Food goodness

These were Shannon's find, and delicious. Just make sure you don't overcook the brownies in the first step... apparently I can bake some fairly complicated things, but I can't manage to make out-of-the-box brownies without burning them. Oops. 19-1/2 oz. pkg. brownie mix 2 c. powdered sugar   1/2 c. plus 6 T butter, softened and divided 8 oz. creamy peanut butter 6 oz. (approximately) semi-sweet chocolate chips [I used the Ghiardelli dark chocolate baking chips, and I think they're the best] Prepare and bake brownie mix in a greased 13" x 9" pan, according to the directions. Let cool.  With a mixer, combine powdered sugar, 1/2 cup butter and peanut butter. Mix well and spread over cooled brownies. Chill for one hour.  Melt together chocolate chips and 6 T butter in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Spread over brownies. Let cool; cut into squares. Makes 2 to 3 dozen.

From: Alton Brown I totally flubbed something when I made this, but it was still good.  I doubled the recipe, but as I was making it I added 4 qts of stock instead of 2.  I didn't realize my mistake until the very end when I went to add the dairy and thought it already looked pretty thin, so I went back to the recipe and realized my mistake.  So..... I still added the correct amount of cream, and I just left out the buttermilk completely.  My soup may have been missing a bit of the tang the buttermilk would have provided, but it was still tasty and I went back for seconds.  Also, I used chicken stock instead of veggie because that's what I had on hand. 1 pound leeks, cleaned and dark green sections removed, approximately 4 to 5 medium 3 tablespoons unsalted butter Heavy pinch kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning 14 ounces, approximately 3 small, Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced small 1 quart vegetable broth ( I used chicken stock) 1 cup heav...

Duh, right? Cranberries, sugar, water, cook, done. But this year, I tried a slight variation on Pioneer Woman's cranberry sauce , and I liked it better than my usual. A little more tart and a little more cranberry-y, because the water is replaced with juice. 2 14-oz bags of cranberries 2 cup cranberry juice 1 cup real maple syrup 1 cup white sugar 1/4 cup orange juice (she says lemon juice or any citrus zest would also work) Wash the cranberries and put them into a large-is saucepan. Throw in all the other ingredients, stir them together, and turn on high until it comes to a boil. After a minute or two, turn the heat down to medium and wait for it to reduce. PW says this should happen in 10 minutes; it took me more like 20 or 25. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat and pour immediately into a bowl or jar. Let cool before covering and refrigerating until whenever you want to eat it.

Based on this recipe , with some fairly substantial modifications. I've made it once with the blueberry sauce and once without, and I think it's actually better with just plain maple syrup on top. You could make this right before eating it, of course, but letting it sit overnight helps everything meld together. Ingredients: A loaf and a half of challah (the best way) or a substantial amount of any kind of bread One package cream cheese (you can use reduced fat, but the regular kind melts better) A pint of fresh blueberries or a few handfuls of frozen 8 eggs 1/2 to 1 c milk 1/2 c maple syrup dash of vanilla dash of cinnamon Grease a 9x13 glass baking dish. Cut the cream cheese into little squares. Tear the bread into bite-sized pieces and layer them in the dish with the cream cheese and blueberries, distributing things somewhat evenly. Whisk together the eggs, milk, syrup, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour it over the casserole a little at a time, making sure it...

Adapted from ATK's Slow Cooker Revolution and a recipe I swiped from I's. 1 container low-sodium chx broth 1 can hominy, drained and rinsed or 2 C fire roasted frozen corn (no need to thaw) 2 T veg oil 2 onions, small dice 3 large bell peppers, medium dice 4 jalapeno chiles, stemmed, seeded and minced OR 2 chiles in adobo, minced 6 garlic cloves, minced 4 t ground cumin 2 t ground coriander 1 t smoked paprika 1/2 t cayenne 3 15 oz cans cannellini or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed 3 lbs bone-in chx thighs, skin removed and trimmed (I used 2 large breasts and 6 drumsticks because that's what was in my freezer) S&P potato flakes for thickening soup, optional In a microwave safe bowl add oil, onions, spices and jalapenos/chiles in adobo and microwave on high for 4 min then stir.  Microwave another 3 min and add to slow cooker along with broth, bell peppers and beans.  Season chx with S&P and nestle into slow cooker.  Cover and cook until c...

From Joy the Baker . 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 pound spicy chicken sausage, uncased 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced 3 celery stalks, finely diced 2 carrots, finely diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 teaspoons dried ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes 2 cups uncooked French lentils, rinsed 8 cups chicken stock salt and pepper to taste parmesan cheese, olive oil, and bread to serve In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm olive oil.  Add the uncased chicken sausage and cook, breaking up with a spatula as it cooks.  Sausage should finish cooking in small chunks.  Remove from the pan. Add a touch more olive oil if necessary.  Add onions, celery, and carrots.  Cook until the onions are transluscent, about 5 to seven minutes.  Stir occasionally.  Add the garlic, cumin, and chili flakes, and cook for one minute more. Add the sausage back to the pan.  Stir to incorporate.  Add the lentils and chicken stock.  R...

This has officially replaced the old way I used to make this meal , because this way is easier and better. That is all. Up to two lbs. peeled, seeded butternut squash, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 2 large onions, cut into 3/4-inch pieces 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg Salt Freshly ground black pepper Some tablespoons olive oil 8 ounces dried corkscrew-shaped pasta, such as fusilli or rotelli 1 1/2 cups low-fat ricotta cheese 4 to 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil and spray with olive oil or cooking spray. Oil the baking sheet and spread out the squash and onions in a single layer. Grate nutmeg over everything, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and spray or drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until the squash is tender and the onion has browned lightly. Remove the vegetables from the oven; reduce the temperature to 350 degrees. While the vegetable...

From: Honest Fare We ate muesli almost every morning when we were in Ireland a couple of years ago, and it was so much better than muesli I've been able to find here in the States.  Weaver's in Lancaster now makes a version of it that you can buy in quart-size containers, and theirs is pretty good.  It's kind of expensive, though, especially if it's going to be an every-morning kind of thing.  So, I decided to make my own.  I'm kind of using this post from Honest Fare as a basic formula, and I like her instructions regarding the order to add the ingredients so the dates don't clump together and everything gets dusted with cinnamon, etc.  Obviously you can mix up the ingredients to your taste.  I added some dried apricots instead of raisins, and pepitas instead of sunflower seeds.  I'll be eating this for breakfast this week.  I also recently figured out that I like muesli even better when I add the milk the night before and let it soak overnight...

An answer to the age-old question: Yes, you can use salsa instead of enchilada sauce. Both of them have basically the same ingredients, but enchilada sauce is a little more processed and/or labor-intensive to make yourself. Most of the ingredients in these enchiladas are things you might just have lying around, so salsa seems to go with that. And the filling is healthy and protein-tastic, but it gives that creamy yum you want with Mexican food. Loosely based on these vegetarian enchiladas . 2 T olive oil 1 onion, diced 2 cloves of garlic, chopped 2 jalepenos, de-seeded and chopped dash of red pepper flakes 1 T cumin a big handful of cilantro, washed and chopped 1-10oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and excess water squeezed out 1 container (about 6 or 8?) large mushrooms, sliced 1 cup whipped lowfat cottage cheese (if you have regular cottage cheese, drain it first)  1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 8 corn tortillas 1 jar s...

From: Honey & Jam I made these apple bars to celebrate all the September birthdays in our small office (half of our staff of 8 are Sept birthdays).  They were good, and everyone loved them.  I thought they could be a little less sweet, so when I make them again (and I probably will), I will try cutting down on the sugar in the apple filling first.  I'm not sure how it would affect the consistency of the crust if you decreased the sugar there... might still work. Base: 2 c. flour 1/2 c. sugar 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1 c. real butter, softened 1 egg, beaten Apple Filling: 1/2 c. white sugar (could probably use less - these are pretty sweet bars) 1/4 c. flour 1 tsp. cinnamon 4 c. (about 3 medium) sliced, peeled baking apples Glaze: 2 c. powdered sugar About 3 Tbsp. milk (whole milk is best) 1/2 tsp. almond extract To prepare crust, mix flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two ...

The thing that makes this salad so delicious is the balsamic glaze, I think -- which is just regular old balsamic, simmered on the stove until it gets thick and sticky and sweet. Mm. Adapted from this recipe . Preheat the oven to 400. Cube about 3 cups of stale bread and spread it out on an oiled baking sheet. Drizzle more olive oil on top. Toast for about 10 minutes in the oven, until golden brown. Pour onto a platter or into a glass baking dish. On another baking sheet or two, spread 2 generous pints of cherry tomatoes  -- different colors look pretty, but any cherry or grape will do; and better yet, make it 3 pints so you have leftover roasted tomatoes tomorrow -- and drizzle with olive oil and sea salt. About 10 minutes in, take the tomatoes out and drain the hot tomato liquid (hotttt) on top of the bread. Don't soak it, just give it a bit of tasty roasted tomato love. Put the tomatoes back in for another 10 minutes, or until they start turning dark and wrinkly. Cho...

This is sort of like savory bread pudding, and I'm confused about why the original recipe made the directions sound very very complicated, when it's really like "cook stuff and layer it in a pot and bake it for a long time." 8 medium thinly sliced yellow onions Up to 1/2 cup mild-tasting olive oil 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced Salt 2 pounds Swiss chard (thick ribs removed), cut into 1-inch-wide ribbons 10 ounces day-old chewy peasant-style bread cut into rough 1-inch cubes Up to 4 cups chicken stock 6 ounces cheddar, coarsely grated [the recipe calls for Gruyère] 1. In a large saucepan or skillet, heat some oil and lightly brown the onions, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the garlic and a few pinches of salt. Stew, stirring occasionally, until the onions are a pale amber color and tender but not mushy, another 20 minutes or so. If at any point the onions look as if they may dry out, cover them to trap ...

It has been approximately 47 million billion years since I cooked anything, but this is the first recipe we made in our new (temporary, sigh) kitchen. Simple and delicious. Yay for fresh corn. Also, I am in love with "Dinner: A Love Story ." Best blog (and now book) ever. We altered this based on what we had on hand, but I think it was pretty true to the original. 1 package spicy Italian chicken sausages [recipe calls for chorizo] olive oil 2 formerly frozen chicken breasts, thawed 1 medium onion, chopped red pepper flakes (optional) 5 ears of corn, cut off the cob [if someone has a good, neat, easy way to do this, let me know. i made a giant mess.] 2 cups grape tomatoes [recipe has you halve them; we just threw them in the pot] basil, chopped chicken broth In a Dutch oven or large pot, brown sausage in olive oil over medium heat until crispy. Remove. Raise heat to medium-high and brown chicken (in batches if necessary) on both sides until mostly cooked ...

I just scrolled back through my Facebook status updates because I foolishly posted this adaptation there instead of here, where it belongs. I'm hoping to decrease the rise time. I'll let you know how it goes. If you have four minutes, I recommend (again) watching Bittman make his potato pizza . I find him hilarious. "No need to measure...glug, glug, glug, glug...That's it. You're in pizzaland. There's no better place to be." I used Mark Bittman's basic pizza dough recipe from How to Cook Everything, but subbed 1C of rye flour. I only used the 1 t of yeast called for in the recipe, and the rye flour made it pretty dense so I coaxed and cajoled it through a daylong rise. It turned out to be a really nice texture though and I made the one ball into 3 smallish pizzas and baked each at 500 for about 8-10 min each. Fed the four of us. 3 cups all-purpose flour (I subbed 1 C rye flour) 1 teaspoon rapid-rise yeast (I'm going to guess that another 1/...

I don't really have a recipe for this.  I just kind of threw stuff together based on instructions from my coworker, Karen (source of many tasty things that come out of my kitchen) with the veggies I had on hand from the CSA. This is a great use-up recipe for all the veggies that are plentiful right now - zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, onions, peppers, etc.   Karen served this at a dinner party fundraiser we recently attended at her house, and I asked for her recipe.  She just kind of made it up, so I did the same.  Here's what I did: Take a couple of zucchini, summer squash, eggplant and onions; chop into roughly same-size chunks.  Drizzle with olive oil and then season with salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet (or two or three, depending on how much veg you chopped).  Roast in a hot oven (I roasted at 400 degrees) until veg gets a nice caramelized color and is softened (about 20 min?  Maybe?)   I also roasted a bunch of cherry tomatoes...

From: Everyday Food (Martha Stewart) I combined the fresh rhubarb from the farm share with some rhubarb I had in the freezer from last year's farm share (why didn't I use that earlier?) and made this recipe.  It was nice to find a recipe that just used rhubarb without requiring a complementary fruit.  I subbed Splenda for all of the sugar in this recipe and it worked well.  It came together very quickly, especially since I didn't use the food processor and just mixed the topping by hand in a bowl.  I have eaten it both for dessert and for breakfast this week.  2 pounds rhubarb 1 1/2 cups sugar (I used Splenda) 1/4 cup flour 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, chilled, cut into pieces 1 cup rolled oats 1/2 tsp cinnamon Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Slice the rhubarb into uniform 3/4 inch pieces.  Place in a 9x13 baking dish; toss with 1 cup of the sugar and 1/4 cup of the flour. In a food processor (I just used my fingers and mixed the ingredients in...

Wow, is this thing on?  I hope everyone is still out there making tasty things in your kitchens, even if there haven't been any new recipes posted here in a long time. I whipped up this Green Goddess dressing tonight with my immersion blender tonight.  If you have a jar or tall container, you could use this method.  Otherwise, pull out your food processor.  I think you could thin this out with some additional water to use as a creamy salad dressing, but I plan to use it as a condiment with roasted vegetables.  It might also be good on top of grilled fish or chicken, perhaps.   Warning - it does have a bite from the raw garlic scapes (similar to the bite of regular garlic).  If you want to mellow that out, you could sautee the scapes first.  From: A Teaspoon of Spice 3/4 cup Greek non fat yogurt 1 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley (I used some Green Goddess dried spice mix from Penzey's) 2 garlic scapes, roughly chopped (or 1 gar...

This is not your 3-minute instant ramen soup with your month's intake of sodium. This is honest to goodness comfort food at its best. Homemade. You can do it any way you please, but here's how I made it. First, I used probably 8 cups homemade chicken stock . I put it in a pan, and floated some ginger pieces in it while it came to a slow boil. (Next time, I'll grate the ginger so that we taste it more.) Once that was boiling, I added about 3 Tbsp. miso , and lowered to a simmer. Next, I shredded some already-roasted chicken. Because I had it in the house, honestly. I also took some frozen corn, and sauteed it in butter. Because I read a blog that said I should do that. Finally, I wanted some green in my soup. So I made this wilted spinach , and a lot of it, so I'd have leftovers for breakfast. Oh, and I made a soft-boiled egg for Ernie -- 6 minutes, in the shell. Run under water and peel carefully. The yolk was still runny in the cooked white, which was very...

This is adapted from a cookbook G bought me for my birthday last year (?), that I have been methodically working my way through. It's one of those "if you have this and this, you should make this" sort of recipes. So. If you have a pound of Italian sausage (19 oz) and some frozen peas (a staple in our house) and 3/4 c. arborio rice Then you should make risotto. Naturally. First things first. Get rid of those casings. Crumble up the sausage, and cook it. When it's about 3/4 of the way cooked, throw in some sliced mushrooms (I had about 10 loose mushrooms to use up), and cook until the sausage is cooked all the way and the mushrooms are sauteed. Set aside. Heat 4 c. of chicken broth (I had homemade, but the stuff in the carton works fine) in a pan on low heat. In a separate pan (sorry, this is the sort of recipe that makes a lot of dishes), heat a few tsp of olive oil . Add the arborio rice, and stir to coat. To that, add 1/2 c. white wine , and cook ...

For me, the search is over. I have been using this recipe consistently for the past year. It's adapted from Mark Bittman's great food processor APF dough recipe in How to Ck Ev'rything. He also just did a little demo video and a chat on for the NYT, both of which are hilarious. I love how his instructions in the video are so throw-away. "Just put some olive oil in there. Just, you know, like, some. Glug, glug, glug. And then, whatever. It's pizza. Eat it." 2 t instant or rapid rise yeast 1 1/2 C APF 1 1/2 C whole wheat, spelt or rye flour 2 t kosher or sea salt, plus more for sprinkling 1 to 1 1/4 C water 2 T olive oil, plus a 1 t to brush crust if desired 1) Combine the yeast, flour, and 2 t salt in the container of a food processor. Turn the machine on and add 1 C water and 2 T of oil through the feed tube. 2) Process for about 30 seconds, adding more water, a little at a time, until the mixture forms a ball and is slightly sticy to the touch. ...

So, my kiddo might complain that she can't eat meat one day a week, but she only complains a little when this is for dinner. Also, she very much likes cooking, and this is exactly the sort of recipe where I can put all the ingredients on the counter and say "go to it." Winning for everyone. Adapted from here 2 jars alfredo sauce (I used the kind with mushrooms in them) 1 large (20 oz, I think) package tortellini, the cheese/spinach kind a bunch of broccoli (I had some leftover broccoli and cauliflower, plus some raw broccoli. I didn't bother to measure) 1 1/2 c. water 1/2 c. bread crumbs (homemade, in my case) 2 tsp. olive oil Mix the alfredo and water in a large bowl. In a baking dish, combine broccoli and tortellini. Pour alfredo on top, stir to coat. Bake in 375 oven for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, combine bread crumbs and oil and stir to combine. Sprinkle on top of casserole (at the end of 45 minutes). Pop back under broiler for 2-3 minutes (watch close...

I promised Heather I'd post this a long time ago and then everything went nutso. Here you go!  4 c. liquid (I use half water, half milk) 1 2/3 c. steel cut oats cinnamon or vanilla extract (or both) pinch of salt Bring it all to a boil in a pot, then turn it off. Portion into containers. I used half-pint canning jars (6 of them) but you could easily use tupperware if you like. The canning jars are cuter, though. Stick those containers in the fridge. In the morning, add your toppings and shove in your lunch bag. Heat when you get to work. So much better than those packets of instant oatmeal.

I love everything about this recipe. I love it at breakfast, I love it at lunch, I love it at dinner. Mostly I've eaten it for the first two meals of the day, but it'd make a great Meatless Monday dinner, too. Adapted very little from Skinny Taste 2 tsp olive oil 1/4 cup diced shallots 1 1/2 lb baby spinach 4 large eggs salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste 4 tbsp shredded Asagio or Parm cheese Preheat an oven to 400°F. Lightly spray four oven-safe dishes or ramekins with cooking spray. Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat, add oil, shallots and cook 2-3 minutes. Add spinach, salt and pepper and cook until the spinach wilts, about 2-3 minutes. Divide the wilted spinach among the oven-safe dishes, making a well in the center of each. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Break an egg into each dish and season with salt and pepper. Place the ramekins on one or two rimmed baking sheets and bake until the whites are set and the yolks are firm around the edges but still so...

We eat meatless on Monday, which is a great source of grumbling in my house from the carnivore older child who just likes to complain. (they do that when they're 9) This was last week's Meatless Monday recipe, along with a tossed salad. Gaby ate hers with ketchup. Katie picked all the broccoli out and just ate that and the cheesy top. Baby steps. Adapted from Epicurious 10 ounces (1-inch-wide) broccoli florets (with 1 to 2 inches of stem attached) 2 large garlic cloves 6 large eggs 1 1/2 cups half-and-half 2 cups Gruyere and Swiss cheese, coarsely grated 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano  pie crust of your choosing (I had a pre-made one, so that's what I used) Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle. Bake pie crust until it's lightly golden. While shell bakes, cook broccoli in a 3-quart pot of boiling salted water 4 minutes. Drain broccoli and rinse under cold water to stop cooking, then pat dry. Mince and mash garlic to a paste with a generous pinch o...

I know I'm in the minority when I say that I love cabbage. That's ok, I love it anyway. I made this a few weeks ago, adapted from a recipe I found here . I'd probably have stuck closer to the original, but I didn't feel like measuring anything. 1/2 package of bacon, chopped 1 small onion, chopped fine 1 cabbage\, trimmed, outer leaves and core removed, sliced thin 1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds In a large skillet or Dutch oven (you'll need a cover), cook the bacon crisp. Add the onion as it's prepped, let cook 2 - 3 minutes. Add the caraway and let cook, 1 - 2 minutes. Add the cabbage, stirring well to coat with fat and caraway. Cover and let cook for about 30 minutes, stirring often.

So, I'll admit I like my coffee with a lot of sweetener and flavoring. What I don't like is that the stuff you buy in the store with the flavors also has a lot of oil, preservatives, and HFCS. I try to have as little HFCS as possible. So, the first day I was on Pinterest I found this recipe, and I'm now on my second batch of homemade creamer. 14oz sweetened condensed milk 14oz milk (whole, lowfat, or skim - doesn't matter) 2 teaspoons extract of choice or coffee syrup (I've made hazlenut and vanilla) a mason jar (quart is perfect)  Pour all of the ingredients into your mason jar. Screw the lid on tightly and shake vigorously for a few minutes until well combined. I think this probably has a pretty short shelf life, but I used one batch in a week, and it seemed fine to me. You could use half and half if you wanted -- if your half and half is like mine, it's got a really long shelf life, so it'd probably make your creamer last longer.

Man oh man. I go away for a while and Blogger changes everything. I'm back, by the way, with tons of new recipes. One of the perks of not working is that I've got lots of time for cooking. Lots and lots of time. And lately, I'm obsessed with Pinterest, where I can pin all of the recipes I see that look interesting. Like this one. I adapted this from a recipe found here , to match our tastes and feed three grown men, two growing girls, and me. It was fantastic. 6 tablespoons olive oil 3 lemons, 1 1/2 thinly sliced, 1 1/2 juiced 6 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 pound trimmed green beans 1 pound red potatoes, quartered (if they are small enough, you don't have to quarter them) 5 chicken quarters (you know, the thigh and leg still together) Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a large baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. In a large bowl, combine the remaining oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pep...

This is a Bittman recipe and it was great. I served it over pasta. My husband asked me if that's how ratatouille is traditionally served. I had to admit I did not know.Wikipedia tells me it can be served however the heck you want to eat it. The vegetables make a perfect “steamer” and create a built-in side dish. Makes: 4 servings 1 large or 2 medium zucchini 1 medium or 2 small eggplants 1 medium red bell pepper, cored 2 medium or 3 small tomatoes, cored (Can of fired roasted. Canned tomatoes are aparently my BPA Waterloo.) 3 tablespoons olive oil, or more as needed (2 T total) 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 large onion, chopped Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves ½ cup Niçoise or kalamata olives, pitted, optional (delicious!) 4 thick fish fillets or steaks (about 1½ pounds) (thawed cod filets from the Joe who is a Trader) ½ cup roughly chopped fresh basil leaves (3 cubes from those genius frozen packs from TJ's) 1. Trim and cut ...

This wekeend we visited friends from college. They were in the Peace Corps the first two years of their marriage. Wow, right? She made these pancakes for all of us for breakfast using a recipe she had written down in Spanish in the margin of her Peace Corps cookbook. Between the oatmeal, eggs, milk and sweet potato/banana, the protein and complex carbs will keep you going for a while. Also, I love the word "panqueque." mezclar juntos y dejar por 5 minutos : (mix together and leave for 5 minutes) - 2 C leche (milk) - 2 huevos (eggs) - 1 T azucar (sugar) - 1 T aciete (oil) - 1 T vainilla (vanilla) - 1 1/2 C avena (oatmeal) mezclar juntos : - 1 1/2 C harina (flour) - 1 t polvo de horno (baking powder) - 1/2 t sal (salt) - 4 minimos, puré (bananas, mashed) (NOTE: my friend used cooked sweet potato pureed with a stick blender so I did this too because family loved them.) combinar todos y cocinar (NOTE: The batter is fairly thick, almost like muffin batter. My fri...

I know this food blog gang loves our spinach so I bring you Heidi's take on spinach deliciousness. I used Alissa's method to bake tofu because I knew I wasn't going to get my hands on paneer the week I made this. I also used Sun Brand Madras Curry from my grocery store. The cute little tin leapt into my cart and I've been shaking it into all kinds of things since that day. The vegetarian potluck group all really enjoyed it (one friend, a humanitarian aid worker and longtime world traveler, claimed it was her favorite dish of this year's Lenten gatherings. The credit is all Heidi's but I thought that was a good testamonial.) I served it over rice to make sure it would stretch to feed the group. The sauce filtered down into the rice and made it a beautiful color. >>>> A bunch of head notes here, apologies. This recipe calls for an incredible amount of spinach. Just know, it cooks down dramatically. I call for baby spinach, because it saves me h...

I know it was 80 degrees today... whatevs. Sit in front of a fan and eat soup! We came home from a weekend family road trip to a fridge full of multiple teeny portions of leftovers. They made magic in my soup pot and I want to put the list here as reminder to my feeble brain of a fun thing to do with the rotating cast of containers in the fridge. Feel free to chime in with your fave leftover soup combos or ingredients.      base flavor: olive oil sauteed minced garlic body: 2 C chicken broth 1 C roasted potato wedges, chunked 1/4 C saag tofu (only rice left) 1/4 C homemade shells and cheese 1/2 C scalloped potatoes 1/2 C snobby joe fresh veggie flourish: baby spinach 5 cremini mushrooms, chunked 10 stalks asparagus, chopped final touch: 1 T miso, (tip: 1. remove pot from heat to retain nutritional integrity of miso 2. ladle a bit of broth into a container and dissolve miso in this before returning mixture to the...

Adapted from: Fit Pregnancy Also going into the freezer.  I had to add a little bit more WW flour because my batter was really loose.  I skipped the food processor and just used a whisk and bowl. Wet ingredients: 3 eggs ¼ cup vegetable oil or melted butter, plus additional for brushing ¼ cup soy nut butter (or peanut butter) ¼ cup honey (I used sorghum - still out of honey around here) ¼ cup plain yogurt ½ teaspoon vanilla 2 cups milk   Dry ingredients: ½ cup whole-wheat flour (I probably used closer to 1 cup in the end) ½ cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup oat flour (or oats ground finely in a food processor) 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1.  Preheat a waffle iron. 2.  In a food processor, pulse together the wet ingredients except milk (or, just whisk together in a bowl). 3.  In a bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. 4.  Add the dry ingredients and milk to the fo...

From: Simply Recipes Another recipe I made today to store in the freezer in preparation for Baby Arrival next week.  I actually had some shredded zucchini in the freezer from last summer's garden haul, so I used that, and added some shredded carrots to fill out the 3 cups of veg needed.  I added chopped almonds, raisins, and some flax seeds.  I also used some applesauce in place of a bit of the butter, and used 1/2 whole wheat flour and 1/2 all-purpose.  I wanted to try to make these a little more nutritious but not go overboard and end up with dry, dense muffins like you sometimes get when you sub out all the good stuff for more virtuous ingredients.  Ingredients 3 cups grated fresh zucchini (I used a mix of zucchini and shredded carrots) 2/3 cup melted unsalted butter (I used one stick of butter, melted, plus some applesauce) 1 1/3 cup sugar 2 eggs, beaten 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 teaspoons baking soda Pinch salt 3 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1/2...

From Brown Eyed Baker I have never made homemade granola bars before, but now that I know how easy it is, and have this handy formula, I see a lot of homemade granola bars in my future.  I mostly followed the recipe for Fig, Date and Almond Bars , but I subbed out the dates for dried apricots because I didn't have any dates in the house. I also used a little sorghum instead of all the honey, because I didn't have quite enough honey and I did have a jar of sorghum from our trip to Tennessee last year.   But - look at all the possible combinations! I think you could also use different kind of jams, too, but I'm not sure if that would count as a sticky sweetener or a binder....hm.  Will have to keep trying different combinations.  I'm thinking of a dark chocolate, coconut and pecan version..... yum! Basic Granola Bar Formula: 1. Rolled Grains (2½ cups) Suggestions: Oats, Rye flakes, Barley flakes, etc. 2. Nuts, Seeds & Spices (1 cup) Suggestions: Almon...

My friend Cindy made this for a vegetarian potluck dinner. We all went nuts for it. It's basically a very thick, nicely spiced tomato-based lentil stew that makes a delicious sandwich filling. I made it tonight and it was easy and tasty. 1c uncooked lentils  4c of water  1 tbs extra virgin olive oil  1 medium onion, diced  1 green pepper, diced  2 carrots, diced  2 gloves garlic  1 tbs chili powder  (Cindy: "I used an Indian spice called Sambar instead of chili powder - it's a mixture of spices that includes chili powder. You can get it at the Pakistani store on Greenmount and 33rd -- or I can send you all home with some the next time I see you." Heather used madras curry. )  1.5 tsp oregano  1 tsp salt  8 oz tomato sauce  1/4 c tomato paste  3 tbs maple syrup  2 tbs yellow mustard  4-6 kaiser rolls (or whatever rolls you have)  1. Put lentils and water in a pot. Cover and...

From: Brown Eyed Baker , who adapted it from Smitten Kitchen These are Guinness chocolate cupcakes with an Irish whiskey ganache filling, and Bailey's Irish Cream buttercream frosting.  BEB called these Irish Car Bomb cupcakes (after the same-named cocktail) and got totally flamed in her comments for the offensive name.  It looks like Smitten may have also called them car bomb cupcakes, but changed the name at some point, probably after protests.  So, call them what you want.  I took these to a St. Paddy's Day party last night and they were a big hit with the adults. For the Cupcakes : 1 cup Guinness stout 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature ¾ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups granulated sugar 1½ teaspoons baking soda ¾ teaspoons salt 2 eggs 2/3 cup sour cream For the Whiskey Ganache Filling : 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate 2/3 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature 2 teaspoons Irish whiskey (...

This recipe indicates that my transformation to someone who genuinely likes mushrooms is complete. Shocking, I know. Also, this is the kind of recipe I generally stay away from -- lots of steps, lots of components, two separate sauces -- but it's actually not a) super-messy and requiring many dishes to wash; b) very time-consuming; or c) fussy. This is all very simple and whole-food-ish. I'd recommend reading the original recipe the whole way through first, just to get an idea of what you're going to do, and then come back here and just follow the steps. And skip the gastrique, if you must, but definitely do NOT skip the garlic aioli; it's the best part. First make the aioli. With an immersion blender, puree: 1 clove of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped 1 whole egg–the fresher and organic-er the better ½ tsp salt 2 spins of the pepper mill juice of ½ lemon With the blender still going, start drizzling in olive oil , very slowly, until things start to...

I requested my mom's recipe for the potato candy she made for my sibs and I to take to school on St. Patrick's Days of yore. When I say "potato candy," I mean candy shaped like a potato (really cute teeny potatoes). Turns out mom's recipe actually does use some potato which I like because I think it probably cuts some of the sweetness that the sugar-only recipes that I saw online. The cinnamon makes the little lumps look like little dirty potatoes and it keeps them from sticking together. My kid's going to take a box to her classmates tomorrow. I'm more excited than she is. I copied my mom's email below. She's a librarian so she characteristically references a thematically appropriate book. She's a school librarian so she suggests making it a hands on experience for the kids in the class. >> (recipe from an Adele Davis cookbook) Peel, quarter, steam, and mash 1 potato.  You will use 1/4 cup of this.        - 1/4 C. mashed potato...

Alright, I'm gonna let you in on a secret. It's not so much a secret as something that I did that will royally irritate several family members. Last week when we went to get a few things my Nana wanted us to have from her house, I took her two recipe boxes. I figure no one else would really cook from them, and that if she were still lucid and making rational decisions, she'd have told me to take them. So, I have them, and when my Dad and I went through them, we found recipes from my great grandmothers, among the bunch. I'm super excited to work my way through these recipes. I started this weekend by making Hollandaise sauce. You can read the story of Eggs Benedict and Hollandaise on my blog , but here's the recipe, for archiving purposes. 4 egg yolks (save those whites, because you can use them to make angel food cake) 2 Tbsp. lemon juice 2 sticks butter 1/4 tsp. salt Cut each stick of butter into pieces. Beat egg yolks in top of double boiler until smooth with wood...

This was tasty. I will make again very soon. Before the kids and I left for playgroup, I made the marinade, put the butterflied chicken breasts in it, made the tzatziki and put both containers in the fridge. K took care of broiling the chicken bc it was yoga night so I came home to leftovers and they tasted great reheated. Lots of flavor. From Annie's Eats , and before that, from  Elly Says Opa ! Yield: about 4-6 servings Ingredients For the tzatziki: 16 oz. plain yogurt (not nonfat, if possible) 1/2 hothouse cucumber or 1 regular cucumber, peeled and seeded 2-3 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press (or finely minced) 1 tsp. white wine vinegar Salt and pepper Squeeze of fresh lemon juice Extra virgin olive oil For the chicken: 4 cloves garlic, smashed Juice of 1 lemon 2 tsp. red wine vinegar 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 2 heaping tbsp. plain yogurt 1 tbsp. dried oregano Salt and pepper 1¼ lbs. chicken pieces (boneless, skinless chicken breast halves) To ...

I do declare, these are the fluffiest and most successful pancakes I have ever made! The chocolate chips are optional and the pancakes are delicious both ways; we did half and half last night. From Skinnytaste , with some variations. 1 cup unbleached white or white whole wheat flour [I did half whole wheat and half white whole wheat] 1 tsp baking powder [I took this down from 2 t] 1/4 tsp salt 1 large banana, ripe, mashed well 1 cup 1% milk [skim worked fine] 3 large egg whites 2 tsp oil 2 tsp vanilla [I upped this from 1 t] 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips [I used big chunks; the technique of placing them individually on the top of each pancake worked well] Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Combine milk, egg white, oil, vanilla and mashed bananas in another medium sized bowl and mix until smooth.  Combine wet ingredients with the dry and mix well with a wooden spoon until there are no more dry spots. Don't over-mix. Heat a large skillet on medium-low heat, spray wit...

I've made these quite a few times lately and they come together quickly with the use of one bowl, one spoon and a whisk (optional).  And, most importantly, they are delicious. Adapted from Cook's Illus. The New Best Recipe. 7.5 oz AP flour 1 t baking powder 1 t kosher salt 1.5 sticks of unsalted butter 10.5 oz brown sugar (I used dark) 2 large eggs 1.5 t vanilla extract 1 C dark chocolate chips* 1 C pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped 1.5 C unsweetened flaked coconut (better than shredded, I think), lightly toasted Preheat oven to 350 and line a 13x9 pan with a foil sling and spray with cooking spray; set aside. In a large microwave-safe bowl, place butter and brown sugar and cook on high for about 2 minutes or until butter is melted and sugar mixture is shiny when stirred.  Whisk in eggs and vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients including chips, nuts and coconut taking care to be gentle and do not overmix.  Turn batter into prepared pan and bake on oven rack...

Is doing a book tour and is coming to SF the first week of March.  I'm planning to go to her book signing on March 4th--anyone want a signed copy?  If so, let me know.  She's so cute that I have to go meet her in person.

Adapted from The Clothes Make the Girl . Delish.  Makes a lot. 2 T olive oil 2 onions, chopped 4 cloves garlic, crushed 2 bell peppers, chopped 2 Japanese sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2" cubes 2 lbs. ground meat (lean beef, pork, turkey, bison--I used 1 lb ground beef and 1 lb cubed stew meat) 2 T chili powder (I used chipotle chili powder) 2-3 T ground cumin 1 T unsweetened cocoa 1 t dried oregano 1 t allspice 1 t salt 2 14.5 oz. can chopped tomatoes (I used fire roasted) 6 oz. tomato paste 14.5 oz. can beef broth 12 oz. beer--something in an ale or lager In a large dutch oven, combine oil, onions and peppers and saute until soft.  Add garlic immediately followed by the meat.  Saute meat until browned and the ground beef is well crumbled.  Toss in spices and stir to coat contents of pan.  Add tomato paste and tomatoes, broth and beer and stir to combine.  Bring to a boil then turn down to a simmer for 2 hrs.  Seriously, you want to build the fla...

This tastes so good. Kids and grown-ups alike love it. It's my wonderful mom's recipe so it's got the wholesome stamp on it, but knowing my mom and how careful she usually is with salt, fat and sugar it surprised me that this recipe is a little heavy on all three. I've cut back on each and there testing if it's still delicious when it's a little more nutritious. So far, so good. 3 eggs 1 C oil (3/4 C) 2 C milk 1 C brown sugar (3/4 C) 1 1/2 T cinnamon 2 T vanilla 1 1/2 t salt (scant 1 t) 4 t baking powder 5 C uncooked oatmeal (rolled or quick oats both work fine) (fruit of any kind chopped is an awesome addition, I've tried pears in one batch and bananas in another) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix/Beat together all but oatmeal until completely combined. Add oatmeal and mix well. Bake in a greased two quart casserole dish. 40-45 min until golden brown.

from AllRecipes , 4.5 stars. 2 tablespoons butter (less) 1 onion, minced 1 teaspoon minced garlic 2 cups chopped fresh broccoli 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (I just sprinkled a handful, maybe 3/4 cup) 4 eggs, well beaten 1 1/2 cups milk 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon butter, melted Directions 1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 2.Over medium-low heat melt butter in a large saucepan. Add onions, garlic and broccoli. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft. Spoon vegetables into crust and sprinkle with cheese. 3.Combine eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in melted butter. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and cheese. 4.Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until center has set. (I don't know what's with my oven, but this took 60 minutes to bake two quiches. Somewhere between 30 and 60 minutes, you will have quiche.)

Adapted from Claudia Roden's The New Book of Middle Eastern Food p. 254. So, in case it's not obvious, I've switched from an almost entirely vegetarian (except for bacon) diet to one that is high protein.  And I don't mean just eating lots of eggs and Greek Yogurt--I mean meat and lots of it.  Even red meat.  And lamb, which I don't eat a lot of but this recipe sounded so good that I had to try it out.  You can use beef just as easily if that's your preference.  Don't use bone-in meat for this, just cube it and trim it of any excess fat.  Also, I think it's good to have lots of veg with your meat so I added lots more than the recipe called for.  In fact, everything but the onion is an add-on.  And I think it turned out perfectly because the lamb is really rich and the veg just soaks up all that delicious juice. 2 lbs shoulder of lamb (or beef), cubed with excess fat removed 3 T vegetable oil 1 t ground ginger 1 t ground cumin 1/2 t allspic...

Easy. Delicious. That is all. Ingredients Chicken •3 Tbsp olive oil •1 broiler-fryer chicken, about 2 1/2-3 pounds, cut into serving pieces, or 2 1/2 to 3 pounds of chicken thighs or breasts, bone-in, with skin on, rinsed and patted dry •1/2 cup of flour for dredging •Salt •Freshly ground black pepper •Paprika Rice •2 tablespoons olive oil (can use up to 1/4 cup) •1 medium yellow onion, chopped •1 garlic clove, minced •2 cups of medium or long-grain white rice •3 cups* chicken stock •1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste or 1 cup of diced fresh or cooked tomatoes, strained •Pinch of oregano •1 teaspoon salt *Check the instructions on the rice package for the proportions of liquid to rice. They can range from 1:1 to 2:1. If your rice calls for 2 cups of water for every cup of rice, then for this recipe, use 4 cups of stock for 2 cups of rice. Method 1 Heat 3 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet (a skillet that has a cover) on medium high heat. Put the flour in a wi...

Idea from Martha Stewart and lemon curd from my very favorite KAF . So, every year our friends host a Super Bowl party (yes, I watch the game but once again neither of the teams playing were the one I cared about) and usually it is a Top Chef-style party.  Not this year.  This year it was all about smoked meat and delicious sides and desserts and no Top Chef-fing.  I brought 2 desserts: lemon cheesecake (recipe to be posted later) and lemon cherry trifle.  The trifle could not be easier. 1 box lemon cake mix, baked according to pkg directions (yes, I cheated and used a box mix) 2 C whipped cream, beaten to soft peaks and stabilized with a bit of sifted powdered sugar 1 jar Morello cherries from TJ's, drained 1 recipe lemon curd from King Arthur Flour (recipe to follow) or 2 C of your favorite recipe For the cake, you can either cut it into 1" cubes or do like me and squish it up with your fingers.  This is why I used a box mix--why should I bak...