Missy's Kitchen Adventures

Missy's Favorite Turkey Dressing

2011-12-30T02:15:00.000-08:00

from Simply Recipes

I have made this recipe for every holiday party in the last three years and it is always my favorite! It's got a great blend of fall flavors and is so easy. It's a perfect side when you want to feed a lot of people.

Serves 8-12

1 loaf day old French bread, cut into 3/4 inch cubes (about 10-12 cups bread cubes)
1 cup walnuts (I have also used hazelnuts)
2 cups onion
2 cups celery
6 Tbsp butter
1 green apple, peeled, cored and chopped
3/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped olives (martini olives, the ones with the pimento)
1-2 cups turkey or chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp ground sage
salt and pepper to taste

Toast the nuts on medium high heat until browned, about a minute or two. Let them cool and then chop them roughly.

Heat a large saute pan on medium heat. Melt 3 Tbsp (about half) of the butter in the pan and then pour in the bread cubes, coating them with melted butter. Let them toast; only turn them when they begin to turn brown. (It's best if the bread is already a bit dried out. If it's still moist, lay the cubes in a baking pan and put them in a hot oven for 10 minutes or your stuffing will turn out mushy.)

In a large pot, saute onions and celery on medium high heat with the other half of the butter (about 3 Tablespoons) until cooked through, about 5-10 minutes. Add the bread, chopped nuts, apple, raisins, olives and parsley. Add one cup of stock, the rest of the seasonings and salt and pepper.

Cover. Turn the heat to low and cook for an hour or until the apples are cooked through. Check every 10 minutes or so to add water if the stuffing starts to dry out and stick to the bottom of the pan.

Spanish Rice Bake

2011-12-17T13:03:00.001-08:00

Adapted from Allrecipes

I don't know about you, but sometimes I get into a cooking rut. I get comfortable with a few recipes and after a month or so I stop and realize I have been eating the same 3 things for weeks! Anyway, I wanted something new and easy, with not too many strange ingredients that I would have to hunt around for. This was just the ticket. Familiar flavors, hearty and with a little hot sauce it really sings.

Plus, I imagine you could add all sorts of beans and veggies to this and even make it vegetarian if you so desired.

Makes enough for 4-6 people

1 lb lean ground beef
1 onion
2-3 bell peppers
1 can (14 oz or 400g) canned tomatoes
1 can corn
1 can kidney beans
1 cup water
1 cup rice
1/2 cup chile sauce (or salsa)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C)
Brown the meat and onion in a large skillet. Drain excess fat and stir in peppers, tomatoes, water, rice, chilie sauce, salt, sugar, and spices.
Let simmer for about 30 minutes covered, stirring occasionally. Check to see that the rice is cooked through, and if it is pour entire contents into a large casserole dish. (if not, wait a little longer, add water if needed and then pour it into the dish) Press down firmly and sprinkle with cheddar cheese.
Bake at for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Ben's Simple Pancakes

2011-11-25T01:46:00.001-08:00

The kind of pancakes you can quickly throw together on a Saturday morning. There are no weird ingredients, and they are simple and easy.We probably make them 3 times a week and I would definitely consider this my go-to recipe.

Makes enough for 3 - 4

1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/4 cup milk
1 egg
3 Tbsp butter, melted

Heat a skillet on the stove on medium heat.
Mix dry ingredients, then blend in milk and egg until just incorporated. Melt the butter and add it to the mix. Spoon out about 1/2 cup onto the skillet and wait until you begin to see tiny bubbles on the surface, then flip the pancake over with a spatula. Give it another minute or so and then remove and enjoy!

How to make Pumpkin Puree

2011-11-12T04:51:00.001-08:00

Instructions from Allrecipes

I now live in a place where it is difficult to buy canned pumpkin. And with the holiday pumpkin pies coming up I thought I would try making my own this year instead of getting it shipped from America (it makes for a rather expensive pie).

As usual, making it from home is very easy to do and it tastes better and of course is much cheaper. So here is how to do it:

1. Choose a small pie pumpkin, not more than 3-4 pound (the smaller ones tend to be sweeter)
2. Rinse the pumpkin well, removing any dirt or debris
3. Cut the pumpkin in half. Then scoop out all the seeds and guts. Set aside seeds for baking later!
4. Then lay the pumpkin pieces face down in a baking dish and add about a cup of water.

5. Bake at 350 F for 45-60 minutes, or until the flesh is soft and can be punctured easily with a fork.
6. Remove from the oven, and let cool. At this point, the rind should just peel right off, though you may have to do a little scraping to get some of the flesh off.
7. Puree it in a food processor until smooth. Now the pumpkin is ready to be used in a pie, muffin or soup! Anything that requires pumpkin puree. If you don't need it right away, feel free to freeze it until you need it.

Blackberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

2011-11-04T10:06:00.000-07:00

adapted slightly from Amanda's Cookin'

I made this last weekend and it was so incredibly good. A wonderful, moist coffee cake, plus a little soft cheese topping to make it feel just a little bit more decadent.

Cream Cheese Filling
1 8 oz package cream cheese (226 g)
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1 egg

Cake Batter
2 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter, chilled (170 grams)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1 tsp almond extract
1 egg

1 cup blackberry preserves (any kind will probably do)
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Preheat the oven to 375 F (176 C). Either prepare a 12 cup muffin tin and a 9x9 square baking pan OR I just greased up a bundt cake pan.

Place cream cheese, sugar, flour and egg into a bowl, mix until smooth and set aside.

Combine flour and sugar together along with cinnamon and salt and cut in the butter, until you form coarse crumbs. Remove 1 cup of this mixture and set aside. In a small bowl, combine sour cream, yogurt, almond extract and 1 egg. Combine wet egg mixture with the remaining crumbs along with the baking powder and baking soda.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking dish. Then on top of that, spread a layer of cream cheese filling. On top of the cream cheese, pour out 1 cup of blackberry preserves and lastly sprinkle the 1 cup of reserved butter crumbs on top. Garnish with sliced almonds and bake for 45 minutes. The cake will begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and will be golden brown, preserves will be bubbly. Let cool before serving.

Gooseberry Crumb Cake

2011-10-16T00:09:00.000-07:00

Adapted from Closet Cooking

I made this a couple of months ago, but just before going to the USA for a month in August my gooseberry bush just EXPLODED with berries. Now if you haven't had a gooseberry before (I hadn't) they look like a grape and taste a bit like a cranberry. They are very tart, and not easy to eat raw. So I had buckets of these berries on my hands and didn't know what to do with them. This was my first effort and it turned out quite good. Two cups of berries down, about 30 more to go...

Berries

2 cups gooseberries

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp ground ginger

Cake Batter

1/2 cup softened butter

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs

1/3 cup sour cream

2 tsp vanilla

1 3/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Crumb Topping

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/8 tsp salt

6 Tbsp butter, cut into pieces

1 cup flour

Preheat the oven to 325 F (162 C)

Rinse the gooseberries and toss with the sugar, cornstarch and ginger to coat. Set aside.

Cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs one at a time. Then mix in the sour cream and vanilla. Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Then add the dry ingredients to the wet ones a little at a time. Once mixed, pour all but 1/2 cup of batter into a greased 8x8 inch (20x20 cm) baking dish. Then pour out the gooseberry mixture on top, trying to get even coverage of berries. Top off with the remaining batter.

In a separate bowl, mix the brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, salt, butter pieces and flour. Pinch together to make coarse crumbs. Sprinkle on top of batter and put in the oven to bake until the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Couscous Confetti Salad

2011-10-08T00:31:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from a friend and brought it to a barbecue this weekend because I hate showing up and all there is to eat are chips and cookies. At the end of the party, this salad was nearly gone, but there were several bags of sweets leftover and this got me thinking: Most adults I know are trying to maintain a healthy weight and have trouble sticking to their diets at parties. While I love a good cookie as much as the next person, I'm coming to firmly believe that you should bring healthy food to every party.

Healthy food makes everyone feel better!

2 cups cooked Couscous + vegetable bullion
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 red onions
1 red beans
1 cucumber
2 cups corn
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the couscous according to the box directions, including the bullion cube in the water for flavoring. Set aside. Cut cherry tomatoes into quarters, dice the onion thinly, chop up cucumber and mix altogether. Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix well with couscous. Enjoy!

Carrot and Red Pepper Soup

2011-09-30T07:13:00.000-07:00

Fall is here! We had our very first cold snap of the season (complete with a mini snowstorm) and that prompted this delicious meal. The roasted peppers add a lot of flavor and this has tons of ingredients that I usually have around the house. Not only is this very healthy, but if you use soymilk instead of milk it can be completely vegan. Bring on the cold!

Serves 4-6

1 onion, chopped
10 carrots, sliced thin
2 cups vegetable stock
2 red bell peppers
2 cups milk
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
pepper

Place onion and carrots into a pot with water or stock and simmer, covered, over medium heat until the carrots can be easily pierced with a fork. (about 20 minutes)

Roast bell peppers by placing them over an open gas flame or directly under the broiler until the skin is completely blackened. Place in a bowl, cover, and let stand for about 15 minutes. Once the peppers cool, slip the charred skin off with your fingers, then cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds.
Blend the carrot mixture along with the bell peppers in a blender in small batches. (Be very careful blending hot liquids!) Add some milk to aid the blending. Return soup to the pot and add in lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper. Heat until steamy and serve warm with fresh bread. Enjoy!

Tangy Slow Roasted Pork

2011-09-20T01:04:00.000-07:00

Adapted from Allrecipes

Slow cooker recipes are so great. They are so EASY that they are almost impossible to screw up, and the taste is amazing. I tried this new recipe because I was wanting some savory meat to put on crepes, but didn't necessarily want a barbecue flavor. I had all of these ingredients already on hand and the pork turned out tangy and delicious.

Serves 6-8

1 large onion
3-4 cloves garlic
2 1/2 lbs boneless pork loin (about 1 kilogram)
1 cup water
1/4 cup white sugar
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar (balsamic is also acceptable)
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 cup tomato puree
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1 beef bullion cube
salt to taste
red pepper flakes, to taste
1 tsp cornstarch

Chop the onions and mince the garlic and put them in a large pot and place the roast on top. Then, in a bowl, mix the water, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup, black pepper and beef bullion and pour mixture over the roast. Then keep adding water until the meat is just covered.

Put the lid on the pot and and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. About 3/4 of the way through, open the pot and shred the meat with two forks, adding salt and red pepper to taste. Cook the remaining time, with the lid off if there is a substantial amount of liquid left so it can evaporate (keep the lid on if the liquid is nearly gone) and mix cornstarch with 1 Tbsp cold water and mix it in so the sauce can thicken up a bit.

This meat would be great on sandwiches, crepes, or tacos. Pretty much anything really. Enjoy!

Sichuan Style Chicken

2011-09-13T23:13:00.000-07:00

Adapted from Eating Well

I love Chinese food. And I love finding new ways of making it that don't involve a deep fryer. So this recipe from Eating Well was great and very healthy! My advice would be not to skimp on the sauce, it's definitely the best part.

Good Appetite!

良好的食欲

Sichuan Sauce
3 Tbsp reduced sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp rice vinegar (balsamic is also acceptable)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil (tahini is also acceptable)
1/4 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

Chicken Stir Fry
1 lb chicken, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 tsp rice wine (or dry sherry)
1 tsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp garlic, minced
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced (dried is also ok)
2 cups zucchini (any vegetable really...string beans would be awesome)
1/4 cup dry-roasted peanuts
1 scallion, minced for garnish

To prepare sauce: whisk broth, tomato past, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch and crushed red pepper to taste in a small bowl.

Put the chicken, rice wine, soy sauce, cornstarch and minced garlic in a bowl, set aside.

Chop zucchinis into large chunks and set aside. Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes immediately. Swirl oil into the pan, add ginger and stir fry for 10 seconds. Carefully add the chicken mixture, spreading it out to cook. Cook until chicken begins to brown on all sides, stirring occasionally. Add vegetables and stir fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the Sichuan sauce, swirl it into the pan and cook until the chicken is just cooked through and the sauce has thickened and is slightly glossy (about a minute) Transfer to a platter and garnish with peanuts and scallions. Serve immediately with rice.

German Pancakes

2011-08-31T10:16:00.000-07:00

From the LeMons

As with German Chocolate Cake, these have very little to do with Germany. I have never seen these in Europe, but somehow the name sticks. Anyway, this is a great breakfast if you want something hot and sweet and feeds a lot of people, but without having to stand in front of a griddle or waffle iron all morning. You literally just whip it all together, put it in the oven and by the time everyone gets to the table, it's ready to go.

Serves 6

6 eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (about 200 C). Mix the eggs, milk, flour and salt in a bowl until smooth. Pour the melted butter into an ungreased 13x9 inch (about 23x33 cm) baking dish. Pour in the batter and bake, uncovered for 20 minutes.

The dish will puff up, like this:

But it deflates pretty quick, so serve immediately. Delicious with syrup or jam or whipped cream, or with some simple powdered sugar.

Basil Steak Marinade

2011-07-07T23:32:00.000-07:00

adapted from SteakMarinade.org

It's the height of summer and all of my herbs are overflowing right now. So I've been trying to use fresh herbs as often as possible. This basil marinade was amazing! So much flavor and easy to put together.

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped into little pieces

1/2 cup worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp lemon juice

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp honey

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup minced scallions

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

4 steaks

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and whisk until evenly combined. Pour over steaks and let the meat marinate in the fridge for at least a few hours.

Roasted Turkey Breasts

2011-06-30T23:43:00.001-07:00

from Betty Crocker

I love turkey, but am not always in the mood to roast a whole bird. When turkey breasts came on sale a few weeks ago, I jumped at the chance to have a nice turkey dinner without all of the fuss.

Serves 6-8

1 whole turkey breast, bone in (thawed if frozen) about 4-5 lbs or 1.75- 2 kilos

1/2 cup butter (113 grams)

1/4 cup white wine or apple juice

2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme or 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp salt

1 tsp paprika

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tsp cornstarch

2 Tbsp cold water

Preheat oven to 325 F (176 C). Place turkey, skin side up on a rack in a large, shallow roasting pan. Roast uncovered 1 hour.

Mix butter, wine, thyme, salt , paprika and garlic. Brush turkey with half of the butter mixture. Roast 30 minutes; brush with remaining butter mixture. Roast about an hour longer or until your meat thermometer reads 165 F (73 C). Remove turkey from the oven and let it stand for 15 minutes. In the meantime, take the pan drippings and skim the fat off of the top. Add enough water to drippings to measure out about 2 cups. Heat water and drippings in a saucepan until boiling. In a small cup, mix in cornstarch and 2 Tbsp cold water and once they are thoroughly mixed, add to the drippings. Boil and stir for 1 minute, serve gravy with turkey.

Brownies.

2011-06-24T11:32:00.000-07:00

From my Mom

I have a serious weakness for brownies. Especially warm gooey ones like these. My mom has made these all growing up and even though the recipe is so simple, it is still my favorite. I made a rule long ago that I could only make these when we had friends over or else I end up taking a little sliver here and a piece there until the whole pan is gone. It's a very grave problem. But that is what happens when brownies are this good.

Makes enough for me! or 8-10 normal people.

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

10 Tbsp cocoa (unsweetened)

4 eggs

1 1/2 cup flour

2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 F (176 C). Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time and then mix in flour and chocolate chips. Pour batter in a prepared 9x12 inch (23x30 cm) baking pan and bake for 15-18 minutes.

Chocolate Cherry Tart

2011-06-16T14:29:00.000-07:00

from Hot Polka Dot

All of the cherry trees in my neighborhood are ripening right now. Deep red, lovely cherries everywhere you look. I have had to resist the urge many times to help myself to my neighbor's trees and last week I finally had to buy a box at the store. With so many to eat, I made this dessert one night on a whim. It was so divine that we had to fight over the leftovers the next day... so good that it's dangerous!

makes one 12 inch tart

1 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup ground hazelnuts
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces
1 egg

12 ounces (350 grams) semisweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp unsalted butter

2-3 Tbsp chopped hazelnuts (I had to use walnuts, but it was still very good!)
1 cup sweet cherries, pitted

Mix together flour, cocoa, ground hazelnuts, powdered sugar and salt. Cut in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg a little bit at a time, mixing a little bit after each addition. The dough will appear granular at first and after a few mixes it should begin to clump together.

Turn out dough onto a floured surface and knead it together gently until it begins to hold together. Try not to handle it as little as possible. Then wrap it in plastic wrap and stick it in the fridge for a few hours.

Once ready, butter a 12 inch round tart pan and set it aside. Sandwich the dough between 1 large sheets of wax paper and roll it out into a 15 inch circle. (Rolling it out with wax paper reduces cracks and mess and makes it easier to turn it over into the pan). Place the dough in the tart pan, firmly pressing into the corners of the pan. Pierce the dough a few times with a fork and put it in the freezer for half an hour.

In the meantime, preheat the oven to 375 degrees (190 C) and butter the shiny side of a piece of aluminum foil. When ready, fit the buttered side down tightly against the inside of the tart shell. Place the tart in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake it for an additional 10 minutes. Take it out and let it cool completely before filling.

To make the filling, put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set it aside. In a small saucepan combine the cream and butter and heat it on medium until it just begins to boil. Then pour the mixture over the chocolate, cover it and let it sit for 3-5 minutes. Whisk in the chocolate unti lit all melts and you're left with a smooth pudding like consistency. Pour into the cooled tart shell and smooth it out with a spatula. Top with cherries and chopped nuts and put it in the fridge until ready to serve. I left mine in there for an hour or so and it really helped the filling firm up.

Pork Chops with Sour Cream Sauce

2011-06-04T00:20:00.000-07:00

adapted from food.com

We just got a grill. Hooray! It's just a little one and nothing fancy but it's so nice to cook and eat outside. Last night I wanted to try something a little different with grilled pork chops and this sauce was just the ticket. It had nice flavor, was simple to put together and tasted great with rice.

4 pork loin chops

1 tsp dried sage

1/2 tsp salt

2 medium onions

1.5 cup beef stock

1 cup sour cream

3 Tbsp flour

1/8 tsp black pepper

parsley (fresh if you can get it!)

Combine sage, salt and pepper and rub the chops on both sides with the mixture. Grill until meat is cooked through.

In a saucepan grill onions until soft, then add beef stock and stir in the sour cream until smooth. Simmer for several minutes, add flour to thicken and sprinkle with parsley. Serve with rice or wide egg noodles.

Chicken Tikka Masala

2011-05-21T22:43:00.000-07:00

adapted slightly from Jamie Oliver

I love Indian food but find it so intimidating! I guess I hate the fact that I never really know if I'm doing it right because it is so unfamiliar... So when my friend Janine wanted to try out this Tikki Masala recipe I thought it would be the perfect time to tackle the challenge. By the end of the hour the house smelled like a spice market and our mouths were all watering.

Serves 4-6

1/2 fresh red chili, deseeded (more if you want it hotter)

1 clove garlic,

1/2 oz (15 grams) fresh ginger

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 pinch paprika

1/2 Tbsp garam masala

1 tsp tomato puree

a bunch of fresh cilantro (coriander)

about 14 oz (400 grams) chicken breast, diced into pieces

1 small onion, peeled and sliced

1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped into pieces

1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped into pieces

1 pinch of ground cinnamon

1 pinch of ground coriander

1 pinch of turmeric

14 oz (400 grams) plum tomatoes

3.5 oz (100 ml) plain yogurt

3.5 oz (100 ml) sour cream

The day before: (or at least a few hours before)

Put the chili, garlic, ginger, vegetable oil, paprika, garam masala, tomato puree, and all of the cilantro stalks into the food processor and puree to form a paste. Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl, coat them with marinade and put them in the fridge over night.

When ready, add a little vegetable oil in a large wok or fry pan on medium heat. Fry the onion, peppers and remaining spices in a large saucepan. Cook gently for about 10 minutes, then add the can of tomatoes and yogurt. Finally, add the chicken pieces and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes until cooked through. Just before serving, stir through the double cream and chopped cilantro leaves.

Serve with fluffy rice and a leafy green salad.

German Chocolate Cake

2011-05-15T23:29:00.000-07:00

from Allrecipes

The ironic thing about German Chocolate Cake is that it is most certainly NOT German. Pecans aren't even grown over here and are actually quite difficult to find. That being said, this is a delicious, fancy looking cake.

Cake:

1/2 cup water

4 oz (113 grams) chocolate

1 cup buter, softened

2 cups white sugar

4 eggs (separate yolks and whites)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

2 1/2 cups cake flour (all purpose is next best)

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Filling:

1 cup white sugar

1 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup (70 grams) butter

3 egg yolks, beaten

1 1/3 cups flaked coconut

1 cup chopped pecans

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

Chocolate Sauce:

2 ounces chocolate

1 Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C). Grease and flour three 9" round pans (I used two 10" pans). Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Set asidde. In a small saucepan, heat water and 4 ounces of chocolate until melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 4 egg yolks one at a time. Blend in melted chocolate and vanilla, then add the flour mixture alternating with the buttermilk, mixing just until incorporated (do not overmix!)

In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter, then quickly fold in the remaining whites until no streaks remain. Pour into your prepared bake pans and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before removing.

To make the filling, combine 1 cup of sugar, evaporated milk, 1/2 cup butter and 3 egg yolks. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat, stir in coconut, pecans and vanilla. Cool until thick enough to spread. Spread filling between layers and on top of the cake. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate together, stir until smooth and then drizzle down the sides of the cake.

Some people prefer to toast the pecans and coconut before adding them to the filling, but that is up to you.

How to Roast a Whole Chicken

2011-05-06T00:04:00.000-07:00

While I love the convienience of bags of frozen chicken breasts, it's much more economical to buy the whole chicken and to roast it yourself. Plus, it makes the whole house smell great!

1 shallow pan

1 whole chicken

salt

rosemary

pepper

parsley

sage

oil

onion

garlic

Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C)

Take the chicken out of the trappings, remove giblets, rinse thoroughly and pat completely dry with a paper towel. Then place the chicken in the center of an oiled baking dish. You can stuff the bird's cavity with a roughly chopped onion or garlic cloves if you like. Then, in a small bowl, mix spices together. Brush chicken with a thin layer of oil and sprinkle the spice mixture evenly all over the chicken.

Bake for about 45-50 minutes or until juices run clear. The cooking time really depends on the size of the bird; for anything over 3.5 pounds, cook for about 8-10 minutes per pound (about 8-10 minutes every 500 grams). To be completely sure it is baked through, you may want to use a meat thermometer and make sure the internal temperature gets to 165 F (73 C).

Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Happy Meal

2011-04-27T00:03:00.001-07:00

Ben right now is in this cooking group at work, and he always comes home with these really interesting recipes from all over the world. This is one is from a colleague of his whose mom would make it back home and they called it "the happy meal" because it was so good. I was impressed with it because of the strange combination of savory and sweet, I would have never thought to mix bananas and bacon but it turned out quite delicious.

Serves 4

1 onion

14 oz turkey, cut into chunks (400 g)

3.5 ounces bacon (100 g)

1 cup of cream (250 ml)

1 Tbsp curry

1 beef bullion cube

1 banana

1 cup mandarin oranges

1 1/2 cup pineapple

rice

Chop bacon and onion into small pieces and saute with strips of turkey in a large frying pan. Once they are cooked, add cream, beef bullion cube, curry and salt if needed. Last, drop in banana, pineapple and Mandarin oranges. Let them all simmer together for several minutes, and serve immediately with rice. Don't let the fruit simmer for too long, or the fruity flavors will overpower the meal (known from experience!).

Simple Greek Salad

2011-04-18T02:31:00.001-07:00

This is one of my favorites, such great flavors all mingled together and it is so easy. It's perfect for summer.

Serves 4

5-6 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 cup olives

1 cucumber, chopped into small pieces

1 small red onion, sliced thinly

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1-2 tsp lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

2 tsp basil

In a bowl, mix together tomatoes, olives, cucumber and onion. Mix well. Then toss in Feta, lemon juice, salt, pepper and basil. It's best if you make it a few hours before dinner so you have time for the flavors to mingle. Enjoy!

Nutella No-Bake Cookies

2011-04-12T00:34:00.000-07:00

I love no-bake cookies. They are SO easy to make and use such basic ingredients that I never have to buy anything special to have them made. Plus when you have a sugar craving, they really hit the spot. The problem is, to make them one needs peanut butter and the only place I have found American peanut butter here is clear across town. So in desperation yesterday I used Nutella instead (which is found virtually everywhere here) and it was wonderful! Ben even loved them and he usually hates no-bake cookies.

makes about 2 dozen cookies

2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

1 pinch salt

1/2 cup Nutella

3 1/2 cups oats

Combine sugar, cocoa, butter and milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes. During this time measure out your oats and Nutella, then when the time is up, quickly mix them in to the hot mixture. Drop spoonfuls onto wax paper and let cool completely so they can harden before eating.

If your cookies turn out gooey and sticky, they didn't boil long enough. If they are crumbly, they boiled for too long. 2 minutes turned out perfectly for my stove, but experiment with your own stove to get the timing right.

Sweet and Sour Baked Chicken

2011-04-07T01:44:00.000-07:00

adapted slightly from Heat Oven to 350

It's so easy to get in a cooking rut. I looked at our menu last week and realized we had been eating meatballs and sandwiches for almost every meal and so I decided to try something new. This was a great meal; a healthy and delicious twist on the asian classic. I loved the tangy sauce and it was even better the next day! Feel free to experiment with different vegetables.

Serves 4-6

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

8 1/2 ounce pineapple chunks in their own juice

1/2 cup jellied cranberry sauce (I used lingonberry jam)

2 Tbsp brown sugar

2 Tbsp rice vinegar or cider vinegar

2 Tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate (I used regular orange juice + 1/2 tsp orange concentrate)

1 tsp soy sauce

1/4 tsp ground ginger

2 Tbsp cornstarch

2 Tbsp water

1 medium green bell pepper, cut into thin strips

1 medium zucchini, cut into thin slices

Heat the oven to 350 degrees (176 C). Pat chicken pieces dry with a paper towel, place them in a medium sized baking pan and set aside.

Drain juice from pinapple into a small saucepan and set pineapple asie. Put pan over medium heat and whisk in cranberry sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, orange juice concentrate soy sauce and ginger. Cook, stirring often until the cranberry sauce has melted and the sauce is warm. Put cornstarch in a cup or small bowl. Add water, whisking to dissolve. Whisk into juice mixture. Increase heat to medium-high and cook for about 3 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Add pineapple chunks and pour over chicken.

Bake, covered for 35 minutes. Add bell pepper and zucchini and baste the chicken with sauce. Bake uncovered for an additional 5 minutes. Serve over rice.

Chocolate Cheesecake Kisses

2011-03-30T02:25:00.000-07:00

From the genius Bakerella

I have been meaning to post this recipe for months now and am just now getting around to it. I made these for Valentines Day and they were a hit. I got the idea from one of my favorite food websites: Bakerella. If you have never been to her site, you should really go over and take a look, but I'm warning you it is not good for your diet! She is incredibly creative and always has fun dessert ideas to try out. Just don't say I didn't warn you about the diet thing.

Anyway, I was looking for a special Valentines Day recipe and decided tried this one out and loved it. It is very rich, with a cookie/cheesecake flavor and were really fun to make and eat!

1 package of oreos (18 ounces or 500 grams) of cream filled chocolate cookies

8 ounces (226 grams) cream cheese

1 1/2 cups chocolate bark (I used regular baking chocolate, you could use chips or whatever)

Directions:

First, finely crush all but about 7 cookies in a ziplock bag, cream filled center and all. Try to get rid of all the big chunks. Stir in the cream cheese, using the back of a spoon to mash the two together. Roll the mixture into 1 inch (2.5 centimeter) balls and place the on a wax paper covered cookie sheet. Then, form the balls into the shape of a kiss (cone shaped) coming to a point at the top. Put the balls in the freezer for 20 minutes or so to harden them a little bit so they dont fall apart when you cover them with chocolate.

*mine turned out a little different from Bakerella because they don't have oreos often in Austria, so I used a vanilla/chocolate cookie. Hence the multicolored inside instead of the dark oreo brown.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler (or very carefully in the microwave, stirring frequently) until you get about 1 1/2 cups of melted chocolate in a bowl. One at a time, dip the kisses one at a time into the chocolate, tap off the extra chocolate and slide them off onto the wax papered cookie sheet to dry. Once dry, refrigerate and enjoy!

To Decorate:

Write or type messages onto thin strips of paper. Cut out foil into 5 inch squares (about 13 centimeters), place a dry kiss in the center. Insert the message near the top and secure it as you wrap the kiss in the foil, covering it completely.

There you have it, homemade kisses for the one you love.

Mom's Chicken Noodle Soup

2011-03-24T00:42:00.001-07:00

from Mom

I remember my mom making this growing up, always from scratch and always telling us how simple it was to put together and haw much better homemade was compared to the canned stuff. How right she was! This soup is so delicious and comforting.

Serves 6-8

8-10 cups chicken broth

2 cups carrots, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1 onion, diced

2 cups cooked chicken, cut into chunks

1 package of egg noodles

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp flour

1 cup milk

1 Tbsp lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Cook chicken pieces through and set aside. In a large soup pot, boil vegetables in broth until they are just beginning to soften.

Meanwhile, in a separate pan create a light roux by melting the butter over low heat, and then gradually adding flour, mixing constantly until incorporated. Then slowly add milk, stirring to get rid of lumps. Once the mixture is smooth, pour into the soup. Add chicken to heat through, and just before serving add the noodles and let simmer until they are just soft. Don't let the noodles sit for too long or they will get mushy. Serve immediately with fresh bread.

Ben's Favorite Salad

2011-03-16T05:08:00.000-07:00

I'm blessed. I married a man who likes salad. Loves it really. Which makes eating healthy in our house much easier. Lately Ben has been on this tuna+avocado+balsamic vinegar kick and made this creation last week for me and I was in heaven.

2-4 servings

1 bowl of leafy greens, torn into pieces

1 ripe avocado, cut into chunks

2-3 tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 can high quality tuna (packed in water)

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup toasted almonds

Balsamic Vinegar

Olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the greens and top with avocado, tomatoes, tuna, red onion. Drizzle with equal amounts of oil and vinegar and sprinkle on some salt and pepper to taste. Lets be honest here, you just toss it all together and eat. Perfect!

Angel Food Cake

2011-03-02T12:24:00.000-08:00

adapted slightly from allrecipes

In Ben's family, the traditional birthday cake is a light fluffy cake with whipped cream and strawberries. Where my first instinct is to choose the darkest, densest chocolate cake possible, I have become fully converted to this lovely, chocolate-free treat. It is so light, and you feel so good after eating it! Anyway, this recipe was excellent and it turned out beautifully.

serves 20

12 eggs (1 1/2 cup egg whites)
1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 cup all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar*

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). Separate eggs; discard yolks. Place 1 1/2 cup egg whites in a mixing bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. (room temperature eggs whip better)

Meanwhile, sift confectioners' sugar and flour together and set aside. Add cream of tartar, extracts and salt to egg whites; beat on high speed. Gradually add sugar, beating until sugar is dissolved and stiff peaks form. Fold in flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time. Gently spoon batter into an ungreased 10 inche tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake at 350 F (176 C) for 40-45 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert pan, cool completely before removing cake.

nutritional analysis: each serving (1/20 of the cake) is about 100 calories (before toppings)

*I can not for the life of me find cream of tartar here in Europe. I'm sure they have it somewhere, but it's under a different name or something and I'm sick of trying to describe it in broken German to the salesperson. Anyway, if you don't have cream of tartar, you can substitute it with 1 1/2 tsp of lemon juice or white vinegar.

Simple White Cake

2011-02-22T01:07:00.000-08:00

adapted slightly from Allrecipes

It was late Sunday night, and not a drop of candy in the house. After dinner Ben turned to me and asked... should we make a cake?

We rushed to the kitchen and this delectable baby was born. A simple white cake, drizzled with chocolate sauce. Satisfies the sweet tooth every time.

serves 6-8

2 3/4 cup flour

4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

4 egg whites

1 1/2 cups white sugar

3/4 cup butter (about 170 grams)

1 1/2 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla flavoring

1 tsp almond flavoring

Cream butter until soft and gradually add sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt until will integrated. Add sifted ingredients alternately with milk into the butter/sugar mixture a small amount at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in flavorings.

In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites (not the yolks!) together until foamy. Add 1/2 cup sugar gradually and continue beating until the mixture begins to form soft peaks. Fold the meringue (whipped egg whites) into the batter until thoroughly combined.

Spread batter in a 15x10x1 inch pan (or two 9 inch rounds, or three 8 inch rounds) that has been lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 F (175 C) for 30-35 minutes. Cool cake in the pan for 10 minutes before removing it and transferring it to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Creamed Cabbage Soup

2011-02-11T01:32:00.000-08:00

from Allrecipes

It's been cold! I know spring is just around the corner, but it still feels very far away. And the best way to warm up on a cold night is a nice bowl of soup. This recipe employs the hardy cabbage (a very underrated vegetable in my opinion) and a dash of creaminess to make it feel decadent.

Serves 6

2 cups chicken broth

1 medium onion, diced

1 cup celery, diced

1 medium head of cabbage, shredded

3 carrots, diced

1/4 cup butter

3 Tbsp flour

1 1/2 cup whole milk

2 cups fully cooked ham, diced

1/2 tsp thyme

1 tsp parsley

salt and pepper to taste

In a large kettle, combine broth and vegetables, bring to a boil and then turn down the heat and let simmer until the vegetables are just starting to soften, about 15 minutes. While the vegetables are cooking, get a saucepan on medium heat and melt the butter. Then mix in the flour, until completely blended and gradually add milk creating a light roux. Cook and stir until thickened, and stir into soup. Add spices and ham and heat through. Garnish with parsley (fresh if you have it!) and serve warm.

Prosciutto Tart

2011-02-01T23:50:00.000-08:00

Last week I bought a puff pastry to make an apple strudel, but then Ben ate all of the apples and I was left wondering what to do with the dough. So for dinner I made this savory tart with what I had in the fridge and it was delicious. A gone-within-the-hour kind of delicious. (And it was so easy to make, it's hard to resist!)

enough puff pastry sheets to line the bottom of a baking sheet

2 Tbsp pesto

prosciutto

1 zucchini, cut into thin slices

2 tomatoes, cut into thin slices

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Roll out the puff pastry onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Spread pesto in a thin layer on the pastry. Then add a layer of prosciutto, a layer of zucchini and a layer of tomato. Then top with cheese, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for about 20 minutes (or as directed for the puff pastry) or until the pastry is golden brown. Serve warm.

Carrot Soufflé

2011-01-26T09:09:00.001-08:00

adapted from Simply Recipes

This is a very tasty side dish, easy to make and very interesting way to use carrots. I didn't read very carefully and accidentally made enough for a small army, but it was no bother. The leftovers were just as good.

serves 8

2 lbs carrots

1 cup whole milk

2 cups cracker crumbs

3/4 cup cheddar cheese

1/3 cup minced onion

1 Tbsp (13 grams) butter

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp black pepper

salt to taste

3 eggs

Turn on the oven to 350 F (175 C). Butter a 2 quart baking dish and set aside.

In a large pot, bring water to a boil and let the carrots boil 10 min, or until soft. Then puree carrots until smooth with a blender.

In a bowl, slowly mix the carrots with the milk, stirring slowly between pours until smooth and even. Then stir in one cup of crackers, cheese, onion, butter and spices.

In a separate bowl, whip eggs to a froth, then whisk them into the carrot mixture. Spoon entire bowl into prepared baking dish, sprinkle one cup of cracker crumbs on top

Bake 40-45 minutes when the soufflé is puffed up and golden.

Tomato Artichoke Soup

2011-01-16T23:36:00.000-08:00

adapted from A Couple Cooks

I once had a roommate that would bring home huge batches of her mom's homemade tomato soup. We were often threatened that if we swiped the soup from the freezer that we would have hell to pay.

Since then I have wondered: what in the world was in that soup? I have eaten many tomato soups with varying measures of enjoyment, but nothing to ever get possessive over. In my search to replicate this amazing tomato soup recipe, I have tried lots of recipes, and this one comes pretty close in my book. The artichokes provide a nice flavor and it is perfect for a cold night with some fresh bread. Enjoy!

1 Tbsp butter

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 bay leaves

1/2 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

1 tsp parsley

2 cups fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 cup canned artichokes

1 cup water

1 cup milk

1/2 cup cream

Croutons

Parmesan

Chop the onion and garlic and saute with butter and bay leaves in a large pot until the onions are translucent. Chop the artichokes into smallish pieces. Add the artichokes, tomatoes, 1 cup water and spices. Bring to a boil and turn down the heat, allowing the soup to simmer for about 10 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, carefully blend the soup to a smooth consistency. (You may have to do it in batches so you don't get splashed with hot liquid!) Add one cup of milk and 1/2 cup of cream and mix in until blended.

Top with croutons and parmesan and serve immediately.

Salmon Cream Cheese Crackers

2011-01-10T23:19:00.001-08:00

I made these at Christmastime as an appetizer and they were great! I really came to love gravlax in Finland and I try to use it as often as I can. Be sure to use gourmet mustard, the plain old yellow kind will not suffice.

crackers

cream cheese

fresh dill (I had to use dried... boo.)

cured salmon gravlax

Mustard (must be artisan!)

Spread the crackers with a layer of cream cheese, add a dollop of mustard and put a slice of gravlax on top. Garnish with dill (fresh if you have it) and refrigerate until serving.

Spinach Prosciutto

2010-12-29T23:48:00.000-08:00

adapted from Prociutto Recipes

Well, the holiday season is almost over. And while I love eating all of the traditional dishes and special foods, I'm always ready to get back to my lighter regular fare. This is a great side dish with lots of flavor and fairly healthy too.

2 Tbsp olive oil

10 ounces spinach (one big bunch)

4 ounces prosciutto (about 125 grams) *You could substitute cooked bacon

1/2 cup roasted red peppers

1 cup artichoke hearts, roughly sliced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced into rings

parmesan cheese as a garnish

Heat oil in a skillet. Add garlic and onions and saute until softened. Then add artichoke hearts, spinach, red peppers and prosciutto. Cook 10 minutes or so, until heated through. Serve warm topped with parmesan cheese.

Lime Chicken Soup

2010-12-22T13:42:00.000-08:00

Adapted from Sea Salt with Food

This soup was so light and fresh tasting. An amazing soup if you are on a diet but want something special and filling. This will be a soup I'm going to make again and again!

Serves 6

For the Broth

2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded

8 cups chicken broth

2 limes, juiced

salt

1/2 cup rice

For the Garnish

2-3 tomatoes, diced

1 medium onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 small cucumber, diced

2 jalepeno chilies, minced

4 Tbsp chopped cilantro

1/2 tsp salt

2-3 limes, cut into wedges

Bring the chicken broth to a boil, add rice, chicken, salt and lime juice and reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

In the meantime, chop up your garnish ingredients and mix together in a bowl.

Once the broth is done, ladle it into serving bowls and spoon a generous 1/2 cup of garnish on top. Season with lime wedges and top with cilantro.

Honey Gingerbread

2010-12-15T01:42:00.000-08:00

adapted from Allrecipes

Well I looked and looked. Four different stores, many different people and no one could help me find molasses for gingerbread. The funny thing is, I see gingerbread everywhere here so I KNOW it's got to be around here somewhere in some form. This is the frustrating part of living in a foreign country, not being able to communicate what you want.

Anyway, after a long search I finally gave up and substituted the molasses with honey and it was a surprisingly nice little cookie. A little lighter perhaps, a slightly different flavor, but tasty nonetheless.

Makes approximately 24 cookies

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup honey

1 egg yolk

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp nutmeg

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Stir in honey and egg yolk. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and baking powder and all spices. Stir in the flour mixture with the wet butter mixture, cover and chill for at least one hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (175 C) and roll the dough out onto a flat floured surface. Cut out desired shapes and place the cookies about 2 inches (about 5 cm) on the cookie sheet. Bake for 7-8 minutes if you want soft cookies, and around 10 if you want harder cookies. Let cool completely before frosting.

I used the Royal Icing recipe for a pretty sweet finish.

Royal Icing

2010-12-13T04:44:00.000-08:00

From Joy of Baking

Royal icing is wonderful. It dries quickly. It is smooth and matte and very hard. It can be used to decorate cookies or to stick walls of a gingerbread house together.

In the olden days, royal icing was made simply with raw egg whites and powdered sugar, with a little flavoring mixed in. But now, due to the risks of salmonella meringue powder is often substituted with very similar results.

Both recipes make about 3 cups of icing

Royal Icing using Egg Whites:

2 large egg whites (60 grams)

2 tsp lemon juice

3 cups (330 grams) confectioners sugar

This is perfect for items you will not be eating, like gingerbread houses. In a bowl, beat the egg whites for several minutes with the lemon juice mixed in. Then add the powdered sugar slowly, mixing until the icing is completely combined and smooth. Use immediately.

Royal Icing using Meringue powder:

4 cups confectioners sugar

3 Tbsp meringue powder

1/2 tsp flavor extract (lemon, vanilla, almond, etc...)

1/2 to 3/4 cup of warm water

Mix the confectioners sugar and meringue powder well. Add the water and beat until the mixture is very glossy and stiff peaks begin to form (about 5-7 minutes). You will know that your icing is the right consistency when you lift the beater, the ribbon of icing that falls back into the bowl remains on the surface of the icing for several seconds before disappearing.

It is important to keep this icing covered as much as possible, because it dries out very quickly. Feel free to add flavors and food coloring to your liking.

Ricotta Pancakes

2010-12-05T00:45:00.000-08:00

From Sparkling Ink

Whenever Ben goes out of town, I have breakfast for dinner. He hates breakfast food and it happens to be my favorite meal of the day. So I indulge myself whenever he isn't around. This time I tried out a recipe I spotted on one of my most favorite food blogs: Sparkling Ink. Her pictures there are always inspiring me to cook more!

Anyway, it was a nice twist to the classic pancake and one I hope to make again soon.

9 oz (250 g) ricotta cheese

2/3 cup milk

2 eggs, separated

3 1/2 ounces (100 g) flour

1 tsp baking powder

oil or butter for the pan

Separate egg yolks and whites. Mix together ricotta, milk and egg yolks. Whisk flour and baking powder together and combine with wet cheese mixture. Then gently fold in the egg whites until just combine. Spoon a dollop of batter onto a large skillet and cook both sides of the pancake until golden.

Serve warm with syrup, jam, fruit or whipped cream. For breakfast or dinner :)

Pesto Omelette

2010-11-26T23:37:00.001-08:00

Adding pesto to your omelette adds a huge boost of flavor and a little variety to an easy breakfast (or dinner).

Serves 2

1 tsp butter or oil

3 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1 Tbsp pesto

1 handful spinach leaves

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 cup gouda or other cheese, grated

1/4 tsp salt and pepper

Heat a small (about 7 inches or 18 cm) frying pan on the stove on medium, melt butter. Beat the eggs in a small bowl. Mix in milk, pesto and salt and pepper. Once the frying pan is hot, pour the egg mixture, sprinkle on the spinach leaves and cheese and let it cook. Once the center of the omelette is starting to set, lift the corner of the omelette and gently fold it in half. Let it rest for about 30 seconds or so and then slip it off the pan and onto a plate. Serve immediately.

White Bean Hummus

2010-11-21T23:45:00.000-08:00

adapted from Cooking for Mr. Picky

I love hummus, but it is difficult to find here in Austria. So when I saw this recipe on my sister's site, I knew I had to try it. First of all, it was ridiculously easy. You literally just blend it all together and it's ready to go. It has great flavor and is a really healthy and filling snack. Hummus is traditionally made with garbanzo beans (chickpeas) but those are also difficult to find here, so I used white beans and it turned out great. So feel free to experiment.

Serves 4

1 clove garlic

1 can white beans

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 1/2 Tbsp tahini

3/4 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp paprika

olive oil

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend away. Garnish with olive oil and serve with pita bread, carrot sticks or other vegetables.

Calories: 1/2 cup = 225 calories

Orange Cake with Mascarpone

2010-11-17T03:48:00.000-08:00

I love having people over because it gives me an excuse to make a big fancy dessert. This cake was lovely, it had a nice citrus flavor and the mascarpone frosting really made it sweet and creamy and delicious.

Cake:
3/4 cup orange juice + zest from 2 oranges

113 g butter

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup coconut

1/2 cup orange marmalade (to put in between the layers)

Frosting:

1 1/2 cup mascarpone

1 3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 cup mandarin oranges

Preheat oven to 350 (176 C)

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Then add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then blend in orange juice and orange zest. In a separate bowl, sift together dry ingredients (baking powder, salt, and flour). Combine flour mixture with orange mixture and fold in coconut. Pour into a prepared 9 inch (22 cm) round cake pan and bake for about half an hour or until the center of the cake springs back when touched. Let it sit until cooled completely.

Once cool, use a sharp serrated knife and gently cut the cake in half. Spread a generous 1/2 cup of marmalade on the top of the bottom half of the cake, and gently replace the top of the cake, sandwiching the jam in between the two layers. Then mix the mascarpone with powdered sugar and spread it generously on the cake until it is completely covered. Garnish with mandarine oranges and keep in the fridge until ready to serve.

P.S. This cake is even better the next day!

Spinach Artichoke Pasta

2010-11-09T22:55:00.000-08:00

adapted from Dianasaur Dishes

This dish is anything but healthy. But it is oh so good. Creamy, rich flavors that are hearty and so pleasing. It's easy to make and a real crowd pleaser. So ignore your waistline, invite people over as an excuse to make it, and give it a try.

Serves 4-6

4-6 servings Penne pasta

1 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup bacon, crumbled

1 small red onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup mushrooms, diced

1 cup sliced artichoke hearts

3/4 cup white wine

1/2 cup cream

1 cup spinach

salt and pepper to taste

parmesan

Boil your pasta according to the directions on the package. In a large skillet, saute garlic and onion in butter until softened, then add bacon, mushrooms and artichokes. After about two minutes add the wine. Cover and let simmer 5 minutes until it has reduced. Then add cream and seasonings and mix well. When you drain the pasta, add spinach while pasta is still very hot so it will wilt in the steam. Finally, pour sauce over noodles and garnish with parmesan. Serve warm.

Chicken Véronique

2010-11-01T13:57:00.000-07:00

Ben made this for dinner the other night and it was AMAZING. So good I wanted to lick my plate clean! These pictures really don't do it justice. It's basically chicken in a white wine sauce, cooked with grapes and eaten over rice. The chicken is tangy and the grapes are sweet and juicy. It's an incredible combination.

serves 4

2 Tbsp butter

4 chicken breasts

1-2 cups green seedless grapes

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 tsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder

2 tsp parsley

1 Tbsp dried rosemary

salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium high heat. Season the chicken with salt, pepper and pepper and sear both sides until they are slightly browned. Then transfer the chicken to another plate.

2. Turn the heat down to medium and add the second tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Saute the shallots until they are translucent. Add the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping any bits off of the bottom, add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer until the volume of the liquid is reduced by half.

3. Add the cream, cornstarch (mix with a Tbsp wine so it will be smooth), and spices and let it remain on low heat until it has begun to thicken up, then return the chicken to the sauce. Poach the chicken until it is cooked through. (about 5-10 minutes)

4. Finally, add the grapes for just a few minutes before taking the pan off of the stove. Leave them in just long enough to become hot. Serve over rice.

Creamy Leek Soup

2010-10-20T13:36:00.000-07:00

Adapted from Sister's Cafe

As a rule, I try to buy what is on sale (ie: in season) at the grocery store. It's generally cheaper and tastes better too so it's a win-win situation. And last week these long, green leeks were calling my name. I've never really cooked with leeks before, but when I saw this recipe on the blogs everything fell into place. This soup was warm and creamy and the flavor was wonderful.

Serves 4

1 Tbsp butter

6 potatoes, diced

2 leeks, washed and sliced, including the white and green parts

1 large onion, chopped

1 carrot, sliced

1 stalk of celery, sliced

2-3 garlic cloves

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup dry white wine

1 Tbsp parsley

1/2 cup cream

bacon

salt and pepper to taste

Cook leeks, onion, celery, salt and pepper in 1 tbsp butter over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until soft. Add potatoes along with wine, stock and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in parsley and simmer 5 additional minutes. Add cream and stir until smooth. Top with cheese or chives as a garnish.

Snickerdoodle Blondies

2010-10-09T01:53:00.001-07:00

adapted from Fake Ginger

I make snickerdoodles often because they are distinctly American and I always seem to have all of the ingredients in my fridge. I made these for a church party and they were snapped up right away. They aren't too different from the cookie version, except they can be baked all at once in a pan like a sheet of brownies, so it is a little bit quicker to make. I ended up cutting them out with cookie cutters after they had cooled to make them look a little more interesting.

2 2/3 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup butter (250 grams)

2 eggs

1 Tbsp vanilla

cinnamon and sugar mixture for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 350 (176 C). In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth, then add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Then add in the vanilla and set aside. Sift dry ingredients together in a separate bowl and then slowly add the dry mixture to the wet one, stirring until batter is smooth and consistent. Pour into a 9x13 inch baking dish and sprinkles cinnamon sugar on the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is turning golden brown and you can stick a toothpick in it and it comes out clean. Wait for them to cool before cutting into them.

Greek Burgers

2010-10-02T03:02:00.000-07:00

adapted from Food-o del Mundo

I love Greek food. The flavors manage to balance sharp and creamy, salty and sweet in a way that is marvelous. So when I saw this recipe for Greek style hamburgers, I just had to try it. They were wonderful, needing very little garnish except for a slice of tomato and Tzatziki sauce.

Hamburger patties

17 oz ground pork (500 mg)

1 egg

1/2 cup of bread crumbs (or oats)

1/2 cup Feta cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup minced Kalamata olives

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp dried parsley

2 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp salt

Tzatziki sauce

1 cup plain yogurt

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 finely chopped cucumber

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1-2 tsp dill

Hamburger buns

Tomato slices (for garnish)

Mix hamburger ingredients together well. Gently form 1/2 inch thick patties (1.25 cm), trying not to overwork the meat. Using a grill is optimal, but if that isn't available, just use a frying pan on the stove. Heat the stove very hot. Place the patty on the pan and let it sit. Do not push down on the burger, it lets all of the juices out. Fry on a hot stove, 7-9 minutes each side. Take off the pan and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Prepare the Tzatziki sauce by mixing all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Put the patty on a bun, with a layer of sauce and a tomato and enjoy!

Summer Peach Salad

2010-09-20T00:16:00.000-07:00

I look forward to the day when you walk into a grocery store and peaches are on sale. I end up buying so many that peaches are part of every meal in order to eat them all before they spoil. This is an easy, versatile salad and a delicious way to say goodbye to summer.

Salad

3-4 large peaches, sliced

3-4 tomatoes, chopped and seeded

salad greens

mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup nuts

Fruity Vinaigrette

1/4 cup orange juice

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp mustard

2 tsp honey

1/8 tsp pepper

1/8 tsp poppy seeds

Chop up lettuce or other salad greens and put in a large bowl. Chop peaches and tomatoes, and add them to the bowl and toss. Grate mozzarella on top and garnish with nuts. Mix vinaigrette ingredients together in a small bowl and serve on the side.

Cranberry Brie Sandwich

2010-09-03T02:51:00.000-07:00

I had this grilled cheese sandwich at a restaurant in Edinburgh called "Two Thin Laddies" and it blew my mind. So the first thing I did when I got home was recreate it. Easy and warm with such interesting flavors, perfect comfort food.

Quality bread

cranberry sauce (or any tart berry jam)

brie

2 meduim onions, cut thinly

about 1 Tbsp butter

salt and sugar

Saute the onions on low for 10 minutes, add a sprinkle of salt and sugar and keep stirring until they begin to caramelize. Butter the bread and set a layer of brie, cranberry sauce and a scoop of the caramelized onions. Put the other bread on top and toast the sandwich on low heat until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted. Then be prepared to swoon.

Basil Chili

2010-08-16T05:57:00.001-07:00

It's been cold since we moved to Austria. And I finally got a pot big enough to make soup in. So in celebration I made Ben and I a bowl of chili. And it was good.

Serves 4-6

1-2 tsp oil

2 medium onions, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup carrots, diced

2 cups chopped tomatoes

1 cup tomato sauce

2 cups kidney beans

1 cup corn

1 cup mushrooms

1 lb ground beef

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cayenne

2 cups beef broth

salt and pepper to taste

1 bunch fresh basil, chopped

cheese (to garnish)

Saute garlic and onion in oil until starting to soften. Then add carrots and mushrooms and saute until carrots are starting to soften. Then add ground beef, stir occasionally until browned. Add in tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, corn, chili powder, cayenne powder, half of the bunch of basil and beef broth. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve warm with cheese and fresh basil on top.

Chocolate Popcorn

2010-06-24T23:05:00.000-07:00

from A Cozy Kitchen

My dad always gets tons of flavored popcorn from his clients for Christmas, so for that reason fancy popcorn has a Christmas-y feeling to it. The chocolate covered popcorn is always my favorite, and it is so easy to make. I combined this with a batch of caramel popcorn to take to a party and it was a hit. This stuff is seriously addictive.

1 Tbsp oil (to make the popped corn)

1 cup popcorn kernels (unpopped)

2 Tbsp butter

12 oz (350 g) chocolate

splash milk

salt to taste

Make popcorn using a pot, or whirly pop or air pop machine.

Using a double boiler (or a glass bowl over boiling water) mix together the butter, chocolate, and milk. Stir until melted and smooth.

Pour the chocolate over the popcorn and stir with a wooden spoon until popcorn is fairly evenly covered, then spread out on a baking sheet or some waxed paper and sprinkle with salt.

Let cool for 3-4 hours for the chocolate to harden (can also put in the fridge or freezer to speed cooling process)

Caramel Nut Popcorn

2010-06-19T22:02:00.000-07:00

from Taste

I love popcorn so much, but sometimes I get a little bored with the simple sprinkling of salt. This was a really easy way to make popcorn POP.

1 Tbsp oil

1 cup popcorn kernels (unpopped)

9 Tbsp (125 g) butter

3/4 c white sugar

2 Tbsp honey

1 cup nuts (I used almonds, but walnuts or pecans would also be great)

salt to taste

Using the oil and a pot or whirly pop or air pop machine, make the popcorn. Put in a bowl and set aside.

Combine butter sugar and honey in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 5-7 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil. Boil, uncovered, without stirring for 5-7 additional minutes (or until a light golden brown). Remove from heat and stir in nuts. Pour caramel mixture over popcorn and stir until the popcorn is coated fairly evenly. Spread on a baking sheet (lined with baking paper for easy clean up) and set aside to cool. Break into pieces and serve.

Pineapple Black Bean Salsa

2010-06-16T07:21:00.000-07:00

In an effort to eat a little healthier, I made this salsa to bring to a world cup party with some friends. It was great, spicy and sweet from the pineapple and combined with the salty chips it was wonderful.

1 cup pineapple, chopped into chunks

1 bell pepper, chopped roughly

1/2 red onion, finely minced

1-3 jalapeño, minced (Add according to your heat preference. Removing the seeds keeps it mild)

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 cup corn

1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup orange juice (or pineapple juice if using canned pineapple)

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1/4 tsp ground chili

1/8 tsp ground cumin

salt and pepper to taste

Chop and combine all ingredients in a large bowl. I find that making it a few hours in advance helps the flavors to mingle a little better. Place in the fridge until you are ready to use. Serve with tortilla chips.

Black Bean and Garlic Meatballs

2010-05-20T03:28:00.000-07:00

adapted from Vanilla Kitchen

These meatballs turned out to be a great dinner with a light asian twist.

Meatballs
3/4 lb ground pork
1/2 cup grated white onion
1 egg
3 cloves garlic, minced finely
1 tsp dried ginger (2 tsp fresh grated ginger)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 cup oatmeal or breadcrumbs

Garlic-Honey Black Bean Sauce
2 Tbsp honey
4 Tbsp black bean garlic sauce
4-5 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp cornstarch

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine meatball ingredients in a bowl, mix well and form balls about the size of a walnut. In a large frying pan, brown the meatballs and transfer them to a casserole dish and bake them for about 15 minutes. (Or until cooked through)
Now take the frying pan (without cleaning it) and start preparing the gravy. Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and mix them together. Then transfer them to the frying pan and stir frequently until the mixture is smooth and bubbly. Once the meatballs are done baking, pour the sauce on top and garnish with green onion.
Serve with rice and vegetables.

Lime Coconut Chewies

2010-05-11T02:46:00.000-07:00

adapted from My Baking Addiction

I made these for a party and they were great! The flavors are subtle and interesting, and a nice change from the usual cookie. I would love to try this with lemon flavor as well.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

1 cup butter (225 grams)

1 cup sugar + some for rolling the cookies in

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 3/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 Tbsp lime juice

zest from one large lime

1/2 cup coconut, toasted but not sweetened

Preheat oven to 350 (176 C). Cream together butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla extract, lime juice and lime zest. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Slowly combine the dry ingredients with the wet, and then add in the coconut.

Roll rounded spoonfuls of dough into balls, roll them gently in sugar and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper about 1-2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let stand on the cookie sheet for a couple of minutes before removing to cool.

The Chewy

2010-05-04T06:22:00.000-07:00

From the Food Network

I had heard people on the blogosphere talk about Alton Brown's "The Chewy" but figured I would get around to it eventually. People often brag about having the BEST chocolate chip cookie recipe, but I have been disappointed so many times that I usually don't pay much attention when I see a new version.

But after trying the Chewy, I have to say that these were the best chocolate chip cookies. Ever.

They were beautiful. Soft and buttery, with big chunks of chocolate. They made me feel like a professional. And it's all about the technique. So try it out and see what you think.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

1 cup butter (225 grams)

2 1/4 cup bread flour (I used regular all purpose)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup white sugar

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 Tbsp milk

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

2 cups chopped chocolate

Preheat the oven to 375

Melt the butter on medium heat, stirring frequently, until it begins to brown. Remove heat and let cool. In a medium sized bowl, sift together dry ingredients.

Once butter is cool, pour the melted butter in a mixer's bowl and cream together with the sugars. Then add the egg, yolk, milk, and vanilla and mix until well combined.

Slowly incorporate dry mixture until thoroughly mixed. Stir in chocolate chips.

Chill the dough for about an hour, then scoop (walnut sized) onto a prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, checking after 5 minutes. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Thai Curry Soup

2010-04-29T21:51:00.000-07:00

From Timo Lehto

This is such an amazing soup. The flavors are brilliant and my mouth is watering just thinking about it. It is spicy and creamy and feels wonderfully exotic. Extra bonus, it takes about 10 minutes to put together.

Serves 4

2 onions

1 chili (or 1 tsp chili powder)

3 Tbsp curry paste (red or green)

7 dl fish stock

1 cup coconut milk

salmon

2 Tbsp fish sauce

3 limes

linguine noodles

fresh cilantro

Saute onions, chili and curry paste until onions are soft. Add fish stock, coconut milk and boil for 2-3 minutes. Add noodles and fish sauce and just when the noodles are starting to soften, toss in the fish. Simmer until fish is cooked, then remove from heat and serve. Use lime juice and cilantro as a garnish.

Almond Tart

2010-04-26T01:06:00.000-07:00

adapted from Bitchin' Camero

I have wanted to try this tart for a while now, and it was wonderful. Perfect for a brunch or light dessert, it was sweet and soft and looked very pretty coming out of the oven.

Serves 4-6

7 large eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup ground almonds

1 cup cream

1 cup sliced almonds, more for garnish

1 tsp ground cardamom

1 lemon, zest and juice

3 Tbsp unsalted butter

2-3 Tbsp powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 400.

Place the butter in a baking dish, and set it in the warming oven to melt. While it is melting, grab a large bowl, and whisk together all of the remaining ingredients except the powdered sugar. Pour the batter into melted butter and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the eggs are totally set and the edges are browned. Dust with powdered sugar and remaining sliced almonds and allow time to cool completely before serving.

No Bake Cookies

2010-04-21T23:36:00.000-07:00

From Allrecipes

These are so addicting, sweet and chocolatey and they can be thrown together in 15 minutes. Like the name says, these cookies aren't baked, but boiled! You have to be careful because if you let them boil for too long, they will harden in the pot and if you don't boil them enough, the wont set up properly. You can see that mine weren't boiled long enough so they were a little flat and gooey, but still delicious!

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

1 pinch salt

1/2 cup peanut butter (chunky or creamy)

3 1/2 cups oatmeal

First, measure out oats, peanut butter, salt and vanilla in a bowl. Mix well and set aside.

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, cocoa, milk and butter. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, salt, peanut butter and oats. While still warm, quickly drop by rounded spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Allow the cookies to cool completely (about an hour) to become hard enough.

Kettle Corn

2010-04-17T22:31:00.000-07:00

from Allrecipes

I LOVE kettle corn. It reminds me of my mom, who can't resist the stuff. Unfortunately I can't find it anywhere here, so I thought I would find a way to make it at home.

Let me warn you, this recipe took a few tries to get down. I burned the sugar a few times, and once was left with a lot of unpopped kernels. So be prepared for a learning curve. But it's a great recipe to learn and fun to experiment with. White sugar makes it taste like popcorn balls, brown sugar like caramel corn and powdered sugar is supposed to work as well, though I have never tried it. Also, I read that you can add food coloring to the oil to turn the popcorn different colors... So many possibilities!

Serves 4

1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernels

4 Tbsp oil

1/4 cup sugar

salt to taste

1. Take a large pot with a lid. Cover the bottom of the pot with the oil and put it on the stove on medium-high heat.

2. Place 3 kernels of popcorn in the pot and wait until these kernels pop. Once they do, the oil is hot enough. Pour the sugar into the kettle and once it has melted (it only takes a few seconds) quickly add the kernels on top. Place the lid on the pot.

3. Begin shaking the popcorn. Leave the pot on the stove for three seconds and then pick it up and shake it for three seconds so the sugar doesn't burn. Repeat until the popping slows considerably, then take it off heat and continue shaking for 30 seconds. It is very easy to burn this popcorn, so err on the side of more unpopped kernels than burned sugar. Dump it in a bowl and immediately add salt. Watch out, the sugar will be hot.

4. Let cool and enjoy!

Healthier Fried Rice

2010-04-14T04:34:00.002-07:00

adapted from Bella Eats

I love fried rice, but always feel bad eating it at restaurants because it feels so greasy. This recipe uses a little drop of oil, but the rest is a bit of egg, colorful veggies and rice so it doesn't feel heavy going down. This is also a perfect dish to whip up if you ever have a lot of leftover rice to use.

Serves 4

2 Tbsp peanut oil (I used rapeseed oil)

1-2 large carrots, peeled and chopped finely

1 red bell pepper, chopped finely

1 cup peas

2 Tbsp fresh chive or scallions, minced

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

4 cups steamed brown rice, cold

3/4 tsp salt

1-2 tsp Asian sesame oil (optional)

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Saute the carrot and bell pepper and peas until tender, then remove to a separate bowl and set aside.

Wipe the skillet clean and put back on the stove with the heat on high until it is hot enough to vaporize water upon contact. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp oil, swirling to coat evenly and heat until hot and just starting to smoke.

Add eggs, tilting pan and swirling eggs to form a thin and even layer and cook for about 30 seconds. Add rice and stir-fry, breaking up the eggs and letting rice rest for several seconds between stirs, until rice is hot (about 2-3 minutes).

Add the vegetables, chives, salt and sesame oil to taste, stir-frying until well combined. Serve warm.

Timo's Asian Salad

2010-04-11T04:07:00.000-07:00

From Timo Lehto

We had this salad at our friends house one night and were blown away by its simplicity and flavor. It pairs nicely with any asian dish and is cheap and easy to put together.

2-3 carrots

3-4 cups cabbage

2 Tbsp green onion (or red), chopped into small pieces

1 cup pineapple chunks

sunflower seeds

4 Tbsp oil

4 Tbsp soy sauce

4 Tbsp lemon juice

1 chili, minced (or 1/2 tsp dried)

1 tsp sugar or honey

salt and pepper to taste

Chop the carrots in to matchsticks. Then chop the cabbage very finely to make about 3-4 cups. Mix together with onion, pineapple chunks and sunflower seeds. In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients and pour over salad. Toss until evenly coated and serve.

Carrot Salad

2010-04-07T23:59:00.000-07:00

From Kari and Emmi Koivisto

Ok, this recipe is so simple, but I thought it deserved a post.

I love carrots, but had never enjoyed them like this before:

Finely grated, with pineapple, raisins or great with salad dressing.

Grating the carrots really brings out their sweet, juicy flavor. It is a perfect side dish for those nights where you don't have time to put a lot of time into dinner, but still want something healthy and delicious.

serves 4

5-6 large carrots

pineapple (or raisins)

Peel the carrots and finely grate them into a bowl. Toss in the pineapple (or raisins. or both) and serve.

Maple Pecan and Apple Salad

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

Adapted from Christie's Corner

I love interesting salads. And when I spotted this one that combined maple syrup, apples and nuts, I knew I had to try it. It was amazing! We ate the whole bowl without effort. You really can't go wrong with fruit, nuts and cheese.

Serves 4-6

Salad

1 medium bowl full of mixed leafy greens

2-3 apples, cored and diced (toss in lemon juice to prevent browning)

1/2 cup maple glazed pecans (*see instructions below)

1/2 cup crumbled chevre or feta

Maple Vinegar Dressing

1 tsp dijon mustard

2 Tbsp finely minced shallots

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp pure maple syrup

1/3 cup olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

* Maple Glazed Pecans

2 Tbsp pure maple syrup

1 Tbsp brown sugar

dash os salt

dash or cayenne pepper

1 cup pecan halves

For the vinaigrette: Combine mustard, shallots, vinegar and maple syrup in a mall bowl. Whisk in oil until just combined, season with salt and pepper and set aside.

For the pecans:

Preheat the oven to 325 F (160 C). Combine maple syrup, brown sugar, salt and cayenne in a small bowl. Add pecans and toss until coated. Spread out nuts on a rimmed baking sheet lined with baking paper or foil. Toast for 10-15 minutes, or until nuts are golden and sugar is bubbling. Let cool completely, break apart and serve.

Place mixed greens and apples in a large serving bowl. Top with nuts and cheese and serve with dressing on the side.

Tips: Preventing Flat Cookies

2010-03-31T09:55:00.000-07:00

Here is the scenario:

You are craving a batch of cookies.

You pull out a recipe and start putting things together -- everything is going well and the batter looks great. They go in the oven and puff up and suddenly begin to spread out. Before you know it you have a sheet full of cookies as flat as pancakes. Like these:

Now, they still taste ok, but the texture is off. Sometimes they are too crunchy. And it can be frustrating. What went wrong?

Here are some strategies to help prevent this from happening:

1. When you cream your butter, be careful not to heat it too much. It should be pliable, but not weepy.

2. Chill your dough, and keep the batter in the fridge between batches. Some people even freeze their chocolate chips to help keep the cookie in better shape.

3. Mound your dough higher when putting it on your baking sheet

4. You could be over-mixing. It adds air, which causes them to puff up and deflate (like a souffle). It also causes the butter to melt more. So go easy on it.

5. Check the expiration date on your baking powder and baking soda. Also, baking soda can tend to make cookies flat, so try reducing that a little.

6. Use medium or large eggs (not extra large). Too much egg will flatten a cookie. If you are only making 1/2 a batch of cookies and there is an uneven number of eggs, use the egg yolk instead of a whole egg.

7. Try swapping 1/2 of the butter for shortening or crisco. Cookies using all butter will flatten out a bit more.

Baking is a science, with many factors to think about. Good Luck!

Cowboy Cookies

2010-03-28T06:50:00.001-07:00

From Lovin' from the Oven

These are the Texas Governor's mansion cookies. The first time I made them, I accidentally omitted the oatmeal... and they were good, but flattened in the oven and turned out pretty crunchy. The second time I did everything right and viola! Beautiful, and with such great flavors. They were good warm, but even better the next day.

makes about 3 dozen large cookies

3 cups flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 Tbsp baking soda

1 Tbsp cinnamon

tsp salt

1 1/2 cups butter

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

1 Tbsp vanilla

3 cups rolled oats

3 cups chopped chocolate

2 cups sweetened flake coconut

2 cups chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 (176 C). In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until smooth and creamy. Then add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then beat in vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until just combined. Fold in chocolate, oats, pecans and coconut

Drop abou 1/4 cup of dough onto an ungreased baking sheet, about 3 inches apart. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned (mine were done at 12 minutes!) Rotate the sheet halfway through for even baking.

Remove cookies to a rack to cool. Enjoy!

Mujaddara (Middle Eastern Pilaf)

2010-03-25T23:31:00.000-07:00

adapted from Avocado Bravado

In an effort to diversify my cooking repertoire, I took a baby step with this Middle Eastern rice pilaf and was pleasantly surprised. Served with a side of greens, it was a great easy dinner that was healthy and easy on the wallet. The caramelized onions are cooked slowly to give a sweet and spicy kick to the rice and lentils.

Serves 2-3

4 onions, sliced

3/4 cup lentils

3/4 cup rice

olive oil

1/2 Tbsp sugar

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 tsp cardamom

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cumin

Heat oil and a dash of salt in a large non-stick skillet on medium low heat. Add onions, sugar and spices and stir every few minutes for half of an hour. At this point, the onions should be softening and turning a nice golden brown. Turn up the heat and cook the onions for an additional 15 minutes, being careful not to let them burn. Once done, set aside.

In the meantime, prepare the lentils and rice according to their package directions. (You can cook them together if you want, just add the lentils a little after the rice so they don't become too soft)

Mix together lentils, rice, most of the onions, salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm, garnished with remaining onions.

Paradise Tomato Pineapple Dip

2010-03-22T07:56:00.000-07:00

from Paradise Bakery

I tried this dip at Paradise Bakery in Salt Lake and it was a flavor explosion. So I looked it up when I got home and whipped some up. It was simple and the unusual flavors really pop together. Be sure to pair it with a high quality baguette and bring it to your next party.

2-3 skinny baguettes, sliced

11 oz sundried tomatoes

3 cups canned pineapple

1 1/2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp salt

3 oz garlic cloves, chopped

1 tsp soy sauce

6 oz olive oil

Place all ingredients except the olive oil and bread in a food processor. Process until slightly chunky. Slowly add in the olive oil and stir until combined. Refrigerate until used.

Borscht (Beetroot Stew)

2010-03-19T09:16:00.001-07:00

from Mandi

No offense to the Slavic language, but I think the word Borscht sounds pretty awful. So when my friend Mandi recommended this recipe, I was a bit nervous to try it out. In the end I was pleasantly surprised! I loved how in spite of how simple the ingredients were the taste was really rich and delicious. I used beef in my soup, but I think it would be great vegetarian as well.

8-10 beets, chopped into smallish pieces

2-3 carrots, chopped into larger pieces

3-4 potatoes, chopped into larger pieces

1/2 lb of ground beef or pork (meat chunks would also be good)

1 large onion, diced

1 cup diced cabbage

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

4-6 cups of stock or water

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp rosemary

salt

Sour cream

Saute meat with onion and garlic and spices. Once cooked through, drain grease and add in beets and saute for several minutes. Then add carrot and potato pieces, saute for several minutes and throw the whole mixture into a large soup pot. Add cabbage, bring the water to a boil and then turn the heat down and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Grapefruit Cupcakes

2010-03-16T01:31:00.001-07:00

Adapted from Crepes of Wrath

The first thing I noticed about these cupcakes is that they were beautiful. Really, the icing is a nice soft pink and the cake a cheerful golden color and they were so nice. Luckily they also taste great. The cake has a little fruity tang that is complemented by the icing.

Makes about 12 large cupcakes

1 1/2 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup yogurt

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

zest of 1-2 grapefruits

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup oil

1 cup confectioner's sugar

2-3 Tbsp grapefruit juice.

Preheat oven to 350 (176 C). Sift together dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, combine sugar and grapefruit zest and stir well, until the sugar takes on a nice light orange color. Then add eggs, vanilla and yogurt to the sugar/zest mixture. Beat well. Mix in the dry ingredients slowly, then fold in the vegetable oil. Line or grease muffin tins and fill each cup 3/4 full of batter. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the cakes spring back when touched and are a lightly golden color.

While baking the cupcakes, create the icing by mixing together the sugar and grapefruit juice. Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, drizzle the icing on top and enjoy!

7-Layer Dip

2010-03-13T04:51:00.000-08:00

I love 7-layer dip! It is so tasty and easy to make. Plus, I'm sure you could make some healthier substitutions to make it a little lighter without sacrificing too much taste.

2 cups refried beans

4-5 tomatoes, chopped

3/4 cup cheese, grated

1 jar black olives, sliced

3-4 stalks of green onions, thinly sliced

1 cup sour cream

1 cup guacamole or 1-2 avocados, diced

*I also sprinkle a little chili powder or add jalepeños on top for some spice

1 bag of tortilla chips

In a large casserole dish, lay down a thick slab of refried beans until covering the bottom evenly. Then add the sour cream, guacamole, tomatoes, olives, green onions and cheese. Serve with tortilla chips on the side.

Sundried Tomato Tilapia

2010-03-10T21:48:00.001-08:00

This is a great mixture of my favorite flavors

2 white fish filets

1 Tbsp melted butter

1 tsp parsley

1 tsp basil

1 tsp garlic powder

lemon juice

1 onion, chopped

1/4 white wine

sundried tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup Feta, crumbled

Preheat broiler. Mix together spices in a bowl. In a baking dish, melt butter and brush butter on fish and sprinkle on spices and arrange onion pieces all around. Broil for 7 minutes, flip fish and add more butter and wine. Sprinkle remaining spice mixture on the fish and broil 2-3 more minutes. Add tomato and cheese and broil for 2 more minutes.

Ben's Favorite Dark Chocolate Cake

2010-03-08T01:03:00.001-08:00

adapted from Allrecipes

I am usually not a big cake person. If asked, I usually would much prefer brownies or a nice fruit pie. But this cake is an exception. It is my new go-to recipe for chocolate cake, so dark that it just might be sinful. It came out so moist and wonderful, and paired with the frosting it is absolutely divine.

Cake:

2 cups boiling water

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup butter (about 225 grams)

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter

2 1/4 cups confectioners sugar

3/4 cup baking cocoa

1/4 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup milk

Preheat the oven 350 degrees (175 C). Grease and flour 3 nine-inch round pans (I used 2 nine-inch pans and used the rest of the batter to make cupcakes).

In a medium bowl, pour boiling water over cocoa and whisk until smooth. Let mixture cool. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a third, large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time and stir in vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the cocoa mixture. Spread batter evenly between the pans, filling them about 3/4 full.

Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. In a large bowl, mix butter until smooth and creamy. Then add sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Add milk in slowly, mixing constantly until frosting is of desired consistency. Allow cake to cool thoroughly before frosting.

Cannellini Bean Dip

2010-03-04T00:59:00.000-08:00

adapted from Jenn Cuisine

I have been having a love affair with beans. They taste so good and are so good for you and are so filling! Unfortunately they don't take a very good picture. This bean dip was terrific and very hearty, I served it with toast and salad and it was great. The recipe calls for tuna, but I think it would be better without it. I also think it would be great with some cheese mixed in and maybe even heated up... so experimentation is recommended.

4 cups white cannellini beans, canned (drained and rinsed) or already cooked

1/2 lemon, juiced (about 2-3 Tbsp)

olive oil, as needed (I used a little more than 1/4 cup, taken from the sundried tomatoes)

1/2 cup chopped sundried tomatoes

1/2 cup canned tuna

1 tsp basil

1 tsp parsley

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp rosemary

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp sage

salt and pepper to taste

Add beans and lemon juice to a food processor, and pulse until it is all smooth. If too thick, slowly pour in olive oil until it is the consistency of scoopable dip. Mix in tomatoes, tuna, herbs salt and pepper. Serve with pita bread or chopped vegetables.

White Bean and Lentil Stew

2010-03-01T06:21:00.000-08:00

Adapted from Dana Treat

This was a great stew. It's vegan and healthy and so tasty. Pour it on top of brown rice and be prepared to feel good about your diet.

Olive oil

1 large onion

3 garlic cloves

3 Tbsp tomato paste

2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp caraway seeds

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

2 cups vegetable broth

2 cups water

1 cup dried lentils

1 15-oz (about 425 grams) garbanzo or white beans, rinsed and drained

3 carrots, peeled and chopped into matchsticks

1 Tbsp dried parsley

10 oz (about 275 grams) spinach

1/2 head cabbage, finely chopped

Lemon wedges

salt and pepper (to taste)

Heat a large pot, add oil and saute the onions and garlic until soft. Add tomato paste and spices and keep stirring until fragrant (about 1 minute). Stir in broth, water and lentils and increase the heat to bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and let cook for about 15 minutes (or once the lentils are almost tender).

Add garbanzo beans, carrots, cabbage and parsley. Cover and simmer until the carrots are very tender. Stir in spinach slowly and allow for it to wilt. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls of rice and garnish with parsley and lemon.

Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

2010-02-26T03:24:00.001-08:00

from Eat This House

I made these for Ben to eat while I was on vacation and we ate them all before I even had a chance to leave. I have had a real thing for gingerbread lately and these blended flavors hit that and my chocolate craving all at once.

1/2 cup butter (about 113 grams)

1/2 cup molasses

1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp cocoa powder

1 1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp boiling water

1 heaping cup of semi sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup white sugar (for rolling the cookies in)

Cream butter and sugars until soft. Sift together flour, cocoa powder and spices. In a small bowl, combine baking soda and boiling water. Then, taking turns, beat half of the flour mixture into the butter/sugar bowl, then add the baking soda/water mixture, then add the rest of the flour. Mix in the chocolate chips and turn dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Pat into a 1 inch log and refrigerate until firm (at least 2 hours)

Preheat the oven to 325 F (163 C) Once chilled, slice the cookies into 1/2 inch rounds roll in granulated sugar and place on a cookie sheet. Bake until surfaces crack slightly, about 10-12 minutes. Let them cool slightly on the pan for a few minutes, then scoop them onto a wire rack to cool.

Brazilian Black Mango Soup

2010-02-23T11:46:00.001-08:00

from Allrecipes

When I first saw this recipe I was pretty skeptical because of all the random ingredients. Mango in a stew? Are you crazy? But I really love mango. And black beans. And sweet potatoes. So I thought I would give it a try. So glad I did. And while I loved the ham, it would be great with out it as well.

1 Tbsp oil

1/4 lb chorizo sausage

1/3 lb cooked ham, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

1 large bell pepper, chopped

2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juice

1 hot chili pepper, finely minced (optional, add for heat)

1 1/2 cups stock

2 (16 oz) cans black beans

1 mango

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

salt to taste

First, heat oil in a big pot. Saute onion and garlic and once softened, toss in the chorizo and ham. Then add in the sweet potatoes, bell pepper, the cans of tomatoes with juice, minced chili pepper, and stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in beans and simmer for 5-10 more minutes. Lastly, mix in mango and cilantro, season with salt and serve.

Rainbow Birthday Cake

2010-02-20T08:25:00.000-08:00

I made this cake for my nephew's first birthday and it was beautiful.

The frosting had some issues, but once you cut into the cake it was a lovely display of color.

And it was so easy! First, you make a simple white cake. (We used the boxed kind to save time) You split the batter into different bowls and add enough food coloring to get the primary and secondary colors:

Then you pour the batter into the cake pan, one a time, layering the colors on top of each other. Do not stir. Bake the cake as directed and let cool completely before frosting. Again, we used the store bought kind, but next time I think I would use a homemade cream cheese frosting... mmmmmm....

Enjoy!

Mom's Carrot Cake

2010-01-27T06:12:00.001-08:00

from my Mom

This is one of my very favorite cakes and my mom's recipe is my very favorite version.

1 cup oil

2 cups sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

4 eggs

3 small jars carrot baby food

2 cups flour

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking soda

Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese

1/2 lb powdered sugar

1/2 cup (113 g) butter

Mix together oil, sugar, vanilla and salt in a large bowl. Then add eggs, beating well after each addition, and mix in the pureed baby food carrots. Sift together the flour, cinnamon and baking soda and add to the wet mixture. Bake in a 9 x 13 inch pan for 30-35 minutes (or until the center comes out clean when you pierce it with a toothpick). Cool well before frosting. Eat chilled.

Sweet and Sour Green Beans and Onions

2010-01-22T22:44:00.001-08:00

adapted from Tracey's Culinary Adventures

1 lb green beans, trimmed

1 Tbsp butter

2-3 large red onions

1 chili pepper (1/2 tsp dried crushed red pepper)

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

3 Tbsp dark brown sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Steam beans until just tender, about 5 minutes. Then transfer to a plate and set aside.

Melt butter in a lager heavy skillet at hight heat. Peel the onion, chop in half and chop again lengthwise leaving you with larger pieces of onion. Saute until onions begin to soften (3-4 minutes). Add vinegar and sugar and stir until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Add in beans; toss to coat and heat through, about 1 additional minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Spinach Artichoke Twists

2010-01-19T23:42:00.000-08:00

adapted from Sparkling Ink

This is an easy and pretty finger food I brought to a party. They were light and savory and disappeared in 20 minutes.

10 oz (280 g) frozen spinach

10 oz (280 g) canned artichokes

1/2 cup (1.2 dl) cream cheese

1/2 (1.2 dl) Parmesan cheese

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

salt and pepper (to taste)

17 oz (480 g) frozen puff pastry

Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C).

Drain the spinach, chop the artichokes and combine together along with parmesan cheese, cream cheese, garlic and onion powders and salt and pepper.

Thaw the puff pastry as directed. Spread the spinach-artichoke filling generously on the sheets. Carefully roll them up and press the end to seal the seam. They should look like little burritos. Next, using a sharp knife, slice the rolls into 1/2 inch thick slices and place them on a baking sheet. (It may help to put the rolls into the freezer for 30 minutes to make the slicing easier) Bake at for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Twice Baked Potatoes

2010-01-16T22:11:00.001-08:00

I love this dinner. It's cheap and delicious and so easy to make. With bacon and sour cream you can't go wrong. Definitely isn't the healthiest, but I'm confident substitutions could be made without affecting the taste too much.

12 large baking potatoes

1 cup milk

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup cheese

1/4 cup chives, finely chopped

2 Tbsp butter

8 slices bacon, crumbled

1 tsp parsley

1 tsp paprika

1 ranch dressing packet

salt and pepper to taste

6 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (200 C). Bake potatoes for one hour or until soft. Meanwhile, fry bacon, drain grease, let cool and crumble.

Once potatoes are done allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and carefully scoop out the flesh of the potato leaving about 1/4 of an inch of the potato attached to the skin. Set skins aside.

In a large bowl combine potato flesh, sour cream, bacon, green onions, milk, butter, 3/4 of the cheese, spices, salt and pepper. Mix until smooth and creamy and spoon back into the potato skins. Top with Parmesan and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Hearty Cabbage Soup

2010-01-13T21:59:00.001-08:00

Adapted from Cate's World Kitchen

Cabbage soup is the ultimate diet food. It is filling and cheap and low in calories. The potatoes and beans add a little more heft, but still this is a great way to stick to those new year's resolutions. My estimate is about 200 calories per bowl.

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, medium

3 potatoes, diced

4 cups stock

salt

pepper

1 cup pinto beans

1/2 head cabbage, thinly sliced

3 carrots, julienned

1 tsp parsley

grated parmesan for a garnish (omit for vegan)

Heat oil in a large soup pot. Add garlic and onion and saute until onions are soft. Add the potatoes and 2 cups of stock along with a little salt and pepper. Bring the water to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes, covered. Once potatoes are very tender, carefully puree with and immersion blender until very smooth. (You may want to let the soup cool a bit!) Add 2 cups of stock and stir in cabbage, beans, parsley and carrots and bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer for about 10 minutes or until the cabbage is tender.

Serve hot and garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Ants Climbing on Branches

2010-01-09T01:24:00.001-08:00

Adapted from First Look, Then Cook

After bingeing during Christmas I was feeling very lethargic and unhealthy and I wanted to try a few recipes that tasted good but were still fairly light. This is the carb friendly version to the Chinese food "Ants climbing on Trees" which is ground pork with thin noodles. Here the noodles are replaced with green beans, making it much lower in calories while still being delicious.

1 lb green beans

1/2 lb lean ground pork

1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced

1 Tbsp fresh garlic, minced

1 medium onion

1-2 chilies

1/3 cup chicken broth

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 1/2 tsp cornstarch

1 red pepper, chopped

1/2 cup chopped cashews

Heat oil and saute garlic, onion, spices together for a few minutes until fragrant. Then add pork and brown, then add beans and red pepper and cook for a couple of minutes until the beans are beginning to soften. Meanwhile in a small bowl combine broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, and whisk together until smooth. Stir broth mix into pork and cook until thickened. Top with cashews and serve with rice.

Karelian Stew

2010-01-05T03:11:00.001-08:00

from Mandi

Karelian stew (Karjalanpaisti) is a traditional meat stew from Karelia, the eastern part of Finland where Ben's mother is originally from. It is hearty and uses tasty root vegetables found in Scandinavia. I would love to try this in a dutch oven sometime, it seems like perfect camp food.

Serves 4

1-2 lbs of beef, pork or lamb chunks

1 Tbsp butter

1 rutabaga, chopped

3-5 carrots, chopped

4 small onions, chopped roughly

4-5 cups water or beef broth (enough to cover food in the pot)

15 peppercorns

4 bay leaves

salt to taste

6-8 potatoes

Heat the oven to 275 F. Wash and chop all vegetables except potatoes (set them aside). Brown the meat in the butter in a sauce pan and layer meat cubes, onions, and vegetables in a lidded casserole dish. Pour water or beef broth over the meat and cover.

Bake in the oven, stirring occasionally until meat is tender (about 5 hours). While the stew is in the oven, boil the potatoes. Once 5 hours is up, take out the stew, remove bay leaves and peppercorns and serve over boiled potatoes.

Christmas Beet Salad

2010-01-03T03:29:00.001-08:00

from Nordic Recipe Archive

This is a traditional Finnish dish at Christmas time and goes well with ham, turkey or other meat dishes. It reflects the local produce available this time of year in Scandinavia. It is even better the next day so feel free to prepare it in advance.

2-3 potatoes

2-3 carrots

2-3 beets

2 pickles

1 apple

1 very small onion

1 cup sour cream

Peel and cook potatoes and carrots until soft, remove from heat and let cool. In a different pot, do the same with peeled beets, once soft reserve 1 tbsp of the water. Cut the potatoes, carrots, beets, apples and pickles into small cubes. Mince the onion and mix all of the vegetables together in a bowl. Cover the bowl and put in the refrigerator for the flavors to mingle together. Mix together sour cream and 1 tbsp beet water to dye it pink. Serve the cream on the side.

Spicy Spanish Bean Soup

2010-01-01T22:38:00.000-08:00

I just can't get enough soup this winter! It has been so snowy and cold this week and this soup was perfect to cast off the chill.

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion

1 bunch cilantro

1/2 tsp oregano

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

1-2 chili peppers (depends on how much spice you want)

2 chorizo sausages, chopped into pieces

2 cups garbanzo beans

3 potatoes, cut into thin slices

1/2 cup olives, chopped

1 red pepper (I used the roasted kind that comes in a jar)

1 cup tomato sauce

3-4 cups chicken broth

cheese or sour cream to garnish (optional)

Saute the onion, garlic until beginning to soften. Then add oregano, cumin, paprika, chilies and sausages in a large soup pot. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve immediately.

Mom's Poppyseed Bread

2009-12-30T01:04:00.001-08:00

From my lovely Mom

This recipe always reminds me of my mom. This bread is sweet and soft and irresistible. The glaze makes a nice citrus touch which helps the flavor pop.

Makes 2 loaves

1 1/8 cups oil

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 tsp poppy seeds

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 tsp almond extract

1 1/2 tsp butter flavoring

3 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3 eggs

1 1/2 cup milk

Glaze:

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup orange juice

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/2 tsp butter flavoring

Preheat the oven to 350 (176 C). Combine oil, sugar, poppy seeds and flavoring. Beat in the eggs. Then sift together flour and baking powder and add alternately with milk. Once smooth, pour into prepared bread pans and bake for 45 minutes to an hour or until the center comes out clean when pierced with a toothpick.

While baking, mix together the glaze ingredients. (You may not need all of it!) Once the bread is done, stab the top of the warm loaves while still in their pans and pour the glaze on top. Allow to cool completely and serve.

White Chocolate Gingerbread Blondies

2009-12-27T02:08:00.000-08:00

adapted from Every Last Cookie

I wanted to make a Christmas cookie and this was perfect. They were good warm and even better the next day.

Makes about 4 dozen 2-inch squares

2 3/4 cups plus 1 Tbsp flour

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1 1/2 sticks (20 Tbsp or 260 grams) butter

1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar

3 eggs

1 1/4 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup molasses

10 oz white chocolate

Preheat the oven to 350 (176 C). Line a rimmed cookie sheet with baking paper.

Cream together butter and sugars until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then beat in the vanilla and molasses. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves and add slowly to the wet mixture until just combined. Fold in white chocolate.

Pour batter into baking sheet and spread around until even. Bake until edges are golden, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting.

Ground Pork Curry

2009-12-23T00:00:00.001-08:00

Adapted from Chow Times

I am always nervous about curries. I don't have much of a background in Indian food, and I often question if I am doing things correctly. This was perfect for a beginner like myself, and Ben liked it so much that he ate the whole pot. It was spicy and so easy to make. I would be interested in trying it with chicken, and varying the heat levels, but it was great as is.

1 lb lean ground pork

2 onions, finely chopped

4 medium potatoes, cubed

3 cloves garlic

1 Tbsp minced ginger

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cumin seeds, roughly crushed

1 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp dried chili flakes

1 can crushed tomatoes

1 1/4 cup vegetable stock

1 large bunch spinach

salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions, garlic, pork, and spices together in a pot. Cook until onions are soft and meat is browned. Then add potatoes and tomatoes, once warm add stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once 20 minutes have passed, add spinach and allow to heat through for a couple of minutes, just enough to wilt it.

Serve immediately with rice.

Honey Mustard Vegetables with Feta

2009-12-20T06:42:00.001-08:00

adapted from Luna Cafe

Here's a light dinner that can help offset those heavy holiday foods. You can use whatever fresh vegetables you have on hand. Just toss it all together and throw it in the oven!

Vegetables:

3-4 potatoes

1/2 squash

3-4 carrots

3-4 beets

1 bell pepper

green beans

1 tsp rosemary (1 Tbsp if fresh)

1 clove garlic, finely minced

2 Tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup Feta cheese, crumbled

Honey Mustard Vinaigrette:

9 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350 (176 C). Chop all of the vegetables into bite sized pieces and put them in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix together rosemary, garlic, oil and salt and pepper, toss vegetables with the oil mixture and arrange vegetables on an edged baking sheet. Try not to overlap.

Roast for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and beginning to caramelize. Remove from the oven and let cool. Sprinkle the Feta cheese over the vegetables.

Prepare the vinaigrette by combining all ingredients and mixing them together well.

Toss the vegetables with the vinaigrette and serve immediately.

Orange Dream Jello Salad

2009-12-15T01:48:00.001-08:00

From Grandma Ilez

This is from Ben's Grandma Ilez, and where I am from having at least a couple of jello recipes handy is basically mandatory. The orange and whipped cream blends flawlessly and provides a light, sweet side to any casual dinner.

2 cups whipped cream

2 boxes orange jello

2 cans mandarin oranges

The day before (or at least several hours before) prepare the two boxes of jello according to the directions on the box. Just before serving, mix together the prepared jello, whipped cream and gently fold in the mandarin oranges. Keep cold until serving.

Rosemary Chicken and Potatoes

2009-12-13T01:22:00.001-08:00

adapted from impurrfections

This is an easy way to throw together dinner. I loved the combination of rosemary and chicken and the potatoes were a perfect side.

4 chicken breasts or thighs

4-6 medium red potatoes, cut into wedges

1/4 cup olive oil

2 Tbsp fresh rosemary (2 tsp dried)

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 (176 C) and prepare a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss potatoes and chicken with olive oil and arrange on the baking sheet. In a small bowl mix together rosemary, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper and sprinkle liberally on potatoes and chicken.

Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes, then use a brush to baste the chicken in some of the pan juices. Bake for an additional 15 minutes and serve.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bread

2009-12-11T01:14:00.000-08:00

adapted from Have Cake Will Travel

This was a fun recipe that encapsulates the qualities of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in one glorious bread. It was a bit crumbly but would be perfect for breakfast or a quick snack.

Makes one loaf

1 cup milk

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp all fruit berry or orange jam

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups oats, finely ground

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup berries

Preheat oven to 350 (176 C) and prepare a 8x4 inche loaf pan with spray.

In a medium bowl, combine milk, vinegar, peanut butter, jam, salt and vanilla. The peanut butter may not mix smoothly but that is ok.

In a large bowl, combine oats, sugar, flour, baking powder and baking soda. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ones, being careful not to over-mix. The batter may be thick, depending on the type of peanut butter you use.

Pour into prepared pan, cover with tin foil and bake for 70 minutes (or when a toothpick comes out clean). Pull the foil off after about 40 minutes to ensure that it turns a golden brown.

Let cool in the pan for 30 minutes.

African Peanut Soup

2009-12-08T23:35:00.002-08:00

Adapted from Show Me Vegan

I had seen this recipe on several blogs and finally had to try it out. It was excellent. The flavors were warm and different than the palate that I usually cook with. It was spicy and sweet and so easy that I will be making it again soon!

1 Tbsp oil

1 medium onion

3 cloves garlic

2 Tbsp fresh ginger (1 tsp dried)

cayenne pepper to taste

salt and pepper to taste

6 cups vegetable stock

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1 can of tomatoes (about 1 1/2 cups)

2 cans red beans (about 2 cups)

1/2 pound cabbage, thinly sliced (kale or spinach would also work)

1/3 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

Heat the oil and saute the onion, garlic, and ginger for 5 minutes. Then add 1/2 cup peanuts, cayenne, salt and pepper and saute for about 30 seconds. Then add broth, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and red beans, bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Add cabbage and simmer for about 20 minutes, then add peanut butter and brown sugar and simmer an additional 10 minutes. Serve immediately

Pomegranate and Feta Salad

2009-12-06T09:14:00.000-08:00

adapted from Gimme Some Oven

This salad was just gorgeous! The cinnamon in the dressing combined with the bright colors made it perfect for the Christmas season.

6-7 cups spinach (or other green salad)

seeds from one pomegranate

1/2 cup pecans, candied

1/2 cup crumbled Feta

Dressing:

6 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp apple vinegar

2 tsp honey

1/2 tsp cinnamon

salt and pepper to taste

Combine salad ingredients. Mix together dressing ingredients and serve on the side.

Zuppa di Funghi (Mushroom Soup)

2009-12-03T08:19:00.000-08:00

adapted from Bell' Alimento

I love mushrooms. They are such a weird little food and so versatile. This is a mushroom based soup with a very rich taste. I added peas because I had some, but it would have been fine without.

1 Tbsp butter

1-2 clove garlic, minced

8 shallots, minced

1 lb mushrooms, chopped

1/2 cup tomato sauce

5 cups broth

2 eggs

4 Tbsp Parmesan, grated

1 Tbsp parsley, chopped

2 Tbsp whipping cream

salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, saute butter and garlic, once melted add minced shallots and cook until translucent. Then add tomato sauce and 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes.

While this is cooking, clean and slice mushrooms. Once the 10 minutes has passed, add the mushrooms to the mixture, lower heat, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Then pour in the broth and bring the mixture to a boil, lower heat again and simmer for about 10 minutes.

While this is cooking, whisk together eggs, salt and pepper, parsley, cheese and cream until thoroughly combined. Turn off the heat of the soup and gradually whisk in the egg mixture until it's combined well.

Caramel Apples

2009-12-01T06:42:00.001-08:00

From Allrecipes

We wanted to bring something very American to a Finnish Halloween party this year and finally decided on caramel apples. The caramel was a little hard to find, but once they were finished it was well worth it. The nuts added a nice saltiness that complemented the sweet sugar and tart apple beautifully. I have to admit that these were the best caramel apples I have ever had, and something I plan on making a Halloween tradition in our house.

6 tart apples

14 ounces of caramel (about 400 grams)

2 Tbsp water

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup salted nuts, chopped

sticks

Stick the sticks (we used plastic forks...) into the top of the apples about 3/4 of the way through. In a small saucepan, heat the caramels, water and vanilla on low, stirring frequently. Once the caramels are melted and soft, dip the apples into the caramel and carefully scrape off the excess using the side of the pan. Roll the apples in the nuts and place on wax paper to cool. Allow at least 30 minutes for the caramel to harden.

Chocolate Pecan Pie

2009-11-28T08:58:00.000-08:00

from Allrecipes

This is one of my all time favorite pies. It is sweet and nutty with just a hint of chocolate. My only complaint is that there are never any leftovers.

makes one shallow 9" pie

1 pie crust

1/3 cup butter

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate

3 eggs

2/3 cup white sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup pecan halves

Preheat the oven to 375 (190 C). Heat butter and chocolate over low heat, stiffing constantly, until chocolate is melted; cool slightly. Beat eggs, sugar, salt, chocolate mixture and corn syrup. Stir in pecans and pour mixture into pie shell.

Bake until set, 40-50 minutes. Cool slightly. Serve warm or refrigerate and serve with whipped topping.

BLT Salad with Tomato Dressing

2009-11-26T22:39:00.003-08:00

adapted from Kayotic Kitchen

I love BLT sandwiches, they are so simple and delicious. Unfortunately right now I am trying to go carb free so when I saw this variation online I had to try it out. The dressing is packed with flavor and goes perfectly with the rest of the ingredients.

Lettuce, shredded

2-3 tomatoes, diced

1 avocado, diced

1 small purple onion, diced

1/2 lb bacon, crumbled

Dressing:

3 roma tomatoes

1 clove garlic

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

4 Tbsp oil

salt and pepper to taste

Cook and drain bacon and combine with lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, and onion chunks.

For the dressing, begin by cutting an "X" at the bottom of each tomato. Then plunge them in boiling water for about 30 seconds, then take them out and quickly immerse them in cold water. This makes the skin separate so it slides right off. Once the skin is peeled, squeeze out most of the seeds, chop roughly and transfer them to a blender along with the garlic clove, red wine vinegar, and oil. Pulse blender until everything is smooth. Serve alongside salad and enjoy!

Meat and Potato Pie

2009-11-24T00:01:00.001-08:00

Adapted from Have Spork Will Travel

This is serious comfort food. Like a chicken pot pie made for a mountain man. I would love to try it with chunks of beef rather than mincemeat, but for the time being it will have to do.

1 lb beef

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

2 cups diced potatoes

2 cups carrots

1 cup peas

1 cup corn

1 can mushrooms

1 can cream mushroom soup + 1 can of water

1/2 cup milk

pie crust (two, for top and bottom)

Preheat the oven to 350 (176 C). Saute beef onion, garlic, spices, carrots in a large pot until soft. Drain excess fat. Then add potatoes, soup, peas, corn, mushrooms and milk. Simmer on low for 30 min until the liquid is reduced. Then spoon the mixture into the crust, seal edges and bake 30-40 minutes, or until the crust is golden.