The Vegetarian Hausfrau

Anytime Fritatta

2010-06-25T05:46:00.000-07:00

In keeping with breakfast recipes (see last weeks delicious 'big pancake')... I introduce you to Martha Stewart's Anytime Fritatta.

(noticing the cayenne sprinkled on top? whoops! forgot to add it. tasted fine on top, i thought)

Big pancake wasn't your thing last week? Too sweet? (if you answered 'yes' to that, I can't help you) No matter, this is EVERYONE'S thing. Unless you're vegan.

This is easy, it's quick (prep your potatoes the night before) and it's delicious. Great meal for guests, or to keep all to yourselves on a lovely Sunday morning. (Mmm, monday morning leftovers!)

Anytime Fritatta
from Martha Stewart Living

Serves 8

1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup water
4 leeks (about 1 pound), white and pale-green parts only, rinsed well and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Coarse salt
8 large eggs plus 2 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese, drained
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Brush a 9-inch square baking dish with oil. Bring water to a simmer in a medium skillet over high heat. Add leeks, garlic, and potatoes; season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, covered, until potatoes are just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool.

Whisk together eggs, whites, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the cayenne. Fold in potato mixture and ricotta. Mix in 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Pour mixture into dish, and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Bake until edges are set, about 12 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees, and bake until set and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

Let cool for 10 minutes. Cut into 8 squares.

Guten appetit!

Recipe Rewind: Big Pancake

2010-06-18T06:17:00.000-07:00

Do you eat 'Brinner'? (Breakfast for dinner)

We do, occasionally. When I have a craving or am feeling lazy, or maybe I just need a sugar fix that only syrup can fulfill. Whatever the reason, when I make Brinner, it usually turns out to be my favorite dinner of the week. Maybe because it feels a bit devious, I'm cheating and scoffing at the dinnertime hour by eating breakfast. Or again, maybe it's just because my pregnant belly needs the sweet sugary syrup.

This past Wednesday, I HAD to have big pancake (aka: dutch babies). And let's be honest here, I'd already made it as a legitimate breakfast on Monday morning. However, my craving had not been fulfilled.

Tim's also decided that he likes big pancake better than regular pancakes. He says they're more 'eggy'. I concur. I lather mine in not just syrup, but do more of a french toast style with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and then syrup. Mmmm.

This weekend is definitely calling for big pancake! If you haven't already, click HERE for the recipe.

Make it happen, folks.

Guten appetit!

Chocolate Cobbler

2010-06-11T05:51:00.000-07:00

I may start exclusively cooking from the Pioneer Woman's website. And her spin-off, Tasty Kitchen... um yeah, tasty in my kitchen (thanks to all the wonderful cooks and contributors)!

Yee-haw cow-pokes. Starve yourself for a week, if you must. Ride a few broncos, or bucks, or steers (whatever they do on the range), or if you're a city slicker, hit the gym. You want these calories. Your body neeeeeeds these calories. After I ate my serving and our guest left, I was eating spoonfuls out of the pan. Shameless pregnant woman on the loose, with chocolate cobbler. Beware.

I can't tell you how sad I was to realize I missed the Pioneer Woman's book signing in Seattle! But chocolate cobbler made me feel better. A little bit. I'm still bummed.

Yeah, yeah, I hear you... there's IS a recipe coming. And guess what, it's the EASIEST, happiest, most delicious, crowd pleasingest dessert recipe I will ever give you. By far. Hands down. I love this recipe. I love this dessert. Yum.

(sorry, couldn't get a very good shot - but look at the chocolate cakey part mixed with some gooey!)

Thank you, Pioneer Woman. For making it all possible.

Chocolate Cobbler
submitted by S.H. on Tasty Kitchen

1 cup All-purpose Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
¼ teaspoons Salt
7 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder, Divided
1-¼ cup Sugar, Divided
½ cups Milk
⅓ cups Melted Butter
1-½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
½ cups Light Brown Sugar, Packed
1-½ cup Hot Tap Water

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

First stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, 3 tablespoons of the cocoa, and 3/4 cup of the white sugar. Reserve the remaining cocoa and sugar.

Stir in the milk, melted butter, and vanilla to the flour mixture. Mix until smooth.

Pour the mixture into an ungreased 8-inch baking dish.

In a separate small bowl, mix the remaining white sugar (it should be 1/2 cup), the brown sugar, and remaining 4 tablespoons of cocoa. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the batter.

Pour the hot tap water over all. DO NOT STIR!

Bake for about 40 minutes or until the center is set.

Let stand for a few minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Guten appetit!

Healthy Snacks for Kids

2010-06-04T05:17:00.000-07:00

Kids are bouncing off the walls, all hyped up for summer!

What does that mean for us moms? Well, nothing for me really, as our son isn't in school yet. But for those of you with school-aged children, it means they'll be home most days. In addition to having a good time with activities, outings and at-home leisure, you'll have to step up the meal offerings. Not only will they want lunch, but probably snacks too. Summertime is hard work for our little monsters, I mean 'darlings'. They need to refuel.

While my Chef's Helper isn't in school, that only means I'm always preparing his food! I needed new ideas (help! if you have any that your kids love). I found this great list of healthy kid snacks, and decided to share it.

I hope it helps give you some ideas and quick go-to snacks for your family. Happy summertime!

NOTE: Some of the suggestions below include meat. Omit or adjust to your family's diet preferences.

From both Fun & Food Cafe and EatRight.org

1. A Banana by itself. Or dip it in yogurt, then coat with crushed cereal and freeze.
2. Stuff a whole-grain pita pocket with ricotta cheese and apple slices, and sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon.
3. A bag of ready-to-eat cereal, dried fruit and nuts, all tossed together (great for on-the-go).
4. A bowl of low-fat vanilla yogurt topped with crunchy granola and berries (blueberries would be excellent).
5. Microwave a small baked potato. Top with reduced-fat cheddar cheese and salsa.
6. Kebabs, made with fruit and cheese on toothpicks (or try grapes and cheese on pretzel sticks!).
7. A whole grain waffle topped with fruit and honey, or low-fat yogurt and peaches
8. Spread peanut butter on apple slices.
9. A sandwich on wholegrain bread with cilantro, cheese and tomatoes.
10. Sprinkle grated monterey jack cheese over a corn tortilla; fold in half and microwave for 20 seconds. Top with salsa.
11. Instant oatmeal topped with craisins and chopped walnuts.
12. A cup of tomato or vegetable soup with whole-grain or cheese crackers.
13. Fill a waffle cone with cut-up fruit and top with low-fat vanilla yogurt.
14. Toast an English muffin, drizzle with pizza sauce and sprinkle with low-fat mozzarella cheese.
15. Rocky Road - Break a graham cracker into bite-size pieces. Add
to low-fat chocolate pudding along with a few miniature marshmallows.
16. Banana Split - Top a banana with low-fat vanilla and strawberry
frozen yogurt, topped with your favorite whole-grain cereal or walnuts/pecans.
17. Spread mustard on a flour tortilla. Top with a slice of turkey or ham, low-fat cheese and lettuce. Then roll it up.
18. Homemade Granola Bars. Try these.
19. A simple cheese sandwich - cheese and bread, or cheese mustard and bread.
20. Celery sticks and cherry tomatoes with cheese cubes.
21. Smear a scoop of frozen yogurt on two graham crackers and sliced banana to make a yummy sandwich.
22. Blend low-fat milk, frozen strawberries and a banana for 30 seconds to make a smoothie.
23. Make a mini-sandwich of tuna or egg salad on a dinner roll.
24. Mix together corn flakes and peanut butter in a bowl. Shape into balls and roll in crushed graham crackers.
25. Spread mustard on a deli slice of turkey. Wrap around a sesame bread stick.
26. Parfait - Layer low-fat vanilla yogurt and mandarine orange slices or blueberrie, in a tall glass. Sprinkle the top with granola.
27. Make a sandwich on whole grain bread. Using a large cookie cutter, cut the sandwich into fun shapes.

Guten appetit!

Spaghetti with Chunky Tomato Sauce

2010-05-28T06:04:00.000-07:00

Another winning recipe from the Vegetarian Times magazine. I saw the picture (recipes should ALWAYS come with a picture, in my opinion) and had to make it.

There were many reasons the recipe grabbed my attention... I got to make my own sauce (I dream of having some fantastic marinara sauce recipe that comes from old world italy, simmers for hours, and people rave about - that recipe has yet to be found), the title is 'chunky' and I'm feeling a bit chunky myself these days, and it was spaghetti, which seems like such an excellent spring, transition type food.

The recipe is easy, and it's light but filling. You could even prep the veggies the night before, for faster cook time. And I love the fact that the recipe tells you to chop your veggies in the food processor! How often do you see a recipe telling you to take the easy way out?! Helping you prep faster and get food on the table sooner. Kudos to the Veg Times cooks.

My only comment would be that it makes a lot of sauce. 1/2 package of spaghetti was just about the perfect amount for 2 adult dinners, but we have tons of extra sauce (I love leftovers!). The sauce makes enough for 4-5 adults (6, if you are serving the pasta with a couple of side dishes). In the future, I can also imagine playing with the veggies - for example, adding zucchini when it's growing like gangbusters in your garden!

It was a perfect blend of flavors - nothing was too much. A delicious dinner in 30 minutes or less! I definitely urge you to make this one soon.

Spaghetti with Chunky Tomato Sauce
from The Vegetarian Times, April 2010

8 oz. (2 cups) sliced white mushrooms (I think I used more like 1.5 cups)
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into chunks
1 large leek, white part cut into chunks
2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tablespoon)
2 Tablespoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes (muir glen is my new favorite brand)
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 15 oz. can, rinsed and drained)
1/4 cup red wine
8 cups baby spinach leaves (I only used about 5 cups)
8 ounces spaghetti (1/2 of a 1 pound package)

Place mushrooms, bell pepper, and leek in bowl of food processor. Pulse until ingredients are coarsely chopped.

Heat oil in large saucepan or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add mushroom mixture and garlic, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cook 3-5 minutes, or until vegetables are softened and most of liquid has evaporated. Stir in oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes, and cook 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, and wine, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Cover, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add spinach, and cook 3-5 minutes more, or until spinach has wilted.

Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions. Serve spaghetti topped with sauce.

Guten appetit!

Holy Toledo

2010-04-23T06:03:00.000-07:00

A couple of things today...

There will be no recipe. I have news.

We're having another one of these, in September:

Yay, yay, yay! But - oh, goodness! What is going to happen to my cooking?! Having a baby is well worth my lax, barely lift a spoon (except to eat) attitude for the year following birth. But, I just got back into cooking, and posting and reading my favorite food blogs. Oh, dear.

I fear what this will do to the Vegetarian Hausfrau. I will try, I promise, to post. And maybe I can wrangle some of my fantastic foodie friends into a few guest posts.

Second, I WANT TO EAT THESE TACOS SOOOO BADLY, it's killing me:

Swiss Chard and Caramelized Onion Tacos
picture and recipe from Tasty Kitchen

I can't do it, though. I stick to the rule of no soft cheeses during pregnancy, even if it's 'probably' OK. These tacos would not taste nearly as good without the cheese, I just know it. Sigh. They will be mine. Oh yes, they will. Come end of September, you can bet your bottom dollar what I'll be eating.

Wishing happy (taco eating) days to you and your family.

xo,
The VH

Lemon Cake

2010-04-02T05:59:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter weekend! It's hard not to love this time of year... tulips and other bright flowers, hints of warm sunny days ahead, and cooking light fresh dishes again.

I'm sharing a mother-in-law recipe today because it seems like a good start to spring. It's a moist, spongy (is that a word?) and zesty (this should be a word, if it isn't!) cake. Kind of retro too, calls for jello. Anytime I use jello, I think of my parents generation. It was like crack for the suburban housewife... 'what?! I can mix water with this packet, refrigerate and give my kids a treat they will eat?!'. However, what was with all those jello molds that included cottage cheese?? Gross. This is NOTHING like that though, nothing. Forget I said that.

This past visit, my MIL made this cake for her special 70th birthday. I think we ate this cake for an entire week (there were only 4 of us, and it makes a fairly large cake). It was good. Remember: moist, spongy, and zesty. Yum.

With a scoop of vanilla ice cream, I was in heaven!

This was a secret lunch portion I snuck on the side, so no ice cream. Shhh.

If you're looking for a spring weekend treat, or maybe you have a special birthday coming up for someone that doesn't like icing cakes, I recommend giving this one a go.

p.s. I'm making Pesto, Pasta and Peas again tonight - sooooo good! Want to come over?

Lemon Cake Squares
from my Mother-in-law

1 package Duncan Hines yellow cake mix
1 package lemon jello
3/4 cup cooking oil
4 eggs
1 cup water
2 lemons - juiced and rind grated
2 cups confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Empty cake mix into a large bowl and make a hole (think volcano crater) in the center. Add the next 4 ingredients (through water) and mix.

Bake in an 8x10 or 9x12 size pan - you want to be able to cut the cake into squares.

Make a glaze by stirring the lemon juice, rind and powdered sugar together. Spread on cake as soon as it's taken out of the oven.

At this point, you can freeze the cake (reheat in the oven) or cool to room temperature and serve.

Guten appetit!

Spinach Salad with Toasted Almonds, Apple and Vermouth Vinaigrette

2010-03-26T09:20:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned before that I have a hard time with salads. I have no idea why. A little lettuce, some mix-ins and it should be that simple. When I need to make one, I freeze. I must have a recipe. I'm not the type that follows recipes to the T, but I need a framework and the general idea of the salad.

In this case though, I followed her recipe to the T. I was a giant copycat because we had back-to-back parties and my brain power was nil. I needed a lunch salad, something fast and easy, to go with both a meat pasta and vegetarian red sauce pasta. This salad worked out great.

Buy pre-washed, bagged spinach greens and you're practically home free. I have summer dreams of making this salad with fresh garden spinach, but we'll see if I can make that into reality. My garden space isn't very big, yet I have some grandios plans.

The salad dressing mixes well and you probably have all the ingredients, minus the vermouth, in your pantry. I found vermouth next to the vinegars at my grocery store. The hint of curry powder was a nice twist and I thought it elevated the salad to party material.

A go-to easy salad that's very guest-worthy. Two thumbs up!

Spinach Salad with Toasted Almonds, Apple and Vermouth Vinaigrette
from White on Rice Couple

Salad:
Bag of fresh spinach leaves (1-1 1/4 lb)
1 apple, cored and sliced
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Dressing:
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon vermouth
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/3 cup salad oil

Combine all dressing ingredients into a jar and shake well. Pour into the bottom of a salad bowl.

Wash and dry spinach. Remove any tough stems. Tear leaves into bite sized pieces and put in salad bowl on top of dressing, do not toss. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Toss well, just before serving, including any garnishes (apple and almonds).

Additional garnishes to consider: 1/4 cup golden raisins, 1 bunch scallions (thinly sliced), 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (toasted), 1/3 cup dry-roasted spanish peanuts

Guten appetit!

Pesto, Pasta & Peas

2010-03-19T05:49:00.000-07:00

Did you have a nice St. Patrick's Day? I really like the holiday, although I can't say I do much for it these days. There were years I went out and reveled in green beer, but those have long since passed. Especially when St. Patty's Day falls on a Wednesday. Go out on a weeknight?! Are you kidding?!

However, I have an extra special reason to love the green day - it's my brother's birthday. He's 33 this year. I love him, and even loved him and told friends how lucky I was to have him through the tough teenage 'annoy your sibling' years. He's smart, funny, genuine and a friend to all.

In honor of him and his birthday, here's a scrumptious green dinner that will have you and your whole family begging to celebrate St. Patrick's day all over again!

Just look at that green deliciousness...

Unfortunately, my batch was eaten before I remembered to take a picture.
So this picture is compliments of my sister and her blog post of the recipe.
I love the recipes you introduce me to, C!

If you need some more convincing to make this recipe, here are a few reasons:
1. I served this at a party and it was raved about and most people had second helpings.
2. One runner at our party said she had the best run/time ever the morning after eating it and asked me for the recipe. It's going to be her night before a race meal!
3. Makes EXCELLENT leftovers.
4. It includes spinach, which you can't taste. So if you need to slip some of the green veggie to non-spinach lovers (like my husband), they will never know. Wa, ha, ha (evil laughs are so fun).
5. This makes an excellent party dish, as you can make the pesto dressing hours before and the pasta a half hour before guests arrive. Since it's served at room temperature, toss everything together and have it ready to go before you start to greet your guests. Leaves you free to have fun!
6. Because I said so.

It's a new family favorite for us, so I hope you have the chance to serve it soon. Let me know what you and your family have to say!

Pesto, Pasta and Peas
from Ina Garten, via my sister's blog

Note: I made 1.5x the recipe to have enough for 12 adults. I served it with a tomato salad and bread. We had about 5 servings left, which made excellent leftover lunches.

3/4 pound Fusilli Pasta
3/4 pound Bow Tie Pasta
1/4 cup EVOO
1 1/2 cups Pesto (see below for a home-made Pesto recipe)
1 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/4 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
1/3 cup Pine Nuts
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper

Cook the fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling salted water. Drain and toss into a bowl with the Olive Oil. Cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the mayonnaise and puree.

Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan, peas, pine nuts, salt and pepper. Serve.

Guten appetit!

Disaster: Rolls

2010-03-12T06:32:00.000-08:00

Hmm, note to self: Follow ones gut

Do you follow the Pioneer Woman's blog? I do. I probably read it a couple times a week, mostly the cooking section.

She's highlighted some rosemary rolls on her blog multiple times that looked divine! They were posted and talked about so often (she must like them, and they really, really look good) that I couldn't help but want them.

Pioneer Woman's Rosemary Rolls - Photo by Ree Drummond

However, I ran into a snafu. My regular grocery store only had refrigerated 'biscuit' dough OR 'crescent roll' dough. Needing dinner rolls, I went with the crescent roll dough. A roll is a roll, right? A roll is definitely NOT a biscuit.

Per the recipe, I greased my new cast iron skillet (love it! just imagine the corn bread I'll be making - yum!), rolled my dough into balls and left them to rise over a few hours. A few hours later, nothing. Crescent rolls do not rise. They are not dinner rolls. I knew this, I saw the picture on the package, but yet... they were the only 'rolls' at the market. So I caved and bought them.

I'll be off to check another store this week and let you know how attempt #2 goes. Meanwhile, we'll be eating crescent rolls this week until they're coming out our ears since I bought 4 packages (it was for a party).

Trust your gut.

Sugar Cookies

2010-02-26T06:24:00.000-08:00

Sugar cookies... don't they sound delicious? Kind of simple, but you get an occasional craving for one. Then you eat one and think, "hmm, that wasn't anything fantastic". But by the time you're done with the first one, you've already started to reach for a second, because hey, why eat just one cookie? And, they're actually quite good. As you are close to finishing off your second cookie, you realize it's actually your fourth and you absentmindedly kept reaching for another, unable to stop yourself from eating more, more, more!

They should rename these 'sugar crack'. The addiction sneaks up on you and then you're hooked until they are all gone.

Thank goodness these were for the Chef's Helper's birthday party and I had a worthy cause to champion my hand away from the cookies.

Here's one bundled up to take home. I forgot to snap a pre-bagging picture - it was a busy day!

Even without frosting, these are quite tasty. In the future, I'll even feel pretty good about feeding them to the Chef's Helper and his friends (occasionally). They have sugar of course, but they don't taste overly sweet... Until you get to the frosting - there's no way to get around that one. But how fun is it to decorate cookies with little kids?! You can't leave out the frosting. I can't wait.

If you're looking for a sugar cookie, this is definitely a quality recipe. Try them plain with sprinkles too!

Sugar Cookies
from Dine & Dish

¾ cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ¾ cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
Icing (recipe follows)

In a mixing bowl, cream butter & sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until light and fluffy. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Chill for 1 hour or until firm.

Preheat oven to 375.

On a generously floured surface, roll a 1/3 of dough to ¼ inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutter. Place on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Laura's notes: Work quickly! Once the dough warms up, it's a mess trying to maintain your shape while you transfer to the cookie sheet. If you're only using one cookie sheet at a time, I also recommend you keep the remaining dough in the refrigerator until you are ready to work with it.

Repeat with remaining dough. Frost.

Yield: 2 dozen large cookies.

Icing
from Allrecipes

Because the icing associated with the above cookies needed to be refrigerated AND was soft (i.e. smoosh in the gift bags), I had to go with something a little sturdier. This icing was great with the coloring, dried FAST and glossy, and there was no sticky-smooshing to the bag. Perfect.

1 cup confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)
2 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
assorted food coloring

In a small bowl, mix together all wet ingredients. Add powdered sugar incrementally while stirring. Only add enough sugar to get the consistency you are looking for. It should be smooth and glossy.

Divide into separate bowls, and add food colorings to each to desired intensity. Dip cookies, or paint them with a brush (I used one of my food basting brushes - I wasn't going for detail).

Guten appetit!

Millie's White Wedding Cake

2010-02-19T05:06:00.000-08:00

I wish I knew Millie, and I wish I'd taken her baking class with Kristen (from Dine & Dish) where Kristen learned how to make Millie's White Wedding Cake because if this is any example of Millie's baking skills, the woman had a lot to teach! It was light, sweet but not too sweet, and moist. Just as a cake should be. It's a great go-to white cake.

Our cup-cakes, pre-frosting

I felt like the Chefs Helper's 1st birthday party was a big success, and this cake helped add even more sweetness to the day. It's hard to believe he's a year old. On one hand, he's grown and changed so much and it feels like the year has flown by. On the other, it seems like he's always been with us. He is such a sweet, happy baby. We couldn't have asked for a better son or legacy.

His 'cake' was a cupcake design mimicking Eric Carle's Very Hungry Caterpillar book cover (not my idea! see below).

Our little man is a book lover, so it seemed like a fun and appropriate theme. Fingers crossed that his love for books continues. (He must get it from his daddy, since when his mama was younger, she refused to read books in lieu of watching TV - even when bribed with money! yikes)

The green color was MUCH darker than the photo looks

My final design couldn't hold a candle to the original, but no one but me knew that. I couldn't find the right candy for the eyes, and ran out of time, so our caterpillar had no eyes. He was meant to be eaten, not see the world, so I was OK with it.

I thought this was really fun to create AND easy! I simply spread the cupcake icing with a knife and sort of swirled it around using two different green tones - bonus points for super easy. Came together in a snap. Here was my attack plan:

Day before the party: Bake cupcakes, then pre-measure anything I could for the icing and put all non-perishable ingredients on the counter next to the measuring cups/spoons I would need.

Day-of the party, which was at 3pm: Make icing, ice cupcakes, assemble on cake board with extra pieces (feet, eyes, etc). Done!

This was probably the most prepared I have ever been for a party. Kudos to my awesome husband for cleaning, running out for the balloons, and all the other things he does (party days and everyday).

Happy birthday, sweet sweet boy. We hope you enjoyed your party, and cake!

* Here's where the cake design came from.

Millie’s White Wedding Cake
from Dine & Dish

2 (18 ounce) boxes white cake mix (Betty Crocker or Pillsbury)
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 2/3 cups water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons real vanilla
2 teaspoons almond extract
2 cups sour cream
8 large egg whites

Place all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes, until fully incorporated.

Pour into greased and floured cake pans or cupcake liners, filling each slightly over half full.

Lightly tap cake pans on counter to bring air bubbles to top.

Bake in preheated 325° F oven until cake tests done.

Baking time varies according to the size and depth of pans being used.

For cupcakes, Kristen says she bakes them approximately 18 minutes. Mine took between 28-30 minutes. I waited until the cupcakes started to turn light brown on top. My cakes were done in less time and I knew to check them when the sides started to turn brown. Test with a toothpick to know when yours are done.

Guten appetit!

White Frosting and a Sneak Peak

2010-02-12T05:24:00.000-08:00

Here's a sneak peak at the Chefs Helper's 1st birthday party cake:

We all had a great time celebrating a whole year of wonderful.

Unfortunately, I can not recommend this icing. Ick. I should have known though. Any icing that only uses crisco can't be good.

A couple years ago, I made a very tasty icing for a friends son's birthday party, and I will return to that icing next time. It was so good, we were eating the icing out of the mixer with graham crackers.

Why did I deviate? Hmmm, I like to try new things and... I don't know. My bad.

Stay tuned for the full cake picture and review (great cake) next Friday.

Guten appetit!

Roasted Vegetable Linguine with Torn Fresh Basil

2010-01-29T05:49:00.000-08:00

This is my first recipe attempt from my Vegetarian Times subscription - yay! I always read the magazine (think I've received it 4 times since ordering it), and have big dreams of the delicious food I will make.

For my first recipe, I couldn't have picked better. The roasted vegetables made the house smell divine! This recipe is listed in their Valentines Dinner article for specific reasons... apparently asparagus spears have a lot of vitamin E, which boosts fertility and stamina (Hmm, never heard that. Myth?). They also say basil is known by the Italians as "kiss-me Nicholas". What I would like to know is, who's Nicholas?! The Italian Romeo? Wait, wasn't Romeo Italian? Forget it.

This dish is delicious, with or without it's sex boosting skills, or the basil (which I had washed, set aside for later, and then forgot to add! Drats). Although, I also think the basil would have been delicious.

Both Tim and I gave it two thumbs up. The sauce is really light but with deep flavors from the reduction. Will be great to make with fresh tomatoes in summer, for just ourselves or when we have friends over. Definitely guest worthy.

Roasted Vegetable Linguine with Torn Fresh Basil
from Vegetarian Times, Feb 2010

* I roughly halved the recipe (meaning, I halved most of the ingredients, but added a bit more of the things I knew I would really like - such as the sauce and tomatoes) which made enough for 2 people.

2 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms (Laura's note: I used button mushrooms, which were great)
1/2 lb. fresh or frozen asparagus, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 small onion, coarsely chopped (approx. 1 cup)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced (approx. 2 teaspoons)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 13.25 oz. package whole-wheat or white linguine (Laura's note: I used a half package and it only fed 2 hungry adults as a main course)
1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss together mushrooms, asparagus, onion, oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in large roasting pan (I did this first in a bowl, then spread them out on my pan). Roast 20 minutes (only took me 14 minutes!), or until mushrooms and onions begin to brown, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Start your pasta water, if you haven't already.

Add tomatoes to pan, and roast 7-10 minutes more, or until tomatoes shrivel and soften. Transfer vegetables to bowl.

Add wine to roasting pan, stirring to scrape off any stuck-on bits from bottom of pan. Place roasting pan on burner over medium heat, and simmer 2-3 minutes, or until wine has evaporated by half; OR return roasting pan to oven 5 minutes, and let wine cook off (this is what I did, very easy!).

Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta, and reserve 1/2 cup cooking water. Stir reserved cooking water into reduced wine in roasting pan.

Return pasta to pot. Add wine mixture and vegetables, and toss over medium-low heat until heated through. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Stir in torn fresh basil leaves, and serve immediately.

Cooking note: I don't have a roasting pan, so I used a cookie sheet with a lip. I plan to buy a roasting pan, as it wasn't the best idea, but it worked. The wine reduction, which I did in the oven for 5 minutes, helped take off a lot of the burned bits. Just took a bit of elbow grease to get the rest off.

Guten appetit!

The Perfect Baked Potato

2010-01-22T18:18:00.000-08:00

Yes, I said 'baked potato'. You may be asking yourself, does someone really NEED a recipe for 'baked potato'? And again, the answer is 'yes'. But thank you for asking.

It may be simple, but that's the beauty of it. And frankly, for all other recipes requiring a baked potato (such as twice baked potato), you simply wash and throw the potato in the oven to cook. That's all I'd ever done.

Well, if you want to eat a plain potato with a few toppings, that simply wont do. There is a way to make a potato pop with flavor.

Skeptical? You'll have to make this super simple recipe and tell me what you think.

I made it for Tim and I when we caught the flu a couple weeks ago. It was the perfect lunch for people whose tummy's couldn't handle anything heavy, spicy or rich. I loved it so much, I've made it a couple times since. I can't believe I forgot how delicious baked potatoes are - especially loaded with broccoli and cheese, or cottage cheese and butter. Mmmm.

Enjoy my friends. The flu and colds are among us. I hope you're all staying healthy!

The Perfect Baked Potato
from FoodNetwork

Heat oven to 350 degrees and position racks in top and bottom thirds.

Wash potato (or potatoes) thoroughly with a stiff brush and cold running water. Dry, then using a standard fork poke 8 to 12 deep holes all over the spud so that moisture can escape during cooking.

Here is the key: Place in a bowl and coat lightly with oil (there was nothing light about my oil coating, but it wasn't dripping oil). Sprinkle with kosher salt and place potato directly on rack in middle of oven. Place a baking sheet on the lower rack to catch any drippings.

Bake 1 hour or until skin feels crisp but flesh beneath feels soft. Serve by creating a dotted line from end to end with your fork, then crack the spud open by squeezing the ends towards one another. It will pop right open. But watch out, there will be some steam.

NOTE: If you're cooking more than 4 potatoes, you'll need to extend the cooking time by up to 15 minutes.

Guten appetit!

Parmesan Pasta

2010-01-15T05:16:00.000-08:00

Since I mentioned one of my current favorite dishes in a post last week, thought I should follow-up with the recipe. It's not difficult, it's not exact, it's simply delicious!

The best part about this dinner? When you have nothing else planned, it can be whipped up in less than 10 minutes - flat. And I can almost *guarantee* you have all the ingredients in your kitchen.

When you are still trying to get your footing after having a baby (we're talking about almost 1 year later), menu planning just doesn't happen. When I don't menu plan, with at least a rough idea in my head, grocery store trips are disastrous. I buy food I don't end up eating. I don't end up with all the right ingredients for any dish, but a lot of 'close calls'. And we never eat side dishes anymore (even when I have a zucchini to make spears, I usually forget to start the process before our main dish is already done - ha).

But, amidst the chaos, I wouldn't have it any other way. I know things will settle down. And I have YEARS to menu plan. Stella got her groove back, I'm sure I will too. In the meantime, when I have nothing to make for dinner, I know I can still get an excited smile from my husband when I say we're having Parmesan Pasta. (and it only takes me 10 minutes!)

This is not the most flattering picture, but it still makes my mouth water to look at it

Believe it or not, I got this recipe from Costco. Not off a box, not in their mailing, but from the sample lady who was making it to try and sell some pasta. We doctored it up a bit, and so can you. Add some steamed broccoli, shaved carrot strips, or fresh diced tomatoes in summer. The possibilities are endless! Hope you enjoy.

Parmesan Pasta
adapted from the Costco lady

1/2 package of whole wheat spaghetti noodles (we love the Garofalo brand at Costco)
1/4 cup olive oil (not EVOO)
1/4-1/2 cup shredded fresh Parmesan (again, we like Costco's brand, it has a bit more 'bite')
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
Pinch of garlic salt

Boil the noodles, drain and return to pan.

Pour the olive oil over your noodles, and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle the remaining ingredients over the pasta and toss again to combine. Serve warm.

Makes enough for 2 adult dinners.

Guten appetit!

Fall Salad

2010-01-08T05:48:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's winter. We've long since passed fall. But, fall and winter foods are pretty much the same. Comfort food.

However, amidst the casseroles, soups and cookies, there are a few recipes that stand out from the crowd of 'comfort food'. Salads (as a category) would count as one of the stand outs, since they're not in demand as much during this time. To brave the season, a salad needs to be pretty unique to pair well with the heavier winter dishes.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

We have a winner, Pat... 'Fall Salad', come on down!

Served at our very large family Christmas Eve dinner, this salad received rave reviews. I ate it with mac & cheese, mashed potatoes and some grilled winter vegetables. The meat eaters also had what I ate, plus prime rib. Everyone was happy with this salad. And although salads don't strike you as 'fall' or 'winter' food, it seemed like a comfort dish. The balsamic dressing, with candied walnuts - yum!

I hope you enjoyed your holiday dinners as much as we did.

Fall Salad
adapted from Tyler Florence, Food Network

Candied pecans:
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup raw pecans

Maple-balsamic dressing (this makes enough for a large salad, or keep the leftover refrigerated and use within the week):
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad:
Lettuce - approximately 3 heads, or 3 packages pre-washed lettuce (the recipe calls for: 1 head endive, 2 hearts frisee, 1 large radicchio)
1 pear, sliced
1/4 cup shaved Parmesan

To make the candied pecans, set a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the butter and sugar and once it has melted, toss in the pecans and continue to toss to coat and cook evenly, about 1 minute. Transfer to a sheet tray lined with waxed paper (use 2 forks to separate pecans) while you prepare the salad.

Make the dressing by combining the Dijon and balsamic vinegar in a large mixing bowl. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while you whisk to emulsify. Add the maple syrup and season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Assemble salad by tossing greens and pear slices in a large mixing bowl with maple-balsamic dressing. Top with shaved Parmesan and candied pecans.

Guten appetit!

New Years Resolutions

2010-01-04T06:46:00.000-08:00

1. Start cooking new recipes again! I do sometimes, but not nearly as much as I used to. Tim has made a couple comments and I'm surprised that's all it's been! I've been bad, and boring in the kitchen. I'm a broken record lately... pizza, lemongrass tofu, parmesan pasta, quesadillas, take out/go out - repeat. Although, Tim could probably eat quesadillas every night for the rest of his life! But seriously, new recipes. Coming soon.

2. Only post once a week. Sorry '2x/week', it just isn't working out between us. It's me, not you.

3. I will no longer apologize for tardy posts. See #1.

Remember last years new years resolution? A half-hearted 'use my slow cooker'. I never did, but I knew I wouldn't (does that make it better or worse?). We'll see how well this years resolutions hold up.

(p.s. #4, Use my slow cooker more. I WANT to, I really do. But will I? Anyone's guess.)

Happy New Year - A Classic Bellini Cocktail

2010-01-01T05:12:00.000-08:00

When we were in Venice a few years ago (one of our first trips after moving to Munich), we stopped in at Harry's bar and I tasted my very first Bellini. Yum.

While the recipe calls for 'white peach puree' and on the blog, they are rather snobby about not using anything else, I would have no problems substituting another peach. Whatever sweet delicious peaches you have at the market, go with it. Seriously, peach and prosecco?! You can NOT go wrong.

Champagne or prosecco alone are fun, but if you're looking to make an extra special night of it (new years or any other event), try a Bellini. And invite me to your party. xo

Bellini
This recipe comes from Rob Chirico's Hair of the Dog.

1 ounce white peach puree
3 ounces Prosecco

Peach puree:
1 pound white peaches
Simple syrup (1 part sugar dissolved in one part water), as needed

Peel, pit and puree peaches through a food mill; then strain through a fine sieve or China cap into a pitcher. Add simple syrup to taste if peaches are too tart, and refrigerate until cold.

To make the Bellini:
Make sure the white peach puree and Prosecco are both very cold. Following a ratio of 3 parts Prosecco to 1 part white peach puree, serve in a well-chilled highball glass or Champagne flute.

Guten appetit, and happy new year!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T09:23:00.000-08:00

I'm taking a break for the holiday and enjoying time away from the computer with our little one...

Happy holidays to you and your family! Cook, eat and be merry.

See you again in 2010.

Guten appetit.

Mushroom Quiche

2009-12-22T05:03:00.000-08:00

I love the holidays and I love traditions. When we lived in Germany, people always asked if we were homesick, especially during the holidays. I wasn't. I could tell you with utter happiness what my family would be doing on Christmas day, exactly what they would be doing, in order, hour by hour. It's the same, every year.

I'm so excited to be back and to share family, our traditions and the holidays with our Chef's Helper. His first Christmas! We've wrapped a couple of presents for him, and a couple of books he already owned. I think I'm going to wrap a couple extra empty boxes, as I hear kids at this age just love to unwrap. The present thing wont really be understood by him.

While we won't be celebrating with Tim's family, we will be thinking of them and sharing some of their family traditions. Every Christmas, for breakfast, Tim's mom made quiche (amongst other foods). I love, love, love quiche. I made this quiche for last years festivities (recognize the German kitchen in the background?), and have since made it at least 10 times. It's a solid recipe. Plus, I find most people like mushrooms. Not so with spinach or meat.

As I don't own pie weights, I improvised... dried beans create the same effect, and then I store those used beans in a ziploc for the next pie crust need. You can reuse them for... years?

I hope you are enjoying the holidays, surrounded by loved ones. And I hope you are feasting in delicious traditions.

Happy, happy days to you!

Mushroom Quiche
from Simply Recipes

1 recipe pie dough
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
1 pound assorted mushrooms, quartered or sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 large eggs
Pinch nutmeg
6 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (1 1/2 cups) - I used emmentaler/swiss

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12-inch circle. Fit into a 10-by-1 1/2-inch round tart pan (with or without a removable bottom)(Note from Laura: I used a 9 inch pie plate, worked fine), pressing dough into corners. Transfer to freezer to chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Line pastry with parchment paper, wax paper, or aluminum foil, pressing into the corners and edges. Fill at least two-thirds with baking weights - dried beans, rice, or aluminum pie weights. Bake first for 15 minutes, remove from oven and let cool a few minutes. Carefully remove parchment paper and weights. Poke the bottom of the pie pan with the tongs of a fork and return to oven and bake an additional 10 minutes or until lightly golden. (Fork holes are for any air to escape.) Transfer to a wire rack to cool while making filling.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add shallots, and cook, stirring, until translucent but not brown, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms first release their liquid and then liquid evaporates and mushrooms are dark golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

Place tart pan on a baking sheet to catch any run-off there might be (especially if you are using a pan with a removable bottom.) Sprinkle half the cheese evenly over the bottom of the crust. Spread mushrooms over the cheese and then top with remaining cheese. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, cream, and eggs. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Pour over cheese. Transfer to oven, and bake until just set in the center, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before slicing.

Serves 6-8.

Can't get enough quiche? Try these:
- Crustless Broccoli and Cheese Quiche
- Asparagus and Mushroom Quiche with Brown Rice Crust, from Fatfree Vegan Kitchen
- Spinach and Feta Quiche, from A Veggie Venture
- Zucchini and Tomato Quiche, from Chez Megane

Guten appetit!

Classic Apple Pie

2009-12-18T05:30:00.000-08:00

Surprisingly, I've had a hard time thinking of a traditional dessert for Christmas. I'm not talking about gingerbread houses or sugar cookies. Those are fun to make pre-Christmas, to get in the holiday spirit. I'm referring to the dessert for Christmas dinner. And I'm certainly not about to attempt a Buche de Noel!

I don't know why this is, but oddly enough, we have relatively local Granny Smith apples in the market right now. And oohhhh, how I love an apple pie!

The last time I made an apple pie, Elise's recipe caught my eye because of the sherry and vanilla. I hadn't seen or used either before in an apple pie recipe. Sounded delicious and worth a shot.

Needless to say, once I had my second layer of crust on the pie, I realized I'd forgotten the step of adding the sherry and vanilla! Classic. That's what I get for trying to speed through a recipe.

As you may have guessed though, I've chosen Apple Pie as my Christmas dessert, and so I will have a re-do of this recipe. If it's half as good as the recipe was before, without the sherry and vanilla, it will be a huge hit! Truly, this is grandma's apple pie (with or without the sherry and vanilla) and not a crumb was left on anyone's plate. I can't wait to make it again.

I hope you have something equally scrumptious planned for your dinner festivities. If you still need a dessert, consider Elise's apple pie.

TIP: To prevent a raw bottom crust, bake pies for 20 minutes on the bottom rack, then switch to the center rack for the remaining time. (this trick works perfectly with this recipe, as Elise has you turn down the heat after 20 min)

See the holly leaves cut out of the pie crust? I loved this pie.

Old Fashioned Apple Pie
from Simply Recipes

Crust Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
1/2 cup finely ground blanched almonds or almond flour (can substitute 1/2 cup flour if you don't have almonds)
16 Tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, chilled in freezer for at least 15 minutes
1 teaspoon salt
1 heaping teaspoon brown sugar
3 to 6 Tbsp water, very cold

Filling Ingredients
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 pounds of 1/4-1/2 inch thick slices of peeled and cored good cooking apples such as Granny Smith, Pippin, or Golden Delicious
1 1/2 tablespoons brandy
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Egg Wash
1 large egg yolk
1 Tbsp cream

In a food processor, combine flour, almonds, salt and brown sugar, pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse 6 to 8 times, until mixture resembles coarse meal, with pea size pieces of butter. Add water 1 Tablespoon at a time, pulsing until mixture just begins to clump together. If you pinch some of the crumbly dough and it holds together, it's ready, if not, add a little more water and pulse again.

Remove dough from machine and place on a clean surface. Carefully shape into 2 discs. Do not over-knead the dough! You should still be able to see little bits of butter in the dough. These bits of butter are what will allow the result crust to be flaky. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375°F.

Combine sugar, flour and spices in large bowl. Use your hands and mix in the apples so they are well coated, then add brandy and vanilla extract.

Remove one crust disk from the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle some flour on top of the disk. Roll out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to a 12 inch circle; about 1/8 of an inch thick. As you roll out the dough, use a metal spatula to check if the dough is sticking to the surface below. Add a few sprinkles of flour if necessary to keep the dough from sticking. Gently fold in half. Place on to a 9-inch pie plate, lining up the fold with the center of the pan. Gently unfold and press down to line the pie dish with the dough.

Spoon in apple filling, mounding slightly in center.

Roll out second disk of dough, as before. Gently turn over onto the top of the apples in the pie. Pinch top and bottom of dough rounds firmly together. Trim excess dough with kitchen shears, leaving a 3/4 inch overhang. Fold dough under itself so that the edge of the fold is flush with the edge of the pan. Flute edges using thumb and forefinger or press with a fork.

Stir yolk and cream in small bowl to blend. Brush over top of pie. Cut slits in top crust to allow steam to escape. Bake pie until crust begins to turn golden, about 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F. Tent the rims with aluminum foil or a pie protector if the edges are browning too quickly. Bake until crust is golden and juices are bubbling, anywhere from an additional 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the type of apples you are using. Transfer to rack; let stand 1 hour. Serve pie warm or at room temperature.

More apple desserts:
- Apple Tart, from Orangette
- Cranberry Apple Pie, from A Full Belly
- Apple Crisp, from Joy the Baker

Guten appetit!

Appalachian Trail Cookies

2009-12-01T06:08:00.000-08:00

This recipe was written in the December 2008 Bicycling magazine, under the title "Super Foods Served Here". Good job marketing or editing or whoever makes up titles to articles. The words 'super' and 'food' together are being used (or overused?) like wildfire these days. But it works. That title would get my attention every time.

The article goes on to discuss a triathlete who's also a chef creating wonderful healthy foods for sports minded folks. It goes on and on, and at the end, they gave a recipe... for cookies! Um, now I'm really hooked on this article. I'm thinking 'healthy cookie'. Yes! Thank YOU mr. triathlete turned chef turned article writer.

And here we have them...

A healthy cookie. Mostly. A cookie is a cookie after all! But as cookies go, these are not only healthy, but super, super delicious.

They are a bit crumbly, but that may be because I cook the heck out of cookies, wanting them to be crunchy. And I'm willing to deal with the crumbly-ness, since it doesn't affect their tasty-ness.

For a take along snack on hikes, bike rides and car trips, these get two thumbs up from me!

* If feeding these to kids, beware: as you can see below, they do involve peanuts. But you can omit those and they would still be delicious.

Appalachian Trail Cookies
from Michael Pfab in Bicycling Magazine

1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup shredded coconut (I love this!)
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon pastry flour (I used all purpose flour)
pinch salt
pinch baking soda
pinch ground cinnamon
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup raisins (optional - I didn't use them)
1/3 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
1/3 cup M&M candies (plain)

Blend shortening, butter, brown sugar and sugar. Add egg and mix well.

Add coconut, flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Mix only until blended.

Fold in oats by hand, then mix in raisins, peanuts and M&Ms.

Spoon out in equal portions on parchment-lined baking pan. Bake at 360 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes two dozen.

Interested in the 'healthy' content of the cookies? 157 calories per serving, 7 grams of fat, 21 grams of carbs and 3 grams of protein. Sorry, they neglect to tell you how many cookies equals a serving.

Guten appetit!

Pesto Pasta

2009-11-24T06:19:00.000-08:00

Totally not Thanksgiving, totally not turkey or mashed potatoes or stuffing. But totally delicious, and totally authentic Italian. Totally.

My friend Michelle is Italian. As in, grandparents live outside of Lucca, Italy. (sigh) I wish!

Luckily for me though, I still get to benefit from the Italian grandma via Michelle. My lovely friend served us this recipe during the summer and I begged her (I will be the first to admit, I am not above begging) for the recipe. She served it over pasta with some grilled mahi-mahi, salad and bread on the side. However, you don't need a second main dish, the pasta can stand alone as well. Bread is a must for me though, especially since there's usually some olive oil in the bottom of the bowl to soak up.

Warning: This is not low-calorie. Look the other way, make it in the dark, promise not to eat anything bad the following day. Do whatever you must, just don't miss out on this recipe!!

And, I hope you totally enjoy this one. We love, love, love it.

Pesto Pasta
from Michelle. Recipe below is exactly as she emailed it to me.

To feed about 4 people and a pound of pasta...

2 cups of basil leaves

1/2 cup of olive oil (fyi- Michelle says 'any kind of olive oil is OK', but I know from the source that she uses Classic Olive Oil for dishes like this. EVOO has too much of a 'bite' she says)

2 crushed garlic cloves

1 teaspoon of salt

2 tbsp of pine nuts

Mix all that up in the food processor until pretty smooth, then put in pan with 1/2 stick butter and 1/2 cup of cheese until mixed together.

You can freeze from there or even refrigerate. Play around, and sometimes I put less

butter if i'm watching fat or whatever but it really does taste best with the full fat flavors in there.....the key is FRESH pesto...it is wonderful on top of fish too or the kids like it spread on bread with crushed nuts on top.

Guten appetit! And a very Happy Thanksgiving to you.

* We'll be skipping Friday's post for the holiday. See you again on Tuesday.

Sweet Potatoes with Marshmellows ('Candied Yams')

2009-11-20T05:35:00.000-08:00

Mmmm, yams. Mmmm, marshmallows.

Enough said for this post? I think so. We're keeping it short and sweet.

I love this dish. It came together quickly (use a can of yams to make it even faster), and is always a favorite at Thanksgiving. If you usually puree your yams, or you don't use marshmallows, I encourage you to try this recipe... delicious.

Wondering about the sad side with no marshmallows? That's Tim's end, he prefers the yams without marshmallow - crazy boy!

Candied Yams
from The Farm Journal Vegetable Cookbook

6 medium to large yams
1/4 cup margarine/butter, melted
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Scrub/clean yams under water, then bake until tender - approximately 1 hour. Remove from oven and allow to cool, so you can handle them. Remove skins & slice or cube.

Grease 2 quart casserole (I used 'Pam').

Mix margarine, orange juice, ground cinnamon & yams. Pour into casserole dish.

Top with marshmallows & bake 15-20 min or until yams are hot & marshmallows are lightly browned. (After 20 minutes, my marshmallows weren't browned, but everything was warm. So I turned on the broiler for a couple minutes - done in a jiffy!)

Guten appetit!

Pumpkin Pie with Spiced Whipped Cream

2009-11-17T05:25:00.000-08:00

Mama mia, this was good!

When it comes to Thanksgiving, I would like to eat candied yams, dinner rolls (preferably my mom's bran muffins, but homemade potato rolls are also delicious) and pumpkin pie. Hold all other dishes please, I don't need them. I can sufficiently stuff myself silly on these 3 items.

Last year (yes, last year - I obviously made this for Thanksgiving, so it was too tardy to post for last year's Thanksgiving), we were without family for the big meal, but invited some friends over. I made all the usual suspects: mashed potatoes, candied yams, green beans, a vegetable pot pie, and pumpkin pie. Typically, I would have made the same pie my mom makes... Libbys. Straight from the can, no muss, no fuss, always good. But for some reason, I had it in my head that the recipe called for sweetened condensed milk. Wrong. It calls for evaporated milk. Being a thrifty girl, I couldn't throw out the sweetened condensed milk and knew there must be a pumpkin pie recipe that uses it. Google to the rescue!

Yes, I like plenty of whipped cream! The more the better.
After reading the reviews, this was easily the winning recipe. I liked that it had a bit of spice to it, also carried through in the whipped cream. We were not disappointed! It's crazy delicious. Our guests asked us what was in the pie and whipped cream, all wide-eyed and excited after the first bite. They cleaned their plates and wanted the recipe. Yep, a keeper! This is our new family pumpkin pie recipe, I just can't go back. Sorry Libby.

Happy Thanksgiving and pie eating to you and yours!

Pumpkin Pie with Spiced Whipped Cream
from Epicurious/Bon Appetit (Nov. 2003)

1 9-inch deep-dish pie crust, pierced all over with fork (frozen is also ok)
1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger, divided
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 large eggs
3/4 cup chilled whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Bake crust until browned, pressing bottom and sides of crust occasionally with back of fork, about 14 minutes. Cool crust on rack.

Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

Whisk pumpkin, condensed milk, sour cream, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, vanilla, and allspice in large bowl to blend. Whisk in eggs. Pour into crust (some filling may be left over).

Bake pie until filling is puffed around sides and set in center, about 55 minutes. (Do not fear, the puffiness settles down!)

Cool pie on rack. (Can be made ahead. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours, or cover and chill overnight.)

Beat whipping cream, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon ginger in bowl until peaks form. Spoon large dollops around edge of pie and serve.

Guten appetit!

Oh my...

2009-11-13T06:01:00.000-08:00

Is it November?! Was my last post on October 27?! Goodness. I have been a lump on a log. Whoops!

What's new? (I'll go ahead and answer my own question, since this is for the most part a one sided conversation) First, we were fully wrapped up in Halloween:

Someone turned 9 months old. Amazing how time flies.

Then took a vacation to Hawaii (where our chef's helper started crawling!):

And now I've been procrastinating in getting back to cooking because what I want to cook is not what I should be cooking. I still have a couple recipes to make for our family cookbook (coming up on the deadline here, but I guess I've always worked better under pressure anyway), and I simply don't want to. They don't excite me. Plus, I'm still in post vacation bliss, where I want to continue to be a beach bum. Nothing wrong with that, right?

However, for your extra special holiday pleasure, I have a couple new recipes to share with you for Thanksgiving. And if you don't celebrate Thanksgiving, that's ok. You should make the pie anyway, it was de-licious! Perfect for a fall family treat. Celebrate the cold mornings, the first fall of snow, or a day off from school.

Pie post coming on Tuesday!

Guten appetit, my friends.

Uncle Mark's Chocolate Cake

2009-10-27T06:13:00.000-07:00

Let's hear it for Uncle Mark! Another of his family-favorite recipes turned out fabulous. I practically ate this entire chocolate cake myself.

It was dense, so a couple of people I served it to asked whether it was flourless. The answer is 'no'. It has a wee bit of flour in it. I can't help it, I find flourless bakery items odd. Or at the very least, a mystery. I can't recall ever having tried one, so it's all a preconceived notion in my head. HOW does one make a cake flourless? I bet it's actually easy, and just one of those things you need to do once to understand. However, I'm sticking with this cake and it's flour. It's my new go-to chocolate adult party cake.

Why 'adult party cake'? As you can see above, it has no frosting. Kids like frosting. Don't deny them frosting.

However, the cake is rich, moist, dense and delicious. It does not need frosting. When serving to adults.

I dusted it with powdered sugar for better presentation, but it doesn't need that either. Just pure chocolate-y goodness.

Marie-Claude Gracia's Chocolate Cake
from Food & Wine, via Uncle Mark

1 stick (4 ounces) plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, preferably Lindt or Tobler, broken into pieces (I used Ghirardelli)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
5 eggs, separated
1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
Confectioners' sugar, for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using 1 tablespoon of the butter, generously grease a 9-inch springform pan.

In a double broiler*, combine the chocolate, remaining 10 tablespoons of butter, and the sugar. Cook over barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth, and about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat.

* Don't have a double broiler? Do what I do, and substitute a metal bowl over a pot of boiling water. Voila. Your own home-made double broiler.

Let the chocolate mixture cool for 10 minutes; then whisk in the egg yolks. Stir in the flour just until blended.

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites just until they form firm peaks; do not overbeat. Stir on-third of the egg whites into the chocolate batter until blended. Fold in the remaining egg whites until the mixture is well blended and no streaks of white remain. Spoon the batter into the springform pan.

Bake the cake in theh middle of the oven for 35-40 minutes, until firm and springy and a tester inserted near the center comes out clean.

Let teh cake cool on a rack for 2 hours (I did not do this. Mine cooled for about 30 minutes), then remove the sides of the springform. Let the cake cool completely, about 1 hour longer. Invert the cake onto a platter and carefuly remove the springform bottom. This cake is traditionally serve without icing. To garnish, dust the top with a sprinkling of confectioners' sugar.

Serves 8-10.

Guten appetit!

Chili Rice

2009-10-20T06:14:00.000-07:00

Did I mention that my dad's side of the family is making a cookbook of our favorite recipes? I bet you couldn't tell, since the last couple posts have been from my cousin and uncle.

The recipe book is quite the project, but something I have wanted to do forever. I don't want to miss my chance to know my nana's favorite recipes, or her mothers signature holiday dishes.

While this isn't from my Nana, nor a holiday dish, it was delish. Comming at ya from my Uncle Barrett, this is his family's favorite accompaniment to enchiladas... Chili Rice.

A nice combo meal idea. And one I expect to make often through the winter, as zucchinis stay well stocked in the market, causing me to make our favorite enchiladas on a regular basis.

This dish is fairly creamy, due to the sour cream (brilliant observation). But I wanted to mention it because that was why a couple of people said they really liked it (I served this at an informal gathering with a few of my sister's friends). Rice seems universally liked, so pair it with some cheese, sour cream and green chilis... and, ta da! A crowd pleaser.

Hope you like it too!

Chili Rice
from Uncle Barrett

2 cups of white rice
3/4 cup sour cream
1 large can diced green chilis
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated

Cook rice. You can use a rice cooker (like me), or stove top (Uncle B's directions below).

To make rice on the stove top, place rice in small to medium size pan. Rinse the rice in water 2-3 times, until the water is mostly clear. Add 3 cups of water to your rice pot and cover with a lid. Steam 20 minutes, then cool with the lid on.

Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Spread cooked rice evenly in baking dish.

Mix sour cream and diced green chilis in a small bowl, then spread on top of the rice. Sprinkle Monterey Jack cheese on top of the rice/sour cream mixture.

Bake at 350 until cheese is bubbly and brown. Serve hot.

* This dish can be refrigerated up to 1 day before cooking.

Guten appetit!

Uncle Mark's Tortellini (Tortellini with Herbs and Sun-Dried Tomatoes)

2009-10-16T06:13:00.000-07:00

Our little chef's helper has finally fallen from grace... he has his first cold. Welcome to the great big world, little man. It's a germ ridden place.

Surprisingly, he's taking his cold in stride. Still happy, smiling and eager to eat. His only complaint is when I wipe his nose. But in all fairness, would you like someone to wipe your nose?! No thanks. If he had better hand-eye-nose coordination, I would let him do it himself. 8 months is a little young for that though (wink)!

For the road to recovery, I'm sharing an absolutely delicious, healthy dinner that everyone should make this weekend. Fresh herbs, some cheese protein, some pasta carbs... what's not to like?!

It's pretty darn fast to make, and it will be eaten even faster. If you start feeling a little run down, this should perk you right up! Might not cure a cold, but it works wonders in other ways. Your tummy will thank you.

Tortellini with Herbs and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
from Uncle Mark

1 cup chopped fresh herbs (basil, oregano, and parsley)
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil (drained)
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 ounces cheese tortellini
About 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, or to taste

In a large bowl, combine herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and olive oil.

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large covered pot. Add 2 teaspoons salt, if you like. Add pasta, stir, and partially cover the pot until water returns to a boil. Immediately remove cover, stir again, and cook pasta just until al dente.

Just before draining the pasta, ladel out 1/4 cup pasta water and pour over herb mixture. Drain remaining water from pasta.

Add drained pasta to herb mixture. Toss well with tongs or large spoons to mix thoroughly. Sprinkle on Parmesan cheese and toss again. Yields 4-6 servings.

Guten appetit!

Justin's Secret Broccoli

2009-10-09T05:59:00.000-07:00

My cousin Justin started a food blog: Organic Recipes on a Budget. What a great idea! However, I don't mean to get you all excited, because he hasn't posted since August. Justin? Hello? Is the site defunct? Sad. I'm sure there's an audience for your recipes. Like, say... me.

Justin's wife is a veggie, like us, and apparently loves this recipe. Since I'm always looking for easy, delicious side dishes, thought I would give it a try.

Other than cooking it a bit too long, which I didn't mind (I like most things overdone, yikes!), it certainly was scrumptious. And for a minimal amount of extra effort, you get a bit more zing from your broccoli side dish. I give it two big thumbs up! Thanks for a delish new recipe J. I hope you return to your blog soon.

Justin's Secret Broccoli
from Organic Recipes on a Budget

Said to only cost $5! Pair it with lemongrass tofu and some rice. Mmmmm.

Ingredients

1 Big Bunch Organic Broccoli - Cut into big florets
1 Organic Lemon
From the cupboard - 1.5 Tbls Olive oil, 2 cloves garlic - peeled & pressed, 1 tsp Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, or preheat the grill for indirect heat.

Put the broccoli in a good sized bowl and pour the olive oil on top. Throw in the pressed garlic, salt & pepper and toss the broccoli to get the goodness spread around.

Pour the broccoli into a 13x9 inch pan or onto a foil lined baking sheet and put it in the oven for 20 minutes (I greased my pan with Pam, just to make sure it wouldn't stick).

Pull it out of the oven and squeeze the lemon juice onto the broccoli, making sure you get it onto all of the florets. Serve warm.

Guten appetit!

Eggs in the Hole

2009-10-06T05:26:00.000-07:00

This was one of my husband's favorite breakfasts growing up. Eggs in the hole... Simple. Fun. I like it.

Since we've been eating a lot of eggbeaters recently (I first tasted them while we stayed at Tim's mom's house, as that's all they eat these days), I made this on a day I was craving real eggs. Eggbeaters, if you haven't tried them, are very healthy (Tim's mom has high cholesterol), super fast (no cracking of shells, beating, etc) and taste great. I was a non-believer before, but I'm hooked now.

I can't say that I have a recipe for this dish... but I'll try to write one up. My only advice is not to make your hold too small. Otherwise, the egg wont fit and it spills out everywhere. No longer would you have eggs in the 'hole', you'd have eggs 'all over'. And that's no fun for the kids. Or you (we, big kids, like fun too).

Hope you enjoy!

Eggs in the Hole
from June

2 slices of whole wheat bread (we're trying to be healthy, remember!)
2 free-range, large eggs
Margarine (or butter, cause butter is not where I skimp to be healthy)
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Cut 1 large hold in the middle of each bread slice.

Heat a large non-stick skillet on medium, and add a dollop of margarine/butter (If you're using a non-stick pan, the butter is just for flavor. Although, my non-stick pans never seem to be TRULY non-stick, so I always grease 'em up).

Crack each egg into a ramekin and set aside.

Once the butter has melted, place 1 (or 2 if they fit) bread slice in the pan. Pour an egg into the hole.

At this point, your method may vary based on how you like your eggs cooked. Tim's mom likes runny yokes, where I like mine cooked all the way through. If you like your yokes cooked through, poke them so they break. If you like runny yokes, don't poke them.

Let the eggs cook on the first side until the majority of the white is opaque and cooked. You can also salt and pepper the egg at this point.

Flip the bread and egg, and cook on the other side, until the egg is fully cooked to your desire and the bread is browned (approx. 3 minutes).

Guten appetit!

Frozen Mocha Cheesecake

2009-10-02T05:38:00.000-07:00

I'm tired. New moms are tired. And because I'm tired, I'm ditsy. Kristen at Dine and Dish had a great, very funny, post about a mom of 4 being called ditsy. I can't even imagine how someone holds everything together with 4 kids. More power to you!

But, back to my ditsy-ness. I made this 'cheesecake', which is a frozen pie, and somehow missed the part about it needing to freeze. I left it in the refrigerator overnight and was insanely perplexed as to why it was STILL incredibly runny the next day. Cursing the directions for not telling me to freeze the pie, I served it anyway. What a drippy mess. Only then, did I realized it was probably supposed to be frozen. So, I stuck it in the freezer, a couple slices missing, and sure enough, it hardened up nicely.

Luckily, even as runny goop, it tasted great. If you like coffee and chocolate, you're going to really, really like this pie. Just don't forget to freeze it.

Frozen Mocha Cheesecake
from Taste of Home

Crust:
1-1/2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted

Filling:
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 ounces) low-fat sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup chocolate syrup
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
1 teaspoon hot water
1 cup whipped cream

Combine crust ingredients. Press into the bottom of a 9-in. springform pan; set aside.

For filling, beat cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Gradually add milk and syrup.

Dissolve coffee in water; add to mixing bowl. Fold in whipped cream.

Pour into crust and freeze at least 6 hours.

Guten appetit!

Potato Pie with Leeks and Feta

2009-09-29T05:51:00.000-07:00

Are you seeing a theme here? I'm into leeks. Big time! They may be my new favorite vegetable. Nah, that's a false statement. Nothing can usurp the avocado.

But back to the recipe... I originally found this dish because I had some leftover feta to use. When I read this recipe, I realized I also had a forgotten leek in the fridge to use. Oh, how I love it when the stars align. The only thing I needed from the store for this recipe were the potatoes.

Know what else this recipe is good for... satisfying picky side dish eaters. Namely, my dad. Ahem, and me. Guess we know where I got it from! Every vegetable or side dish I liked, he seemed to dislike... zucchinis (actually, all squash), peas, fresh green beans (canned were OK, yuck), salad was OK if it had ranch dressing (I don't buy/eat ranch), and the list goes on. But this recipe, we both agreed was a winner! My dad even had seconds. Yay.

I'm telling you, there's something addictive about leeks. I hope you try this one. It's not only great for cleaning up a few odds and ends from your fridge, but it gives a pretty good bang in the presentation department for the limited effort you will put in.

Potato Pie with Leeks and Feta
from Cafe Chocolada

For the dough:
1 medium sized potato
1 cup flour
5 tbsp margarine, melted and cooled a bit
2 tsp baking powder
½ smaller leek, chopped up (optional)
½ tsp Salt
¼ tsp black pepper

For the filling:
5-6 medium sized potatoes
½ leek chopped up
½ cup sour cream
3 eggs
½ cup crumbled feta cheese, or cubed
Pinch of salt

First wash, and cook potatoes with their skin. Peel, and mash one immediately, and let the rest (for the filling) cool down.

Preheat oven to 390 F.

In a bowl with mashed potato, add margarine, flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper, and knead with hands to get a smooth dough. Add half of chopped up leek (I left this out and was great), knead it in, then transfer the dough to a medium sized spring form pan, spread it around to cover pan bottom with it.

Peel and slice the remaining potatoes, or chop them up, and place them on top of the dough, along with half of chopped up leek. Sprinkle with some salt (you be the judge as to how much), and pepper.

Mix eggs with sour cream, add a pinch of salt, and feta cheese. Pour this over the potatoes, and place the pie in the oven. Bake for about 40 minutes, depending on the oven. Cool a little, then remove the spring form, and serve. Best if eaten right away, as most potato dishes.

Guten appetit!

Fettuccine with mushrooms and asparagus

2009-09-25T05:55:00.000-07:00

This dish is so green and red, should have saved it for the holidays! Doesn't taste very 'holiday-esk' though. Tasted like pasta yummy-ness.

Hmmm.... I'd like to delete all of the above sentences I just wrote, because they're not very... descriptive? Interesting? Gramatically correct? All of the above. It was a brain fart that I actually typed and am allowing you to read. Go ahead, make fun. But, I'm posting late at night, with wine, so my synapses aren't firing as they should be.

In any case, this is a delicious, easy, and super healthy dish (except that I like to cover most pasta dishes in parmesan cheese). And it's holiday-esk. I mean, if costco can have their Christmas decorations out already, I can start thinking of holiday food.

Make the dish with spinach noodles. You wont regret it! I LOVE that this recipe gives you the option of fresh or dried herbs. On a random weeknight, who wants to A- go to the grocery store for special food items, B- spend $2.50 a pop per herb required, or C- I don't have a C. Use the dried herbs, people. Unless you have a fresh herb garden that's still producing for you. In which case, I'm sooooo jealous.

Mushroom and Asparagus Fettuccine
from Diabetic Living

8 ounces dried whole wheat fettuccine or linguine
8 ounces fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch-long pieces
Nonstick cooking spray
3 cups sliced fresh crimini, shiitake, or button mushrooms (I used white button)
1 medium leek, thinly sliced, or 1/2 cup chopped onion (I used the leek)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup evaporated fat-free milk
1 tablespoon finely shredded fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1 tablespoon snipped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup chopped plum tomatoes (I used cherry tomatoes)
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
Finely shredded Parmesan cheese (optional - Not in my book!)

Cook fettuccine or linguine according to package directions, adding asparagus for the last 1 to 2 minutes of the cooking time; drain. Return pasta mixture to saucepan; cover and keep warm.

Meanwhile, coat an unheated large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, leek or onion, and garlic to hot skillet. Cover and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in vegetable broth, evaporated milk, dried basil (if using), dried oregano (if using), salt, and pepper. Bring to boiling. Boil gently, uncovered, for 4 to 5 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened. Stir in tomatoes, fresh basil (if using), and fresh oregano (if using); heat through.

Spoon mushroom mixture over pasta mixture; gently toss to coat. Sprinkle with pine nuts and, if desired, Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Guten appetit!

Sesame Crusted Tofu

2009-09-22T05:50:00.000-07:00

Last week was sweet, and now we're on to savory!

My food cravings/interests seem to be (slowly) changing back into my old self, pre-pregnancy. The sweet tooth is dropping off (although it's still more than I ever used to have), and my protein and veggie interests are up! Nevermind that Tim and I had ice cream for dinner the other night. Yikes!

I've been making tofu fairly regularly again, and I have to say that it's quite different from the brand I used to buy in Germany. Taste is the same, but it's much, much more watery. I've had to break down and start pressing the water out of the tofu before marinating or cooking with it. And frankly, I am a bit annoyed with the extra work. Give me easy food to prepare, or give me frozen pizza.

Does anyone know of a good tofu brand that isn't too watery out of the package? I usually buy and cook with extra firm. Silken is usually always more watery.

This recipe was a nice change-up from our 'usual' (lemongrass tofu). It's hard not to make the lemongrass tofu, it's soooo good. But, change is also good. My only complaint with this recipe is that the sesame seeds do not stay on the tofu very well. Created a bit of a mess, and presentation was hard to make *extra* pretty. Otherwise, a very tasty (and easy) weeknight supper. Served over a salad with a side of rice, yum. Oh, and the tahini dressing was just 'ok'. If you want to have a dressing for the tofu and salad, I recommend looking for different recipe, I bet there are tons. Maybe one with more of a kick (through garlic, chilis, etc).

Sesame Crusted Baked Tofu (serves 2)
from Fuss Free Flavors

1 block tofu
Juice one lemon
Same quantity of soy sauce
1 tbs sesame oil
2tbs sesame seeds
Salad to serve

Press the tofu for about 20mins by wrapping it in a clean tea towel under a chopping board with a couple of cans of beans on top (I use my fruit bowl), you will be amazed at how much water comes out. Slice the tofu into thinish slices (about 1cm) and then cut each slice diagonally to get 2 triangles.

Place in a container and pour the marinade over, leave for at least 20 mins, turning over half way through if the marinade does not completely cover the tofu.

When marinated roll each piece of tofu in the sesame seeds and place onto a greased baking tray (I use a silicone mat on a tray which does not need greasing). Bake for 20 to 30 mins at GM5/375F/190C until the edges are browned turning half way through cooking.

Serve on a bed of salad – I used baby spinach leaves with baby plum tomatoes and pepperdew peppers and garnished with chives, from my window box, and tahini dressing.

Guten appetit!

Creamy Fruit Dip

2009-09-18T05:08:00.000-07:00

My friend Sonya finds some great recipes. She's the type of person where, when eating dinner at her house, I'm usually in awe. Never walking away without at least one of the recipes from the evening.

Sonya is generous with her recipes, and friendship. She hosted my baby shower months ago, and had the most beautiful food spread... I was in awe. Again.

The shower was a brunch, and one of the dishes she served was fresh fruit, accompanied by a creamy sweet dip. Sonya was very aware of my pregnancy sweet tooth. Since you can't serve ONLY sweet, sugary foods, you almost always want to (or feel obligated to, because personally, I could have only had sweets! ha) have some fruit to round out the meal. A token strawberry on my plate does make me feel healthier. I can't lie.

Since the shower, I've served this dip at almost all of my breakfast/brunch gatherings. This dip is so ridiculously easy (the hardest part is cutting up the fruit), and so good, I expect it will become a part of your morning party repertoire too. No more store bought overly pricey pre-made fruit dip for you! Enjoy.

Creamy Fruit Dip
from Sonya

1 1/2 cups Sour Cream
2 tablespoons Brown Sugar

+ Fruit for dipping (I like strawberries, apple and cantaloupe as constants. Then I usually add another fruit that the store is carrying and looks fresh/good, such as: kiwi, blueberries, pineapple, raspberries or blackberries)

In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream and sugar until completely blended (1-2 minutes). Refrigerate up to 1 day in advance.

Cut and plate your fruit. Place fruit dip in a small serving bowl next to your fresh fruit.

Done.

Guten appetit!

Fresh Fruit Coffeecake

2009-09-15T05:23:00.000-07:00

Tim just told me I was NOT allowed to plan anything for the next couple of weekends. Why such a strict mandate? He's exhausted. (Me too)

Being home is wonderful. We keep talking about how happy we are to be home. Yet... it's also overwhelming. We've been jam-packed with house, move, family, friends, etc to-dos every weekend. When it was just us in Germany, we had a lot of mellow down-time. Having a full calendar isn't bad, and we WANT to do it all. We just have to remember to also schedule 'chill time' for ourselves. Otherwise, our first-time-sleep-deprived selves are going to crack. And it wont be pretty.

So, you will find both tim and I at home this weekend. Chillin'. Anyone know of anything good on TV?

This recipe is from my favorite bakery in Seattle, Macrina. They have a line out the door every morning. You can sign-up for their monthly newsletter which includes recipes from their shop. Divine!

I made it a couple weekends ago for a brunch. One of our many weekend activities of late. It was scrumptious, and only a couple pieces were left (which means some folks had more than 1 piece, always a good sign!). It was moist, light yet dense (How can that be?! But it was!), and the perfect hint of sweetness. The blackberries were great, and I can't wait to try it with blueberries or perhaps huckleberries (as the Macrina newsletter suggested).

Other things worth mentioning... my fruit still fell to the bottom, despite rolling it in some of the flour mix. But I didn't mind. I also halved the recipe, and that made enough for 8 people and baked perfectly in an 8 inch round spring-form pan. Aaaannnd, I finally graduated to the big-kids baking world, with my own kitchenaid mixer. This coffeecake was my first time using it. Isn't she pretty?

If you like the coffeecake, maybe you'll have to visit us here in Seattle and go to Macrina yourself. What? You live in timbuktu? Macrina is worth the trip.

Fresh Fruit Coffeecake
from Macrina Bakery

Makes 1 Bundt cake

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups ripe fruit (whole berries or fruit cut into 1/2 inch pieces) - I used self picked blackberries!
12 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups buttermilk
Edible flowers and powdered sugar for garnish (optional) - I used powdered sugar and some of the leftover blackberries

Preheat oven to 350º F. Oil a 12-cup Bundt pan.

Sift flour, baking soda and salt into a large bowl and toss with your hands to combine. Remove 1/4 cup of the flour mixture and set bowl aside.

In a separate medium bowl, combine fruit and the reserved 1/4 cup of flour mixture. Toss until fruit is evenly coated and set aside. Tossing the fruit in flour helps keep it from sinking to the bottom of the coffeecake - a true disaster!

Combine butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix with the paddle attachment for 5 to 8 minutes on medium speed. The mixture will become smooth and pale in color. Add eggs, one at a time, making sure the first egg is fully mixed into the batter before adding the other. After the second egg is incorporated, add vanilla extract and mix for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and mix for another 30 seconds to make sure all of the ingredients are fully incorporated. Remove the bowl from the mixer.

Alternately add small amounts of flour mixture and buttermilk to the batter mixing with a wooden spoon just until all dry ingredients are incorporated. Gently fold in the flour coated fruit making sure the fruit is evenly distributed through the batter. Spoon batter into the prepared Bundt pan filling two-thirds of the pan.

Bake on the center rack of the oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until top is golden brown (my small cake only took about 50 minutes to cook and brown on top). Check the center of the coffeecake with a skewer. It will come out clean when the cake is done. Let cool in a pan for 45 minutes.

Loosen the sides of the cake with a sharp knife. Place a serving plate upside-down on top of the cooled Bundt pan and invert the pan to remove the cake.

Guten appetit!

Bear's Peach Cobbler

2009-09-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

Does life ever slow down? No?

No. I didn't think so.

I know this is a common theme of mine, falling behind, being in a hectic state, but I have to apologize to the Sweet Melissa Sunday folks. I joined this group, on an unrealistic whim, as I've always wanted to join a cookbook blogging group. Plus, I had that insatiable sweet tooth during my pregnancy and nursing months (the sweet tooth is still around, but I'm slowly getting it under control!). Pies, cookies, jams... yes, please!

After I received my book via the lovely amazon.com, I was able to join the fray and made two weeks worth of recipes. But, I didn't ever seem to find the time to post them. A new recipe is chosen once a week to make on Sunday's, so as the third week of my membership rolled around, a new recipe came out and I bought all the ingredients... only I never made the dish. This is when I really started to fall behind (let's face it, I was always behind). At this point, the days kept clicking by. Then, I wasn't even checking the site anymore.

After about a month of being MIA, I just looked and found that I was quietly dropped from the group. I agree. I should have been. I'm sorry fellow bakers, I bit off more than I could chew during our move. While I had the best of intentions, I take my sweet tooth and leave you to bake without me!

Although, they have Orange Scented Scones coming up next week, and Carmelized Onions, Sage and Cheddar Muffins the next. Maybe I'll keep baking with them, informally. Only when I have the desire and time. Without the guilt of missing a week, or five.

Here was my first recipe, made in June!, from the Sweet Melissa Baking book. It was a hit at a friend's BBQ we went to. Canned, frozen or fresh peaches all seemed to work well for the Sweet Melissa bakers. Also, it was noted to lessen the sugar. I used 1/4 cup and found it to be perfect.

Was one of the easier cobblers I've made, and the bottom side of the biscuits cooked through (I hate when the cobbler topping has a gooey underside, yuck!).

Be sure to cut out fun shapes to top your cobbler. It's all about presentation!

Bear's Peach Cobbler
From the Sweet Melissa Baking book

Ingredients for the cobbler topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons sugar, plus 1 1/2 teaspoons for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon whole milk or heavy cream, for glazing

Ingredients for the peach filling:
6 cups peeled, sliced, ripe peaches (bout 3 1/2 pounds)
Juice of 1 lemon
3/4 cup sugar (I used 1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, 2 tablespoons sugar, and zest. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until it resembles a coarse meal. Little by little stir in the heavy cream until dough starts to hold together (a bit more cream may be used if needed).

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Pat dough together to form a round about 1/2-inch thick. Using a lightly floured 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter (I used a star cookie cutter) to cut the dough into 7 to 8 biscuits.

Place biscuits on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or aluminum foil and refrigerate loosely covered with plastic wrap, while you make the filling or until you are ready to use.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and butter a 2-quart ovenproof deep-dish pan. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or foil.

To make the filling, stir together peach slices, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon in a large bowl.

Pour peach mixture into prepared dish.

Place the biscuits evenly on top of the peach mixture and brush with milk. Sprinkle with remaining sugar.

Place dish on the lined cookie sheet (so nothing bubbles over and messes up your oven!) and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until biscuits are cooked through (to test this, I lightly pulled up on one of my star biscuits to make sure they were fully cooked).

Remove to a wire rack to cool before serving. This cobbler should be eaten the day it is baked. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Serves 6 to 8.

Guten appetit!

Tomato Leek Tart

2009-09-08T05:44:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness, oh my GOOD-ness! We have a winner. Winner, winner, chicken dinner.

Yes, this recipe is THAT good.

Sometimes it's the random nights that become the unexpected happy surprise. I hadn't planned to make anything special this night. I simply had a pint of cherry tomatoes that needed to be used. For some reason, I've craved pies most of this summer. Preferably the kind with a lot of sugar and fruit, but that's off subject, as I had tomatoes to use. But, I think I originally chose this recipe because of it's pie crust. Seriously.

Yes, that's a foil wrapper I served off of. I'm classy. In my defense, I did warn you that this was not expected to be a special dinner. I was just trying to use up some tomatoes! And look what happened... pure deliciousness.

I hope you make this soon. The leek, the tomatoes, the cheese, the pie crust... it all works. It works so well, it dances on your tongue. Ok, not really. But it tastes good.

Tomato Leek Tart
from All Recipes

1 (15 ounce) package refrigerated pie crust
4 ounces provolone cheese, shredded
1 pound leeks, white portion only, sliced
6 medium plum tomatoes, thinly sliced (I used cherry tomatoes)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Place both pastry sheets on greased baking sheets. Sprinkle each with provolone cheese, leaving 1 in. around edges.

Arrange leeks and tomato slices over provolone cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, garlic powder and pepper. Top with mozzarella cheese. Fold edges over filling.

Bake at 425 degrees for 18-22 minutes or until crusts are lightly browned. Cut into wedges. Serve warm.

Guten appetit!

Fish Tacos with Cabbage Slaw and Chili-Cilantro Aioli

2009-09-04T06:03:00.000-07:00

I would eat fish tacos year round, no doubt. But summertime seems like an extra appropriate time of year. Break open the barbie, enjoy a margarita or beer and invite some friends over for a perfect warm summer's evening.

We had such a good time with our friends at this dinner, I hope we can do it again soon. I love being back in Seattle and getting reacquainted with my girlfriends, their husbands AND the kids (oh my gosh... turn your back for a couple of years and everyone's babies are 'big kids', starting kindergarten and what not - crazy!). And all of my friends have such beautiful families. I probably don't say this enough (I'm not very gushy or sentimental normally), but I feel very lucky to have wonderful people in my life.

I used corn tortillas, delicious. I forgot to put out the cilantro and avocado, didn't matter. And I made a yummy aioli sauce, don't skip the aioli! The tacos were a hit.

I served the fish tacos with sweet potato fries.

Thanks for coming over, friends. It's good to be home.

Fish Tacos with Cabbage Slaw and Chili-Cilantro Aioli
adapted from Cooking Light

4 cups very thinly pre-sliced green cabbage
1 cup chopped plum tomatoes
1 serrano or jalapeno chile, seeded and minced (leave seeds in for more fire!)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided (depends on which cooking method used, see below)
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 pound tilapia fillets (we used the frozen mahi-mahi fillets from Costco- 1 fillet per person)
1 teaspoon chili powder
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 15 ounce can black beans
1 ripe avocado, sliced
Salsa (optional)

Aioli:
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise
1 serrano chile, seeded and minced (jalapeno OK)
1 garlic clove, minced

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Add juice, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; toss well to combine. Set aside.

To make the aioli: Combine all ingredients and mix well. Can be made up to 1 hour before, keep in refrigerator.

Heat beans on the stove or in the microwave, and put in a serving bowl. Peel and slice avocado, place on a serving plate.

Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish evenly with chili powder and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add fish to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from heat, and place fish on a serving platter.
OR
Heat grill. Rub/Brush fish with enough oil to keep it from sticking to your grill pan. Sprinkle fish evenly with chili powder and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Grill fish direct or in a grill pan, according to thickness of the fish (ours took 4-5 minutes on each side), and your desired degree of doneness. Remove from heat, and place fish on a serving platter.

Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon about 1/4 cup cabbage mixture down the center of each tortilla. Divide fish evenly among tortillas; fold in half. Serve tacos with remaining cabbage mixture, extra jarred salsa (or my cousin Skye's homemade salsa), aioli, avocado and black beans.

More side dishes that go well with fish tacos:
- Lime Quinoa Salad with Fresh Mint, from Karina's Kitchen
- Summer Green Bean Salad, from 101 Cookbooks
- Grilled Potatoes with Garlic and Herbs, from Andrea Meyers

Guten appetit!

Blue Cheese Coleslaw

2009-09-01T05:26:00.000-07:00

Loosen the belt buckles... this is a rich, delicious summertime food that will be feasted on. Have a large family picnic or friend's BBQ coming up? This coleslaw would be perfect. It goes soooo well with veggie burgers, or for the meat eaters, I bet it would be smashing with BBQ chicken.

You can adjust the richness based on how much blue cheese you put in it. And by how long you let it sit. The day I made it, I thought it was perfect. The next day, the richness had exploded and I could only eat a few bites.

I normally prefer a lighter 'salad' side, but I have to admit, this was really good the day-of. Really, really good. I also really liked the mix of veggies used (nothing out of the ordinary for coleslaw, but I don't use cabbage a lot and it was a nice change from the norm). Try some variations, based on what sounds good or what you have in the fridge. I bet this would be great with some green beans, cauliflower or broccoli added. I can also imagine the sauce used on things other than a traditional coleslaw, such as a broccoli, sunflower seed and carrot mix. Yum!

One last note: Because of the richness of the blue cheese, I think the serving sizes are a bit smaller than normal. This makes quite a bit of coleslaw, so for 5-6 adults, I would half the recipe. If you want leftovers, make the full amount.

Blue Cheese Coleslaw
adapted slightly from Deb (aka: Smitten Kitchen) on NPR

1/2 small head green cabbage
1/2 small head red cabbage
1 10 oz. package shredded carrots
2 cups (16 ounces) mayonnaise
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard (I only used dijon)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (rice vinegar also works)
1 teaspoon celery salt (I omitted this)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) crumbled Roquefort blue cheese
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Cut the cabbages in half and then in quarters and cut out the cores. Slice the cabbage into long strands, then chop a bit more until you have reasonable sized pieces (for me, that means 'bite sized'). Add carrots to cabbage.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, both mustards (see my note above), vinegar, celery salt, kosher salt and pepper. Pour enough mayonnaise dressing over the grated vegetables and toss to moisten well. Add crumbled blue cheese and parsley and toss with vegetables.

At this point, the original recipe says to: "Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or more to allow the flavors to meld." However, we ate ours within a half hour of making it, and it was perfect. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Guten appetit!

Zuchinni and Chickpea Ratatouille

2009-08-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

For breakfast, lunch or dinner, I could eat Zucchini and Chickpea Ratatouille. (True, I prefer blueberry pancakes for breakfast, soooo delish. But this was beyond good, to where I actually though I could eat it for breakfast.)

Since we're on the subject, I will make a confession. Aside from the very occasional blueberry pancakes, I've been making Eggos a lot for breakfast. And quite often, frozen pizza for dinner. Hey, I told you that I have been tired! I wasn't exaggerating.

This recipe really did help pull me out of my recent cooking funk. After I made it for the first time about 2 months ago, I sent it to some friends as a 'must try' recipe. When I decided to make it again this week, I got excited. Excited to cook, and excited to share it on the blog. Yay, maybe my old self really is coming back!

This recipe is olive oil, tangy goodness. A delectible mix of tomatoes, zucchini and rice. The chickpeas are a great addition, and help add depth and protein.

Rice helps soak up the sauce, mmmm.

One of my new favorite summertime dinners. I don't even make a side dish for this one! Treat yourself to dessert instead. This recipe has the veggies, protein and starch, all rolled into one. Love it.

Zucchini and Chickpea Ratatouille
from Family Circle

2 med zucchini, about 1 1/4 lb, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large red pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 T olive oil
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cans (14 1/2 oz each) Italian-seasoned diced tomatoes
1 can (15 1/2 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 t salt
1/8 t black pepper
1/8 t red pepper flakes
3 cups cooked brown rice

Heat oven to 425.

Coat baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Add zucchini and red pepper; toss with 1 T olive oil. Bake at 425 for 30 min or until tender.

Heat remaining 1 T oil in a large nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Add garlic, cook 30 seconds to 1 min. Stir in tomatoes and cook for 5 min. stirring occasionally. Add zucchini, peppers, chickpeas, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook an additional 5 min, stirring occasionally. Serve with cooked brown rice. Makes 4 servings.

Another rat-a-tat-touille:
- Pasta with Halibut and Oven-Roasted Ratatouille

Have a bumper crop of zucchini? Make enchiladas:
- Black Bean, Corn and Zucchini Enchiladas

Guten appetit!

Baked Penne with (Faux) Sausage and Spinach

2009-08-25T05:47:00.000-07:00

Folks, I feel bad. Last week, I left you with a food dish I can't recommend and a cook book (although, the cook book I'm pretty excited about). Where are all the delicious dinners?! I know, I know. I hear you.

I'm pulling out all stops today... this is a winner! And I've got more coming up. Honestly, I probably could have gotten back into regular blog posting and more on track sooner, just with regard to the time I have. But it's not just about having the time to post, or cook. I simply haven't been motivated to cook. I've been tired (mentally and physically). I see the light at the end of our tunnel though. In addition to our big move, we've been readying our rental house for new tenants who move-in later this week (yay!). With that additional project done, I'm starting to get my groove back and have been doing my usual drooling over yummy recipes online. Doesn't this peach pie look divine?!

Dinner before dessert though... and this Baked Penne with (Faux) Sausage and Spinach recipe is a delish dish for your next main meal. It originally called for chicken or sausage, and I swapped that out for the soy crumbles found at the grocery store next to the tofu and pre-packaged lettuce. Worked like a charm! My meat eating dinner guests didn't have any problems with it and all gave it a thumbs up. The pasta sauce had such a nice flavor (mixing pesto and tomato, genius!) and was so easy, I plan to use it on spaghetti when I want something with more pizazz.

More, please!

Even my 'greens hater' husband liked the spinach in this dish. You can lessen or increase the spinach amount as you see fit. I used the recipe amount and found it perfect. Remember, spinach wilts A LOT when cooked, so you'll end up with 1/4 (or less) of what you see fresh.

Enjoy my friends. I'm back!

Baked Penne with (Faux) Sausage and Spinach
adapted from In Good Taste

Canola or olive oil, to cook with
3/4 cup Smart Choice soy crumbles (aka - Faux Sausage)
1 onion, chopped
3-5 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 28 oz. (540 mL) can diced tomatoes (undrained)
1 can tomato paste
1/4 cup pesto (out of a jar)
3 cups uncooked penne, rigatoni or rotini pasta (preferably a whole wheat or brown rice variety)
1 10 oz. bag baby spinach leaves
1 ½ cups grated part-skim mozzarella
1/2 - 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Getting ready for the oven

In a large saucepan, heat a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat and cook the soy crumbles, onion and garlic until heated through and onion begins to turn translucent (approx. 4-5 minutes). Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Stir in the pesto and some salt and pepper.

Cook the pasta until al dente, drain it well and toss it with the spinach (coarsely tear the spinach up with your hands as you add it), mozzarella and about half the Parmesan cheese in a large bowl. Stir in the hot tomato sauce, which will slightly wilt the spinach.

Divide among portion size baking dishes (you could eat half and freeze half*), aluminum containers (to gift a serving size, nice folks that we are - ha), or one 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.

*At this point the dish can be cooled completely, covered with foil (I also like to add a layer of saran wrap on top, pressed directly onto the pasta to avoid freezer burn. But don't forget to remove it before you bake the dish!) and frozen for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen.

Bake at 350 F for about 30 minutes (40 if frozen - so the recipe says. I usually find frozen pasta takes at least 30 minutes extra to cook through, but test it yourself after 15 minutes and keep going until it's done) until bubbly and golden. Serves 6-8.

Guten appetit!

Fix, Freeze, Feast

2009-08-21T06:06:00.000-07:00

Even before we had the little chef's helper, I had my lazy nights, where I did NOT want to cook. Or maybe I was just busy, and/or got home late. Cooking can be the last thing I want to do on certain days.

I've learned ways to get around cooking on those nights. I love to double our pasta casserole recipe and freeze half for later. Sometimes I'll make 'brinner' (breakfast for dinner - french toast is usually my favorite). Or we have (gasp) a frozen pizza at all times in the freezer.

But here's a cookbook devoted to making large portions of a dish, freezing it in smaller dinner portion amounts, and then feasting on your hard work at a later date! I love it. (Wish I'd thought of it, actually)

Fix Freeze Feast by Kati Neville and Lindsay Tkacsik

AND, they have sample recipes! Wish they had a vegetarian sample recipe, but that's ok. Most of the book looks to be meat related, but there's a whole section for vegetarian MAIN DISHES. That's key, as a lot of cookbooks have vegetarian meals, but they're pretty much side dishes. Um, that's not enough peeps. We like to eat a full meal, thanks.

If you don't want to buy the whole book though for one section of recipes, perhaps you can peruse the book at Barnes and Noble and take your iphone with you to copy a few of the veggie recipes. Shhh, did I say that?

Since my sister bought the book, I've already perused it (and plan to use it. ha, that rhymes!) Here are some of the recipes included that I'm excited about: Asparagus and Potato Frittata, Thai Red Curry with Vegetables, Teriyaki Sauce, Raspberry Vinaigrette, Cheese Biscuit Mix, Five-Spice Cookies, and Ginger Cookies. There were a number of portobello mushroom recipes, but as you may know, I'm not a fan. However, I do realize, you might be.

Aaaaand, get ready for another gasp... I might as well tell you now, we are going to feed our chef's helper meat (no, this wont change the blog to a meat blog!). However, we happen to think that he should make his own choice in being vegetarian, or not. So, in the meantime (as he's only able to drool and coo right now, and not hold a conversation about vegetarianism), we'll give him meat so that he gets acquainted with it and knows the taste. When he's old enough, we can talk to him about why mommy and daddy don't eat meat.

Have a great weekend, and guten appetit!

Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

2009-08-18T12:47:00.000-07:00

Fast, easy, and... not worth making again. Darn. Don't you just hate when you try a new recipe and you're excited at how simple and delicious it sounds, and then, it doesn't deliver? Double darn.

The owner of these potatoes raved about them, so I hate to say otherwise. Maybe if I used a different Parmesan or added some extra herbs (but then it wouldn't be the fast, easy side dish I was hoping for). Darn, darn, darn.

I'm still going to post the recipe, and I'm not telling you to never make these. Maybe they will strike one of you as a tasty side dish, who knows. Maybe my taste buds were simply on strike. Yeah, maybe that was it.

What went wrong?! You LOOK so good....

Ho hum. My quest for a simple, yummy roast potato recipe continues. (Not that I'm searching in earnest, mind you)

Although the potatoes were not my fav, I have many, many more recipes to try from For the Love of Cooking. She has some great dishes posted and 106 vegetarian recipes! Go check her out.

Parmesan Roasted Potatoes
from For the Love of Cooking

9-10 small baby Dutch yellow potatoes
3-4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp olive oil
Garlic powder, to taste
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish (Notice I didn't use parsley! Maybe that was my downfall)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil a large pot of water and boil the potatoes for 4-5 minutes. Remove from water and let cool. Once cooled, slice into quarters and combine with olive oil, garlic powder, sea salt and black pepper as well as the Parmesan. Mix thoroughly and place in a baking dish that has been sprayed with olive oil cooking spray.

Place into the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and taste, re season with sea salt, cracked pepper, or garlic powder if needed. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Guten appetit!

Moms 7 Layer Dip

2009-08-11T05:25:00.000-07:00

When the sun is shining, parties are happening. And when it's August 11th, there's usually a birthday party for me happening! Ha. Yep, it's my birthday. Hooray! Party, party, party!

This is my favorite and staple party appetizer. Perfect pick for my birthday post, don't you think? I wont be making it today, but I will likely be making it soon. Or maybe my mom will be making it for me this weekend. She's awesome like that.

It makes a large amount (or you can easily scale it back), always pleases the natives, and it's a great take-along too. I'm guaranteed to make it, if my friend Kelsey is going to be at the party. She says it's her favorite (and, since it happens to be mine too - why not indulge us both?).

One warning: It's filling. People usually like it so much, that they eat most the dip and get full before dinner! My sister makes it a habit of eating appetizers for dinner (bah!).

I would make this for our housewarming party in September, but since we're pretty sure we're having a German theme, I don't think it will fit. Rest assured though, it will be made soon. Even if it's just for Tim and I to enjoy on a lovely sunny weekend.

Moms 7 Layer Dip

1 can vegetarian refried beans (I usually don't use the entire can)
1 large ripe avocado, mashed
1 cup sour cream
1 package dry taco seasonings
3 medium vine ripened tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 small or medium can sliced black olives
2 cups shredded mexican cheese blend (using all cheddar is also ok)
1 bag tortilla chips

* Measurements are approximate. Use more of what you like, and less of what you don't.

Mix the sour cream with 1.5 tablespoons taco seasoning mix. Stir until well combined, then refrigerate at least 10 minutes. This can also be done the day before to let the flavors blend. Keep in refrigerator until ready to use.

On a large serving platter, spread the beans in an even layer to approximately one inch from the edge of your platter. Dollop the mashed avocado on top and carefully spread evenly across all of the beans. Next, layer your sour cream (same way you did the avocado).

Now, sprinkle the black olives evenly on top of your sour cream layer. Next, the tomatoes. Again, sprinkling evenly across all your black olives. And lastly, the cheese. The cheese should almost completely cover your dip. Sometimes I like to let some tomato and olives peek out of the cheese, it looks nice. As with all ingredients, use as much or little cheese as you like.

Done! Serve with tortilla chips in a bowl next to the dip and let your friends and family feast.

If you want to make the dip ahead of time (although, it's super fast to whip up the day of), it will keep 1 day in the refrigerator: Follow the steps through the olives, then cover with saran wrap and refrigerate. When ready to serve, cut and add your tomatoes and the cheese on top. It also makes decent leftovers for lunch the next day. Mmmm.

Shhh, don't tell anyone. But my 7 layer dip is only 6 layers! I leave out the green onions, since I don't like them. But if you do, feel free to add the 7th layer. Our secret, ok?

More dip love:
- Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Baked Parmesan Dip
- Crab Dip, from Al Dente (Tom Douglas recipe! Yum)

Guten appetit!

Penne with Potatoes and Rocket

2009-08-07T05:29:00.000-07:00

What? This doesn't look like Penne pasta to you?

Ok, ok. You caught me. I used a different pasta. Don't remember the name, but... I don't recommend it (so who cares what it's called, ha!). Looks good though, eh?

This was a scrumptious dinner. The only trick is, you need to have the right mix of pasta and potatoes. I thought these oversized tubes would look good and be great for the dish. Not so. Created too much pasta for the overall taste. The potatoes are soooo good, and the combo is very tasty. Just be sure to make a 50-50 split with pasta and potatoes. I think I could have used more greens too, but Tim is not a fan of 'green things', so I went light on them.

Note: I did not use Rocket. Couldn't find it at our grocery store. Instead, I used another green called 'field salad'. Not sure what it was, but it worked. I think most greens would be good, so mix it up!

Geez, did I even follow the recipe?! Yes, I did. I swear. And it's good. A definite keeper for weeknight suppers.

Penne with Potatoes and Rocket
adapted from Chez Panisse Vegetables by Smitten Kitchen

1 pound firm boiling potatoes (I’d recommend fingerlings, even though we couldn’t find them)
About 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 bunches rocket (about a half pound)
1 small red onion
2-3 cloves of garlic
1 sprig rosemary (optional)
3/4 pound penne or other tubular pasta
1/2 lemon

Preheat the oven to 400. Slice the potatoes about 1/3 inch thick and toss them with a small amount of the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them in a single layer in an ovenproof dish or on a baking sheet (I like to line mine with parchment, to make everything — and clean-up, easier) and roast in the oven until they are golden brown and cooked through, about 15 minutes. (Mine took a bit longer.)

Meanwhile, wash the rocket (older, larger leaves are preferable to the tender sprouts), drain, and set aside. Slice the red onion thin. Peel and chop fine the garlic cloves and the rosemary leaves. Put a large pot of salter water on to boil for the pasta.

When the potatoes are done, remove them from teh oven and put the pasta on to boil. Heat a saute pan, add some of olive oil, and saute the sliced onion until it is soft and translucent and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the rocket and garlic, and saute both until they just begin to wilt and soften. Lower the heat, add the potato slices and rosemary and toss together for a minutre or two. When the noodles are done, drain them and add them to the potatoes and onion. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and toss everything together. Drizzle with a little olive oil and serve.

Like the potato and pasta combo? Try these:
- Potato and Pasta Bake, from Green Gourmet Giraffe
- Pasta with Roasted Sweet Potato and Beurre Blanc , from Not Eating Out in New York
- Potato and Leek Sacchettini with Goat Cheese and Fresh Herbs, from Once Upon a Feast

Guten appetit!

Vegetarian Times

2009-08-04T05:35:00.000-07:00

I'm skimping out on you today... but, I'm offering something VERY exciting, in lieu of a recipe. A new recipe is coming on Friday though, I promise. Once I get my head on straight and a few more things put away after the move, I'll be back to my usual posting self.

In the meantime...

Here is an AWESOME deal for you! Get a 2 year subscription to Vegetarian Times for only $7.14. I signed up a couple months ago and got my first magazine this weekend. I love it.

As with any magazine, there are subscription renewals and offers inside, which say 1 year (9 issues) for $19.95. $7.14 is a scream of a deal.

You can also search through Magazine Deals Now to see if more of your favorite magazines are on super sale.

Happy reading!

Maryland Crab Cakes

2009-07-31T06:32:00.000-07:00

I am so discombobulated. I missed my Tuesday recipe posting, sorry. I also haven't posted on our baby blog in about 3 weeks. Why does it seem like my to-do list never gets any shorter?

We're moved into our lovely new house, but clothes are on the floor, dishes are haphazardly put away (I want to get drawer liner before I truly put them away and organize, another to-do!), and we keep missing the basics when we go to the grocery store (like dishwasher pellets, grrr).

The recipe today is fitting, because I forgot to take a picture of the final product. But rest assured, they were de-licious. I wish I could show you how pretty they were too. Everyone raved about them and they were very, very easy. The perfect food to make after moving. You probably have most items on hand (despite having unpacked only half your boxes), minimal ingredients to get at the store, and not a lot of time required.

This was my second recipe attempt from my sister's food blog. You picked another winner C!

Lump crab meat... I'm drooling.

Mama Gs Crab Cakes
from Pennies on a Platter

2 pounds lump crab meat

1/2 stack of crackers (about 10 Ritz crackers)
2 eggs

1/2 cup Mayonnaise

Several drops of Tabasco sauce

2 tablespoons ground Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Dash of pepper

1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning (plus more for sprinkling)

Makin' the cakes

Mix the crab meat (after making sure there are no shells) with the crackers

Mix the remaining ingredients then pour over the crab mixture and mix together

Drop about 2 tbsp. worth of mixture on a baking sheet for each crab cake and flatten (leave about a 2 in. space between each crab cake)

Broil on low for 15 - 20 minutes (or until golden brown) - mine were done around 13 minutes and if left in longer would have burned - so make sure to watch! **You only broil on one side. No need to flip them.

Guten appetit!

Crunchy Asian Noodle Salad, with Peanut Sauce

2009-07-24T05:43:00.000-07:00

Our household container from Germany has finally arrived and is being delivered and unloaded at our new house today! Just imagine the chaos... What I wouldn't give for a quick easy dinner tonight. Alas, I refuse to cook on days like this, so we'll be getting take-out or pizza or something from one of our new neighborhood joints. The below dish would certainly hit the spot though!

This was the first recipe I tried from my sister's cooking blog. She's got some great recipes posted, but I'm a sucker for peanut butter and 'fast/easy dinners'. Add some tofu, and I'm over the moon about the dish!

And this dish is delish... (say that 5 times fast - wa, ha, ha)

Very similar sauce to the Soba Noodle recipe, but I suppose there are only so many variations to a peanut sauce. Plus, when a recipe does it well, why mess with it? And this is a good sauce! Other than a few ingredients for the sauce, you probably have most items in your pantry. I love that it uses spaghetti noodles.

As promised by my rascal of a sister, it was fast and easy. And very flexible... I completely changed up the veggies, to use what I had on hand.

With an almost 6 month old bambino, who just started rolling (yay!), this quick and tasty meal will be a regular staple around our house (just as soon as I unpack the pots and pans). Thanks for the great recipe sista!

Note: Half the recipe will make enough for 3-4 people. We got our dinners and lunch the next day out of it.

Steam some gyoza/pot stickers as a side dish. Or maybe serve edamame (one of my favs).

Crunchy Asian Noodle Salad, with Peanut Sauce
from my sister, Christine

1/2 lb. thin spaghetti
1 lb. sugar snap peas
2 red bell peppers - thinly sliced
4 scallions - sliced dragonfly
3 tbsp. chopping parsley

(I halved this recipe and used: 2/3 box of spaghetti, 2 handfuls of green beans, 1 red pepper, 2 scallions, and 1 package of extra firm tofu)

Dressing:
1 cup veggie oil
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
3 tablespoon toasted white sesame seeds
1/2 cup peanut butter

Cook pasta, drain and set aside.

Boil a large pot of water, add the snap peas, return to boil for 3-5 minutes. Drain and put in ice water. (I simply cut and sauted my veggies in a tablespoon of vegetable oil until crisp-tender, along with the tofu so it would brown up a bit)

Whisk vegetable oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame seeds, and peanut butter together.

Combine spaghetti and veggies. Pour dressing, add parsley (I did not use), and mix. (Don't forget to sprinkle a few sesame seeds on top for a pretty presentation!)

More! More! More! Peanut Sauce! Peanut Sauce! Peanut Sauce!:
- Satay Peanut Sauce, from Rasa Malaysia
- Roasted Asparagus with Creamy Tahini-Peanut Dipping Sauce, from Kayln's Kitchen
- Vietnamese Shrimp Pops with Peanut Sauce, from Al Dente

Guten appetit!

Roasted White Fish with Onions, Peppers, Olives and Feta

2009-07-21T05:05:00.000-07:00

Whew! That recipe title is a mouthful. As is this recipe.

I served this last month (yes, I know. I'm cheating again with 'timely' posts) while staying at Tim's parent's house. But, it gave me 4 taste testers to sample the cuisine and tell me what they thought.

The finished product

3 gave it a thumbs up, while I gave it a 'thumbs up, if there's a fish change'. I used tilapia, as the recipe called for, and didn't like it AS MUCH as I would halibut. I thought it was ok, but not great. Halibut would have made this a great dish. I loved, loved, loved the olive/feta topping. Could have eaten that directly out of the pan (ok, you caught me. I DID eat some out of the pan!!).

The topping

The dish went really well with some red potatoes I zapped in the microwave. Although I originally had brown rice planned as the side dish. I'm sure both would be tasty.

So, overall review: Definitely a recipe for the rotation, with halibut.

Using tilapia filets - good, but not great

OH, I almost forgot to mention how easy it was! Dinner in 30 minutes. Doesn't get much better than that, when you're making something fresh and delicious.

Roasted White Fish with Onions, Peppers, Olives and Feta
from Kalyn's Kitchen

2 or 3 medium-sized Tilapia or Halibut filets (for best results, use fish that is uniformly thick)
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced red pepper
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1/4 cup chopped green olives
1/3 cup crumbled feta
1-2 tablespoons mayonnaise (light mayo is OK, but do not use fat free)

Preheat oven to 425. Spray small glass or ceramic casserole dish with nonstick spray.

Heat olive oil in nonstick frying pan and saute red pepper and onion about 3 minutes. Add olives and saute about 2 minutes more. Turn off heat.

Put fish in casserole dish and season with salt and pepper. Spread a small amount of mayo evenly over the surface of each piece of fish. Stir feta into red pepper/onion/olive mixture and spread that over the top of fish. (Pile it on so all the mixture is used. It doesn't matter if some falls off while it's cooking.)

Bake until fish is opaque and white throughout and topping is barely starting to brown, 10-15 minutes. The mayo and the topping will keep the fish moist. Serve hot. (Serves 2-3 people)

Guten appetit!

Lasanga Rollups, with Tofu!

2009-07-17T05:38:00.000-07:00

Interesting combinations... Pickles and ice cream (I said 'interesting', not necessarily 'good'). Pretzels and chocolate (This was an experiment gone very, very right! Many thanks go to whoever discovered it). Cheese and jalapeno sandwiches (This comes from my sister, yuck). French fries dipped in a milk shake (Mmmm, one of my favorite weaknesses). And today, lasagna and tofu.

Truth be told, I've seen tofu in lasagna recipes before. Tofu doesn't have much (if any) flavor on it's own, so why not? It adds a kick in the pants for protein, and no-one will even notice they're eating tofu (particularly good if you have a non-tofu liking person over for dinner).

Tastes just like a regular lasagna (without tofu) and it's delicious!

Timing seemed perfect to try the lasagna-tofu combination, as I found this recipe the night after a party. Why is that so perfect? First, after a party, I'm usually a bit tired of cooking. This recipe is very easy. Second, I had leftover uncooked mushrooms, including a lot of stems, from serving Happy Hour Mushrooms at the party. Perfect filling, score.

On top of the other two great reasons to make this recipe, it's not your average lasagna. Oh no. They're roll-ups. Fun! Great for portioning too.

As you can see above, I did have a bit of trouble with my lasanga rolls... they caved into themselves and flattened. Didn't take away from the flavor though, just presentation.

I believe my problem was that I had no-cook noodles. Be careful buying your noodles at the store! Ay, yay, yay. To solve that problem, I heated a bowl of water to simmering, and stuck 2-3 noodles in the water at a time. I would remove 1 to use when it seemed soft enough to roll. I didn't cook the noodles all the way, they cooked in the oven. Regular noodles should hold their shape better. While it didn't make for the prettiest presentation, it didn't ruin the dish. Tim has already asked for the lasagna again.

Lasagna Rollups with Tofu
from Allrecipes

1 (16 ounce) package uncooked lasagna noodles
1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
1 pound firm tofu
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach - thawed, drained and squeezed dry (I used 3/4 cup sauted mushrooms instead)
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 (28 ounce) jar pasta sauce

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles for 5 to 8 minutes, or until just slightly underdone; drain and rinse.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together grated cheese, ricotta cheese, tofu, frozen spinach, and 1 cup Parmesan cheese.

Lay out a noodle. Spread a layer of the cheese mixture on the noodle, then add a thin layer of sauce. Roll the noodle up, and place seam side down in a 13x9 pan.

Repeat for other noodles. Top with remaining sauce and Parmesan cheese.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree F (175 degree C) oven for 30 min, or until hot and bubbly.

Lasagna here, lasagna there, lasagna everywhere:
- Black Bean and Spinach Lasagna
- Vegetable Lasagna, from Kath Eats Real Food
- Pesto Lasagna, from over a Tuscan Stove

Guten appetit!

Couscous with Chickpeas, Tomatoes and Edamame

2009-07-14T05:57:00.000-07:00

We're back! Live! Well, almost live. But real-time recipes, no more rewinds.

Ok, not even real-time recipes, considering I took these pictures on Christmas. Yep, it's taken me that long to post it. Not because we didn't love it. We did! It's a recipe tasty enough for the grand poo-bah of dinners, aka: Christmas. And I've even made it a few times since then. My pictures are just old. What can I say, it's been a hectic half year and I've been a little backed-up in recipe posting/sharing. Forgive me for not offering you this tasty dish sooner!

Couple things about the recipe... it's delicious. Second, it's super fast and great for weeknight meals. Plus, thinking back to Christmas, because it's so fast and easy, it really helped me with getting everything ready on time, without slaving away longer than necessary in the kitchen. So if you have a big party to prepare for, this recipe could be a huge help to you.

For Christmas, I served the Couscous with an appetizer of Happy Hour Mushrooms, side dishes of green beans and bran muffins, and apple pie with vanilla ice cream for dessert. De-licious!

Since I actually make this recipe quite often, there are some substitutions I regularly use. In the original recipe, it calls for two things we don't like: green onions and a lot of feta cheese. The green onions are very overpowering, and the dish tastes great without them (one less thing to buy!). We also omitted the feta, and substituted grated parmesan in the Christmas batch. Normally, I like feta (just not when it's over used), and would use half the amount they call for. But during the Christmas season, I was pregnant and a little wary of feta (probably a silly paranoia). The parmesan tasted great though, so it's a nice alternative to try off and on. Or to just use what you have in your fridge.

This dish is a fun mix of flavors and textures, and again, fast and delicious for any occasion!

Couscous with Chickpeas, Tomatoes and Edamame
from Cooking Light

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup fresh or frozen shelled edamame (soybeans)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced (I used 3)
2 1/4 cups water, divided
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (I used 1 tablespoon dried basil)
1 (16-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup uncooked couscous
2 cups coarsely chopped green onions (I omit this)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (Substitute 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, or only use 1/2 cup feta)

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add edamame, red pepper, and garlic; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in 1/2 cup water, basil, chickpeas, and tomatoes; simmer 15 minutes. Add 1 3/4 cups water and salt; bring to a boil. Gradually stir in couscous. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Stir in onions and feta; toss well.

Can't get enough couscous, try these:
- South of the Border Couscous Salad, from Albion Cooks
- Curried Couscous, from The Amateur Gourmet
- Spinach Couscous Salad, from Cookbook Catchall
- Red Lentil Soup with Couscous, from Almost Turkish Recipes

Guten appetit!

Recipe Rewind: Brussels Sprouts Pasta

2009-07-10T06:39:00.000-07:00

This is the last 'recipe rewind'! We're back in Seattle this week, but still staying with family. We can't move into our lovely new home until our furniture arrives - I'll never think baggage at the airport takes a long time again. Not after waiting for the Port to pass our container through customs and loaded to a truck!

This recipe is sure to perk me up. One of my all-time favorites for years. I owe my friend Jamie a big, big, big thank you for introducing it to me: Brussels Sprouts Pasta.

As a quick way to prepare this recipe, I sometimes zap the brussels sprouts in the cuisinart to chop. I know it's cheating, and it wont give you the pretty presentation, but it's fast!

I hope you've enjoyed seeing some of the past deliciousness posted on the blog. Sometimes I make things and forget them (pregnancy brain successfully transferred to new mommy brain), so this was a fun way to look back at some recipes we really liked and wanted to put into regular rotation.

If you'd like to make the brussels sprouts pasta, click here for the recipe. See you next week, I've got some new goodies to share!

Guten appetit!

Recipe Rewind: Happy Hour Mushrooms

2009-07-07T06:26:00.000-07:00

There are a few things I have been dying to make since being home... does that sound too dramatic? 'Dying to make'?! But it's true, I've thought about certain recipes every day for the past month. Here's one of the foods on my mind:

Happy Hour Mushrooms (aka: Stuffed Mushrooms).

These went from special occasion appetizers, to 'I feel like happy hour mushrooms tonight, random Wednesday that it is, even though it's just Tim and I'. I've made them for so many years, it's no problem to scale the recipe to just 10 mushrooms, satisfying my craving (the recipe is easy anyway, but it makes a lot more than 10 mushrooms).

I recommend you make these soon as well. Then, we can all be happy. Because they will make you happy.

Find the recipe here.

Guten appetit!

Recipe Rewind: Strawberry Shortcake

2009-07-03T06:09:00.000-07:00

I am looking forward to our last weekend in Virginia with Tim's parents. It's been a while since we celebrated a 4th of July, and this will be our little chefs helper's first Independence Day. We have much to celebrate - family, friends, freedom and our wonderful country.

Something else I like to celebrate... strawberry season!

Picture from the foodchannel

We'll be making Strawberry Shortcake for dessert tomorrow. Mmm, mmm good. Strawberries with whip cream and a bisquick biscuit scream summer, joy and family parties to me.

Click here for the Strawberry Shortcake recipe.

Whatever you eat, I hope you have a very happy and safe 4th of July.

Happy Birthday America!

Recipe Rewind: Lemongrass Tofu

2009-06-30T05:35:00.000-07:00

When Tim has been very good, he sometimes earns Lemongrass Tofu. Ha,ha. At least, that's what I tell him.

Normally, I'm fast and furious with tofu - cutting into cubes (not even pressing the water out first), marinating in soy sauce, then tossing into whatever dish I'm making.

But lemongrass tofu is my go-to when I want to put in a bit more effort. It's still a super easy recipe! Just requires some thought ahead of time to buy the lemongrass (it's not something I usually have on hand).

This picture makes me want it, now. A hint of lemon mixed with the tang of soy sauce. It's delish, with a capitol D!

Find the recipe here.

Guten appetit!

Recipe Rewind: Carrot Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

2009-06-26T05:14:00.000-07:00

Have some carrots growing in your garden? Are carrots ridiculously cheap at your grocer? Check out this carrot cake! This cake is SO yummy - I really, really, really want you to make it. Find a way. Find a reason.

Make it.

That's not an order. Just one friend to another, telling you what to do. (wa, ha, ha)

Do you see the moist deliciousness? Do you see the sugary goodness, throwing mr. calories right out the window? Have two slices, or two cupcakes, and don't even think twice about it. It has carrot in it, so you can make a health argument for it that way - if you must.

And I know what you're thinking... it doesn't seem like a classic 'summertime dessert', what with all the berries, rhubarb and peaches floating around. Yes, but its still worth considering, or... bookmark it for fall (but don't forget! you'll be sorry if you do).

We love this cake (couldn't tell, could you?). I hope you do too.

Find the recipe here.

Guten appetit!

Recipe Rewind: Easy Mixed Rice

2009-06-23T05:28:00.000-07:00

Are you dreading cooking tonight? Or, want to make life ridiculously easy on yourself tomorrow?

I have a special treat, just for you... Easy Mixed Rice.

Throw some rice in your rice cooker, chop a couple veggies and add to the cooker - you're done. Eating in 30 minutes, or less. Pair it with some cubed tofu, marinated or raw. Yum.

For the veggies, I like to use: 1 carrot, 5-6 asparagus spears, a couple slices of onion, and sometimes a handful of snap peas.

Find the recipe here.

Guten appetit!

Recipe Rewind: Ginger Salad Dressing

2009-06-19T05:21:00.000-07:00

There's something wonderful about salads in summer. Fresh vegetables and crisp lettuce. Cool on a hot day.

This has been my go-to salad dressing ever since a friend first introduced me to it. Tim also requests it, whenever I deviate. His comment goes something like, "What happened to the ginger dressing?". I take that as a hint, not to make other dressings too often, or he might go into ginger salad dressing withdraw.

For the salad below, I simply chopped up some romaine lettuce, broccoli, carrot and cauliflower. The dressing was a perfect match to give this salad some zing!

Without further ado...

Find the recipe here.

Guten appetit!

Recipe Rewind: Enchiladas

2009-06-16T05:42:00.000-07:00

This 'recipe rewind' month would not be complete without our favorite enchiladas!! (yes, that's a double exclamation point!!)

These are soooo good, I have cravings for them. TIP: I double the sauce when I make it, and freeze half for the next time. However, that's not to say the sauce it's easy to whip up, it is. But every second you can save and put to use in a more productive capacity - such as playing peek-a-boo with your 5 month old, is well worth it.

Make these for a yummy family dinner this weekend, or if you have some good friends stopping by for a casual bite. Your active cooking/prep time is only about 30 minutes. Makes enough for 5-6 adults (with a side dish).

TIP: I don't know why, but I always end up with leftover filling. No problem! I usually plan to make a plain cheese lasagna the next day and add the filling. Tastes so good! Or here's a new recipe I found for breakfast burritos. The enchilada filling would work great with those. Yum.

Findk the recipe here.

Guten appetit!

Recipe Rewind: Hummus

2009-06-12T05:34:00.000-07:00

I love sitting outside in summer and soaking up the sun. Something else I love? Sitting outside in summer with a small plate of food, and tasty beverage in my hand.

The combo may be chips and salsa with a mikes lemonade. Or it could be cheese, olives and crackers with a glass of red wine. OR, it could be hummus with pita, and a beer.

This hummus recipe is delish. Super simple, but the cumin kicks it up a notch and it becomes something special. Perfect for a weekend, spur of the moment, lets sit outside, opportunity.

Find the recipe here.

Guten appetit!

Recipe Rewind: Easy Asian Noodle Salad

2009-06-09T05:26:00.000-07:00

I've already made this recipe 5 times, since the weather warmed. We LUV it.

Find the recipe here.

Guten appetit!

Recipe Rewind: Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookies

2009-06-05T05:16:00.000-07:00

Remember these?

I mentioned before that these Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookies would make great ice cream sandwiches.

Soften your favorite ice cream (I'd use vanilla bean, but I'm a plain jane kind of girl. If you want to be funky, try chocolate chip. Or saucy, try strawberry!), place a scoop on the bottom of a cookie and sandwich together with another cookie. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the freezer to set.

You'll find the complete cookie recipe here.

It's summertime! Make this recipe happen - because it's fun. Because your kids will love it. Because YOU will love it.

Yum.

Guten appetit!

Changes, Recipe Rewinds & Bread Salad

2009-06-02T05:50:00.000-07:00

We're moving! (I can't believe it, still seems a bit surreal to say that)

We're headed back to the states this month to be closer to family, and raise the little man. Tim is also starting a new venture in his career. Lots of exciting things to come for our little family!

Since I'll still be vegetarian and a hausfrau, the culinary adventure will continue... just from a different continent.

It's exciting and wonderful, and overwhelming and chaotic. Moving with a 5 month old, yikes! Now THAT is going to be an adventure.

To give me a breather and cross one item off my to-dos during the move, I will be on a blogging break. That does not mean recipes wont be posted. However, until we're in our new state-side chateau (ha, ha, ha - we wish!), I'll be hosting 'Recipe Rewinds'; favorite recipes from the last year and a half. I expect to be in rewind-mode for about a month, but no promises.

See you again soon, friends.

First Recipe Rewind: Bread Salad

A summertime favorite! Requires only a bit of oven time to toast your bread. Done in a flash, this cool meal is sure to please on a hot day.

Find the recipe here.

Guten appetit!

Dutch Babies, the 'Big Pancake'

2009-05-29T05:19:00.000-07:00

This is another delicious breakfast recipe from my friend Sonya. While we stayed at her house, she made 'big pancake' one morning. Her kids loved it, and so did I!

It was so easy. No messing around with watching the pancakes, flipping the pancakes, making multiple batches because they don't all fit on the pan at once, etc. Heat oven, melt butter, stir 3 ingredients together and bake. Easy, easy, easy.

And what's more, this recipe would be fun to play with. Add a pinch of nutmeg or an 1/8 teaspoon of vanilla. Do as you please! But the basic recipe is so easy and tasty, it's hard to find the desire to change it. It's greatness is it's simplicity.

Toppings are the same, do as you please... fresh fruit with whipped cream in summer, organic maple syrup in winter, a light dusting of powdered sugar for those who prefer just a little sweet, or perhaps some strawberry jam. Yum! All of it. Yum.

Enjoy this one, it's one of our favorites.

Big Pancake
from Sonya

1/2 stick butter
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place butter in 9x13 (or equivalent size) oven-safe baking dish. Put in oven, then remove once butter has melted.

In a large bowl, beat (use a hand mixer or whisk) the eggs until light. Add milk and mix, then flour and mix until well combined.

Pour batter into baking dish (no need to stir or mix with the butter), and place in the oven.

Cook for 20 minutes, or until browned and puffed up the sides. Serves 4-5 people.

Very easy to half the recipe, or to make slightly less: use 1/3 stick butter, 3 eggs, 3/4 milk and 3/4 flour and use an 8 inch pan.

More pancake recipes:
- Dee's Oatmeal Pancakes, from Simply Recipes
- Swedish Pancakes, from Anne's Food
- Buckwheat Crepes, from David Lebovitz
- Chocolate filled Crepes with Cinnamon Crusts, from 80 Breakfasts

Guten appetit!

Garlic Brandy Prawns

2009-05-26T05:29:00.000-07:00

There are so many things I liked about this recipe - quick and easy, tasty, very healthy... but, I don't think it turned out quite right. Or maybe it did?

When you look at the picture, the prawns look dry. They weren't dry, they had a yummy flavor and were quite tender. But they had no sauce. Based on the original recipe picture, I expected at least a small amount of sticky, brandy sauce. Not so.

But again, it is really good recipe and the prawns tasted great. So I'm torn. I usually like a bit of sauce, to go with the rice (which due to no sauce, did seem dry).

Perhaps the answer to this recipe is to not serve the prawns over rice. Other options I am going to try in the future: Serve them along side some wok fried vegetables, in a mandarine orange/spinach leaf salad with the soy ginger salad dressing, or on skewers as an appetizer. Delicious!

Either way, this is a solid prawn recipe. I just think you need to give some thought on how to best serve them.

Yikes, what a dark photo! But, no time for photoshop...

Garlic Brandy Prawns
from Steamy Kitchen

1 pound tail-on shrimp/prawns, deveined
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons butter
2 stalks green onion, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 tablespoon brandy
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons cooking oil

Rinse prawns, pat completely dry and marinate in cornstarch and 1/2 tsp kosher salt for 5 minutes. Heat your wok or large skillet over high heat. When wok is hot, add 2 tablespoons cooking oil. When oil is hot and just starting to smoke, add prawns. Fry until they are half-done, approximately 1-2 minutes. Remove from wok, leaving the oil in the wok.

Turn heat to medium-high. Add the garlic, fry for 10 seconds. Add the brandy, salt, sugar, butter. Cook sauce for 1 minute to thicken slightly. Add the half-cooked prawns and green onion. Fry until prawns are cooked through, about 2 minutes (depends on size of your prawns).

Plenty of prawns to go around, more recipes:
- Sweet Chili Prawn Skewers, from Fig & Cherry
- Pan-fried Soy & Honey Prawns, from Greedy Gourmet
- Creamy Butter Prawns, from Food 4 Tots

Guten appetit!

Pasta Fagioli

2009-05-22T05:40:00.000-07:00

I know we're getting into warmer weather, but I love soup year round.

This was a ridiculously easy, super healthy soup and tasted realllly good. Tim immediately declared it 'a winner'. Sometimes, the simple things are most enjoyed.

It's not a heavy soup, so a side salad and some crusty whole wheat bread are a perfect accompaniment.

My only commentary on the recipe is to warn you not to overdo the peas. A 1/2 cup is the perfect amount. I love peas, so I deviated from the recipe and added about 3/4 cup, and gosh darn it if it wasn't slightly too much. Reason being, the peas give the savory soup just a hint of sweetness. With too many peas, it can overpower the soup. I know, who would have thought a few extra peas could do that?! But it was still delicious and Tim ate the leftovers the next day for lunch.

It doesn't make a lot, so I recommend doubling the recipe for leftovers or to freeze a couple portions for later. We got 2 dinners, and 1 lunch out of 1 recipe batch. Mm, mm, good.

Pasta Fagioli (pasta and bean soup)
from Walgreens Health Corner & ChefMD

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 carrots, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
One-quarter teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 cups low-salt vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 cup (2 ounces) uncooked whole wheat gemelli (small twisted pasta), or small shell pasta
1 can (14.5 ounces) seasoned diced tomatoes, undrained - such as Muir Glen brand (I used diced tomatoes with basil)
1 can (15 to 16 ounces) kidney beans or red beans, rinsed and drained (I used cannellini beans, kidney beans seem too much like a chili bean to me)
1/2 cup frozen baby peas, thawed
One-quarter cup chopped fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley (I didn't have this, and was fine)
1/4 cup grated Romano or Asiago cheese (We used parmesan)

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil and carrots; cook 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes; cook 1 minute. Add broth and pasta; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and beans; return to a simmer and cook 5 minutes or until pasta is tender. Stir in peas; heat through. Ladle into shallow bowls; top with basil and cheese.

Substitutions: Freshly shelled peas may be substituted for frozen peas; stir them into the soup with the tomatoes and beans. Great Northern or cannellini beans may replace the kidney or red beans.

Tips: Leftover soup will keep up to 3 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. For extra flavor, drizzle a small amount of rosemary-infused olive oil over the soup just before serving.

More pasta soup recipes from the blogosphere:
- Garden Pasta Soup, from Cooked from the Heart
- Tortellini Pasta Soup with Blue Cheese, from Foodie by Nature
- Vegetable Soup with Orzo, from Cook Almost Anything at least Once

Guten appetit!

Perfect Pie Crust (Savory or Sweet)

2009-05-19T05:29:00.000-07:00

This crust truly lives up to it's name. Easy to make, and portions great into freezer friendly crusts for future. If you're going to make a pie crust, why not have some left over to make a future pie faster and easier to whip up? Make life easy on yourself.

I suppose, if it's a perfect crust, it also needs to taste great, right? It does. I've used it on both sweet (apple and pumpkin) pies, as well as savory pies (pot pie and quiche). They all tasted delicious!

The only trick I found, is giving yourself enough time to dethaw the crust, if you are using a frozen portion. Fresh is obviously no problem.

If using a frozen portion: Simply unwrap all but one of the saran wrap layers and lay it out on your counter to dethaw for approximately 20 minutes. If it's too hard, it will crack and be difficult to work with. It doesn't have to be completely thaw though, as it will still be malleable and small cracks can be pinched back together.

I got 3 crusts from the recipe, but should have been able to make 4. The crusts were a little thick. Tammy says you can get 6 (3 pies, with tops), but I don't see that. You'd have to roll really thin.

It's great if you are hosting a party where you need multiple crusts for your dishes. For example, you're hosting wedding shower and wanting to serve a couple quiches and a strawberry pie for dessert. Or you are making a quiche for Christmas morning, and an apple pie for Christmas dessert. Or, you're making a quiche, and want to make life easy on yourself down the road, next time you're making a pie or quiche. You wont regret using this crust.

Perfect Pie Crust
from Tammy's Recipes

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 3/4 cup butter or shortening
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 egg
1/2 cup cold water

In a mixing bowl, mix flour, salt and sugar. Cut in butter until pea-sized lumps remain. In a separate bowl, beat vinegar, egg, and water. Add to flour/butter mixture and stir/mix just enough to make a dough. Mixture will be sticky still. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. (I usually refrigerate for an hour or more). Roll into shape (on floured surface) and use with fruit, pumpkin, or any pie requiring an unbaked crust. For pies requiring a pre-baked crust, bake at 425 degrees until slightly browned.

This recipe will make three medium-thickness 9-inch pie crusts (including tops). If you like a thicker crust, it will do 2 pies with tops. If you roll really thin, you can get 4!

Dough can be refrigerated up to three days or frozen until ready to use.

Delicious sweet pies you can make with this crust:
- Vegetable Pot Pie
- Blueberry Pie, from Andrea's Recipes
- Cindy Crawford's Strawberry Pie, from Not Quite Nigella
- Blackberry Pie, from Alpineberry

Guten appetit!

Best Bran Muffins

2009-05-15T05:20:00.000-07:00

You may think my mom created this recipe, as I call them 'moms bran muffins', but don't be fooled. My mom is a smart, busy woman, and likes fast, easy, delicious recipes as much as I do. And we get them from wherever we can. We don't discriminate.

This recipe came from a cereal box. Yes, a cereal box. I'm not sure if she had some extra bran cereal she wanted to get rid of one day, or if she just had a hankering when she saw the recipe one morning. Whatever caused her to make this recipe though, I am forever grateful. We love it and it's a staple for our family. The added bonus? It's easy, and it's ridiculously healthy.

You can still find the recipe on Kellogg's website, but no longer does it grace the side of the cereal box. I should write a letter and tell them what a huge mistake that is. Maybe another day.

Tim's opinion: These rival Morning Glory Muffins. It's hard to know which is the true top muffin though, both are so good.

Hope you enjoy!

Moms Bran Muffins
from Kellogg's

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups "all-bran original" cereal
1 1/4 cups fat-free milk
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In large mixing bowl, combine all-bran cereal and milk. Let stand about 2 minutes or until cereal softens. Add egg and oil. Beat well. Add flour mixture, stirring only until combined.

Portion evenly into twelve 2 1/2 inch muffin pan cups coated with cooking spray, or use muffin liners (much less messy!).

Bake at 400 degrees 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.

They are also great the next day, and freeze well (up to 2 months). If frozen, reheat in the microwave (no need to dethaw) for one to one and a half minutes, and it's ready to eat!

A bran muffin is not just a bran muffin:
- Whole Grain Ginger Pear Bran Muffins, from Farmgirl Fare
- Raisin Bran Muffins, from Cooking with Amy
- Applesauce Oat Bran Muffins, from Eat Me Delicious

Guten appetit!

Sesame Marinated Tofu

2009-05-12T05:10:00.000-07:00

First and foremost, Happy Birthday Butter! Tomorrow is Tim's birthday, and I couldn't be happier or more proud of the amazing husband and father he is. We sing, we laugh, we love - we have a wonderful life. I love you, so very much.

Secondly, because of the picture, I'm just now noticing a particular habit with marinated tofu... I always serve it with rice. Anyone else pick up on that? Don't be boring (or lazy?) like me, use noodles or a mix of stir-fried veggies to accompany the tofu. I'm going to try noodles next time, really. Although, I have to admit, it tasted great with rice.

However, back to the recipe. This was another great tofu marinade that Tim and I eagerly gobbled up! Most tofu marinades I've found have 3 things in common: soy sauce, ginger and sesame. Well, there's a reason for that - it's good. Really good.

Bursting with flavor, the only thing I would adapt in this recipe is the soy sauce. If you are not a big salt fan, go easy with it. Especially when you press the tofu. Our pressed tofu (...which I usually never do. Again, I'm lazy) really did pick up a lot more of the marinade, and the major flavor of this recipe is soy sauce.

Also, skip the pressing of tofu if you're in a hurry (or lazy), but let it marinate for as long as you can. For example, make the tofu marinade before work, and by the time you are home, you only have to make a side and pan fry the tofu for a wonderful dinner.

Sesame Marinated Tofu
adapted by Tofu for Two, from Epicurious

1 14 ounce block firm tofu, drained
1/3 cup soy sauce (use low sodium soy sauce, if possible)
2 tablespoons sesame seed oil
3 teaspoons grated ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 green chili pepper, diced (I used hot chili pepper flakes)
3 tablespoons canola oil
3 teaspoons raw cane sugar (I used 5 teaspoons regular sugar)
1-2 teaspoons of lime juice

First, drain and press the tofu: Cut the tofu into slices 1-2 cm thick, then wrap a kitchen towel between the slices, and put a weight on top of the slices, or press them with your hands. Take care not to use too much strength, so the texture of the tofu stays intact. Once the towel is wet, replace it, and repeat the procedure a couple of times. This dramatically improves the ability of tofu to absorb tastes.

Next, cut the tofu into desired shape (I made triangles, or you can make cubes, etc). Place the tofu in a container with a tightly sealed lid.

Combine the ginger, garlic and chili, and add the rest of the ingredients. Pour the marinade over the tofu, close the container, and shake it thoroughly. Place tofu in the refrigerator, ideally overnight, but at least for a couple of hours, shaking it every now and then.

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, place the tofu in the pan. No oil is necessary, since the tofu has some in it from the marinade. Cook the tofu until browned on each side, stirring or flipping as necessary.

Or try these alternate ways of cooking the tofu: Grilled kabobs, spreading the rest of the marinade on the vegetables before barbecuing. Or in stir-fries.

More recipes for marinated tofu:
- Grilled Marinated Tofu Wraps, from Fun & Food Blog
- Marinated Tofu and Cucumber Skewers, from Raspberry Eggplant
- Ginger Sesame Tofu, from The Book of Yum
- Maple Roasted Tofu with Asparagus, from Veggie Meal Plans (this is definitely on my to-try list!)

Guten appetit!

Pamper Mom

2009-05-08T05:15:00.000-07:00

This is for the boys. Print and give this to the man in your life.

Some men are blessed with the interest and ability to whip up a fantastic meal. Others avoid the kitchen like the plague. Either way, this list gives any guy the opportunity to shine! I love these super easy, simple directions.

For the dads, make mom's day special, outside of the kitchen. Or maybe you know of a teenage boy, living with his mom. Hand him this list, and give him a nudge in the right direction - to stop and remind his mom how much he appreciates her.

I can't wait to celebrate my first Mother's Day! How very lucky I feel, to have my amazing husband and son in my life.

Make Mom breakfast:
adapted from WebMd

* Bake reduced-fat cinnamon rolls (in the pop-fresh can from Pillsbury, found in the refrigerated section).
* Use reduced-fat Bisquick and follow the directions on the box to make pancakes or waffles. If you are making pancakes, jazz them up by stirring in some frozen blueberries. If you are making waffles, top them with sliced strawberries and serve with a dollop of Light Cool Whip or light whipped cream (from the pressurized can, also in the refrigerated section of the grocery store).
* Blend up a strawberry smoothie: 5 large strawberries (frozen are OK), one container light or fat-free strawberry yogurt, and a banana. Put all ingredients into blender, and blend. Add milk as needed, to reach desired consistency. Serves 1.
* Layer up a beautiful yogurt parfait in a tall glass. Use flavored yogurt, top with berries or sliced fruit, then low-fat granola. Repeat the layers, if there's room in the glass.
* Start with multi-grain toaster waffles. Top with fresh fruit, a sprinkling of powdered sugar, and a dollop of Light Cool Whip or light whipped cream.
* Make an egg-and-cheese bagel open-faced in a toaster oven: Fry 1 egg in a pan coated with cooking spray (best to fry both sides, or be very careful not to break the yoke as you transfer it to the toaster oven). Place a whole-grain bagel half in the toaster for about 30 seconds (enough to get the top crispy, without toasting too much; you still need to leave it in longer and melt the cheese! Place the egg on top of the bagel half, and sprinkle with sliced or shredded cheese of your choice. Continue to broil or toast until cheese is nicely melted. If you're worried about the cheese melting and making a mess, place the bagel on a toaster safe tray or piece of aluminum foil.
* Serve any of the above breakfast items with a fresh fruit kabob (just line up fruit chunks on a skewer) or a melon slice topped with grapes or fresh berries.

MORE...

Make Mom lunch:

* Whip up a batch of albacore tuna salad with a can of water-packed solid white albacore tuna, drained; 1-2 tablespoons of light mayo; and some pickle relish (optional). Mix together in a bowl, with a dash of black pepper. Serve on her favorite bread with lettuce and tomato.
* Make a quick pasta salad by tossing cooked, cooled pasta; a handful of canned garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (also called Chickpeas); cubes of mozzarella or cheddar cheese; diced red pepper and/or broccoli florets; and bottled light Italian salad dressing.
* Bake up some nachos by layering reduced-fat tortilla chips; canned, vegetarian refried beans; shredded reduced-fat jack or cheddar cheese; and chopped green onions. Bake in 400-degree oven until cheese melts (10-15 minutes). Top with fat-free sour cream and salsa. You can add sliced ripe avocado, to be really fancy.
* Grill or pan-fry a Gardenburger (you'll find several flavors in the frozen food section) with a slice of cheese melted on top. Serve on a toasted multi-grain bun with grilled onions (Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat, and add a handful of sliced onions. Cook, stirring often, approximately 8-10 minutes, until the onions are starting to brown and look opaque) or sliced tomato and lettuce.

Make Mom dinner:

* Make a quesadilla by sandwiching shredded Jack or cheddar cheese inside two flour tortillas (use the higher-fiber ones if you can find them). Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in a nonstick frying pan, and add the quesadilla. Fry on both sides, until the cheese melts; serve with sliced avocado, salsa, and fat-free sour cream.
* Grill some salmon teriyaki. Coat salmon filets with bottled teriyaki sauce, then broil or grill them until cooked throughout. Serve with cooked brown rice (follow the directions on the box or bag) and steamed veggies.
* Serve up soup in a bread bowl! Hollow out a small sourdough bread round (usually around 6 inches wide, and found in the bakery section) and fill with gourmet canned soup that you've heated in a saucepan over the stove (Wolfgang Puck has tasty soup options with 6 grams of fat or less per serving). Garnish with shredded Parmesan cheese.
* Shrimp cocktail can be quickly put together with defrosted pre-cooked shrimp (from the frozen fish section) served in a pretty glass or bowl with bottled cocktail sauce.
* For quickie pasta, boil fresh packaged tortellini or ravioli, drain, then serve with bottled marinara sauce or pesto. Serve with cooked veggies.
* Make designer pizza! Start with a Boboli pizza crust and top with bottled pizza sauce. Add shredded cheese of choice and whatever toppings you desire (sun-dried tomatoes, mushroom slices, artichoke hearts, black olives, green or red pepper slices, etc.).

Don't forget the wine.

Guten appetit, and a very happy Mother's Day!

Tangy Black Bean and Corn Salad - Dud!

2009-05-05T04:24:00.000-07:00

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

While I can't say that Tim and I celebrate Cinco de Mayo very often (or ever, unless a friend is throwing a party), I always think about it. Probably has to do with my love... obsession... desires... for mexican food. If I could have just one food for the rest of my life, it would definitely be something Mexican. A veggie burrito, fish tacos or perhaps enchiladas. It would be a tough choice to choose the specific dish, but it would be Mexican.

A party is definitely not happening this year, but maybe next year, when we're back in the states and resettled. A girl can dream - margaritas, guacamole and enchiladas, anyone?? Mmm.

As for today's recipe, I hope you've liked the last couple Mexican inspired dishes I've offered, cause this one was a dud. Sorry, they do come up on occasion. I whole heartedly can not recommend this recipe or dish. Sad, since it had such potential. And perhaps if I was more inspired, I could play with it to make it better. But when there are so many other yummy recipes out there, why fiddle with mediocrity?

Looks good, right?

The basics were good, but the dressing was very bland. All you taste is the olive oil. If you want to give this recipe a go, perhaps double, or triple, the spices. Or make the salad, and use a different dressing.

I made this salad as the recipe states, but added lettuce. I wanted it a bit more 'salady'.

Tangy Black Bean and Corn Salad
from VegCooking

2 15.5-oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
6 green onions, minced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

In a salad bowl, combine the beans, corn, avocado, bell pepper, tomatoes, green onions, and cilantro, if desired.

Place the lime juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and cayenne pepper into a small jar. Cover with a lid and shake to mix thoroughly. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad ingredients and stir gently to coat. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later, stirring again before serving.

As opposed to this salad, I would much prefer a delicious bowl of guacamole and plenty of corn chips for dipping.

Guten appetit!

Tofu Tamale Pie

2009-05-01T04:23:00.000-07:00

Although this is a vegetarian blog, I don't feel like I post a lot of tofu recipes. It's certainly not because we don't eat it, or even because we don't eat it often, we do. Oddly enough, when it comes to tofu, I just have a habit of making the same dishes we already like.

This was a welcome new addition to my tofu repertoire though. It had a similar consistency to a hash, with a slightly crispy top. Tasted wonderful and was thrown together in 10 minutes, then left to bake. Love that.

It's not a traditional 'tamale pie', as most have a cornbread topping. But it wasn't missed and the simplicity of making this dish was a very likable quality.

We ate it plain, adding salsa at the table. Next time, I would consider using this as a taco stuffing - with warm corn tortillas, lettuce and salsa. Or serve along side mexican rice and refried beans.

Tofu Tamale Pie
from VegCooking

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound firm tofu
1/2 cup water
1 (16-ounces) can tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup black olives, chopped
1 cup frozen corn
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 cup corn meal

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Heat the oil and saute the onion, green pepper, and garlic until soft. Puree the tofu and water. Add the tofu puree and the remaining ingredients to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes.

Pour into a lightly oiled casserole dish or large iron skillet and bake for 25-30 minutes. Serve hot.

More tamale pies, yum!
- Meatless Tamale Pie, from What Did You Eat?
- Crockpot Tamale Pie, from A Year of CrockPotting
- Black Bean Tamale Pie, from Eggs on Sunday

Guten appetit!

Tangy Corn and Avocado Salsa

2009-04-28T05:57:00.000-07:00

Oh, Mollie... thank you so much for this recipe. You have combined some of my favorite foods in this world: avocados, cilantro, cherry tomatoes and cumin.

To preface this, you should know that I will eat avocados plain, right out of the skin with a spoon. I LOVE THEM. There's really no need to 'dress up' guacamole or avocados for me. However, in the spirit of trying new things and cinco de mayo, I gave this dip a shot. Certainly sounded good.

Yowzers!! I could have eaten the whole bowl myself, and then licked it clean. Unfortunately (for me), I'm a nice person and shared some with Tim.

Easily a very, very impressive avocado dip. Make for friends, or simply indulge yourself one day. We taste tested the dip with chips, delicious. Then used it as an accompaniment to quesadillas, super delicious.

Go ahead, make this... soon. Treat yourself.

Note: Mollie also recommends this, but because you are adding fresh cut tomatoes which get mealy after sitting out for a while, I recommend eating this same day. Which, believe me, you wont have a problem doing.

Note #2: I personally prefer Haas avocados for guacamole and dip making.

Tangy Corn and Avocado Salsa
from Mollie Katzen

1 cup finely minced red onion
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (and possibly more)
2 ripe-but-firm avocados
2 medium cloves garlic, finely minced
2 cups fresh corn (shaved from 2 ears of corn) - I used canned, was still great
1/2 cup finely minced red bell pepper
1 cup tiny cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Put up about half a kettle of water to boil. Place the minced red onion in a colander over a sink, and when the water boils, pour it over the onion. Let the onion sit in the colander, draining, while you prepare the other ingredients.

Place the lime juice in a medium-sized bowl. Cut the avocados in half, pull out the seeds, and peel. Scoop out the flesh, cut it into small dice, and transfer to the lime juice. Stir gently until all the pieces of avocado are coated with lime juice.

Add all remaining ingredients except the cilantro (include the red onion from Step 1). Mix gently but thoroughly until everything is combined. Taste to adjust salt and lime juice, then cover and chill until serving time. Stir in the cilantro just before serving.

Lovely, lovely avocado. More recipes:
- Creamy Avocado Chipotle Dip, from Cafe Lynnylu
- Chunky White Bean Avocado Dip, from Food Network
- Three Bean, Corn and Avocado Salsa, from Archana's Kitchen
- Guacamole, from My Wooden Spoon

Guten appetit!

Cajun Seasoning

2009-04-24T05:44:00.000-07:00

A while back, I posted a recipe for Shrimp Etouffee. Shrimp Etouffee is a cajun/creole dish with a lot of flavor and delicious spices blended together.

However, one of the spices requested in the dish wasn't something I had. Cajun Seasoning.

Sometimes I will just omit an ingredient in a recipe, if I don't have it, don't think we'll like it, or I don't think it's necessary. This one seemed too crucial to the shrimp recipe, and I wasn't willing to omit it.

Luckily, cajun seasoning is just a mix of other spices, so you can easily make your own and keep it in a jar or ziploc sack for future. Below is the recipe I used and liked, with one change...

The original recipe was too salty for me, so I've cut back on the salt from 3/4 cup to 1/3 cup. If you make the original version, I recommend omitting any other salt requested in the main recipe you are using the seasoning for.

Cajun Seasoning
adapted slightly from Allrecipes

1/3 cup salt
1/4 cup ground cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons ground white pepper
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder

Mix everything together in a jar or ziploc sack. Seal tightly and shake to mix before using.

Guten appetit!

Butternut Squash and Edamame Pasta

2009-04-21T06:02:00.000-07:00

I'm posting this recipe extremely tardy (it's from November!), because honestly, it didn't turn out that great. This belle didn't quite make it to her ball. Frankly, it was bland.

Because I can't recommend it, I also have to tag it as a 'disaster'. I don't think it was terrible, but I wouldn't make it again. Maybe it strikes your fancy though, and you decide to try it out. If so, let us know what you think. Could have just been me and my taste preferences.

I liked the idea of this recipe for two reasons, I love edamame and I love butternut squash. During this time of year, I have hankerings for squash. They call out to me at the market, I swear.

I had actually seen this recipe before, but in it's original version, using lima beans instead of edamame. When I saw this twist on the recipe, I jumped at the chance to make it. Not all recipes can be 'winners' though, so it's ok that it wasn't a favorite of ours. Try everything (or most things!) once. It's a good motto to live by.

Taste was just OK, but it definitely looked good!

Butternut Squash and Edamame Pasta
from A Good Appetite

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 t dried
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
3 1/2 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded & chopped into 1/2 inch pieces. (about a 2 lb squash)
1 10-ounche package frozen soybeans (shelled), thawed. (or use baby lima beans)
2 cups vegetable broth
10 ounces penne pasta (3 cups)
1/4 cup grated parmesan

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Add onion & saute under tender and golden, about 10 minutes.

Add garlic, thyme and crushed red pepper & stir 1 minute. Add squash & beans & saute 3 minutes.

Add broth & bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover & simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes, or until the squash is mostly soft. Season to taste with salt & pepper.

Meanwhile cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain & return to pot. Add squash mixture to pasta. Toss to blend, adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls to moisten if necessary (our was overly soupy and I had to drain most of the broth). Season with salt & pepper.

Transfer to bowl & sprinkle with cheese.

Other Butternut Squash pasta recipes I'd like to try:
- Fettucini with Butternut Squash, Sage and Brown Butter, from Apartment Therapy
- Butternut Squash and Sage Ravioli, from La Tartine Gourmande
- Baked Pasta with Butternut Squash and Ricotta, from Urban Drivel

Guten appetit!

Breakfast Egg Sandwich with Avocado and Chipotle Mayo

2009-04-17T05:36:00.001-07:00

I'm in love with Susan, aka Food Blogga. Have you ever seen or read her blog? If not, please do.

Not only is Susan inventive with her own food creations, her parents are italian, and she shares some really great traditional family dishes. Her posts are fun, interesting, not too long and I've bookmarked over half of her recipes to try. They're everyday, delicious foods - right up my alley!

Here she is again, combining some of my favorite foods: english muffins, eggs and avocado. Not to mention, giving this sandwich a mexican twist. Oh Susan, I really, really do love you. Not like I love my husband or son, but in another friendly, admiration filled way.

I tried this breakfast egg sandwich this weekend, and it's nothing short of divine. I had to make a couple substitutions, the most critical being the chipotle sauce. I thought I had a chipotle chili in adobo sauce can in my pantry, but hadn't checked for sure. Always a mistake. So for a substitute, I used 1 teaspoon dry taco seasoning mix, and it worked great! I love the smoky chipotle chili flavor though, and intend to re-try this recipe soon using the chili sauce. Also to note though, that chipotle chili in adobo sauce is *quite* spicy. If you are not a fan of heat, or never tried the adobo sauce before, use 1/2 teaspoon to start and taste it before making the sandwich (you can always add more).

Served with a side of sliced pear
My basic fried egg sandwich is like 'old faithful', but this is my new egg sandwich with pizazz. There's a time and a place for both of them in my life.

Thank you, Susan, for sharing with us such delicious recipes!

Breakfast Egg Sandwich with Avocado and Chipotle Mayo
from Food Blogga

1 multi-grain or whole wheat English muffin
3 egg whites (I used 5 egg whites for 2 sandwiches, and it was plenty. Using the yolks is OK too)
a dab of olive or canola oil
about 1 teaspoon soy mayo mixed with 1 teaspoon chipotle adobo sauce (dont use the chilis, just the sauce)
1/4 of an avocado, sprinkled with lime juice (lime juice is optional)
1 ounce cheddar cheese (I used emmentaler)

Toast the English muffin. Mix the soy mayo and chipotle chili and set aside. Slice the avocado and sprinkle with lime juice to prevent it from oxidizing, or turning brown; set aside.

Rub a dab of olive or canola oil over the surface of a small non-stick skillet over medium heat Add egg whites and cook 2 minutes, or until slightly puffed; fold in half and cook 1 minute, or until lightly browned; flip, add the cheddar cheese, and cook 1 minute more (or until your preferred doneness).

Spread the chipotle mayo on the toasted English muffins. Add the eggs with melted cheese and avocado slices.

Plenty more egg sandwiches to try:
- Jamaican Fried Egg Sandwich, from Asparagus Thin
- Egg, Mayonnaise and Cress Sandwich, from Greedy Gourmet
- Focaccia Egg Sandwich, from Baking Cottage
- Open-face Balsamic Egg Sandwich, from Yum Sugar

Guten appetit!

Pasta with Halibut and Oven-Roasted Ratatouille

2009-04-17T05:36:00.000-07:00

This should be a guest post, as I'm stealing the real chef's hard work. While Jamie & Chria visited us in December, they made this delicious Ratatouille. I simply sat back and snapped the pictures, then savored the meal. Lucky me!

The dish idea came about because of a discussion with Jamie over Tim's and my dislike of eggplant. I don't understand why so many vegetarian dishes include eggplant, and the general public assumes a vegetarian loves two things: portabella mushrooms and eggplant. I'm sure some people do, but not me. Don't like either.

However, Jamie promised me that I would like eggplant when made in one of her favorite recipes: Pasta with Halibut and Oven-Roasted Ratatouille.

If she's cooking, I'm game to try it! I get lots of yummy recipes from her, so the trust is there. And who knows, maybe my eggplant aversion could be turned around (Jamie, when are you going to start eating tomatoes?).

I must say, she was right. Cut up small, and roasted to soft goodness, I didn't mind the eggplant. I even think I liked it! I preferred the zucchini and other veggies, but there were so many flavors mixing in this dish, I didn't really notice the eggplant. Next time someone asks if I like eggplant, I can say 'yes, when made in pasta with halibut and oven-roasted ratatouille'. This is a major step (pat, pat on my back).

This dish was delicious, filling and very healthy. Looked easy to prepare too, just a bit of prep and waiting for the roasting process to happen (I think our oven is slower than most though). For a vacation day, or weekend evening, this is a great recipe to try.

Thanks Jamie & Chria!

Ratatouille
from Epicurious, and graciously cooked for us by Jamie & Chria

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1-pound eggplant, unpeeled, trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 pound plum tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 small zucchini, trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, flattened
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons herbes de Provence*
1 12-ounce halibut fillet
2 cups medium-size pasta shells

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Spread next 5 ingredients on sheet. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper. Roast vegetables until tender, stirring occasionally, about 35 minutes. Push vegetables to sides of sheet. Place fish in center of sheet; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until just opaque in center, about 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. Return pasta to pot. Add roasted vegetables and enough reserved pasta cooking water to pasta to moisten; toss. Cut fish into 1/2-inch pieces; add to pasta and toss gently. Season with salt and pepper.

*A dried herb mixture available at specialty foods stores and some supermarkets.

More rat-a-tat-touille:
- Ratatouille Tart, from Smitten Kitchen
- Ratatouille on Polenta with Baby Greens, from Karina's Kitchen
- Seasonal Ratatouille, from Serious Eats
- The movie!

Guten appetit!

Product of the Month: Organize with free online tools

2009-04-16T05:52:00.000-07:00

I need all the organizational help I can get. I do well with lists, but the lists are usually on random scraps of paper, on the back of receipts or possibly on a sticky note.

Enter, stage left, Mommy Track'd!

Mommy Track'd has generously put together and offered 6 different organizational tools, which we can download for FREE to help us mommies (and daddies) keep our heads on straight.

I especially love The Eat Sheet weekly meal planner/grocery shopping list. It's something you could do yourself on a wipe board, but if you don't have one of those, theirs is awfully cute and free (did I mention, free?!). The Party Planning Worksheet is my second favorite tool.

Check them out, I bet you'll find something you like and can use too!

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Pasta

2009-04-14T05:32:00.000-07:00

Like garlic? You're going to love today's recipe.

Any time you use raw garlic, you should put a warning on the dish... "only to be consumed by both parties currently in a relationship". If you are single, and enjoying a leisure night, eat away. You're still forewarned, if you take leftovers to work (or other public place) the following day.

Thankfully, I like garlic and really enjoyed this dish the night of, and following day for lunch. Tim, however, was not with me when I made and ate it. I wanted to try it out first, since it involved 'cream', and super creamy sauces are not his favorite. My garlic breath was a bit overpowering when he got home, but it's always worth a laugh when you force a few kisses on him.

Next time, even with the two of us eating it together, I will either roast the garlic first, or use only 1/2 of a raw garlic clove (needs but a hint of the powerful garlic flavor). I've adjusted the recipe below to reflect this. If you want to make the original recipe, it calls for 3 raw garlic cloves.

With the garlic change, the dish is extra delicious, and the cream sauce is just right. It coats the pasta, but isn't a thick, overly filling cream. Definitely a keeper recipe for fast weeknight suppers.

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Pasta
originally from Picky Palate, adapted by Annie's Eats

3 cloves garlic roasted, OR 1/2 raw garlic clove
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup roasted red bell pepper (fresh or jarred)
1 cup basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pound penne pasta
1/4 cup heavy cream, optional

Place garlic and pine nuts in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add Parmesan, red pepper, basil leaves, salt and pepper. Pulse until well combined. With the motor running, add olive oil through the feed tube and process until incorporated. Set aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to the pot. Add the pesto to the pasta and stir to combine. Stir in heavy cream if desired for a creamier sauce. Heat until warmed through. Serve immediately.

More Hausfrau weeknight pasta dishes:
- Four-cheese Stuffed Shells
- Garlicky Peppers and Shrimp Pasta
- Mac & Cheese
- Chipotle Pasta Casserole

Guten appetit!

Spinach Artichoke Dip

2009-04-10T05:32:00.001-07:00

This recipe was first made for me by a friend, Erica. She was pregnant and had been diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes. For a girls lunch, we were all to bring a dish, and Erica brought this Artichoke and Spinach Dip, with veggies to use for dipping. She needed to stay away from carbs, and I thought it was a brilliant choice. Not to mention very tasty! Everyone at the lunch complimented her on it and wanted the recipe, including me.

Best part of this recipe, it's ridiculously easy. Will take you approximately 5 minutes to make, or less. There was so little for me to do and prepare when I made it a couple months later for my sister's housewarming party, that I can't even put together a 4-square picture collage. I suppose I could have taken a picture of someone eating the dish, but isn't it cruel and unusual punishment to publicly post pictures of others eating? I think so.

Once you hear the source of this recipe, you might not believe me that it has a creamy, delicious flavor and the perfect mix of flavors. It's from Atkins. Yes, I know! I hear anything 'diet' related, and cringe. But I promise you, it's delicious. It was fully consumed at my sister's housewarming, just as it had been at our girls lunch. A definite crowd pleaser, and I promise, no-one will know it's from a diet source.

Spinach Artichoke Dip
from Atkins

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1(13 3/4-ounce) can artichoke bottoms, drained
2 garlic cloves
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Mix, mix, mix
Ready to bake
Heat oven to 350F. Grease a 1-quart ovenproof pan. In a food processor, process spinach, artichokes, garlic, cream cheese, Parmesan and pepper until well combined, scraping down sides of processor, as needed.Spread mixture in prepared pan. Bake until warmed through, about 30 minutes. Serve hot with sliced vegetables.

Dips to love:
- Hummus
- Fresh Salsa
- Tom Douglas's Crab Dip, from Al Dente
- Hot Sweet Onion Dip, from Closet Cooking

Guten appetit!

Orange Sugar Biscuits

2009-04-07T05:27:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if this is cheating... But those are my mom's hands rolling and cutting these delicious biscuits. I simply snapped a few photos and enjoyed the finished product with dinner. Yum, yum.

I couldn't help it. Once I found out she was making them for dinner, I ran to get my camera. I knew I had to share them with you, and because they've always been a special occasion biscuit, which we usually eat at my moms, I've never made them myself. I'm sure I will someday. But they're one of the foods I associate with my mom, and frankly, I like sitting back and reaping her rewards. I know, I know. "Terrible daughter. Stop being a taker!" I promise, I make up for it in other ways.

As I mentioned, my mom usually makes these for special meals (Christmas dinner, Easter brunch, birthdays, etc). What makes them worthy of a special meal? Well, I'm sure most of you would agree that biscuits alone are quite tasty. Especially right from the oven, hot and fluffy, with a pat of butter melting in the middle. However, these biscuits truly are special. They include a hint of orange, as well as a sugar cube melted in the top, center of the biscuit. Oh, how lovely. It really is like biting into a special treat.

Next time you have a special meal to prepare for, and you need a bread/biscuit option. Think of these! They're great for brunch, lunch or dinner.

Orange Sugar Biscuits
from mom, original source unknown as it's been in her recipe box over 30 years

2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 medium orange peel, finely grated
5 tablespoons shortening
2/3 cup milk

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add the finely grated orange peel. Cut in shortening until the dough starts to resembles coarse meal the size of corn kernels. Add milk gradually, and stir until soft dough forms (don't over stir).

Turn out dough onto a floured work surface, and knead lightly (about 30 seconds). Pat or roll to 1/2-3/4 inch thick, and cut with a 2 inch round biscuit cutter. Arrange biscuits in a 9-10 inch round ungreased pie or tart pan. Biscuits can touch each other, but shouldn't be squished to fit. Dip sugar cube in orange juice and press into center of biscuits.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes to cool, serve warm.

Biscuits galore:
- Italian Pepper Biscuits, from Food Blogga
- Herbed Cheese Biscuits, from Pinch My Salt
- Buttermilk Biscuits with Goat Cheese and Chives, from Simply Recipes
- Classic Buttermilk Biscuits, from Serious Eats

Guten appetit!

Brussels Sprouts Pasta

2009-04-03T05:55:00.000-07:00

While our friends Jamie, Chria and little miss Clara were visiting, we reminisced over a favorite recipe of theirs. Jamie had shared this recipe with me years ago, and I made it a couple times, to our tummy's delight. But in the last couple years, I couldn't find the page I had the recipe printed on, so it had dropped off my radar.

Jamie was not deterred. She went out to the wonderful "world wide web" (what did we ever do without you, oh beloved internet?!) to search and find the recipe. She also did all the brussels sprout prep the night before, so we had a fast, delicious dinner with good friends, good wine and delicious food after a day of busy sightseeing. Can life get any better? (answer: no!)

Thank you for visiting us, and thank you for this delicious dinner. xoxo.

Brussels Sprouts Pasta
from Alice Waters' Chez Panisse Vegetables

2 tablespoons olive oil + more for drizzling
1 pound Brussels sprouts, stems removed and separated into leaves
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pinch hot red pepper flakes
1/2 lemon, juiced
Bread crumbs (optional)
Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
1 pound/box of pasta (original recipe calls for orecchiette, we used bowties)

Prep your brussels sprouts. (This is the most time consuming part of the original recipe, and will take up to 20 minutes if you chop the bottoms and separate all the brussels sprout leaves, as requested. I prefer to clean and remove the stems, then zap them in a food processor for much faster results. Doesn't give you the same pretty presentation, but tastes just as good.)

Bring water to a boil and cook pasta.

While the pasta is cooking, in a medium-large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Toss in the sprout leaves, add salt and freshly ground black pepper, and saute for about one minute over high heat. Stir constantly.

Add the onions and the red pepper flakes, and continue to saute until the sprouts are tender and a little browned, 2-5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the garlic, and toss (I like to add the garlic a little before removing it from heat, so the garlic isn't quite as raw/pungent). Pour lemon juice onto the sprouts.

When the pasta is done, add it, drained, to the saute pan and toss everything together. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Serve drizzled with olive oil (try to use a good olive oil). Toss with toasted bread crumbs or parmesan cheese, if desired. Serves 4.

Brussels sprouts, oh brussels sprouts:
- Brussels Sprouts with White Beans, from Pro Bono Baker
- Creamy Brussels Sprouts Soup, from French Kitchen in America
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts, from FatFree Vegan Kitchen
- Cream-Braised Brussels Sprouts, from Orangette

Guten appetit!

Texas (Chocolate) Sheet Cake

2009-03-31T05:56:00.000-07:00

This post is going to be short and sweet. Sweet being the important part of the post!

This recipe is another one of my mom's staples, and one I have very fond memories of. Texas Sheet Cake was made regularly for birthdays, work potlucks (you better believe a piece or two was gone before it ever made it to work), summer picnics, and informal dinner parties. Reasons being, it makes a lot and travels well. Oh, and lets not forget, it's a serious crowd pleaser!

You only need a 3x3 slice (or less, but why skimp with something this good?!) and a scoop of vanilla ice cream to satisfy each eager belly.

I hope you enjoy this one as much as my family and I have, for years.

Texas Sheet Cake
from my mom

1 1/2 cup (3 sticks) margarine or butter, divided
1 cup water
8 tablespoons cocoa, divided
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs, lightly beaten
6 tablespoons milk
1 pound powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts

Cake:

In a pan, heat to boiling 1 cup (2 sticks) margarine, water, and 4 heaping tablespoons cocoa. Remove from heat and pour into a large mixing bowl.

Add flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Blend well.

Add sour cream & eggs. Mix thoroughly.

Bake in jellyroll pan at 375 for 15-17 minutes.

Frosting:

In a pan, heat to boiling 1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine, 4 tablespoons cocoa, and milk. Remove from heat.

Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and chopped nuts. Spread while cake is hot (it can sit as long as 10-15 min before frosting).

I love this cake plain, or served with vanilla ice cream.

More delicious sheet cakes:
- Black and White Marble Sheet Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting, from Baking Bites
- Gooey Apple Sheet Cake, from Tales from a Veggie Kitchen
- Cherry Sheet Cake, from Martha Stewart
- Frosted Chocolate Chip Zucchini Sheet Cake, from Culinary in the Country

Guten appetit!

Tuscan Chickpea Soup - Winter Warmth

2009-03-27T05:41:00.000-07:00

The winter is not over yet! Spring is near, but there are still plenty of cold nights to warm yourself over a bowl of soup.

I like this recipe because it's filling, without feeling heavy. Considering the ease of work involved and the fairly limited ingredients/spices, it has plenty of flavor. Pair it with a salad and crusty bread, you'll have dinner ready in 30 minutes.

I made a couple of slight adjustments based on other reviewers notes. Most important is to use a fairly good balsamic vinegar. There are occasions to use cheap vinegar, but this is not one of them. I also added the cayenne for a little more kick. It's not spicy, but I thought it added some extra 'umph'.

This one is definitely a winter staple, and I hope you have the chance to try it before the cold weather disappears!

Tuscan Chickpea Soup
adapted slightly from Cooking Light

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
7-8 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups water
1 teaspoon minced fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 (15 ounce) cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (use a fairly good vinegar)
1 teaspoon cayenne
6 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the water and the next 5 ingredients (water through tomatoes), and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.

Place 2 cups soup in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Pour the pureed soup into a bowl. Repeat procedure with 2 cups soup. (I used my hand blender, directly in the soup pot - much easier! It also allowed me to puree most of the soup yet still keep some chunks of garbanzo bean for texture.)

Return all pureed soup to pan. Stir in the vinegar and cayenne, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Spoon 1 1/2 cups soup into bowls; sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese.

More warming chickpea soups:
- Chickpea and Tomatillo Soup, from Cookworm
- Chickpea Soup with Spinach, Tomatoes and Basil, from Kalyn's Kitchen
- Chickpea Soup with Moghrabieh (Lebanese Couscous), from FatFree Vegan Kitchen
- Tunisian Chickpea Soup, from The Well-Seasoned Cook

Guten appetit!

Artichoke and Lemon Linguine

2009-03-27T05:11:00.000-07:00

Recipes this easy make me happy.

Literally, you cook the pasta, put all other ingredients in a food processor, combine pasta with sauce and serve. Sometimes good things in life, really are simple. When you tinker with something too much, you risk ruining it.

Although, now that I've said that, I am thinking of adding some red pepper flakes next time. Oh well, it's hard not to tinker!

Make this pasta as-is, or play around with the simple ingredients it calls for. Don't skip the parmesan though! This recipe is an easy, quick weeknight meal that you'll be very happy with.

Artichoke and Lemon Linguine
adapted from Technicolor Kitchen

1 package linguine
8 can artichoke hearts – rapidly rinse them to remove any excess brine
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, and grated zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup parsley
Pinch of fleur de sel (salt)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Grated parmesan, to serve

Cook the linguine in a large saucepan of salted boiling water until al dente; drain and return to the pot.

While the pasta cooks, make the sauce: place the artichoke hearts, lemon zest and juice, parsley, fleur de sel, pepper and olive oil in a food processor and process until you get a smooth mixture.

Stir the sauce through the pasta, and return to heat. Cook until heated through, approximately 5 minutes. Top with parmesan and serve immediately. Serves 2.

More artichoke and pasta recipes:
- Artichoke Pesto Pasta, from Book of Yum
- Artichoke Orzo Salad, from Wasabi Bratwurst
- Salmon Artichoke and Sundried Tomato Linguine, from Daily Unadventures in Cooking
- Sole Fillets with Artichoke Pasta, from Everyday with Rachel Ray

Guten appetit!

Fried Spring Rolls

2009-03-24T05:49:00.000-07:00

Do you ever have cravings for certain types of food? I think most people do. Maybe it's mexican, or could be italian. Since I eat both of those regularly, my cravings usually come in the form of chinese or thai. I wouldn't say I crave fried food, but I will say that sometimes, a fried spring roll sounds utterly delicious. The kind of delicious that only fried can offer.

For this recipe, I'm torn on how to describe it. Basically, they were an experiment by Jill at Hey, that tastes good!, and one that I decided to replicate.

Typically you would not use rice paper wrappers for frying spring rolls. That was the experiment. Jill even called her post 'ugly, but delicious'. That should tell you a lot about why you don't use rice paper.

I almost bought both kinds of wrappers to do a comparison test. But in the end, I decided to try it Jill's way, and then remake another spring roll in the future with the typical, flour wrappers for frying. Plus, using the rice wrappers would leave me with a few sheets leftover to make fresh spring rolls later.

In fact, Jill was right, they are 'ugly but delicious'. Both Tim and I enjoyed them and quickly ate 2-3 each. If you pile them on a plate, as I did, be forewarned that they will stick together.

In the end, I'm not sure I would remake them this way, just because my curiosity is peaked to use the regular wrappers (this was my first time making fried spring rolls). I have to try the other wrappers to decide which is better. But these were fun, different and tasted pretty darn good! Definitely satisfied my fried spring roll craving.

If you are adventurous enough and had some small hands lurking around the kitchen, wrapping and rolling the spring rolls could be a fun project for kids.

Fried Spring Rolls (using rice paper)
from Hey, that tastes good!

8 ounces mixed mushrooms
3 baby bok choy (I substituted ¼ green cabbage head)
1 teaspoon grated ginger
2 scallions
1 carrot, peeled
A handful of spinach (I didn't use)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon mirin (rice wine)
1/4 pound chopped tofu
1/4 package of rice noodles
1 egg white (not necessary, water holds the paper together just fine)
1 package rice paper wrappers

Soak the rice noodles in a bowl of hot water until softened. Thinly slice your mushrooms and carrots and put in separate piles. Cut the leaves off the bok choy and set aside, thinly slice the bottoms and add to the carrot pile. Slice the scallions thinly and set aside. Cut the spinach and boy choy leaves into strips.

Heat 1 T oil in a pan (wok if you have one - a large skillet works fine). Add the ginger and scallions and cook for a few seconds, then add the tofu, carrots and bok choy bottoms. Cook together a few minutes, then add the mushrooms. Once those have cooked most of the way through, add the spinach, bok choy leaves, soy sauce, noodles, and mirin. Cook until liquid is mostly gone and greens are wilted. Pour filling into a strainer, and set aside to cool/drain for a few minutes.

Once cooled, fill a shallow bowl with hot water. Dip one rice wrapper into the water and hold it there until softened. You will know when it’s ready. Lay the wrapper carefully on your work surface, and put a tablespoon of filling in the center.

Pull the bottom half up, then fold over the right side and then the left.Squoosh the filling in as tight as you can, wet the last side with egg white, and then fold over. Set aside, and repeat until all the filling is gone. Heat about an inch of oil in a pan, and when shimmering, slowly drop in the first roll. Let fry for a few minutes, then flip, carefully. It will puff up all crazy but don’t worry. That’s why they’re ugly. Once you feel they’re fried enough, drain on a paper towel and repeat.

Serve immediately with a sweet chili sauce.

Because sometimes you just want it fried:
- Vietnamese Crispy Spring Rolls, from Sunday Nite Dinner
- Southwest Spring Rolls (omit the chicken for veggies), from My Kitchen Snippets
- Veggie Wontons, from Chef Michele's Adventures

Guten appetit!

Lemongrass Tofu

2009-03-20T05:47:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, I'm a creature of habit and ease. I like tofu plain, so it has to be a craving or compelling recipe to put effort into changing it. But every time I do, I remind myself to branch out more often. Tofu can taste so many different ways, and is so versatile in recipes. When I taste it with a new marinade or in a new recipe, I fall in love with it all over again.

This was the first recipe I used from the White on Rice Couple's food blog. Goodness me, it was good! No, not good. Great!

I used to expect to have a couple tofu slices left over for lunch the next day, but Tim and I consume the entire batch every time. This is a regular rotation recipe, and guess what... it's a super easy recipe. So my 'ease' of making tofu has not been disturbed.

For so little effort, you are rewarded BIG with this recipe. Enjoy!

Note: The White on Rice Couple recommends using this tofu in salads, sandwiches or fresh springrolls. Any of those would be delicious. We usually eat and savor ours plain, over rice. Scrumptious. I love that this recipe can be used in so many ways though, and am going to try it in a salad soon.

Lemongrass Tofu
adapted slightly from White on Rice Couple

1 package of firm tofu
1/2 cup peanut or vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic
5 table spoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1-2 stalks of fresh lemongrass. When chopped should be about 1/4 cup.

Drain Tofu and blot dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Slice into about 1/4 ” pieces.

Wash lemongrass and chop bulbs and remaining of stalk that is tender. Place chopped lemongrass in mortar & pestle and continue to crush pieces till they are small and pulverized. Add 2 cloves of garlic in mortar and crush garlic together with lemongrass.

In large plastic freezer bag, combine crushed lemongrass , garlic, vegetable oil, soy sauce, salt, pepper and sesame oil. Mix the marinade well, then add slices of tofu in bag. Lay tofu slices in gently on top of each other so that they don’t break. Make sure all marinate coats each slice of tofu.

Let marinade for at least 1 hour or until all tofu slices soak up the marinade.

Heat up frying pan. Do not add oil to the pan because the tofu is well oiled. Fry slices of tofu until both sides are golden brown with a nice firm crust. Remove from pan and blot excess oil on paper towel.

More marinated tofu to try:
- Mandarin Thai Tofu Satay, from Fun and Food Blog
- Sesame Crusted Baked Tofu, from Fuss Free Flavours
- Grilled Marinated Tofu Wraps, from Fun and Food Blog

Guten appetit!

Buttermilk Cranberry Scones, for St. Patrick's Day

2009-03-17T05:51:00.000-07:00

While visiting Ireland this past summer with my sister, I ate lots and lots and lots of scones. Scones and soup. Despite the fact that we visited in August, it rained and was chilly most days. No matter - more opportunities to duck into the nearest Irish pub for tea and scones. Yum.

Actually, as I think about it, I really like bread products in general - a good crusty olive loaf, banana bread, whole wheat english muffins, biscuits, bagels, and of course, scones! There must be something that causes me to crave carbs, not sure. I just love bread.

Well, what better to make for St. Patrick's Day, than scones?! (nevermind that it also feeds my carb cravings, I'm killing two birds with one stone here)

When searching for a great scone recipe, there were thousands. I liked this one, and this one looked interesting, or how about this? (sorry, you'll have to click on the link to see what I drooled over).

In the end, I settled on a basic Buttermilk Cranberry Scone, since in truth, I've never made scones before. Best to start off easy. This recipe also seemed to fit my mood at the time of baking.

If you're a bit weary of making scones, Pinch My Salt has a great 'how to make biscuits' tutorial that you can read through first. I also followed recommendations to read the complete scone recipe before starting, and to get all the ingredients prepared ahead of time. While Pinch My Salt touched on this too, another recipe explicitly stated: a hot oven is imperative for scones. So start pre-heating your oven asap.

You may be wondering by this point, how did they turn out? Oh, my, good, golly! Delicious. The perfect blend of cakey biscuit with a hint of sweet. And the cranberries, cut in small pieces, were little bursts of flavor. This is definitely a keeper recipe.

I also liked that the recipe is a manageable size. It makes 8 scones, although it would be easy enough to double for more. I didn't have a dough mixer, so I did everything by hand, and it worked great.

For any reason whatsoever, make these!

(I don't know if I should admit this, but after making this recipe the week before, I couldn't get enough and just made another batch. Loooove them)

Note: I made the lemon glaze and drizzled it on half the scones. I thought it made the scones too sweet and took away from their subtly sweet, cranberry flavor. But, that's just a personal preference.

Buttermilk Cranberry Scone
from Pinch My Salt

2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
1/2 cup buttermilk (I used the buttermilk substitute)
1 large egg
1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries, chopped fine
Finely grated zest from one small lemon- about 2 teaspoons (I did not do this, totally OK)
Heavy cream (optional, for brushing tops of scones)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a medium bowl, whisk or sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt. Add butter chunks and toss lightly with flour; place bowl in fridge.

In a small bowl, whisk together egg, buttermilk, and lemon zest; place bowl in fridge.

Get organized: measure out and chop the cranberries; set aside. Line a baking sheet with parchment; set aside. Lightly dust a counter top with flour. Pour a little bit of heavy cream in a bowl and have a pastry brush handy.

Remove bowls of flour and buttermilk from fridge. Cut butter into flour with a pastry blender or rub together with your fingertips until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add cranberries and stir to combine.

Add buttermilk mixture all at once to flour mixture and stir until the mixture clumps together. Dump mixture out onto floured counter top and, with floured hands, gather into a ball and knead once or twice to combine everything. Pat into a circle about 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 8 slices, like a pie, or cut with biscuit or cookie cutters into whatever shape you prefer. Put scones on lined baking sheet and brush lightly with heavy cream (optional).

Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 13-15 minutes until lightly browned. Remove to cooling rack.

Optional Lemon Glaze (see note above): Combine about 1/2 cup powdered sugar with a couple teaspoons of fresh lemon juice and whisk to combine. Adjust sugar/juice amounts to get the consistency you prefer. Drizzle glaze over cooled scones, and allow glaze to set.

More delicious, sweet scones:
- Irish Buttermilk Scones, from Albion Cooks
- Blueberry-Raspberry Honey-Butter Glazed Scones, from Baking and Books
- Strawberry Sunrise Scones, from Baking Bites
- Maple Oatmeal Scones, from Andrea's Recipes

Guten appetit!

New Food Blog

2009-03-16T10:17:00.000-07:00

My sister, Christine, has started her own food blog: Chop, Mince & Dice

Oh, how fast these young'ins grow up!

Actually, my sister is a great cook. Has been for a while. She eagerly cooks for friends, her boyfriend, herself and family. When I find a new recipe I like, I usually send it to her. Especially if the recipe has meat - I live through her carnivorous ways, ha, ha.

If you have a chance, check out her blog and say 'hi'. She's got a great first recipe posted: Dark Chocolate Crackle cookies. Chocolate AND freezer friendly. Score.

Her recipes will mostly be coming from her 'girls night' dinners, so fyi - if she happens to spill any of the gossip discussed at dinner, would make for another great reason to read the blog. Those girls are hilarious, and lead quite the interesting lives. (wink, wink)

xoxo

Patriot Soup

2009-03-13T05:39:00.000-07:00

Saint Patrick's Day is nearly upon us. I love the holiday itself, but it's extra special because it's also my brother's birthday (yay!).

To get in a fun, celebratory mood, lets have a bit of trivia...

1. According to legend, St. Patrick used WHAT to explain the holy trinity to pre-Christian Irish?
2. Where was St. Patrick born?
3. In what city and year did the first civic and public celebration of Saint Patrick's Day take place in the USA?
4. What gift do you get if you kiss the Blarney Stone?
5. What does the 4th leaf of a shamrock symbolize?
6. Leprechauns are said to perform which service for fairies?
(answers at the bottom of today's post)

As we all know, any good celebration needs good food and drink. You're in charge of your own drink, but I have a good recipe to share with you...

Patriot Soup. I found this soup in a soup book I bought in Ireland this past summer. Seemed appropriate for the holiday. It's green deliciousness. I added a can of chickpeas to give it some protein and make it our main dish, turned out great. Both Tim and I really liked it, and it's going in my soup rotation. If you're still battling a lingering cold winter this March, give this warm soup a try.

Patriot Soup
from Best of Irish Soups

Sorry for the delay, here is the recipe:

2 Tablespoons chopped parsley and chives
4-6 ounces chopped onions
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 leek (green part only), washed and sliced
8 ounces frozen peas
2-3 leaves of green cabbage, sliced thinly
5 cups vegetable stock
1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
8 ounces potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks
1/4 stick of butter
cream and/or finely shredded carrot - for garnish (optional)

Over medium heat, saute onion and leek in the butter for about 2 minutes. Add the stock and all the ingredients, excluding the peas and cabbage, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Then add the chopped cabbage and peas. Bring back to a boil. Cover and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

With a hand blender, process the soup to desired consistency.

Serve in white bowls (yes, it actually says that in the recipe!) and top with a swirl of thickened cream, sprinkled with shredded carrot. Accompany with home-made brown bread or scones, or potato bread.

As an extra tip, the book says: The white part of the leek is delicious sliced, lightly cooked in olive oil or butter, and added to mashed potatoes.

Answers to trivia questions:

1. The shamrock
2. Wales
3. Boston, 1737
4. The gift of eloquence
5. Luck (A 4-leaf clover occurs once for every 10,000 3-leaf clovers)
6. Make their shoes (Leprechauns are themselves male fairies)

Guten appetit!