sarah's clafoutis - is INSANELY good!

2 cups black cherries
3 eggs (if you don't have back-yard chicken eggs, Sarah suggests two yolks + one whole egg)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup flour 
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (Sarah omits the vanilla)
2 teaspoons rum (optional - or Sarah's goodness includes 3-4 Tablespoons kirsch. Do that!)

Preheat oven to 400°. Butter a glass pie pan, round baking dish, large cake pan or oven proof skillet. Scatter the cherries (with or without pits) evenly over the bottom.

Beat the eggs and sugar with a whisk until lighter in color. Gradually add the melted butter, beating to incorporate. Add the flour all at once and whisk until the batter is well mixed. Slowly add the milk a little at a time. Then the vanilla and the rum, if using. The batter should be smooth and very shiny.

Pour the batter slowly over the cherries and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until slightly browned and almost set in the middle. Allow to cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

~Submitted by Sarah M.  ● serves: 8 ● prep time: # min ● total time: # min source: MoveableFeasts Blog

K loves this quote from the original poster: Calfoutis are considered one of the glories of the French peasant table. It's best served warm and eaten the day it's made, but Deb also suggested trying it for breakfast the next morning with yogurt, something I couldn't do 'cause there wasn't a speck left. If you're thinking it would be too sweet, you're wrong. It's really not an overly sweet dessert at all.

alayna's Middle Eastern Rice with Black Beans and Chick Peas

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup uncooked basmati rice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 quart chicken stock
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
2 (15 ounce) cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 bunch chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
1 bunch chopped fresh parsley (optional)
1/4 cup pine nuts (optional)
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic, and cook 1 minute. Stir in rice, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Cook and stir 5 minutes, then pour in chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.
2. Place the turkey in a skillet over medium heat, and cook until evenly brown.
3. Gently mix cooked turkey, garbanzo beans, black beans, cilantro, parsley, and pine nuts into the cooked rice. Season with salt and pepper.

~Alayna B.
Prep: 15 mins Total Time: 1 hour
Source: AllRecipes.com

Fried Chickpeas

Olive oil for frying

1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and dried

coarse salt

cumin

dried thyme

To a large skillet set over medium-high heat, add enough olive oil to reach a depth of 1/4 inch. Meanwhile, dry chickpeas thoroughly using paper towels.

Slowly add chickpeas to oil, being careful as they may splatter. Fry chickpeas, stirring frequently, until golden brown, 5 to 6+ minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Season with salt and cumin and dried thyme to taste.

Let cool completely, and store in an airtight container.

marinated cucumbers

cucumbers, thinly sliced

1/2 cup vinegar *
1/4 cup cold water
2 tablespoons chopped dill
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash pepper

* I use a mixture of Bragg's Apple Cider vinegar with regular vinegar... the Bragg's brand has health value, helping to boost your digestive and immune systems

Really, all amounts are as needed. You want the cucumbers to marinate in the vinegar mixture, so they don't have to drown in it, but you want them to soak it up. Let them marinate at least 1 hour, but they will last in your refridgerator for weeks!

Panzanella (Tuscan (Italian Peasant) Salad)

For many things I cook, I don't really use a recipe. I search the internet, read a bunch of recipes, then make my own. So, here are the guidelines for Panzanella, served at our Mockingjay bookclub:

Veggies:
cucumber
zucchini or yellow squash
tomatoes (mine were yellow pear variety)
red onion
garlic

bread - day-old, or take a baguette, chop it up, season with a little olive oil and sea salt, and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes

Vinaigrette:
make either a basalmic or lemon juice vinaigrette, or use red wine vinegar and olive oil (really, whatever sounds good!)

I used basalmic on mine:
3 parts olive oil to 1 part basalmic
sea salt
brown sugar
garlic

Enjoy!

Summer Borscht with Tzatziki

Theresa's *divine* contribution to our City of Thieves discussion!

2 pounds medium beets (about 5) without tops, scrubbed
2 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
1 cup sour cream
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 English cucumber, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill, plus 8 small sprigs for garnish
Freshly ground pepper
Tzatziki *

1. Place beets in a medium saucepan, and cover with water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
2. Remove beets with a slotted spoon, reserving cooking liquid. Let beets cool, about 20 minutes. Strain cooking liquid through a cheesecloth-lined sieve, and refrigerate, covered, until chilled, about 2 hours. Peel beets, and cut into 1/4-inch dice.
3. Whisk together stock, sour cream, yogurt, lemon juice, the salt, and 1 1/2 cups cooled beet liquid in a large bowl. Stir in beets, cucumber, and dill. Season with pepper. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours (or up to 1 day).
4. Stir soup, then divide among 8 bowls. Spoon 1 tablespoon tzatziki onto each serving, and top each with a dill sprig.

Tzatziki
1 English cucumber, peeled and grated (3/4 cup)
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1/2 small garlic clove, minced (1/2 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill

Toss cucumber with salt in a colander, and let drain for 20 minutes. Press lightly to extract excess water, then transfer cucumber to a medium bowl. Stir in yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, and dill. Cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour (or up to 1 day).
Makes 1 1/2 cups

Source: Summer Borscht with Tzatziki

Alayna's Chocolate Fondue

32 oz. milk chocolate, grated
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 Tablespoon instant coffee powder or freshly brewed coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/3 cup hot water

Directions:
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the chocolate with the heavy cream.
Mix in remaining ingredients.
Continue to heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is smooth.

*Alayna often halves the recipe. Kjirsten thinks that's plain silliness.

lime-scented strawberry-mango salad

3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 cups trimmed, sliced strawberries (about 2 lb.)
3 cups peeled, diced mangoes (2 to 3 large mangoes)

1. Combine sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Stir in lime zest and juice; let cool to room temperature.
2. Mix strawberries with mangoes in a large bowl. Add syrup and gently stir until well mixed. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve.

~Kjirsten W.
Yield: 8 servings Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 3 mins Chill Time: 30 mins
Source: All You magazine

Not Minnie's Chocolate Pie

Crust
¼ cup butter, melted
½ cup chopped pecans
25 (~4 oz.) vanilla wafers, crushed

I had good luck this time, using a hand potato-masher to crush the cookies (separately) and the pecans.
Mix all and press into bottom of pie pan.
Microwave 2 – 2 ½ mins, to set the crust. Don’t cook too long, or the center can burn.

Filling
¾ cup butter, softened
1 ¼ cup sugar, fine bakers sugar if available
3 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs (fresh from your favorite city-chicken raiser, if possible! Though I guess my mom always just used regular ol’ eggs, and I’m still here.)

1. Cream together butter and sugar, until smooth.
2. Mix in melted chocolate and vanilla.
3. Then add eggs one at a time, mixing for 3 minutes after adding each egg.
4. Pour mixture into pie crust, smoothing over the top. Shave a little chocolate onto the top for decoration, if desired.
5. Refrigerate overnight, and up until serving. If you're getting all fancy and stuff, consider serving with whipping cream, oooh, and maybe some sliced strawberries (pronounced with a British accent)!

Beer Bread Pecan Rolls

Beer Bread Pecan Rolls

- serves at least 6 -
Adapted from Home Cookin' by Julia Sneed.

Ingredients

For the cinnamon filling:
4 or 5 strips bacon (optional)
1/2 cup raw pecan halves or pieces
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
5 tablespoons butter, melted (you may not use all of this)

For the dough:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1/4 tablespoons salt
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 twelve-ounce bottle Abita Pecan Ale (or other nut brown or pumpkin ale), at room temperature

For the caramel topping:
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 cup raw pecan halves or pieces

Procedure

1. Remove beer from the fridge to bring to room temperature. You can run it under warm tap water until it doesn't feel too cold. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar until well blended. Add beer and stir with a wooden spoon until a moist dough is formed. Flour your hands and a kneading surface well, then knead, adding a small amount of flour as needed, until dough doesn't stick to the board.

2. If you're making the bacon variation, cook the bacon slowly in a cast iron skillet (11 inches is ideal) to render out as much fat as possible. When crisp, remove bacon from pan and let cool on a paper towel. Crumble bacon. Add pecans to the pan (with remaining bacon grease) and toss, toasting lightly until fragrant. Remove nuts from pan with a spoon and set aside with the bacon.

Note: If you're not using bacon, toast the nuts in a dry cast iron skillet (11" is ideal) until fragrant, then set aside as above.

3. In a mixing bowl, mix remaining dry ingredients (brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves) for cinnamon filling until blended.

4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Flour surface and rolling pin and roll dough out to 1/2-inch thickness. Brush melted butter over the rolled-out dough. (You may not use all of it.) Sprinkle cinnamon filling over dough and top with the toasted pecans and crumbled bacon if using. Roll up like a log.

5. In the same cast iron pan, melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter with remaining brown sugar to make the caramel topping. Stir until dissolved. Add remaining raw pecans and distribute caramel evenly over the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat.

6. Cut cinnamon-roll log into coinlike slices about 1 1/2 inches thick. Place each roll into pan on top of the caramel topping, starting in the center and working outward in concentric circles until pan is full. Brush roll tops lightly with butter and bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes (rolls will brown slightly.) Place a round platter on top of pan and invert rolls onto platter so caramel topping is on top. Serve immediately.

Raspberry-Cream Cheese "Muffins"

In honor of raspberry season and Berry Patch Farm, we will be making these muffins tomorrow. This year, though, I am going to top them with a cream cheese frosting because, who are we kidding anyway--these are cupcakes, not muffins.

2/3 Cup cream cheese

1/3 Cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 large egg whites

1 large egg

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 cups fresh raspberries

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees.

2. Combine cream cheese and butter in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at high speed until well blended. Add sugar; beat until fluffy. Add vanilla, egg whites, and egg; beat well.

3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to cream cheese mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Gently fold in raspberries. Sneak lots of batter at this point.

4. Place 24 foil cup liners in muffin cups. Spoon batter evenly into liners. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pans; cool on a wire rack. Yield: 2 dozen.

The Cherry Clafouti you will coo over

This can be used for Plums and other stone fruit I believe. I may change the alcohol depending on the fruit. If you make a mistake and pour most of the kirsch into the cherries instead of into the batter, well... then you get pinkish batter after you fix the ratios!

If you can wait, I think this recipe is actually better on the second day.


Cherry Clafouti Recipe

From Nicole Routhier's Fruit Cookbook (Workman Publishing), for About.com
.Clafouti is a French fruit dessert1 with a batter topping. This recipe uses Bing cherries2 spiked with cherry brandy3. It is traditionally served warm with cream, but do try the Raspberry Sauce4.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
•1 pound fresh Bing cherries, pitted
•1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar
•1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon Kirsch (cherry brandy) or Amaretto
•8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
•2 large egg yolks
•1 large egg
•1 teaspoon almond extract
•1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted
•1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
•Raspberry Sauce, optional (recipe link below)
Preparation:
In a small bowl, toss the pitted cherries5 with 2 teaspoons of the sugar and 1 tablespoon of the Kirsch6. Set aside.

Adjust an oven rack to the lowest shelf and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch round Pyrex baking dish.

Place the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the butter in a small bowl. Using an electric mixer at medium speed, cream the mixture until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the egg yolks and egg, 1 at a time, at 1-minute intervals, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Reduce the speed to low. Blend in the almond7 extract and the remaining 1/4 cup kirsch. The mixture will look curdled.

Mix the flour and ground cloves and add all at once, scraping the sides of the bowl again. Increase the speed to medium low and mix until the batter is smooth, approximately 30 seconds longer. Take care not to overmix. The batter will have the consistency of thick cream.

Place three-quarters of the cherries and their juices in the bottom of the baking dish. Spread the batter over the fruit. Arrange the remaining fruit on top.

Bake until the cake is golden brown and puffed, and a bamboo skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.

Remove from the oven. Cool in the baking dish on a rack. Serve warm with Raspberry Sauce8, if desired.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

• Raspberry Sauce Recipe9

Recipe Source: Nicole Routhier's Fruit Cookbook10 by Nicole Routhier (Workman Publishing)

Broccoli slaw

I just found this recipe on smittenkitchen.com, and I love it. Thought I would share the goodness.

Broccoli Slaw

Makes about six cups of slaw

2 heads of broccoli
1/2 cup thinly sliced almonds, toasted
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

Buttermilk Dressing
1/2 cup buttermilk, well-shaken
1/3 cup mayonaise 
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallot (or, you could just use a little extra red onion to simplify it)

Trim broccoli and cut it into large chunks. From here, you can either feed it through your food processor’s slicing blade, use a mandoline to cut it into thin slices, or simply had chop it into smaller pieces. I used the steam and the flowerets, but if you have a broccoli stem aversion you can just use the tops.

Toss the sliced broccoli with the almonds, craberries and red onion in a large bowl. Meanwhile, whisk the dressing ingredients in a smaller one, with a good pinch of salt and black pepper. Pour the dressing over the broccoli (if you’ve skipped the stems, you might not want it all; I otherwise found this to be the perfect amount) and toss it well. Season well with salt and pepper to taste.

Apple Crumb Pie

5 - 7 tart apples (5 cups, sliced)
1 9-inch unbaked pastry shell
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons butter

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Pare apples; core and cut in eighths. Arrange in unbaked pastry shell. Mix 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over apples.
3. Mix 1/3 cup sugar with the flour; cut in butter til crumbly. Sprinkle over apples.
4. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or till done. If pie browns too quickly, cover edge with foil.
5. Cool. Pass whipped cream.

Recipe from Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book circa 1968. :)

Notes:
- This is SO easy!
- I used one of the store-bought pie crusts found in the refrigerator section. This apple pie is nice b/c you only need one crust.
- A tip I read somewhere and used on this project was to use a melon-baller to cut out the "guts" of the apple halves. Worked like a charm!

alternatively healthy veggie dip

(also yummy on fish!)

as with many of my recipes, this one is all "to taste"!

1/2 c. yogurt (I use whole fat yogurt, because I think it's better for you AND it tastes better, but you can use whatever you like)
1 T. mayonaise

now here comes the "to taste" part:

onion salt
garlic powder
dill
oregano
salt
pepper
tabasco
parmesan cheese

mix together, and voila! a healthy alternative to the dips we enjoy but are so horribly bad for us because they are only sour cream, mayo, msg and flavoring.

Chocolate Chip Gingerbread

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 cup molasses

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2+ ounces chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square pan. In a bowl , combine the flour, brown sugar, ginger, baking powder, salt, pepper, and cloves.

2. Melt butter in 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat, and stir the mixture into the dry ingredients until smooth. Stir in the molasses and lightly beaten egg. Fold in the chocolate chips.

3. Pour the batter into your buttered pan. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30-45 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. 

Natural Easter Egg dying using foods & flowers

My mom sent this to me today and I thought some of you might be interested (although some of you might already do this!). If you do hard-boiled Easter eggs and then wish to eat them, this has got to be safer.

Give the Easter bunny a run for his money by dyeing Easter eggs the natural way, using common foods and flowers. The longer you soak the eggs in the following liquids, the more intense the colors will be. Remember to start with hard-cooked eggs and refrigerate until ready to use.

If desired, before dyeing the eggs, draw shapes, pictures or inspiring words on them with crayons or a piece of wax. The wax won't absorb the color so the designs will show through. Using a crayon, simply draw a design onto your eggs and then dye as you would any other Easter egg. Your crayon design will be accentuated by your choice of dye!

Rubber bands are all you need to make tie-dyed eggs. Use a collection of different sized rubber bands. Wrap the rubber bands, one at a time, around the eggs. Make sure to leave some of the egg shell exposed so it can be dyed. Once the eggs are dyed to the color you like, remove them from the water and let them dry. Once dried completely, pull the rubber bands off to reveal your banded design.

Instructions:
Wash eggs in warm soapy water to remove any oily residue that may impede the color from adhering to the eggs. Let eggs cool before attempting to dye.

You need to use your own judgment about exactly how much of each dyestuff to use. Except for spices, place a handful (or two or three handfuls) of a dyestuff in a saucepan.
Add tap water to come at least one inch above the dyestuff. NOTE: This will be about 1 cup of water for each handful of dyestuff. Bring the water just to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low. Let simmer about 15 minutes or up to an hour until you like the color obtained. Keep in mind that dyed eggs will not get as dark as the color in the pan. Remove the pan from the heat.
Pour mixture into a liquid measuring cup . Add 2 to 3 teaspoons of white vinegar for each cup of strained dye liquid. Pour the mixture into a bowl or jar that is deep enough to completely cover the eggs you want to dye. Use a slotted spoon to lower the eggs into the hot liquid. Leave the eggs in the water until you like the color. NOTE: Allow the egg to sit in the tea for several hours or overnight. The longer the egg soaks, the deeper the final color will be. If you plan to eat the eggs be sure to do this step in the refrigerator.

When eggs are dyed to the color you desire, lift the eggs out with the slotted spoon. Let them dry on a rack or drainer. NOTE: An egg carton works nicely as a drying rack. Be careful to handle the eggs gently and minimally as some of the colors can easily be rubbed off before the egg has dried.

For a textured look, dab the still wet egg with a sponge.
Eggs colored with natural dyes have a dull finish and are not glossy. After they are dry, you can rub the eggs with cooking oil or mineral oil to give them a soft sheen.

Items To Dye With:
Blue - Canned Blueberries, Red Cabbage Leaves (boiled), Purple Grape Juice
Brown or Beige - Strong Coffee, Instant Coffee, Black Walnut Shells (boiled), Black Tea
Brown Gold - Dill Seeds
Brown Orange - Chili Powder
Green - Spinach Leaves (boiled), Liquid Chlorophyll
Greenish Yellow - Yellow Delicious Apple Peels (boiled)
Grey - Purple or red grape juice or beet juice
Lavender- Small Quantity of Purple Grape Juice, Violet Blossoms plus 2 tsp Lemon Juice, Red Zinger Tea
Orange - Yellow Onion Skins (boiled), Carrots, Paprika
Pink - Beets, Cranberries or Juice, Raspberries, Red Grape Juice, Juice from Pickled Beets
Red - Lots of Red Onions Skins (boiled), Pomegranate juice Canned, Cherries (with syrup), Raspberries
Violet or Purple - Violet Blossoms, Hibiscus tea, Small Quantity of Red Onions Skins (boiled), Red Wine
Yellow - Orange or Lemon Peels (boiled), Carrot Tops (boiled), Chamomile Tea, Celery Seed (boiled), Green tea, Ground Cumin (boiled), Ground Turmeric (boiled) or Saffron

Irish Soda Bread

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!

Ingredients
· 4 to 4 1/2 cups flour
· 2 Tbsp sugar
· 1 teaspoon salt
· 1 teaspoon baking soda
· 4 Tbsp butter
· 1 cup raisins
· 1 egg, lightly beaten
· 2 cups buttermilk
Method
1 Preheat oven to 425°. Sift together 4 cups of flour, the sugar, salt, and baking soda into a large mixing bowl.
2 Using a pastry cutter or two knives, work butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal, then stir in raisins.
3 Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add beaten egg and buttermilk to well and mix in with a wooden spoon until dough is too stiff to stir. Dust hands with a little flour, then gently knead dough in the bowl just long enough to form a rough ball. If the dough is too sticky to work with, add in some more flour. Do not overknead! Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and shape into a round loaf.
4 Transfer dough to a large, lightly greased cast-iron skillet or a baking sheet. Using a serrated knife, score top of dough about 1/2'' deep in an "X" shape. Transfer to oven and bake until bread is golden and bottom sounds hollow when tapped with a knife, about 35-45 minutes. (If you use a cast iron pan, it may take a little longer as it takes longer for the pan to heat up than a baking sheet.) Check for doneness also by inserting a long, thin skewer into the center. If it comes out clean, it's done.
Hint 1: If the top is getting too dark while baking, tent the bread with some aluminum foil.
Hint 2: If you use a cast iron skillet to cook the bread in the oven, be very careful when you take the pan out. It's easy to forget that the handle is extremely hot. Cool the handle with an ice cube, or put a pot holder over it.
Transfer bread to a rack to let cool briefly. Serve bread warm, at room temperature, or sliced and toasted.

whole wheat shortbread cookies

I want to try this recipe after Rylie tried a cookie this weekend! Yes, her first ever. It was a scottish shortbread cookie, and now she asks for one all the time. I hope she'll like these, too. I haven't made it yet, but I'll report back once I have.

Whole Wheat Shortbread Cookies
The coarse texture of “Sugar in the Raw,” a brand of unrefined turbinado sugar, gives these cookies more crunch than your average shortbread, and whole wheat flour gives them depth of flavor. Since the ingredients are so simple, it is important to use the best butter you can find and very fresh whole wheat flour. (Some stores allow you to grind whole wheat berries to order.) Reminiscent of English “digestive” wafers, these are ideal as part of an after dinner cookie platter with chocolate truffles and a few fresh berries or grapes.

(Makes 2 dozen cookies)

2 cups organic whole wheat flour, preferably freshly ground
1/2 cup “Sugar in the Raw” or other turbinado sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup good quality unsalted organic butter

1.) In a food processor or a mixing bowl, process or whisk the flour with the sugar and salt to combine. Cut in the butter until the mixture is uniformly crumbly and just beginning to clump together to form dough. Divide the dough in half and shape each piece into a log 8 inches long. Chill the logs in the refrigerator until firm, about half an hour.

2.) Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with a silicone pan liner or baker’s parchment. Cut each of the chilled logs of dough into 12 slices. Arrange the slices on a cookie sheet lined with baker’s parchment and bake until the cookies are darker around the edges and they smell like browned butter, about 18-20 minutes or. Cool the cookies to room temperature before wrapping.

Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey's Irish Cream Frosting

Mmmmm, I sure do love a pint of Guinness. This recipe came from my friend Google. Don't these sound like a fun St. Paddy's Day treat? I haven't tried them yet, so if you get to it before I do, let me know what you think!

Cupcakes

Recipe from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World

3/4 cup soy milk

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour

1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup Guinness

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup canola oil

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Frosting

A Dulcedo original (If you want to frost with big swirls like in the picture, you'll need to triple the frosting recipe.)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

2 tablespoons Bailey's Irish Cream

2-3 cups confectioners' sugar

To make the cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together the soy milk and the vinegar. Add the Guinness, sugar, oil, and vanilla to the soy milk mixture and beat until foamy. Add the dry ingredients in two batches and beat until well incorporated.

Fill your cupcakes containers of choice 3/4 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly touched. Transfer to a wire rack and allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting:

Beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until creamy and smooth. Add the Bailey's and half of the confectioner's sugar and beat until smooth. Add the second half of the sugar and beat until smooth.

Makes 12 cupcakes

Apple Nut Cake

From Lisa's childhood neighbor lady, Mary Josephine Bernadette Rupprecht (Marysville, OH)

1 3/4 C sugar
3 eggs
1 C oil
1 t vanilla
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
2 C flour + 1 T or so (whatever the high altitude adjustment should be)
2 C grannysmith apples (approx 2), peeled & chopped
1 C chopped or crushed nuts (ie, pecans)

- Beat eggs, add sugar, oil & vanilla and mix together
- Sift flour and all other dry ingredients; add to egg mixture, and stir until smooth
- Fold in apples & nuts
- Pour into lightly greased pan
- Recipe calls for 375 degree oven for 45 minutes. To adjust for altitude, I baked at 400 degrees for 30 minutes uncovered, then 10-15 add'l minutes covered with foil (checking frequently)

Rosemary Walnuts or Cashews

Recipe from Ina Garten's "Barefoot in Paris" Cookbook. We munched on these at our YA Book Club mtg on 2/27!

1 lb unsalted walnuts or cashews
2 T minced fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 t cayenne pepper (less for milder taste)
2 t light brown sugar
1 T kosher salt
1 T unsalted butter, melted (I've seen another recipe which uses olive oil instead)

Preheat oven to 350. Spread nuts in one layer on a sheet pay, and toast for about 5 minutes

In a large bowl, combine the rosemary, cayenne, sugar, salt and butter. Add the warm nuts, toss thoroughly, and serve warm. Serves 8.

kettle corn - yum!

(Jade, don't look at this until you're done with your cleanse!!)

Recipe from Rachael Ray

Sweet and Salty Kettle Corn

MAKES TEN CUPS
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 5 min
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon coarse salt

In a large pot with a tight-fitting lid, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the popcorn. When the oil sizzles, sprinkle the sugar over the kernels. Cover and shake the pan until the popping slows down, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and toss with the salt.

kristen's (AKA chai-walla) chai tea

So you can become a chai-walla, too!

EVERYTHING IS TO TASTE:

4c water
5-6 whole cardemom pods
big pinch of anise seed
big pinch of cloves
1 cinnamon stick
10-12 black pepper corns
1/4-1/2" sliced fresh ginger
black tea (3-4 bags, not sure how much loose-leaf)
raw sugar or honey or agave nector - choose your favorite sweetner
milk or half-n-half or cream

1. Grind all spices (except the raw ginger) with a pestle and mortar or spice grinder. (Just mash 'em!)*


2. Boil water with all spices 10 min.

3. Add tea and steep.**

4. Strain into your favorite cup.

5. Add sweetenerand milk or cream to taste.

*I actually just saw something about how you're supposed to heat them in a skillet until they release the aroma, THEN mash them... I'll have to try that.)

** Some recipes add the milk or cream here, re-heat to just under boiling, and steep the tea in the water/milk. It does make it creamier, but if you don't use it all right away it's harder to store. If you leave out the sweetner and milk, you can store it in your fridge for a few weeks if you make a large batch.

Enjoy!

Curried Carrot Soup

from Great Food Fast by Martha Stewart

Serves 4 * prep time: 20 minutes * Total time: 40 minutes

2 tbsp butter

1 cup chopped onion

1 teaspoon curry powder

course salt and fresh ground pepper

2 cans (14.5 ounces) chicken broth

2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, curry powder, 2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. 

Add the broth, carrots, and 3 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat; cover, and simmer until the carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.

In a blender, puree the soup in batches until smooth. Transfer to a clean saucepan. Add more water to thin if desired consistency. Reheat, if necessary. Stir in the lemon juice. Serve garnished with the cilantro, if desired. 

Asian Chicken Salad

From Eating Well:

Crunchy vegetables and tender chicken breasts tossed in a tangy vinaigrette make a refreshing main-dish salad. If you poach the chicken yourself, reserve 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid to make the dressing.

Makes 6 servings, 2 cups each

Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Dressing
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons chile-garlic sauce (see Ingredient notes)
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tahini paste
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth or reserved chicken-poaching liquid

Salad
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
8 cups shredded napa cabbage (1 small head; see Ingredient notes)
1 1/2 cups grated carrots (2-3 medium)
5 radishes, sliced (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup chopped scallions
3 1/2 cups shredded skinless cooked chicken (about 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast) see Tip

1. To prepare dressing: Combine soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil and chile-garlic sauce in a glass measuring cup; stir to blend. Heat canola oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce mixture to the pan; bring to a simmer. Whisk in tahini and broth (or poaching liquid); cook until reduced slightly, 3 to 4 minutes. Let cool.

2. To prepare salad: Heat a small dry skillet over medium-low heat. Add sesame seeds and cook, stirring, until lightly browned and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a small plate to cool.

3. Combine cabbage, carrots, radishes, scallions and chicken in a large shallow bowl. Stir dressing to recombine and drizzle over the salad; toss to coat. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 289 calories; 14 g fat (2 g sat, 7 g mono); 64 mg cholesterol; 14 g carbohydrate; 28 g protein; 3 g fiber; 518 mg sodium.Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (100% daily value), Vitamin C (60% dv). 1 Carbohydrate Serving

Ingredient Notes: Chile-garlic sauce is a spicy blend of chiles, garlic and other seasonings; it is found in the Asian section of the market.

Napa cabbage has an elongated head and is pale green in color with tender, tapered white ribs. Its tightly packed, crinkled leaves have a crisp texture. Discard the cone-shaped core. One small head yields about 8 cups shredded.

Tip: To poach chicken: Combine two 14-ounce cans reduced-sodium chicken broth, 2 chopped scallions, 2 slivers fresh ginger and 2 cloves garlic in a large skillet; bring to a simmer. Add 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast and cook over medium heat until no longer pink inside, 10 to 15 minutes. The flavorful poaching liquid will keep, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Make Ahead: Cover and refrigerate the dressing (Step 1) for up to 2 days.

I didn't have all the ingredients on hand, so here are some substitutions that seemed to work:

- reduced sodium soy sauce, I used -> tahini sauce

- sesame oil -> omitted

- chile garlic sauce -> thai chile sauce

- fresh ginger -> 1/2 tsp powdered ginger

- cloves of garlic -> I had this, but was lazy and used 1/2 tsp garlic powder!

- tahini paste -> omitted

- I put the sesame seeds in the dressing, rather than the salad mix

- napa cabbage -> regular old cabbage

- scallions -> omitted
- I roasted my chicken, for no good reason, with salt and pepper

I had no problem eating this salad each day for lunch and dinner for the last few days. Yum!

Vata Calming Butternut Squash Soup

mmmm... just right for a wintery day like today! The aroma is amazing!
This recipe came from the Yoga Journal. Vata is the dosha with airy, cold, crisp characteristics, which are warmed by earthy yellow vegetables and calming spices.

INGREDIENTS:
2 T ghee (clarified butter) – you could just use melted butter, I think
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1” chunks
1 medium sweet potato or 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, loosely diced
2 large garlic cloves, smashed
1” knob of fresh ginger, washed and finely chopped
1t ground cinnamon
¼t ground cloves
1t ground cumin
½t turmeric
3c broth or water
1c coconut milk or half-and-half
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Freshly minced parsley to garnish









DIRECTIONS:
1. Melt 1T ghee/butter over medium heat in a large, deep sauté pan
2. Add squash, sweet potato, and then onion. Sauté, stirring very little at first, then more frequently, for 7-8 minutes or until all ingredients turn golden brown.
3. Reduce heat to low and add garlic. Continue cooking until vegetables are a rich caramel color, about 10 min. Remove from heat.
4. In a separate soup pot, add 1T ghee/butter, ginger, and the rest of the spices. Sauté until fragrant.
5. Add broth and vegetables to soup pot. Bring to a low boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 min. partially covered, until squash is tender.
6. Purée in a blender until smooth.
7. Return to soup pot. Pour in enough coconut milk so that the mixture flows easily, yet is thick and hearty. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat through and serve, garnished with parsely.

Apple, Celery, and Walnut Salad

Fuji Apples add great color. For a zesty flavor, substitute low-fat plain yogurt for the sour cream.
2 Fuji apples, diced (1/4 inch)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 ribs celery, diced (1/4 inch)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup reduced-calorie mayonnaise
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Toss the apples with the lemon juice in a bowl. Add celery, walnuts, and raisins, then toss. Combine the mayo and sour cream in another bowl, then fold into the apple mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pack in tightly covered, small plastic containers.

Serves 4. Per serving: 250 calories, 26g carbs, 3 g protein, 16g fat, 10 mg cholesterol.

I haven't tried this one, but clipped it (from Parade Magazine) and wanted to put it somewhere where I wouldn't lose it. How about the Radically Cookish site?! Yes, but not quite yet. I put it in my jeans pocket. That night when I undressed, I realized I hadn't copied it down yet, so I put the jeans away with all the random notes and coupons and lists in the pockets. The recipe was safely filed there for a couple of days. You do that too, right? Then today, when I put on the jeans, there was the recipe, nice and safe and ready to be transcribed. Meticulous filing practices we follow in the this household.

Roasted Tomato Soup

This is the first thing Rylie has eaten that I've made from scratch! (But not from lack of trying.) This is so good. I leave out the cream and the butter, and it is still hearty and "creamy." I could eat this every day for the rest of my life. I hope you enjoy! (I always double the recipe, but I do not double the oil since there is plenty.)

Ingredients

1 (14 oz. can) chopped tomatoes

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 stalk celery, diced

1 carrot, diced

1 onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup chicken broth

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup heavy cream, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Strain the chopped canned tomatoes, reserving the juices, and spread onto a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, to taste, drizzle with 1/4 cup of the olive oil and roast until caramelized, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat remaining olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the celery, carrot, onion and garlic, cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the roasted chopped canned tomatoes, reserved tomato juices, chicken broth, bay leaf and butter. Simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add basil and cream, if using. Puree with a hand held immersion blender until smooth.

Source: The Food Network website

Cooking Classes

Hi all, Happy New Year! One of my resolutions (always casual, unfortunately) this year is to learn to be a more confident cook. I am a pretty decent recipe follower, but don't even have THAT mastered all the time.

So, I found this place up in the Highlands that I'm guessing most of you are already familiar with - Generous Servings, right on 32nd.

I signed up for a Cooking Basics class on the last 2 Thursdays of this month, in hopes that it's not dumbed down TOO much. They also have lots of other interesting classes such as cooking with herbs & spices, vegetarian Vietnamese cooking, Indian-inspired cooking, etc.

I will let you know how it goes but would love feedback on this place if anyone has experience with it!

Going-for-Coffee French Toast

Okay, if I'm going to be really, really honest, this is called:

Going-for-Starbucks-Because-I-Was-Up-Way-Too-Late-Reading-Twilight-Last-Night French Toast.

Here it is:

• 3 slices of bread, on-its-way-out-the-door bread is great for French Toast, especially if it's a Caffeine Now! Morning and you haven't had a chance to go grocery shopping in a while.
• 1 beaten egg
• 1/2 - 1 c milk, or more, if you want to make more toast
• 1 teaspoon vanilla, that's probably more than you need, but I always like a lot of vanilla
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 dash cinnamon - do you like how I use these technical terms? It's because I never measure any of this except maybe the egg and the bread.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Butter or Spray-Pam a smallish baking pan with 1-inch sides. Place the bread in the pan. Depending on the number of pieces I cook, or my concern about its appearance for guests, I tear the bread in half, so I can smoosh it all in there.

Mix all the remaining ingredients together, and pour over the bread in the pan. It will seem, unless you've really whacked it out of proportion (coming from one who's never had to add a little milk on top), like there is much more liquid than you need. But just be patient, and the coffee trip will do its magic. In fact, if you're adept enough at delaying your departure with where-is-that-other-boot, seriously-can-you-please-not-have-just-pooped-right-now-ALL-over?, and what's-wrong-with-the-d*&$-garage-door-that-makes-it-necessary-for-me-to-be-pulling-out-of-the-driveway-before-realizing-it's-just-not-going-to-close-from-the-car-and-I'll-have-to-go-back-in-and-come-out-the-front-door-s, you may get an extra trip or two inside the house, and you'll see that the way too much liquid has, in fact, already been sopped up by the thirsty bread!

Now, you deserve it, go get a BIG cup-o-joe. Go through the drive-through, because you haven't gotten out of your PJs yet, though you may have put on jeans over them, and a scarf. Oh, and the kids are barely clothed, unless pre-heating the car and putting boots on them counts as clothing.

Come home to find the cat sequestered in the basement because the timer you set for 30 minutes was already 10 minutes down before you came back in the house to head out the front door before someone drove off with your kids in the car you left running so they didn't freeze, and it's been going off for about 15 minutes because everyone else in the neighborhood apparently stayed up reading Twilight too long last night too, so the drive-through line lasted long enough for you to hear just the lead-ups to several interesting NPR stories before one of the kids started screaming about something or another. Turn off that timer. Thank goodness for high altitude and low temperatures.

Pull out the pan of French Toast. It may look a little brown on top, but brown's okay because underneath that brown is a moist, egg-y piece of toast, begging for some syrup and butter.

Slather it up, slice it, and suck it down with your cup-o-Ahhhhhhh...

Let me know if you have any questions while trying this. I tried to put in a few tips, but you never know when someone might need a little extra direction.

sunflower seed cookies

Lyle's aunt sent us these cookies this summer, and I fell in love with them. They were perfect breakfast cookies, too!

1 c. butter

1/2 c. sugar

3/4 c. brown sugar

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/3 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

3 c. rolled oats

3/4 c. sunflower seeds

1/2 wheat germ

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat eggs and vanilla. Sift flour, salt, and soda and stir into creamed mixture. Fold in oats, sunflower seeds, and wheat germ. Place teaspoonfuls of dough on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool on rack.

I didn't have wheat germ on hand when I made these yesterday, so I just used wheat flour for all of the flour. It turned out fine, but it may have lost some of its earthy taste. (By the way, the cookie dough is the best!) 

Great Chicken Recipe

Here is a chicken recipe that also includes the use of popcorn as a stuffing - YUM.

When I found this, I thought it was perfect for people like me who just are not sure how to tell when poultry is thoroughly cooked, but not dried out.

4-5 lb. Chicken
1-cup melted butter
1-cup stuffing (Pepperidge Farm is best)
1-cup uncooked popcorn (ORVILLE REDENBACHERS or POP SECRET, LOW FAT)

Lightly salt and pepper to taste. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Brush chicken well with melted butter, then salt and pepper.
Fill the cavity with the stuffing and popcorn.
Place in baking pan with the neck end towards the back of the oven. Listen for the popping sounds.
When the chicken's ass blows the oven door open and the chicken flies across the room, it's done.

And you thought I couldn't cook.

My mom emailed this to me. I'll take it off this much-classier-than-deserves-something-like-this site soon.

Barb's Butterhorns

Wee hoo! Despite all (*unintentional) efforts to the contrary, I didn't ruin my butterhorns!

I am so intimidated by this recipe for several reasons. First of all, it's one that we've been eating in my family forEVER. And they're always the best, or maybe second best after the stuffing, part of the meal. At least that was the case when Aunt Barb or my mom made them. Secondly, baking always throws me for a loop, especially when the recipe was written somewhere in the lowlands. I tend to just add two tablespoons of extra flour. Or maybe a quarter cup. Basically, I have no idea what to do. Also, because of how long it takes (at least my) bread to rise, I only attempt these rolls once or twice a year. Between attempts, I forget pretty much everything I learned the last time I made them. Oh..I guess I should admit, by each "attempt" I mean that I make the recipe twice because the first version never turns out. The first one is always heavy or flat or something else. This year I got lucky. It only took one time through!

Do you all know some of those great cooks? (Trick question, some of you are those great cooks.) The ones who, when you ask for a recipe, answer,

"Well, I just throw in some x, y, and z. Bake it for about x minutes, or until it's done. But don't overstir it. And season to taste."

All these nebulous terms that make me, the nervous cook, even nervouser. Thankfully, I have a note-taker mom who will make notes on her cooking, if I ask, and will answer all my frantic, mid-recipe questions: "I know I asked last time, but could you remind me again..."

So, only to notes and several mid-recipe phone calls, do I attribute the success of this batch of butterhorns.

If anyone's interested, I can post the recipe, but for now I'll just add to the photo content. Next time, I'll make the cinnamon rolls version, even better! Bring on the baking, baby!

* Oh, yes, those unintentional efforts to ruin the rolls. I don't recommend these techniques.

1. Allocate not enough time to get it all done.
2. Drop first pan, while lifting it closer to the cooling rack. Let rolls all smash together.
3. Burn hand on oven pulling out second pan from oven. Drop pan, causing rolls to slide around on pan.

Thankfully, there were no rolls injured in this attempt. Only the one I had to sample. And the other one I had to sample to make sure the first one wasn't a fluke.

Baked Chicken Nuggets

A kid pleaser!

2 whole chicken breasts (4 halves) - boned, skinned, cut into bite-sized pieces & tossed in melted butter
1/3 c grated Parmesean cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried thyme
(and/or any other seasonings that sound good to you, such as tarragon, garlic powder, parsley)
3/4 c fine bread crumbs (can use store-bought crumbs in a pinch but this is a great way to use stale bread and it tastes better that way too)

Mix all but the chicken in a paper bag and shake well. Then add chicken pieces, a few at a time and shake as you go to coat well. Arrange chicken on oiled cookie sheet. When ready to serve, bake in preheated 400 degree oven, top shelf, for 10 minutes or until nicely browned. It's fun, too, to let the kids experiment with various dipping sauces from the fridge - whatever you can find - to introduce them to new tastes~

Bacon-Wrapped Meat Loaf with Brown Sugar-Ketchup Glaze

If you like meat loaf, try this recipe! It's from Cooks Illustrated, one of my favorites - Sept/October 1996

Serves 6-8

2 tsp oil
1 medium onion, chopped medium
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp hot red pepper sauce
1/2 cup whole milk or plain yogurt
2 lbs meat loaf mix (50% ground chuck, 25% ground pork, 25% ground veal)
NOTE: I use buffalo instead of veal for that last 25%
2/3 c crushed saltine crackers (about 15) or quick oatmeal, or, 1 1/3 c fresh bread crumbs
1/3 c minced fresh parsley leaves
6-8 oz thin-sliced bacon (8-12 slices depending on loaf shape)

Brown Sugar-Ketchup Glaze
1/2 cup ketchup or chili sauce
4 Tbl brown sugar
4 tsp cider or white vinegar

1. For the glaze; mix all ingredients in small saucepan; set aside
2. For the meat loaf: Heat oven to 350. Heat oil in medium skillset. Add onion & garlic; saute until softened, about 5 mins. Set aside to cool while preparing remaining ingredients.
3. Mix eggs with thyme, salt, pepper, mustard, yogurt. Add egg mixture to meat in large bowl along with crackers, parsley, and cooked onion and garlic; mix with fork until evenly blended and meat mixture does not stick to bowl. (if mixture sticks, add add'l milk or yogurt, a couple tablespoons at a time until mixture no longer sticks).
4. Turn meat mixture onto work surface. With wet hands, pat mixture into approx 9x5 inch loaf shape. Place on foil-lined (for easy cleanup) shallow baking pan. Brush with half the glaze, then arrange bacon slices, crosswise, over loaf, overlapping slightly and tucking only bacon tip ends under loaf.
5. Bake loaf until bacon is crisp and loaf registers 160 degrees, about 1 hour. Cool at least 20 mins. Simmer remaining glaze over medium heat until thickened slightly. Slice meat loaf and serve with extra glaze passed separately.

VARIATION: loaf pan
Follow instructions above, omitting bacon. Turn meat mixture into meat loaf pan with perforated bottom, fitted with drip pan. Use fork to pull mixture from pan sides to prohibit glaze from dripping into oven. Brush with 1/4 of glaze. Bake until glaze is set, about 45 mins. Top with another 1/4 of glaze; continue to bake until second coat has set and loaf registers 160 degrees, about 15 mins longer. Cool at least 20 minutes. Simmer remaining glaze over medium heat until thickened slightly. Slice meat loaf and serve with extra glaze passed separately.

Skillet Lasagna

Easy-cheesy, yummy! :)

1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, minced
salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 lb meatloaf mixture (ground beef, and 8 ounces ground pork. for spicer flavour increase the amount of red pepper flakes t)
8 ounces curly-edged lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch lengths (10)
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 ounce parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup) pepper
8 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup minced fresh basil

* 1 tsp italian herbs, added to diced tomato mixture
* spinach, 10oz is too much, either added to tomato mixture, or added on top before the ricotta (not decided)

1. Pour the tomatoes with their juice into a quart measuring cup. Add enough water to the tomatoes to measure 4 cups.

2. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about
15 seconds. Add the meatloaf mix and cook, breaking up the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

4. Sprinkle the noodle pieces evenly over the meat. Pour the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce over the pasta. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, about 20 minutes. (The sauce should look watery after 15 minutes of cooking. If dry, add up to 1/4 cup additional water to loosen the sauce.).

5. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dot heaping tablespoons of the ricotta over the noodles. Cover the skillet and let stand off the heat for 5 minutes.

6. Sprinkle with the basil and serve, passing the extra Parmesan separately.

Mediterranean kamut salad

This is one of my stand-bys, and I love it! I just add whatever is in the fridge that needs to be used. I also like to add sun-dried tomatoes, and I often do 1/2 kamut, 1/2 quinoa for variety.

2 cups (500 mL) kamut
4 cups (1 L) water
1 clove garlic
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) freshly ground pepper
1 diced fennel bulb and frond (or four stalks of celery)
1 red sweet pepper, diced
2/3 cup (168 mL) feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup (125 mL) sliced black olives
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped parsley
1/4 cup (67 mL) chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp (30 mL) balsamic or wine vinegar

Rinse kamut and place in a pot with water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for one hour or until the grains are plump and a few have burst. Remove from heat. Drain excess liquid if necessary and reserve for stock.

Place kamut in a salad bowl. If just cooked, allow to cool to room temperature. Mix i n remaining ingredients. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Let salad stand 15 to 30 minutes before serving.

roasted root vegetables

OK, here is the much sought-after recipe! :) Actually, it is so incredibly easy, it's silly! But then when I think of it, so often my favorite foods are the ones that are the simplest! I guess it's like Sarah said the other night - you can actually taste the vegetables?

Roasted Root Vegetables

2 med. red beets, quartered
2 golden beets, quartered
2 yams, quartered
2 parsnips, quartered
2 turnips, quartered
2 carrots, quartered
salt to season
1 1/2 T olive oil
1 1/2 T lemon juice
1 t tamari (pure form of soy sauce with no wheat added)
1 1/2 T whole cilantro leaves, no stems (I used parsley b/c I don't like cilantro!)

Preheat oven to 350. Add bets, yams, parsnips, turnips, and carrots to a 9x13" baking dish.

Season with salt, splash a little oil, and bake until outer skins are lightly crisped, about 45-60 minutes. (I actually baked mine longer, and for much of the time I covered the pan with alu-foil, b/c I thought the veggies were getting too dry.)

In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, tamari, and cilantro (parsley). Pour over root mixture and serve warm. (I actually doubled the sauce.)

* This dish, in my opinion, tasted better the 2nd day, because all the flavors had mixed in.

Enjoy gals!!

green with envy!

This is not a recipe, but I wanted to post it...

I just found out about this "enviromom" blog on Nightline (yes, I'm watching late-night trash TV tonight), and thought we could challenge ourselves to reduce our trash.

With the new Denver compost program, plus the recycling, I'm pretty sure we're composting/recycling more than we're tossing right now, which is pretty WOW to me! They have a "1 bag a month" challenge. I'd love to reduce to that amount! I know it's not really possible, though, if you don't compost, but it would be fun to see what we could do with a little motivation, to become more green!

The blog is:
http://www.enviromom.com/

Anyone up for the challenge?