Will Cook for Shoes

Cranberry Orange Muffins

2011-01-16T13:58:00.006-06:00

These muffins are my husband's favorite muffin. The funny thing is, he doesn't even like cranberries. I usually make cranberry relish at Thanksgiving and he does not touch it. I had half a bag of leftover cranberries after Thanksgiving so I decided to use up the cranberries by adding them to a muffin. When I started putting the ingredients together, I decided to also add orange, partly because the orange would tone down the tartness of the cranberries. I didn't think my husband would like them, so imagine my surprise when he devoured several. I like to make these on Sunday mornings. They are not a dense muffin, instead they are tender and light, almost cakelike.

The muffins freeze well. I usually freeze half of the batch, then all they need is a zap in the microwave to defrost and they are almost as tender and fresh as the day they were baked.

Cranberry Orange Muffins

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup vanilla flavored yogurt (or regular yogurt)

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chopped cranberries (fresh or frozen)

1 whole orange

cinnamon/sugar mixture (about 3 T)

Preheat oven to 400. Prepare a muffin pan with paper lined muffin cups. Lightly spray the top of the muffin pan with non-stick spray. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and salt.

Grate the rind of the orange over the flour mixture and stir well to combine. Juice one-half of the orange and set aside.

In the bottom of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar, add the eggs and vanilla, mix well. Add in the sour cream, yogurt and the fresh orange juice. Gradually mix in the flour mixture. Stir in the cranberries.

Dollop the dough into the prepared muffin pan. I use an ice cream scoop to equally portion out the dough, filling the muffin liners about 3/4 full. Sprinkle each muffin with the cinnamon/sugar mixture.

Bake at 400 for approximately 25 minutes (test for doneness with a toothpick). Cool about 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack. Makes 12 muffins.

Super Fudgy Brownies

2011-01-10T20:09:00.009-06:00

I had tried many different brownie recipes over the years when I stumbled upon a Martha Stewart recipe in 2003 which I modified into an incredibly rich, fudgy brownie. These brownies are like crack and a surefire cure for PMS. I can't tell you how many times I've made them. I don't even bother with other recipes. Be sure to use a good quality chocolate and have lots of milk on hand cause you're gonna need it.

Super Fudgy Brownies

4 oz unsweetened chocolate (I used Ghirardelli)
1 stick unsalted butter
3 large eggs
1.5 cups sugar
2 t. vanilla
1 t. instant espresso powder (optional)
1/2 t. salt
1 C. all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 375. Place aluminum foil inside of an 8" square pan and mist liberally with non-stick cooking spray.

Cut butter into several chunks and put in a small saucepan. Break the chocolate into chunks and add to the butter. Melt the chocolate over low head, set aside when melted.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt and espresso powder (if using) until well combined. Stir in the chocolate mixture until fully incorporated. Gently stir in the flour.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes. The middle of the brownies will still look soft and a bit jiggly when you remove it from the oven. Wait at least 30 - 6o minutes to cut the brownies. It is best to wait as long as possible to cut the brownies since the brownies are very fudgy and the warm brownies will be quite soft.

Makes 12 nice sized servings. Not sure how long they will keep, a few days max. They last about 24 hours in my house.

Arroz con Pollo

2011-01-08T14:30:00.004-06:00

Arroz con pollo (chicken with rice) is a classic Spanish dish popular in Latin American countries. I started making arroz con pollo about 10 years ago while living in the Cincinnati area. It is great when it is cold out. I made arroz con pollo again last week and I forgot how good and easy it is to make. The perfect dish for a winter's night. Plus my hubby loves this recipe, no leftovers go to waste.

This recipe makes a generous 6 servings.

Arroz con Pollo

1 T vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green, yellow or red pepper, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 t. dried oregano
1 t. ground cumin
1 t salt
1 cup long grain rice (I used brown rice)
2 C. chicken stock
1 C. salsa
2 chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite sized pieces
1 C. frozen peas
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 C. shredded cheddar
2 T cilantro, chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Mist an oval casserole dish with cooking spray or oil.

Place the vegetable oil in a large sauce pan and saute the the onion and green pepper for about 5 minutes over medium heat until soft. Add the garlic and rice. Stir for about 1 minute.

Add the salt, cumin, oregano, salsa and chicken stock. Blend the ingredients well and bring to a boil. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Cover and bake for 40 minutes.

After 40 minutes, stir in the chicken, black beans and peas. Top the casserole with cheddar, sprinkle with cilantro. Cover the casserole and place it back in the oven for another 10 minutes.

Remove and serve immediately.

This is good with a spoonful of sour cream and an additional sprinkle of cilantro per serving.

Texas Sheet Cake

2010-10-16T11:05:00.005-05:00

Here is an easy cake to make for a crowd. I make this cake to take to work for birthdays. I started baking this when I was around 12 years old. Ingredients, preparation and cooking times are not difficult or time consuming.

Texas Sheet Cake

Cake

2 C. Flour
2 C. Sugar
1/4 t. Salt
2 Sticks Unsalted Butter
1 C. Water
2 Eggs, beaten
1/2 C. Buttermilk
3 T. Cocoa Powder
1 t. Baking Soda
1 t. Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a sheet pan with non-stick cooking spray (I use an 11 x 16 size pan).

Sift flour, sugar and salt together in a large bowl. In a saucepan, melt butter. Add the water and cocoa and bring just to a boil. Pour the chocolate mixture over the flour mixture. In another bowl, mix eggs, baking soda, buttermilk and vanilla. Beat into the flour/chocolate mixture (by hand, no mixer required) until well incorporated.

Spread batter into prepared pan and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.

Frosting

1 stick butter
3 T cocoa powder
6 T milk
1 pound box of confectioner's sugar
1 t vanilla
1.5 C walnuts, chopped

In a medium saucepan, melt butter with the cocoa powder and milk over low heat (do not boil). When the butter has completely melted and the ingredients are combined, remove from heat. Immediately add the sugar, vanilla and nuts. Mix well and pour over the cake. Smooth out carefully with a knife. Let the frosting harden up (about 30 minutes) before serving. Cake can be stored, covered until ready to serve.

Since there are no preservatives, this cake is best if consumed within 24 hours of making. You can also cover it and store in the refrigerator where it should last several days. Yields approximately 24 servings.

Tomato, Pepper & Mushroom Lasagna

2010-10-11T21:06:00.013-05:00

I like to make big dinners on the weekends when I have a little extra time to spend in the kitchen. I bastardized a Weight Watchers recipe this past Sunday and ended up with a really good and healthy lasagna. The original recipe only called for roasted pepper strips tucked into layers of cheese and sauce. I added a layer of sauteed mushrooms and another layer of fresh wilted spinach tossed with lots of garlic. You need to have at least a couple of hours available to make this. You have to dirty up a few pans but when you smell it cooking, its totally worth it.
Jennifer's Bastardized Veggie Lasagna

24 oz store bought marina sauce
1 cup canned, diced fire roasted tomatoes, well drained
1 cup part-skim ricotta
1 1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup egg substitute (Egg Beaters or use real eggs to measure 1/4 cup)
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 t. dried oregano
6 lasagna noodles (I used whole wheat noodles)
1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, cut into narrow strips
8 0z container mushrooms, sliced
6 oz fresh baby spinach leaves
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 t. olive oil

Preheat oven to 375.

Bring a pot of water to boil and cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and eggs. Stir in salt, pepper and oregano. Set aside.

In a medium pot, combine the marinara sauce and fire roasted tomatoes. Simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes.

In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil and add the sliced mushrooms. Cook over medium heat until mushrooms begin to soften. Remove mushrooms from pan and set aside. To the pan add the fresh spinach and garlic, cover with a lid and cook on low heat for about 5 minutes or until the spinach wilts. Drain the spinach well and set aside.
Once the noodles have cooked, spray an 11 x 7 inch glass pan with nonstick cooking spray. Ladle about one cup of marinara sauce into the bottom of the pan. Add two lasagna noodles. Top the noodles with half of the cheese mixture. Next layer on all of the red pepper strips and the cooked mushrooms (avoid adding the mushroom cooking liquid, if possible). Ladle on another cup of sauce and top with two more lasagna noodles. Top with all of the remaining cheese mixture. Sprinkle spinach over the cheese and top with the final layer of noodles. Ladle on remaining marinara sauce. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese over the top and a little more Parmesan cheese. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake at 375 for 40 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for 20 more minutes. Remove lasagna from oven and let rest at least 15 minutes before cutting. Makes 8 servings.

Grilled Shrimp with Black Bean Salad

2010-09-30T20:36:00.009-05:00

I made this for dinner tonight after Mike & I walked almost 5 miles around Lady Bird Lake. This is a super easy and quick meal to put together. I marinate the shrimp while I am chopping the salad ingredients, throw the shrimp on the grill and by the time you have half a glass of wine, the shrimp is ready. I buy the large frozen peeled, deveined shrimp from Costco to save time.

This recipe makes a generous amount of black bean salad for two.

Shrimp

1 lb large shrimp, peeled & deveined
1 t olive oil
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t lemon pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes
salt (to taste)

Place the shrimp in a medium sized bowl. Add all other ingredients, stir well to coat the shrimp and set aside for 15 minutes. When ready to grill, place on skewers and grill until done (about 3 -5 minutes per side).

Black Bean Salad

15 oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup red or yellow pepper, diced
1 large garlic clove, minced
small cucumber, peeled and cut into large dice
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1 avocado, diced
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1 T cilantro, chopped fine
1 T olive oil
3/4 t cumin
juice of one lime
salt & pepper to taste

Into a medium bowl, whisk olive, cumin, lime juice and salt and pepper. Add other ingredients, stir gently to combine. Serve immediately .

**Note - I sometimes add diced mango or a handful of corn to the recipe. It would also be nice with minced jalapeno mixed into it.

Skyline Chili Lentils

2010-09-26T19:42:00.010-05:00

A while back, I bookmarked this recipe to try. I finally got around to it when the Bengals season started. You may think chopping and preparing a long list of ingredients is insane, but when you live 1200 miles away from the nearest Skyline chili parlor, well lets just say desperate times call for desperate measures. I'm calling this recipe Skyline Chili Lentils because as any good Cincinnatian knows, if you have "Cincinnati style" chili - it is Skyline. Preferrably followed by a trip to Graeters... but I digress.

This is wonderful served over whole wheat spaghetti, topped with cheese and onions ("three way" style as they say in the 'nati). My husband says it is the best Cincinnati style recipe I've tried. The bonus is the lentils are high in fiber, low in fat, inexpensive and good for you.

Cincinnati Chili Lentils

1 C. dry lentils (any variety, I used French green lentils)
2.5 C. chicken broth
1 can of mild Rotel tomatoes
1 garlic clove, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 t. cocoa
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. allspice
1 t. cumin
1 t. chili powder
1 t. paprika
1/2 t. cayenne (or to taste)
1 t. sugar
1 t. vinegar
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Add lentils and chicken broth to medium sauce pan, bring to a boil and then reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes.

Add all other ingredients and simmer for 45 minutes. Serve over whole wheat pasta, with chopped onions and sharp cheddar cheese.

Makes 6 servings.

Corn, Tomato & Bacon Tart

2010-07-16T21:11:00.006-05:00

Corn, Tomato & Bacon Tart

The latest issue of Eating Well has a corn and tomato tart recipe listed that looks pretty darn good. Except they didn't use any bacon and bacon is pretty much essential if you ask me.

So I tried their recipe and I added bacon, shallots and made a few other changes. This is a keeper, especially in the summer when you can get (or grow) really good tomatoes and fresh corn. You could easily serve this with a big salad (I grilled salmon to go with).

Here is the original recipe from Eating Well and listed below is my twist on it:

Crust:
3/4 C whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 C all purpose flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/3 C olive oil
5 T cold water

Filling:
2 slices of bacon
1 shallot, minced
1/2 C Parmesan cheese, grated
3 large eggs
1 C low-fat milk
1/2 C shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2 -3 tomatoes, sliced
2 ears of fresh corn
1 T fresh chopped basil
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper

To prepare crust: Combine whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the oil and water gradually, stirring until a soft dough is formed. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400. Roll the dough out into a circle and place in a 9" deep pie plate. Line the pie plate with aluminum foil or parchment paper and weight down with beans or pie weights (I used metal measuring cups). Bake for 20 minutes, remove the pie weights and aluminum foil and let the crust cool down for at least 10-15 minutes.

To prepare filling: Chop bacon into cubes and cook over medium heat until crisp. Remove from the skillet and add the shallots. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the shallots are soft. Set aside.
Shuck the corn and cut the kernels off. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together and mix in the bacon and shallots. Sprinkle half of the Cheddar cheese over the crust and place half the tomatoes over the cheese. Sprinkle the corn over the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the remaining Cheddar cheese and top with the remaining tomatoes. Pour the egg mixture over the tomatoes. Season with more salt and pepper. Sprinkle the basil and Parmesan cheese all over the top of the pie.

Bake for 40 -50 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Let rest for 20 minutes before serving.

Slow Cooked Pork Tingas

2010-06-26T18:57:00.006-05:00

This is a Rick Bayless recipe from his superb cookbook Mexican Everyday. This is so easy and the flavors are amazing for so little work. I am lazy and I don't prepare the optional last step Rick suggests (draining off the pan drippings, boiling those down, frying chorizo and mixing it all together yada yada). I take the lazy cook's route and eat this after the pork has cooked down to tender deliciousness. Pork tingas make excellent tacos. After I cook the tingas, I serve them on warm corn tortillas with goat cheese, avocado and cilantro.

Slow Cooked Pork Tingas

2 lbs boneless pork shoulder (I used Boston butt) trimmed of fat and cut into cubes
2 cans of diced fire roasted tomatoes (use one 28 oz can or two 15 oz cans)
1-2 chipotle chiles en adobo - cut into strips
1 T chipotle chiles adobo sauce
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 t dried oregano (I used Mexican oregano)
3 garlic cloves minced
1-2 yellow onions, diced
4 Yukon gold or red potatoes, cut into chunks
Salt & pepper

Into the bottom of a slow cooker, spread out the potatoes and cover them with the chunks of pork. In a medium bowl, mix together the canned tomatoes, chipotle peppers, the adobo sauce, garlic, oregano, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the pork.
Cook on low for about 8 hours or until the meat is falling apart tender.
Drain the pan drippings off and discard. Gently shred the pork. Serve the pork/potato mixture on warmed corn tortillas topped with goat cheese, avocado, cilantro and red onions. You could substitute Mexican queso fresco or feta cheese in place of the goat cheese.

Makes several servings (about 10?). Leftovers are great.

Watermelon Margaritas

2010-06-13T21:03:00.006-05:00

This is an easy summer drink to whip up when watermelons are plentiful. It is sweet and fruity with a nice kick of tequila. My husband (who doesn't especially like watermelon) sucked down four of these the first time I made them.

Watermelon Margaritas

1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. water
2 C. seedless watermelon, chopped into chunks
1/4 C. lime juice (about 2, juiced)
1/4 C. triple sec
2/3 C. tequila
Ice

Place sugar and water into a small pan and bring the pan up to a boil, let the water/sugar mixture boil for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Place the watermelon chunks, lime, triple sec and tequila into a blender and whirl it up. Add the cooled sugar syrup and a handful of ice, blend well. Serve on the rocks, makes about 4 large or 6 average sized servings.

Apricot & Peach Cream Tart

2010-06-01T19:26:00.008-05:00

Well, it has been awhile. I can't believe two months have passed since I posted anything. I've been busy. The weather has been so nice in Austin, so when I haven't been working I've tried to get outside as much as possible. Plus I have a crappy camera, so I'm also using that as an excuse for the lack of recipes.

A couple of weeks ago at the farmers market, several farmers offered Texas peaches. Peaches in May are unheard of for this Ohio girl. I found one stand with peaches and apricots. Oh my, I love apricots. I bought enough to make a tart. The key to this tart is the incredible butter crust. It reminds me of shortbread cookies, crumbly, buttery and sweet. This has been my go to tart crust for years, it is nice baked and stuffed with fruit or lemon curd. You can do many things with this crust. So if you don't like apricots and peaches (and really who doesn't?), at least try the crust.

Apricot & Peach Cream Tart

Crust Ingredients:

1 + 1/2 C. all purpose flour
1/4 C. sugar
1/2 C. butter, cut into cubes
1 egg yolk
1/2 t. vanilla
pinch salt

Place all ingredients into a food processor and whirl it up until the dough is a uniform, crumbly consistency. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a tart pan with a removable bottom. Par bake at 325 for 25 minutes or until golden brown in color. Remove from oven and prepare filling.

crust, prior to baking

Tart Filling:

3 - 4 peaches, peeled and sliced
10 apricots, pitted and sliced
1/2 C. sugar
1/4 C. brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 C. sour cream
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/4 C. chopped almonds

Combine eggs, sour cream and 1/4 cup of the sugar. Beat well and pour into the par baked tart crust. In another bowl gently combine the fruit, remaining sugars, cinnamon and nutmeg. Spread over the top of the tart and scatter the chopped almonds on top.

tart, prior to baking

tart, after baking

Bake at 325 for 45 - 50 minutes or until the custard looks done. Allow the tart to cool for at least an hour and remove the sides of the tart pan. Serve immediately.

Mocha Fudge Pots

2010-03-29T19:29:00.006-05:00

I try to limit sweets to weekends, although from reading this blog you might think otherwise. I have a huge sweet tooth. This is the kind of thing you make on a Saturday night or if you are having company over. I pulled this recipe out of Food & Wine Magazine some years back and I never got around to making it. A couple of weeks ago when my husband was running around SxSW like a crazy fool, I took the opportunity to try this out.
Food & Wine call this a chocolate pudding, but it is very dense, thick and rich. More like a chocolate pot. It is very easy to make, you can use a food processor or even a blender to whip this up. Literally takes minutes (plus the chill time).

Mocha Fudge Pots

1/2 cup heavy cream
2 t instant espresso powder
6 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I used Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips)
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 t vanilla
pinch of salt
fresh whipped cream (for serving).

In a small saucepan, bring the cream and espresso powder to a boil over medium high heat.

Espresso powder in heavy cream

Meanwhile in a food processor, grind the chocolate and sugar until fine. Add the egg, vanilla ans salt and pulse until it forms a paste. With the machine on, slowly pour in the hot cream in a steady stream. Blend until silky, thick and creamy (about 1 minute).

Transfer the pudding into small ramekins (6 oz size or smaller, demitasse cups would be cute for this also). Transfer to the fridge and let set until firm, about one hour or overnight.

Garnish with fresh whipped cream and serve.

Makes about 4 servings.

The Easiest Lamb You'll Ever Make

2010-03-27T16:53:00.005-05:00

I love lamb but it is a pain in the ass to cook. First of all, it is very expensive. Secondly, lamb has to be treated with care or you'll ruin the dish. And nothing sucks more than buying a nice piece of expensive meat and then it turns out badly. Also, you have to baby lamb by cooking it a long time or marinating it forever or both.
I really like this recipe because you just throw everything in the pot, stick it in the oven and walk away for three hours. Nothing to marinate, nothing to brown first. Super easy. And the lamb shanks are tender, falling off the bone good. The cooking liquid and veggies turn into a gravy which is just delicious spooned over the lamb.

Lamb Shanks

4 lamb shanks
2 cups red wine
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1 lemons, cut into wedges
2 15 oz cans of fire roasted, diced tomatoes
1 large bunch of fresh basil
1 t salt/pepper
5-6 carrots, cleaned and chopped into chunks
2 celery stalks, cleaned and chopped into chunks
1 large onion, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, peeled and left whole

Preheat oven to 350. Spray the bottom of a large Dutch oven with nonstick cooking spray. Put the carrots, onions and celery in the bottom of the pot. Place the lamb shanks on top of the veggies. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the wine, balsamic vinegar and olive oil over the meat. Place a whole garlic clove on top of each lamb shank, followed by a large wedge of lemon.

Lamb prior to going into oven

Open the canned tomatoes and pour them all over the meat (no need to drain the cans, pour the juice in also). Cut the basil into thin strips and sprinkle the basil all over the lamb and tomato mixture. Put the lid on and roast the lamb at 350 for 3 hours.
The meat should fall off the bones. It will be very tender and your house will smell amazing.

Lamb after cooking 3 hours

I served my lamb shanks on a pillow of two cheese polenta with oven roasted asparagus. Mashed potatoes would also work well.

Banana Pudding

2010-03-14T08:33:00.008-05:00

This is my grandma's banana pudding recipe. She used to make this for major family gatherings, like Easter Sunday or a reunion. As you can see from the ingredients list, this is not for anyone counting calories as it uses a frightening amount of heavy whipping cream and an entire can of sweetened condensed milk. When I was newly married, my grandma mailed me the recipe so I could make it whenever I wanted.

Banana Pudding

1 can of sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)
1 1/2 cups of cold water
small package of instant vanilla pudding (4 serving size)
1 pint heavy whipping cream (this measures 2 cups)
3-4 bananas
vanilla wafers
juice of half a lemon

In a large mixing bowl, combine water, sweetened condensed milk and the vanilla pudding. Mix until well combined. Place pudding mixture in the fridge to chill for five minutes.

Meanwhile, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.

Peel and slice the bananas into uniform slices. Squeeze the lemon juice all over the banana slices.
Take several vanilla wafers and carefully place them along the sides and bottom of a large bowl.
place a layer of sliced bananas over the bottom of the bowl.

Remove the pudding mixture from the fridge, carefully fold in the heavy whipping cream. The mixture should feel light, almost like a mousse. Place about one-third of the pudding mixture over the bananas. Continue layering the vanilla wafers, bananas and pudding until you've made three or four layers. Save enough pudding to make a final layer and sprinkle some crumbled vanilla wafers on top.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours. I like to make this the day before serving or at least 8 - 12 hours in advance. The pudding tastes better when the vanilla wafers have time to soak up the pudding and get soft.

This makes about 8 - 10 servings. It probably keeps 3-4 days but it never lasts that long at my house.

Salmon with Warm Potato, Artichoke and Pesto Salad

2010-03-06T14:52:00.006-06:00

Salmon with Warm Potato, Artichokes and Pesto Salad

This was my creation for Friday night's dinner. I grilled salmon and served it over a salad comprised of new potatoes, artichokes, tomatoes, pesto and roasted garlic. This recipe makes enough for two large servings. My hubby is not much of a fish eater, but even he liked it.

3/4 lb. salmon (I used Atlantic salmon)
6 new potatoes
4 whole garlic cloves
2 T. olive oil
1/4 C. grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced
1 can of artichokes, drained
1/4 C pesto (homemade or store bought)
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375. Place 4 garlic cloves on a large square of aluminum foil. Add the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fold up the aluminum foil into a pouch, place on a pie plate and roast in the oven for about 20 minutes, until the garlic is soft.

Meanwhile, boil the new potatoes in a pot of salted water until they are fork tender. Cut each red potato in half and place the potatoes in the bottom of a medium sized bowl. Add the roast garlic, pesto, sliced tomatoes and artichokes. Set aside.

Grill or broil the salmon until done. I grilled the fish with a pat of butter on top with, salt and pepper.
Plate the salad and rest the salmon on top. Drizzle with another small dab of pesto and serve.

Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes

2010-02-28T08:27:00.007-06:00

I had a chunk of Valrhona in my pantry and I found a good use for it last night. Valrhona is a high grade French chocolate, I use it for cooking and baking. It is more expensive than regular baking chocolate, but not outrageously so and it is certainly worth the price as the quality is superb.

I kind of forgot about this recipe and haven't made it in a long time. I am not sure where I picked this recipe up, I scrawled the recipe down on a piece of notebook paper and I keep it in my 3-ring "sweets" binder. It does not require very many ingredients, but you should use good quality bittersweet chocolate. In a pinch, I have used semi sweet chocolate chips instead of bittersweet chocolate. The better the chocolate, the more rich the dessert will be.

I assembled the ingredients for this before I put steaks on the grill. I whipped it up after dinner and by the time we had the kitchen cleaned up, dessert was ready.

Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes

1 stick butter
1 T. flour + 1 t. flour
4 oz chopped bittersweet chocolate (semi sweet may be substituted)
2 large eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 C. sugar
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 450.
Line a muffin tin with 4 - 6 foil muffin liners. I like to use the big foil muffin liners, so I usually only make 4 large molten chocolate lava cakes. You could use smaller liners and make 6 small lava cakes (but that would be sad, go for the bigger size).

Spray the foil muffin liners (if using) generously with non-stick spray. Alternatively, you could butter several ramekins but I found the foil liners much easier to handle.

Over a low flame, melt the butter and chocolate together, set aside.

Meanwhile beat the eggs, egg yolks, sugar and salt until light and thick. You can use your mixer or do this by hand with a whisk. Add the melted chocolate and mix well to combine. Stir in the flour. Divide among the muffin tins or ramekins and bake at 450 for 6- 7 minutes. The centers should still look a bit jiggly when you get these out of the oven, that is OK.

Let the cakes sit for at least 5 minutes before plating and serving. Excellent with vanilla ice cream or coffee flavored gelato. Best served warm.

Moroccan Inspired Stuffed Acorn Squash

2010-01-13T19:36:00.007-06:00

It has been cold in Austin lately, colder than it has been in years so I've been told. I bought an acorn squash about a week ago thinking I would make some kind of soup out of it. But then I stumbled upon this recipe. I decided to make a few tweaks and cut the recipe down to serve only two. I used ingredients I had on hand and the squash was very tasty. It made a lovely presentation, not to mention the fact it made my kitchen smell wonderfully exotic.

Moroccan Inspired Stuffed Acorn Squash

1 acorn squash, cut in half, long ways
2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
2 mild Italian sausage links
1/2 small yellow onion, chopped fine
1 large garlic clove, minced
pinch cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
1/4 cup orzo
1/4 cup quinoa
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped
2 tablespoons of pecans, chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Spray a baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and place squash cut side down. Bake for 35 minutes. While the squash is baking, prepare the filling.

In a deep skillet over a medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Remove the casing from the sausages and break the links into small chunks. Add Italian sausage, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a sprinkle of salt to the skillet.

Cook until brown (about 5 to 7 minutes), drain meat, leaving juices still in the pan, and place sausage in a bowl. Add onions to the skillet and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Add the quinoa and orzo, and stir until combined. Pour in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15-18 minutes. Fluff quinoa and orzo, add the cooked meat, cranberries, pecans, cilantro, add salt and pepper to taste. After the acorn squash has baked, remove it from the oven and scoop out the soft flesh with a spoon. Leave about 1/4 inch thick shell. Chop the scooped out flesh into chunks and add it to the filling mixture. Spoon the filling mixture into the squash bowls. There will be a generous amount of filling for each squash half. Bake for 15 minutes. Serves two.

Wine Cube = Genius

2010-01-06T19:36:00.009-06:00

My husband knows me really well. At Christmas one of his presents was a portable, disposable four pack of wine called the Wine Cube - seriously, how cute is this?! It is the made by Trinchero Family Estates out of Napa. And it is darn cute. Not only is it eco-friendly, it is super easy to transport. The label says each single sized serving offers grab and go convenience. I can imagine the possibilities. I could stick this in my back pack or even my purse!

I decided to have a little wine tasting tonight to try it out. This is like a juice box for grown ups. Each wine cube is 250 ml (approximately 8.5 ounces, or a generous pour as I like to say). The wine is not bad, it is a bit fruity and has a smooth finish. I could totally see myself sneaking one of these into the pool next summer. Heh.

The box says this product is only available at Target. Yeah, another reason to love Target! I think this retails for around $9.99, so it is very reasonably priced to boot. I give the Wine Cube and my hubby two thumbs up!

2010 Food Goals

2010-01-04T19:48:00.005-06:00

So I've been thinking about my diet and things I want to try with food in the coming year. I've only lived in Austin four months but it hasn't taken that long to realize what a culinary wasteland Cincinnati was. Going to the grocery store here is such a joy. I don't have to hope and pray the grocery will have cilantro or a decent piece of fish. There are choices, such nice choices. And no excuse not to cook something fabulous. One of my favorite places to shop is Central Market, it isn't as overwhelming or as expensive as Whole Foods. Their produce is off the charts. It is also a nice place to graze on a Saturday.

Anyway, back to the year at hand. A new year, in a new state with so many things to try and do. Here are some things I've set as goals for 2010:

1. Eat less processed food and less refined sugars. I've gotten pretty good at not eating candy bars, soda, chips and assorted junk food. I still need to wean myself off canned soups and the occasional frozen prepared meal. If it is convenient, it probably isn't good for you at all. Too many chemicals and way too much sodium is not good. I'm trying to eat freshly made foods without chemicals.

2. Try new vegetables and fruits, eat the rainbow. I have a list of veggies and fruits I want to try. For example, last night for the first time in my life, I ate brussel sprouts and I really liked them - a bit of a shocker. I followed this recipe and it was delicious. My husband still refuses to touch brussel sprouts, but I am a new fan. On my short list to cook this year is kohlrabi, beets, rutabaga, passion fruit, papaya, black eyed peas and scotch bonnets. Also, I want to cook more lentils. They are so delicious, high in fiber and easy on the wallet.

3. Join a CSA. I belonged to a CSA (community sustained agriculture, a farm) back in Ohio. I loved getting my box of veggies every week. The farmer would surprise me with fresh picked strawberries or fresh eggs and tender lettuces. It was fun to see what I would get and what I would cook up with the ingredients each week. I am looking in to joining a CSA in Austin. It is a great way to get fresh, seasonal produce while supporting your local farmer. Go to Local Harvest to find one in your area.

4. Do not eat junk at work. People mean well, but they bring total crap to work. And then it is 10:30 a.m., you are starving and there it is. Not good. I just need to stay out of the kitchen at work.

5. Keep a food journal. I lost 30 lbs last year following Weight Watchers and an integral part of the weight loss was keeping track of everything I ate. You've heard about this a million times, but it really does work. Having to write it down made me skip the second or third cookie, or the second glass of wine after work.

6. Try a new recipe at least once a week. I have a mountain of recipes to try. I need to make the time to shop for the ingredients and spend the time to cook something new. I sometimes get stuck in a cooking rut, trying a new recipe per week will help me keep things from becoming blah.

So that is what I'm thinking about for this year. I look forward to trying new things and sharing my successes (and the failures!) with you.

Orange Marmalade & Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast

2009-12-25T14:32:00.010-06:00

This is a special occasion breakfast. I made these last Sunday and my husband wondered why I didn't put them on my blog. So, I made these again on Christmas morning just for him (well, OK to put on the blog too). You can make these to impress overnight guests or to treat yourself on a lazy Sunday morning. I usually serve these with maple syrup but I’ve also made blackberry syrup to drizzle on top. They are amazing with blackberry syrup or warmed up blackberry preserves.

This makes 4 nice sized servings.

Orange Marmalade and Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast

3 large eggs
¾ C half & half
1.5 teaspoons honey
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon vanilla
Zest of one orange
Juice from one half of an orange (fresh squeezed)
Pinch of cinnamon or cardamom (optional)
3 oz cream cheese
3 Tablespoons orange marmalade
Challah bread (can use French bread as a substitute)
Butter

Into a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half, honey, salt, vanilla, orange zest, orange juice and the cinnamon or cardamom (optional, I use a pinch of cinnamon).

In another small bowl, beat together the cream cheese and marmalade until combined.
Cut bread into 1” thick slices. Then, with a small sharp knife, make a deep pocket in the bottom of the bread (I cut a deep slit, enough to allow a large spoon in). Carefully stuff each piece of challah bread with 1 generous tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture. Place the stuffed bread into a deep sided casserole dish.

Pour the egg mixture evenly over the challah.
Let the mixture sit 5 minutes, then gently flip the bread and let the bread rest for another five minutes. The idea is to let the egg mixture soak evenly and deeply into the bread.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

Cook the French toast until each side is well browned. Serve with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar or the syrup of your choice.

Butter Cookies

2009-12-21T19:11:00.007-06:00

I'm giving Paula Deen and Ina Garten a run for the money in the butter department with this post. A couple of years ago, I took a holiday baking class at the Midwest Culinary Institute in Cincinnati. The teacher was one of the former owners of the Virgina Bakery. The Virginia Bakery was a Cincinnati institution on Ludlow Avenue in Clifton for many years. Sadly, it closed in 2000. This recipe was one of the recipes we learned to make. I like this recipe because it yields a large amount of cookie dough and I get to measure flour and sugar with my kitchen scale. Measuring with a scale is much more precise than measuring with measuring cups. Plus it is an excuse to acquire another kitchen gadget. This butter cookie has a wonderful, rich buttery taste. Great for your holiday party tray.

The recipe yields a whopping four pounds of cookie dough. I have no idea how many cookies you will get out of this recipe - it depends on the size and shape of the cookies you roll and cut out. The dough freezes well, so you could make a batch of this to have on hand for upcoming holiday events. Just divide it up and freeze it.

Butter Cookies

1 pound butter (4 sticks, unsalted butter, at room temperature)
1 pound sugar
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla
1 pound, 8 oz. all purpose flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. salt

With a kitchen scale, weigh out the dry ingredients. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.

In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and the sugar at low speed for 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple of times during this process. Beat in two eggs and the vanilla.
Sift in the dry ingredients, one cup at a time until combined. Be careful, do not overmix the dough.
At this point, you can immediately roll the dough out and bake it. I prefer to shape the dough into a ball and refrigerate until chilled.

When you are ready to bake the cookies, roll the dough out onto a floured surface and cut into shapes. Roll the dough about 1/8" thick. I like to roll out a small amount of dough and cut out 4 -5 cookies at a time. Bake at 350 for approximately 10- 12 minutes or until the bottom of the cookies are light brown. Cool completely and frost as desired. I usually use Martha Stewart's royal icing recipe or a milk fondant icing to dip the cookies in.
The dough freezes well and will keep in the freezer for up to 8 weeks.

Millie's Turtles

2009-12-07T17:46:00.010-06:00

You can't have Christmas in my house without homemade turtles. This is another recipe handed down from my mom, Millie. Of course, her turtles always turn out better than mine. I am getting better at the caramel - years of practice paying off. Don't be afraid to try this recipe. With the right tools, equipment and time, you can turn out beautifully delicious homemade caramel turtles.

First some tips and pointers:
Use a heavy bottomed pan. I use a great old copper pot that I got at an estate sale years ago. Copper is the best conductor of heat. Use the heaviest pot you've got, even a pressure cooker pot will do.
Also, use a good candy thermometer. You have to cook the caramel until it reaches the soft ball stage. You can't guess - it must reach the soft ball stage and you have to cook it s-l-o-w. Basically, you must stir and stir and watch the candy thermometer. When you think you can't stir anymore, when you think your arm is going to fall off, then you are almost at soft ball stage (approximately 238 degrees). Most good candy thermometers will have the soft ball stage indicated on the side.
Lastly, don't try to make caramel when it is humid out. Humidity is the death of good caramel - it won't set up. A dry day is best. Don't make this recipe on a rainy day, it really could affect the results.

This recipe makes about 40 nice sized turtles.

Millie's Turtles

Foil cupcake holders
Pecans
2 sticks of real butter (please do not even think of using anything but real butter)
2 C light brown sugar
1 can of sweetened condensed milk (I use Eagle Brand)
1 C white Karo syrup
12 oz semi sweet chocolate

Prepare the foil wrappers - separate about 40 foil cupcake holders and place on rimmed baking sheets. Spray each foil holder with a generous amount of nonstick spray. Place 2-3 large pecan pieces into each foil cupcake holder.
In a heavy pot, place 2 sticks of butter and 2 cups of light brown sugar.

Over medium heat, melt the butter and sugar. Just before the mixture begins to boil, add 1 cup Karo syrup and the can of sweetened condensed milk. Over medium heat, stir and cook the caramel mixture and bring it to a slow boil - stirring constantly. Using a candy thermometer, continue to stir and cook the caramel over medium low heat until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage. Do not rush this process, it will take over 15 minutes or so of stirring. Be careful stirring the caramel, it can burn easily.
Once the caramel hits the soft ball stage (238F), remove the caramel from the heat. Working quickly, ladle the caramel into the prepared foil cupcake holders. I use about 1/8 C. of caramel per turtle.
Let the caramels harden up and set (about an hour). Melt the chocolate chips over a double boiler and swirl a generous dollop of chocolate onto each caramel. Allow to firm up before placing in containers to store. Keeps at room temperature about a week or you can keep them in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.

On a holiday platter

Peppermint Truffles

2009-12-06T10:49:00.010-06:00

I love living in Austin so far. There is very little I miss about Cincinnati. However, there is no Trader Joe's in all of Texas - which is just WRONG. This time of year, I was quite bummed about not having any of their Candy Cane Joe Joe's.
These are special cookies that TJs produces during the holidays. They are a peppermint Oreo type cookie that are simply delicious. TJs only makes them available from late November to right after Christmas. In years past, I was not above stockpiling them in my pantry. I talked my sister into driving all the way across Columbus to buy several boxes and ship them down to me. Holiday crisis averted!

Last year, I made Oreo truffles during the holidays and decided to experiment with the recipe, substituting Candy Cane Joe Joe's for the Oreos. This recipe is so easy it is embarrassing. I call this my Sandra Lee moment - I'm almost ashamed to post it because it only has 4 ingredients.

You will be surprised at the taste when you make them, they are damn good and people love them. Plus, they look pretty and festive. Great to take to parties, give as gifts or surprise your co-workers.

Peppermint Truffles

1 box of Candy Cane Joe Joe's
8 0z package of cream cheese
12 oz bag of semisweet chips
1 o2 2 candy canes, crushed

Into a food processor, place about 2/3 of a package of Candy Cane Joe Joe's.
Break them into chunks for easier processing. Grind the cookies up until you have 3 cups of cookie crumbs.
Add 8 oz of cream cheese and process until well combined.
Line a rimmed cookie sheet with wax paper.
Using clean hands, shape the cookie dough into 1" balls. You should get approximately 36 balls. Place the cookie sheet into the freezer for about 30 minutes or so. You want the truffles to be hard enough to dip.
Meanwhile, over a double boiler, melt the bag of chocolate chips and crush the candy canes.
Working quickly, dip the truffles into the melted chocolate and dust with crushed candy cane. Place the truffles into the refrigerator and leave them there until almost ready to serve.
I like to store uneaten truffles in the fridge, so they stay fresh and don't get too soft.

Here they are on a holiday platter.

Morning Smoothie

2009-12-03T05:41:00.007-06:00

I make a smoothie every morning and have for years. A smoothie is quick to make and healthy. I am posting this recipe for all of those people who say things like "oh, I'd love to make a smoothie in the morning but I don't have the time". Seriously? You don't have the time? It takes like 3 minutes or less. If you can't spare 3 minutes in the morning, you are probably one of those jerks out on the freeway causing morning pile ups. Slow down. Drink a smoothie for crying out loud.

This is my basic recipe and you could vary this a thousand different ways. Measurements are a guestimate, because I normally just eyeball it. Don't get hung up on measuring for this recipe, there is no need. This recipe makes 2 servings.

Blueberry Smoothie

Into a blender, place all of the following ingredients:

1 C frozen blueberries (you can any fruit you like, but frozen berries work great)
2 C light vanilla soy milk (can use lowfat milk instead)
1 ripe banana
3/4 C light vanilla yogurt (I don't measure this, I just throw a big scoop in)
1/4 C ground flax seed*

Whirl the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Makes 2 servings.

*note - I sometimes use a couple of scoops of protein powder in place of flax seeds

Homemade Granola 101

2009-11-29T17:53:00.005-06:00

A couple of weeks ago, I bought an expensive bag of granola at the farmers market. It was $8 a pound - yes, I am insane for paying $8 for a bag of granola. I thought I could make it last by just sprinkling a handful on top of my regular cereal or yogurt. My husband, however, had other ideas. I think he used half of the bag in his first bowl of cereal. I almost fell down with shock when I realized how quick that bag of granola was going to last us.

I made granola years and years ago, I knew I could make granola cheaper than $8 a pound. I went out and bought a few ingredients to whip up a huge batch. I spent about $4 in the bulk foods section of the grocery.
This granola recipe is easy, healthy and delicious. It makes about 8 cups of granola and it will keep nicely in a sealed container for a couple of weeks.

Granola

3.5 cups of old fashioned oats - do not use quick cooking oats!
1 C whole almonds
1/2 C wheat germ
1 C unsweetened coconut flakes
1/3 C of pumpkin seeds or flax seeds (I used pumpkin seeds)
1 C dried fruit (I used 1/2 C dried cranberries and 1/2 C dried, chopped apricots)
1 T cinnamon
1 T vanilla
1 t salt
1/4 C vegetable oil
1/4 C honey
2 T maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a large, rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl mix together all the ingredients. Stirring to coat well.
Pour onto the baking sheet and spread out into an even layer. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so. Watch this closely because the nuts will burn.

Allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Serve with milk or yogurt, or by itself as a snack.

Millie's Yeast Rolls

2009-11-28T23:06:00.005-06:00

br
I have been eating these rolls for years. My mom has been making these for as long as I can remember. Be it a major holiday (Easter, July 4th, Christmas, etc.) or an exceptionally cold day on the farm, my mom would whip up a batch of rolls. These are especially good straight out of the oven when the yeasty, warm, steamy roll is really fresh. Also good the next day with a bit of butter, jam and a cup of tea. Because there are no preservatives (yah!), the rolls only stay fresh about 48 hours, but don't worry they won't last that long.
The great thing about these rolls is that they are fool proof - no kneading required. You only need to allow for the time to let the dough rise, that is all. I most recently made these on Thanksgiving Day. I tend to make them on major holidays or just because. They are also good with a ham or brisket.
This recipe yields a dozen good sized rolls.

Millie's Yeast Rolls

1 C. milk
1/4 C. shortening (use Crisco)
1/4 C. sugar
1 egg
1 packet of yeast (I use instant rise)
1/4 C. warm water
3 - 4 C bread flour - do not use all purpose flour, use bread flour
3 T. butter
1 t salt

In a large mixing bowl, place the sugar, shortening and salt. Warm up the milk in the microwave and pour into the mixing bowl. Cool to lukewarm. Meanwhile, sprinkle the yeast packet over 1/4 C warm water. Stir to dissolve. Let sit for a couple of minutes, you should see the yeast start to react and bubble a little bit, might start to look gluey.
*Make sure the milk mixture has cooled down. Then add the yeast mixture, 1/2 C bread flour and the egg.

Beat until smooth. Gradually stir in enough flour to make a soft dough (less is best, use about 3 - 4 C flour or less). You want the dough to barely be moving off the sides of the bowl when you stir it. Don't overwork the dough or beat it too long.

It should look spongy but not too stiff.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, then a kitchen towel and place the bowl in a warmish spot and let rise for at least 1 hour or until the dough doubles in bulk.
Picture above is of the dough after the first rise. It should double in size.

Spray a 9 x 13 pan or two pie plates with nonstick spray. Flour your hands and punch the dough down. Using floured hands and a large spoon, divide the dough into 12 rounds. Place each roll onto the greased pan. Cover the pan with more plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let the rolls do a second rise for about 45 minutes.
Dough after the second rise.

Preheat oven to 400. Melt about 3 T butter, drizzle over the rolls and then bake in a 400 degree oven for 12 - 15 minutes. Tops should be golden brown.

Serve hot from the oven with plenty of butter and some good jam. Heaven!

Beef Vegetable Soup

2009-11-21T07:41:00.006-06:00

When I was growing up on a farm in the middle of nowhere Ohio, beef vegetable soup was a staple in the winter. I ate bowls and bowls of this stuff over the years. I make it the same way my mom makes it, my grandma before her and my great grandma. This was the first recipe I made when I was a poor college student. I would splurge when chuck roast was on sale and make a pot of soup and eat it all week.

This is true comfort food. I have a few standard ingredients I always put in the soup, but the rest of the stuff is just what I have on hand. I clean out the vegetable bin in the fridge and add whatever I think will taste good.

The soup starts out the day before as a pot roast in the crock pot. I usually cook a 3-4 lb chuck roast in the crock pot with carrots, celery, onions, garlic and a can of beef stock. We have roast for dinner and I use the leftovers for soup. Even if I a not going to make the soup right away, I freeze the leftover roast, including pan drippings and cooked vegetables for soup making later.

The soup pairs well with crusty bread or homemade yeast rolls. It is even better the day after you make it, as most soup is.

Beef Vegetable Soup

1 - 2 lb cooked roast and any veggies (from leftover pot roast), chopped into smallish chunks
about 32 oz beef broth, either homemade or store bought
14 oz can stewed tomatoes
3 carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
3 potatoes, peeled and cut into large dice
3 celery stalks, chopped
bag of frozen soup vegetables (I buy the soup medley mix)
small head of cabbage, chopped
small white onion, diced
1 bay leaf
pinch of Italian seasoning or Herbs de Provence
salt/pepper to taste
any other misc veggies you want to add
(broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, etc, I clean out the vegetable bin and add what I want to use up)
water

In a large stock pot, place the meat, all of the vegetables, the stewed tomatoes, bay leaf, spice, salt & pepper, beef broth and enough water to just cover the vegetables.

Heat the pan to boiling and then turn the heat down to low. Cover and let simmer on low heat for about 2 hours.
Don't worry about the soup pot looking crowded with too many veggies, they will put off liquid as they cook and shrink down. Season to taste and serve. Makes excellent leftovers and can be frozen for future use.This recipe makes a generous amount of soup. At least enough for 8 -10 servings. Freezes well.

White Chocolate, Cranberry & Ginger Cookies

2009-11-20T19:42:00.008-06:00

I have had cookies on my mind all day. I started thinking about what kind of cookie I was gonna make at 10:30 this morning. I was leaning towards chocolate chip but I'm making a Kentucky Derby pie tomorrow for a pie off, and I'll get my chocolate fix then. I decided to be reasonable and make recipe from Eating Well. I first made these cookies when I was big into Weight Watchers last year, no pun intended. These cookies don't taste like a healthy cookie, but since you are not using butter, they are relatively low in fat and calories.

These are excellent with a cup of tea or still warm with a glass of milk. The crystallized ginger gives the cookies a nice little spicy bite. The recipe makes 2 dozen small cookies. I made my cookies a bit larger and got 14 good sized cookies out of the recipe.

White Chocolate, Cranberry & Ginger Cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 large egg
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup oats, quick-cooking or old-fashioned (not instant)
2 ounces white chocolate, chopped (I used Ghiradelli white chocolate chips)
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup crystallized ginger

Preheat to 375°F.
Whisk flour, wheat germ, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ground ginger in a small bowl.

Whisk egg, brown sugar, oil and vanilla in a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients; stir to combine.

Add oats, white chocolate, cranberries and crystallized ginger; stir just to combine.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto 2 ungreased baking sheets, 1 1/2 inches apart.
Bake the cookies until puffed and barely golden around the edges, about 11 - 12 minutes. Cool on the pans for 2 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Souped Up Tiny Apple Crisp

2009-11-17T20:53:00.001-06:00

This is an easy dessert to throw together after work. It can serve one person very generously or two people. I had some leftover Kraft caramels and I got creative on the topping.

If you have one apple and a few ingredients, you could enjoy this warm from the oven with minimal work. I usually don't even measure the ingredients, just eyeball what I need and throw it together.

Apple Crisp

1 large green apple, peeled and chopped fine
3 T butter melted
1/4 C flour
1/4 C oatmeal
1/4 C chopped walnuts
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t salt
1/4 t nutmeg

10 Kraft caramels
1 t half and half

Preheat oven to 375
Spray a small baking dish with nonstick spray.

Peel the apple, chop it into small little bits and put in the bottom of your baking dish. Melt the butter and mix the flour, oatmeal, walnuts, spices and salt in. The topping mixture will be crumbly. Sprinkle all over the apples.

Caramel topping (optional): Unwrap the Kraft caramels and place them in a microwave safe bowl. Add the half and half and microwave until melted, about 45 seconds or so. Stir well and pour over the top of the apple crisp.

Bake for approximately 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool a bit before serving it with a big scoop of vanilla.

Makes 2 servings or 1 gigantic serving.

Bacon & Asparagus Quiche

2009-11-15T19:55:00.008-06:00

I usually make a nice breakfast on Sunday. Whenever I ask Mike what he would like for breakfast, he always says bacon and eggs. Under no circumstances would Mike ever agree to eat anything containing spinach, zucchini or asparagus. So the first time I made this I had to get up early and get it in the oven before he had time to object. I've been making this for a few years now, so I don't have to sneak it into the oven anymore. He even eats seconds.

Quiche is really easy, you can use virtually any ingredient in it and it will turn out fine. Serve it with fruit for breakfast or some lightly tossed greens for lunch. Also, leftovers reheat beautifully.

Bacon & Asparagus Quiche

10 asparagus stalks, trimmed, chopped into bite sized pieces and steamed tender crisp
5 bacon slices, cooked crisp and crumbled
1 unbaked pie crust (I just use a frozen Pet Ritz pie shell)
3 eggs
3/4 C. half and half (I use FF half and half)
1 C shredded Swiss cheese
salt and pepper to taste
dash of nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cook bacon, crumble and set aside.
Steam the asparagus until tender crisp. I steam it in the microwave - takes about 3 minutes. Drain and set the asparagus aside.
In a medium bowl, beat the eggs, half and half, salt, pepper and nutmeg until well combined.

Into the pie shell sprinkle the bacon and asparagus. Add half of the cheese. Pour on the egg mixture and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

Bake for about 30 - 35 minutes until the top looks a little puffy and golden. Let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 4 servings.

Creamy Gorgonzola Salad Dressing

2009-10-24T21:34:00.008-05:00

I haven't made this salad dressing in years. I ran across the recipe when going through some old loose leaf notebooks that I packed before our move to Austin. I think I made it once 7-8 years ago and a couple of times in the 90s. I picked this recipe up when traveling in the USVI from a chef at an Italian restaurant. The dressing was their house dressing and I was obsessed with it.
This dressing pairs well with steak or grilled fish. Or even by itself for a big salad bowl dinner with some crusty bread on the side.

Use the best ingredients you can find. You need really good dolce gorgonzola for this recipe. It won't work with cheap gorgonzola. Italian dolce gorgonzola is the best, but if you can't find that, there are some great dolce gorgonzolas coming out of Wisconsin (and these are also much cheaper than the imported Italian cheese). If you can find good gorgonzola, you must make this, it rocks.

Creamy Gorgonzola Salad

1 C. dolce gorgonzola, cut or crumbled into chunks
1/3 C. balsamic vinegar
1 egg yolk
2/3 C olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 C honey

For the salad:

3-4 C of mixed baby greens
1 large carrot, cut into ribbons
cherry tomatoes

Salad Dressing:

In a blender, place the balsamic vinegar and the egg yolk. Blend for 30 seconds. Through the top of the blender, slowly add the olive oil. The dressing will start to emulsify and thicken up. Add the salt and pepper to taste, about 2/3 C of the gorgonzola and the honey. Whirl up for about another 30 seconds or until the salad dressing is well combined.

Pour the dressing into a container and chill until ready to use.

To serve, in a large salad bowl, place about 1/3 C dressing on the bottom of the bowl. Add 3-4 cups of mixed greens (I use organic baby greens, use the best you can find). With a potato peeler, cut a carrot into long, thin ribbons and add to the salad. Throw in some sliced grape tomatoes. Gently toss the salad until the greens are coated. Plate the greens and add a dollop of crumbled gorgonzola to the top.

The recipe makes enough for about 2 cups of dressing and it will keep in the fridge for up to a week. Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before using, and shake it up well.

Blueberry Crumb Cake for My Sweetheart

2009-10-15T21:59:00.007-05:00

Thursday was my wedding anniversary and I planned on getting up early to make a crumb cake for Mike as a surprise. Our normal breakfast is usually a smoothie and a piece of wheat toast. I never make anything special for breakfast unless it is Sunday. So I baked this at 5:30 a.m. yesterday morning.

This recipe is straight out of the Martha Stewart playbook, with a couple of tweaks. The cake batter has to be spread out in the pan (it will be a very thin layer). Another thing I like about this is you don't have to use your Kitchen Aid, you can simply hand mix these in bowls. Very easy to put together.

It takes a little while to bake. I thought it would only take 30 minutes but it actually took closer to 45. Be sure to check it with a toothpick in the last 5-10 minutes of baking and adjust accordingly. If you are lucky enough to live near a Trader Joe's, the tiny frozen wild Maine blueberries they sell are terrific in this.

Blueberry Crumb Cake

2 T Canola oil
4 C all purpose flour
1/2 C sugar
2.5 t baking power
1/2 t salt
1 egg
1/2 C milk
2 t vanilla
1 C. light brown sugar, firmly packed
2 t cinnamon
1 C unsalted butter, melted
1 C fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 325. Spray a 9 x 13 pan with nonstick spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups of flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt, set aside.

In a large mixing cup, mix together the egg, milk, canola oil and vanilla.

Whisk the wet mixture into the flour mixture, beat until well combined. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. The batter will be very thick and gluey, spread thinly with a rubber spatula.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining 2 1/2 cups flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Pour the melted butter into the mixture and stir until large crumbs form.

Sprinkle the blueberries over the cake batter. Distribute the crumb topping over the top of the blueberries. There will be alot of crumb topping (this is OK, better than OK actually!)

Bake at 325 for about 40 minutes, check for doneness with a toothpick.

Makes 12 servings.

Notes:

This freezes well. I usually divide the cooled crumb cake into two sections and freeze half of it for later use.
You could add chopped walnuts or pecans to the crumb mixture.
Instead of blueberries, you could finely dice a small green apple and sprinkle the apple bits over the batter for an apple crumb cake.

Baked Penne with Mushrooms and Two Cheeses

2009-10-13T11:47:00.005-05:00

This is a nice dish to make when the weather turns cooler. I found this recipe on one of the cooking boards I read http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f20/baked-penne-with-mushrooms-and-cheeses-15321.html. I've been making it for a few years now. I usually use mozzarella cheese instead of Bel Paese, since Bel Paese is hard to find. Or should I was was hard to find when I lived in Cincinnati. The grocery stores in Austin are so much better. I was just strolling through the cheese section at Central Market and I spotted the Bel Paese. The minute I saw that cheese, I knew I had to make this recipe again. Cooking the whole garlic cloves in with the mushrooms imparts a nice subtle garlicky flavor to the entire dish.

Before you start cooking, please chop, grate and measure your ingredients.

Baked Penne with Mushrooms and Two Cheeses

1 lb mushrooms, cleaned and sliced. (I used baby bellas from the farmers market)
2 large garlic cloves, peeled (leave whole)
4 T butter
salt & pepper
2.5 C dry penne pasta
3 oz Bel Paese cheese, cut into cubes (can substitute mozzarella cheese)
1/3 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 C heavy cream or half & half

Preheat oven to 400. Cook the pasta as usual, drain and toss with 2 tablespoons of butter. Salt and pepper the pasta.

While the pasta is cooking, saute the mushrooms and garlic cloves in 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Salt and pepper the mushrooms liberally. Cook over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes. Stir often so the garlic does not burn. When the mushrooms are done, discard the garlic cloves.

Butter a casserole dish (I use a souffle dish, with high sides). Cover the bottom of the dish with a layer of pasta. Cover with a layer of mushrooms and then a layer of the Bel Paese and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Make two or three layers. Pour the cream over the pasta and sprinkle a final dusting of cheese on top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 12 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake another 10-12 minutes or until a light crust forms. Remove from oven, let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Makes 4 portions.

I usually serve the dish with a green salad but asparagus, broccoli or steamed green beans would also be a good side for this dish.

Pumpkin & Maple Cream Cheese Bundt Cake

2009-10-10T21:06:00.007-05:00

This is a nice little cake to make when there is a nip in the air. And today was such a day in Austin. It was gray, dreary and chilly. Just the right kind of day to bust out the canned pumpkin. I have been experimenting with this recipe for a couple of years now. It has been hard to get the maple cream cheese center just right. Today's cake turned out nicely.

This is really nice for dessert or in the morning with a nice cup of coffee. This cake takes a little bit of prep work and you have to dirty a few bowls. Totally worth it.

Pumpkin & Maple Cream Cheese Bundt Cake

Maple Cream Cheese:

12 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 C. sugar
1/4 C brown sugar
6 T maple syrup
2 T flour
1 egg

Pumpkin Bundt Cake:

2 C. all purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 t pumpkin pie spice
8 oz canned pumpkin
1/2 C veg or canola oil
2 eggs
1 & 1/2 C sugar
1 C chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a bundt pan with non stick spray. In a mixing bowl combine all of the maple cream cheese ingredients. Beat until smooth and set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside. In the bowl of your mixer, mix together the canned pumpkin, vegetable oil, eggs and sugar. Mix for one minute until well combined. Gradually add in the dry ingredients (mixing on low speed). Add the walnuts and combine gently.

Spoon about half of the pumpkin batter in the prepared bundt pan. Pour all of cream cheese mixture on top. Gently spoon the remaining pumpkin batter on top of the cream cheese.

Bake at 350 for about 45-50 minutes. Check with a wooden toothpick for doneness (toothpick should come out clean or with few crumbs attached).
Cool completely before running your knife around the top of the bundt pan. Place a large plate on top of the bundt pan and gently flip it over. If desired, drizzle glaze over the cake. Makes 12 servings.

Buster & Lily

2009-10-08T15:44:00.009-05:00

I was on a two hour job interview yesterday and another one today. I have a stress headache, I can't sleep and even a drink doesn't sound very good right now. I am all worked up about finding work, no pun intended. I can't even concentrate enough to make a damn grocery list. I have some recipes I want to post on here but first I need to hit the store to get all the ingredients. Maybe I'll go out tomorrow morning.

I was in the yard earlier with the dogs and took a few pictures of them. They look so cute in that green, green grass. Who knew Texas could be as green as Ireland?

This is Buster:

We think he is about 8 or 9 years old. We adopted him in 2003. I like to say he picked us. We went to the shelter to look at a specific dog that we saw online. But when we got there, that dog had already been adopted. So we decided to have a look around anyway. And there he was, looking so sad and shaking in his little crate. It was like an arrow shot straight into my heart. Mike really didn't want a little dog, but I convinced him to take Buster home that day. The kennel in their infinite wisdom had named him Chester. He is no Chester. I think we came up with his name a day later.

Buster's claim to fame is that he was the WOXY internet radio station wonder dog for a couple of years. Mike took him to work and he was a big hit with all the bands, especially the lady singers. I can't remember which artist wanted to take him on the bus with her, but there was one singer who wanted to keep him. Um, no. Step off sister. I don't care if you can play a guiter, no one is going to take B!

This is Lily, aka Lilly Belle, aka Miss Chubbs. She is an old fashioned Kentucky hound dog.

Several of our neighbors have asked me what kind of dog she is. I guess they've not seen the likes of her down here in these parts. She is all hound. She is a basset mix of some sort. I think she has part blood hound in her, but who knows. We adopted her a little over 2 years ago from the animal shelter. She had been in the pound for two weeks when we saw her and she was on borrowed time. One look in those big brown eyes and I was a goner. The kennel had been calling her Bilie Joe - I mean how clichqued is that? A Kentucky hound dog named Billie Joe - I don't think so. We adopted her on the first day of spring, hence the name.

The dogs are doing well and really like Austin so far. They love the fact that deer stroll through the neighborhood. Keeps things lively for them. They've made some dog friends in the neighborhood too.

This little guy is Ranger. He lives next door. He is not too keen on the human neighbors, but he loves Buster and Lily. He runs over to the fence when he sees them and wags his entire body. I would like to have him over sometime for a play date. We'll see. He may give me a nip, he is a bit growly and I keep my distance.

Milano Cafe: Worth the Trip to SW Austin

2009-10-03T17:45:00.013-05:00

After having just a few too many drinks at WOXY's ACL after party at the Seaholm Power Plant last night, the hubs and I slept in and lounged around most of the day today. By afternoon we were starving but not entirely motivated to go too far from home, since the rain was pouring down on Austin like the tropics. We narrowed lunch down our lunch choices to either tex mex or pizza. We had pizza last week from the Austin Pizza Kitchen and it was not our cup of tea. The crust was like cardboard. After googling around to see what was near our house, we decided to try the Milano Cafe on Southwest Parkway. And I am so glad we did - I plan on being a regular at this place. The yumminess factor is a 10 out of 10.

Milano Cafe is fairly new. The owners, brother and sister Sami and Giki Demi, opened it about 5 months ago. It is located in a tiny strip mall on Southwest Parkway, in between a Subway and a liquor store. From the outside, it is not much to look at, rather nondescript. But once inside the door, the decor is hipster cute.

Milano's is a small place, maybe 10 tables max, plus some couches and chairs for lounging. You place your order at the counter and they bring the food out to you. While we were looking over the menu, the owner told us that all of his flour is imported from Italy and France. He also imports as many other ingredients as he can to try to keep the flavors of his dishes as authentically European as possible. We decided to try the Albanezza pizza, since it is topped with Albanian sausage that has been smoked for over 3 weeks, the sausage is similar to pepperoni but with a smokey/salty flavor. We also decided to split one of the daily specials, a crostini de polenta.

While we were waiting, the owner brought us two small side salads as comps. He said our meals didn't come with salad but since another couple had just ordered salads, he had made a little extra for us to munch on while our pizza baked. We also were advised to help ourselves to the free lemonade or water while waiting.

After not too long of a wait, out came our lunch. The polenta dish was amazing. The polenta was a creamy, thick wedge covered in a tomato/sausage sauce, topped with goat cheese and garnished with fresh basil. Swoon.

The Albanezza pizza was also delicious. The crust was chewy and crunchy, yet light and airy. It had a good mouth feel. The cheese toppings were thick and gooey without being too heavy. The Albanian sausage was sliced into thin little strips, tasting very much like an over the top pepperoni.

I had to grab a shot of the pizza before Mike got carried away and dug into it (I had to admonish him to wait a sec!) So this picture is a little fuzzy because I took it quickly as Mike was practically drooling in anticipation of eating it.

I noticed right off that the cafe had a beautifully stocked dessert case. I had been eyeing it the entire time we were in there.

Even though we were stuffed, we had to try the tiramisu and have a couple of cappucchinos. The owner brought the desserts and coffees out and thanked us again for stopping in. Both owners were so friendly and genuinely pleased that we enjoyed our food.

Milano Cafe is located at 4601 Southwest Parkway, Suite 109, Austin TX 78735. Phone number (512) 428-6076. They are open from 10:00 until 10:00. They serve breakfast crepes, croissants, a good selection of salads, pasta, pizza, paninis and offer several daily specials. They have a full espresso bar. Milano's does not have a liquor license, but you can BYOB and there is a liquor store next door. There is also free wi-fi.

This is a little gem of a place. I will be back with a bottle of red wine soon.

Orzo with Chicken and Veggies

2009-10-02T08:12:00.009-05:00

When you start making recipes like these for dinner, you realize how far you've fallen off the Weight Watchers band wagon. This is some creamy, garlicky goodness of the highest order. I haven't made this in months. Yesterday I was casting about for dinner ideas and I settled on something with pasta. This recipe kept coming to mind so I thought what the heck. When I was on Weight Watchers, I liked to say I had broken up with cheese but this recipe proves we've gotten back together, at least temporarily.

The chopping of the veggies and cooking of the orzo takes the most time. I like to have everything chopped and prepped before I start any actual cooking, it makes the dish come together quickly and smoothly. Don't skip the lemon at the end, the lemon adds a certain brightness to this dish.

Orzo with Chicken and Veggies

1 C orzo, uncooked
32 oz chicken broth (low sodium)
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 - 1/2 t red pepper flakes
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1 large boneless chicken breast (raw), cut into small cubes
2 T olive oil
1 C of chopped asparagus (cut into diagonal bits)
1 small red pepper, cut into small strips
1 bunch of baby spinach, washed and dried
1/2 C freshly grated parmesan cheese
juice of half a lemon + its zest

Prepare the vegtables and set aside. Cut the chicken into bite sized cubes. Into a deep sided skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the chicken. Season with salt and pepper and cook over medium high heat. About half way through the cooking time, add the red pepper flakes along with the asparagus and red bell pepper strips. Continue to cook until the chicken is done and the veggies are tender. Add the garlic and spinach near the end of the cooking time. Stir until the spinach wilts. Add the lemon juice and zest. Taste and add more salt or seasoning if necessary.

Meanwhile, bring the chicken stock to a boil and add the orzo. Cook for about 10 minutes at a low boil. The orzo will absorb much of the chicken stock. Drain the orzo and add it to the chicken/veggie mixture. Immediately add the grated Parmesan cheese. Stir well. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Chicken Mole for the Lazy Cook

2009-09-30T07:16:00.012-05:00

So, I've been reading Lynne Rosetto Kasper's How to Eat Supper and she had a wonderful recipe for bittersweet chocolate chipotle dressing, which she casually mentions could easily be adapted into make a "cheaters" mole. Every mole recipe I've ever seen has a list of ingredients a mile long and takes all day to make. This mole sauce can be ready in less than 30 minutes. Wow - big time saver. I thought I would give it a whirl and see if I could make a decent mole with minimal effort.

Here is my adaptation of Kasper's instructions. I varied the recipe a bit, and I was quite pleased with the results. The mole is so easy to put together and you could even use a rotisserie chicken if you are in a rush. The sauce would also be great over big grilled gulf shrimp.

Chicken Mole the Easy Way

1 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 whole chipotle in adobo (also 2 t. of adobe sauce from the can)
1/2 C chopped tomatoes or grape tomatoes
2 T whole salted almonds
2 T cider vinegar
1/2 onion, chopped finely
1 garlic clove, minced
1 T olive oil
Cilantro, chopped fine
2 large bone-in chicken breasts, roasted, skins removed and chopped into large chunks
1/2 C chicken broth or water, as needed

Into your food processor place the chocolate, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, tomatoes, almonds and cider vinegar. Whirl it all up until it is the consistency of a thick paste. The almonds and chocolate should be finely ground. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and add the onions. Cook over medium heat until the onions are soft. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Dump in the sauce from the food processor. Cook over medium heat about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth or water if the sauce reduces too much (I added about 1/4 C. chicken broth). Add in the chopped chicken and continue to let simmer for about 5-7 minutes. Taste and add salt/pepper as necessary.

Serve over rice and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Makes 4 normal sized portions.

This is going into the rotation. Very good, super easy.

Getting Started.....

2009-09-28T16:54:00.008-05:00

Well, I have finally done it, gone and started a blog. This is a place for me to record stuff I've made, things I like, good deals, rants, random thoughts, etc. I recently moved to Austin TX from Cincinnati and since I'm currently unemployed, I figured I finally had the time to set up a blog.

I am enjoying all the great grocery choices in Austin. The grocery stores here are flat out amazing compared to the choices in Cincinnati. The only thing that would make Austin grocery shopping better would be if Trader Joe's opened up a store here. I LUV Trader Joe's!

I am trying to cook economically since we're down to one income until I get a job. Last week, I made a simple grilled salmon with green beans tossed in olive oil and garlic and roasted red potatoes. The whole meal for two costs less than $5 total - amazing. I also baked a chocolate cake - from scratch. So much better and cheaper than a mix. The cake was a total splurge, I certainly don't need the calories but damn, sometimes you need some chocolate.

Simple Broiled Salmon

8 oz Salmon filet (I prefer Atlantic salmon)
1 T butter, melted
salt/pepper

fresh green beans
1 garlic clove chopped
1 T olive oil
cherry tomatoes

Preheat the broiler. Meantime place aluminum foil on a cookie sheet, spray it with non-stick cooking spray. Place the salmon (skin side down) on the cookie sheet, drizzle with melted butter and add a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper. Broil on high for about 4-5 minutes per side. Watch the fish closely and if the oven starts to get smoky, remove the fish and turn the broiler on low. Salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork.

About halfway through the cooking time, I add some fresh green beans to the cookie sheet (drizzle them with olive oil and some chopped garlic). Let the beans cook with the fish. I sometimes throw in some cherry tomatoes also.
DELISH - tastes just like what you'd get at a fancy restaurant for a fraction of the cost.