestation just fine. Thanks for your concern. Now to round up all the rogue butterflies. You would not believe where some of them wound up.

And for the grown-ups,

Curried Quinoa Salad

Quinoa-
2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup quinoa (about 6 ounces), rinsed

Chopped items
1/2 cucumber, chopped
1 mango, cut to bit sized pieces
1/2 c walnuts, toasted and chopped

Dressing
1/4 c mayo
1/2 c plain lowfat yogurt
4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp chopped garlic
1/8 tsp worcestershire sauce
juice of 1/4 lemon
1 1/2 tsp reduce-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbls red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
a pinch red pepper flakes (if you want a little heat)

4 cups fresh spinach, cleaned

1) Prepare Quinoa per directions on package, or steam like rice. Set aside to cool.
2) Add chopped items to cooled quinoa.
3) Mix all dressing ingredients together with spoon or whisk.
4) Mix half of the dressing with the quinoa salad and set the other half aside. Divide the spinach between 4 plates and top with a hefty scoop of the quinoa salad. Drizzle remaining dressing on top.

Lemon Ricotta Tart (with Berries)

2011-06-21T12:04:00.000-07:00

Alright- I'll admit it. I like to have a little something sweet after each meal. Or with each meal. Or smack dab in the middle of the afternoon when I have nothing else to eat. To prove this point, I currently have little tiny stashes of dark chocolate hidden throughout the house. So sorry to my husband if you're discovering this for the first time right now. I still love ya. And no, I won't show you where they are, but if you ask really nicely I might go uncover a small bit for you when you're not looking.

My love for sweets translates into a lot of mad-science action in the kitchen, and this Lemon Ricotta Tart was the result of some of that play.

Lemon Ricotta Tart (with Blueberries)
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed according to directions on package
3/4 lb part skim ricotta cheese
1/4 c sugar, plus some for dusting pastry
zest and juice of 1/3 lemon
1 egg
2 cups blueberries, raspberries, blackberries or strawberries, cleaned

Mix ricotta, sugar, lemon and egg just until blended.

Place thawed pastry on parchment lined baking sheet and sprinkle remaining sugar over the top. With a knife, lightly score a 1/4 inch border around the edge of the pastry and poke a few holes in the center.

Spread the ricotta mixture evenly inside the border.

Top with berries.

Bake at 425 for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 for remaining 25 minutes, until the ricotta is set and the pastry is nicely browned.

Stargazers Soup

2011-06-13T12:08:00.000-07:00

Favorite recipes, like many other things in life, have a way of adapting themselves to fit in with our changing scenery. I first made a version of this soup with tiny star-shaped pasta (stelline 74) and imagined it accompanying us, piping hot in a thermous lid, as we laid on fresh-cut grass, trusty telescope by our sides, to watch the stars on a summer night. Well, that and I thought the pasta would intrigue my then two-year-old. Not so much. The pasta made the soup too starchy, and my toddler would not go near anything with star pasta or called star soup for months. Then winter came. Snow piled up copiously around the house, we began another flu season and the members of our household began a game of cold and flu tag, and I gave the soup a few tweaks, most significantly changing its name. I won't tell you what we call it, just that it is named after a highly annoying cartoon character, which seems to do the trick with the preschooler set. Its great as a baby food, as well.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we do, and if I don't get my way with the thermous this summer, maybe you can do it for me.

Stargazers Soup

3 stalks celery, chopped
3 cippolini onions, chopped
salt and pepper
extra virgin olive oil
1 32 oz box chicken or vegetable broth
2 good sized carrots, chopped
1 large sweet potato or yam, chopped
1 c frozen, chopped organic spinach, thawed (don't worry about draining!)
1 16 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1) Heat dutch oven over medium heat with Olive Oil. Add celery and onions and cook until transluscent (just a couple of minutes.) Add salt and pepper to taste.
2) Add broth, carrots, yam and spinach. Bring to boil and cook until soft (about 15 minutes.)
3) Add beans, reduce heat to medium low, and cook, covered about five minutes. Blend with immersion blender and enjoy with a nice piece of crusty bread.

Fresh from the Dairy

2011-05-31T17:58:00.000-07:00

Of all the places I've visited, two have made an exceptionally lasting impression on my life. The first was Siberia. My summer on and near Lake Baikal was just this side of heaven and it changed the direction of my life entirely. Interestingly, it is also where I first milked a cow. It was in a tiny, dusty village with exceptionally generous people and the wiliest piglets you can imagine. We drank the milk while it was still warm. A might strange, I'll admit, but fresh as it gets.

The other is England. I am endlessly intrigued by its marriage of modern and traditional, and while all my former visits have been defined by a sense of mobile independence scurrying about on the trains, my most recent visit introduced me to a different side of Britain, and it was just what the doctor ordered. Well, that and a few odd g and ts, of course.

This visit, I stayed with several members of my family in a house in the heart of the Cotswolds. The hills were rolling, we were surrounded by livestock and distant church spires and the local pubs served local, fresh food along with glorious pints of English brew. It was a slow and simple life we led during our two week visit, making short trips to some beautiful manor houses and charming old towns, but most of all, enjoying each other and the occasional strolls through the countryside. And at the start of each new day, we enjoyed fresh eggs and milk from a local farm, and cream so thick it rolled out of the cup like molasses. Now there is a trip to celebrate. And here are a couple of recipes we enjoyed whipping up in our English kitchen:

Mom's recipe for butter:
1 cup fresh, rich milk
a pinch of salt.
Mix with whisk (or in our case, a spoon) until desired thickness

*Mom says the cream she used as a girl took about 15 minutes to whip into butter. I do not tease when I say the double cream we were using in the Cotswolds took less than a minute.

Great Wolford Eggs

1-2 Tbls butter or extra virgin olive oil
2 tomatoes, chopped
1- 2 eggs per person, depending on how hungry you all are
1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained (squeeze water out through dish towel)
2 Tbls fresh basil, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Heat butter or oil in large skillet and add tomatoes. Cook until tender. Meanwhile, mix eggs, spinach, basil, salt and pepper in a large liquid measuring cup and pour into the skillet. Scramble until cooked through. They should be done within 10 minutes or so.

The Perfect Cup of Joe

2011-03-30T06:02:00.000-07:00

I may have picked the worst day ever to consider giving up coffee. It seemed like a great idea until someone in this house of mine decided the day should begin with crying and screaming at 2:15 a.m., and then of course I remembered that there was no good reason I should give up something I so thoroughly enjoy. More like love. So, with a renewed devotion, today I bring you some tips from my days as a barista for making the perfect cup of coffee (drip coffee, that is), heavily weighted, of course, by my own tastes and preference.

First things first: The beans- they must be whole. I know what you're thinking: "Okay, this is going to be one of those coffee snob posts, isn't it?" Yes, for the most part, it is, but keep in mind that my coffeemaker probably looks a lot like yours, so you have no excuse to not give this a try.

If you have a grinder at home, check the instruction book for how long you should grind them. For a pot of drip, run a blade cutter (one of those things used on nuts and herbs on which you push down the button the entire time it runs) for about 15 to 20 seconds or a burr grinder (which crushes the beans between two disks and is made specifically for coffee beans)set to medium. They also should be fresh, if you can get them that way. Try an independent roaster who roasts in small batches. These beans are less likely to taste burnt that those roasted in large batches like certain giant coffee chains I shall not name. If, like me, you don't have access to fresh beans, look for something in a small foil bag with a valve on it.

Some of you may not know what type of roast to go for, so here's a quick tip: If you don't know, start with something that says medium. The darker the roast, the stronger the flavor. French roast is pretty much the darkest there is, and to someone new to coffee or just looking for a smooth, mellow cup, it will pretty much knock you down. And, in my opinion, the light roast isn't really worth bothering with. And if you really want the flavor (and the smell), grind your beans right before you brew.

My former employer, the best coffee roaster in Atlanta, was pretty adament that a great cup of coffee needs to be brewed at a water temperature between 195 and 205 degrees F. If you have a hot water tap, you're in luck. They will generally get your water in that zone. If not, too bad. Your little coffee maker, like mine, doesn't stand a chance. Between you and me, I think we'll fare alright with our cold little cups of coffee. One thing I am a stickler for, and you should be too, is good water. Where I live, water out of the tap tastes a little funky, so I use the filtered stuff. Always. If it tastes funky by itself, it will certainly taste funky disguised as coffee.

When you're coffee is brewed, don't do like I do and let it sit there for an hour. Take at least one sip while its fresh. Now that's the stuff. Worth getting up for, right?

One last tip, and besides finding quality beans, this, I believe, is of the utmost importance. Don't mess around with skim milk or non-dairy creamers. (Have you ever read the labels on those things? Scary.) Buy yourself a carton of half and half. It makes such a luxurious cup, and once you get started you'll never look back. Add sugar if you like (I do - lots!) and if you really crave something special, whip up some flavored whipped cream. I know a fella who insists on drinking his cup with almond whipped cream every day. Wise man. (Check out my recipe for cinnamon whipped cream in the archives and substitute the cinnamon for 1/2 tsp almond extract or just about any other extract you like.)

So, try it and let me know what you think. Worth giving up the tall skim vanilla latte for?

No Mayo Tuna Salad

2011-01-06T18:41:00.000-08:00

Simple. Tasty. Healthy. Need I say more? This recipe is inspired by a similar dish I used to get at a bistro in my old neighborhood in Atlanta, and it remains one of my favorite lunches. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

1 can chunk light tuna, drained
8 kalamata olives, roughly chopped
1 or 2 Tbls capers, drained, depending on your taste
1 Tbls lemon zest, finely chopped
1/2 tsp lemon juice, or add more to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients with a fork and serve over lettuce, in a wrap or with pita chips.

Christmas Morning

2009-12-23T12:23:00.001-08:00

I find good value in wholesome, savory foods this time of the year. They provide something of an anchor among all the merrymaking and passing of sweets, and this Christmas I'm giving up my former tradition of gingerbread pancakes for this divine torta. There is plenty of time for gingerbread in the afternoon.

In the photos you see a Spinach Artichoke Torta. (This recipe is from The Best American Recipes 1999 Cookbook. If you haven't tried one of them before, check one out from the library, or head to this link and buy one: http://www.amazon.com/Best-American-Recipes-1999-Newspapers/dp/0395966477 I haven't found a dud recipe in one of their books yet.)

Spinach-Artichoke Scramble (Inspired by the above Torta)

8 eggs
1/2 c milk
3 Tbls Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
1 can artichoke hearts (in water) drained and chopped
1 Tbls lemon juice
1 bunch scallions
3 oz frozen, chopped organic spinach, thawed and sqeezed of excess water
3/4 c grated havarti
1/2 c grated parmesan
1 bunch basil, chopped
2 oz prosciutto, cut into tiny squares

1. Heat one Tbls EVOO in frying pan and add scallions over medium heat. Cook until they become transluscent. Add Artichoke hearts and lemon juice, cover and cook until fluid decreases (about 4 minutes.) Set aside to cool. (This step can be done the night ahead to make prep a cinch on Christmas morning.)

2. Mix eggs and milk with whisk in a large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients.

3. Heat large frying pan over medium heat with remaining olive oil. Add egg mixture and cook, stirring constantly to scramble until eggs are well cooked. Enjoy.

Recipe of the Week: Garden Fresh Berries with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

2009-06-26T06:53:00.001-07:00

These gorgeous strawberries came from a local farm and they tasted ten times better than any strawberry I've tasted before, which is just another argument for buying local and fresh.

I wish I could credit the patriotic look of this week's desert to careful planning and organization, but I can't. The red, white and blue is just a happy coincidence that I failed to notice as I prepared and ate this light, summery treat. (Yes, I do eat just about any food I photograph. Sometimes I have a little help. Sometimes.)

Here's the recipe:

A bowl full of berries (whichever you like best) washed and ready to eat

1 c organic whipping cream
3 Tbls sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon*

Mix in electric mixer (or with hand mixer) on high speed until soft peaks form (just a few minutes.) Of course, there's nothing wrong with good, old-fashioned elbow grease: I've seen a friend do it with a whisk.

*If you're having blueberries, try 1 tsp grated lemon zest in place of the cinnamon

Spice It Up - Egg Salad Sandwich

2009-06-01T17:53:00.000-07:00

Life gets busy, as mine has tended to do lately, and when I'm in a pinch, I find myself falling back on the same handful of quick meals that I grew up on. "Spice it Up" is my way of adding a little interest to those otherwise boring (but beloved) dishes that are just too plain convenient to drop.

Today, I threw together a delicious egg salad Sandwich with a hint of pesto. Here's how: replace yellow mustard with 1/4 tsp fine pesto per egg. Otherwise, mix as you would normally, with mayonnaise. A nice slice of tomato throws it over the top.

Memories and Salad

2009-05-24T12:21:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day is a special holiday in my family. Of course we're delighted to celebrate the beginning of summer and all the wonderful, fresh produce that comes with it (and my mind suddenly wanders through you-pick fields and farmstands with barking dogs and freshly picked sweet corn) but my grandmother faithfully maintains a beautiful tradition on this day that reminds me what Memorial Day is all about.

In the morning, she loads the back of her car with small blooming plants along with water and garden tools, and visits all of the area cemeteries where our family members have been laid to rest over the last several decades. I was fortunate enough to go with her while visiting when I was about thirteen, and it was a lovely occassion to hear stories and become acquainted with the people who have laid the path on which I now walk. As the years roll by, I'm sad to think that people I knew (and deeply loved) have been added to her list of stops, but it touches me deeply to think that her love and devotion will be visible to others in the form of brilliant blooms all summer long.

So today, as I prepare my favorite summer salad, I'm thinking with a grateful heart of my grandmother and my mother who joins her.

(Recipe for MINTED PEACH AND TOMATO SALAD available here)

Spice It Up - BLT

2009-05-03T07:09:00.000-07:00

It's hard to imagine making any improvement on a BLT, but it seems the secret's in wasabi-horseradish mayonaise. Thank goodness it's not so hard to find on the store shelf these days.

Recipe of the Week: Savory Sweet Potato & Goat Cheese Puffs

2009-04-29T18:55:00.001-07:00

I have been an obsessive foodie for years, but the demands of balancing family duties with my life as an artist has significantly cut into the time I am able to spend on meals. (Isn't this something we all struggle with in some way or another at some point?) I've come to accept the fact that I'm lucky to have three square meals a day, nonetheless eat something that is both healthful and interesting, but I like a good challenge. This recipe is one of many I've come up with that applies the bygone days I've spent in gourmet cookbooks with the need to put something good together, quickly.

Savory Sweet Potato and Goat Cheese Puffs
(created by K. Sitko for brunch with the girls)

1 sheet frozen puff pastry
1/2 can sweet potato puree (This can be found in most grocery stores these days. If you can't find this, cut sweet potatoes into 1" cubes and steam for 40 - 45 minutes or roast in the oven at 400 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes, or until soft when squeezed - with an oven mit, of course.)
Dried, rubbed Sage to taste
Pepper, to taste
1/4 c crumbled goat cheese (the goat cheese really is what makes this treat, so don't be afraid to use more)
9 fresh sage leaves for garnish (optional)

1. Preheat oven and let puff pastry rest at room temperature according to instructions on the packaging (Mine read 375 degrees F and 10 minutes, for example) then cut into nine equal squares and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Set aside.

2. In small bowl, mix puree with sage and pepper and spoon dollups of the mixture into center of puff pastry squares. Cook according to instructions on pastry packaging, until pastry is golden brown. (Mine was 15 - 20.)

3. Let cool for 5 minutes before crumbling goat cheese evenly over each pastry. Serve warm or cool.

(* For variation, try butternut squash puree with rosemary, thyme and sage with ricotta cheese.)

A Wee Break Before Dinner

2009-04-22T11:31:00.000-07:00

Sometimes a glass of wine helps to get the chef ready for battle and sometimes it's just a reward for making it through the day.

Easter Feast

2009-04-13T12:14:00.000-07:00

I hope your Easter was splendid indeed. Mine was bright and sunny, filled with good music, a great church service and brilliant company.

We happen to take feasting quite seriously in my household, and this time we broke out the fine china and good wine to go along with our Easter ham. We were so stuffed that we didn't make it back to the table for espresso and triple berry pie until after dark. Now, just what to do with all of these leftovers?

Perfect Packaging

2009-04-09T11:45:00.001-07:00

After such a winter as this has been, I'm thrilled at the coming of spring. Tiny buds appear on branches, brave little tulips send leaves poking through the soil and, at long last, the sound of birdcalls fill the morning air once again. This holiday weekend, amid a frenzy of feastfull celebration and cellophane grass, millions of eggs will be collected from henhouses and iceboxes and, for just a moment, admired for their simplicity.

I wish you and yours a Happy Easter and Joyous Spring!

Coffee with Friends

2009-03-28T06:43:00.000-07:00

Nothing quite says coffee date with the girls quite like fresh biscotti. This Thursday, we required two pots to brew at once.

(By popular demand --- the recipe)

Cranberry Almond Biscotti

1 1/2 c slivered almonds (toasted, unsalted)
1 tsp baking powder
2 1/2 c all- purpose flour
1 1/4 c sugar
1/8 tsp salt
3 large eggs
2 egg yolks
1 tsp almond extract
1 c dried cranberries (Trader Joe's Orange Cranberries are divine)

1. Heat over to 350 degrees F. Combine baking powder, flour, sugar and salt in large bowl. In medium bowl mix eggs, yolks and almond extract. Add to dry ingredients; mix until sticky dough is formed. Stir in nuts and dried fruit.
2. Turn dough out onto well-floured board and knead slightly (adding flour if neccessary.) Shape into rectangular log, about an inch tall. Transfer to parchment covered baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, 25 - 35 minutes. Let cool about 10 mins. Reduce over to 275 degrees F.
3. Transfer log to cutting board and cut into 1/2" thick slices. Return pieces, cut side down, to baking sheet. Bake until lightly toasted, about 20 minutes. Flip onto other cut side and bake about 20 minutes, or until dry.

Afternoon Treat

2009-03-10T11:01:00.000-07:00

Is there anything quite like cookies with milk?

Friday Morning Pastries

2009-02-27T11:39:00.000-08:00

I consider myself very fortunate on the occasional Friday morning when I have the chance to steal away to a sweet little Patisserie not far from home and enjoy a cheese crepe or a butter croissant. This morning was especially luxurious... I had both and shared them with my favorite little girl.

Rainy Day

2009-02-26T15:16:00.000-08:00

What more could I ask for on a cold and rainy day than a new pair of slippers and a cup of tea from my favorite tea shop in Paris?

Spinach-Artichoke Souffle

2009-02-19T15:39:00.000-08:00

Divine!

Soup for a Cold Winter's Day

2009-02-19T15:33:00.000-08:00

Need I say more?

Just Can't Get Enough

2009-02-19T09:59:00.000-08:00

I'd like to say that the winter makes me drink more coffee than usual, but it just isn't so.

Please Forgive Me

2009-02-11T13:37:00.000-08:00

I just couldn't help myself. I had to take a bite.

Love affair with vegetables

2009-02-10T06:13:00.000-08:00

It's early February and something has happened in this typically frozen solid world around me. The snow has melted. The sun is shining and I'm thinking about spring and all the wonderful fruit and vegetables that will soon be gracing the farm-stand down the street. I cannot wait.

Salmon Salad with Honey Mustard Balsamic Dressing

2009-02-05T08:53:00.000-08:00

When I spotted the words "Sockeye Salmon" in the freezer section at my local market, I couldn't help but think of early fall days of my childhood in the Pacific Northwest. In numerous rivers and shallow pebbled streambeds, I remember watching the bright red backs of these fish as they labored upstream on the way to spawn in the lakes of their origin.

I had to take some home, and broiled it up with salt and pepper and threw it into a salad of mixed greens and dried cranberries, all covered in this delightful dressing:

1 Tbls dijon mustard mixed with 2 Tblsp honey
stir in 1/4 cup balsamic dressing and finally 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Balsamic Chocolate Truffles with a Hint of Cherry

2009-02-03T13:58:00.000-08:00

For the recipe and more of my truffle images, go to http://www.designspongeonline.com/2008/12/in-the-kitchen-with-kristine-sitko.html#more-16238

Blackberry Cobbler

2009-02-03T13:48:00.000-08:00

In my family, blackberry cobbler is a sacred late summer tradition which finds us all donning gloves and boots for an afternoon of berry picking in the back field. While the scent of cinnamon and baking oats fills the house, we pull out the favored crystal dishes and silver in anticipation.