Artichoke Dip with Olive and Potato

This is a very delicious dip that nonvegans love too. The secret is the potato that Dreena Burton uses to make the dip creamy without using cream cheese, mayo, or sour cream.

Artichoke Dip with Olive and Potato
Eat, Drink, & Be Vegan

1/2 cup (packed) cooked red or Yukon gold potatoes (she recs baking the potato)
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 medium-large clove garlic (to your taste), quartered (I use 2)
3/4 tsp dry mustard
3/4 tsp sea salt (I use Kosher)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast (I use closer to 1 3/4 tbsp)
2-3 pinches freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup plain non-dairy milk- soy is best for creamy thick texture
3- 3 1/2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp fresh parsley leaves
1 can 14-oz artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed, and liquid lightly squeezed out
1/4 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
1/4-1/3 cup pitted Kalamata or black olives, or combination of both (Kalamatas impart a stronger flavor) (I used all Kalamata)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1-2 pinches sea salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 375F. In a food processor, combine potato, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, mustard, 3/4 tsp salt, nutritional yeast, and pepper and briefly pulse. Add about 1/4 cup milk and puree until very smooth. Then add the remaining milk, 3-3 1/2 tbsp oil, and parsley and puree until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Once dip is very smooth, add artichoke hearts, basil, and olives, and pulse to lightly incorporate ingredients retaining some chunky consistency. Transfer to a medium-sized baking dish. In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, 1/2 tbsp oil, and salt, then sprinkle evenly over dip. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

I serve this with pita chips and crackers but found that it's good with celery and carrot sticks too.

Happy New Year!

DH and I are enjoying a cup of Cafe Monteverde Rainforest coffee from Costa Rica. A very yummy coffe from a fantastic vacation from a great year. For my first post for 2009- my fave books of 2008 (and some that were not).

Excellent to Very Good
fiction
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle- David Wroblewski- probably my fave book this year
Hummingbird’s Daughter- Luis Alberto Urrea- beautiful and a strong female main character
Out Stealing Horses- Per Peterson- spare writing but very moving story- I could smell the forest- it does just end. I felt it could have had a few more chapters
Outlander- Gil Adamson- slow start but when I wanted more when the story finished
Housekeeping- Marilynne Robinson- hooked me in
Gilead- Marilynne Robinson- beautiful story about a dad and his son
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society- Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows- a feel good love story that you know what will happen but you enjoy the story anyway
The Art of Racing in the Rain- Garth Stein- I can’t look at Indy the same anymore
Snow- Orhan Pamuk
Water for Elephants- Sara Gruen- another slow starter but good
Peony in Love- Lisa See- just loved this- not sure why
The Great Gatsby- F. Scott Fitzgerald- it’s a classic for a reason
Deep Blue Goodbye- John D MacDonald- fun detective story- so 60’s but still good
Book Thief- this also might be my fave this year

nonfiction
Old Dogs- Gene Weingarten :) see page 107
Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain- Maryanne Wolf- surprisingly easy to read and fascinating- I’m learning so much
Outliers- Malcolm Gladwell
In Defense of Food- Michael Pollan
The Diving Bell and The Butterfly- Jean-Dominique Bauby
How to Read Literature like a Professor- Thomas C Foster- another fun read
The Case for Language- Gao Xingjian
Red Azalea- Anchee Min
Painting Chinese: A Lifelong Teacher Gains the Wisdom of Youth- Herbert Kohl
Seductions of Rice- Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid
Eating India: An Odyssey into the Food and Culture of the Land of Spices- Chitrita Banerji
The Glass Castle- Jeanette Walls
Creating a World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism- Muhammad Yunus
Infidel- Ayaan Hirsi Ali
The Shadow of the Sun- Ryszard Kapuściński


Good
Enchantress of Florence- Salman Rushdie
How Starbucks Saved my Life- Michael Gates Gill
The Tenth Muse: My Life in Food- Judith Jones
Nineteen Minutes- Jodi Picoult
Atonement- Ian McEwan
Eat, Pray, Love- Elizabeth Gilbert
The Madonnas of Leningrad- Debra Dean
Divisadero- Michael Ondaatje
The Animal Dialogues: Uncommon Encounters in the Wild- Craig Childs
The World Peace Diet- Will Tuttle
Getting Things Done- David Allen
The Double Bind- Chris Bohjalian
The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature- Steven Pinker



Not for Me
Holiday’s on Ice- David Sedaris- I loved the story 6-8 Black Men but prefer to be in my happy place at the holidays
The Inheritance of Loss- Kiran Desai- great writing but too bleak for me
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao- Junot Díaz- but I plan on trying once more
Duma Key- Stephen King
Lulu in Marrakech- Diane Johnson

In the Middle of
Soul Mountain- Gao Xingjian
The Yiddish Policeman’s Union- Michael Chabon
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down- Anne Fadiman
The Beautiful Things that Heaven Bears- Dinaw Mengestu
The Invention of Hugo Cabret- Brian Selznick
The Library at Night- Alberto Manguel

Snow in August- Pete Hamill


Faves from other years
Plain Truth- Jodi Picoult
Second Glance- Jodi Picoult
Pigs in Heaven- Barbara Kingsolver
A Fine Balance- Rohinton Mistry
Bel Canto- Ann Patchett
The Piano Tuner- Daniel Mason
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan- Lisa See
Palace Walk- Naguib Mahfouz
Anil’s Ghost- Michael Ondaatje
The Road- Cormac McCarthy
Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim- David Sedaris
Memory Keeper’s Daughter- Kim Edwards
A Staggering Work of Incredible Genius- David Eggers

TBR
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo- Stieg Larsson
Travels with Herodotus- Ryszard Kapuściński
The Tenderness of Wolves – Stef Penney
Chains- Laurie Halse Anderson
In the Woods- Tana French
Home- Marilynne Robinson
The Last Chinese Chef- Nicole Mones
Mountains Beyond Mountains- Tracy Kidder
Loving Frank- Nancy Hora
2666: A Novel- Roberto Bolano
Death of Vishnu- Manil Suri
The Other- Ryszard Kapuściński
The Writer as Migrant- Ha Jin

New Cookbooks
Heirloom Beans- Steve Sando
Hot Sour Salty Sweet- Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid
Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World- Isa Chandra Moskowitz
Cooking Light Annual 2008
Seductions of Rice- Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid
The Rice Cooker Cookbook- Beth Hensberger
How to Cook Everything Vegetarian- Mark Bittman
The Chopra Center Cookbook- Deepak Chopra

Tea

I had a some time before the Georgia O'Keefe and Ansel Adams exhibit opened downtown so I headed over to Teaism. They recommended Hojicha- delicious! I really enjoyed this cup of tea. It had a nutty toasted layer over the "green" taste of the tea. There was just enough sweetness to make this perfect for sipping.

Here is the link to the tea at Teaism

http://www.teaism.com/TeaShop/ProductDetails4-19.html

I received a gift card for Christmas and knew just what to do with it. I placed an order from each of my two favorite teashops Rishi and Tealuxe. I love Rishi tea- Whole Foods carries it- my favorite from there is the Jasmine Pearl. I thought it looked like fun and it is. The pearls slowly open as they float and sink as the tea steeps. This tea is very very delicious. I ordered some Hojicha and Jade Cloud to try too.

My cousin loves Tealuxe after visiting there in Boston and when she made a cup of Peachy White I was hooked too. I ordered a bunch of samples as soon as I got home and they were all very very good. My fave Tealuxe flavors are Kiwi-Berry Coconut (black), Pear and Pomegranate (black), Monk's Blend (black with grenadine and vanilla), and Mango Mist (black), and Gen-Mai Cha (green with toasted and popped rice).

I also found some very good bag teas at Whole Foods- Mighty Leaf Green Tea Tropical (very yummy), and Green Dragon (the label says nutty but I also think of buttery in a good way- maybe smooth and rich would be a good way to describe this tea- great with food). I opened a tea bag and noticed that the leaves are big and look just like good quality loose tea leaves. No tiny bits or powder. Another yummy brand is ineeka. I like Himalayan Green best. I have the Green Limon (with lemongrass) at work but need to give it another go. It seems weak and watery but I haven't brewed it properly. I also have the Himalayan black which I find a bit strong. I think it would make a great chai. I love ineeka's tea bag- you gently tear open the bag, pull on some paper wings and then attach the bag to your cup. This gives the tea leaves plenty of room to expand.

I would like to also mentioned that I tried the blooming tea at Tenpehn- very delicious and fun. I was a little disappointed that they brought the teapot to me with the flower already opened- I would have liked to watch it unfold.

The wonderful helper at Rishi recommened a glass teapot to brew my teas- she said glass would perfect to see the leaves open as they brew, that it would be easy to clean, and perfect for all types of tea. I'm off to find one (those gift cards don't last long with me!) and to order some blooming tea.

moldy wine cork

I took a bottle of wine to my brothers to share and when he went to open it, he found mold under the foil and on top of the cork. Eeeewwww. I saved the bottle hoping to take it back. It was a lovely french Chardonnay labeled with Michel Richard's name (BOURGOGNE BLANC, Michel Richard, Domaine Borgeot, Burgundy, France 2005)- he uses this as his house chardonnay. I called the wine store to ask and they said it happens often and that there is no problem. :) :) tg! They said that sometimes a bit of wine becomes trapped under the foil and will grow mold on the cork. I've never seen this before and hope I never do again but I am so glad to know that my wine is ok.

Menu for the week of 12/28

Sun
leftovers

Mon
black beans (Columbia Restaurant recipe)
rice
salad

Tues
Bhangra Burrito with chickpea-potato curry and spinach- rebar
recipe follows- I really love this! It reminds me a bit of a samosa but baked not fried.

Wed
still planning a New Year's Eve feast

Thur
black-eyed peas
Hopping John
mustard greens
cornbread


Bhangra Burrito
with chickpea-potato curry and spinach
rebar
yield: 6 burritos

"Unconventional burrito fillings are inevitable in the world of cultural food fusion. In this recipe, the corss-cultural mix makes perfect sense- the filling is pure Indian and the Mexican tortilla that wraps up the curry is a close cousin to the chapathi. The outcome is delicious and makes an ideal lunch or dinner entree. Serve with mint-mango chutney and steamed basmati rice."

4 garlic cloves
1 oz (30 g) ginger, peeled
1 jalapeno pepper, with seeds
1 red pepper, seeded
6 Roma tomatoes
3 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) toasted and ground cumin
1 teaspoon (5 ml) toasted and ground coriander
1 teaspoon (5 ml) sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon (1.2 ml) tumeric
1/2 teasoon (5 ml) cracked pepper
1 x 19 fl oz (540 ml) can chickpeas
2 lbs (900 g) red potatoes, 1/2" dice
1/2 bunch cilantro, stemmed and chopped
1 bunch spinach, washed, stemmed and sliced into 1/2" thick ribbons

Roughly chop garlic, ginger, jalapeno, red pepper and tomatoes. Place in a food processor and pulse to form a coarse puree. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and suate onion with 1/2 teasoon salt until translucent. Stir in cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric and pepper and continue to saute to cook the spices. Add the vegetable puree and simmer gently 5-10 minutes. Add chickpeas and cook a further 10 minutes to heat through. Set aside.

Meanwhile, pre-heat oven to 350F. Toss diced potatoes with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Spread out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast until lightly golden and soft, about 15-20 minutes. Toss the chick pea mixture with roasted potatoes and chopped cilantro. Season to taste.

To roll, lay a tortilla and spread 1 cup spinach ribbons topped with 1 cup chick pea curry across the middle of the tortilla. Roll it up into a cylinder and place seam-side down in a lightly oiled baking dish. Repeat with remaining filling, cover with foil and bake 30 minutes to heat through. Serve hot with chutney and rice.

Sock doll and sock monkey

I really like how the sock monkey turned out- hopefully my niece will as well. The sock doll was inspired by a doll brought in by one of my first graders. The sock monkey was made with these directions- http://www.craftbits.com/viewProject.do?projectID=1104

I found the cute pink striped socks as well as the other socks at Target.

Paella

Someone asked how I could be having paella for my Christmas dinner. For me, paella is all about the saffron and rice and well, the saffron :) I use olive oil for the fat, a bit of extra garlic, sometimes a dash of liquid smoke, and veggie broth. Yum! My recipe is from the Columbia Restaurant Cookbook and is easily adapted now that I'm vegan. I made changes to it even before going all veg. I don't miss the seafood anymore and still love love love the saffron rice.

I would rec this wine for this dish. I had it last week and it is very delicious.

from finewine.com
MARTIN CODAX ALBARINO 2007 RIAS BAIXAS, SPAIN
"Albarino, from the wine region of Rias Baixas is considered to be Spain's most respected white wine. Martin Codax Albarino is a crisp and refreshing wine with citrus fruit, pear and peach flavors. Its medium-body, bright fruit character and subtle floral aromas, can be enjoyed with everything from salads to a wide variety of seafood and poultry dishes." -Importer's Notes