TheFishie's Kitchen

Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

2012-02-10T09:52:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday. Here's great chocolate cinnamon roll recipe that I found from The Naptime Chef. It's ooeey-gooey chocolatey goodness. I didn't even make the vanilla glaze provided in the original as they didn't need it. These are definitely a chocolate roll, as opposed to a cinnamon roll (I'm still looking for the perfect recipe for that). I must warn you that this recipe makes a ton, at least two dozen. Half went in my freezer...and the other half were devoured in two days. Naturally, I used my breadmaker for the dough but the original recipe has directions to use your stand mixer. Enjoy!

Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

Dough
1 cup milk
3 TBS butter, melted
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp kosher salt
1 large egg, slightly beaten
2 1/4 tsp rapid-rise yeast

Filling:
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 TBS ground cinnamon
1/2 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

In my breadmaker, I added the ingredients in the order listed. The egg was a little tricky since it's important for the yeast not to get wet. I just made sure that my mountain of flour that held the yeast was tidy. Set breadmaker to "dough" cycle.

Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter.

Roll dough into 14×12 rectangle. Spread the butter mixture over it, leaving a half-inch border all the way around. Then evenly sprinkle in the chocolate chips. Roll up the dough lengthwise and cut it into ½-inch wide slices.

Cover rolls with a towel. Allow them to rise for at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 20 minutes until they are golden brown.

Makes about two dozen rolls.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

2012-02-06T08:00:00.031-05:00

As I mentioned yesterday, we were invited to a Superbowl party. Yes, neither my husband nor I have much interest in football, however I'll leap at at any opportunity to cook or bake something new. Since the hosting family has a bunch of kids, I immediately thought of cupcakes. These chocolate cupcakes appeared in Hello, Cupcake! by Karen Tack & Alan Richardson. The icing is an amalgamation of several cream cheese frosting recipes I saw online, and turned out quite nicely if I do say so myself. The cupcakes were super light, which was wonderful, but a bit crumbly. I'm hoping I simply overbaked them a bit so won't throw this recipe out just yet. I definitely overfilled the cupcake pan, which may have led to a longer baking time than advisable.

Chocolate Cupcakes
1 3/4 c all purpose flour
1/4 c unweetened cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c butter (12 tbs), softened
3/4 c brown sugar
2 eggs
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 c buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pans with liners.

Whisk together dry ingredients.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat in melted chocolate.

Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture alternately with milk, beating until just blended. Stir in vanilla.

Fill liners 2/3rds full (this was my mistake, I think). Bake 15 - 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Cool on wire rack.

Makes 16 regular cupcakes

Cream Cheese Chocolate Frosting
1/2 c butter, softened to room temperature
8 oz cream cheese (I used 1/3 reduced fat)
6tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
About 2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2-3 tbs half and half
pinch of salt

Beat all ingredients together until desired consistency and taste is reached. I started with 1.5 cups sugar and added the last half after tasting.

Happy Superbowl Sunday - Buffalo Chicken Bites

2012-02-05T14:46:00.000-05:00

Well, I didn't know who was playing in this year's Superbowl until just a couple of days ago, but we're going to a party this afternoon and I had to bring something. I stumbled across this recipe at Tracey's Culinary Adventures and even though we're not overly fond of super spicy things I decided to try it. With the help of my trusty bread maker, these whipped up in a jiff and are absolutely delicious, even without any dipping sauce. Tracey has great step by step directions on her blog, so hop over and see if you're in doubt as to my directions or are making the dough by hand. She advises that you can make them ahead of time, then reheat in the oven at 350 degrees. Since someone else is hosting, I will probably ask to pop them in the microwave.

I also baked chocolate cupcakes and will hopefully post that recipe tomorrow. Gooooo Patriots and/or Giants!

Buffalo Chicken Bites

Dough
1 cup warm milk
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 TBS packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast

Filling
1-2 cups shredded chicken (I used 1 large chicken breast)
1/2 - 3/4 c shredded cheese
1/4 c hot sauce (I used Louisiana Original and added a couple extra dashes)

For serving
4 tbs melted butter
ranch dressing

Prepare dough in bread machine on "dough" cycle. Mine takes just under 2 hours with a preheating step. Meanwhile mix filling.

When dough is ready, divide into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion into 12" x 4" rectangle. Fill lower portion of rectangle with 1/4 of filling, leaving a 1/2" edge along the bottom. Fold top part of dough over filling and bring up lower edge to seal. Cut into 12 equal pieces.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile allow bites to rise for 20 minutes.

Bake 15 minutes until golden brown. Immediately upon removing from oven, brush with melted butter.

Makes approximately 48 bites.

Double Chocolate or Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

2012-01-17T21:51:00.000-05:00

I've had a hankering for chocolate chocolate cookies for some time now. This recipe from Allrecipes.com seemed to fit the bill perfectly. Then, when I went to the cupboard to grab the chips, a bag of Reese's peanut butter chips caught my eye. On impulse, rather than adding chocolate chips, I added the Reese's. It yielded a fantastic outcome! Chocolatey-peanutty goodness! I used a handmixer for the liquid, then stirred in the rest. Next time, I may use my stand mixer as it was extremely difficult to mix in the chips.

Unfortunately, I neglected to take pictures before packing them up to ship to my husband's coworkers in Afghanistan (and devouring them). Here's the stock picture from Allrecipes. Imagine a similar-looking cookie but with peanut butter chips.

Source: allrecipes.com via thefishie on Pinterest

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (or other flavored)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir into the butter mixture until well blended. Mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or just until set. Cool slightly on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 48 cookies

Libby's Pumpkin Pie

2012-01-13T09:59:00.034-05:00

Happy Friday! One of the benefits of living on the East Coast again is its proximity to everything. Yes, Chicago is a travel hub, but somehow I never went east. Thus, this weekend we're going up to NYC for the first time in nearly four years. It'll be a relatively quick trip even though Monday's a holiday for MLK day but our schedule's jammed pack. Anyway, onto today's recipe. As I was going through my camera, I noticed a few pictures that I'd never posted on my blog. This one is of the pumpkin pie I made this past Thanksgiving. I used the recipe from the back of the Libby's canned pumpkin which is a family favorite. What I didn't know, since I don't eat pumpkin things, is that I was supposed to omit the cloves and ginger because they're a bit overpowering. But my family was super nice about it and ate it anyway. Actually, a certain person ate half a pie, so it must not have been too bad.

Libby's Pumpkin Pie

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (we omit)
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (we omit)
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin (not the pumpkin pie mix)
1 can (12 fl. oz.) evaporated Milk
1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell (here's my dough recipe)

Mix sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

Pour into pie shell.

Bake in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.

Cinnamon Muffin Rolls

2012-01-12T08:00:00.051-05:00

I'd been wanting to try this recipe from the Baker Chick ever since I woke up with a craving for cinnamon rolls while staying at my in-laws home last month. However, there just never seemed enough time (and apparently some pantries lack what I consider staples). Once I finally tried this recipe, visually these muffin/rolls did not disappoint. Taste-wise, I found them doughy and a little tough. However, I may have cut them too thick, which is why I'm posting this recipe and just may try them again. Plus, my husband ate at least 5-6! They also can be whipped up in about 30-45 minutes, which you obviously can't do with a yeast dough. Alternatively, I may try this recipe instead. Here's the recipe I tried:

Cinnamon Muffin Rolls

Dough
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
3 cups flour plus more for dusting

Filling
2 tbsp. butter, room temperature (another tbs or two would probably help)
2/3 cups brown sugar
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 tbsp. milk or cream

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Whisk together the brown sugar, baking soda, salt, vanilla and egg into a mixing bowl. Add the buttermilk. . Add the flour. Stir until thoroughly combined - do not over mix!

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a minute or two. Roll the dough into a 12-inch by 24-inch rectangle. Using a rubber spatula, spread with butter. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.

Roll the dough into a log and stretch slightly. Cut into two-inch pieces (next time I'd go with 1-1.5") and put the pieces into a greased muffin pan or muffin liners.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes, and then remove from the muffin tins.

Drizzle with icing when cool.

Makes 8-12 muffin rolls.

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

2012-01-11T07:42:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year, everyone! Yes, I know the new year rolled in nearly two weeks ago, but at least it's still January. Since we've returned from our Chicago/Disney World trip, I haven't tried too many new recipes, making a lot of familiar dishes such as my buttermilk oven-fried chicken, grilled flank steak, black bean and rice burritos, pizza, and pasta to name a few.

I have, however, found time for a bit of baking, including a new bread recipe and two new muffins recipes. Here's the first new recipe which was a hit. I found it on the Skinny Mom's Kitchen and made it just as directed, except I used skim milk instead of 1% and added a handful of walnuts. If for some reason you do not wish to make these healthy-ish, the apple sauce may be replaced in whole or in part by oil.

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

1 cup whole wheat Flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 large eggs
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 cup applesauce
1 cup finely chopped apples
1/2 c walnuts, toasted and chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.

Separately, mix together eggs, brown sugar, milk, and applesauce.

Slowing combine dry ingredients into wet ingredients, being careful not to overmix.

Fold in apples and nuts.

Spray muffin pan with cooking spray or use muffin liners. Fill muffin cups about three-fourths full. Bake 15 – 18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Makes 1 dozen muffins.

Merry Christmas to One and All!

2011-12-25T08:51:00.001-05:00

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas! May your day be filled with family, friends, good spirit, and yummy food. We're spending the holiday with my husband's parents in Chicago with mine flying up from Hawaii. There's sadly no snow on the ground, but it's a nice crisp wintery day nonetheless, which along with family makes it feel Christmasy enough.

I don't have a new recipe for you today as I'm not cooking while on vacation. However, here's a blast from the past from the last time we were all together in Chicago that might be perfect for your dessert table, a chocolate log cake that I made in 2009. Click the title to go directly to the recipe on my blog or the picture to go to Pinterest and repin.

Chocolate Log

Source: thefishieskitchen.blogspot.com via thefishie on Pinterest

Tomorrow we'll be leaving for Orlando. It's my first trip ever to Disney World!!! I don't know how active blog-wise I'll be, so I shall now wish you a healthy and happy New Year!

Baked Potato Skins

2011-12-23T08:41:00.000-05:00

Despite my efforts to stop preparing meals with so much processed shredded cheese, a couple days ago I was overcome with a craving for potato skins. Thinking "how hard could it be" and just wanting to serve them as an appetizer or side dish I set about making two large skins for my husband and I. The trouble was that he LOVED them and immediately demanded more. Now don't get me wrong, these aren't difficult per se, but do involve a series of steps if you haven't prepared ahead. Thus, since I had already cleaned up and was still enjoying my own potatoes, I refused ;)

This recipe was found using the Allrecipes app on my Iphone. I modified it only slightly by using olive oil, estimating the herbs, and pre-cooking the potatoes in the microwave since they were huge.

4 large baking potatoes
3 tbs olive oil
1 tbs parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp paprika
fresh ground pepper
8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1.5 c shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream for serving.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

Though not required, I recommend pre-baking your potatoes part-way through. Cut potatoes in half and scoop out insides leaving 1/4 in of a shell.

Combine olive oil through ground pepper. Brush potatoes on both sides.

Bake for 7 minutes, then turn and bake for another 7 minutes. Continue baking until potatoes are completely tender and beginning to crisp.

Top with cheese and bacon, then bake for an addition 2-4 minutes to melt the cheese. (I put them under the broiler.)

Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Happy Holidays

2011-12-22T13:27:00.001-05:00

It's been hectic since thanksgiving. I hope to start posting again soon, maybe suggested holiday recipes or "best of 2011." Meanwhile I'm in Chicago visiting family and friends.

Best holiday wishes to everyone!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Roated Cauliflower Soup

2011-11-26T00:57:00.006-05:00

I had intended to make another dish with the head of cauliflower that I purchased a few days before (okay, maybe it was a week), but that wouldn't have used the entire thing and I was definitely worried about rotting food. Thus, since we have been on a soup kick I searched for recipes for cauliflower soup. I came across a recipe from Bakeaholic Mama for Cream of Cauliflower and Leek Soup. Just the title sounded really good, but I was out of leeks. Thus, I used an onion and for added flavor, I roasted the cauliflower--I love roasted cauliflower and frankly would have had more in the soup had I stopped nibbling. Using leeks will definitely make it more flavorful, as well as using more cauliflower (I'm writing 2 heads in the recipe but maybe 1 that's not half-nibbled would work), but this was quite tasty.

Sorry I forgot to take any pictures, but it was too good not to post.

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

1-2 large heads cauliflower
1 large leek or medium onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 c chicken broth
1/2 c half and half
sprig of fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
salt, pepper, olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Chop cauliflower into even pieces. Toss lightly in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes until cauliflower is tender and lightly browned. (I'd do a taste test here.)

In a medium dutch oven or pot, saute onion or leek in olive oil until tender. Add garlic and cook for another minute or two.

Add roasted cauliflower, thyme, and chicken broth and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Remove thyme sprig. Puree mixture using blender or stick blender until you have a nice smooth consistency. Add half and half and cook over medium low for another 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings.

Serves 4

Roasted Carrot and Potato Soup

2011-11-25T00:12:00.007-05:00

Happy day after Thanksgiving! If you're like me, you probably have big plans for Black Friday shopping. Actually, our plan is to make it to Walmart for the 10pm Thursday sales then go to bed and get up for the 6am sales. Here's a recipe that would be perfect for those leftover roasted vegetables from Thanksgiving. Roasting vegetables makes them sweet and tender without drying them out. I made this last week after having about 1/2 a pound of roasted carrots leftover from a previous meal and just didn't feel like serving them as-is. Super simple, super yummy. (My husband said he thought was was eating potato soup, which annoyed me greatly because it's orange! That being said, you might want to err on the side of more carrots than less.)

Tomorrow I have a recipe for roasted cauliflower soup planned. Are you seeing a trend here?

1/2 - 1 lb carrots (I used about half a small bag of baby carrots), cut into sticks
3 large potatoes (or 4-5 smaller ones), cubed
2 c chicken broth
2 c water
1/2 c half and half
1 tsp thyme or a couple fresh sprigs
salt, pepper, olive oil

Toss carrots in olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme. Roast in a 425 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes until tender and a little browned.

Place potatoes, chicken broth, and water into a medium soup pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

Add roasted carrots and simmer for 10 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, puree soup. Add half and half and simmer for 15 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Serves 4-6

Weekly Menu (Week 5)

2011-11-23T01:01:00.000-05:00

I never managed to post the Week 4 menu, did I? Basically we finished the menu from the week before except for the eggplant bolognese. We had (eggplant parmesan and creamed spinach with chicken teriyaki. Then we wound up eating out two evenings--once in Fairfax and then for the Marine Birthday celebration. Finally, I had a craving for pizza on Friday.

This week's menu started on Saturday. I'm already a day behind as we had leftovers on Monday because I'm trying to make fridge and freezer space for Thanksgiving leftovers. Oh well. Here's the plan. My goal is to make it through item 7 tomorrow and then freeze the pesto sauce. I already posted my Thanksgiving menu, which you can see here.

I don't remember if I have a post scheduled for Thanksgiving and don't know whether I'll have a chance to write one. Thus, best wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with quality time with family (and then lots of good Black Friday shopping afterwards).

1. Quick and Easy Beef and Rice (Lynn's Kitchen Adventures)

Source: lynnskitchenadventures.com via thefishie on Pinterest

2. Eggplant Bolognese

Source: myrecipes.com via thefishie on Pinterest

3. Baked Lemon Chicken

Source: barefootcontessa.com via thefishie on Pinterest

4. Beef Broccoli

Source: thefishieskitchen.blogspot.com via thefishie on Pinterest

5. Black Bean Soup (Our Best Bites cookbook)

6. Chicken stock (I need lots for Thanksgiving)

7. Pesto Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes (Our Best Bites cookbook)

Thanksgiving Menu 2011

2011-11-21T00:08:00.041-05:00

Happy Monday before Thanksgiving! If you're like me, you might be still working on your Thanksgiving shopping today (and tomorrow). This Thanksgiving will be somewhat more modest than years past as it should just be a few of us this year. That's the plan anyway. My husband has threatened to show up with 10 people at the last minute, but we'll see. In light of the smaller guest list and with Black Friday shopping starting at 10pm on Thursday, I'm opting for a simple menu. Mind you that this might change once I hit the stores, particularly if other veggies look good or if I get inspired. Here's what I'm planning (most of the pictures are from last year):

1. Herb-Butter Roasted Turkey

Source: thefishieskitchen.blogspot.com via thefishie on Pinterest

2. Cranberry-Walnut Dressing

Source: thefishieskitchen.blogspot.com via thefishie on Pinterest

3. Caramelized Onion Balsamic Gravy - An absolute must!

Source: thefishieskitchen.blogspot.com via thefishie on Pinterest

4. Roasted Butternut Squash with Thyme

Source: thefishieskitchen.blogspot.com via thefishie on Pinterest

5. Roasted Green Beans with Mushrooms (or possibly Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter)

6. Apple Cider Cranberry Sauce

Source: myrecipes.com via thefishie on Pinterest

7. Apple Pie or Apple Pie Pockets

Source: thefishieskitchen.blogspot.com via thefishie on Pinterest

8. Pumpkin Pie

What's on your menu?

Roasted Cheesey Cauliflower

2011-11-20T00:17:00.001-05:00

I made this last summer, but somehow forgot to post it. However, as you may be thinking about thanksgiving side dishes, now seems appropriate.

I discovered not too long ago that I love roasted cauliflower. We'd have it each week if I had my way. However, my husband expressed mixed feelings about it when I mentioned it so I knew I had to hide it in something. This was my first success. This recipe came from Lynn's Kitchen Adventures. I made a few minor changes including pre-steaming the cauliflower for extra tenderness and adding a bit more cheese. You could also roast the cauliflower for extra sweetness.

1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons oil
1 large head of cauliflower or 16 oz frozen
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large skillet saute onion in oil until tender. Add butter and garlic and cook for one more minute.

Add cauliflower, salt, and pepper.

Pour into an oven proof dish and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until tender and slightly browned.

Serves 4

Homemade Oatmeal Packets

2011-11-19T00:03:00.001-05:00

Another success! I'm on a premade mixes kick. I started with premade baking mixes for things like muffins, scones, and pancakes which I stored in my freezer. This week I tried homemade oatmeal packets. Inspired by a plethora of posts around the web such as this one from Homemade Iowa Life and this one from Noel's Kitchen Tips, I made four packets to start using this recipe. Many recipes call for dry milk powder with the intent that water can be added. However, since I always make oatmeal with milk, I omitted that step. After we taste this batch, perhaps I'll add the powdered milk (1 tbs).

Cinnamon-Sugar Instant Oatmeal
1/3 c quick oats
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp (heaping) brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1-2 tbs dried fruit such as raisins (optional)

In a microwave safe dish, mix with 2/3 c milk. Cook the normal amount of time to make instant oatmeal in your microwave. (~ 1 min in an 1100 watt and 2-3 min in a 900 watt or less).

Updated: My husband reported positive results without the powdered milk. I haven't tried it yet, but for next week will make another batch without the powdered milk.

Creamed Spinach and Teriyaki Chicken

2011-11-18T00:06:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday! Today is a two-for-one recipe. From last week's menu, one of the few dishes I had yet to try was the creamed spinach recipe from One Perfect Bite. But you can't have creamed spinach by itself, now can you? Having already grilled the flank steak with roasted parmesan potatoes the night before, I opted for simple grilled chicken breasts with couscous. As I was waiting for the chicken to defrost, I started thumbing through the Our Best Bites cookbook, which is quite a nice basic cookbook. In it was a very simple recipe for teriyaki sauce. Ta-da, dinner!

Both recipes whipped up very simply with minimal prep-work. I made the creamed spinach exactly except I used frozen spinach and added a handful of parmesan cheese. Quite yummy. As for the teriyaki sauce, I was missing the powdered ginger so I added a pinch of crushed red pepper. The end result was tasty, but a trifle sweet, so when I make it again, I will cut the amount of sugar by a third to a half.

Easy Teriyaki Sauce (from Our Best Bites)

1/4 c sugar
1/2 c soy sauce
1/4 c cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbs cornstarch
1 tbs cold water

Bring sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, and spices in a saucepan over medium high heat to a boil until sugar is completely dissolved.

Meanwhile, combine cornstarch and cold water with a whisk. Stir into sauce once you've got a full boil. Lower heat and cook until thickened.

Use as a marinade, brush sauce for grilling, or dipping sauce.

Creamed Spinach (from One Perfect Bite)

1/2 c butter
8 tablespoons flour
1/2 of a medium medium onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 cups milk
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 pinch ground nutmeg
24 ounces baby spinach
1/2 c parmesan, shredded

Melt 1 stick of butter in a pot. Sprinkle in flour and whisk together. Cook over medium heat for five minutes or until light golden brown. Add onion and garlic and stir together, cooking for another minute. (Note: The next time I try this recipe, I may saute the onion and garlic first.) Pour in milk, whisking constantly, and cook for another five minutes until a thick sauce has formed.

Stir in spinach and nutmeg. (If spinach is raw, cook in 3 tbs of butter until wilted. If frozen, cook in microwave with a few tbs of water, then drain thoroughly before adding). Melt in cheese.

Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 4-6

Slowcooker Garden Minestrone

2011-11-17T00:18:00.006-05:00

Well, it's Thursday and thunderstorms are on the way. Thus, this awesome soup recipe which I found at Finding Joy in My Kitchen fits the bill. This soup whips up with minimal chopping and makes soup for a couple meals plus more for the freezer (I'd guess about 8-10 cups). I made a few minor changes such as using chicken broth instead of veggie broth and using more carrots and tomatoes. Plus, I had some nice tomato paste so only used a couple tablespoons rather than the entire can (which you must do if you used the cheap stuff). Definitely a tasty dish.

Slowcooker Garden Minestrone

1 medium onion, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 C frozen green beans
1 stalk celery, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 C chicken broth
1 can Great White Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
28 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
2-3 tbs good quality tomato paste
1/2 c carrots, chopped
1/2 tsp. parsley
1 1/4 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. thyme
1 c water
1/4 C red wine
8 oz frozen spinach
1/2 C small shell pasta

In 5-6 qt slowcooker (5 qt will be completely filled) add all ingredients except spinach and pasta. Cook on low for 7-8 hours until veggies are tender.

Turn slowcooker to high and stir in pasta and spinach. Cook for 30 minutes or until pasta is tender.

Serve with crusty bread. 8-10 cups.

Eggplant Parmesan (and a rant on Wegmans)

2011-11-16T07:41:00.002-05:00

We've been eating a whole lot of cheese lately, from pre-schredded to the gourmet. Since they're quick and easy, quesadillas have been a go-to snack of mine for much of this year. Affordable prices at the commissary has made those bagged, pre-shredded cheeses irresistible.

As for the fancier cheeses, on Saturday, I explored our local Wegmans and after much effort, purchased a selection of interesting snacking cheeses of which I don't remember the names but believe two were French (a double-creme brie and something else) and the third a Machengo, domestic, I think. I also bought the usual Fontina, Mozzarella, and Parmesan-Reggiano for this dish. This was my first visit to a Wegmans since I'd lived in Baltimore several years ago. This location, and possibly all Wegmans these days, is a peculiar mix of a Whole Foods and a Safeway on steroids. Like a Whole Foods, the produce section was excellent with a good mix of organic and non-organic at quite decent prices. The cheese and meat counters were on a smaller scale than most Whole Foods, but still quite nice. There were bulk grains, teas, and spices. Then came the Safeway-esque part--cosmetics, tolietries, bulk paper goods, and random household goods littered the store. Also, most frustratingly, everything seemed to be in multiple places--e.g. eggs, cheeses, grains. I could understand separating the the organics from the ordinary, but this was just random. Suffice it to say that despite my relatively short shopping list, I was forced to go up and down many aisles. Though I found many nice things, I'm not sure I will be making the effort again too soon.

On to today's recipe which is adapted this recipe at MyRecipes.com. After purchasing a couple of eggplants on an impulse buy as they were flagged as the "Manager's Special", I included two eggplant dishes on last week's menu. If you're wondering why there hasn't been a Week 4 menu yet, that's because we're still working on last week's. Anyway, this dish was fantastic! I'm not sure how much of it was this recipe or the Classico Roasted Garlic pasta sauce I used, but I couldn't get enough of this dish.

Eggplant Parmesan

For the Eggplant:
2 large eggs, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water
1 c panko breadcrumbs, whole wheat if available
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1-2 large eggplant(s) (about 1 lb), sliced into 1/2-inch-thick

Filling:
1/2 cup fresh basil or 1/2 tsp dried
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 large clove garlic, minced
8 oz ricotta cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 cups favorite pasta sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces thinly sliced mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated fontina cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Combine 2 eggs and 1 tablespoon water in a shallow dish. Combine panko and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano in a second shallow dish. Dip eggplant in egg mixture; dredge in panko mixture, pressing gently to adhere and shaking off excess. Place eggplant 1 inch apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes or until golden, turn and bake for another 15 minutes.

3. To make filling, combine basil and next ingredients (through egg).

4. To assemble, spoon 1/2 cup pasta sauce in bottom of a square glass baking dish (9") coated with cooking spray. Layer half of eggplant slices over pasta sauce. Sprinkle eggplant with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Top with about 1/2 cup pasta sauce; spread half of ricotta mixture over sauce, and top with a third of mozzarella and 1/4 cup fontina. Repeat layers once, ending with about 1 cup pasta sauce.

5. Cover tightly with aluminum foil coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes. Remove foil; top with remaining fontina. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and cheese melts; cool 10 minutes.

Serves 4

Panetone (or really fancy raisin bread)

2011-11-15T08:02:00.001-05:00

I wanted to make raisin bread, however I was intrigued by this recipe for Panettone in my Bread Machine Bible. The only familiarity I had with panettone was the packaged variety from Williams Sonoma which was $40+ for what seems like a glorified fruitcake with the peculiar ingredient of chestnuts. A little bit of research yielded that panettone is a traditional Italian Christmas bread, generally made with raisins (or sultanas), citrus peel, butter and eggs.

This recipe was simple enough with my trusty breadmaker, although it is a two-step bread--dough in the breadmaker and bakes in the oven. Not having any dried citrus peel (and really wanting to make a raisin bread), I used a full cup of raisins. Other than to make it more presentable for gift givng, I don't understand why it is baked in a round shape, thus I may in future try it in an ordinary bread pan or possibly cook it all the way in my breadmaker. My bread browned a bit more than I liked, which made for an extra crunchy crust at points (but the inside is soft and yummy). Although I have a thermometer in my oven (a must for baking), I didn't look at it too carefully and learned only later that my oven is 15 degrees cooler than it claims, not 25 degrees as I had been adjusting for until now. I'm not sure if that 10 degrees would really make such a difference, so it might be best to watch it closely during the initial browning stage. Still a nice-looking bread.

Panettone
3 eggs, slightly beaten
3 tbs milk
2 2/3 c bread flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c sugar, superfine if available
1/2 c butter, diced and softened
2 tsp instant dry yeast
2/3 c raisins
1/3 c mixed candied peel
zest of small lemon
Extra handful of flour
1 tbs butter, melted

Mix eggs and milk and pour in base of bread pan. Cover with flour. Place salt and sugar in opposite corners. Dot with melted butter. Make well in center of flour and add yeast. Set bread machine to "Dough" cycle. When machine beeps, add in fruit and lemon zest.

Prepare a 7" round cake pan by greasing it lightly and lining with parchment paper. Tie a double layer of wax paper (or parchment) around the rim of pan about 3" higher than rim. (This will allow the bread to rise and maintain its shape.)

When dough cycle is complete, my machine takes about 2 hours with preheating, turn dough onto floured surface and punch down lightly. Shape into a ball and place in pan. Cover and leave to rise in a warm place until double in size (about 45 min).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush with melted butter and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 and bake for 30-35 minutes until top is golden brown and crisp. Cool on a wire rack.

BBQ Chicken Pizza (Dough Recipe Included)

2011-11-14T10:35:00.000-05:00

(*Sigh) I made this on Thursday and am just getting around to posting now even though it was fantastic! I really must devise a better method of blogging closer in time to when I actually do the cooking/baking, otherwise things will get lost and I'll forget to share my little tweaks. Anyway, last week while I was making a big batch of these cookies to send to my husband's friends, I decided to throw some dough in the breadmaker. Using a recipe from Bread Machine Bible, which was my first bread machine book (and favorite), I made dough for 2 large pizzas or 4 medium. Here's the recipe:

Breadmaker Pizza Dough
1 cup + 2 tbs water
2 tbs olive oil
3 1/4 c bread flour (I substituted about 1 1/2 c whole wheat)
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp instant dry yeast

Combine in the order listed or per the directions for your breadmaker. Put salt and sugar in separate corners. Make a well in the center of the flour and place your yeast. Set to "Dough" cycle.

My breadmaker's dough cycle takes just under 2 hours, including preheating time. After the dough was finished, I froze half and placed the other half in the fridge. The next day, I made my favorite bbq chicken pizza using my new method of shredding chicken.

BBQ Chicken Pizza
Note: This is a pizza making method, rather than a recipe. I recently discovered steaming and shredding chicken and am thrilled with the result of soaking it in a sauce. Ingredients and the quantity thereof are completely up to you.

1/2 - 1 lb chicken breasts, shredded
1 1/2 -2 c bbq sauce
3 large crowns broccoli (or 16 oz frozen), chopped
1 large onion, sliced
12 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
Dough for 1 pizza
Olive oil, salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Roll dough to shape of pizza pan. I used two quarter baking sheets. Liberally pierce dough with a fork (this will prevent dough from bubbling during the prebaking process). Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, if desired. Bake dough for 10-12 minutes until light golden brown. (Note: If you use a pizza stone, this step may not be necessary.)

Meanwhile, saute onion in olive oil until tender. Sprinkle with salt. Depending upon the sweetness of your bbq sauce, you could caramelize the onion which will take 10-15 minutes longer. Stir in shredded chicken and broccoli(I pre-steamed my broccoli). Top with sauce, rinsing out bottle with up to 1/4 c water. Cook for 5 minutes until everything in the pan has reached the same temperature or the until the broccoli is tender. Make sure to moderate your heat as not to cause too much of the sauce to evaporate.

Spread meat/sauce/veggie mixture evenly over pizza dough. If you didn't prebake the dough, brush edges with olive oil for a nice browning.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until cheese is golden brown.

Makes 1 large pie or two smaller ones.

Slowcooker Chili with Shredded Beef

2011-11-11T09:57:00.000-05:00

Happy Veterans/Armistice Day! It's a beautiful fall day here in Northern Virginia. Temps are in the 40s and I'm watching a flurry of red, yellow, and orange leaves blow past my window. Today's recipe comes from Lynn's Kitchen Adventures and is perfect for those chilly days when you just need a little of chili. :) My version is below. (See Lynn's original recipe here). Instead of cheese and chips, I served it with easy cheese whole wheat quesadillas which were perfect for dipping.

3 lb chuck roast, cut into about 4 large pieces
1 large onion, diced
2 green peppers, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 c chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 cup beef broth
2 – 28 oz cans tomatoes, diced
1- 15 once can kidney beans
1- 15 once can black beans
1/4 cup cornmeal*
Salt, pepper, olive oil
Shredded cheese for serving

1. Season meat liberally with salt and pepper. Brown in oil and place in bottom of a preheated crock pot.**

2. Add beans, tomatoes, onions, green peppers, garlic, and broth. Add cornmeal. Season with spices and give everything a good stir.

3. Cook on low for 7-8 hours until meat is tender and falling apart.

4. Remove beef and shred using two forks. Return to pot and adjust seasonings.

5. Serve in bowls with a sprinkle of cheese (or something cheesy like quesadillas).

Serves 6-8

*The cornmeal is for thickening--I used masa harina corn flour which was recommended in the comments to Lynn's recipe and is smoother. I didn't notice it at all. Alternatively, I might omit the cornmeal and reduce the beef broth as there is plenty of liquid from the veggies.

**I recently learned that you should put hot things in a hot pot and cold things in a cold pot to prevent growth of bacteria. There's a catchy rhyme, but I don't remember it.

Just a little update...

2011-11-08T22:26:00.001-05:00

Source: thefishieskitchen.blogspot.com via thefishie on Pinterest

It's only Tuesday and I'm already changing my menu. First, last night I made a double batch of Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies to send to my husband's former unit now deployed in Iraq. I think that is enough cookies for the week, so the pumpkin cranberry cookies will have to wait till next week.

While I was baking cookies, I decided to make a batch of pizza dough in my breadmaker (recipe to come). I froze half of the dough and have half in the fridge for bbq chicken pizza tomorrow (that reminds me that I should take chicken out of the freezer!).

Just put Garden Minestrone Soup in the slowcooker and I'm going to bed just as soon as I finish this post. It'll simmer in the crock overnight and tomorrow I'll add in the spinach and shells.

Since pizza is definitely on the menu, I'm bumping the eggplant bolognese until next week. Not only do I think the eggplant parm is probably going to use all my eggplant, I used nearly all my tomatoes in the soup and don't want to make another trip to the store just for canned tomatoes.

Finally, I used my third premade baking mix this morning and made pancakes! They came out a bit flat, but since it was a new recipe, I don't believe the "premade" factor hurt them. My goal is to make another batch of mixes this weekend, including waffle mix and maybe some instant oatmeal packets.

Okay, time for bed. Thanks for stopping by!

Menu Planning (Week 3)

2011-11-07T05:01:00.053-05:00

Happy Monday! I'm posting my plan on Monday due to other scheduled posts, but started hopefully started cooking on Sunday with a nice pot of chili. Last week I did pretty well on the menu making a chicken brown rice bake, ribs using this spice rub, black bean and rice burritos, turkey and spinach lasagna, and spaghetti and meatballs. Instead of the pumpkin chocolate bars I had planned, I made pumpkin chocolate chip muffins which were fantastic. I also made seven baking mixes which are stored in the freezer for quick use--well, there are only five left now as I made muffins earlier this week and just took a batch of yummy chocolate-cranberry scones out of the oven. They are a huge timeaver I can keep in the habit of making them. I made dry mixes for banana muffins, scones, pancakes, and biscuits.

This week we'll be eating out on Thursday evening and possibly another night, so I'm planning dishes which can be frozen. Here's the menu, in no particular order:

Main Dishes

1. Eggplant Parmesan

Source: myrecipes.com via thefishie on Pinterest

2. Garden Minestrone Soup

Source: joyinmykitchen.blogspot.com via thefishie on Pinterest

3. Crock Pot Shredded Beef Chili

Source: lynnskitchenadventures.com via thefishie on Pinterest

4. Flank steak with creamed spinach and roasted parmesan potatoes.

Source: thefishieskitchen.blogspot.com via thefishie on Pinterest

Source: oneperfectbite.blogspot.com via thefishie on Pinterest

Source: lynnskitchenadventures.com via thefishie on Pinterest

5. Eggplant Bolognese

Source: myrecipes.com via thefishie on Pinterest

6. Butternut Squash Stuffed with Cauliflower & Cranberry Couscous

Source: poorgirleatswell.com via thefishie on Pinterest

Other Goodies

Pumpkin Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Source: wholefoodsmarket.com via thefishie on Pinterest

This post is linked to I'm an Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

2011-11-06T17:26:00.004-05:00

I absolutely love my turkey meatball recipe--that recipe really turned me on to meatballs despite being a pasta fan. Thus, when I saw this recipe at Finding Joy in My Kitchen, I leaped to try it. Unfortunately, they turned out rather dry. Maybe I over-cooked them? Maybe I didn't use ground beef with enough fat in it? (I used 93/7). Maybe I shouldn't have added a bit of cheese? Maybe I should have sauted the onions as I do in my turkey meatball recipe. With all these things to adjust, I'm posting the recipe.

1 lb. ground beef
1 egg
1/4 c onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. dried, minced garlic (or 2 fresh cloves)
1/4 C panko bread crumbs
1/4 c parmesan cheese, shredded
salt & pepper
Pasta
3-4 C spaghetti sauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine all ingredients except pasta and sauce. You may wish to first saute that onions and garlic.

Bake on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper for 20-25 minutes.

Serve over pasta and sauce.

Serves 2-4

Black Bean and Rice Burritos

2011-11-05T23:25:00.000-04:00

The recipe for this simple meatless meal comes from the Skinny Mom's Kitchen. It comes together quickly, with just a touch of heat. Sorry the pictures are terrible--I have to work on the lighting in our new apartment.

1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 or 2 15 oz can black beans (1 can was plenty for two)
14.5 oz can tomatoes1 c chicken stock
2.5 c cooked brown rice
1 1/2 c shredded cheese
4-8 tortillas (depending on size)
salt, pepper, olive oil

Saute onion in olive oil until tender (about 5 minutes). Add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, and cayenne.

Add black beans, tomatoes, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Warm burrito in skillet then fill with rice, cheese, and beans.

Serves 4

Chicken Brown Rice Bake

2011-11-04T12:18:00.000-04:00

If you can believe it, I've actually finished my entire week's menu except for the Zucchini Cheese Soup which is going in the pot today! I've taken pictures of everything and will hopefully post them in individual posts soon. Last night we had Chicken Brown Rice Bake which I found at Finding Joy in My Kitchen. Basically, it's a light creamed chicken and rice dish (with veggies, of course), which is the perfect comfort food for a gloomy day. It's a great recipe using ingredients from the freezer, but also worth the effort if you want to make it all from scratch. Here's my version, which increases the amount of mushrooms, uses butter and olive oil, cooked rice, and a bit of seasoning.

3 c cooked brown rice
2-3 c cooked chicken, shredded (see note)
1-2 TBS butter
16 oz mushrooms, sliced
12 oz broccoli (fresh or frozen)
1 large onion, diced
1 large leek (white and green), sliced
2 T corn starch
1 C half and half + 1 TBS
1 c chicken broth
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 C Parmesan cheese, grated
salt, pepper, olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Saute leeks and onion in olive oil until tender (about 5 minutes). Melt in butter and add mushrooms. Cook until most of liquid has evaporated. Season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Toss in broccoli and broth. Simmer for 5-10 minutes until broccoli becomes tender. Add chicken and garlic powder. Give a good stir and cook for a minute or two.

Combine corn starch with 1 TBS half and half. Stir into mixture and cook for another minute or two. Stir in half and half and cook until mixture thicken a bit (result should be creamy).

Spread cooked rice into the bottom of a 9 x 13" pan. Top with creamy mixture. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.

Top with parmesan cheese and bake an additional 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted and golden brown.

Serves 4-6.

NOTE: I learned that you can cook chicken breasts, even frozen ones, in steamer bags. Place 1-2 chicken breasts per bag and cook for 7-10 minutes until cooked through.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

2011-10-31T00:19:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween! I had originally intended to make these pumpkin chocolate chip bars, but muffins seemed to be the easier option when I started baking at 11pm. I haven't tried them yet, but the batter tasted yummy and they look beautiful. I used this recipe which I found at Lynn's Kitchen Adventures, which is also posted at Allrecipes.com.

Ingredients

3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I used canola)
2 eggs
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1/2 c whole wheat, 1 c all purpose)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 each ground nutmeg and ground cloves (I subbed 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare muffin pan.

Mix sugar, oil, eggs. Add pumpkin and water.

In separate bowl mix together the baking flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt.

Add wet mixture and stir in chocolate chips.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins

Menu Planning (Week 2)

2011-10-29T17:03:00.000-04:00

Happy Saturday! I'm a little bummed because while an early winter storm is crossing through the east this weekend carrying rain and snow, all we're seeing is RAIN. Folks just west of us have received quite a bit of snow, which just isn't fair.

Anyway, turning to the menu. Let's review last week's menu. From the list, I made chicken stock (about 12-14 cups worth), butternut squash soup, baked apricot chicken, unstuffed bell peppers, and slowcooker Moroccan Chicken. We also had turkey sandwiches, cherry and goat cheese salads, raviolis, and pasta w/mixed veggies. I didn't get around to making the zucchini cheese soup or muffin mixes so they will be carried to this week. Additionally, because they looked yummy, last night we had sweet and savory short ribs in the slowcooker with a baked sweet potato.

On the menu this week:

Main Dishes

1. Zucchini Cheese Soup (continued from last week)

Source: cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com via thefishie on Pinterest

2. Chicken Brown Rice Bake

Source: joyinmykitchen.blogspot.com via thefishie on Pinterest

3. Turkey Spinach Lasagna

Source: thefishieskitchen.blogspot.com via thefishie on Pinterest

4. Black Bean and Rice Burritos

Source: skinnymomskitchen.com via thefishie on Pinterest

5. Spaghetti and Meatballs

Source: joyinmykitchen.blogspot.com via thefishie on Pinterest

6. Ribs (using this rub and a bottled sauce I got while apple picking)

Source: fullbelliesmakehappykids.wordpress.com via thefishie on Pinterest

Other goodies:

1. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip bars

Source: twopeasandtheirpod.com via thefishie on Pinterest

2. Muffin Mixes

Source: goodcheapeats.com via thefishie on Pinterest

Unstuffed Bell Peppers

2011-10-26T14:51:00.000-04:00

About 3 months ago, I made my first ever Stuffed Bell Peppers, rediscovering something that I hated as a child. I think it may have been the minute rice that my folks used or maybe the peppers weren't par-boiled. Nonetheless, I loved the recipe which I found at What's Cooking Chicago? This time, I followed a recipe from Finding Joy in My Kitchen entitled "Unstuffed Pepper Skillet", making only minor adaptations based on what I had on hand and the order I added some of the ingredients. I loved this recipe nearly as much as the real deal, as did my husband. Plus, I was able to throw it together in about half an hour using precooked or leftover brown rice, which is always a plus for a weeknight.

Sorry for the poor picture. I'm still unpacking and have misplaced the digital camera.

Unstuffed Bell Peppers

1/2 lb ground turkey
1 medium onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
2-3 medium bell peppers (I used red and yellow), chopped
15 oz can of tomato sauce
1/3 c water (I eyeballed and used about 1/2 a can)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp chili powder
2 c brown rice, cooked
1 c shredded cheese for serving (I used cheddar)

Saute onions and carrots in olive oil for 2 minutes or so until they begin to become tender. Add turkey, sprinkle with salt, pepper, oregano, and basil. Continue cooking until turkey is browned and cooked through.

Add peppers and cook for a minute.

Add water, tomato sauce, and chili powder. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, on low for 10-15 minutes until veggies are tender.

Stir in rice and cook on medium-low until heated through, about another 10 minutes.

Serve with a sprinkle of cheese.

Serves 4.

Menu Planning! (Week 1)

2011-10-22T14:56:00.015-04:00

Yes, I finally decided to start menu planning on my blog. For ideas on how to menu plan and more lists, make sure to check the Organizing Junkie's Menu Planning Monday. I don't know when I'll post this list each week, probably either Saturday or Sunday, so we'll see if I remember to link my list to her site. Anyway, I've made weekly lists of dishes to cook for some time, but for whatever reason never bothered to post my lists on my blog. Now with Pinterest, posting what I plan to cook should be a breeze. To obtain the recipe, click the picture which will take you to Pinterest, then click the picture again for the website where the recipe is found. Each week I'll probably include a couple favorites from my blog as well as new recipes from the web that I've been meaning to try. For recipes from my blog, I'll try to remember to hyperlink the title of the dish, as well.

Here's what we'll be eating this week, in no particular order:

Lunches

1. Zucchini Cheese Soup

Source: cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com via thefishie on Pinterest

2. Butternut Squash Soup

Source: thefishieskitchen.blogspot.com via thefishie on Pinterest

3. Sandwiches/wraps (turkey w/cranberry sauce)

4. Salads (e.g. dried cherry with goat cheese, black bean w/chicken and cheddar)

5. Stuffed baked potato (bacon, sour cream, cheese)

Main Dishes

1. Unstuffed Pepper Skillet

Source: joyinmykitchen.blogspot.com via thefishie on Pinterest

2. Baked Apricot Chicken

Source: thefishieskitchen.blogspot.com via thefishie on Pinterest

3. Slowcooker Moroccan Chicken

Source: thefishieskitchen.blogspot.com via thefishie on Pinterest

4. Raviolis (from Sam's Club)

4. Penne w/mixed veggies

Other Things to Make

1. Chicken stock (with leftover bones, if I remember)

2. Muffin mixes

Source: goodcheapeats.com via thefishie on Pinterest

Welcome to Northern Virginia!

2011-10-22T12:32:00.004-04:00

Source: None via Michelle on Pinterest

Hello everyone, I know it's been over a month and I'm sorry for the long blogging silence. As you may know (or guessed from the title of this post), we've recently moved to Northern Virginia, just south of DC. After more than a month of living in-transit (with family and hotels), we finally are settling into a new home (with a ton of unpacking to do). All my furniture and stuff which was stored in Chicago has been delivered though we're still waiting on our stuff from Hawaii (which was picked up by the movers at the end of August!), but I'm happy for the breather in between.

I'm slowly adjusting to semi-suburban life, which has its pros and cons. Public transit-wise, we're just beyond the DC Metro system and thus are limited to commuter trains and buses. They're are some sidewalks, but like many suburbs, they tend to stop abruptly. However, I did make sure the sidewalks nearby go to all the important places--the gym, a grocery store (Super Walmart), and several little strip malls which house a CVS, 7-Eleven (with Citibank ATM), Dollar Tree, Five Guys (best burgers ever), Little Cesars (my husband's childhood fav), Applebees, a dry cleaners, and more.

Our new home for the present is a cozy apartment in a complex right across the street from the nicest Super Walmart I've seen, and thus far doesn't seem scuzzy at all. Somehow I've managed to live across the street from a market in every apartment I've rented in the mainland so I'm glad to continue this trend. Prices aren't as nice as the commissary, but they're close enough for many things. I'm going to do my first real bit of marketing there later today, so I'll get a better feel for the selection. (I'm not too worried, however, as there's Costco, Sam's Club, as well as Safeway and a bunch of little markets not too far away.)

I have the whole day to unpack so I'd better get moving. Check back later today to see what I'm planning foodwise for the coming days.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

2011-09-11T15:20:00.000-04:00

This is modified from an Alton Brown recipe. I think there's also a video on the Food Network website in which Alton prepares it with his son. This recipe seems to have an unusually large amount of mustard powder, but it still wasn't quite flavorful enough so I added a pinch of cayenne. He also used panko bread crumbs, which I didn't have, so I used a handful of ciabatta croutons that I'd made the day before and made up the rest with sourdough bread crumbs. It was visually appealing and quite tasty.

Ingredients

1/2 pound pasta, cooked (I used bow ties)
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon powdered mustard
3 cups milk (I used 2% and skim)
1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 large egg
12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
1 teaspoon kosher salt
black pepper

Topping:

3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup bread crumbs, toasted if desired

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt the butter in a small pot (large enough to make the cheese sauce) on the stove. When the bubbling stops, whisk in flour and cook for five minutes.

Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, mustard, cayenne and paprika. Simmer for about ten minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove the bay leaf.

Add the egg (temper it first to prevent scrambled eggs). Stir in 3/4 of the cheese and season with salt and pepper.

Combine cheese sauce and pasta in casserole dish (I used a 9 x 13" pan). Top with remaining cheese.

Melt the remaining 3 TBS

For topping, mix melted 3 TBS of butter with bread crumbs. Spread evenly over the macaroni and cheese.

Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Serves 6

Jamie Oliver's Roasted Tomato Soup with Croutons

2011-09-06T01:09:00.001-04:00

Each month, sometimes twice a month, Williams Sonoma offers a cookbook class. You receive a cookbook, usually a recent one, and enjoy a meal prepared for you from recipes in the book. This month the featured cookbook was Meals in Minutes by Jamie Oliver which won't be released until October. The cookbook itself is rather interesting and quite novel. Instead of individual recipes, each page is a plan for a full meal to be prepared in 30 minutes. It gives you a list of all the ingredients for each recipe and then tells you how to prepare everything at once. It's great if you're preparing the entire menu, but somewhat challenging if you only want to prepare a component part since individual cooking times are often not listed. Nonetheless, there are a bunch of interesting dishes that seem worth the time, including this one for roasted tomato soup.

My auntie loved this recipe, although I wasn't too enthused. The balsamic vinegar certainly gave it an interesting tang. Possibly if the tomatoes were sweeter or if I had caramelized the onions, I might have liked it better, but it was just too strong as it--basil and balsamic vinegar were the most prominent flavors. Alternatively, if I made it again, I might thin it out with some chicken stock.

2.25 lbs cherry tomatoes
4 large tomatoes
4 cloves garlic
1 ciabatta loaf
2 small red onions, chopped
1/4 c balsamic vinegar
2 TBS tomato paste (my addition)
1/2 c - 1 c fresh basil
4 tbs of creme fraiche or to taste
salt, pepper, olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Chop large tomatoes in half or in quarters. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Peel and crush (lightly) garlic cloves and toss together with tomatoes. Roast for 15 minutes on the top rack.

Chop or tear ciabatta into crouton-sized bites, drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Bake until golden brown 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, saute onions in olive oil over medium until tender. Sprinkle with salt. (You may want to caramelize them for additional sweetness to your soup. If doing so, cook on medium-low or low for 20-30+ minutes.). Stir in balsamic vinegar and let it reduce down (another 5 minutes or so).

Combine tomatoes and onions. Puree mixture in batches in a blender with basil. Return to saucepan.

Over medium, stir in tomato paste and adjust seasonings accordingly.

For serving, top with creme fraiche and additional basil for garnish, if desired. Serve with croutons.

Serves 4 (unless having as main course, then 2).

Fudgy Brownies

2011-08-12T09:10:00.009-04:00

This recipe is one of Cooking Light's most popular, I believe. I remember seeing it often on promotional flyers, as well as in a couple of magazines. It's definitely more work than using a mix or making cupcakes or cookies, but I love their fudgey texture. This time I made them to crumble in my homemade chocolate ice cream. Fabulous!

5 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
2/3 cup Dutch process or unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 325°.

Melt butter and chocolate in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in cocoa; cook 1 minute. Stir in sugar, and cook 1 minute (mixture will almost form a ball and be difficult to stir). Remove pan from heat; cool slightly. Gradually add warm chocolate mixture to egg whites and egg, stirring with a whisk until well-blended. Combine flour and baking powder; add flour mixture to chocolate mixture, stirring well.

Spoon batter into a 9-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 325° for 27-30 minutes (do not overbake). Cool on a wire rack.

Yield: 20 servings

Buttermilk Oven Fried Chicken (another variation)

2011-08-09T09:09:00.011-04:00

This is another variation of my oven fried chicken recipe. I've been trying to finish a package of Bob Mill's corn meal. It's a little coarsely ground for this use, but I would try it again with a thinner ground. It gives the chicken an added crunch. I laughed when I looked back at the last time I posted this dish and was surprised to notice that I also served it with the same sides--the wild rice is probably leftover from the same batch as it came from my freezer.

2 c buttermilk
2 lbs chicken pieces
1 c corn meal
1/2 c all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1.5 tsp paprika (or more to taste--I use heaping tsp)
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp garlic powder (I used toasted garlic powder)
4 tbs melted butter

1. Marinate chicken in buttermilk for two hours up to overnight. (Alternatively, skip this step and simply dip the chicken in buttermilk before dredging in the flour mixture).

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

3. Whisk together flour, salt, paprika, pepper, and garlic powder in a plastic bag or bowl/tray large enough to accommodate chicken.

4. Drain chicken and coat liberally in flour mixture. Shake off excess flour.

5. Place chicken on a rack in a 9 x 13 baking pan or jelly roll pan. The rack allows the fat to drip away and makes for crispier chicken. Brush or drizzle liberally with melted butter.

6. Bake 30 minutes, turn, and cook for another 20-30 minutes or until cooked through. If chicken becomes too brown, cover loosely with tinfoil.

Serves 4.

Buttermilk Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes

2011-08-07T21:07:00.000-04:00

The pictures aren't terribly flattering, but these were fantastic! On an impulse, I searched Marthastewart.com for a new buttermilk pancakes recipe as I had some buttermilk to finish. I had never tried a pancakes or waffle recipe with brown sugar and I think that's what made all the difference. For the last couple pancakes, I mixed in some chocolate chips which are my husband's favorite. I don't recommend using a Circulon pan because you get those silly rings like a tree trunk, but taste is what counts.

1.5 tbs butter
2 TBS vegetable oil
1 c and a splash of buttermilk (start with 1 c and thin if necessary)
1 egg
1/2 c all purpose flour
1/2 c whole wheat flour
2 tbs brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 banana thinly sliced
handful of chocolate chips, if desired

Stir together flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl whisk together all liquids, including egg.

Pour batter onto preheated griddle or skillet. When bubbles begin to form, sprinkle bananas. Flip and finish cooking.

Serves 2

RR Grilled Flank Steak

2011-07-27T02:54:00.002-04:00

This is one of the first recipes I ever tried from the internet (or from a celebrity chef) and having been using for more than 5 years now. According to Food Network, this recipe aired in Season 5 (2004) of 30 Minutes Meals, with Rachael Ray, of course. Although I've tried other flank steak marinades, this ones is always my go-to recipe. I think it's all the garlic plus the smokiness of cumin and paprika that I like. This is excellent as a main dish, as well as in salads or fajitas, which is how I usually finish the leftovers. Tonight I accompanied the dish with roasted baby red potatoes which were as cute as they were yummy.

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon grill seasoning blend (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika,
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp hot sauce, if desired
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds flank steak

Whisk together garlic through olive oil. Pour over steak and marinade for about 20 minutes (probably no more than an hour since there's vinegar), flipping half-way through. (I often use a ziploc bag for easy cleanup.)

Grill about 5-7 minutes per side for medium rare, depending upon the thickness of the meat.

Remove from grill and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice thinly against the grain.

Serves 4.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

2011-07-23T16:31:00.000-04:00

As a kid, for whatever reason I could not stand this dish. Possibly because it was made with minute rice, which I despised. This time I loved it!

This recipe is from a neat blog that I only discovered after leaving Chicago called "What's Cooking Chicago?" I made only minor adaptations, mainly subbing in brown rice for white rice and leaving out a topping. The original post recommends freezing before baking. I, however, froze the leftovers. Just asked my husband how the frozen one was and he said there was something funky about it, but (a) I don't know whether he shares his mommy's aversion to bell peppers that you can see or (b) whether he heated it to the proper temperature. Thus, I probably would freeze again if I had leftovers.

4 green bell peppers
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1 med onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1.25 lb ground beef (fairly lean works)
splash of Worcestershire sauce (about 1 tbs)
14.5 oz drain tomatoes, chopped (drain and reserve 1/4 c liquid)
1/4 c ketchup (I omitted)
1.5 c of shredded cheese (I used a cheddar mexican mix)
2 tbs fresh parsley (or 2 tsp dried)
salt, pepper, olive oil

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil, deep enough to fully submerge your peppers. Salt the water. Slice the top off of each pepper and remove seeds and membranes. Cook each pepper for about 3 minutes--they should still be fairly crisp. Drain and place in 9" square pan.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F.

3. Saute onions in olive oil until softened. Add ground beef, season with salt and pepper, and cook until browned. Stir in garlic and splash of Worcestershire sauce in the last minute. Remove from heat.

4. In a separate bowl, mix rice, beef, 1 c cheese, tomatoes, and parsley. (If using ketchup, in a small bowl mix with reserved tomato juice). Spoon evenly into peppers. Top with reserved cheese (and ketchup mixture, if using).

5. Bake for 30 minutes or until browned.

Serves 4

Strawberries and Cream Popsicles

2011-07-21T06:12:00.000-04:00

This summer I've been on an ice cream kick. It quickly expanded to popsicles! This recipe is from Our Best Bites. They're a little icy, but quite yummy. Over the weekend I tried them with raspberries and chocolate pudding. The raspberries were a bit too tart, but the chocolate pudding was quite good.

1 small box instant vanilla pudding (I used fat free)
1 C skim milk
6 oz vanilla yogurt (fat free)
2 c strawberries, roughly chopped
2-3 T sugar

1. In a blender or food processor, pulse strawberries with 2 tbs of sugar. Taste and add more sugar, if desired.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together pudding mix, milk, and yogurt.

3. In pudding molds, layer strawberries and pudding. Swirl with a spoon, if desired.

4. Freeze overnight.

Makes 6 large popsicles or 8 smaller ones.

Buttermilk Oven-Fried Chicken

2011-07-19T12:12:00.001-04:00

This is an adaptation of the Bisquick oven-fried chicken recipe that has long appeared on the box. Growing up, we called it "shake-a-shake-a" chicken. I was also inspired by this Ina Garten recipe to use up some buttermilk in the fridge. The result was super!

2-3 lbs assorted chicken pieces (I used leg quarters)
2 c buttermilk
1.5 c all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1.5 tsp paprika (or more to taste--I use heaping tsp)
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp garlic powder (I used toasted garlic powder)
4 tbs melted butter

1. Marinate chicken in buttermilk for two hours up to overnight. (Alternatively, skip this step and simply dip the chicken in buttermilk before dredging in the flour mixture).

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

3. Whisk together flour, salt, paprika, pepper, and garlic powder in a plastic bag or bowl/tray large enough to accommodate chicken.

4. Drain chicken and coat liberally in flour mixture. Shake off excess flour.

5. Place chicken on a rack in a 9 x 13 baking pan or jelly roll pan. The rack allows the fat to drip away and makes for crispier chicken. Brush or drizzle liberally with melted butter.

6. Bake 30 minutes, turn, and cook for another 20-30 minutes or until cooked through. If chicken becomes too brown, cover loosely with tinfoil.

Serves 4.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

2011-07-04T22:13:00.000-04:00

Happy Fourth of July! I had the best of intentions to make my red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese icing and dye the icing red white and blue. However, first I was out of cocoa powder, then the icing did not turn out for whatever reason. Probably because I used fat free cream cheese which has a different consistency than the low fat version I used here. Thus, I turned to my jam-filled cupcakes recipe and searched the web for a chocolate frosting recipe without cocoa powder. This one fit the bill, adapted well to substitution, and is fantastic! They're in the fridge right now waiting to go to a bbq. Hopefully, they'll be able to sit out for a bit but either way the taste is definitely worth it.

8 oz cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat)
1/4 c whipping cream (I used FF 1/2 and 1/2)
1/4 c confectioner's sugar
1 c semi sweet chocolate chips

Melt chocolate chips and cream in double boiler. Remove from heat and beat in cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Refrigerate for 15 minutes until thickened.

Frosts 12-15 cupcakes

Slowcooker Honey Hoisin Chicken

2011-06-20T08:01:00.000-04:00

This recipe is from A Year of Slow Cooking and was intended for chicken wings. My husband loves hoisin sauce, so I didn't imagine there would be much harm in trying the recipe with larger chicken pieces. I swapped in crushed red pepper for the hot sauce mainly because I didn't have any on hand and omitted the oil because I forgot to add it. The chicken turned out quite yummy and disappeared in a flash! If only I had made more so there would have been leftovers. I server this over brown rice with grilled zucchini on the side.

3 lbs chicken pieces (wings, thighs, drumsticks, etc)
1/2 cup Hoisin Sauce
1/4 cup honey
4-5 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
1 inch of ginger, peeled and minced or grated
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

Whisk all ingredients except for chicken together.

Arrange chicken in even layers on bottom of the slow cooker.

Pour sauce over chicken. Turn to coat.

Cook for 4 hours on high or 6-7 on low. (I did a combination of the two temperatures, about 2 one high and 3-4 on low.) The longer you cook the chicken, the more likely it is to fall apart, however. If you're looking to eat the chicken with your fingers, monitor it closely. Make sure to turn the chicken whenever you check for doneness. This will help it turn a lovely mahogany brown color.

serves 4-6

My Recipe Index (finally!)

2011-06-19T00:44:00.017-04:00

Motivated by the Organizing Junkie Recipe Index Round-Up, I finally began assembling my recipes into an index. At the moment, all the recipes posted since I moved back to Hawaii (November 2010 and forward) are linked below, as well as select categories. If you click on the heading of each category, you will be taken to a long version of all the recipes that I have tagged with that category. I will endeavor to update the index on a regular basis, so check back for updates!

[Beef] [Breads] [Breakfast] [Desserts] [Lamb] [Pasta] [Pork] [Poultry] [Sides] [Slow Cooker] [Soups] [Veggies and Legumes]

Beef
Beef Broccoli in the Slow Cooker
Beef Pot Pie (cheater version)
Chili with Beef
Grilled Flank Steak
Stuffed Bell Peppers
Sweet and Savory Short Ribs with Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Breads and Muffins
Another Honey Wheat Bread Apple Oat Muffins
Easy Banana Muffins
Blueberry-Oat Muffins
Buttermilk blueberry muffins
Carrot-Apple Muffins w/Raisins and Pecans
Bagels from scratch
Cheddar Bacon Biscuits
Cheddar Biscuits with Sage
Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Cinnamon Raisin Granola Bars
Chocolate-Chocolate Muffins
Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Easy Cornbread with Turkey Chili
Fall Banana Bread
Honey Wheat Bagels
Honey Whole Wheat Bread (Breadmaker)
Honey Whole Wheat Bread
Honey Whole Wheat Bread with Flax Seed
Low-fat Blueberry Muffins
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Pumpkin Muffins with Raisins and Walnuts
Simple French Boule Super Easy Cornbread Muffins
Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cherry Scones
Whole Wheat Banana-Chocolate Muffins with Pecans

Breakfast
Buttermilk Pancakes with Wheat Germ
Buttermilk Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes
Easy Potato Pancakes
Ham, Asparagus, and Shallots Crustless Quiche
Pancakes with Pineapple Sauce
Whole Wheat Belgian Waffles with Oatmeal

Desserts and Snacks
Cherry Upside Down Cake
Chocolate Banana Cream Pie
Chocolate Cherry Log Cake
Chocolate Cheesecake (super easy)
Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting (perfect with Jam-Filled Cupcakes)
Double Chocolate Chip Ice Cream (no eggs)
Chocolate Cream Pie
Cinnamon Raisin Granola Bars
Cranberry Shortbread Cookies
Jam-Filled Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
Martha Stewart Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Pecan-Cherry Granola Bars
Raspberry Oatmeal Crumb Bars
Red Velvet Chocolate Layer Cake
Strawberry Layer Cake
Strawberries and Cream Popsicles

Lamb
Braised Lamb with Tomato Reduction
Irish Lamb Stew
Leg of Lamb with Herbs and Mustard
Slowcooker Lamb with Dried Plums
Slowcooker Lamb Shanks with Dried Plums

Pasta
Broccoli Whole Wheat Mac and Cheese
Simple Pasta with Meat Sauce
Turkey Bolognese
Turkey Spinach Lasagna
Turkey Spinach Mushroom Lasagna
Turkey Shells

Pork
Garlic Alfredo Ham and Veggies
Ham and Spinach Pasta
Ham, Asparagus, and Shallots Crustless Quiche
Mustard-Sugar Glazed Ham

Poultry (Chicken, Turkey)
Baked Apricot Chicken
Blackened Chicken Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing
Buttermilk Oven-Fried Chicken
Chicken Brown Rice Bake
Chicken Fried Rice
Herb butter roasted turkey
Our Best Bites Chicken Cacciatore
Mango Chicken Stir Fry
Parmesan Chicken Tenders
Roast Turkey Breast
Roasted and Steamed Duck
Moroccan Chicken
Slowcooker Honey Hoisin Chicken
Slowcooker Shoyu Chicken
Spicy Honey Brushed Chicken with Brown Rice
Turkey Bolognese
Turkey Chili with Cornbread
Turkey Meatballs
Turkey Shells
Unstuffed Bell Peppers

Slow Cooker Recipes
Beef Bourguignon (or fancy pot roast braised with wine)
Beef Broccoli in the Slow Cooker
Beef Burgundy
Beef and Mushroom Soup
Beef Stroganoff
Beef Stroganoff II
Slowcooker Black Bean Soup
Chicken Cacciatore
Honey Hoisin Chicken
Kalua Pig
Mac and Cheese
Moroccan Chicken
Lamb with Prunes
Slowcooker Lamb Shanks with Dried Plums
Lamb Tagine
Slowcooker Shoyu Chicken
Sweet and Savory Short Ribs
Teriyaki Chicken

Sides
Apple Cider Cranberry Sauce
Brown Rice
Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Easy Scalloped Potatoes
Sage Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
Sourdough-Cornbread Cranberry Walnut Stuffing
Wild Rice with Dried Cherries

Soups, Stews, and Chilis
Chili with Beef
Beef and Mushroom Soup
Slowcooker Black Bean Soup
Irish Lamb Stew
Turkey Chili with Cornbread

Veggies and Legumes
Black Bean Burritos
Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Mushrooms

Double Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

2011-06-12T06:51:00.001-04:00

This simple recipe was modified from this recipe at Southernfood. I have been wanting to make ice cream for some time after seeing a number of recipes on the various food blogs I follow in the recent weeks. This recipe was incredibly simple since there are no eggs in it, however for best results it is best to chill the ice cream mixture overnight and the ice cream before serving. I already have another recipe in the works, so look for more ice cream adventures soon!

3 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 c granulated sugar
2 c milk
1 c cream (original recipe reversed the milk and cream)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c mini chocolate chips or roughly chopped dark chocolate

Combine all ingredients except vanilla and chips in a small saucepan. Cook over medium low to medium, stirring frequently until all the chocolate is melted. Stir in vanilla.

If desired, process mixture through blender until completely smooth. Cool completely, ideally overnight.

Pour chilled mixture into churning ice cream maker. (I used the Kitchen Aide stand mixer attachment and it worked marvelously.) Slowly add in chips or whatever add-ins you choose.

Churn until soft serve thickness is achieved. This took 20-30 minutes on low.

Chill overnight until firm. As you can see in this picture, it is definitely more ice cream-like. Note that the true commercial texture will not be achieved unless you first make a custard using eggs. Still, not bad at all, tasty, and definitely scoopable!

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cherry Scones

2011-06-10T13:47:00.001-04:00

This was my first attempt at making scones. I have lately taken quite a liking to them at the local bakery and even at Starbucks because they seem more filling than a muffin. I remember once thinking that they were too dry to be enjoyed, but either recipes have become less so or my tastes have changed. Anyway, I adapted this recipe at Cranberry Morning to swap in whole wheat and make the recipe a little lighter. (Sorry the pictures aren't so hot. I snapped them in the morning before taking them to work and it was overcast.)

Printable Version

Ingredients
3/4 c whole wheat flour
1.25 c all purpose flour
1/3 c sugar
2.5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c butter, diced
2/3 c half and half (I used 2% and it was okay but a little dry)
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 c chocolate chips or dark chocolate
1 c dried cherries (or cranberries)

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Whisk dry ingredients together in the base of the stand mixer. Cut in butter and mix until crumbly.

In a separate small bowl, mix half and half (or milk), vanilla, and egg. With the mixer on low, gradually add in liquid until well-mixed.

Stir in chocolate chips and dried berries.

Drop large scoops onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. (I used my muffin scoop, which is about 1/4 to 5/8 of a cup).

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. You may also want to use a toothpick to check for complete doneness.

Makes 10-12 medium scones.

Spicy Honey Brushed Chicken with Brown Rice

2011-06-07T03:51:00.000-04:00

This easy chicken recipe appeared in the September 2010 Cooking Light. It's prepared completely using the broiler, although I'm sure the grill would work too. I'm including my method of preparing brown rice although it's not terribly novel, I love it.

Spicy Honey Chicken

2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
8 skinless boneless chicken thighs
6 tbs honey
2 tsp cider vinegar

Preheat broiler.

Whisk together dry spices. Coat chicken thoroughly with spice mixtures.

Broil for 5 minutes on each side.

Whisk together honey and vinegar.

Brush chicken with honey mixture and broil for an additional minute on each side, or until chicken is through.

Allow chicken to rest for at least 5 minutes before serving with brown rice.

Brown Rice

1.5 - 2 c chicken broth + water to make 2 c liquid total
1 c brown rice (look for brown rice with a decent fiber content)
Dash of salt if desired

In a medium saucepan, combine liquid and rice and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 35-45 min or until rice is tender.

4 servings

Broccoli Whole Wheat Mac and Cheese

2011-05-29T06:28:00.023-04:00

This is more similar to a casserole rather than traditional mac and cheese because you don't make a separate cheese sauce. However, a quick stir shows its creaminess. I grew up eating something similar to this, although the broccoli and whole wheat pasta are my additions. If you're looking to up the fiber in your pasta dishes, dishes with cheesy sauces are good ways to get introduced to them.

2 c sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
7 oz whole wheat pasta, cooked to al dente (I used shells)
1 - 1.5 c broccoli, steamed and chopped
3/4 c fat free condensed milk
1/2-1 tsp dried mustard
salt and pepper
1 egg + 2 egg whites, slightly beaten.
1 tbs butter, diced
1 c other shredded cheese (e.g., Parmesan + more cheddar, etc)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spritz a casserole dish with a little cooking spray. Lay a single layer of pasta, top with a handful of cheddar cheese, and a handful of broccoli. Sprinkle with a little salt, pepper, and ground mustard. Continue layering and seasoning until out of ingredients.

Add in eggs and milk, and stir the mixture together. Dot with butter.

Cover and bake for 30-40 minutes until liquid has set.

Uncover, top with 1 c of reserved cheese and bake until golden brown. (The dish shown below could have stayed in the oven a little longer, but I was hungry!)

Serves 4-6.

Slowcooker Lamb Shanks with Dried Plums

2011-05-22T14:39:00.000-04:00

Wow, time flies when I'm not looking! I knew I had skipped a weekend, but not 2 weekends!

I made this recipe at least two weeks ago, possibly during the first week of May because I know Easter made me think of lamb recipes. I modified this leg of lamb with prunes recipe from A Year of Slowcooking mainly by swapping in lamb shanks and adding more veggies. Even though it was just me, I ate all four servings and didn't freeze a bit!

(Sorry for the terrible pictures)

4 good-sized lamb shanks (Note: they're often sold in packs of 2)
2 carrots, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 onion, diced (1 cup)
1.5 c dried plums (prunes), roughly chopped (a few big handfuls)
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp cumin
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 c apple juice or white wine

Directions

In a small dish, mix dry spices.

(Optional) Brown lamb shanks in olive oil in a skillet.

Place chopped veggies in the base of the slowcooker. Sprinkle with a small amount of spice mixture, maybe 3/4 tsp.

Rub lamb with remaining spice mixture. Arrange in a circle over veggies. Try not to stack them, if possible.

Toss in prunes and pour in liquid. Add cinnamon stick.

Cook on low for 8 hours or until tender. Mine we perfect after 8 hours of cooking time and several hours on warm because I got home super late from work that day.

Serve with couscous, quinoa, or just some nice crusty bread.

4 servings

Lunch box shot.

Whole Wheat Banana-Chocolate Muffins with Pecans

2011-05-10T12:07:00.000-04:00

This is my first recipe using the GORGEOUS raspberry ice Kitchen Aide stand mixer that my auntie bought me. I will definitely post a picture of the stand mixer later, but you can see it here.

I woke up in the mood for muffins. After a quick Google search I found this recipe at Epicurious. It's a 1999 Bon Appetit recipe. I modified it slightly by adding whole wheat flour, using a few less chocolate chips, and adding pecans. After looking at the pictures, I probably could have added a few more chocolate chips, although the muffin I munched fresh from the oven had just enough.

1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 c all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1.5 tsp baking powder
2/3 c sugar
1/2 c butter
1/4 c milk
1 egg
1 c mashed bananas
1/2 c chocolate chips (original recipe calls for 3/4)
1/2 c pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar together. Add egg, mixing thoroughly.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. Slowly add dry mixture to wet, adding milk, as well. Add mashed bananas, mixing well.

Stir in chips and nuts.

Pour into prepared muffin pan, about 3/4ths full. This is a particularly dense batter, so it took about 40 minutes to bake. The muffins are done when a tooth pick comes out clean.

Makes 12 regular muffins

Sunday Supper Series #16 - Ham, Asparagus, and Shallots Crustless Quiche

2011-05-08T19:29:00.001-04:00

For no particular reason, I skipped last week's Sunday Supper. I had pictures and recipes to post, but didn't have the urge. Anyway, today's recipe is a super simple item for brunch. I baked a ham last week, taking advantage of the post-Easter sales and had a ton of leftovers. Ham seems to go well in breakfast times, even for those who are not fans of the ham and potatoes dinner. I modified recipes found at Finding Joy in My Kitchen and Simply Recipes. I went a little light on the cheese and perhaps too heavy on the milk, but it turned out just fine. Definitely a yummy dish that I will make again.

3 eggs + 2 egg whites
1/2 c skim milk
1/2 c 2% milk
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 c cubed cooked ham
1/2 lb asparagus, cut into 1" pieces and steamed
2 large shallots, thinly sliced, about 1/2 a cup
Olive oil, salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Saute shallots in olive oil until softened and beginning to brown. Steam asparagus as you cook your shallots. (I use those awesome steam bags made by Ziploc or Glad.) Toss shallots and asparagus is a little salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, beat eggs and then add milk. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, about 1/2 tsp each.

In a 9" pie pan that has been spritzed with cooking spray, toss together asparagus, ham, and shallots. Mix in cheese. Pour in egg/milk mixture and level out the top.

Bake for about 40 minutes or until set.

Serves 4.

Martha Stewart Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

2011-05-07T03:21:00.003-04:00

I've been on a red velvet kick of late. (See the layer cake I made a couple months ago here). Thus, when realized that I needed a treat for a birthday in my office in a hurry, this red velvet cupcake recipe by Martha Stewart fit the bill. I lightened it up a bit using apple sauce, but otherwise followed this recipe.

Cupcake Ingredients
2.5 cups cake flour, sifted
2 TBS cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
1.5 c sugar
1 c apple sauce
1/2 c vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 c buttermilk
3/4 to 1 oz red food coloring (I poured until the desired color was achieved but used < 1 oz)
1 tsp vanilla
1.5 tsp baking soda
2 tsp white vinegar

Cupcake Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If using buttermilk substitute (1 cup milk + 1 TBS vinegar), make it now and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, and salt.

In a large bowl, beat sugar, oil, and apple sauce until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in food coloring and vanilla.

Mix flour and milk into sugar mixture, alternating flour, milk, flour, milk, flour whisking well after each addition.

Stir vinegar and baking soda together. Be prepared for it to foam. Quickly add to batter.

Pour batter into prepared muffin cups, filling about 3/4ths full. Bake 20 minutes until springy and cooked through.

Cool completely on a wire rack.

Makes 24 regular cupcakes.

Frosting

1 c butter, softened
12 oz cream cheese (I used light)
1 lb confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla

Beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, then vanilla. Mix until smooth.

It is not entirely necessary to refrigerate this frosting, but it may speed things up a bit.

Aren't they pretty?

Sunday Supper Series #15 - Chicken Fried Rice

2011-04-24T14:00:00.068-04:00

Fried rice seems like such a decadent treat, but depending upon whether it's a side dish or main dish, how much fat and salt you use, it may be a fairly nutritional meal. I tend to make it to use up leftover brown rice, meat, and/or veggies. As you will see, the recipe is super simple--mix it all up in a pan with soy sauce, pepper, some sort of fat, and an egg or two to bind it all together. How simple?

.5 - 1 lb uncooked skinless chicken breast or thighs, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 c cooked rice (I use brown, but white will do)
1.5 c broccoli, chopped
~1/4 c soy sauce, divided
Fresh ground pepper
1 egg
olive oil
1 tbs butter, if desired (alternatively a splash of chicken broth)

In a large skillet with a high rim, saute carrots and onions in olive oil until they begin to soften. If using uncooked meat, push veggies off to the side and cook chicken sprinkled with a tablespoon or two of soy sauce in the center of the pan, adding the minced garlic, and stirring the mix together when the chicken is browned on one side.**

When the meat is cooked, add broccoli or other uncooked veggie and stir mixtures together until veggie begins to soften. Sprinkle with pepper.

Pour cooked rice on top of meat and veggie mixture and liberally season with another couple of tablespoons of soy sauce. (My rule of thumb for making fried rice is to use a little more soy sauce than I would put on white rice that I would eat as a side dish. If you are unfamiliar with soy sauce, start with 2 teaspoons at the first step and 1 tablespoon at the second step. You can always add more at the table.) Add butter or splash of chicken broth and mix together.

Add egg, slightly beaten to rice mixture, mixing well to coat. Cook on medium for another 5-10 minutes until egg is done. (I like a little crust on the bottom of my fried rice.)

Serves 3-4

**Notes:
If you are using cooked meat and veggies, saute onions and carrots until softened and beginning to brown. Add garlic in last minute of cooking. Add cooked meat and veggies, season with a tablespoon of soy sauce, and cook a few minutes until heated through. Then proceed to follow the rice and egg steps.

Lamb and Ham Recipes from the Archives

2011-04-24T08:28:00.010-04:00

Happy Easter, everyone! I will post the Sunday Supper Series a little later in the day today. Since I'm traveling to see my husband, I will not be cooking this Easter. However, I wanted share a few recipes from the archives that you might want to make this year or next. I absolutely love lamb, and eat it in variety of ways. As for ham, I get a craving for it as a main dish about once or twice a year, which is quite the improvement from when I was younger, but it works great in sandwiches and other dishes with the leftovers.

"Traditional" Easter dinner dishes
Leg of Lamb with Herbs and Mustard
Mustard-Sugar Glazed Ham

Fun lamb dishes for anytimee
Slowcooker Lamb with Dried Plums
Lamb Tagine
Braised Lamb with Tomato Reduction
Irish Lamb Stew (from Eating Well)

What to do with all that leftover ham
Garlic Alfredo Ham and Veggies
Ham and Spinach Pasta

Pecan-Cherry Granola Bars

2011-04-21T08:21:00.000-04:00

A couple of months ago, I was thrilled to share this recipe for Cinnamon Raisin Granola Bars as a suitable alternative to spending lots of dollars a week on store-bought granola bars for my husband to snack on that had goodness knows what sort of preservatives in them. That recipe is modified from one posted at Lynn's Kitchen Adventures. Many batches later, I've added cranberries, cherries, raisins, pecans, and almonds, but you could add just about any sort of fruit and nuts (or chocolate chips), as well as wheat germ to up the nutritional ante. Here's my latest rendition, which was a hit at work this week:

Ingredients
1/2 c butter
1/2 c brown sugar
2 TBS honey
2 TBS corn syrup
1/2-3/4 tsp salt
2 c oatmeal (I use quick oats, but regular would work)
1/4 c wheat germ (can omit and use more oatmeal instead)
1/2 c nuts of choice
1/2 c dried fruit of choice

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and honey over medium heat. Stir in oats, fruit, nuts, and salt.

Spread evenly into an 8" square pan that's been sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake 22-25 minutes until golden brown. (Note: I use a ceramic dish. A metal pan might brown faster, so check at 20 min).

Cool on wire rack in pan for 10 minutes before cutting. (I then leave in the pan to cool completely, but you could pop out on wire rack. It is, however, necessary to cut before completely cooled).

Makes 12-16 bars.

Sunday Supper Series # 14 - Slowcooker Shoyu Chicken

2011-04-17T16:27:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone. Today's dish is an awesome recipe for shoyu chicken that can be made in the slowcooker. This dish whips up with minimal effort, cooks quickly, and yields a tasty result. Hmmm, cooks quickly, you say? I thought the point of a slowcooker was so you could set it in the morning and have dinner waiting in the evening. Well, it doesn't work that way because chicken cooks far too quickly (this dish is done in 4 hours). However, it's perfect for that weekend dinner where you don't roll out of bed until noon, have a bunch of errands and other things to do during the day, and still want a home-cooked meal waiting for you that evening with minimal effort.

I found this recipe posted on a few blogs, including Lynn's Kitchen Adventures and Full Bellies, Happy Kids as Slow Cooker Sticky Chicken. I renamed it for a couple of reasons. First, I didn't do the second step that makes the chicken "sticky" and entails putting the cooked chicken under the broiler with a sauce that I didn't make. Second, if you grew up in Hawaii and I served you this dish, you would immediately call it Shoyu Chicken. ("shoyu" = soy sauce). This dish reheats very nicely, as well. As you can see from the picture, I turned it into a box lunch for work. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1.5 - 2 lbs chicken pieces
1/4 c brown sugar
2 TBS soy sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp ground ginger

Directions
Place chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Turn chicken a few times to coat. Cook on low for 4 hours, until chicken is cooked through.

So long as you don't cook it too much longer than necessary to cook the chicken, it will stay in one piece when you remove it from the slow cooker.

Honey Wheat Bagels

2011-04-12T09:12:00.026-04:00

It's bagel time! Yes, I've been saying that I wanted to make bagels pretty much since we moved in to our current rental...in November! Well, over the weekend, I finally got around to it, with a little help from my trusty breadmaker. I followed this recipe from the blog This Chick Cooks, except for the final baking which I took from a recipe I made a couple summers ago. The original recipe called for broiling the bagels, which I didn't think would result in a lovely golden brown.

Ingredients
1.5 c warm water
2.5 c whole wheat flour
1.5 c all purpose flour
3 TBS honey
1 TBS sugar
1 tsp sea salt
2.25 tsp yeast

1 egg white

Directions
Combine all ingredients except for the egg white in your bread maker in the order according to the manufacturer's instructions. My bread maker calls for the order listed above. Set to dough cycle.

When dough cycle is complete, divide dough into 12 round balls. Use your thumb and a hulu hoop type motion to make a hole. Cover with a towel as you make each bagel shape. While forming bagels, bring a large pot of water to boil.

Boil each bagel for 2-3 minutes. Drain on a rack while you preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

On a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper, place bagels and brush with egg white.

Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.

Sunday Supper Series # 13 - Our Best Bites Chicken Cacciatore

2011-04-10T13:04:00.000-04:00

Welcome to another Sunday Supper Series post. I'm excited to share this recipe as it's modified from the Our Best Bites' cookbook, which I purchased from Amazon. If you're not familiar, Our Best Bites is an awesome food blog run by two moms. The book is simply gorgeous--plenty of colorful pictures, tips, and alternative instructions. Just on my initial read, I tabbed at least a dozen recipes to try.

For my first recipe, I tried their Chicken Cacciatore. I really have no idea whether this is a traditional cacciatore or not, but it turned out yummy which is all I care about. I did make some modifications from their recipe, namely that I did not puree the onions after I cooked them, although I did make an effort to cut them as thinly as possible. I also decreased the amount of apple juice called for, did not deep fry my chicken, as more or less directed by the 1/2 c of olive oil called for in the original recipe, and added my mushroom and peppers before simmering. Here's what I did:

Ingredients

1.25 lb boneless skinless thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/4 c all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 medium onion, minced
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 c chicken stock
1/2 c apple juice
1 TBS white vinegar
1/4 tsp thyme
14 tsp majoram
1 bay leaf
6 oz tomato paste
1 med green bell pepper, diced
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
olive oil

Directions:

Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a plastic bag. Shake chicken until well coated. Brown in olive oil, and then remove from pan.

Drizzle another coat of olive oil and saute onions until tender. Add garlic in the last few minutes.

Add tomato paste, thyme, majoram, bay leaf, vinegar, chicken stock, and apple juice to onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir until well combined.

Return chicken to pan, along with mushrooms, and green bell pepper. Heat to a near boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for at least an hour. Adjust seasoning.

Remove bay leaf before serving over pasta. Alternatively, cook pasta a little short of al dente, drain, and add to cacciatore for last few minutes of cooking. This will allow the pasta to absorb some of the excess liquid.

(NOTE: I did add the pasta directly to the sauce, but I did not undercook the pasta first. This resulted in the pasta getting a bit mushy, which affects only the texture, not the taste).

Serves 6

Raspberry Oatmeal Crumb Bars

2011-04-05T12:03:00.000-04:00

These gooey bars are the perfect little sweet treat and whip up super quick. You could also turn this recipe into strawberry bars, apricot bars, etc., just by changing what sort of preserves you use. I slightly modified a recipe found on the awesome blog Sage Trifle, basically to add more preserves. I took them to work where they disappeared well before lunch time. Yay for happy snackers! (Sorry for the poor pictures. It seems that I need to bring my sun lamp into the kitchen when photographing at night. :)

Ingredients
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup butter, softened
12 oz raspberry preserves

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare an 8-inch square baking pan by spritzing with cooking spray.

Combine brown sugar, flours, baking soda, salt, and rolled oats. Stir in softened butter until you have a crumbly mixture. Press 1.5 - 2 cups of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread the preserves in an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the top, and lightly press until even.

Bake for 35 - 40 minutes, or until lightly browned and bubbly. Allow to cool before cutting into bars.

Makes 16 squares

Sunday Supper Series #12 - Parmesan Chicken Tenders and Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Mushrooms

2011-04-03T07:55:00.048-04:00

I can't believe this is my the twelfth Sunday Supper Series post. Three months, whoo-hoo! Okay, I know one post a week isn't too thrilling, especially since I once posted almost every day, but oh well. Since it's the twelfth post, today's recipe is a two-for-one. Two simple recipes in one post, both modified from recipes in a recent Everyday Food magazine. If you don't like brussels sprouts, You could substitute green beans.

For the Parmesan Chicken Tenders
1.25 lb chicken tenders (skinless breasts cut at about 1")
1/3 c panko bread crumbs
1/2 c Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 tsp dried thyme
salt, pepper, olive oil

For Roasted Veggies
8 oz button mushrooms, halved or quartered
1/2 lb brussel sprouts, halved or quartered
1-3 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp thyme
salt, pepper, olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Chicken Tenders
Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, and thyme. Place in a single layer in the bottom of a 9 x 13" baking dish or jelly roll pan. Drizzle with olive oil.

In a small dish, whisk panko breadcrumbs and cheese. Sprinkle over top of chicken. Drizzle another bit of olive oil.

Bake on the top rack, uncovered, for 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through and top is golden brown.

Veggies
In another 9 x 13" baking dish or jelly roll pan, place veggies in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with herbs and spices. Toss together.

On the bottom rack, roast for 20 minutes until veggies are tender and are beginning to brown. Check after 15 minutes and turn if you want to avoid charring (I like, however, like the bit of charring :).

Remove from oven and drizzle with balsamic vinegar before serving.

Serves 4

Sunday Supper Series #11: Simple Pasta with Meat Sauce

2011-03-27T14:27:00.001-04:00

It's a little dark and dreary outside my window--my favorite weather, next to snow! How about a nice comforting bowl of pasta with meat sauce?

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
3 large carrots, diced (about 1/2 c)
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz canned whole tomatoes, roughly chopped
3 tbs tomato paste
1 tsp dried basil
Olive oil

Directions

Season ground beef with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and cook until browned. Drain and set aside.

Saute onions and carrots in a little olive oil until softened and beginning to brown. Add mushrooms about halfway into cooking time for your onions and carrots. Add garlic and dried basil and cook for another minute.

Return meat to the pan and stir in tomatoes and tomato paste. Depending upon how thick you like your sauce, you may want to add a 1/2 cup of water. I like a thick sauce, so omitted this step.

Bring mixture to a near boil and then simmer on low for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Adjust seasoning, as desired. Serve over hot pasta.

Serves 4-6

My Favorite Cakes

2011-03-26T14:27:00.001-04:00

Happy Saturday everyone! Today's my birthday, but for the first time I'd much rather be crafting instead of baking. Don't get me wrong, I still love baking and cooking, but I really want to work on some projects this weekend. Thus, no special birthday cake this year. However, for your viewing enjoyment, below are a number of "special" cakes (and cupcakes) I've made in the past few years. None are really traditional birthday cakes, so to speak, but they were all quite yummy. For all but the first cake, click on the title of each cake to go to the recipe. Have a marvelous Saturday!

1. Super Chocolate Layer Cake

This is the birthday cake I made for my 30th birthday. It was before I was blogging particularly avidly, so the recipe was never posted. However, it was a lovely cake, super chocolately as you can see. If I ever dig up the recipe again, I'll be sure to share it.

2. Red Velvet Chocolate Layer Cake

I made this cake quite recently just on a whim. It is a bit more pink than red but sweet!

3. Strawberry Layer Cake

An awesome summer cake, even though the icing didn't quite stand up to all the strawberries I piled on it.

4. Cherry Upside Down Cake

5. Chocolate Cherry Log Cake

Despite all the chocolate, this was an extremely light cake. It took some time, however, so I've only made it for a Christmas dinner dessert once.

Last, but not least, the cupcakes:

6. Jam-Filled Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

7. Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Sunday Supper Series # 10: Easy Potato Pancakes

2011-03-20T08:24:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone, it's breakfast time! My husband's a big potato pancakes/latkes fan but making them from scratch is rather a pain. I last made them more than a year ago with tasty results, but it was a lot of grating. Last weekend it occurred to me that since they sell frozen shredded potatoes for hash browns, they just might sell an unseasoned variety. Sure enough, they do! I purchased a generic brand of shredded potatoes that only had a bit of salt-based preservatives. The night before I made them, I measured a little more than 2 cups into a bowl and let them defrost overnight. That morning, they were still a little cold, but not too icy and worked perfectly. I modified this potato pancake recipe from Southern Food at About.com mainly to eliminate the deep frying and change up the onion. The original recipe called for adding raw grated onion--a) I hate grating and b) am not a fan of raw onion. Thus, I diced up a small onion and sauted it until golden brown. Worked great!

2 cups grated potatoes, about 1 1/2 pounds potatoes
1 medium onion, minced
1/4 cup milk, scalded
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
dash pepper
1 teaspoon baking powder
olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In medium skillet, saute minced onion until browned. Set aside to cool.

Pour scalded milk over potatoes. Add flour, salt and pepper, baking powder, and onions. Mix in egg.

On a preheated griddle or in the same pan you used to saute the onions, cook potato pancakes in 1/4 c portions until golden brown on both sides. (I used a muffin scoop, which might be larger than 1/4 c)

Place browned pancakes on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake for 10 minutes until thoroughly heated. (This step isn't 100% necessary, but it allowed me to get them off the griddle a bit quicker without worrying about burning.)

Serve with apple sauce, of course.

Makes 6-8 silver-dollar pancakes. Serves 2.

Sunday Supper Series # 9: Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup

2011-03-13T15:08:00.001-04:00

My husband made a special request for more soups. I know he likes black bean soup, but I've never made it before. After browsing through a dozen or so recipes, this is what I came up with. It's simmering in the crockpot now, so we'll see how it tastes. I thought about adding a jalepeno pepper, but chickened out at the last minute because I know he doesn't like things too spicy.

Updated: We loved it! This was so simple, and the spices were perfect. I will definitely make this again.

1 lb dry black beans (rinsed and soaked overnight) or 2 15-oz cans
14 oz can fire roasted tomatoes, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
32 oz chicken broth
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. You may add a bit of minced jalapeno pepper, if you like. Cook on low for 8 hours, until beans are tender.

Using an immersion blender, pursee some of the mixture until you have consistency desired. left a few beans whole, but pretty much took the blender through the entire pot.

Adjust seasonings, if necessary.

Serves 4-6

Sunday Supper Series # 8 - Mango Chicken Stir Fry

2011-03-06T08:03:00.005-05:00

Ah, the first Sunday in March. Time is seriously flying along this year. I know for those of you have seasons, you might be anxious for spring and summer. This being the first winter I've spent in Hawaii since high school, I desperately miss real winter, i.e. snow. Yes, I'm crazy, but you probably knew that.

Anyway, I realized that I had no picture posted of my one of my most frequently made dishes--Mango Chicken Stir Fry. It is my husband's favorite dish. I distinctly remember when we first had it together at what was then a new restaurant at the edge of the mall in Chicago's Chinatown. It was a cute place, called "My Place" or something like that and served a nice selection of Thai and pan-Asian, but was sadly short-lived. Anyway, I had never had mango in a stir fry before and loved the idea, so I had to recreate it. This recipe is a modification of a bunch that I found online many years ago.

Since I don't have a real wok (nor do I want one because I don't have the space to store it or a gas range), I saute the chicken and veggies separately, then combine at the end for the sauce to coat everything and thicken. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 large mango (or about 12 oz frozen), sliced or cubed
1 red pepper, sliced
1 yellow or orange pepper, sliced
1 med onion, sliced
1.5 lb chicken breasts or thighs, skinless, cubed

Marinade
2-3 cloves garlic, minced 2 T soy sauce
1.5 tsp sugar
1 T corn starch
1 T rice wine vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1 T canola oil

Sauce
3 T soy sauce
2 T rice wine vinegar
6 oz pineapple juice
.5 tsp crushed red pepper
1 T corn starch.

Whisk marinade together. About 20-30 minutes before cooking, place chicken in the marinade and set aside while you start the veggies.

Assuming you do not have a wok, you will want to cook your veggies and chicken separately. If you do have a wok, follow the directions for your usual stir fry which I think involves cooking the veggies first, then pushing them to the edges of the pan while you do your meat in the center.

Saute onions and peppers until tender. If you start the onions first, then add peppers when onions have just begun to soften, all the veggies will finish at the same time. Whisk the sauce together while you are waiting and set aside. Remove veggies from heat (or the pan if you do not want to dirty another pan) and keep warm.

In heated pan, saute your chicken until golden brown. If your pan is hot, this will only take a few minutes. Cook your chicken about 75% of the way (it will finish cooking in the sauce). Add the mangos and cook until they begin to brown on the edges. You can use frozen mangos, but make sure you cook them until they have defrosted so you do not water down the sauce.

Return the veggies to the pan, along with the sauce. Heat to a near boil, then simmer on low for 10-15 minutes until sauce has thickened.

Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve over (brown) rice.

Serves 4-6.

Red Velvet Chocolate Layer Cake

2011-03-01T08:15:00.010-05:00

I have never made a red velvet cake before. When I saw this post at the blog Sprinkle Bakes, I had to try one. Originally, I had planned on making a heart-shaped cake as she did, but decided to leave it round. I was about 2 tsp short in red food coloring, so my cake turned out a bit more pink than red. On the whole, this cake was super easy and fun to make, although it turned out a bit too sweet. I think it was my icing's fault. I did not follow the recipe suggested as I wanted chocolate icing. Perhaps next time I will fill the layers with a marscapone icing (rather than cream cheese and butter) or lessen the sugar in the cake. Either way, it's a gorgeous cake that I would try again.

Ingredients

Cake
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 cups of sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 1/2 tbsp liquid red food coloring
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 TBS white vinegar to 1 c milk)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp cider vinegar

Frosting
2 c confectioners sugar (about 1/2 a box)
1/4 c cocoa powder
1/2 c butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spritz 3 round 9" cake pans.

Whisk or sift together flour and sugar. Set aside. If not using buttermilk, prepare milk and allow to sit a couple minutes.

In a large bowl cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add flour to butter mixture, alternating with buttermilk, and ending with flour. Mix well after each addition. Add vanilla.

In a small bowl, mix together cocoa powder and food coloring until a paste forms. Stir into butter mixture until you have a lovely red color throughout.

In a small bowl, combine cider vinegar and baking soda. This will foam. Add immediately to batter.

Divide batter among three baking pans. Tap each pan on the counter to eliminate air bubbles. Bake for 25-30 minutes until cake is springy.

Remove cakes from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Using a mixture, beat together frosting ingredients. Add a splash of milk if too thick.

Frost cake as desired.I like a lot of frosting between my layers, although you could do a thin layer and then frost the entire cake.

Serve immediately or chill until ready to eat.

Sunday Supper Series #7 - Beef Broccoli in the Slow Cooker

2011-02-27T13:05:00.003-05:00

Happy last Sunday in February, everyone! Sorry this edition of the Sunday Supper Series is going up late. I had assumed I had my post scheduled since I made the recipe a week ago, but in the last days of studying for the bar exam, I apparently forgot to post it. Before you ask, the bar exam was fine. I better not have failed given the low score required and high passing rate, but there's no sense in being confident about something that is beyond my control. I'll receive the results in a few months.

Anyway, on to the recipe. I found this recipe on the blog Finding Joy in My Kitchen. The only change I made was to add a whole onion, rather than using a 1 Tbs of dried as she suggested. My husband really liked it as did I, although I wanted a little more heat (this was definitely a sweet dish). For next time, I will stir a bit of crushed red pepper flakes into the meat mixture when I add in the broccoli. One note about the beef--I used chuck roast because I had some in the freezer. It was super tasty, but fell apart completely after 8 hours. That was fine with me, but if you prefer chunks of meat in your beef broccoli, cut the meat into larger than 1" cubes or use a more tender cut of meat and shorten the cooking time to 6-8 hours instead of 8-10. On the whole, I will definitely be making this again.

Printable Version

Ingredients
1 lb beef, cut into 1" cubes (I used chuck)
1/2 c beef broth
1/4 c soy sauce
1 med onion, diced (about 3/4 c)
1 Tbs brown sugar
2-4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp crush red pepper
4 c broccoli (frozen works, but I used fresh)
2 Tbs water
1 Tbs corn starch

Directions

Whisk beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, and garlic together. Pour over beef and onions. Give everything a stir. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

In the last hour, mix together corn starch and water. Add the crushed red pepper and the corn starch paste into beef mixture. Add broccoli on top (I'd added as much as my crock pot allowed because we love broccoli) and continue cooking for the last hour or until broccoli is tender.

Serve with (brown) rice.

About 4 servings

Printable Version

Sunday Supper Series # 6 - Sweet and Savory Short Ribs with Creamy Mashed Potatoes

2011-02-20T07:00:00.042-05:00

Happy Sunday everyone. If you're in the U.S., there's a good chance that you have a three-day weekend for President's Day. I have half the week "off", but am unfortunately taking the Hawaii bar exam on Tuesday and Wednesday, so those days will not be fun.

For this week's recipe, while at the market Saturday afternoon I saw some gorgeous short ribs and decided that was what I wanted to make for dinner. However, all of my short ribs recipes are for the slow cooker. What to do with only a few hours before dinner? Convert a slow cooker recipe for the oven, of course. I used this recipe from last year and in a little over 2 hours, we had yummy, tender short-ribs.

On a whim, having seen this trick on a number of blogs, I decided to do a little something different with my mashed potatoes...add a little cream cheese instead of milk. My husband loved the results! That recipe appears below the ribs.

2 lb short ribs
1/4 c Dijon mustard
2 Tbs beef broth
2 Tbs soy sauce
2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs cider vinegar
3 Tbs brown sugar
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp (or less) cayenne pepper
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Salt and pepper ribs and brown them in olive oil.

In the bottom of a dutch oven or large pot, scatter chopped onions and garlic. Place ribs on top. In a small bowl, whisk together mustard, beef broth, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar, brown sugar, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Pour over ribs and give everything a good stir.

Cook, covered, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, than reduce heat to 325 degrees. Continue cooking for another hour or two until ribs are fork-tender, checking after the first hour and then every 20-30 minutes.. So long as the heat is low, you're not likely to burn this dish. If you're nervous, turn heat all the way down till 300 degrees, but obviously it will take longer.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

2 lbs potatoes (I used a mix of red and Idaho)
1 tsp kosher salt
4 oz cream cheese
2-3 tbs butter
salt and pepper to taste

Peel and cut the potatoes into cubes, as desired. Bring to a boil in salted water and cook on low until tender, about 20 minutes.

Drain potatoes. Melt butter in hot pan and add potatoes. Toss in creamed cheese (softened) and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Smash everything together and adjust seasoning to taste.

Serves 2-4

Honey Whole Wheat Bread - this is the one!

2011-02-18T19:24:00.001-05:00

I think I've finally set upon the whole wheat bread recipe for me. I've now made it twice and it's came out gorgeous both times. The second loaf is cooling as I post, but it looks just as lovely as the first that I am optimistic it will taste the same. The first loaf lasted us all of three days but it was scrumptious. I'm not extremely good at flavor nuances, but you definitely taste the honey. Now this bread is not 100% whole wheat as you use half whole wheat flour and half bread flour, but I think that negative is out-weighed by the taste and versatility of this bread. I've nibbled on a slice right out of the machine, made toast, sandwiches, and french toast. All perfect! Anyway, I found this recipe at Allrecipes.com and the only change I made was to increase the salt.

Here's the bread fresh from my Zojirushi Home Bakery Supreme bread machine.

Here's it sliced.

And here's the turkey grilled cheese sandwiches I made for lunch.

Ingredients

1 1/8 cups water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Directions (for my bread machine)

Add ingredients in the order above (liquids first). Make a little well in the center of the flour and place the yeast (be careful not to allow it to come into contact with any wet ingredients).

Bake on whole wheat setting.

About 12 slices

Yesterday in My Kitchen

2011-02-17T14:46:00.001-05:00

I'm off work for the next week or so studying to take the Hawaii bar exam. It's hard to believe that I devoted a whole summer to prepping for the bar after law school in 2004, whereas this time I'll have worked while doing Barbri at night and then attempted to process it all (i.e. crammed) in a week, hopefully with the same result. Oh, did I mention that my husband is underfoot this time? Anyway, yesterday was my first "day off" to study for the 2-day exam. I was on my work email for most of the day because remotely interesting things were happening without me, but I did make it through the rest of the substantive Barbri lectures, ran an errand, and even made it to the gym. Plus, I squeezed in a fair amount of cooking--banana muffins, bread, and a nice dinner--thanks to these guys:

Closest to the right is my lovely Zojirushi bread machine. After 4 or 5 tries, I think I finally got the right whole wheat sandwich bread recipe down. (I'll post the recipe as soon as I make sure the bread "holds up", meaning that it tastes good a couple days from now, rather than just right out of the machine.)

Next to the black coffee maker is my brand new Crockpot! I have been whining for some time that the cute little one I've been borrowing from my auntie just wasn't cutting it only because it's a 3 qt at best, so I broke down and purchased a larger one from the NEX last week. At the time I bought it, I felt guilty because I have a perfectly snazzy one in storage in Chicago. However, upon removing it from the box, I realized that it's smaller then the one I have at 5 qts. (I'm guess the one I have is 6 qts or maybe 8?) Thus, once my entire kitchen is eventually reunited (hopefully within the next 6 months), this crockpot will not be a redundant device and likely get to stay for those smaller jobs.

Here's what cooked away in those devices while I was studying:

Beef Broccoli (stay tuned for the recipe in Sunday Supper #7)

Honey Whole Wheat Bread (recipe to come once I'm certain this bread is the one) - Isn't it a cute little loaf?

Sorry there are no pictures of the banana muffins. I used my usual recipe found here, but reduced the sugar 1/4 c. Don't do that unless you have extremely ripe bananas, which I didn't. After having a couple for breakfast, I sent the rest off to work with my husband.

Anyway, back to work. I'm doing essay prep today--ugh the Barbri lady is a complete ditz. I have a few more things going on in the kitchen that I just might post tomorrow. . .

Sunday Supper Series # 5 - Turkey Bolognese

2011-02-13T07:00:00.002-05:00

Wow, can you believe it's already mid-February! This is the fifth recipe in my Sunday Supper Series. Yes, it's another ground turkey pasta dish, but it's not too unhealthy and provides just the right about of warm comfort food for the winter. I recently discovered that I loved cooking with tomato paste, so this one uses a whole 8 oz can!

Ingredients

12 oz ground turkey
1 med onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 medium carrots, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
28 oz fire-roasted tomatoes
8 oz tomato paste
1 tsp dried basil
2 tsp dried parsley
3/4 tsp dried oregano
chicken stock for thinning the sauce, if desired
salt, pepper, olive oil

Directions

1. Saute carrots and onions in olive oil until until tender and beginning to caramelize.

2. Add green pepper and turkey, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and herbs, and cook until browned.

3. Stir in tomatoes and tomato paste.

4. Simmer for at least 20 minutes or as long as you can. Adjust seasoning.

Makes at least 8 cups of meat sauce

Buttermilk Pancakes with Wheat Germ

2011-02-09T07:13:00.020-05:00

I love making pancakes, waffles, and other breakfast items on the weekend. I'm always looking for a way to make such decadent treats a bit more healthful. I saw this recipe cross-posted in a number of places on the web, but think it originated from CookingLight.

1.25 c all-purpose flour
1/4 c whole wheat flour
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
2 tbs sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 c buttermilk
2 egg whites

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add eggs. Beat the eggs slightly.
Gradually pour milk into the flour mixture until you achieve desired consistency. You may want a little more or less milk.

Pour in 1/4 c portions onto a preheated griddle or skillet. Flip when little bubbles form.

Serves 4-6

Sunday Supper Series #4 - Chili with Beef

2011-02-06T14:34:00.003-05:00

It's Superbowl Sunday! Go Steelers!

Sorry for the lateness of my Sunday Supper Series post. Although I had it scheduled to post at 5am, I had neglected to hit "post" so it was still in "draft" status. When I realized what had happened, I decided to swap the post I had scheduled for this one on account of the Superbowl. This is actually my first beef chili recipe since I almost always make turkey or chicken chili using this recipe. Anyway, I started out pretty similarly, to my usual recipe but then decided that the beef needed a little more flavor and started experimenting as you will see. Enjoy!

Printable Version

Ingredients
1.25 ground beef (I used 93% lean)
1 onion, diced (about 1 cup)
3 garlic cloves, minced
14 oz fire-roasted tomatoes
28 oz diced tomatoes
8 oz tomato sauce
14 oz or about 1.5 c red beans
1/4 c ketchup
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 heaping tbs chili powder
1 heaping tbs cumin
1 c corn
1 green bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
2 tsp sugar, depending on the sweetness of your tomatoes and ketchup
Salt, pepper, olive oil

Directions
1. Sprinkle ground beef with salt and pepper and brown in a little olive oil. Drain and set aside.

2. Saute onions until tender. Add garlic and cook for one minute.

3. Add beef to the onions and stir in chili powder and cumin. Cook for another minute.

4. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, ketchup, worcestershire sauce and bring to a near boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

5. Increase heat to medium high and stir in green pepper and corn. Cook for another 7-10 minutes until heated through. Adjust seasoning as desired by adding salt, pepper, and sugar.

Serves 6 - 8 depending upon whether it's a side dish or entree

Printable Version

Kung Hee Fat Choi - Roasted and Steamed Duck

2011-02-03T07:00:00.013-05:00

Kung Hee Fat Choi or Happy Chinese New Year! Since the date this year falls on a Thursday, most of the festivities were over the weekend. We went to Chinatown last Friday and Saturday and saw various lions, dragons, and other events. On Saturday, after the big parade, we went over to my auntie's for a ton of food. Most was ordered but I did make my duck recipe shown here. Unfortunately, I failed to take pictures until we'd almost devoured it completely. Oh well, maybe next time. I've used this recipe for years and unfortunately no longer remember where I found it online.

1 whole (4 to 5 pound) duck
1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
5 big slices fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves
1/2 bunch green onions
1 orange peel cut in big strips
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce

Trim excess fat from the neck and body. Rinse the duck, inside and out, and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Combine the Chinese five-spice, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture all over the duck, inside and out.

Stuff the duck cavity with the ginger, garlic, green onions, and peel. Fold the wing tips back under the duck and tie the legs together with kitchen string. Poke the duck breast a few times, piercing the skin. Place a roasting pan on the stovetop over 2 burners and fill with 2-inches of water, turn the heat to medium. Set a V-rack insert inside the pan and lay the duck on the rack, breast-side up. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Steam the duck for 45 minutes, checking the water level periodically.

In a small saucepan combine the vinegar, honey, and soy sauce over low heat. Cook and stir for 5 minutes until thick.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Take the foil off the duck, remove the rack with the duck, and pour out the water and all the fat that has rendered out (this is great to use in other dishes like fried rice.) Put the rack with the duck back inside the roasting pan. Baste the duck with the vinegar mixture, until all the skin is completely coated in the glaze.

Roast the duck for 1 hour, basting periodically with any remaining glaze to set in a deep mahogany color. Tent the breast with some foil if it gets too dark. The legs will wiggle easily when it's done. Carve and serve with hoisin sauce and steamed buns or wraps, if desired.

Serves 2-4

Cinnamon Raisin Granola Bars

2011-02-01T07:00:00.002-05:00

Happy Tuesday! I might start posting a "Tuesday Treat" although that title is already used by a Youtuber I follow, so I'd have to come up with another name. This recipe is adapted from Lynn's Easy Homemade Granola Bars. It's crazy how many granola bars that my husband eats in a week--at least a box (of 8, I think) from the store. Since I often forget to restock I decided to look for a recipe where I could make my own without all the preservatives, salt, etc. To Lynn's recipe, I added raisins and cinnamon, because oatmeal raisin are his favorite type of cookies. I didn't have corn syrup, so I doubled the honey, which is why mine aren't quite sticking together as they should. Nonetheless, they're extremely yummy. Note: In addition to my add-ins, I'm also extending the suggested baking time to 25-30 minutes from the 22 she suggests.

(Update: I tried the recipe again with corn syrup and they came out perfect!)

1/2 c butter
1/2 c brown sugar
2 tbs honey
2 tbs corn syrup
2 1/3 c quick oatmeal
1/2 c raisins (or other dried fruit)
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) In a medium saucepan, melt butter, sugar, corn syrup. Remove from heat.

3) Stir in oatmeal, cinnamon, salt, and raisins. Pour into a 8" square baking pan that has been spritzed.

4) Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

5) Cool in pan for 5-10, then cut into bars. Cool completely on a wire rack.

8 bars

Sunday Supper Series # 3 - Beef Pot Pie (cheater-version)

2011-01-30T10:00:00.002-05:00

Welcome to the third recipe in my Sunday Supper Series. I've been cooking a lot more beef since my husband is a big beef eater and doesn't eat pork or fish. It's also quick and easy fast to throw a steak on the grill. That being said, reheated steak doesn't go over too well since he likes it extremely rare. Thus, when I stumbled across this recipe on the blog Our Krazy Kitchen, I had to try it. While I don't usually use pre-made bread products, since I was making the "filling" from scratch and it was only one layer of bread, I decided to try it. It wasn't too complicated and loved the outcome, but it made a bit too much for the small pot I was using. Thus, next time I may try it in the slow cooker. On to the recipe!

Ingredients

1 lb top sirloin, chopped into 1/2" squares
2 c zucchini, chopped
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1.5 c carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 c red wine
1/4 c tomato paste
1.5 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp pepper
14 oz beef broth
2 tbs cornstarch
2 tbs water
1 can Pillsbury bread sticks
Olive oil

Directions

1. In a large pot or dutch oven, brown beef. Next add onions, carrots, mushrooms, basil and thyme. Cook about -7 minutes until veggies are beginning to become tender. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Add zucchini and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes.

3. Whisk together wine, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Add mixture and beef broth to meat.

4. Bring to a near boil, then simmer until everything is tender.

5. In a small bowl, whisk corn starch and water into a slurry. Add to meat mixture.

6. Cook for a few minutes until thickened.

7, Pour meat mixture into a 9 x 13 inch pan. Cover with bread sticks woven into a lattice form.

8. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.

Serves 4.

Sunday Supper Series # 2 - Turkey Shells

2011-01-23T10:00:00.006-05:00

Welcome to the second recipe in my Sunday Supper Series. As I mentioned last week, my goal is to get into a better routine of posting. This week I tried a recipe from one of the blogs I follow in my Google Reader. Her blog is called Finding Joy in My Kitchen, and while it's a fantastic recipe, I messed it up a bit and wound up with a wonderful pasta dish instead of the intended soup. Anyway, she calls it Lasagna Soup. However, since I added way too much pasta, mine definitely wasn't soup. I also only served it with cheese the first time we ate it. Sorry the pictures are from my desk at work. For some reason I neglected to snap a picture immediately after I made it. The ingredients list below reflect what I did to get a pasta dish. If you'd like to make soup, head over to her blog. Have a great week!

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey or Italian sausage
2 onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp oregano
1 bay leaf
2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
2 Tbs tomato paste
28 oz diced tomatoes
1 med green bell pepper, diced
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 c frozen spinach
8 c turkey broth
12 oz pasta shells
olive oil, salt, and pepper
Cheese to serve

Directions

1. Brown meat in olive oil. Season liberally with salt, pepper, 1 tsp basil, and 1 tsp oregano if not using sausage. Remove from pan and drain, if desired.

2. Saute in olive oil onions, garlic, bell pepper, mushrooms and oregano for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3. Return meat to pan and add tomato paste. Cook for 3 minutes.

4. Add tomatoes, broth, and bay leaf.

5. Heat to a near boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

6. Raise heat to medium high and add pasta. Cook for 7-9 minutes, depending on desired firmness of pasta.

7. Add spinach and basil. Adjust seasoning as needed.

8. Serve with cheese, if desired.

Serves 6-8

Sunday Supper Series - Baked Apricot Chicken

2011-01-16T15:30:00.003-05:00

Welcome to the first Sunday Supper Series recipe. I've posted this recipe in the past here and here, but since I love it and it's super simple, yummy, and reheats well, I thought I'd post it again. When I posted it in March, I spiced it up a bit. This time I scaled it down to serve 2 + leftovers and left out the crushed red pepper. Since we'll likely be out and about today, I baked the chicken in the morning and will reheat when we get home. I hope you have a wonderful Sunday and, if you're off for MLK Day, have a relaxing day!

1/3 cup apricot preserves
1 tablespoon and a splash of balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 large onion
6 chicken thighs
olive oil

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In small bowl, mix apricot preserves, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Cut each onion into wedges.

2. Arranges chicken pieces and onion wedges in a square pan. Drizzle with olive oil. Spoon apricot preserves mixture over chicken and onions. Bake 30 minutes.

3. Turn chicken and baste with juices. Bake an addition 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

Serves 2 + leftovers

Sunday Supper Series

2011-01-16T15:20:00.001-05:00

Morning everyone! I'm sorry I've been posting sporadically for quite some time now, posting a bunch of recipes here and then going weeks and months with nothing. I'm going to try to work up to multiple posts a week by scheduling them for particular days by themes. For example, today will be the first of my "Sunday Supper Series" since I tried a couple of new main dishes recipes last week but haven't posted them yet. Then, with any luck, I'll figure out a good day to do some sort of baked good mid-ways through the week. But for now, look for at least a once of week posting for the rest of January.

I'm starting by what we're having today, Baked Apricot Chicken. Stay tuned for that post in a couple minutes.

Chocolate Cream Pie

2011-01-05T10:13:00.004-05:00

I had these extremely cute mini cookie cutters for pies, so I made this chocolate cream pie for Christmas Eve dinner. We liked it so much that we had the rest of the pie with Christmas dinner. I used this recipe found at Cooking Light and my regular dough recipe.

Ingredients:
Pie dough for a single crust, blind baked for 15-20 minutes
2 cups fat-free milk, divided
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed

Directions
Combine 1/2 cup milk, 2/3 cup sugar, and next 4 ingredients (2/3 cup sugar through egg) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Heat 1 1/2 cups milk in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Remove from heat.

Gradually add hot milk to sugar mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan. Add chopped chocolate; cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 5 minutes), stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Pour into prepared crust; cover surface of filling with plastic wrap.

Chill 3 hours or until cold. Remove plastic wrap; spread whipped topping evenly over filling. Sprinkle with grated chocolate.

Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken

2011-01-04T10:12:00.000-05:00

I've been on a dried plums kick lately. I really like the sweetness they add to dishes, plus you can pretend they have redeeming value as a source of fiber. I'm also always on the lookout for slow cooker recipes because it's nice to come home to a yummy-smelling house. Even though chicken often doesn't stand up well in a slow cooker, this dish did just fine, even after 10 hrs.

Ingredients
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped (1/2 cup)
8 oz. baby carrots
1/2 cup pitted dried plums
14 oz chicken broth
8 chicken thighs
1-1/4 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions
1. In a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker combine onion and carrots. Add plums and broth. Top with chicken. In a small bowl combine curry powder, salt, and cinnamon. Sprinkle over chicken.

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours.

3. Serve over pasta, rice or couscous.

4 servings

Easy Scalloped Potatoes

2011-01-03T07:00:00.001-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, we had a friend over for flank steak and scalloped potatoes. Yes, there was a veg too, but it wasn’t too exciting so I don’t recall. The flank steak marinade recipe is from Rachel Ray–-really the first recipe that I ever used of hers and one I still use today. The scalloped potatoes were out of my head, but our friend loved them, so I promised to post the recipe/method. It took me awhile to get around to it, but here it is:

Ingredients
1-2 lbs potatoes (use a mix of red and idaho, if possible)
1 c milk (I use skim or 2%)
12 oz shredded cheddar cheese (or a mix, I may also have used parmasan)
Salt and pepper
3 tbs flour
1-2 tbs butter, if desired

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Slice potatoes to about 1/8" thick. Cover the bottom of a 9 x 13" baking pan, that has been coated with cooking spray, with potatoes, allowing them to overlap slightly. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and half of flour. Scatter a thin layer of shredded cheese.

Repeat for another layer or two until pan is filled. Salt, pepper, and flour again.

Pour milk over mixture; top with shredded cheese.

Cover and bake for 45 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Uncover and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until cheese is golden.

Serves 4-6

Happy New Year - Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

2011-01-02T16:55:00.000-05:00

Happy 2011, everyone. I made these chocolate cupcakes for New Year's eve. The 9 year old who came didn't think the icing was sweet enough, but my auntie liked them a lot. They do not rise very much, so look a little like mini cakes.

Ingredients

Cupcakes
1 1/3 c all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 c cocoa powder
1/8 tsp salt
4 tbs butter, melted
1.5 c granulated sugar
2 eggs
3/4 tsp vanilla
1 c milk

Frosting
1/2 c butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese
1-2 c confectioners sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Directions - Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder.

Beat flour mixture into butter mixture, alternating with milk. Batter will be fairly thin.

Pour into prepared muffin tins. Bake for 15-18 (I had to go to 20) minutes until springy and a tooth pick comes out clean.

Set aside to cool.

Directions - Frosting

Cream butter, cream cheese, pinch of salt, and sugar together until cream. Add in vanilla. Refrigerate until desired firmness is achieved.

Makes 18 small cupcakes

Sage Browned Butter Mashed Potatoes

2010-12-26T10:03:00.001-05:00

Sorry for the lack of pictures. You can sort-of see the dish in a picture at the bottom of this post at the back-right of the table. This recipe has become my alternative to garlic mashed potatoes because my husband is not quite the fan of garlic that I am. It was inspired by this William Sonoma recipe, but I omitted 1/4 of butter. I especially love it because of the fried sage. The only trouble is the difficulty in preventing myself from eating all the sage before the mashed potatoes are done.

3 lbs potatoes (red and idaho)
1 stick butter
1/2 c fresh sage leaves (at least 20 leaves)
3/4 c milk
salt and pepper

Directions

Dice and boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. (Typically this involves bringing the potatoes to a boil, covered, in the salted water, then about 10 minutes more, but it may take more or less time depending on your potatoes.).

Melt the stick of butter in a medium skillet. Fry the sage leaves and remove from pan to a paper towel to drain. Continue cooking butter until browned, 1-2 more minutes.

Warm milk in a saucepan or microwave (do NOT boil).

Sprinkle potatoes with salt and pepper. Mash or rice potatoes, alternating milk and butter.

Sprinkle 1/2 - 3/4 of the fried sage leaves and mash them in. Adjust seasoning to taste. Garnish with remaining sage.

Serves 6-8.

Xmas dinner, 2010

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T10:42:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas! I hope yours is filled with friends and family. Sorry for the lack of posts this past months, new job and the general chaos of the holiday season. I did try a few new recipes over the last month or so, and hope to post them one of these days. Today, the plan is to make Christmas pancakes for breakfast, then head over to my auntie's for presents. Later, a friend's coming over for dinner.

Our family tradition is to decorate the tree on Christmas eve, then leave it up till New Year's. In Hawaii, that actually works with the heat. My auntie and I decorated last night while my husband was kept occupied with the computer. I got him to help in 2006, just before we were married, but that's about it. I'll try to remember to take and post pictures.

Christmas Eve Menu

- Prime Rib roasted in a chocolate-ancho chili rub
- Sage Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
- Salad with roasted asparagus and colored peppers
- Chocolate Cream Pie

Christmas Menu
- Herb roasted turkey
- Basalmic-onion gravy
- cornbread and sourdough cranberry stuffing
- roasted butternut squash
- roasted green beans with sauteed mushrooms
- A new recipe for bread pudding made by my auntie

Merry Christmas!

Easy Cornbread with Turkey Chili

2010-11-29T03:22:00.000-05:00

Tonight I used up all of my turkey leftovers to make my turkey chili recipe. With that we had to have cornbread, so I tried the recipe on the back of the cornmeal carton. It was extremely simple and whipped up in a flash. I will definitely try it again.

Ingredients

3/4 c cornmeal
1.25 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 sugar
1/2 tsp salt, if desired
1 egg
1/4 c vegetable oil
1 c skim milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Whisk together flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and baking powder. Make a well in the certain and add egg and oil. Stir mixture together with milk until no lumps remain.

Pour mixture into an 8" square pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake for 20 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean.

Serves 9-12.

Fall Banana Bread

2010-11-27T13:32:00.001-05:00

I've never really made a shaped cake or bread until this one. I always worried that the entire product would be ruined by failure to remove it properly from the pan. However, finding an abundance of rotting apple bananas (extremely ripe, not really rotting), I couldn't resist the urge to try this pumpkin loaf pan that my auntie bought from William Sonoma. It turned out beautifully, I must admit. I was a bit worried that the bread was darkening too fast as a result of the color of the metal pan, but it worked fine. This recipe is the same as I use for my Easy Banana Muffins, just with a slightly longer cooking time. Maybe next year, I'll try a pumpkin bread recipe.

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, if desired

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until creamy. Add the eggs and beat until light and fluffy. Stir in the bananas, mix well. Add the flours, baking soda, salt, oatmeal, and walnuts stirring just enough to moisten. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Serves 8-10

Thanksgiving Menu 2010

2010-11-26T19:17:00.001-05:00

Here's our Thanksgiving menu with a few photos, mostly of what I prepared. I'll do my best to update the recipe links later.

Herb butter roasted turkey
Caramelized Onion-Balsamic Gravy
Sourdough-Cornbread Cranberry Walnut Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes with Sage and Browned Butter
Pecan Pie Squares
Apple Pie Pockets

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T19:17:00.003-05:00

cross-posted

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. I know this post comes a little late in the day, but I'm back in Hawaii. While this is the third or fourth consecutive Thanksgiving that I've spent in Hawaii since heading off to college in 1997, this is the first year that I didn't have to do mad plane-dash to make it on time. A couple years ago, I carried 4 pies in my carry-on on the plane that I'd made in Baltimore so that we could eat soon after my plane landed. I'm thankful for being able to do my own grocery shopping, my own prep work, and cook a good portion of the meal myself this Thanksgiving.

Other things I'm thankful for:

1. My family, especially my husband and auntie. While the move back was extremely chaotic and scary at time, family helped it run smoothly and worth the trouble. I'm also excited that I am finally living with my husband after nearly 4 years of marriage, mostly apart.

2. My friends, past and present. Each has added something meaningful to my life. My extended family. I am also thankful that I survived, thus far, this visit and that it ends before I start my new job.

3. My cute and thus-far comfortable new home, even with the wildlife.

4. My health and my nifty new gym just down the street. I am also thankful for the good health of my family and friends.

5. My new job and past work experiences, all have benefited and shaped me in different ways.

6. The educational opportunities I've had and the numerous further learning experiences to come.

7. My hobbies that give me an outlet for my creativity, and the ability to share my passions with others through blogging, paper crafts, cooking, and crochet.

And finally....

I am thankful that Thanksgiving is here and dinner will be soon, and that Black Friday shopping starts online in less than 5 hours!

Thanks for visiting.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Thyme

2010-11-24T09:33:00.001-05:00

This super simple dish is a regular at our Thanksgiving. It's great because the leftovers can be made into butternut squash raviolis the next day.

1 large onion, sliced
1-2 lbs butternut squash, diced into 1" cubs
1 tsp dried thyme
salt, pepper, olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Toss squash and onions with olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper.

Roast for 30 minutes or until tender, tossing after 20 minutes.

Cheddar Bacon Biscuits

2010-11-23T01:02:00.007-05:00

My auntie and I received this recipe in a Thanksgiving handout at a William Sonoma demo on Halloween, although it was not one of the items presented. Thought I'm not overly fascinated with the demos, I found a number of tasty-sounding recipes in this handout, including this one. See the original recipe at the William Sonoma website here. We followed the directions to cook the biscuits in the frying pan in the bacon fat, but I recommend baking on a cookie sheet. Ours were a little flat as you can see in the pictures, which might be solved by a better baking surface.

Ingredients
6 oz. bacon, diced
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
8 Tbs unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces, plus 2 Tbs. melted butter
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. buttermilk

Directions
1. Fry bacon in its own fat until crisp. Chop finely.
2. Whisk flour through pepper together. Cut in butter using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your hands until pea-sized crumbs form.
3. Add in cheeses and milk and knead until dough comes together.
4. On a floured surface, gently turn out dough and roll until 1/2" thick, possibly 3/4" since ours turned out flat. Cut using a 2.5" biscuit cutter.
5. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Whole Wheat Belgian Waffles with Oatmeal

2010-11-22T01:02:00.002-05:00

I modified this recipe from a year ago to add oatmeal. It is very important to mix the milk in gradually to achieve the consistency desired. The previous recipe called for 2 cups of milk, but I had perfect consistency after 1.5 cups. I used a Belgian waffle maker borrowed from my auntie which makes 2 squares instead of the usual four. Perfect for this small recipe which makes 3-4 big (4-square waffles).

3/4 c whole wheat flour
3/4 c all purpose flour
1/2 c oatmeal
1/4 c sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1.5 c skim milk
1 egg, 2 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 c melted butter

Preheat waffle iron according to its directions.

Whisk dry ingredients in a medium mixing. Make a well in the center and add eggs, butter, and vanilla. Mix together slowly adding in just enough milk to get consistency desired.

Pour about 1/4 c of the mixture into the center of each waffle square; spread around. This may vary depending upon the size of your iron.

Cook until golden brown. Serve with fruit, powdered sugar, fruit, and/or syrup.

Makes 3-4 servings

Cranberry Shortbread Cookies

2010-11-21T06:18:00.002-05:00

This recipe appeared in a 2010 Martha Stewart holiday cookie magazine entitled "Cranberry Coins." I had a little trouble with the cooking time, so the following reflects what worked for me. Shortbread is often temperamental, but the buttery result is well worth it. In the future, I may try this recipe with dried cherries and possibly add nuts. If you hop on over to my crafts blog, you'll see how I packaged them for distribution.

Printable Version

Ingredients

1 c butter, softened
3/4 c confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 c all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c chopped cranberries

Directions

1. Using a mixer, cream together sugar, butter, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in flour and salt. Work in cranberries until evenly distributed.

2. Divide into 4 portions and roll into logs (1.5" diameter) and wrap in parchment paper. Chill for 30 minutes. The recipe provides that you can chill up to a day or freeze for up to a month, but dough that is too firm is as difficult to work with as dough that is not firm enough. Prepare to make adjustments if you leave dough in the fridge for more than 45 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

4. Using a sharp knife, cut into 1/4" discs. Bake on parchment paper for 15 minutes, then rotate and bake for 10 more minutes until edges turn golden brown. Depending upon your oven, it may be necessary to begin with 20 minutes of total cooking time.

5. Allow to cool completely on wire racks.

Makes 4-5 dozen cookies

Wild Rice with Dried Cherries

2010-11-20T13:36:00.000-05:00

I made this back in October during the move as I was trying to clean out the pantry. I accompanied the rice with a simple pan-seared chicken breast that I seasoned with salt and pepper. Sometimes wild rice recipes are called "wild rice stuffing" or something like that but I'm not sure you could "stuff" this in anything without having it turn to mush, so I think of it as simply a jazzed up wild rice.

(2-1 ratio broth to rice, erring on the side of a bit more broth)
3 c chicken broth
1.25-1.5 c uncooked wild rice
1 medium onion (about 1 c), diced
3 medium celery stalks, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c dried cherries
olive oil, salt and pepper

1. Saute onions and celery in olive oil until tender. Season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.

2. Add wild rice and mix together. Wait another minute before stirring in broth. I think this brings out a nutty flavor in the rice.

3. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cover and reduce to low. Simmer for 30 minutes.

4. Add dried cherries and continue cooking covered on low until all liquid is absorbed and rice is still fluffy. This may result in total cooking time being 45 min to an hour. If you over cook, then the result is mush, which might not be unpleasant tasting, but will lack nice consistency.

5. Adjust seasoning, as desired

Serves 4-6

Pancakes with Pineapple Sauce

2010-11-18T15:17:00.000-05:00

Last week I wanted to make pancakes. Discovering that we did not have syrup, I concocted a simple pineapple sauce. I used a Martha Stewart pancakes recipe found here subbing a 1/2 c of whole wheat flour for some of the all-purpose.

Ingredients

1 c diced pineapples
1/2 - 3/4 c orange juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon or a cinnamon stick
sprinkle of salt and suggar if desired.

Directions

In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook pineapples until softened, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Sprinkle with salt, if desired. Add orange juice and cinnamon. Cook on med low until sauce-like consistency is achieved. Depending upon how ripe your pineapple is, this may take some time. Adjust seasoning, adding sugar if necessary.

Makes 1 c sauce

My husband, as set to eat.

Early Thanksgiving Dinner

2010-11-16T12:59:00.000-05:00

I was in the mood for Thanksgiving food, so I bought "turkey breast" pieces from the market. It wasn't as sketchy as it sounds, but unfortunately turned out to be only a half breast. None the matter, I did my butter herb rub and baked it for about an hour. I paired it with garlic mashed potatoes and some broccolini for a very Thanksgivingy meal.

Ingredients

turkey breast
2-4 tbs softened butter
2 tbs minced fresh herbs (tsp if using dried) - I used sage and thyme
salt and pepper

2 lbs potatoes, diced and boiled until tender
4 tbs butter
1 head garlic, roasted skin-on, wrapped in foil with turkey until soft and spreadable
1/2 c milk, half&half or cream
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Combine herbs, about 1/2-1 tsp salt and pepper, and softened butter into a paste. Work mixture under the skin of the turkey breast, then rub liberally all over the bird. Salt and pepper cavity, if desired.

2. Bake uncovered until internal temp reaches 165 degrees, about an hour. Tent with foil if skin begins to over-brown. Alternatively, cook covered for 45 minutes, then remove cover and brown for last 15 minutes. (I'm working with my new (old) oven and am still learning how evenly or not-evenly it heats).

3. Allow turkey to rest out of the oven for about 10 minutes before carving.

4. Drain potatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Expel garlic from skins. Dot with butter.

5. Using potato masher, combine mixture together with a little milk at a time until desired consistency is achieved. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Serves 2-4

Pumpkin Muffins with Raisins and Walnuts

2010-11-15T03:04:00.001-05:00

Sorry for such a long break in blogging. I finally completed my move from Chicago to Hawaii and having been enjoying having my husband back. We moved into a cute little cottage in Kaneohe. No dishwasher, but decent kitchen for now. I actually have been both cooking and baking, but haven't posted until now. I did take pictures, and will hopefully get around to posting them. These muffins were made for my auntie's friends at her weekly cooking classes. Hope they liked them. I adapted a recipe found here at Food.com.

Printable Version

Ingredients

1.5 c all-purpose flour
1 c oatmeal (quick)
1 TBS baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice
3/4 c dark brown sugar
1 c raisins
1/2 c walnuts, chopped
1 egg, beaten
1/3 c canola oil
3/4 c skim milk
1 c pumpkin (I used canned)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Whisk flour through brown sugar together.

3. Make a well in the center and whisk in egg, milk, canola oil, and pumpkin.

4. Stir in raisins and walnuts.

5. Pour batter into prepared muffin cups.

6. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through.

7. Remove from tins and cool completely on wire rack.

Makes 12-14 regular muffins

Moving

2010-10-21T06:08:00.000-04:00

Cross-posted

There probably won't be a new post for at least a couple weeks. I'm moving back to Hawaii, at least temporarily. I'm excited that my husband's coming home from Afghanistan but quite sad to leave Chicago. Here are a couple pictures of my apartment packed up (mostly packed as I still have a few things left to clear out).

Now all my furniture's gone and I'm sleeping on an air mattress and reclining in a lawn chair! I'll try to take a few more pictures before I leave, but we'll see.

Zucchini Pancakes

2010-10-13T07:52:00.001-04:00

I've been wanting to make this recipe for awhile now and twice bought a large zucchini for shredding from the farmer's market. Apparently, the larger a zucchini becomes, the less desirable it is for general snacking. Perfect for baking. Anyway, I printed this recipe from Tasteofhome.com, but believe I saw it first on someone's blog. Since I was out of sour cream, I served the pancakes with apple sauce (like potato pancakes), which worked well enough for breakfast.

Printable Version

Ingredients
1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp dried oregano, salt, and pepper

1.5 c shredded zucchini, water drained
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 c chopped onion, sauteed (the recipe called for raw, I don't like the bite)
2 TBS mayo (FF works great)

Directions
Whisk flour, spices, and cheese together. In a separate bowl, combine zucchini, onion, egg, and mayo. Gently combine wet and dry ingredients.

On a skillet or griddle coated with cooking spray or melted butter, drop half cupfuls and cook until browned and firm on each side. (About 2-3 min per side).

Serve warm with sour cream (or apple sauce).

2-4 servings

Meatless Chili

2010-10-08T13:48:00.007-04:00

Updated with picture

As I mentioned in my previous post, I changed up my standard chili recipe just a tad, mainly to use fresh tomatoes that I got a the farmers' market and no meat.

Ingredients
1.5 c black beans
1.5 c or 1 can of northern beans
3 lbs fresh tomatoes, diced
1.5 c sweet onion, diced
4 cloves garlic
8 oz tomato sauce
1 c corn, frozen okay
1 c green bell pepper, diced
1/4 c chili powder (or to taste)
salt, pepper, olive oil

Directions
Saute onions until soft in olive oil. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Allow the tomatoes to break down some, about 5 minutes, before adding beans, sauce, and chili powder. Bring to a simmer and cook covered for 20 minutes or until tomatoes are softened.

Raise temperature to medium and add bell pepper and corn. Cook for another 10 minutes until veggies are softened.

Serve in bowls with cornbread.

Serves 4-6