Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Compliments of JennaDish
Makes about 1 1/2 cups
2 cloves garlic, minced
15 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained
1/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup roasted red peppers
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
In food processor, combine garlic, garbanzo beans, tahini, and lemon juice. Process until the mixture is smooth. Add roasted peppers and basil, process until peppers are finely chopped. Season w salt and pepper. Transfer hummus to small bowl, cover and chill.
Saw an enticing-looking buttermilk pie on the website 101cookbooks.com. Never had it. Had to make it.
What do you think, Gracie?
Never mind.
I don't make pies too often - about once a year. Therefore I'm not an expert, yet. The actual dough mixing and rolling went just fine. Prebaking, though, is tricky and I goofed it up the first time and it shrank. Here's the great looking dough before baking...
and here it is afterwards, dagnabbit (in the spirit of the reality show, Gold Rush, I feel like talkin' like a prospector now) ...
So my pie dun went all shrinky dink on me. This is on a count of I didn't get this here pie dough cold enough afore bakin' it. I went an' gave it another go with these here itty bitty pies
an' put 'em in the freezer for dang near 30 minutes, which kep 'em from shrinkin' whilst they was bakin'.
Well, bust my britches, it worked!
Yee hah! Lookie here ...
Pay you no mind to the pie on the fer side there. It ain't nowheres near as bad it looks. They both are right near perty. I'm a fixin' to shed me a tear.
An' oh the taste o' this here pie is like ... is like....
Wow, I just googled "How to talk like a prospector" for a little help, and great balls o' fire, you ain't a gonna believe this. We just missed Talk Like a Grizzled Prospector Day by one week. I think I got some kinda ESP startin' ta talk like a prospector afore I even knew they went an' made a special day just fer it.
OK I'm tired now. Scooby doo wave. Scooby doo wave. Scooby doo wave. I'm me again now.
Here's the recipe... I didn't have the two main ingredients (real buttermilk and maple syrup) so I adapted it greatly, therefore I changed the name from Maple Buttermilk Pie to Golden Syrup Buttermilk Pie. Turned out terrific. Seriously, I took one bite and I turned into an animal, with my arm moving a piece to my mouth every 2 seconds, my eyes darting to the sides to check if someone was around to take my pie. Or to judge me.
Golden Syrup Buttermilk Pie
Compliments of JennaDish
adapted from www.101cookbooks.com
MAKES 8 SERVINGS (One 9" pie)
Rye Pie Dough (makes enough for 2 single crusts - only need one for this recipe)
2/3 cup rye flour
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 cup unsalted butter, cold
1/4 - 1/3 cup cold water
Pie Filling
zest of one lemon
2 tablespoons brown sugar
6 egg yolks
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Lyle's Golden Syrup
2 cups buttermilk (made my own with 2 cups skim milk + 2 Tblsp white vinegar, let sit 10+ min)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract plus a squeeze of vanilla bean, if available
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
Sanding sugar, for sprinkling
Pie Dough:
Put flours, salt, and butter in that order, in food processor. Pulse a few times and stop when butter is in large chunks, pea-sized or larger. Pour in 1/4 cup cold water then quickly pulse a few times. DON'T overprocess. Check the consistency - should hold together when squeezed between fingers. At this point, I usually go ahead and add another 1 Tablespoon cold water and run a couple of seconds just to make sure it's not too dry. Your call.
Empty dough onto a clean board, divide into two equal parts, and shape into two rounds and flatten a bit. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or in plastic baggies. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or longer. When ready to roll, remove one half from refrigerator, let sit about 5-10 minutes so it's not too cold to roll out.
Preheat oven to 375oF with a rack in the bottom third.
Roll dough on floured surface (leave other in fridge a couple days or freeze, well-wrapped a few weeks or use this apple recipe with your extra pie dough). Roll dough away from you one direction, then another direction, then flip over and keep rolling and moving and flipping in this way so dough doesn't stick to anything. Roll to 11-12-inch inches around.
Line a 9-inch pie plate with the pie dough. Trim overhang to about 1 1/2 inches of dough past the rim of the plate edge. Tuck the overhanging dough under, and crimp with a fork or your fingers. Poke the crust a few times with a fork, then place in the freezer for at least 20 minutes while you make the filling.
For filling, combine lemon zest, brown sugar, egg yolks, and flour in a medium bowl. Whisk until the flour is lump free. Gradually add the golden syrup, stirring. Add buttermilk, vanilla, vanilla bean if using, and sea salt. Set aside or in fridge if longer than 20 minutes.
Pre-bake the pie shell. To do this, line with parchment paper, fill to the top with pie weights (or heavy beans or pennies), and bake until lightly golden, about 20 minutes. Remove the weights with parchment, and continue baking for another 10 minutes, until golden. May want to place a pie edge protector or make-shift foil ring if edges are getting too golden too soon. Remove to wire rack.
Lower the oven temperature to 325oF.
Let the pie shell cool completely. When ready to bake, place on a baking sheet and fill with most of the filling. Place in oven near edge in order to pour remaining filling in shell, quickly. Scoot to center of rack and bake until the filling is set, about an hour. Carefully remove from oven, sprinkle with sanding sugar, and cool on a rack. Cooled pie slices cleaner than warm pie.
If making mini pies, they take the same amount of baking time for the filling. Prebaking may take slightly less time - keep an eye on it. I would recommend covering the edge of pie crust the entire 1 hour of baking the filling. Peak near end and remove protector if edge needs to be more golden.
I didn't know you could make your own microwave popcorn. I read the recipe in an Ellie Krieger cookbook and was surprised. Evidently it's not a well-known fact, because the first 4 people I told said they didn't know you could microwave popcorn this way either.
In a bowl, toss 1/4 cup popcorn kernels with 1/2 teaspoon canola oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Put in a paper bag, close the bag and fold the top down a few times.
This is the bag flipped over - gets oily, hence the need for the plate. But the oil is better in the bag than on the popcorn.
Remember, this popcorn comes out plain - no butter, and needing more salt. Just like air-popped.
Gosh, this once-frozen seafood looks scraggly. Looks like I defrosted it in the clothes dryer.
UPDATE: Made it a second time when I had more daylight. No more scraggly fish.
1. This dish is meant to be quick - you know - you forgot to lay anything out. Everything's frozen or in cans. Check.
2. Has a very nice flavored broth, but I added about 6 shakes of Frank's Hot Sauce which gave it a slight zip as a personal preference. Check.
3. It's supposed to serve 2-4 people. Uh, no check here. She must be talking about 2-4 super models. Allen ate pretty much the whole thing. I ate exactly 1/2 cup because I wanted him to have as much as he needed since he was going out to his men's group. Yes, I said men's group.
4. This photo looks absolutely nothing like the one in the Nigella Kitchen cookbook. Hate that. Not the first time this has happened. I suspect they do some PhotoShoping. UPDATE: I made again with fire roasted tomatoes and took a better photo. Added 3 jalapeno slices to throw in Allen's bowl. Also added a little leftover smoked ham but won't do again because it overpowered the fish.
Next time I would double everything. Possibly double everything except the fish - could do 1.5 times the fish and add some very small pasta, like ditalini. Also would use something other than diced tomatoes. Maybe crushed tomatoes. UPDATE: Fire-roasted tomatoes helped.
Mop up the juices with crusty bread.
Speedy Seafood Supper
Compliments of JennaDish
SERVES TWO
adapted from Nigella Kitchen by Nigella Lawson
pinch saffron threads
1 cup freshly boiled water
4 teaspoons garlic flavored oil (I used olive oil and sauteed a smashed clove of garlic)
6 scallions (didn't have it - sprinkled about 2 teaspoons dried onion flakes and sauteed lightly w garlic)
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon (or dill or dried basil)
1/2 cup vermouth or dry white wine
14-ounce diced tomatoes (fire-roasted adds more depth of flavor)
1 teaspoon kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoon table salt, or to taste
1 pound frozen mixed seafood (I used 5-6 oz. each bay scallops, medium shrimp, cod fillet)
pepper, to taste
fresh herbs, to serve (optional)
Frank's Hot sauce (optional)
Put the saffron threads in a bowl and add 1 cup freshly boiled water.
Warm the garlic flavored oil in a wide, shallow, heavy-based pan over a medium heat, and fry the scallions and dried tarragon for a minute or so. (I used my old, not-so-heavy, stainless steel dutch oven - worked just fine).
Add the vermouth (or wine) and let bubble for a minute, then add the saffron in its yellow water, followed by the tomatoes, and let it all come to a boil. Add half the amount of salt specified above.
Turn up the heat to high (or medium high like I did) add the frozen seafood, and bring the pan back to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium and cook at a robust simmer till the seafood is hot and cooked through, which should be 30 or 4 minutes.
Season with pepper to taste, and add the rest of the salt if required, sprinkle with any available herbs, if you feel like it, and serve, for pleasurable mopping, with some crusty bread. (I sprinkled fresh parsley and did not like it - not necessary.)
Aaargghhh!! These charred chocolate chips look like bulging frog eyes. Nasty. Aside from that small issue, this bread was super! Impressed some friends at work. A dusting of confectioner's sugar would help cover the eyes.
It always surprises me when I take something I baked in to work that I think is flawed, and everyone seems to rave about it.
I think that when I make this again, I will lose the chips, or I will try to poke them down into the dough.
I also don't like the way the chocolate smears when you cut it. Untidy. But again, if your family or guests are not like me - aka normal - these minor imperfections won't be noticed.
The recipe called for pecans also but I left them out this time.
This is a "start the night before" offering, or start darned early in the day for evening bread.
You can bake it in a bread crock,or any small to medium-sized heavy, oven-safe, covered pot, like a dutch oven.
I used my Martha Stewart dutch oven. And guess what I learned while this was baking ...
it was recalled. No, not my bread. My dutch oven. Evidently the enamel chips off and could pop off while hot and land on your skin. I seriously thought about removing my baked bread and pot with some kind of armor ... and maybe some goggles (oh wait, I have glasses) or a face mask. This thought lasted about 3 seconds, then I just shook my head at myself.
No-Knead Chocolate Cherry Bread
Compliments of JennaDish
from King Arthur's Flour online recipes
3 cups (12 3/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup (2 ounces) rye flour, any type
1/2 cup (2 ounces) King Arthur Traditional Whole Wheat Flour
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
1 3/4 cups (14 ounces) cool water
3/4 cup (3 1/4 ounces) chopped dried cherries
1/2 cup (3 ounces) chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) diced pecans, toasted
Mix flours, salt, yeast, and water in a large bowl. Add cherries, chocolate chips, and pecans. Stir well to make a very soft dough, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let rest at room temperature overnight, or for at least 12 hours; the dough will be bubbly and puffy.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and fold it onto itself a few times. Let it rest 15 minutes, then form it into a ball. Place it in a lightly greased bowl, smooth side down. Cover and let rise at room temperature about 2 hours, until a slight indentation remains when poked with a finger.
During the last 30 minutes of rising, preheat the oven to 450°F and place a bread crock (or a heavy, 4- to 4 1/2-quart oven-safe pot) in the oven while it heats. When the dough is risen, remove the crock from the oven, and turn the dough out of the bowl and into the crock; the smooth side will be facing up. Shake the crock gently to settle the dough, then cover with the lid and return to the oven.
Bake the bread for 20 minutes, then remove the lid and continue to bake another 30 to 40 minutes (Mine almost burned after about 20-25 minutes, so beware), until the bread is deep brown in color and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers about 205°F. Remove the crock from the oven, turn the bread onto a rack, and cool before slicing.
Irish Oat Soda Bread
Go from this...
and this ...
to this ...
and this ;)
Oat Soda Bread
Compliments of JennaDish
This recipe calls for sifting the flour, however my oat flour would not sift, yet made a very nice loaf. To make your own buttermilk, for every 1 cup milk, place 1 Tbsp white vinegar, let sit 5 minutes in it's own container.
adapted from the blog 101 Cookbooks
MAKES A 9x5x3 LOAF
butter for greasing pan
2 cups oat flour (make your own by processing old-fashioned oats)
1 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
2 1/4 cups (10 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting/kneading
1 3/4 cups buttermilk plus more if needed and 2 Tbsp for brushing dough
2 Tbsp seeds (white sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, caraway seeds, poppy seeds, etc)
Preheat oven to 400oF with one rack in the middle of the oven and the other in the upper one third. Butter then line a 9"x5"x3" loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside. Or bake free form in a round shape.
You can sift or not sift the flours, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the flour and pour in the buttermilk. Stir just until combined to form a dough. If dough is dry, add buttermilk a few sprinkles at a time. Turn out onto a well-floured board and knead (fold edges into the middle several times) for 30 seconds to form a loaf. Place loaf in pan.
Brush loaf liberally with buttermilk on all exposed surfaces. Sprinkle evenly with seeds, slice a few slashes across the top of the dough. Bake about 30 minutes, then quickly move the bread to the upper rack to better toast the top. Bake another 20 minutes, or until a hard crust forms. Lift the bread out of the pan by the parchment paper and place on cooling rack. Let cool before slicing or the bread will be doughy and difficult to slice. Can keep loosely covered on counter for a couple days, or refrigerate it.
Love grilled veggies. So simple and easy.
Slice some zucchinis lengthwise, toss in olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, cook on medium grill until browned. Flop them on your plate and enjoy. Yum.
Why is this a recipe worth putting on a blog? Well, in my many years on this earth, I had never seen or thought of cut zucchinis lengthwise for the grill. I thought it was a great idea and wanted to share.
Recently bought a new book called Ice Pop Joy by Anni Daulter. It's another idea of mine to eat healthier and lose weight.
When the book first arrived and I saw that there were recipes that included tofu, herbal tea, quinoa, kale and red kidney beans - I just about sent it back. But there were also plenty of recipes with typical ingredients - yogurt, milk, fruit, honey - plus the photography is awesome. Gorgeous kids eating yummy popsicles. I just really like the look of the book.
I'd like to try to learn to get creative and make a mini snack or even breakfast out of these. That's the point of the book - the author is trying to give her kids healthy, fun food rather than another sugar delivery vehicle.
These pops are 4-ounce or 1/2 cup pops (Tovolo brand). It doesn't sound like much, but these are going to be huge for small kids. So go for a 2-ounce, or use a small dixie cup with a wooden stick.
A funnel and a 1/2-cup measuring cup makes it go fast.
How do they taste? Well, the biggest surprise with Pina Colada Surprise Ice Pops is that they don't really taste like a pina colada. They taste good. The strawberry flavor came out more. Barely could taste the coconut. I would add real coconut or coconut extract to boost that side of things.
On the other hand, if your family is not big on coconut and you have a can of coconut milk collecting dust, this won't offend their sensibilities. In other words, they'll never know.
Pina Colada Surprise
Compliments of JennaDish
from Ice Pop Joy by Anni Daulter
MAKES 8 (4-ounce) POPS
1 whole pineapple skinned cored, and cut into pieces
1 cup chopped strawberries
3/4 coconut milk
2 tablespoons maple raw agave nectar (I used blue agave nectar or use honey to taste)
Put the pineapple, strawberries and coconut milk into a blender, and puree.
Add the maple agave nectar and blend all ingredients together to desired texture.
Pour mixture into chosen pop molds and put sticks in place.
Freeze pops until solid.
To add some fun, put a few slices of strawberries on the sides of the pop right after pouring. It'll freeze on the side and look a little fancier.
Another awesome dish from made by Alyssa.
She found a base recipe at Allrecipes, added baked boneless chicken and rosemary ...
chopped roasted asparagus...
and made some other tweaks.
Chicken, Penne and Roasted Asparagus in Rosemary Garlic Sauce
Compliments of JennaDish
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
It was suggested in some comments that this dish does not make good leftovers, so make enough for a meal only. Use Amish chicken for the most tender meat.
Baked Chicken:
2 medium-large chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup chicken stock
several sprigs fresh rosemary
Sauce and Pasta:
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1/4 cup finely chooped onion
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
8 oz. dry penne pasta (1/2 of a 1-pound box)
2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Chicken:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour chicken broth in a small baking dish leaving about an inch around and in between chicken breasts, salt and pepper chicken and place in broth. Lay rosemary sprigs on chicken. Bake until cooked through, about 20-25 minutes. Remove chicken from oven and keep warm on plate, discarding the broth and rosemary.
Roasted Asparagus:
Turn oven up to 400 degrees. Cut or break off last 2 inches of spears. Spread in a single layer on baking sheet, drizzle olive oil over them, roll back and forth to cover with oil, sprinkle with a little salt. Roast about 10-25 minutes (depending on thickness) until tender and crispy.
Pasta:
Meanwhile, prepare water and start cooking pasta according to package directions until al dente, or just before it is tender.
Sauce:
Melt 3 Tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over med-low heat. Add the onions; cook and stir until well done 5-10 minutes. Add garlic and saute about 1-2 minutes, watching closely not to burn. Stir in chicken stock and rosemary, and increase the heat to medium high. Reduce by half, cooking about 8 minutes.
Cut chicken into pieces, toss in skillet with pasta, asparagus and sauce. Serve immediately.
I really like these. But many people would not, I understand. I'm OK with that.
This is the first time I've used these products... purchased online through Amazon or direct from Navitas.
...and the first time I used my new Tribest Personal Blender ...
Love it all.
Mayan Crunch Truffle Balls
Compliments of JennaDish
from Ani's Raw Food Desserts by Ani Phyo
MAKES ABOUT 10 BALLS (true that)
I used my coffee grinder to grind the nuts but it left a couple chunks so I used my new personal blender which did a great job. Also I used store-bought chili powder and couldn't really taste the 1/4 teaspoon. To roll balls, it helps to chill the mixture about 20 minutes before rolling in hands.
1 cup dry cashews
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon chili powder, to taste
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup cacao nibs
1/3 cup agave syrup Cacao powder or additional ground cinnamon for rolling
Grind small batches of the cashews into a fine powder. Pour into a mixing bowl and add the cinnamon, chili powder, and salt and mix well.
Grind the cacao nibs into a fine powder. Add to the cashew mixture and mix well. Add the agave syrup and mix well. Use a 1 1/2 tablespoon scooper to drop dough onto a plate, or your hands to roll into balls.
To serve, roll the balls into 2-3 tablespoons of cacao powder or ground cinnamon (or mixture of both?). Enjoy immediately or place in the fridge or freezer for 30 minutes or more if you'd like them firmer.
Will keep for a couple weeks or more at room temp, or a month or more in the fridge.
Spelling cream with a k basically means it's like a cream but not real dairy cream. It is evidently a vegan-used spelling to indicate it's not an animal product. The above picture shows the ice kream after 1 or 2 hours, sludgy, but getting firm on the edges.
This picture is after fully frozen, but is not attractive at all. Looks a bit like mashed potatoes, doesn't it?
Next time I'll try to mix it then smooth it out so I can at least cut it into bars. Leaving it in a lumpy pile to get hard doesn't work well for scooping because this stuff gets very, very hard. Different from regular ice cream.
Coconut Ice Kream
Compliments of JennaDish
from Ani's Raw Food Desserts by Ani Phyo
1 cup cashews
1 cup filtered water
1/3 cup agave syrup
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup liquid coconut oil
Combine all ingredients into high-speed blender (I used a food processor because my dang blender hasn't arrived yet in the mail) until smooth. Pour into container and place in the freezer for 3-4 hours. Every hour or so, remove and mix well. Place back in freezer (duh) to chill. Repeat until desired consistency, 5-7 hours.
I need to lose 15 pounds. These little babies are gonna help me make it.
Pecan Pie Cookies
Compliments of JennaDish
from Ani's Raw Food Desserts by Ani Phyo
1 cup pecans
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon orange oil or orange juice
1 cup pitted Medjool dates (got mine at Whole Foods)
Combine the pecans cinnamon, and orange oil i the food processor and pulse into small chunks. Add the dates and process until mixed well.
Scoop the dough by 1 1/2 tablespoons onto a sheet tray lined with parchment and flatten into cookies.
Will keep for a week in the fridge or several weeks in the freezer (thaw before eating).
Since sweets are my weakness, yet I want to eat better and lose weight, I thought I'd try my hand at some raw desserts.
This is very good.
Pineapple Icebox Dessert
Compliments of JennaDish
from Ani's Raw Food Desserts: 85 Easy, Delectable Sweet and Treats
CRUST
2 cups raw cashews (bought mine at Whole Foods)
Seeds from 1 vanilla bean or 1 Tblsp alcohol-free vanilla extract (I used the bean-you can see the specks)
2 Tbsp agave syrup
FILLING
1 1/2 cups raw cashews
1/3 cup agave syrup
1/4 cup liquid coconut oil
1/4 cup filtered water, as needed
2 1/2 cups chopped cored pineapple
CRUST: Combine the cashews and vanilla in the food processor and chop to a crushed wafer texture. Add the agave syrup and process to mix well. Sprinkle half of the crust onto the bottom of a loaf pan. Press down lightly to distribute evenly.
FILLING: Combine the cashews, agave syrup, and coconut oil in the high-speed blender (I used my food processor again) and blend until smooth, adding water as needed to create a creamy texture. Spoon the mixture into a mixing bowl, add the pineapple and stir to mix well. Spoon the filling into the loaf pan and sprinkle the remianing crust on top. Pat lightly. Freeze for 2 hours, or until chilled.
Will keep for 4-6 ays in fridge or for several weeks in the freezer.
sweet potato fries
super amazing
not soggy or greasy like those served at a restaurant
lightly crunchy outside and soft inside (the secret is the cornstarch)
spices are great and adjustable of course
don't have that orangey, pumpkin-like sweet potato taste...much more subtle
Cumin-Spiked Roasted Sweet Potato Fries
Compliments of JennaDish
from Veggie Burgers Every Which Way by Lukas Volger (super book if you like veggie burgers)
3 large sweet potatoes
2 teaspoons potato starch or cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
salt
1. Preheat the oven to 450o F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
2. Scrub the potatoes clean and let dry. Cut into 1/4" matchsticks.
3. Combine the potato starch, garam masala, and cumin, and toss with the potatoes. Add the olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt and toss.
4. Spread the potatoes on the prepared baking sheet. Bake, flipping twice for 25 to 30 minutes, until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Remove with a metal spatula and toss with additional salt to taste.
These skinny cookies are so named because they have less calories than the typical recipe. However if you eat all 30 cookies over a weekend, like I did, I think that defeats the purpose.
David's Skinny Chocolate Chip Cookies
Compliments of JennaDish
from Perfect Light Desserts by Nick Malgieri and David Joachim
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
6 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 Tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (about 3/4 of a 12 oz bag) chocolate chips (I mixed leftover dark, milk, semi-sweet)
Set racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350o. Line 2 cookie sheet or jelly roll pans with parchment or foil.
Mix the flour, baking soda, and salt together and set aside.
Beat the butter and sugars together by machine with the paddle attachment on medium speed until well mixed, about a minute. Beat in the egg and milk until they are absorbed, and then the vanilla. Don't worry if the mixture looks curdled, the flour mixture will smooth it out.
Scrape down the bowl and beater and beat in the flour mixture on low speed.
Use a large rubber spatula to fold in the chocolate chips.
Chill the dough in the bowl for 15 minutes to keep the cookies from spreading too much while they're baking.
Form the dough into 1 1/2" balls or use a small ice cream scoop to form the cookies. Arrange the balls of dough 2 inches apart all around on the prepared pans.
This is super delicious - a cross between cheesecake, angel food cake, and custard.
I used turbinado sugar instead of white sugar. I used an 8" pan. My egg whites would not become stiff or glossy. So I just accepted it and moved on. Still came out great.
Although delicious, it needs something, a sauce or some fruit. I squeezed fresh lemon juice right on it which was great but if serving to guests, probably should go to more effort. There is a recipe for Vanilla Fruit Compote below.
Ricotta Cheesecake
Compliments of JennaDish
from Martha Stewart
Unsalted butter, room temperature, for pan
3/4 cup sugar, plus more for pan
1 1/2 pounds fresh whole-milk ricotta cheese, pureed in a food processor until smooth
6 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Finely grated zest of 1 orange or 2 lemons
1/4 teaspoon salt
Vanilla Fruit Compote
1 red or pink grapefruit (do not peel), preferably organic, washed well
1 navel orange (do not peel), preferably organic, washed well
1/4 cup water, plus more for pan
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped, pod reserved
Pinch of salt
The above photo is a rendition of Cook This Not That's Chili-Glazed Salmon. I only had Asian Chili Garlic sauce which is much hotter than sweet chili sauce. So I left out the very hot sriracha sauce. Unless you like extremely spicy foods, the amount of chili sauce on the fish pictured is way too much unless you serve it with rice and mix it together, which is what I did. Next time, if I used Chili Garlic sauce again, I'd just use about 1/3 less than what is called for in the recipe. However if you use the proper ingredients, I'm sure it would be wonderful.
Chili-Glazed Salmon is 330 calories and $3.83 per serving compared to Applebee's Orange Glazed Salmon at 790 calories and $13.49.
The following are 4 different glaze options to go with the roasted salmon recipe.
Chili Glaze
1/4 cup Asian-style sweet chili sauce
2 Tblsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tblsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp sriracha or other spicy chili sauce
4 salmon fillets (4-6 oz ea)
Hoisin Glaze
2 Tbsp hoisin
2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp orange juice
4 salmon fillets (4-6 oz ea)
Honey Dijon Glaze
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp honey
1/2 Tbsp chili powder
4 salmon fillets (4-6 oz ea)
Chipotle Lime Glaze
2 Tbsp softened butter
1 Tbsp canned chipotle pepper
juice of 1 lime
shaved Parmesan
4 salmon fillets (4-6 oz ea)
Preheat oven to 425o. Combine the sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, ginger, and sriracha in a mixing bowl. Place the salmon fillets on a foil-lined baking sheet. Use a brush or a spoon to lacquer the salmon with the glaze.
Bake the salmon until the glaze has begun to lightly caramelize and the salmon flakes with gentle pressure, about 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.
Aw dwee yuh. Way too French. I prefer New Orleans' Americanized pronunciation:
Ann Dewey. Andouille. Ann Dewey. Andouille.
Exactly.
White Bean Chicken Andouille Chili
Compliments of JennaDish
1 Tblsp olive oil
1-2 yellow onions, chopped
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 links chicken adouille sausage, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 can (7 oz) roasted green chiles or 1/3 cup Fontova Tomatillo Salsa
4 cups chicken stock, low sodium preferred
1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans
salt and pepper to taste
Shredded cheese, diced onion, sour cream, fresh cilantro for serving
Hea tthe oil in a Dutch oven or similar pan over medium heat. Add onion, cook 3 minutes, add garlic cook another 2 minutes. Add chicken sausage and cook until almost done, about 5 minutes. Add the stock, beans and chiles or salsa. Simmer uncovered on low heat 20-30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with your favorite combination of accompaniments such as sour cream and cheese.
My first Japanest Hot Pot. East meets West. This should be interesting.
I chose a recipe that I thought the fam would tolerate - Chicken Curry. I did well.
And here it goes...
Cook chicken and onion...
add curry ...
add a brew of chicken broth, sake, soy sauce, and a smidge of sugar...
add potatoes, celery, carrots, negi (or Spring onions or leeks), cabbage, garlic and fresh ginger...
Cook until tender (and add some ramen in case you're concerned your teenager will snub her nose at all the veggies - at least I know she'll eat the noodles)...
dish it up in an authentic bowl from Japan brought to you as a gift by your teenage Japanese guest from last May (that's a very specific instruction, isn't it?)...
here it is without the broth to show off the chicken and such.
The verdict? Everyone really liked it. The picky sisters didn't pick anything out. Will definitely make again.
And the actual pot. Love it. Doesn't stick, keeps things hot, and cleans up very easily.
Chicken Curry Hot Pot or Kare Nabe
Compliments of JennaDish
from Japanese Hot Pots by Tadashi Ono & Harris Salat
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup sake
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts ( 1 to 1.5 pounds), cut into 1/4" thick slices
1 medium Spanish onion (about 3/4 pound), cut crosswide into 1/2" thick slices
1/4 cup curry powder
1/4 small head green cabbage (about 1/2 pound), cut into bite-size pieces
2 stalks celery (about 1/2 pound), sliced on an angle into 3" long pieces, 1/4 " thick
1 medium carrot (about 1/4 pound), peeled and sliced on an angle into 3" long pieces, 1/4" thick
1 medium Idaho potato (about 1/2 pound), peeled and cut into 1/4" thick slices
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
1 negi (Japanese onion) (or 2 spring onions)
Prepare the broth by combining the chicken stock, sake, soy sauce, and sugar in a bowl. Set aside.
Add the oil to a hot pot and place over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken, stirring and cooking until the chicken turns golden, about 2 minutes. Add the onion, stirring and cooking for 2 minutes. Add the curry powder, stirring and cooking for 1 minute more to caramelize. Add the reserved broth.
Pile the remaining ingredients in the pot. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Simmer until the veggies are cooked to your liking.
Transfer the hot pot to the dining table. Serve in bowls. Suggested side dish: Individual bowls of steamed rice.
Crispy french toast with bananas covered in a vanilla bourbon sauce with crushed walnuts.
Now this would work well for one of those special "Breakfast in Bed" dishes. Crush the walnuts or pecans the night before and any other steps that would help the prep go faster in the morning.
French Toast with Vanilla Bourbon and Caramelized Bananas
Compliments of JennaDish
Adapted from from Cook This Not That
You can easily halve or double this.
SERVES 4
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup bourbon (or rum or brandy)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup crushed walnuts (or pecans)
2 ripe but firm bananas, sliced into 1/2" coins
1 cup 2% milk (I used skim)
3 eggs (if you halve the recipe, use 2 eggs)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 Tblsp vanilla extract
8 slices sturdy whole-grain bread, day old is good
Heat the butter in a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 Tablespoons of the bourbon and all of the brown sugar and stir to dissolve. Cook for 1-2 minutes until bubbly. Add walnuts and cook for an additional 2 minutes; add the bananas and heat through. Remove from heat, stir in 1/4 cup milk and keep warm
Whish together the remaining 3/4 cup milk, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla and the remaining 2 Tablespoons bourbon Heat a cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat. The the skillet is warm, spray with a light coating of nonstick cooking spray. Working 2 pieces at a time, dip the bread into the bourbon-egg mixture. Let soak 30 seconds (if your bread is sturdy) on each side.
Add the bread to the hot skillet. Cook until golden brown and slightly crusty, about 3 minutes on each side. Serve with warm banana topping.
