In this issue
+ In my next 49 years…
+ Saint Patrick’s Day Recipes
+ March Bake Club Challenge: Irish apple cake
+ Two New Recipes! Maple tofu with broccoli rabe and garlic rice and Double chocolate rye muffins with maple and miso
+ No Recipe Required: Simple braised pork chops
+ One Useful Thing: Super easy balls of cheesy deliciousness
+ Featured Cookbook: Nopalito: Quesadillas Rojas
+ Reading, Watching, and Listening Recommendations
A quick note before we get to it, the length of this post means it might be truncated in your inbox – just click to expand and read the whole thing or read it directly on rebeccablackwell.com.
“Let the beauty we love be what we do.”- Rumi
Am I becoming the world in which I wish to live? I turn 49 on Monday and this is the question that’s occupying the most space in my mind.
It strikes me that a constant fact of my life is the need to periodically realign my behavior with what’s good for me. For as long as I can remember, like a boomerang, I allow supportive behaviors to slip far into the distance, then bring them back. Again, and again, and again.
Just a few examples: sleep and rest, exercise, meditation, time with friends. All of these things are good for me. I know from experience that I feel better when they are a consistent part of my life. And yet, I periodically allow each to slip away from my daily routine, allowing other less important but seemingly urgent things to crowd them out, and have to go through the effort of reestablishing the habit.
Honestly, my constant veering away from things that are good for me is one of the most perplexing aspects of my nature. I suspect this is true of human nature, not just my nature. But, perhaps there are some of you who don’t have to constantly realign their behavior with what’s good for them??? If this is you, please share your secret!
I have no answers here and little expectation that, should I have another 49 years ahead of me, this will be any different. 🤷🏻♀️ Perhaps the more important thing is that I continue to recognize when my behavior is out of wack and am willing to put things back in order. Regardless of the reason, the question I’m asking myself as I head into my 50th year is this: Am I becoming the world in which I wish to live?
Rumi’s words seems particularly insightful as I consider this question. “Let the beauty we love be what we do.”
I have a few ideas of what a perfect world would look like. I think all of us do. It includes healthy, happy, contented, connected, brave people who are wise enough to care generously for themselves, others, and the world we share.
So… am I cultivating these things in me? Am I becoming the beauty I long to see in the world?
What are your thoughts about this? Are these the types of things you think about as well? My birthday wish: leave a comment at the bottom of this newsletter with all the wisdom and insight you have to offer. 😘
In other news, greetings from the cold, wet Oregon coast!
After 5 months in the Seattle area, we moved to Nehalem Bay State Campground in the tiny costal town of Manzanita last weekend and have been trying ever since to not float away. 😂 We pull on our rain boots every time we want to leave the camper because, and I am not over exaggerating here, there is a 5-inch deep puddle (pond?) outside our front door that we have to slosh through to get to the road.
BUT, the Oregon coast is as magnificent as ever and the little town of Manzanita is delightful, so we might be soggy, but we are happy to be here.
This is our second visit to Nehalem Bay State Campground. The campground rests on a narrow strip of land between the coast and Nehalem bay. Walk one direction and you’re on a ocean beach with huge waves crashing on the shore. Walk the other direction and you’re on a peaceful bay with quiet waters and a walking path that weaves through peaceful woods.
Our daughters have joined us for a few days to celebrate my birthday with me and we will not let cold, rainy weather spoil our fun. More photos to come. Until then, I hope you find a few recipes here to make your week more delicious.
Saint Patrick’s Day Recipes
Saint Patrick’s Day is right around the corner and I can almost taste the corned beef and cabbage and Irish apple cake. 😋
We are not the dress-like-a-leprechaun-green-beer-drinking-party-all-night kind of people. We are more the stay home and eat some good Irish food kind of people. If cooking at home is also a part of your celebration, here’s your recipe line up. ☘️
Corned Beef and Cabbage with Mustard Sauce {Instant Pot or Slow Cooker}
This is my all time favorite way to cook corned beef and cabbage. The brisket and cabbage are cooked in a Guinness spiked broth until the meat is so tender it falls apart and the cabbage is soft and buttery. Right before serving, glaze the brisket with brown sugar mustard sauce & serve with creamy parsley buttered potatoes.
This recipe includes instructions for making Corned Beef and Cabbage in your Slow Cooker or in your Instant Pot. AND you should most definitely plan to make extra just so you’ll have enough leftover to make Reuben Sandwiches and Corned Beef Hash (linked up below).
The Reuben Sandwich was possibly created in the 1920's in Omaha, Nebraska, to feed hungry poker players at their weekly game at the Blackstone Hotel. Or, it might have been created at Reuben's Delicatessen in NYC in the 1900's.
I think it's possible that both could be true. It's nice to think that we have original ideas, but as far as I can tell, original ideas are a rare occurrence.
For all we know, Reuben sandwiches were being made by hundreds of people in smaller establishments or home kitchens. The only difference here is that the Blackstone Hotel and/or Reuben's Delicatessen pushed the sandwich far enough into the public milieu that it caught on, becoming a part of American cuisine.
And hallelujah for that because Reuben sandwiches are delicious and the perfect reason to make extra corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day.
Corned Beef Hash is a delicious way to transform leftover Corned Beef and potatoes into the kind of casual comfort food that will turn anyone into a leftover lover.
But honestly, using corned beef and potatoes are just one option for cooking up a delicious hash. Here's the basic formula for how to make hash with pretty much any kind of leftover meat or veggies.
A couple more Irish inspired recipes for your month:
And don’t forget Irish Apple Cake….
The March Bake Club challenge recipe is Irish Apple Cake
Irish Apple Cake is a light and tender vanilla spice cake with a crunchy sugar topping that's loaded with tart, crisp apples. It’s delicious all on it’s own, but even better drizzled with creamy vanilla custard sauce or buttery whisky sauce.
To participate in the Bake Club Challenge: bake this month's challenge recipe and then leave a comment on the recipe telling me what you thought of it! By commenting on the recipe, you'll be automatically entered to win a $50 Amazon gift card. Bake the challenge recipe and leave your comment before April 1st, 2024.
Important: When you comment on the recipe, use the same email address that you use to subscribe to this newsletter. This is how I’ll contact you if you win.
Maple tofu with broccoli rabe and garlic rice
My favorite way to cook tofu is to toss it in cornstarch, salt, and pepper and then fry it in a hot skillet with a little bit of oil. The outside of the tofu gets crispy but the inside remains firm yet soft and creamy. Pressing excess water from extra firm tofu creates a delicious meaty texture that has won over several of my friends who were tofu skeptics and now love the stuff.
In this simple recipe, crispy fried tofu is tossed with a sweet and spicy sauce made from maple syrup and gochujang and served with blackened broccoli rabe and garlic rice. The whole thing comes together relatively quickly (about 30 minutes) and is a meaty-without-the-meat kind of meal that even meat eaters will love. (At least I hope so. 😉)
Makes 4 servings
One 14 -16 ounce package of extra firm tofu
About 24 ounces broccoli rabe or broccoli (aim for about 1 cup of veggies per person)
Canola or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup rice vinegar (unseasoned) or white wine vinegar
2 - 4 tablespoons gochujang (depending on how spicy you want it)
2 tablespoons soy sauce or Tamari
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 cup water or vegetable broth (I used Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base mixed with water.)
Serve with garlic rice (recipe below)
Remove the tofu from the package and cut it into 1 or 2-inch cubes. Lay the cubes in between several layers of paper towels or two clean kitchen towels and set something heavy on top of them. I lay a baking sheet over them and then set a cast iron dutch oven on the baking sheet. Let the tofu rest underneath this press for 20 minutes or so to press excess water out of it.
In the meantime, cut the broccoli or broccoli rabe into 2-3 inch pieces. Add a tablespoon or two of oil to a large skillet and set it over high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the broccoli. Cook, tossing the broccoli around inside the pan from time to time, until the broccoli is blackened in spots. Remove it to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.
Rinse out the skillet.
Add maple syrup, vinegar, gochujang, soy sauce or tamari, minced garlic and water or broth to a small bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
Add the pressed tofu to a bowl and sprinkle it with cornstarch and about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Toss the tofu around inside the bowl until each piece is coated with cornstarch.
Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet and set it over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the tofu in an even layer across the bottom of the pan. (You might need to do this in batches.)
Cook until golden and crispy on all sides, turning the cubes in the pan as necessary to brown on all sides. Pour the maple syrup mixture into the pan, bring it to a boil, then lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring, until the liquid has thickened slightly and reduced by about half.
Remove from the heat and stir in the broccoli. Serve over garlic rice.
Garlic Rice
for 4 servings
1 cup long grain white or brown rice
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
1 small yellow onion, peeled and minced
4-6 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
2 cups water or vegetable broth (I used Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base mixed with water.)
Add the rice to a fine mesh strainer and rinse it under cold water until the water runs clear.
Add the oil and minced onion to a medium size saucepan and set it over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two, just until the garlic has darkened slightly in color.
Add the rice, and cook, stirring, for a minute or two to toast the rice. Pour in the water or broth and turn the heat to high. When the liquid begins to boil, lower the heat to low, cover the pan, and allow the rice to simmer gently until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
Double chocolate rye muffins with miso and maple
“Umami” is not typically a word we use to describe muffins or other sweet treats, but these deeply chocolate muffins are full of it. The combination of rye flour, white miso paste, and maple syrup gives them a rich, complex flavor that is so much more interesting (and addictive) than your typical chocolate muffin.
To be clear, no one will mistake these for anything other than chocolate muffins. The rye flour, miso, and maple are supporting actors in this show, and honestly deserve an award for the way they make chocolate shine.
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup dark rye flour
6 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup packed brown sugar, light or dark
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup white miso paste
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1/2 cup whole milk plain, unsweetened yogurt
About 6 ounces chocolate chips, or chopped chocolate - I used a bar of milk chocolate that I chopped into relatively large chunks
Powdered sugar (optional, for sprinkling)
Heat oven to 400 degrees F and prepare a muffin tin by spraying the top of the pan with non-stick baking spray or lightly greasing the top of the pan with vegetable shortening or butter. This will prevent the tops of the muffins from sticking to the pan. Line a muffin pan cups with paper liners.
Add the all-purpose flour, rye flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a bowl and stir with a wire whisk to combine.
Beat the brown sugar, butter, miso, and maple syrup with an electric mixer until the mixture is lightened in color and aerated enough to look fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating at medium-high speed to fully incorporate one egg before adding the next. The eggs may give the batter a curdled appearance at first; just keep beating and it will smooth out. Beat in the vanilla.
Add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix on low speed just until blended. Add the yogurt and the chocolate chips or chocolate chunks and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to combine. It’s a very thick batter.
Divide the batter between the 12 cups; the batter will reach to the top of the paper liners. You will think they are too full but trust me - it will be fine.
Place the tin in the center of the oven and bake for 6 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (do not open the oven door) and bake for an additional 18-22 minutes. To test that the muffins are done, insert a toothpick in the center of a muffin and remove it. If there is no evidence of raw batter on the toothpick, the muffins are done.
Set the muffins in their tin on a wire rack and allow them to cool until they can be removed without smashing.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar if you like - this is not necessary but looks pretty.
No Recipe Required is a collection of quick and easy dishes that are more of an idea than a recipe. Each dish in this series is meant to inspire delicious, quick, and easy meals that can be adapted to what you like, what you have on hand, and how many people you're cooking for.
Simple Braised Pork Chops
Dry, flavorless pork chops need not apply because these babies are more juicy and flavorful then a pork chop has the right to be.
Braising (searing them over high heat then simmering them in broth) is one of the best ways to cook pork chops because it keeps them moist and juicy while creating a flavorful sauce. This recipe is quick and easy and, like all no-recipe-required recipes, can be modified in whatever way you see fit.
We like to eat these chops with cream cheese mashed potatoes or crispy fried potatoes.
Plan ahead: These chops are relatively quick and easy to make but do require 12-24 hours to marinade in buttermilk before cooking.
Ingredients:
Pork chops, boneless or bone-in
Buttermilk
Salt
Vegetable or canola oli
1 onion (white, yellow, or red), or a couple of shallots; peel and chop into small pieces
A couple of carrots and/or celery stalks and/or bell peppers; wash, trim the ends, and chop into small pieces
A few cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
1 - 2 tablespoons of dried herbs (suggested: sage, thyme, rosemary)
About 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
About 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar, light or dark
1-2 cups chicken or vegetable broth (I used Better Than Bouillon vegetable base mixed with water)
Worcestershire sauce
Mustard (any kind)
About 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or unseasoned rice vinegar
A tablespoon or two of butter (optional)
Fresh herbs (optional)
Place the pork chops in a zip top bag or bowl and pour in enough buttermilk to submerge them completely. Add a very generous amount of salt - about 1 tablespoon of salt per cup of buttermilk. Stir or shake the chops around in the buttermilk to distribute the salt throughout the liquid. Place them in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.
When ready to cook the chops, remove them from the buttermilk and lay them out on paper towels or a dry kitchen towel. Pat them with another towel until they are mostly dry.
Add a couple tablespoons of oil to a large skillet or braiser and set the pan over medium high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmery, add the chops. Allow the chops to cook, undisturbed, until they release easily from the pan and are well browned on the bottom. Flip them over and allow them to cook until browned on the other side. Remove the chops to a plate and turn the heat down to medium-low.
Add the chopped onion or shallot and the chopped carrot, celery, and/or bell pepper. Cook, stirring every now and then, until the vegetables are soft. Add the minced garlic and dried herbs and cook, stirring, for another minute. Add the tomato paste and brown sugar and cook, stirring, for another minute or two.
Pour in about 1 cup of broth plus the Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and about 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Bring the liquid to a boil then add chops back into pan. There should be enough liquid to come about halfway up the sides of the chops. If there’s not enough, add more broth.
Cover the pan, lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and let the chops cook until done. The chops are done when they’ve reached an internal temperature of 155 degrees F. (Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature or cut into one of the chops - there should be almost no pink.)
Remove chops to a plate and cover to keep them warm. Turn the heat under the pan up to high and bring the liquid to a rolling boil. Cook the sauce until it’s reduced by about half. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in a tablespoon or two of butter and a handful of fresh herbs (optional). Serve the chops smothered with sauce.
Labneh cheese balls
I discovered Labneh cheese a couple of years ago and have been obsessed with it ever since. It’s a thick, creamy yogurt cheese that’s mildly tangy and one of the most versatile, delicious cheeses you can have in your refrigerator.
Also, making labneh is simply a matter of mixing a pinch of salt into yogurt, wrapping it in cheesecloth, and letting it sit in your refrigerator for a couple of days. It doesn’t really get any easier than that.
Labneh can be used in place of cream cheese, spread on sandwiches and wraps, and topped with crispy garlic and za’atar toasted in olive oil and eaten as a dip.
In addition to garlic and za'atar, you can top labneh with anything your heart desires - nuts, seeds, dried or fresh fruits, spices, chilies, herbs - and serve it with crackers, vegetables, a loaf of crusty bread or a stack of warm flatbread.
So good.
Also, labneh can be formed into balls, rolled in spices, and stored for months in olive oil.
I love having a jar of labneh balls in the refrigerator for a quick snack but they are also one of the easiest appetizers I know for entertaining. These are just as perfect for an impromptu, casual get together as they are for a formal dinner party. They take minutes to make and can be prepared weeks in advance.
Labneh cheese balls are pretty and delicious and can be served with slices of crusty bread, buttery naan or flatbread, crackers or crisps, or vegetable crudités.
In the photos you see here, I rolled a few balls of labneh cheese in Aleppo pepper and a few more in za’atar, then plunked them into the same jar so the flavors would remain separate but also influence each other.
Here’s how to make them:
Add whatever seasoning you want to a small bowl.
Roll the soft cheese into tablespoon size balls, roll the balls in the seasoning to coat, then plunk them into a jar or another covered container.
Pour in olive oil until the balls are completely submerged.
As long as the labneh balls are completely submerged in oil, they’ll keep for at least a couple of months. You don’t even have to refrigerate them.
Labneh Balls can be stored at room temperature if you keep them in a cool, dark place and keep them submerged in olive oil at all times. Also, be sure to use a clean, dry spoon any time you remove any balls from the jar.
Having said that, I usually refrigerate them. The trick here is that it’s important to remove them from the refrigerator an hour or two before you want to eat them because the olive oil will solidify and need some time to come back to a liquid state.
This month’s featured cookbook is Nopalito by Gonzalo Guzman and Stacy Adimando.
Quesadillas Rojas
This week I made a version of the book’s recipe for quesadillas rojas, crunchy quesadillas made with corn tortillas.
If you’ve never had a crispy corn tortilla quesadilla, be prepared to discover your new favorite thing. I have been making these super easy crispy corn tortilla quesadillas once a week for years and we aren’t even close to being tired of them.
This recipe is similar to the quesadillas I make on the regular but stuffed with braised pork and crispy fried pork rinds.
I skipped the pork rinds in ours and used a jar of Herdez salsa verde and some Aleppo pepper oil instead of the homemade salsa in the recipe, topping our quesadillas with a freshly chopped tomatillo and some quick pickled onions.
So, basically, we have a crispy corn tortilla quesadilla stuffed with tender chili-spiked pork shoulder, and cheese and topped with salsa, Aleppo pepper oil, a tomatillo, and pickled onions. It was crazy good. Next time I make pork carnitas, this is how I’ll use up any leftover meat.
What I’m reading, watching, and listening to
After watching Lessons in Chemistry last year and loving the show, our oldest daughter gave me the book and I am reading it now. It’s as brilliant as I expected and if you haven’t seen the show or read the book, I recommend adding both to your life immediately.
Three of my current favorite podcasts:
We Can Do Hard Things, which you will hear me mention possibly to the point of tedium because it is constantly giving me new things to think about.
The Drive from Peter Attia, MD. This is a meaty podcast with long episodes that take a deep dive into all aspects of health, longevity, and human performance. It often gets into the weeds to an extent that makes me impatient for them to get to the point, but I’ve gained useful, interesting, actionable insight from every episode I’ve listened to so far.
Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris. This is a podcast that covers a wide range of topics in the broad category of meditation and happiness. The basic premise is that happiness is a trainable skill and available to all of us. The podcast features interesting guests with a wide range of perspectives and expertise and I almost always learn something new about myself and human nature when I listen.
Are you a podcast listener? What are your favorites? Please share them in the comments below!
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OMG, the recipes instantly made my mouth water. INSTANTLY. Love that you have a cookbook rec. It's difficult for me to ever decide which ones to buy because they all look so delicious as I look through them, so I love it when I come across someone making a rec. Not a huge fan of podcasts but I am reading Peter Attia's "Outlive" and it's sooooo good! He really knows how to break down a complex idea. So many gems in this one, Rebecca!