Chipotle inspiration.
I love getting inspired. I love it when one ingredient takes you on a ride and you end up somewhere you just couldn't have imagined. It happened for me this weekend. Once again, bouncing around in 'The Big Carrot', I really needed some cumin (got stuck in the middle of a recipe the day before and discovered I was out - ugh!). While trying to figure out how the *&%$ to get the cumin out of the container (really - come on, does it have to be that complicated?), I spied this smoked chipotle powder and... well, I ended up with a very small bag of cumin and a large bag of smoked chipotle powder.
SO
On the back of the chipotle powder package was a recipe for mushrooms sauteed in chipotle powder and then used as an appetizer. Here's where things started to wind in a different direction. My next thought was 'I have spinach in the fridge' (seemingly completely unrelated - right?), followed closely by '...and I could do some rice too'. Ok, now we've got something here. And So it was born. A meal (or very tasty side-dish) stemming from one little ingredient and a spice at that - but what a beautiful creation! If you get your hands on some of this red gem don't let it go!!
Chipotle Rice with Mushrooms and Spinach
serves 6
1 lb button mushrooms, halved
1/2 red onion, diced small
3 cloves garlic, crushed
4 cups of spinach, stemmed and chopped
3 tbsp of olive oil, butter (or sometime I'll use bacon fat leftover - no waste)
3 cups of cooked rice
2 tsp chipotle powder (this will kick so if you are nervous about heat, scale back to 1 tsp)
3 tsp bouillion powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
dash of cumin (ok, I had to use it b/c it was the whole reason I was in the store in the first place, right?)
In a heated Dutch oven saute the onion and mushrooms in oil/fat until the onion just starts to get clear. Add in garlic and spinach and continue to saute until spinach wilts (just a few minutes).
Add the spices into the veggies and mix well. Add in the cooked rice and mix well again. Double check the seasoning (this will have a nice little kick so beware).
This was beautiful. I can't wait to try this in my upcoming bean and rice burrito recipe... soon!!!
Chocolate Thumbprints
I got nervous with this one. Where's the egg? Where's the baking soda or baking powder??? Where's all the sugar? It's a little unnerving. So unnerving in fact that I checked about 3 other websites just to make sure that there wasn't some kind of typo in my cookbook. Nope. I'm not dreaming or seeing things... that really is the recipe. I was using Martha's cookie book so I honestly can't imagine anything being wrong with the recipe but, you know... it was so different...
It looks like a little bit of fiddling on paper but the reality (for me at least) was that it was pretty straight forward once I was into it.
These turned out quite well for a first attempt and they look kind of cute too. The texture of the cookie itself is almost like a shortbread - definitely on the crunchier side. I used 60% cocoa solids chocolate and it was YUM. The kids like it, I can send it to school because... no nuts and well, it was pretty much a success. I would make these again.
I know that I don't sound terribly excited. They didn't blow my mind but they are good cookies that were actually almost easy.
Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
(adapted from Martha Stewart Cookies)
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup icing sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 tsp corn syrup
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare a baking sheet with parchment or non-stick liner
In a large bowl beat together the butter, icing sugar, salt and vanilla until smooth and well combined. Beat in flour and mix well.
Form balls using about 2 tsp (although mine were about a tbsp or just under) and place 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and press the middle down with your finger (WHAT! REALLY!!! Ok, I used the butt end of my rolling pin - Please, save your fingers!) of each cookie down to make a well. Bake for another 7 - 9 minutes (keep an eye on them just in case). Remove from oven and cool completely on a baking rack.
Combine the chocolate, 3 tbsp of butter and corn syrup in a small saucepan or heat-proof bowl and place over simmering water until melted. Allow to cool just a bit and them fill each cooled cookie with the chocolate mixture. Allow to set completely before storing.
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About Me
- Wanda Thorne
- St Michael's Choir School is celebrating it's 75th anniversary year of service to St Michael's Cathedral. Part of the school celebration is a trip to Italy where our boys from Grades 5 - 12 will be performing and celebrating Mass. This blog will be chronicling our adventures. Wanda Thorne is the Vocal Coach at St Michael's Choir School. Gerard Lewis is the Grade 7/8 Homeroom teacher at the Choir School.
About Me
- Wanda Thorne
- St Michael's Choir School is celebrating it's 75th anniversary year of service to St Michael's Cathedral. Part of the school celebration is a trip to Italy where our boys from Grades 5 - 12 will be performing and celebrating Mass. This blog will be chronicling our adventures. Wanda Thorne is the Vocal Coach at St Michael's Choir School. Gerard Lewis is the Grade 7/8 Homeroom teacher at the Choir School.
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