confidence in the kitchen

sauteed shrimp with arugula and tomatoes

2011-10-01T07:45:00.001-04:00

ingredients (serves 4):

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
1 garlic clove, minced
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 ounces wild or baby arugula (4 cups)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

directions:
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until they blister, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add shrimp and cook, stirring often, until almost opaque throughout, about 4 minutes. Add arugula, season with salt and pepper, and toss until wilted, 1 minute. Add lemon juice and toss to combine.

recipe from martha stewart.

a bunch of roasted veggies

2011-09-26T18:41:00.000-04:00

ingredients (serves 2-4):
1 zucchini, chopped
1/4-1/2 of white onion, sliced
handful of small carrots
boiled potatoes (however many you want)
handful or two of mushrooms, quartered
olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
parmesan cheese
i also used the 21 seasoning salute from trader joe's. but the original recipe called for lemon pepper. whatever you wish.

directions:
toss zucchini, onion, carrots, potatoes and mushrooms with olive oil, garlic and parmesan cheese (or maybe just add a layer of cheese to top of dish without tossing). toss with seasoning if desired. bake at 350 degrees fahrenheit for about 25-30 minutes.
i test my roasted vegetables with a fork. if i can stab them easily, they are usually done.

i adapted recipe from this blog.

my own tomato soup (with red pepper and garlic)

2011-09-09T07:37:00.001-04:00

ingredients (for 2):
a little butter
1 big clove of garlic (minced)
2-3 tomatoes (the plump kind...) - diced
1/2 red pepper -diced
1/4 cup- 1/2 cup milk (optional)
salt to taste

directions:
i made this up...

add a sliver of butter to stock pot/soup pot on medium-high heat. add garlic. wait until garlic is fragrant and add tomatoes and pepper. stir and let cook for 5-7 minutes until everything is cooked and a lot of liquid has formed. stir in milk if desired.
transfer soup to blender and puree ingredients. put soup back into the soup pot on the stove for a few more minutes to heat up again.
add salt to taste.

always pairs well with grilled cheese sandwiches...

quinoa green salad

2011-09-08T08:28:00.000-04:00

ingredients (for 2):
about 1/2 cup cooked quinoa (see box instructions)
lettuce for two
sliced almonds (or any nut)
dried berries
parmesan cheese (or any other cheese--- or not)
salad dressing (i prefer a raspberry vinaigrette or balsamic vinaigrette)

directions:
cook quinoa and let sit (to cool down a little). toss together: quinoa, lettuce, nuts, berries and cheese. add dressing and enjoy.

i think it's super gooood.

seared salmon with blueberry compote and goat cheese

2011-09-06T20:26:00.000-04:00

ingredients:
salmon filet
oil (olive or grapeseed)
tiny wild blueberries (if not wild, add a little sugar to compote)
a little butter for compote
goat cheese

directions:
i made this up, so bear with me.

for compote: put blueberries in saucepan with butter on medium heat. heat up until juice forms and blueberries are desired temperature. then let them sit (without heat) so the liquid gets thicker.
for salmon: put oil in frying pan on medium to medium high heat. let oil warm and add salmon. sear salmon on each side for about 2-3 minutes.
serve with blueberry compote and goat cheese.

hope you like it.

lemon-ricotta pancakes

2011-08-28T16:12:00.000-04:00

ingredients (makes 4 servings):
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup whole-milk or part-skim ricotta cheese
1 Tbs grated lemon zest
2 tsp unsalted butter, melted
12 strawberries, hulled and sliced (tossed with sugar is optional)

directions:
position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 250 degrees fahrenheit.

in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. in another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg yolks, sugar, ricotta and lemon zest. add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just blended. there will be some small lumps.

in a separate bowl, using a mixer on medium speed or a whisk, beat the whites until soft peaks form. using a rubber spatula, carefully fold the beaten egg whites into the ricotta mixture until just blended.

place a large griddle or frying pan with low sloping sides over medium heat until hot enough for a drop of water to sizzle and then immediately evaporate. brush with about 1/2 teaspoon of the butter. for each pancake, ladle about 1/4 cup batter onto the hot surface. reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until small bubbles appear, the edges start to look dry, and the bottoms are golden brown, about 4 minutes. carefully turn the pancakes and cook until lightly browned on the second sides, about 1.5 minutes longer. transfer to an ovenproof platter and place in the oven to keep warm; do not cover the pancakes or they will get soggy. repeat with the remaining batter and butter to make about 16 pancakes, each about 4 inches in diameter.

serve the pancakes at once, accompanied by the strawberries.

incredible.

recipe from williams-sonoma's essentials of breakfast and brunch cookbook.

baked pasta with spinach

2011-05-08T20:48:00.001-04:00

ingredients (served 6-8):
1 lb. pasta
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs.), diced --- optional
1/4 cup olive oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
5 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1/4 cup white wine*
2 cups mozzarella cheese

directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°. Set a large pot of water to boil. Once it comes to a rolling boil, salt it and cook the pasta until just al dente. Drain.

While the pasta is cooking, set a large skillet over medium heat. Once it’s hot, heat the olive oil then add the chicken. Brown the chicken on all sides – about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and simmer with the chicken until it’s fragrant and begins to turn golden – about 3 minutes.

Add the salt. spinach and white wine to the skillet and cook for an additional 3 – 5 minutes, or until the spinach begins to wilt. Toss the contents of the skillet with the pasta and place in a casserole dish. Cover with cheese and bake for 25 minutes.

*you can either go without the wine or use some sort of broth like vegetable or chicken.

recipe found here.

shrimp and noodles

2011-04-28T19:59:00.000-04:00

ingredients (serves 4-6):
12 oz. cellophane (bean thread) noodles
1 lb. small shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup peanut oil
3 shallots, thinly sliced
1 head garlic, chopped
2 to 4 Thai chilies, seeded and sliced (or equivalent sriracha sauce)
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1/4 cup fish sauce or soy sauce, plus more, to taste
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice, plus more, to taste
1/4 cup fresh Thai or sweet basil leaves

directions:
Place the noodles in a large bowl, add hot water to cover generously and let stand until softened, about 20 minutes. Drain the noodles and set aside.

Fill a saucepan three-fourths full of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the shrimp and boil just until they turn pink and curl, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain in a colander and place under cold running water until cool. Set aside.

In a wok or large nonstick fry pan over high heat, warm the oil. Add the shallots and stir-fry for about 30 seconds to soften slightly. Add the garlic and the chilies (or sriracha) and continue to stir-fry until the shallots begin to color, about 2 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and stir-fry for 1 minute. Push the contents of the pan to one side, add the 1/4 cup fish sauce to the other side, let it bubble up for a second and then add the noodles. Quickly stir and toss to combine the noodles and fish sauce. Add the shrimp, toss to combine and sprinkle with the 2 Tbs. lime juice.

Remove from the heat. Taste and adjust the seasonings with more fish sauce and/or lime juice. The dish should have a nice balance of salty, sour and hot. Add the basil and toss to mix well.

Transfer the noodle mixture to a platter or individual bowls and serve hot or at room temperature.

adapted from williams-sonoma recipe.

quinoa with black beans

2011-04-26T19:57:00.001-04:00

ingredients (serves 2-4):
1 Tbs olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped and peeled
3/4 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 Tbs lime juice

directions:
In a medium pot, heat olive oil and brown garlic. Add quinoa and toast for 30 seconds, stirring. Add broth and spices, bringing everything to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and cover for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and add beans, parsley and lime juice.

adapted from this recipe.

spring (easter) nests

2011-04-25T10:15:00.001-04:00

ingredients (makes 12):
1/4 cup butter
6 cups mini marshmallows
6 cups fried chow mein noodles
cadbury mini eggs (or jelly beans or peanut m&ms) --- for the "eggs"

directions:
melt butter and marshmallows over low heat in large pan. when smooth and bubbly, remove from heat. fold in noodles, shape by dropping by tablespoonfuls on to wax paper that has been sprayed with cooking spray. immediately press 3 "eggs" on to top of each mound, making it look like a bird's nest.

recipe from ben's mom.

mini frittatas

2011-04-11T20:53:00.000-04:00

ingredients (makes 12):
2/3 Cup Asparagus thinly sliced on the diagonal
2/3 Cup Mixed Fresh Wild Mushrooms sliced to same thickness as the Asparagus
12 Eggs
1 Tbsp Heavy Cream
1/2 Cup shredded Sharp White Cheddar Cheese
6-10 Slices of Prosciutto halved lengthwise
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil

directions:
Preheat oven to 375˚ F. Over medium heat saute asparagus and mushroom in about 1 Tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper until water from mushrooms has evaporated but the vegetables are still al dente. Remove from heat.
Place one slice of prosciutto at the bottom of each muffin well. Wrap muffin wells with the halved prosciutto until the sides are covered.
Beat 12 eggs with 1 Tbsp of heavy cream with a fork. Gently fold in vegetables and cheese.
Pour egg mixture into muffin cups being careful not to let the prosciutto fall into the middle.
Cook for about 20 minutes or until eggs are set.
Serve immediately.

inspired by this recipe.

lemon bars

2011-03-22T09:28:00.000-04:00

ingredients for dough (for 9" x 13" pan):

1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 cups flour

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
ingredients for filling:

6 extra-large eggs at room temperature

3 cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons grated lemon zest

1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup flour (i used whole wheat flour for the filling and it was extra good)

confectioners' sugar, for dusting

directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust: cream the butter and sugar. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Gather the dough into a ball then flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 x 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides.
Bake the crust until very lightly browned, about 15 minutes.
Leave the oven on. While the crust is cooling start making the filling.

Whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the filling is set.

Let cool to room temperature then cut into triangles and dust with confectioners' sugar.

recipe is ina garten's but i found it here.

fried avocados

2011-03-19T20:18:00.001-04:00

made these for ben, as well as my bro-in-law and his fiancée. everyone was very pleased. the texture is just so fun and they aren't super difficult to fry. just be sure to have a good set of tongs to turn the avocados in the hot pan. ingredients:
oil for frying (i used grape seed oil)
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp kosher salt
2 large eggs, beaten to blend
1 1/4 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
2 firm-ripe medium avocados, pitted, peeled, and sliced into 1/2-in. wedges

directions:
Preheat oven to 200° (if desired). In a medium saucepan, heat oil on high.
Meanwhile, mix flour with 1/2 tsp. salt in a shallow plate. Put eggs and panko in separate shallow plates.
Sprinkle the avocado slices with the remaining ½ tsp salt. Dip each slice in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg, then panko to coat. Set on plate(s) in a single layer.

Fry a quarter of avocado slices at a time until deep golden, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer slices to a plate lined with paper towels. Keep warm in oven while cooking remaining avocados.

recipe adapted from here and photo also (they were too good, so eaten too fast).

broccoli quiche

2011-03-07T21:21:00.001-05:00

ben came home from work and said he wanted to make a quiche. so we did. ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, minced*
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
4 eggs, well beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon butter, melted

*we used a little less onion and added 1/2 of a yellow bell pepper. mmm.

directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Over medium-low heat melt butter in a large saucepan. Add onions, garlic and broccoli (and bell pepper). Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft. Spoon vegetables into crust and sprinkle with cheese.
Combine eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in melted butter. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until center has set.*

*for some reason, ours took a while longer to set (probably about 20 minutes extra).

recipe from here.

tortilla pizzas

2011-03-05T17:55:00.000-05:00

even though i really, really love regular homemade pizza, i love these little tortilla pizzas i learned to make when i lived in italy. so simple and delicious.ingredients (1-2 tortillas per person):
flour tortillas (about 8 inch rounds)
olive oil
mozzarella cheese (or any cheese you like)
toppings like tomatoes, mushrooms, olives --- anything you'd put on a pizza

directions:
set oven to broil.
for crispier tortillas, warm tortillas in a frying pan first thing.
put tortillas down flat on a baking sheet. lightly brush olive oil on surface of tortillas. add cheese, vegetables, meats, whatever you like.
broil tortillas for about 5-7 minutes (or until cheese is melted and tortillas are slightly crispy on the edges).
cut up into slices like a pizza.
enjoy.
make again another night. if you like them, of course.

homemade oreos

2011-03-01T08:21:00.000-05:00

ingredients (makes 25-30 sandwich cookies):
For the chocolate wafers:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar (depending on how sweet you want them)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

For the filling:
1/2 cup (1 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

directions:
Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375°F.
In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.
Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.
To make the cream, place butter in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream. Dunk generously in a large glass of milk.

recipe from this blog.
also posted here.

crème brûlée

2011-02-17T13:28:00.001-05:00

ingredients (serves 6-10 depending on ramekin size):
1 vanilla bean (about 1 tsp vanilla extract is substitute for 1 vanilla bean)
3 cups heavy cream
6 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar (optional)

directions:
preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. split vanilla bean in half lengthwise*; scrape seeds* into medium heatproof bowl. heat pod and cream in medium pot, without boiling.

add egg yolks and sugar to seeds in bowl; gradually whisk in hot cream mixture. place bowl over medium pot of simmering water; stir over medium heat about 10 minutes or until custard mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. discard pod.

divide custard among six 1/2-cup heatproof dishes (ramekins). place dishes in large baking dish; pour enough boiling water into baking dish to come halfway up sides of dishes. bake, uncovered, about 20 minutes or until custards are just set. remove custards from water; cool to room temperature. cover; refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.

bring custards to room temperature (suggested).

if you have a kitchen torch: add about 1/2 tsp to the top of each custard, spread evenly and torch until crispy or golden brown
if you do not have a kitchen torch: preheat broiler. place custards in shallow broiler-safe dish filled with ice cubes; sprinkle custards evenly with sifted powdered sugar. using finger, distribute the sugar over the surface of each custard, pressing in gently; place under hot broiler until tops of crème brûlées are caramelized.

*i split up the substituted vanilla extract between the two bowls

recipe from best ever recipes cookbook.

mushroom and spinach risotto

2011-02-15T09:27:00.000-05:00

we made this to complement our roasted lamb for valentine's day dinner. so perfect. ingredients (serves 4-6):
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 - 1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups of arborio rice
3/4 cup white wine
10 shitake mushrooms, sliced (or 2 cups sliced of any mushroom)
3 t0 4 cups (5 oz.) fresh, finely chopped spinach
1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano (or any parmesan-ish cheese)
salt and pepper to taste

directions:
In a medium pot, bring vegetable broth to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer. In a large pan, sauté the garlic and onions in olive oil or butter until soft. Add rice and stir for 2 minutes, until lightly toasted. Add white wine and stir until absorbed. Once absorbed, add one and a half ladles of warm stock to the rice mixture, stirring until absorbed. Repeat this process until you have two ladles left to add.

During the ladle process, sauté the mushrooms in olive oil or butter until cooked. At the second to last ladle, add the spinach with the broth and stir. Once absorbed, add the last ladle with the mushrooms. Stir in the parmigiano and add salt and pepper to taste.

recipe adapted from this blog.

nutella cupcakes with nutella cream cheese frosting

2011-02-08T11:57:00.001-05:00

ok, so these are gluten free... which i didn't even now until now, as i'm posting the recipe. so anyway they are delish. as i'm sure you gathered from the title.

ingredients for cupcakes (makes 12):

8 Tbs (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/3 cup honey or light brown sugar

2 Tbs milk

1/4 cup Nutella

2 large eggs

1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs superfine sweet rice flour

1/4 cup millet flour

1/4 cup cornstarch (or use tapioca flour)

1 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

or Use 200gr (about 1 3/4 cups) all purpose flour to replace the sweet rice and millet flours and the corn starch if desired.

directions for cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Place 12 muffin liners inside a muffin pan and lightly brush with melted butter (or cooking spray).
In an electric mixer, whip the butter and honey until fluffy at medium speed, 2-3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and add milk and Nutella. Still on low, add the eggs, one at time and scraping the bowl after each addition. In a separate bowl, mix together the flours, cornstarch, baking soda and salt and slowly fold this in with the butter - Nutella mixture until the mixture is smooth. Divide evenly among the muffin liners and bake 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting or enjoy warm without.

ingredients for cream cheese frosting:

8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 oz Nutella

directions for frosting:

In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Sift the powdered sugar over the bowl and whisk for a few seconds. Add the Nutella and mix until completely incorporated. That is plenty for 12 cupcakes by the way. Halve the recipe if you plan to do some Nutella and some plain.

or for plain cream cheese frosting: remove the Nutella and add 2 tablespoons butter to make it 1/4 cup total and 1/4 cup powdered sugar to make it 1/2 cup total. Same process.

recipe adapted from here.

broccoli and cheese soup

2011-01-28T15:26:00.000-05:00

ingredients (makes 4 servings):
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup yellow onions or sliced leeks (white parts only, well rinsed)
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth
16 oz (1 lb) broccoli
1/2 cup milk
1.5-2 cups cheddar cheese (mr ben and i used a mexican cheese blend)
salt and pepper to taste

directions:
In a medium pot, melt the 3 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until soft, 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, for 20 seconds. Add the flour and cook, stirring until the mixture is well blended and smells fragrant, 2 minutes. Slowly add the chicken broth, whisking constantly, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.
meanwhile, cook the broccoli, then blend or puree in a food processor. don't blend too long if you still want some bigger pieces of broccoli.
add broccoli to soup. add milk and bring to a simmer to heat through. add the cheese and cook over low heat, stirring, until melted. add the remaining 2 tablespoons cold butter, stirring to blend.
ladle into bowls.
enjoy.
serve with bread if you like (i just toasted some bread and cut it into crouton size pieces).

recipe adapted from here.

brown butter chocolate chip cookies

2011-01-20T09:11:00.000-05:00

ingredients (makes 2.5 dozen cookies):
1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups (1 pound) semi-sweet chocolate chips

directions:
In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Once melted, continue to cook until it turns golden brown. Swirl the pan occasionally if needed so that it browns evenly. Watch it fairly closely, as it can go from brown to burned quickly. When the color has turned golden, small flecks speckle the butter, and it has a nutty aroma, remove from heat and poor into a shallow dish. Chill in the fridge until it becomes solid. You want it to be soft, but not melted. If it cool too hard, let it come back to room temperature before using.
(note: browning of butter takes a while, especially at such a low temperature. and then cooling takes even longer. i had to stick the butter in the freezer to cool faster.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Beat the brown butter, sugar, and brown sugar on medium high speed with an electric mixer until light and creamy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each. Add the vanilla.

Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix until just combined on medium speed. Add the chocolate chips and mix until incorporated.

Spoon by the tablespoon onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 inches in between each cookie. Bake until golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

this is the brown butter...

recipe found here.

vanilla vanilla mini mini cupcakes

2011-01-19T11:22:00.000-05:00

i know cupcakes are like totally out and pie is supposed to be the next big thing...
but i still love cupcakes.

especially when they are mini = less guilt.ingredients for cake (makes about 30 regular sized cupcakes):
1 3/4 cups cake flour, not self-rising
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes

4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

directions for cake:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.

In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.
Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about 2/3 full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining batter. Once cupcakes have cooled, use a small offset spatula to frost tops of each cupcake. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Serve at room temperature.

ingredients for buttercream frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
6 to 8 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

directions for frosting:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add 6 cups sugar, milk, and vanilla; mix until light and fluffy. If necessary, gradually add remaining 2 cups sugar to reach desired consistency.

recipe from martha.

ebelskivers (little round danish yummies)

2011-01-15T18:41:00.001-05:00

ebelskivers have a pancake-like consistency. you will need an ebelskiver pan, one like this. or it's always nice to buy one from a local kitchen shop.ingredients (makes 20-25 ebelskivers):
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp soda
2 Tbs sugar

2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
4 Tbs butter

directions:
Mix together flour, salt, baking powder, soda, sugar (dry ingredients)
Add eggs, buttermilk and melted butter (wet ingredients)

bake in ebelskiver iron and eat as many as you can. it's fun to butter
the pan often to keep from sticking.

fill pan holes just below the filler line. wait until the one side is cooked and rotate with a fork or easy kitchen tool so the uncooked batter will fill the bottom of the pan holes.

serve with syrup, powdered sugar, fruit, jam... etc. the options are endless.
recipe from my sister... and from her mother-in-law.

pumpkin cheesecake

2010-12-20T21:59:00.002-05:00

SO DELICIOUS. i am still dreaming about it.
cooks' note: this cheesecake is so very delicious but it also takes a lot of time. it is an all day project (with cooking and cooling time included).
also, i don't have a springform pan, so sister and i used a regular 9" round and had an additional pan of water in the oven under the cheesecake (already in a pan of water) to make sure there was enough moisture.

it turned out REALLY well. totally worth it.

ingredients for crust:

5	oz graham crackers (9 whole crackers), broken into large pieces
3	Tbs granulated sugar
1/2	tsp ground ginger
1/2	tsp ground cinnamon
1/4	tsp ground cloves
6	Tbs unsalted butter , melted

ingredients for filling:
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar (10 1/3 oz)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp table salt
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
1 1/3 pounds cream cheese, cut into 1-inch chunks and left to soften at room temperature, about 30 minutes
1 Tbs vanilla extract
1 Tbs lemon juice from 1 lemon
5 large eggs, left at room temperature, about 30 minutes
1 cup heavy cream

directions:
FOR THE CRUST: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan evenly with nonstick cooking spray. Pulse crackers, sugar, and spices in food processor until evenly and finely ground, about fifteen 2-second pulses. Transfer crumbs to medium bowl, drizzle melted butter over, and mix with rubber spatula until evenly moistened. Turn crumbs into prepared springform pan and, using hand, spread crumbs into even layer. Using flat-bottomed ramekin or drinking glass, press crumbs evenly into pan bottom, then use a soup spoon to press and smooth crumbs into edges of pan. Bake until fragrant and browned about the edges, about 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack while making filling.

FOR THE FILLING: Bring about 4 quarts water to simmer in stockpot. Whisk sugar, spices, and salt in small bowl; set aside. To dry pumpkin (see illustrations below): Line baking sheet with triple layer of paper towels. Spread pumpkin on paper towels in roughly even layer. Cover pumpkin with second triple layer of paper towels and press firmly until paper towels are saturated. Peel back top layer of towels and discard. Grasp bottom towels and fold pumpkin in half; peel back towels. Repeat and flip pumpkin onto baking sheet; discard towel.

In standing mixer fitted with flat beater, beat cream cheese at medium speed to break up and soften slightly, about 1 minute. Scrape beater and bottom and sides of bowl well with rubber spatula. Add about one third of sugar mixture and beat at medium-low speed until combined, about 1 minute; scrape bowl and add remaining sugar in two additions, scraping bowl after each addition. Add pumpkin, vanilla, and lemon juice and beat at medium speed until combined, about 45 seconds; scrape bowl. Add 3 eggs and beat at medium-low until incorporated, about 1 minute; scrape bowl. Add remaining 2 eggs and beat at medium-low until incorporated, about 45 seconds; scrape bowl. Add heavy cream and beat at low speed until combined, about 45 seconds. Using rubber spatula, scrape bottom and sides of bowl and give final stir by hand.

Set springform pan with cooled crust on 18-inch-square doubled layer heavy-duty foil and wrap bottom and sides with foil; set wrapped springform pan in roasting pan. Pour filling into springform pan and smooth surface; set roasting pan in oven and pour enough boiling water to come about halfway up side of springform pan. Bake until center of cake is slightly wobbly when pan is shaken, and center of cake registers 145 to 150 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 1 1/2 hours (see note). Set roasting pan on wire rack and use paring knife to loosen cake from sides of pan. Cool until water is just warm, about 45 minutes. Remove springform pan from water bath, discard foil, and set on wire rack; continue to cool until barely warm, about 3 hours. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or up to 3 days.

TO SERVE: Slide thin metal spatula between crust and pan bottom to loosen, then slide cake onto serving platter. Let cheesecake stand at room temperature about 30 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve.

drying the pumpkin

recipe found here. mmm cooks illustrated.

chocolate peppermint patty cookies

2010-12-17T10:31:00.001-05:00

the cookie part is just pure chocolate. it's amazing. and these are just a fun holiday treat. i am loving this bake fest.
see us in action here. ingredients (makes 40 cookies = 20 sandwiches):
10 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into chunks
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoons milk
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
About 2 cups crushed and sifted candy canes

directions:
1. Put chocolates and butter in a medium metal bowl and set bowl over a pan filled with 1 in. of simmering water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until melted, then remove from heat and let cool slightly. Whisk in eggs and sugar, mixing until combined. Then whisk in flour, baking powder, and salt. Chill dough, covered, until firm, about 2 hours.
2. Let dough sit at room temperature 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350° and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop 1 tbsp. portions of dough, rolling each into a ball, and put onto sheets 1 in. apart. Using the palm of your hand, press dough balls into rounds 1/4 in. thick.
3. Bake cookies until they no longer look wet on top, about 8 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets.
4. In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar, milk, and peppermint extract until smooth. Spread 1 heaping tsp. peppermint icing onto the flat side of 1 cookie. Top with flat side of a second cookie to form a sandwich, pressing together to squeeze filling to the edge. Roll edge of cookie in candy canes. Repeat with remaining cookies.

Make ahead: Batter up to 1 day; baked cookies up to 2 days, airtight.

recipe from here. so delicious.

gingerbread cake with homemade caramel sauce

2010-12-16T12:09:00.000-05:00

sister and i are having a bake fest this week.

bake fest 2010.

our first attempt turned out really well... ingredients for cake (makes enough for one bundt or 9 x 13 pan):
1 cup dark molasses
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 cups flour
1 cup boiling water
2 eggs, separated
whipped cream, to garnish if desired

directions for cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix molasses, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Add sugar, butter, flour and boiling water. Stir in beaten egg yolks. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into batter. Pour into a greased Bundt pan (OR 9 x 13” pan). Bake for about 40 minutes (or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean). Cool. Turn gingerbread out onto a platter or cake stand (if you baked it in a Bundt pan; not necessary if baked in a 9 x 13” pan). Serve with hot caramel sauce and whipped cream on top.

hot caramel sauce ingredients:
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
2 heaping Tbs flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup boiling water
dash of salt

directions for caramel sauce:
Melt butter in a medium saucepan; add brown sugar and sugar and stir until sugars are dissolved. Add flour, stirring constantly over medium heat. Add vanilla, salt and nutmeg. Add boiling water. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring until sauce thickens. Serve over gingerbread or pool beneath.
as you can see, we used a mini bundt. i love the mini bundt.

recipe from this food blog. yumm.

mashed butternut squash

2010-11-07T20:27:00.000-05:00

this dish would be great for thanksgiving!! also these mashed potatoes and this apple pie are some good additions to a thanksgiving meal.ingredients (serves 12-15):
3 large butternut squash
1/2 cup butter, melted
6 Tbs maple syrup or honey (i suggest pure maple syrup!!)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
salt and pepper to taste

directions:
cut squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds. place cut side down in a baking dish. bake at 350 degrees fahrenheit for 45 minutes or until tender. scoop squash out of shells and put in a large mixing bowl. add melted butter, syrup and spices. mix thoroughly. place in baking dish and bake at 350 degrees fahrenheit for about 10-15 minutes more.
serve. yumm.
recipe adapted from a recipe from ben's mom :)

zucchini whoppie pies

2010-10-10T14:47:00.000-04:00

ingredients for cakes (makes about a dozen pies):
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1 cup grated zucchini
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

directions for cakes:
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
In medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; set aside.
In large mixing bowl, cream together shortening and sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg, zucchini, milk and vanilla and mix well. Stir in flour mixture until just mixed.
Drop by tablespoonfuls, 2-inches apart, onto parchment lined baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
*They spread quite a bit so don’t make your mounds of batter too big.

ingredients for filling:
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
2 cups marshmallow cream such as Marshmallow Fluff (homemade recipe below)
1 teaspoon vanilla

directions for filling:
Beat together butter, confectioners sugar then add in the marshmallow fluff, and vanilla in a bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Spread a rounded tablespoon filling on flat sides of half of cakes and top with remaining cakes.

*Cakes can be made 3 days ahead and kept, layered between sheets of wax paper, in an airtight container at room temperature.
*Filling can be made 4 hours ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature. Refrigerate if you aren’t going to use it before then.

homemade marshmallow fluff:

makes 2 cups

3 egg whites
2/3 cup sugar

Make a double boiler by bringing a small pot of water to a bare simmer, then place the bowl of your stand mixer, if you’ve got one, or another large stainless steel bowl atop the water. Add the egg whites and sugar, and whisk continuously until the sugar dissolves and the liquid is warm to the touch.

Transfer the bowl from the stovetop to your stand mixer (you’ll probably want to wipe the condensation from its bottom before securing), and use the whisk attachment to whip the liquid on medium-high speed until it turns glossy with stiff peaks, about 8 minutes. If you don’t have a stand mixer, do the same with your electric hand mixer.

recipe originally from here.

fruit smoothie, yet healthier

2010-10-01T20:37:00.000-04:00

ingredients (enough for two large cups):
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 Tbs honey
handful of spinach
2-3 frozen bananas
6-8 frozen strawberries

directions:
add all ingredients to the blender in the order listed. blend until mixed well. enjoy your healthy, yummy smoothie.
(try it. you'll like it.)

red quinoa with black bean and corn salad

2010-09-14T10:40:00.000-04:00

ingredients (serves 6 as a side dish):
1 cup red quinoa (keen-wah), cooked with broth
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth (for cooking quinoa)
1- 15 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups roasted corn kernels (i cut corn off the cob and roasted it in a frying pan)
1 avocado, cut in 1/2 inch pieces
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
3/4 cup cilantro salad dressing (i didn't have this so i made a little dressing from mixing salsa, olive oil and water)
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped (i was ok without this)
zest of 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste

directions:
cook quinoa with broth according to package directions (usually it's bring quinoa and water to a boil and then simmer for 10-15 minutes until all water is absorbed).
while quinoa is cooking, combine beans, corn, avocado, tomatoes and onion. top with salad dressing and toss gently. add salt, pepper and lime zest to taste. add 1/2 of cilantro and gently toss once more. set aside.

when quinoa is cooked, toss with olive oil; add salt and pepper to taste. set aside to cool. when ready to serve, spread quinoa on a large serving platter and top with corn and bean mixture. garnish with remaining cilantro.

recipe courtesy of the red quinoa box from trader joe's.

peanut butter crispies

2010-09-09T09:26:00.001-04:00

ingredients (makes about 16- 2" squares):
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup blue agave syrup OR honey
1 cup peanut butter
7 cups crispy rice cereal
chocolate chips (optional)

directions:
combine brown sugar and agave/honey in a saucepan and bring to a near boil, stirring often. continue stirring until brown sugar dissolves. remove from heat.

add peanut butter to mixture. mix well. add crisp rice cereal and mix well. if desired, add chocolate chips, then mix well.

press the mixture into 13" x 9" x 2" greased baking pan. refrigerate for a few hours to cool and harden. to harden more quickly, place in freezer for about an hour.

recipe courtesy of the trader joe's cereal box

greek chicken-lemon (or lime) soup

2010-08-09T19:08:00.001-04:00

it was rainy. so i made soup. it was delicious.ingredients (serves 4):
1 cup long-grain rice (i used 3/4 cup jasmine rice, 1/4 cup basmati rice)
3 cups chicken broth
About 1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tsp. cornstarch
3 egg yolks
Juice of 1/2 lemon (or, juice of 1 lime)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup finely chopped baby arugula (for garnish)

directions:
Cook the rice and chicken
Cook the rice according to the package instructions and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the broth to a simmer. Add the chicken, reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

Make the lemon-egg mixture
In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and 1 Tbs. water until combined.

In a small saucepan over low heat, whisk together the egg yolks and lemon juice. When the mixture is just warm, whisk in the cornstarch mixture and then 1 cup of the broth from the chicken. Increase the heat to medium and continue to whisk until a thick sauce has formed, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Finish the soup
Return the pan with the broth and chicken to medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add the lemon-egg mixture while whisking continuously; the soup will thicken slightly. Stir in the rice and season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve immediately. Garnish with arugula.

adapted from the williams sonoma food made fast: soup cookbook.

easy dinner salad with arugula

2010-08-04T23:07:00.001-04:00

ingredients (serves 2):
1/3 of 7 oz bag of arugula
handful of slivered almonds
shredded parmesan cheese (as you like)
2 chicken tenders, cooked as you like, shredded
raspberry vinaigrette dressing

directions:
toss arugula, almonds, parmesan together. cook chicken. shred chicken.
toss altogether with dressing.

eat it. enjoy it. make it another night.

lime rice

2010-06-21T11:58:00.003-04:00

ingredients (enough for 2-3):
1 cup uncooked jasmine rice
1 tsp butter
2 cloves of garlic
zest of 1 lime
2 cups water

juice of 1 lime
1 tsp sugar

directions:
in a rice cooker, combine rice, butter, garlic, zest and water. cook rice.
in a small bowl combine lime juice and sugar. pour over hot cooked rice.

or if you do not have a rice cooker, combine butter, garlic, zest and water in a saucepan. bring to a boil. cover and cook 15-20 minutes until rice is tender. remove from heat. in a small bowl combine lime juice and sugar. pour over hot cooked rice.

recipe adapted from here.

chicken with peanut sauce and noodles

2010-06-15T19:57:00.004-04:00

ingredients (serves 4):
3 Tbs creamy peanut butter
3 Tbs soy sauce
3 Tbs rice vinegar
2 Tbs asian sesame oil
1/2 tsp chile paste (or some sriracha sauce)
1/4 tsp sugar

1/2 lb dried rice noodles or rice vermicelli :: soaked in hot water to cover for 15 minutes and drained
1/4-1/2 lb baby spinach (or green spring onions, chopped)
1 Tbs corn or peanut oil

1 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken homemade or rotisserie (i did the chicken the same way as i do here)
1 Tbs roasted peanuts, chopped
3 Tbs fresh cilantro chopped (or green spring onions, chopped)

directions:
make the peanut sauce:
in a blender, combine 1/4 cup warm water and the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, chile paste and sugar. process until a smooth sauce forms. if the sauce is too thick, add up to 1 Tbs warm water.

cook the noodles:
bring a large pot of water to a boil. plunge the reconstituted noodles into the water for 5 seconds and drain immediately. pour the noodles back into the warm pot, add the spinach and corn oil, and toss gently to distribute the ingredients evenly.

assemble and serve:
in a bowl, toss the shredded chicken with half of the peanut sauce. transfer the noodles to a large bowl or platter and scatter the chicken on top. garnish with the peanuts and cilantro. pass the remaining peanut sauce at the table.

recipe from asian food made fast from williams-sonoma.

homemade coco loco popsicles

2010-06-06T17:12:00.001-04:00

so these are sort of healthy... yeah? (no sugar added...)
ingredients (this made too much for my small ikea popsicle molds so half recipe if you like):
-1 13.5 ounce can coconut milk
-1 c. chopped pineapple
-1 ripe banana, lightly chopped
-1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

directions:
Toss everything into a food processor or blender.
Puree until smooth (optionally, you can leave some chopped bits whole, if that’s your jam).
Pour into popsicle molds.
Freeze until solid (several hours).
Remove from molds (if necessary, run the molds for just a few seconds under hot water until they release) and enjoy!000 what fun! an overflowing food processor!adapted from a recipe found here.

s'more brownies

2010-05-19T16:12:00.000-04:00

next time, i promise i will post something healthy. promise, promise, promise. ingredients for crust (i halved all of these ingredients):
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch fine salt

ingredients for brownies:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
4 large cold eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour

topping:
4 cups large marshmallows

directions:
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8 by-8-inch square baking pan with foil so it hangs over the edges by about 1 inch.
For the crust: Lightly butter the foil with some of the melted butter. Stir the rest of the butter together with the crumbs, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Press the crumb mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the brownie. Put the butter and chocolate in a medium microwave safe bowl. Melt in the microwave on 75 percent power for 2 minutes. Stir, and microwave again until completely melted, about 2 minutes more. Alternatively, put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1 inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl on the pan without touching the water. Stir occasionally until melted. Stir the light brown and white sugars, vanilla and salt into the melted chocolate. Add the eggs and beat vigorously to make a thick and glossy batter. Add the flour and stir until just incorporated.Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top is crispy and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean, with a few crumbs, about 40 to 45 minutes.
Remove from the oven and carefully position a rack about 6 inches from the broiler and preheat on low. Layer marshmallows across the top and toast under the broiler until golden, (keep an eye on it, it can go quick), about 2 minutes. Cool on a rack, gently removing the brownies from the pan using the aluminum flaps. Carefully separate any marshmallow from the foil and fold away. Cut into 12 (2-inch) squares.
**note: we torched the marshmallows instead of doing the broil. either way works, i'm sure.

recipe is from here. but i originally found it through this blog.

homemade ding-dongs

2010-05-09T21:36:00.004-04:00

ingredients (makes 12 JUMBO cupcakes, so i halved the recipe):
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for muffin tins
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for muffin tins
2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
for the filling: 1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme (7.5-ounce jar)
**i also made a chocolate ganache frosting/topping. recipe here. add before the white squiggle topping of marshmallow creme.

directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Prepare cupcake tins with cupcake liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together cocoa, flour, baking powder, soda, and salt.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. On low speed, add half the flour mixture, followed by sour cream, ending with remaining flour mixture; mix just until incorporated (do not overmix).
Divide batter among prepared muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking (i try to underbake by a few minutes, for moist cupcakes). Cool in pans, 5 minutes; remove cupcakes and cool, right side up, on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, prepare filling: chill marshmallow creme until slightly firm, 15 to 30 minutes. Transfer mixture to a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag, and seal; cut off one corner of the bag to make a 1/8-inch opening.
Using a small melon baller (or something similar), scoop out center of each cupcake from the bottom, and reserve (you will use this to plug cupcake after filling). Hollow out each cupcake a bit more, discarding crumbs. Insert tip of plastic bag into each cavity, and squeeze to fill; replace plugs. Using remaining filling in plastic bag, decorate top of cupcakes.
adapted from recipes here and here.

pizza: apple, apple, apple style

2010-04-22T10:52:00.002-04:00

chicken apple sausage, a granny smith apple and smoked apple & garlic cheddar.ingredients (for one homemade pizza):
-1 pizza dough (we buy ours from trader joe's but i'm sure other stores sell pre-made dough... or you could always make the dough...)
-olive oil
-sea salt (optional)
-mild cheddar or even mozzarella (as much as you like)
-2 chicken apple sausages (sliced thinly)
-1 granny smith apple (sliced thinly)

directions:
preheat oven to highest temperature (with pizza stone in the oven if you have one)
roll dough out as thinly as possible on a flat surface with a bit of flour. brush olive oil over top of the dough. add freshly ground sea salt (optional).
add cheese, as you like.
add sliced sausage and sliced apples and even a little more cheese on top, if you like.
put pizza on the pizza stone or a cookie sheet in the oven.
our pizza came out the perfect golden brown after 6 minutes at about 550 degrees fahrenheit.

enjoy.

this recipe was inspired by shayna & eric, my sister and bro-in-law.

*we also made a similar pizza--- same deal with the dough and the olive oil and salt...
but topped the pizza with mozzarella, sliced pear and gorgonzola cheese. cooked at same temp, for 6 minutes. divine.

tabbouleh salad, salmon & french green beans

2010-04-18T22:49:00.000-04:00

we decided to combine one of our favorite couscous salads (here) with seared salmon and french green beans. (i just like to say french green beans)

how to sear salmon:
sprinkle the salmon fillet on both sides with salt and the black pepper. In a large, nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 tsp. canola oil. add the fish and cook, turning once, until opaque throughout when tested with the tip of a knife, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

we added the green beans at the last 1-2 minutes of searing so they have a nice cooked-ness. we also added a bit of lime juice to everything.
delicious.

rack of lamb with goat cheese and rosemary

2010-04-06T08:31:00.000-04:00

ingredients (serves 4-5):
2 racks of lamb, each 7 or 8 ribs and 1.5-2 lbs
1 cup (2 oz/60 g) bread crumbs
3 Tbs goat cheese (or more if you really like goat cheese like i do)
1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil (plus more for cooking)
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 Tbs minced fresh parsley
1 tsp finely chopped rosemary
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

directions:
remove the racks of lamb for the refrigerator 30 minutes before roasting. preheat oven to 500 degrees fahrenheit. line a rimed baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil. using a sharp knife, trim away as much of the surface fat from the lamb as possible.

in a bowl, combine the bread crumbs, goat cheese, 1 Tbs olive oil, garlic, parsley, rosemary and season to taste with salt and pepper. stir to combine well. the mixture should stick together when pressed between your fingers. if not, add a little more olive oil.

brush or rub the lamb with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. preheat a large frying pan over high heat until very hot. place the lamb meat side down in the pan and sear for 1 minute. turn the racks on end and sear for 1 minute. transfer the lamb meat side up to the prepared pan.

firmly press an equal amount of the topping onto each rack. roast the lamb until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part away from the bone registers 120-130 degrees fahrenheit for medium-rare, 14-16 minutes.

remove the pan from the oven and tent the lamb with aluminum foil. let rest for 8-10 minutes. carve the racks into single chops if ya want. serve at once.

courtesy of williams-sonoma essentials of roasting

we made lime pie again

2010-04-04T12:15:00.004-04:00

find the recipe here. it's one of our favorites.

lemon meringue cupcakes

2010-03-29T10:03:00.000-04:00

ingredients (makes 24):
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
Finely grated zest of 3 lemons (about 3 tablespoons), plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
lemon curd
7 minute frosting (below)

directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is until incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in zest and vanilla. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk and lemon juice, and beating until just combined after each.
Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
To finish, spread 1 tablespoon lemon curd onto middle of each cupcake. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large open-star tip (Ateco #828 or Wilton #8B) with frosting. Pipe frosting onto each cupcake, swirling tip slightly and releasing as you pull up to form a peak. Hold a small kitchen torch 3 to 4 inches from surface of frosting, and wave it back and forth until frosting is lightly browned all over. Serve immediately.

ingredients for 7 minute frosting (makes about 8 cups):
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup water
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
6 large egg whites, room temperature

directions for frosting:
Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar with the water and corn syrup in a small saucepan; clip a candy thermometer to side of pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Continue boiling, without stirring, until syrup reaches 230 degrees.
Meanwhile, in the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk egg whites on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. With mixer running, add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, beating to combine.
As soon as sugar syrup reaches 230 degrees, remove from heat. With mixer on medium-low speed, pour syrup down side of bowl in a slow, steady stream. Raise speed to medium-high; whisk until mixture is completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl) and stiff (but not dry) peaks form, about 7 minutes. Use immediately.
recipe found at martha stewart.com

aranciata + fresh grapefruit juice

2010-03-08T14:15:00.000-05:00

1 can aranciata + juice from 1/2 grapefruit + little bits of the grapefruit (and a little sugar if you don't like it too tart)=
delicious.

we used one can per glass.
we get our aranciata at costco. mmmm.

coconut-shrimp tacos

2010-02-17T10:57:00.000-05:00

ingredients (makes enough for 4-6 tacos):
shrimp enough for 4-6 tacos (we had about 12 shrimpies)
1 Tbs coconut
1-2 Tbs poppy seed dressing
corn tortillas
cheese
salt
1-2 tomatoes, diced
lettuce, shredded

directions:
sauté shrimp with coconut and poppyseed dressing. warm tortillas in a pan and melt cheese on one side on each tortilla (if desired). add shrimp, salt, tomatoes and lettuce to tortilla to make a taco :)

our own chicken tortilla soup

2010-02-10T11:20:00.000-05:00

ingredients (serves 4):
3 1/2 to 4 cups chicken broth (depending on the thickness you want)
1 tsp cilantro
shredded chicken which has been cooked in salsa
1 cup rice (cooked)

avacado (for topping)
cheese (for topping)
lime juice to taste
salt to taste

directions:
combine broth, cilantro, chicken and rice in a soup pot. simmer until desired temperature. ladle into bowls. add avocado, cheese, lime juice and salt to taste.

we also make quesadillas to eat on the side (and dip in the soup)!

red [pasta] sauce

2010-02-08T10:33:00.001-05:00

which i have [somewhat] perfected. :)

ingredients (for 2-3 servings of pasta):
1 14oz can of diced tomatoes
handful of baby tomatoes or one regular tomato (diced)
dried oregano
handful of fresh basil, chopped
salt to taste

directions:
add can of tomatoes to saute pan at medium-high heat. add fresh tomatoes, sprinkle oregano in saute pan- in circular motion once around the pan. add basil and salt to taste.
you can also add things like mushrooms or mozzarella cheese for a little variety. we have this sauce with pasta often :)

very berry smoothie

2010-02-02T09:52:00.000-05:00

2 large cup smoothies:
1 cup fresh or frozen mixed berries
1 cup orange juice
1 banana
1/2 cup vanilla or plain yogurt
4-6 cubes of ice (for thickness)

blend all together for about 10 seconds

ants on a log [or] bananas w/ peanut butter & raisins

2010-02-02T09:48:00.003-05:00

(for 1):
1 banana cut in half longways and then again (so you have 4 pieces)
peanut butter- spread on each piece of banana
raisins- sprinkle on each piece of banana

julia child's roast chicken

2010-02-01T11:12:00.000-05:00

julia child did things a little differently as far as listing ingredients and directions so read carefully!ingredients (for 4 people):
1 three lb. ready-to-cook roasting or frying chicken
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tb softened butter
suggested vegetables: broiled tomatoes, buttered green beans or peas and fried potatoes (we also did mushrooms, carrots, etc).

small sliced onion or carrot (to flavor the sauce)
2 Tb melted butter
1 Tb cooking oil

1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp salt

sauce:
1/2 Tb minced shallot or green onion
1 cup brown chicken stock, canned chicken broth or beef bouillon
salt and pepper
1 to 2 TB softened butter

directions:
estimated roasting time for a 3-pound chicken: 1 hour and 10 to 20 minutes.
preheat oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit.
sprinkle inside of chicken with the 1/4 tsp salt and smear in half the 2 Tb butter. Truss (sew) the chicken. Dry it thoroughly, and rub the skin with the rest of the butter.
place the chicken breast up in the roasting pan. strew the vegetables around it, and set it on a rack in the middle of the preheated oven. allow the chicken to brown lightly for 15 minutes, turning it on the left side after 5 minutes, on the ride side for the last 5 minutes, and basting it with the butter and oil after each turn. baste rapidly, so oven does not cool off. reduce oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. leave the chicken on its side, and baste every 8 to 10 minute, using the fatten the roasting pan when the butter and the oil are exhausted. regulate oven heat so chicken is making cooking noises, but fat is not burning.
halfway through estimated roasting time, 1/4 tsp salt the chicken and turn it on its other side. continue basting.
fifteen minutes before end of estimated roasting time, salt (1/4 tsp) again and turn the chicken breast up. continue basting.

indications that the chicken is almost done are: a sudden rain of sputters in the oven, a swelling of the breast and slight puff of the skin, the drumstick is tender when pressed and can be moved in its socket.
to check further, prick the thickest part of the drumstick with a fork. its juices should run clear yellow, the chicken is definitely done. if not, roast another 5 minutes and test again.

when done, discard trussing strings and set the chicken on a hot platter. it should sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before being carved, so its juices will retreat back into the tissues.

sauce:
remove all but two tablespoons of fat from the pan. stir in the minced shallot or onion and cook slowly for 1 minute. add the stock and boil rapidly over high heat, scraping up coagulated roasting juices with a wooden spoon and letting liquid reduce to about 1/2 cup. season with salt and pepper. off heat and just before serving, swirl in the enrichment butter by bits until it has been absorbed. pour a spoonful of the sauce over the chicken, and send the rest to the table in a sauceboat.

courtesy of julia child, mastering the art of french cooking.

moroccan chicken with couscous

2010-01-10T14:24:00.001-05:00

prep time: 10 minutes (plus standing time) cooking time: 10 minutes
ingredients (serves 4):
4 single boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 1/2 pounds)
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 cups couscous
1 1/2 Tbs butter
1 small red onion, sliced thinly
1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 coarsely chopped mint
1/4 cup finely chopped preserved lemon peel
1-2 pinches of saffron

ingredients for moroccan marinade:
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 Tbs olive oil

directions:
1 make moroccan marinade by combining all ingredients in a small bowl.
2 toss chicken in large bowl with marinade; let stand for 10 minutes. cook chicken, in batches, on heated oiled grill or grill pan until browned lightly and cooked through. let stand 5 minutes; slice chicken thickly.
3 bring stock to a boil in medium pot. remove from heat; stir in couscous and butter. cover; let stand 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. fluff couscous with fork; stir in remaining ingredients.
4 serve chicken on couscous.

adapted from a recipe in best ever recipes.

cranberry salsa

2010-01-06T10:40:00.000-05:00

ingredients:

1 bag fresh cranberries

¾ cup sugar

½ bunch green onions

½ bunch cilantro

½ fresh jalapeño pepper (be sure to wear gloves!!!)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

cream cheese (about 12 oz)

directions:

Finely chop and mix together all ingredients (a blender works, just chop by hand first and be careful not to puree the ingredients). Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Serve over softened cream cheese, crackers on the side.

---or you can mix the cream cheese in with the salsa. it's delicious either way.

quinoa with feta, et cetera

2009-12-14T11:14:00.000-05:00

ingredients (serves 2-4):
1 cup quinoa (pronouced keen-wah)
2 cups chicken broth
feta goat cheese, crumbled
handful of white button mushrooms, cut in fourths
2 handfuls of peas
(do you like my measurements? :))

directions:
cook quinoa in rice cooker with chicken broth (takes about 30 minutes). meanwhile, crumble goat cheese, sauté mushrooms and cook peas. mix all together when quinoa is finished. salt to taste. yummm.

inspired by this recipe.

autumn squash & israeli couscous

2009-10-30T09:18:00.001-04:00

ingredients (serves 2 as a main dish):
2 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
coarse kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 Tbs olive oil
2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 cups Israeli couscous
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/2 tsp curry powder (optional)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
dressing ingredients:
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs orange zest
juice of 1 orange
1 Tbs thawed orange juice from concentrate
2 Tbs water
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, crushed (less is more)
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

directions:
preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. place cubed butternut squash on a shallow baking pan. season with salt and pepper; drizzle with olive oil. roast for 35-45 minutes until tender. cool.
couscous: boil 2 cups of water in medium saucepan, add couscous, cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes. remove from heat, fluff with fork. in a large bowl, combine the prepared couscous, cranberries, green onions, curry powder, basil and roasted butternut squash.
dressing directions: whisk all ingredients together in a medium bowl, except the olive oil. whisk in the olive oil until blended. toss dressing with the couscous mixture, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve at room temperature, or chill until ready to serve.

adapted from a recipe found in baltimore magazine.

mango sticky, yummy rice

2009-10-26T11:08:00.001-04:00

this is sort of a thai dessert/dish that my sister and her husband make sometimes. and so i had to try it. and the results were amazing. ingredients (makes 4 servings):
1 1/2 cups glutinous (sweet) rice  --- i used jasmine rice from trader joe's
1/3 cups well-stirred canned unsweetened coconut milk --- i did about 1/2 cup
3 Tbs granulated sugar 
1/4 tsp salt
 2 large ripe Manila mangoes (or 1 large ripe South American mango)

directions:
To prepare the sticky rice: (what i did) rinse jasmine rise 4-5 times in water or until water runs clear. cook in rice cooker with enough time for the rice to cool to room temperature (about 30-1 hr after cooking time).
meanwhile, in a small saucepan bring coconut milk to a slow simmer, stirring constantly (hard boiled coconut milk will curdle). Add sugar and salt; stirring until sugar is dissolved; remove from heat. Keep mixture warm. Reserve approximately 1/3 to 1/2 cup coconut-milk sauce; refrigerate until cool and thicken slightly.

Just before serving, peel mangoes and then thinly slice by cutting lengthwise through flesh to the stone; discard the stone. NOTE: Peel the mangoes carefully so as not to bruise the fruit. Slice in half as close to the seed as possible, then slice each half into 1/2-in (1-cm) slices.
Serve at room temperature. Drizzle reserved coconut-milk sauce over the rice. Arrange mango slices around the rice. Garnish with edible flowers or mint if desired.
NOTE: The finished dish can be kept, covered at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours. Do not refrigerate or the rice will harden!

autumn apple streusel pie

2009-10-04T12:53:00.006-04:00

i got a new pie pan!!! and made a nice autumn pie for my husband and nice friends :)
ingredients (for one 9 inch pie pan):
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbs all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 pounds cooking apples - peeled, cored and thinly sliced (i used macintosh apples)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 (15 ounce) package refrigerated piecrusts (yes, i didn't take the time to make my own crust)
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup regular oats, uncooked
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 Tbs butter or margarine

directions:
Combine first 5 ingredients; set aside.
Fit pie crust into a lightly greased 9-inch pie plate according to package directions; fold edges under, and crimp. Spoon apple mixture into pie crust, and cover with aluminum foil.
BAKE at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until apples are crisp-tender.
Combine 1/2 cup brown sugar and next 3 ingredients; cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Uncover pie, and sprinkle with streusel topping. Bake 30 more minutes or until browned.taken by my naomi friend.

courtesy of this lovely lady

ginger spice cookies

2009-09-13T23:24:00.000-04:00

we ate all these cookies before we could take a photo (well and we shared some...). i borrowed the below photo from the food librarian, the lady who i got the recipe from.
ingredients (i halved this and got about a dozen):
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, room temperature
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1/4 cup mild-flavored (light) molasses

sugar

directions:
Combine first 6 ingredients in medium bowl; whisk to blend. Mix in crystallized ginger. Using electric mixer, beat brown sugar, shortening and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add egg and molasses and beat until blended. Add flour mixture and mix just until blended. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter 2 baking sheets. Spoon sugar in thick layer onto small plate. Using wet hands, form dough into 1 1/4-inch balls; roll in sugar to coat completely. Place balls on prepared sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake cookies until cracked on top but still soft to touch, about 12 minutes. Cool on sheets 1 minute. Carefully transfer to racks and cool. (Can be made 5 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)

courtesy of this place via the food librarian

excellent end-of-summer salad

2009-08-29T19:26:00.001-04:00

ingredients (serves 2):
2 small tomatoes
2 small cucumbers
2 hard boiled eggs
Oilve oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Lime Juice --- about 1 lime
Salt and Pepper

directions:

Dice tomatoes, and gently salt. Cut ends of cucumbers first. Then dice cucumber, you can peel first. Dice hard boiled egg and then dress with olive oil, a little balsamic vinegar (a little goes a long way), squirt of lime (or lemon), salt and pepper.

adapted from and courtesy of this lovely blogger.

a new take on quinoa (keen-wah)

2009-08-11T14:50:00.000-04:00

if you think you can't find quinoa at a store near you, think again :) it's fairly common. maybe safeway, giant or smith's won't have it--- but trader joe's, sunflower market, wild oats or whole foods should have it. we tried quinoa before. this time it was even better!!
ingredients (serves 2):
1 cup quinoa
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

4 Tbs olive oil
1/2 onion
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
10 leaves fresh basil
grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

juice of 2-3 limes
1-2 salmon fillets

directions:
add quinoa & broth to rice cooker (takes about 25-30 minutes to cook).
heat non-stick skillet over medium high heat, add the lime juice. once heated, add salmon fillet(s) and sear 2 minutes on each side.
heat another non-stick skillet over high heat and add the oil. add onions, bell peppers; saute for 1-2 minutes more; add garlic and saute until peppers become slightly limp but still bright, about one to two minutes; season with salt and pepper. remove the pan from heat; add basil and quinoa. toss until basil wilts, garnish with Parmesan cheese.
*****the salmon was really tart so we chopped it up and mixed it in with the rest of the food. mmmm

courtesy of trader joe's (and myself)

fruity salad

2009-08-07T12:55:00.000-04:00

make some fruit salad this weekend!! it's so easy and so yummy. and good for you!!this salad has:
a couple handfuls of strawberries
2 bananas
1 pink cripps apple
1 nectarine
1 plum

all fruits go well together!! well... maybe a tomato would be funny in this salad, but in my mind the tomato fruit/vegi debate is still... a debate.

rice pilaf with vermicelli

2009-07-23T21:34:00.001-04:00

ingredients (serves 4):
1 ounce angel-hair pasta
2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2/3 cup long-grain white rice
1 can (14.5 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped (i just sprinkle some dried parsley since i didn't have any fresh :P)

directions:
Hold pasta upright in a medium bowl, and, using kitchen shears, cut into 1/2-inch lengths; set aside.
In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened and lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add rice, pasta, and remaining tablespoon oil. Cook, stirring frequently, until pasta is browned, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add broth, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes. Add parsley, and season with salt and pepper; fluff pilaf with a fork.

courtesy of martha stewart via the food librarian.

strawberry compote

2009-07-20T10:28:00.000-04:00

compote is perfect for topping pies and cakes--- in this case, cheesecake (which to me is sort of a piecake). we bought the cheesecake from trader joe's (haha) but made the compote. my goal in the next little while is to make cheesecake from scratch... since i never have.
the compote was yummmmm and super easy. (recipe can be used with other berries too, i'm sure.)ingredients (make 2 cups):
3 pints fresh strawberries, sliced
1 cup sugar
2 Tbs lemon juice (i used lime juice and it was mmm mmm)
---we didn't make this much as our cheesecake wasn't too big... so we sort of halved everything.

directions:
In a non-reactive saucepan, over medium heat, combine 2 pints of the strawberries, sugar and juice. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the fruit is soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool.
In a food processor, fitted with a metal blade, puree the strawberries until smooth. (I'm sure a blender would work too!) Turn into a mixing bowl, and add the remaining sliced strawberries. Mix well.
courtesy of this place

better-than-pretty-much-anything cake

2009-07-12T13:31:00.000-04:00

this cake is a definite favorite of the husband and i. it's really simple and just a whole lot of goodness.ingredients for an 8x8 pan:
1 brownie mix (if you have the means, buy it from trader joe's. mmmm)
1/2 can sweetened condensed milk
squeezable caramel
1 8 oz container cool whip
3 skor bars, crushed
directions:
bake brownies according to package directions. when brownies are finished and somewhat cooled, poke holes with a knife throughout the brownies.
pour 1/2 can sweetened condensed milk all over the brownies. then squeeze about same amount of caramel over the brownies. i like to let the brownies sit for at least a few hours so it can soak up the liquid a little, but if you're in a rush, no problem.
then spread cool whip over the top of the brownies. i usually put the cool whip in the fridge in advance so it's easy to spread!! finally, add crushed skor bars to top of the cake.
serve. mmmmmmmmmmmmmm

courtesy of my sister, s. we've kind of invented new ways to do this recipe over the years. this is the best so far :)

birthday french toast

2009-07-10T09:24:00.002-04:00

these were really good. if i do say so myself ;)
ingredients (serves 2):
6 slices bread
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
we added some strawberries!! mmmm

directions:
Beat together egg, milk, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or skillet over medium-high flame.
Dunk each slice of bread in egg mixture, soaking both sides. Place in pan, and cook on both sides until golden. Serve hot.

courtesy of this place

cafe rio pork salad?

2009-07-09T00:35:00.000-04:00

well there is a mexican (tex-mex) restaurant in utah... it started in utah... and it's good. really good. they, the people at cafe rio make the most amazing pulled pork. i quite enjoy it in their pork salad. delish.
ours turned out well. keep in mind--- it's not the same thing. but it's a nice "fix" for those of us who cannot enjoy the real thing on a regular basis.
anyhow. enjoy. ingredients for pork:
5 lbs pork loin
18 oz coca-cola classic
1 cup sugar
1 can (7 oz) chipotle chiles in abodo
1 tsp ground mustard, dry (heaping)
1 tsp garlic, minced

directions for pork:
we slow cooked the pork (2.68 lbs) in water for about 6 hours. we shredded it (very easy) and then put it in the marinade over night. then we slow cooked it a little longer (about 3 hours) and added a lot of salt.
Remove Chilies from the can of adobo sauce. Rinse chilies and can with the coke to get all the sauce. You are using the sauce and not the chilies for this recipe. Discard Chilies or save for another recipe. Put all ingredients except pork in the blender. Blend until smooth. Pour over pork in crock pot. Cook on low for 7-9 hours until it pulls apart easily. After cooking, shred with forks.
recipe found here courtesy of a google search :)

ingredients for dressing:
1 pkg. Ranch dressing mix
3 tomatillos (remove papery skin), rough chop
1 cup mayo
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup (or more) cilantro, rough chop
3 cloves garlic
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp green Tabasco sauce
juice from 1 lime

directions for dressing:
Dump everything in a blender and blend until smooth. Refrigerate in air-tight container (or your entire fridge will smell like garlic and cilantro).

courtesy of this blog. you can also find directions for the chip strips and pico de gallo at the same blog.

patriotic cakelets aka colosseum cakelets

2009-07-05T21:17:00.000-04:00

this recipe calls for a special cakelet pan, close to something like this. but you can always use a muffin tin or something similar (the recipe will probably just make more than 12).
happy fourth of july!ingredients (makes 12):
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
16 Tbs (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
3/4 cups sour cream
plain or chocolate whipped cream or lemon curd for serving
fresh berries for serving

directions:
have all ingredients at room temperature.
preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. lightly grease and flour the pan; tap out excess flour.
in a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. set aside.
in the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the flat beater, beat together the butter, sugar and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition until just blended.
remove the bowl from the mixer. sprinkle half of the flour mixture over the egg mixture and stir until just incorporated.
stir in the sour cream, then sprinkle with the remaining flour mixture and mix until just incorporated.
scoop a heaping 1/3 cup batter into each "well" of the prepared pan. tap the pan on the counter top to even out the batter. bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 20 minutes. transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes.

serve with whipped cream or lemon curd and fresh berries.
enjoy.

courtesy of the recipe that came with the cakelet pan (williams-sonoma).

color tip :)

2009-06-30T21:46:00.002-04:00

in order to add a little color to shrimp pad thai...

add some limes for squeezing and some oranges for eating! mmmm

shrimp alfredo pasta

2009-06-28T07:00:00.000-04:00

ingredients (serves 2):
1/2 lb fusili (or any medium sized pasta: penne, farfalle, etc)
a bit of butter
handful of button mushrooms, cut into eighths or fourths
8 oz alfredo sauce (for me it was 1/2 the jar)
handful of [precooked] shrimp, each cut in half so they're still fat, not long
5 fresh basil leaves, chopped
parmesan cheese (for garnish)

directions:
bring a pot of water to a boil, add pasta, cook as directed. on medium heat, add butter to a skillet, then mushrooms and sauté until almost finished. reduce heat to medium low and add alfredo, cook until warm. lastly add the shrimp until warm (you don't want the shrimp warming the whole time or else everything will be extra shrimpy).
add the sauce to the pasta. then add basil, mix throughout. last add the parmesan and any leftover basil for a garnish.
yumm.

mmm zalsa

2009-06-26T10:00:00.001-04:00

"zalsa" is kind of an inside joke because for some reason my father-in-law always calls salsa, "zalsa." it's always good for a laugh :)
my husband looooves this salsa and he is picky when it comes to salsa. he says it has a lot of flavor (and i agree). and it's not too spicy--- but has just the right amount of kick :)ingredients:
-1/2 small jalepeno chili or 1/2 chipotle chile in adobo sauce (remove seeds and mince finely) You can buy the chipotle chili canned and keep extras on hand in the fridge instead of having to remember to buy the jalepeno pepper each time.
-1/4 small red onion, peeled and root end removed, chopped
-1 small garlic clove, minced or pressed
-2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-pinch ground black pepper
-2 teaspoons juice from 1 lime
-2 small ripe tomatoes (about 3/4 lb), each cored and cut into eighths, or one 14 oz can diced tomatoes drained

directions:
Pulse all ingredients except tomatoes in food processor until minced, about 5 one second pulses, scraping sides of bowl as necessary. Add tomatoes and pulse until roughly chopped, about two 1 second pulses. Enjoy!

courtesy of my brooke friend! (thanks)

apricot & pine nut rice pilaf

2009-06-24T20:39:00.001-04:00

i helped make this for my gma's 90th birthday celebration dinner... and even though we made a huge batch and it maybe didn't turn out perfectly... i knew i wanted to try the recipe again. it's really good. mmmmm
ingredients (serves 4):
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/2 onion chopped fine
2 cups rice (i used jasmine)
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup apricots, dried and cut small

directions:
brown pine nuts in butter and remove from pan. saute onion in remaining butter and add rice when onions are soft. saute for 1 to 2 minutes. add broth and cook on low heat for 10 minutes (sometimes a little more), covered. add pine nuts and apricots and cook for 10 more minutes, stirring as necessary.

courtesy of my sister, k--- via her foody friend.

a basil tip

2009-06-22T17:00:00.000-04:00

i learned a little tip while we were in italy...

and maybe everyone else knows this but me... but i thought it was cool :)

when you pick the leaves from your basil plant, pick the smaller leaves at the top of the plant. like so:
it helps with the growing process :)

happy summer!! click here, here, here, esp here and here for some good fresh [mediterranean style] basil recipes!

quick [yummy] waffles

2009-06-20T11:08:00.000-04:00

i'm back!!! sorry for the long absence.

recently we got a new waffle maker. new as in: our first waffle maker. i was pretty excited. it's small and round--- so this recipe is for that sort of waffle maker. just so you know :)

ingredients (makes 6-8 waffles):
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup melted butter
1 Tbs vanilla (optional)
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbs baking powder
2 tsp sugar
i also added a handful of frozen triple berries from costco. mmmmm

directions:
beat eggs in a bowl until thick. beat milk, melted butter and vanilla into eggs. in a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients. sift into egg mixture, and mix well. bake as directed.

finished product with fried egg. nice breakfast.

courtesy of the oster manual that comes with the waffle maker :)

basic vinaigrette

2009-05-21T09:56:00.000-04:00

yummmmmm

ingredients:
1/4 cup vinegar, or fresh lemon juice (i used balsamic vinegar, mmm)
1 tsp Dijon mustard (i used reg. mustard)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp sugar (optional)
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

directions:
combine vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper, and sugar if using, in a small jar; shake to blend. add oil, and shake again until emulsified.

courtesy of martha stewart

coconut shrimp soup

2009-05-15T12:00:00.000-04:00

ummm totally amazing soup. it's even good for a nice spring or summer day (at medium temp).

and it was easy. i heart easy when my house & kitchen are in shambles.
ingredients (serves 4):
1 Tbs vegetable oil
1 grated fresh ginger (or 3-4 fingerfuls of the already grated kind)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 to 1/2 tsp red-pepper flakes
1 pound (6 to 8 medium) carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced (i only had baby carrots so i just chopped them up as best i could)
1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk
3 cups water
1 Tbs cornstarch (+2 Tbs water)
4 ounces angel-hair pasta
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (i added extra... yumm)
Coarse salt
4 scallions, thinly sliced (or green spring onions)

directions:
1. Heat oil in a large (3-quart) saucepan over medium-low heat. Add ginger, garlic, and pepper flakes; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add carrots, coconut milk, and 3 cups water. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water until smooth; add to pot. Bring to a boil.

2. Break pasta in half; add to pot. Return to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until pasta is al dente and carrots are just tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

3. Add shrimp; stir until opaque, about 1 minute. Remove pot from heat, and stir in lime juice; season with salt. Ladle into serving bowls, and garnish with scallions.

courtesy of martha stewart via the food librarian

cupcake shoutout

2009-05-13T10:52:00.001-04:00

my favoritest little cupcake shop is called georgetown cupcake. (yes, most of you know that)
i just call it cupcake.

and my favorite food blogger is visiting DC and gave cupcake a little shoutout!!

i commented on the food librarian's blog and said,
"I live in DC... and there are several cupcake shops in the area (but not on every corner). I'm really happy you tried Georgetown though because it is BY FAR the best :)"

then food librarian wrote back and said,
"emily, thanks for visiting my blog. i'm so glad i went to the right cupcake shop in DC!!! i'm also lucky to get great weather too!"

i felt so special :) visit the food librarian for great cooking but mostly baking ideas. i get a lot of my recipes from her and i'm never dissapointed :)

*sigh* i love cupcake.

i still love food

2009-05-12T16:32:00.000-04:00

i've been really busy.

we're moving. and life is crazy. and we leave on a long vacation in two weeks. ahhh!!!

so. i am still cooking just--- nothing new lately.

but there are still some really good recipes to choose from!!

caprese salad

2009-05-02T13:23:00.000-04:00

ingredients:
baby roma tomatoes
mozzarella cheese
fresh basil leaves
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salt to taste

directions:
slice tomatoes and mozzarella and arrange on a plate with basil leaves. drizzle olive oil and vinegar over the top. add salt to taste.

mmmmmm. one of my favorites :)

slow cooker chicken stew

2009-05-01T08:02:00.001-04:00

ingredients (serves 4):
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 chicken, 3 to 4 lb., cut into 8 serving pieces
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
3 bacon slices, chopped
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
8 oz. white button mushrooms, quartered
1 lb. red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 garlic cloves, crushed
4 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups white wine

directions:
In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Add the chicken and toss to coat evenly.

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm half of the olive oil until just smoking. Add half of the chicken and brown on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes total. Transfer to a slow cooker. Repeat with the remaining oil and chicken. Add the bacon, onion, mushrooms, potatoes, garlic, parsley, thyme, bay leaf and stock to the slow cooker and stir to combine.

Remove the sauté pan from the heat, pour the wine into the pan and return to medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the pan bottom. Add the wine to the slow cooker, cover and cook on high for 5 hours according to the manufacturer's instructions. Remove the bay leaf before serving. Spoon the stew into bowls and serve immediately.

courtesy of williams-sonoma

risotto w/ chicken, peas and crispy prosciutto

2009-04-26T11:14:00.000-04:00

yummmmmingredients (serves 4):
3 cups chicken stock
3 cups water
3/4 Tbs butter
3 Tbs olive oil
1 small onion, chopped finely
2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
12 oz boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, chopped coarsely
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
6 slices prosciutto
3 Tbs finely shredded fresh sage

directions:
1. place stock and the water in pot; bring to a boil. reduce heat; simmer, covered.
2. heat butter and half of the oil in a large pot; cook onion, stirring until soft. add rice; stir rice. add wine; cook, stirring, until liquid is almost evaporated.
3. stir in 1 cup simmering stock mixture, one cup at a time, stirring until absorbed after each addition. total cooking time should be about 35 minutes or until rice is tender.
4. in a large skillet, heat remaining oil; cook chicken, stirring until cooked through. add garlic; stir until fragrant. stir chicken mixture and peas into risotto.
5. cook prosciutto in same skillet until crisp; drain on paper towels then break into chunks. stir sage and half of prosciutto into risotto; sprinkle remaining prosciutto over individual risotto servings.

courtesy of best-ever recipes

mint choco cupcake w/ mint buttercream frosting

2009-04-24T17:12:00.000-04:00

we (of course) used the georgetown cupcake recipe for the cupcakes. plus a little mint extract.

then we used a recipe from williams-sonoma for the buttercream frosting. and we added about 5-6 droplets of mint extract. and a little food coloring. to me, mint is supposed to be green :)

we were trying to imitate the mint chocolate cupcakes from georgetown they sell on sundays and thursdays, only.

get the cupcake recipe here. add a drop or two of mint extract.

ingredients for quick buttercream frosting (makes 4 cups):
6 cups confectioners’ sugar
16 Tbs. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
4 1/2 Tbs. milk, plus more, if needed
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
Food colorings (optional)
5-6 droplets of peppermint extract

directions:
Have all the ingredients at room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, combine the confectioners’ sugar, butter, the 4 1/2 Tbs. milk, the vanilla and salt and beat on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.

If the frosting is dry, add more milk, 1 tsp. at a time, until it is creamy but still holds peaks. Tint with food coloring as desired. (add a little milk for fluffier frosting--- and whip a little longer.)

mmmmmm. anything with the words, "butter" and "cream" in the same vicinity. my favorite.

roasted potatoes with garlic cloves

2009-04-21T14:02:00.002-04:00

sorry for the dark photo--- we ate outside (and it was after dark). but we love these potatoes. we have for a long time. they are really yummy!ingredients (serves about 4):
6 large wavy potatoes, such as yukon gold
1 head garlic, separated into cloves but not peeled
1 bunch rosemary, leaves finely chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

directions:
1. preheat the oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit.
2. bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. blanch in the boiling water for 2 minutes, drain.
3. put the potatoes on a baking sheet and toss with garlic, rosemary and olive oil. season with salt and pepper and spread out on the baking sheet. bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown. serve hot.

*courtesy of molto italiano: mario batali

seared salmon with cucumber salsa

2009-04-19T13:54:00.001-04:00

another "repeat". husband loved it. the cucumber salsa is just right.
ingredients (serves 4):
-1/2 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, halved lengthwise again and thinly sliced crosswise
-1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
-1/2 yellow or orange bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch julienne
-2 Tbs. chopped shallot or red onion
-1 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro, plus sprigs for garnish (optional)
-1 Tbs. fresh lime juice
-1 1/2 tsp. canola oil
-1 tsp. honey
-1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
-1 tsp. salt
-4 salmon fillets, each 5 oz. and about 1 inch thick
-1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
-lime wedges for garnish

directions:
In a bowl, combine the cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, shallot and chopped cilantro and toss gently to mix. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, 1 tsp. of the canola oil, the honey, red pepper flakes and 1/2 tsp. of the salt. Pour the lime juice mixture over the cucumber mixture and toss gently to mix and coat evenly. Set aside.

Sprinkle the salmon fillets on both sides with the remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and the black pepper. In a large, nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 1/2 tsp. canola oil. Add the fish and cook, turning once, until opaque throughout when tested with the tip of a knife, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

Transfer the salmon fillets to warmed individual plates and top each with one-fourth of the salsa. Garnish the plates with the cilantro sprigs and lime wedges. Serve immediately.

*courtesy of (you guessed it!) williams-sonoma

prosciutto wrapped asparagus

2009-04-16T18:00:00.004-04:00

another big hit at easter dinner...ingredients (serves 4):
12 large asparagus spears
4 thin slices of prosciutto
2 Tbs unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus extra for greasing the pan
freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup (2 oz/60 g) grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp paprika
1 lemon, quartered (optional)

directions:
preheat the oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. grease a baking dish large enough to hold the asparagus and set aside.

using a sharp knife, cut off the tough ends of the asparagus. peel the stalks to within about 2 inches of the tips. gather the stalks together and trim off the bottoms so all the asparagus are the same length.

fill a frying pan with just enough water to cover the asparagus when it is added. bring to a boil. add the asparagus spears, overlapping them as little as possible, and cook, uncovered, over high heat until tender but still quite firm, 3-4 minutes (the timing will depend on the thickness of the stalks). drain well. ---i have a trusty asparagus steamer pot. thanks for that, d.

divide the asparagus into 4 bundles of 3 stalks each. wrap 1 prosciutto slice around the center of each bundle. place the 4 bundles in the prepared baking dish. dot with butter, season to taste with pepper and sprinkle evenly with the Parmesan. bake for 5 minutes to brown the cheese. remove from the oven, dust with paprika, and serve hot with the lemon quarters.

*courtesy of williams-sonoma Italian favorites cookbook

lime-carrot cupcakes

2009-04-14T19:30:00.001-04:00

we made these (again) for easter dessert.

umm. delicious.

but this time add a little cream and a little lime juice to the frosting. whip the frosting a little bit longer too and it should turn out really light and fluffy. di-vine.

baked brie

2009-04-13T19:30:00.000-04:00

this was a big hit for easter dinner appetizer/side. yummm, cheeeese
ingredients:
1 frozen pastry dough, thawed (do not microwave)
1 wedge brie
about 1/4 cup brown sugar
a couple handfuls nuts (cashews, almonds, walnuts--- whatever you like)
1/4-1/2 cup of chutney or some sort of fresh fruit (i used mango ginger chutney)
crackers for serving

directions:
preheat oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit.
place aluminum foil on the length of a baking sheet. place pastry dough flat on the baking sheet. then add brie. pile on brown sugar, nuts and chutney (or fruit).
bring up the sides of the pastry dough and wrap and twist the brie up "like a present."
bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

"and then eat it and love it"

*courtesy of my sister, s!

bread pudding

2009-04-12T13:27:00.000-04:00

ingredients (serves 2):
-2 cups brioche cubes (each about 1/2 inch square)--- we just used "Shepherd's bread" (a kind of white bread
-1 1/4 cups heavy cream
-1 egg
-1 egg yolk
-1/4 cup sugar
-1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
-1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

directions:
Position a rack in the center of an oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter two 10-oz. individual pie dishes and divide the brioche cubes between them. (i used one pie pan... that's all i had!)

In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the cream until steam starts to rise, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

In a bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolk, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla until smooth. Whisking constantly, slowly pour the warm cream into the egg mixture. Divide the mixture between the prepared pie dishes and place them on a baking sheet. Bake until puffed and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

*courtesy of williams-sonoma.com

penne carbonara

2009-04-11T23:11:00.000-04:00

so so good! reminded me of Rome... *sigh*
ingredients (serves 2):
4 strips of bacon, cut into 1" pieces or 4 oz diced pancetta
1/4 of an onion, diced
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas, thawed
1/2 lb dried penne or other pasta shape
Fresh ground black pepper and salt to taste

directions:
1. Cook bacon in a skillet over medium low heat. When the fat begins to turn translucent and liquefy, add diced onions. Cook until bacon is crispy and onions are soft and browned. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
2. Bring a pot of of salted water to boil. While water is heating, whisk egg and egg yolk together in a small bowl. Add the grated cheese and whisk until cheese is coated with the eggs.
3. Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to the package. When pasta is al dente, drain and return cooked pasta to the pot.
4. Pour eggs, bacon, onions, and bacon drippings over the pasta. The hot noodles will cook the eggs and make a creamy sauce, but to avoid scrambling the eggs, you will need to work quickly and stir vigorously. Stir in peas and season with salt, if necessary (the cheese and bacon are already salty, so be sure to taste first). Top with lots of freshly ground black pepper and more grated Parmesan.

*adapated from Chow.com via dcist.

chocolate soufflé

2009-04-06T20:41:00.000-04:00

ingredients (serves 4):
1 1/2 Tbs sugar
4 Tbs butter
1 1/2 Tbs flour
7 oz dark chocolate, melted
2 egg yolks
4 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar

directions:
1. preheat oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit. grease four 3/4 cup ramekins or soufflé dishes. sprinkle insides of dishes evenly with sugar; shake away excess. place dishes on baking sheet.
2. melt butter in medium pan, add flour; cook, stirring, about 2 minutes or until mixture thickens and bubbles. remove from heat; stir in chocolate and egg yolks. transfer to large bowl.
3. beat egg whites in small bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form. gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, one Tbs at a time, beating until sugar dissolves between additions. gently fold egg white mixture into chocolate mixture in two batches.
4. divide soufflé mixture among dishes; bake, uncovered, about 15 minutes or until soufflés are puffed. (we baked them for 13 minutes in our gas oven and they were perfect!!)

*courtesy of best-ever recipes!

porterhouse steaks w/ blue cheese mashed potatoes

2009-04-06T20:29:00.001-04:00

ingredients for steaks (serves 4):
1 1/2 Tbs olive oil
1 1/2 Tbs butter
2 large red onions (about 1 1/4 lbs), sliced thinly
3 Tbs brown sugar
3 Tbs balsamic vinegar
4 porterhouse steaks (2 lbs)--- we got 1 t-bone and cut it in half for the two of us
1/2 cup dry red wine
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 Tbs cold butter, chopped

directions:
1. heat oil and butter in large skillet; cook onions, stirring, until onions soften. add sugar and vinegar; cook stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes or until onions caramelize. cover to keep warm.
2. make blue cheese mashed potatoes.
3. cook beef, in batches, in heated large skillet until cooked to desired degree of doneness. cover beef; let stand for 10 minutes.
4. bring wine to a boil in same skillet; boil, uncovered, until reduced by half. add stock; return to boil. whisk in cold butter, piece by piece, until sauce is smooth.
5. divide beef, onions and mashed potatoes among serving plates; drizzle with sauce.

ingredients for mashed potatoes:
2 lbs russet potatoes, chopped coarsely
3 Tbs butter, softened
3/4 cup hot milk
3 1/2 oz firm blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh chives

directions for potatoes:
boil, steam or microwave potatoes until tender, drain. mash potatoes in large bowl with butter and milk, until smooth. fold in cheese and chives. cover to keep warm.

*courtesy of "best ever recipes" (thanks s&t!!)

salt & pepper shrimp

2009-04-05T22:14:00.001-04:00

i made a little [basmati] rice to go with this. we ended up pouring a little bit of the dipping sauce over the shrimp and rice. another big hit with the husband!!
ingredients (serves 4):
-1/4 tsp sugar
-1/4 tsp chinese five-spice powder
-salt and freshly ground pepper
-4 Tbs corn or peanut oil
-1/4 cup cornstarch (cornflour)
-1 1/2 lb shrimp, peeling and deveined
-2 Tbs ginger, minced
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-1 red or green jalapeño chile, seeded and minced--- (i didn't have one, so i just use a few green onions!)
2 Tbs mirin (rice wine)

directions:
make the spice mixture
in a small bowl, stir together the sugar, five-spice powder, and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper.

sear the shrimp
heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat until very hot and add 2 Tbs of the oil. meanwhile, spread the cornstarch on a plate. quickly pat the shrimp dry and dip each shrimp into the cornstarch, coating both sides and shaking off excess. add the shrimp to the pan in a single layer and sear, turning once, just until opaque throughout, about 1 minute on each side. using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a bowl.

finish the dish
return the pan to high heat and add the remaining 2 Tbs oil. add the ginger, garlic and chile (or onions) and stir-fry for about 5 seconds until fragrant. add the spice mixture and mirin, quickly return the shrimp to the pan, and stir-fry until the shrimp are coated with the spice mixture and are heated through, 15-20 seconds. serve with the dipping sauce.

ingredients for dipping sauce:
3 Tbs fresh lemon or lime juice
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs water
1/2 tsp minced cilantro (i went w/out and it was still great!)
1/4 tsp sugar
1 clove garlic, minced

stir all together. (may be made a day in advance, covered and refrigerated; bring to room temp before serving.)

*courtesy of williams-sonoma "food made fast: asian"

risotto with prosciutto & asparagus

2009-04-04T13:23:00.001-04:00

this dish was deli-cious. i don't have a pressure cooker, so i used a large saucepan and just cooked everything a little longer than it calls for.
my husband LOVED it. i did as well but i think he's a little harder to please sometimes :) enjoy
ingredients (serves 6):
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice
1 cup dry white wine
6 cups chicken stock, warmed
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
6 thin slices prosciutto, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 lb. asparagus, cooked until tender and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

directions:
Set an electric pressure cooker to “brown” according to the manufacturer’s instructions and warm the olive oil. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the rice and stir until each grain is well coated with oil and translucent with a white dot in the center, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and stir until it is completely absorbed. Add 5 cups of the stock, cover and cook for 12 minutes according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Release the pressure according to the manufacturer’s instructions, remove the lid and stir the rice. Add more stock if needed so the rice is thick and creamy. Stir in the butter, the 1 cup cheese, the prosciutto, basil and asparagus. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately and pass additional cheese at the table.

*courtesy of williams-sonoma

penne with stuffed tomatoes

2009-04-02T22:14:00.000-04:00

i wanted to make pasta. and these stuffed tomatoes. so it worked out well.

ingredients (serves 2):
1/2 lb cooked penne
12 cherry tomatoes
1/4 lb fresh goat cheese (chèvre)
1/8 cup minced fresh basil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

directions:
tomatoes
cut the top off each cherry tomato. using a small spoon, scoop out the pulp to make a hollow yet sturdy shell. drain off any juice that accumulates in the shells.
in a bowl, combine the cheese, basil, salt and pepper. mix with a fork until well blended.
using the small spoon, fill each tomato with about 1 tsp. of the cheese mixture. arrange the filled tomatoes on a platter to serve.
use the extra cheese to spread over the pasta.
pasta
kind of self-explanatory :) always add a little olive oil and salt to the pasta after it's strained.

*partially adapted from williams-sonoma

sensational strawberry scones

2009-03-27T10:07:00.001-04:00

so. i know. i've been gone forever. sorry. i'll try my best not to let it happen again.
it's just: i had family in town. and it was too fun to pull away from.
but two nights ago my hub and i stayed up waaaay passed my bedtime to make these for the following morning. they coupled well with raspberry and/or blackberry tea.

so good.ingredients:
1 cup strawberries (or other fruit)
3 Tbs sugar (granulated)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 Tbs butter, in cubes, slightly softened
2/3 cup half-and-half or cream or cold buttermilk

topping: 1 Tbs sugardirections:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.

If using larger fruit, cut into bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle fruit with 1/2 tablespoon sugar; set aside. Be sure to make the pieces small, or they tend to fall out of the dough. They'll still be plenty prominent in your finished scones.

Combine remaining sugar with flour, baking powder and salt. Add butter, using a pastry cutter or 2 knives to cut in butter (you may want to use your fingers to be sure butter is evenly mixed into flour). Stir in fruit; then add cream/half-and-half/buttermilk all at once. Use spatula to gently stir dough until it holds together.

Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times to incorporate dry ingredients. Be gentle so you don't break up the berries and don't overwork the dough. Sprinkle dough with flour if it gets sticky.

Press (pat) the dough into a circle 3/4 inch thick. If any berries peek out, push them into dough. Cut circle into 6-8 wedges, then transfer wedges to the cookie sheet, leaving at least 1/2 inch of space between them. Bake 15 minutes.

Sprinkle with sugar and bake 5-10 more minutes or until the tops are beginning to brown and spring back when you push them (this took another 15-20 minutes in my oven, but keep a careful watch and check every 5 minutes - you do not want dry scones!). (The sprinkling of sugar over the top for the last few minutes of baking creates a simple, sparkly topping.)
*courtesy of irene by way of the food librarian

tabbouleh salad

2009-03-19T09:22:00.000-04:00

ingredients (serves 5):
1/2 cup boiling water
1 1/4 cups couscous
6 Tbs olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 diced tomato (or a couple handfuls of halved cherry tomatoes)
1/2 diced onion
1/2 diced green pepper
4 Tbs parsley
1 Tbs mint (optional)
salt & pepper to taste

directions:
mix boiling water with dry couscous. add olive oil and lemon juice. stir well. cover and let sit for 5 minutes. fluff with fork. add tomato, green pepper, onion, parsley and optional mint. refrigerate for 15 minutes. fluff with fork and serve.

quinoa with bell peppers

2009-03-16T19:56:00.002-04:00

ingredients (serves 2):
1 cup quinoa
2 cups chicken broth
4-6 chicken tenders, cut into small pieces
4 Tbs olive oil
1/2 onion
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
4-5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
15-20 leaves fresh basil
grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 lemon (i added this for a little kick)

directions:
add quinoa & chicken broth to rice cooker (takes about 25-30 minutes to cook). heat large non-stick skillet over high heat and add the oil. add chicken and saute for 5 minutes or until golden brown. add onions, bell peppers; saute for 1-2 minutes more; add garli and saute until peppers become slightly limp but still bright, about one to two minutes; season with salt and pepper. remove the pan from heat; add basil and quinoa. toss until basil wilts, garnish with Parmesan cheese.
*courtesy of trader joe's :)

buttermilk biscuits

2009-03-13T09:05:00.000-04:00

i think this recipe is geared towards the younginns. funny.ingredients (makes 6 large biscuits):
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for work surface
3 Tbs sugar
1 Tbs baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) very cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 cup buttermilk

directions:
mix the dry ingredients
Be sure an adult is nearby to help.
Preheat an oven to 400°F.
In a bowl, using a wooden spoon, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

make and shape the dough
Scatter the butter over the flour mixture. Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry blender or 2 table knives. The mixture is ready when it looks like coarse crumbs with small pieces of butter still visible.
Add the buttermilk and stir gently with the wooden spoon until the mixture starts to clump together.
Sprinkle a work surface with some flour. Dump the shaggy dough onto it and gently press it into a rough, thick oval.

cut out the biscuits and bake
Cut a round out of the dough with a biscuit cutter. Lift the cutter and set the biscuit on a baking sheet. Repeat, cutting as close as possible to the previous shape and spacing the biscuits about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
Gather up the scraps, gently press together and cut out more biscuits.
Put the baking sheet in the oven and bake until the biscuits are puffed and brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Using oven mitts, remove the baking sheet from the oven, set it on a wire cooling rack and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

*courtesy of williams-sonoma

chicken parmesan and homemade pasta

2009-03-11T21:41:00.001-04:00

ingredients for the pasta (makes about 1 lb of pasta):
2 cups all purpose flour
3 large eggs, beaten

directions for pasta:
1. pulse the flour and eggs in the work bowl of a food processor. process the dough until it forms a rough ball, about 30 seconds. if the dough resembles small pebbles, add water 1/2 tsp at a time. if the dough sticks to the side of the bowl, add flour 1 Tbs at a time.
2. turn out the dough ball and small bits onto a dry work surface; knead until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 15 minutes or up to 2 hours.
3. using a manual (or kitchen aid) pasta machine, roll out the dough, folding over itself in order to smooth completely (run it through the machine about 5 times to flatten). cut the pasta into long strands for fettuccine. or use the fitted attachment of your choice. ingredients for the chicken (serves 4):
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar
ground blk pepper
1 1/4 cups bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 Tbs plus 3/4 cup olive oil
lemon wedges for serving
**we just used TJ's tomato sauce (spaghetti sauce)... instead of making our own :)

directions for chicken (milanese!):
1. use a meat pounder or the bottom of a pan to pound the chicken in 1/2 inch thickness. disolve the salt and sugar in 1 qt cold water in a gallon sized zipper lock bag. add the chicken to the bag. seal it and refrigerate until the cutlets are fully seasoned, about 30 minutes. line a baking sheet with a triple layer of paper towels.
2. remove the chix and lay them in a single layer baking sheet. cover with another triple layer of paper towels to soak up all the moisture. allow the chix to dry for 10 minutes. sprinkle the chix with pepper to taste.
3. adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position, set a large heatproof plate on the rack, and the heat the oven to 200 degrees. combine the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese in a shallow dish (pie pan). spread the flour in a second dish. beat the eggs with 1 Tbs oil in a third shallow dish.
4. working with one at a time, dredge the chix thoroughly in the flour, shaking off the excess. using tongs, dip both sides of the chix in the egg mixture, taking care to coat them thoroughly and allowing the excess to drip back into the dish to ensure a very thin coating. dip both sides in the bread crumbs mixture, making sure you press the chix into the crumbs. place the breaded chix in a single layer on a wire rack over the baking sheet and allow to dry for 5 minutes.
5. meanwhile, heat Tbs of the remaining oil in 10-inch skillet over med-high heat until shimmering not smoking, about 2 minutes. lay two chix gently in the skillet and cook until deep golden brown and crisp on the first side, gently pressing down on the chix with a wide metal spatula to help ensure even browning about 2 1/2 minutes. using tongs, flip the chix, reduce the heat to med, and continue to cook until the meat feels firm when pressed gently and the second side is deep golden brown and crisp 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. line the warmed plate with a double layer of paper towels and set the chix on top; return the plate to the oven.
6. discard the oil in the skillet and wipe the skillet clean with paper towels. repeat step 5, using the remaining 6 Tbs oil and the now clean skillet to cook the remaining chix. serve immediately.sorry for any typos :P

delightful scallion pancakes

2009-03-04T20:59:00.000-05:00

ingredients (makes 2 dozen):
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 tsp coarse salt
3/4 cup boiling-hot water
3 to 4 Tbs vegetable oil
3 tsp toasted sesame oil
7 scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced
coarse salt
soy sauce (for dipping)

directions:

Stir together flour, salt, hot water, and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Transfer to a lightly floured surface. Knead dough until soft and smooth, 10 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap; let stand 20 minutes.

all rolled up like so

Roll dough into a 16-inch log on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 24 pieces. Roll each piece out into a 4-inch circle, keeping remaining pieces covered as you work. Brush with sesame oil; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon scallions. Roll each piece into a tight cylinder; pinch ends to seal. Press to flatten. Wrap each cylinder around itself to form a spiral (seam side in); pinch end. Cover with plastic wrap; let stand 20 minutes (or up to 5 hours).
Place spirals on a lightly floured surface. Flatten gently. Roll out to 4-inch circles, stacking between pieces of floured waxed paper. Let stand 20 minutes.
Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook pancakes, 2 or 3 at a time, flipping once, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side (add oil as necessary). Drain on paper towels. Season with salt. (To keep warm, place in an oven heated to 200 degrees.) Cut into wedges, and serve with dipping sauce.

*courtesy of marthastewart

peanut butter cookies with choc chunks, anyone?

2009-02-26T20:28:00.000-05:00

delish.
ingredients (makes 36--- so i halved it):
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
4 Tbs (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, cut into chunks (or choc chips, if you like)

directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda; set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat peanut butter, butter, and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until smooth. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture, beating just until combined. Stir in chocolate chunks.
Drop dough by heaping tablespoons, 1 inch apart, onto two large baking sheets. Bake until golden, 13 to 15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.
*courtesy of the food librarian who got it from marthastewart.

roast with rosemary and veggies

2009-02-24T21:24:00.000-05:00

prep time: 20 minutes
total time: 5 hours 20 minutes (includes 4 hours 15 minutes simmering time)
ingredients (serves 4-6):
1 (3 1/2 lb) boneless chuck roast
salt and pepper
2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped coarse
1 carrot, peeling and chopped coarse
1 rib celery, chopped coarse
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp sugar
2 cups red wine (or 1 cup chicken broth, 1 cup beef broth--- but if you can, use wine!!!)
1 sprig rosemary or 1/4 tsp dried
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 lbs small red potatoes (or just small potatoes)- about 9, halved
1 1/2 lbs carrots, peeled and sliced, 1/2 inch thick
directions:
1. adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. pat the roast dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper (rub the s&p into the roast). heat the oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. brown the roast on all sides, reducing the heat if the fat begins to smoke, about 10 minutes. transfer the roast to a large place.
2. add the onion, chopped carrot, and celery to the fat left in the pot and cook over medium heat until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. stir in the garlic and the sugar and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. stir in the wine and rosemary, scraping up any brown bits.
3. return the roast and any accumulated juice to the pot. add the water until it measures half-way up the sides of the roast (you may not need all of it). bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer to the oven. cook, turning the roast over every 30 minutes, for 3 1/2 hours.
4. add the potatoes, sliced carrots, and parsnips, submerging them in the liquid, and continue to cook in the oven until the beef and vegetables are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
5. transfer the roast to a cutting board and carve as you like. season with salt and pepper to taste. enjoy. yummm.
*adapted from America's Test Kitchen cookbook