Baked Tomatoes and Chickpeas with Feta

Fast and friendly weeknight meals are on my radar these days. What I love about this dish is that it uses up a good amount of tomatoes. Our garden is being very generous in that department right now.

Don't have fresh tomatoes? You could easily substitute canned.

Add a chunk of crusty bread and you've got a tasty vegetarian dinner with enough leftovers for lunch.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Baked Tomatoes and Chickpeas with Feta
Inspired by this recipe from the Kitchn

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 to 3 pounds of tomatoes, any variety, diced
3 minced garlic gloves
2 teaspoons dried oregano (or use 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano)
3 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces crumbled Feta cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat the oil in a large, oven-safe
skillet. Add tomatoes and cook,
stirring, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

Stir in chickpeas, oregano salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Cover and place in oven. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until chickpeas have softened and sauce is thickened a bit. Remove cover and top with Feta cheese.

Let bake 5 minutes more, or until cheese melts. Ladle into bowls and serve with bread for dipping.

Quick Cucumber Salad

Once again we have a bumper crop of cucumbers. They seem to be the only thing we can grow in our tower garden. Time to make cucumber salad, a nice, light side dish to a dinner in which the husband grilled burgers, sausages and chicken (for the week, not just one dinner!)

Even the kids LOVE this cucumber salad. I prefer it to the creamy Hungarian version, but that's good too. Put this on your culinary radar for when you have an abundance of cucumbers.

XOXO,
Amy

Quick Cucumber Salad
2 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced (I used the 1/16" setting on my mandoline.)
1/3 cup vinegar — apple cider or white
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh or jarred dill weed or parsley, if desired (I much prefer dill.)

Place sliced cucumbers in small glass or plastic bowl, preferably one that has a lid that fits.

Combine remaining ingredients and pour over the cukes. Cover and refrigerate at least three hours to blend the flavors. Drain cucumbers. Sprinkle with dill weed (or parsley). Serve.

Confession: I have made this when I've only had time to let the cukes sit and marinate for one hour, and nobody could tell as they were too busy stuffing their faces.

Poppyseed Egg Salad

A few weeks ago, with my nieces in town to hang out with my girls for what is known as Cousin Camp, we had a tea party with some other friends. I made PB&J and cream cheese and jam sandwiches in the shapes of hearts and flowers. But what about for the adults? I hadn't thought that far ahead. Fortunately, egg salad popped to mind, because all of the ingredients — including poppyseeds, which give this version a subtle nutty flavor and crunch — are always on hand.

My friend Ashley, who brought her girls to the tea party, and I were like "Omigosh, egg salad is sooooo good." There wasn't a whole lot of talking during the eating, actually.

Why don't I make egg salad more often? Well, the hubby is watching his cholesterol, and the kids won't eat it. But I'm here to tell you, my friends, that it's good to make dishes for just yourself (and a like-minded friend) sometimes. Besides, taste buds change, too. I now have one kid, Lucy, who absolutely loves this egg salad. I found out about Lucy's new love of egg salad when the leftovers that had my name (figuratively) all over them for a late post-cycle class lunch were half eaten when I got to them.

I hope you enjoy this simple, classic dish with a twist. I hope that sometimes you make something that only you like ... for now.

XOXO,
Amy



Poppyseed Egg Salad
12 hardboiled eggs
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon poppyseeds
Salt and pepper, to taste

Peel and cut up eggs; transfer to bowl. Add rest of ingredients and stir gently (so as not to make the eggs a mushy mess) until combined.

Question: Do you know how to boil eggs? That is, do you know how to boil eggs so that the yolks are perfectly cooked without any greenish hint of being overdone? And do you know how to boil eggs so that the shells come off easily, without taking out hunks of egg white?

No? Well, here is what to do. Place eggs in a pot and add water so that it there's at least an inch of water over the tops of the eggs. Add some salt to the water and set pot over high heat. Once the water comes to a rapid boil, allow water to continue its full-paced boil and the eggs to cook for another two minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove eggs and transfer to a bowl of ice cubes and cold water. Peel eggs immediately after they are cooled, within about 10-15 minutes.

Oh, and here's Lucy enjoying an open-faced egg salad sandwich.

Fettuccine with Asparagus and Goat Cheese

Hello from this long lost blogger! Guys, I'm sorry I fell off the face of the earth for a while there. Life got away from me. The husband and I run a small business, and we recently moved to a new office. It was way more work than I anticipated. Like WAY more. Needless to say, blogging to a back seat to...survival.

Although my house was a giant disaster area (please don't open my closet door), I did manage to feed my family. Admittedly some nights we ate crackers and cheese for dinner, but when I was feeling slightly more ambitious, I relied on HDHH classics.

Now that it's Spring, and asparagus is on sale practically every week, I figured it was time to make Fettuccine with Asparagus and Goat Cheese.

This is totally a 20 minute meal. And it's easy clean up. Cook the pasta and asparagus in the same pot, then stir in tangy goat cheese, grainy mustard, and fresh dill for a creamy, Spring-y sauce. So easy and delicious, even I could manage it!

Dinner? You've got this!

Let's get cooking!
Erin

Fettuccine with Asparagus and Goat Cheese
Originally posted in April 2013
Serves: 6

1/3 cup pine nuts
1 pound fettuccine
2 bunches asparagus, trimmed and cut crosswise into thirds
5 ounces goat cheese
2 tablespoons grainy mustard
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pine nuts on a rimmed baking dish and bake for about 5 minutes, until they are golden brown and smell toasty. (Alternatively, you can toast pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, but I always burn nuts when I toast them on the stove. Feel free to live dangerously, though.)

Cook the fettuccine to al dente according to package directions in a large pot of salted boiling water. Add the asparagus during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.

Drain the pasta and return pasta and asparagus to the pot. Stir in goat cheese, mustard, dill, and toasted pine nuts. Add pasta cooking water and stir until the cheese is melted and the pasta is evenly coated with sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Slow Cooker Mushroom Bolognese

America's Test Kitchen slow cooker cookbooks never let me down. I have three of them and lately have been trying to cook more from ATK's Healthy Slow Cooker Revolution. This Bolognese sauce is so savory and yummy and the texture is much like the meaty Bolognese found in ATK's original Slow Cooker Revolution.

My version below is pretty true to ATK. Why mess with a good thing? I did use more carrot — two instead of one. I used a pound of button mushrooms I had on hand, rather than all cremini as called for. I also left out the dried porcini mushrooms as they are pricey as heck.

My husband and I really liked this sauce, and that's something, because I didn't like mushrooms until well into my 20s and Jeff still doesn't really like them. The kids liked their dinner until they heard about the mushrooms. I need to keep my mouth shut sometimes.

XOXO,
Amy

PS: My house smelled amazing all day with this simmering away.

Slow Cooker Mushroom Bolognese
Adapted from America's Test Kitchen Healthy Slow Cooker Revolution

2 pounds cremini mushrooms (or whatever mushrooms you have on hand; I used 1 pound cremini and 1 pound button) — washed, trimmed and quartered
1 onion, chopped coarse
2 carrots, peeled and chopped coarse
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste — if desired)
1/2 teaspoon pepper (plus more to taste — if desired)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 pound linguine (regular or whole wheat)
Grated Parmesan cheese

Working in batches, pulse mushroom in food processor until pieces are no larger than half an inch — about 5 to 7 pulses — and transfer to a large bowl. Pulse onion and carrot until finely chopped — about 5 to 7 pulses — and transfer to the bowl with the mushrooms. Pulse tomatoes in their juice until almost smooth — 6 to 8 pulses — and set aside separately.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add processed vegetables and cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until vegetables are dry and browned, about 12 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, garlic and oregano and cook for 1 minutes. Stir in wine, scraping up browned bits from skillet, and simmer until nearly evaporated, about 3 minutes. Transfer vegetable-wine mixture to slow cooker.

Stir processed tomatoes into slow cooker. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, sugar and bay leaf. Cover and cook for 7 to 8 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high.

Discard bay leaf. Stir in parsley, cream and lemon juice. Let sauce sit on "warm."

Cook linguine according to package directions.

Plate pasta and top with Bolognese sauce. Top with grated cheese, if you like.

Slow Cooker Vegan Indian Lentil Stew

For Sunday dinner, I often make a crockpot meal. I love walking into our house after Sunday evening Mass to the smell of a warm dinner that's ready to go. This is one of my favorite stews. It hit the spot last night and will again today when I eat some of the leftovers. Plus, few things smell better simmering away than a stew with garam masala.

XOXO,
Amy

Slow Cooker Vegan Indian Lentil Stew
2 tablespoons coconut oil
4 shallots, diced
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 green pepper, finely chopped
1 cup dried French green lentils
6 carrots, diced
2 14-ounce cans of diced tomatoes (I used no salt added variety.)
2 14-ounce  cans of garbanzo beans, drained
2 cups vegetable broth (Add more for thinner stew.)
2 teaspoons garam masala
Salt and pepper to taste

In large skillet, heat coconut oil over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic and peppers. Sauté for 5 minutes and then add to slow cooker. Add all of the the other ingredients. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Serve with bread or crackers, if you like.

Ramen with Chicken & Vegetables

My kids keep seeing a commercial for Ramen noodles, so I recently bought a 12-pack at the grocery store so they could try them. It was a trip down memory lane to my post-college, working-as-an-intern days when I often ate cooked and drained ramen mixed with a little butter, the seasoning packet and (canned) chicken.

My kids now bring ramen soup (in a thermos) for their school lunch about once a week. For the dinner table, I decided to see if I couldn't expand my old college recipe a little bit.

Adding lots of veggies and some Asian seasonings did the trick. Go ahead and add more or different vegetables or leave out the chicken for a vegetarian meal and/or experiment with the sauce to find a blend that fits your tastebuds.

The great thing about this recipe is that the day after we have this for dinner, there's enough leftover ramen for my lunch, too!

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Ramen with Chicken & Vegetables

4 packs of ramen noodles, cooked and drained (reserve seasoning packet for another use)
2 tablespoon oil, divided
1 cup carrots, julienned (Make life easy and buy a bag of shredded carrots!)
1 cup snow pea pods, julienned
1/2 a large red bell pepper, julienned
2 cans (5 ounce) or 1 can (10 ounce or 12 ounce) of chunk white chicken, packed in water OR 1 1/4 cups to 1 1/2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 or 2 tablespoons Hoisin sauce (depending on your taste)
1 or 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger (depending on your taste)
Salt and pepper to taste
Sliced green onions for serving
Chopped fresh cilantro for serving

Cook ramen noodles according to packet directions. Drain and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet. Add vegetables and cook, stirring often until tender-crisp, about 5 minutes.

Remove veggies from pan and set aside in a bowl.

Add remaining oil to skillet and add chicken. Cook until heated through. Add vegetables back into pan and stir to combine.

Add soy sauce, Hoisin sauce, ginger, salt and pepper. Stir and cook for a few minutes until sauce begins to thicken. Add more soy sauce, Hoisin and ginger to taste.

Add ramen noodles to pan and stir to combine and to coat noodles in sauce. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to heat through.

Top with green onions and cilantro and serve.

Black Bean & Sweet Potato Burritos

After the insanity of the holidays, I'm struggling to get back to my routine. Back to the kitchen. Back to blogging. Back to doing laundry before I run out of clean socks...again.

When I'm struggling to get cooking, I always turn to the HDHH archives. It feels like a reading a journal. I remember when the investment dudes gave me the recipe for Baked Oatmeal, when I used to eat Peanut Butter & Stuff Sandwiches on my business trips to San Francisco, making Spring on Toast with Amy, when Therese introduced me to her Corn & Tomato Salad, my childhood babysitter who inspired Bacon Cheeseburger Rice, making Salmon with Dill Cream Sauce with Kelly and Jill, watching my mom bake Butterscotch Cashew Bars. These are good memories. And certainly inspiration enough to get hot dinner on the table.

It had been too long since I made Black Bean & Sweet Potato Burritos, a recipe I first tested for dinner co-op with Therese back in 2011. These vegetarian burritos were so stinking good, a perfect way to usher in the New Year and a return to culinary pursuits.

Do you guys have any cooking inspiration for 2017? We'd love to hear it!

Let's get cooking!
Erin

Black Bean & Sweet Potato Burritos
Adapted from An Occasion to Gather
Originally posted September 23, 2011
Serves: 4-6

1 very large (or two small) sweet potato(s), peeled and cut into small pieces*
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 large onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2-4 ounces diced green chiles (Depending on how spicy you like things!)
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons coriander
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
8 flour tortillas
Salsa and sour cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 or 425 degrees. (See Baking Note below for details on baking temperature.)

Place sweet potato in a saucepan with enough water to cover and a hearty pinch of salt. Bring water to boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and allow sweet potatoes to cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until   they're easily pierced with a fork. Drain sweet potatoes and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and chiles and saute, stirring often, for 7 minutes. Stir in cumin and coriander and cook for another minute, until the spices are fragrant. Remove onion mixture from heat and set aside.

Combine sweet potatoes and black beans and mash them together with a potato masher or whatever mashing implement you prefer. (I like my burrito filling to have some texture, so I didn't mash it too much. Just use your best judgement.) Stir in cooked onion mixture, cheese, and cilantro.

Evenly divide the filling between the tortillas. Roll burritos up tightly and place seam-side-down in a 9 x 13 baking dish.

Baking Note: I've experimented with a couple different ways to bake these burritos, so I'll give you options. If you like crisp burritos and/or you want to get dinner on the table fast, crank up the oven to 425. Brush a little melted butter on top of the prepped burritos in the pan and bake for 10-15 minutes, until burritos are heated through and the tops are golden brown and crisp. If you like your tortillas to remain soft and/or you have more time to kill before dinner, cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 5 minutes if you'd like to crisp up the tops a little bit.

Serve with salsa and sour cream.

*If you have leftover cooked sweet potatoes, this is a great way to use them up! I made extra roasted sweet potatoes, and they were delicious in this recipe. And with leftovers, you're one step closer to dinner.

Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

A few weeks back the husband took the kids to his folks' house for the weekend (thanks, honey!), and I hosted a little reunion for my college girlfriends here in Seattle.

We talked until too late at night and then slept in. We were tourists at Pike Place Market and took in the sights of Seattle on a sunny summer day. We went to the beach and did some shopping. We missed our kids and our husbands, but at the same time we reveled in our girls-only time. And we ate. Oh, man, did we eat.

One of the meals we cooked included Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad. Maybe it was the company or the fact that I didn't spend the entire dinner chopping food into small pieces for the baby, but I couldn't stop thinking about this salad.

With a hearty helping of parsley and lemon, this salad reminded me of tabbouleh. But instead of bulgur wheat, I used quinoa for a gluten-free, protein-packed dish. The colorful veggies make it refreshing and healthy.

Whether it's for a girls' weekend, a barbecue, or just dinner with the family, Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad is perfect for your summer menu!

Let's get cooking!
Erin

P.S. If you have dietary restrictions, this recipe is low FODMAP in addition to being gluten free!

Gluten-Free Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

2 cups water or broth
1 cup quinoa
Salt and pepper
Juice of 1 1/2 - 2 lemons*, divided
1 bunch parsley, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 English cucumber, quartered and sliced 1/4" thick
1 bell pepper, chopped into 1/2" pieces
11 ounces grape tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Combine water or broth and quinoa in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. (If you're using water, I recommend adding a hearty pinch of salt to help season the quinoa while it cooks.) Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through. Allow the quinoa to sit, covered, for 5 minutes then fluff with a fork. Pour juice of half a lemon over warm quinoa and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set cooked quinoa aside to cool while you prep the veggies.

Combine parsley, cucumber, bell pepper, and tomatoes in a large bowl. Stir in juice of 1 lemon and olive oil. Stir in cooked quinoa. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If you want a little more zip, add a bit more lemon juice. Serve at room temperature or store in the fridge until you're ready to serve.

*Sometimes after the salad sits in the fridge for a while, it dries out a little bit. If this happens, stir in juice from another 1/2 a lemon and a drizzle of olive oil.

Simple Spoonbread

I was really pleased with myself because I had made a plan for dinner. The husband was going to grill pork chops, so I prepped them with a spice rub during the kids' nap time. I'd even sliced zucchini spears to throw on the grill with the meat. I just had to chop the potatoes to pop in the oven at the last minute.

Well, pride cometh before the fall, my friends.

I opened the bag of spuds and...Ewww. My potatoes had eyes on them. And not just one or two that I could dig out with my pairing knife. Lots and lots and lots of eyes. Shudder. Back to the drawing board.

Earlier in the day, I was perusing an edition of Eating Well magazine and stumbled across a recipe for spoonbread. Since I happened to have all the ingredients on hand, I thought I'd give it a whirl.

Man, you guys. This stuff was awesome. Simple Spoonbread reminds me of light, airy cornbread. It has a lovely corn flavor with just a hint of sweetness. The cheese brings richness and ground chipotle adds just a hint of smokey heat. And it's super kid-friendly. Our daughter devoured it.

Now read the recipe and check your pantry for the ingredients. Have them all? Good. Now you know what you're making for dinner tonight.

Let's get cooking!
Erin

Simple Spoonbread
Adapted from Eating Well

2 1/2 cups milk (I used 1%), divided
1 teaspoon agave
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon (or more!) ground chipotle powder, depending on your spice tolerance
3/4 cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup shredded cheese (I used colby jack. Cheddar would also be lovely.)
3 eggs, preferably at room temperature, separated

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 2 quart baking dish and set aside. (An 8" or 9" square dish works well.)

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine 2 cups milk, agave, salt and chipotle powder. Heat until the milk starts to bubble around the edges, then whisk in cornmeal. Cook, stirring, until the cornmeal thickens and starts to pull away from the pan, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in butter and cheese.

Meanwhile beat egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed until they are white and form soft peaks, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks and remaining 1/2 cup milk. Stir a third of the cornmeal mixture into the egg yolks to temper them. Then stir in the remaining cornmeal mixture.

Using a spatula, gently fold a third of the egg whites into the cornmeal mixture. Fold in the remaining egg whites in two additions. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake until spoonbread is puffed and golden brown in spots, about 20-25 minutes. Serve warm.

P.S. Want more spoonbread in your life? Check out Andrea's Buttermilk Spoonbread, too! 

Oven-Roasted Kohlrabi Medley

I recently came into some kohlrabi -- when the Friday cycle instructor brought in some grown by her budding farmer son, owner of Old Sol Produce. I'd heard of kohlrabi, but wasn't sure what to with it. First, let me explain that  kohlrabi is in the cabbage family and is a popular vegetable in German fare in and today's farm-to-table restaurants. The taste is like a cross between cabbage and the sweeter broccoli stems. I think it's delicious.

So, anyhow, I found a bunch of cool recipes online for things like kohlrabi fritters and even a kind of salad with radishes (kohlrabi can be eaten cooked or raw), but in the end I didn't have time to do anything fancy, so I just roasted it with a bunch of other vegetables -- carrot, parsnip, eggplant and red onion.

BTW, here is a great guide from the kitchn on How To Roast Any Vegetable. I love the roasting times by vegetable type.

I recommend giving kohlrabi a try -- at home or when you're at a farm-to-table restaurant.

XOXO,
Amy

Oven-Roasted Kohlrabi Medley

2 kohlrabi, trimmed, outer later peeled/removed and cut into 1/4" to 1/2" slices

A variety of vegetables cut and trimmed. Use whatever you like or have on hand.

Cooking spray

Salt, pepper and seasoning to taste

1-2 table spoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare vegetables. Spray pan, baking dish or sheet with cooking spray. Place vegetable in a single layer and top with salt and pepper and seasoning of your choice. (I used Penzeys Sunny Paris seasoning.)

Place in oven and check  every 15 minutes until veggies are roasted sufficiently -- to your taste. If you are roasting softer vegetables (i.e. tomatoes, yellow squash) with root veggies (i.e. carrots, parsnips, kohrabi), you might want to add those later in the roasting process as they won't take as long. Again, consult the kitchn's guide above.

The fork is piercing a piece of kohlrabi.

Andrea's faves - and a couple of "fails"

One of the very best things about blogging with two fellow mom friends is trying their recipes and learning how they manage to feed their own families day in and day out.

There are many dishes from Erin and Amy that I've made multiple times since the three of us began collaborating a year ago. Today I'm sharing the ones I make most often.

I'd love to know which recipes got you into the kitchen this past year. Tell us!

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

P.S. These round-up posts are a nice break: Even us blogging mommas like to get out of cooking once in awhile!

My favorites from Erin:

• Lemon Buttermilk Cake. If my metabolism would allow it, I'd eat this cake every day. I love it with fresh berries.

• Corn soufflé casserole. This is comfort food on steroids. Easy and so delicious I've made this for many meals and visiting relatives.

• Berry vinaigrette. I eat a salad for lunch almost every day. This dressing turns the dish into a treat.

My favorites from Amy:

• Chick Pea Salad. Even my boys enjoy this salad. It's crunchy, hearty and healthy all in one bowl. Also great to take to parties and potlucks.

• Tomato-Avocado Quinoa Salad. Hands down this is my absolute favorite way to eat quinoa.

From the HDHH archives:
As a PTO mom, I sometimes use the blog as an auction item to raise money for my boys' school. The winning bidder chooses a menu from HDHH that I prepare and deliver to them. Since I'm cooking these meals anyway, I make a double batch for my own family. This opens my eyes to dishes that appeal to others – and to more of Erin's awesome cooking.

• Brownie Pudding Cake. This cake is deadly – in a good, chocolately way. After I made it once, it was requested again a week later. We served it for Christmas dessert, too.

• Make Ahead Chicken Pot Pie. The option to prep this meal in advance brings some much-needed flexibility into a crazy day. The taste of this dish is heavenly and perfect for a cool day, or when you need some down-home cooking. 

Cooking fails:

Lest you think us bringers of hot dinner are the perfect home cooks, I'm going to come clean and share two "fails." Oh yes, we do mess things up sometimes. Just like everyone else.

• The first time I made Erin's Brown Sugar Oatmeal Coffee Cake, I started a fire in my oven when I attempted to caramelize the topping under the broiler. So I tried again and just skipped that step. The cake turned out perfectly and I didn't need to dismantle the smoke alarm! 

• Ever since writing the blog, I've been trying to be more adventurous with my cooking, especially on the vegetarian front. A few weeks before Thanksgiving I whipped up this vegan Thanksgiving Loaf shared by sister-in-law, thinking it could be a potential HDHH candidate. Well, it smelled delicious, but the taste and texture were a bit off. I'll have to give it another go-round soon.

Black Bean Tortilla Lasagna

We love lasagna and Latin-inspired food at our house. This Black Bean Tortilla Lasagna is a fun vegetarian take on our usual tacos or Italian fare.

This recipe is a spin-off of the Layered Tortilla Tart from one of my favorite cookbooks, America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook. When I went to make the meal, I realized I didn't have several of the ingredients, so I improvised with what I had on hand.

The results were quite yummy. I see lots of versatility in this recipe, such as using pinto beans instead of black beans, or subbing out a can of beans for a can of corn. I hope some of you will experiment and tell us how you finesse this dinner in your own happy kitchens.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Black Bean Tortilla Lasagna

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small bell pepper (red, green, orange or yellow), chopped
2 15 ounce cans of low sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth (omnivores can sub chicken broth)
4 10-inch whole wheat flour tortillas
3 plum tomatoes, cored, chopped and divided
1 bunch green onions, sliced and divided
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped and divided
1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Sliced black olives, guacamole for garnish

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper.

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and bell pepper and cook until pepper is softened, stirring often. This will take about 6 to 8 minutes.

Add black beans, lime juice, cumin, chili powder and chicken broth to pan. Stir to combine and heat through. As the broth absorbs, mash some of the beans so that they break apart and form a paste. Remove from heat and set aside.

Place tortillas in the oven two at a time, directly on a middle rack. Cook just 2 or 3 minutes, until slightly browned and crisp around the edges (The tortillas may puff up. This is OK as they will deflate.) Remove from oven and set aside.

Now you are ready for assembly. Place one tortilla in center of lined cookie sheet. Spread one-third of the bean mixture onto the tortilla. Top with one-fourth of the green onions, tomatoes, cilantro and 1/4 cup shredded cheese.

Repeat two more times, ending with the fourth tortilla. Sprinkle remaining tomato, cilantro, green onion and cheese on top. Bake for about 20 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Remove from oven and let rest about 5 minutes. Slice and serve garnished with black olives, guacamole and additional cilantro.

2015 Holiday Gift Guide: Cookbooks

We get asked A LOT about our favorite cookbooks. But how could we pick just one? That's like asking us to name our favorite child; honestly, it depends on the day.

Yet we know you have holiday shopping to do. You might want to pick up a cookbook for the foodie in your life or to drop some hints on the titles you'd like to unwrap. So today, dear readers, we offer up some of our faves.

XOXO,
Amy, Andrea and Erin

Disclaimer: These reviews are simply the opinions of the ladies at Hot Dinner Happy Home. No publishers asked us for endorsements or compensated us for writing about their cookbooks.

Amy's Picks: 



Great Food Fast
Despite having the ugliest cookbook cover of all time, this is a good introduction to the pressure cooker. I got a pressure cooker this year -- a gift to myself --- and these easy-to-follow recipes came in handy. After I made Chicken Noodle Soup, it was easy for me to figure out the quantities and timing for my own soups, such as Potato Soup like my mom makes and my Midwestern Vegetable-Beef Soup. For a kid-friendly dinner, try the Pizza Joes. If you are tired of the endless stirring involved in making risotto, then I direct you to the Cajun Crab Risotto.



The Little Paris Kitchen: 120 Simple But Classic French Recipes
This book combines two of my loves -- cooking and France. And it's the prettiest cookbook ever with delicious photos of food and Paris. Consider this a great gift for cooks and francophiles as well as those who would appreciate culinary inspiration or a gorgeous cookbook to adorn their kitchen. A word for those who do cook, the recipes are simple, classic French dishes, some with a little twist. For example, there's Coq Au Vin  On Skewers. I once  made our entire Easter meal from this cookbook and it consisted of Lemon an Lavender Chicken, Parisian Asparagus, Creamy Potato Bake and Creme Brulee. Recipes are listed in French and English. --Amy



The Oh She Glows Cookbook: Over 100 Vegan Recipes to Glow from the Inside Out

Is healthier eating a goal for 2016? Blogger Angela Liddon's book is my go-to for healthy plant-based meals. This is a collection of both lighter fare and surprisingly filling dishes. Some of my family's faves: Perfected Chickpea Salad Sandwich, Our Favorite Veggie Burger and Glowing Strawberry-Mango Guacamole. I also like Liddon's smoothies, such as the Classic Green Monster Smoothie, and the On the Mend Spiced Red Lentil-Kale Soup. For this year's Super Bowl, in which our Carolina Panthers might (knock on wood) be playing, I plan to whip up some Life-Affirming Warm Nacho Dip. --Amy

Slow Cooker Revolution

This cookbook lived up to its title and revolutionized how I think about slow cooking and how often I use my slow cooker, which is all the time. I have lost count of how many people I've given this cookbook to, but I know Andrea is one. I also have the second volume -- the easy prep edition, which is full of recipes that don't take as long to prepare or cook. But I like this one more because more of its recipes require eight hours or more in the slow cooker, which means dinner can cook away while I'm at the office. Some of my family's faves: Barbecued Beef Brisket, North Carolina Pulled Pork, Easy Barbecued Ribs, Classic Thanksgiving Stuffing and Big-Batch Bolognese Sauce. --Amy

Andrea's Picks:

America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook
So I love to bake, but baked goods aren't always so healthy. Same with the Mexican-inspired dishes my family loves. Thanks to a recommendation from a neighbor, I've found healthier versions of these recipes. I'm still working my way through it, but the Better For You Banana Bread and Layered Tortilla Tart are excellent! --Andrea

A Family Christmas Cookbook
My brother gave me this cookbook nearly a decade ago and despite the title, I use it all year long. Many of the recipes are very similar to meals and goodies I grew up eating, like Ricotta Cookies, Pesto Sun Dried Tomato Pate, Country Chicken and Spiced Red Cabbage. Best thing about this book? It offers numerous recipes for the same dish, which makes it easy to customize to your own tastes. --Andrea

Indian Inspired Gluten Free Cooking
My husband and I love Indian food. Our old Cincinnati neighborhood boasted at least five Indian restaurants. This cookbook demystifies the cuisine and the recipes are surprisingly easy to prepare. Try the Spinach with Lentils and Coconut, Spinach Lentil Rice and the Broccoli with Red Onion and Ginger. I've given this cookbook to several friends. -- Andrea

Slow Cooker Revolution Volume 2: The Easy Prep Edition
The original Slow Cooker Revolution made me fall in love with my slow cooker all over again. I find that I use the easy-prep version more often these days because our family life is increasingly busy and I don't often want to take the time required for lots of crock pot preparations. The Cuban-Style Pork Roast with Mojo Sauce and the Mexican-Style Pulled Pork Tacos are favorites in our house. --Andrea

The Sprouted Kitchen Bowl + Spoon
Blogger Sara Forte's newest cookbook is my favorite of the year. Bowl + Spoon is filled with simple, wholesome and delicious meals, sauces, sides, dressings, sauces and desserts. Many recipes are vegetarian, which is helpful as I'm always looking for non-pasta meatless meals. And the photos are simply gorgeous.

Erin's Picks: 

America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook
This list clearly demonstrates our love for America's Test Kitchen. This cookbook is my go-to for the "standards" and has inspired many of the recipes on this blog. Skillet Broccoli with Toasted Garlic and Lemon, All-American Meatloaf, and Pan-Seared Steaks with Red Wine Pan Sauce are some of my favorites. I also love the buying guides and helpful tips scattered throughout the book. --Erin

An Occasion to Gather (The Junior League of Milwaukee Cookbook)
This book was a gift from my friends Jill and Kelly when we lived in Milwaukee. I love how it represents the city and my time there. Everything I've tried from this cookbook has been delicious. Plus there are great regional insights, like how to organize a beer tasting, a list of necessities for tailgating, and the perfect menu for a Bunco party. Milwaukee will always have my heart and so will this cookbook. --Erin

Everyday Food: Great Food Fast
The title says it all...this book is full of great food that you can get on the table fast. It's full of 30-minute meals, and you'll have most of the ingredients in your pantry. I love how it's organized by season, because, "a change in weather affects how we cook as much as what we cook." --Erin

Zucchini Pancakes

Yes, I'm using zucchini in yet another recipe. The prolific vegetable is the ideal blank slate or accompaniment for so many meals, as evidenced by it's frequent appearance in our happy homes.

Zucchini's mild taste and Mom-approved nutritional value make it a great food for healthy eaters.

One medium zucchini with its skin provides about 7 grams of carbohydrates, including 2 grams from dietary fiber and 3 grams from sugars. It also has 2 grams of protein and lots of vitamins and minerals, such as potassium.

Some of my favorites? Blueberry Zucchini Bread and Zucchini Rice. And of course these tasty pancakes. I try to use as little flour as possible so that the zucchini takes charge.

These savory bites are just the thing when you need a vegetarian main course or a fun side dish.

And who can say no to pancakes served up with a dollop of sour cream?

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Zucchini Pancakes

2 medium zucchini, shredded
2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 large egg
1/2 a yellow or white onion, finely chopped (or use 1 bunch green onions, finely sliced)
1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 to 6 tablespoons flour (white, whole wheat or gluten free)
Several tablespoons olive oil or canola oil
Several tablespoons butter

Place zucchini in a strainer and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Let drain for about 10 minutes. Press with wooden spoon to squeeze out moisture.

Whisk egg in a bowl. Add zucchini, onion, cheese, nutmeg, pepper and flour. Mix until well combined. If the batter is too wet, add another tablespoon of flour.

Now you're ready to fry up your fritters — in batches.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a 10-inch or 12-inch skillet (cast iron works well here) until hot. Drop heaping tablespoons of zucchini batter (about 1/4 cup) into skillet and flatten just a little with a spatula.

Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until browned. Transfer pancakes to a plate lined with paper towels.

Wipe out skillet if needed and repeat the cooking process until you've used up all of the batter.

Serve with sour cream.

Zucchini pancakes freeze really well. After thawing you can reheat them in the oven. Place on a cookie sheet and broil for 1 or 2 minutes.

Soul-Soothing Red Lentil Stew

As the weather recently turned more brisk and some seasonal stress piled on at work, I craved the comfort of a stew. Some people believe chicken noodle soup to be food for the soul and I can appreciate that. (Please see Pressure Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup.) But what soothes my soul lately: a good lentil stew.

XOXO,
Amy

PS: This photo doesn't do my stew justice.

Soul-Soothing Red Lentil Stew
Adapted from America's Test Kitchen Slow Cooker Revolution, Volume 2: The Easy-Prep Edition

2 tablespoons coconut oil
4 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon garam masala
2 pinches of red pepper flakes
2 1/2 cups water
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 cup red lentils, rinsed
Salt and pepper
4 tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups light coconut milk
2/3 cup frozen peas

Spray inside of slow cooker with vegetable oil spray.

Microwave coconut oil, garlic, garam masala, and pepper flakes in bowl, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about one minute. Transfer to slow cooker. Stir in water, carrots, lentils, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper. Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low.

Stir in tomatoes, coconut milk, and peas. Cover and cook for another 6 hours on low. Yeah, you gotta be patient for this stew, but I think it's worth it.

Hubby and girls ate this stew with crackers. I preferred to top mine with avocado.

Chickpea Salad

My husband has been known to lament on Facebook that some days he has quinoa salad for lunch and chickpea salad for dinner. Geez, there I go again, trying to keep us all healthy.

But if Jeff is being honest, he loves it. After all, he's always picking up quinoa at the store and whenever I haven't made this chickpea salad in a while, he drops some subtle hints. Hey, we have lots of cans of chickpeas in the pantry. Why don't you make chickpea salad?

This recipe is adapted from my favorite vegan cookbook -- The Oh She Glows Cookbook by Angela Liddon. I have made the vegennaise (that's "mayo" without the oil and egg) Angela calls for in this recipe just once. Sorry, Angela, but some things taste better with mayo -- Duke's mayo to be precise. Also, I don't put in as much dill pickle as Angela calls for, because it makes the salad (mine, anyway) too wet. I also add carrot. And I always double the recipe, because the chopping takes some serious time, so why not make more while I'm at it? And besides I love my hubby.

XOXO,
Amy

PS: You will see later this week that one of my kiddos likes chickpea salad in her school lunch. Bless her.

Chickpea Salad
Adapted from The Oh She Glows Cookbook

2 (15-ounce) cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 stalks celery, finely chopped
3-6 green onions, thinly sliced
2 carrots, finely diced
1-2 dill pickle spears, seeded and finely diced
2 bell peppers, each one a different color, finely chopped
4-6 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
4 teaspoons dill
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Toasted bread, crackers, or lettuce for serving

Put chickpeas in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher until some of the chickpeas appear flaky in texture and others are still whole or mostly whole. Combine all other ingredients, adjusting mayo, mustard, salt and pepper to your taste.

Serve this salad with toasted bread, crackers, lettuce -- or eat plain.