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Chocolate-Covered Pretzels

2012-02-12T14:23:00.004-05:00

I don't know why I hadn't made these before. They are so easy and delicious. You can use any kind of prezel you want and any kind of chocolate you want. I did these for Valentine's Day, but I know I'll be making them for pretty much any holiday for which I can find fun sprinkles.

Chocolate-Covered Pretzels

4 ounces chocolate, cut into small pieces
Pretzels (I could cover 7 rods with 4 ounce of chocolate)
Sprinkles or other candy decorations (optional)

Melt chocolate for 30 seconds in the microwave in a heat-proof bowl. Stir, and then heat again for another 30 seconds. Stir, and then heat again for another 15 seconds. Stir until totally melted and smooth. (This all might depend on how hot your microwave runs, so keep a close eye on it, and make sure you stop heating it when most of the pieces have melted completely.)

Dip your pretzels and place them on a piece of wax paper. Sprinkle with candy, if desired. Let set up completely, and then enjoy!

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Martinis

2012-02-10T21:14:00.003-05:00

Yes, you read that right. And it's delicious. And yes, I really need to get some martini glasses...

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Martinis
Courtesy of Daydreamer Desserts

Reese’s Peanut Butter Martini:
2 1/2 ounces Reese’s Mini Peanut Butter Cup Infused Vodka, recipe below
4 ounces (1/2 cup) milk
1 teaspoon Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup
4 mini peanut butter Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, for garnish

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Infused Vodka:
6 ounces good quality vodka
1/4 cup Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

To prepare the infused vodka, combine vodka and Reese’s Mini Peanut Butter Cups in a clean mason jar. Close jar tightly and store in a cool dry place for 7 days. Give it a good shake once or twice per day.

Once vodka has been infused, strain into a clean mason jar using a fine mesh sieve or cheese cloth. Store in a cool place or in the freezer.

To prepare the martini, combine infused vodka and milk in a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice. Shake for 30-40 seconds and pour into two small martini glasses. Garnish with mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

Pop-tarts

2012-02-08T16:26:00.005-05:00

As with the oatmeal cream pies and various other treats from my childhood, once I realized how much artificial junk was in them, I couldn't enjoy them like I did before. And I definitely didn't want my kids eating them. So it's been absolutely wonderful to find recipes for equal, if not better, homemade versions. The ones I just made have brown sugar cinnamon and Nutella fillings. I've only tried the brown sugar cinnamon ones so far, and they are even better than the ones I loved so much growing up. I'm looking forward to trying the Nutella one for breakfast tomorrow.

I agree with Deb over at smitten kitchen that these would be even better in mini form (though I know I would probably end up eating as much as one big one, I like having the option of eating less). So next time, instead of make 9 big ones, I think I'll try making 16 little ones.

The only thing that I noticed was a little off was that I needed another tablespoon of milk to make the dough come together. I'm wondering if it would have been easier if I had used a food processor the way I usually do for pie crust.

I also decided to ice them to make them more "authentic". I just used about a cup of powdered sugar and enough water to make a spreadable icing, but I'm sure royal icing would have been lovely too.

Pop-tarts
A variation on this recipe from smitten kitchen

Pastry:
2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pats
2 large eggs, divided
2-3 tablespoons milk

Cinnamon Filling:
1/2 cup (3 3/4 ounces) brown sugar
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, to taste
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour

Jam Filling:
3/4 cup (8 ounces) jam
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water

Alternate fillings: 9 tablespoons chocolate chips, 9 tablespoons Nutella or other chocolate-hazelnut paste or 9 tablespoons of a delight of your choice, such as salted caramel or a nut paste

To make cinnamon filling: Whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, and flour.

To make jam filling: Mix the jam with the cornstarch/water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, and set aside to cool. Use to fill the pastry tarts.

Make the dough: Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Work in the butter with your fingers, pastry blender or food processor until pea-sized lumps of butter are still visible, and the mixture holds together when you squeeze it. If you’ve used a food processor, transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Whisk the first egg and milk together and stir them into the dough, mixing just until everything is cohesive, kneading briefly on a well-floured counter if necessary.

Divide the dough in half (approximately 8 1/4 ounces each), shape each half into a smooth rectangle, about 3×5 inches. You can roll this out immediately or wrap each half in plastic and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Assemble the tarts: If the dough has been chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to soften and become workable, about 15 to 30 minutes. Place one piece on a lightly floured work surface, and roll it into a rectangle about 1/8″ thick, large enough that you can trim it to an even 9″ x 12″. [You can use a 9" x 13" pan, laid on top, as guidance.] Repeat with the second piece of dough. Set trimmings aside. Cut each piece of dough into thirds – you’ll form nine 3″ x 4″ rectangles.

Beat the additional egg and brush it over the entire surface of the first dough. This will be the “inside” of the tart; the egg is to help glue the lid on. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling into the center of each rectangle, keeping a bare 1/2-inch perimeter around it. Place a second rectangle of dough atop the first, using your fingertips to press firmly around the pocket of filling, sealing the dough well on all sides. Press the tines of a fork all around the edge of the rectangle. Repeat with remaining tarts.

Gently place the tarts on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Prick the top of each tart multiple times with a fork; you want to make sure steam can escape, or the tarts will become billowy pillows rather than flat toaster pastries. Refrigerate the tarts (they don’t need to be covered) for 30 minutes, while you preheat your oven to 350°F.

Remove the tarts from the fridge, and bake them for 20 to 25 minutes, until they’re a light golden brown. Cool in pan on rack. Once cool, if desired, glaze with icing.

Pesto Pasta with Chicken Sausage and Roasted Brussels Sprouts

2012-02-07T20:03:00.003-05:00

This is totally scrumptious. I think it's officially found itself to our favorites list. I took the blogger's note and added toasted pine nuts

Pesto Pasta with Chicken Sausage and Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Courtesy of gimme some oven!

1 pound fresh brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and any yellowed/browned outer leaves removed, then sliced in half
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1 pound (16 ounces) orecchiette (or any pasta)
4 chicken sausage links, sliced into 1/4″ thick coins
5 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1/3 cup pesto
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
Parmesan cheese, for serving

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, mix together Brussels sprouts, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper. Gently stir until well-combined.

Prepare a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then spread the Brussels sprouts on it evenly. Roast for about 20-30 minutes, stirring once partway through, or until they are crispy on the outside and cooked on the inside. Remove from oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, turning occasionally, until nearly-browned, about 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic, and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and the sausage is browned.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Once the pasta is cooked, drain the water (reserving 1/4 cup pasta water), and then toss together the pasta, pesto, cooked sausage and garlic, Brussels sprouts, and pine nuts. Add in some of the reserved pasta water if needed for extra moisture.

Serve warm, and sprinkle with freshly-grated Parmesan cheese.

Oatmeal Cream Pies

2012-02-07T15:27:00.002-05:00

I grew up loving Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies. So when I came across this recipe on Pinterest (my new favorite internet hobby), I had to try it. And I was not disappointed. These are fantastic.

Oatmeal Cream Pies
Courtesy of Kids in the Sink

Cookies:
1 cup butter
¾ cup dark brown sugar
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 ½ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
1 ½ cups quick oats

Cream Filling:
2 teaspoons very hot water
¼ teaspoon salt
1 (7-ounce) jar marshmallow cream
½ cup shortening
⅓ cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream the butter, sugars, molasses, vanilla, and eggs. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and stir to combine; mix in the oats.

Drop tablespoon-sized scoops onto the cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, until just starting to brown around the edges. Be careful not to overbake them; they will look moist.

While the cookies are baking, in a small bowl, dissolve the salt in the hot water and allow to cool to room temperature. Combine the marshmallow cream, shortening, powdered sugar, and vanilla and mix on high until fluffy. Add the salt water and mix well.

Spread the filling onto the flat side of one cookie and top with another. There you have the most delicious sandwich cookie known to man.

Vegetable Soup with Fennel and Pine Nut Toasts

2012-02-07T15:22:00.003-05:00

Meh. Not great. As usual, Rachael Ray's recipes prove to be a bit too bland.

Vegetable Soup with Fennel and Pine Nut Toasts
Courtesy of Rachael Ray

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large bulbs fennel; quartered, cored and coarsely chopped, fronds reserved for garnish
1 large onion, chopped
4 celery ribs with leafy tops, thinly sliced on an angle
3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced on an angle
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
2 32-ounce containers (8 cups) chicken broth
1/2 pound egg noodles
1/2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts, chopped
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 loaf ciabatta bread, split
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

In a soup pot, heat the oil, 3 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the fennel, onion, celery, carrots, garlic and bay leaf; season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are softened, 10 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the egg noodles and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes.

Preheat the broiler. Using a food processor, combine the cheese, nuts and butter. Lightly toast the ciabatta halves under the broiler for about 2 minutes. Spread the cheese mixture on the toast and melt under the broiler. Cut into eighths.

Discard the bay leaf; sprinkle the fennel fronds on the soup. Add the lemon peel. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with the toasts for dunking.

Garlic Sauteed Spinach

2012-01-26T15:20:00.001-05:00

Easy and very tasty.

Garlic Sauteed Spinach
Courtesy of Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa)

1 1/2 pounds baby spinach leaves
2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped garlic (6 cloves)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Lemon
Sea or kosher salt, optional

Rinse the spinach well in cold water to make sure it's very clean. Spin it dry in a salad spinner, leaving just a little water clinging to the leaves.

In a very large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and saute the garlic over medium heat for about 1 minute, but not until it's browned. Add all the spinach, the salt, and pepper to the pot, toss it with the garlic and oil, cover the pot, and cook it for 2 minutes. Uncover the pot, turn the heat on high, and cook the spinach for another minute, stirring with a wooden spoon, until all the spinach is wilted. Using a slotted spoon, lift the spinach to a serving bowl and top with the butter, a squeeze of lemon, and a sprinkling of sea or kosher salt. Serve hot.

Crispy Potato Roast

2012-01-26T15:09:00.003-05:00

Yum yum yum. These potatoes are deliciously crispy and buttery. I couldn't stop eating them.

The only thing I did differently was use garlic instead of shallots. I'm sure it would be good either way.

Crispy Potato Roast
A variation on this recipe from Martha Stewart

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled
3 garlic cloves, minced
Coarse salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes (optional)
8 sprigs thyme

Preheat oven to 375°F. In a small bowl, combine butter and oil. Brush bottom of a round 9-inch baking dish with some butter mixture. With a sharp knife or mandoline, slice potatoes very thinly crosswise.

Arrange potato slices vertically in dish. Wedge shallots throughout. Sprinkle with salt and red-pepper flakes (if using); brush with remaining butter mixture. Bake 1 1/4 hours. Add thyme and bake until potatoes are cooked through with a crisp top, about 35 minutes more.

Honey-Thyme Roasted Pork Loin

2012-01-26T15:05:00.003-05:00

Delicious. And so easy!

Honey-Thyme Roasted Pork Loin
Courtesy of Serious Eats

1 1 1/4-pound pork tenderloin
Kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh thyme
1/4 cup thyme or lavender honey
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup low-sodium organic chicken stock

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Take the pork out of the fridge 15 minutes before you want to use it. Pat it dry with a paper towel, and season the pork liberally on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, sear the pork until golden brown on all sides, about 3 minutes per sides, or 12 minutes total. Take the pork out of the pan, and add the chicken stock. Scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan, and reserve the sauce.

While the pork is searing, whisk together the thyme, honey, and butter until completely incorporated. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Carefully rub the mixture all over the outside of the seared pork.

Place the honey-ed pork on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet that has been lightly oiled. Use a spoon to pour any of the honey mixture that runs off the meat back on top of the pork loin. Pour the chicken stock from the searing pan into the baking sheet. Roast the pork in the oven until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145°F. Take the pork out of the oven, tent with foil, and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Slice into medallions, and serve with the pan sauce and a few extra sprigs of fresh thyme.

20-Ingredient Chili

2012-01-24T18:31:00.004-05:00

Blech. I messed this one up, big time. I added way too much spice (I should have listened to the recipe and gone light on the spices the first time I made it), so it ended up being so spicy that I not only broke out in a sweat when I started eating it, but it upset my stomach and gave me a headache. Needless to say, I couldn't finish the bowl that I had served myself, and I didn't even bother serving it to the kids. Jonathan has yet to try it, but at least he'll have a fair warning before subjecting himself to it. Dinner fail.

I'm sharing this recipe anyway in case any of you know someone who really likes spicy food. Or if you know a woman who needs to go into labor. Or if you just want to go lighter on the spices and want to try a new chili recipe. The only things I did really differently were to leave out the chicken and use black beans instead of kidney beans.

20-Ingredient Chili
A variation on this recipe from crockpot365.blogspot.com

1 onion, diced
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can corn (drained and rinsed)
1 (15-ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes (whole can)
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and grated
1/2 cup spicy brown mustard
2 tablespoons soy sauce (La Choy and Tamari Wheat Free are gluten free)
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder (this has heat, if you are sensitive, start with 1 teaspoon (3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon))
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
2 cups chicken broth

Use a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Add the diced onion, canned beans, tomatoes, chiles, corn, and grated sweet potato to the pot. Now add the mustard, honey, and dried spices. Carefully stir well to distribute spices the best you can. Pour in the chicken broth.

Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Although you could cook this on high in 4 hours, the flavors will meld best when cooked low and slow. Stir very well and serve in a large bowl with your favorite chili toppings, such as shredded cheese and sour cream.

Chocolate Cake Doughnuts

2012-01-19T15:15:00.003-05:00

These are lovely. The chocolate flavor is quite subtle, so I'm thinking I may actually add a bit more chocolate next time. But they are delightfully moist, and, if you can avoid scarfing them down as quickly as possible, they hold up well, even after they've been glazed.

Chocolate Cake Doughnuts
A variation on this recipe from Lara Ferroni

Doughnuts:
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons natural cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon fine grain salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
Buttermilk

Lightly grease a doughnut tin and preheat the oven to 350˚F.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda, and then whisk in the sugar, nutmeg and salt.

Add the butter, and using your fingers, rub it into the dry ingredients until it becomes coarse crumbs.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, yogurt, vanilla and egg. Add to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Do not overmix, or your doughnuts may be a bit rubbery.

Fill each cup 1/2 to 3/4 full. You can do this with a spoon, but I prefer using a piping bag to fill each cup more evenly and cleanly. It’s important not to overfill, or as the doughnuts rise, you’ll lose the hole.

Bake for 12 minutes, until the doughnuts spring back when touched. Let cool slightly on a wire rack.

To make glaze: Put powdered sugar in a bowl and slowly add enough buttermilk to make a glaze that is thin enough to drizzle easily. Generously coat cooled doughnuts.

Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts

2012-01-19T15:04:00.003-05:00

These are okay. They taste good, but they dry out very quickly. I tweaked the recipe too because I couldn't find whole wheat pastry flour (I used a combination of all-purpose and cake flours). I also used a buttermilk glaze rather than the called-for coating of butter and cinnamon-sugar. I wonder if that coating would have added a little moisture or if it just would have made them feel greasy. I'm not sure I'm going to try them again to find out.

Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts
A variation on this recipe from Naturally Ella

Doughnuts:
7/8 cup all-purpose flour
7/8 cup cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoons ground cloves
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup milk

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
Buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 350˚F and either butter or oil a doughnut pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk the dry ingredients, except for the brown sugar, together and set aside. In a different bowl, whisk together the oil, egg whites, brown sugar, vanilla, pumpkin, and milk. Pour into the dry mixture and stir until the mixture is just combined.

Pour mixture into a piping bag (or a gallon bag with the tip cut off) and pipe an even circle so that each doughnut fairly full.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the doughnut spring backs. Remove from oven and turn out onto a wire rack. Let the doughnuts cool slightly.

To make glaze: Put powdered sugar in a bowl and slowly add enough buttermilk to make a glaze that is thin enough to drizzle easily. Generously coat cooled doughnuts.

Baked French Fries

2012-01-16T19:34:00.005-05:00

These are good. Though I definitely need to remember to spray the aluminum foil-lined pan before putting the potatoes on there and into the oven. It took getting the fries to pretty much room temperature before I could get them off. Which made me feel better that I hadn't ruined the whole pan, but also made for some cold fries. Lesson learned.

Baked French Fries
A variation on this recipe from allrecipes.com

Baking potatoes
Olive oil
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Black pepper
Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 450ºF. Lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Cut potatoed into thin wedges and mix with olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper. Place on prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 45 minutes in preheated oven. Sprinkle with kosher salt and serve.

Winter Pasta

2012-01-06T14:49:00.004-05:00

Yikes, this is garlicky. To the point where I don't feel like I should be around anyone after I eat it. Benjamin looked like he was going to run screaming from me and told me that I stunk when I tried to talk to him up close after eating it (ah, the honesty of 6-year-olds). I think it turned out this strong because I didn't boil the garlic, shallots, and kale before making the sauce. I'm sure boiling the garlic would have taken a bit of the bite out of it. But I'm not sure I'll be making this again... I added toasted pine nuts to give it a little more oomph, but it wasn't good enough to risk the garlic attack again.

Winter Pasta
Courtesy of 101 Cookbooks

4 cloves of garlic, peeled
4 small shallots, peeled
1 small bunch of kale - 1/2 pound / 8 ounces, stalks removed, washed well
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup / 2 ounces goat cheese, plus more for topping
2 tablespoons + hot pasta water
Fine grain sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
Fresh lemon juice - optional
12 ounces dried penne pasta
Fresh thyme

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the boiling water generously, and add the garlic and shallots. Boil for 2-3 minutes, stir in the kale and cook for another ten seconds. Don't overcook. Working quickly, use a slotted spoon or strainer to fish the greens, garlic, and shallots from the water. Use a food processor to puree the ingredients along with the olive oil and goat cheese. Add a couple tablespoons of hot pasta water if needed to thin things out if needed. Then season with a touch of salt and plenty of black pepper. Taste. Depending on your goat cheese, you might need a little extra acidic oomph if your sauce is a bit flat. If so, add fresh lemon juice a bit at a time until you're happy with it the sauce. Set aside.

Reheat the pot of water and boil the pasta per package instructions. Drain and toss immediately with the green sauce. Serve topped with a few pinches of fresh thyme, and more crumbled goat cheese.

Pork Wellington

2011-12-31T19:36:00.003-05:00

Pastry-wrapped meat is delicious. And delightfully easy to make. And, once again, Alton Brown is a genius. That is all.

Pork Wellington
Courtesy of Alton Brown

1 whole egg
1 tablespoon water
1-ounce (about 1/8 cup) dried apple rings
1 whole pork tenderloin, approximately 1 pound
4 1/2 ounces thinly slice prosciutto ham
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed completely
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and heat to 400ºF.

Whisk the egg and water in a small bowl and set aside. Place the apple rings into the bowl of a mini food processor and process for 30 to 45 seconds or until they are the size of a medium dice. Set aside.

Trim the pork tenderloin of any excess fat and silver skin. Slice the tenderloin down the middle lengthwise, creating 2 separate pieces. Lay the tenderloin pieces next to each other head to tail, so when laid back together they are the same size at the ends.

Lay out a 12 by 16-inch piece of parchment paper on the counter and arrange the pieces of prosciutto in the center, overlapping them enough to create solid layer that is as long as the tenderloin. Top with a second piece of parchment, and using a rolling pin, roll over the prosciutto to help adhere the pieces to each other. Remove the parchment paper and sprinkle the prosciutto with the salt, pepper, and thyme. Set the tenderloin down the middle of the prosciutto. Spread the dried apples in between the 2 pieces of tenderloin and push back together so the apples are held between them. Using the parchment paper to assist, wrap the prosciutto around the tenderloin to completely enclose in a package.

Sprinkle the counter with flour and roll out the pastry to 12 by 14 inches. Spread the mustard thinly in the center of pastry and lay the prosciutto wrapped tenderloin in the center of the pastry on the mustard. Fold the puff pastry up and over the top of the tenderloin, then roll to completely enclose, brushing the edges of the pastry with the egg wash in order to seal. Turn the tenderloin over so the side of the tenderloin with the double thickness of pastry is underneath. Pinch the ends of the pastry to seal.

Brush the entire pastry with the egg wash. Place the tenderloin on a parchment lined half sheet pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of at least 140ºF.

Remove the tenderloin from the oven, transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Ghirardelli Chocolate Brownies with Peppermint Bark

2011-12-27T19:57:00.004-05:00

Now these are good peppermint bark brownies. Those other ones I tried are nowhere near as good. These are fudgy and delicious. And these are definitely best when kept cold. Yum.

Ghirardelli Chocolate Brownies with Peppermint Bark
Courtesy of Ghirardelli

1 1/2 cup(s) 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (12 tablespoons)
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup(s) sugar
1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
8 Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark Squares, chopped into large chunks (for the brownies)
18 Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark Squares, broken in to large chunks (about 8 pieces per square) (for the finishing)

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with foil and grease with pan spray. In a medium saucepan, bring 2 inches of water to a gentle simmer. Put the 60% chips and butter in a heatproof bowl and set it over (but not touching) the simmering water. Stir the mixture with a rubber spatula until the better is melted and both ingredients are completely combined. Turn off the heat and leave the bowl over the warm water. Sift together the flour and baking powder and set aside. In a large bowl whisk together eggs, salt, sugar and vanilla. Add the egg mixture to the chocolate mixture and whisk together gently. With a spatula, fold in the flour. Immediately pour ½ the mixture into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly. Next, sprinkle the chopped peppermint bark over the batter and then pour the remaining batter over this. Spread evenly.

Bake for 15-20 minutes. The center should be fudgy but not dry. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes.

Place Peppermint Bark chunks on top of warm brownies and allow them to soften for 1 minute. Using a spatula, gently swirl the melting Peppermint Bark to create swirls of melted chocolate. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Trim the 4 edges of the brownies by ¼ inch. And cut into 18 squares.

Caramelized Onion Tarts with Apples

2011-12-26T10:51:00.006-05:00

Meh. For how good it smelled while it was cooking, it didn't end up tasting like much of anything. Real Simple recipes have been so disappointing lately...

Caramelized Onion Tarts with Apples
Courtesy of Real Simple

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, sliced
2 red apples (such as Braeburn or Gala), cut into small pieces
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 sheets frozen puff pastry (from a 17.3-ounce package), thawed
1/2 cup creme fraiche or sour cream

Heat oven to 400º F. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in the apples, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook until just tender, 2 minutes.

Place each sheet of pastry on a parchment-lined baking sheet and prick all over with a fork. Spread with the crème fraîche, leaving a ½-inch border. Top with the onion mixture and bake until the pastry is crisp and browned, 30 to 35 minutes. Cut into pieces before serving.

Pears with Bleu Cheese and Prosciutto

2011-12-26T10:44:00.004-05:00

Eh. I'm not sure this was worth the trouble. The pears were totally underripe and didn't taste like anything, so I'm sure that didn't help. The other flavors were nice though, and the whole thing looked pretty. Pity.

Pears with Bleu Cheese and Prosciutto
Courtesy of Real Simple

2 pears (such as Bosc or Bartlett), each cut into 8 wedges
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup arugula
3 ounces bleu cheese, cut into small pieces
6 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, cut in half lengthwise

In a large bowl, toss the pears and lemon juice.

Layer a slice of pear, an arugula leaf, and a piece of cheese on a piece of prosciutto and roll up.

Eggs in Baskets

2011-12-26T10:10:00.002-05:00

I made these for Christmas morning, along with the totally delicious chocolate babka and yummy panettone from years past. I ended up overcooking the yolks of the ones baked in the deep muffin pans because the whites weren't setting up. But the ones I baked in a regular muffin pan came out better. But really, if I'm going to do an egg dish that's supposed to have a runny yolk, I prefer this one.

Eggs in Baskets
Courtesy of Sunny Anderson

3 large russet potatoes, peeled
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Nonstick cooking spray
6 slices prosciutto, about 2 1/2 ounces, chopped
2 tablespoons maple syrup
6 eggs
3/4 cup shredded provolone

Heat the oven to 350°F.

In a food processor fitted with the grater attachment, push chunks of the potato through the chute to grate. Once all the potatoes are grated, put them into a piece of cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel and squeeze to remove the moisture. Add the potatoes to a large bowl, stir in the melted butter and season well with salt and pepper, to taste.

Spray the muffin tin lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Press the grated potatoes evenly into the muffin cups being sure the potatoes go up the sides and a thin layer and covers the bottom. Bake until the top edges turn light golden brown and the potatoes are cooked through, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl toss together the prosciutto with maple syrup and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.

Remove the potatoes from the oven and gently crack an egg into each cup. Bake until the egg whites set but the yolk remains runny, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove from the oven and set the oven to broil. Top the eggs with grated cheese and put the maple prosciutto on another sheet tray. Broil both until cheese melts, and prosciutto crisps slightly, about 1 minute.

Top the eggs with crispy prosciutto and serve immediately.

Rugelach

2011-12-19T14:25:00.003-05:00

After trying my first rugelach a couple of months ago, I thought I'd try the recipe that I'd seen Ina Garten make several times on her show. It's such a tasty treat. I love the combination of flavors.

Rugelach
Courtesy of Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa)

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2-pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar plus 9 tablespoons, divided
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
3/4 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup apricot preserves, pureed in a food processor
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash

Cream the cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, the salt, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour and mix until just combined. Dump the dough out onto a well-floured board and roll it into a ball. Cut the ball in quarters, wrap each piece in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

To make the filling, combine 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar, the brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, the raisins, and walnuts.

On a well-floured board, roll each ball of dough into a 9-inch circle. Spread the dough with 2 tablespoons apricot preserves and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the filling. Press the filling lightly into the dough. Cut the circle into 12 equal wedges—cutting the whole circle in quarters, then each quarter into thirds. Starting with the wide edge, roll up each wedge. Place the cookies, points tucked under, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Brush each cookie with the egg wash. Combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle on the cookies. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack and let cool.

Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread

2011-12-19T14:18:00.003-05:00

I actually think I like these better without the chocolate, but they're tasty and pretty all decked out with chocolate and some festive sprinkles. They took a little longer in the oven cut into star shapes, so I'm adjusting the recipe accordingly.

Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread
A variation on this recipe from Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa)

3/4 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 to 7 ounces very good semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter and 1 cup of sugar until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough 1/2-inch thick and cut with a 3 by 1-inch finger-shaped cutter. Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature.

When the cookies are cool, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Put 3 ounces of the chocolate in a glass bowl and microwave on high power for 30 seconds. (Don't trust your microwave timer; time it with your watch.) Stir with a wooden spoon. Continue to heat and stir in 30-second increments until the chocolate is just melted. Add the remaining chocolate and allow it to sit at room temperature, stirring often, until it's completely smooth. Stir vigorously until the chocolate is smooth and slightly cooled; stirring makes it glossier.

Drizzle 1/2 of each cookie with just enough chocolate to coat it.

White Chocolate and Peppermint Brownies

2011-12-17T19:15:00.005-05:00

These aren't bad, they taste pretty good, but they're not really my cup of tea. I've made better brownies, so I'll stick with them next time I want brownies. They also fall victim to the problem that seems to pop up a lot with layering white chocolate. I got a picture of the pieces that stayed together well, but a lot of the other pieces didn't stay together very well once I tried to move them anywhere. Oh well. They were worth a shot.

White Chocolate Peppermint Brownies
A variation on this recipe from Real Simple

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
3/4 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/3 cup chopped peppermint candies (about 15 candies)

Heat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Line with 2 crisscrossed pieces of parchment, buttering in between and leaving an overhang on all sides; butter the parchment.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the butter and semisweet chocolate. Microwave on high in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until melted and smooth. Let cool slightly. Whisk in the sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.

Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined (do not overmix).

Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan.

In a medium microwave-safe bowl, microwave the white chocolate and oil in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until melted and smooth. Spread on top of the cooled brownies. Sprinkle with the candies and let set.

Holding the paper overhang, lift the brownies out of the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 16 squares (4 rows by 4 rows).

Cranberry-White Chocolate Cookies

2011-12-17T19:04:00.004-05:00

Yum! These are great! And very festive. I read the reviews before making them and took the advice to soak the cranberries before adding them to the dough. It made them nice and plump and juicy, which added an extra level of tastiness. They also needed some extra time in the oven since I didn't flatten them out at all after putting them on the cookie sheets (another review suggestion). I really liked how keeping them fat gave them a nice crispy outside and a chewier inside. Just like I like cookies!

Cranberry-White Chocolate Cookies
A variation on this recipe from Southern Living

1 (6-ounce) package sweetened dried cranberries
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups white chocolate morsels

Cover cranberries in boiling water and let sit for 8-10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; set aside.

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.

Add flour mixture to butter mixture gradually, beating at low speed until blended. Stir in white chocolate morsels and cranberries.

Drop cookie dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Roast Mushrooms and Kale over Mashed Sweet Potatoes

2011-12-14T19:08:00.004-05:00

Wow. This is crazy good. I won't go into every reason why because I will go on and on, but the mashed sweet potatoes are especially amazing. And I'm not usually a fan of sweet potatoes. And the combination of nutmeg and kale is totally delicious. Wow.

Roast Mushrooms and Kale over Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Courtesy of Rachael Ray

2 pounds mixed mushrooms (such as wood ear, cremini, portobello and shiitake)—wiped clean, stemmed if necessary and sliced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
A few sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Sea salt and pepper
5 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup whole milk or half-and-half
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
A few dashes hot sauce
1 1/2 cups extra-sharp yellow cheddar cheese
1 pound cavolo nero (also called black, tuscan, dinosaur or lacinato kale), stemmed and coarsely chopped
Freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 450°F. On a large baking sheet, dress the mushrooms, garlic and thyme with 1/4 cup oil and spread out. Roast the mushrooms for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and season with sea salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, in a pot, combine the sweet potatoes and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, season with sea salt and cook until fork-tender, 15 minutes. Drain and return to the pot, then mash with the stock and milk (or half-and-half). Season with sea salt, pepper, the paprika and hot sauce. Stir in the cheddar until melted.

While the potatoes are working, in a bowl, toss the kale with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and season with sea salt, pepper and a few grates of fresh nutmeg. Arrange on a rack set over a baking sheet and roast until crisp at the edges, 10 to 12 minutes.

Combine the mushrooms and garlic with the kale and serve on a bed of the sweet potatoes.

Chicken Mole

2011-12-12T20:07:00.005-05:00

Meh. I can never find dry chili peppers anywhere, so I'm fairly certain that's what was missing. It definitely needed something. I miss the mole we used to get in San Francisco.

Chicken Mole
A variation on this recipe from crockpot365.blogspot.com

2 pounds chicken breast
1/4 cup raw sesame seeds
1/2 cup raw slivered almonds
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup raisins
2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 cinnamon stick
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes (and juice)
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1/4 cup tequila
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
2 cups water
Salt to taste
Rice and/or corn tortillas

In a small pan, brown the raw sesame seeds and almonds on the stove. Set aside to cool.

Put the chicken into the crockpot. Cover with everything else. Cook on low for about 8 hours. Shred meat with forks, and serve over rice and/or with corn tortillas. Salt to taste.

Ultimate Mac 'n' Cheese

2011-12-11T12:14:00.003-05:00

This was the least interesting/complicated mac 'n' cheese I've made in a long time, but it was super super good because of the ingredients. I tweaked the proportions a bit in order to be able to have some leftovers as well as a good ratio of cheese sauce to pasta. I also used Panko instead of using the called-for sourdough bread to make the breadcrumbs. I ran out of time to grind up some of the bread I keep in my freezer for that very reason. I prefer the crispiness that Panko gives to the top of mac 'n' cheese, so I think I'll just keep it that way for future reference. I'm very happy there's some more of this waiting for me in the fridge.

Ultimate Mac 'n' Cheese
A variation on this recipe from Sunset

24 ounces cavatappi, macaroni, or other tube-shaped pasta
1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more for cooking pasta
6 tablespoons butter, divided
1 cup finely chopped shallots
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
14 ounces gruyère, grated
6 ounces aged gouda, grated (see Notes)
4 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons minced fresh chives, divided
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 cup Panko

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cook pasta according to package directions in a large pot of boiling, well-salted water until tender to the bite, 7 to 12 minutes. Drain, but do not rinse.

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Add shallots and cook until light golden, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle shallot-butter mixture with flour; cook, stirring often, 1 minute. Add wine and stir, picking up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil. Add cream and stir well. Sprinkle in cheeses, one large handful at a time, stirring until each handful is mostly melted before adding the next. Stir in 4 tablespoons chives, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, cayenne, and nutmeg. Stir cooked pasta into cheese mixture, then pour all into a 2-quart baking dish or ramekins.

Combine Panko with remaining chives and salt. Sprinkle mixture over pasta and cheese, dot with remaining butter, and bake until top is browned and cheese is bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes.

Pepperoni Pizza Monkey Bread

2011-12-03T08:50:00.003-05:00

This won me one of the favorite appetizer prizes at an appetizer exchange I went to last night. It didn't quite do the monkey bread thing properly, we had to cut it, but it tasted great. I loved how it had a bit of a foccacia bread feel, with all sorts of fun pizza flavors added. I'm definitely adding this to our Christmas appetizer dinner menu.

Pepperoni Pizza Monkey Bread
Courtesy of What's Gaby Cooking

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups bread flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup Asiago cheese, finely grated
1/2 cup pepperoni slices, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
Pizza sauce

Preheat oven to 400°F.

In a medium bowl, combine the bread flour, all-purpose flour and salt. Set aside.

Combine the active yeast and water in a mixing bowl fitted with a dough hook. Let it sit for a few minutes to make sure your yeast is working. Add the sugar and mix for a quick second. Add the flour mixture in batches, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Let the dough hook work its magic for 5-6 minutes until the dough has come together into a large mass. Remove the dough to an oiled bowl and let rise for 60 minutes.

After an hour, remove the dough from the bowl and cut into small 1/2 inch cubes. Dust with flour to prevent them from sticking together. Set aside.

Spray 6 small bundt pans with PAM or cooking spray. (You could also use a large bundt pan)

Melt the butter in a small bowl.

Combine the cheese, pepperoni, oregano, salt and garlic in a large bowl. Add the melted butter and mix together with a spoon. Toss in the cut dough and make sure it all gets a coat of the butter mixture. Start layering the cubes into the bundt pans until they are 3/4 of the way full. Let sit for 30 minutes for the dough to rise a little more.

Place bundt pans into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the bread and cheese is golden brown. Serve with warmed pizza sauce.

Butternut Squash Soup with Fontina Crostini

2011-11-29T20:11:00.003-05:00

I love butternut squash soup. And adding a cheesy bread thing to go with/on/in it just makes it that much better.

Butternut Squash Soup with Fontina Crostini
Courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Soup:
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch pieces (about 7 to 8 cups)
6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Crostini:
1/2 baguette, sliced diagonally into 1/2-inch thick slices
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves
1 cup (2 ounces) grated fontina cheese
Kosher salt

In an 8-quart stockpot, add the butter and oil and melt together over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the squash and the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the sage. Continue to boil until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat. Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture until smooth and thick. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Keep the soup warm over low heat.

For the crostini: Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sage. Sprinkle the cheese on top and season with salt, to taste. Bake until the cheese has melted and the bread is light golden, about 6 to 8 minutes.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the cheese crostini.

Cook's Note: The cooked vegetable mixture can also be pureed (after cooling for about 5 minutes) by ladling, in batches, into a food processor or blender and blended until smooth.

Banana Cupcakes

2011-11-29T15:38:00.004-05:00

Since we liked this recipe so much for Benjamin's birthday cake, I thought I'd tweak it to make some cupcakes for Jillie's school birthday celebration. They got mixed reviews from the kids, but overall, they seemed to work out well. Though I am always surprised by how big cupcakes look in the hands of 4-year-olds. Happy birthday to my baby girl!

Banana Cupcakes
A variation on this recipe from Gourmet

For cupcakes:
2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed very ripe banana (about 2 large)
1/4 cup plain yogurt or well-shaken buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs

For frosting:
1/2 pound confectioners' sugar (about 1 7/8 cups)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla

Make cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease muffin tin or line with muffin cups.

Into a bowl sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl whisk together mashed banana, yogurt or buttermilk, and vanilla. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy and beat in eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in flour and banana mixtures alternately, beginning and ending with flour mixture and stirring after each addition until just combined. (Do not overmix.)

Divide batter evenly into muffin cups. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool completely on a cooling rack.

Make frosting: Into a large bowl sift confectioners' sugar. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat together cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy and beat in vanilla and a pinch salt. Beat in confectioners' sugar, a little at a time, and beat frosting until smooth. Frost cupcakes, adding food coloring and/or decorations, as desired.

Thanksgiving Dinner 2011

2011-11-24T20:48:00.006-05:00

I decided to do the entire Thanksgiving dinner all on my own this year. My sister is getting married in a few months, so this was our last time having her and my mom all to ourselves. It was time to pull out all the stops. And I had to try to redeem the turkey that I attempted at Christmas last year and failed due to a power outage. So I got another fresh turkey from Wolff's, and I got myself organized. I put together a menu that I thought would flow well in terms of scheduling everything, that would satisfy everyone's tastes, etc.

And then...

Everything worked! The electricity stayed on. And I was able to get everything ready pretty much around the same time. It was a crazy few days of preparation, but I was proud of the work I'd done.

Although... I'm not sure I actually like roasted turkey anymore. It smelled fabulous while it was roasting, but after all that preparation, it just didn't taste that good to me. I brined it using Alton Brown's brine recipe, which had been good when I tried it before (though I also used his roasting recipe before, so that may have been the difference?). The injected sage butter seemed totally useless since it didn't really infuse the turkey but rather just kind of made pockets of oddly-colored turkey. I just don't think it was worth all that fuss. Especially since I ended up throwing away a lot of the turkey due to most of it being so fatty I could barely get to the meat from all the fat. Plus, really, I love the turkey leg meat more than pretty much anything else, so I'm thinking maybe next time I do Thanksgiving, I'll just get turkey legs and cook those in some kick-ass way.

Oh, and what magical spell am I missing that makes gravy thicken properly? Because I've never been able to do that. And it's annoying. The gravy tasted good though, even if I did forget to add the balsamic vinegar at the end.

As for the side dishes, everyone loved the Brussels sprouts. And the green bean casserole was lovely. The only thing I did differently with that is that I didn't steam the green beans during the preparation process. It made for some crunchy green beans, but I prefer them crunchy rather than mushy, so that's why I went that way.

The dressing (called that because I didn't stuff it into anything) was just okay. It tasted good, but it just wasn't that exciting. I didn't use sausage in the dressing because I wanted to use pancetta in the Brussels sprouts, but I think it really could have used it.

I made the cranberry sauce that I made at Christmas last year, which is super good. I'm going to make biscuits tomorrow since we discovered last year that it works especially well as a kind of jam on a bread product.

As for dessert, I made the cinnamon-streusel pumpkin pie that I made back in September, which was yummy. But then I also made a chocolate-hazelnut tart, which was a giant hit with the whole crew. It was basically a hazelnut cookie topped with Nutella pudding. I'm not sure how that couldn't go over well.

So overall, the meal was pretty good. The turkey disappointment was a big one because it was the most labor-intensive part of the meal, but oh well. Everyone was here, seemed pleased, and went to bed tonight with full bellies. So I'm very thankful for that.

Roast Turkey with Garlic, Sage and Fennel
Courtesy of Food Network Magazine

1 20-pound turkey
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 heads garlic
1 small onion, cut into 6 wedges
2 cooking apples, quartered
1 large bunch fresh sage
1 small bulb fennel, cut into 6 wedges
1 small carrot, cut into 3-inch pieces
4 sticks unsalted butter
8 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth
4 bay leaves
1/4 cup instant flour (such as Wondra)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Bring the turkey to room temperature 1 hour before roasting. Place a rack in the lowest position of the oven and remove the other racks; preheat to 350°F. Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey; discard the liver and reserve the neck and the rest of the giblets. Dry the turkey inside and out with paper towels and season the cavity with salt and pepper. Halve 1 head garlic crosswise and stuff into the cavity along with 3 onion wedges, the apples and 1/2 bunch sage.

Place the remaining 3 onion wedges, the fennel and carrot in the center of a large roasting pan with 1 cup water. Set a rack above the vegetables and place the turkey breast-side up on the rack. Season all over with salt and pepper. Chop 3 tablespoons sage, then melt 3 sticks butter with the sage and salt and pepper to taste in a saucepan over medium heat. Fill a meat syringe with the sage butter and inject it into the breasts, legs and thighs; continue until you have used about half of the sage butter. Brush the bird with the rest of the butter and tie the legs together with twine.

Roast the turkey, uncovered, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Rotate the pan and continue roasting until a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165°F, 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes. Turn off the oven but leave the turkey inside until the thermometer registers 170°F, 15 to 20 more minutes.

While the turkey roasts, make the gravy: Melt the remaining 1 stick butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the reserved neck and giblets, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown, about 10 minutes. Peel and smash the remaining head of garlic, add it to the pan and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the broth and bay leaves, cover and simmer over medium-low heat, about 2 hours. Discard the bay leaves, neck and giblets.

Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest 20 to 30 minutes before carving. Transfer the vegetables to a blender. Pour the drippings into a liquid measuring cup and skim off the fat. Add 1 cup drippings and the flour to the blender and puree until smooth. Whisk the remaining drippings and pureed vegetables into the broth mixture. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the gravy is smooth, about 10 minutes. Stir in the balsamic vinegar; season with salt and pepper.

Transfer the turkey to a platter and garnish with any remaining sage. Carve the turkey and serve with the gravy.

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Classic Dressing
A variation on this recipe from Food Network Magazine

16 cups white bread, cubed
1 stick unsalted butter
2 cups onions, diced
2 cups celery, diced
1 tablespoon sage, minced
1 tablespoon thyme, minced
Salt and pepper
3 cups turkey or chicken broth
1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place bread cubes on cookie sheets and toast in oven for 15 minutes, tossing halfway through. Set aside.

Increase oven temperature to 375°F. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, celery, sage and thyme; add salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes. Add 3 cups broth and bring to a simmer. Put parsley in a large bowl; add toasted bread, then pour in the vegetable-broth mixture and toss. Transfer to a buttered baking dish and dot with butter. Cover and bake for 30 minutes; uncover and bake until golden, 30 more minutes.

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Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

2 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered
1 shallot, diced
2 ounces pancetta, chopped
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss all ingredients together and place in a baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake for 25-30 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes.

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Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Shallots
A variation on this recipe from Ellie Krieger

1/4 cup olive oil
6 medium shallots, sliced into rings (about 1 cup)
1 1/2 pounds thin fresh string beans or haricots verts, trimmed
1 pound button mushrooms, sliced
6 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
3 cups low-fat (1%) milk
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Olive oil cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add 1/4 cup shallots and cook, stirring, until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining shallots, cooking 1/4 cup at a time. Reserve the oil in the skillet.

Add the mushrooms to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushroom liquid is evaporated and they begin to brown, about 12 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a bowl.

Whisk together the milk and flour until the flour is dissolved. Add the mixture to the skillet and, whisking constantly, bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium low, whisking occasionally, until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the green beans, mushroom mixture, 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, the parsley, nutmeg, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Coat a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon the green bean mixture into the prepared dish and sprinkle the top with the crispy shallots and the remaining 2 tablespoons cheese. Bake until golden on top and bubbling, about 20 minutes.

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Chocolate-Hazelnut Tart
Courtesy of Food Network Magazine

For the Crust:
1/2 cup blanched hazelnuts
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Filling:
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Make the crust: Toast the hazelnuts in a skillet over medium heat until golden, about 8 minutes. Let cool. Transfer 1/3 cup nuts to a food processor. Add the flour, sugar and salt; pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Drizzle in the egg and vanilla; pulse until the dough starts to come together.

Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and pat into a disk. Wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour. Coarsely chop the remaining hazelnuts and reserve.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch round. Press into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, then trim the excess dough. Prick the bottom all over with a fork. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the crust with foil, then fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the edges are golden, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and continue baking until golden brown all over, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely on a rack.

Meanwhile, make the filling: Whisk the cornstarch into 1/4 cup cream in a bowl. Combine the remaining 1 3/4 cups cream, the chocolate-hazelnut spread, vanilla and salt in a small saucepan. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring and scraping the sides of the pan with a rubber spatula. Once the mixture starts to boil, stir constantly until thickened, about 2 minutes. Pour into the crust and swirl the top. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. Top with the reserved hazelnuts.

Cranberry Vodka Tonics

2011-11-24T20:47:00.003-05:00

I made these for the cocktail and hors d'oeuvres portion of Thanksgiving. I liked them, but they didn't really taste like cranberries at all. They tasted a lot more like vanilla. Which definitely wasn't a bad thing. It seemed like a lot of fuss for something that didn't really taste like what it was supposed to taste like, so I'm not sure I'll do it again, but it was fun to give it a shot.

Cranberry Vodka Tonics
Courtesy of Michael Chiarello

1 pound fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
3 cups vodka
1 liter tonic
Lime slices, for garnish

Combine the cranberries and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the vanilla extract or split vanilla bean and cook, stirring, until the cranberries burst, 5 to 6 minutes.

Divide the cranberry mixture between 2 large mason jars. Divide the vodka between the jars. Cover and refrigerate for 1 week. Strain out the cranberries. Store the flavored vodka in a clean jar in the refrigerator.

For each drink, pour 2 ounces cranberry vodka over ice in a tall glass; top with tonic. Garnish with a slice of lime.

Roasted Butternut Squash Mac 'n' Cheese

2011-11-15T19:17:00.003-05:00

I enjoyed tweaking this recipe to fit this month's craving for mac 'n' cheese.

The amaretti cookies that were in my pantry just didn't smell or taste right, so I ended up using panko breadcrumbs for the topping instead. I'm sure it changed the flavor a lot, so I'll have to try it with the cookies next time.

I also added some onion and garlic since I thought it would add nicely to the dish.

Roasted Butternut Squash Mac 'n' Cheese
A variation on this recipe from Closet Cooking

1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 small onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 pound macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sage, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 pinch nutmeg
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cups cheese, shredded (your choice)
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Toss the squash, onion, and garlic with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in a baking dish and roast until tender, about 1 hour. Set aside.

Cook the pasta as directed.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat add the sage and cook until the butter is bubbling and it has turned golden brown. Mix in the flour and let simmer until it returns to a light golden brown. Add the milk, nutmeg, mustard and cheese and simmer until it thickens and the cheese has melted.

Mix the squash mixture, pasta and cheese sauce and pour into a baking dish topping it with the breadcrumbs.

Bake until golden brown on the top and bubbling on the sides, about 40 minutes.

Crispy Pork Medallions with Roasted Root Vegetables

2011-11-13T18:57:00.003-05:00

Crispy this pork is not, but it is moist and very tasty. A delightful Sunday dinner option.

Crispy Pork Medallions with Roasted Root Vegetables
Courtesy of Cooking Light

Pork medallions:
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 8 medallions
1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Roasted root vegetables:
8 ounces quartered small red potatoes
2 thinly sliced carrots
2 thinly sliced parsnips
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced

Make the vegetables: Preheat oven to 450°F. Combine potatoes, carrots, and parsnips in a medium bowl. Add olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic; toss well to coat. Arrange vegetable mixture on a rack placed in a broiler pan. Bake for 28 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes.

Make the pork medallions: Rub mustard evenly over pork medallions. Combine panko, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Dredge pork in panko mixture. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add pork; sauté 2 minutes or until golden brown. Turn pork. Place skillet in oven with roasting vegetables; bake for 8 minutes or until pork reaches 145°F. Let stand 3 minutes.

Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna

2011-11-09T20:03:00.003-05:00

This is quite possibly the tastiest and most beautiful lasagna I've ever made. I used leftover the meat sauce that I just made last week, which I'm sure added a lot of flavor. I also used chopped fresh baby spinach rather than the kale the original recipe called for. I didn't think it needed to be blanched before it was added to the dish, and it worked out great just using it raw.

Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna
A variation on this recipe from Kalyn's Kitchen

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped small
6 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, chopped small
1 teaspoon ground fennel
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 1/2 cups marinara sauce
1/3 cup water
4 cups finely chopped fresh baby spinach
2 cups low-fat cottage cheese
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
6 uncooked lasagna noodles
2 cups low-fat Mozzarella or other low-fat white cheese

Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy frying pan over medium heat; add onions and saute until they start to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the chopped garlic, chopped mushrooms, ground fennel, and dried basil and saute about 5 minutes more, or until the mushrooms lose their water and the liquid has evaporated. Add the vegetarian marinara sauce and water and turn heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.

In a bowl, mix together the chopped spinach, cottage cheese, beaten eggs, and finely grated Parmesan.

Spray a 9x13-inch lasagna dish with nonstick spray. Lay 3 uncooked lasagna noodles across the dish. Cover with 1/2 the tomato-mushroom sauce, spreading it across the noodles so they're all covered with sauce. Then add 1/2 the spinach mixture, spreading it out with a rubber scraper, and sprinkle over 1 cup of the grated low-fat Mozzarella. Make a second layer of lasagna noodles, tomato-mushroom sauce, spinach mixture, and cheese.

Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake 50 minutes without removing the foil. Take the dish out of the oven and remove foil. Cook 25 minutes more with foil removed, or until the lasagna noodles are soft, and the lasagna is bubbling and lightly browned on top. Let lasagna cool 5-10 minutes before cutting; then cut into pieces and serve hot.

Indian-Spiced Roasted Squash Soup

2011-11-07T20:00:00.003-05:00

Delish. And I just love love love how roasting vegetable smell. And it goes especially well with the garam masala biscuits I decided to make.

Indian-Spiced Roasted Squash
A variation on this recipe from Cooking Light

1 cup chopped yellow onion
8 ounces carrot, chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 (1-pound) butternut squash, peeled and cut into (1/2-inch) cubes
1 (8-ounce) acorn squash, quartered
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and black pepper
2 cups water
1 teaspoon Madras curry powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
6 tablespoons Greek yogurt

Preheat oven to 500°F.

Arrange the first 5 ingredients on a jelly-roll pan. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss. Roast for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender, turning once. Cool for 10 minutes. Peel acorn squash; discard skin.

Combine vegetable mixture, 2 cups water, curry powder, garam masala, and red pepper in a food processor or blender; pulse to desired consistency. Scrape mixture into a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in broth; bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with a dollop of yogurt.

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Garam Masala Biscuits
A variation on this recipe from Alton Brown

2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons shortening
1 cup buttermilk, chilled
Heavy cream

Preheat oven to 450°F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and garam masala. Using your fingertips, rub butter and shortening into dry ingredients until mixture looks like crumbs. (The faster the better, you don't want the fats to melt.) Make a well in the center and pour in the chilled buttermilk. Stir just until the dough comes together. The dough will be very sticky.

Turn dough onto floured surface, dust top with flour and gently fold dough over on itself 5 or 6 times. Press into a 1-inch thick round. Cut out biscuits with a 2-inch cutter, being sure to push straight down through the dough. Place biscuits on baking sheet so that they just touch. Reform scrap dough, working it as little as possible and continue cutting. (Biscuits from the second pass will not be quite as light as those from the first, but hey, that's life.)

Brush with heavy cream and bake until biscuits are tall and light gold on top, 15 to 20 minutes.

Chewy Candy Cookies

2011-11-03T15:03:00.003-04:00

I wanted to take the mounds of Halloween candy we have in the house right now and make something a bit more interesting out of it... And I'm a big fan of these kinds of cookies, so here's my version. It has certainly curbed any desire whatsoever to dip into the remaining candy in our pantry. The cookies themselves are wonderfully chewy and delicious, and the candy adds a lovely addition of sweetness and flavor. I will happily make these cookies, post-Halloween and other times when these candies pop up in my life, for years to come.

Chewy Candy Cookies
A variation on this recipe from Fun and Food Blog

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup combination of M&M’s and Reese's Pieces, divided

Heat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and keep ready.

Stir together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well.

Gradually add flour mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in 2/3 cup candy. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto cookie sheet, leaving enough space in between to let them expand. Press 4-5 of remaining candy on each cookie before baking.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly, then remove from cookie sheet and allow to cool completely on the wire rack. Eat a few immediately, storing others in air-tight containers for later.

Slow-Simmered Meat Sauce

2011-11-02T20:45:00.004-04:00

Wonderful sauce. It takes a little doing before you get it into the crockpot, but it's worth the effort. I tweaked things a bit so that I wouldn't have to split a package of sausage (I used all sausage instead of a beef/sausage combo). And I'm not usually totally keen on olives, but I added them because I knew they'd add a nice depth of flavor (which they totally did). I served the sauce over egg noodles with some lightly-dressed greens on the side. I'm thinking I'll add a little garlic bread and red wine and serve this when we're having guests over during the holidays.

Slow-Simmering Meat Sauce
A variation on this recipe from Cooking Light

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions, chopped
6 small carrots, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds hot and/or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
6 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (14-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
16 ounces uncooked pasta
Shaved or grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and carrot to pan; sauté 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Place vegetable mixture in a 6-quart slow cooker.

Add sausage to skillet; sauté 6 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove sausage from skillet using a slotted spoon. Place sausage on a double layer of paper towels; drain. Add sausage to slow cooker. Stir olives and remaining ingredients (through dried basil) into slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW 8 hours.

Prepare pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Serve sauce with hot cooked pasta; top with cheese.

Black Bean and Pumpkin Chili

2011-11-01T20:39:00.003-04:00

Delicious. It made the house smell wonderful and then tasted great. It also goes particularly well with these cornbread muffins. I used cooked pork instead of cooked turkey, but I'm excited to try this again with some leftover turkey after Thanksgiving.

Black Bean and Pumpkin Chili
A variation on this recipe from Taste of Home

1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups chicken broth
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 1/2 cups cubed cooked turkey or pork
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large skillet, sauté the onion and pepper in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Transfer to a 5-quart slow cooker; stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until heated through.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

2011-10-31T14:46:00.003-04:00

Another lovely pumpkin treat. Though the pumpkin (as well as the applesauce) really adds more of a moist texture than a distinct flavor to the bars. Which is nice since I've found a lot of other granola bars to be on the dry side.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
Courtesy of two peas & their pod

3 ¼ cups old fashioned oats
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup applesauce
¼ cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8 by 8 baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk oats, spices, and salt together. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk brown sugar, pumpkin, applesauce, honey, and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour over oats and stir well, until all of the oats are moist. Stir in chocolate chips.

Evenly press oat mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. The pumpkin keeps the bars moist, so make sure they are golden and set-you don't want them to be under baked. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.

Using a sharp knife, cut into bars. Remove from pan and let cool completely.

Pumpkin Cake Pops

2011-10-26T17:28:00.005-04:00

I made these for Jillie's preschool Halloween party. While they are cute, fun, and very tasty, they were a pain in the butt to make, so I'm not sure I'll do it again. I didn't have nearly enough candy melts to coat all of the pops, so I have a bunch of naked cake balls in my fridge (that sounds so very wrong). There was also no way I could dip the cake balls in the candy coating without having them completely fall apart. So I ended up having to carefully spread on the coating. Which was a pain. in. the. butt.

However... In making this pain in the butt treat... I have discovered the tastiest pumpkin cake and chocolate frosting I've ever had in my life. I may not make these cake pops again, but I will happily make the cake and frosting, either together or separately, over and over in the future. Scrumptious!

Pumpkin Sheet Cake
A variation on this recipe from allrecipes.com

1 (15-ounce) can canned pumpkin puree
2 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a mixing bowl, beat pumpkin, 2 cups white sugar, and oil. Add eggs, and mix well.
In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add these dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, and beat until well blended. Pour batter into a greased 9x13-inch baking pan.

Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cake tests done. Cool.

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Creamy Chocolate Frosting
Courtesy of allrecipes.com

2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
6 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, sift together the confectioners' sugar and cocoa, and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter until smooth, then gradually beat in sugar mixture alternately with evaporated milk. Blend in vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. If necessary, adjust consistency with more milk or sugar.

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Pumpkin Cake Pops
Courtesy of Elizabeth LaBau, About.com Guide

One 9 x 13 cake, any flavor
One can (16-ounce) prepared frosting, any flavor
1 pound orange candy coating
About 48 lollipop sticks
Food-safe markers, gel icing, or 2 tablespoons chocolate chips

Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil or waxed paper.

Place the cake in a large bowl, and crumble it roughly with your hands. Once it's in fine crumbs, add about 2/3 of the frosting and begin to mix it with your hands into the cake crumbs, working until the mixture is evenly moistened. You want the cake mixture to easily hold together when you press it into a ball, but still retain a little texture. My personal preference is to have some “crumb” left to the crumb, so that it is not just a gooey ball. Of course, tastes vary, so if it seems as if the cake mixture is too dry, or you like a gooier taste, add more frosting until you're happy with the taste and texture.

Using a cookie scoop or teaspoon, form the mixture into small balls. Roll the balls between your palms to round them, then press them down slightly so that they're squat balls, similar to a pumpkin shape. Once all of the pumpkins are formed, place them on the prepared baking sheet and freeze until firm, at least 1 hour.

After the pumpkin cake pops have been frozen, remove them from the freezer. Melt the candy coating in the microwave and stir until completely smooth.

Use a skewer to poke a hole in the top of a pumpkin, then dip the tip of a lollipop stick in the candy coating and press it into the hole. This will help anchor the stick into the cake pop.

After all of the pumpkins have been skewered, dip a pumpkin fully into the candy coating until it's submerged. Take it out of the coating and gently tap the stick against the lip of the bowl so that excess coating drips off. Sit the pumpkin back on the baking sheet with the stick up in the air and let the coating set completely.

Once all of the pumpkins are dipped and the coating has hardened, melt chocolate chips and put the melted chocolate in a plastic bag. Snip a corner off the bag and use it to pipe on their eyes and mouths. An easier alternative is to use a food-safe marker to draw faces on the pumpkins.

Store pumpkin cake pops in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. For the best taste and texture, allow them to come to room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving.

Popovers

2011-10-25T19:13:00.003-04:00

I love popovers. Especially with soup. The soup pictured in the background is this one. Just make sure you don't forget to preheat the pans, otherwise, they'll end up like this.

Popovers
Courtesy of allrecipes.com

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Spray a popover pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place pan on center rack of oven and preheat for 2 minutes.

Blend flour, salt, eggs, milk, and melted butter until it looks like heavy cream, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Cut chilled butter into 6 even pieces. Place 1 piece of butter in each cup and place pan back in oven until butter is bubbly (about 1 minute).

Fill each cup half full with batter and bake 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 325°F and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes.

Chocolate Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

2011-10-23T19:02:00.005-04:00

I think I prefer just plain pumpkin whoopie pies. These are quite tasty though, and I certainly had no problem eating them.

Chocolate Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Courtesy of Burn Me Not

For the cookies:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the filling:
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 cup canned solid pumpkin
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg

Prepare cookies: Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheet with non-stick baking mat or parchment paper; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter, shortening, and both sugars. Using the paddle attachment, mix on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in half the flour mixture, then milk and vanilla, and finish with the remaining flour mixture.

Drop about a tablespoon of dough onto prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake 12-14 minutes or until cookies spring back when lightly touched. Place baking sheet on wire rack and let cool 5-10 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheet and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Prepare filling: In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, butter, and confectioners sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix until smooth, scraping down bowl as necessary.

Assemble whoopie pie: Pipe or spoon filling on the flat sides of half the cookies then sandwich with remaining cookies.

Pumpkin Pasta with Sausage and Wild Mushrooms

2011-10-23T18:49:00.003-04:00

This is a slightly different version of this recipe. And it's also one of the first recipes that I made early on that really wowed Jonathan (we guessed about 6 years ago?). It stands the test of time too... He loved it tonight just as much as he used to. Yay!

Pumpkin Pasta with Sausage and Wild Mushrooms
A variation on this recipe from Rachael Ray (via The Savory Notebook)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
1/4 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 portobello mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock or broth
1 14-ounce can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup heavy cream
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 pound penne rigate, cooked to al dente
Romano or Parmigiano, for grating
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil to the pan and brown the sausage in it. Transfer sausage to paper towel lined plate and return pan to the stove. Add the garlic, onions and mushrooms. Sauté 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are tender and mushrooms are browned. Season with salt and pepper.

Deglaze the pan with the wine. Add chicken stock and heat for one minute. Stir in pumpkin and incorporate - it will be thick. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat, and stir in cream. Season the sauce with the cinnamon and nutmeg, and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer mixture 5 to 10 minutes to thicken sauce.

Return drained pasta to the pot you cooked it in. Combine sauce and pasta and toss over low heat for 1 minute. Top with cheese and parsley.

Fall Vegetable Curry

2011-10-20T19:13:00.004-04:00

This is so easy and SO tasty. I added some almonds because I thought it could use a little variation in the texture. And I'm really glad I did. It added some great flavor as well as some crunch. Perfect weeknight dish!

Fall Vegetable Curry
A variation on this recipe from Cooking Light

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup diced peeled sweet potato
1 cup small cauliflower florets
1/4 cup thinly sliced yellow onion
2 teaspoons Madras curry powder
1/2 cup organic vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup almonds
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Cooked rice

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sweet potato to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Decrease heat to medium. Add cauliflower, onion, and curry powder; cook 1 minute, stirring mixture constantly. Add broth and next 3 ingredients (through tomatoes); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Add yogurt and almonds, and simmer for another couple minutes, or until heated through. Sprinkle with cilantro; serve over rice.

Chicken Rollatini with Spinach alla Parmigiana

2011-10-17T20:19:00.004-04:00

Anything stuffed and dipped makes a mess when you're making it, but it was totally worth it. This is a fabulous dish to make for company. Pair it with some greens (I lightly dressed arugula with oil, vinegar, salt and pepper) and some garlic bread (I didn't make that this time, but I definitely will next time), and it's a really impressive but comforting meal.

The proportions of ingredients made it so that I used chopped fresh baby spinach rather than half a standard 10-ounce package of frozen spinach. I added a little extra ricotta to make the filling smoother. I may use cottage cheese instead of ricotta next time; not only because I just like it better than ricotta, but also to add a little more creaminess.

Ooooooohhhhhh... And I just read in the original recipe commentary that this recipe originally had prosciutto in the filling. Um, yeah, I'll be doing that next time too. And um, yeah, I'm just kind of totally unskinnying this recipe. Oh well.

Chicken Rollatini with Spinach alla Parmigiana
A variation on this recipe from Gina's Skinny Recipes

8 thin chicken cutlets, 3 ounces each
1/2 cup whole wheat Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
3 eggs, divided
1 6-ounce bag fresh baby spinach, chopped into ribbons
1/2 cup part skim ricotta cheese
6 ounces part skim mozzarella
Olive oil non-stick spray
1 cup pomodoro sauce or marinara sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Wash and dry cutlets, season with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 450°F. Lightly spray a baking dish with non-stick spray.

Combine breadcrumbs and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese in one bowl and 2 beaten eggs in another.

Shred or finely chop 1.5 ounces of mozzarella cheese and combine with remaining grated Parmesan cheese, spinach, 1 beaten egg, and ricotta cheese.

Lay chicken cutlets down on a working surface and spread 2 tablespoons of spinach-cheese mixture on each cutlet. Loosely roll each one and keep seam side down.

Dip chicken in egg mixture, then in breadcrumbs, and place seam side down in a baking dish (no toothpicks needed). Repeat with the remaining chicken. When finished, lightly spray with olive oil. Bake 25 minutes.

Remove from oven, top with sauce then cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 3 more minutes. Serve with additional sauce on the side and grated cheese.

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

2011-10-15T15:15:00.004-04:00

Meh. I think I'd rather just make actual snickerdoodles. The meringue frosting is fine, but it gets funky quickly. And I didn't have time to pipe it, just kind of plopped it on, so it's not nearly as pretty as it should be. Oh well. It was worth a try.

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes
Courtesy of Martha Stewart

Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self- rising), sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus 1/2 teaspoon for dusting
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups milk

Frosting:
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup water
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
6 large egg whites, room temperature

Make cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together both flours, baking powder, salt, and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of milk, and beating until combined after each.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored up to 2 days at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

Make frosting: Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar with the water and corn syrup in a small saucepan; clip a candy thermometer to side of pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Continue boiling, without stirring, until syrup reaches 230°F.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk egg whites on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. With mixer running, add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, beating to combine.

As soon as sugar syrup reaches 230°F, remove from heat. With mixer on medium-low speed, pour syrup down side of bowl in a slow, steady stream. Raise speed to medium-high; whisk until mixture is completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl) and stiff (but not dry) peaks form, about 7 minutes. Use immediately.

To finish cupcakes, combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 2 tablespoons sugar. Using a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip (Ateco No. 809 or Wilton No. 1A), pipe frosting on each cupcake: Hold bag over cupcake with tip just above top, and squeeze to create a dome of frosting, then release pressure and pull up to form a peak. Using a small, fine sieve, dust peaks with cinnamon-sugar. Cupcakes are best eaten the day they are frosted; keep at room temperature until ready to serve.

Italian Herb Bread

2011-10-11T21:00:00.003-04:00

This is a great bread for soups. It's a recipe made for the Oster bread machine I have, but I imagine you could tweak it to accommodate whatever bread machine you have.

Italian Herb Bread
Courtesy of Oster

1 1/4 cups water
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons dried onion flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Measure and add liquid ingredients to the bread pan. Measure and add dry ingredients (except yeast) to the bread pan. Use your finger to form a wel (hole) in the flour where you will pour the yeast. Yeast must NEVER come into contact with a liquid when you are adding ingredients. Measure the yeast and carefully pour it into the well.

Snap the baking pan into the breadmaker and ctose the lid. Press “Select” button to choose the french setting. Press the “Crust Color” button to choose light. medium or dark crust. Press the “Start/Stop” button.

Pasta Fagioli

2011-10-11T20:49:00.003-04:00

Easy and tasty. And my entire family, all 4 of us, ate the same dinner tonight. Which is a miracle. Woot!

I sautéed all the chopped vegetables (not just the onion and garlic) before adding the other ingredients to set the soup to simmer. And I discovered after chopping everything that I had forgotten to get the crushed tomatoes, so I used an equal amount of pasta sauce instead. I'm sure it gave the whole thing even more flavor, so I just might keep it for the future.

Pasta Fagioli
A variation on this recipe from Gina's Skinny Recipes

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans
1 16-ounce jar pasta sauce
1 large bay leaf
1 tablespoon basil
1 tablespoon parsley
1 teaspoon oregano
2 (14 ounces each) cans fat free chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarians)
2 cups water
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) dry Ditalini pasta or other small pasta
Grated Parmigiano or Romano (optional)

In a deep pot, sauté onion, garlic, celery, and carrots in olive oil over medium heat.

Blend the can of beans with one can water in electric blender until almost smooth.

Add blended beans to pan, then add the pasta sauce, celery, carrots, chicken broth, basil, bay leaf, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper. Add 1 cup water and bring to slow boil. Let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add pasta and cook uncovered until pasta is al dente, according to pasta directions.

Ladle soup into bowls and top with grated cheese.

Corn Chowdah Mac 'n' Cheese

2011-10-10T19:36:00.003-04:00

Yuuuuuuuuuuum. Yum.

Corn Chowdah Mac 'n' Cheese
Courtesy of Rachael Ray

Salt and black pepper
1 pound mezzi rigatoni, penne rigate or cavatappi pasta
4 ears corn, husked
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
1/4 pound bacon, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 baking potato, peeled and diced into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning (half a palmful)
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 red chile pepper, such as fresno, seeded and chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped into 1/4-inch cubes
1 small red onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
A few sprigs thyme, chopped
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon dry mustard
About 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Few grates fresh nutmeg
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp yellow cheddar cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook to al dente. Drain and return to the pot.

While the pasta is working, position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the broiler. Place a small bowl upside down in a large bowl. Stand each ear of corn on the small bowl and scrape down the kernels.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and the bacon and cook until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate.

Add the corn, potato and Old Bay to the bacon drippings in the skillet and brown for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the celery, chile pepper, bell pepper, onion and garlic; season with the thyme, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, then the milk; season with the mustard, cayenne, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook until the sauce coats a spoon thickly; lower the heat to low. Stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Add the corn-potato mixture and the white sauce to the pasta in the pot and stir together. Transfer to a casserole or serving dish, top with the cheddar and bacon and broil until brown and bubbly, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Chocolate Orange Shortbread Cookies

2011-10-10T19:28:00.003-04:00

Meh. Not great. If I'm going to make shortbreads, I'll make these. And if I want holiday chocolate cookies, I'll make these. Oh well. They were worth a try.

Chocolate Orange Shortbread Cookies
Courtesy of Simply Recipes

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange zest

Preheat oven to 325°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a bowl. (Do not skip this step as cocoa powder has a tendency to clump. You want the dry ingredients sifted to ensure a tender cookie.) Set aside.

Beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed in a mixer for 5 minutes, being sure to scrape down the sides and bottom as needed. Add the vanilla and orange zest and mix for 30 seconds. Add about half the flour mixture and mix on low speed. Scrape down the bottom and sides and add the rest of the flour mixture. Once incorporated mix at medium speed for 2 minutes.

Lay out a sheet of parchment paper and place the dough on it. Cover with another sheet of parchment paper and roll out to 1/4-inch thickness with a rolling pin. (You can also lightly flour a work space, but I find my method far easier, cleaner, and the shortbread keeps a sandy texture by not picking up the extra flour.) You may find the dough getting too soft. If it does, place it in the freezer for ten minutes to firm it up before you continue rolling or cutting. (The dough is very hard to work with when soft.) Cut into desired shapes and place on the baking sheets about 1-inch apart.

Bake for 13-15 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking. It can be difficult to tell when these cookies are done, so when they smell like freshly baked cookies and the edges are slightly firm but still give a bit then consider them done (simply enough, it takes some judgment on your part). Remove the pans and allow the cookies to cool for a minute or two before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

Ruguh-Love

2011-10-09T21:13:00.003-04:00

This was my first time ever having rugelach. And now I'm wondering why I waited so long. Holy cow, these are good. I think I just generally like doughs that are made with cream cheese, but the other flavors in here make these particular cookies especially awesome.

Jillie decided she thinks we should have them for breakfast, which I think is in no small part because of the cinnamon sugar. After eating oatmeal with cinnamon and honey for the better part of the last year, I think she's conditioned to associate those flavors with breakfast. I just might take her advice tomorrow morning...

Ruguh-Love
Courtesy of Cookie Couture via Martha Stewart

For the Coating:
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the Dough:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

For the Filling:
2 cups premium raspberry preserves
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons chopped walnuts

Make the dough: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together butter, cream cheese, and salt on low until well combined; add flour and mix until a dough has formed. Turn out onto work surface and cut into 4 equal pieces; wrap each piece with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat; set aside.

Unwrap 1 piece of dough and place on a floured work surface. Roll into an 11-inch round and, using a pizza wheel, cut into 8 equal wedges. Repeat process with remaining pieces of dough.

To Fill: Spread 1 tablespoon raspberry preserves on each piece of dough; sprinkle 1 teaspoon nuts on the short side of each piece. Starting with the short side of the triangle, fold corners in toward the center and roll up each piece to enclose filling. Repeat process with remaining dough, preserves, and nuts.

Make the coating: In a small bowl, mix together sugar and cinnamon. Dip each rugelach first in melted butter and then in sugar mixture to coat, pressing on open ends to enclose. Place on a baking sheet 1/2 inch apart.

Transfer baking sheet to oven and bake until browned and caramelized, about 35 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes before serving.

Broccoli Gratin

2011-10-09T20:45:00.004-04:00

This is what every broccoli casserole wants to be. It's fresh and creamy. It's light but satisfying. Jonathan couldn't stop eating it. And when he saw the picture of it again just now, he started to gush all over again about how good it was. Score.

This recipe originally called for Brussels sprouts, but it's not quite close enough to the holidays for them to be readily available in my local grocery store yet. Which is a total bummer since I love them. But I will definitely be trying them in this recipe as soon as I can find them.

I did not steam the broccoli before putting everything together and sticking it in the oven. It kept the broccoli crisp, which we loved. I really dislike mushy vegetables.

Broccoli Gratin
A variation on this recipe from T'afia for Food Network Magazine

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for the dish
Kosher salt
1 pound broccoli, cut into florets
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated white cheddar cheese
1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 400°F and butter a 2-quart baking dish. Add broccoli to the prepared baking dish and toss with the red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste, then spread out evenly. Pour the cream on top, sprinkle with the cheese and breadcrumbs and dot with the butter pieces.

Bake the gratin until bubbly and golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Rosemary Pork Tenderloin

2011-10-09T20:27:00.003-04:00

This is a great recipe for pork tenderloin. I was very happy to have found a tasty way to use the rosemary in my garden.

I only cooked the pork to 145°F since I find the recommended 160°F internal temperature to result in a way overcooked pork tenderloin. It took almost the full 30 minutes though, so I think the original recipe may be a little off. Either that or Claire Robinson has some mega oven that cooks things faster than mine does.

I may also add less pepper next time. It was pretty peppery, and I had already decreased the suggested pepper by half. Claire obviously likes her some pepper.

Rosemary Pork Tenderloin
A variation on this recipe from Claire Robinson

1/3 cup Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon freshly chopped rosemary leaves, plus 4 sprigs rosemary, with hard woody stems
5 large garlic cloves, 2 cloves minced, 3 cloves smashed
2 pork tenderloins, about 1-pound each
4 slices maple bacon

In a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, fresh ground black pepper, chopped rosemary, and minced garlic and mix well. Rub the mustard mixture over the surface of the tenderloins and wrap in plastic wrap. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Place rosemary sprigs and smashed garlic in the center of a roasting pan. Remove the plastic wrap from the tenderloins and top each with 2 slices of maple bacon. Tie with kitchen twine to secure bacon strips.

Place the roasting pan in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer, inserted in the tenderloins, registers 145°F. Remove from oven when desired doneness is reached and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes on a cutting board. Remove kitchen twine, slice and serve with your favorite sides. Garnish with the rosemary sprigs and garlic.

Sage and Pancetta Biscuits

2011-10-06T19:32:00.003-04:00

These were scrumptious. I'm thinking they may need to be included in an upcoming holiday breakfast...

I served them with this potato soup. I used shredded mozzarella instead of Fontina since that's what I had on hand. And I had to make my own buttermilk substitute. I did that by adding a tablespoon of vinegar to a little less than a cup of milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.

Sage and Pancetta Biscuits
A variation on this recipe from Bon Appétit

1 3-ounce package thinly sliced pancetta (Italian bacon), chopped
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chilled buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450°F. Sauté pancetta in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in large bowl to blend. Rub in butter with fingertips until coarse meal forms. Stir in Fontina and sage, separating strands of cheese. Add 3/4 cup buttermilk and pancetta with any pan drippings and stir until moist clumps form. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead just until dough holds together, about 4 to 6 turns. Flatten dough to 3/4-inch thickness. Using 2 1/4-inch-diameter biscuit or cookie cutter, cut out rounds. Re-roll dough and cut out more rounds until all dough is used.

Transfer biscuits to large rimmed ungreased baking sheet, spacing apart. Brush biscuit tops with remaining 2 tablespoons buttermilk. Bake until biscuits are puffed and golden, about 14 minutes. Serve warm.

Pasta with Sautéed Brussels Sprouts in a Light Ragù

2011-10-04T18:44:00.004-04:00

Yum. This is a pretty traditional dish that's given a bit of a twist with the Brussels sprouts. And I really like the flavor they give. It's exactly what I wanted on this chilly early Fall evening.

Pasta with Sautéed Brussels Sprouts in a Light Ragù
Courtesy of Gina's Skinny Recipes

1 sweet or hot pork sausage link, casing removed, crumbled
3/4 lb 93% lean ground turkey
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
10 ounces Brussels sprouts (weight after outer leaves and stems removed), cut into thin shreds
1 small onion, diced small
1 carrot, peeled and diced small
1 celery stalk, diced small
28 ounces crushed tomatoes
1 bay leaf
Pinch crushed red pepper
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 pound pasta
Grated Pecorino Romano, if desired

In a large, wide skillet, add sausage and turkey over medium-high heat, breaking up the sausage and turkey as it cooks into small pieces. When completely cooked through; set aside in a bowl.

To the skillet, add 2 teaspoons of oil over medium heat. When hot, add the garlic and cook until golden (do not burn). Add shredded brussels sprouts, salt and pepper and sauté until tender crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes; set aside in another bowl.

To the same skillet, add remaining 2 tsp of oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot and celery, stirring well to coat with oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables turn golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Add crushed tomatoes, sausage and turkey, bay leaf, crushed red pepper, salt and fresh pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer about 30 - 40 minutes, or until sauce thickens.

Meanwhile, while sauce is simmering, put a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Add the pasta to the water 10 minutes before the sauce is done and cook pasta al dente.

Drain and add the pasta to the skillet and toss with the sauce. Add cooked Brussels sprouts and toss. Serve and sprinkle with Pecorino Romano, if desired.

Strawberry and Rosemary Scones

2011-10-04T14:27:00.005-04:00

I was definitely wary of these while I was making them. Rosemary can be such an overwhelming flavor, but the sweetness of the strawberry jam and the lemony glaze really helps to cut that intense woodsy flavor while not making it completely disappear. They're very tasty. And I love the holiday feeling they have.

Strawberry and Rosemary Scones
Courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Scones:
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup strawberry jam

Glaze:
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, from 1 large lemon
2 cups powdered sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons water

For the scones: Place an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper. Set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, baking powder, rosemary, salt, and butter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Gradually stir in the cream until the mixture forms a dough. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 1/2-inch thick, 10-inch circle. Using a 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out heart-shaped pieces of dough and put on the prepared baking sheet. Gently knead together any leftover pieces of dough and roll out to 1/2-inch thick. Cut the dough into more heart shapes and add to the baking sheet. Using an index finger or a small, round measuring spoon, gently make an indentation in the center of each pastry heart. Spoon a heaped 1/2 teaspoon of jam into each indentation. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Transfer the cooked scones onto a wire rack and cool for 30 minutes.

For the glaze: In a medium bowl, mix together the lemon juice and powdered sugar until smooth. Gradually add the water until the mixture is thin enough to spread. Using a spoon, drizzle the glaze over the scones. Let the glaze set for about 30 minutes. Serve or store in an airtight plastic container for 2 days.

Cook's Note: The dough can also be made by hand by stirring together the flour, sugar, baking powder, rosemary, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter. Using your fingertips or a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Gradually stir in the cream until the mixture forms a dough.

Ricotta Orange Pound Cake

2011-10-02T19:51:00.004-04:00

Oh my, this pound cake is wonderful. Though it proves, once again, that I cannot get these suckers out of the pan without them completely falling apart. The first piece of evidence of this situation can't be found on this blog, for some reason (the cake wasn't that fabulous, so maybe that's why?). But here is Exhibit A, a Paula Deen pound cake gone wrong:

Then there's absolutely scrumptious Exhibit B:

So yeah, it's not a pretty cake. But it was so yummy that I will be trying it again. I will try greasing and flouring the pan and see if maybe that helps. *fingers crossed*

The only thing I did differently from the original recipe was use almond extract instead of amaretto (mostly because I ran out of time to get to the liquor store). And I've really started enjoying the combination of orange and chocolate, so I paired this cake with my malted chocolate ice cream.

Ricotta Orange Pound Cake
A variation on this recipe by Giada De Laurentiis

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more to grease the baking pan
1 1/2 cups cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 orange, zested
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan with butter. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir to blend.

Using a mixer, cream the butter, ricotta and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. With the machine running, add the eggs 1 at a time. Add the vanilla, orange zest and almond extract until combined. Add the dry ingredients, a small amount at a time, until just incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. To wrap, return to the pan and dust with confectioners' sugar.

Chicken Normande with Mashed Apples and Potatoes

2011-10-02T19:31:00.002-04:00

Meh. Not terrific. It smelled great, but it didn't taste like much. Oh well.

Chicken Normande with Mashed Apples and Potatoes
Courtesy of Bon Appétit

3 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
1 cup apple cider or apple juice
8 ounces parsnips, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 3/4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 pound Golden Delicious apples (about 2 large), peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
5 tablespoons butter
8 skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/3 cup brandy
1/3 cup whipping cream

Combine first 3 ingredients in heavy large pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until parsnips are tender, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer parsnips to small bowl. Add potatoes and apples to same pot. Cover; simmer until very tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Using slotted spoon, transfer potatoes and apples to large bowl; add 3 tablespoons butter. Mash until almost smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Pour broth mixture from pot into medium bowl; reserve pot.

Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper and 4 teaspoons thyme; dust with flour. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in reserved pot over medium-high heat. Add half of chicken. Sauté until brown and cooked through, turning with tongs, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sautéed chicken to 11x7x2-inch glass baking dish. Repeat with remaining chicken. Top with parsnips, remaining 2 teaspoons thyme and peas. Return broth mixture to same pot; add brandy and whipping cream. Boil over medium-high heat until sauce is reduced to 1 1/4 cups, scraping up browned bits, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon over chicken. Cover with potato-apple mixture. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Refrigerate until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake casserole uncovered until potato topping is crusty and chicken filling is heated through, about 35 minutes (about 45 minutes if refrigerated).

Spicy Moroccan Chickpeas

2011-09-27T19:21:00.003-04:00

There is absolutely nothing spicy about this. And the other flavors really weren't interesting enough for me to make this again. It's not bad, it's just not terribly exciting. Eh. It was worth a shot.

Spicy Moroccan Chickpeas
Courtesy of Cooking Light

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, peeled
2 cups thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup dried apricots, sliced
1 tablespoon ras el hanout (Moroccan spice blend) or garam masala
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 (28-ounce) can no-salt-added whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped
6 cups escarole, torn into 1-inch pieces
1 cup cilantro leaves
1/4 cup mint leaves
1/2 cup roasted whole almonds, coarsely chopped
4 cups hot cooked couscous

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove garlic from pan using a slotted spoon; discard or reserve for another use. Add onion and next 6 ingredients (through cinnamon stick) to pan; sauté for 7 minutes or until the onion is lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add 1/2 cup water, rind, juice, chickpeas, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in escarole; simmer for 1 minute or until escarole wilts. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with cilantro and mint; top with almonds. Serve over couscous.

Pumpkin Pie Pudding

2011-09-25T19:20:00.003-04:00

This is the first pudding I've ever made. And it was delicious, if I do say so myself. The caramelized walnuts are especially incredible.

Pumpkin Pie Pudding
Courtesy of Cooking Light

1/2 cup sugar, divided
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 3/4 cups 1% low-fat milk
1 large egg
1/2 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Cooking spray
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Dash of salt
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Combine 6 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Combine milk and egg, stirring well with a whisk. Gradually add milk mixture to sugar mixture, stirring constantly, and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Combine pumpkin and the next 4 ingredients (through ground nutmeg) in a bowl, stirring well. Slowly add pumpkin mixture to milk mixture, whisking constantly. Place pan over low heat, and cook for 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring constantly (do not boil). Divide pudding evenly among 4 dessert bowls, and cover surface of pudding with plastic wrap. Chill.

Line a baking sheet with foil, and coat foil with cooking spray. Place the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, walnuts, and a dash of salt in a small nonstick skillet; cook over low heat until sugar dissolves and is golden (about 3 minutes), stirring frequently to coat nuts. Transfer mixture to prepared baking sheet, and cool completely. Coarsely chop nuts.

Place cream in a bowl. Beat with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons whipped cream and about 1 tablespoon nuts.

Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-09-24T14:33:00.002-04:00

Another successful chocolate chip cookie! Woot! I have new baking soda, which always seems to do the trick when it comes to avoiding getting flat cookies (at least for me).

I had some help making these since I was inspired to find this recipe after Jillie pretended to make them for one of her stuffed animal's birthday party. She's quite the cook and baker in her little world, and I'm enjoying starting to teach her how to do it in real life.

Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Courtesy of allrecipes.com

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped semisweet chocolate (I used mini chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the corn syrup, water, and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the peanut butter mixture. Fold in chocolate chunks. Drop by 1/4 cupfuls 3 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are golden. Allow cookies to cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheet before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Autumn Sausage Casserole

2011-09-22T18:47:00.004-04:00

This is a recipe that was originally meant to be cooked on the stovetop and then in the oven. And then it was turned into a crockpot meal because Stephanie O'Dea decided to cook in her crockpot every day for an entire year. But really, it should be cooked in the original way. It just doesn't really work in the crockpot. It was sticking so much to the crockpot insert that I stopped cooking it halfway into the cook time (which was fine because pretty much everything was cooked already, the crockpot time was really only meant to soften up the fruit and veggies). I'll make it again, but probably as a side dish next time. It's so reminiscent of stuffing/dressing that I'm not sure it would fly again as a main course (the husband isn't a giant fan of casseroles as it is... maybe I'll make it when he's away on business...).

Autumn Sausage Casserole
A variation on this recipe from Taste of Home

1 pound bulk pork sausage
1 medium apple, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrot
3 cups cooked long grain rice
1/2 cup raisins
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley (or 1 tablespoon dried parsley)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon pepper

In a large skillet, cook the sausage, apple, onion and celery over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the remaining ingredients.

Transfer to a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.

Apple Butter Muffins

2011-09-20T20:15:00.003-04:00

Holy cow, these are good. Flavorful. Light but satisfying. I used my favorite slow-cooking apple butter in the recipe. I love the lemon flavor that balances so beautifully with all the spices in the apple butter.

Apple Butter Muffins
Courtesy of Food.com

1 3/4 cups unbleached flour or 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (aluminum-free if available)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup apple butter (homemade if available)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk
Sugar, to sprinkle

In a small mixing bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg to the sugar mixture; beat well. Beat in the apple butter and vanilla.

Stir lemon juice into the evaporated milk. Beating at low speed, alternately add the flour and the milk mixtures to the apple butter mixture until just combined.

Grease or line with baking papers. Fill each cup 2/3 full. Sprinkle lightly with sugar.

Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Pumpkin Spice Latte Syrup

2011-09-20T18:25:00.003-04:00

This is a decent homemade option to make your own version of the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte. I've gotten so used to drinking my coffee with no sugar that it tasted pretty sweet to me, but the nice thing about having made this syrup is that I can add as much or as little as I want. And if I want a little autumnal sweet treat with my afternoon coffee, I'm set!

The picture doesn't really show much of the actual recipe since the syrup is mixed in with my normal coffee with half-and-half. But I get to show off one of my favorite mugs, made by the lovely Shawna Pincus.

Pumpkin Spice Latte Syrup
Courtesy of Sugar Crafter

1 cup water
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons pumpkin purée
1-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (or 3 cinnamon sticks)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves

In a small sauce pan, combine all of the ingredients. Simmer over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes. Do not allow to boil.

Let the syrup cool to lukewarm, and then strain it through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth to remove some of the grittiness from the spices. Pour the syrup into a bottle or jar. Store the jar in the refrigerator, and use within a month. If the remaining spices settle to the bottom, just give the syrup a quick stir before you use it.

Chipotle Bean Burritos

2011-09-19T19:18:00.004-04:00

This is a very easy and tasty recipe. If you want to stretch it, you can make some rice to add to the burritos. Or some guacamole. Even though I made it on a nice cool day, this is definitely a perfect Summer dish since it doesn't require a lot of time using the stove.

Chipotle Bean Burritos
Courtesy of Cooking Light

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
1 (15-ounce) can organic black beans, drained
1 (15-ounce) can organic kidney beans, drained
3 tablespoons refrigerated fresh salsa
6 (10-inch) reduced-fat flour tortillas (such as Mission)
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese
1 1/2 cups chopped plum tomato (about 3)
1 1/2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
6 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
6 tablespoons light sour cream (I used Greek yogurt)

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in chile powder and salt; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in 1/3 cup water and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in salsa. Partially mash bean mixture with a fork.

Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon about 1/3 cup bean mixture into center of each tortilla. Top each serving with about 2 1/2 tablespoons cheese, 1/4 cup tomato, 1/4 cup lettuce, 1 tablespoon onions, and 1 tablespoon sour cream; roll up.

Cincinatti Chili

2011-09-18T14:42:00.004-04:00

This is such a nostalgic recipe. It's my mom's recipe that she used to make on chilly weekend afternoons. I would smell her cooking this dish and hear the sounds of an Eagles game on the kitchen tv. I really don't think I had a proper appreciation for this dish until I made it. There are so many wonderful flavors that go into it. And it seems to work well with ground pork as well as ground hamburger (if you follow my blog, you'll notice that we don't eat a lot of red meat, so I decided to make that substitution). Thanks, Mom, for sharing your recipe with me!

Cincinatti Chili
Courtesy of Hallie Vasell

2 pounds ground pork
2 chopped onions
1 quart water
2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce
½ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
4 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon red pepper
¼ teaspoon cloves
½ ounce unsweetened chocolate
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Hot sauce, to taste
1 pound spaghetti
Toppings (cheddar cheese, beans, chopped onions)

In a large pot, combine pork, onions, and water. Bring to a boil, breaking up pork. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients (except spaghetti and toppings), stir to combine, and simmer uncovered for 2-3 hours, until thickened. Refrigerate overnight.

Cook spaghetti. To serve, put spaghetti on each plate. Cover with heated Cincinnati chili. Sprinkle with lots of shredded cheddar cheese. This forms a traditional “3 way”. If you want a “4 way”, add a layer of hot beans under the cheese. For a “5 way”, add a layer of hot beans and fresh chopped onions under the cheese.

Asian Turkey Meatballs with Carrot Rice

2011-09-16T13:23:00.003-04:00

This was totally delicious. I did end up overcooking the meatballs slightly because of some organization issues that led to putting the meatballs in really hot oil in a really hot pan. It didn't make a difference though. The flavors were wonderful. And I especially liked the added flavor squeezing the lime slices over both the meatballs and the rice gave the dish.

The kids weren't crazy about this dish since the meatballs had a bit of kick to them. But if you like more spice, I read in the reviews of this recipe that people had found that adding some ginger to the meatballs worked really well. I'll probably try it next time.

Asian Turkey Meatballs with Carrot Rice
Courtesy of Martha Stewart

Coarse salt
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 carrot, shredded
3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 1/2 pounds ground dark-meat turkey or ground pork
3 scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
4 teaspoons fish sauce
4 teaspoons hot-pepper sauce (preferably Sriracha)
4 teaspoons sugar
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Lime wedges, for serving

Preheat oven to 450°F. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups salted water to a boil. Add rice, stir, and return to a boil. Cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook until rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and top with carrot. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes, then stir in carrot and fluff rice with a fork.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs and 3 tablespoons water. Let stand 5 minutes. Add turkey, scallion whites, cilantro, fish sauce, hot-pepper sauce, sugar, garlic, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Gently mix to combine and form into 12 meatballs.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high. In batches, brown meatballs on all sides, 10 minutes total (add up to 1 teaspoon oil as needed). Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and bake until cooked through, 10 minutes. Serve meatballs with rice, scallion greens, and lime wedges.

Iced Oatmeal Cookies

2011-09-12T16:21:00.004-04:00

I used to love the Mother's Iced Oatmeal Cookies when I was little. So when I saw this recipe, I had to give it a try. And it is definitely a wonderful (though chewier and a bit healthier) homemade version, which I am happily serving as an after-school snack this week.

I realized that I didn't have enough butter after I had come home from already running errands and mixing together the dry ingredients. So I found out online that 3/4 cup of canola oil can be substituted for every cup of butter a recipe calls for. I don't know how much of a difference the butter would have made, but I'll probably try the recipe with butter next time (as long as I remember to properly account for my ingredients before going grocery shopping).

I also only noticed the note that you should use less kosher salt in the cookie dough if you're using the Morton brand (which is what I have) once I had put the first pans of cookies in the oven, so I just tried to make up for the extra salt by not adding the recommended salt to the icing. The batch I made was a bit salty, but not horribly so. I think I'll manage to eat them. It's always such a hardship to have delicious snacks in the house.

Oh, and make sure when you're rotating the cookie sheets that you don't accidentally tilt the sheet too far, managing the tip the contents of the sheet into the oven, and in your rush to pick the sheet back up, touch it without using an oven mitt. OUCH.

Iced Oatmeal Cookies
Courtesy of smitten kitchen

Cookies:
Parchment paper or butter for baking sheets
2 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon old fashioned oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour*
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons kosher salt**
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs

Icing:
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
5 to 6 tablespoons whole milk
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt**

Preheat oven to 350°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Rub two baking sheets with butter. In a food processor, grind 1/2 cup of oats to a fine powder, then add remaining oats and grind them all together until it resembles coarse meal, with only a few large flakes remaining.

Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl, pouring back any bits of grains or other ingredients that remain in the sifter. In a small bowl, whisk butter and eggs until combined. Using a spatula, fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Scoop balls of dough about 2 to 3 tablespoons in size (I used a #40 cookie scoop, which scooped 2 tablespoon-sized balls) onto cookie sheets about 3 inches apart. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through. When tops are evenly brown, take them out and transfer them to a cooling rack. Repeat with remaining cookie dough. Let cookies cool completely before icing.

In a bowl, whisk icing ingredients together until smooth. It should have a honey-like consistency. Drizzle the frosting over the cookies. Let the frosting set for 30 minutes before eating. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week.

* The original recipe replaced this volume with a multigrain flour mix that worked out to 1/2 cup barley flour + 1/4 cup millet flour + 1/4 cup rye flour. If you have any of these flours, swap them in and reduce the volume of all-purpose.

** Saltiness of kosher salt varies by brand. I’d recommend 2 teaspoons if you use Diamond kosher salt, and about half as much if you use Morton kosher salt or another brand.

Homemade Dinner Rolls

2011-09-11T20:08:00.004-04:00

I liked these a lot. They ended up looking like giant dinner roll muffins, which is not a bad thing. But I know I could make smaller rolls and stretch the recipe by using two muffin pans instead of one.

I definitely needed more flour to make the dough elastic enough to knead properly, but even when it was more elastic, it was still pretty crazy sticky. It ended up working really well, but I was nervous along the way.

It wasn't suggested in the recipe, but I added fleur de sel to the top of the rolls since I love salted rolls.

Homemade Dinner Rolls
Courtesy of Tanya Holland

1 (1/4-ounce) package dry active yeast
1 cup warm water, about 110°F
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup milk, scalded but cooled to warm
4 ounces melted butter, plus 2 ounces
5 cups flour, plus more, as needed
6-cup, 3-inch muffin tin pan

In a standing mixing bowl with dough hook, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let sit until lightly foamy, then stir in sugar and add egg, salt, warm milk, and 4 ounces of butter. Slowly add 5 cups flour, adding more as needed to make an elastic dough. Mix well, then roll out to floured surface and knead dough for about 5 minutes.

Place dough in buttered bowl, cover with towel, and set in a warm place to rise until double in bulk, about 1 hour.

Lightly oil the muffin pan. Punch down dough and form dough into 1-inch balls. Place 3 balls in each muffin tin. Fill muffin pan, cover with towel, and allow to rise an additional 1/2 hour.

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Brush with remaining melted butter. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.

Salted Caramel Brownies

2011-09-10T08:57:00.003-04:00

These are ridiculously delicious. I may have to try just one more in order to decide if they're my favorite brownies ever...

Salted Caramel Brownies
Courtesy of Cooking Light

Brownies:
3 19/50 ounces all-purpose flour (about 3/4 cup)
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
6 tablespoons butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking spray

Topping:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons evaporated fat-free milk, divided
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/8 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Preheat oven to 350°F.

To prepare brownies, weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through baking powder) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Combine 6 tablespoons butter, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add butter mixture to flour mixture; stir to combine. Scrape batter into a 9-inch square metal baking pan lightly coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs clinging. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

To prepare topping, melt 1/4 cup butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons milk; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and powdered sugar; stir with a whisk until smooth. Spread mixture evenly over cooled brownies. Let stand 20 minutes or until set.

Combine 2 tablespoons milk and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH for 45 seconds or until melted, stirring after 20 seconds. Stir just until smooth; drizzle over caramel. Sprinkle with sea salt; let stand until set. Cut into squares.

Tomato, Broccoli & Mozzarella Pasta Casserole

2011-09-07T21:26:00.003-04:00

This was okay. Nothing super crazy awesome, but a good option if you're going to a potluck and want to make sure you have an option that will appeal to a broad audience.

Tomato, Broccoli & Mozzarella Pasta Casserole
Courtesy of the kitchn

12 ounces farfalle pasta (also known as bowtie)
1 pound broccoli florets, frozen or fresh
3 large ripe tomatoes, divided
3/4 pound onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, very finely minced
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained
3/4 cup chopped basil leaves, divided
1/2 pound fresh full-fat mozzarella, divided
3 large eggs
1 cup cottage cheese (4% milkfat or greater)
1 lemon, juiced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan, divided
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Heat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with olive oil. Heat a large pot of water to boiling and salt generously. Add the farfalle and cook for 11 minutes or until barely al dente. Drain and return to the pot.

Steam the broccoli in the microwave or in a steamer basket on the stovetop, just until tender. Drain thoroughly and chop roughly into bite-sized florets. Toss with the cooked pasta. Chop two of the tomatoes into rough pieces, and add them to the pasta. Stir in the chopped onion and minced garlic, along with the drained chickpeas, and 1/2 cup of the chopped basil. Tear about 2/3 of the fresh mozzarella into thumbnail-sized chunks and fold this into the pasta mixture.

Whisk the eggs with the cottage cheese and lemon juice. Stir in 1/2 cup of Parmesan. Stir this liquid into the pasta mixture until well combined. Stir in the salt and pepper.

Spread the pasta in the prepared baking dish. Slice the remaining tomato into half-moons and arrange on top of the pasta. Tear the rest of the mozarella into bits and scatter between the rows of tomato slices. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese on top, and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake for 35 minutes or until the cheese on top has melted and the casserole is bubbling. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle the remaining chopped basil over top. Let stand for a few more minutes before serving.

Skinny Chicken Tikka Masala

2011-09-06T21:06:00.004-04:00

I'm not sure exactly what's in "non-skinny" chicken tikka masala, but this seemed like a decent version of this dish. Any time I can find homemade versions of Indian (and other varied ethnic) dishes that I can introduce to my 6-year-old and that he ends up liking, the more excited I get about being able to go out to Indian (and other varied ethnic) restaurants as a family. Then again, if I keep finding such good recipes for these dishes, we'll probably just end up eating more often at Mom's Diner. A little more work for me, but a lot cheaper and healthier, no?

Skinny Chicken Tikka Masala
Courtesy of Gina's Skinny Recipes

2 tsp canola oil or you could use butter
1 small onion, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
4 ounces (1/2 cup) fat free yogurt
1/2 cup 1% milk
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 teaspoon turmeric (optional)
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
Salt to taste
16 ounces (2 boneless) chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
4 tablespoon fresh cilantro (or to taste)

Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until golden. Add the crushed ginger, stir for a few minutes then add the garlic and cook another minute. Add cumin, garam masala, turmeric, chili powder, and salt; mix well until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes, yogurt and milk. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Add chicken and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes or until cooked through. Add a generous amount of chopped cilantro and serve with basmati rice or naan.

Cranberry-Oatmeal Bars

2011-09-06T14:45:00.004-04:00

These are okay. Not too sweet, not too tart. But also not my favorite snack.

The only thing I did differently was use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.

Cranberry-Oatmeal Bars
A variation on this recipe from Cooking Light

Crust:
4 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons orange juice
Cooking spray

Filling:
1 1/3 cups dried cranberries (about 6 ounces)
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 large egg white, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 325°F.

To prepare crust, weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through cinnamon) in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle butter and juice over flour mixture, stirring until moistened (mixture will be crumbly). Reserve 1/2 cup oat mixture. Press remaining oat mixture into the bottom of an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

To prepare filling, combine cranberries, sour cream, granulated sugar, and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring well. Spread cranberry mixture over prepared crust; sprinkle reserved oat mixture evenly over filling. Bake at 325°F for 40 minutes or until edges are golden. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

Pumpkin Bread

2011-09-05T14:47:00.003-04:00

Alton Brown does it again. This is supposed to have pumpkin seeds in it, but I couldn't find any this early in the season. It also calls for fresh pumpkin, so once I process pumpkins this year, I will have both the elements I was missing from this try. But even without the seeds and with canned pumpkin (a 14.5-ounce can), it was delicious.

Pumpkin Bread
Courtesy of Alton Brown

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups shredded fresh pumpkin
1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Sift the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together.

In a separate bowl, mix the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla. Combine both mixtures and fold in the shredded pumpkin and pumpkin seeds. Once the ingredients are all incorporated pour into a non- stick 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan. If your pan is not non- stick coat it with butter and flour.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. At this point a knife inserted into the middle of the loaf should come out clean. Cool for 15 minutes and turn out onto a cooling rack. Cool completely. For muffins temperature should also be 325°F, but bake for 30 minutes.

Black Bean Hummus

2011-09-05T11:20:00.004-04:00

Another successful lunchbox option for my big 1st grade boy. I can't believe he'll be in full-day school as of tomorrow. When I think about how his little sister will be in the same preschool class this year that he was in 3 years ago (?!), I can't believe how quickly time is going. These last few years have gone by in the blink.

*sniff* Now that I've gotten that out of my system... This is a really delicious version of hummus. One that I think I prefer to the more traditional kind that's made with chickpeas and tahini. I love black beans, so I shouldn't be surprised.

I did tweak the garlic in this recipe a bit. I've noticed that the raw garlic in other hummus gives me heartburn/reflux, so I used some garlic powder instead. Here's hoping it works... I also doubled the recipe in order to use a full can of black beans. Deliciousness.

Black Bean Hummus
A variation on this recipe from Melissa d'Arabian

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Blend all the ingredients in a food processor until almost smooth. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Cinnamon Streusel-Topped Pumpkin Pie

2011-09-04T20:25:00.003-04:00

This was so good, it prompted Jonathan to break out in song. Specifically, the part of Sleigh Ride that talks about the coffee and pumpkin pie. I'm sure it will show up at at least one of our holiday meals this year. It's such an awesome twist on the usual pumpkin pie. The only thing I did differently was use my go-to pie crust rather than a store-bought one.

Cinnamon Streusel-Topped Pumpkin Pie
Courtesy of Cooking Light

Filling:
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 (15-ounce) can unsweetened pumpkin
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk

Crust:
1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury) (or one homemade pie crust)
Cooking spray

Streusel:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 ounces)
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup regular oats
1/4 cup chopped pecans
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
2 to 3 teaspoons water

Preheat oven to 375°F.

To prepare filling, combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl; stir with a whisk.

To prepare crust, roll dough to an 11-inch circle. Fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Fold edges under; flute.

To prepare streusel, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through 1/8 teaspoon ginger) in a bowl. Cut in butter with a fork or fingertips until crumbly. Sprinkle with water, tossing with a fork just until lightly moistened.

Pour pumpkin mixture into crust; sprinkle with streusel. Place pie on a baking sheet. Bake at 375°F for 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from baking sheet; cool completely on a wire rack.

Cajun Pasta

2011-08-31T19:17:00.003-04:00

This was supposed to have chicken in it, but I forgot to defrost the chicken I had in the freezer, so it became a meat-free dish. I think it could have really used the chicken though. The flavor is great, but it was needing some more "toothiness", as Jonathan puts it. I will be trying it again, with the chicken next time.

Cajun Pasta
Courtesy of The Pioneer Woman

3 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
3 teaspoons Cajun spice mix, divided, more to taste
1 pound fettuccine
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 whole green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 whole red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1/2 whole large red onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 whole Roma tomatoes, diced
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup heavy cream
Cayenne pepper, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste
Chopped fresh parsley, to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain when pasta is still al dente; do not overcook!

Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun spice over chicken pieces. Toss around to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy skillet over high heat. Add half the chicken in a single layer; do not stir. Allow chicken to brown on one side, about 1 minute. Flip to the other side and cook an additional minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a clean plate.

Repeat with remaining chicken. Remove chicken, leaving pan on high heat.

Add remaining olive oil and butter. When heated, add peppers, onions, and garlic. Sprinkle on remaining Cajun spice, and add salt if needed. Cook over very high heat for 1 minute, stirring gently and trying to get the vegetables as dark/black as possible. Add tomatoes and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove all vegetables from the pan.

With the pan over high heat, pour in the wine and chicken broth. Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in cream, stirring/whisking constantly. Cook sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until cream starts to thicken the mixture. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and/or salt to taste. Sauce should be spicy!

Finally, add chicken and vegetables to sauce, making sure to include all the juices that have drained onto the plate. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and hot. Add drained fettuccine and toss to combine.

Top with chopped fresh parsley and chow down!

Cheese Biscuits

2011-08-29T20:45:00.005-04:00

Oh my goodness, these are awesome. I ate way too many of them with dinner tonight, but really, biscuits are just not the same the day after, so why not finish the plate of them, right?

They suggest all sorts of variations of these on the webpage. I went with the Parmesan cheese and chives variation. And I added some fleur de sel on top since that's what I had. I'm thinking I may need to pick up some of that pink Himalyan salt from Terrain the next time I'm there. That would add some more fun to these fabulous biscuits.

I also tweaked the wet ingredients a bit since I don't like buying containers of buttermilk. I never seem to use all of it before it goes bad, and it frustrates me. So I went with the Greek yogurt and whole milk that were in my fridge. These were so good, these changes will definitely be used from now on.

Cheese Biscuits
A variation on this recipe from Simply Recipes

2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Dash of cayenne
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons baking powder
7 tablespoons butter, cold
2 tablespoons chives
3 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup Greek yogurt
1 cup whole milk
Kosher, Maldon, Fleur de Sel, or Black salt for topping (optional; not table/iodized salt)

Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cayenne, black pepper, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Dice the butter into small pieces. If they get too warm then place them in a bowl and put it in the freezer for about 10 minutes before continuing. Toss the diced butter with the flour mixture until well coated. (Again, if into tossing the butter gets hot in your hands place the whole mixture in the freezer for a few minutes.) Add the chives and cheese and toss until well coated.

Add the yogurt and milk and mix with a spoon until it just comes together.

Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead once or twice; no more. Form into an 8x8-inch square and cut into 2x2-inch squares and top with a bit of high-quality salt if using. Bake for 12-16 minutes or until golden.

Slow Cooker Root Vegetable Stew

2011-08-29T20:32:00.006-04:00

I was extremely wary of this while it cooked today. I was so afraid it was going to come out tasting super sweet with all of the sweeter veggie elements, plus the raisins and cinnamon. But it ended up being wonderfully balanced, and I loved it! It had a great flavor and felt very filling and healthy. Added some cheese biscuits, and it made for a splendid meal.

The only things I did differently were leave out the parsnips (only because they're not currently in season and are pretty sad) and saffron (didn't have any and always hesitate to buy it since it's so stinking expensive), and I added a bit more chicken stock than what was called for. I wanted it to be a bit more soupish, and since I had some extra stock, I figured why not? I'm sure it added some flavor too, which is always a plus.

Slow Cooker Root Vegetable Stew
A variation on this recipe from chow.com

1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, large dice
Kosher salt
1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes (about 3 large), large dice
1 pound carrots (about 4 to 5 medium), peeled and large dice
1 pound parsnips (about 4 medium), peeled and large dice
4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 pounds sugar baby pumpkin or butternut squash (about 1 small), peeled, seeded, and large dice
1 pound sweet potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled and large dice
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup golden raisins, also known as sultanas
1 bunch spinach, trimmed and washed (about 4 cups loosely packed)
1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar, plus more as needed

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and cook over medium heat until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the ginger, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, cayenne, and a pinch of pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Transfer the mixture to a slow cooker, add the potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and broth, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Cover and cook on high for 1 1/2 hours.

Add the pumpkin or squash, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, and raisins, season with salt, and stir to combine. Cover and continue to cook on high until a knife easily pierces the vegetables, about 2 hours more, stirring after 1 hour. Add the spinach and gently mix (do not overmix). Let sit until wilted. Gently stir in the vinegar, taste, and season with more salt, pepper, and vinegar as needed.

Slow-Cooker Triple Chocolate Brownies

2011-08-27T18:16:00.004-04:00

Hurricane Irene is making her way toward us, so what do I do? I decided to use the eggs, milk, and heavy cream in my fridge to make Hurricane Brownie Sundaes. I figured since we may lose power and those things would go bad anyway, I may as well use them in a tasty way that we could enjoy as we wait. I used my go-to vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce recipes, as well as this slow-cooker brownie recipe. I've been very curious to try this brownie recipe, but I have to say I was kind of disappointed. The brownie itself is overwhelmingly rich, so that was a bit tough to begin with. And the edges were definitely overdone, despite following the recipe perfectly. I very much prefer regular brownies and probably won't make them in the slow-cooker again. But in the meantime... Here is my sundae:

Slow-Cooker Triple Chocolate Brownies
Courtesy of Martha Stewart

Nonstick cooking spray
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup walnut halves, coarsely chopped
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 ounces)

Lightly coat a 5-quart slow-cooker insert with cooking spray. Line bottom with parchment paper and lightly coat with spray. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.

Place butter and chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until chocolate is melted. Add sugar; stir to combine. Stir in eggs. Add flour mixture, walnuts, and chocolate chips and stir just until moistened (do not overmix). Transfer to slow cooker and smooth top.

Cover and cook on low, 3 1/2 hours. Uncover and cook 30 minutes. Remove insert from slow cooker and run a knife around edge to loosen brownies. Let cool completely in insert on a wire rack, about 2 hours. Turn out onto a work surface and cut into 14 brownies.

Chicken Korma

2011-08-25T19:24:00.003-04:00

This was tasty and smelled very autumnal. I paired it with some fresh green beans that were given to us by my in-laws from their garden, that I roasted with some salt, pepper and olive oil.

Chicken Korma
Courtesy of crockpot365.blogspot.com

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken, cut in chunks
1 large potato, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch chunks
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 (14.5-ounce) can stewed tomatoes and juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt (to add later)
Cooked white or brown long grain rice for serving

Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Put the chicken into the bottom of your pot. Add potato and onion. Pour in the tomatoes, and add garlic and all spices. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, or HIGH for 3 to 4. Discard the cinnamon stick, and stir in the sour cream or yogurt. Serve over rice.

Creamy Chicken Salad

2011-08-25T12:57:00.005-04:00

In an effort to make sure Benjamin doesn't go to school every day with a cheese sandwich or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, I found some fun meal ideas through Cooking Light. This particular recipe is from their suggested "The Pita Pocketeer" menu. I'm thinking I may substitute the pita for some Wheat Thins since I'm fairly certain Benjamin would make a giant mess trying to eat this chicken salad in a pita. But I'll have to make sure to add the Hershey's Kisses to his lunchbox when I pack this chicken salad... I made the mistaken of telling him before I made the chicken salad that the suggested menu included the Kisses and then forgot to get some. You can imagine his disappointment and insistence that they be included next time...

This recipe is indeed very creamy. But the addition of the Greek yogurt helps to make sure you don't feel like you're just drowning in mayo. I didn't change anything about the ingredients in the salad, but I did use a different poaching method. For some reason, thinking about poaching chicken in plastic wrap just gives me the heebie jeebies, so I went with Alton Brown's method.

First more interesting option added to the school lunch menu! Woot!

Creamy Chicken Salad
A variation on this recipe from Cooking Light

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, poached and shredded
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries
7 tablespoons (about 2 ounces) coarsely chopped smoked almonds
6 cups mixed salad greens

Combine mayonnaise and the next 7 ingredients (through black pepper) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk until combined. Add chicken, 1/3 cup celery, cranberries, and almonds; toss well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve over salad greens.

Whole-Wheat Cinnamon-Raisin Bread

2011-08-24T17:20:00.004-04:00

I don't know if it's because Fall is coming or because I'm highly suggestible, but when I saw this recipe in Food Network Magazine (seriously, the best food magazine I've ever subscribed to), I developed an incredible craving for it and had to try it asap. And I'm so very glad I did. It's the best I've ever had. It's a whole lot more labor-intensive than this one, but it also easily blows it out of the water, no contest. And since it makes two loaves, I'm also looking forward to when it starts to get a bit stale to try using it in this french toast recipe.

Whole-Wheat Cinnamon-Raisin Bread
Courtesy of Ellie Krieger for Food Network Magazine

2 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more for brushing
3 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons instant dry yeast
Cooking spray
2/3 cup raisins
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

Make the dough: Measure out 1 1/4 cups very warm water and check the temperature; it should be 120°F to 130°F. Combine both flours, the dry milk, egg, canola oil, honey, salt, yeast and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix 3 minutes on the lowest setting, then increase to the next highest setting and mix 5 more minutes. The dough should be soft and sticky.

Let it rise: Transfer the dough to a large bowl coated with cooking spray. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the dough has nearly doubled in size, about 1 hour, 30 minutes.

Soak the raisins: Dry raisins will rob moisture from the bread, so soak them first in boiling water until plump, about 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry.

Fold the dough: Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Picture it as a loose square. Lift up one side of the dough and fold about one-third of it across; press down on the dough with spread fingers to remove any air bubbles. Repeat with the remaining 3 sides of the dough.

Add the filling: Mist two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with cooking spray. Divide the dough in half; roll out each half into an 8-inch square. Brush each square with canola oil, then sprinkle with the cinnamon, brown sugar and raisins.

Form the loaves: Roll up each square of dough into a tight cylinder; place seam-side down in the prepared pans. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the dough fills the pans and springs back when touched, about 1 hour, 30 minutes.

Bake the bread: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Brush the loaves with canola oil and bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the pans and transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Pad Thai with Tofu

2011-08-23T19:51:00.003-04:00

Blech. The noodles in this got totally mushy, and it lacked flavor. I don't know if it's because I doubled the recipe (I didn't want to end up with half a container of tofu in the fridge or half a package of rice stick noodles in the pantry), but I'm not sure I'll try it again to find out. Oh well.

Pad Thai with Tofu
Courtesy of Cooking Light

Sauce:
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons hot sauce
1 tablespoon mirin (sweet rice wine)
1 tablespoon maple syrup

Noodles:
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 5 ounces)
1 cup grated carrot
1 garlic clove, minced
8 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup light coconut milk
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
1 cup (1-inch) sliced green onion tops
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup dry-roasted peanuts
8 ounces uncooked wide rice stick noodles (Banh Pho), cooked and drained
5 lime wedges

To prepare sauce, combine first 5 ingredients, stirring with a whisk.

To prepare noodles, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, carrot, and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add sauce and tofu; cook 1 minute. Stir in coconut milk; cook 2 minutes. Stir in lettuce and next 5 ingredients (lettuce through noodles); cook 1 minute. Serve with lime wedges.

Blueberry Soda

2011-08-21T21:47:00.004-04:00

I love Alton Brown. That is all.

Blueberry Soda
Courtesy of Alton Brown

20 ounces fresh blueberries, approximately 4 cups, rinsed and drained
2 cups water
7 ounces sugar, approximately 3/4 cup
1 lime, juiced
Carbonated water

Place the blueberries and the water into a medium saucepan, set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the mixture into a colander lined with cheesecloth that is set in a large bowl. Allow to cool for 15 minutes. Gather up the edges of the cheesecloth and squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible. Discard the skin and pulp.

Return the blueberry juice to the saucepan along with the sugar and lime juice. Place over medium high heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat and transfer to a heatproof glass container and place in the refrigerator, uncovered, until completely cooled.

To serve: Combine 1/4 cup of the liquid with 8-ounces of carbonated water and serve over ice.

Summer Fruit Pie

2011-08-21T21:22:00.004-04:00

Absolutely delicious. I used my go-to pie crust. And I used cornstarch instead of tapioca. But other than that, the recipe is perfectly splendid as it is. No extra spices or other flavors needed.

Summer Fruit Pie
A variation of this recipe from Real Simple

6 ripe peaches, each cut into 8 wedges
1 pint strawberries, halved
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
4 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes

In a medium bowl, gently toss the peaches, strawberries, tapioca, lemon juice, and ½ cup of the sugar. Spoon the fruit mixture into the pie plate and dot with the butter.

Roll out the second disk of dough into a 14-inch circle. Drape it over the pie and trim the edge to a ½-inch overhang. Fold under, pressing to seal. Crimp the edge, if desired. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 425°F. Lightly brush the top crust with cold water and sprinkle with the remaining sugar. Cut several slashes into the top crust. Bake until golden, 18 to 22 minutes. Reduce heat to 375°F and continue to bake until the juices bubble, 30 to 40 minutes more.

Transfer to a rack and cool for 2 hours before serving.

Sausage and Kale Dinner Tart

2011-08-17T19:57:00.002-04:00

This was tasty. Not my favorite, but it was good. I added some Italian seasoning to the tart dough, which was probably my favorite part. I also used a full pound of sausage since I like sausage. And I didn't want to have half a package left over.

Sausage and Kale Dinner Tart
A variation on this recipe from food52

Tart Shell:
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
3-4 tablespoons ice water

Sausage and Kale Filling:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound Italian sausage
1 bunch kale (a large bunch), stemmed and roughly chopped
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup fresh basil, cut into thin strips
1 egg
1/4 cup ricotta (or another soft cheese like feta or goat cheese)
Salt and pepper

Make tart shell:
Cut the butter into small cubes. Combine butter and flour in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until butter is pea-sized. Slowly drizzle water through the top of the food processor while pulsing. You have added enough water when dough sticks together when pressed. Remove dough from processor and press gently into a disc. Wrap disc in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove dough from refrigerator and unwrap. Place disc on a lightly floured board. Roll dough into a circle 12 inches in diameter. Place dough in 10 inch tart pan with removable bottom. Dock dough with a fork. Lay parchment paper or foil over dough and fill with beans or pie weights.

Blind bake the tart shell (with pie weights) for 20 minutes. Then remove parchment and weights and bake an additional 5 minutes until the crust begins to brown. Remove from oven and set aside on cooling rack.

Make tart filling:
Heat oil and butter in pan on medium heat. Add onion and garlic and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until onions are soft and light brown. Season with salt and pepper. Remove onions from pan and set aside.

Increase heat to medium and add sausage to pan. Brown sausage and break into small pieces. Remove sausage from pan and set aside. Drain all but 1 Tablespoon of oil from pan.

Add kale to pan. Pour white wine over kale. Scrape any bits from the pan and cover. Cook 3-5 minutes, until kale is wilted. Season with salt and pepper. If kale is still very wet, cook uncovered for a minute or two. The overall mixture should be fairly dry. Remove kale to a large bowl.

Toss cooked kale with cooked sausage and onions. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Toss mixture with basil, egg, and ricotta. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon sausage and kale mixture into cooked tart shell. Be sure to evenly cover the bottom of the tart shell. Bake the tart on a baking tray for 10-15 minutes at 400°F. Remove tart from oven when the filling is set and the tart shell is nicely brown. Cool tart slightly on a wire rack. Slice and serve with a big green salad.

Perfect French Toast

2011-08-17T09:55:00.004-04:00

I used some leftover challah that I had in the freezer (defrosted in the fridge overnight) to make this french toast. It was very good. Not overly sweet (especially because we used pure maple syrup), and the challah gave it an extra boost of flavor and a great texture. I also felt like putting the toast in the oven after sautéing it made it so that it wasn't floppy like some other french toasts I've had/made. I'm sure slicing the bread thick didn't hurt either.

I think it probably could have used a little more nutmeg or maybe pumpkin pie spice? We'll see for next time. I know I'll be making it again.

Perfect French Toast
A variation of this recipe from Food Network Magazine

4 eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half or milk
1/2-3/4 teaspoon nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon sugar
Pinch of salt
Butter
Thick slices of challah, brioche, or white bread
Maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Whisk eggs, half-and-half or milk, spices, vanilla extract, sugar and salt in a shallow bowl.

Heat butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, dip bread in the egg mixture and cook in the skillet until golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side, adding more butter as needed. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake until puffed, 8 to 10 minutes. Drizzle the French toast with maple syrup.

Baby Pasta Shells with Asparagus and Marinara

2011-08-15T21:49:00.005-04:00

Easy, delicious. It paired beautifully with this pork tenderloin. And I used this marinara.

Baby Pasta Shells with Asparagus and Marinara
A variation of this recipe from Gina's Skinny Recipes

16 ounces baby pasta shells
1 large bunch thin asparagus, tough ends removed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
3 cups homemade marinara sauce
1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
Salt and fresh pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. Add asparagus to pot during the last 2 minutes of cooking.

While pasta is cooking, in a medium saucepan heat marinara sauce. Drain pasta and asparagus and reserve a cup of the pasta water.

Return pasta and asparagus back to the pot and toss with marinara, grated cheese, salt and pepper and a 1/4 cup of the pasta water or as needed to loosen the sauce. Divide between four bowls and top with fresh pepper and more grated cheese if desired.

Mustard-Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin

2011-08-15T20:15:00.003-04:00

I really liked this. The combination of flavors was super tasty.

Mustard-Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin
A variation on this recipe from Cooking Light via For the Love of Cooking

1/4 cup Italian seasoned panko crumbs
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1 ½ tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, leaves only
1 1-pound pork tenderloin, trimmed
Sea salt and freshly cracked, pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
1 clove of garlic, minced
Cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Coat a baking sheet with tin foil and spray it with cooking spray.

Pour the panko crumbs, parsley, cheese, and thyme onto a plate, mix until well combined. Remove the silver skin from the pork tenderloin. Pat dry then season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Mix the mustard, fennel seeds, and garlic together then rub evenly all over the pork tenderloin. Roll the pork tenderloin in the panko mixture until coated really well. Place the pork tenderloin on the baking sheet.

Place into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 140°F-145°F. Let the meat rest for 7-10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Peach Shortbread

2011-08-13T18:58:00.005-04:00

I was very wary of these while I was making them. They just looked like they could end up being super dry, and I was nervous they would feel like consuming dust with a layer of peaches. But they ended up being really yummy! And I totally think it was worth it to brown the butter. I loved the depth of flavor it brought to the shortbread. I'm sure these would be equally good with any other fresh fruit (especially other stone fruit, like plums).

Peach Shortbread
Courtesy of smitten kitchen

1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons cups all-purpose flour (or you can measure 3 cups and remove 2 tablespoons flour)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) cold unsalted butter
1 large egg
2 peaches, pitted and thinly sliced (between 1/8 and 1/4-inch thick)

Brown your butter: Melt butter in a small/medium saucepan over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do. Keep your eyes on it; it burns very quickly after it browns and the very second that you turn around to do something else. Set it in the freezer until solid (about 30 minutes).

[Don't have time for all this brown butter madness? Check the head notes to use regular softened butter instead.]

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Butter a 9×13 inch pan, or spray it with a nonstick spray. In a medium bowl, stir together sugar, baking powder, flour, salt and spices with a whisk. Use a pastry blender, fork or your fingertips, blend the solidified brown butter and egg into the flour mixture. It will be crumbly. Pat 3/4 of the crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan, pressing firmly. Tile peach slices over crumb base in a single layer. Scatter remaining crumbs evenly over peaches and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, until top is slightly brown and you can see a little color around the edges. Cool completely in pan before cutting into squares.

Strawberry Cornmeal Crumble Bars

2011-08-11T14:03:00.003-04:00

I had some strawberries that looked like they weren't going to last much longer, so I thought I'd make a fun snack. And these are fun. And surprisingly filling. I think I could probably cut the output from 9 bars to 12 bars.

The only change I made was that I substituted strawberries for the raspberries the original recipe calls for.

Strawberry Cornmeal Crumble Bars
A variation on this recipe from Martha Stewart

3/4 cup natural almonds
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang on two sides.

In a food processor, pulse almonds until finely ground (you should have about 1 cup). In a large bowl, whisk together ground almonds, cornmeal, flour, sugar, and salt. Add butter and stir until dry ingredients are evenly moistened.

Press about two-thirds the dough into dish. Scatter strawberries over top and crumble remaining dough over strawberries. Bake until top is golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool in dish on a wire rack before cutting into 9 (or 12) bars.

Roast Pork and Peaches

2011-08-10T19:26:00.005-04:00

I absolutely cannot figure out how one makes a pork chop that isn't dry and about as easy to cut with a regular dinner knife as leather. The dish, overall, tasted quite good, and it smelled absolutely divine, but the pork frustration was probably not worth making it again. Unless I can find some sort of pork chop secret...

Roast Pork and Peaches
Courtesy of Real Simple

1 10-ounce package couscous
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 bone-in pork chops (3/4 inch thick; about 2 pounds total)
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 peaches, cut into wedges
1 small red onion, cut into thin wedges
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

Heat oven to 400°F. Cook the couscous according to the package directions.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.

Season the pork with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook until browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

Add the peaches, onion, vinegar, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper to the skillet and cook, tossing, for 1 minute.

Return the pork (and any accumulated juices) to the skillet. Transfer to oven and roast until the pork is cooked through and the peaches are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Sprinkle the pork and peaches with the basil and serve with the couscous.

Plum Kuchen

2011-08-08T13:34:00.003-04:00

Scrumptious. Complex in flavors but very simple in execution. I may have tweaked the actual "kuchen"ness of this cake by adding plain yogurt to the cake batter. But the batter was so dry, I was afraid it would come out more like a shortbread than a cake, so I moistened it up a bit with the yogurt. And I'm happy I did. This cake totally rocked.

I highly recommend using a springform pan if you have one. I've had trouble in the past with cakes like this overflowing my regular cake pans, and using a springform pan definitely helped that problem.

Plum Kuchen
A variation on this recipe from Cooking Light

6 3/4 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/8 teaspoon salt, divided
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
7 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/4 cup plain yogurt
Cooking spray
1 1/2 pounds plums, quartered and pitted
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cardamom in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Cut in 4 tablespoons butter with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Combine milk, vanilla, egg, and yogurt in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add milk mixture to flour mixture, and stir until just combined.

Spoon batter into a 9-inch round metal cake pan coated with cooking spray. Arrange plums in a circular pattern over batter.

Combine remaining 2/3 cup granulated sugar, remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, lemon rind, and allspice in a small bowl, stirring well. Place remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 30 seconds or until butter melts. Stir into sugar mixture. Sprinkle plums evenly with sugar mixture. Bake for 35 minutes or until browned and bubbling. Cool in pan 1 hour on a wire rack. Cut into wedges.

Spicy Lentil Soup

2011-08-06T22:19:00.004-04:00

I loved the combination of flavors in this soup. And it was beautifully autumnal. I wasn't entirely expecting it, so it was a nice little surprise when it started to give off the gorgeous aroma during the simmering process. Yum.

I have never used anchovies before, and while I liked the depth of flavor it gave the dish, I'm definitely going to be looking for the resealable paste tubes next time. I had no idea what to do with the leftover anchovies in the tin, so I tossed them. Did I panic? Probably. But I wasn't willing to risk stinking up my fridge and kind of knew I was probably never going to use them but would probably end up just buying the paste or another tin.

Oh, and I'm refusing to call this a "stoup" because I think that label is dumb. Sorry, Rachael.

Spicy Lentil Soup
Courtesy of Rachael Ray

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 canned anchovy fillets
1/4 pound pancetta, cut into cubes
1 large baking potato, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and grated
1 onion, chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
2 to 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika or ground cumin
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
Salt and black pepper
1 1/2 cups dried lentils
Two 32-ounce containers (2 quarts) chicken broth
One 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 bunch kale, stemmed and chopped (about 4 cups)
Crusty bread or rolls, for serving

In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Stir in the anchovies until melted, then add the pancetta and cook until crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the potato, carrots, onion and garlic. Season with the rosemary sprigs, bay leaf, paprika, crushed red pepper, allspice and salt and black pepper to taste; cook until the vegetables are softened, 7 to 8 minutes.

Stir in the lentils, chicken broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, stir in the kale and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and rosemary sprigs. Serve the soup with the crusty bread.

Pan-Fried Tofu with Dark Sweet Soy Sauce

2011-08-04T19:21:00.003-04:00

Meh. It wasn't bad, but it was also not my favorite tofu dish. The sauce could have used being thinned out a bit in order to be stretched to fit the amount of tofu I had. I also always forget how messy pan-frying is, so I think I prefer browning my tofu under the broiler. And I totally forgot to add the scallion-serrano garnish, so I have no idea if it would have added to the dish. I know it would have added to the heat (of which it already had plenty) since I'm pretty sure my right eye is burning a bit because I accidentally touched it after chopping the serrano pepper. Oof.

Pan-Fried Tofu with Dark Sweet Soy Sauce
Courtesy of seriouseats.com

2 tablespoons Chinese dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sambal oelek (chili garlic hot sauce)
One 14-ounce block firm tofu
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 serrano, stemmed, seeded, and sliced
1 scallion, chopped

Mix together the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, and sambal oelek in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.

Cut the tofu into ½-inch thick slices, which are approximately 3-inches long. Dry the tofu pieces on paper towels.

Place a large sauté pan or wok over high heat. When smoking, add just enough of the canola oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add as many of the tofu slices as will fit in one layer. Cook until tofu is browned on the bottom, two to three minutes. Flip the pieces with a pair of tongs, and brown on the other side, about two minutes. When done, drain the tofu pieces on paper towels. Repeat process with remaining tofu pieces, adding more oil if necessary.

Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of the canola oil, and turn the heat down to medium. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Pour in the soy sauce mixture, and cook until it thickens slightly, about 30 seconds. Turn off the heat.

Divide the tofu between two plates, and pour half of the sauce over each. Garnish with the chopped serrano and scallion.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Ricotta Scones

2011-08-04T15:24:00.004-04:00

These are the most tender, moist scones I've ever had. The original recipe calls for raspberries, but I'm not a fan of the seeds, so I used blueberries instead. I can't wait to try other fruit with this recipe. Yum.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Ricotta Scones
A variation on this recipe from smitten kitchen

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder, preferably aluminum-free
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1 cup fresh blueberries
3/4 cup whole milk ricotta
1/3 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In the bottom of a large, wide-ish bowl, whisk flours, baking powder, sugar and salt together.

With a pastry blender: Add the butter (no need to chop it first) and use the blender to both cut the butter into the flour mixture until the biggest pieces are the size of small peas. Toss in berries and use the blender again to break them into halves and quarter berry sized chunks.

Without a pastry blender: Cut the butter into small pieces with a knife and work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Roughly chop the berries on a cutting board and stir them into the butter-flour mixture.

Both methods: Add the ricotta and heavy cream together and stir them in to form a dough with a flexible spatula.Using your hands, gently knead dough into an even mass, right in the bottom of the bowl. Don’t fret if the berries get muddled and smudge up the dough. This is a pretty thing.

With as few movements as possible, transfer the dough to a well-floured counter, flour the top of the dough and pat it into a 7-inch square about 1-inch tall. With a large knife, divide the dough into 9 even squares. Transfer the scones to prepared baking sheet with a spatula. Bake the scones for about 15 minutes, until lightly golden at the edges. Cool in pan for a minute, then transfer to a cooling rack. It’s best to cool them about halfway before eating them, so they can set a bit more.

Do ahead: Scones are always best the day they are baked. However, if you wish to get a lead on them, you can make them, arrange them on your parchment-lined sheet and freeze them. If you’re prepping just one day in advance, cover the tray with plastic wrap and bake them the day you need them. If you’re preparing them more than one day in advance, once they are frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag or container. Bring them back to a parchment-lined sheet when you’re ready to bake them. No need to defrost the froze, unbaked scones, just add 2 to 3 minutes to your baking time.

Corn Tortilla Chips

2011-08-02T20:22:00.003-04:00

I've discovered that I don't really care for store-bought corn tortillas. I find them incredibly dry and tasteless. So since I had some in the fridge, I thought I'd try making them into chips. And YUM! I highly suggest following the recipe note about leaving them in the oven with it turned off for a few more minutes to make them crispier. You can see the not as crispy version on my Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad post. They were chewier like that. But just a few more minutes made them nice and crunchy.

The ones I made just had kosher salt sprinkled on them, but I'll definitely try some of the spice suggestions they have in the recipe.

Healthy Baked Corn Tortilla Chips
Courtesy of Food.com

Corn tortillas
Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Stack tortillas one on top of the other and use kitchen sizzors to cut them into 4 slices like you would cut up a pizza.

Spread them out in a single layer on a cookie sheet (not air-bake), spacing them at least 1/4" apart (they will be chewy instead of crispy if not spaced properly). (NOTE: If you must use an air-bake pan, try 350°F for 20 minutes.).

Shake salt and desired toppings over tortillas.

TOPPING OPTIONS (choose any combo): SPICES: paprika, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder (sparingly), cayenne pepper (sparingly, will add heat!). CHEESES: grated parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese, etc. or try SWEET: cinnamon & sugar.

Bake 8-12 mins or until chips are starting to get crispy and slightly golden brown at the edges (check every 1-2 minutes after 8 mins).

Remove from oven and let cool 5-10 mins before serving in order to let them fully crispen. Extra Crispy: put back in turned off oven at least 10 mins or until ready to serve for extra crispy and warm chips (watch them, you may need to leave oven door cracked to prevent over browning).

Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad

2011-08-02T20:15:00.004-04:00

Another tasty Summer meal. The only things I did differently was use plain yogurt instead of sour cream in the dressing, I used ground chipotle instead of canned, and I didn't add the avocado because I didn't have a good one. I'll post the original recipe though since all of the short-cuts were, I imagine, just as good as the original ingredients.

I used homemade corn tortilla chips, which were definitely a wonderful crunchy addition to this dish.

Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad
Courtesy of Cooking Light

Dressing:
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2/3 cup light sour cream
1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Salad:
4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
2 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 breasts)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup diced peeled avocado
1/3 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8 3/4-ounce) can no-salt-added whole-kernel corn, rinsed and drained

To prepare dressing, combine first 7 ingredients, stirring well.

To prepare salad, combine lettuce and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.

Asian Chicken Noodle Salad with Ginger-Peanut Dressing

2011-08-02T11:17:00.004-04:00

I'm so glad I tried this. I'm usually not a huge fan of peanut dressings/sauces, but this one was fresh and light but still had a nice peanut flavor. So many other ones I've tried are so heavy and intense that the peanut flavor just overpowers everything else. This had a great flavor balance. And it's a perfect summer dish because it can be eaten cold. You could also cut down on the cooking time and avoid heating up your kitchen by buying a rotisserie chicken and using the meat from there (I used the leftover meat from the roast chicken I made).

Asian Chicken Noodle Salad with Ginger-Peanut Dressing
Courtesy of seriouseats.com

For the chicken:
2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (or 2 cups of cooked shredded meat)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:
10 ounces soba noodles (or spaghetti)
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced into bite-sized pieces
4 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped salted peanuts
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

For the dressing:
6 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
1-1/2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 small garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Place the chicken breasts on a foil lined sheet pan. Rub the skin with vegetable oil and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

In the meantime, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook noodles according to package instructions, stirring occasionally so they don't stick. Drain and rinse well under cold water.

Make the dressing by combining all ingredients in a small food processor or blender. Blitz until mixture is smooth. (Alternatively, you can whisk all the ingredients together in a medium bowl; just be sure to mince the garlic and stir until peanut butter is completely dissolved.)

Remove skin from chicken breasts and shred meat into bite-sized pieces. In a large bowl, toss shredded chicken with noodles, dressing, bell peppers, peanuts, scallions, cilantro and sesame seeds. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve immediately.