Cooking with Tanya

Blog moving

2011-10-10T23:21:00.001-07:00

Well, my interests have been expanded, so I am moving my blog over to wordpress. You are welcome to follow along over there.

http://candtcreations.wordpress.com/

Homemade Pasta

2011-01-02T23:01:00.000-08:00

Wow.. It's been 8 months since my last post. Moving to a new house has disrupted my life but with 2011 upon me, I plan to start back up with my cooking blog. I have still been cooking and trying new recipes but not updating. So, lets begin the year with homemade pasta!

I recieved a pasta maker attachment for my Kitchen Aid mixer and tried it out for the first time tonight. I suspect that making pasta will be trial and error for awhile but my first attempt was very successful. The only real issue I had was the spaghetti noodles stuck together a bit.

Spaghetti Egg Noodles (Kitchen Aid Pasta Attachment Manual)

Ingredients:

4 large eggs
1-3 tbs water
3.5 cups sifted flour
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

Place eggs, water, flour, and salt in a mixer bowl. Attach bowl and flat beater. Turn speed to 2 and mix 30 seconds. Only add as much water as needed for the dough to come together (start with 1 tbs and add more as needed).

Exchange flat beater for dough hook. Turn to Speed 2 and knead for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from bowl and hand knead for 1 to 2 minutes. Let it rest for 20 minutes. Divide dough into 4 pieces before processing with the Pasta Roller attachment.

Starting with level 1, roll a pasta. Fold it in half and roll again. Repeat until pasta is very pliable. Then roll once at level 2, then level 3. Now dust with flour and then us the Spaghetti cutter a attachment to cut the pasta. Hang to dry and separate pasta. I found that dusting with generous amounts of flour made it easier to separate the pasta but I need to master this skill more. Hang to dry on a drying rack for 5 minutes.

Cooking in salted boiling water for 2-5 minutes.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Garlic, Sage and, Pine Nuts

2010-04-15T22:22:00.000-07:00

This is a great way to make butternut squash without any heavy creams or cheese. Its a delicious flavor combination!

Roasted Butternut Squash with Garlic, Sage, and Pine Nuts (from Recipe Girl)

3 lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeds scooped out & cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 Tbs olive oil, divided
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs chopped fresh sage
1/3 cup pine nuts
1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, or spray lightly with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, toss butternut squash cubes with 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread out on prepared baking sheet. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes, until squash is as tender as desired.
3. While squash is roasting, heat 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil in a small skillet. Add garlic, sage and pine nuts, and sauté until pine nuts are lightly browned. Remove from heat.
4. Scoop butternut squash into a large bowl. Scrape contents from the skillet onto the butternut squash and gently toss. Serve immediately.

Raspberry Linzer Windowpane Cookies

2010-02-20T10:06:00.000-08:00

I'm a little late posting these, but I made Linzer cookies for Christmas. You could make these anytime of the year and just use a different cut out. I had some difficulty with the cookies sticking to the sheet, but parchment paper is a must.

Raspberry Linzer Windowpane Cookies (Cooking Light)

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour (about 9 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
2 teaspoons powdered sugar

Directions
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, stirring well with a whisk.

Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until light and fluffy. Add egg substitute; beat until well blended. Beating at low speed, gradually add flour mixture; beat just until a soft dough forms. Divide dough into 2 equal portions, and wrap each dough portion in plastic wrap. Chill at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Roll each dough portion into a 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface; cut with a 2-inch square cookie cutter with fluted edges to form 32 cookies. Repeat procedure with remaining dough portion. Place cookies 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Cut out centers of 32 cookies with a 1-inch square cookie cutter with fluted edges. Bake cookies at 375° for 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

Spread center of each whole cookie with about 1/2 teaspoon jam. Sprinkle cut-out cookies with powdered sugar. (A) Place 1 cut-out cookie on top of each whole cookie.

Leek and Red Pepper Mini-Quiches

2010-02-19T10:58:00.000-08:00

A very tasty and elegant appetizer. I loved the subtle hint of white cheddar in the crust. They are also surprisingly simple to make and can be made ahead and either baked right before or baked earlier and reheated.

Leek and Red Pepper Mini-Quiches (Williams Sonoma)

Ingredients:

For the cheddar pastry:
1/4 lb. white cheddar cheese, cut into chunks
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as
needed
1/4 tsp. salt
8 Tbs. (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into
pieces
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 to 3 Tbs. cold water

For the filling:
1 1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 leek, white portion only, or 2 large shallots, finely
chopped
1/2 small red bell pepper, seeded and cut into
1/4-inch dice
1/4 lb. dry-aged white cheddar cheese, grated
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3/4 tsp. Dijon mustard
3/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Directions:
To make the cheddar pastry, in a food processor, pulse the cheese until crumbly. Add the flour and salt and pulse until the cheese is finely crumbled. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles fluffy bread crumbs. Drizzle the egg over the mixture and pulse twice. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Sprinkle 2 Tbs. water over the mixture and pulse until a rough mass forms. If the mixture doesn't come together, add another 1 Tbs. water.

Place the pastry on a lightly floured work surface and shape into a smooth ball. Divide in half. Roll out half the pastry into a large round 1/8 inch thick, pushing the dough outward from the center and rotating it about a quarter turn each time you roll, sprinkling more flour underneath as needed.

Using a 2-inch cookie cutter, cut out as many pastry rounds as possible and ease them very gently into the cups of a mini-muffin pan. The bottoms should remain rounded and the dough edges flush with the rims. Gather up the scraps, reroll, cut out additional rounds and line additional cups. Repeat with the remaining dough half, working in batches if necessary. You should have a total of 48 lined cups.

Preheat an oven to 400°F.

To make the filling, in a small sauté pan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the leek and sauté gently, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and add the bell pepper and cheese. In another bowl or large measuring cup, whisk the eggs until blended, then whisk in the cream, mustard, salt and cayenne. Add the egg mixture to the leek mixture and whisk to combine. Pour 1 Tbs. of the filling into each of the pastry shells, evenly distributing the solids and liquid.

Bake the quiches until they are puffy and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer the muffin pan to a wire rack and cool for 5 to 10 minutes (the quiches will sink a little as they cool). To loosen them from the muffin cups, run a thin-bladed knife around the sides, then carefully lift the quiches out of the cups. Arrange on a platter and serve.
Makes 48 warm bites.

Pumpkin Spice Cake

2010-02-18T21:49:00.000-08:00

This cake is light, fluffy, and full of pumpkin flavor. It really was delicious!

Pumpkin Spice Cake (The Novice Chef)

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a bundt pan. In a medium bowl, sift or whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices; set aside. In a large bowl combine eggs, sour cream, pumpkin, and oil. Beat well with a hand mixer (or use a stand mixer), scraping down sides with a spatula, until everything is well blended. Add flour mixture a little at a time, beating well after each addition, until everything is well combined. Scrape down sides, then blend in the vanilla extract.

Pour batter into prepared Bundt pan and bake in the center of a 350 degree oven for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean. Let cool on wire rack for ten minutes, then invert cake onto wire rack and let cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar immediately before serving if desired.

Pumpkin Blondies

2010-02-08T10:03:00.000-08:00

I've never made blondies before, so when I saw this recipe, I really wanted to try it. Anything pumpkin usually is a big hit, however while I enjoyed these, I still prefer pumpkin bread.

Pumpkin Blondies (From Annie's Eats)

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. salt
16 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1¼ cups granulated sugar (or brown sugar, I used brown)
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup white chocolate chips (I skipped this)
1 cup butterscotch chips
½ cup chopped, toasted nuts (optional, I skipped)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with foil. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Stir together and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined. Mix in the pumpkin puree. With the mixer on low speed add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Fold in the white chocolate and butterscotch chips (and nuts, if using) with a rubber spatula.
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake until the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs, about 35-40 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely before cutting.
To serve, lift the cake from the pan using the foil and transfer to a cutting board. Peel off the foil and using a sharp knife, cut into 24 squares.

Spanakopita

2010-02-07T09:57:00.000-08:00

Need a quick appetizer? Well, this probably isn't it! However, using the puff pasty is a great time saving trick and the result tastes very good.

Puff Pastry (Cheater’s) Spanakopita (From Elly Says Opa)

Makes 18 spanakopita triangles

a little olive oil
1/2 cup sliced leeks or about 1/4 cup diced onion
fresh dill, to taste
fresh parsley, to taste (you can tell this recipe is very technical)
1/2 lb. fresh spinach (right around 1 bunch)
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
2 eggs, divided
salt and pepper
1 box (2 sheets) puff pastry dough, thawed

Preheat oven to 375.

In a large skillet, heat a little bit of olive oil until shimmering. Add the leeks or onions and saute until tender. Stir in the spinach and then turn off the heat. The spinach will start to wilt down, but not much.

Meanwhile, roll the puff pastry dough into a square, making it slightly thinner and then cut each sheet into 9 equal squares by making 2 horizontal cuts and 2 vertical cuts.

To the spinach mixture (you can move it to a bowl if you like), add the feta, parsley, dill and salt and pepper to taste. Beat one egg and add that into the mixture.

Spoon about 1-2 Tbsp. of the spinach mixture in each puff pastry square. Brush the sides of the square with a little water and then being 2 opposite sides together to form a triangle. Press with your fingers to seal. Place on a baking sheet. Beat the second egg and then brush the tops of the triangles with the egg. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden.

Lemon Layer Cake with Lemon Curd and Mascarpone

2010-01-22T15:55:00.000-08:00

Honestly, the cake part of this recipe sucked. I actually made it twice and it still was dense as a rock. Maybe thats how it was supposed to be. It also had a very strong eggy taste. In a last minute move, I ended up using a box white cake mix and the cake was fabulous! Loved the filling and frosting. If I were to make it again, thats the route I would go. Plus, its a lot easier :)

Lemon Layer Cake with Lemon Curd and Mascarpone (epicurious.com)

Ingredients:
Lemon curd
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Cake
6 large eggs, separated
14 tablespoons sugar
1 3/4 cups sifted cake flour (sifted, then measured)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup boiling water
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Filling and frosting
2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup sugar
3 8-ounce containers chilled mascarpone cheese*

Directions:
For lemon curd:
Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Whisk constantly until thickened and instant-read thermometer inserted into mixture registers 160°F, about 10 minutes. Remove bowl from over water. Add butter; whisk until melted. Transfer 1 cup curd to small bowl for spreading on cake layers. Reserve remaining curd for filling. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of both curds. Chill overnight. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled.)

For cake:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Line bottom of two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides with parchment paper (do not grease pans or parchment). Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks and 7 tablespoons sugar in large bowl until mixture is very thick and slowly dissolving ribbons form when beaters are lifted, about 4 minutes. Using clean dry beaters, beat whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Add remaining 7 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff and glossy. Fold half of whites into yolk mixture, then sift half of flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt over and gently fold in until incorporated. Fold in remaining whites, then sift remaining flour over and fold in just until combined, being careful not to deflate batter.

Divide batter between pans; smooth tops. Bake until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool in pans on racks.

Run knife around edge of pans to loosen cakes. Invert cakes onto 9-inch-diameter cardboard rounds, tapping on work surface if necessary to release cakes. Cut each cake horizontally in half (layers will be thin). Peel off parchment.

For syrup:
Place sugar in small metal bowl. Add 1/2 cup boiling water; stir to dissolve sugar. Stir in lemon juice.

For filling and frosting:
Beat whipping cream and sugar in large bowl until peaks form. Add mascarpone to lemon curd in medium bowl; whisk until blended. Fold whipped cream into lemon-mascarpone mixture.

Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on platter. Brush with 1/4 of syrup. Spread 1/4 cup lemon curd over, then 1 cup lemon-mascarpone filling. Top with second cake layer; brush with 1/4 of syrup and spread with 1/4 cup lemon curd and 1 cup lemon-mascarpone filling. Repeat with third cake layer, syrup, lemon curd, and filling. Top with fourth cake layer. Brush with remaining syrup, then spread remaining lemon curd over. Spoon 2 cups lemon-mascarpone filling into pastry bag fitted with 1/4-inch star tip (to be used for rosettes). Spread remaining lemon-mascarpone filling as a frosting over sides of cake. Pipe small rosettes of frosting over top of cake, covering completely. Cover cake with cake dome; refrigerate at least 6 hours and up to 1 day.

Coffee-Chocolate Layer Cake with Mocha-Mascarpone Frosting

2010-01-21T21:32:00.000-08:00

For my husbands birthday I made him two cakes (yes he is really lucky!). This cake is really delicious because of the mocha mascarpone filling and frosting. If you don't want to go to the trouble of making the cake itself, you could easily use a box cake mix and then use the filling as described below. Enjoy!

Coffee-Chocolate Layer Cake with Mocha-Mascarpone Frosting (epicurious.com)

Cake:
2 cups cake flour
3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
3 large eggs
11/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
4 teaspoons instant espresso powder dissolved in 3/4 cup hot water

Frosting:
1/3 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1 1/2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream, divided
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 8-ounce containers chilled mascarpone cheese*
Bittersweet chocolate curls (optional)

Directions:
For cake:
Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. Generously butter two 9-inch cake pans with 2-inch-high sides; dust with flour, tapping out any excess. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper.

Sift 2 cups cake flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add brown sugar and beat until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions, beating just until blended after each addition. Gradually add hot espresso-water mixture, beating just until smooth.

Divide batter between pans; smooth tops. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on rack 15 minutes. Run small knife around sides of pans to loosen cakes. Invert cakes onto racks; lift pans off cakes and remove parchment. Place wire rack atop each cake; invert again so top side is up. Cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap each cake in plastic and store at room temperature.

For frosting:
Sift cocoa powder into large bowl; add espresso powder. Bring 1 cup cream to boil in small saucepan. Slowly pour cream over cocoa mixture, whisking until cocoa is completely dissolved, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup cream and sugar; stir until sugar dissolves. Chill until cold, at least 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep chilled.

Add mascarpone to chilled cocoa mixture. Using electric mixer, beat on low speed until blended and smooth. Increase speed to medium-high; beat until mixture is thick and medium-firm peaks form when beaters are lifted, about 2 minutes (do not overbeat or mixture will curdle).

Using pastry brush, brush off crumbs from cakes. Place 1 cake layer, top side up, on platter. Spoon 13/4 cups frosting in dollops over top of cake. Using offset spatula, spread frosting to edges. Top with second cake layer, top side up, pressing to adhere. Spread thin layer of frosting over top and sides of cake. Chill 10 minutes. Using offset spatula, spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake, swirling decoratively. Top with chocolate curls, if desired. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; chill. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes before serving.

Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip

2010-01-05T11:25:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the poor picture, but the dip does taste better than it looks there. You can make this dip the day before your party and pop it in the oven just before. Serve it with some crusty french bread.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip (Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations)

Ingredients
½ sweet yellow onion finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, pressed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 10 oz box frozen spinach
2 cans artichoke hearts in water, drained and coarsely chopped
2 packages cream cheese, softened
½ cup sour cream
½ cup mayonnaise
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup mozzarella cheese
Few pinches of red pepper flakes
Salt

Directions
Saute onion and garlic in olive oil and set aside
Cook spinach according to package directions; drain.
Mix spinach, onion, and garlic in large bowl.
Add cream cheese; mix
Add mayonnaise, sour cream, cheeses, red pepper flakes, and salt. Mix well.
Add artichoke hearts; mix; transfer to a baking dish
Top with some cheese.
Either store in fridge until ready to bake or bake on 350 degrees until hot and bubbly.

Chicken Marsala

2010-01-03T13:09:00.000-08:00

A very simple delicious chicken dish that you can make on any night after work. It really doesn't take that much time at all.

Chicken Marsala (What's Cooking Chicago)

Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
All-purpose flour, for dredging
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced (I used bacon since thats what I had on hand)
8 ounces crimini mushrooms, stemmed and halved
1/2 cup sweet Marsala wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (skipped)

Directions:
Put the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them; pound with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/4-inch thick. Put some flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly.

Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large skillet. When the oil is nice and hot, dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Slip the cutlets into the pan and fry for 5 minutes on each side until golden, turning once – do this in batches if the pieces don't fit comfortably in the pan. Remove the chicken to a large platter in a single layer to keep warm.

Lower the heat to medium and add the prosciutto to the drippings in the pan, saute for 1 minute to render out some of the fat. Now, add the mushrooms and saute until they are nicely browned and their moisture has evaporated, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Pour the Marsala in the pan and boil down for a few seconds to cook out the alcohol. Add the chicken stock and simmer for a minute to reduce the sauce slightly. Stir in the butter and return the chicken to the pan; simmer gently for 1 minute to heat the chicken through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

Blueberry Crumb Cake

2010-01-01T13:50:00.000-08:00

This was one of my husband's favorite coffee cake. The crumb topping is what makes a coffee cake delicious and this is no exception.

Blueberry Crumb Cake (Barefoot Contessa)

For the streusel:

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

For the cake:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2/3 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup fresh blueberries
Confectioners' sugar for sprinkling

Directions:
Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch round baking pan.
For the streusel:
Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter and then the flour. Mix well and set aside.

For the cake:
Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, lemon zest, and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Fold in the blueberries and stir with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out with a knife. With your fingers, crumble the topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely and serve sprinkled with confectioners' sugar.

Top 10 Recipes of 2009

2009-12-31T14:42:00.000-08:00

Here are my top 10 recipes (in no particular order):

Goat Cheese and Tomato Crostini

Chicken Tiki Masala

Grilled Pepper Poppers

Grilled Salmon with Thai Curry Sauce and Basmati Rice

Mascarpone Brownies

Grilled Cumin Chicken with Fresh Tomatillo Sauce

Veggie Sliders

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

Caprese Salad Bites

Spinach and Mushroom Quiche

Pesto

2009-12-31T12:32:00.000-08:00

When you have an abundance of basil in your garden, the best thing to do is make pesto. Lots and lots of pesto. It freezes so well that you can enjoy it for several months after your basil plants have stopped producing. I love to use it for pasta, pizza, and even just to dip bread into. Its super simple to make too.

Basil Pesto (Joelen's Culinary Adventures)

Ingredients:
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves (2-3 bunches)
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Place all the ingredients in a food processor; pulse a few times, then process until fairly smooth, or to the desired consistency, scraping down the sides occasionally.

Goat Cheese and Tomato Crostini

2009-12-30T18:17:00.000-08:00

This is one my favorite appetizers! With the New Years approaching, I highly recommend this appetizer for your cocktail party. Of course, anything with goat cheese is usually good, right?

Goat Cheese and Tomato Crostini (Pinch My Salt)

Ingredients:
Cherry, grape or pear tomatoes (or whatever tiny tomatoes you prefer)
Garlic cloves, unpeeled
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Combination of dried Italian herbs (such as fennel, oregano, basil, or thyme)*
1 baguette
1 garlic clove for crostini
8 oz goat cheese

Directions:
1. Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper and heat oven to 225 degrees.

2. Cut enough tomatoes to fill the sheet pan (about 2 small baskets should do the trick) and place them cut-side up on the parchment paper. Scatter a handful of unpeeled garlic cloves throughout the tomatoes.

3. Drizzle olive oil all over the tomatoes, then sprinkle lightly with kosher salt.

4. Mix together some of your favorite dried Italian herbs (or just use a commercial blend) and measure out about 2 teaspoons of the mixture. Grind the herbs into a powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle then sprinkle evenly over the tomatoes.

5. Bake tomatoes at 225 degrees for 3-4 hours, or until they have shriveled but still contain a bit of moisture inside. The time will depend on the size of your tomatoes, so start checking early.

6. Let cool

7. Cut baguette into slices. Brush with olive oil and bake at 350 until toasted. Rub with a cut garlic clove.

8. Spread a layer of goat cheese on each crostini and top with slow roasted tomatoes.

Dinner Party - Part 4

2009-12-30T17:16:00.000-08:00

Part 4 covers the dessert course of my dinner party.

Bruschetta w/White Beans, Sun Dried Tomatoes & Basil

Spinach, feta, raspberry, candied nut salad w/ raspberry vinaigrette

Chicken with Goat Cheese and Sundried Tomato Sauce

Saffron Rice and Red Pepper Pilaf

Strawberry Mascarpone Tart

This tart was wonderful and tasted delicious. It was a great end to a wonderful meal!

Strawberry Mascarpone Tart (Gastronomer's Guide)

Ingredients:
2 pounds strawberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
12 ounces mascarpone cheese
1/3 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Directions:
Remove stems, hull, and halve or quarter strawberries depending on size. In a large bowl, combine strawberries, granulated sugar, lemon zest, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to macerate.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, mascarpone, vanilla extract, and confectioners sugar. Mix thoroughly until silky smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To make the glaze, strain the macerated strawberries over a small saucepan. Add balsamic vinegar and heat over medium-high until liquid is reduced by more than half. It should foam and thicken to a syrup. Let cool to room temperature.

Spread chilled mascarpone mixture in tart shell. Arrange strawberries on top. Brush with glaze. Serve immediately. Yield: 8 slices.

Tart Shell

Tip: A small portion of whole-wheat pastry flour in the dough makes the tart shell extra crispy. If not at hand, use all-purpose flour.

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (I used APF)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
1 large egg yolk
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine flours, sugar, and salt. Mix together with a whisk to aerate

Add butter and work with a pastry blender until mixture resembles course meal.

In a small bowl, beat together egg yolk and 3 tablespoons ice water. Drizzle liquid mixture into dry ingredients. Mix until dough comes together. If too dry, 1 tablespoon ice water can be added.

Form the dough into a flat disc and wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 1 hour before rolling.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Roll out tart dough between two pieces of plastic wrap to fit a 10-inch fluted tart pan. Carefully lay dough over pan. Press dough up into the sides. Remove excess dough by running rolling pin over pan. Fill any holes or cracks with excess dough.

Chill shell for 10 minutes. Using a fork, prick the bottom of the pan all over. Line the inside of the pan with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake for 10 minutes. Then carefully remove pie weights with foil. Continue to bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely.

Where am I???

2009-12-08T10:48:00.000-08:00

Wow.. this blog has gone silent. The last 2 months have been crazy busy between going to Egypt for vacation and I've been training for a marathon which takes a TON of time.

But now, my marathon is done! I plan to get back into cooking up a storm for the holiday season and get back to normal. I have missed being able to cook new things, but when you run 36 miles a week.. that doesn't leave time for anything else.

So my few readers out there, you should see a new post soon!

Dinner Party - Part 3

2009-10-03T15:39:00.000-07:00

Part 3 covers the main course of my dinner party.

Bruschetta w/White Beans, Sun Dried Tomatoes & Basil

Spinach, feta, raspberry, candied nut salad w/ raspberry vinaigrette

Chicken with Goat Cheese and Sundried Tomato Sauce

Saffron Rice and Red Pepper Pilaf

Strawberry Mascarpone Tart

The goat cheese and tomato sauce is really good and easy to make. However, its the saffron rice that really steals the show. I have made this countless times since and it always turns out amazing.

Chicken with Goat Cheese and Sundried Tomato Sauce (Elly Says Opa)

Ingredients:
2 chicken breast halves, about 5 oz. each
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup white wine (I used Chardonnay)
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp sundried tomatoes, chopped and drained, if they are oil-packed
2 ounces herbed goat cheese
salt and pepper

Directions:
Sprinkle chicken breast halves with salt and pepper.

Heat skillet over medium heat and add oil.

When oil is hot, add chicken breasts. Cook through, about 3-6 minutes per side depending on how thin they are. Set aside and keep warm. Drain the pan if there is a lot of excess oil.

In the same skillet, add wine and chicken broth. Increase heat to medium-high and cook liquids down until reduced by half, being sure to scrape up the browned bits from the chicken.

Add in sundried tomatoes and heat through. Take skillet off the heat and stir in goat cheese.

Saffron Rice and Red Pepper Pilaf (epicurious.com)

Ingredients:
5 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups chopped red bell peppers
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups basmati rice or other long-grain white rice
3 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon (generous) crushed saffron threads
6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Parmesan cheese shavings

Directions:
Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add peppers and onion. Sauté until soft, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add rice; stir 1 minute. Mix in 3 cups broth, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and saffron. Bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 18 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in 6 tablespoons grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper. (Pilaf can be made 30 minutes ahead. Keep covered. Rewarm over low heat, adding more broth by tablespoonfuls to moisten if necessary.) Stir 1 1/2 tablespoons chives into pilaf. Mound in serving bowl. Top with cheese shavings and remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons chives.

Dinner Party - Part 2

2009-10-01T10:25:00.000-07:00

Bruschetta w/White Beans, Sun Dried Tomatoes & Basil

Spinach, feta, raspberry, candied nut salad w/ raspberry vinaigrette

Chicken with Goat Cheese and Sundried Tomato Sauce

Saffron Rice and Red Pepper Pilaf

Strawberry Mascarpone Tart

Moving on to the first course. I served a simple spinach, feta, raspberry, and candied pecan salad. This is really simple to make and doesn't require any cooking at all.

Spinach, Raspberry, and Feta Salad (by me)

1 package pre-washed spinach (12 oz)
4 oz feta (reduced fat is fine)
1 small container raspberries, washed and dried.
handful of candied pecans or walnuts

Dressing:
1/3 part raspberry vinegar
2/3 part olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

I probably made about 3/4 of a cup of dressing, but you can play around with this a bit. If you like your salad more acidic, then put a bit more vinegar, and less oil. Its not an exact science and you can't really mess it up.

Dinner Party

2009-09-29T10:07:00.000-07:00

A couple months ago I invited another couple over for dinner. I thought the evening turned out pretty well overall. Here is what I ended up making:

Bruschetta w/White Beans, Sun Dried Tomatoes & Basil

Spinach, feta, raspberry, candied nut salad w/ raspberry vinaigrette

Chicken with Goat Cheese and Sundried Tomato Sauce

Saffron Rice and Red Pepper Pilaf

Strawberry Mascarpone Tart

Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures of most of the meal. Starting with the appetizer, I loved the flavor of this dish and it had a hint of spice.

Bruschetta w/White Beans, Sun Dried Tomatoes & Basil (joelens.blogspot.com)

1 -2 cloves garlic sliced thin
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoons Chili flakes
2 tablespoons Basil leaves (8-10 pieces)
1/3 cup Sundried tomatoes, julienned
Lemon juice to taste
Kosher salt & fresh black pepper to taste
3/4 cup canned white beans (Great Northern)
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated
Thick slices of Italian bread
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
Italian Parsley for garnish, chopped

In a saute pan on medium heat, toast the sliced garlic in the pure olive oil. When it is light golden, add the chili flakes, cook for 10 seconds and then add the basil leaves. Do this carefully, as the basil may spatter some oil. When the leaves are wilted and crispy, add the sundried tomatoes. Toss for a minute or so and adjust the seasoning with lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Add the beans to the pan. Add the chicken broth and mix all together and mash to your preferred texture - smooth or chunky. Hold warm. Adjust consistency as necessary with the bean liquid, a little at a time.
Grill or toast the bread on both sides until crispy. Be careful on high heat as bread burns easily. Lightly swipe the remaining garlic clove on one side of the bread. Arrange the toasted bruschetta on a serving platter. Top each piece with some of the tomato-bean mixture, then sprinkle the grated Parmesan over the mixture. Drizzle the remaining extra virgin olive oil on the bruschetta and finish with the parsley. Serve warm.

Blueberry Muffins

2009-09-27T14:56:00.000-07:00

Wow, its been so long since I last updated. My apologies! Between marathon training, family visiting, and a new job, I have not had much time to try lots of new recipes. However, I did try a few new things, and I hope to be posting on a more regular basis again.

These muffins were easy to make and tasty. The streusel topping really makes them taste more like mini coffee cakes.

Blueberry Muffins (Annies-Eats.com)

yield: 8 muffins

Ingredients:
1 ½ c. flour
¾ c. sugar
½ t. salt
2 t. baking powder
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1 egg
~1/3 c. milk
1 cup blueberries (or more)
streusel topping:
¼ c. sugar
2 T. and 2 t. flour
2 T. butter, cubed
¾ t. cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400°. Grease or line 8 muffin wells with muffin liners.
Combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Pour into lined muffin cups; fill to the top.
To make streusel topping, combine listed ingredients and mix well with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle over tops of muffins.
Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes.

Brown Sugar Pancakes

2009-07-31T09:00:00.000-07:00

These pancakes were good, but nothing amazing. They were easy though, so I would make them again. I've been searching for a good brown sugar recipe ever since we went to New Zealand and had the most amazing brown sugar pancakes there.

Brown Sugar Pancakes (BakingBites.com)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown sugar (pref dark.)
3 tbsp butter, softened
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
2 cups milk, any kind
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt together brown sugar and butter. Stir well, then set aside to cool slightly.
in a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking power and salt. Pour in eggs, milk and vanilla extract, along with brown sugar mixture and stir until well combined. No streaks of dry ingredients should remain.
Heat a skillet or griddle over medium-high heat, until a drop of water skitters around when dropped on the surface. Lightly grease with butter or oil, and drop pancake batter by 1/4-cup measures on the pan. Cook until pancake is slightly dry around the edges and small bubbles form in the batter (bottom will be browned). Flip and cook for another minute or so on other side, until bottom is browned.

Chicken Tikka Masala

2009-07-28T15:03:00.000-07:00

I've tried quite a few recipes for Chicken Tikka Masala and none of them ever tasted right. A friend gave me a new cookbook for my birthday and I gave this recipe a try. I found it to be really delicious and much closer to what you would find in an Indian restaurant. Its also really simple to make (no toasting of spices or grinding) and thats always a plus.

Chicken Tikka Masala (America's Test Kitchen Cookbook)

This dish tastes best when prepared with whole-milk yogurt, but low-fat yogurt can be substituted; do not use fat-free yogurt. For a spicer dish, do not remove the ribs and seeds from the chile. The sauce can be made and refrigerated up to 4 days in advance; gently reheat the sauce before adding the hot chicken. Serve with basmati rice.

Ingredients:

Chicken Tikka
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, trimmed
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

Masala Sauce
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, minced (about 1 cup)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 serrano chile (I kept the ribs and seeds), minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
1. Combine the cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the spice mixture, pressing gently so it adheres. Place the chicken on the plate, cover with saran warp and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, oil, garlic and ginger. Set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering (hot). Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden (8-10 minutes). Add the garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala. Cook while stirring frequently until fragrant (3 minutes). Add the tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cream and return to simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and cover to keep warm.

3. As the sauce simmers, heat up the grill (medium high). Spray the grill with some nonstick spray if you wish. Using tongs, dip the chicken into the yogurt mixture and place on the grill. Grill until chicken reaches 160 degree; flipping halfway through.

4. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks. Stir the chicken pieces into the warm sauce (do not simmer the chicken in the sauce). Stir in the cilantro, season with salt to taste, and serve.

Caprese Salad Bites

2009-07-12T22:28:00.000-07:00

This is a simple, healthy, and delicious appetizer to make for parties.

Caprese Salad Bites (by ME!, ok.. so Caprese salad has been around for decades, this is just a miniature version of it)

Ingredients:
1 log fresh mozzarella cut into bite sized pieces (or balls), approx +8oz, no positive on the amount
bunch of basil leaves (20-30 small leaves or break up bigger ones)
1 package grape tomatoes (20-30 tomatoes?)
3 T balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
salt, pepper to taste
20-30 toothpicks

Take a toothpick and spear the piece of mozzarella, basil, and 1 tomato. Repeat until you run out of ingredients. Place on a platter.

In a bowl mix together the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Drizzle dressing over the caprese bites. If you need more dressing, just make more. Each bite should have a taste of dressing.

Sorry its not more precise, but I promise its easy!

Grilled Pepper Poppers

2009-07-09T11:00:00.000-07:00

These are amazing. I've had people who don't like spicy food tell me how much they love them. The cheese offsets the spice from the pepper.

Grilled Pepper Poppers (CookingLight.com)

Ingredients
1/2 cup (4 ounces) soft goat cheese
1/2 cup (4 ounces) fat-free cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped seeded tomato
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
16 jalapeño peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Preparation
1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

2. Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl, stirring well. Spoon about 2 teaspoons cheese mixture into each pepper half. Place pepper halves, cheese side up, on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill peppers 5 minutes or until bottoms of peppers are charred and cheese mixture is lightly browned. Carefully place peppers on a serving platter. Sprinkle with cilantro.

White and Red Sangria

2009-07-08T10:00:00.000-07:00

I love sangria. It is the perfect summer time refreshment. I serve it frequently for BBQs and its very easy to make. Here are two of my favorite recipes for both white and red sangria.

Traditional Sangria (Adapted from food network)

Ingredients:
2 bottles chilled dry red wine, like Rioja (I used Charles Shaw Merlot)
1 cup brandy
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup superfine granulated sugar (I dissolved normal sugar in some water)
1 cup strawberries (cut into quarters unless really small, add us much as you like really)
1 orange, cut into sliced or you can peel it and cut into bite sized pieces
1 apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 cups cold club soda

Directions:
In a large pot or bowl, combine the wine, brandy, orange juice, and sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the fruit and refrigerate until well chilled, about 4 hours. Remove from the refrigerator and add the soda.

White Sangria (Adapted from the food network)

Ingredients:
2 (750-ml) bottles white Spanish wine, such as Albarino (Galacia), Viura (Rioja), Verdejo (Rueda), or Sauvignon Blanc (I used Charles Shaw Sauvignon Blanc)
1/2 cup Spanish brandy
1/4 cup Spanish orange liqueur (I added triple sec)
1 cup pear juice (I used apricot juice)
1/2 cup superfine sugar (used dissolved normal sugar)
1 diced pear
2 peaches, pit removed and sliced into thin wedges
1/2 pound seedless white grapes
1 (750-ml) bottle Prosecco, chilled

Directions:
Combine the wine, brandy, orange liqueur, pear juice, and sugar in a large pitcher and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the fruit and stir well to combine. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 4 hours. Stir in the Prosecco and serve the sangria in large wine glasses, over ice if desired.

Chewy Molasses Cookies

2009-07-05T12:02:00.000-07:00

These are really tasty. I think they improve with age too, so keep them in an air tight container!

Chewy Molasses Cookies (Martha Stewart)

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a shallow bowl, place 1/2 cup sugar; set aside.

With an electric mixer, beat butter and remaining cup of sugar until combined. Beat in egg and then molasses until combined. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in dry ingredients, just until a dough forms.

Pinch off and roll dough into balls, each equal to 1 tablespoon. Roll balls in reserved sugar to coat.

Arrange balls on baking sheets, about 3 inches apart. Bake, one sheet at a time, until edges of cookies are just firm, 10 to 15 minutes (cookies can be baked two sheets at a time, but they will not crackle uniformly). Cool 1 minute on baking sheets; transfer to racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container up to 4 days.

Buttermilk Waffles

2009-07-02T10:40:00.000-07:00

I'm getting closer to the perfect waffle recipe. I love that this recipe uses brown sugar and I think that makes the difference. They could have been a bit sweeter, but otherwise they are really tasty.

Buttermilk Waffles (Sister' Cafe)

Ingredients:
1 stick butter, melted
2 cups flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Preheat waffle iron. Beat eggs until fluffy. Beat in everything else just until smooth. Cook in waffle iron.

Buttermilk Blueberry Scones

2009-06-30T14:35:00.000-07:00

These scones were pretty good, but I'd recommend eating them right away. They didn't taste as great later in the day. I also think that I should have cooked them a bit longer to get a more golden glow.

Buttermilk BlueBerry Scones (Average Betty)

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
6 tbsp salted butter
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 cup blueberries (frozen or fresh)

For the tops:
2-3 tbsp buttermilk
1 tsp sugar

Preheat oven 400(F).
In a bowl, combine flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir together.

Cut stick of butter into pieces. Add butter pieces to dry mixture.Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, incorporate butter pieces until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a separate bowl combine egg, 2/3 cup buttermilk and vanilla.

Carefully coat blueberries with dry mixture. This will also prevent blue “bleed.”

Create a well in the center of mixture. Add buttermilk mixture all at once to the well. Carefully combine, just until moistened.

Pour onto lightly floured countertop and shape into a circle. Cut into 8 pieces.

Brush tops with buttermilk and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake in a preheated 400(F) oven for 12-14 minutes until golden brown.

Spicy Shrimp & Bell Pepper Pasta

2009-06-28T13:30:00.000-07:00

This pasta is delicious and very easy to make on a weeknight. You can control the level of heat by adjusted the amount of cayenne pepper you add.

Spicy Shrimp & Bell Pepper Pasta (Joelen's Culinary Adventures)

Ingredients:
1 cup syrah wine
1 1/2 lbs frozen raw shrimp, de-shelled with tails on
2-3 cloves minced garlic
dried rosemary, oregano, thyme to taste
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I used 1.5 teaspoons to give it more of a kick)
2 cups homemade or prepared tomato sauce
1/4 cup minced fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chopped bell peppers (red, yellow, orange, green)
1-2 tablespoons butter
1/2 box dried bow tie pasta, cooked

Directions:
In a saute pan, pour in wine and allow it to reduce by half over medium heat.
Once reduced, add your tomato sauce and garlic and stir to combine.
Season with dried rosemary, oregano, thyme to taste.
Add 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper and stir.
Add the shrimp and bell peppers and cook until shrimp turns pink and absorbs the wine sauce.
Add the cream and butter; stir.
Add the pasta, toss to combine and serve with freshly grated parmesan.

Mascarpone Brownies

2009-06-25T09:25:00.000-07:00

Wow.. these brownies are amazing. They are super rich though, so be prepared to get some help to eat them all. I've made lots of brownies from scratch and have always preferred the box kind. Not anymore. These are the best brownies I have ever had.

Mascarpone Brownies (Kerri's Recipe Blog)

Ingredients
- 1/2 cup quality unsweetened cocoa (I used Hershey's)
- 3 oz finest dark chocolate, finely chopped (I used Trader Joes brand)
- 2 sticks (1 cup, 1/2 lb) butter
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 eggs
- 4 oz mascarpone (softened to room temp)

Ganache Ingredients
- 6 oz finely chopped finest dark chocolate
- 3 T butter
- 6 T heavy cream

Preheat oven to 325. Butter 8 inch square glass baking pan. Put 3 oz chocolate in large glass mixing bowl. Melt butter in saucepan, bring to boil (I used the microwave to melt the butter). Immediately pour butter over chocolate, allow to stand for 30 seconds before mixing to combine melted chocolate and butter. Add mascarpone, sift in sugar and cocoa, combine thoroughly. Add eggs and vanilla, mix well. Carefully fold in salt and flour until completely incorporated. Pour mix into prepared pan, bake in oven for 35-40 minutes until inserted knife comes out clean. Allow to cool 10 minutes.

Then make ganache. Put 6 oz chocolate into a medium glass mixing bowl. In a saucepan, bring 3T butter and 6T cream barely to a boil (heated in the micro too). Pour immediately over chocolate. Allow to sit 30 seconds, then mix well to combine. Spread ganache on top of brownies, allow another 15 min to set before eating.

Spinach and Mushroom Quiche

2009-06-23T10:10:00.000-07:00

I love quiche. Its really easy to make and you can put pretty much anything into it and it tastes good. One of my favorites is a simple spinach and mushroom quiche.

Spinach and Mushroom Quiche (Adapted from Paula Deen's Spinach and Bacon Quiche)

Ingredients
6 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Salt and pepper
2 packages chopped frozen spinach, defrosted and press the water out
1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese (I used Gruyere)
1 8oz package mushrooms
1 small onion chopped
dash red pepper flakes
1 9inch pie crust (see below)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Mix the eggs, cream, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add spinach, mushrooms, red pepper flakes, and onion. Mix until combined. Pour into pie shell. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until the egg mixture is set (My oven took 65 minutes). Cut into 8 wedges.

Pie Crust (Martha Stewart)

Ingredients:
Makes 1 double-crust or 2 single-crust 9- to 10-inch pies
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Directions:
In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds.

With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky; be careful not to process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Divide dough into two equal balls. Flatten each ball into a disc and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least 1 hour. Dough may be stored, frozen, up to 1 month.

Spicy Tofu

2009-06-21T13:44:00.000-07:00

This was simple and delicious. Tofu is pretty easy to work with, just make sure that you drain/press it well.

Spicy Tofu with Peppers (Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations)

Ingredients

1 block tofu, pressed (to get the extra liquid out) and cut into bite-sized pieces
Thinly sliced onion - about 3 slices off 1 small onion.
Sliced peppers - I used about 2 red and yellow peppers
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp chili-garlic paste
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 c chicken broth
Optional: chopped green onions

Directions
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat
Add tofu and cook about 5 minutes until starting to lightly brown
Add onions, garlic, and peppers. Saute 2-3 minutes.
Add chili-garlic paste, soy sauce, and chicken broth. Stir everything together and bring to a simmer. Let simmer 10 minutes - sauce will slightly thicken
Serve over rice or noodles and top with green onions

Couscous Salad

2009-06-18T11:35:00.000-07:00

I get sick of sandwiches for lunch, so this salad was a welcome treat for lunch. Its very filling and quite healthy. I just save the dressing until just before I'm going to eat it.

Couscous Salad (Recipe based off a suggestion from Cocina de Doyle)

Salad Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat couscous (cooked according to box directions)
1 cup fresh spinach (or as much as you like)
1/3 cup garbanzo beans
1 tea garlic
1/4 cup feta cheese w/ mediterraean herbs

Dressing:
1.5 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Layer salad ingredients into a container. Mix dressing in a separate container. Right before eating, toss the salad with the dressing. Enjoy!

French Toast

2009-06-16T12:12:00.000-07:00

French toast is really easy to make and a great way to use up leftover french bread. This recipe is pretty much foolproof.

French Toast (allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
6 thick slices bread (I used french bread)
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
salt to taste

Directions:
Beat together egg, milk, salt, desired spices and vanilla.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle of skillet over medium-high flame.
Dunk each slice of bread in egg mixture, soaking both sides. Place in pan, and cook on both sides until golden. Serve hot.

Sun-dried Tomato and Fontina Risotto

2009-06-14T12:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever tried to photograph risotto? Yeah, not so easy. This is the best I could do. This risotto was not very amazing in my opinion. Not every recipe I try turns out as I would hope, so I think its important to post those as well. Maybe it was because I used vegetable broth instead?

Sun-dried Tomato and Fontina Risotto (http://willisgraves.blogspot.com)

Ingredients:
4 cups (1 box) chicken broth (I used vegetable broth for both to make this vegetarian)
1 cup beef broth (used vegetable broth)
1/2 cup dry white wine or sherry (used white wine)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon oil from sun-dried tomatoes
1/3 cup finely minced onion
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/3 cup coarsely chopped sun-dried tomatoes (that were packed in oil)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
4 ounces Fontina cheese, rind removed, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Bring the broth to a steady simmer in a saucepan on top of the stove.

Heat the butter and oil in a heavy 4-quart casserole over moderate heat. Add the onion and saute for 1 to 2 minutes, until it begins to soften, being careful not to brown it.

Next add rice and stir for 1 minute using a wooden spoon, making sure all the grains are well coated. Add the wine and stir until it is completely absorbed. Begin to add the simmering broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until each addition is almost completely absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and tomato paste after the rice has been cooking for 10 minutes. Continue to add the broth, 1/2 cup at a time stirring frequently, reserving about 1/4 cup to add at the end. Stir frequently to prevent sticking.

After approximately 18 minutes, when the rice is tender but still firm, add the reserved 1/4 cup broth, Fontina, parsley, and Parmesan and stir vigorously until the cheeses are melted and combined with the rice. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings.

Grilled Cumin Chicken with Fresh Tomatillo Sauce

2009-06-11T13:00:00.000-07:00

I have never cooked with fresh tomatillos before, so this was fun. I loved this chicken and the sauce was very flavorful (with a touch of spice). I served it over Chipotle rice.

Grilled Cumin Chicken with Fresh Tomatillo Sauce (Cooking Light)

Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 pound tomatillos
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray

Preparation
1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

2. Combine the first 4 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal and let stand for 15 minutes.

3. Discard husks and stems from tomatillos. Combine tomatillos and broth in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; cover and cook 8 minutes. Drain and cool slightly. Combine tomatillos, cilantro, and next 6 ingredients (through jalapeño) in a food processor; process until smooth.

4. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 6 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Serve with tomatillo sauce.

Chipotle rice: Combine 1 cup long-grain rice and 2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions and 1/2 teaspoon minced chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce.

Cinnamon Buttermilk Muffins

2009-06-08T12:00:00.000-07:00

These were very tasty and a great morning treat!

Cinnamon Buttermilk Muffins (Noodle Nights and Muffin Mornings)

For the muffins:
7 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the topping:
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

Directions:Preheat an oven to 350°F. Grease muffin tin and fill the unused cups one-third full with water to prevent warping. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, combine the butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until pale and smooth. In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Add to the butter mixture in 2 additions, alternating with the buttermilk and vanilla. Stir just until evenly moistened. (Note: the batter will be slightly lumpy.)

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each three-fourths full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Carefully remove the muffins and let stand until cool enough to handle.

Meanwhile, in a small, shallow bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon. Put the melted butter in another small bowl. Brush the top of a muffins with melted butter; coating evenly. Immediately dip the top in the cinnamon-sugar mixture, coating it evenly, then tap it to remove excess sugar. Transfer the muffin, right side up, to the rack. Repeat with the remaining muffins.

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

2009-06-04T15:01:00.000-07:00

Well, one could have hoped for a better picture, but I swear it was delicious!

I love to make pizza at home but I rarely make my own pizza dough. However, this time, I decided to give it a shot and I was really impressed with the results. It was even better than my Trader Joes pizza dough, but it did take a couple hours to make, so while it tasted better, time is not always on my side.

Amazing Whole Wheat Pizza Dough (MRS SAC'S PURPLE KITCHEN)

INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
I added 1/2 tbsp of dried Italian herbs & 1 tsp garlic powder

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the top, and let stand for about 10 minutes, until foamy.

Stir the olive oil and salt into the yeast mixture, then mix in the whole wheat flour and 1 cup of the all-purpose flour until dough starts to come together. Tip dough out onto a surface floured with the remaining all-purpose flour, and knead until all of the flour has been absorbed, and the ball of dough becomes smooth, about 10 minutes (I just kneaded it with the dough hook in my stand mixer). Place dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover loosely with a towel, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

When the dough is doubled, tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 2 pieces for 2 thin crust, or leave whole to make one thick crust. Form into a tight ball. Let rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Roll a ball of dough with a rolling pin until it will not stretch any further. Then, drape it over both of your fists, and gently pull the edges outward, while rotating the crust. When the circle has reached the desired size, place on a well oiled pizza pan. (I'm sorry, but this is next to impossible for me to do, so I just roll it out with a rolling pin and transfer to the baking stone).

Top pizza with your favorite toppings, such as sauce, cheese, meats, or vegetables. (I used mushroom, red peppers, onions, and salami).

Bake for 16 to 20 minutes (depending on thickness) in the preheated oven, until the crust is crisp and golden at the edges, and cheese is melted on the top.

Irish Soda Bread

2009-04-16T17:51:00.000-07:00

I made this along with the stew. Soda bread is an acquired taste and can be quite bland. My husband found it not very interesting, but I enjoyed dipping it in the stew.

Irish Soda Bread (epicurious.com)

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour (I did half whole wheat!)
2 tablespoons caraway seeds (optional, I skipped)
1 teaspoon baking-soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (about) buttermilk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly flour baking sheet. Mix flour, caraway seeds (skipped), if using, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Mix in enough buttermilk to form moist clumps. Gather dough into ball. Turn out onto lightly flour surfaced and knead just until dough holds together, about 1 minute. Shape dough into 6-inch-diameter by 2-inch-high round. Place on prepared baking sheet. Cut 1-inch-deep X across top of bread, extending almost to edges. Bake until bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on bottom, about 35 minutes. Transfer bread to rack and cool completely.

Irish Stout Stew

2009-04-16T17:41:00.000-07:00

I'm posting this a bit late, but to celebrate St. Patricks Day, I made an Irish Stout Stew and Soda bread. Both turned out pretty good, but were not that authentic in my opinion (having had lots of stew in Ireland).

Irish Beef Stew (elise.com)

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/4 pounds well-marbled chuck beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces (NOT extra-lean)
6 large garlic cloves, minced
6 cups beef stock or canned beef broth
I cup of Guinness beer
1 cup of fine red wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 7 cups)
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups 1/2-inch pieces peeled carrots
Salt and Pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

You can follow the directions below if you want, but I just threw everything in a crockpot and cooked it on low for 8 hours. I added mushrooms at the end for about 15 minutes.

Directions:
1 Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Lightly salt the beef pieces. Working in batches if necessary, add the beef (do not crowd the pan, or the meat will steam and not brown) and cook, without stirring, until nicely browned on one side, then use tongs to turn the pieces over. Continue to cook in this manner until all sides are browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add beef stock, Guinness, red wine, tomato paste, sugar, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, then cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

2 While the meat and stock is simmering, melt butter in another large pot over medium heat. Add potatoes, onion and carrots. Sauté vegetables until golden, about 20 minutes. Set aside until the beef stew in step one has simmered for one hour.

3 Add vegetables to beef stew. Simmer uncovered until vegetables and beef are very tender, about 40 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Tilt pan and spoon off fat. Transfer stew to serving bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. (Can be prepared up to 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before serving.)

Cajun Style Snapper

2009-04-16T17:33:00.000-07:00

Looking for an easy way to make red snapper? This dish only takes minutes and adds lots of flavor to an very mild fish.

Cajun Style Blackened Snapper (Modified from Allrecipes.com)

INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano

4 (6 ounce) fillets red snapper
2-3 tablespoons olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a small bowl, mix together paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt, onion powder, garlic powder and oregano.
2. Put olive oil in skillet and heat over medium high heat. The oil should be nice and hot.
3. Generously coat each fillet with the seasoning mixture. Place the fish fillets in the hot skillet. Cook until the coating on the underside of the fillet turns black, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn the fish over. Cook for another 2 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Buttermilk Coffee Cake

2009-04-10T16:20:00.000-07:00

We loved this coffee cake. Its really moist and delicious. You can easily double the recipe and make for a crowd.

Buttermilk Coffee Cake (http://www.dianaskitchen.com)

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour, sift before measuring
2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup sifted flour
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk (I used low fat)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions:
Stir together 2 cups flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Measure 3/4 cup of mixture and set aside for topping. To remaining flour mixture add 1/3 cup flour; blend well. Add egg, buttermilk, baking soda, and cinnamon. Mix just until dry ingredients are moistened. Turn dough into a buttered 9-inch square pan (I used a 8 inch round). Mix together the reserved flour sugar mixture and the chopped walnuts or pecans; sprinkle over the top of the batter. Bake coffee cake in a 350° oven for 50 to 55 minutes. Let coffee cake cool in pan then cut into serving-size pieces.

Grilled Salmon with Thai Curry Sauce and Basmati Rice

2009-03-25T23:03:00.000-07:00

Wow. This is SO GOOD. Seriously.. its the best salmon dish I have ever made. Its slightly time consuming, but the end product was so delicious. Its great to make for company.

Grilled Salmon with Thai Curry Sauce and Basmati Rice (http://www.epicurious.com/)

Ingredients:

For rice
1 cup basmati rice
1 1/2 cups water

For sauce
1 1/8 teaspoons minced peeled fresh gingerroot
1 1/8 teaspoons minced garlic
2 1/4 teaspoons peanut oil
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste (I used panang curry paste)
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/4 cups well-stirred unsweetened coconut milk
3 tablespoons tomato purée
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

For vegetables
3 cups finely shredded green cabbage
3/4 cup julienne strips of seeded peeled cucumber (I used carrots because I dislike cucumber)
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar (not seasoned)
four 6-ounce pieces salmon fillet
olive oil for brushing salmon
1/4 cup roasted peanuts (skipped as well.. but feel free to add)

Directions:

Make rice in rice maker.

Make sauce:
In a heavy saucepan sauté gingerroot and garlic in oil over moderately high heat, stirring, until golden. Add coriander, curry powder, curry paste, paprika, and cumin and sauté, stirring, 1 minute, or until fragrant. Whisk in coconut milk, tomato purée, soy sauce, and brown sugar and bring just to a boil. Remove pan from heat and keep warm.

Prepare vegetables:
In a bowl toss together all vegetable ingredients.

Prepare grill.

Brush salmon with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Grill salmon on an oiled rack (I used foil) set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals (I used a gas grill) until just cooked through, about 5 minutes on each side (no need to flip.. just cook normally if using foil).

Put each in center of 4 plates and arrange salmon on top. Top salmon with vegetables and spoon sauce around it. Sprinkle vegetables with peanuts.

Balsamic Honey Pecan Chicken

2009-03-25T22:59:00.000-07:00

I had this chicken marinating overnight and made it the next day. It was very flavorful, but be very careful not to overcook your chicken or it will be dry dry dry!

(sorry for the blurry picture)

Balsamic Honey Pecan Chicken (http://ellysaysopa.com/)

Ingredients:
2 chicken breast halves (I cut mine into smaller pieces)
1 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 cloves smashed garlic
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped pecans
salt and pepper

Directions:
Mix the honey, balsamic vinegar and garlic together. Add the chicken, and rub in the marinade. Allow to marinate for about 20-30 minutes (I marinated overnight).

Preheat the oven to 375. Combine the bread crumbs and pecans. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and then dredge in the breadcrumb/pecan mixture.

Place a wire rack on a cooking sheet and spray with oil. Place the chicken on top and spray the top with a little cooking oil. Bake for about 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Corn and Pepper Bisque

2009-03-25T22:53:00.000-07:00

This soup is on the spicy side, but its filling and delicious.

Corn and Pepper Bisque (http://ellysaysopa.com/)

Ingredients:
1.5 Tbsp butter
1 small onion, diced
3 large anaheim peppers (poblanos or other green chilies would work). diced
1 jalapeno (remove the seeds and ribs if you don’t want it to be too spicy)
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 12 oz. can tomatillos, cored and coarsely chopped (of course you can use fresh but my store rarely carries decent garlic, let alone tomatillos)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. chili powder
salt and pepper
2 cups corn (bought from trader joes!)
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 cup masa harina (corn flour) (skipped because I could not find it)
3/4 cup half and half or cream

Directions:
In a stockpot or dutch oven, melt the butter. Cook the onions and all the peppers over medium-low heat until they become tender. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute.

Add the tomatillos, cumin, oregano, chili powder and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes, to combine the flavors and cook the tomatillos.

Put the pepper/onion/tomato mixture and 1 cup of the roasted corn in a food processor. Process the mixture into a puree (there will still be pieces of the veggies since there is not much liquid at this point).

Put the pureed mixture back into the dutch oven and turn the heat to medium-high. Mix the masa harina with the chicken broth until it’s dissolved. Add the broth/masa mixture to the dutch oven, as well as the rest of the corn. Simmer for a few minutes and season to taste, if necessary. Add the half and half or cream, and heat through.

Molten Lava Cakes

2009-03-25T22:45:00.000-07:00

I've wanted to make these for years and years and I finally did. They are super easy and so delicious! You will find a ton of different recipes out there for them. This one worked really well for me and I will definitely make them again for a special occasion.

Molten Lava Cakes (http://www.ourbestbites.com/)

Ingredients:
4 tbsp butter
1/3 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 oz bittersweet chocolate*, melted
*8 ounces is about 1 1/3 C of bittersweet chocolate chips. Make the 1/3 cup a little over-full and you should be good
powdered sugar for dusting
sweetened whipped cream for serving
butter and sugar for preparing pans

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. To prepare pans, spray ramekins with nonstick spray or coat with melted butter. Sprinkle in some granulated sugar to coat the entire inner surface and tap out any extra discard.

In a bowl with a mixer beat the 4 tbsp butter and 1/3 cup sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour and salt and slowly add it into the butter mixture just until combined. Stir in melted chocolate by hand, just until combined. Don't over mix.

Divide batter evenly among ramekins and then place them on a baking sheet. (If using ramekins you'll want them not quite 3/4 full).

Bake just until tops of cakes no longer jiggle when pan is lightly shaken, about 10-12 for ramekins. Remove from oven and let stand 10 min.

I topped mine with kahlua flavored whipped cream.

Cornish Game Hens

2009-03-25T22:29:00.000-07:00

I've never made cornish game hens before, but when they went on sale at my local grocery store, I thought I would give them a try. With little effort, I had a delicious dinner.

Singaporean Style Cornish Game Hens (by: me!)

Ingredients:
2 cornish game hens
olive oil (~2 tablespoons)
4 tablespoons Singapore Seasoning
2/3 cup white wine
2/3 cup chicken broth
salt to taste

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Rub olive oil on each hen to coat.
- Season each hen w/ 2 tablespoons Singapore seasoning (give them a good dusting.. press to get the seasonings to stick).
- Bake in 450 degree oven for 25 minutes (shorten if skin begins to burn). Remove from oven.
- Lower heat to 350 degrees.
- Combine wine and broth in a bowl and pour on top of both game hens.
- Put back into oven for another 25 minutes or longer (until broth runs clear and hen is fully cooked)

I found that one cornish game hen was enough for two people. Serve with your choice of sides. Enjoy!

Pesto Pinwheels

2009-02-08T23:25:00.000-08:00

They are delicious and super simple to make for a party.

Pesto Pinwheels (Joelen's Culinary Adventures)

Basil Pesto
makes about 1 cup
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves (2-3 bunches)
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Place all the ingredients in a food processor; pulse a few times, then process until fairly smooth, or to the desired consistency, scraping down the sides occasionally.

Pinwheels:

1 cup prepared pesto (above)
1 tube package of croissant dough
1 egg, scrambled (for egg wash)

Preheat your oven to 350.

Line your baking sheet with parchment. If you don't have parchment, an ungreased baking sheet will do.

Remove the croissant dough from the packaging and unroll. Separate the dough into 4 rectangles (made up of 2 preforated triangles). Press the dough on the preforated edges to seal.

On each rectangle of dough, spread 1/4 cup of your prepared pesto. Taking the short side of the rectangle, roll the dough to create a log. Cut the log into 1/2" slices and place on the prepared baking sheet.

Repeat with the remaining rectangles of dough.

Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, rotating your pan after 5 minutes for even baking.

Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving warm.

Chipotle Sliders

2009-02-08T23:06:00.000-08:00

These are super easy and a big hit. Next time I will make them I will try to make the burger patty a bit thinner and wider.

First, the bun recipe that I used for ALL the sliders.

Hamburger Buns (King Arthur Flour)

Ingredients:
3/4 to 1 cup (6 to 8 ounces) lukewarm water
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) butter
1 large egg
3 1/2 (14 3/4 ounces) cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (or whatever)
1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon instant yeast

Directions:
Mix and knead all of the dough ingredients—by hand, mixer, or bread machine—to make a soft, smooth dough. Cover the dough, and let it rise for 1 hour, or until it's doubled in bulk.

Gently deflate the dough. Shape each bun my taking a golf ball sized amount of dough and make into a ball. Place the buns on a lightly greased baking sheet, cover, and let rise for about an hour, until very puffy.

If desired, brush buns lightly with egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water), and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake the buns in a preheated 375°F oven for 12 to 15 minutes, till golden.

Now onto the sliders:

Chipotle Sliders (Food Network)

Ingredients

Chipotle Mayonnaise:
1 cup mayonnaise
2 chipotles in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon adobo sauce
1/2 lime, juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sliders:
1 to 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck, 80/20
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cheese slices, your choice
Mini burger buns

Burger Bar (if desired):
Chipotle Mayonnaise
Pickles
Red onion slices

Chipotle Mayonnaise:
Directions
Add all the ingredients to a food processor and puree. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Sliders:
Preheat grill over medium-high heat.

Form the meat into 2 to 3-ounce portions, packed tightly. Season with salt and pepper.

Place the sliders on the grill. Wait until they are nice and crusty on the first side, about 4 to 5 minutes and then flip and cook another 4 minutes. When the sliders are about done, top with desired cheese and close the grill, allowing the cheese to melt.

Place the slider on mini burger buns and top with chipotle mayonnaise and any other desired toppings.

I also made BBQ Bacon Sliders by using the same meat patty and adding bbq sauce, cheddar cheese, and bacon.

Veggie Sliders (Southwest Pinto Bean Burgers with Chipotle Mayonnaise)

2009-02-08T22:51:00.000-08:00

I made sliders for our annual Super Bowl Party and decided to try some veggie sliders. I took a veggie burger recipe and just made them into mini burgers. They were so good! I will make these again for sure.

Southwest Pinto Bean Burgers with Chipotle Mayonnaise (Cooking Light)

Ingredients
BURGERS:
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons minced seeded jalapeño pepper
2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained
1 (8 3/4-ounce) can no salt-added whole-kernel corn, drained

CHIPOTLE MAYONNAISE:
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon canned minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce

Preparation
To prepare burgers, combine the first 10 ingredients in a large bowl. Add pinto beans and corn; partially mash with a fork. Divide bean mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each portion into a 3 1/2-inch patty, and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

To prepare chipotle mayonnaise, combine mayonnaise and 1 teaspoon chipotle in a small bowl; set aside.

Heat canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties to pan, and cook 4 minutes on each side or until thoroughly heated. Place patties on bottom halves of buns; top each patty with 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, 1 lettuce leaf, and top half of bun.

I made these into sliders and used mini buns. You can make regular burgers too.

Thumbprint Cookies (Trios)

2009-02-08T22:45:00.000-08:00

I love thumbprint cookies, so I thought I would try to make them myself. I followed the recipe exactly, but next time I would not use apricot jam (not a fan) and would not join them into trios as it calls (cookies were way too big!).

Trios (epicurious.com)

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
About 2 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam
About 2 tablespoons apricot preserves
About 2 tablespoons strawberry preserves

Directions:

Make dough:
Whisk together flour and salt. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until very pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes, then beat in egg and vanilla. At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches just until a dough forms. Divide dough in half and form each piece into a 6-inch disk, then chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, about 1 hour.

Assemble and bake cookies:
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Roll 3 separate level teaspoons of dough each into a ball, then flatten each ball slightly (to 1 inch wide and less than 1/2 inch thick). Arrange them in a triangle on baking sheet with edges touching in center, then make a deep indentation in center of each round with wooden spoon handle. Make more cookies, arranging them 1 inch apart on baking sheets. Note: You can make them as individual cookies

Fill indentations in each cookie with about 1/88 teaspoon jam (each cookie should have 3 different fillings), avoiding any large pieces of fruit.

Bake until cookies are baked through and golden-brown on edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

Bake more batches on cooled baking sheets lined with fresh parchment.

Pumpkin Pancakes

2009-02-08T22:36:00.000-08:00

I love pumpkin and pancakes, so this combo is excellent. The pancakes puffed up a lot so if you like thinner pancakes you might want to thin the batter out a bit.

Pumpkin Pancakes (The Way the Cookie Crumbles)

Serves 2-3

1 cup (5 ounces) flour
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ nutmeg
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
½ cup pumpkin
1 cup buttermilk
vegetable oil for the pan

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg until thoroughly combined, then add the butter, pumpkin, and buttermilk. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk gently until batter is mostly mixed but still contains small lumps. Let batter rest while pan heats, at least 5 minutes.

2. Heat non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add a few drops of oil and spread it over the bottom of the pan. Using a ¼ cup measure, pour pancake batter onto hot griddle. When pancake is golden brown, flip to cook other side. Keep warm in oven heated to 275 degrees.

Wine!

2009-01-26T23:03:00.000-08:00

Need a good budget wine under 10? Here is what I just ordered from Bevmo and my thoughts on the ones I have drank so far (will update again later):

La Vieille Ferme Cotes du Ventoux '06 ): Table wine with screw top.. nothing exciting.
Pepperwood Grove Merlot '05: Pretty decent merlot.
Francis Coppola Rosso Classic '05: A really interesting blend of different grapes. I enjoyed it.
Palo Alto Reserve Red '07: A new favorite. Bold and strong flavors.
Renwood Zinfandel Lodi '05
Tormaresca Neprica '07: Not a stand out due to lack of flavor.

Blueberry Buttermilk Scones

2009-01-26T22:59:00.000-08:00

I love scones that are traditional and not sweet. I took a classic buttermilk scone recipe and just added blueberries.

Blueberry Buttermilk Scones (foodnetwork.com)

Ingredients

3 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup currants (I used blueberries)
1 tablespoon heavy cream, for brushing

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Add butter and mix with your fingertips to a coarse meal. Add buttermilk and mix just until combined.

Transfer dough to a floured board and divide into 2 parts. Roll each to 3/4 inch thick rounds. I would then put the blueberries in the middle and combine the two rounds. Then cut into 8 wedges. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Macaroni and Cheese

2009-01-26T22:53:00.000-08:00

Can you believe I have never made home made macaroni and cheese? I found this recipe and decided to give it a shot. It was very simple and tasty, but too cheesy for my husband. I guess thats kind the point of mac and cheese though, right? If you like comfort food, you'll enjoy this.

Macaroni and Cheese (crumblycookie.wordpress.com)

I did not make the bread crumb topping, but just sprinkled more cheddar on top and broiled as directed. Thats just a personal preference of mine.

Bread Crumb Topping:
6 slices white sandwich bread (good-quality, about 6 ounces), torn into rough pieces
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (cold), cut into 6 pieces

Pasta and Cheese:
1 pound elbow macaroni
1 tablespoon table salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons powdered mustard
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
5 cups milk
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese , shredded (2 cups)
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese , shredded (2 cups)
1 teaspoon table salt

Directions:

1. For the bread crumbs: Pulse bread and butter in food processor until crumbs are no larger than 1/8 inch, ten to fifteen 1-second pulses. Set aside.

2. For the pasta and cheese: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat broiler. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven over high heat. Add macaroni and 1 tablespoon salt; cook until pasta is tender. Drain pasta and set aside in colander.

3. In now-empty Dutch oven, heat butter over medium-high heat until foaming. Add flour, mustard, and cayenne (if using) and whisk well to combine. Continue whisking until mixture becomes fragrant and deepens in color, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk; bring mixture to boil, whisking constantly (mixture must reach full boil to fully thicken). Reduce heat to medium and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened to consistency of heavy cream, about 5 minutes. Off heat, whisk in cheeses and 1 teaspoon salt until cheeses are fully melted. Add pasta and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is steaming and heated through, about 6 minutes.

4. Transfer mixture to broiler-safe 9 by 13-inch baking dish and sprinkle evenly with bread crumbs. Broil until crumbs are deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes, rotating pan if necessary for even browning. Cool about 5 minutes, then serve.

Moroccan Chicken

2009-01-26T22:48:00.000-08:00

This chicken dish was so delicious. The chicken was moist and flavorful. The lentils and veggies added another dimension. It will be a repeat it our house.

Moroccan Chicken (EllySaysOpa.com)

Ingredients:

1-1/2 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp allspice
4 bone-in skinless chicken thighs
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 small onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
drizzle of balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup lentils, rinsed and picked over
1/4 cup raisins (I left this out)
salt and pepper

Directions:

Mix the first 7 ingredients, along with some salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Pat dry the chicken thighs and rub each thigh, on both sides, with a quarter of the mixture. Heat a large saute pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the chicken and brown on both sides. Remove.

To the pan, add the onion and cook until translucent. Stir in the garlic, celery and carrots and saute for an additional minute. Add a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, and scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the tomatoes, chicken broth, bay leaf, lentils, raisins and salt and pepper. Place the chicken thighs on top. Bring the mixture to a simmer and then cover. Simmer for about 35-40 minutes until the lentils are tender and the chicken is cooked through.

Nutritional Info Per Serving (two thighs, based on SparkRecipes; as I have noted before chicken thigh nutritional information is apparently impossible to keep consistent so this could be off). Calories: 395.4 / Fat: 12.7g / Carbs: 36.4g / Dietary Fiber: 7.4g / Protein: 34.6

Baked Brie with Caramelized Onions

2009-01-26T22:45:00.000-08:00

This appetizer was a huge hit at our Christmas Party. I've made it for 2 other parties since then. Its always a crowd pleaser.

(I promise it tastes better than it looks)

Baked Brie with Caramelized Onions (epicurious.com)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
8 cups sliced onions (about 4 large)
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme

4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon sugar

1 8-inch-diameter 32- to 36-ounce French Brie, packed in wooden box (reserve box)
2 French bread baguettes, sliced

Directions:
Melt butter in heavy very large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté until just tender, about 6 minutes. Add minced thyme, reduce heat to medium and cook until onions are golden, stirring often, about 25 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup wine; stir until almost all liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle sugar over onions and sauté until soft and brown, about 10 minutes. Add remaining 1/4 cup wine; stir just until liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cool. (Can be prepare 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Unwrap Brie, reserving bottom of wooden box. Cut away only top rind of cheese, leaving rind on sides and bottom intact. Return Brie to box, rind side down. Place box on baking sheet. Top Brie evenly with onion mixture. Bake until cheese just melts, about 30 minutes. Transfer Brie in box to platter. Surround with baguette slices.

Pumpkin Pie

2009-01-26T22:36:00.000-08:00

This is a great pumpkin pie. I even had a friend who hates pumpkin pie, declare it pretty darn good. Now thats a compliment!

Pumpkin Pie (foodnetwork.com)

Ingredients
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, optional
1 piece pre-made pie dough
Whipped cream, for topping

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place 1 piece of pre-made pie dough down into a (9-inch) pie pan and press down along the bottom and all sides. Pinch and crimp the edges together to make a pretty pattern. Put the pie shell back into the freezer for 1 hour to firm up. Fit a piece of aluminum foil to cover the inside of the shell completely. Fill the shell up to the edges with pie weights or dried beans (about 2 pounds) and place it in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the foil and pie weights and bake for another 10 minutes or until the crust is dried out and beginning to color.

For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, if using, and beat until incorporated.

Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream.

Pie Crust (foodnetwork.com)

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
3 tablespoons granulated white sugar
1/4 cup vegetable shortening, cold
12 tablespoons butter, cold and cubed
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup ice water

Directions
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt and sugar. Add the shortening and break it up with your hands as you start to coat it all up with the flour. Add the cold butter cubes and work it into the flour with your hands or a pastry cutter. Work it quickly, so the butter doesn't get too soft, until the mixture is crumbly, like very coarse cornmeal. Add the ice water, a little at a time, until the mixture comes together forming a dough. Bring the dough together into a ball.

When it comes together stop working it otherwise the dough will get over-worked and tough. Divide the dough in half and flatten it slightly to form a disk shape. Wrap each disk in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. On a floured surface roll each disk out into a 10 to 11-inch circle to make a 9-inch pie.

Veggie Casserole

2009-01-26T22:31:00.000-08:00

My family makes this every thanksgiving. Its simple and classic.

Veggie Casserole (by, mom!)

Ingredients:
2 packages california style veggies, frozen
1 can cream of mushroom soup
16 oz sour cream
10 oz cheddar cheese (use your judgement..)
1 jar French's fried onions.

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350. Mix all but the friend onions together and put into a 9x13 casserole dish. You don't need to defrost the veggies. Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until bubbly. Remove the foil and cover the casserole with the friend onions. Bake for 10 more minutes.

Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes

2009-01-26T22:29:00.000-08:00

You won't want to make the traditional sweet potato casserole after having this. Enjoy the spice! (Be sure to use a potato ricer!)

Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes (foodnetwork.com)

Ingredients
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 whole canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped
1 teaspoon adobo sauce from can of peppers
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions
Put cubed potatoes into steamer basket and place steamer into a large pot of simmering water that is no closer than 2 inches from the bottom of basket. Allow to steam for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Add butter to potatoes and mash with potato masher. Add peppers, sauce, and salt and continue mashing to combine. Serve immediately.

Mashed Potatoes

2009-01-26T22:25:00.000-08:00

Do you have a potato ricer? You MUST get one. You will never have lumpy or gooey mashed potatoes again. These will be the most creamy mashed potatoes you have ever had, but only if you use a potato ricer.

(Excuse the picture, this is what happens when you ask your husband to serve the mashed potatoes)

Mashed Potatoes (foodnetwork.com)

Ingredients
4 pounds golden creamer potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped chives

Directions
Put the potatoes into a large pot, add the bay leaf, 2 tablespoons salt, and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain them well and remove the bay leaf. Meanwhile, heat the cream and butter in a small saucepan. Put the potatoes through a ricer or food mill into a bowl. Add the hot cream and season with salt and pepper. Mix together with a spoon and add the chives.

Giblet Gravy

2009-01-26T22:23:00.001-08:00

This gravy is easy to make and never turns out bad.

Giblet Gravy (foodnetwork.com)

Ingredients

1 cup dry white wine
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups turkey giblet stock, including the reserved cooked neck and giblets

Directions

Skim fat from pan juices, reserving 1/3 cup fat, and deglaze pan with white wine over moderately high heat, scraping up brown bits. Bring white wine to a boil and remove pan from heat.

In a saucepan whisk together reserved fat and flour and cook roux over moderately low heat, whisking, 3 minutes. Add white wine mixture and stock or broth in a stream, whisking, and simmer, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Season gravy with salt and pepper and transfer to a hot gravy boat.

Roast Turkey

2009-01-26T22:17:00.000-08:00

This was the very first time I had brined a turkey. I did cut back the salt and sugar by 1/3 because I had a turkey that was already injected (as most turkeys are). It turned out well, but maybe it could have been even better? Next time I will be more daring. I brined it in the fridge using a roasting bag. It worked out well.

Alton Brown's Roast Turkey (foodnetwork.com)

Ingredients

1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey
For the brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger
1 gallon heavily iced water
For the aromatics:
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
Canola oil
2 to 3 days before roasting:

Directions

Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F.

Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.

Early on the day or the night before you'd like to eat:
Combine the brine, water and ice in the 5-gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey (with innards removed) breast side down in brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.

Place the bird on roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels.

Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add steeped aromatics to the turkey's cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with canola oil.

Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 151 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil or a large mixing bowl for 15 minutes before carving.

Leek and Wild Mushroom Stuffing

2009-01-26T22:16:00.000-08:00

By far my favorite recipe was the Leek and Wild Mushroom Stuffing. You must love mushrooms to enjoy this!

Leek and Wild Mushroom Stuffing (epicurious.com)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups hot water
1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms*
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced
1 pound button mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)
6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups dry white wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1 1/2 8-ounce French-bread baguettes, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 large egg, beaten to blend

Directions:

Combine 1 1/2 cups hot water and dried porcini in small bowl. Let stand until mushrooms soften, about 30 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to work surface; chop finely. Pour mushroom soaking liquid into small bowl, leaving any sediment behind, and reserve.

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add shiitake and button mushrooms; sauté 10 minutes. Add leeks and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add wine, thyme, and porcini mushrooms. Cook until almost all wine evaporates, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover mushroom mixture and porcini soaking liquid separately and chill. Reheat mushroom mixture to lukewarm before continuing.) Transfer mixture to very large bowl.

Mix bread into mushroom mixture. Season with salt and pepper; mix in egg.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Add enough reserved mushroom soaking liquid to stuffing to moisten (3/4 cup to 1 1/4 cups). Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Bake uncovered until heated through, about 40 minutes.

Thanksgiving Recap (2 months late)

2009-01-26T21:34:00.000-08:00

We hosted Thanksgiving at our house this year and had 3 people over for dinner. It was lots of fun and I think the food turned out really well. I made some recipes that will be making a repeat for sure.

Here was the menu:
Alton Brown's Roast Turkey (first time brining)
Giblet Gravy
Mashed Potatoes
Chipolte Sweet Potatoes
Leek & Wild Mushroom Stuffing
Veggie Casserole (family recipe)
Pumpkin Pie (crust)

Three-Cheese Chicken Penne Florentine

2009-01-05T21:44:00.000-08:00

If I manage to take a picture tomorrow, I will post it, but this recipe is delicious and will be a repeat in our house. Its so easy to make and makes leftovers.

Three-Cheese Chicken Penne Florentine
(Cookinglight.com)

Ingredients
1 teaspoon olive oil
Cooking spray
3 cups thinly sliced mushrooms (skipped because my store was out of mushrooms!)
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper (I used 2 red bell peppers to make up for no mushrooms)
3 cups chopped fresh spinach (I used one package frozen chopped)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (16-ounce) carton 2% low-fat cottage cheese
4 cups hot cooked penne (I used a 16oz package and it worked great and made a lot)
2 cups shredded roasted skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk (I used fat free)
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of chicken soup, undiluted
(I also added about 1-2 tablespoons red pepper flake for some heat)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 425°.

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add spinach, oregano, and black pepper; sauté 3 minutes or just until spinach wilts.

Place cottage cheese in a food processor; process until very smooth. Combine spinach mixture, cottage cheese, pasta, chicken, 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, milk, and soup in a large bowl. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheddar cheese and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 345 (25% from fat)
Fat: 9.7g (sat 5.1g,mono 3.1g,poly 1g)
Protein: 31.7g
Carbohydrate: 32.9g
Fiber: 2.1g
Cholesterol: 56mg
Iron: 2mg
Sodium: 532mg
Calcium: 275mg

Pumpkin Cheesecake

2008-11-29T18:42:00.000-08:00

This is wonderful! One important tip: make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature or you will get lumps in your cheesecake.

Pumpkin Cheesecake (Paula Deen)

Crust:
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick melted salted butter
Filling:
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
For crust:
In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
For filling:
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.
Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Taco Soup

2008-11-29T18:37:00.000-08:00

Excellent and easy soup to make.

Taco Soup (allrecipes.com)

INGREDIENTS
1 onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts
shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
sour cream (optional)
crushed tortilla chips (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.
Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired.

Butternut Squash Risotto

2008-11-29T18:29:00.000-08:00

I LOVE this risotto. Its so delicious that I want to make it all year round.

Butternut Squash Risotto (Ina Garten)

1 butternut squash (2 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 ounces pancetta, diced (I used bacon... so either works)
1/2 cup minced shallots (2 large)
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (10 ounces)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds, and cut it into 3/4-inch cubes. You should have about 6 cups. Place the squash on a sheet pan and toss it with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once, until very tender. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock in a small covered saucepan. Leave it on low heat to simmer.

In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the pancetta and shallots on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until the shallots are translucent but not browned. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 full ladles of stock to the rice plus the saffron, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir, and simmer until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue to add the stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry, then add more stock. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 30 minutes total. Off the heat, add the roasted squash cubes and Parmesan. Mix well and serve.

2008-11-29T18:12:00.000-08:00

The flavors of this crockpot dish were excellent but it turned out a bit dry. Watch your liquids when you make it. Next time, I will double the sauce.

CrockPot Indian Curry (crockpot365.blogspot.com)

- 1 13.5 oz can of coconut milk
- 1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 4-6 frozen skinless, boneless chicken thighs
- 1 T tomato paste
- 2 T curry powder
- 1 t ground coriander
- 1 t ground cumin
- 1 inch peeled and grated ginger
- few dashes of hot sauce (skipped)
- 1 yellow onion. chopped
- 2 or 3 cloves of smashed and chopped garlic
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 of an eggplant, chopped skipped because I hate it and added butternut squash instead)
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped

The Directions.

Assemble all of your spices, coconut milk, tobasco sauce, and tomato paste. Combine the sauce ingredients in the bottom of your crockpot. The sauce will be a lovely yellow.

Add the chicken, flipping it over a few times to coat it nicely. Pour in the garbanzo beans.

Wash and chop all of the vegetables, and then add to the Crock-Pot. Don't worry about stirring them in the sauce. Let them sit on top of the chicken and steam away.

Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours, or on high for 4-6. I cooked our dinner on high for almost 6 hours. The chicken was fully cooked, but still had shape, and the vegetables were soft and quite nice.

Stir carefully to mix flavors. If you stir too rough, the sweet potato will fall apart.

Serve over rice;

Blueberry Streusel Scones

2008-11-29T18:06:00.000-08:00

They blueberry scones had a different texture then scones I have made in the past. They still tasted good, but I don't think they are a favorite.

Blueberry Streusel Scones (joyofbaking.com)

Scone Dough:
2 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (85 grams) chilled, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup (150 grams) fresh blueberries
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon (5 grams) pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (120 ml) milk or cream

Brushing tops of scones:
Milk or Cream

Streusel Topping:
1/4 cup (55 grams) brown sugar
1/4 cup (35 grams) all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons (30 grams) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) and place rack in middle of oven. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

For the Scones: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Gently fold in the blueberries. In a small measuring cup combine the cream, beaten egg and vanilla. Add this mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until the dough comes together. Do not over mix the dough or the scones will be tough.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead the dough gently four or five times and then pat the dough into a circle that is about 7 inches (18 cm) round and about 11/2 inches (4 cm) thick. Cut this circle in half, then cut each half into four pie-shaped wedges (triangles). Place the scones on the baking sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with a little cream or milk.

For the Streusel Topping: In a small bowl whisk together the sugar, flour, and cinnamon. With a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the butter until crumbly. Top each scone with a teaspoon or two of the streusel mixture. Cover and refrigerate any leftover streusel mixture.

Bake the scones until nicely browned, about 15 - 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a scone comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. These are best eaten the day they are made but can be covered and stored for a few days.

Makes 8 scones

Pumpkin and Black Bean Soup

2008-11-29T17:46:00.000-08:00

This soup is so good. You can control how spicy you like it by adjusting the amount of pepper you add. We love it spicy, so I added more than the recipe called for.

Pumpkin and Black Bean Soup (from Rachel Ray)

2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cups canned or packaged vegetable stock, found on soup aisle
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained
2 cans (15 ounces) pumpkin puree (found often on the baking aisle)
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon curry powder, 1 palm full
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1/2 palm full
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, eyeball it in the palm of your hand
Coarse salt
20 blades fresh chives, chopped or snipped, for garnish

Heat a soup pot over medium heat. Add oil. When oil is hot, add onion. Saute onions 5 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, black beans and pumpkin puree. Stir to combine ingredients and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and stir in cream, curry, cumin, cayenne and

Pesto Pizza

2008-11-29T17:28:00.000-08:00

Homemade pizza is delicious but you can have the same wonderful taste without all the work. I typically pick up pizza dough at trader joes and then top it with whatever suits my mood at the time. Often, I make a veggie pesto pizza (using either homemade or store bought pesto).

Ingredients:
1 pizza dough (I used whole wheat)
1 cup pesto sauce (or as much as you want.. usually a thin layer is best)
assortments of veggies (I used 1 red pepper, 1 zucchini, 8 oz mushrooms, 1/2 onion).
1/2 cup precooked chicken (optional if you want veggie only)
8 oz mozzarella cheese

Follow the directions on how to make the dough and bake it. After rolling out dough, top pizza with pesto, cheese, veggies, and chicken. Bake according to pizza dough directions until browned and cheese is melted.

Mediterranean Couscous with Zucchini, Chickpeas & Feta

2008-11-29T17:18:00.000-08:00

I loved this salad. Its a great side for a BBQ. It has chickpeas and feta.. it can't get better than that.

Mediterranean Couscous with Zucchini, Chickpeas & Feta (jnolle.com)

Ingredients
1 pound zucchini and/or summer squash, cut into V-inch cubes (about 2 1/2 to 3 cups total)
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups plain Couscous
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 V to 2 lemons)
3 medium garlic gloves, pressed or finely minced
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
5 medium scallions, thinly sliced
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
olive oil
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

Directions:
1) Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add half the squash in even layer and season with salt and pepper. Cook without
stirring until golden brown on one side – 3 to 4 minutes.

2) Transfer to a plate to cool. Repeat with remaining squash. next Bring water to a boil in medium saucepan. Remove from heat, add couscous and 1 V teaspoons Kosher salt (x teaspoon
table salt), and stir. Cover and let stand 10 minutes. Transfer couscous to a serving bowl and fluff with fork.

3) Meanwhile, whisk together lemon juice, garlic and olive oil in a small bowl. Add lemon juice mixture and chickpeas to couscous, toss well to combine and cool to room temperature,
about 20 minutes.

4) Stir in parsley, scallions, feta and squash. Season with a generous amount of fresh black pepper and Kosher salt.

Gnocchi with Chicken Sausage and Bell Pepper

2008-11-29T17:05:00.000-08:00

I made this gnocchi minus the fennel. I actually found it to be a bit boring and needed some more sauce.

Gnocchi with Chicken Sausage, Bell Pepper, and Fennel (cookinglight.com)

Ingredients
1 (16-ounce) package vacuum-packed gnocchi (such as Vigo)
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
6 ounces basil, pine nut, and chicken sausage (such as Gerhard's), casing removed and sliced
1 cup thinly sliced fennel
1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1/2 cup (2 ounces) freshly grated Asiago cheese
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Preparation
1. Cook the gnocchi according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain the gnocchi in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Keep gnocchi warm.

2. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Remove sausage from skillet using a slotted spoon.

3. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan. Add fennel, bell pepper, and onion to pan; cook 13 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add sausage, gnocchi, cheese, black pepper, and reserved cooking liquid to pan; cook 1 minute or until cheese melts, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in parsley.

Butternut Squash Gratin With Goat Cheese And Hazelnuts

2008-10-13T23:26:00.000-07:00

Wow.. this was amazing. If you love butternut squash and you love goat cheese, you will absolutely love this recipe. I will be making this again!

Butternut Squash Gratin With Goat Cheese And Hazelnuts (Epicurious.com)

Ingredients:
3 1/2 pounds butternut squash (about 2 medium), peeled, seeded, cut into 3/4- to 1-inch cubes (8 cups)

2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse kosher salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, divided
3 cups sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only)
1 1/ teaspoons chopped fresh sage
1 5.5-ounce log soft fresh goat cheese
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked, coarsely chopped (I could not find hazelnuts so I used chopped walnuts and lightly toasted them in a dry pan)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Place butternut squash cubes and olive oil in large bowl; sprinkle with coarse kosher salt and ground pepper and toss to coat. Spread out squash cubes on large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until just tender and beginning to brown, stirring occasionally, about 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in heavy medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add sliced leeks and chopped sage; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until tender but not brown, about 15 minutes. Coat 11x7-inch baking dish with remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Spread half of leek mixture over bottom of prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with half of squash and half of cheese. Repeat layering with leeks, squash, and cheese. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Pour cream evenly over gratin. Sprinkle with toasted chopped hazelnuts. Bake uncovered until gratin is heated through and cream is bubbling, about 30 minutes (40 minutes if previously chilled).

Lunch and Dinner in Ireland

2008-10-02T12:30:00.000-07:00

When in Ireland, you tend to eat a lot of pub grub. I would equate this to the affordable food options that we have here in America. Its usually pretty simple food - stews, fish and chips, chowder, grilled sandwiches. After spending 12 days in Ireland, we got a bit sick of meat and potatoes so we ventured out to try some other cuisines - Thai, Indian, Italian. I wouldn't say that we loved Irish food as it seemed a bit bland, but we did enjoy trying the many variety at pubs and restaurants across the country. We did have some of the best thai food we have ever had in a little town called Kinsale. It was so hot, it really made me sweat! I can't even get them to make it that hot in California!

Fish Chowder and Soda Bread

Burger and Chips

Fish and Chips

Spicy Seafood Pasta

Bangers and Mash

Beer!

Beef and Guinness Stew

Fish and Chips

Pizza

BLT

Fish Chowder and Brown Bread

Meat Lasagna (sorry its dark)

Hot Irish Smoked Salmon

Bagel

Chocolate Cake with Baileys Irish Cream Ice Cream

Panang Curry

Pad See Me

Fajita Wrap with Chips

Fish and Chips

Grilled Ham and Cheese

Fajita and Salad (sorry its dark)

Chowder (sorry its dark)

Chimichanga

Fajitas

Real Fish and Chips

Breakfast in Ireland

2008-10-02T12:18:00.000-07:00

We spent 12 days in Ireland and stayed at a B&B for each night. Breakfast is included and it was very interesting to see how the traditional Irish Breakfast changed from place to place. An Irish breakfast is normally 2 eggs (any way), 2 pieces of bacon (the best bacon ever.. not like american bacon), 2 sausages, 2 puddings (black and white, basically the leftovers of a pig and the black one includes the blood), grilled tomatoes, mushrooms or potatoes, toast, and brown bread. It was a ton of food! I'm not a huge fan of pudding but some people love it.

At some places we were lucky enough to get pancakes (crepes), smoked salmon, or omelets. Each B&B had their own variety.

Irish Breakfast

Irish Breakfast

Smoked salmon and scrambled eggs

Irish Breakfast

Irish Breakfast

Pancakes

Omelette

Pancakes and Bacon

Half Irish

Eggs and Bacon

Omelette

Pancakes

Irish

Absent?

2008-08-19T14:37:00.000-07:00

I apologize for the lack of posts, but summer has been crazy busy and I have not been cooking many new recipes. Once we get back from Ireland (end of Sept), I hope to get back to a more normal routine.

Roasted Potatoes with North Indian Spices

2008-05-30T23:22:00.000-07:00

These potatoes were amazing. I know these will be a regular in our house.

Roasted Potatoes with North Indian Spices(CookingLight.com)

Ingredients
3 1/2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
3 pounds small red potatoes, halved (about 8 cups)
1 3/4 teaspoons black mustard seeds (I used a dash of dry ground mustard instead)
6 dried red chiles
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 jalapeño, seeded and minced
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala
Cooking spray
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint (skipped!)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
8 lime wedges

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine 1 tablespoon oil and potatoes, tossing to coat. Set aside.

3. Heat remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons oil, mustard seeds, and chiles in a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook 1 1/2 minutes or until seeds begin to pop. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add ginger, garlic, and jalapeño to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in salt, turmeric, and Garam Masala; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
I totally skipped this step and just made the spice mixture without cooking. I think this step only matters if you have actual mustard seeds. I couldn't find them.

Add spice mixture to potatoes, tossing to coat. Arrange potato mixture in a single layer in a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

4. Bake at 400° for 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender and browned, stirring every 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro, mint (skipped the mint because I am not a fan), and juice. Serve with lime wedges.

Blueberry Coffee Cake

2008-05-30T23:18:00.000-07:00

I made this coffee cake the night before our trip to Vegas. It was a great snack to eat on the way to the airport. I froze the rest and we had it after our trip. I'm always on the look out for good coffee cake and this one is a repeater.

Blueberry Coffee Cake (CookingLight.com)

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (about 6 3/4 ounces)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 1/3 cups low-fat buttermilk
Cooking spray
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (I used regular sugar)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.

3. Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 2 minutes). Add vanilla, egg, and egg white; beat well. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition.

4. Spoon half of the batter into a 9-inch round baking pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup blueberries. Spoon remaining batter over the blueberries; sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 cup blueberries. Sprinkle the top evenly with 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Chicken and Mushroom Tacos

2008-05-30T23:10:00.000-07:00

Sorry, no picture. Have you ever tried to take a picture of a taco? It doesn't look that pretty all the time. These tacos were good, but won't satisfy you if you like your tacos spicey. They have a very mild flavor.

Chicken and Mushroom Tacos
(CookingLight.com)

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
1 3/4 cups thinly vertically sliced onion
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 cups presliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
1/4 cup Madeira wine or dry sherry
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (about 8 ounces)
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup light sour cream

Directions:
1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes. Add jalapeño; sauté 2 minutes. Sprinkle sugar over onion mixture; sauté 1 minute. Remove onion mixture from pan.
2. Return pan to heat; recoat with cooking spray. Add mushrooms and garlic to pan; sauté 1 minute. Add Madeira to pan; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 minutes. Uncover; cook 2 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring frequently. Stir in onion mixture and chicken; cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

3. Warm tortillas according to package instructions. Spoon about 1/3 cup chicken mixture onto each tortilla. Top each tortilla with 2 tablespoons cheese; fold in half. Serve with sour cream.

Broccoli with Cheddar Sauce

2008-05-30T23:08:00.001-07:00

This cheddar sauce was ok. I might add some cayenne pepper and use it as a nacho sauce in the future. :)

Broccoli with Cheddar Sauce (CookingLight.com)

Ingredients
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup fat-free milk
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat extrasharp cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 pounds broccoli florets (about 9 cups)

Directions:
1. Place flour in a medium saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly with a whisk until smooth. Cook over medium-high heat 2 minutes or until mixture is bubbly and thickened, stirring constantly. Cook 1 additional minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add cheeses, mustard, salt, pepper, and thyme, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Keep warm.
2. Add water to a large saucepan to a depth of 1 inch; set a large vegetable steamer in pan. Bring water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add broccoli to steamer. Steam broccoli, covered, 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Serve broccoli immediately with sauce.

Grilled Portobello, Bell Pepper, and Goat Cheese Sandwiches

2008-05-30T22:57:00.000-07:00

This was amazing! So good! I actually only made 2 and kept all the ingredients the same and it turned out perfectly! If you aren't fond of goat cheese, you can reduce it a bit.

Grilled Portobello, Bell Pepper, and Goat Cheese Sandwiches (CookingLight.com)

Ingredients:
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 red bell pepper, cut in half and seeded
1 yellow bell pepper, cut in half and seeded
4 (4-inch) portobello mushroom caps (I used 2)
Cooking spray
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (2-ounce) Kaiser rolls (I used 2)
1/2 cup (4 ounces) soft goat cheese
Preparation
1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.
2. Combine balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and garlic in a large bowl. Add bell peppers and portobello mushrooms; toss gently to coat. Remove vegetables from vinegar mixture, and discard vinegar mixture.

3. Place bell peppers and mushrooms on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side. Remove vegetables from grill; cool slightly. Cut bell peppers into thin strips. Combine bell peppers, basil, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.

4. Cut rolls in half horizontally; spread cheese evenly over cut sides of rolls. Arrange 1 mushroom cap on bottom half of each roll; top each serving with about 1/3 cup bell pepper mixture and top half of roll.

5. Place sandwiches on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Place a cast-iron or other heavy skillet on top of sandwiches; press gently to flatten. Grill 3 minutes on each side or until bread is toasted (leave cast-iron skillet on sandwiches while they cook).

Sour Cream Lemon Pound Cake

2008-05-30T22:45:00.001-07:00

I'm still trying to use up my lemons from my lemon tree. This cake was really delicious. The cake flour makes it very soft, light, and fluffy.

Sour Cream Lemon Pound Cake (Epicurious.com)

Ingredients:
3 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups sugar
6 eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 cup sour cream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease 16-cup tube pan. Dust pan with cake flour; tap out excess flour.
Sift flour, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl at medium speed until fluffy. Gradually add sugar and beat 5 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until combined after each addition. Beat in lemon juice and peel. Using rubber spatula, mix in dry ingredients. Mix in sour cream. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Let cake cool in pan on rack 15 minutes. Cut around cake in pan. Turn out cake.

Carefully turn cake right side up on rack and cool completely. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Wrap in foil and let stand at room temperature.)

Gnocchi with Asparagus and Pancetta

2008-05-30T22:42:00.000-07:00

I found this gnocchi to be ok, but nothing spectacular. Don't get me wrong, it tastes good, but I tend to like my food with more of a kick. Its a great way to use asparagus though.

Gnocchi with Asparagus and Pancetta (CookingLight.com)

Ingredients:
1 (16-ounce) package vacuum-packed gnocchi (such as Vigo)
2 ounces pancetta, cut into thin strips (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shaved Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Cook gnocchi according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Keep warm.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pancetta; sauté 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate.

3. Add shallots and asparagus to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add gnocchi, pancetta, reserved cooking liquid, juice, salt, and pepper to pan; cook 1 minute. Serve with cheese.

Four-Cheese Focaccia

2008-05-30T22:36:00.001-07:00

I attempted to make a four cheese foaccia. I didn't let it have enough time to rise and overcooked it slightly, but given enough time to make it right, I think it could be really good. Give it a shot and let me know if you liked it or not.

Four-Cheese Focaccia (Epicurious.com)

Ingredients:
1/4-ounce package (2 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 cup lukewarm water
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon table salt
5 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup grated whole-milk mozzarella (about 1/4 pound)
1/2 cup finely crumbled Gorgonzola (about 2 ounces) (I skipped this cheese)
1 cup grated Fontina (about 3 ounces)
1 small onion, sliced thin
1 teaspoon coarse salt, or to taste

Directions:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment proof the yeast with the sugar in the water for 5 minutes, or until the mixture is foamy, add the flour, the salt, 3 tablespoons of the oil, and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, and combine the dough well. With the dough hook knead the dough for 2 minutes, or until it is soft and slightly sticky. Form the dough into a ball, transfer it to an oiled bowl, and turn it to coat it with the oil. Let the dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours, or until it is double in bulk. The dough may be made up to this point, punched down, and kept, covered and chilled, overnight. Let the dough return to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe.

Press the dough evenly into a oiled jelly-roll pan, 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 by 1 inches, and let it rise, covered loosely, in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it is almost double in bulk.

In a bowl stir together the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan, the mozzarella, the Gorgonzola, the Fontina, the onion, and pepper to taste and sprinkle the mixture evenly over the dough. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over the cheese mixture and sprinkle the focaccia with the coarse salt. Bake the focaccia in the bottom third of a preheated 400°F. oven for 35 to 45 minutes, or until it is golden brown, let it cool in the pan on a rack, and serve it warm or at room temperature.

Chicken-Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese

2008-05-30T22:29:00.000-07:00

I'm alive! Sorry for the lack of updates. I have been cooking, but I have not had time to update this blog, but I am trying to get caught up.

Last month, I made a Chicken-Orzo salad with goat cheese. I really loved it and its great for a really hot night when you don't feel like cooking or turning on the stove.

Chicken-Orzo Salad (CookingLight.com)

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
3 cups chopped grilled chicken breast strips (such as Tyson)
1 1/2 cups trimmed arugula
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup prechopped red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
6 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Preparation
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well.
2. Combine pasta, chicken, and the next 6 ingredients (through oregano) in a large bowl; toss well.

3. Combine vinegar, oil, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle vinegar mixture over pasta mixture; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with cheese.

Lemon Bars

2008-04-13T11:30:00.000-07:00

These lemon bars were super sweet and I didn't love the shortbread crust.

Lemon Bars (Epicurious.com)

Ingredients:
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
hot shortbread base
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a bowl whisk together eggs and granulated sugar until combined well and stir in lemon juice and flour. Pour lemon mixture over hot shortbread. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F. and bake confection in middle of oven until set, about 30 minutes. Cool completely in pan and cut into 24 bars. Bar cookies keep, covered and chilled, 3 days. Sift confectioners' sugar over bars before serving.

Shortbread Base

Ingredients:
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cut butter into 1/2-inch pieces. In a food processor process all ingredients until mixture begins to form small lumps. Sprinkle mixture into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan and with a metal spatula press evenly onto bottom. Bake shortbread in middle of oven until golden, about 20 minutes. While shortbread is baking, prepare topping.

Risotto with Spring Vegetables and Ham

2008-04-13T11:23:00.000-07:00

I've been making a few new recipes but not quite as often as I would like. We have 2.5 more weeks until Kaylee gets her freedom back after having double knee surgery. I should have more time then.

I made this recipe a couple weeks back and it was ok, but not as good as the goat cheese risotto. Part of that could be my modifications too.

Risotto with Spring Vegetables and Ham (CookingLight.com)

Ingredients
3/4 cup shelled fava beans (about 1 1/2 pounds unshelled) I omitted because I could not find them.
2 cups water
2 cups (1-inch) slices asparagus (about 1/2 pound) I used green beans.
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion (about 1 small)
1/2 cup finely chopped smoked ham (about 3 ounces)
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice or other medium-grain rice
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup shelled green peas (about 1 pound unshelled)
3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation
1. Cook beans in boiling water 1 minute; drain. Plunge beans into ice water; drain. Remove tough outer skins from beans; discard skins. Set aside.
2. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add asparagus to pan; cook 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove asparagus from pan with a slotted spoon; rinse under cold water. Set aside. Add broth to boiling water; reduce heat. Keep warm over low heat. Reserve 3/4 cup broth mixture; keep warm.

3. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and ham to pan; cook 10 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Add rice; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Increase heat to medium-high. Stir in wine, and cook 2 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add the remaining broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total).

4. Stir in peas, reserved beans, and reserved asparagus. Add reserved 3/4 cup broth mixture, stirring until liquid is absorbed (about 4 minutes). Remove from heat; stir in 1/2 cup cheese, cream, butter, salt, and pepper. Place about 1 cup risotto into each of 6 shallow bowls; sprinkle each serving with 2 teaspoons remaining cheese.

Banana Bread

2008-03-30T16:52:00.000-07:00

Sorry, no picture but I have made this banana bread many many times and it always turns out great.

Banana Bread (allrecipes.com)

INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Split Pea Soup

2008-03-24T13:00:00.000-07:00

I haven't been baking or cooking much because one of my dogs (Kaylee) had double patella surgery on March 4th. She requires constant monitoring for the next 8 weeks (til April 30th), so anything I make in the kitchen has to be done pretty fast. I did manage to make this soup a couple weeks ago while I got a break from watching her.

Split Pea Soup (From smellslikehome blog and Barefoot Contessa)

Ingredients:
1 cup chopped yellow onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 cup good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups medium-diced carrots (3 to 4 carrots)
1 cup medium-diced red boiling potatoes, unpeeled (3 small)
1 pound dried split green peas
8 cups chicken stock or water

Directions:
In a 4-quart stockpot on medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with the olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper until the onions are translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the carrots, potatoes, 1/2 pound of split peas, and chicken stock.
Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Skim off the foam while cooking. Add the remaining split peas and continue to simmer for another 40 minutes, or until all the peas are soft. Stir frequently to keep the solids from burning on the bottom. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve hot.

I found this to be extremely thick especially after refrigerating it. I ended up thinning it out with water when I would reheat it. Otherwise it tasted very good and was pretty simple to make.

Shrimp and Goat Cheese Risotto

2008-03-02T23:35:00.000-08:00

I've always been leery or making risotto. It sounded difficult and time consuming. However, it was actually pretty easy and so very good. I will be making more of this in the future.

Shrimp and Goat Cheese Risotto (Food and Wine)

Ingredients:
1 quart chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
3/4 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup arborio rice (8 1/2 ounces)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chopped basil leaves
1/4 cup soft fresh goat cheese (1 1/2 ounces)
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer. Add the shrimp, cover and simmer over moderate heat until just cooked, about 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a plate to cool. Cover the stock and keep it at barely a simmer.
2. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter in the olive oil. Add the garlic and onion and cook over low heat, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the rice and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until it is coated with oil, about 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer until almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add 1 scant cup of the simmering stock and cook, stirring constantly, until it is absorbed. Continue to add the stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly until it is absorbed. The risotto is done when the rice is tender but still slightly firm and creamy, about 25 minutes total. Stir in the shrimp. Remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the basil, goat cheese, Parmesan, ginger and lemon zest. Season the risotto with salt and pepper and serve.

This served about 3 people.

Lemon Souffle

2008-03-02T23:24:00.001-08:00

My lemon tree has a ton of lemons this year and I love getting to make different lemon desserts.

Our lemon tree:

One of my most favorite deserts is souffle and this lemon souffle does not disappoint. Souffles may seem hard to make, but they really aren't too bad. The hardest part is tempering the eggs with the hot milk, but just go slow and you should be fine. The other trick is to remove the custard (yolk/milk mixture) from the heat just as it starts to get thick. If you wait to long it will get too thick.

Lemon Souffle (Epicurious)

Ingredients:
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon whole milk (I used skim)
3/4 cup sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 large egg yolks
5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
5 large egg whites

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat six 3/4-cup soufflé dishes with butter and sugar. Bring milk to simmer in medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, and yolks in bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in hot milk. Return mixture to saucepan; bring to simmer, whisking constantly. Remove from heat. Whisk in lemon juice and peel. Cool.
Using electric mixer, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually beat in remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Continue beating until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/4 of whites into lemon mixture. Fold in remaining whites. Spoon mixture into prepared dishes, dividing equally. Bake until puffed and brown on top, about 18 minutes. Serve immediately.

Note: I used 4 larger ramekins. I baked 2 and then froze the other two. They cook up pretty well straight from the freezer.

Tiki Masala

2008-03-02T23:19:00.000-08:00

While at Costco, I spotted a Tiki Masala sauce.

It was quite good for a pre-packaged sauce. I just added chicken, veggies, and served over brown rice.

Mee Goreng

2008-03-02T23:00:00.000-08:00

Many days of the week I end up cooking a "semi-homemade" kind of meal. I have some pre-made sauce or curry and then I just add veggie and meat and serve with rice or noodles. This time, I found this delicious Mee Goreng sauce at Ranch 99. Me Goreng is an Indian dish that you can find at many Malaysian restaurants. Its usually a wok-fried noodle dish with shrimp, tofu, and veggies. I made mine with rice noodles but egg noodles are more traditional. I also used shrimp, veggies, and egg.

Mee Goreng

Ingredients:
1 jar Mee Goreng Sauce
1/2 lb rice or egg noodles
1 package mixed stir fry veggies (as many as you want)
2 eggs
1 lb shrimp
olive oil

Directions:
- Add 1 tablespoon oil to wok and heat at medium heat. Once hot, add shrimp and cook until just pink. Remove from pan.
- Add 1/2 tablesoon oil to wok and heat. Beat eggs and cook in wok. Remove when cooked.
- Cook rice noodles according to package.
- Add 1 tablespoon oil to wok and heat. Cook veggies until just tender. Remove and set aside.
- Add 1 tablespoon oil to wok and heat. Add rice noodles and Me Goreng sauce. Stir fry for 10 minutes.
- Add shrimp, eggs, and veggies to noodles and cook until warm (1-2 minutes).
- Serve!

Note: I used a stir fry veggie mixture with carrots, broccoli, and snow peas.

Turkey and Broccoli Casserole

2008-02-20T16:49:00.000-08:00

My MIL makes an awesome Chicken and Broccoli casserole, so I asked her for the recipe. I made a couple modifications to it so its a bit different then hers, but I think thats a good thing. I don't think I could ever make it exactly like she does, so we'll just have to visit more often to have the real deal.

Turkey and Broccoli Casserole

Ingredients:
2 10 oz packages frozen broccoli cooked and drained/ or fresh steamed
2 or more cups of cooked turkey (or chicken)
2 can cream of broccoli soup undiluted
2/3 cup sour cream (you can use mayo, but I detest it)
1 teaspoon lemon juice (I skipped this since I used sour cream, but add if you use mayo)
1 teaspoon curry (add more to taste)
1/2 cup grated Cheddar or more

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place broccoli in the shallow baking pan, cover with chicken. Combine in a
bowl soup, mayo lemon and curry, mix together. Pour over chicken. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 25 to 30 minutes (until bubbly).

Lemon Bars

2008-02-10T17:34:00.001-08:00

We have a Eureka Lemon tree in our backyard and the lemons are ready for harvest. So today, I made us some delicious and easy lemon bars.

Lemon Bars (from alpineberry.blogspot.com)

Crust:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/8 tsp salt
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Filling:
2 large eggs
1 cup superfine or bakers' sugar + 2 tablespoons (only add the extra tablespoons if you used eureka lemons like I did)
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp finely grated meyer lemon zest
1/4 cup freshly squeezed meyer lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper.

To make crust:
Combine flour, confectioners' sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Add butter and pulse until the mixture is pebbly. Press evenly into the bottom of your prepared pan. Bake until lightly golden, about 18-20 minutes. Set aside crust.

To make filling:
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, flour and salt. Whisk in lemon zest and juice until well combined. Pour over crust (it's okay if crust is still hot). Bake until filling is just set, about 15 to 18 minutes. Cool completely before serving. Dust with confectioners' sugar if desired.