Playing House

Bean Salsa

2011-01-25T20:56:00.010-05:00

Hello. I'm back with a long lost post. from. last. summer. This salsa/side dish is great for a potluck, your lunchbox, or any upcoming Superbowl snacking. I had it for the first time in June at my sister's Mexican-themed graduation party. My aunt made a quadruple batch of this tasty stuff to set out as an appetizer on all of the tables. I was very happy that she did because it ended up being the only real vegetarian option. It was excellent atop my giant plates (plural!) of cheese nachos. I, of course, had to make a couple of changes to the original recipe. The main thing I did was decrease the sugar from 1 c. to 1/2 c., and it's still pretty sweet. The sweetness is what makes this dish, but I'll save the extra carbs and calories where I can.

Bean Salsa (or Salad)

Salsa:
1 - 14 oz. can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 - 14 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 - 14 oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can shoepeg corn, drained
1 small jar of chopped pimento, drained
1 c. chopped celery
2 jalapenos, finely chopped
1 c. chopped green pepper

Dressing:
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. water
1/2 c. canola oil
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3/4 c. cider vinegar
1/2 c. sugar
1/8 tsp. chili powder (optional)
a couple healthy pinches cayenne pepper (optional)

1. Layer salsa ingredients in a large bowl or container.
2. Combine dressing ingredients in a saucepan, whisk to incorporate, and bring to a boil.
3. Cool for 1 minute and pour over bean mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Drain liquid before serving with tortilla chips or on it's own.

Bonus! Save the your little glass pimento jars. They're a great way to pack salad dressing, nuts, granola or anything small in your lunchbox.

Healthy Carrot Muffins

2010-10-11T21:04:00.008-04:00

I recently had a lovely, overdue breakfast with my Nana. We chatted for hours sipping coffee, nibbling fruit, and munching on these muffins. It was so good to have some time with her. Breakfast with Nana is like coming home for me. When I was little, I went to her house every morning before school, and she always made me breakfast. (She had the best toaster.) Carrot cake is Nana's favorite, and so I wanted to bake her some deliciously nutritious carrot muffins. They turned out fantastic. We both loved them, and I will definitely be making these a regular in our house. They're hearty and not too sweet, so they are a great breakfast treat. The nuts are optional, but if it's up to Nana, the more the better! Also, the original recipe calls for wheat germ, but I substituted wheat bran because that's what I had in the pantry. Germ has more protein, and bran more fiber. Choose your own adventure. Speaking of adventures...

Healthy Carrot Muffins

adapted from Food Network Kitchens

makes 12

3/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 c. whole wheat flour

2/3 c. dark brown sugar

2 Tbsp. wheat bran

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda
Pinch fine salt
2 large eggs
1/3 c. canola oil
1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
3-4 medium carrots, grated (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup grated apple
1/3 c. chopped walnuts, plus a few whole ones for topping

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F. Line twelve 1/2-cup muffin cups with paper muffin liners.
2. Whisk the flours with the brown sugar, wheat bran, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In another medium bowl lightly whisk the egg, then whisk in the vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
3. Quickly and lightly fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula. Stir in the carrots and pineapple just until evenly moist; the batter will be very thick. Stir in nuts. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, and top each with a whole walnut.
4. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Turn muffins out of the tins and cool on a rack. Serve warm.

P.S. Don't tell Dan, but I think I like these better than my banana bread.

Gluten-Free Lemon Cream Cheese Cupcakes

2010-10-06T11:51:00.005-04:00

I love The Cupcake Station. L-O-V-E, love. Their buttercream is a-maz-ing. To celebrate the Grand Openning of their new Plymouth-far too close for my own good-location, Dan and I got ourselves a little treat. I chose one of my favorites: "Lemon Lust"-lemon cake with lemon white chocolate cream cheese frosting. My gluten-free sister happend to stop by that night, and, with puppy dog eyes, asked if she could just try a bit of the frosting. She too was in love and immediately wanted to make a gluten-free version. Here's what we came up with:

Lemon Cream Cheese Cupcakes
cake adapted from joy of baking
makes 18

1 c. butter, room temperature
1 c. granulated white sugar
4 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Zest of 1 large lemon (outer yellow skin of lemon)
2 c. Bob's Red Mill gluten gree all purpose baking flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F and place rack in the center of the oven. Line muffin pan with paper baking cups.
2. In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer) beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy and pale in color (about 3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.
3. Sift together (we didn't) the flour, baking powder and salt and then add to the batter along with the lemon juice. Mix only until incorporated.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared cups, smoothing the top with an offset spatula. Bake about 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool, then gently remove from pan.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

1-8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. (1/2 a stick) butter, softened
juice of half a lemon
finely chopped lemon zest
3-4 c. powdered sugar

1. Beat together the cream cheese and butter until incorporated. Mix in zest and juice.
2. Add sugar in batches, mixing thouroughly after each cup or so.
3. Refrigerate or freeze frosting for 15-20 minutes before piping.

The yellow topping is just a few drops of food coloring whisked into some granulated sugar and sprinkled on top.

These are not exactly light and fluffy. The cake ended up more dense and rich, but still delicious. I think that is due, in part, to the gluten-free flour, and the recipe itself. With 4 eggs, I think the original is leaning more toward a pound cake anyway.

Whole Wheat Banana Bread

2010-10-02T17:18:00.005-04:00

We went down to Eastern Market last Saturday and had an awesome lunch with some awesome friends at Russel Street Deli. It was a bit expensive, but my Avocado Melt was worth it.( "It is so choice." ) After lunch, we strolled through the various sheds perusing the produce. I was primarily looking for Michigan grown veggies, but came across a couple of vendors selling bananas at 3 pounds for a $1. Two words. banana. bread. This is my version-with wheat flour and far less sugar-of Mom's old recipes that she got from who knows where. To mash the bananas, I put them in a flat-bottom bowl and use a potato masher just like I do with avocados to make guacamole. It's much easier. And when I don't have an abundance of fresh bananas, I use over-ripened ones that I store in the freezer. Just take them out 30 min to an hour before you plan on mashing them.

Whole Wheat Banana Bread

1/3 c. butter
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. mashed banana
1/3 c. water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 c. whole wheat flour

2/3 c. AP flour

1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F. Grease bottom of loaf pan(s).
2. Mix sugar and butter in a large bowl. Stir in eggs until blended, and add water and bananas.
3. Stir in remaining ingredients except nuts, and mix well. Stir in nuts and pour into baking pan. Or, pour into pan, and sprinkle nuts on top.

4. Bake until toothpick comes out clean and top is golden brown.

1 hr. 15 min. for 8" pan

55-60 min. for 9" pan

40-45 min. for 3 small 6" pans

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas

2010-09-17T11:10:00.000-04:00

I am often asked how we handle dinner in our house with me being a vegetarian and my husband not. For the most, we primarily eat vegetarian meals that my husband enjoys. (He likes to get meat when we go out for dinner.) Other times we'll cook something on the side for him. It's not that hard with a little planning. For example, if I'm making spaghetti, I'll saute mushrooms for myself, and cook up a sausage for him. Another easy fix are enchiladas. One pan with sweet potatoes, the other with chicken. This recipe is a modification of my chicken enchiladas, and is a result of splitting many ingredients in half.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas
makes 4 - double for a full batch

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. taco seasoning
1/2 of a 14 oz. can black beans
1/2 of a 4 oz. can diced green chilis
1-10 oz. can red enchilada sauce
4 whole wheat tortillas
4 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1. Preheat over to 400 °F. Toss sweet potatoes with olive oil and taco seasoning to coat. Place on a sheet pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Roast for 15-20 minutes, stirring once.
2. Meanwhile, combine black beans, green chilis, 1-2 Tbsp. sauce and 2 Tbsp. cheese in a large bowl.
3. Add the roasted potatoes to the black bean mixture and stir to combine. Divide filling among tortillas, roll, and place in a 9 x 9 baking dish. Top with desired amount of sauce, and remaining cheese.
4. Reduce heat to 350 °F and bake 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

Greek Quinoa Salad

2010-09-08T09:56:00.002-04:00

Dan and I spent our Labor Day weekend at a camp in "Up North," Michigan. Despite the rain, we had a fantastic time with extended family and friends. One of the highlights for me was falling asleep in our cold cabin next to the warm glow and crackling of the fire in our fireplace. For a moment each night, I couldn't help but think of Little House on the Prairie.
Being on a particular diet, the thought of going to a camp where I have no idea what type of food we'll be served is a bit unsettling. I figured there would be salads, potatoes, and some fruits and veggies, but to make sure that I had some good vegetarian protein, I made this salad to take along. It worked out great since there was no cooking or heating necessary. Just pulled the container out of the fridge. I didn't really do any careful measuring so the amounts of vegetables and cheese are approximate. Use more or less as desired.
On a side note, I'm taking another evening class this Fall that meets twice a week, so I planning to make many more main-dish salads like this one that can be eaten on the go.

Greek Quinoa Salad
Salad:
3/4 c. quinoa, rinsed
1 1/2 c. chopped, seedless cucumber
1 c. seeded, chopped tomato
3/4 c. canned chickpeas, rinsed
1/2 c. chopped, blanched zucchini
3 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
1/4 c. diced red (or green) pepper
1/4 c. crumbled feta cheese
Dressing:
3 Tbsp. olive oil
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 clove garlic, pressed
salt & pepper

1. Cook quinoa according to package directions and place in fridge to cool. Meanwhile, chop vegetables and set aside.
2. Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to incorporate.
3. In a large bowl, combine cooled quinoa, vegetables, feta, and dressing. Season with extra salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Quick Black Bean Brownies

2010-08-25T16:13:00.001-04:00

If you have never heard of black bean brownies, don't be scared. They taste just like real thing, but with an added nutritional boost and an extra fudgy texture. These are a great way to sneak some vegetables past kids or the vegetably challenged adults we all know and love. There are tons of "from scratch" recipes floating around the web, but this is a quick trick that I heard of by word of mouth over a year ago. Trust me, no one will ever know...unless you tell them.

Quick Black Bean Brownies

1 - ~20 oz. box brownie mix
1 - 14 oz. can black beans

1. Drain beans and rinse well.
2. Put beans back in the can, and fill it up the rest of the way with water.
3. Puree beans and water in a blender until very smooth.
4. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the bean mixture and brownie mix. Pour into a greased 13 x 9 baking dish, and bake according to the package instructions.

Can't stop thinking about 'em...

2010-07-14T12:33:00.003-04:00

I've updated the cooking directions for the Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers, and because they turned out so well I had to write a special post just to tell you about it. You couldn't even tell that the filling had been frozen for 2 months. I love meals that I can make in large batches and freeze for later. Nothin' like an easy weeknight meal that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen. Next time, I might even make a double batch and freeze a whole bunch. These will definitely be a regular on our dinner table. Make them. Tonight.

P.S. Get your quinoa from Trader Joe's. From what I've seen, they have the best price around. Unless you buy in bulk, of course...

Quinoa Salad with Asparagus and Tomato

2010-07-08T07:50:00.001-04:00

What I am not going to say again, is that I am sorry for not posting in such a long time. I'm not going to apologize for the craziness that has been my life for the last 2 months, while working full time, and taking a statistics class 4 nights a week. I will however share this delicious salad that I had for dinner the other night. What I will apologize for is the lack a variety in these last 3 posts. Quinoa, then asparagus, then quinoa + asparagus. They're just too delicious, and I have been on a mission the last two weeks to spend as little $$ as possible on groceries, and use up what we have in the pantry and freezer. The exception is fresh produce, which I could never go a week without. Here's the result:

Quinoa Salad with Asparagus and Tomato

For the salad:
3/4 c. quinoa
1 1/2 c. water
1/2 bunch of asparagus cut into 1 inch pieces (about 1 1/2 c.), steamed
1 medium vine tomato, seeded and diced (about 1/2 c.)

Dressing:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

1. Using a sieve, rinse quinoa under cold running water.
2. Bring quinoa and 1 1/2c. water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat, and simmer for 12-14 minutes or until tender and all of the liquid is absorbed.
3. Meanwhile, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and salt and pepper. Set aside.
4. Pour cooked quinoa out onto a large plate to cool (about 10 minutes).
5. In a large bowl, mix quinoa, asparagus, and tomato. Pour dressing over quinoa mixture, and stir to combine.
6. Serve topped with parmesan or feta cheese (optional).

Makes 2-3 entree size portions or 4-6 for a side dish.

Note: If you would like a hot salad, skip the cooling step. Alternatively, if your preference is for a cold salad refrigerate for about 30 minutes before serving. My preparation was served room temperature.
P.S. It's even better the next day! Just put it in the microwave for 30-60 seconds to take the chill off.

Grilled Asparagus

2010-05-06T15:25:00.016-04:00

I was so excited to find some of the first fresh MICHIGAN asparagus in the grocery store the other day. That means that Farmer's Market season is rapidly approaching. I can hardly wait for our first trip. Anyway, this is by far my favorite way to prepare asparagus. Yes, even better than in that pasta. It's so simple, so fresh, and just makes me happy. Remember what I said about grill flavor. I look forward to warm weather vegetable grilling almost as much as kids do the ice cream man.

Grilled Asparagus
There are no real measurements here, just add spices until it "look good," and if your not into spicy, you could substitute paprika for the cayenne pepper, or omit it altogether.

1 bunch fresh asparagus
2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
sea salt
fresh cracked pepper
garlic powder

cayenne pepper

1. Preheat grill. (I turn our little Weber to medium-low b/c it gets really hot!)
2. In a 13 x 9" baking dish or other shallow pan, whisk together oil and spices. Set aside.

3. Clean, and trim woody ends from asparagus and toss in the oil mixture, coating well.

4. Lay asparagus directly onto hot grill. Turn every couple of minutes until desired doneness, about 10-20 minutes depending on how hot your grill is and the size of the asparagus. If your not particular about presentation, place grilled asparagus back into your olive oil dish. It will only pick up more flavor.

Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers

2010-05-04T21:17:00.005-04:00

After preparing a lunch-something very similar to this-for a crowd of hungry volunteers, and receiving rave reviews, I was reminded how much joy it brings me to help people get excited about healthy food. A few very satisfied customers made the comment that I "snuck vegetable on them." Yesss! Healthy food truly can be delicious, and it doesn't have to be complicated either. This recipe is a serious veggie sneaker and a crowd pleaser, if you can convince them to try quinoa that is. If you run into that challenge, I don't see why you couldn't substitute brown rice. I always tell curious people that quinoa kinda tastes like brown rice anyway. This recipe makes quite a bit of filling, so be prepared. I made the full batch, filled six pepper halves, and still had plenty leftover for freezing. My only critique of these little masterpieces is that the peppers turned out ~~really mushy~~ far too overdone for our taste. The recipe calls for a full hour in the oven even before topping with cheese. In retrospect, it seems like an awful long time to bake peppers considering that the filling is already cooked. When I pull the leftovers out of the freezer for round two, my plan of attack will be completely different. I plan to grill the peppers for a few minutes, then fill, top with cheese, and place in the oven or broiler just long enough to melt the cheese and create a slight crust on the top. Mmmm...everything is better with a little grill flavor.

Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers
adapted from vegetarian times

1 medium onion, finely chopped (1 cup)

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 ribs celery, finely chopped (1/2 cup)

1 Tbsp. ground cumin

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.) - I pressed mine
1 6-oz. package fresh, baby spinach
2 15-oz. cans diced No Salt Added tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved
1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup quinoa
3 large carrots, grated (1 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 cups grated pepper Jack cheese, divided
4 large red bell peppers, halved lengthwise, ribs removed.

1. Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and celery, and cook 5 minutes, or until soft. Add cumin and garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Stir in spinach and drained tomatoes. Cook 5 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated.

2. Stir in black beans, quinoa, carrots, and 2 cups water. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes, or until quinoa is tender. Stir in 1 cup cheese. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease baking dish with cooking spray.

4. Fill each bell pepper half with heaping 3/4-cup quinoa mixture, and place in baking dish. Bake 15 minutes or until peppers just start to soften. Turn Broiler on Low setting. Top each pepper with remaining cheese and broil 5-10 minutes until cheese is a bubbly, golden brown.

Notes:

-The original recipe calls for a 10-oz. pack of frozen spinach, but I really wanted fresh. Your choice. If you do use fresh, it will take longer to reduce the liquid as described at the end of step 1.

-The original also calls for reduced-fat cheese, so if you're watching fat or calories keep that in mind when reviewing the nutrition facts published by vegetarian times.

-As far as the cheese goes, buy a brick and shred it yourself. It's usually cheaper than the pre-shredded stuff in the bags, and it melts and tastes better too.

-I love recipes like this one that give both measurements and quantities. It makes shopping so much easier. I recommend that you do this with your own recipes.

-I was only able to get about 1/2 cup of the quinoa mixture into my peppers, they must have been small.
Enjoy!

*Update*-7/14/10-The cooking times and photo above reflect my changes after round two with the leftovers. They turned out much better this way. The peppers were hot and cooked, but still had a little crunch, and the broiled cheese topping made the dish. Didn't end up grilling...it was rainy. As for the frozen filling, I transferred it from the freezer to the fridge the night before to start the slow thaw, then defrosted/heated it in the microwave before filling the peppers.

Elvis Oatmeal

2010-03-31T15:04:00.016-04:00

Long time no blog! I'm here, and we are still eating, just not anything terribly exciting. (Though I do have a few backlogged items that I'll get to ASAP.) Dan got a new job 4 weeks ago teaching Middle School social studies at a charter school, which has proved to be a very challenging task. He has spent countless hours toiling at the computer leaving me with almost all of the housework, zero computer time, and a lot less sleep. I been so tired and lacking any serious motivation, but we're adjusting and getting used to things now, and I'm regaining my zeal for the hunt...for recipes! Last week I discovered a new blog (Kath Eats Real Food) that became an instant favorite. The author is my age, an RD student, and is devoted to healthy eating. I love it. She takes her oatmeal very seriously, and inspired me try something new. I already eat oatmeal for breakfast at least 4 times a week, so this simple modification was the perfect way to ease back into my culinary creativity. I have been trying to find ways to incorporate a wider variety of seeds, grains, and nuts into my diet and oatmeal is the perfect vehicle, especially when topped with Trader Joe's Valencia Peanut Butter with Roasted Flaxseeds, which I discovered on my last trip. Since PB is another staple in the Amy diet-I don't know what I would do if I had a peanut allergy-I can kill two birds with one stone (not that I'd want to). I highly recommend this product as a baby step into the world of flax seeds, since they are deliciously coated in healthy, natural peanutty goodness.

Elvis Oatmeal
inspired by KERF

For 1 smallish serving:

1/3 c. quick cooking oats
1/3 c. water
1/3 c. organic, skim milk
1/2 of a medium banana, mashed
1 tsp. mini chocolate chips
brown sugar
peanut butter

1. Combine water and milk in a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
2. Stir in oats and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add mashed banana and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or to desired consistency.
3. Serve topped with a dollop of peanut butter, sliced banana, chocolate chips, and a sprinkle of brown
sugar.

So filling I couldn't even finish the bowl.

Mexican Breakfast with Tomato Avocado Salsa

2010-03-03T12:12:00.002-05:00

This is one for the rotation. I want to eat it everyday. We were literally head-over-heels in love at first bite, and...it's a complete meal. Not a side, not a dessert as I seem to have been making these days. However, the following is more of a guide than a recipe, a little of this a little of that-I warned you. This "guide" was adapted from a cookbook (more on that later) that I got for Christmas and have been dying to use. This dish just makes me even more excited to try more. Think a cleaner, brighter, simpler huevos rancheros. The salsa was the key; my own, crazy simple, yet euphoria-inducing little concoction. Instead of a rich tomato and onion stew-like sauce, the salsa brings a fresh flavor to the mix, the best part being the major kick of lime.

Mexican Breakfast
adapted from The Family Chef, the recipe titled:
"jill's favorite mexican breakfast"

4 corn tortillas
canola or peanut oil for frying
1 c. black beans (from a can), drained and rinsed
cumin
garlic powder
salt and pepper
1 c. shredded cheese - we used a combo of colby-jack and cheddar
4 eggs, fried, poached, basted, scrambled whatever you prefer

1. Prepare the salsa (recipe below). Set aside.
2. Preheat a tablespoon or two of oil in a skilled over medium-high heat. You can test the oil by putting a strip of tortilla in it. Once it sizzles and bubbles, the oil is hot enough. Fry one tortilla at a time until golden brown and crispy. Remove tortilla from the pan and place on a plate or cookie sheet lined with paper towels.
3. In a microwave-safe bowl, season the beans to taste with a sprinkle of cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper and smash them up with a fork or potato masher. Microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute until hot. (You can do this on the stove too, but I was trying to save a little time.)
4. Divide the crispy tortillas onto plates. Spread 1/4 c. of beans on each tortilla. Add cheese, dividing evenly.
5. Place one egg on each tortilla. The heat from the eggs and beans will melt the cheese.
6. Top each one with a spoonful of salsa. Enjoy!
Serves 2-4

Tomato Avocado Salsa

1 avocado, diced
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
the juice if 1/2 a lime
onion powder and salt and pepper to taste

I cut into this one, but Dan likes to pick them up like a piece of pizza.

Product Review: Whole Foods' 365 Gluten-Free Baking Mix

2010-02-28T08:54:00.000-05:00

This is the first of maybe a couple, maybe many, product reviews. I decided to do this for the simple reason that when I find something good, I want you to know about it. This month, I made a batch of Valentine Swedish Butter Cookies for the gluten-challenged members of my family who seriously miss having them at Christmastime. The cookies turned out great. They were a bit more crumbly than those made with wheat flour, but there was no compromise in flavor. Plus, you can't beat the conveniece of an all-in-one mix. If you are familiar with gluten-free baking, you know the time, effort, and money involved in finding all of the ingredients required for recipes like this one. This 16 oz. package was about $4 and contained exactly, and I mean exactly, the amount necessary a single batch. After measuring out what I needed for the dough, there was still a bit left in the bag for rolling and cutting. The only drawback was that the dough got super hard in the fridge, and needed some serious kneading before I could even think about rolling it. Overall, I give it a 5-star rating. Take that for what it's worth considering that this is the first batch of gluten-free cookies I have ever made. : )

Oh, and the frosting was the perfect use for that pink, gel food coloring I had sitting in my cabinet after the Red Velvet craziness.

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

2010-02-14T16:15:00.001-05:00

I have been roasting potatoes for a while. Get a few Idaho baking potatoes, dice them up, give 'em a toss in some oil and sprinkle with any combination of herbs and spices. Super easy and pretty delicious. But, when I came across the cute little container of baby gold (Yukon Gold) potatoes in the produce section I was inspired to put a twist on the old staple. Gold potatoes have a distinctly creamy, buttery flavor that other starchy and waxy potatoes lack, and the cute little baby ones are sweeter too. Try them, try them Sam I am! (Dr. Suess' b-day is just around the corner.)

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes
barely adapted from Ina Garten

I whisk the olive oil and spices together in a bowl before prepping the potatoes. This way the garlic and rosemary can begin to infuse the oil with their flavor. I would definitely recommend doing this if you use dried rosemary, as I did. The addition of the red pepper flakes gives it just a hint of heat.

1 1/2 pounds baby gold potatoes
2 Tbsp. good olive oil
3/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbsp. minced garlic (3 cloves)

2 Tbsp. minced fresh rosemary leaves or 2 tsp. dried
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1. Preheat the oven to 400 °F.

2. Cut the potatoes in half or quarters and place in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and rosemary; toss until the potatoes are well coated. Dump the potatoes on a baking sheet and spread out into 1 layer; roast in the oven for at least 1 hour, or until browned and crisp. Flip twice with a spatula during cooking to ensure even browning.

3. Remove the potatoes from the oven, season to taste, and serve.

Besides using baby golds, I am pretty sure these taters came out better than any previous batches because I never cooked them long enough and I used to use a glass 13" x 9" pan. Roasting in a glass pan? I know, I know...

Coleslaw with Citrus Vinaigrette

2010-02-13T14:47:00.001-05:00

I seem to get asked all kinds of weird questions about food. "Do you want a cabbage?" was a new one. A friend accidentally purchased a green cabbage mistaking it for a head of iceberg lettuce, and had no use the the crucifer. So I took it (a. because I didn't want it to go to waste, and b. it gave me a chance to be creative with something I had no intention of cooking with anytime soon), and made this lovely salad for the Superbowl party that we would both be attending. I don't know about anyone else, but we certainly enjoyed it-by the plateful. The dressing is a slight adaptation of a recipe from Bahama Breeze, one of our favorite restaurants. I just love it when restaurants post recipes on their websites and they have a bunch. There are however two different recipes on their site for "Citrus Vinaigrette," but I chose this one because I already had all of the ingredients and I thought it would be better for a coleslaw. The other one calls for creole seasoning, a flavor I really wasn't looking for for this.

Coleslaw with Citrus Vinaigrette
by me, with some help from Bahama Breeze

Coleslaw

1 green cabbage, shredded
3 c. shredded red cabbage, most of a 10 oz. package
2 carrots, grated
1-1/2 c. diced red pepper
4-5 green onions, finely chopped, about a 1/2 c.

Citrus Vinaigrette

1/2 c. White Wine Vinegar
1/4 c. Orange Juice, fresh squeezed
1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice, fresh squeezed
1/4 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Mustard
1 Tbsp. Fresh garlic, minced
1-1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
1/4 tsp. Salt & Black Pepper, fresh ground

1. Combine vegetables in a large bowl.
2. To make the dressing, combine all of the ingredients in a blender and process until thoroughly blended.
Vinaigrette can be made a day in advance and kept refrigerated.
3. Dress the coleslaw and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

This was much better the next day after the cabbage had a chance to soak up the dressing and soften up.

Whole-Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes

2010-02-08T18:20:00.000-05:00

Well can't you see that it's just raining
there ain't no need to go outside...
But Baby, You hardly even notice
when I try to show you
this song is meant to keep ya
from doing what you're supposed to
like waking up too early
Maybe we can sleep in
I'll make you banana pancakes
pretend like it's the weekend now
-"Banana Pancakes" by Jack Johnson

These lyrics swim around my head every time I make pancakes for a weekend breakfast. I highly recommend sleeping in and making these pancakes. They turned out to be exactly what I was hoping for. Simple, comforting flavors, incredibly delicious, and healthy. I wouldn't change a thing! The extra prep time soaking the oats is well worth it, and gives you time to slice up some bananas or strawberries or pour yourself another cup of tea-which I am developing a particularly obsessive habit of.

soaking oats

Whole-Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes
swiped from Gourmet

3/4 c. quick-cooking oats
1 1/2 c. plus 2 tablespoons well-shaken, low-fat buttermilk, divided
3/4 c. whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
Accompaniment: sliced bananas (Yes, please!!!)

1. Soak oats in 3/4 cup buttermilk for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Stir egg, butter, brown sugar, remaining 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk, and oat mixture into dry ingredients until just combined.
4. Heat a griddle over medium heat until hot and lightly brush with oil. Working in batches, pour 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto griddle and cook until bubbles appear on surface and undersides are golden-brown, about 1 minute. Flip with a spatula and cook other side, about 1 minute more. (Lightly oil griddle between batches.)

In addition to bananas, we had sausage with our pancakes. "Hot and Spicy" pork sausage for Dan and MorningStar veggie sausage patties for me, which I tried for the first time, and also highly recommend especially since they're wrapped perfectly in little 2 packs. Please, try these pancakes. You won't be disappointed and you'll want to have them at your next brunch or even for a quick dinner.

Fattoush

2010-02-01T13:05:00.006-05:00

In college, especially my first 2 years, I wasn't exactly what you'd call a "joiner." I would drive out to school, go to class, maybe the library, and then head home. There was, however, one event that I made sure never to miss: Global Fest. It was a day long celebration of world cultures through the arts and food. Each student organization would plan a demonstration or display and provide a variety of foods. As you might imagine, the food lines went out the door. There was so much food it was incredible. We had tacos and quesadillas from the Spanish Club, quiche, brie, and escargot from the French Club (which I joined later), along with chow meins, fried rice, curry, kabobs, falafel, hummus-you name it. It was my first real exposure to Middle Eastern cuisine, and I have not been able to get enough since. Dan and I would routinely order carry-out after class, and a fattoush salad was almost always part of the order. Now I make it myself from time to time because it's just so easy there is no reason not to. The only special ingredient you may not already have is the sumac, which can be found in specialty markets, some well stocked grocery stores, and online from suppliers or cool little stores like Penzey's.

Fattoush
adapted from an unknown source, and not very exact at that

Salad:
4 c. chopped romaine lettuce, about 1 small head
1 seedless, english cucumber, chopped
2-3 roma or vine ripened tomatoes, chopped
1/2 c. finely chopped parsley
2-4 green onions finely sliced
3/4 to 1 tsp. ground sumac
2 pieces of pita bread - we used whole wheat here
1/2 green pepper, chopped (optional)
Dressing:
3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F. Break pita bread into small pieces and place on a baking sheet. Bake for about 5 minutes or until lightly toasted and the edges are golden brown.
2. In a large bowl, mix salad ingredients with toasted pita.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, and garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over salad and serve immediately.

This recipe makes a conservative amount of dressing. We don't like our salads dripping with dressing. I have even made it with only 2 Tbsp. each of oil and lemon juice. So feel free to scale it up a bit with 1/4 to 1/2 c. of each. This salad is also exceptionally delicious topped with crumbled feta cheese.

Homemade Barbeque Sauce

2010-01-25T15:19:00.002-05:00

This is an easy no-frills barbeque sauce that is super quick to make and would be good with just about anything you're grillin' or dippin'. Other than being a cheaper alternative to the store bought variety, I use organic ketchup, so it doesn't contain any high fructose corn syrup (evil!), fillers, or preservatives you can't pronounce. Plus, organic ketchup is thicker and way more flavorful than the regular national brands. I like Trader Joe's, but Heinz or the store brand are good too. This is by no means an exact recipe. Taste as you go and season to your liking.

Barbeque Sauce
heavily adapted from cooks.com

1/2 c. orgainc ketchup
1 Tbsp. yellow mustard
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/3 c. brown sugar
1-2 Tbsp. honey
juice of half a lemon
a pinch to 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper - depending on how spicy you want it
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1-2 Tbsp. water (optional)

Combine ingredients in a small sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over low heat and cook 5-10 minutes.

Chocolate Stout Cake - a little slice of heaven

2010-01-23T12:06:00.002-05:00

This is one of those recipes that I came across on Smitten many months ago, printed it, bookmarked it, and decided that someday I needed to make it. Why? It's chocolate, more chocolate...and beer, stout no less, what could be better with chocolate. If you really have to ask, just don't bother. Plus, it was a fabulous way to use the new bundt pan that I got for Cristmas (Thanks, Mom!). As my favorite 6 year old says of Rice Krispies Treats, this cake is "redikalous good." The hint of coffee in the ganache is perfect. But now we're wondering how much more amazing it could be with this tasty brew. Unfortunately, I don't have a decent picture to share partly due partly to my poor kitchen lighting and the fact that I was so darn impatient and turned it out of the pan too early. It was in 2 pieces. Not my best work. See...

Check out the link below for Deb's stunning presentation. Half of mine kinda looked like that, but without the almonds. I will be making it again soon though, for St. Partick's day for sure, if not sooner and hopefully without the mishap.

Chocolate Stout Cake
as adapted by Smitten Kitchen

1 c. stout (such as Guinness)
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
2/3 c. sour cream
6 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
6 Tbsp. heavy cream
3/4 tsp. instant coffee granules

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F. Butter or spray a bundt pan well; make sure you get in all of the nooks and crannies. Bring 1 cup stout and 1 cup butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
2. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer cake to rack; cool completely in the pan, then turn cake out onto rack for drizzling ganache.
3. For the ganache, melt the chocolate, heavy cream, and coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally. Drizzle over the top of cooled cake.

Turkey Sausage and Broccolini Ravioli

2010-01-16T09:55:00.005-05:00

One of our favorite restaurants is an Italian place in Ann Arbor, where the bruschetta is amazing, and so is the Veggie Lasagna. It's very easy to be a member of the Clean Plate Club at that place. For a while, one of their dishes was my favorite meal anywhere. "Broccolini and Italian sausage stuffed ravioli with cream tomato sauce." It makes my mouth water just thinking about it. Some time ago I decided that I was going to attempt to make it myself, but never found a day when I could spend the entire day in the kitchen making pasta dough and filling ravioli. I remember making fresh pasta with my great-grandfather as a kid so I was convinced that I could do it myself. I was also under the impression that someone in our family had Grandpa's old pasta machine, but no such luck. If it's around, it's burried somewhere. Then I came across the short-cut of using wonton wrappers. It still seems like a cop-out to me, but if Giada can do it, then they're good enough for this Polish-Irish-American girl.

Turkey Sausage and Broccolini Ravioli
Yields about 30 ravioli

3 Italian turkey sausages with the casings removed or about 3/4 lb. loose
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. rubbed sage
1/2 c. broccolini, chopped small
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c. parmesan cheese
1 package wonton wrappers (about 60 each)

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, red pepper, sage and sausage. Cook until sausage just starts to brown and is cooked through.
2. Transfer sausage mixture to a large bowl and set aside. Add broccolini to the pan and sautee for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add broccolini, egg, and parmesan to the sausage and mix well.
4. Set wontons out on your work surface in a single layer. Drop tablespoons of the sausage mixture in the center. Using your finger wet the outer edge of the wonton, place another wrapper on the top and firmly press the layers together whithout creating air pockets. Use a biscuit cutter to cut off some of the excess and place on a cookie sheet. Continue making ravioli with the remaining ingredients.
5. Bring a large pot of water to a low boil. Add ravioli in batches of about 5-6 at a time, and boil for 3-5 minutes until wontons are soft.
6. Serve immediately with your favorite sauce. (We used a basil marinara.)

These turned out awesome! It was exactly the flavor combo that I was hoping for. Broccolini is sweeter and more tender than regular broccoli which pairs well with the spicy sausage. You can find it in most grocery stores, but it's often called "baby broccoli" or "aspirations", as it was in my store, because some people think it tastes like a cross between broccoli and asparagus. The wonton wrappers are definately more delicate than an egg pasta dough so the dish ends up lighter than traditional Italian ravioli, but with great flavor. Because they are delicate you have to be careful not to over cook them or they'll tear right in the pot.

NYE Pizza

2010-01-11T22:39:00.000-05:00

My veggie masterpiece

What better way to ring in the new year than with a "make-your-own" pizza party. It's especially nice to have homemade pizza when you have a professional living with you. My husband worked at a couple different pizza joints for a total of nine years! So I, of course, leave the dough making to him. He found a new recipe and it worked well with both bread flour and whole wheat flour. It was both delicious and easy to make-as far as I can tell. We had a plethora of toppings including: sausage, pepperoni, peppers, garlic, spinach, basil, tomato, onion, jalapeno, and some mushrooms that I sauteed ahead of time in a bit of olive oil, garlic, and white wine...delicious.

Dan's pizza during construction

and now, here's Dan with the recipe...

Pizza Dough

adapted from Tyler Florence

1 packet yeast (quick rise or dry active, your choice determines how long the water needs to activate)

1 tsp. sugar

1 c. warm water

1 Tbsp. salt

3 c. bread or whole wheat flour

olive oil

cornmeal

1. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water; stir gently to dissolve. Let the mixture stand until the yeast comes alive and starts to foam, about 5 to 10 minutes. (I had 3 packs of quick rise and one of dry active yeast. I didn't give the batch with the dry active enough time to fully activate which resulted in less rise. Make sure you give it enough time!)

2. Turn the mixer on low and add the salt and 2 tablespoons (a little more never hurt) of olive oil. Add the flour, a little at a time, mixing at the lowest speed until all the flour has been incorporated. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium; stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Get a feel for the dough by squeezing a small amount together: if it's crumbly, add more water; if it's sticky, add more flour - 1 tablespoon at a time. Mix until the dough gathers into a ball, this should take about 5 minutes.

3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself a few times; kneading until it's smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a round and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turn it over to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot, i.e. over a gas pilot light, until doubled in size, about 1 hour. (Seeing that our oven/stove is electric we have to use the oven to create a warm environment. I like to heat the oven to its lowest setting and then turn it off when I put the dough in there. This is kind of a bummer because we weren't able to preheat the pizza stone until all of the dough was done proofing.)

4. Once the dough is domed and spongy, turn it out onto a lightly floured counter. Roll and stretch the dough into a cylinder and divide into 3 equal pieces. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes so it will be easier to roll out. (On this particular occasion I spread some olive oil on a cookie sheet, put all of the dough balls on there and then placed it in the fridge until we were ready to start.)

5. Preheat oven to 500 °F if using a pizza stone, or 425 °F for a cookie sheet, but unlike the stone, do not put the cookie sheet in the oven while preheating. Roll or pat out a piece of dough into a 12 inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Dust a pizza paddle or cutting board with cornmeal and slide it under the pizza dough. Add your favorite toppings. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone (or place pizza on a cookie sheet) in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the crust is golden and crisp. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Cheddar Cheese and Red Bell Pepper Strata

2010-01-09T16:48:00.007-05:00

2 posts in 1 day? Inconceivable!
Here is another red and green thing that I made over the holidays. Apparently I was subconciously festive the entire week. The motivation for this one was to have a nice breakfast or brunch when we woke up. It smelled awesome in the oven, but again left something to be desired. This is one of the few strata recipes I have come across that does not say to refrigerate (I always want to put a "D" in that word) it overnight. We did and it was mushy. Too mushy for Dan to even eat. I made him some scrambled eggs and put this back in to oven to bake a little longer for myself. It did dry out some more, but maybe I shouldn't have let it soak so long, or reduced the amount of milk. The flavor was great though, so I'll give it another try.

Cheddar Cheese and Red Bell Pepper Strata
adapted from Bon Appetit via epicurious
The cooking time below includes the additional baking.

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

1 large (or 1 1/2 smaller ones) red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 cup chopped green onions

6 slices whole wheat bread
1 1/2 c. grated medium cheddar cheese
1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
2 cups whole milk
3 large eggs
2 tsp. yellow mustard
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

1. Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper to skillet and sauté until just tender, about 4 minutes. Mix in green onions; sauté 1 minute longer. Remove from heat.

2. Cut bread into 1/2-inch pieces. Layer half of bread in 8 x 8 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Cover with half of cheese, then half of bell pepper mixture. Repeat layering with bread, cheese and bell pepper mixture. Beat milk, eggs, mustard, dry mustard, salt and pepper in medium bowl to blend. Pour over strata.

3. Refrigerate overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 350 °F. Bake strata until lightly browned on top and set in center, about 50-65 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes; cut into squares.

Sweet Potato Pancakes with Guacamole

2010-01-09T12:54:00.004-05:00

I have to be honest, these were just alright. Alright by themselves, and decently good topped with guacamole. The combination is odd in a good way. They would probably be better as a side dish or appetizer instead on making them your entire meal like I did. I first saw this recipe while flipping through the channels sometime in December and stopped, of course, on the Food Network and 30 Minute Meals. I thought to myself "I love sweet potatoes! What a great/different/not too sweet way to make 'em. I'm gonna make those over my break." So I got all of the ingredients and proceeded to prepared the semi-time consuming recipes. Having never made potato pancakes of any kind, or homade hashbrowns for that matter, I was surprised at how hard it is to shred potatoes, especially sweet potatoes, which have very low moisture content. Upon the initial tasting I was thinking that I would never make them again, but now I feel diferently. I think that they would be better with a better sweet potato. Mine was not very dark in color so it probably wasn't as sweet as it could have been. I did cut back on the spices compared to the original recipes only because I thought it seemed like a lot. Also, I just made my own guac rather than following Rachel's recipe. I was not feeling the pomegranate syrup.

Sweet Potato Pancakes
adapted from Rachel Ray
Many reviewers of this recipe complain that their pancakes fell apart. I formed the pancakes in my hand pressing them tightly together and squeezing out any extra liquid before putting them into the oil, and used a small flexible turner to flip them. They are pretty fragile when cooking, but if you are careful you shouldn't have any problems.

about 2/3 cup canola oil, for frying
1 medium Idaho potato, peeled and shredded
1 large sweet potato, peeled and shredded
1 small onion, peeled
1 egg, beaten
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. coriander
salt and pepper

1. Heat enough oil to just cover the bottom of the pan over medium to medium-high heat.
2. Drain the shredded potatoes, pressing them down in a colander to get their moisture out. Place the potatoes in a bowl; using a box grater, grate the onion directly into the potatoes so that the onion juices fall into bowl as well. Add the egg and flour to the potatoes and onion then season with spices and salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
3. Drop enough batter into hot oil to make 2 1/2-inch pancakes. Add more oil, as needed, and fry cakes in batches until deeply golden on each side.
You will get about 16 pancakes. Drain cooked cakes on paper towels.

Guacamole
I never go by a recipe when I make guac. It's one of those things that I just eyeball and taste, so it ends up a bit different every time. This is what went in this time a round...sadly without onion (the husband's request).

2 ripe Hass avocados
1 roma tomato, finely chopped
1/2 a jalepeno, finely diced - use membranes and seeds to achieve desired heat
the juice of 1/2 a lemon - I prefer a lime, but we were out
1 clove garlic, crushed
salt and pepper

1. Cut the avocados in half, all the way around the pit. Remove the pit with a spoon or sharp knife, then scoop the flesh into a bowl and add the remaining ingredients.
2. Mash until smooth. Taste and reseason, if necessary.

I like to make my guacamole in a bowl with a flat bottom and use a potato masher to mash all of the ingrediants together. It's much easier than using a fork and yields a more uniform consistency.

Vegetable Lover's Chicken Soup

2010-01-05T22:55:00.002-05:00

T'was the day after Christmas and all through the house, the in-laws were stirring with hungry mouths. So I whipped up some soup just as quick as a flash, and we all settled down for a midday... meal (nothing rhymes with flash). OK. I'm done. Anywho, after many days of cookie binges, a soup and salad lunch was the prefect way to feed a family of hungry people without contributing to our mutual malaise. I served my Taco Soup, Smooth Vegetable Soup, both of which I had in the freezer, and this new one. It's simple, but in my opinion way better than your average chicken noodle. Not that I have anything against egg noodles and carrots, but it's been done...a lot. The wine adds depth to the flavor and makes it seem like something special, and the red and green vegetables, or should I say fruits, make it rather festive for the holidays.

Vegetable Lover's Chicken Soup (or Italian Chicken Soup as I have been calling it)
adapted from Eating Well

1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into small pieces
3 small zucchini, finely diced
2 shallots, finely chopped
3 roma tomatoes, chopped
3 cans (14 oz.) low-sodium, fat free chicken broth
1 heaping tsp. Italian seasoning
salt and pepper
3/4 dry white wine (I used Chardonnay)
1 1/2 c. water
3 c. packed baby spinach
1/2 c. orzo pasta
grated parmesan cheese

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add zucchini, shallot, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are slightly softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth and wine; increase heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Stir in spinach, the cooked chicken and any accumulated juices from the chicken; cook, stirring, until the chicken is heated through, about 2 minutes. Serve topped with parmesan cheese.

The original recipe says to add the orzo in with the tomatoes, broth, and wine. I chose to cook it seperately in order to keep the recipe gluten-free. Plus, having the pasta seperate prevents any leftovers from having overly bloated, saggy, chunks that look vaguely like noodles. Just add a spoonful to each portion as desired.

Cookie Day 2009

2010-01-04T23:04:00.001-05:00

This is very overdue. My holiday backlog continues to grow...so look for many new posts this week.

For the past 4 years a dear friend and I have come together to make Christmas cookies...for the masses. Cookie Day, or Cookie Hell as we refer to it, should be considered an olympic event, much training and preparation lead up to this day. We make the traditional decorated butter cookies along with 9 others. Yes, a total of 10 (!) different kinds of cookies all in one day, and to make matters worse, we double almost every recipe. Why do we do this? Well, we love cookies, the making, the baking, the gifting, and, of course, the eating. It has changed locations a few times, as we have moved over the years, but for now its at my place, since I have more counter space. We do miss baking at my parents house with their awesome "Speed Bake" oven feature that allows you to evenly bake up to 3 tray of cookies at one time! Someday, when I have a home of my own, I might have to invest in this type of oven even if we use it only one day a year.
We made record time this year. From start to finish, and that includes clean-up, we were done in about 11 hours, and it usually takes well over 12.

Swedish Butter Cookies
a family recipe
I have tried many different sugar/butter cookies, but these are fabulous, even after a couple weeks.
Combine in a large bowl:
3 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder

Mix in a small bowl:
1 c. (2 sticks) butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Add contents of small bowl to large bowl. Mix/knead thoroughly. Wrap in wax paper, chill overnight. Roll and cut. Bake 11 minutes at 375 °F on an ungreased cookie sheet. Allow to cool completely before frosting. Store in an airtight container.

Frosting:
1 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbsp. milk
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter
1 box* powdered sugar

Beat until peaks stiffen. Frost and decorate as desired.
* "box" is what was listed on the original, very old, recipe. We think it was a 1 pound box.

Chinese New Year Cookies
another family thing, my Mom made them every year growing up

1 bag (11 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 bag (11 oz.) butterscotch chips
1 can (12 oz.) spanish peanuts
1 can (5 oz.) chow mein noodles
sprinkles (optional)

Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips in a large pot on the stove over low heat. Once melted, add noodles and peanuts. Stir to coat, and remove from heat. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of mixture onto sheets of wax paper. Top with sprinkiles, if desired, and allow to cool and harden for several hours or overnight. Store in an airtight container.

Peanut Butter Blossoms
from Hershey 's

48 Hershey's Kisses
1/2 c. shortening
3/4 c. creamy peanut butter
1/3 c. granulated sugar, plus a few tablespoons
1/3 c. packed light brown sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. all-purpose floour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

1. Heat oven to 375 °F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.
2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in a large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 c. granulated sugar and brown suger; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.
3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in extra sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookies will crack around the edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.
Makes about 4 dozen.

Ginger Snaps
source unknown
This year, these were my favorite, and I ate far too many! I love how they are tough and chewy and seem to bite you right back. To achieve the star pattern, gently press an astersik (*) pattern into the balls of dough with a table knife before baking.

3/4 c. shortening
1 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. molasses
1 egg
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
granulated sugar

1. Cream shortening, brown sugar, molasses, and egg until fluffy.

2. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves; stir into molasses mixture.
3. Form into small balls and roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet.
4. Bake at 375 °F for 12 minutes.
Yield 5 dozen

Cinnamon Cookies
adapted from a recipe by Diana Rattay, About.com

2/3 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnnamon
1/2 c. finely chopped walnuts (or pecans)
2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla.
2. Sift flour with baking powder and 1 tsp. cinnamon; add to butter mixture and blend well. Chill dough for 30 minutes.
3. In a wide shallow bowl, combine chopped nuts with 2 tablespoons cinnamon and 2 tablespoons sugar. Form chilled dough into small balls; roll each ball in cinnamon sugar nut mixture and place on a greased cookie sheets 2-3 inches apart.
4. Bake at 350 °F for about 10-12 minutes.
Makes 3 dozen.

Oatmeal Scotchie Bars
from Nestle's Very Best Baking
We usually make the cookie form, but bars were a nice alternative, and saved some baking time.

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 c. (2 sticks) butter
3/4 c. granulated sugar
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 c. quick or old-fashioned oats
1 2/3 c. (11 oz. pkg.) butterscotch morsels

1. Preheat oven to 375 °F.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in oats and morsels.
3. Spread dough into a greased 15 x 10 inch jelly roll pan. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until light brown. Alternatively, drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto a greased cookie sheets and bake for 7-8 minutes for chewy cookies or 9-10 minutes for crisp cookies.
Makes 4 dozen bars or cookies.

Icebox Shortbead - two ways
from Martha Stewart
We have been making the lemon poppy seed variety for years and decided to add the ginger sesame for a different type of Christmas cookie. They were delightful, but if you have never tried to chop crystallized ginger, I will warn you that it is very sticky and may take a few minutes.

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 c. confectioner's sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. all-purpose four (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling

Our Mix-Ins and Coatings
for other variations see the original recipe
-Mix in grated zest of 2 lemons; coat with 1/4 c. poppy seeds
-Mix in 1/4 c. finely chopped candied ginger; coat with 1/4 c. sesame seeds

1. With an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth. With mixer on low speed, add flour, mixing just until a dough forms. Stir in desired mix-ins.
2. Divide dough in half; place each half on a piece of floured waxed or parchment paper. With floured hands, gently roll each into a 1 1/2 inch diameter log. Dividing evenly, sprinkle with desired coating, if using, rolling log (to help coating adhere) and pressing gently. Wrap logs tightly in the paper, and refridgerate until firm, 1-2 1/2 hours. (To store longer, wrap log and paper tightly with plastic wrap.)
3. Preheat oven to 350 °F. Unwrap logs; with a serrated knife, slice dough 3/8 inch thick (if dough crumbles, leave at room temperature 5-10 minutes). Arrange slices, about 1 inch apart, on baking sheets.
4. Bake until lightly golden around the edges, 15-20 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 1-2 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Makes 3 dozen.

Nutella Cookies
from alpineberry
Oh, man I cannot say enough good things about these ones, the name should really say it all. We tried these for the first time last year, and they are the next best thing to slathering Nutella on a fresh bakery croissant, and are at their best warm, right out of the oven.

1 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
pinch of salt
7 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. light brown sugar
2/3 c. Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup toasted and skinned hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F.
2. Sift together flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside dry ingredients.
3. Cream together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in Nutella and vanilla extract. Mix in egg.
4. Add flour mixture and mix until just incorporated. Add chocolate chips and hazelnuts.
5. Drop tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart onto parchment lined baking sheets. Bake for about 11 minutes until the edges look set. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes then carefully remove to cooling racks.
Makes 30 cookies.

The Ultimate Heart Smart Chocolate Chip Cookies
by Kelli Gibbs published in the Detroit Free Press
These were a pretty good spin on the traditional chocolate chip, but they did get pretty hard after only a few days.

1/4 c. margarine
1/4 c. (2 oz.) reduced fat cream cheese
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1 egg
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
3/4 c. miniature chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped walnuts (we omitted these)

1. Preheat oven to 375 °F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or coat with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, beat together margarine, cream cheese, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt and stir into sugar mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts, if using.
4. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until edges begin to brown. Cool on wire rack.
Makes 2 dozen.

Here are some tips for cookie mass production that we have learned over the years:
- If you have several recipes that require the dough to be refridgerated make a couple the night before.
- Use parchment paper to line the cookie sheets rather than silicone mats or cooking spray. The later two require some washing in between and can slow you down. Wasteful I know, but it's only once a year and for some of the less greasy cookies, you can flip the paper over and reuse the same sheet.
- Invest in a cookie scoop and a thin, cookie friendly turner.
- Obviously having 2 people to crank it out helps, and so does a KitchenAid, or a few hand mixers with extra beaters.

Other Cookie Day Traditions:
- Eggs for breakfast help to prepare us for the sugar consumption.
- We order fish and chips for dinner and drink iced tea...both are delicious and serve as a vehicle for lemon juice. What else would we do with 4 naked lemons. ;)

Pasta with Sugar Snap Peas and Prociutto

2009-12-28T21:12:00.001-05:00

the bottom of the bowl...

I know, I know, there's pork in this. Loyal readers many be pointing fingers at my hipocracy refering to an earlier post outlining my recent diet guidelines. I did mention, however, that there are a few exceptions. This is one of them. Try it, and you'll know why. Even though there is pork in this, it's a very small amount, not like I'm eating a pork chop or something, and it does amazing things for the flavor. With that said, my Mother-in-law found this recipe in the newspaper last summer, and prepared it as a side for a family dinner. It became an instant, and I mean first bite instant, favorite. The flavors are fresh and simple... The procuitto-pea combination is really nothing new, but it was to me, and it came just in time to take advantage of the fresh, Michigan peas and asparagus that were so readily available. Unfortunately, the produce is not local this time of year, so I have to settle for peas and asparagus of a slightly lower quality, but it's still worth it. Often times pasta can be considered a budget meal, but you have to be careful with this one. A very nice gentleman at a local market tried to persuade me with a new prociutto they were carrying that customers raved about. I was intrigued, but not at $30 a pound (!), especially since this is a great meal for entertaining, and in that case I usually double or triple the recipe. Even picky eaters go back for seconds, and will be surprised at how many vegetables they'll eat when spiked with the flavors of parmesan and the bacon-y goodness of sauteed prociutto. Omitting the prociutto would make this an outstanding vegetarian dish. For Thanksgiving, I took some liberties and made this without the pasta and prociutto for a non-traditional vegetable side dish, reducing the amount of oil and spices, and everyone was delighted. I decided not to share it then because I wanted to present the recipe in its entirety.

Pasta with Sugar Snap Peas and Prociutto
adapted from the Detroit News

4 oz. prociutto, chopped
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes as desired
1 tablespoon fresh, crushed garlic
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1 1/2 inch peices
1/2 lb. sugar snap peas, trimmed
1/2 lb. bow-tie pasta
3/4 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese (about 1 1/2 oz.), divided
fresh ground black pepper

1. Saute prosciutto in 1 Tbsp. olive oil until crisp. Remove from pan and drain on paper towel.
2. Add the remaining 2 Tbsp. oil to the pan along with red pepper flakes and garlic, and heat until fragrant.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add pasta and cook according to package directions. Add asparagus and snap peas 2-4 minutes before the pasta is completely cooked. Drain pasta and vegetables.
4. Add the pasta and vegetables and prociutto to the oil mixture and toss to coat. Add 1/2 c. parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately with extra cheese.

Black Bean and Pumpkin Soup

2009-12-19T21:00:00.001-05:00

This recipe was a result of a lonley can of pumkin that had been sitting in my pantry for over a month, and would stare at me every morning begging for a purpose. I was desperately searching for a savory and healthful application all while being taunted by the Pumpkin Roll recipe on the back of the can. As I said before, sometimes you just have to back away. The web, and many other blogs did not disappoint. Pumpkin soup recipes are more common that I would have thought. Many are sweet, rich, and thickened with cream. I chose beans, surprise, surprise. I was pleased with how it turned out, but I'm still trying to convince that picky guy I live with. Give it a whirl, and let me know what you think.

Pumpkin Soup
compiled from many sources, inspired by smitten kitchen

2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 c. finely chopped onion
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. curry powder
pinch of cinnamon
2 cans (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 oz.) No Salt Added diced tomatoes
1 can (15 oz.) pumkin puree
1 quart (4 c.) low sodium vegetable stock
2 tsp. white wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a 6 quart stock pot, combine butter, oil, oinion, garlic, and spices. Cook over medium heat until onions are translucent and just starting to brown.
2. Meanwhile, coarsely puree black beans and tomatoes in a food processer. It should only take a few long pulses.
3. Add bean mixture, pumpkin, and vegetable stock to the pan. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to a simmer.
4. Continue cooking uncovered for about 25 minutes or until the soup begins to thicken. Add vinegar and continue simmering for an additional 5 minutes. Serve plain or garnish with pumpkin seeds, sour cream, or an extra splash of vinegar.

Vegetable-Bean Spirals

2009-12-09T21:54:00.000-05:00

I finally won something. Not once, but twice in the same day, at the same event! Perhaps my inherent "unlucky-ness" has taken a turn. The fact that these wins may have been a phenomenal guess at a candy-filled estimation jar and Christmas carol worksheet at a recent holiday party is irrelevent. I am soaking it all in. :) I would also consider these little veggie bites a win, considering that I had never made them before, and did so in a hurry in the interval between work and pre-party beautification. They came together rather quickly and without any cooking! Since I was hurried, their uniformity was compromised, but were still tasty, healthy, and pleasing to the eye. I don't know about you, but nothing screams "eat me" like a colorful, fresh, veggie-filled spiral of an island in the middle of the crashing sea of cream cheese-laden dips that frequent holiday buffets. Please don't get me wrong, I do love my cheese, but sometimes, you just need to back away slowly. Did I mention that I was rushed when I made these? Future veggie spirals will have a bean mixture made with hot salsa, some onions, added spices like cumin and paprika, and significantly larger slices of avocado in the center.

Vegetable-Bean Spirals
lifted from vegetarian times

Bean Mixture:
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
3-4 Tbsp. salsa
1/4 c. packed cilantro leaves and tender stems
salt to taste

Vegetable Spirals:
4 9-to-10 inch spinach tortillas
1 1/3 c. packed finely shredded red cabbage
4 thin carrot sticks, about 8 inches long and 1/2 inch wide
4 strips red bell pepper (you'll probably need 8), about 1/4 inch wide
8 slices ripe, firm Hass avocado, sprinkled with juice of 1/2 a lime

1. To make Bean Mixture: In food processor, blend beans, 3 tablespoons salsa and cilantro into thick paste. Add more salsa, if needed for spreadable mixture. Add salt.
2. To make Vegetable Spirals: Using spatula, spread 3 tablespoons bean mixture on a tortilla, leaving about 1/2 inch around edges. Sprinkle on 1/4 of cabbage, and gently press in. Place a carrot stick horizontally about 1 inch from bottom of tortilla, and place 1 strip red bell pepper above it. Arrange 2 slices avocado, end to end, on top of carrot.
3. Wrap bottom edge of tortilla over vegetables, and roll tightly. Moisten top edge lightly with bean paste or water to seal. Gently press roll to shape it into log. Fill and roll remaining tortillas.
4. To serve, set each roll seam side down on cutting board. Use sharp knife to trim off edges. Hold roll firmly, and use gentle sawing motion to cut into 5 or 6 pieces, making every other slice on the diagonal. Divide among 8 salad plates, or arrange on party platter, diagonal sides up.

A special thanks goes to the husband who permitted me to bring this item, rather than individual cheesecakes, to the aforementioned soiree.

Cashew Apple Salad

2009-12-01T21:54:00.002-05:00

It's been a while since I've been in a yoga class, and I really miss it. I miss the routine relaxing feeling of going through a sun salutation in a room full of friendly strangers, where all other thoughts and worries seem to float away. I haven't really thought about it this way before, but I kind of have an alternative to this feeling in the kitchen. Cooking in general (and apparently writing about it) has a therapeutic effect on me especially if what I am cooking is something that I know and love, and I don't have to worry about following a recipe. Making salads compounds this feeling. I have always enjoyed chopping fresh, colorful veggies with no real exactness and piling them high into a bowl. There is something very zen about it. I happen to love eating salads too, and crave them almost as much as chocolate chip cookies, and am a total sucker for a good salad bar or deli with a variety of vegetable, pasta, fruit, and potato salads to delight the palate. My daydreams have been preoccupied with this particular combination for several months, ever since some good friends introduced us to it. This salad really is perfect any time of year. The dressing is light and bright and accompanies a summer barbeque quite nicely-which is how we first had it-while the apples and nuts make it somewhat harvesty (my blog-I'll make up words if I want to) and wintery. Now that I think about it, some dried cranberries might make an aesthetically pleasing and flavorful addition.

Cashew Apple Salad
adapted from the Chicago Sun-Times and kristenmclane.com

Salad:
1 head romaine lettuce, red romaine, or red leaf lettuce
2 Granny Smith apples, sliced thin
1 c. lightly salted cashew halves
1 c. shredded swiss or mozzarella cheese

Dressing:
1/2 c. canola oil
1/3 c. white wine vinegar
1/4 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. red onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1/2 tsp. dry mustard

1. Combine dressing ingredients in a well sealing container and shake vigorously to mix.
2. In a large bowl, combine lettuce, apples, and cashews, and toss with desired amount of dressing. (I use less than half of what this makes)
3. Serve immediately topping each serving with cheese. Alternatively, add the cheese in step 2 with the other ingredients. We add it to each serving becuase of the swiss vs. mozz battle in my house.

Another option for the dressing is to combine the ingredients in a food processor or blender to create an emulsion by drizzling in the oil, yielding a creamier dressing.

Taco Soup

2009-11-25T15:34:00.010-05:00

It's getting colder and time for some warm comfort in a bowl, and this might be just the thing to satisfy your hunger while saving you some calories (if you skip the chips and cheese) for the mashed potatoes and pies you'll no doubt be indulging in this week. I first had this soup a couple years ago when a neighbor brought it to a potluck dinner. I immediately fell in love with it...and then modified it ; ). I made this over the weekend for a potluck of my own and it was a success once again. It couldn't be any easier-just open a bunch of cans and dump. This is great for a crowd becuase its easy and cheap. The best part is that it is very forgiving and you can swap out whatever you want. Rather have more black beans? Add another can. Don't like black beans? Add a second can of chili beans or omit them altogether. You can use some leftover chicken (or turkey) and cube it, ground beef, ground turkey, Morningstar crumbles, etc. I do make it quite often with out any meat or meat substitute at all and it's equally wonderful. My one recommendation is that you do use No Salt Added ingredients and my salt-free taco seasoning as much as possible. Using the regular stuff makes it quite salty, and it's better to add a little salt while its cooking and control the amount yourself. Make sure that you do taste it because canned beans already have quite a bit of sodium and so does the ranch seasoning.

Taco Soup

olive oil
1 lb. ground chicken breast
1 medium white or yellow onion, finely diced
1 can (14 oz.) hot chili beans
1 can (14 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 oz.) white beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 oz.) No Salt Added, corn undrained
1 can (14 oz. ) No Salt Added, diced tomatos
1 can (14 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can (4 oz.) diced green chilis
8 tsp. homemade taco seasoning or 1 store bought packet
1 packet ranch seasoning
water

1. In a large skillet, heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft.
2. Remove onion from the pan. Add a little more oil and the chicken to the pan. Season with a few pinches of taco seasoning and cook through.
3. Add onion, cooked chicken and the remaining ingredients to a 6 quart crock pot, along with 2 cans of water. I use the water to rinse out the cans first to get any sauce that sticks to the inside.
4. Stir to mix ingredients, making sure to dissolve seasonings. Cook for 8-10 hours on Low setting or 4-5 hours on High.

Garnish with shredded cheese, tortilla chips, sour cream, green onion, avocado...anything you can think of.

*Update* - 1/14/2010 - I recently made this recipe as a vegetarian chili to top baked potatoes. Just drain the corn and diced tomatoes, omit the extra water (and chicken), and only use about 2/3 of the can of tomato sauce. I added some chopped red and green peppers too. Thick and delicious!!

Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

2009-11-19T13:08:00.079-05:00

I have been promising a pumpkin cheesecake to the previously mentioned snarky friend for something awful like 3 years now. I used to make this recipe quite often and usually for Thanksgiving, so unlike my friend, it might be just in time for you. The original is ultra easy because it uses a pre-made graham cracker crust. However, I don't know if you have ever really looked at them, but they contain a ridiculous amount of trans fat, 2 g per "serving". That's more than recommend daily maximum and there's no way I get 8 servings out of that little thing, so you'd be eating even more. Ok, I am finished with my health rant for the day-I know, know this is a cheesecake! Anyhow, this discovery coupled with the recent crust revelation generated a "kicked-up" homemade crust. Because this was meant to be made in a 6 oz. crust, it's a smaller (shallower) cheesecake than some others, but it does give more of a pumpkin pie feel. I also add more pumkin than the recipe calls for so it doesn't set-up as hard, but you'll thank me later.

Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake
adapted from Kraft Foods

Crust:
1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs (preferably homemade)
1/3 c. melted butter
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Filling:
2-8 oz. packages of cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2/3 c. canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
large pinch each of cloves and nutmeg-about 1/16 tsp. ;)

1. Preheat oven to 300 F.

2. Combine graham crackers crumbs, butter, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, and stir to mix. Press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform or pie pan.

3. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended.

4. Remove 1 cup of the batter and place in another bowl. Stir in the pumpkin and spices.
5. Pour remaining plain batter into crust. Carefully, top with pumpkin batter.

6. Bake for 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.

A tip for packing the crust into the pan: use a flat bottom measuring cup! Press firmly all the way around. I learned this trick from Paula Deen. It also makes it easy to push the crumbs up the side of the pan. Enjoy!

Aloo gobi mattar bhaji

2009-11-17T20:57:00.004-05:00

(Potato, Cauliflower, and Pea Bhaji)

I recently posted the comment "So many recipes, so little time..." on a random social networking site. To which, a rather snarky friend of mine replied "So many friends to invite over for dinner..." We made a date, and when the husband's away, the garam masala will play. Dan is not a fan of Indian food so I had to take this opportunity seriously. Aloo gobi was the very first Indian dish that I ever tried-at the time, it seemed the most "safe." It was, and I have been in love with the dish and the cuisine ever since, much to the dismay of my better half. It only makes sense that this would be the first dish I try my hand at. The recipe is from a great little book that I recieved for Christmas last year, and is one of my few cookbooks. Who needs a ton of cookbooks when you have the internet? I really do feel this way, but also say it to defend my somewhat lonely collection of books. The book is Global Vegetarian Cooking: Quick & Easy Recipes From Around the World. It's very user friendly, and when they say easy they mean it. The book is full color, it has an introduction all about food and nurtrition, and each recipe has a paragraph preceeding it that tells a little story about the culture and the dish. My only gripe is that many of the recipes have the ingredients listed by weight, this one calls for 1/2 pound each of the cauliflower, potato, and peas. And since I don't have a kitchen scale-sigh-I have to rely on the ones at the grocery store. For the record 1/2 lb. heads of cauliflower don't exist, and exactly how much is a 1/2 pound of frozen peas from a bag anyway? I did the work for you on this one by simplifying the amounts and adjusting the spices accordingly. The red pepper flakes were my addition and next time I'll be adding more!

Aloo Gobi Mattar Bhaji
adapted from Global Vegetarian Cooking

1 small head cauliflower (1 1/2-2 lbs.), cut small
1 medium baking potato, peeled and diced
1 c. frozen peas
2 tbsp. canola oil
3/4 tsp. chili powder
1 1/2 tsp. turmeric
3/4 tsp. garam masala
3/4 tsp. cumin seeds
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
salt (a few pinches)
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

1. First, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat and fry the chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, cumin seeds, and pepper flakes for 30 seconds-1 minute.
2. Then add the vegetables, half the cilantro and salt, and stir-fry to mix the ingredients for 1-2 minutes.
3. Pour in a little water to cover the base of the pan. Put on the lid and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring from time to time and partially mashing the ingredients.
4. When cooked, garnish with the remaining cilantro leaves before serving.

This was beyond easy and so fragrant and delicious, but not overwhelming. I served it with Trader Joe's Garlic Naan-the original naan is fantastic too. You can find them both in the freezer section.

*Update* - 1/16/10 - I made this again this week, and for those of you who are wondering if it's really necessary to buy cumin seeds for this...it's not. I accidentally used 3/4 tsp. ground cumin instead just beacause that's what I am used to grabbing and I couldn't tell the difference.

Chicken Enchiladas and Taco Seasoning

2009-11-13T20:46:00.006-05:00

Let's say that you have 8,000 flour tortillas leftover from a recent party and some chicken in the freezer. Solution = Enchiladas. When I was growing up, tacos and nachos were on the permanent dinner menu rotation, but we seemed to ignore other, arguably more delightful, mexican dishes. The first time that I had homemade enchiladas was at a good friends house. She's a very good cook, an even better baker, and just so happens to have some Mexican blood. Quite a while ago I had the privledge of helping her whip up a batch. She makes hers with homemade tortillas, which are beyond excellent all by themselves, mole sauce, muenster cheese, and cream cheese in the filling. Very rich, but very worth it. Mine are not as heavy and I use canned enchilada sauce. I have tried a few different kinds and they are all pretty good, even the national brands. Check the nutritional information though, some are just packed with sodium. You can even find a couple that have a decent amount of fiber. We like it with medium heat so I mix some of a hot variety into a can of the mild. But, if anyone has a good recipe for a tasty homemade sauce, I am all ears. Until then, I make up for it with my own taco seasoning. It's more flavorful, salt free, and without the nasty MSG. I use it in my chili, tacos, and refried beans. If you search the web you can find several recipes for taco seasoning, but this one comes with my seal of approval: Amy tested, Dan approved. And, it's cheaper than buying the little packets for $1 a piece.

Chicken Enchiladas

olive oil
2 bonless, skinless chicken breasts
Taco seasoning - *recipe below
1 large (19 oz.) or 2 small (10 oz.) cans of your favorite enchilada sauce
2 oz. freshly grated, reduced fat cheddar cheese
8 oz. freshly grated, monterey jack cheese
3/4 c. canned black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp. diced green chilis - about 1/2 of a 4 oz. can
black pepper
8-10 small flour tortillas

1. Preheat oven to 350 . Heat olive oil, once around the pan, in a small skillet on medium heat. Liberally season chicken with taco seasoning, add to pan, and saute until golden brown and cooked through.
2. Remove chicken from pan and alow to rest for 10 minutes. Shread chicken by pulling apart with 2 forks.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the shreadded chicken, cheddar cheese, black beans, green chilis. Add pepper, another sprinkle of taco seasoning, and about 1/3 c. each of the monterey jack and enchilada sauce. Mix well.
4. Spray a 13 x 9 inch glass or ceramic baking dish with cooking spray. Fill tortillas with chicken mixture, roll, and place in dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the tortillas, and top with remaining jack cheese.
5. Bake for 30 minutes or until the sauce bubbles around the edges and the cheese begins to brown.

Taco Seasoning

6 tsp. chili powder
5 tsp. paprika
4 1/2 tsp. cumin
2 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Combine in a well sealing container and shake to mix. 7-8 teaspoons of this mix is about the same as one of the packets.

Moroccan Style Vegetable Couscous

2009-11-11T09:09:00.003-05:00

About a month ago, I had a fabulous vegetarian couscous dinner at a friend's house, and I realized that I have never made couscous. I have been thinking about it ever since, and decided to stew some vegetables for myself. This was basically an attempt to come up with some more relatively easy vegetarian recipes that both my husband and I can agree upon. Inspired by the smell of fresh fall leaves on the crisp autumn air, I really wanted to add some butternut squash to the mix; however, mentioning this idea only produced a semi-frown upon the face of the aforementioed husband. This, plus the dilemma of what to do with a large unused portion caused me to leave the grocery store sans squash. Oh, but I'll be back for you sometime soon, Mr. Butternut, don't get too comfortable.

For now, this is a hearty, aromatic, vegetarian dish that does a decent job of showcasing the mighty chickpea, garbanzo, ceci bean, Indian pea, or whatever you want to call it. They look like mini peaches to me. ; ) Anyway, it was very tasty, but not a fast favorite. I probably won't use plain couscous next time-oh yes, it was good enough for a "next time"- and some fresh lemon juice might shake up the flavors a bit. It must also be said that like any good stew or chili, it was even better as leftovers. Plus, with "Moroccan" in the name it forces be back into an old, but newly revisited hobby: Vacation Dreaming. Right now, my thoughts flock to Ireland, Costa Rica, France, Italy, the Caribbean, the Grand Canyon, and Disney World, where in Epcot there is Moraccan restaurant!

Moroccan Stlye Vegetable Couscous
compiled from many sources

2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 small red potatoes, unpeeled, and cut into large chunks
3 small carrots, chopped
1 small yellow onion, large dice
1 large clove garlic, crushed
1 zucchini, about 7-8 inches long
1/2 sweet bell pepper, large dice (I wanted yellow for color, but settled for orange)
1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 oz.) No Salt Added, diced tomatoes with juice
1 c. low-sodium vegetable stock
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (or more if you like it spicy!)
1/4 tsp. salt
Plain Couscous

1. Heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add potatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic, and saute for 5 minutes or until onions start to soften.
2. Add chickpeas, tomatoes, vegetable stock, and spices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10-15 minutes. The potatoes should be almost fork tender.
3. Add zucchini and bell pepper. Continue to simmer for an additional 10 minutes until all of the vegetables are fork tender. Meanwhile, prepare couscous according to package directions. (I prepared 1 c. dry couscous for the two of us.)
4. Serve vegetables over couscous. Salt and pepper to taste.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting and Chocolate Spiderwebs

2009-11-07T09:21:00.095-05:00

So, these little beauties are why I had the buttermilk. I know that many people think of Red Velvet for Valentine's Day and Wedding cakes, but who doesn't want a fantastic "blood" cupcake on Halloween, eh? So I started with a recipe from Paula Deen, the queen of southern cooking that she is, and then compared it to some others. I have to admit I was quite reluctant when it came to the amount of oil in the recipe. It seemed like alot, and some recipes use oil and some butter. Never having made a cake from scratch before, I wasn't sure which works better, or why you'd choose one over the other. But, Paula Deen and Martha Stewart say oil, and if Deb uses oil, well then who am I to argue. ;)

Red Velvet Cupcakes
adapted from Paula Deen and Martha Stewart

2 1/2 c. all-pupose flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tbls. cocoa powder (I used heaping tablespoons)
1 1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 c. buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
2 tbls. red food coloring or 1/2 tsp. red gel-paste food color

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F. Line muffin pans with paper liners. Whisk together flour, cocoa, and salt.
2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat together sugar and oil until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in food color and vanilla.
3. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and whisking well after each.
4. Stir together the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl (it will foam); add mixture to the batter, and mix on medium speed 10 seconds.
5. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes.
Yield 24 cupcakes.

Cream Cheese Frosting
from Paula Deen-this is her recipe halved! It's plenty to frost 24 cupcakes

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners sugar

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth. Add the sugar on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high, and mix until very light and fluffy.

Chocolate Spider Webs

I saw these in Country Living and had to make the toppers. I used Baker's semi-sweet chocolate baking squares rather than chocolate chips because I liked how well they melted for the cheesecake. Here is the template: Itsy Bitsy Spiderwebs

These were delicious. Even though they ended up being more of a burgundy velvet than red velvet. I had what I thought was red gel, but when added it gave more of a hot pink color, so I added several drops of red liquid food coloring to "fix" it. It was still not red. The gel looked red, and the bottle and cap were red, but the box did read "pink." I decided to use it anyway mostly because I had already bought it. Next time I don't think I will be as generous with the cocoa powder (Ms. Deen's recipe only calls for a teaspoon) for less of a chocolate taste, and I'll stick to the liquid food coloring, or look for actual red gel. The toppers turned out pretty awesome too. I'll have to remember this for future events, and with all of the colored chocolate available for candy making you could really make anything you want.

Biscuits

2009-10-30T11:58:00.002-04:00

It's 10:00 pm on a weeknight and you're hungry. Not really hungry, but interested in snacking. Do you grab some chips or popcorn? Cheese and crackers? Maybe. We made biscuits. Especially because we were watching Food Network whose shows are peppered with Pillsbury commercials. They got us. No, we didn't go out and buy a tube of pre-made biscuits, but they still got us. I threw caution to the wind, and did not "appropriately" search for the "right" recipe. Instead, I openned a cookbook and made the recipe within.

Biscuits
from the Taste of Home Cookbook

2 c. all-purpose flour
4 tsp. baking powder
3 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. shortening
1 egg
2/3 c. milk

1. Preheat oven to 450 °F. In a smal bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Cut in shortening until the mixture resembles course crumbs. In another bowl, beat egg with milk; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. (It will be very wet dough)
2. Turn onto a well floured surface; knead 20 times. Roll to 3/4-inch thickness; cut with a floured 2-1/2 inch biscuit cutter (or use a glass like I did).
3. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. Yield 1 dozen.

These were just what we were looking for. Nothing fancy, but very satisfying with a little butter and honey. You could even brush them with melted butter before putting them in the oven if you like. My only regret is that we used skim milk, which is all that we normally have in the house, but I actually have a bottle of buttermilk in the fridge that would have been wonderful. Why do I have the buttermilk? You'll see. ;) These biscuits were a tad dry in the morning, but excellent with some eggs and cheese.

Deviled Eggs

2009-10-24T20:59:00.002-04:00

The older I get the more I miss my great-grandmother, Marie. She was incredible. She passed away when I was 18.
As a child, I was very blessed by spending my days at my great-grandparent's house, rather than a daycare. I know how special this was because many people never even get to meet their great-grandparents let alone see them 5 days a week. Grandma was a firey Irish, Catholic woman who always made her opinion clear, especially in conversations with my grandfather. She also made it abundantly clear that she loved me to death. She read Little Red Riding Hood to me so many times that she probably could recite it in her sleep. She taught me how to prune and pick flowers from her rose bushes (after a five-leaf cluster), and place them in a glass on the kitchen window sill above the sink. She would let me play in that sink for what seemed like hours. I would put a stool up to the counter so that I could splash in the soap bubbles, and fill and pour out measuring cups full of the steamy water. However, Grandma didn't hesitate to shove a fresh bar of Caress in my mouth after I got angry with her and called her a name. All done with love.
For the most part Grandpa was the cook, and what a cook he was. From fresh baked breads, which made the most incredible toast, to soups, roasts, casseroles, and cookies. He grocery shopped every day. While eating breakfast, he would often ask us what we wanted for lunch or dinner! I used to think he was crazy, and now I find myself thinking about it too. So he was the daily chef, but on Easter and Thanksgiving, Grandma and Grandpa would both be in the kitchen, with the doors closed. The holidays always felt different in that house. Oh, the smells coming from that kitchen. The china placed just so on the white linen covered dinning table. It was very different from the work week. Occasionaly, I'd sneek past the double doors to watch as she basted the Ham with Sprite, or stirred something on the stove. One specialty that appeared only on Easter was her deviled eggs. She never had a recipe that I knew of-just a little grandma magic. When she slipped away, so did the recipe. For the next few years, Easter came and went, but without the deviled eggs.

After searching through many cookbooks I decided to try them for myself, but it didn't pan out. Something was not quite right. I tried onions, onion powder, garlic, vinegar, etc.. Finally, Easter 2006, after consulting with various family memebers. I got it-well, as close as it gets. So, without further adieu, my (grandmas's) deviled eggs.

Deviled Eggs

12 large, hard cooked eggs

2/3 c. Miracle Whip

1 tsp. yellow mustard

1 tbsp. dill pickle juice

salt and pepper

paprika

Peel eggs, slice in half lengthwise, and remove the yolks. In a small bowl, smash yolks with a fork until fine. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Fill a piping bag (or a plastic freezer bag with a corner cut off) with the yolk mixture, and fill the whites. Sprinkle with paprika for garnish.

I know, after all that build up, it's a very simple recipe, but it's a great one. The secret is using Miracle Whip rather than mayo, and adding the pickle juice. Note that the pickle juice and mustard measurements are approximate becuase I ususally just add some and taste until they are right. I do have a few tips though. For easier peeling, boil the eggs and refridgerate them overnight before peeling. I was in a hurry this time and peeled them after refridgerating for 3 hours, and I did notice the difference. Also, tap the eggs on the counter to crack the shell all the way around, and peel under cold running water. Even though I do measure the Miracle Whip, they do turn out a bit different each time. This time I think my yolks were smaller than normal and the proportions were a bit off. Not perfect, but very, very good. Enjoy.

Grilled Pork and Chocolate Cheesecake

2009-10-17T10:36:00.009-04:00

For his birthday, Dan asked for a meal of grilled pork (I used some brisket grillers we had in the freezer), and a chocolate cheesecake for dessert. So being the loving wife that I am, I happily prepared the meal with some garlic and rosemary redskin mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli and a salad. Here is my seasoning blend for the pork. It could be used on anything really.

Pork Rub

2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt

As far as cheesecake goes, I usualy fancy plain with some sort of tart fruit element, like raspberry or lemon. Plain cheesecake with raspberry sauce, delicious. However, because of this little chocolate number, I may have to rethink my order the next time I visit The Cheesecake Factory.

Chocolate Cheesecake
a combination of Kraft's Chocolate Lover's Cheesecake and Classic Cheesecake

Crust:
1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1/3 c. melted butter
3 Tbsp. sugar
Filling:
3 packages (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
6 squares (1 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate, melted, and slightly cooled

Preheat oven to 325 °F, or 300 °F if using a dark, non-sitck springform pan. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate according to the package directions and set aside to cool. In a small bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and 3 tbsp. sugar. Firmly press into the bottom of the springform pan.

Beat together cream cheese, sugar and vanilla on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs and mix until just blended. Stir in the melted chocolate.

Pour filling over crust and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until almost set. Cool completely, and refridgerate overnight.

I think it was the graham cracker crust, rather than a chocolate cookie crust, that sealed the deal. I must give credit where it's due...this was Dan's idea. Melted butter with graham cracker crumbs is a match made in heaven. I had to taste the mixture before putting in the pan, to make sure it was safe. It was. I am not a fan of those super sweet dessert scented candles that some people rave about. They are just too overpowering for me. But, if someone comes up with a graham cracker crust candle he or she may have a new customer. You hear that, Yankee? Even if you think you don't like chocolate cheesecake, try this. I promise you won't be disappointed.

If you'd like to try my raspberry sauce, put about 2 cups mostly thawed, frozen raspberries into a blender with a couple teaspoons sugar and 1/4 - 1/2 c. water. Blend until smooth. These measurements are approximate. I usually just eyeball it. Make it as thin or think as you like. Serve over any plain cheesecake, or try it on this one. We like Kraft's Classic Cheesecake listed above.

Oh, and I almost forgot. I made my own graham cracker crumbs for the first time. This was partially due to the fact that my grocery store stopped carrying the brand of crumbs that I typically buy, and that the crackers, by the ounce, were cheaper-and we'll have something in the pantry to munch on. I just used store brand honey graham crackers, and pulsed them in the food processor until fine. The ones I bought were squares rather than the rectangular sheets, so it took about 20-22 squares to yield 1 1/2 c. of crumbs. This made the crust very fresh and not completely uniform in texture. Lets just say that I don't think I'll be using the ready made kind anymore. I'll refrain from raving about this crust again. Maybe when I am feeling extra ambitious I'll try my hand at these.

Individual Potato Broccoli Frittatas - 2 ways

2009-10-14T19:10:00.002-04:00

If I could design my perfect day, the recipe would be as follows:

Sleep in and wake up slow
Have a lunch of cider and doughnuts at your local cider mill of choice
Take a brisk hike in the woods
Eat a delicious, healthy, and leisurely prepared dinner
Watch Michigan football

Execute each step in this order with a good friend or loving spouse. Well, this was my Saturday. Exactly the respite I needed after a long week of work and not seeing my husband. : ( So, back to the food. I went with the idea of baking individual frittatas because I have made frittatas in a mini muffin pan for parties, and they turn out quite good. Also, I don't have a decent pan to go from stovetop to oven (ahhh...daydreaming of cast iron skillets), and I do have these great little non-stick 4 1/2 inch springform pans that we recieved as a wedding gift and have never used. You could, however, scale up the recipe for a 9 inch pie pan, or prepare the frittatas in a regular or jumbo size muffin pan.

Potato Broccoli Frittatas
adapted from Cooking Light

1 large redskin potato, cooked and diced
1/2 c. cooked broccoli
1 large clove garlic, crushed
2 sliced cooked bacon, chopped (for my meat lover)
2 tbsp. chopped, cooked onion (for me)
1-2 tbsp. chopped parsley
4 eggs
2 egg whites
1-2 tsbp. milk
2/3 c. grated cheese (I used about 1/3 c. of 2 different kinds)
1/8-1/4 tsp. thyme
1/8-1/4 tsp. paprika
Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Spray pans with non-stick cooking spray. Add half of the potato, broccoli, and garlic to each pan. (I did cook the garlic with a little bit of olive oil ahead of time) Now comes the "2 way" part. To one I added the bacon and some grated cheddar cheese, and to the other I added the onion and my new favorite cheese, which is a combo of white cheddar, swiss, and parmesan. Mmmm. In a mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, parsley, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture over other ingredients. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges. They will puff up quite a bit.

I did learn a valuable lesson when preparing this dish. Make sure that your springform pans are sealed properly and are liquid tight. Some of my egg mixtue leaked out when I poured it into the pans. One was worse then the other, and it just continued oozing. I kept saying "Oh, NO!" and laughing as the eggs weeped out of the side. But, since it was not completely gushing out, I gingerly threw them onto a cookie sheet with a piece of aluminum foil, and prayed for the best. What I realized is that unlike a cheesecake, this egg mixture is thin and there is no crust to seal it off the bottom of the pans. Maybe not the best bakeware choice for this, but live and learn I guess. The oozing did stop shortly after I put them in the oven, and the loss was not that much. They still turned out OK, and were very tatsy. I served these with some crusty bread, and a tomato avocado salad drizzled with my homemade balsamic vinegarette.

I think my favorite thing about frittatas is that they are so versatile. You can put just about anything inside, like an omelette or a quiche. The possibilities are endless. Mushroom, onion, and swiss. Tomato and basil with parmesan. Ham and cheese. Zucchini and squash, etc. Plus, it's a great way to get rid of some leftovers. Hmm...a Thanksgiving leftover frittata? Probably not. ;)

Spicy Baked Penne

2009-10-11T16:37:00.010-04:00

So, this recipe does not have any special story to accompany it other than it is a delicious week night dinner to satisfy the mostly vegetarian (the would be me, but more on that later) and the omnivores they love...and to use up some things I had in the fridge.

Spicy Baked Penne

1 lb. penne rigate
1-26 oz. jar of your favorite sauce - I like the garlic & herb variety
2 bonless, skinless chicken breasts
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped (or 1/2 of a large one)
1 small orange bell pepper, chopped
Grated parmesan
about 8 oz. shredded Italian Five Cheese blend
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes - a couple of large pinches
1 large clove garlic, crushed
3-5 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. oregano
Salt and Pepper
Water

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Start a large pot to boil for the pasta. Cook pasta until almost al dente. Drain, but do not rinse. (You still want some bite to it because it will absorb some of the sauce while it bakes.) Meanwhile, add oil and garlic to a skillet and preheat on medium-high. Cut chicken into small pieces and place in a mixing bowl. Add pepper, oregano, and a handful of parmesan, and toss to coat. When the skillet is hot, add chicken and saute until golden brown. In a medium sauce pan, combine the sauce, basil, pepper flakes, zucchini and peppers, about 1 cup of water, and cook over medium low to start to cook the veggies, and to start to marry the flavors. The water helps to thin the sauce out a bit because it will thicken as it bakes. (In a perfect world, the sauce would be hot, and the chicken and pasta would all be finished at the same time!) Combine the pasta, sauce mixture, and chicken in a 13 x 9 baking dish. Toss to coat, and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until the cheese starts to brown and the sauce begins to bubble.

This is not exactly your mother's mostaccoli. The veggies will still have a bit of a crunch, which we love, and the heat from the red pepper is just right. Comforting and healthful.

As for my diet, I have been working on the vegetarian thing for about 4 months now. I decided to do this both for health and environmental reasons. Plus, I have many friends who maintain a vegetarian diet so I know that I would have support if I need it. I have been doing pretty well, except for a couple of my favorite things, which I have chosen to keep eating in strict moderation. Fish is the first one; especially my sweet and spicy rubbed salmon, which I am sure that I will put up here at some point. The others are either chicken or turkey dishes. No pork and no beef. I have not eaten beef for nearly a year. I am enjoying it (if you didn't glean this fact from my first post...I love beans). I am forced to be more deliberate about everthing that I consume, and as a result, I am eating and feeling better.

Monster Cookies

2009-10-06T23:48:00.009-04:00

About a month ago, we had the honor of being a part of one of the most beautiful weddings I have witnessed. It took place in Archbold, Ohio at Sauder Village. I had some free time before the ceremony and headed over to the Doughbox Bakery located just out in front of the village. The bakery sells everything from dinner rolls and noodles to freshly made doughnuts and pies. My eyes were locked on the cookies. They had chocolate chip, peanut butter, sugar, the usual fare...and monster cookies. Regretably, I only purchased one (the size of my face) for Dan and I to share. My favorite cookie will always be chocolate chip, but this monster gave it a run for its money. Oatmeal, peanut butter, chocolate chip and m&m! Since then, I have been looking for a recipe. I actually found a hand written one that I was given many years ago, but never tried. However, that one made a gigantic batch and included corn syrup, which I did not have, and made me a bit skeptical. I finally decided on this one.

Monster Cookies

from Paula Deen

3 eggs

1 1/4 c. packed, light brown sugar

1 c. granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (I doubled this)
1 1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 c. chocolate candies (I was very generous; used closer to 3/4 or 1 c. ;)

1/2 c. chocolate chips

1/4 c. rasins, optional (I opted out!!!)
2 tsp. baking soda

4 1/2 c. quick cooking oatmeal, not instant (the 1 minute kind)

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Spray cookie sheets with non-stcik spray, or use parchment paper.

In a very large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and sugars. Mix well. Add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter. Mix well. Stir in the m&ms, chocolate chips, baking soda, and oatmeal. Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto cookie sheets.
Bake for 8-10 minutes. Do not overbake. Let stand for 3 minutes (or longer) before transferring to cooling racks.

Oh, I decided to use dark chocolate m&ms for these cookies, and I am sure glad that I did. I highly recommend it if you like dark chocolate. Also, make sure that you use a very sturdy spoon or spatula to mix the batter-it gets super thick and tough to stir towards the end. The recipe instructs that you should not overbake. I heeded the warning and was very pleased. I baked the cookies until they were just barely turning brown around the outside. The top of the cookies looked like they were still a bit raw, but don't be afraid, once cooled they were not undercooked, but wonderfully chewy.

So, this recipe is not exactly like the ones that I had at the bakery. It might be better! Either way, I guarantee that they will be a favorite. And, with all of the protein and fiber from the oatmeal and peanut butter, these monster cookies are practically a health food. At least that's what I am telling myself.

Cute cukes, checca, and chocolate

2009-09-30T19:16:00.016-04:00

Dan and I had the privilege of having a dear friend over for dinner the other night, so I decided to mix the experimental with a family favorite. Our appetizer was inspired by Cherrapeno's Boursin, Tomato, and Cucumber Nibbles. I absolutely love seedless cucumbers, and I fell in love with this idea as soon as I saw it. Instead of Boursin, I mixed a bit of garlic hummus, feta, and fresh cracked pepper (of course) with some reduced fat cream cheese, and topped it off with a fresh slice of tomato and a drizzle of balsamic vinegarette. They were scrumptious.

The main course was Giada's Spaghettini with Checca Sauce -barely modified. This is a dish that my Mom makes all the time, usually a triple to quadruple batch when the whole family is around. We just can't get enough of it, which is saying something considering that we can all be pretty picky. I have made checca with my Mom many times, but the was the first time on my own. For some reason, Mom's tastes better. Maybe it's the homegrown basil she uses or the extra pinch of love she adds when my back is turned. Either way, our's was still quite satisfying, and there is nothing better than openning up the food processor and taking a great big whiff of the fresh tomato sauce. Mmmmmm...

...I wish I could make this scratch-and-sniff

Spaghettini with Checca Sauce

8 ounces thin spaghetti

4 scallions (white and pale green parts only), coarsely chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 (12-ounce container) cherry tomatoes, halved

1 ounce grated Parmesan

8 to 10 fresh basil leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water until tender. Stir often to keep it from sticking together.

Meanwhile, combine the next 7 ingredients in a food processor. Pulse just until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped (do not puree). Drain the pasta and do not rinse. Toss the pasta with the tomato mixture and fresh mozzarella in a large bowl. Serve immediately.

I did not reserve any pasta water as Giada recommends. I used a container of grape tomatos this time, and they were very juicy. I actually removed a bit of the liquid that came out of the sauce. I have read reviews of this recipe stating that the fresh garlic flavor is too stong or intense. Never! I will warn you, however, that you should not plan on meeting anyone new within 2 days of eating it. : ) The smell and taste do not go away, but it's well worth it as far as I'm concerned. OK, if you are not into the strong garlic flavor, either use only one clove, or try roasted garlic.

Finally, dessert! Beware...stream of consciousness. I have been thinking about the cooler weather and hot chocolate, Abuelita hot chocolate to be exact, with it's cinnamon-y goodness, which makes me think of other spiced chocolate like the chili chocolate bar that Dan and I found at a museum in New York several years ago and the way it tickles my taste buds. So...I decided to make a chili, cinnamon pudding.

Spiced Chocolate Pudding with Whipped Cream, adapted from Cooking Light

1/2 c. sugar

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa

1/4 tsp. salt

2 1/2 c. skim milk

1/2 cup evaporated milk

2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

generous pinch of cayenne pepper

Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium saucepan; stir with a whisk. Gradually add milk and evaporated milk, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring contantly with a whisk. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat; add chocolate, stirring until melted and mixtre is smooth. Stir in vanilla, cinnamon, and cayenne and mix well. Pour into a bowl, cover the surface with plastic wrap, and refridgerate overnight.

Just before serving prepare Whipped Cream. Pour a half pint of heavy cream and 1 tsp. vanilla extract into a chilled mixing bowl. Slowly add 1/2 c. powdered sugar while beating on medium speed with a whisk attachment. Continue beating until stiff peaks form.

The flavor turned out awesome! Rave reviews, especially fom my parents who were lucky enough to sample the left-overs. But, I have to confess. My futile attempt to save calories and fat cost me a bit with this one. The pudding did not thicken up a much as I would have liked. Next time I will use the 1% milk that the recipe calls for...or maybe just 1/2%, we'll see.

Oh, and I almost forgot. I saw this the other day after thinking even more about soups...it's a great place to start.

Soup Success - Smooth Vegetable Soup

2009-09-28T22:37:00.004-04:00

My usual excitement and anticipation for weekend cooking was replaced with aprehension when it came to the soup. I have been wanting to make a vegetable soup for some time now, but was a bit nervous since the majority of my last soup adventure was digested by the garbage disposal rather than our stomachs. I followed a recipe, but it was bad. So this time, I decided to wing it. I did my usual research of perusing what seemed like dozens of recipes, and this is what I came up with...a winner!

Smooth Vegetable Soup

2 tbsp. olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium cooking onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 carrots, chopped
1 medium baking potato chopped
1 plum tomato, chopped
1 (15 oz.) can chick peas, drained and rinsed
2-12 oz. packages frozen green peas
4 c. low-sodium vegetable stock
2 c. water
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp. fresh cracked pepper
salt to taste (forgot to measure; a few turns of the sea salt grinder)

Heat oil, garlic and onion in your favorite stock pot on medium-high heat until onions just start to soften. Add carrots and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Transfer soup in batches to a blender or food processor and puree until almost smooth. (I like a few tiny bits left in the mix) Garnish with fresh grated parmesan and more pepper. Serve with some crusty bread.

Tip: After simmering, I transfered the soup to another stock pot before blending. This way you can pour your pureed soup back into the original cooking pot to mix and to reheat if necessary.

This recipe makes a decent amount. Plenty to eat and enough to freeze for later. Enjoy!

Welcome!

2009-09-22T21:50:00.001-04:00

Well, after thinking about it for months and months, I have finally started this, my cooking blog. Why "Playing House"? I am by no means an expert, and I usually feel like I am just playing in the kitchen. A little of this a little of that, which can be challenging when it comes to sharing recipes because I rarely write things down, but I am trying. Also, if you are not already aware Dan and I are Jack Johnson fans. I especially like his song "Do You Remember," in which, he shares how his wife used to, and still does, describe their life together as "playing house." I plan to be playing for a long, long time. For my first entry it is only fitting that I share our version of rice & beans. It's a staple around the world, as well as in our home (we make it at least once a week).

Black Beans and Rice

1-2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup long grain, white rice
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, well rinsed
1 (15 oz) can tomatoes and green chilies - we like Red Gold, hot

Prepare rice according to package directions. While rice is cooking, add oil and garlic to a skillet on medium heat. When the oil starts to bubble, add the tomatoes and green chilies (DO NOT drain) and black beans. Stir and simmer for about 15 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken. You can smash some of the beans with the back of a spoon to help it along. Serve beans over rice.
There you have it. Cheap and DELICIOUS!
...and a special thanks to my mother-in-law who got me hooked on this. :)
Please note that this site is still under construction and may change quite a bit in the next week.