Latte? Yes, Please!

There is barely a day that goes by that I don't have a cup of coffee, or two, or....well, I just like coffee.  Most of the time my coffee just comes from my little Mr.  Coffee machine, and it's great, but when I want something a little more special, and don't feel like spending 4 bucks on it at a coffee shop I have a solution!

I just got a new toy.  It's a stick blender.  It's great!  It makes sauces, soups, and things like applesauce SO much easier to do!  What I don't have is a milk frother, but I'm not willing to spend the money on one ($100 for steamed milk, no thanks!).  So, I heated up some milk, stuck in the stick blender, hoped for the best, and this is what happened!  Well, with a few steps in between, but it was super easy!

Here is how to make a great latte at home.  The steps for the espresso I learned watching Alton Brown, so I cannot take credit for that part.  The pinch of salt is needed, even though that sounds weird.  It helps keep the coffee from being bitter.  If your coffee is still bitter, make sure you haven't ground your coffee too fine, it should be a normal grind, and make sure you didn't steep too long.  If you don't have a french press and want one, I know there are a lot of expensive ones out there, but I got mine for under $20 and it works just fine.  With different proportions, I often prefer it for brewing coffee instead of using my coffee maker.


Grind up 2 heaping coffee scoops of coffee beans, or a generous 1/4 cup.  Or use pre-ground.


Add to a french press with a pinch of salt and pour over 10oz of boiling water and steep for exactly 3 minutes.


While coffee is steeping, heat about 2 cups of milk and microwave until hot.  Add 1-2 tablespoons of sugar, depending on how sweet you like your coffee.


Put in stick blender, turn on, and make sure it is not completely submerged, so it can work some air into the milk and sugar.  It may take a couple times to get the feel of it. (Don't fill the milk to the top and then put the blender in... unless you really like cleaning your counters, and wearing milk as an accessory.)  I use a large Pyrex measuring glass, but anything that holds at least 3-4 cups will do.


Pour in desired proportions of milk and coffee (I suggest 1/4 coffee, 3/4 milk), stir, then scoop the foam from the top of the milk into your mug!

makes 2 lattes


The morning I made it, my husband and I were really excited and liked them.  So much so that he asked for one later that afternoon.  I made it for him, and then he asked for a third!!

For a couple variations, consider adding a small amount of vanilla extract to your milk, or mixing in a little chocolate syrup or sprinkle with cinnamon.    

135 calories per latte (may not be an everyday indulgence, but certainly lighter than Starbucks!)

Kale Chips...you've got to try these!

Ok, I know they sound weird, but they are super easy and super good!  I will warn you, they are really addicting, so don’t be surprised if you start craving them.  But hey, it’s kale, so it’s a good craving! :-)   When my mother-in-law first told me about them, I was really skeptical, it took me like 6 months to try them, but now I am so glad I did!  I watch a little 11 month old baby in the mornings.  I told her mom about these, she loves them, she fed them to her daughter and told me that they are the only vegetable that her daughter will eat without a fight!  I thought that that was pretty funny!

Use a good olive oil, because you can really taste it on these.  I like to buy a bunch of kale, wash it, and keep it prepared in my fridge.  It keeps for at least 4 days depending on how fresh it is from the grocery.  Then I just take some out, toss with oil, and bake to have with lunch or dinner!

Heat your oven to 400°.   

Wash a bunch of kale leaves, and tear or cut out the middle stem.  Tear leaves into pieces, and dry thoroughly.   I use a salad spinner.  

For about every 8 cups of kale I toss with a generous tablespoon of olive oil.   

Spread on a cookie sheet and salt.   

Cook for about 15-20 minutes.  Tossing occasionally so they cook evenly.   

They should be dry and crackly, but not burnt. If you take them out while they are still a little soft, they will be kind of chewy, and not very good.   

I’d say 6-8 cups of leaves not packed will be a serving for 2 or 3.  They shrink down a lot as you can see! I will admit to eating that much all by myself though….. :-) Enjoy!!

If you try these leave a comment and tell me what you think! 

Risotto!

Ok, I promise it’s not as hard to make as you may have been told!  Honestly I think I like making it better than regular rice, because you just keep adding liquid until it is right, instead of plain rice where you add rice and liquid at the beginning, close the lid and hope it turns out right.  As long as you are careful when buying sausage and stock, it's gluten free too!  
A couple things about my risotto.  1.  I used a very dry, not sweet white wine.  I don’t care for the taste of it otherwise.  2.  I think Parmesan is traditional, but I used Gruyere instead – mostly because it is what I had in my fridge at the time, but I really liked the taste of it.  You could absolutely substitute Parmesan if you wanted. 3.  I know there is no salt in my recipe, except with the mushrooms.  I did that because the stock and the cheese added all the needed salt.  You may find you need to add some yourself though.

Risotto with Mushrooms and Sausage

Ingredients 

2 cups Arborio rice

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

2 cups dry white wine

1-2 Tb butter

1 lb spicy Italian sausage (I used lean turkey sausage)

16 oz mushrooms sliced

4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves

¾ cup gruyere cheese grated (any favorite hard cheese would work, Parmesan,Tuscano, Romano etc)

salt to taste

optional: red pepper flakes, black pepper

Heat stock and wine together in a saucepan and bring to a bare simmer. Melt 1/2 Tb butter in another saucepan over medium heat.  Add rice to butter and toast* for 2 minutes. Add a couple ladle-fulls of broth mixture into rice until it covers the rice, and stir occasionally.  Keep the rice at a bare simmer.  Every 5 minutes or so when the liquid no longer covers the rice, add a couple more ladle-fulls of broth mixture and keep stirring occasionally.  After about 20 minutes start testing the rice.  It will be done when it is tender all the way through, about 30 minutes. 

While the rice is cooking, cook the sausages through. I like to take them out of casings, and crumble meat, but you can leave the whole and slice after cooking if desired.  I like lean italian sausauge, but I cannot always find it in the spicy variety, so I add red pepper flakes and black pepper to taste (1/4-3/4 tsp depending on taste and desired heat). Remove sausage from pan and leave about 1 Tb of liquid from sausages.  If they did not give off any fat, add 1 tablespoons of butter to the pan. Add mushrooms and a pinch or salt to pan on med-high heat, they should sear and cook through. Slice the sausage and add back to mushrooms when they are cooked.  

When rice is cooked stir in cheese to combine. Stir in 1 additional Tb butter if desired for silkiness.  Add mushrooms and sausage to pan with rice.  Stir until the rice soaks up the liquid from the mushrooms and sausage. Fold in spinach until just wilted and serve with grated gruyere on top.

                                                                                        

*To toast rice, just cook over medium heat with butter stirring frequently.  It will become translucent; just make sure that it does not start to burn.

Makes 4 generous 2 cup servings.  748 calories per serving