Existential Bologna

South of the Border Quiche

2026-07-11T00:00:00Z

From Wake Up and Smell the Coffee, a collection of recipes from Pacific Northwest Bed and Breakfast Inns. A crustless quiche loaded with eggs, cheese, and green chilies.

Ingredients

8 eggs
¼ cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ pound Monterey Jack cheese, grated (2 cups)
½ cup cottage cheese
¼ cup butter or margarine, melted
1 (4 oz.) can green chili peppers, diced
Salsa
Sour cream

Instructions

Beat the eggs, then add flour and baking powder. Fold in cheeses and mix well. Stir in melted butter and chilis.
Pour mixture into a greased quiche pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes.
Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Sheet-Pan Sausage With Peppers and Tomatoes

2026-05-29T00:00:00Z

By Ali Slagle, NYT Cooking. Total time: 20 minutes. Yield: 4 servings.

Good, flexible and fast, this recipe is a surefire standby. All you have to do is toss together sausage, tomatoes, peppers, garlic, shallots and olive oil on a sheet pan, then slide the entire thing under the broiler. In just 15 minutes, you'll have nicely seared sausages, tomatoes and peppers, all of which have released juices that you should dunk bread into or spoon over pasta or rice.

Ingredients

1 pound fresh sausage, such as sweet or hot Italian sausage
1 pound sweet or mild peppers, such as mini sweet peppers, bell or Cubanelle, seeded and sliced into 2-inch strips if large
1 pound cherry or grape tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
2 shallots, peeled and cut into ½-inch wedges
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper

Instructions

Heat the broiler with a rack 6 inches from heat source. Score the sausages in a few places on both sides, making sure not to cut all the way through. In a shallow baking dish or baking sheet, toss the sausages with the peppers, tomatoes, garlic, shallots and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and spread in an even layer.
Broil until the sausage is cooked through and the peppers and tomatoes are nicely charred, 10 to 15 minutes. Rotate the pan and ingredients as needed so everything gets under the broiler. If everything is charring too quickly, cover the pan with foil. Serve immediately.

Notes

Experiment with adding cumin, paprika, oregano or red-pepper flakes in step 1.
Swap the garlic for scallions or red onion.
Scatter crumbled feta, lemon slices, olives, pickled hot peppers or string beans across the top in the last few minutes of broiling.
Serve with crusty bread, or spoon over pasta or rice.

Chopped Salad With Chickpeas, Feta and Avocado

2026-04-26T00:00:00Z

By Lidey Heuck, NYT Cooking. Total time: 30 minutes. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Ingredients

2 cups small (½-inch) diced stale bread, buns or pita (about 3 to 4 ounces)
6 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 romaine heart, quartered lengthwise and sliced crosswise into ½-inch pieces
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed
1 medium (or ½ large) English cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded and diced
½ cup pitted Castelvetrano or other green olives, roughly chopped (about 3 ounces)
⅓ cup thinly sliced scallions (about 2 scallions)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon drained capers, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon minced shallots
¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 firm-ripe avocado, halved, pitted and diced
¾ cup diced or crumbled feta cheese (about 4 ounces)
¼ cup chopped fresh herbs, such as dill, basil, mint or parsley, plus more for serving

Instructions

Toast the croutons: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the diced bread on a sheet pan, drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss, then bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until well toasted. Set aside to cool.
Combine the salad base: Meanwhile, place the romaine pieces in a large mixing bowl, along with the chickpeas, cucumber, olives and scallions.
Make the dressing and finish: In a small bowl, whisk together 6 tablespoons olive oil with the vinegar, capers, shallots, mustard, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and whisk well. Pour enough dressing over the salad to moisten; toss well. Add the avocado, feta and herbs and toss gently, adding more dressing to taste. Top with the croutons and a generous sprinkle of herbs and serve.

BBQ

2025-03-30T00:00:00Z

Smoked Salmon

Salmon filet (skin on)
Turn on smoker to 230
Cover salmon in salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, lemon
Let smoker heat up for 30 minutes
Cook for 2 hours

Smoked Chicken

Boneless chicken breasts
Set smoker to 230
Cover in paprika, salt, pepper, tajin, garlic, chili powder
Cook for 90 minutes

Beer can chicken

Whole chicken
Grill on high
Cover in paprika, salt, pepper, tajin, garlic, chili powder
15 minutes in, go to medium
30 minutes in, to go low
Cook for a total of 90 minutes

Baked Kale Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette & Griddled Goat Cheese

2025-02-03T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds butternut squash
1 large red onion (12 ounces / 340 grams)
2 pounds lacinato kale
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup black lentils
1/2 cup slivered almonds (2 ounces / 56 grams)
1 cup fresh sage leaves (1 ounce / 28 grams)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
4 ounces sliceable goat cheese (e.g., Humboldt Fog or similar)

Instructions

Equally stagger two racks in the oven and preheat to 425°F.
Peel and cube the butternut squash into 1-inch pieces. Thinly slice the red onion. Remove the ribs of the kale and thinly slice it as well.
Add the butternut squash and red onion to one baking sheet, and the kale to the other.
Drizzle each sheet pan with a tablespoon of olive oil and season each pan with 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg and freshly ground black pepper. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt per pan. Mix to coat evenly.
Bake the butternut squash on the bottom rack for 18-20 minutes, or until starting to brown. Mix the squash, then add the kale to the top rack and roast for an additional 8-10 minutes until lightly charred on the edges.
While the vegetables are roasting, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Season with 1 teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt and add the black lentils. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the lentils are tender but slightly al dente, about 20-25 minutes.
While the lentils are cooking, heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add two tablespoons of olive oil and the almonds. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the almonds begin to brown. Add the sage leaves and let them sizzle in the oil. Cook another 1-2 minutes until the sage darkens slightly but does not brown. Transfer the sage and almonds to a paper towel to drain. Wipe excess oil from the pan.
Whisk together the apple cider vinegar, honey, and mustard. Taste and season with salt as needed.
When the vegetables are done roasting, combine them on one sheet pan. Drain the lentils and add them as well. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the mixture and toss. Add the crispy sage and almonds.
If desired, heat the sauté pan over medium heat. Slice the goat cheese into four pieces. Add them one at a time to the pan and let them griddle, untouched, until melted and golden brown on the bottom. Use a spatula to transfer the griddled cheese directly onto the salad.
Serve immediately.

Orange Cardamom Olive Oil Cake Recipe

2025-02-03T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, fruity, more neutral-tasting, plus extra for the pan
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ to 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 ½ cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 large eggs
Grated zest of 2 oranges, plus 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 ¼ cups whole milk or plant-based alternative
2 tablespoons sifted confectioners’ sugar, for garnish

Instructions

Prepare the oven:
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
Prepare the baking pan:
- Brush the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan with a little olive oil.
- Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper and dust with a bit of the flour, shaking out the excess.
Mix together dry ingredients:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
Beat the wet ingredients with sugar:
- In a large bowl, combine 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, cardamom, and eggs.
- Using an electric hand mixer set on high, beat the mixture until thick and fluffy, about 5 minutes (or use a stand mixer on high speed).
- While the mixer is running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and beat until incorporated.
- Reduce the speed to low and add half the orange zest, the orange juice, and milk. Beat until smooth.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients:
- Add the flour mixture to wet ingredients and mix on low just until you have a uniform batter.
Bake the cake:
- Pour the cake batter into the pan and sprinkle the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar.
- Bake the cake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the center is set and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean (ovens do vary, so check your cake at 30 minutes and go from there).
Cool the cake:
- Allow the cake to cool for 30 minutes in the pan, then run a small knife around the edge.
- Invert the cake onto a large plate, then invert again onto a rack to cool completely.
Serve:
- Before serving, dust the cake with powdered sugar and sprinkle with orange zest.

Asian Ginger Roasted Chicken with Vegetables

2025-01-26T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

For the Chicken and Vegetables

1 whole chicken (3-4 lbs), patted dry
1.5 lbs yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1.5-inch chunks
3-4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1.5-inch chunks
1 large yellow onion, cut into 8 wedges

Sauce

3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
Salt and pepper
Pan juices from roasting
2 cups chicken stock or water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish

Directions

Prepare the chicken: Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels. Season the cavity and outside with salt and pepper. Shove ginger and garlic slices inside
Make the sauce: In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice wine, ginger, garlic, five-spice powder, chicken broth, and sesame oil.
Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 400F.
Brown the chicken: Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Cook on stove for 5 minutes per side
Pour in sauce: Cook for a few minutes to get chicken stuff off the sides of the pan
Add root vegetables: Add the potatoes, carrots, and onion wedges to the pot. Toss them in the remaining marinade and any oil in the pot. Season with a pinch of salt.
Roast the chicken and vegetables: Place the chicken on top of the vegetables, breast-side up. Cook covered for 60 minutes then 30 with lid off.

Tuscan Farro Soup

2025-01-13T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
2 celery stalks, trimmed and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup farro, spelt, or barley
1 cup dried white beans, soaked for several hours or overnight
2 cups chopped tomatoes (canned are fine; do not drain)
6 cups stock or water, more as necessary
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh basil (optional)
Freshly grated Parmesan

Preparation

Put oil in a large, deep saucepan over medium heat; a minute later add onion, celery, carrots, a large pinch of salt, and some pepper. Cook until vegetables are glossy and onion is softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, and stir; add farro, beans, tomatoes, and stock, and stir.
Bring to a boil, then adjust heat so mixture simmers steadily. Cook until farro and beans are tender, at least an hour, adding stock or water as necessary if mixture becomes too thick. Stir in parsley and basil (if using), then cook another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, then serve with lots of Parmesan.

Green Chicken Chili

2024-12-12T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 poblano peppers, stemmed, seeded, and diced
1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
4 ounces diced green chiles
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups cooked shredded chicken
2 cups salsa verde
2 (15.5-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
½ cup chopped cilantro
4 tablespoons lime juice (about 2 limes)
Toppings: sour cream, diced avocados, sliced green onions, tortilla chips

Instructions

Cook the Vegetables:
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, poblanos, jalapeño, and diced green chiles. Cook for 10 minutes until the peppers are softened and the onions are translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add Remaining Ingredients:
Add the chicken broth, shredded chicken, salsa verde, beans, corn, salt, cumin, oregano, and bay leaf. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
Simmer:
Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Uncover and cook for an additional 10 minutes to reduce the broth.
Garnish and Serve:
Discard the bay leaf and stir in the chopped cilantro and lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve in bowls topped with sour cream, cilantro, green onions, and avocados.

Ginger-Scallion Tofu and Greens

2024-10-02T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

Salt
4 baby bok choy (about 12 ounces), each trimmed and quartered lengthwise
4 scallions, trimmed, white and green parts thinly sliced and separated
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 (2-inch piece) fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped (about ¼ cup)
¼ cup neutral oil
2 (14- to 16-ounce) blocks of tofu
Toasted white or black sesame seeds, for serving
White rice (optional), to serve

Instructions

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the baby bok choy and cook until the stems are just tender and the leaves are bright green, 1½ to 2 minutes. Rinse under cold water until thoroughly cooled, then drain well.
Place the green parts of the scallions into a heatproof bowl and add the soy sauce, sesame oil and rice vinegar.
Place the ginger, white parts of the scallions and the neutral oil into a small pot and place on medium-high heat. Stir until the ginger and scallions start to sizzle and become aromatic (watch closely so that they don’t burn), 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and immediately — and carefully — pour this over the green scallion mixture. Stir to combine. Taste and season with salt; it should be quite salty to balance the neutral flavor of the tofu.
Carefully drain the liquid from each package of tofu, and gently tip the blocks onto a clean kitchen towel. (Try to keep each block in one piece, but don’t worry if it falls apart.) Pat with another clean kitchen towel, removing as much liquid as possible. Transfer the blocks to one large plate or two smaller plates and cut into 1-inch blocks. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the bok choy on top and around the tofu and spoon over the ginger-scallion oil. To serve, top with sesame seeds and eat as is or serve with rice.

Puttanesca

2024-09-30T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

Salt to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 or more cloves garlic, lightly smashed and peeled
3 or more anchovy fillets
128-ounce can whole plum tomatoes
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ cup pitted black olives, preferably oil-cured
2 tablespoons capers
Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
1 pound linguine or other long pasta
Chopped fresh parsley, oregano, marjoram or basil leaves for garnish, optional

Instructions

Bring pot of water to boil and salt it. Warm 2 tablespoons oil with garlic and anchovies in skillet over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is lightly golden.
Drain tomatoes and crush with fork or hands. Add to skillet, with some salt and pepper. Raise heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes break down and mixture becomes saucy, about 10 minutes. Stir in olives, capers and red pepper flakes, and continue to simmer.
Cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until it is tender but not mushy. Drain quickly and toss with sauce and remaining tablespoon of oil. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary, garnish with herbs if you like, and serve.

Spiced chickpeas & fresh vegetable salad

2024-09-22T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

½ cup / 100 g dried chickpeas
1 tsp baking soda
2 small cucumbers (10 oz / 280 g in total)
2 large tomatoes (10½ oz / 300 g in total)
8½ oz / 240 g radishes
1 red pepper, seeded and ribs removed
1 small red onion, peeled
¾ oz / 20 g cilantro leaves and stems, coarsely chopped
½ oz / 15 g flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
6 tbsp / 90 ml olive oil
Grated zest of 1 lemon, plus 2 tbsp juice
1¾ tbsp sherry vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp superfine sugar
1 tsp ground cardamom
1½ tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cumin
Greek yogurt (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Soak the dried chickpeas overnight in a large bowl with plenty of cold water and the baking soda. The next day, drain, place in a large saucepan, and cover with water twice the volume of the chickpeas. Bring to a boil and simmer, skimming off any foam, for about an hour, until tender, then drain.
Cut the cucumber, tomato, radish, and pepper into ⅝-inch / 1.5 cm dice; cut the onion into ¼-inch / 0.5 cm dice. Mix everything together in a bowl with the cilantro and parsley.
In a jar or sealable container, mix 5 tbsp / 75 ml of the olive oil, the lemon juice and zest, vinegar, garlic, and sugar and mix well to form a dressing, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss lightly.
Mix together the cardamom, allspice, cumin, and ¼ teaspoon salt and spread on a plate. Toss the cooked chickpeas in the spice mixture in a few batches to coat well. Heat the remaining olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and lightly fry the chickpeas for 2 to 3 minutes, gently shaking the pan so they cook evenly and don't stick. Keep warm.
Divide the salad among four plates, arranging it in a large circle, and spoon the warm spiced chickpeas on top, keeping the edge of the salad clear. You can drizzle some Greek yogurt on top to make the salad creamy.

Shakshuka

2024-09-22T00:00:00Z

Shakshuka is Tunisian in origin but has become hugely popular in Jerusalem and all over Israel as substantial breakfast or lunch fare. Tunisian cuisine has a passionate love affair with eggs and this particular version of shakshuka is the seasonal variant for the summer and early autumn. Potatoes are used during the winter and eggplants in spring.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp Pilpelchuma (page 302) or harissa (store-bought or see recipe, page 301)
2 tsp tomato paste
2 large red peppers, cut into ½-inch / 0.5 cm dice (2 cups / 300 g in total)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1½ tsp ground cumin
5 cups / 800 g ripe tomatoes, chopped; canned are also fine
4 large free-range eggs, plus 4 egg yolks
½ cup / 120 g labneh (store-bought or see recipe, page 302) or thick yogurt
Salt

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and add the pilpelchuma or harissa, tomato paste, peppers, garlic, cumin, and ¾ teaspoon salt. Stir and cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes to allow the peppers to soften.
Add the tomatoes, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook for a further 10 minutes until you have quite a thick sauce. Taste for seasoning.
Make 8 little dips in the sauce. Gently break the eggs and carefully pour each into its own dip. Do the same with the yolks. Use a fork to swirl the egg whites a little bit with the sauce, taking care not to break the yolks. Simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny (you can cover the pan with a lid if you wish to hasten the process).
Remove from the heat, leave for a couple of minutes to settle; then spoon into individual plates and serve with the labneh or yogurt.

Strawberry Spoon Cake

2024-09-09T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted, plus more for greasing
5 ounces frozen and thawed or fresh, hulled strawberries (about 1 cup)
⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup whole milk, at room temperature
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8-inch (square or round) baking dish with butter. Set aside.
Using your hands or the back of a fork, mash the berries to release all their juices, and stir in ⅓ cup of the brown sugar. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, remaining ⅓ cup brown sugar, milk, and salt, then add the flour and baking powder and continue whisking just until the batter is smooth. Transfer the batter (it's not much) to the greased baking dish, and spread evenly into corners.
Spoon the strawberries and all their juices over the top of the cake batter. Place in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or just when a toothpick comes out clean in the center. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 3 to 5 minutes before spooning into bowls. Serve warm with ice cream.

Spaghetti Puttanesca

2024-08-15T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
1 can chopped tomatoes
maybe also a few real tomatoes
nice olives
2 tbsp capers, drained
1 package of spaghetti
½ small bunch of parsley, finely chopped

Instructions

Heat the oil in a non-stick pan over a medium-low heat. Add the onion along with a generous pinch of salt and fry for 10 mins, or until soft. Add the garlic and chili flakes, if using, and cook for a further minute.
Stir the tomatoes, olives and capers into the onion, bring to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for 15 mins. Season to taste.
Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Cook the spaghetti following pack instructions, then drain and toss with the sauce and parsley.

Chicken Kabobs

2024-07-16T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons paprika - 1 tsp reg., 1 tsp smoked
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (reduce to ½ teaspoon for less heat)
Zest from one lemon
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from one lemon
1½ teaspoons salt
5 garlic cloves, minced
2½ to 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1½-inch pieces (see note)
1 large red onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
Vegetable oil, for greasing the grill

Instructions

In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, olive oil, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up. Thread the chicken onto metal skewers, folding if the pieces are long and thin, alternating with the red onions. Be sure not to cram the skewers. (Note: You’ll need between 6-8 skewers.) Place the kabobs on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the marinade all over the meat, coating well. Cover and refrigerate at least eight hours or overnight.
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. To grease the grill, lightly dip a wad of paper towels in vegetable oil and, using tongs, carefully rub over the grates several times until glossy and coated. Grill the chicken kabobs until golden brown and cooked through, turning the skewers occasionally, 13 to 15 minutes. (The yogurt marinade makes these kabobs prone to sticking to the grill grates; if necessary, use a metal BBQ spatula to scrape underneath the kabobs and release them.) Transfer the kabobs to a platter and serve.

Note: I’ve specified boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe; they’re juicier and more flavorful than chicken breasts, and they work better in this type of yogurt and lemon-based marinade. They’re also much easier to cook without drying out.

Tomato Galette

2024-07-16T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

Warning this recipe is super salty (maybe don't let the tomatoes brine for so long)

For the pie dough

2 cups AP flour plus more for dusting
1.5 sticks cold butter unsalted, cut into large cubes
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
⅓ cup ice water plus more as needed
2 tsp salt

For the galette

4-6 large heirloom tomatoes preferably varying sizes and colors
¼ cup basil pesto
2 cups fresh grated parmesan or pecorino
¼ cup fresh basil leaves for garnish
1 egg beaten, for egg wash
1 cup stracciatella or burrata
1 lemon zested
flaky salt and black pepper for serving

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400.
Slice your tomatoes to about ¼ of an inch thick. Salt both sides, and transfer to a paper towel lined sheet tray. Allow the tomatoes to release their excess moisture for at least 10 minutes.
make the pie dough
Combine 2 cups flour, cubed cold butter, and salt to a food processor. Pulse until the butter is about the size of peas. Transfer to a large bowl, and add apple cider vinegar and ⅓ cup ice water. Stir with a fork. Add an additional splash of water until the dough starts to come together.
Dust a clean work surface with flour. Transfer the dough to surface and knead until no dry spots remain. Avoid overworking. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
Once chilled, transfer the dough to a clean work surface dusted with flour. Roll out into a large circle until the dough is about 1/8 of an inch thick. Carefully transfer to a sheet tray lined with parchment.
Build your galette immediately or transfer the dough back to the fridge until you're ready to go.
build your galette
Spread about ¼ cup of basil pesto in the center of the dough, leaving about 1-2 inches of dough for the crust. Sprinkle 1½ cups of grated parmesan on top of the pesto. Layer the tomatoes on top of the cheese.
Fold the crust over the edges of the tomatoes. Brush the exposed crust with egg wash and sprinkle with remaining parmesan. Top everything with flaky salt.
Transfer to preheated oven for 45-55 minutes.
Allow the galette to cool on the hot sheet tray for about 15 minutes before garnishing and slicing.
garnish and serve
Once the galette has cooled, top with stracciatella, extra pesto, fresh basil, grated lemon zest, flaky salt, and black pepper. Slice and serve.

Vegetarian Tamale Guts

2024-03-08T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

4 or 5 poblano peppers
package of mushrooms
2 sweet potatoes
can of diced tomatoes
cheese
green onion
cilantro
lime
salt
olive oil
cumin
chili powder
garlic

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 400
Skin and dice the sweet potato
Cut up mushrooms
Open up and flatten out the poblanos (throw away the core)
Put the vegetables on a pan, put on olive oil, bake for 30 minutes or so
When the vegetables come out, remove the skin from the poblano if you can
Put everything in a pan a on the stove with the tomatoes, green onion, cilantro for a couple of minutes
Add the tomatoes and let them cook off for a few minutes
Add the cheese and lime and any more spices you like
Serve with rice and beans

White Cheddar Broccoli Chicken and Rice

2024-02-09T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

Might wanna double all the spices

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
3 garlic cloves chopped fine
2 large chicken breasts chopped
1 small yellow onion chopped
4 cups broccoli roughly chopped
1.5 cups jasmine rice
2.5 cups white cheddar shredded
4 cups chicken stock
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp ground mustard
1/4 tsp smoked paprika

Directions

Begin by chopping your chicken breasts into bite sized pieces. Set aside.
Chop your onion, garlic and broccoli. Set aside.
In a small bowl, add your spices and mix together. Set aside.
To a large pan set to medium heat, add your butter and olive oil. Once heated, add your chicken breasts and spices and sauté for 3-5 minutes, just until the chicken begins to brown.
Add your onion and garlic and sauté for another 2-3 minutes, just until the onions are softened.
Reduce heat to low and add your rice and chicken stock. Cover with a lid and simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until the stock is almost absorbed. (you can add your broccoli in the same time as your rice and stock if you want it really soft).
When the rice has another 3 minutes or so to cook add your broccoli, shredded cheese, and heavy cream. Simmer for the last 3 minutes or until the stock is absorbed, the broccoli has softened and the cheese has been melted.
Dish up right away and be sure to sprinkle on lots of fresh cracked pepper.

Green Pancakes with Lime Butter

2023-10-18T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

Lime butter

8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
Grated zest of 1 lime
1 1/2 tbsp lime juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1/2 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/4 tsp chile flakes

Pancakes

1/2 lb (about 8 cups) spinach, washed
3/4 cup self-rising flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 egg
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
2/3 cup milk
6 medium green onions, finely sliced
2 fresh green chiles, thinly sliced
1 egg white
Olive oil for frying

Directions

To make the lime butter. Put the butter in a medium bowl and beat it with a wooden spoon until it turns soft and creamy. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Tip onto a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a sausage shape. Twist the ends of the wrap to seal the flavored butter. Chill until firm.

Wilt the spinach in a pan with a splash of water. Drain in a sieve and, when cool, squeeze hard with your hands to remove as much moisture as possible. Roughly chop and put aside.

Put the flour, baking powder, whole egg, melted butter, salt, cumin and milk in a large mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the green onions, chiles and spinach and mix with a fork. Whisk the egg white to soft peaks and gently fold it into the batter.

Pour a small amount of olive oil into a heavy frying pan and place on medium-high heat. For each pancake, ladle 2 tablespoons of batter into the pan and press down gently. You should get smallish pancakes, about 3 inches in diameter and 3/8 inch thick. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side, or until you get a good golden-green color. Transfer to paper towels and keep warm. Continue making pancakes, adding oil to the pan as needed, until the batter is used up.

To serve, pile up three warm pancakes per person and place a slice of flavored butter on top to melt.

Chicken Tikka Masala

2023-10-18T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

6 garlic cloves, finely grated
4 tsp. finely grated peeled ginger
4 tsp. ground turmeric
2 tsp. garam masala
2 tsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. ground cumin
3/2 cups whole-milk yogurt (not Greek)
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
2 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise
3 Tbsp. ghee (clarified butter) or vegetable oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup tomato paste
6 cardamom pods, crushed
2 dried chiles de árbol or ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, like San Marzano
2 cups heavy cream
¾ cup chopped cilantro, plus sprigs for garnish
Steamed basmati rice (for serving)

Directions

Combine garlic, ginger, turmeric, garam masala, coriander, and cumin in a small bowl. Whisk yogurt, salt, and half of spice mixture in a medium bowl; add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and chill 4-6 hours. Cover and chill remaining spice mixture.
Heat ghee in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion, tomato paste, cardamom, and chiles and cook, stirring often, until tomato paste has darkened and onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add remaining half of spice mixture and cook, stirring often, until bottom of pot begins to brown, about 4 minutes.
Add tomatoes with juices, crushing them with your hands as you add them. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring often and scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot, until sauce thickens, 8-10 minutes.
Add cream and chopped cilantro. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, 30-40 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack inside sheet. Arrange chicken on rack in a single layer. Broil until chicken starts to blacken in spots (it will not be cooked through), about 10 minutes.
Cut chicken into bite-size pieces, add to sauce, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, 8-10 minutes. Serve with rice and cilantro sprigs.

Farro Orzo Salad

2023-06-18T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

Kosher salt
1 cup farro
2 bay leaves
1 pound orzo
3/4 cup diced dried apricots
3/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
3/4 cup thinly sliced celery
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup sliced almonds
2 cups baby spinach leaves (2 ounces)
1 cup crumbled fresh goat cheese (4 ounces)
1/2 cup torn mint leaves
1/2 cup coarsely chopped parsley leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
2 large lemons
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes plus more to taste
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling

Directions

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add farro and bay leaves and let simmer for 15 minutes. Add orzo to the pot and continue to simmer until farro and pasta are cooked through but still al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes longer.
While farro is cooking, prepare the dressing: Finely grate zest from the lemons, and place zest in a large bowl. Squeeze juice from 1½ lemons and add to zest along with salt, pepper and red-pepper flakes, whisking to combine. Gradually whisk in oil. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice from the other lemon half, or both, if needed.
Drain farro-pasta mixture, discarding bay leaves. Add to bowl with dressing and toss well. Stir in apricots. Let farro and pasta cool, soaking up the dressing. This can be done up to 1 day in advance. Store in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before proceeding.
In a small bowl, combine onions, celery, 3 tablespoons lemon juice and a large pinch of salt. Let sit while the pasta cools, at least 20 minutes.
Just before serving, add onion mixture and almonds to the bowl with the farro and pasta and toss well. Gently fold in spinach, goat cheese, mint and parsley. Taste and add more lemon, red-pepper flakes or salt if needed.
Drizzle with olive oil and freshly ground black pepper before serving.

Myra's Favorite Taco Salad

2023-05-08T00:00:00Z

Salad / Toppings

Lettuce / Spinach
Cucumbers
Tomato
Black Olives
Green / Red Onion
Lime Tostitos Chips
Grated Cheddar Cheese
Citrus (Lemon and/or Lime) marinated grilled chicken

Dressing

2-3 Avocados
1/2 - 1 cup sour cream
Juice of 1 lemon
1 fresh garlic clove
cumin (start with 1/2 teaspoon and then taste if it needs more)
salt
pepper
a bit of your fav hot sauce

Blend in food processor until smooth

Farro With Blistered Tomatoes, Pesto and Spinach

2023-04-19T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

Kosher salt and black pepper
1 cup farro, rinsed
2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
1 small red onion, peeled, quartered and cut into 1-inch wedges
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the farro
½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
¼ cup store-bought or homemade pesto, plus more to taste
1 lemon, zested (about 1 tablespoon) and juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
2 packed cups baby spinach
1 (4-ounce) ball fresh mozzarella, torn into chunks, or 1/2 cup ricotta salata, crumbled (optional) ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley or basil leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped

Directions

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large covered pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the farro and adjust the heat to maintain a medium boil. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom, until tender and not too chewy, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, on a sheet pan, combine the tomatoes and onion wedges with the oil, making sure everything is well coated and glistening, then season with salt, pepper and the red-pepper flakes. Roast until the tomatoes blister and slightly deflate, 25 to 30 minutes.

When the farro is done, drain, then pour into a serving bowl or back into the pot. Toss with some olive oil, then mix in the pesto. Add the lemon zest and juice, then stir in the spinach. Set aside to cool slightly.

Scrape the onions, tomatoes and their juices into the farro; season with salt and pepper as needed. Add the cheese, if using, then garnish with herbs and serve.

Kale Radicchio Salad with Farro

2023-01-24T00:00:00Z

Salad

Ingredients

1 cup farro, rinsed and drained
1 recipe lemon miso dressing (below)
1 large bunch kale, finely chopped, stems removed
1 small head radicchio, quartered, cored, and cut crosswise into thin strips
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Directions

In a large pot, place the farro with enough water to cover by a couple of inches and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the farro is tender but still chewy, about 30 minutes. Drain the farro and set aside to cool.

To assemble the salad, toss the kale with three-quarters of the dressing in a large salad bowl. With clean hands, gently mas- sage the kale with the dressing to soften the leaves. Add the radicchio, Parmesan, walnuts, and farro to the kale and toss again. Taste and add the remaining dressing, if needed.

This salad can be made in advance. It tastes even better the second day. Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days.

Lemon Miso Dressing

Ingredients

1 ⁄ 2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 ⁄ 3 cup lemon juice
2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons miso paste (preferably mellow white)
1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 ⁄ 4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Combine the oil, lemon juice, garlic, miso, salt, and pepper in a glass jar with a lid. Use a fork to stir in the miso, then shake vig- orously to emulsify.

Pour generously over your favorite grain salad.

This dressing will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week. If the oil solidifies, briefly microwave on low until melted.

Spicy Chicken and Tortilla Soup

2022-12-18T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1/8 cup canola oil
1 medium red pepper, seeded and chopped
1 medium green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp chili powder
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 cup diced canned tomatoes
4 cups cold water or chicken stock
2/3 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
1 can cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
salt to taste
8 ounces blue corn tortilla chips

Instructions

heat the canola oil in a sauce pot over medium heat.
saute the red and green peppers, onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, and chili powder until the onion is translucent (about 3 minutes)
add the jalapeno and tomatoes; continue stirring for 1 minute
add cold water and the whole chicken breasts
bring soup to boil, reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 20 minutes
remove chicken to cool, cut into bite size pieces (or shred), return back to pot
add black beans and corn
turn off heat
stir in cilantro and season with salt
serve with crunched up chips at the bottom of the bowl
garnish with avocado, lime, and cheese

Mac and Cheese

2022-12-13T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

Noodles:

8 oz elbow macaroni uncooked

Cheese Sauce:

2 TBS butter
2 TBS all-purpose flour
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp garlic powder (optional but recommended)
1 cup whole milk
¼ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

Cook elbow macaroni according to package instructions. Be sure to add ¼ tsp salt to the water used to boil the noodles. Drain, and set aside.
Mix flour, sea salt, and garlic powder together in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
Add flour mixture and whisk to combine.
Cook for 1 minute until mixture is slightly brown.
Add 1 cup milk and whisk until the mixture is smooth.
Add sour cream (or Greek yogurt) and whisk until smooth.
Cook on medium-high heat until the mixture is thickened (about 3-5 minutes). Do not let it boil.
Once mixture is thick (sticks to the back of the spatula), reduce heat to low and add cheese. Whisk until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth. Taste and add more salt/seasoning if desired.
Add cooked pasta to the pot of cheese sauce and stir until the sauce is evenly distributed.
Let the mac and cheese cool for 3-5 minutes or until the cheese sauce has thickened a little bit and sticks to the noodles. Serve warm!

Potato Leek Soup

2022-11-13T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

3 large leeks
2 tbsp butter
2 cups water
2 cups chicken broth
2 lbs potatoes (peeled, diced)
dash marjoram
1/4 cup parsley
2 tsp fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
tobasco or other red chili sauce
salt and pepper

Instructions

Cook leeks in in butter with salt and pepper in medium sauce pan. Cover, cook on low heat for 10 minutes. Do not brown
Add water, broth, potatoes. Bring to low simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
Scoop out half into a blender, puree, then return to pan
Add marjoram, parsley, and thyme
Add salt, pepper, and tobasco to taste

Kale, Quinoa, and Avocado Salad with Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette

2022-05-30T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

Salad

2/3 cup quinoa
1 1/3 cups water
1 bunch kale, torn into bite-sized pieces
1/2 avocado - peeled, pitted, and diced
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 tablespoons chopped red onion (don't overdo these!)
1 tablespoon crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice (basically 1 lemon squeezed)
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Bring the quinoa and 1 1/3 cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender, and the water has been absorbed, about 13 to 17 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Place kale in a steamer basket over 1 inch of boiling water in a saucepan. Cover saucepan with a lid and steam kale until hot, about 45 seconds; transfer to a large plate. Top kale with quinoa, avocado, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, pine nuts, and feta cheese.
Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, sea salt, and black pepper together in a bowl until the oil emulsifies into the dressing; pour over the salad.

Notes

For protein we usually throw in some smoked salmon, sauteed chicken brat slices, bacon or whatever is handy. Typically we use way more feta than called for, an entire red pepper, and half a cucumber. Usually we will 1.5x the dressing ingredients Great warm or cold!

Strawberries and Cream Biscuits

2022-05-01T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon (15 grams) aluminum-free baking powder
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
6 tablespoons (85 grams) cold, unsalted butter
1 cup (about 130 grams) chopped very ripe strawberries (I quarter small or medium ones and further chop larger ones)
1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In the bottom of a large, wide-ish bowl, whisk flours, baking powder, sugar and salt together. Add butter, either by cutting it in with two knives or a pastry blender (alternatively, you can freeze the butter and grate it in on the large holes of a box grater; a tip I learned from you guys) cut it into the flour mixture with a pastry blender, breaking it up until the mixture resembles a crumbly meal with tiny pea-sized bits of butter about. Gently stir in the strawberries, so that they are coated in dry ingredient, then stir in heavy cream. (I like to use a rubber spatula to gently lift and turn the ingredients over each other.) When you’ve mixed it in as best as you can with the spatula, go ahead and knead it once or twice in the bowl, to create one mass. Do not worry about getting the dough evenly mixed. It’s far more important that the dough is not overworked.

Generously flour your counter. With as few movements as possible, transfer your dough to the counter, generously flour the top of it and with your hands or a rolling pin, gently roll or press the dough out to a 3/4-inch thickness. Cut into 2 1/2-inch circles with a floured biscuit cutter or top edge of a drinking glass, pressing straight down and not twisting (this makes for nice layered edges) as you cut. Carefully transfer scones to prepared baking sheet, leaving a couple inches between each.

You can re-roll the scraps of dough, but don’t freak out over how wet the dough becomes as the strawberries have had more time to release their juice. They’ll still bake up wonderfully.

Bake the scones for 12 to 15 minutes, until bronzed at the edges and the strawberry juices are trickling out of the biscuits in places. Cool in pan for a minute, then transfer to a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Baked Tofu With Peanut Sauce and Coconut-Lime Rice

2022-02-14T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil, plus more for brushing the pan and drizzling
⅔ cup lime juice (from about 5 limes), and zest of 1 lime
Kosher salt
8 baby bell peppers or 1 medium bell pepper (any color will do), stemmed and thinly sliced lengthwise
Black pepper
1 cup long-grain rice like jasmine or basmati
½ cup full-fat coconut milk
1 cup smooth, natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon red miso
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional)
2 teaspoons chopped habanero pepper, stem and seeds removed, or 1 tablespoon sambal
2 tablespoons buckwheat honey or molasses
2 (14-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, drained and sliced crosswise, 1/4-inch thick
3 cups peppery greens, like arugula, mizuna or baby mustard greens
2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

Directions

Heat the oven to 450 degrees and lightly brush a large rimmed sheet pan with oil.
In a small bowl, stir 4 tablespoons lime juice with 1/2 teaspoon salt until salt dissolves. Add the sliced peppers, a few cracks of black pepper and set aside.
In a small pot, combine the rice with 1 cup water and the coconut milk. Season with salt and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over medium-low until the rice is just tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, until ready to serve.
In a medium bowl, whisk 4 tablespoons lime juice with the peanut butter, miso, ginger, fish sauce (if using), habanero, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon honey and 3/4 cup water. Stir until smooth and season to taste with salt.
Arrange the tofu pieces in a single layer on the oiled baking sheet and season with salt. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the peanut sauce over each, covering the top and allowing the sauce to run down and coat the sides. Drizzle the tops with some oil, and roast until glaze is set, deep brown and caramelized along the edges, 18 to 20 minutes. Add the remaining lime juice and 1 tablespoon honey to the leftover peanut sauce in the bowl to make the dressing; set aside.
Divide the greens among bowls. Add the lime zest and half the sliced scallions to the rice, then fluff with a fork. Top the greens with the rice, then the tofu. Spoon the peanut dressing over everything, and garnish with the drained pickled peppers and remaining sliced scallions.

Salted Tahini Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2022-02-14T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup real maple syrup
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 cup dark chocolate chunks, and/or chocolate chips sea salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, beat together the oats, almond flour, baking soda, salt, coconut oil, tahini, maple syrup, egg, and vanilla. Fold in the chocolate chips/chunks.
Scoop the dough out into rounded tablespoon size balls - the dough will be a little wet. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake 10-12 minutes, until browning on the edges, but not fully set in the center. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with flaky salt. Eat warm (highly recommend) or let cool and store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Crispy Rice and Egg Bowl with Ginger-Scallion Vinaigrette

2022-01-24T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups minced scallions, both green and white parts (from a 4-ounce bundle)
2 tablespoons minced or finely grated fresh ginger
Neutral oil (such as grapeseed, safflower, or sunflower)
1/4 cup sherry or rice wine vinegar
Fine sea salt
About 1 heaped cup julienned or coarsely grated carrots (from about 8 ounces fresh)
8 ounces small (Persian-style, about 2) cucumbers, thinly sliced
3 cups cooked, cooled rice (my favorite here is short-grain brown or white)
4 eggs
Soy sauce or tamari (to serve)
Toasted sesame oil (to serve)
Sriracha, gochujang or another hot sauce of your choice (to serve)

Instructions

I make this with cucumbers and carrots because it’s what I have around most often, but I think this could be good with many other vegetables, even leftovers, so go ahead, clean out your fridge before it gets terrible. If you have extra time, I like to toss the carrots with 2 tablespoons each rice vinegar and water, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt to coat the strands. They begin to marinate/gently pickle while you do everything else. But the dressing is sufficient to flavor them if you’re in more of a rush. While this is best with leftover rice, cold from the fridge, I made some fresh and cooled it to almost room temperature and it was, in fact, almost perfect (and it crisps faster). I really like the starchiness of short-grain white and brown rice here; I did not test this with long-grain rice but have crisped longer-grain rice in other recipes with success. This recipe presumes 3/4 cup cooked rice per person; adjust it to your preferred serving size, if this is not it.

This recipe has many things in common with dolsot bibimbap, which is served in a sizzling stone bowl that crisps the rice, and is often with a raw egg (which cooks in the hot rice) or meat, and fresh and pickled vegetables — although this is in no way intended as what would be a very lazy imitation. But if you love the flavors of bimbimbap, you will definitely like what’s happening in this fridge-scavenged hybrid recipe.

Crisp your egg

If there isn’t enough oil left in the pan (you want a thin layer), add another splash and heat this on high heat. Add eggs one at a time and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook until brown, lacy, and crisp underneath, and the whites are opaque, bubbly and dramatic and the edges are brown. You can spoon some oil from the pan over the egg whites to help them cook faster. Place one egg on each bowl of rice.

Assemble bowls

Arrange some cucumbers and carrots to each bowl. Spoon 2 tablespoons vinaigrette onto each bowls. Drizzle each egg with a half-teaspoon of tamari and toasted sesame oil, letting it roll onto the other ingredients, plus hot sauce to taste. Eat immediately. Repeat frequently.

Do ahead

The dressing will keep for 5 to 6 days in the fridge; the chopped vegetables will keep for 3 to 4.

Salad Nicoise

2022-01-24T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1 pound red-skinned potatoes, sliced 1/3 inch thick
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons dry white wine
10 ounces haricots verts or thin green beans, trimmed
4 large eggs
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
Freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 cherry tomatoes or small cocktail tomatoes, halved or quartered
1 head Boston lettuce, leaves separated
6 radishes, trimmed and quartered
2 5 1/2-ounce cans Italian or Spanish tuna packed in olive oil, drained

Instructions

Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan; cover with cold water and season with salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until fork-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to a medium bowl; drizzle with the wine and let cool. Reserve the saucepan.

Meanwhile, bring a separate saucepan of salted water to a boil. Fill a bowl with salted ice water. Add the haricots verts to the boiling water; cook until crisp-tender and bright green, 2 to 4 minutes. Drain and immediately plunge into the ice water to cool; drain and pat dry.

Place the eggs in the reserved saucepan and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then cover, remove from the heat and let stand, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, then run under cold water to cool. Peel under cold running water.

Make the dressing: Whisk the vinegar, shallot, mustard, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl. Whisk in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until emulsified.

Toss the tomatoes ian a small bowl with salt and pepper to taste. Add about 1/4 cup dressing to the potatoes and toss. Quarter the hard-cooked eggs.

Divide the lettuce among 4 plates. Arrange the potatoes, haricots verts, radishes, hard-cooked eggs and tuna on top. Pour any juices from the tomatoes into the dressing, then add the tomatoes to the plates. Drizzle with the dressing and top with the olives.

Chicken Leek and Rice Soup

2021-12-27T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil or unsalted butter
2 large or 3 medium leeks, halved and thinly sliced
1 celery rib, thinly sliced
1 carrot stick, thinly sliced (optional)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
4 cups chicken stock or broth, preferably homemade
2 cups water
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup long-grain white rice (I used jasmine)
Big handful chopped fresh herbs (parsley, chives, and dill are favorites here)
Lemon zest and juice
Red pepper flakes (I’m using Aleppo, which is milder) or harissa

Directions

Heat olive oil or butter over medium-high heat in a 4- to 5-quart pot. Add leeks, celery, and carrot (if using), salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring, until leeks have softened a bit, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook one minute more. Add broth, water, and chicken plus salt (I use 2 to 3 teaspoons of additional kosher salt for barely-salted stock) and many grinds of black pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover, simmering for 15 minutes, until chicken is very tender and cooked through. Remove chicken with tongs and set on a cutting board. Add rice and return the heat to a low simmer, cover with lid, and cook for 15 minutes, until rice is tender. Use two forks to shred chicken into bite-sized pieces and return to the soup to rewarm. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Ladle soup into bowls and finish with some herbs, lemon zest, red pepper flakes (or harissa), and serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Note: Rice continues to expand in soup so the longer you have the soup sitting, the more porridge-y it will seem.

Japanese Pancakes

2021-12-27T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1/2 small head cabbage, very thinly sliced (1 pound or 5 to 6 cups shreds) which will be easiest on a mandoline if you have one
4 medium carrots, peeled into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
5 kale leaves, ribs removed, leaves cut into thin ribbons
4 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
Canola, safflower or peanut oil for frying

Directions

Make the pancakes: Toss cabbage, carrot, kale, scallions and salt together in a large bowl. Toss mixture with flour so it coats all of the vegetables. Stir in the eggs. Heat a large heavy skillet on medium-high heat. Coat the bottom with oil and heat that too.

To make a large pancake, add 1/4 of the vegetable mixture to the skillet, pressing it out into a 1/2- to 3/4-inch pancake. Gently press the pancake down flat. Cook until the edges begin to brown, about 3 minutes. 30 seconds to 1 minute later, flip the pancake with a large spatula. (If this is terrifying, you can first slide the pancake onto a plate, and, using potholders, reverse it back into the hot skillet.) Cook on the other side until the edges brown, and then again up to a minute more (you can peek to make sure the color is right underneath).

To make small pancakes, you can use tongs but I seriously find using my fingers and grabbing little piles, letting a little batter drip back into the bowl, and depositing them in piles on the skillet easier, to form 3 to 4 pancakes. Press down gently with a spatula to they flatten slightly, but no need to spread them much. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the edges brown. Flip the pancakes and cook them again until brown underneath.

Regardless of pancake size, you can keep them warm on a tray in the oven at 200 to 250 degrees until needed.

Oven Baked Spaghetti

2021-12-27T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

16 oz spaghetti, uncooked
16 oz jar pasta sauce
3 cups water
1 tsp oregano or italian seasoning
1 tsp salt more or less to taste
1 tsp black pepper more or less to taste
5 cloves garlic minced
1 onion sliced thin
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Add all the ingredients except for the mozzarella cheese. Stir well. *Optional tip (highly recommended) In order to help prevent the spaghetti from sticking together, drizzle the olive oil directly on the spaghetti before adding any of the ingredients. Rub to coat the pasta in the olive oil.
Cover and bake for 45 minutes, making sure to stir half way through baking.
Top with mozzarella cheese and bake uncovered for an additional 10-15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly!

Green Shakshuka With Avocado and Lime

2021-11-06T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 large bunch/1 1/2 pounds Swiss chard, stems and leaves separated and chopped (about 9 cups)
½ teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
⅓ cup half-and-half or heavy cream
8 large eggs
¼ teaspoon black pepper, plus more as needed
3 ounces cotija cheese or queso fresco, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)
1 avocado, sliced, for serving
1 small jalapeño, thinly sliced, for serving
Chopped cilantro, for serving
Smoked hot sauce, for serving
Corn tortillas, toasted, for serving
1 lime, cut into wedges, for serving

Directions

Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook until softening, 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 5 minutes more.

Raise the heat to medium-high, add the chard stems, and cook to release some liquid, 5 minutes. Add the chard leaves, in batches, adding more as they wilt, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until completely wilted, 3 to 5 minutes more. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, pour in the half-and-half and stir loosely together.

Make eight small hollows in the cooked chard with the back of a spoon. Gently crack an egg into each hollow. Cover with a lid or foil and cook on medium-low until the eggs are just set, but still soft, about 7 to 9 minutes. Remove the lid, sprinkle with salt, pepper, cotija, avocado, jalapeño and cilantro. Serve with smoked hot sauce, toasted tortillas and lime wedges.

Winter Squash Soup with Gruyere Croutons

2021-11-06T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

Soup

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
3 14 1/2-ounce cans low-salt chicken broth
4 cups 1-inch pieces peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)*
4 cups 1-inch pieces peeled acorn squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)*
1 1/4 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 1/4 teaspoons minced fresh sage
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 cup whipping cream

Croutons

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
24 1/4-inch-thick baguette bread slices
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon minced fresh sage

Directions

Soup

Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth, all squash and herbs; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until squash is very tender, about 20 minutes.

Working in batches, puree soup in blender. Return soup to same pot. Stir in cream and bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Rewarm over medium heat before serving.)

Croutons

Preheat broiler. Butter 1 side of each bread slice. Arrange bread, buttered side up, on baking sheet. Broil until golden, about 1 minute. Turn over. Sprinkle cheese, then thyme and sage over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil until cheese melts, about 1 minute. Ladle soup into bowls. Top each with croutons and serve.

If you are not confident in your knife skills or lack a very very sharp one, I’d suggest roasting the squash, halved and seeded, on a baking sheet coated lightly with oil at 425 until soft, scooping it into the pot, and cooking it the rest of the way there. Peeling, seeding and chopping raw squash is not the easiest endeavor. Alternatively, you could buy butternut squash already peeled and chopped in many stores. Haven’t seen acorn yet.

Crispy Rice and Chicken

2021-05-30T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

½–1 lb package of breakfast sausage, casings removed
2 lbs bone-chicken (skin-on thighs or breasts, or mix of legs and thighs)
4 cloves of garlic, minced
A few sprigs of thyme
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
2 small tomatoes, quartered
3 scallions (white and green parts), roughly chopped1½ cups Jasmine rice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup white wine (optional)
2 cups chicken broth
½ cup mushrooms, sliced
Sumac, for serving (optional)
Momofuku Savory Seasoned Salt

Directions

Heat oven to 400°F. Season chicken on both sides with savory seasoned salt (about 2 tablespoons).

Heat a large skillet or braiser over medium high heat and add breakfast sausage, breaking up with the back of a spoon. Cook for about 4 minutes until browned on one side and fat is beginning to render in the pan. Then, add in seasoned chicken. Continue cooking 6–8 minutes until sausage is cooked and chicken is browned slightly on both sides. Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Add thyme, onions, tomatoes, scallions, and butter and cook for 2–3 minutes, allowing flavors to meld. Top with rice. Optional: deglaze skillet with wine and cook for 1 minute until completely dissolved.

Add chicken broth to skillet, then top with sliced mushrooms and bring to a boil. Transfer to the oven. Roast until chicken is cooked through (165°F) and rice is tender, about 40 minutes. If rice looks dry, add additional broth or water. Once cooked through, turn your broiler to high and place the skillet right under the broiler for about 2 minutes to crisp up rice. Finish with 1 teaspoon of Savory Seasoned Salt and 2 teaspoons of Sumac.

Sheet Pan Chow Mein

2021-04-28T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

Main

1 bell pepper (any color), finely sliced
1 carrot, peeled and finely sliced diagonally
1 head of broccoli, cut into florets, or bundle of broccolini, cut into 1- to 2-inch segments
Kosher salt
Olive oil or a neutral oil
A 250-gram or 8.8-ounce package dried thin egg noodles
1 small can baby corn, drained
6 ounces asparagus, sugar snaps, or snow peas, trimmed and cut into 1- to 2-inch segments
1 medium shallot or 3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, to finish
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Soy Seasoning

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos
1 tablespoon vegetarian stir-fry sauce, such as vegetarian oyster or hoisin sauce (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 small clove garlic, grated or minced

Directions

Heat oven to 425°F. On a large baking sheet, toss the pepper, carrot, and broccoli with a splash of olive oil and season with salt. Roast for 10 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften. Meanwhile, make the noodles: Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the egg noodles, and cook according to the packet instructions, or al dente, about four to five minutes. Drain and cool under cold running water. Drain well again and pat dry with a clean tea towel.
Combine the soy seasoning ingredients in a small bowl.
Remove the baking sheet and push the vegetables to the side. Add the noodles, corn and asparagus. Drizzle the noodles with sesame oil, season with more salt and toss well to coat. Return the tray to the oven and bake for another 15 to 18 minutes, until the noodles are crispy on the top and bottom. We are looking for a combination of crispy and non-crispy noodles.
Remove the tray from the oven, drizzle over the soy seasoning and toss well. Scatter over the shallot and sesame seeds and serve.

Strata with corn, cheddar and scallion

2021-04-04T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
3 cups fresh corn (cut from 3 small-to-average cobs)
1 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions (both white and green parts from a 4-ounce bundle)
8 cups whole wheat, country or French bread in 1-inch cubes (weight will vary from 10 to 14 ounces, depending on bread type)
2 cups (6 ounces) coarsely grated sharp cheddar
1 cup (2 ounces) finely grated parmesan
9 large eggs
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (optional, see Note up top)
2 3/4 cups milk
1 teaspoon table salt or 2 teaspoons of a coarse sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Generously butter a 3-quart baking dish (a lasagna or 9×13-inch pan works well here too). Toss corn and scallions together in a medium bowl. Combine cheeses in another bowl. In a large bowl, gently beat eggs and mayo together, then whisk in milk, salt and lots (or, if measuring, 1/2 teaspoon) of freshly ground black pepper. Spread one-third of bread cubes in prepared baking dish — it will not fully cover bottom of dish; this is fine. Add one-third of corn, then cheese mixture. Repeat layering twice with remaining bread, corn and cheese. Pour egg mixture evenly over strata. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 1 day.

When ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake strata, uncovered, until puffed, golden brown and cooked through, about 45 to 55 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Nina's Coffee Cake

2021-01-04T00:00:00Z

Rose's Mom's Recipe for delicious coffee cake

Ingredients

2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk or sour cream

Topping

1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

Grease and flour 9" coffee cake pan
Add half batter
Add half of topping
Add rest of batter
Add rest of topping
Bake 45 minutes at 350

Tortillas

2020-12-23T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Stir in water and oil. Turn onto a floured surface; knead 10-12 times, adding a little flour or water if needed to achieve a smooth dough. Let rest for 10 minutes.
Divide dough into 8 portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 7-in. circle.
In a greased cast-iron or other heavy skillet, cook tortillas over medium heat until lightly browned, 1 minute on each side. Serve warm.

Salted Coffee Brownie Cookies

2020-03-25T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

Makes 20 - 22
300 grams dark chocolate, roughly chopped
60 grams unsalted butter, cubed
45 grams all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon finely ground instant coffee powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
200 grams light brown sugar
2 medium eggs
1 tablespoon water, room temperature
Flaked salt or fleur de sel, for sprinkling

Instructions

Place the dark chocolate and butter into a medium sized heat-proof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Do not let the base of the bowl touch the water below. Heat, stirring often, on medium-low heat, until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and set the bowl aside to cool.

In a separate small mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, coffee powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside until needed.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the light brown sugar and eggs on medium speed, until thick, doubled in volume, and light caramel in color, about 4 minutes. Add in the melted and slightly cooled dark chocolate. Continue to whisk until well incorporated. Pause mixing to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed. Set the mixer speed to medium-low and add in the dry flour ingredients. Whisk until just combined, then, add in the water. Continue to whisk until evenly incorporated. The dough should not be firm, but fluid, and leave a thick flowing “ribbon trail” when the whisk is lifted. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and set it in the refrigerator to chill for at 15 minutes, or up to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven temperature to 180 Celsius (350 Fahrenheit). Line three large baking trays with non-stick parchment paper.

Using a small cookie scoop, scoop the dough out and into evenly sized dough balls. The dough should be soft but will hold its shape when being scooped. If you are using a tablespoon to roll, the dough may become stickier and more difficult to work with. If this is the case, simply place the dough back in the refrigerator to slightly firm up before rolling. Make sure to space them an even distance apart, to allow room for spreading. You should fit about 8 to 10 balls per sheet. Tap the sheets three times against the kitchen bench, to slightly flatten and spread the cookies. Sprinkle over a little of the flaked salt.

Bake the cookies, a sheet at a time, for about 11 minutes. 5 minutes into baking, open the oven-door and rotate the cookie sheet half-way around. Tap the sheet against the oven rack to flatten and crinkle the cookies. Close the oven door and allow the cookies to rise up again. 2 minutes later, open the oven door again, and tap the tray against the oven rack to again deflate and further crinkle the cookies. Once again, close the oven door, and allow them to rise up again. Another 2 minutes later, repeat this tapping process, for a final time. You’re aiming for cookies that are perfectly flat with plenty of crinkles. Allow the cookies to bake until done, about a further two minutes. They should be just firm around the edges and set in the middle. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on their trays for 10 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool further before serving.

Indian Spiced Cauliflower and Potatoes Aloo Gobi

2020-03-15T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1 (1 3/4-lb) head cauliflower, cut into 3/4-inch-wide florets
1 1/4 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons minced fresh jalapeño, including seeds
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 cup water

Directions

Put oven rack in upper third of oven and place a shallow baking pan on rack. Preheat oven to 475°F.

Toss cauliflower and potatoes together in a bowl with 3 tablespoons oil, cumin seeds, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spread in hot baking pan and roast, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is tender and browned in spots and potatoes are just tender, about 20 minutes.

While vegetables are roasting, cook onion, garlic, jalapeño, and ginger in remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until very soft and beginning to turn golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Stir in water, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of skillet, then stir in roasted vegetables. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.

Whoopie Pie

2020-01-12T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

For cakes

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg

For filling

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
2 cups marshmallow cream such as Marshmallow Fluff
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Make cakes

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until combined. Stir together buttermilk and vanilla in a small bowl.
Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a handheld, then add egg, beating until combined well. Reduce speed to low and alternately mix in flour mixture and buttermilk in batches, beginning and ending with flour, scraping down side of bowl occasionally, and mixing until smooth.
Spoon 1/4-cup mounds of batter about 2 inches apart onto 2 buttered large baking sheets. Bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until tops are puffed and cakes spring back when touched, 11 to 13 minutes. Transfer with a metal spatula to a rack to cool completely.

Make filling

Beat together butter, confectioners sugar, marshmallow, and vanilla in a bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Assemble pies

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

Naturally Leavened Sourdough Bread

2019-08-25T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

2 cups (454g) ripe (fed) sourdough starter
5 cups (602g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
3/4 cup (85g) King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour or King Arthur Premium 100% Whole Wheat Flour
1 3/4 cups (397g) room-temperature water
2 1/2 teaspoons salt

Directions

If you're measuring the sourdough starter using volume rather than weight, stir it down before measuring. Combine the starter, flours, and water in a large bowl and mix well, until all of the flour is moistened and the dough has formed a cohesive mass. Add extra water or flour if needed to form a soft, tacky dough.
Cover the dough and let it rest for 20 minutes. This rest, known as an autolyse, allows the flour to absorb the water, which starts the dough’s gluten formation, and makes it easier to knead.
After the rest, add the salt and knead the dough until it’s smooth and supple, though still somewhat soft and tacky. When fully kneaded, place the dough back in the bowl, cover, and let it rise for 1 hour.
Give the dough a fold: Turn it out onto a floured surface and, using a bowl scraper or bench knife, fold it like a business letter. Turn the dough 90 degrees. Gently flatten it a bit, and repeat the letter fold. Return the dough to the bowl, cover, and let it rise for another hour.
At the end of the rise, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it in half. Gently shape into two rounds, cover, and let rest for 20 minutes.
After this rest, shape the loaves into tight rounds, and place them seam side up in bowls lined with floured cloth, or on a cloth couche. Cover and let rise until light and airy, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
About 60 minutes before the bread is ready to bake, preheat the oven with a baking stone in it (if you have a stone) to 450°F. For the best crust, place an empty cast iron frying pan on the oven rack below the stone to preheat.
When the loaves are risen, gently turn them out of their bowls onto parchment, slash them with a sharp knife or lame, and slide the parchment directly onto the stone in the oven. If you’re not using a stone, turn them out onto a parchment-lined (or lightly greased) baking sheet, slash them, and place the baking sheet in the oven.
Pour 1 cup of boiling water into the cast iron frying pan. Be sure to wear good oven mitts to prevent steam burns.
Bake the bread until it’s crusty and golden, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the loaves from the oven and cool on a rack before slicing.
Store leftover bread, in a paper bag or loosely covered in plastic, for a day or so at room temperature; wrap and freeze for longer storage.

Cowboy Cookies

2019-08-14T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

2 C. unbleached white all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 C. butter, at room temperature
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 C. rolled oats
2 C. semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 C. raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped dried cherries (optional)
1 C. coarsely chopped toasted walnuts (optional)

Directions

Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Cream together the butter and sugars.
Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until well blended.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix.
Stir the oats in with a spatula.
Fold in the chocolate chips.
Scoop by the spoonful onto baking sheets and bake for 12-15 minutes. We made about 20 small ones for Matt's grandfather.
Then, we added chopped walnuts and made about 10 monster cookies for ourselves.

Biscuits (Sourdough)

2019-08-04T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1⁄2 cup butter, cold
1 cup sourdough starter, at room temperature
1⁄2 cup buttermilk, room temperature (or use sour milk)
butter, melted (for brushing the tops of the unbaked biscuits)

Directions

Mix the buttermilk and the sourdough starter and let it sit on the counter until it has come to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 425.
Combine the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Mix well. Cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry blender, until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Combine the buttermilk/starter into the dry ingredients until a soft dough forms and it comes away from the sides of the bowl.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead gently for 30 seconds. Do not over work the mixture (you want to have small pebbles of butter showing.
With a floured rolling pin, roll out to 1/2" thick. Cut biscuits and place on a lightly greased baking sheet with sides touching. At this point, you can brush the biscuits with melted butter if desired.
over and let rest for 30 minutes in a warm place. Bake in the center of the oven at 425 for 10 - 15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
Leftovers: The next day, when the biscuits have become soft and have lost their crustiness, run them under the broiler bottom sides first, turn them over and broil the tops until they are crusty again. Serve them with honey and you will think you have died and gone to heaven!

Chocolate Mousse Pie

2019-06-07T00:00:00Z

Mousse

11 oz bag of chocolate chips
2 tbsp sugar
1 pint whipping cream
3 egg whites

Crust

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup flour
pinch of salt
Water

Instructions

Make the mousse

Melt chocolate in a double boiler
Whisk egg whites and sugar until peaks have formed
Which cream until it is whipped
Fold chocolate into egg whites (make sure all the white is mixed in)
Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate
Let it sit for a while (at least a few hours to set)

Make the crust

In a food prossere add butter, sugar, flour, and salt. Wille on add 1 t of water at a time till clumpy.
Refrigrate for 1 or more hours.
Bake at 350 till golden brown.

Finsh it

Scoop mousse in to crust
Let set
Enjoy

Chocolate Budino

2019-06-07T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

5 large egg yolks
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 cups heavy cream, plus another 1/2 cup for making whipped cream
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (60 percent range is perfect here), finely chopped
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
Two pinches of sea salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons bourbon, brandy, or another liqueur (optional)

Instructions

In the bottom of a medium-sized saucepan, whisk egg yolks with granulated sugar until fully combined. Slow drizzle in 2 cups of cream, whisking the whole time. Warm mixture over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until it is thick enough that it coats a spoon. (Don’t let it simmer or boil.)
Place chopped chocolate in the bottom of a large bowl and set a fine-mesh strainer over it. Pour egg yolk mixture through strainer, onto the chocolate. Remove strainer and stir. the heat of the egg yolk mixture should melt the chocolate. Add butter, salt, and vanilla, and mix until butter is melted and combined.
Divide between small cups (you’ll have about 2 1/2 to 2 2/3 cups of budino mixture) and chill until fully cold and set. Either right before you serve it or, when the chill is off the custard enough that it won’t melt the cream.
Whip remaining 1/2 cup heavy cream to very soft peaks. Spoon generously over each cup. Serve cold, with strong coffee, and your favorite biscotti.

Roasted Cauliflower Tinga Tacos with Chili-Lime Slaw

2019-06-07T00:00:00Z

Tacos

Ingredients

1 Head of Cauliflower* (see note) chopped into small bite size pieces, about 1 3/4 lb (790g)
2 1/2 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil divided
1 C (110g) Purple Onion chopped, about 1 medium
1 tsp Fine Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Cumin ground
1 1/2 - 2 Tbs Chipotle Chilis + Adobo Sauce mince the chilis and mix with adobo sauce - look for gluten free if needed
1 C (274g) Fire Roasted Tomatoes + its juices, leftovers may be frozen
1/2 C (135g) Your Favorite Prepared Salsa
12-14 6" Corn or Flour Tortillas

Instructions

Set oven rack to center of the oven and preheat to 425F (218C). Line a sheet pan with silpat or parchment paper.
Toss the cauliflower with 1 1/2 Tbs olive oil and roast for 15-20 minutes, tossing and flipping the cauliflower once while roasting. When done, it should still be firm, yet toasty around the edges. Set aside.
While the cauliflower is roasting, heat the remaining 1 Tbs olive oil in a large saute pan until it shimmers. Add the onion and saute on medium low for about 5-8 minutes, or just until softened. Sprinkle in the salt and cumin and add the chipotles + adobo sauce. Stir to coat. Add the tomatoes, salsa and roasted cauliflower. Stir to warm through, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and put a lid on it until ready to serve.

Chili-Lime Slaw

Ingredients

3 C (150g) Purple and Green Cabbage shredded, loosely packed
1 Tbs Fresh Jalapeno seeded and chopped fine, or to taste (add more to take the spicy up!)
1/2 C (20g) Cilantro chopped
Juice of Two Limes
1/2 tsp Fine Sea Salt

Instructions

In a medium bowl, mix the red and green cabbage, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice and sea salt. Set aside or rest in the refrigerator until ready for service.

To Assemble

I like to warm my tortillas on a low open flame on the stove top turning with tongs a few times to lightly char the tortillas. To hold them warm, place the tortillas in foil and into a warmed toaster oven on low heat.
On the tortilla, spoon a good smear of guacamole or pepita crema down the center of the tortilla. Spoon the cauliflower mixture evenly over the top, then add the slaw and any condiments you prefer.
Store the leftover cauliflower mixture in the fridge in a lidded container for up to three days or it may be frozen for up to a month.

Ginger Scones

2019-05-05T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

240 grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour (Editor's note: see above, about swapping in whole grain flours)
8 grams (2 teaspoons) baking powder
3 grams (1/2 teaspoon) baking soda
3 grams (1/2 teaspoon) salt, fine
1 gram (1/2 teaspoon) black pepper, freshly ground
2 grams (1 teaspoon) cinnamon, freshly ground
1 gram (1/2 teaspoon) coriander, freshly ground
1 gram (1/2 teaspoon) cardamom, freshly ground
1/2 gram (1/4 teaspoon) cloves, freshly ground
92 grams (1/2 cup) crystallized ginger
60 grams (1/4 cup, or 4 tablespoons) butter, unsalted
177 grams (3/4 cup) heavy cream (Editor's note: plan on adding another 15-25 grams or so, if you're swapping in a whole grain flour)
53 grams (1/4 cup) brown sugar, light or dark
Coarse sugar, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Prepare: Position an oven rack in the top third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a 13x18-inch sheet pan, or line it with parchment paper. Weigh and chill the dry ingredients. Chop the crystallized ginger into pea-sized pieces.
Cut the butter into 1/8-inch-thick slices and chill until use. Mix: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the ground dry spices. (This can be done up to one week in advance—just keep the dry ingredients covered in the freezer until you're ready to use.) Add the cold butter and toss to coat with the dry ingredients.
Then press the butter slices between your thumb and forefinger into small flat pieces or “leaves.” Add the chopped crystallized ginger and toss to combine.
In a small bowl, whisk together the cream and brown sugar. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix gently until the mixture is just combined. The dough should be firm and barely cohesive (some dry bits are okay). Shape: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, and fold a few times to incorporate any dry bits if necessary. Pat the dough into a circle about 1-inch thick and 7-inches across. At this point, you may chill the dough until set for easier cutting. Cut the dough into 8 pieces with a chef’s knife, cutting directly down; don’t saw, as this will interfere with the rising. Arrange the scones evenly on the sheet pan.
Bake: Brush the scones with egg wash, and sprinkle all over with turbinado sugar. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes on the top rack, rotating after 14 minutes, until they are lightly golden and firm to the touch.

Rugelach

2019-05-05T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

Crust

16 tablespoons (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

Filling

1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries, raisins, or currants
1 tablespoon cinnamon
water for brushing dough

Topping

granulated sugar or coarse white sparkling sugar
milk or cream

Instructions

To make the crust using a food processor: Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse briefly to combine. Cut the butter and cream cheese into chunks and add to the bowl along with the sour cream. Pulse just until the dough forms chunks, and you can squeeze it together.
To make the dough using a mixer: Beat together the butter, cream cheese, sour cream, and salt until smooth. Add the flour, mixing to make a stiff dough.
Divide the dough into three equal portions. Press each gently into a disk. Make the disks as round as possible, smoothing their edges; this will allow you to roll the disks into a perfectly round circle, making the resulting rugelach more attractive. Wrap the disks in plastic, and chill the dough for about 1 hour, until it's firm but not rock hard. Or chill longer (up to overnight), then warm for about 45 to 60 minutes at room temperature, until the dough softens enough to roll out without cracking.
To make the filling, process the sugar, walnuts, dried fruit, and cinnamon in a food processor or blender until finely chopped and well combined (but not pasty). Don't have a food processor? Simply stir together the filling ingredients; your filling will be chunky rather than smooth.
Working with one piece of dough at a time, place it on a generously floured surface. Roll it into a 10" circle and brush it lightly with water. For a flavorful touch, brush the rolled-out rugelach dough with a thin layer of boiled cider, warmed apple or currant jelly, or puréed fruit preserves, instead of water.
Use your fingers to spread about 1/3 of the filling onto the round, going all the way to the edges and gently patting the filling to help anchor it to the dough.
Using a pizza cutter, baker's bench knife, or sharp knife, divide the dough into 12 equal wedges. Roll each wedge up, beginning with the wide end and ending with the narrow end. Place the rolls point-side down on a baking sheet; lining the baking sheet with parchment will help with cleanup. Repeat with the remaining two pieces of dough.
Brush the rugelach with milk or cream; and sprinkle with granulated or coarse white sparkling sugar, if desired.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Refrigerate the rugelach while the oven is preheating.
Bake the rugelach for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven, and cool right on the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Store leftover rugelach in an airtight container at room temperature for several days. Freeze for longer storage.

Everyday Chocolate Cake

2019-04-15T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1/2 cup (115 grams or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (190 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 cup (235 ml) buttermilk
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (60 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea or table salt

Instructions

Dutched cocoa makes this cake much darker and more rich. If you don’t have it, however, many people have made it with natural or non-Dutched cocoa (think: classic Hershey’s or Hershey’s dark) but it tends to sink in the middle a little. Nothing a little extra whipped cream cannot cover up though, right?
Heat your oven to 325°F. Butter and lightly flour a standard loaf pan (shown in a 9″x5″, but not so full in it that you couldn’t use an 8″x4″ or something in-between), or spray it with a butter-flour spray. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat well, then the buttermilk and vanilla. Don’t worry if the batter looks a little uneven. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt together right into your wet ingredients. Stir together with a spoon until well-blended but do not overmix. Scrape down the batter in the bowl, making sure the ingredients are well blended.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool in pan on a rack for about 10 to 15 minutes, at which point you can cool it the rest of the way out of the pan.
Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries, if you’re feeling fancy.
Planning ahead? This cake is even better on days 2 and 3; wrap it tightly in foil and store it at room temperature.

Benihana Cream Sauce

2019-03-24T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

2 cups soy sauce
1/3 cup roasted sesame seeds
1 cup whipping cream
1 pinch garlic powder
1 teaspoon dry mustard dissolved in 1 teaspoon water

Instructions

Combine ingredients in a blenders and mix for 15 seconds
Pour mixture and 1 cup whipping cream into saucepan, stirring over low heat
Sauce may be stored in refrigerator for 3 days
When re-heating, add 6 tablespoons of whipping cream and stir completely before serving

Benihana Fried Rice

2019-03-24T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon chopped onoin
1/3 teaspoon chopped carrots
1/3 teaspoon chopped green onion
4 ounces steamed rice
3 pinches of salt
7 teaspoons of butter
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon oil
1 ounce cooked chicken
1/4 teaspoon sesame seeds
3 pinches of pepper
1 teaspoon of soy sauce

Instructions

Scramble eggs and chop after cooking
Saute onion, carrot, and green onion
Mix egg, chicken, and vegetables
Mix everything together

Benihana Ginger Sauce

2019-03-24T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

5 ounces of sliced onion, rinsed in running water for 15 minutes
2 ounces ginger, peeled and sliced
1 lemon, peeled and chopped, squeezed
2 cups soy sauce
1 cup vinegar

Instructions

Combine ingredients in blender
Keeps for 1 week

Benihana Salad Dressing

2019-03-24T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup peanut oil
2 tablespoons rice wine veinegar
2 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 tablespoon chopped celery
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/2 taepase tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoon suger
1 teaspoon lemon juice
salt and pepper

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in blender
Makes 6 servings
Keeps for 1 week

Gingerbread Men

2019-03-24T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

3/4? melted butter
1 cup molasses
1/2 cup honey
1 cup thick buttermilk
6.5 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ginger
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon lemon or orange extract (optional)

Instructions

Mix melted butter, molasses, and honey until smooth
Add buttermilk (yoghurt), the the flour sifted with salt, ginger, baking powder, and baking soda
Add lemon extract
Mix to a smooth, stiff doug.
Roll on a lightly floured surface to 1/3 inch
Cut into shapes and place on ungreased baking sheet
Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes
Cool on racks

Latkes

2018-12-26T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

4-5 medium russet potatoes, washed, skin on
1 medium yellow onion
2 eggs
1/2 cup matzo meal
salt + pepper

Instructions

Grate the potatoes and onion. squeeze in a nut milk bag or something to get as much of the liquid out as possible. dump into bowl, mix with eggs, salt, pepper and then the matzo meal. hand form small patties and put in pan with a good layer of hot oil until brown.

Double Chocolate-Peppermint Crunch Cookies

2018-12-23T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (do not exceed 61% cacao; 15 to 16 ounces), divided
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 large eggs
4 candy canes or 16 red-and-white- striped hard peppermint candies, coarsely crushed

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Stir 2 cups chocolate chips in medium metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Measure 2/3 cup melted chocolate; transfer to small metal bowl and reserve for drizzling.
Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until creamy. Add sugar and both extracts; beat until smooth. Add eggs; beat to blend. Beat in melted chocolate from medium bowl. Add dry ingredients; beat just to blend. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Measure 1 level tablespoonful dough; roll dough between palms to form ball. Place on prepared baking sheet. 3. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing cookies 1 1/2 inches apart.
Bake cookies until cracked all over and tester inserted into center comes out with large moist crumbs attached, 8 to 9 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes. Transfer cookies on parchment paper to racks to cool completely.
Rewarm reserved 2/3 cup chocolate over small saucepan of simmering water. Using fork, drizzle chocolate over cookies. Sprinkle crushed candy canes over, arranging some pieces with red parts showing. Chill just until chocolate sets, about 20 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 weeks ahead. Store airtight in freezer. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Morning Glory Muffins

2018-12-15T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups Sugar
2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shredded, sweetened coconut
3/4 cup Earthbound Farm Organic Raisins
1 Earthbound Farm Organic Apple
1 cup Earthbound Farm Frozen Organic Pineapple Chunks
2 cups grated Earthbound Farm Organic Carrots
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instrutions

These muffins are substantial enough to be satisfying day-starters or significant snacks. Chock-full of produce, they’re a great way to get more produce into your day (organic, of course).

What’s more, these muffins have some staying power; they actually taste better a day after baking, when the flavors have married. Store them at room temperature, covered, for up to 3 days, or freeze them for up to 2 months.

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

Sift or whisk together the sugar, flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Add the coconut, raisins, apple, pineapple, carrots and nuts, and stir to combine.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with the oil and vanilla. Pour into the bowl with the dry ingredients and blend well.

Spoon the batter into muffin tins lined with muffin cups, filling each to the brim. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool muffins in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to finish cooling.

Miso-y Charred Carrot Soup

2018-10-05T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks
1 pound celery, chopped into 1-inch chunks
1 pound yellow onions, halved, peeled, and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1/4 cup mellow white miso, divided

Instructions

Heat the oven to 425°F. Line two sheet trays with silicone mats or parchment.
Add the carrots to one tray. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Toss with your hands. Add the celery and onion to another tray. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Toss with your hands.
Stick both trays in the oven and roast for about 1 hour total. Every 20 minutes, rotate the trays and stir vegetables to encourage even cooking.
When the vegetables are done remove both trays from the oven. Add about half of each tray to a blender. Add 2 tablespoons miso and 4 1/2 cups water. Blend until completely smooth, then pour into a large pot on the stove. Repeat with the remaining vegetables, remaining 2 tablespoons miso, and another 4 1/2 cups water—blended until smooth, poured into the pot.
Season the soup with salt, if necessary. Thin with more water, if necessary, depending on how thick you like your soup. Warm over medium-low heat, stirring often, until it’s the temperature you like to eat your soup. Pour into a bowl and serve.

Biscuits

2018-08-26T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour (250g)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter very cold (85g), unsalted European butter is ideal, but not required
3/4 cup whole milk (177ml)

Instructions

For best results, chill your butter in the freezer for 10-20 minutes before beginning this recipe. It's ideal that the butter is very cold for light, flaky, buttery biscuits.
Preheat oven to 425F and line a cookie sheet with nonstick parchment paper. Set aside.
Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl and mix well. Set aside.
Remove your butter from the refrigerator and either cut it into your flour mixture using a pastry cutter or (preferred) use a box grater to shred the butter into small pieces and then add to the flour mixture and stir.
Cut the butter or combine the grated butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Add milk, use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir until combined (don't over-work the dough).
Transfer your biscuit dough to a well-floured surface and use your hands to gently work the dough together. If the dough is too sticky, add flour until it is manageable.
Once the dough is cohesive, fold in half over itself and use your hands to gently flatten layers together. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and fold in half again, repeating this step 5-6 times but taking care to not overwork the dough.
Use your hands (do not use a rolling pin) to flatten the dough to 1" thick and lightly dust a 2 3/4" round biscuit cutter with flour.
Making close cuts, press the biscuit cutter straight down into the dough and drop the biscuit onto your prepared baking sheet.
Repeat until you have gotten as many biscuits as possible and place less than 1/2" apart on baking sheet.
Once you have gotten as many biscuits as possible out of the dough, gently re-work the dough to get out another biscuit or two until you have at least 6 biscuits.
Bake on 425F for 12 minutes or until tops are beginning to just turn lightly golden brown.
If desired, brush with melted salted butter immediately after removing from oven. Serve warm and enjoy.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

2018-08-26T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 and 3/4 cup all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 and 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 to 1/3 cup granulated sugar, for rolling
1 and 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon, for rolling

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a couple baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat butter until creamy, then add 1 and 1/2 cups sugar. Beat for a couple minutes until light and fluffy, remembering to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Add 2 eggs and vanilla and mix well.
Add the cocoa powder and flour, but do not mix yet. Make a well in the flour.
Add the cream of tartar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to the well in the flour, and use a small spoon to blend it in before it hits the wet ingredients.
Turn the mixer on low and slowly beat in the flour and cocoa. Mix only until just combined, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom so that it all gets incorporated.
At this point you can cover and refrigerate the dough for up to 48 hours if you want, but that is optional. You can bake them right away and they will turn out great.
Shape the dough into rounds about 2-3 tablespoons each. Make sure they are uniform.
In a shallow bowl, combine 1/4 or 1/3 cup sugar with 1 and 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon. (How much sugar you use is just a matter of preference.) Roll each ball of dough in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Place the sugared dough on the prepared cookie sheets at least 2 inches apart.
Bake at 350 for about 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the middle is soft and still shiny. Every oven is different, so keep an eye on it.
Let rest on the baking sheet for about 2 minutes.
Whenever you can manage it considering how hot they are, use a spatula to transfer each cookie back into the bowl with the cinnamon sugar. (Add more cinnamon/sugar as necessary).
Use your fingers to sprinkle the top of the cookie to make sure it's all coated. You need to do this while the cookies are still pretty hot if you want the cinnamon sugar to stick.
Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.
Eat while still warm! They are so fudgy in the middle and are to-die-for with a glass of milk.

Red Lentil Masoor

2018-05-07T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 1/2 cups red lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 (15 oz.) can coconut milk
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh cilantro, for garnish
cooked rice, for serving

Directions

Heat oil in a large pot over medium low heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent. Add the garlic and ginger and saute another minute. Add the curry powder and turmeric and stir in briefly. Stir in the lentils, coconut milk, and water. Partially cover and simmer over low heat until lentils are tender, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Add more water to create a thinner soup-like dal, or simmer uncovered to thicken. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with rice or flatbread.

Notes

Instant Pot Instructions: Follow the stovetop directions, but instead of simmering on the stove, lock the Instant Pot lid on and set the valve to sealing. Cook on manual mode for 1 minute. Carefully quick release the pressure while protecting your hand from the steam. Remove the lid away from you.

Using Green Lentils: Follow the recipe but simmer for 40 minutes.

Make it Spicy: If you like heat, add 1 diced Thai red chili or jalapeno in with the onion, or add ground red chile pepper.

Lemon Onion Sauce

2018-03-29T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

Lemons (3 or 4)
Onion (1 whole onion)
1 hot pepper of some kind (you can skip if you want)
Vinegar
Garlic
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil

Directions

Put it in the blender
Blend

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

2018-03-12T00:00:00Z

Peanut Butter Filling

3/4 cup unsweetened, salted peanut butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup unsweetened, salted peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar, plus more for rolling
1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup plus 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Flaky salt, for sprinkling

Directions

Stir the jar of peanut butter to incorporate any separated oils. Stick in the freezer for about 15 minutes, or until it’s very firm—imagine the texture of standard, sweetened peanut butter.

Make the filling. Combine the peanut butter and powdered sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Start on low, then gradually increase the speed to medium-high, until completely smooth. Form the peanut butter mixture into 28 little balls (figure 1 heaping teaspoon each). Stick in the fridge while you make the cookie dough.

Combine the butter, peanut butter, and sugars in the bowl of the standing mixer (no need to clean it out). Cream until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the egg and vanilla. Continue creaming until fluffy, scraping as needed. Add the salt and baking soda. Mix to distribute. Add the cocoa powder. Mix until just incorporated.

Add the flour. Mix until completely incorporated. Form the cookies. Fill a small bowl with white sugar. Use a cookie scoop to scoop 1 tablespoon of chocolate dough. Flatten into a thin patty in your palm. Place 1 peanut butter ball in the center and wrap the chocolate dough around it. Roll around in your palm a few times to smooth out. Roll the ball in the sugar. Place on a plate. Repeat with the remaining chocolate dough and peanut butter filling.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Fill a cookie sheet with the balls, spaced a few inches apart—figure 9 to 12 per tray. Smush the balls each with a water glass—they don’t spread much, so you want them fairly thin, 1/8 to 1/4 inch. Sprinkle with flaky salt and press in slightly so it adheres. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through—they’ll puff up but they shouldn’t crack. Cool slightly, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough balls.

Salted Butter and Chocolate Chunk Shortbread

2018-02-25T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
4 teaspoons instant espresso powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 cups bittersweet chocolate chips

Directions

Process hazelnuts in a food processor until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Whisk flour, salt, baking powder, and ground hazelnuts together in a bowl.

Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and yolk, one at a time, espresso powder, and vanilla and beat until combined.

Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions until just combined, scraping down bowl as needed. Transfer dough to counter and divide in half. Form each half into a 5-inch disk, warp disks tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Let chilled dough soften on counter, about 10 minutes. Roll 1 disk of dough into a 14-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick, on a lightly floured counter. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 30 circles; space circles 1/2 inch apart on prepared sheets. Gently reroll scraps once, cut into circles, and transfer to prepared sheets.

Bake until edges are slightly browned, about 7 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Repeat with second disk of dough. Let cookies cool completely.

Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Place 1 3/4 cups chocolate chips in bowl. Pour hot cream over chocolate chips; cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk chocolate mixture until smooth. Refrigerate ganache, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 40 minutes.

Spread 2 teaspoons of ganache over bottom half of cookies, then top with remaining cookies, pressing lightly to adhere. Microwave remaining 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips in a bowl at 50% powder, stirring occasionally, until melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Drizzle chocolate over cookies and let set, about 30 minutes, before serving.

Salted Butter and Chocolate Chunk Shortbread

2018-02-25T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (2¼ sticks) cold salted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet dark chocolate, chopped (but not too fine, you want chunks, not thin shards of chocolate)
1 large egg, beaten to blend
Demerara sugar (for rolling)
Flaky sea salt

Instructions

Using an electric mixer and a medium bowl or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed until super light and fluffy, 3–5 minutes.

Using a spatula, scrape down sides of bowl. With mixer on low speed, slowly add flour, followed by chocolate chunks, and beat just to blend.

Divide dough in half, then place each half on a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold plastic over to cover dough and protect your hands from getting all sticky. Using your hands (just like you’re playing with clay), form dough into a log shape; rolling it on the counter will help you smooth it out, but don’t worry about getting it totally perfect. Each half should form logs that are 2–2¼" in diameter. Chill until firm, about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a rimmed baking sheet (two, if you’ve got 'em) with parchment paper. Brush outside of logs with egg wash. Roll logs in demerara sugar (this is for those really delicious crispy edges).

Slice each log into ½"-thick rounds. Arrange on prepared baking sheet about 1" apart (they won’t spread much). Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake cookies until edges are just beginning to brown, 12–15 minutes. Let cool slightly before eating them all.

Gingerbread Cake

2018-01-15T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups blackstrap molasses (or lighter molasses, like Grandma's)
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 cups beer, medium-bodied (I like using Racer 5 IPA)
1 tablespoon baking soda
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 teaspoons salt
6 eggs
2 cups canola oil
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla bean extract

Directions

Pour molasses, maple syrup, and beer into a large pot. Whisk together. Bring to just under the boil, then take off the heat. Add the baking soda. Careful. It will rise up like a volcano. Set aside to cool completely.
Heat oven to 350° F.
Butter and flour your baking pans. Grease a small extra pan just in case you have extra batter.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking power, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, and salt. Set aside.
Whisk together the eggs, oil, brown sugar, white sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk egg mixture in with the cooled molasses/beer mixture. Pour liquid mixture over the sifted dry ingredients. Whisk together until there are no large clumps of flour. Small clumps are fine.
Place your chinois or large fine strainer over a bowl or bain marie. Using a pestle or a wooden spoon, help the batter pass through the strainer into the container below. Stir the grated ginger in with the strained batter.
Pour batter into greased baking pans. Do not pour up more than halfway or you might have quite a mess in your oven.
Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the oven down to 325° F. Bake for another 20 minutes. If your pans are different sizes, give the smaller one a jiggle. If several inches in the center move like a water bed, it needs more time. If only the very center is loose, take it out of the oven. Another way to check is with a toothpick or a paring knife. You want the center to be a bit wet and just moving towards a crumb. Take them out earlier than you think for optimum moistness. (Sometimes this take a little trial and error. But remember, you can alway put them back into the oven.)
Cool cakes completely in the pans. Top with as much cream cheese icing as you dare. If your cake is tall enough, you can cut it in half for a middle layer of cream cheese icing. Serve right away. But I have been amazed at how moist this cake will be even after a few days.

Cream Cheese Frosting

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
16 ounces whipped cream cheese (preferably room temperature)
3 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla bean extract
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a standing mixer and beat the heck out of them for 2 minutes with the paddle attachment. Scrape down the sides. Taste. Add more vanilla or salt if you wish. If it's still a little lumpy, beat for 30 more seconds. This will keep in the fridge for about a week.

Ice Cream

2018-01-01T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1/4 cup whole milk
1/9 cup suger
1 drop vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/24 teaspoon salt

Coconut Cream

2017-12-18T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

Crust

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces
4 tablespoons (or more) ice water

Filling

1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon coconut extract

Topping

2/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 1/4 cups chilled whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon coconut extract

Directions

For crust

Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and shortening; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Drizzle 4 tablespoons ice water over mixture. Process just until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic. Chill 1 hour.
Roll out dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to 14-inch round. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Fold overhang under. Crimp edges decoratively. Pierce bottom of crust all over with fork. Freeze crust 15 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep frozen.)
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line crust with aluminum foil. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 20 minutes. Remove weights and foil. Bake until golden and set, about 10 minutes. Cool. (Crust can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature.)

For filling

Whisk 1/2 cup sugar, eggs, egg yolk, and flour in medium bowl. Bring milk and coconut to simmer in medium saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add hot milk mixture to egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return to same saucepan; cook until pastry cream thickens and boils, stirring constantly, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in vanilla and coconut extracts. Transfer pastry cream to medium bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface to prevent formation of skin. Chill until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day. Transfer filling to crust. Cover; chill overnight.

For topping

Toast coconut in heavy small skillet over medium heat until lightly browned, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Cool completely.
Using electric mixer, beat cream, sugar, and coconut extract in medium bowl until peaks form. Spread whipped cream all over top of filling. Sprinkle evenly with toasted coconut. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Serve cold.

Ginger Snaps

2017-12-18T00:00:00Z

Makes 40-50 cookies

From The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution (Clarkson Potter) by Alice Waters.These cookies get crisp when cool and are great holiday cookies. I like them coated with lots of crystals of coarse sugar, which is called Hawaiian washed sugar in the US, or cassonade here in France. (Coarse sugar is also available online.)You can also rev-up the spices, and add ¼-½ teaspoon ground cardamom, cloves, nutmeg or allspice to suit your taste.

Ingredients

2 cups (280g) flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
11 tablespoons (150g) butter, salted or unsalted, at room temperature
2/3 cup (130g) sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup 80g) mild-flavored molasses* (sometimes called 'light' molasses)
1 large egg, at room temperature

Directions

Stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and black pepper.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, or by hand, beat the butter just until soft and fluffy. Add the sugar and continue to beat until smooth, stopping the mixer to scrape down any butter clinging to the sides of the bowl.
Stir in the vanilla, molasses and egg.
Mix in the dry ingredients gradually until the dough is smooth.
Divide the dough in two equal portions and roll each on a lightly-floured surface until each is about 2-inches (5cm) around. Don’t worry if they’re not perfect; you can neaten them up in a second.
Wrap each in plastic wrap then roll them lightly on the counter to smooth them out. Refrigerate, or better yet, freeze the cookie logs until firm.
To bake, preheat the oven to 350F (180C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Slice cookie dough into 1/4-inch (a scant 1 cm) rounds with a sharp knife. Dip one side and press firmly in a bowl of coarse sugar if you want (you can also use granulated sugar instead), and place sugar-side up on baking sheet, evenly-spaced apart. Leave a couple of inches, about 5 cm, between cookies since they’ll spread while baking.
Bake for 10-14 minutes, rotating the baking sheets midway during baking, until deep-golden brown. The cookies will puff up a bit while baking, then settle down when they’re done. Bake on the lower end of the range for softer cookies, and more for snappier ones, depending on your oven.
Let the cookies cool two minutes, then remove them with a spatula and transfer them to a cooling rack.
Storage: The dough can be refrigerated for up to five days, or frozen for up to three months. Once baked, the cookies can be kept in an air-tight container for a couple of days but like anything made with butter, of course they’re best the day they’re baked.
my optional step: coarse sugar crystals for coating the cookies

Spicy Mexican Brownies

2017-10-21T00:00:00Z

Instructions

10 tbsp butter plus more for the pans
1 cup cocoa powder
3 1/4 cup sugar
3 1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of cayenne pepper
4 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/4 cups bittersweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 300. Butter a 13 x 9 baking pan. Line pan with parchment paper, leaving a 1-in overhang on 2 sides.
Melt butter in microwave safe bowl. Add cocoa powder to melted butter and stir thoroughly.
In a large bowl compine sugar, cinnamon and cayenne pepper. Using a wooden spoon, stir in cocoa and butter mixture. Add eggs 1 at a time beating until just combined. Stir in vanilla. Mix in flour and salt in 3 additions, stirring until just combined. Mix in chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake until cake tester insterted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs, 35-40 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely. To make for easier cutting, chill brownies for about 1 hour.

Mushroom Ramen

2017-05-20T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1 (.5-ounce) package dried mushrooms (preferably shiitake but any kind will work)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (or 2 tablespoon vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon sesame oil)
1 bunch scallions, chopped, whites and greens divided
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (about 4 cups)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons white miso paste
2 packages instant ramen noodles, flavor packets discarded
2-3 ounces fresh baby spinach (about 2 cups)
4 soft cooked eggs (see note)
Sriracha (optional)

Instructions

Put the dried mushrooms in large bowl and cover with 4 cups of hot water. Set aside for 15 to 20 minutes until the mushrooms have softened. Strain the mixture, reserving the liquid (be sure to avoid any grit at the bottom of the bowl). Coarsely chop the mushrooms.
Combine 2 tablespoons of oil (1 tablespoon vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon sesame oil, if using) scallion whites, ginger, and garlic in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch. Heat over medium heat until sizzling and aromatic, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, the reconstituted mushrooms, and the fresh mushrooms and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms have softened and released their liquid, about 5 minutes.
Add the mushroom soaking liquid, 2 cups of water, and the soy sauce and bring to a simmer. Ladle a little bit of the broth into a bowl and stir in the miso paste until well combined. Pour the miso mixture back into the pot and stir to combine. Add the ramen noodles and cook until tender, about 3 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and add the spinach. Cover and let stand until wilted, about 2 minutes. If you would prefer more broth, add another cup of water. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with and egg, a sprinkle of the scallion greens, and sriracha (if using).

Bonus Egg Recipe

To make a six-minute egg for ramen, bring a pot of water to a boil. Carefully add an egg and cook for exactly six minutes. Remove the egg with a slotted spoon and transfer it to an ice bath. Cool completely. Very carefully peel the egg and slice it in half with a sharp knife.

Dutch Baby

2017-04-24T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 1/2 ounces (72 grams) all-purpose flour, approximately 1/2 cup
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Powdered sugar, for serving
Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Put 1 tablespoon of the butter in a 10-inch cast iron pan and heat the pan in the oven for 10 minutes. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and set aside to cool slightly.
Pulse together the flour, sugar and salt in a blender of food processor. Add the eggs, milk, vanilla extract and melted butter, and blend the batter until smooth and frothy, 30 to 45 seconds.
Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and immediately pour the batter into the center. Bake for 20 minutes, do not open the oven while baking. The Dutch baby will puff up in the center and the edges will be dark and crispy.
Serve warm with a sprinkling of powdered sugar and lemon wedges for squeezing.

Cauliflower and Potato Curry

2017-04-03T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
large piece ginger, grated
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp curry powder, or to taste
227g can chopped tomatoes
½ tsp sugar
1 cauliflower, cut into florets
2 potatoes, cut into chunks
1 small green chili, halved lengthways
squeeze lemon juice
handful cilantro, roughly chopped, to serve

Instructions

Heat the oil in a saucepan. Cook the onion for 10 mins until soft, then add the ginger, garlic, turmeric, cumin and curry powder. Cook for 1 min more. Stir in the tomatoes and sugar. Add the cauliflower, potatoes and split chili, seasoning to taste. Cover with a lid and gently cook for a good 30 mins, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender – add a drop of water if you need to, but it is meant to be a dry curry.
When the vegetables are cooked, remove the chilli, if you like, stir in a squeeze of lemon juice and scatter with coriander. Serve with your choice of Indian bread and a dollop of yogurt.

Tandoori Chicken

2017-04-03T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 Tbsp garam masala
1 Tbsp sweet (not hot) paprika
1 cup plain yogurt (can sub buttermilk)
2 Tbsp lemon juice
4 minced garlic cloves
2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon salt
4 whole chicken legs (drumsticks and thighs), or its equivalent, skinless, bone-in

Instructions

Heat the spices in oil: Heat the oil in a small pan over medium heat, then cook the coriander, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, garam masala and paprika, stirring often, until fragrant (approximately 2-3 minutes). Let cool completely.
Whisk into yogurt, add lemon juice, garlic, salt, ginger: Whisk in the cooled spice-oil mixture into the yogurt, then mix in the lemon juice, garlic, salt and ginger.
Cut deep slashes into chicken, coat with marinade, chill: Cut deep slashes (to the bone) in 3-4 places on the leg/thigh pieces. Just make 2-3 cuts if you are using separate drumsticks and thighs. Coat the chicken in the marinade, cover and chill for at least an hour (preferably 6 hours), no more than 8 hours.
Prepare grill: Prepare your grill so that one side is quite hot over direct heat, the other side cooler, not over direct heat. If using charcoal, leave one side of the grill without coals, so you have a hot side and a cooler side. If you are using a gas grill, just turn on one-half of the burners. Use tongs to wipe the grill grates with a paper towel soaked in vegetable oil.
Shake off excess marinade, place chicken on hot side of grill: Take the chicken out of the marinade and shake off the excess. You want the chicken coated, but not gloppy. Put the chicken pieces on the hot side of the grill and cover. Cook 2-3 minutes before checking. Turn the chicken so it is brown (even a little bit charred) on all sides
Move to cool side of grill, cover and cook: Move chicken to the cool side of the grill. Cover and cook for at least 20 minutes, up to 40 minutes (or longer) depending on the size of the chicken and the temperature of the grill. The chicken is done when its juices run clear.
Let it rest for at least 5 minutes before serving. It’s also great at room temperature or even cold the next day.

Cinnamon Raison Bread

2017-03-26T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup milk
1 cup warm water (110 degrees)
2 packages active dry yeast
3 eggs
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter - softened
1 cup raisins
8 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp butter - melted

Directions

Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove the heat. Let cool until lukewarm. (heat 3/4c, add 3/4c to cool)
Dissolve yeast in warm water, and set aside until yeast is frothy. Mix in eggs, sugar, suft butter, salt, and raisins. Stir in cooled milk. Add the flour gradually to make a stiff dough.
Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for a few minutes. Place in a large, greased, mixing bowl, and turn to grease the surface of the dough. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled.
Roll out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle 1/2 inch thick. Moisten dough with 2 tablespoons milk. Mix togheter 3/4 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons cinnamon, and sprinkle mixture on top of the moistened dough. Roll up tightly; the roll should be around 3 inches in diamter. Cut into thirds, and tuck under ends. Place loaves into well greased 9x5 inch pans. Lightly grease tops of loaves. Let rise again for 1 hour.
Bake at 350 for 45 mintues, or until loaves are lightly browned and sound hollow when knocked. Remove loaves from pans, and brush with melted butter. Let cool before slicing.

Waffles

2017-01-09T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

4 eggs
4 cups flour
3 1/2 cups milk
1 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Mix
Cook
Serve

Biscuits

2017-01-01T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the board (if you can get White Lily flour, your biscuits will be even better)
1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder (use one without aluminum)
1 teaspoon kosher salt or 1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, very cold
1 cup buttermilk (approx)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 450°F.
Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, or in the bowl of a food processor.
Cut the butter into chunks and cut into the flour until it resembles course meal.
If using a food processor, just pulse a few times until this consistency is achieved.
Add the buttermilk and mix JUST until combined.
If it appears on the dry side, add a bit more buttermilk. It should be very wet.
Turn the dough out onto a floured board.
Gently, gently PAT (do NOT roll with a rolling pin) the dough out until it's about 1/2" thick. Fold the dough about 5 times, gently press the dough down to a 1 inch thick.
Use a round cutter to cut into rounds.
Bake for about 10-12 minutes- the biscuits will be a beautiful light golden brown on top and bottom.

Chana Masala

2016-10-22T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

3 Tbsp (45 ml) grape seed oil (or sub coconut oil)
1 white or yellow onion, finely diced (110 g)
1 Tbsp (7 g) ground cumin
3/4 tsp sea salt, divided, plus more to taste
6 cloves garlic, minced (3 Tbsp or 16 g)
2 Tbsp (12 g) fresh ginger, minced
1/2 cup (30 g) fresh cilantro, chopped
2-3 fresh green chilies, sliced with seeds (I used serrano peppers)
1 Tbsp (7 g) ground coriander
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 28-oz can pureed or finely diced tomatoes (if unsalted, you’ll add more salt to the dish)
2 15-ounce (425 g) cans chickpeas, slightly drained
1 tsp garam masala* (see instructions for DIY blend)
2-3 tsp coconut sugar
2 Tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice, plus more to taste

Instructions

Heat a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add oil, onion, cumin, and 1/4 tsp salt.
Add garlic, ginger, cilantro, and green chilies to a mortar and pestle and grind into a rough paste (or use a small food processor to pulse into a paste. Alternatively, just finely mince.) Then, add to the pan with the onions.
Next add ground coriander, chili powder, and turmeric and stir to coat. Add a little more oil at this point if the pan is looking dry.
Next add pureed tomatoes and chickpeas and remaining 1/2 tsp salt. If the mixture looks a little too thick, add up to 1 cup (240 ml) water (I added ~1/2 cup (120 ml)). You’re looking for a semi-thick soup consistency at this point, as it will cook down into more of a stew.
Increase heat to medium high until it reaches a rolling simmer, then reduce heat to low or medium-low and maintain a simmer (uncovered) for 15-20 minutes, or until thick and stew-like. Stir occasionally.
In the meantime, if you don’t have garam masala seasoning, make your own by adding 2 small dried red chilies, 1 tsp black peppercorns (or 1/2 tsp ground black pepper), 1 tsp cumin seeds (or 1/2 tsp ground cumin), 1 tsp cardamom pods (or 1/2 tsp ground cardamom), 1/2 tsp cloves (or 1/4 ts p ground cloves), and 1/8 tsp nutmeg to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder and grind/mix into a powder. Set aside.
When the chana masala is thickened and bubbly, taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt for saltiness, chili powder for heat, or a bit of coconut sugar for sweetness and to offset the heat of the chilies.
Remove from heat and add lemon juice and garam masala. Stir to mix, then let cool slightly before serving. Fresh cilantro and lemon juice make an excellent garnish. Chana masala can be enjoyed as a stew on its own, or it can be delicious with white or brown rice (see my favorite method here), or cauliflower rice. Lastly, my favorite is over roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli (see notes for instructions).

Chocolate Mousse

2016-03-13T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

11 oz bag of chocolate chips
2 tbsp sugar
1 pint whipping cream
3 egg whites

Directions

Melt chocolate in a double boiler
Whisk egg whites and sugar until peaks have formed
Whisk cream until it is whipped
Fold chocolate into egg whites (make sure all the white is mixed in)
Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate
Let it sit for a while (at least a few hours to set)

Veggie Naan with Chickpea Mash

2014-11-09T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

2 cups cooked chickpeas
giant handful of chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons tahini paste
zest and juice of one small lemon
pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 cup crumbled sheep's milk feta
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
fresh ground pepper
1 small red onion, very thinly sliced
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 carrots, thinly peeled with a peeler
3 cups sprouts of greens of choice
extra virgin olive oil
sriracha for spice, if needed

Directions

Rinse and drain the chickpeas. In a food processor, give the beans and cilantro a few quick pulses JUST to rough them up, you don't want a paste. I'm talking like 2 to 3 pulses. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the tahini, lemon juice and zest, pinch of red pepper flakes, feta, olive oil and lots of fresh ground pepper. Stir to blend. Add a tiny splash of water if it looks too dry.

Combine the onion and vinegar in a bowl with a pinch of salt and toss with your fingers to coat just to soften them a bit. Set up your space with the carrots ribbons, vinegared onions and greens. Make each sandwich with a hearty swipe of the chickpea mash, a generous layer of onions, carrots, greens. Drizzle the vegetables with a bit of olive oil and your hot sauce on the side as needed.

Sundried Tomato Pasta

2014-05-09T00:00:00Z

juice from 1 lemon
juice from 1-2 limes
a little olive oil
green pepper (chopped)
sun dried tomatoes (chop smaller than in package)
avocado
cilantro (if you want)
box of penne past

Mix in pasta. Add parmesan cheese for the top

Green Juice

2013-03-31T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1 granny smith apple (cored)
1 orange (peeled)
~8 pineapple chunks
2 tsp chia seeds
2 leaves of kale
1-2 handfuls of spinach
2 cups of water/ice (kinda guessing)

Optional

Quarter sized chunk of ginger
1/4 lemon (peeled)
Small handful of parsley

Spicy Carrots

2013-02-19T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

Some carrots
Some jalapenos
Half an onion
Distilled Vinegar (fill the jar)
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Put everything in a jar and let it sit for a day or 2. Enjoy.

Gingerbread Men

2012-12-23T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

3/4 melted butter or margarine
1 c. molasses
1/2 c. honey
1 c. thick buttermilk (I use yogurt)
6.5 c. flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tsps ginger
4 tsps baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 Tblsp lemon or orange extract (optional)

Directions

Mix melted butter, molasses and honey until smooth. Add buttermilk (yogurt), then the flour sifted with salt, ginger, baking powder and soda.
Add lemon or orange extract.
Mix to a smooth, stiff dough. Roll out on lightly floured surface to 1/3 inch.
Cut into shapes and place on ungreased baking sheet.
Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on racks.

Chocolate Cake

2012-05-28T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1 pkg of Duncan Hines dark chocolate cake mix
1 pkg instant chocolate fudge pudding
½ c. water
½ c canola oil
1 pint sour cream
4 eggs
12 oz. Semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Blend everything but the chocolate chips, then stir them in. In a well-greased bundt pan, bake for one hour at 350. Cool upside down for ten minutes.

Tweaks, because my cake sides stuck to the bundt pan: Flour the well-greased bundt pan. Let the cake cool before taking out of the pan – 10 minutes was not enough time.

Asian Chicken Salad

2012-03-21T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

For vinaigrette

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

For salad

4 cups coarsely shredded cooked chicken (about 1 pound)
1/2 pound Napa cabbage, cut into 1-inch pieces (3 1/2 cups)
1/4 pound snow peas, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
1 seedless cucumber (usually plastic-wrapped), quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 scallions, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

Whisk together all vinaigrette ingredients.
Toss salad ingredients with vinaigrette in a large bowl until combined well.

Canyon Ranch Grilled Chicken Enchiladas and Calabacitas

2012-03-21T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

Sauce

1 tbsp olive oil
16 Roma tomatoes, quartered
1 medium onion, sliced
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Enchiladas

1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 3 oz each), fat trimmed
4 medium (about 6-inch) whole-wheat flour tortillas
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 cup diced green chile (Anaheim chile, fresh or canned)

Calabacitas

1 tbsp plus 2 tsp canola oil
1 small zucchini, sliced 1/2 inch thick in half-moon shapes
1 small yellow squash, sliced 1/2 inch in half-moon shapes
1 Roma tomato, diced
1 small onion, diced
1/2 cup frozen or fresh corn
1 tsp chopped fresh oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Preparation

For sauce, preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with oil. Place tomatoes, onion and garlic on baking sheet. Roast 15 minutes or until onion and garlic turn golden brown. While the vegetables are roasting, start preparing the enchiladas (see below). Remove vegetables from oven. Cool. Place in a blender along with chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper and puree until smooth. Set aside.

For the enchiladas, combine paprika, cumin, and chili powder in a small bowl. Add oil and 2 tsp water and mix to form a paste. Pat all of spice paste on chicken. Grill or broil chicken 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until juices run clear when pierced with a fork. Cool and slice each breast into long strips (about 3/4 inches wide and 4 inches long). Lay tortillas on a flat surface. Place 3 chicken strips, 2 tbsp cheese, and 2 tbsp green chile on each tortilla. Roll and place in a 9" x 13" baking pan. Cover with sauce. Reduce oven heat to 350°F. Cook enchiladas 15 to 20 minutes or until sauce is bubbly.

While the enchiladas are cooking, prepare the calabacitas. Increase oven heat to 425°F. Lightly coat a sheet pan with 1 tbsp oil. Lay zucchini and yellow squash on sheet pan and roast 5 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Lightly coat a sauté pan with 2 tsp oil. Add zucchini, squash, tomato, onion, and corn. Sauté over medium heat about 5 minutes. Add oregano, salt, and pepper. Serve with enchiladas.

Cucumber Tomato and Feta Salad

2012-03-21T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

6 cups coarsely chopped English hothouse or Persian cucumbers (about 2 pounds total)
2 large tomatoes (about 1 pound total), coarsely chopped
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1 cup assorted pitted olives (such as Kalamata or Gaeta), halved
1 7-ounce package feta, crumbled, divided
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Combine cucumbers, tomatoes, scallions, olives, half of feta, and mint in a large bowl.
Whisk oil and lemon juice in a small bowl; season dressing with salt and pepper. Pour dressing over salad; toss to coat.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle remaining half of feta over and serve.

French Onion Soup

2012-03-21T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon Calvados, Applejack, or other brandy
4 cups low-salt beef stock
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4–8 1/2"-thick slices baguette, cut to fit ramekins
1 cup grated Gruyère or raclette cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°F. Cook onions in a 12" nonstick skillet over high heat, stirring constantly, until soft and caramelized, about 15 minutes.
Add butter and toss onions to coat.
Remove pan from heat and stir in Calvados.
Return pan to heat and continue cooking until Calvados is absorbed, about 30 seconds.
Add stock and bring to a simmer.
Simmer until soup is reduced to 4 cups, about 5 minutes.
Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.
Place ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet.
Divide soup among ramekins.
Top each ramekin with 1-2 slices of bread.
Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese over each.
Transfer baking sheet with ramekins to oven and bake until cheese is bubbly and browned in spots, about 4 minutes.

Spicy Peanut Sauce

2012-03-21T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup water

Preparation

In a small saucepan cook garlic and red pepper flakes in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until garlic is golden. Whisk in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, whisking. Simmer sauce, whisking, until thickened, about 1 minute. Sauce may be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered. Serve sauce warm or at room temperature.

Pressed Chicken with Squash and Tomatoes

2012-03-21T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

4 chicken breast halves with skin and bone (2 to 2 1/4 pounds)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 pound yellow squash, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 pound tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 teaspoons chopped marjoram, divided

Preparation

Pat chicken dry and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
Add chicken, skin side down.
Cover with a round of parchment paper, then a heavy pot or skillet, followed by a 3- to 5-pound weight (such as two 32-ounce cans or a brick wrapped in foil).
Cook 10 minutes, then remove weight, pot, and parchment.
Turn chicken over and re-cover with a clean round of parchment, pot, and weight, then cook until just cooked through, about 8 minutes more.
Transfer chicken to a plate and keep warm, covered.
Add squash, tomatoes, garlic, 2 teaspoons marjoram, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to fat in skillet.
Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until squash is just tender and tomatoes have become saucy, 6 to 8 minutes.
Stir in any juices from plate and season with salt and pepper.
Spoon over chicken.
Sprinkle chicken and vegetables with remaining teaspoon marjoram.
Serve with: a green salad tossed with red-wine vinaigrette

Herb Salad Spring Rolls with Spicy Peanut Sauce

2012-03-21T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

a 1.8- to 2-ounce package bean-thread (cellophane) noodles
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 large Boston lettuce leaves, washed well and spun dry
eight 8-inch rounds rice paper plus additional in case some tear
2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, crushed
1 scallion, cut into 2-inch julienne strips
1/4 cup finely shredded carrot
1/3 cup thinly sliced cabbage
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves (preferably Thai basil), washed well and spun dry
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, washed well and spun dry
1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves, washed well and spun dry

Accompaniment: Spicy Peanut Sauce print a shopping list for this recipeview wine pairings

Directions

In a bowl soak noodles in very hot water to cover 15 minutes and drain well in a colander.
Reserve half of noodles for another use.
With scissors cut remaining noodles into 3- to 4-inch lengths and in a small bowl toss with vinegar and salt to taste.
Cut out and discard ribs from lettuce leaves, halving each leaf.
In a shallow baking pan or cake pan soak 2 rounds rice paper in hot water to cover until very pliable, 45 seconds to 1 minute.
Carefully spread 1 soaked round on a paper towel, leaving remaining round in water, and blot with paper towels.
Arrange 1 piece of lettuce leaf on bottom half of sheet, leaving a 1-inch border along edge.
Top lettuce with about one fourth of peanuts and about one fourth of noodles, arranging them in a line across lettuce.
Top noodles with one fourth each of scallion, carrot, cabbage, and herbs. Roll up filling tightly in rice paper, folding insides after first roll to completely enclose filling, and continue rolling.
Spread remaining soaked rice paper round on paper towel and blot with another paper towel.
Wrap rice paper around spring roll in same manner.
(Double wrapping covers any tears and makes roll more stable and easier to eat.)
Wrap spring roll in rinsed and squeezed paper towel and put in a resealable plastic bag.
Make 3 more rolls with remaining ingredients in same manner.
Rolls may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, wrapped in wet paper towels in sealed plastic bag.
Before serving, bring rolls to room temperature.
Discard paper towels. Halve rolls diagonally and serve with peanut sauce.

Zucchini and Corn Tacos

2012-03-21T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 cups fresh white or yellow corn kernels
1 cup chopped white onion
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
3 medium zucchini, diced
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
4 leaves fresh epazote, (or 1 teaspoon fresh oregano), finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 warm corn tortillas
1/4 cup tomatillo (green) salsa
8 teaspoons grated Monterey Jack cheese (or queso fresco)

Directions

Heat half of oil in a large skillet over high heat.
Toast corn 5 minutes, stirring; season with salt.
Remove corn; set aside. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in skillet.
Cook onion, stirring, until it caramelizes, 5 minutes.
Add garlic; cook 1 to 2 minutes.
Add tomatoes; cook 10 minutes.
Add zucchini; cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes; season with salt.
Add corn, beans, epazote and pepper.
Cook 3 minutes. Split filling among tortillas; top each with 1 1/2 teaspoons salsa and 1 teaspoon cheese.

Roasted vegetable and penne pasta

2012-02-25T00:00:00Z

Yum

Super Fluffy Pancakes

2011-06-27T00:00:00Z

I was taken back by the thought of using vinegar and milk, but these were probably the fluffiest pancakes I have ever had. I also added some blueberries. Gotta love breakfast for dinner.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/fluffy-pancakes-2/

Smoked Salmon with Chipotle Cream Sauce

2011-06-06T00:00:00Z

Smoke some salmon. I guess you could grill it too. Make some sauce:

8 ounces sour cream
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons red onion, finely chopped
1 whole chipotle chile in adobo sauce (canned), seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon adobo sauce (from the can)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1 Tablespoon lime juice, freshly squeezed

Serve salmon on a bed of avocado slices. Add some thin strips of jalapeno pepper on top. Sauce on the side.

Sauce recipe via http://www.recipegirl.com/2007/09/16/tequila-lime-shrimp-tacos-with-chipotle-cream/

Flatbread

2011-02-20T00:00:00Z

This makes the bread for gorditas and gyros.

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2009/07/16/fast-food-fix-gorditas-without-the-drive-through/

I needed to use a bit more water
I used Potato Buds
I cooked them on the griddle, two at a time
I let the dough rise for only 40 minutes in a warm oven

Pizza

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

Dough

2 1/2 cup flour
2 Tbsp olive oil (if you use vegatable oil it will crap out)
1 cup warm water
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 package yeast

In large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add flour, oil, sugar, and salt. Mix with wooden spoon (we use kitchenaide with dough hook) until dough loses stickiness. Set aside for 15 minutes. Cut dough in half, then roll float to about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thickness. Spread choice of fillings on dough and roll up. Cook for 15 minutes at 400. Half way through you can put some button on top so it will get nice and brown. This recipe is good for 2 people/2 calzones.

Candy Cane Ice Cream Pie

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

Nothing sparks holiday nostalgia like candy canes, so don’t be surprised if this dessert becomes the thing your family looks forward to year after year. It requires very little effort and can be made days ahead of time. Better still: it speaks to the kid inside each guest, ensuring that your gathering will have a very sweet ending indeed.

1 tsp. vegetable oil
13 oz. homemade or store-bought brownies
3 qts. high-quality vanilla ice cream
1 cup crushed peppermint candies
¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp. sugar

Using your fingers, rub the bottom and sides of an 8-inch spring form pan (or 10-inch deep-dish pie pan) evenly with vegetable oil; this will help the frozen pie lift off the pan more easily when serving. Break brownies into bite-size pieces and press evenly into pie pan, covering the bottom and sides flush to the edge. Cover pan and freeze for at least 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, put ice cream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment; beat at medium speed until ice cream is smooth and malleable (like taffy), about 1 minute. Add candies and mix just until combined, about 1 minute. Using a spatula, spread ice cream over brownies. Freeze, covered, for at least 6 hours or until ice cream is completely firm.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips on full power until half-melted. Stir until smooth, adding about ¼ cup of cream to thin. Whip the remaining ¾ cup cream with the sugar until stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes. With a large knife run under hot water, cut cake into 12 equal slices. Set slices on individual plates (keep any remaining cake covered in the freezer until ready to serve). Dollop whipped cream onto each slice and use a spoon to drizzle warm melted chocolate over the top. Serves 12.

Carrot Cake

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

Cake

12 ounces, approximately 2 1/2 cups, all-purpose flour
12 ounces grated carrots, medium grate, approximately 6 medium
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 ounces sugar, approximately 1 1/3 cups
2 ounces dark brown sugar, approximately 1/4 cup firmly packed
3 large eggs
6 ounces plain yogurt
6 ounces vegetable oil

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese
2 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
9 ounces powdered sugar, sifted, approximately 2 cups

Directions

This recipe is Alton Brown's. The few changes I made are

A bit more cinnamon
Less sugar in both the cake and frosting. I also used more brown sugar and less regular sugar for the cake.
I just sprayed the pans with Pam after putting in the parchment paper. To cut the parchment paper, place the cake pan on top of the paper, and cut around the cake pan with a utility knife.
I split into 2 pans to make a 2-layer cake - see updated directions below

Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter and flour a 9-inch round and 3-inch deep cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.

Put the carrots into a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process for 5 seconds. Add this mixture to the carrots and toss until they are well-coated with the flour.

In the bowl of the food processor combine the sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and yogurt.

With the processor still running drizzle in the vegetable oil. Pour this mixture into the carrot mixture and stir until just combined. Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 45 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F and bake for another 20 minutes or until the cake reaches 205 to 210 degrees F in the center. '''To make a 2-layer cake, just split the mixture into 2 cake pans. Cut the cooking time in half.'''

Remove the pan from the oven and allow cake to cool 15 minutes in the pan. After 15 minutes, turn the cake out onto a rack and allow cake to cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting after cake has cooled completely.

Frosting

In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese and butter on medium just until blended. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. With the speed on low, add the powdered sugar in 4 batches and beat until smooth between each addition.

Challe

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

6 2/3 cup of flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2 cakes yeast (1 cake = 2 1/2 tsp)
2/3 cup oil
3 eggs
1 cup water plus 2/3 cup water

Directions

Dissolve yeast in 2/3 cup warm water (I also add 1 Tbsp of sugar from the 2/3 cup).
Mix dry ingredients: flour, sugar, salt. Whisk together. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients and pour in the dissolved yeast. On top of the yeast mixture, sprinkle some flour and leave for 10 minutes.
Mix oil, eggs, and remaining water (1 cup). Whisk together.
After the yeast has begun to bubble (the 10 minutes above), pour in the water/oil/egg mixture and mix with flour. When its all mixed turn out of the counter and knead. You'll probably have to add bits of flour to keep from sticking.
Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough inside and cover with a damp tea towel. Place in warm spot and let rise - 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Punch dough down, knead, let rise again. Punch down, divide into 3 parts.
Oil bread pans. Can either braid the loaf or divide one of the thirds into 8 small balls. Let dough rise in the pan. You can also mix an egg with some water to rush on the top of the loaf. Back at 325 for 40-60 minutes. Check the top of the bread for color.

Use both ovens. If you use both racks in the top oven, the bottom rack burns the bottom of the bread after 20 minutes.

Chicken Paella with Sugar Snap Peas

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

Paella

Ingredients

1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 large chicken thighs with skin and bones, excess skin and fat trimmed (about 2 1/2 pounds)
4 ounces 1/4-inch-thick slices fully cooked smoked Spanish chorizo
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 1 large)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
2 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers from jar
2 1/2 cups sugar snap peas, trimmed (about 8 ounces)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Mix white wine and saffron threads in small measuring cup; set aside
Combine salt, smoked paprika, and black pepper in small bowl; rub spice mixture all over chicken thighs
Heat heavy large oven proof skillet over medium-high heat
Add chorizo and sauté until fat begins to render and sausage browns, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes
Transfer chorizo to large plate. Add olive oil to skillet. Add chicken thighs to skillet and cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side
Transfer chicken to plate with chorizo
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings from skillet
Reduce heat to medium
Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, stirring often, about 5 minutes
Add minced garlic and stir 30 seconds
Add long-grain rice and stir to coat
Add wine-saffron mixture and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet
Add chicken broth, tomatoes with juice, and roasted red peppers
Bring to simmer
Stir in browned chorizo
Place chicken thighs, skin side up, atop mixture in skillet
Cover skillet tightly with foil, then cover skillet with lid
Bake paella until rice is almost tender, about 25 minutes
Transfer chicken to plate
Stir rice; season to taste with salt and pepper
Scatter snap peas over
Return chicken to skillet, nestling into rice
Cover with foil and lid
Bake until snap peas are crisp-tender, rice is tender, and chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes longe

Chicken with Mushrooms and Tomato

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1 4-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 ounces button mushrooms, quartered
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1 medium tomato, diced
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup cooked brown rice (optional)

Directions

Heat oven to 400° F.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season the chicken with 1/8 teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper.

Heat the oil in a medium ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

Add the onions and mushrooms to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato, parsley, and the remaining salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes.

Return the chicken to the skillet and transfer to the oven. Roast until the chicken is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve with brown rice (if using).

Crepes

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons melted butter
Butter, for coating the pan

Directions

In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and pulse for 10 seconds. Place the crepe batter in the refrigerator for 1 hour. This allows the bubbles to subside so the crepes will be less likely to tear during cooking. The batter will keep for up to 48 hours.

Heat a small non-stick pan. Add butter to coat. Pour 1 ounce of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly. Cook for 30 seconds and flip. Cook for another 10 seconds and remove to the cutting board. Lay them out flat so they can cool. Continue until all batter is gone. After they have cooled you can stack them and store in sealable plastic bags in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to two months. When using frozen crepes, thaw on a rack before gently peeling apart.

Frozen Lemonade Pie

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

Crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling

2 cups heavy cream
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk, chilled
1 6-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate (do not thaw)

Topping

1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Make the crust: In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press firmly on the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 7 minutes; cool completely.

Make the filling: In a cold medium bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. In another bowl, stir together the condensed milk and frozen lemonade. Gently fold the lemonade mixture into the whipped cream. Pour the filling into the crust; freeze overnight.

About an hour before you serve the pie, make the topping: Toss the berries in a medium bowl with the sugar and lemon juice. Set aside until ready to serve.

Let the pie come to room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting. Top each slice with berries.

Gazpacho

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

cucumber (1 or 2)
green pepper
canned diced tomatoes (1 big can)
garlic
lime
hot sauce

blend or Cuisanart

croutons on top

Grilled Chicken with Basil Dressing

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds, coarsely crushed
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
1 large clove garlic
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Whisk 1/3 cup of oil, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, fennel seeds, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a heavy-duty re-sealable plastic bag. Add the chicken and seal the bag. Massage the marinade into the chicken. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day, turning the chicken occasionally.

Dressing

4/3 cups olive oil
4 cups basil (lightly packed)
4 tsp lemon zest
1 cup lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Meanwhile, blend the basil, garlic, lemon zest, remaining 1/4 cup lemon juice, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a blender until smooth. Gradually blend in the remaining 1/3 cup oil. Season the basil sauce, to taste, with more salt and pepper, if desired.

Prepare the barbecue for medium-high heat or preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the chicken until just cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to plates. Drizzle the basil sauce over and serve.

Leek Potato and Gruyere Frittata

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

3 Tbs unsalted butter
6 oz small red potatoes, sliced 1/8" thick
salt and pepper to taste
2 leaks, rinsed well and thinly sliced
5 eggs
3 Tbs heavy cream
2 oz Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 Tbs chopped parsley

Melt 1 Tbs butter in pan. Add potatoes, leeks, salt, and pepper. Cook for 8 minutes. Transfer to bowl.

Whisk eggs and cream. Stir in cheese, potatoes, and parsley. Leave a little bit of leeks to leave on top. Put in oven at 425 for 15-20 minutes. Yum.

Lemonade Pie

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

Crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling

2 cups heavy cream
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk, chilled
1 6-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate (do not thaw)

Topping

1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Make the crust: In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press firmly on the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 7 minutes; cool completely.

About an hour before you serve the pie, make the topping: Toss the berries in a medium bowl with the sugar and lemon juice. Set aside until ready to serve.

Let the pie come to room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting. Top each slice with berries.

Million Dollar Potatoes

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

2 bags of frozen hash brown cubes
Tub of sour cream
4 cups of shredded cheddar
2 cans of cream of potato soup

Fill 2 glass pans with mixture. Sprinkle parm on top.

Cook at 350°

1 hour covered
1 hour uncovered

Mustard Potato Salad

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

3 pounds new potatoes, boiled and sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons whole grain mustard
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Place the warm potatoes and green onions in a large bowl. Whisk together the mayonnaise, mustards, garlic, vinegar and parsley and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the dressing to the potatoes and carefully mix until combined.

Originally by Bobby Flay

Pancakes

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

Dry ingredients

2 cups flour
3 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
(cinnamon for apple pancakes)

Wet ingredients

2 eggs
2-3 Tbsp oil
3/4 cup yogurt (Robyn likes to use vanilla)
1 cup milk (or more)
fruit of your choice

Makes enough for 3 hungry people (or 1 Penny)

Pasta With Tomatoes and Peas

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1 lb linguine
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 shallots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 carrot, diced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
5 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated romano cheese

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Drain the pasta, reserving 2 cups of the pasta water.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat.
Add the shallots, garlic, carrots, salt, and pepper. Cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the tomato paste and 1/2 cup of the hot pasta water.
Stir to melt the tomato paste and create a sauce, adding more pasta water if necessary. Stir in the oregano, thyme, and parsley.
Gently fold in the cooked pasta, peas, and the cheeses, adding more reserved pasta water if necessary.
Transfer to a platter and serve immediately.

Recipe by Giada De Laurentiis

Pesto

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.
Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Pickles

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

Some cucumbers (the little ones if you can get 'em)
1 onion
4 tsp salt
2 tbs water

Put them together and let sit for 2 hours. Then drain, but do not rinse

1 cup vinegar
a bunch of dill
a few cloves of garlic

Pizza

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 1/2 - 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 pinches of sugar

Directions

Proof yeast. Get water to around 115 degrees (read the yeast package to be sure), and pour 1 cup into a bowl. Add 2 pinches of sugar. Pour the yeast into the water/sugar mixture and stir. Let sit for about 5 minutes - you should see the yeast come alive.
Pour the water/sugar/yeast into a warmed Kitchen Aid mixer bowl.
Add salt and olive oil to the mixer bowl.
Add about 2 cups of flour and turn on the mixer with dough hook on speed 2.
One initially mixed, continue adding more flour until the dough sticks to the hook, but doesn't really stick to the bottom of the bowl. This will definitely take a lot more flour (1-1.5 cups) to get it to this state.
Pull dough from hook and place in a plastic bowl that has been liberally greased with more olive oil.
Place the dough in a warm oven for about 45-60 minutes to rise. I find filling a pot/dish with hot water and placing that in the oven will warm and humidify the air nicely.
Punch down dough.
Press into round cake pans greased with more EVOO.
Add toppings to your liking.
Bake for ~25 minutes at 400-425.

Additional Notes

I think the most important parts are the yeast proofing, the warm humid oven for dough rising, and lots of olive oil.

Pumpkin Chocolate Cookies

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1 cup pumpkin
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
1 egg
2 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp milk
1 cup chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla

Directions

Dissolve baking soda in milk; set aside. In large bowl add pumpkin, sugar, oil and egg, stir. Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda mixture. Mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and vanilla. Spoon onto cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 teaspoon salt, plus additional as needed
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons
1 medium onion, sliced
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup dry white wine
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
3 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
3 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions

Toss the shrimp in a medium bowl with 1 teaspoon of salt and red pepper flakes. Heat the 3 tablespoons oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and saute for about a minute, toss, and continue cooking until just cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a large plate; set aside. Add the onion to the same skillet, adding 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan, if necessary, and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices, wine, garlic, and oregano. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Return the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the tomato mixture; toss to coat, and cook for about a minute so the flavors meld together. Stir in the parsley and basil. Season with more salt, to taste, and serve.

Recipe by Giada De Laurentiis

Spicy Tangerine Beef

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 pound flank steak or tri-tip, cut in thin strips on the bias
2 tablespoons dry sherry
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon chili sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup freshly squeezed tangerine juice
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
3 scallions, chopped
1/4 tangerine, zested
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Directions

In a resealable plastic bag combine the soy sauce and cornstarch and mix well. Add beef, cover, and let marinate for 20 minutes in the refrigerator.

Whisk together the sherry, hoisin, honey, chili sauce, soy sauce, and tangerine juice until completely combined.

In large pan or wok, heat oil on high. Add the ginger and beef and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Then add sauce mixture and cook for another 2 minutes on medium heat until sauce thickens. Serve on warm platter, garnish with scallions, tangerine zest and sesame seeds.

Additional Notes

We first cooked this on April 15, 2009. It was really good!

Thai Soup

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

Soup a Doop

Broth

3 boxes of chicken broth
5 1/4 inch slices of ginger
Some lemon grass
1 lb of sliced chicken
4 crushed garlic cloves

Throw all the ingredients in a pot and cook it for an hour or so. Filter the broth through a cheese cloth and put the chicken pieces in a separate bowl.

Soup Guts

Udon Noodles (cooken in advance)
Squash
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Green Beans
Grape Tomatoes
Chicken from above

Put the amount of broth you are planning on immediately serving in a pot and bring it to a boil. Then add in all the ingredients from above. You can swap out pretty much whatever you like from the vegetables. When it gets back to a boil, dump it in a bowl and eat.

Garnish

Green Onion
Cilantro
Lime
Chili Garlic Rooster Sauce

Zucchini Bread

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ginger
3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
4 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup water
2 cups grated zucchini
1 tsp lemon juice (and some zest)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine flour salt, nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar.
Grate zucchini and squeeze out water.
In a separate bowl, combine oil, applesauce, eggs, water, zucchini, and lemon juice.
Mix wet ingredients into dry, add nuts and fold in.
Bake in 2 standard loaf pans, sprayed with nonstick spray for 1 hour, or until a tester comes out clean.
Alternately, bake in 5 mini loaf pans for about 45 minutes.

Apple Pecan Salad

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

mixed baby greens
sliced granny smith apples
spiced pecans
goat cheese

Dressing

1/3 cup cider vinegar
3 cloves crushed garlic
2 minced shallots
1 T dijon mustard
1 T course mustard
2/3 cup maple syrup

Blend all ingredients + 1 tsp ground pepper in food processor. with processor running add 1 cup vegetable oil in a slow stream.

Toss dressing with salad ingredients. for 1 lb of greens i usually have left over drissing which keeps well in the regrigerator.

Spiced pecans

3 cups pecans
1 T cinnamon
1 tsp cayenne
2 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground all spice
2 tsp sugar
4T butter- melted

spread pecans on cookie sheet and back at 350 for 10 minutes- or until brown.
combine all spices and melted butter
toss pecans with spice mix and spread on cookie sheet to dry.

Apple Pie Filling

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

Filling

3 1/4 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Topping

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

For filling

Mix all ingredients in large bowl to coat apples.

For topping

Blend first 5 ingredients in processor. Add chilled butter cubes; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture resembles wet sand.

Toss filling to redistribute juices; transfer to crust, mounding in center. Pack topping over and around apples. Bake pie on baking sheet until topping is golden, about 40 minutes (cover top with foil if browning too quickly). Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake until apples in center are tender when pierced and filling is bubbling thickly at edges, about 45 minutes longer. Cool until warm, about 1 hour. Serve with ice cream.

Apple Pie

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

Crust

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup flour
pinch o' salt
cinnamon

Fruit

4 cups fresh fruit (~6-7 apples)
2 Tbsp corn starch
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Set aside 3/4 cup of crumb mixture (for the top of the fruit). Push the rest on the bottom of the pan. Pile on the fruit, then the remaining crumbs. Bake at 425 for 30-40 minutes.

Banana Bread

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (more)
nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
3 1/2 bananas, very ripe, mashed
2 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (more)
2/3 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

Directions

Set oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a loaf pan with parchment paper.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, brown sugar and salt. Beat white sugar and eggs with a whisk until light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Drizzle in oil. Add mashed bananas, creme fraiche, and vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients and nuts. Pour into a lined loaf pan and bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Coleslaw

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

Boil

1 cup vinegar
3/4 cup oil
celery seed
dry mustard
salt

Poor hot over

cabbage
onion
carrots

Pie Crust

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

Ingredients

1 cup butter (2 sticks), cubed and chilled
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
8 to 10 tablespoons ice water

Directions

Put the butter, flour, and salt in the food processor, and pulse lightly just until the mixture resembles wet sand. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing briefly after each spoonful of water. Keep adding water until the dough just begins to gather into larger clumps. Transfer equal amounts of the dough into 2 resealable plastic bags and pat each into a disk. Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Remove 1 of the disks from the bag to a flour coated surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 10-inch round. Gently fit the rolled dough into a 9-inch pie pan, and refrigerate while you prepare the torte ingredients.

Yield: 2 (9-inch) pie crusts

Drunken Rum Cake

2011-01-02T00:00:00Z

Basic Cake Mix

2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, cut into bits
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the Cake

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 (3 1/2 ounce) package vanilla instant pudding mix
1/2 cup milk
4 eggs
1/2 cup whaler vanille rum (Hawaiian-style rum)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Rum soaking Glaze

1/2 cup butter (do not substitute)
1/4 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup whaler vanille rum (Hawaiian-style rum)

Directions: Prep Time: 45 mins

Total Time: 1 3/4 hrs
Basic Cake Mix: In a large mixing bowl, combine basic cake mix ingredients.
On low speed combine ingredients until the mix is the consistency of fine gravel, and all particles are about the same size.
This mix may be contained and stored for up to 3 months in the refrigerator.

For the Cake

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Spray a large Bundt pan (12 cup) with nonstick cooking spray.
Sprinkle the chopped walnuts on the bottom.
Place Basic Cake Mix, pudding mix, milk, eggs, rum, oil, and vanilla extract in a large bowl and combine on medium speed with electric mixer for 2 to 3 minutes, scrape down the bowl halfway through.
Batter should be very smooth.
Pour into Bundt pan.
Bake for about 55 minutes- until fully golden and tester comes out clean and cake springs back.
Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack while making the soaking glaze.
Rum Soaking Glaze:.
Combine butter, water and sugar in a small saucepan.
Bring to a boil carefully as mixture boils over very easily.
Reduce to a simmer and cook until sugar is dissolved and syrup is well combined and a little thicker.
Remove from the heat and add the rum, mix to combine.
While cake is still cooling, pour some of the hot syrup on top of the cake, allowing it time to soak in (this may take a few minutes as there will be a lot of syrup) continue to add syrup until all of the syrup is added.
Allow cake to cool completerly in pan before turning out onto serving platter.
This cake is delicate, so once it is turned out, it can not be moved around easily.
Can be eaten when fully cool, but even better the next day!