Barley and Black Bean Salad

I'm in recovery mode from a wonderful birthday weekend! My two close friends, Kristen and Sarah, from my days at Starbucks took me out on Friday night for drinks and dinner--we started at Oreganos, a fun, vintage themed Italian restaurant. They've got locations across Arizona--make sure to save room for their famous pazookies: warm cookie dough with ice cream on top. They've also got some spectacular drinks, too.

On my actual birthday, my parents and Jesse took me to RA Sushi! I loved it. I think I was the only one that did, though. We all had fun, but I don't think any of them will want to go there for their birthday dinners!

On Sunday the rest of our family came over for cake and ice cream. Actually, we made a kalua chocolate trifle. It was to die for. I'll post the recipe later this week.

For now, it's back on the band wagon with a good lunch salad: barley and black bean salad. This makes a lot, so plan to bring it to work all week. This recipe is from: Real Age.

photo from here

Ingredients:

• 1 cup barley, cooked according to package directions
• 1 cup black beans, rinsed
• 1/2 cup corn (thawed if frozen)
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 avocado, sliced
• cayenne pepper
• Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

Get Cookin'

Combine cooked barley, beans, corn, cilantro, lime juice, oil, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.

Immediately before eating, slice avocado to put on top.

It's better if you make it the day before to help the flavors mix together. 

Let me Eat Cake!

This weekend is my birthday--anticlimactic 22 year birthday. But, I'm still excited. See, I adore celebrating birthdays (not just my own, everyone's)! Have you ever visited Birthday Girl? Her blog has the best of the best birthday parties- I love seeing the beautiful decorations and fun themes featured on her blog.

I'm most excited for birthday cake. JRM loves white on white cake, but I love double chocolate. Can't wait for a beautiful, chocolate cake! This one-bowl chocolate cake recipe from Martha Stewart looks amazing. Saturday can't come soon enough!

Photograph: Dennis Gottlieb/Getty Images/StockFood

Ingredients:

Unsalted butter, softened, for pans

3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder, plus more for pans

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

3/4 cup warm water

3 tablespoons safflower oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract



Get Cookin'

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and dust with cocoa.

Sift cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of a mixer. Beat on low speed until just combined. Raise speed to medium, and add eggs, buttermilk, water, oil, and vanilla. Beat until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Divide batter between pans. Bake until set and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Turn out from pans. Transfer, faceup, to wire racks. Let cool completely.

Spread 2 cups chocolate frosting onto top of 1 cooled layer. Top with remaining layer; frost top and sides with remaining 2 cups frosting.

Mulligatawny Soup

Last semester the dining hall served mulligatawny soup for dinner one day--I was skeptic, but tried it. It was amazing, and I've been looking for a recipe to recreate it. Stephanie O'dea at A Year of Slowcooking has the winning recipe for mulligatawny soup! 

I thought this was fitting for the first day of fall. The leaves don't change color in Arizona, but a girl can live vicariously through NY pictures!

photo from here

The name is weird and the ingredients may sound weird, but it is superb! Give it a try, please!
 

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 cup peeled and chopped apple
1 cup chopped carrots
1 (15-ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried minced onion flake
1/4 cup raisins
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons curry
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup long grain white rice (to add later)

Get Cookin'

Put the chicken thighs into the bottom of the crockpot--add apple, carrots, tomatoes (juice, too), onion flakes, and raisins,lemon juice, spices, and broth.

Stir to mix the spices.

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. 

Turn to high and stir in the uncooked rice about an hour before serving. 

Chocolate Nutella Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are my favorite, but these must come in a close second--chocolate + nutella = heaven. You must try them, as soon as possible! The cookie dough by itself is even better than the cooked cookies!
After working on my honors prospectus all weekend (plus 3 honors contract proposals and studying for a poli sci exam) I loved relaxing and baking these on Sunday!

photo and recipe from here

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup of brown sugar
• 3/4 cup of white sugar
• 1 cup of Nutella
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup of chocolate chips

Get Cookin'

1 Preheat oven to 350F. Cream butter in an electric mixer for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the sugars and Nutella and mix well.

2 Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 30 seconds between each. Add the vanilla and mix.

3 Sift together the flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda. Mix into the butter mixture on low speed. Fold in chocolate chips and refrigerate the dough for ten minutes (I refrigerated mine for an hour).

4 Spoon tablespoon-sized drops of dough onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool on the sheets for a minute or two before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Makes 6 dozen.

Let Us Eat Cake!

 photo from Poppytalk

If you wish to be glamourous,

become a cake baker. It is a simple

accomplishment, rewarding beyond

its desserts! At birthdays and 

weddings, as well as on otherm ore

casual occations, a cake is 

frequently the center of interest.

-Irma S. Rombauer

Lemony Grilled Lamb Kebabs With Peppers and Onions

I love Mediterranean food. Give me the lamb, hummus, pita, anything! This is easy, healthy and would go great with the orzo salad I blogged about earlier today.

photo:http://tinyurl.com/28uolhu

Ingredients:

• For the kebabs:
• 3 1/2 pounds lamb top round or boneless leg, cut into 1 1⁄2-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 4 bell peppers, seeded and cut into 2-inch-wide strips
• 2 medium red onions, each cut into 6 wedges (root ends left intact)
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving
• For the relish:
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 cup chopped fresh mint
• 4 scallions, chopped

Get Cookin'

1. Heat grill to medium-high. Thread the lamb onto the skewers. Brush with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season with the oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.
2. In a large bowl, toss the bell peppers and onions with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
3. Grill the lamb skewers and the vegetables, turning frequently and brushing with the lemon juice, until the lamb is medium-rare and the vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve with the Mint and Scallion Relish and the lemon wedges. 
4. For the relish:
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
6. Stir in the mint and scallions.

Orzo Salad With Zucchini and Feta

My father eats more zucchini than the average person. It's his favorite veggie. He's kind of picky about some other veggies, so we are always trying to find new spins on zucchini. This sounds delish. Thanks, Real Simple!

photo:http://tinyurl.com/22ojmw5

Ingredients: 

• 8 ounces orzo (1⁄2 box)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 1/4 pounds small zucchini (3 to 4), cut into thin half-moons
• 8 ounces Feta, crumbled (2 cups)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

Get Cookin'

1. Cook the orzo according to the package directions. Drain and run under cold water to cool.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, red pepper, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add the zucchini and let marinate, tossing occasionally, for 20 minutes.
3. Add the orzo, Feta, and dill to the zucchini mixture and toss to combine.