Food goodness

From: A Perfect Pantry Yum! This was really good. I mostly went exactly off the original recipe, with the only changes being dried rather than fresh herbs because I didn't have the right ones on hand. This was a good main-course meal, but I could also see omitting the shrimp to make a totally meat-free entree or side dish (we're still eating seafood though we are not eating other forms of meat during Lent). 13.25 oz rotini (I used whole wheat) 1 lb frozen large shrimp, 31-40 size 2/3 lb feta, crumbled, divided 3/4 cup panko Zest of 2 large lemons, divided 4 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided (I used a palmful of dried) 4 Tbsp butter 1/2 cup all-purpose unbleached flour 4 cups milk (whole or 2%) 1/2 lb gruyere or fontiago or Danish fontina, grated (I used fontina) 2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill weed (or dried to taste) 1/2 to 1 tsp kosher salt 1/2 to 1 tsp fresh black pepper Bring a large stockpot of salted water to a boil, and add the pasta. Cook for 8 minutes; the pasta shou

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen . I've been in the mood for garlic soup for some time now and regrettably it was not a recipe I thought to swipe from I's many years ago. Deb, however, recently posted a recipe for it and it was just the thing to serve as a starter for the dinner we hosted Friday night. Mine turned out a darker, more caramel-ly color because I let the onions get a little darker but I think it tasted all the better. Also, this is the vegetarian and low-fat version. Feel free to use chicken broth and cream as called for the in the original recipe although my version still tastes every bit as rich, I think. 26 garlic cloves (unpeeled) 1 T olive oil 1 T butter 2 1/4 cups sliced onions 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme 18 garlic cloves, peeled 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth (more like 4 C since I just poured in the whole container) 1/2 cup non-fat evaporated milk 1 slice bread (use bread plain bread here--you don't want seeds in this) Preheat oven to 350°F. Place

From: Culinary in the Desert I don't know to call this, but I didn't think the original name, "hot spinach ricotta loaf" was quite right. It's pizza dough stuffed with ricotta and spinach, rolled up and baked. It's kind of like a stromboli with non-traditional ingredients. Call it whatever you want. It was tasty. I used whole wheat pizza dough from Trder Joe's. 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry 1 cup ricotta cheese 3 ounces (about 3/4 cup) fresh grated Asiago cheese 1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 garlic cloves, minced 12 ounces prepared whole-wheat pizza dough (Joe has a recipe on his site) 2 teaspoons olive oil warmed marinara sauce for serving, if desired Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, stir together spinach, ricotta, Asiago, nutmeg, salt and garlic. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out into a 12" x 9" rectangle. Spread spinach mixture over the dough, leaving a 1/2"

Adapted by The Wednesday Chef This was unusual, but we both liked it. I'm still not 100% sold on the mint, but I'm not usually a fan of mint with savory foods. This was on the table in under 30 minutes, and Todd didn't complain that his pasta didn't have meat in it. Serves 8 as an appetizer or 4 as a main course 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium Spanish onion, chopped fine 1 tablespoon wildflower honey 3 cups fresh shucked peas (or frozen) Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 pound fresh homemade pappardelle or 1 pound dried fettucine 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 1/2 cup packed fresh mint leaves, torn in half 1. In a large saute pan, heat the oil until it is just smoking. Add the onion, honey, and 2 cups of the peas, and saute until softened and cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes. 2. Place peas in a food processor and pulse until coarsely pureed (I used an immersion blender), season generously with salt a

I had a flank steak defrosted earlier this week and needed something to do with it that was a little different than the norm. This was quick, easy and tasty. adapted from a Rachael Ray recipe 2 tablespoons grill seasoning blend (recommended brand McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning) 1/4 cup Tamari dark soy 2 tablespoons honey 3 Tbsp. garlic chili paste 2 large cloves garlic, chopped 2 teaspoons toasted (dark) sesame oil, eyeball it 2 scallions, finely chopped 2 pounds flank steak In a shallow dish, combine grill seasoning, dark soy, a tablespoon honey, chili paste, chopped garlic, sesame oil, scallions and a drizzle of vegetable oil. Coat the flank steak in the mixture and let it stand 10 minutes. Preheat broiler, and cook 5-6 minutes per side for medium rare, a little longer for less pink. To serve, let meat rest 5 minutes for juices to redistribute. Thinly slice the meat on a heavy angle against the grain (the lines in the meat).

Therapeutic snow-day food! Original recipe here . Eight 3/4-inch-thick slices of firm white bread [I used up some soft oat sandwich bread and then some seven-grain stuff... the oat was much better] 1/2 cup fresh ricotta cheese [I didn't measure this but just spread a layer on half the bread] 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons strawberry jam [we used gooseberry, and ditto, no measuring] 2 large eggs 1/2 cup milk 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Pinch of cinnamon Pinch of salt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting [skipped this] Spread 4 slices of the bread with the ricotta. Spread the remaining 4 slices of bread with the strawberry jam. Close the sandwiches, pressing gently so they stay closed. In a shallow bowl or pie plate, whisk the eggs with the milk, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Dip both sides of each sandwich into the egg mixture until well coated. In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add 2 of the sandwiches and cook until golden, about 4 min

One of the best things about a bread machine is the dough cycle - rolls and pizza dough, coming right up! My neighbor made these to go with crockpot pulled pork for one of our blizzard pot lucks this past month. When I asked about them, she said she typed "crusty rolls bread machine" into google and made the first recipe that came up. I've made them once following the recipe exactly (plus a few extra minutes in the oven) for sausage, onion and pepper sandwiches. The second time I made them for turkey burgers and I subbed one cup of wheat flour with good results. These crisp on the outside, tender on the inside rolls won a blue ribbon at the state fair. They have a great flavor! by Chris from Kansas 3 hours | 10 min prep 12 rolls * 1 1/4 cups warm water * 1 egg white * 1 tablespoon vegetable oil * 1 tablespoon sugar * 1 1/2 teaspoons salt * 3-3 1/4 cups bread flour * 2 teaspoons fast rising yeast or quick-rising yeast 1. Place ingredients in

I am obsessed with oatmeal in all forms lately -- warm oatmeal in a bowl, granola, cookies, granola bars (which I'll be making this afternoon) -- and I'm not the only one. I've been spying lots of recipes on cooking blogs lately for different variations of your morning bowl of oatmeal. This is the one I made today, which is adapted from the recipes here . I'm planning to make the other one soon. Like maybe tomorrow. handful pecans (or walnuts -- I used pecans because that was what was in theh ouse) 1 slightly overripe banana 1/2 cup Quaker old-fashioned oatmeal 1/2 cup milk a little less than 1/2 cup water 3 teaspoons honey, separated 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract A few shakes cinnamon 1 shake nutmeg A few dashes Kosher salt In a small pan, toast pecans. Remove from heat and set aside. Cut banana in half. Chop one half into chunks and set aside. In your breakfast bowl, mash the other half with a fork until it forms a wet puree. In a small pot, combine banana puree, oatme

This is the first thing I cooked at the goat farm, and it was kind of interesting, because they dont' have a lot of things I consider staples (such as... garlic! and also thyme, which I'm not sure we have at home either). Also, it's a Weight Watchers recipe and I think they often underseason things, so some modifications were in order. 2 spray(s) cooking spray 20 oz butternut squash, fresh, peeled and cubed [they suggest buying the precut and prepackaged squash, which I had done, and it was pretty darn convenient] 1/8 tsp table salt, for cooking pasta [I skipped] 12 oz uncooked whole-wheat pasta, penne 1 1/4 cup(s) fat-free skim milk 2 Tbsp white all-purpose flour 2 tsp minced garlic [I skipped] 1/2 tsp table salt 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste [I used more than this] 1 Tbsp thyme, fresh, chopped, divided [I substituted Herbs de Provence] [I added some nutmeg and rosemary, too] 1/2 cup(s) part-skim ricotta cheese [I used more than this] 1/3 cup(

Ernie made flan and creme brulee for Valentine's Day, both of which require egg yolks. I just happened to have a bunch of egg whites leftover from his cooking, so I figured I'd make an angel food cake. This is far easier than I figured it was, because I'm always apprehensive about working with egg whites once they've been whipped. The cake is a little sweet for me; I'll probably cut down the sugar to 1 1/2 c. the next time I make it. All I know is, I'll never make angel food cake from the box again. from The Man, Alton Brown 1 3/4 cups sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup cake flour, sifted 12 egg whites (the closer to room temperature the better) 1/3 cup warm water 1 teaspoon orange extract, or extract of your choice 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a food processor spin sugar about 2 minutes until it is superfine. Sift half of the sugar with the salt the cake flour, setting the remaining sugar aside. In a large bo

I've never met a potato I didn't like. It's true. Which could partially explain the extra 10 pounds I would like to lose. In any case, I needed something quick and easy to do with potatoes, with the ingredients I had in the house. So I altered the original recipe by Pioneer Woman , and made these potatoes. They were tasty. 4 whole Russet Potatoes, Scrubbed Clean cooking spray 1-½ cup light cream ½ cups 2% Milk 2 Tablespoons Flour 4 cloves Garlic, Finely Minced 1 teaspoon Salt Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste 1 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Freshly Grated Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray bottom of baking dish with cooking spray. Slice potatoes, then cut slices into fourths. In a separate bowl, whisk together cream, milk, flour, minced garlic, salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Place 1/3 of the potatoes in the bottom of the baking dish. Pour 1/3 of the cream mixture over the potatoes. Repeat this two more times, ending with the cream mixture. Cove

Slightly adapted from Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads, 30th Anniversary Ed. p. 81 Like Shannon, I've been on a bread bender and have baking up a storm. I made from-scratch bread baking a priority for this year's personal goals and it has been a fun process. I own a bread machine and have been making bread in it for years but I wanted to learn how to make and bake it myself. This book has been a fantastic resource and I highly recommend it. Mine came from my local library but I hope to find a copy of my own under the Christmas tree later this year. This is a wonderful WW loaf that makes a great sandwich bread, french toast or, as I've been eating it, well-toasted and served on the side of soup/stew. 1/4 C clover honey 1/2 C buttermilk (or soured milk made with vinegar) 1 1/4 C hot water (120 to 130 degrees) 2 t salt 2 pkgs rapid rise active dry yeast (you must use rapid rise for this recipe) 4 C whole wheat flour, approx. 1/2 C toasted wheat germ plu

I know, another muffin recipe. But, the way I see it, there is always room for one more healthy and delicious muffin recipe in one's repertoire. Adapted loosely from Martha . I was intrigued by the description of the muffins on her website but then I got a good look at the ingredients list and realized that simply adding millet to muffins does not a "healthy" treat make. 2 C whole wheat pastry flour 1/2 C millet 1 t baking powder 1/2 t baking soda 1 t salt 1/2 C honey (I used clover honey) 1 egg 1/2 C unsweetened applesauce 1/2 C reduced fat sour cream or greek yogurt 2 T canola oil 1 t vanilla 12 oz bag of sweetened frozen cranberries from TJ's (or 2 C fresh/frozen but add more sweetener if the berries don't have added sugar; dried would probably be good here as well) Now, if you've seen Alton Brown's episode on muffins , you know to always assemble the dry and wet teams separately and never overmix. If you haven't seen it then go watch it. He&#

I first saw this recipe as part of the Food Librarian's "I Like Big Bundts" month , and decided I'd break out the old bundt pan too. Mine didn't look as cool as hers, but it was really tasty, and I made some modifications to the Barefoot Contessa's original recipe . 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt [I used nonfat Greek yogurt] 1 1/3 cups sugar, divided 3 extra-large eggs 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons) [I was using Meyer lemons, and they are so good. it took more than two lemons to get this much zest] 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice For the glaze: 1 cup confectioners' sugar 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice [I used more than this. I'm not sure if I did something wrong here, but the glaze with only 2T was more like thick paste and not drizzle-able...] Directions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Gre

Adapted from the Grand Luxe Cafe on the Mag Mile in Chicago, courtesy of my brother. I wasn't going to post this but Gwen talked me into it. It's just that I'm not following a recipe so much as using recipes I have on hand already and then using proper nacho preparation technique (courtesy of Cooks Illus.). And Asian nachos are exactly what they sound like: nachos with Asian flair. And had we actually been competing at this year's Super Bowl Top Chef party, I dare say I would have been a top contender with these. Take that Bobby Flay and your nacho dogs! Note that I've made these with tofu but they are commonly served with chicken or pork. Here's how it goes: Ingredients: 1/2 pkg of square won ton skins, cut in half on the diagonal 1/2 medium red pepper, minced 1/2 medium yellow or orange pepper, minced 1/2 medium carrot, minced 3 scallions, finely sliced 1 T chopped cilantro 1/2 pkg extra firm tofu, cut in half lengthwise, pressed and marinated in a mixt

You guys! These are so, so good. And no eggs, which means I don't worry about giving anyone food poisoning. Just linking to the recipe, because I didn't change one single thing. Go here to Annie's Eats and make them!

I made beef tenderloin for dinner, and wanted a sauce to put on top once I'd sliced the beef and put it on the plates, on top of the fried potatoes. This one worked really, really well. from Epicurious 1 750-ml bottle Merlot (I used Fish Eye -- it was $6 a bottle and pretty decent for cooking) 2 14 1/2-ounce cans low-salt chicken broth 1 14 1/2-ounce can beef broth 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 1 tablespoon all purpose flour 1/4 c. shallots 2 cloves garlic, minced Boil wine, chicken broth and beef broth in heavy large saucepan over high heat until mixture is reduced to 2 cups, about 1 hour. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Mix butter and flour in small bowl. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle tenderloin with salt and cracked pepper. Brown the tenderloin on all sides, then put in the oven to finish. Remove tenderloin from the oven, put on a cutting board to rest. Add shallots, ga

I've really, really been wanting steak frites from Mon Ami Gabi lately, but with two kiddos, it's sort of difficult to get over there these days. Especially since I try not to ask friends and family to watch both girls at once -- that's like a double whammy for whoever we've asked. So, I set out to make my own for Valentine's Day. The fries were not the same as Mon Ami Gabi's, but they were good. adapted from this recipe , only because I have a deep fryer 1 1/2 pounds russet (baking) potatoes About 8 cups canola or peanut oil (I used peanut oil) Kosher salt Peel potatoes and cut into 1/4-inch-thick sticks. Rinse well, then soak in cold water, chilled, at least 2 hours. Drain potatoes and pat dry thoroughly. Heat 2 1/2 inches canola oil to 275°F in a 4-to 5-quart heavy pot over medium heat. (Or in your deep fryer, if you've got one) Fry potatoes in 2 batches, stirring once or twice, 3 minutes per batch (potatoes will not be golden), transferring with a slotte

I made this for the girls for Valentine's Day yesterday, and Gaby inhaled her entire dinner. I guess it was good. This was a super easy recipe, and will be the way I make alfredo sauce from now on -- no more buying jarred sauce for me. Yay! adapted from a Tyler Florence recipe 1 pint heavy cream or light cream, or a combination of the two (this is what I used) 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Freshly cracked black pepper Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish To prepare alfredo sauce: Heat heavy cream over low-medium heat in a deep saute pan. Add butter and whisk gently to melt. Sprinkle in cheese and stir to incorporate. Season with freshly cracked black pepper. In a large stockpot, cook pasta (I used bow ties) according to package. Quickly drain the pasta and add it to the saute pan, gently toss the noodles to coat in the alfredo. Transfer pasta to a warm serving bowl. Top with more grated cheese and chopped p

From: Smitten Kitchen I made a half-batch of this in a regular-size loaf pan. I served this with fresh cut fruit and chocolate fondue. It was delicious - moist and dense. I liked the touch of almond extract and could see mixing up the flavor by using lemon or orange instead. I put the original full-size recipe below, but it halves easily. Serves (at least) 10 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 package (8 ounces) Philadelphia brand cream cheese*, at room temperature 3 cups sugar 6 large eggs 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract plus 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 3 cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly butter a 10-inch tube pan, then line the bottom with parchment paper. Alternately, you can use a 12-cup bundt pan, and simply butter and flour it. 2. Place the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl and beat with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar, increase the speed to high, and beat until light and airy,

Adapted from Cooking Light . I made this a few weeks ago and just didn't get a chance to post it until now. This is a nice dish to feed a crowd and the left overs are quite tasty even though they aren't as crispy the next day. Next time, I think I'll forego the phyllo and just use puff pastry; it's easier to deal with and is a bit less time consuming. 1/3 cup olive oil, divided 2 cups minced onion (about 1 large) 5 (9-ounce) packages fresh spinach, roughly chopped (I used two 10 oz pkgs of chopped frozen spinach) 1/2 cup golden raisins 1 egg 1 C fat free cottage cheese 1/2 C crumbled reduced-fat feta 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper a few gratings of nutmeg 12 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed Cooking spray Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large pot set over medium heat, add 3 T olive oil. Add onion to pan; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Add spinach, 1 bag at a time; cook 3

Adapted from epicurious.com . So fresh tasting and delicious. As with any fro-yo or ice cream recipe, this is best made the day before you want to serve it. Also, depending on what kind of ice cream maker you have, make your preparations now. I have a Kitchen Aid ice cream maker attachment that requires freezing for a minimum of 24 hours prior to use. 3/4 cup water 3/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup light corn syrup 2-3 strips of lemon peel (be sure to just get peel and not pith) 1 cup plain nonfat yogurt (use Greek here) 1 cup low-fat buttermilk (I only had a half cup so I added a half cup of skim) 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel Bring water, sugar, light corn syrup, and lemon peel strips to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil 2 minutes. Remove strips of peel and pour into a medium bowl and chill until cool. Whisk in yogurt, buttermilk, lemon juice, and lemon grated peel. Allow to chill overnight. Process in ice cream maker accordin

Adapted from Closet Cooking . I made this with Gimme Lean and, frankly, I'm sorry I did. It just had a taste to it that I did not care for. Next time, I'll just make it with potatoes and not bother with meat. But this is good soup. Here, the kraut is the star but I bet it would be quite tasty with ground beef if that's your thing. The kraut, tho, it was amazing. Serves a lot, probably about 6 servings. 1 pound ground beef (or not) 1 tablespoon oil 1 onion (diced) 2 cloves garlic (chopped) 1/2 cup long grained rice (I used frozen brown rice) 4 cups vegetable broth (use beef if using ground beef in soup) 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes 1 15 oz can of petite diced tomatoes 2 cups sauerkraut (with liquid) 1 teaspoon hot paprika 2 bay leaves salt and pepper to taste sour cream (optional) In a heavy pot or dutch oven, brown the ground beef (if using) and set aside draining the grease from the pot. Heat the oil in the pot add the onions and saute until tender, about 5-7

We are having another couple over for Valentine's Dinner at our house. So far the menu looks like this: Appetizer: Uh, this is where I need your help Entree: Beef Daube Provencal (red wine beef stew), mashed potatoes, roasted brussels sprouts, crusty bread Dessert: Caramel Chocolate Pie or chocolate fondue with fruit (haven't decided yet) Any suggestions for a nice appetizer? Preferably something that does not involve too much cheese or mushrooms.

From Field Guide to Candy . Michael is flying out to visit his family tomorrow and I wanted to send some goodies along with him. I thought about making Shannon's salted caramels but I didn't have heavy cream on hand and also I thought that toffee pieces were less likely to get squished in his suitcase. They might get a bit crunched up but will still be good. 1 C sugar 1/3 C brown sugar (I used dark because that's what I have) 1 T light corn syrup 1/8 t salt 4 T unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 3/4 t vanilla 1/2 bar dark chocolate handful of nuts, toasted and chopped (I used pecans) Line an 11x17 baking pan with foil and spray liberally with cooking spray, set aside. In a sauce pan, combine all ingredients except vanilla and turn heat to med-high. Stirring constantly, allow mixture to come to a boil. Continue stirring until a thermometer reads 298 degrees (you will need a candy therm since a meat therm will not go that high. Well, at least mine doesn't). Re

Okay, these are seriously good. Since I don't often work with a candy thermometer, it tends to make me nervous, but this was really easy. Note: Mine came out slightly harder than I would have liked. I'll be playing with the temps a little soon. Might have just been my candy thermometer. adapted slightly from Nosh with Me 3/4 cup heavy cream 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract rounded 1/2 teaspoon + 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt (I had some French grey sea salt in my pantry) 1/2 cup light corn syrup 1 cup sugar 4 tablespoons butter, cubed, at room temperature Line a 9-inch (23 cm) loaf pan with foil and spray the inside with cooking spray. Heat cream, two tablespoons butter, vanilla, and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt in a small saucepan until the mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat, cover, and keep warm while you cook the syrup. In a medium, heavy duty saucepan (4 quarts, 4l), fitted with a candy thermometer, heat the corn syrup with the sugar and cook, stirring gently, to make sure the sug

We're stuck in the house, obviously, and I don't have much to do besides hang out with the kids (which is fun all on its own), clean (ugh) and cook. So I've been scouring my cookbooks and bookmarks, looking for different-than-usual recipes that might be fun. Of course, none of them are good for you. That wouldn't be very much fun at all. Besides, we've been doing a lot of shoveling and sledding. This is from a cookbook I found on my shelf called "500 Best Cookies, Bars & Squares." They're really good and -- a bonus -- you can just take out as many as you want at a time and bake them. They're better right out of the oven. 3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1 c. butter, softened 2 c. brown sugar 2 eggs 1 Tbsp. vanilla 1 c. finely chopped walnuts, optional In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla.

Adapted from a recipe I found here . We ate it over goat cheese polenta (which I posted here a couple weeks ago), but you could use whatever polenta recipe you like. 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 pound sliced button mushrooms 1/4 c. diced onions (or more) Salt and pepper 8 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 bunch kale (about 3/4 pound), stemmed and roughly chopped red wine Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add mushrooms, onions, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Stir in kale and 1/4 cup red wine, cover, reduce heat to medium low and cook until kale begins to wilt, about 2 minutes. Toss well, season with salt and pepper, cover and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes more. Cover and set aside. Serve over polenta.

Two kinds of oatmeal in one bread = heaven. This recipe has turned out moist and hearty loaves with a delectable chew. The first attempt last week was an easy and fairly quick success, resulting in my eagerness to make another two loaves this week. It is another new family favorite from A Year in Bread's Friday Favorites. Anne's Oatmeal Toasting Bread Makes 1 two-pound loaf or 2 small one-pound loaves This bread is both hearty and light. More than just a simple vehicle for jam, it could almost be a complete meal. If you omit the vital wheat gluten, it will be tasty but will crumble all over your toaster. [Editor's note: Gluten is the mix of proteins in flour that provides the structure and texture of bread. It does this by forming long strands as you knead the dough. Because there is a substantial quantity of oats—which do not contain gluten—in this recipe, adding some vital wheat gluten helps this bread hold its shape. Look for vital wheat gluten—also sometimes called glut

This is from a cookbook I've got called "Food Network Favorites." It's from Dave Lieberman. And, was really good on a cold and snowy night. When we couldn't have gone anywhere even if we'd wanted. 2 lbs. beef chuck for stew, cut into cubes kosher salt and pepper 3 Tbsp. butter 4 medium carrots, peeled, halved and cut into 1-inch chunks 3 small onions, diced 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour 2 14.5 oz cans reduced-sodium beef stock 2 c. red wine 1 c. crushed tomatoes (I used diced, with the juice) 1 sprig fresh rosemary 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed (I used 4) 2 handfuls green beans, ends trimmed (I used about 4 handfuls Season the beef cubes with salt and pepper. Heat 2 Tbsp. butter in heavy 6-quart pot over medium heat. As soon as the butter starts to turn brown, add half the beef and raise the heat to high. Cook, turning the beef cubes, until all sides are evenly browned, about 5-6 minutes. If the pan gets too brown, turn down the heat. Scoop the browned beef

I just wanted a very simple white bread last night to go with our stew, and this one fit the bill. So soft and tasty. from "The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook" for 1 1/2 lb loaf 1/2 c. water 1/2 c. milk 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces 3 c. bread flour 2 Tbsp. sugar 1 Tbsp. gluten 1 1/2 tsp. salt 2 1/4 tsp. bread machine yeast Place all the ingredients in the pan, in order. Set crust on medium and program for basic or french bread (I used french bread). When the baking cycle is over, let cool before slicing. (We didn't do this. We immediate sliced it up and ate with our stew. So, so good.)

Nothing to do around here but cook. And eat. Good thing I have a well-stocked pantry/fridge/freezer and I ran out to get a few things before the blizzard hit the area. from The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook 1 1/2 c. water 3 tbsp. olive oil 3 1/3 c. all-purpose flour 2/3 c. semolina flour 1 Tbsp. sugar 2 tsp. salt 2 1/2 tsp. bread machine yeast Place all ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer's instructions. Program for dough or pizza dough and press start. When the machine is done, remove the bread from the machine and turn onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide into desired number of portions (I divided into 6 portions for personal pizzas). Flatten each portion by kneading a few times and then folding the edges into the center. Cover with a damp town and let rest for 30 minutes. Roll out dough as directed in your pizza recipe, or place in ziploc bags and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. To use, let rest for 20 minutes at room temp before r

Who am I to question Mark Bittman, but the name of this recipe is wrong... it's tofu with spinach, but not spinach sauce exactly, and isn't it just saag paneer but with tofu instead of cheese? Whatever, it was good. I ate it with some of the Wegmans-brand naan, which is also good. Ingredients: * 1 1/2 pounds spinach * 12 ounces firm or extra-firm tofu * 2 tablespoons butter or oil (I used Earth Balance) * 1 tablespoon minced ginger * 1 tablespoon minced garlic * 3 dried chilies * 2 tablespoons garam masala or curry powder * Salt to taste * 1/2 cup yogurt (I used light sour cream) * 1 1/2 cups light cream or half-and-half (I used a can of lite coconut milk) Method: * 1. Trim and wash spinach; do not dry. Chop leaves in one-inch pieces. Cut tofu in two horizontally and wrap in paper towels. Put it under a couple of plates. * 2. Put butter or oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. A minute later, add ginger, garlic a

A.k.a. Oreo truffles. A.k.a. the most delicious thing you'll eat all week. Basically, you make these like you would cake pops only instead of cake and frosting you use oreos and cream cheese. Makes approx. 40 mud balls (depending on how much you taste for quality assurance). 1 pkg oreos 8 oz cream cheese, softened milk or dark chocolate for tempering/chocolate bark Here's the deal: you whiz the cookies in your food processor until they are rendered into small crumbs. Try not to get oreo dust all over your kitchen like I did. Add the cream cheese and whiz some more until fully combined. Decant into a small bowl and place in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Line a baking sheet with waz paper and set aside. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop little balls of deliciousness and roll into a round truffle shape; place on baking sheet. Refrigerate for one hour or stick in the freezer for 30 minutes. When ready, either temper your chocolate or melt the bark according to pkg direc

Kelli's Pain aux Raisins Secs et Noisettes ou Pacanes from the Friday Favorites contributors on A Year in Bread Makes 3 to 4 loaves (I halved everything and made two loaves. Everything else I did exactly as instructed and was happy with the results. I was not happy to remember too late that Gwen's J. can't eat nuts...I don't get to be the hostess with the mostest this time around...) On special occasions we serve this bread with homemade honey butter, but it's moist enough to be delicious on its own. Because we're always in a hurry, the bread only rises once. We also use Rapid-Rise yeast* to speed along the process. [note: You can substitute an equal amount of instant yeast and let your dough rise a little longer.] 6 cups whole wheat flour, preferably organic 2 Tablespoons Rapid-Rise yeast* 2 Tablespoons salt 4 Tablespoons sugar 4 cups (32 oz) very warm water 1/2 cup golden raisins 1/2 cup chopped pecans or hazelnuts 1/4 cup flax seeds (optional, but we like to

Geoff and I made this the other day, and it was delicious. It tasted even better the day after. Note: store the salt pork separate from the soup. Reheat the soup, then drop in the salt pork without reheating. That way, the crunchiness is maintained, and the soup warmed up the salt pork nicely. Source: Cooking Light, January/February 2010 Habitant Pea Soup Habitant refers to people who live in rural Québec, where this hearty soup is a popular staple. Yield: 8 servings Ingredients 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cups finely chopped onion 1 cup finely chopped carrot 1/2 cup finely chopped celery 2 cups yellow split peas 6 cups fat-free, less-sodium beef broth (we used chicken broth) 2 cups water 6 ounces salt pork 2 bay leaves 1 (12-ounce) ham hock 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup crème fraîche (we had heavy whipping cream on hand, and used that instead) Fres

This is adapted from a recipe I found on Sweetnicks . Super easy and definitely comfort food. We ate ours with buttered spaghetti and salad. 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 cups spaghetti sauce (either your own, or your favorite pre-made) 1 tablespoon olive oil 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces 2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese Stir 3 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese into the pasta sauce in a small bowl. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes or until it’s well browned on both sides. Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken, turning to coat with the sauce. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Top with the mozzarella cheese and the remaining Parmesan cheese. Let stand for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.