We Eat

Cooking for One with Katy - Episode 25

2011-12-30T07:42:00.001-07:00

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

2011-11-06T20:31:00.000-07:00

I made these over the weekend and they were a hit. I love the crumbly top. And I love having an apple peeler/corer. Go get one and make these.

2 1/3 c. flour

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

9 tbsp. butter

2-3 small apples, cored, peeled and cut into small pieces

1/3 c. sugar

1 tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg

1 c. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

*Heat oven to 375. Spray muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray.

*Combine 1/3 c. flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Cut in 3 tbsp. butter until mixture resembles small crumbs; set aside.

*Combine remaining 2 c. flour, baking powder, and 1/2 tsp. salt together in separate bowl.

*Melt remaining 6 tbsp. butter, mix egg, milk, vanilla, and sugar to melted butter.

*Combine butter mixture to flour mixture. Stir well. Add apples to mixture.

*Spoon into muffin tins; top with crumb mixture.

*Bake about 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-10-13T16:48:00.000-06:00

Had these at a party the other night and made them a couple days later. Best I've found. And no Crisco. Only one pound of butter. Don't worry about it; let's enjoy our lives.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Kodi Smith

Cream Well:

1 lb. butter
2 c. brown sugar
1 ½ c. white sugar

Add:

3 eggs
2 T vanilla
Cream for 6 minutes

Add:

6 c. flour
1 ½ t. salt
1 ½ T. soda

Blend mixture slowly and thoroughly

Add:

2 c. chocolate chips (Ghirardelli semi-sweet)

Bake at 325 for 10 minutes.

Pesto Alla Trapanese

2011-09-27T16:42:00.000-06:00

I promised myself I wouldn't have to make dinner tonight to convince myself to start canning the very ripe peaches on my back porch. This was the easiest thing I could come up with that didn't involve fast food which is kind of the opposite of home canning. It is a yummy recipe that is easy to make and the ingredients are plentiful right now.

We eat this sauce over pasta with some parmesan, or with warm grill bread. My Mom said it was really good spread thinly on grilled cheese sandwiches.

Pesto Alla Trapanese

¼ c. blanched, slivered almonds (I use whole ones with the peel on.)

12 oz. (about 2 ½ c.) grape or cherry tomatoes (If you substitute large tomatoes then seed them first.)

½ c. basil leaves (I use up to a cup if I have it, but it is good both ways.)

1 large clove garlic, chopped (I like to cook this for just a minute in the oil before I put it in)

1 tsp. red wine or sherry vinegar

¼ tsp. red pepper flakes ( I don't use these b/c of the kids.)

1 tsp. salt (If you double the recipe, just use 1 tsp. salt and then see if it needs any more.)

About ¼ to 1/3 cup olive oil (I use 1/4 cup at the most.)

Toast the almonds and let cool. Combine all ingredients except the oil in a food
processor and pulse to your desired consistency. Slowly drizzle in the oil until
evenly combined.

Baked Southwest Wraps

2011-05-27T20:16:00.000-06:00

We had these tonight for dinner and even the kids loved them. With the dipping sauce they remind me of the southwest wraps at Guru's in Provo. I would recommend doing some of the prep work (chopping, thawing, gathering cans of things etc) ahead of time because with the distractions of children and phone calls it took me about 45 minutes to get these in the oven but I think that's extreme. It should take a lot less time. Like making enchiladas. And I love that these have spinach in them. My kids didn't even pick it out!

Find the recipe HERE

Type rest of the post here

Four Grain Pancakes

2011-05-23T23:05:00.000-06:00

3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup quick-cooking oats
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups buttermilk (or 2 tablespoons vinegar plus milk to equal two cups)
1/3 cup margarine or butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. (If you use the vinegar and milk method the batter will be thin. Never fear, they're still delicious). Heat skillet or griddle to 375 degrees. Grease lightly with oil or spray. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Cook 2-3 minutes. Turn when bubbles start to appear on surface and edges look cooked. Continue to cook 2-3 minutes more.

Hot Cereal in the Crockpot

2011-05-23T23:00:00.000-06:00

I love my crockpot. I also love a hot breakfast but don't necessarily like making them in the morning. Here's one you can wake up to.

1 C whole or cracked wheat
1/2 C brown rice
1/2 C pearl barley
1/2 C oat groats

Put everything in the crockpot with 4-5 cups of water. Cook on low overnight.

(I'm sorry I can't get the template to work correctly. I'll blame blogger's recent issues).

Baked Oatmeal

2011-05-23T22:55:00.000-06:00

Another easy breakfast. You make this one the night before and refrigerate it.

1/2 C vegetable oil
1/2 C sugar
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups oats
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 C milk

Mix together the oil, sugar, and eggs. Add oatmeal, baking powder, salt and milk. Refrigerate batter overnight. In the morning stir well and pour into a greased 9x9 pan. Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve with cinnamon and sugar or nutmeg.

Alternatives:
Reduce oil and sugar to 1/4 cup each and add 1/2 cup applesauce
Bake in muffin pans for 20 minutes instead of the 9x9 for 30 minutes.

Ham and Egg Breakfast Cups

2011-05-23T22:51:00.001-06:00

This is an easy breakfast. Sometimes we even have this for dinner.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease cupcake pan.
Place 1 thick slice ham in each cup of a cupcake pan (I usually only do 6 cups)
Sprinkle some cheddar cheese in each cup
Crack an egg into each cup.

Bake for about 15 minutes or to desired doneness.

Indian Curry Sauce (better Ann Dee?)

2011-05-22T21:12:00.001-06:00

Whoa boy. This is good. Made it tonight for the first time and plan to make it again next Sunday. Really easy and even my two year old ate two helpings. What? Yep.

Indian Curry Haystacks

1/2 c butter
1/2 c finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup finely chopped apple (I used a Gala apple)
4 tsp. curry powder
5 c chicken stock OR 2 3/4 cans Swansons clear chicken broth (13 oz cans)
6 T. flour
Salt/pepper to taste
1 - 2 cups cooked and shredded chicken (I used a rotisserie)
Rice (I used Jasmine with some fresh cilantro throughout)

Melt butter in a large pan. Add chopped ingredients as you get them chopped. Saute a little. Add cu rry and mix well. Add all BUT one cup of chicken broth. Put remaining broth in a cup/jar with flour and shake/mix well to mix thoroughly. When main mixture reaches boiling, add salt and pepper. Add flour mixture to thicken. Add chicken. Cover and simmer on low for about 20-30 minutes. Stir often to keep chicken from sticking to bottom of pan.

[Sauce can be made up well ahead of time, even night before, allowed to cool then reheated or frozen]

Serve over rice.

Top curry sauce with any or all of the following:

Sweetened coconut
Chopped salted peanuts
chopped hard boiled egg
chopped celery
bacon bits
raisins

I just used peanuts, coconut and raisins and it was awesome. This would easily feed four adults.

Type your summary here Type rest of the post here

Bran Muffins

2011-05-19T15:27:00.002-06:00

I had a baby.

It was fun.

Now my husband is back to work.

Breakfast is a bear.

So I decided to try this recipe and it is awesome. My mom had one like it and we loved it. My mom's recipe had dates and walnuts or something other nut. This one doesn't but it's still delicious. I did throw in some coconut and raisins. And it makes a ton--lasts in the fridge for a month!! Love it.

please keep posting, girls. I need the all help I can get. Even if you link to recipes online. Like someone brought me these after I had the baby and they were yum. Holly said she's made them before too and liked them.

Really good soup that feeds a crowd.

2011-04-05T17:47:00.000-06:00

On Thursday night I was in charge of feeding about 60 people at a Relief Society Party. I woke up Friday morning and knew I had my brother Bart and his wife and baby and my Dad and Gigi coming to dinner that night. I wanted to make something really good and not way hard and I didn't want to go to the store. I also wanted to be able to do most of the work in the morning, so I could straighten up the house in the afternoon. I turned to King Arthur Flour because if I was going to try something new on all of those people I needed a reliable recipe source.

I decided on this recipe for Italian wedding soup. It was a big hit. And it makes a ton.

Notes:

I had to move it from my six quart to my eight quart pot. For the meatballs I mixed half pork and half ground beef. I patted the meatball mixture out in a jelly roll pan with my hands and baked it all in one piece. After it was cool I used a pizza cutter and cut the meat into small squares. Way easier than making dozens of tiny meatballs.

I completed through step 4 in the recipe and then put everything in the fridge to be completed later. I also added a chopped up fennel bulb that I needed to use up to the vegetable mixture. I used vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

I served the soup with these breadsticks. They are chewy and a bit like bagels because you boil them before you bake them. Don't make them longer than about 6 inches. I didn't have diastatic malt powder, so I used malted milk powder in the dough and left it out of the boiling water.

Best Banana Cream Pie I've ever had

2011-03-14T20:24:00.001-06:00

Not your typical banana cream pie. My husband doesn't like this stuff and loved this recipe. The only changes I made were: 1. I made graham cracker crust from scratch with butter and 2. I sprinkled honey roasted peanuts on top. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Link:

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/03/banana-cream-pie/

Enjoy!

Potato Gnocchi with Rosata Sauce

2011-02-09T19:09:00.000-07:00

I have been making gnocchi for a few years and I liked them, but I knew there was a better way. Every time I tasted them at Gloria's Little Italy I was a bit sad because mine weren't as good.

I tried some different things, and had a Julia Child recipe in mind, but then this recipe turned up in my inbox this morning. Happily it turned out to be the one I was looking for. I boiled two yukon gold potatoes and mashed them for the recipe. I don't have a gnocchi board and didn't bother to use the fork. I just used a bench knife to cut the ropes I had rolled out and plopped the pieces in the boiling water. They were tender and delicious when served with a simple rosata sauce. I am not surprised that King Arthur Flour once again came up with the best recipe. I didn't try the parsley pesto because parsley isn't my favorite.

Rosata Sauce

1 Cup cream or more to taste

2 Cloves minced garlic

1 24 oz can Strianese Whole Peeled D.O.P. San Marzano Tomatoes

Salt to taste (about 1/2 tsp)

Put the cream and a saucepan on medium heat and crush the two cloves of garlic into it. Leave it for about 5 minutes while you open the can and blend it really well in the blender. Pour the tomatoes into the cream mixture and simmer for about 10 minutes. Salt to taste. Serve with parmesan, or dry cheese of your choice.

Notes: We were out of parmesan, but we happened to have an Irish cheese I bought at Sam's Club called Dubliner. It was really good.

I got the fancy canned tomatoes from my cousin Laura's Harvest Bundle awhile back. I found them on amazon, and haven't looked in the grocery store.

Orzo with Roasted Vegetables

2011-01-20T16:54:00.000-07:00

This recipe was really good. We used some eggplant to replace part of the peppers and only used about 1/3 of the olive oil for the roasting and the dressing. We also substituted toasted, blanched almonds for the pine nuts since we aren't millionaires ;). We ate it in homemade whole wheat pitas. Yum. You can also add fresh cherry tomatoes at the end. Next time I will try it with whole grain orzo available here.

Vegetables:
4-6 smallish zucchini
yellow, red and orange peppers (1 of each)
1 red onion
2-3 cloves of garlic
1/3 C olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

chop vegetables, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread onto a foil lined baking sheet and roast in oven at 425 for 40-50 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook orzo (1 lb.)

Toss cooked vegetables and orzo together with:

Dressing:
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp pepper

drizzle over salad and add:

1/2 c toasted pine nuts
8 oz. crumbled feta cheese
15 fresh basil leaves - chopped.

Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Amish Sweet Bread

2010-11-09T14:00:00.001-07:00

A friend of mine recently told me she found a no-fail bread recipe. And she was right. This bread even slices well and isn't doughy and isn't dry. Try it.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Amish-White-Bread/Detail.aspx

Summer Squash Soup

2010-10-26T17:53:00.000-06:00

I made this tonight and it was easy and good. I served it with crusty french bread.

6C chicken broth
3C water
1 16 oz. pkg. pasta
2C summer squash, grated or cut small
2C zucchini, grated or cut small
1/3 to 1/2 cup pesto
salt to taste
grated parm for topping

Boil pasta in broth and water until mostly done. Add squashes and cook til tender. Add pesto and salt to taste. Serve with grated parm and crusty bread.

Cooking For One with Katy - Episode 22

2010-10-25T00:05:00.002-06:00

Learn how to make this awesome dish and it is easy too!
Watch HERE

Cooking For One with Katy - Episode 21

2010-10-17T21:19:00.001-06:00

BLTs & Omeletts
Watch this episode with Holly (mediocremama) HERE

Cooking For One with Katy - Episode 20

2010-10-11T07:42:00.001-06:00

Fresh Spring Rolls and peanut sauce with Kim ... watch HERE

Cooking For One with Katy - Episode 19

2010-10-03T23:05:00.000-06:00

Chicken Picatta Pizza

Watch HERE

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

2010-09-02T19:45:00.001-06:00

We tried these at Islands awhile back and made them last night. No measurements; just make it up as you go like we did. Mmmmmmmm.

Tortillas (we love the uncooked tortillas at Costco...it makes a big difference)
Cheese (we used sharp cheddar but I imagine most would work)
Purple onion diced
Cilantro
Cooked or canned chicken
BBQ sauce (just a few drops works great)(we like Claim Jumper brand)

Cook bottom tortilla and melt cheese. Sprinkle with cilantro and onion. Mix BBQ sauce with chicken and top over everything else. Top with another tortilla and cook until golden. You can thank me later or even right now if you want.

Alfredo Pasta with Asparagus and Ham

2010-08-22T19:45:00.000-06:00

This is my "go to" pasta. Everyone likes it, even the rascals.

2 Tblsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced/pressed
2 Cups heavy cream (more or less according to how saucy your mood is)
Salt and Pepper
1/3 Cups grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1 Box Rotini Pasta (serves 8)
2 Bunches asparagus, end trimmed, and stalks cut into one inch pieces
5 Thick slices of ham, cut into strips

Heat Olive oil in heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and swirl in oil for 30 seconds. Add cream, cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir occasional until slightly thickened-3-4 minutes, set aside.

Boil pasta according to directions.

Add ham strips to a heated skillet. Stir constantly until the ham begins to brown. Add asparagus pieces and stir occasionally until tender-crisp.

Combine, sauce, ham mixture and pasta. Serve hot, topped with cheese.

Yellow Pear Tomato Bruschetta

2010-08-22T19:30:00.000-06:00

4 Cups tomatoes (any sort, I used our yellow pear)
2 Cloves garlic
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Basil chopped
Salt and Pepper

2 French Baguettes

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine first 5 ingredients in a food processor then pulse until it looks like the picture above--not soupy, not chunky.

Slice the bread lengthwise and cut into 8 even pieces. Brush with olive oil and brown in oven on cookies sheet.

Serve room temperature.

Spherical Fruit Salad

2010-08-22T19:20:00.000-06:00

You can use ANY fruit in this and it doesn't have to be spherical, but this is my "go to" way to prepare fruit salad. The lime is refreshing and the coconut adds that unexpected touch/taste.

Fruit (it's especially good with a tropical variety)
Juice from one or two limes
2 Tbls Sugar or honey
Unsweeted, dried coconut, toasted in a pan over med heat.

Dissolve sugar in lime juice and pour over fruit. Served with coconut on top or on the side.

Want to eat an entire cake?

2010-08-18T19:51:00.003-06:00

This recipe was given to me by my trusted recipe expert Megan. It looked too easy/good/simple to be true. I made this on Sunday and EVEN Tod ("I'm just not a dessert guy") ate and raved and ate some more. And then I finished it off for breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Monday and Tuesday. Enjoy.

Chocolate Bundt Cake

1 chocolate cake mix

1 package chocolate instant pudding

1 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1/2 package chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients together and spread in a greased bundt cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.

Cooking for One with Katy - Episode 18

2010-08-15T11:00:00.001-06:00

Cooking for One with Katy - Episode 17

2010-08-08T12:18:00.000-06:00

Watermelon Marinated Steak Kabobs

2010-06-28T11:51:00.001-06:00

Gigi sent me this recipe and it was really good. I was excited to find it again just before the fourth!

Watermelon Marinated Steak Kabobs

1 ½ lbs. Flank steak (the thinner the better)

1 ½ c. cubed and seeded watermelon

¼ c. sugar

½ c. ketchup

¼ c. lime juice

3 minced garlic cloves

2 tsp. minced ginger root

2 tsp. salt (I use a little less)

1 tsp. chili paste (found in the oriental section)

2 tsp. soy sauce

½ c. minced green onions

2 c. cubed watermelon (for skewers)

Split the steak lengthwise and cut against the grain into ½ in. thick strips and place in a large zip-lock bag. Puree the watermelon cubes in a blender. Simmer the juice and sugar in a saucepot until reduced by half (about 1 c. syrup). Combine the syrup with ketchup, lime juice, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and green onion. Cool mixture to room temperature. Pour over steak and marinate 1 – 8 hours.

Thread meat onto skewers alternating with watermelon cubes.

Heat grill to medium high and grill each side 3 – 4 minutes. Serve with lime wedges.

Remember to soak your skewers in water for at least one hour so they don’t burn or you can use metal skewers.

Enjoy!

Posted via email from heatherbcook's posterous

Oatmeal Sandwich Bread: King Arthur Flour

2010-06-22T16:07:00.002-06:00

via kingarthurflour.com

My wheat grinder I got for Christmas is broken and we were out of bread. I thought about making white bread, but I wanted at least a little nutrition in the bread I was going to feed my family. I went to my best baking friend a.k.a. King Arthur Flour and found this recipe. It was a hit! I doubled the recipe and I am wishing I had quadrupled it instead.
I found this comment interesting:
Mary from Virginia Beach:
I substituted pure maple syrup for brown sugar and used 1c. bread flour 1/2 c. of whole wheat and 1c. white whole wheat in order to add to the nutritional value. I let it rest for 20 min. before kneading in my Kitchen Aid mixer and it was fantastic! We ate it in 2 days and now I am making more. Thanks KAF helpline for the advice on substituting. You are the best!
I think I will use some of her substitutions when I make it again.

Posted via web from heatherbcook's posterous

Lobster Salad Rolls with Shaved Fennel and Citrus Recipe - MyRecipes.com

2010-06-21T21:29:00.002-06:00

Posted via web from heatherbcook's posterous

My Mom had some imitation crab she wanted to use up before she leaves for London for six months, so we decided to make these lobster rolls into "crab" rolls instead. We were also fresh out of fennel so she substituted diced cucumber and celery. The last substitution was a little added sugar (about 1 tsp) to the dressing for the vegetables because it was mouth-puckering tart.

My contribution to the dinner consisted of these lobster rolls. I made the dough in my bread machine, but you certainly wouldn't need to. They were fun to make and really good. I think I will make a few more batches to use as hot dog buns for my little girls birthday party on Wednesday.

These were really good. If you have real lobster and real fennel I bet they would be even better. The home-made rolls/buns made them go from good to great, so try and plan ahead and make them.

Italian Sausage Soup with Tortellini

2010-04-12T00:03:00.012-06:00

Includes everything I love about italian food; basil, tomatoes, garlic, pasta & yummy veggies. Oh, and of course, sausage!

This is based off a recipe I found on allrecipes.com. I tweaked it a little bit, and this is how I like it:
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 cups beef broth
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup red wine
32 0z. diced tomatoes
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/2 tablespoon packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups sliced zucchini
8 ounces fresh tortellini pasta
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
In a large pot, brown sausage. Remove sausage and drain, reserving 1 tablespoon of the drippings.
Saute onions and carrots in drippings. Add garlic and saute 1 minute.
Stir in beef broth, water, wine, tomatoes, carrots, oregano, tomato sauce, and sausage.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
Skim fat from the soup. Stir in zucchini, basil and parsley.
Simmer covered for 30 minutes. Add tortellini during the last 10 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese on top of each serving.

California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Chicken Pizza

2010-04-01T18:12:00.002-06:00

This is one of our favorite weeknight meals. Quick, easy, and really tasty. I got the recipe off my friends blog and it got rave reviews from my husband who considers himself a BBQ chicken pizza connoisseur.

California Pizza Kitchen BBQ-Chicken Pizza

Pizza Crust: (i like to buy the pillsbury refrigerated crust...super quick & easy! follow the instructions on the package for a crispy crust, otherwise it may turn out soggy.)

Topping:
1 boneless chicken breast
1/2 c. BBQ sauce
1 1/2 tsp. olive oil
1 c. mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 c. smoked gouda cheese, grated
1/2 c. thinly sliced red onion
2 tsp. finely chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 400.

Cut the chicken breast into bite-size cubes. Heat a small frying pan with olive oil in it. Saute chicken for about 3-4 minutes over medium high heat. Once the chicken is no longer pink, add about 1/4 cup BBQ sauce to chicken & let it continue to cook.

Spread 1/4 c. BBQ sauce on lightly browned pizza crust (b/c you pre-bake it to prevent having a soggy crust). Sprinkle 1/2 c. mozzarella and all of the Gouda cheese over the sauce. Add the chicken next and then the red onions. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 c. mozzarella around the center of the pizza & top with cilantro.

Bake the pizza for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese has melted. so yummy! happy eating!

Grilled Salmon with Citrus Salsa Verde

2010-03-20T18:49:00.003-06:00

Sometimes I read your blog, so, in appreciation, I thought I'd make a contribution. I made this a couple of months ago and crave it all the time (so beware). I love this dish because it's refreshing, healthy and delicious. The salsa is a little time consuming (maybe because I can't figure out a good way to get herbs off their stems) but can be made in advance, and it is definitely worth the time. Recipe from Giada De Laurentiis.

Salsa:
2 large oranges
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
1/2 c. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 scallions, finely sliced
3 T. chopped fresh mint leaves
2 T. capers, rinsed, drained and coarsely chopped
2 T. orange zest
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

Salmon:
Vegetable or canola oil, for oiling the grill (I use a grill basket)
4 (4 to 5 ounce) center cut salmon fillets, skinned (each about 3 inches square)
2 T. amber agave nectar (This might be hard to find - I recommend going to a store like Whole-Foods, but I found it at my local grocery store in the "health" section I didn't know existed)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

For the salsa: Cut the peel and ends off of each orange. Cut along membrane on both sides of each segment of orange until segments are free and place all segments in a bowl (I usually squeeze some of the orange juice into the bowl as well). Add remaining ingredients. Toss and set aside.

For the salmon: (NOTE: I have made this in a pan on the stove, the grill, and on a foreman grill, and it has turned out great each time). Put a grill pan over med-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Brush the grilling rack with vegetable oil to keep the salmon from sticking. Brush the salmon on both sides with the agave nectar and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Grill until the fish flakes easily and is cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Transfer the salmon to a platter and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Spoon the salsa verde on top of the salmon or serve on the side as an accompaniment.

Cooking For One - Episode #16

2010-03-07T16:51:00.002-07:00

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

Beef and Baby Bok Choy

2010-03-02T18:40:00.000-07:00

This is super easy to make and is something you can be proud to serve guests. I was craving it for lunch the other day and made it in less than 20 minutes.

Ingredients

1 cup long-grain white rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound flank steak, thinly sliced
kosher salt and black pepper
4 heads baby bok choy, quartered
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Directions

Cook the rice according to the package directions. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Season the steak with 1⁄4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook, turning often, until cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the steak to a plate.
Wipe out the skillet. Add the bok choy and 1⁄4 cup water and simmer, covered, until tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, and sugar. Add to the bok choy in the skillet and bring to a boil. Add the steak and any accumulated juices and cook, tossing, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve over the rice.

Apple Love

2010-03-01T18:19:00.004-07:00

Today is the first day of March and hopefully the last day of winter.

To celebrate I made a pie and experimented with a different kind of apple pie recipe. The apples are placed in the pie shell then you make a gooey, yummy caramel and poor it over the top crust. It was delicious and I highly recommend it!

Pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 TBS all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup water
8 granny smith apples -peeled, cored and sliced

Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in flour to make a paste. Add the sugars and water and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and simmer for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly and cover with a lattice work of crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so it does not run off.

Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees. Reduce temp to 350 and bake for another 30-40 minutes.

You'll Be Pleasantly Surprised

2010-02-17T12:30:00.000-07:00

Sprouted Lentil Burgers

3 Cups Sprouted lentils (I used french lentils)
3-4 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 onion diced
1 cup dry bread crumbs
2 Tblsp olive oil

Blanch lentils in boiling water for 30 seconds, drain. Pulse blanched lentils, eggs, salt, and onion in food processor. Put lentil mixture in bowl and add bread crumbs, let sit for a few minutes to let the juices absorb. Heat oil over medium low heat and carefully form patties and place in pan. Brown for 10 minutes (it helps to cover with a lid, too). Flip and brown on other side for 7 minutes. Top with your favorite burger toppings.

*To sprout lentils or any beans. Soak in mason jar with cheese cloth screwed on the top--8 hours or overnight. Drain and set jar on side in window sill. Rinse 2-3 times daily for three or four days until you see little green leaves appear after the white sprout appears.

[adapted from Heidi Swanson's Recipe]

Two Simple (and super tasty) Soups

2010-02-01T08:34:00.000-07:00

Our weather here lately demands steamy hot soups. Here are two really simple ones. I mean really simple.

Creamy Potato Leek Soup

2 Tblsp. Butter
2 Tblsp. Olive Oil
2 large Leeks (sliced crosswise and rinsed)
3 cups chicken/vegetable stock
1-2 potatos, cut in 1/2-inch pieces1/2 cup cream
salt and pepper to taste

Heat butter and oil in medium sauce pan and add leeks. Cook on medium heat for about 4 min. Add stock, brink to a boil, then add potatoes. Simmer until potatoes are tender. Then, crush several potatoes against the side of the pot with the back of a wooden spoon to help thicken the soup. Lower heat, add cream and seasoning. This would be good with some bacon crumbled on top or some buttery croutons--or both!

Thai Coconut Squash Soup*

1 Butternut squash (or two acorn squash)
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 can coconut milk
1-3 tsp. Thai red chili paste (can be purchased in the asian section of most grocery stores)
1 cup chicken/vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Slice squash in half, brush flesh with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast skin side down for 1 hour (this can be done ahead).

Scoop out flesh from squash into soup pot. Add coconut milk and chili paste. Over medium heat, use hand blender to mix until smooth. Add stock and blend again until smooth. season with more chili paste and salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with roasted pepitas or chives.

* adapted from 101 Cookbooks recipe

BONUS: My kids eat and like both of these soups!

Cooking For One with Katy - Episode 15

2010-01-12T09:27:00.001-07:00

Type rest of the post here

Cooking for One with Katy - Episode #13

2010-01-01T11:54:00.002-07:00

Finally folks ... I've got two more coming very soon! I will also be filming many more episodes in 2010!

Type rest of the post here

A Festive Spread

2009-12-19T13:31:00.002-07:00

We missed you at the party, so I thought the least I could do is give you the menu. Here's what we dined on in Durham during the snowstorm listening to drummer boy.

Cheesestraws:

Puff pastry, thawed, egg-washed, sprinkled with pepper and parmesan, cut in strips with a pizza cutter, twisted and baked for 15 minutes at 400.

Sesame Snap Peas:

Blanch peas in boiling water for 30 seconds, remove, run under cold water, pat dry, coat with toasted sesame oil and black sesame seeds.

Otsu:

For the recipe to this delicious Japenese Soba Noodle dish go here.

Curried Chicken Salad:

A Martha fave found here. Set bowl of salad on ice and serve with crackers.

Cheese selection (and pairing):

-Manchego with honeycomb
-Cheddar with pepper jelly
-Camembert with red pears

Crudite Platter:

Radishes halved lengthwise, cucumber spears, sliced fennel. Serve with a mixture of buttermilk, mayonnaise, fresh dill, onion, garlic powder and s&p.

Beverage:

Apple Cider and Sprite with cinnamon sticks.

*Combine all above with an array of chocolates and chocolates.

*All of the above can be made ahead of time the morning of.

.

Orange Rolls

2009-11-19T21:09:00.004-07:00

These are always a hit when I make them for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners. So easy, too. Another fabulous recipe from my long lost friend, Megan. Hope Canada appreciates her.

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 grated orange peel

18 frozen dinner rolls (I use Rhodes)

Combine butter, sugar and orange peel in a bowl. Dip frozen rolls into mixture then place in an ungreased muffin tin or baking pan.

Let rise for three hours.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Frost rolls with glaze while still warm.

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 Tbs. butter

2 Tbs. fresh orange juice.

Pomegranate Salad

2009-10-12T22:12:00.009-06:00

A yummy Leavitt Family tradition. Every year we serve this for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's the perfect fall/holiday salad - a fierce competitor to the traditional fruit salad.

Pomegranate Salad

3-4 large pomegranates, seeded

3/4 cup toasted pecan chips

4-5 apples, diced

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

4 Tbs powdered sugar

To seed a pomegranate, cut off the top and bottom, score the pomegranate in quarters. Over a bowl full of cold water, break apart and take the seeds out. The water will separate the seeds from the flesh. Grocery stores will usually have containers of pomegranate seeds if you don't want to seed them yourself.

Combine pomegranate seeds, pecans and apples in a large bowl. Whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Add to pomegranate mixture. Serve immediately.

Egglpant Focaccia with Fontina

2009-10-04T18:00:00.005-06:00

This can make a quick easy Fall meal. Next time I would add onions and maybe some roasted garlic. I use trader joe's pizza dough, but homemade would be just as good (not better, but just as good).

Dough

One large eggplant sliced 1/4 inch thick crosswise

grated fontina cheese--just a pile or so

olive oil

salt and pepper

Fresh Oregano

Heat oven to like 500 degrees with pizza stone in oven. Sprinkle eggplant with salt in colander and let sit for 10 minutes then pat dry. Stretch dough out to fit pan/stone and set on pizza peel or inverted cookie sheet. Sprinkle dough with 1/2 of cheese, layer with eggplant, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, layer with rest of cheese and oregano. Bake 20 minutes or until edges begin to brown and cheese is bubbly.

Dangerous Brownies

2009-09-29T11:20:00.004-06:00

These brownies are so dangerous because 1.) you'll almost always have all the ingredients on hand and 2.)they are so freaking good you will make two pans on Sunday and eat one of them by yourself. And p.s. I am typing this recipe from memory because I HAVE IT MEMORIZED. So sue me.

Dangerous Brownies

1 cup melted butter
1/3 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cup flour
2 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
1 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients together and mix until well blended. Grease an 8x10 pan with butter and bake at 350 degrees for 20-27 minutes (depending on your oven). Eat them all and look five months pregnant.......

Cooking For One with Katy - Episode 14

2009-09-24T09:15:00.003-06:00

Quesadillas with CJane

Nectarine-and Chickpea Couscous Salad With Honey-Cumin Dressing

2009-08-28T12:23:00.003-06:00

I made this easy recipe last night and all three of my girls chowed it down. Sometimes I forget how easy it is to make couscous. If you live in Utah, the cheapest place I have found to buy couscous is the bulk section of The Good Earth. Nectarines are in season right now and they are fabulous!!!

6 servings
Cooking Light, June 2000 ( 1 cup)

1 ¼ cups water
1 cup uncooked couscous
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
1 ½ cups coarsely chopped nectarines (about 3 medium)
½ cup coarsely chopped spinach
¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
1 (15 ½-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
Nectarine slices (optional)

Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan, gradually stir in couscous. Remove from heat cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork; cool. Combine lime juice and next 5 ingredients (juice through coriander0 in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add couscous, chopped nectarines, spinach, onions, and chickpeas; toss well. Garnish with nectarine slices, if desired.

Chicken and Corn Fried Rice

2009-08-17T09:01:00.002-06:00

Delicious, kid friendly, and cheap! Does it get any better?

It may not seem like spinach with lemon juice would go well with chicken and corn fried rice, but trust me, this works! The different flavors, textures and temperatures go perfectly together. I tried this out on my kids, and all of them loved it (and 2 out of 3 even ate the spinach). This comes from Chef Ming Tsai who responded to a challenge to some of the nation's best cooks: Come up with a meal that is family-friendly, budget-conscious, and delicious. IMO, he nailed all three!

NOTE: I skipped the whole chicken step. I just bought a ready-made roasted chicken (Costco's are really good) and shredded it. I also just did white rice, because I didn't want to cook two different kinds of rice. I'm lazy.

Chicken and Corn Fried Rice

Serves 4

1 pound ground chicken
2 eggs
1 large yellow onion, minced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon ginger powder
2 ears of corn when in season, or 1 bag frozen (12 ounces)
1/2 (10 ounces) bag spinach (washed, spun dry, de-stemmed, leaves torn)
2 tablespoons naturally brewed soy sauce
Juice of 1 lemon
4 cups cold, cooked long-grain rice, brown and white combination, preferably day-old so it's nice and dry*
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Canola oil

Heat a wok or large saute pan over medium-high heat. Lightly coat with oil. When oil shimmers add chicken, season with salt and pepper, and brown, breaking up any large chunks with wooden spoon or spatula. Remove chicken to a plate. Add about 1/2-inch oil to wok and allow to heat; add eggs, which will puff up. Cook scrambled eggs and remove to a paper towel-lined plate. If necessary, add more oil to wok to lightly coat, then add onions, garlic, and powdered ginger, and cook until nicely caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add corn, rice, chicken and egg, and toss to combine. Add naturally brewed soy sauce, toss to combine, and check for seasoning. Place mound of raw spinach in center of four dinner plates. Drizzle with lemon juice and season. Top with fried rice to cover. Enjoy!

*Alternatively, if you're not cooking rice the day before, place the cooked rice in a single layer on a sheet tray, and place in freezer to cool and dry.

Cooking for One with Katy - Episode #12

2009-08-15T10:17:00.001-06:00

Gyosa with Kristi

Curry pasta

2009-08-14T15:25:00.006-06:00

So we had lots of family in town for the 4th of July...I planned out breakfasts, planned out dinners...but forgot about lunch. Noon rolled around and we were famished. So my mother in law whipped this up out of what I thought was no food in the house. So I make it now all the time...a different version according to what's in the fridge. But it is goo-0000-oooooooood.

Curry Pasta Salad

Halved grapes (green or purple)

Chopped celery (or sometimes not if I don't have it)

Chopped onion (whatever you have)

Cashews or peanuts

Cooked or canned chicken (we used canned and it's perfect and so easy)

Cooked pasta (I love whole wheat macaroni)

Blob of mayo (we use low-fat and it tastes the same) plus curry to taste

Mix this all up and chill in the fridge for about an hour. We double it sometimes and eat it for lunch and dinner all week. Lazy.

Pineapple Sorbet

2009-08-03T14:29:00.002-06:00

No picture because me lazy. But this was the most delicious thing I have made in at least 28 days. Here:
1/ 2 a fresh pineapple chopped
1/2 c water
8 Tablespoons of sugar (or more or less depending on what you like, ya know?)
A squirt of lemon (if you feel like it)

Blend this all up. Put it in the fridge for awhile and then put it in your ice cream freezer (I bought a cheap Hamilton Beach one where you don't need salt or ice and it only takes a half hour) and let her go. You will not regret this baby. Not at all.

Type rest of the post here

Grilled Vegetables

2009-07-27T23:55:00.007-06:00

A yummy summer side dish (or meal if you're like me). Very easy - but looks very impressive.

Hi. I'm new here. (I'm not even sure if I'm doing this right). I'm Amy. I love photography and I love cooking. Thanks Holly, for the invite to contribute to this blog, where I will happily engage both of these loves!

This dish is deceptively easy but very impressive and looks like you spent a lot of time on it. This recipe is one of those you can just make off the top of your head - once you make it you will see how simple it is!

Grilled Vegetables

Choose your favorite from "grillable" vegetables. Tonight, I chose zucchini, crimini mushrooms, and red bell pepper. Also excellent: asparagus, green onions, eggplant and yellow squash.

Dressing:

2 Tbs olive oil

2 Tbs balsamic vinegar

2 garlic cloves, minced

Fresh parsley

Fresh basil

Fresh rosemary

Cut zucchini lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick slices. Quarter the bell pepper, take the stems off the mushrooms. Combine in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper.

Grill vegetables over medium high heat (be sure to grease the grill). Cooking times: about 8-10 minutes for the bell peppers; 7 minutes for squash, zucchini, eggplant and mushrooms; 4 minutes for asparagus and green onions.

Whisk the oil with vinegar and garlic. Add fresh herbs. You can use ANY of your favorite fresh herbs. I grabbed what was in my garden - basil and rosemary. Drizzle herb mixture over vegetables. Serve warm or at room temperature.

When Are You All Gonna Get Your Butts Out Here To Visit Succotash

2009-07-23T17:13:00.003-06:00

Here's the recipe:

Buy a ticket online.

Come here.

You may also bring your offspring.

Stay in my guest room.

Tag along with me to the farmer's market.

Buy: tomatoes, fresh-shelled peas/beans, and basil.

Boil: peas

Sautee: Leeks in olive oil, turn off heat, add tomatoes, boiled peas, basil chiffonade to leek mixture. S&P to taste. Sit down out on the screen porch and watch the bees and butterflies while we indulge in riveting convo and sip San Pellegrino Limonata while we savor our Succotash.

Strawberry Lemonade Salad

2009-07-16T13:08:00.005-06:00

Hi. I'm back. It's been....many months. But I'm posting my favorite summer salad because it's so easy and refreshing and simple and EVERYONE LOVES IT. The secret is the dressing.

[If I've posted this already, cut me some slack. I am not getting enough sleep.]

Plus, I want to let everyone know my good friend, Amy L. is joining us. She has awesome recipes so be excited. Welcome, Amy L.!

Strawberry Lemonade Salad

1 bag baby spinach leaves

1-2 cups strawberries sliced

That's all the salad requires but I like to add candied almonds when I feel fancy. Or throw in some grilled chicken or avocado to make it a meal. Endless possibilities.

Dressing:

1/3 c. sugar

1 lemon plus some zest

1 T. oil

2 T. white vinegar

This salad is so good, the pickiest eater in the family will be asking for more spinach. . . .

The Best Sandwich In the World

2009-06-15T13:09:00.003-06:00

Have you watched the movie "Spanglish"? If you haven't, do. If you have, rent it again to get this recipe...or don't and just get it here.

BLT With A Fried Egg and Cheese

3-4 slices of bacon
2 slices of Monterey Jack cheese
2 slices of toasted rustic country loaf
1 tbsp of mayo
4 tomato slices
2 leaves of butter lettuce
1 teaspoon butter
1 egg

Disclaimer: As with any sandwich--the quality and freshness of the ingredients make or break it. So, it is worth it to get REALLY GOOD bread with a dense moist interior and a crackly crust. Use flavorful tomatoes, farm fresh eggs, and quality Jack and thick-cut bacon from your local butcher. Do you have a local butcher?

Preparation:
1. Cook the bacon until crisp, drain on paper towels
2. Place slices of cheese on one side of toasted bread. Place in toaster oven or under broiler to melt.
3. Spread mayo on other slice of bread top with bacon, sliced tomato, and lettuce
4. On non-stick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Fry egg, turning over briefly when the bottom is set (keep yolk runny)
5. Slide finished egg on top of lettuce, top with other slice of bread
6. Place sandwich on plate and slice in half, letting yolk run down sandwich

Enjoy with an ice cold bottled root beer with your lover.

2009-05-25T08:25:00.002-06:00

I am always looking for fast, easy and fresh pasta salads. I love making a big bowl to keep in the fridge for lunches and I love a big bowl in the cooler for road trips. My obsession with pasta salad started with AnnD and her love of "Suddenly Salad".
Remember?!
Please post any favorites that you may have. Here are two of mine . . .

Yummy Pasta Salad #1 (pictured above)

1 box of your favorite pasta
Boil pasta according to package directions, as water begins to boil, add 2-3 cloves of garlic. Save garlic to use later in dressing.

1/2 cucumber diced
1 red bell pepper diced
1 can olives sliced
small chunks of fresh mozarella
handful of fresh chives chopped
handful of fresh basil chopped

Dressing:
juice of 1 lemon
2-3 TBS white wine vinegar
crushed garlic (from pasta water)
1-2 TBS olive oil
salt and fresh pepper to taste

Wisk dressing ingredients well and pour over pasta, veggies and herbs. Toss.

Pasta #2

1 box of angel hair pasta cooked according to package directions

8-9 roma tomatoes
1 can black olives sliced
large handful fresh basil chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
fresh parmesean cheese

soak tomatoes and olives in the vinegar, oil and salt and pepper up to 2 hours. Pour over pasta, toss well and sprinkle with Parmesan. Serve cold.

Cooking for One with Katy - Episode #11

2009-05-23T10:24:00.001-06:00

It's finally here folks - another episode. I'm looking for more guest cooks - whose in?

Tortellini and Ham Salad

2009-05-21T09:04:00.003-06:00

I love the double pack of fresh cheese tortellini from Costco. We eat them with just pesto and Parmesan, in a yummy shrimp dish ( I will post the recipe later), with browned butter and fresh sage, and last night my Mom made this recipe with a package I had saved in my freezer. We substituted bottle roasted red pepper for the fresh and sadly she couldn't find marinated mushrooms at Days or Costco.

Tortellini and Ham Salad
Family Fun Magazine, 2006

1 (9-ounce) package fresh cheese tortellini
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cups diced ham
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 (4-ounce) jar marinated mushrooms, drained
1/2 cup chopped black olives
4 scallions (white and pale green parts), chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan (optional)

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook according to the package directions, or just until tender. Drain the water, rinse the tortellini under cold water, and drain it again.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, rosemary, garlic, and sugar. Add the tortellini, ham, bell pepper, mushrooms, olives, and scallions to the dressing and toss to coat. Season the mixture to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Cover the bowl and let the salad stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes. Serve with grated Parmesan, if desired. Makes 4 servings

Note: We didn't let it cool longer than it took to throw the ingredients in and it was good without the Parmesan. One package of the tortellini from Costco was enough to roughly double the recipe.

Barbecued Hamburgers

2009-05-21T08:52:00.002-06:00

We had these burgers the other night and I remembered how much I like them. They are a good make-ahead meal if you are feeding a lot of people, or if you just have a few to feed you can freeze the leftovers in portions that are right for your family. They are good with just the BBQ sauce you cook them in or you can dress them up with the usual burger toppings. We had cheese, tomato, pickle, caramelized onion, and some chose to put Ketchup on. I like them on squishy wonder bread type buns, but I like them even better on fancy buns (possibly made with artisan bread dough). Whatever sounds good to you.

Barbecued Hamburgers

Managing Your Meals, Winnifred C. Jardine

1/1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1 egg, slightly beaten

3/4 cup dry bread crumbs or quick-cooking oats

3/4 cup evaporated milk

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons coarsely grated onion

3 tablespoons vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1 cup catsup

½ cup water

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

Combine beef, egg, crumbs, milk, salt, pepper, and 3 tablespoons chopped onion. Shape mixture into 12 patties, allowing 1/4 cup mixture per patty. Brown in hot skillet, using a little oil, if necessary. (Or patties may be quickly browned under the broiler; do not overcook, however.) Combine remaining ingredients in large heavy saucepan; simmer 5 minutes. Put in large heavy saucepan; simmer 5 minutes. Put drained patties carefully into barbecue sauce, making sure sauce is spooned over all of them. Simmer for 30 minutes. Serve each patty in a bun with 1 teaspoon sauce over top. Makes 12 patties.

Note: One advantage of these tasty burgers is that they may be prepared ahead of time, refrigerated, then heated slowly just before serving. You can freeze them too!!

Asian Noodle Salad

2009-05-14T15:54:00.003-06:00

I had some left over rotisserie chicken in the freezer. I gave it to my Mom and she made Asian Noodle Salad from July 2007 Cooking Light for dinner. It was fresh and good and light tasting. She put in more carrots and water chestnuts than the recipe calls for and used fresh zucchini cut into little squares in place of the green peppers ( I can't eat green peppers when I am pregnant). Since it is a recipe I am planning to make throughout the summer, I thought I would share it with you.

Molten Chocolate Cake

2009-05-11T12:51:00.002-06:00

A month or so ago Spencer and I splurged on dessert and split a Chocolate Lava Cake from Dew (a restaurant in Provo). I have been wanting more ever since. I decided Mother's Day was the day I was going to try this recipe from Epicurious. The cakes turned out really well. I substituted 1 tsp almond extract for the brandy and left the espresso powder out all together. I served them with a very generous dollop of sweetened whip cream on the top. I used the semisweet chocolate chips and it was really good, but next time I think I will use quality bittersweet chocolate for even more chocolate goodness. I hope you had a Happy Mother's Day!!

Ancho Chili Fudge Pie for Cinco de Mayo

2009-05-06T17:04:00.000-06:00

I made this pie for Spencer's work party yesterday. You can buy Ancho Chilis in the Mexican section of your grocery store. The Ancho Chili brings out the chocolate flavor. It isn't at all spicy--my little girls love it!! It is really good with vanilla ice cream on the side and a sprinkle of cinamon. The recipe is from ZTejas restaurant. We went to ZTejas one year for my birthday and fell in love with this dessert. Luckily the recipe was posted on their web site.

Ancho Chili Fudge Pie
Ingredients:

1	9 in.	Deep dish prepared pie crust
2	each	Eggs
1/2	cup	Flour
1/2	cup	White sugar
1/2	cup	Brown sugar
1	cup	Butter (2 sticks)
1/2	cup	Pecans
1/2	cup	Walnuts
1	cup	Chocolate chips
3/4	tsp	Ancho Chili Peppers, ground

Ancho peppers are available whole. To grind, soften peppers in water for 3 minutes, drain, grind in blender. Do NOT use chili powder.

Preparation:
Melt butter and chocolate chips together in a microwave proof dish. Stir together and allow to cool. Toast pecans and walnuts (I usually use all pecans) in oven on flat sheet until lightly brown. Beat eggs well. Add white flour, white sugar and brown sugar. Mix until smooth. Add cool butter, mix well.
Mix in nuts. Fold into mixture. Pour into prepared pie crust.
Bake at 325 degrees for 45-55 minutes.

Easy Dinner Menus for the First Week in May

2009-04-29T09:51:00.004-06:00

I sat down to make menus this morning so that I could go shopping while my three year old was in preschool. She was having a hard morning, so after I hand fed her breakfast I told her to go snuggle in her bed. When I went to get her dressed she was fast asleep. The poor little thing. At least I gave her the choice to either go to preschool or get in bed. She is still asleep and since I can't grocery shop I thought I would post my menu with links to the recipes. I don't feel great this morning and posting is much easier than cleaning the house.

These are in no particular order. I tried to use some things that are on sale and economize in other ways.

Mediterranean Burgers (I posted the recipe a few posts back) with oven fries--I wash some potatoes, put them through my french fry attachment to my Bosch, then I put them in a large ziploc with about 2 T canola oil on them and shake them. I dump them onto a large, greased cookie sheet and sprinkle them with some Johny's Seasoning Salt from Costco. "It's pure magic!!" I bake them at 475 for about 1/2 hour, turning once after 20 minutes or so.

Omelets with toast or flat bread--I am going to use ham chunks, cheese, tomatoes, fresh herbs, avocado, sour cream etc. Then I just let everyone pick what they want. I cook flat bread on my griddle using flattened pieces of well floured artisan bread.

Strawberry Chicken Salad with artisan bread
I am going to substitute feta for the blue cheese.

Curried Chicken Sandwiches From Sunset--May 2009 page 106
Lightly season mayonnaise with curry powder. Toast sliced sourdough bread and spread half the slices with your favorite mango chutney (I like Patak's brand) and the rest with the curry mayo. Arrange sliced grilled chicken, baby spinach leaves, and sliced English cucumber on half of bread. Top with remaining bread.
I will probably have fresh mangos, or maybe apricot lassis with these sandwiches. To make an apricot lassi I take 1 1/2 C plain yogurt, 1 can apricot nectar, honey to taste, about 8 ice cubes, throw it all in the blender and blend it up. You can make any flavor by changing the nectar flavor. I bottled peach and apricot nectar in pint jars last year, so that is what I will use.

Ginger Beef Salad with Miso Vinaigrette and artisan bread and fresh fruit.

Bistro Chicken Pasta Salad with bottled fruit salad (I mix peaches and pears--including the juice--with lots of frozen blackberries).

Economies--I am going to buy one big thing of plain Feta at Costco or Sams Club and use it in the pasta salad, strawberry salad, and Mediterranean burgers.

I bought the Top Sirloin Steak for $2.89 a pound at Buy Low and am substituting it for Flank Steak in Ginger Beef Salad with Miso Vinaigrette. I bought extra to freeze for other easy meals.

From my artisan bread dough I am going to make pitas for the burgers, bread for the Curry Chicken sandwiches, flat bread, grill bread, boule shaped bread to go with the salads, etc. It is really easy--I promise.

Strawberries are in season and therefore inexpensive.

I am going to use 1 rotisserie chicken from Costco for all the recipes with chicken even if they say to use grilled chicken instead.

I am using things I have bottled or frozen for side dishes.

Chicken Quesadillas with Mango Salsa

2009-04-28T10:21:00.002-06:00

My belly is so big that it is hard for me to cook. I am in need of a lot of easy dinners because I still have at least 8 weeks until this baby comes. I went grocery shopping at Buy Low last week and found lots of ripe mangos on sale as well as some avocados. Spencer reminded me of this recipe. I change it a bit depending on the ingredients I have. This is the first time I have used avocados in it. I usually put in steamed asparagus. Getting back to easy, I just used what I had. It was good, so I thought I would share it. I would love other easy (summer) dinner ideas from any of you.

Mango Salsa:

2 ripe Mangos cut into medium chunks. If you don't know how to cut a mango check out this clip.

2 ripe avocados cut into medium chunks.

3 T fresh chives--chopped (or any other kind of onion that sounds good to you--red, sweet, green)

Juice from 1/2 lemon or a whole lime

If I don't use chives I put in some chopped cilantro along with the onion.

Salt to taste

Quesadillas:

Cheddar and/or mozerella cheese--as much as you want

Tortillas

Sliced Grilled chicken--I put some KC masterpiece seasoning on two small breasts and cooked them on our BBQ. It was enough for two adults and three kids.

BBQ sauce to taste. I like a medium amount. Too much drowns out the salsa.

Make the quesadillas with the cheese, BBQ sauce and chicken in the middle. Serve with the salsa. We had home-made grape juice with this and that was it.

Asian Slaw

2009-04-21T09:11:00.004-06:00

This is my version of Asian Slaw. It is really fresh tasting, especially if you grate/slice your own head of cabbage. It is also pretty inexpensive to make. If I am feeling poor and get invited to a pot-luck or asked to bring a salad to a party then I will often make it. It is always a winner. Last night we ate it alongside Lemongrass Pork Sandwiches.

Asian Slaw

1/2 head cabbage--sliced fine (I put mine through my Bosch or Cuisinart slicer, but it isn't hard to do by hand.)

2 carrots--peeled and grated

3 T regular or black sesame seeds--toasted (I use my toaster oven, but you could do it in a pan or your oven. The cheapest place I have found to buy sesame seeds is the bulk section of Good Earth. They keep for quite awhile, so stock up!!)

This is the dressing I use. It comes together quickly, so don't be intimidated.

Sweet Sour French Dressing yield 1 1/4 C
From Mormon Country Cooking by Winnifred Jardine

1/2 C sugar
1/4 C wine or apple cider vinegar
1/4 C fresh lemon juice
1 T onion, grated (I grate mine on my microplane.)
1/3 C canola oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp celery salt (I leave this out if I don't have it.)

In a small saucepan combine sugar and vinegar; cook just until sugar dissolves. In a pint jar combine sugar-vinegar mixture, lemon juice, onion, oil, and seasonings. Cover; shake thoroughly. Shake again before serving. Also good on fruit salad or melon.

Combine cabbage, carrots, and sesame seeds. Just before serving, add dressing to taste (about 1/2 C). This recipe can be easily doubled or even tripled without having to make extra dressing.

Mediterranean Burgers

2009-04-20T08:43:00.003-06:00

Some day I am going to travel to Greece. I think I would like to go on a cruise of the islands and then pick my favorite one and stay in a villa by the sea side for the whole summer. I will hire a Greek chef who will cook for me and teach me how to make wonderful recipes (in between sitting on the beach, taking walks among ruins, and swimming/boating of course). Friends and family will be welcome to come stay for as long as they like. Until then I am going to make yummy recipes like these and pretend;).

Mediterranean Burgers

My Mom thinks she got this recipe from me. I can't remember.

1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1 cup yogurt

½ teaspoon cumin

1 pound lean ground beef or lamb

1 tablespoon ginger, minced

1/4 cup minced green onion

1/4 cup cilantro, minced

Garlic salt--to taste

Hot sauce--to taste

2 pita rounds

Thin slices peeled cucumber

Lettuce leaves

Combine first 3 ingredients; blend well; chill 1 hour. Combine next 6 ingredients. Shape into 4 patties ½-inch thick. Grill or broil for 6 to 7 minutes on each side till done. Serve patties in pita halves with cucumber, lettuce leaves and about 2 teaspoons feta-yogurt mixture.

Tzatziki and "Chicken Kababs"

2009-04-16T11:29:00.006-06:00

I made this recipe a little bit ago and it was the best Tzatziki I have ever had. I didn't have any of the Ouzo (Greek alcohol) so I left it out. I also substituted 2 tsp. dry dill for the fresh. I strained a 32oz. container of plain yogurt in a colander for about 8 hours (turning it with a spatula after 4 hours) because there wasn't any Greek yogurt at the grocery store I went to. Despite the modifications it was fabulous. Creamy and almost cheese-like with a great flavor. We had it with this version of "chicken kababs" and grill bread (flat bread made on the grill with artisan bread dough). I used 1/3 C of the strained yogurt in the marinade before putting the rest in the tzatziki. The whole meal was really good. If you don't want to make grill bread then just buy some thick flat bread. Now that I have been thinking about it I am going to have to make it again soon.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

2009-03-20T22:22:00.003-06:00

Here's the deal- This soup is the bomb. People have been asking me to post this recipe and I'm just now getting around to it. Sorry. It's not so much soup season anymore but who really cares? I entered this soup in a soup contest and it won. I went home with an award of white tic-tacs. It's that good.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

6 C chicken broth
1 pkg. Uncle Ben's Wild Rice & Seasonings (original. regular size)
1/2 C chopped green onion
1/2 C butter
3/4 C flour
1/2 t salt
1/8 t pepper
2 C half & half
1 1/2 C cubed cooked chicken
crumbled bacon (optional)

In a large pot boil chicken broth, rice with seasonings and green onion. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 35-40 min. Until rice is tender.

When rice is tender do this- In a separate pan add the butter, flour, salt, pepper and half & half. Cook until slightly thickened stirring constantly. Add mixture to broth and rice. Add chicken. Garnish with bacon if you feel so inclined.
ENJOY!

I'm not so good at being thorough with my recipes. Questions are always welcome.

Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

2009-03-16T14:03:00.002-06:00

So, I needed one more goody for my husband's birthday party, but I was already cooked out. Solution: Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches. No nonsense and entirely delicious. Adults and kiddies alike downed them.

2 dozen homemade or good-quality bakery cookies (I used Oatmeal Cranberry Walnut Cookies from Days Market, don't tell)

1 1/2 quart container good-quality ice cream (I used Breyer's Vanilla)

Sprinkles, Toffee Bits, Mini-Chocolate Chips, etc.

I cut the cookies in half with a knife first and then placed a scoop of just softened ice cream on one half and then squished the other half on top. To complete the ensemble, roll the edges of the ice cream in topping of your choice. The adults loved the toffee bits, the kids preferred sprinkles. Freeze until it's party time. Makes 24 half sandwiches or 12 big ones.

Oakie Cake with Toasted Cinnamon-Sugared Pecans

2009-03-16T13:47:00.002-06:00

Most of the known world calls this Texas Sheet Cake, Mexican Chocolate Cake or Stretch Cake, but not the Purveses. It's Oakie Cake and it's the best version of this type of cake I've ever tried. Why? Two sticks of butter vs. the typical one, and a particularly fudgy frosting. Do try.

2 cubes butter

1 cup water

4 Tbl. cocoa powder

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 heaping tsp. baking soda

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. cinnamon

In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking soda and cinnamon until combined; set aside. Bring the butter, water and cocoa to a gentle boil. Pour over flour mixture and add remaining ingredients, mixing well. Pour into a greased jelly roll pan. Bake 20-25 minutes at 350*. Meanwhile, prepare icing and pour over cake while still hot.

Fudgy Chocolate Icing

1 cube butter

2-3 oz. good semi-sweet or bittersweet baking chocolate

6 Tbl. milk or cream

1 lb. or 2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Bring butter, chocolate and milk to a boil. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar, and vanilla.

Toasted Cinnamon-Sugared Pecans

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

2 Tbl. sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

In a skillet over medium-high heat, toast nuts with the sugar and cinnamon about five minutes, constantly flipping and stirring. Sprinkle over icing while warm.

White Chocolate Berry Trifle

2009-03-16T13:39:00.003-06:00

This is a win-win dessert. Easy to prepare and a real crowd pleaser. Enjoy!
1 butter pund cake (Costco's are yummy)
1 small package instant white chocolate pudding mix (not sugar-free)
1 14oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup fresh whipped cream
4 cups fresh or frozen raspberries, strawberries, favorite berry
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups fresh whipped cream
1/4 cup sugar

Cut pound cake into 1 inch squares; set aside.
Mix berries and sugar; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine pudding mix, water and sweetened condensed milk. Mix until smooth, then fold in 1 cup whipped cream until no streaks remain.
In large trifle dish, place 1/3 of cake pieces, 1/3 of berries and 1/3 of pudding mixture. Repeat two more times. Refrigerate at least 8 hours. Top with fresh cream and garnish with more berries or chocolate shavings. Serves 10.

Baked Ziti

2009-03-16T09:17:00.002-06:00

I went to my Grandmas last night for dinner and a fireside with my cousins. She does them every month. She is pretty much the ultimate "home maker". Well educated, mother of eight successful children, fabulous cook, entertainer extroardinaire, gardener, author etc. etc. etc. etc. Sometimes I pretend to be like her. She turns 75 in May and I am positive she gets more done in a day than I do. Anyway, I got in line with my cousins to dish up dinner and I saw a baked pasta dish on the counter. I'm not really a fan of baked pasta, especially with red sauce, so I took a small serving. I went to my seat and had a bite. It was fabulous. I shouldn't have been surprised, after all my Grandma made it. I got the recipe from her and I found it on the internet to share with all of you. Truly it is way good. The diced mozerella was soooo good in it. The only thing she did differently was to use dried basil (to taste) instead of fresh. I am excited to have found such a yummy recipe. It always makes me happy to add another winner to my collection. I might even start subscribing to the magazine.

http://www.recipezaar.com/Baked-Ziti-from-Cooks-Illustrated-354885

One day I will learn how to link the tricky way where you only have to click a highlighted word. For now, you might have to copy and paste it into your browser.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

2009-03-08T13:33:00.001-06:00

DELISH!!!

Ingredients
1 box Betty Crocker® Original Supreme brownie mix (with chocolate syrup pouch)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
2 eggs
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® chocolate chip cookie mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
1 container Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy chocolate frosting

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray, or grease with shortening. Make brownie mix as directed on box, using oil, water and 2 eggs. Spread in pan.
2. Make cookie mix as directed on pouch, using butter and 1 egg. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls evenly onto brownie batter; press down lightly.
3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool on cooling rack 30 minutes. Frost with frosting. For brownies, cut into 8 rows by 6 rows.

A little birdie (her name is Bakerella) told me that if you want to make these even better, you can skip the canned frosting and make this ganache for topping instead. YUM!

Chocolate Ganache
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate morsels
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
6 Tbsp butter

* In a small saucepan, heat cream and butter until just before the boiling stage.
* Pour over the chocolate morsels.
* Let stand about 20 seconds and stir until smooth.
* Pour over brownies and let set before cutting.

Strawberry Shortcake with Lemon Ginger Cream

2009-03-08T08:49:00.002-06:00

My cousin Sarah is getting married and all she is serving at her reception is strawberry shortcake. I love strawberry shortcake, so that is fine by me. Here is my very favorite recipe.

Strawberry Shortcake with Lemon Ginger Cream

Sunset, May 1995

About 2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup plus about 2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel (colored part only)

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter or margarine, cut into chunks

2 large egg yolks

2/3 cup buttermilk

2 quarts strawberries, rinsed and hulled, at room temperature

Lemon-ginger cream (recipe below)

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, ½ cup sugar, baking powder, lemon peel, soda, and salt. With pastry blender or your fingers, cut or rub in butter until mixture looks mealy. Combine yolks and buttermilk to blend, then add to flour mixture and stir with a fork until dough holds together. On a floured board, knead dough until smooth, 15 to 20 turns. Reflour board and pat out dough 1 inch thick. Cut into 6 circles with floured 2 ½- to 3-inch round cutter, gathering and repatting scraps as needed. Lift onto an ungreased 12 x 15-inch baking sheet and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar. Bake shortcakes in 400 degree oven until deep golden, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to rack until cool, at least 30 minutes.

Set aside 6 whole berries. Slice remaining berries, place in bowl and stir with 2 tablespoons sugar; let stand 10 minutes to 1 hour. Split shortcakes horizontally and place each bottom on a plate. Cover them with some lemon-ginger cream and sliced berries, then the shortcake tops. Garnish each with a whole berry. Offer with remaining cream and sliced berries. Serves 6.

Lemon-ginger cream: In a small bowl, combine 1 cup sour cream, 1/3 cup chopped crystallized ginger, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 ½ teaspoons grated lemon peel. In the large bowl of a mixer, beat ½ cup whipping cream until thick. Fold in sour cream mixture.

Snow Ice Cream

2009-03-02T09:15:00.003-07:00

Today North Carolina got dumped on with piles of fluffy snow. This doesn't happen too often around here so we have to take advantage of it every way we can. Growing up in Utah, we made this often.

To make homemade snow ice cream:

Fill a bowl with the fluffiest snow available
Stir in milk until it is the perfect ice creamy consistency
Add sugar to taste
Add fresh fruit or chocolate or caramel sauce if desired

Enjoy by closing your eyes and by not thinking about the millions of pollutants you are consuming.

Lemon Caper Chicken

2009-03-01T14:13:00.002-07:00

My whole family loves this dish. My girls steal as many capers as possible to go on their chicken. I like it because it is a little fancy, but comes together in 30 minutes or less and it tastes great!! Lately I have been serving the chicken and sauce over whole wheat linguine with broccoli as a side dish. I don't have an exact recipe for this dish. I have adapted it over time from one my sister-in-law Jenny gave to me. I wrote it out the way I make it. I hope it makes sense to you. Feel free to ask questions and I will answer. Also, make sure to read the whole thing through before you start :) I put the ingredients in a different color, so you can quickly scan them when you are making your shopping list.

NOTE: The first thing I do when I am making this dinner is start a big pot of water for the noodles. Then I wash and cut the broccoli. I either cook the broccoli (when everything else is almost done) in the microwave with a little water in a glass pyrex, or steam it on top of my noodles. It turns the pasta water green, but doesn't affect the taste.

Then I start on the chicken:

2 large chicken breasts, pounded as thin as you can
flour--about 1/2 cup--on a plate with shallow sides
2 eggs--beaten--in a wide shallow bowl or plate with adequate sides.

1 T olive oil
1 T butter
Put the olive oil and butter in a large frying pan and start it heating on medium.

I always pound my chicken inside a gallon size ziploc bag to cut down on the mess. I use my marble rolling pin. After I have the chicken pounded I dip it first in the flour and then in the egg and set it directly in the hot frying pan. Cook the chicken until it is golden brown on both sides with no pink in the middle.

While the chicken is cooking make the sauce:
2 C water with 2 chicken bouillon cubes or 1 can chicken broth--divided
1-2 garlic cloves depending on your taste, grated on the microplane or minced
The juice and zest from 1/2 a lemon
Salt to taste
2 T flour

1 bottle of capers--to serve with the chicken and sauce

When the chicken is done, put it on a plate and cover it with foil. Your water will probably be boiling now, so check, and throw the noodles (about 8 oz.) in--if you haven't already. Pour the sauce ingredients into the chicken frying pan--reserving 1/4 C of broth. Scrape off the brown chicken bits at the bottom so they become part of the sauce and let it come to a boil. While you are waiting for it to boil, stir 2 T flour into the 1/4 C of broth until there are no lumps. When the sauce is boiling whisk in the flour/broth mixture and cook for an additional minute or two until it thickens. I always taste it at this point in case it needs salt. If it is too lemony I add more chicken broth. Once you have tasted it etc., take it off the heat. Cook your broccoli until tender crisp. Drain the noodles. Serve the noodles with chicken, sauce, and as many capers as you like. The lemon sauce is good on the broccoli too. Then pat yourself on the back for making your family such a fabulous dinner in 30 minutes.

(Sorry if the punctuation in this recipe is incorrect. I always feel self-concious about punctuation when I know Ann Dee is going to read my stuff. ;))

Lemon Grass Pork Sandwiches

2009-02-26T17:38:00.002-07:00

Spencer and I tried out a new hole in the wall restaurant in Provo named Dew. We really liked it and I was craving the Lemon Grass Pork Sandwiches so much that I decided to make my own. Both Spencer and I decided we liked my version even better than the restaurant. You will have to decide for yourself. I made my own demi-baguettes from the basic artisan dough recipe. We also love the dumplings and the soup at Dew. I would definitely recommend it, but it isn't a fun place for kids.

Lemon Grass Pork Sandwiches

6 green onions (white and pale green parts only), chopped (about 1/2 cup)
3 tablespoons chopped lemongrass*
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon golden brown sugar
2 teaspoons ginger
1 clove garlic--grated on the microplane or minced
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds boneless pork loin chops (each 1/3 to 1/2 ich thick) or bone in if that is what you have.

Mix all marinade ingredients together and shake them with the pork in a ziploc etc. Marinate for 3 hours and up to overnight turning/shaking a few times if you remember. Grill chops with marinade sticking to them until they are done, but still juicy. Cover with foil for 5 minutes, then slice. Serve on baguettes with julienned cucumber, jicama, grated carrots, and sweet Thai chili sauce to taste.

New Podcast - Thai Food

2009-02-01T19:50:00.003-07:00

This was really yummy - sorry I don't have the actual recipe to post. I guess you'll just have to watch the video to see what the ingredients are and how much to add.

Bacon and Broccoli Quiche

2009-01-30T11:50:00.003-07:00

This is so good on a cold night...I one and a half this recipe for two pie crusts. And I always cook it longer than the recipe says...

Bacon and Broccoli Quiche

4 slices bacon (sometimes I buy real bacon bits if I'm lazy)
1 c. half and half
2 c. broccoli flowerets
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
4 eggs
1 c. grated Swiss cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. lemon pepper
2 pie crusts (I just buy mine, maybe you'll make yours)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook bacon until crisp, set aside. Beat eggs with cream and cheese. Stir in broccoli, salt, garlic powder and lemon pepper. Crumble bacon into egg mix. Form mixture into a 9" pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean. Top with remaining bacon.

Cheeseball

2009-01-30T11:38:00.010-07:00

What if I hosted a Book Club meeting last night and my friend Sarah brought a cheeseball and I ate (almost) the entire thing? That'd be so weird...

Sarah’s Cheese Ball that I ate half of last night:

1 Tbs. salt

2 bars cream cheese

3 Tbsp. green onion

½ cup green bell pepper chopped

½ cup pecans

1 small can crushed pineapple

Mix all together. Roll in additional pecans and put in fridge until ready to serve.

Cinnamon Oatmeal Waffles

2009-01-27T10:28:00.003-07:00

This is just a link to a post I saw on a cooking blog I like. I haven't made these.

But I'm going to. Oh, I'm going to.

http://everybodylikessandwiches.blogspot.com/2009/01/filler-up-cinnamon-oatmeal-waffles.html

Vegetarian Lasagna

2009-01-22T22:24:00.003-07:00

A good way to get rid of the spinach you bought at Costco and never use because maybe you don't eat as many salads as you should. I obviously need to stop going to Costco.

2 big handfuls of spinach, chopped
1 jar of alfredo sauce--I use Classico sun-dried tomato (or you can make your own)
1/2 cup milk (sometimes I don't add milk--depends on how runny I want it)
1 (8 ounce) package lasagna noodles
1 pint part-skim ricotta cheese
1 egg
8 ounces shredded carrots
8 ounces fresh mushrooms sliced or broccoli or artichoke hearts or zucchini (get crazy with it)
A lot of shredded mozzarella cheese and some parmesan too (or whatever italiany cheese you have on hand)

First:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 10x15 inch lasagna pan with cooking spray.
Soak the noodles in hot water while you assemble the other stuff.
Place the spinach in a medium bowl. Mix in ricotta. Beat the egg with a wire whisk, and add it to the spinach and ricotta. Stir well to blend.
Combine pasta sauce with milk in a medium bowl. Mix well.
Then I saute the vegetables with some garlic. You don't have to do this. You can just add them in raw but I like to make things difficult plus I bought that big garlic thing at Costco. I know, I know.

Now layer and you can do it however you want but here's one way:
Spread about 1/2 cup pasta sauce mixture evenly in the bottom of the dish.
Place 3 softened noodles over the sauce.
Spread half of the spinach mixture over the noodles.
Sprinkle with half of the carrots and half of the mushrooms.
Sprinkle the cheese.
Place 3 more noodles over the cheese.
Pour 1 1/2 cups sauce over the noodles.
Spread the remaining spinach mixture over the sauce, followed by layers of the remaining carrots and mushrooms and then some cheese.
Place 3 more noodles over the vegetables.
Pour remaining sauce evenly on top.
Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese. Spray a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil, spray side down.

Now:
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Turn the oven off and take off the foil (I'm not sure why this step is necessary and I don't really do it), and place the uncovered dish back into the warm oven for 15 more minutes. Serve at once, or let rest until ready to serve.

Roasted Root Vegetable Ragout with Creamy Polenta

2009-01-21T12:17:00.003-07:00

Roasted Root Vegetable Ragout

6 cipolline onions (I used pearl)

4 baby turnips or 2 large, cut in eighths

1 small celery root, peeled and cut into wedges

1/2 pound whole baby carrots

3 new potatoes, halved

2 leeks, white part only, cleaned and cut into 1/4-inch rings

2 parsnips, peeled and quartered

8 brussel sprouts

1 tablespoon (or more) olive oil

2 sprigs each of fresh thyme, rosemary, and parsley

1/2 cup white wine

2 cups Vegetable Stock

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 bay leaf

2 cups coarsely chopped Swiss chard (I used red)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Serves 4-6

Preheat oven to 475 F.

In a heavy roasting pan, combine the vegetables and olive oil and toss to coat. Roast 20 to 30 minutes, turning every 10 until the vegetables are nicely browned. Meanwhile, tie the herbs together with kitchen string. Transfer the pan to the top of the stove. Add the wine, stock, tomatoes, and herbs and cook over high heat for 15 minutes. Stir in the Swiss chard and cook 2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. To serve spoon vegetables and sauce over polenta.

Creamy Polenta

4 cups Chicken Stock/or canned broth

1 cup polenta (yellow grits)

1/4 cup milk

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Serves 4

In a large Saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to medium and add the polenta slowly, whisking each addition very briskly. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes or until thick and creamy. Add the milk (I also added 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, freshly grated) and stir to thoroughly incorporate. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

2009-01-18T08:36:00.002-07:00

Lemon Curd Layer Cake

This cake is divine. I modify the whipping cream by stabilizing it with plain gelatin because it always falls apart and never looks a thing like the lovely picture below. It is still beautiful, but in a more free-form, flowing kind of way. It is fairly time-consuming. I am going to make it for my Mom's Birthday because she is totally worth all the work and it is her favorite cake. I am going to make it in three stages, first the lemon curd (which keeps for 1 week), then the cake the day before, and then the frosting the day of the party.

Bon Appétit | March 1999

yield: Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

For lemon curd

2 1/3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup fresh lemon juice
4 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

For frosting

3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 cups chilled whipping cream
1 1/2 tsp. gelatin
2 1/2 T cold water

For cake

1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup orange juice
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
8 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Lemon slices, halved, patted dry (I don't usually bother with this decoration)

Preparation

Make lemon curd:
Combine 2 1/3 cups sugar and 2 teaspoons cornstarch in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in fresh lemon juice. Whisk in eggs and yolks; add butter. Whisk over medium heat until curd thickens and boils, about 12 minutes. Pour into medium bowl. Refrigerate until cold, at least 5 hours. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)

Make frosting:
Beat powdered sugar and 1 1/4 cups lemon curd in large bowl just until blended. Place gelatin and cold water in a small glass bowl and let sit 5 minutes. Dissolve gelatin by placing the glass bowl over a small pot of simmering water. Remove the bowl as soon as the gelatin dissolves. Immediately beat cream in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Beat in gelatin mixture and then fold cream into curd mixture in 3 additions. Chill until firm, at least 4 hours.

Make cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides; line bottoms with parchment paper. Whisk 1 1/2 cups cake flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and ‟ teaspoon salt in large bowl. Add 4 yolks, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, orange juice, lemon peel and 3/4 cup curd to bowl (do not stir). Combine whites and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar in another large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1 cup sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Using same beaters, beat yolk mixture until smooth. Fold whites into yolk mixture in 3 additions.

Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks; peel off parchment. Cool cakes completely.

Spoon 1 cup frosting into pastry bag fitted with plain round tip; refrigerate bag. Place 1 cake layer on cake platter. Spread top of cake layer with 1/3 cup curd, then 1 cup frosting. Top with second cake layer; spread with 1/3 cup curd and 1 cup frosting. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Spread remaining curd over top of cake, leaving 3/4-inch plain border around edge. Pipe chilled 1 cup frosting in bag in small mounds around edge of cake. (Cake can be prepared 1 day ahead; refrigerate.) Place lemon slices between mounds of frosting. Slice cake and serve.

What would you do with a

2009-01-16T21:09:00.002-07:00

five pound pork roast that someone bought on sale at Costco because it was on extreme sale and they were trying to be frugal but then they ended up not so frugal because they spent money on a five pound pork roast and they've never cooked a five pound pork roast? I'm asking for a friend. Thanks.

Type rest of the post here

Play Dough for All

2009-01-15T10:37:00.004-07:00

K. This is a recipe for play dough. Don't eat it. But listen, it's not just for kids. I made some on Monday and it felt so good in my hands. My child was sitting at the island yelling "Play ooo, Play ooo" but I didn't want to give it up. Seriously. It's soft and it was warm and it's a great stress reliever. Not only that, kneading in the colors is fun. I am always amazed at how vibrant they turn out. That may be why I'm so hesitant to hand them over. For some reason, V does NOT want to keep the beautiful colors separate so it ends up one big gray blob. Oh well.

1 cup flour
1 cup warm water
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon oil
1/4 cup salt
food coloring

Mix all ingredients except the food coloring. Stir over medium heat until it turns into play doughish stuff. Remove from pan and knead until blended smooth. Divide the dough into how ever many colors of play dough that you want. Drop in the drops and knead.
Keep it in a plastic bag or airtight container when cooled. It keeps for awhile but then it gets crumbly all over the floor and gets tracked through the house. Unless you pay better attention which of course you all do.

Eggs: It's What's for Dinner (insert whipcrack. err...eggcrack)

2009-01-13T08:01:00.004-07:00

Sometimes I have to remind myself that eggs are not just for breakfast. There are actually lots of things you can do with them for dinner. They're relatively cheap as a protein source, are a high quality protein source, cook fast, and---unless you have some major genetic issue with processing dietary cholesterol---are perfectly healthy, yolks and all. Many nutritionists call them 'nature's perfect food.' Wow! They are also extra-convenient for those of us cooking for one or two people because they are neatly pre-packaged in ones.

Of course there are omelets and fritattas and quiches - all great ways to get in vegetables and/or use up leftovers. The other day I had a goat cheese and spinach omelet for dinner. That was yummy. But it gets even easier than that. Here some ideas:

- Egg sandwich: fry an egg to your liking in a little butter or oil or cooking spray, and make into a sandwich with or without cheese or maybe a slice of ham or something. Good grainy bread and good grainy mustard makes it extra yum.

- Huevos rancheros sort of: If you happen to be simmering a pot of beans or chili (or a can of beans of chili!), you can crack an egg (per person) into the simmering beans and let it sit there on top and poach until it's done to your liking. Serve it on a tortilla.

- Poached eggs: I love poached eggs in winter. Very comforting. The other night I had a couple of poached eggs on top of some fresh spinach I'd wilted in olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. So simple, so good.

- Grains'n'eggs: If you have some kind of leftover cooked grains, like rice or wheat berries or quinoa or barley, heat a little oil in a skillet. Add 1/2 to 1 cup grains (depending how hungry you are), stir fry until the grains are mostly un-clumped and heated. Move the grains to the side of the pan or create an empty circle of pan in the middle. Crack an egg in there and let it set a little, then scramble it into the grains. Season with salt, pepper, whatever else. Fancier version: add some chopped onion and/or garlic with the grains, and at the end throw in leftover cooked vegetables or a handful of fresh chopped spinach or some microwaved broccoli. This is basically a play on fried rice, so if you want to make it Asian-style, add some soy sauce or peanut sauce or something like that.

- Potatoes'n'eggs: same as above only made with cooked chopped potato instead of grains.

- Any other ideas?

Spinach Pasta

2009-01-06T19:48:00.005-07:00

I called my sister and said, "Do you think it's cool that I made spinach pasta today?"
She said,"Umm, it's not exactly cool. It's sort of interesting but not, like, cool."
So these things aren't the "coolest" in the world but they are interesting and they helped me not go into severe depression and kept my toddler busy (see above picture). Plus they are super easy.

* 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach or two big handfuls of fresh spinach (I had a lot because I thought I was going to go all healthy and have green smoothies)
* 2 eggs
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 cups all-purpose flour or wheat flour.

In a blender or food processor (I used my Vita-mix), combine spinach, eggs and salt; process until smooth. Pour into a bowl. Gradually add enough flour to make a firm, but not sticky, dough (I made the mistake of dumping both cups of flour in there right away. Don't do that. I had to add water. It still worked fine but, not smart). On a floured surface, knead about 20 times. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes (I let mine rest for about an hour because I had to draw pictures of Wall-E). Divide dough in half. On a floured surface, roll each half to 1/.16-in. thickness. Roll up jelly-roll style and cut into 1/4-in. slices. Separate the slices and let rest on a clean towel for at least 1 hour (or 5 hours if you are me) Cook noodles in boiling salted water until tender, about 15-20 minutes; drain.

I boiled half of them for dinner and froze the other half. For the sauce I mixed some butter with Parmesan cheese and then some milk. I just poured/gooped it on the hot noodles and stirred a bit. It was yum. The End.

Bacon and Eggs in Toast

2009-01-06T16:20:00.007-07:00

Since no one has posted anything yet for 2009 and it's already the SIXTH, I'm going to limp in with a link, just because it looks so awesomely good and easy for a winter breakfast if you've got some dough in the fridge. I'm sure it would work with any bread dough.

http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=482

A couple of new podcast episodes

2008-12-28T11:22:00.004-07:00

For your Holiday enjoyment...

Oil
Chicken
1 cup water chestnuts
2/3 cup mushrooms
3 Tablespoons chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Ice Berg Lettuce

Sauce:
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar

Overnight Oatmeal muffins: a recipe worth returning to again and again

2008-12-23T10:50:00.007-07:00

1 cup regular oats
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup dried blueberries

1. Combine oats and buttermilk in a medium bowl; cover and refrigerate overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 350

3. Mix flour, buttermilk mixture, and next six ingredients (through eggs) in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Fold in blueberries (or any dried fruit)

4. Spoon 1/4 cup batter into each of 24 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Remove muffins from pans immediately, place on a wire rack.

Cake Snowballs

2008-12-14T20:24:00.004-07:00

Maybe you've seen this recipe before floating around the internet but oh well. Here it is again. Cam and I made some yesterday and oooooooooo baby. Seriously. I took them to my 12-13 year old Sunday School class along with some peanut butter cup cookies and they ALMOST were more popular than the peanut butter ones. That's a big deal. Especially since they were lemon and most 12 year olds prefer chocolate. According to scientists. I'm just saying.

Here's what you need:
A cake
Some frosting
Some dipping chocolate.
Don't be mad if this feels like the other fat free recipe I posted a week ago.

Here's what you need to do:
Make the cake (from a box, from scratch, whateva). I whipped up a lemon cake from Mrs. Duncan Hines. The best part is the cake can look horrible because the next step is to
Let the cake cool and the crumble the puppy up. Just smash it to pieces. Then you
Add 1/2 a thing of frosting (if you buy it from the store. if you make your own, just add until the concoction gets gooey enough to form into balls). I used a cream cheese frosting container and it was quite cream cheesy. Yum. After that,
Form the cake frosting mixture into balls. Whatever size you like but I think average would be like a quarter size or maybe the size you'd use when making regular cookies. Next,
Put the balls in a container and then freeze them for a couple of hours.This step is sort of important if you don't want to get cake floaties in your chocolate.
When that's through, get them out, melt some chocolate chips or almond bark or white dipping chocolate, etc. and dip them.

Cam (my dear husband who I boss around) did all the dipping of the cake balls. We used a fondue pot and some awesome white chocolate melting thingies. We were so proud of ourselves afterward because they were BEAUTIFUL (like soft, delicate snowballs on a winter's day) and delicious and looked like we knew what we were doing. Always important.
You can obviously use any combo you like. Lemon/cream cheese/white chocolate, Red velvet/buttercream/dark chocolate, etc. etc. And you can also get super fancy and decorate them even more after they've been dipped. We didn't do that because maybe we didn't feel like it, okay?
Okay.
The End.

Soup, soup, all the time

2008-12-12T05:00:00.008-07:00

Follow these links to four of my favorite:

Creamy Tomato Soup with Dill

Garlic Stracciatella

Potato Leek Soup

Soy Ginger Soup with Tofu and Noodles

file under "eggplant"

2008-12-11T20:41:00.007-07:00

I don't like eggplant. It's slimy! But this week I tried ordering the box of organic produce from Winder with our dairy order, and what did my eyes behold when I opened the box? An eggplant. And I paid good money for that thing so I was determined to eat it. I've read in many cookbooks about roasting vegetables and kind of making them into a room-temp sauce for pasta. This seemed like a good time to try that.

After determining via Google that it's okay to eat eggplant skin (lots of people do), I just chopped it into chunks, and chopped a small organic onion that also came in the order. I tossed the eggplant and onion with about 1.5 T. of olive oil, a generous pinch of kosher salt, a few grinds of pepper, and a few splashes of balsamic vinegar. I put that in an 8x8 Pryrex dish and stuck it in the toaster oven at 400 for about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, I put water onto boil and also discovered half a can of chopped tomatoes in the fridge. While the whole wheat spaghetti cooked, I put the eggplant mixture in a bowl with the tomatoes, a spoonful of capers, and a little bit of fresh grated Parmesan. When the pasta was done, tossed that all together, and served. It was yummy! Even the slimy eggplant was good. It helped that I was starving to death.

P.S. The medium eggplant and 5.5 oz. of pasta was perfect for two people.

Perfect For That Holiday Party You're Hosting

2008-12-11T11:02:00.003-07:00

Peppercorn Buttermilk Dip

1 C sour cream
2 T buttermilk (I like mine a bit runnier so I add more)
1 t ground pepper
2 t minced chives (or scallions )
1/2 t chopped freesh thyme (or dry)
1 large shallot, minced
1/2 t kosher salt
It is good for 48 hours.

This is the yummiest dip in the universe. Seriously, I could drink it. And no mayo, baby. Serving suggestion below:

Toffee

2008-12-09T08:54:00.003-07:00

Try this delicious Toffee recipe. Sorry no picture but if you were at THE party of '08 you probably saw it, and you probably ate it and you hopefully liked it.

Toffee
2 C Sugar
2 C Butter (4 sticks, 1 lb (enjoy the holidays))
4 T Water
2 C Chopped Pecans
2 bags of Milk Chocolate Chips

Spread pecans out evenly on a cookie sheet. In a large pan mix sugar, butter and water. Boil until it's a caramel color (if using a candy thermometer it'll be over 300 degrees (you don't have to have a thermometer.)) Stirring constantly (this process takes a while and you have to continue stirring it so give yourself some time. I'm not talking ALL day. Just maybe 10 min. or so. Be patient, is what I'm trying to say. And look for a caramel color. Think of what color those little (delicious) caramel squares are, and go for that color.) Pour mixture over nuts on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. (the chips will melt but I usually spread them out with a knife so it looks pretty.) Let it cool completely (short on time? throw it in the fridge for a bit.) And then break it apart by kinda like stabbing a butter knife around breaking it into chunks.
And that's it.
And I've also halved the recipe and just used half of the cookie sheet, works great.

Oreo Circles

2008-12-05T07:40:00.004-07:00

The possibilities are endless.
Plus these are fat free.
And they make great stocking stuffers.
Please add your favorite holiday treat if you even want to. Thanks and goodbye.

Oreo Balls Recipe Ingredients

* 8 ounces softened cream cheese or whipped cream cheese
* 18 ounces package of Oreo cookies, crushed
* 2 cups semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips (or a big block of dipping chocolate that you can get at Maceys or somewhere else like a candy dipping store)
* 1 tablespoon shortening (except I think shortening is sort of sick so I don't use it usually)

Oreo Balls Recipe Instructions

Mix cream cheese with electric mixer until fluffy. Add the crushed Oreos and beat on high until well mixed. Chill for at least 2 hours in the freezer. Then roll Oreo cookie mix into one inch Oreo Balls.

Next, melt the chocolate chips and shortening with a double boiler (why would you use a double boiler if the other option is a microwave?) or in the microwave.

Dip the Oreo balls completely into the melted chocolate using tongs or a toothpick.

Put on wax paper. After the Oreo balls harden, keep them in the refrigerator.

Makes about 3 or 4 dozen Oreo Balls, depending on the size

Santa Baby

2008-12-05T07:32:00.003-07:00

This is Mr. Santa with a little marshmallow and butter and cereal.
Is it weird how marshmallow is spelled? I think it's weird.
Please deliver these to my door.

* 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
* 1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows
* - OR -
* 4 cups miniature marshmallows
* 6 cups Rice Krispies®
* Canned frosting or decorating gel
* Assorted candies

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 15 x 10 x 1-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool slightly. Using 4-inch cookie cutter coated with cooking spray cut into Santa faces. Decorate wtih frosting and/or candies. Best if served the same day.

Guacamole

2008-12-03T22:08:00.004-07:00

This is for Ann Dee so she will quit bugging me about it.

Mash 2 pitted and peeled avacados with fork. Stir in 1 tablespoon grated onion (or more), 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt & 1/4 teaspoon chili powder. Spread 1/3 cup mayo over mixture sealing to edges of the bowl; chill. At serving time, blend mayo into mixture.

Makes 1 and 1/2 cups.