Oven Fries with Garlic Aioli

Serves 6

2 lbs. Russet potatoes (about 4 potatoes), scrubbed and cut into lengthwise 1/4" wedges
2 tbs. olive oil
kosher salt
black pepper
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the potatoes, oil, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Roast until golden and crisp, 40 to 45 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic, paprika and 1/4 tsp. salt. Serve with the potatoes for dipping.

Recipe courtesy of Real Simple Magazine

Red Pepper Frittata Squares

Serves 6

2 tbs. olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
10 large eggs
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
4 oz soft goat cheese
salt
black pepper

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Heat the oil in a non-stick, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Add the bell peppers and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook until peppers are soft, about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Mix in the parsley. Pour over the vegetables in the skillet, stir once, and crumble the cheese over the top.

3. Transfer to the oven and bake until the center is set, 18 to 20 minutes. Slide out of the skillet and cut into squares before serving warm or at room temperature.

Recipe courtesy of Real Simple Magazine.

Horseradish Potato Gratin

Serves 8

3 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup prepared horseradish
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
3 lbs. Russet potatoes (about 6 potatoes), peeled and thinly sliced
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 tsp. black pepper

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a shallow 3 quart baking dish. In a large bowl, mix the cream, horseradish, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Add the potatoes, and toss to coat.

2. Transfer the potato mixture to the prepared baking dish, pressing gently to submerge the potatoes. Cover the dish with foil, place on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the potatoes are tender and the top is golden, approximately 50 to 65 minutes.

Recipe courtesy of Real Simple Magazine.

Brie en Croute

1/2 package puff pastry sheets
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup apricot preserves or raspberry jam
1/3 cup dried cranberries, softened*
1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
1 (13.2 ounce) round Brie cheese
crackers to serve

*To soften cranberries, mix dried cranberries and 1/2 cup hot water in bowl. Let stand 1 minute. Drain and pat dry.

1. Thaw pastry sheet at room temperature 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix egg and water.

2. Unfold pastry sheet on lightly floured surface. Roll into 14 inch square. Cut off corners to make a circle. Spread preserves to within 1 inch of pastry edge. Sprinkle cranberries and almonds over preserves. Top with cheese. Brush edge of circle with egg mixture. Fold two opposite sides over cheese. Trim remaining two sides to 2 inch from edge of cheese. Fold these two sides onto the round. Press edges to seal. Place seam-side down on baking sheet. Decorate top with pastry scraps if desired. Brush with egg mixture.

3. Bake 20 minutes or until golden. Let stand 1 hour. Serve with crackers.

Non-Alcoholic Beverages

Recipes yield one drink each.

From Le Meridien, San Francisco

Justin Juliep
1 orange tea bag
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 lemon
4 mint leaves
1 cup hot water
Steep tea in hot water with the mint leaves added. Combine sugar, leaves, and lemon in glass. Add the tea and mint leaves. Add ice cubes. Garnish with a lemon wheel and sprigs of mint.

Summer Breeze
3 oz cranberry juice
1 oz grapefruit juice
4 oz ginger ale
lime
Fill a 12 oz glass with ice cubes. Pour in juices and ginger ale. Stir gently. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Orange Fizz
3 oz fresh orange juice
3 oz sparkling mineral water
grenadine
orange
Put ingredients in a champagne flute. Add a dash of grenadine for color and sweetness. Garnish with a slice of orange.


From Parc Fifty Five, San Francisco

Frozen Virgin Tai
1 oz orgeat syrup
1 oz pineapple juice
1 oz sweet and sour mix
2 oz orange juice
Blend all ingredients with ice.

Red Dream
2 oz orange juice
2 oz half and half
3 oz strawberries
Blend with ice until slushy.


From The Marc Hopkins Intercontinental Hotel, San Francisco

Fruit Car
1 part orange juice
1 part apple juice
1 part pineapple juice
1 part grapefruit juice
grenadine
cracked ice
Fill glass with cracked ice. Add fruit juices and a dash of grenadine.

Bloody Shame
tomato juice or V8 juice
Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
cracked ice
carrot
lemon
Fill glass with cracked ice. Add tomato juice or V8, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper. Garnish with a carrot stick and a lemon wedge.

Breathalizer
fresh mint leaves
apples juice
cracked ice
lemon
Crush the mint in the bottom of the glass. Add cracked ice. Fill the glass with apple juice. Garnish with a lemon wedge.


From Park Hyatt, San Francisco

Paradise Punch
2 oz orange juice
2 oz cranberry juice
2 oz pineapple juice
1 oz half and half
1/4 oz grenadine
Combine all ingredients. Shake well and serve.

Tropical Shake
1 mango
1 1/2 oz passion fruit nectar
club soda
Blend mango and passion fruit nectar with ice. Serve in a tall glass, and top with club soda.


From Harrah's Casino Hotel, Lake Tahoe

50/50 Bar
4 oz lemon-lime soda
4 oz orange juice
1 oz half and half
orange
Fill glass with ice. Add all ingredients and stir. Garnish with orange slice.

Holstein
8 oz cola or diet cola
4 oz half and half
2 tsp vanilla extract
cherries
Fill a glass with ice. Add all ingredients and stir. Garnish with cherry.


From Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco

Sonoma Sonata
4 oz grape juice
4 oz ginger ale
cherries
orange
Combine in a wine glass, over ice cubes. Garnish with an orange slice and a cherry.

Crown Calypso
1 scoop of fine ice
1/2 small banana
1 1/2 oz cream
1 oz orange juice
1/2 oz simple syrup
mint leaves
Blend all ingredients. Serve in a tall glass. Garnish with an orange wedge, banana chunk, and mint.

Tonga Twist
3 oz pineapple juice
3 oz grapefruit juice
1/2 oz grenadine
club soda
pinapple wedge
cherries
mint leaves
Fill a tall glass with ice cubes. Add juices and grenadine. Stir. Fill glass with club soda. Garnish with pineapple wedge, cherry and mint.

Fairmont Fizz
(serves 12-15)
20 oz cranberry juice
4 oz Rose's lime juice
10 oz water
6 tsp. sugar
Stir all ingredients in a punch bowl. Add ice cubes. Garnish with orange slices.

Nautica New Orleans
(serves 4)
1 scoop fine ice
6 oz grapefruit juice
1 oz grenadine
1 oz simple syrup
2 oz cream
1 egg white
club soda
grapefruit
mint leaves
Blend first six ingredients together. Pour into a tall glass. Fill the glass with club soda. Stir. Garnish with grapefruit wedge and mint.


From Bellagio, Las Vegas

Fruit Splash
1 oz club soda
5 oz cranberry juice
splash pineapple juice
splash orange juice
Combine all ingredients and serve over ice.

Pineapple Snap
5 oz ginger ale
splash pineapple juice
juice from 1 lime
Combine all ingredients and serve chilled.


From Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco

Sunrise Surprise
3 oz orange juice
3 oz ginger ale
1 oz grenadine
cherries
orange
Combine ingredients. Garnish with a cherry and an orange slice.

Ice Breaker
4 oz herb ice tea
4 oz cranberry juice
squeeze of lime
Combine all ingredients and garnish with lime slice.


From Stein Eriksen Lodge, Park City Utah

Caramel Apple
1 oz caramel syrup
1/2 oz vanilla syrup
apple juice
caramel candy
Fill a Collins glass with ice. Add syrups and fill with apple juice. Garnish with a tall straw and a caramel candy.

For Reference: How to Make Simple Syrup
In a medium saucepan, cook two cups of sugar in one cup of water over high heat, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar.
Bring mixture to a full boil. Remove from heat and cool.
May be refrigerated up to several weeks.

Recipes collected by the American Automobile Association

Maple Apple Oatmeal Crisp

Filling:
6 cups peeled, thinly sliced apples (or 6-8 medium apples)
1/2 cup Craisins
1/3 cup real maple syrup
1 tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Topping:
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
4 tbs. butter, melted (1/2 stick)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil an 8x8 pan.

2. In a large bowl, toss the apple slices with the cranberries, syrup, lemon juice, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg. Spread evenly in the baking dish.

3. Prepare the topping by mixing the oats, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt together. Once combined, add the melted butter and stir until evenly moistened. Sprinkle evenly over the fruit mixture.

4. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the fruit is tender. Remove from the oven and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Serve, with whipped cream or ice cream if desinred.

Recipes courtesy of Country Choice Organic Oats.

Dude, you have to try this!

Look up Mushrooms a la Grecque. I posted it at least a year ago, and finally got around to trying it. Wow.
Just type mushrooms into the search bar in the top left corner of the page. It is soooooo good. How good? Good enough that I think I'll have to go out and actually buy a corkscrew in order to make this dish more often. (I don't drink, so usually I just buy random wine with screw tops. Don't judge me.)

I love cooking.

Apple Crumb Cake

12 servings

2 tbs unseasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 Granny Smith apples
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 tbs room temp. unsalted butter
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup half and half
2 tsp powdered sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and coat it with the bread crumbs.

2. Mix the granulated and brown sugars. Set aside.

3. Peel and core the apples, then slice one apple into 16 thin wedges. Mix the cinnamon and 1/3 cup of the sugar mixture in a medium bowl, and toss the apple wedges in it to coat. Roughly dice the remaining apple.

4. Beat together the butter and remaining sugar in a mixer on medium speed until light, fluffy, and lemon-colored (about two minutes). Add the egg, and mix until combined. Reduce speed to low and add the flour and baking powder. Slowly add the half and half and mix until combined. Fold in the diced apple.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and spread evenly. Arrange 14 of the apple slices fanned along the outer edge of the pan, and place the two remaining wedges in the center. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the center is golden brown.

6. Remove from the oven to a wire rack to cool completely. Run a small offset spatula (or knife) around the edges to release the cake from the pan. Remove the springform. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

7. The author of this recipe, Marcus Samuelson, says his mother kept one of these cakes in the fridge and one in the freezer at all times, in case of unexpected company. If anyone knows how to freeze a cake, I would be curious how it is done.

As printed in House Beautiful Magazine.

(Belated) November 2009 Meals

Roasted Corn Chowder
Crockpot Curried Vegetables
Mushroom, Lentil and Barley Soup
Crockpot Couscous(so close to perfect, just needs a little more flavor)
Hominy Con Queso
Sweet and Sour Crockpot Cabbage (never again. it's gross)
Pasta Alfredo
Buttered Pasta with Vegetables
Cream Cheese Quesadillas
Spinach Cheesy Rice
Veggie Dogs
Enchiladas
Baked Beans
Chana Masala
Chorizo Chili
"Chicken" and Rice Soup
Thai Peanut Ramen (peanut sauce recipe over ramen)
Man Soup
Cardamom Sweet Potatoes
Crockpot Potato Chowder

(Belated) October 2009 Meals

Baked Potato Bar
Hominy Con Queso
Spinach and Rice Casserole
"Chicken" and Rice Soup
Cream of Potato Soup
Hominy Enchilada Chowder (this was not such a big hit with the husband)
Jambalaya
Enchiladas with Homemade Refried Beans
Baked Beans with Veggie Hot Dogs
Tortilla Dogs (just what it sounds like-a hot dog wrapped in a tortilla)
Choriso Chili
Pasta Marinara with Zucchini

I made all of these multiple times, so the list is shorter than usual for this month.

TJ's Soy Chorizo Chili

1 12 oz package of soy (or real) chorizo
1 16 oz package of mixed dry beans and barley
4-6 cups water
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced

1. Combine all ingredients in a crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 6-8 hours. Serve with cornbread and top with grated cheese or sour cream.

January 2010 Meals

Acorn Squash with Butter and Brown Sugar
Cookbook Curry
Buckaroo Beans
Mushrooms a la Grecque
Cauliflower Leek Soup
Sweet Potato and Pineapple Casserole
Lasagna
Jason's Fantastic Dinner Salad
Broiled Fish Tacos
Minestrone
Refried Bean Soup
Garlic Lover's White Bean Soup
Tofu with Peanut Sauce
Eggplant Curry
Mushroom, Lentil and Barley Stew
Something with Low-Carb Barbeque Sauce on it
Crockpot Glazed Carrots
Chorizo Chili
Blockbuster Black Beans
Soy Vey Stir Fry
and....
French Lemon Yogurt Cupcakes
Cocoa Almond Biscotti

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

I got this recipe from my friend Gwen Campbell at a cookie exchange. I knew right away that Jason would love it. And I was right.

1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
48 undrained maraschino cherries
1 cup chocolate pieces
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

1. In a small bowl, combine flour and cocoa, set aside.

2. In an electric mixer bowl, beat the butter on medium until softened. Add sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda. Beat. Add egg and vanilla, beat. Gradually beat in flour-cocoa mixture.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Indent each with thumb.

4. Drain cherries, reserving juice. Place a cherry in the center of each cookie.

5. In a small saucepan, combine chocolate pieces with sweetened condensed milk. Stir in 4 tsp of reserved cherry juice. Spoon 1 tsp of chocolate mixture into the center of each cookie, on top of the cherry.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, or until done. Cool, and then cover. Eat within 2 days. (Shouldn't be a problem.)

Recipe Ideas for Winter

Polenta Cheese Saute
Butternut Squash
Baked Beans
Chorizo Burritos

How to Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

I am a person who is, for some reason, forever forgetting how to cook hard boiled eggs. So I googled it, and am posting it here for simplicity's sake. Thanks to elise.com


1 First make sure that you are using eggs that are several days old. If this is Easter time, and everyone is buying their eggs at the last minute, buy your eggs 5 days in advance of boiling. Hard boiling farm fresh eggs will invariably lead to eggs that are difficult to peel. If you have boiled a batch that are difficult to peel, try putting them in the refrigerator for a few days; they should be easier to peel then.

2 Put the eggs in a single layer in a saucepan, covered by at least an inch or two of cold water. Starting with cold water and gently bringing the eggs to a boil will help keep them from cracking. Adding a half teaspoon of salt is thought to help both with the preventing of cracking and making the eggs easier to peel. Put the burner on high and bring the eggs to a boil. As soon as the water starts to boil, remove the pan from the heat for a few seconds.

3 Reduce the heat to low, return the pan to the burner. Let simmer for one minute. (Note I usually skip this step because I don't notice the eggs boiling until they've been boiling for at least a minute! Also, if you are using an electric stove with a coil element, you can just turn off the heat. There is enough residual heat in the coil to keep the eggs simmering for a minute.)

4 After a minute, remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let sit for 12 minutes. If you are doing a large batch of eggs, after 10 minutes you can check for doneness by sacrificing one egg, removing it with a slotted spoon, running it under cold water, and cutting it open. If it isn't done, cook the other eggs a minute or two longer. The eggs should be done perfectly at 10 minutes, but sometimes, depending on the shape of the pan, the size of the eggs, the number of eggs compared to the amount of water, and how cooked you like them, it can take a few minutes more. When you find the right time that works for you given your pan, the size of eggs you usually buy, the type of stove top you have, stick with it.

I also find that it is very hard to overcook eggs using this method. I can let the eggs sit, covered, for up to 15-20 minutes without the eggs getting overcooked.

5 Either remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and place them into a bowl of ice water (this is if you have a lot of eggs) OR strain out the water from the pan, fill the pan with cold water, strain again, fill again, until the eggs cool down a bit. Once cooled, strain the water from the eggs. Store the eggs in a covered container (eggs can release odors) in the refrigerator. They should be eaten within 5 days.

Minestrone Soup

Today was a cold day, and I was craving soup. However, I was low on groceries. I made minestrone with what was in the back of the refrigerator produce bin---and it turned out to be delicious.

pasta pot full of veggie broth
pinch Italian seasoning
3 carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, diced fine
1 cup frozen chopped spinach
8 oz dry egg noodles
2 onions, diced fine
3-4 cloves garlic, sliced
few grinds of fresh pepper
pinch of salt

Before I get to the recipe, I have to talk about one of my most favorite things. Trader Joe's makes these little packets of concentrated vegetable broth. They come in a small green box. Inside are a dozen tubes of...vegetable syrup? Basically, that's what it is. Really concentrated, thick broth. You add 1 tube to 1 cup of water. They save sooooo much cabinet space, are very light to carry, and are perfect for backpacking meals. Also, they have amazing flavor and are low-sodium. Can you tell how much I love them?
So anyway, that intro is just to say--when I made this recipe, I used a pasta pot full of water with 4 or 5 packets of broth mixed in.

1. Bring the broth to a simmer. Add a small pinch of Italian seasoning ground between your fingers. As the broth is heating, dice the celery, then add it to the pot.

2. Dice the carrots, and sautee them in a tablespoon of olive oil. (Don't skimp on the olive oil, it's the only fat in the dish.) While the carrots cook, dice the onions and garlic.

3. When the carrots are "al dente", add them to the pot, and saute the onions and garlic in the pan. When the garlic and onions are translucent, add them to the pot along with the frozen spinach, and bring the pot to a boil.

4. Add the egg noodles and cook according to package directions. (Mine only took 4 minutes.) Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with grated Parmesan.

P.S. This was so good that after we ate the whole pot for lunch, I turned around and made another batch before the stove cooled down. Now that is a good recipe.

Mushroom Lentil Barley Stew

Serves 8

8 cups (2 quarts) vegetable broth
2 cups sliced fresh button mushrooms
1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, torn into pieces
3/4 cup uncooked pearl barley
3/4 cup dry lentils
1/4 cup dried onion flakes
2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoon dried summer savory
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
salt to taste

1. In a slow cooker, mix the broth, button mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, barley, lentils, onion flakes, garlic, savory, bay leaves, basil, pepper, and salt. (Dry ingredients can be mixed ahead and stored in ziploc bags for convenience.)

2. Cover, and cook 4 to 6 hours on High or 10 to 12 hours on Low. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Pico de Gallo Quesadillas

The pico de gallo in this is supposed to be fantastic. Got over 400 rave reviews on allrecipes.com

2 tomatoes, diced
1 onion, finely chopped
2 limes, juiced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into strips
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 (12 inch) flour tortillas
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup sour cream, for topping

1. In a small bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeno, salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add chicken and saute until cooked through and juices run clear. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.

3. Put the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the hot skillet and saute the sliced onion and green pepper until tender. Stir in the minced garlic and saute until the aroma is strong. Mix in half of the pico de gallo and chicken breast meat. Set aside; keep warm.

4. In a heavy skillet, heat one flour tortilla. Spread 1/4 cup shredded cheese on the tortilla and top with 1/2 the chicken mixture. Sprinkle another 1/4 cup cheese over the chicken and top with another tortilla. When bottom tortilla is lightly brown and cheese has started to melt, flip quesadilla and cook on the opposite side. Remove quesadilla from skillet and cut into quarters. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve quesadillas with sour cream and remaining pico de gallo.

Recipe courtesy of allrecipes.com

RAWR!

A few weeks ago, I was at a family reunion, where my Aunt Janice gave a presentation on the raw foods diet she has been following. She gave samples of a salad that was ah-mazing. So amazing that I made it within the week. Craveable, I say.

Here is my take on it:
2 ripe avocados
3 ears uncooked corn, kernels cut off
2 peeled cucumbers, diced
1/4 cup finely diced red onion

1. Mash the avocado.

2. Mix the avocado with the corn, cukes, and onion. That's it!

This salad was so yummy and easy that it made me start thinking about trying raw for a while. Summer in California is halfway there. For example, tonight for dinner, the hubby and I had a Caprese salad: sliced heirloom tomatoes (from the Smith Family Farm) with mozzarella, fresh basil, and balsamic vinegar with olive oil to dip it all in. Oh, wow, it was good.

P.S. I found this link to a New York Times article with 101 ideas for summer salads. Very cool.

August 2009 Meals (and a Lot of Peaches)

Yesterday I went to a U-Pick farm in Brentwood and picked 20 pounds of peaches at this esteemed establishment. Yes, you read that right, 20 pounds of peaches. So I'll be making a lot of cobbler and pie this week. Yum....
The farm also has a beautiful display of already-picked produce to buy, like peppers, zucchini, and a large selection of heirloom tomatoes. I bought some orange romas to make a quick homemade pasta sauce. Inspired by the Smith Family Farm (and the leftovers in my fridge that need to be used up), here is my meal plan for the month.

Spinach salad with sliced tomatoes and rotisserie chicken
Fettucine with homemade pasta sauce
Caprese Salad (sliced tomatoes with mozzarella and fresh basil)
Homemade macaroni and cheese with garlic roast beef
Nie's Penne with Tuna and Red Onion
Spaghetti with Sauteed Zucchini and Feta
Noodles with Peanut Sauce
Tabouli
Cucumber Salad with Pesto Dressing
Homemade Chipotle Hummus with Vegetable Dippers
Black Bean Tacos with Coleslaw and Fresh Pico de Gallo
Quinoa with Sauteed Onions and Wilted Spinach Parmesan
Cold Cream of Zucchini Soup

Ruth's Grandma's Pie Crust

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups shortening
3 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 egg
1/2 cup water


1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, shortening, sugar, and salt. Blend together with a pastry cutter until crumbly.

2. In a small bowl, mix egg with water. Blend into flour mixture. Chill in refrigerator until ready to use.

Recipe courtesy of Allrecipes.com

Shiitake and Sourdough Stuffing

Serves 8.
Prep time is 15 minutes, total time is 40 minutes.

1/4 cup butter
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
3 cups shiitake caps, sliced
6 cups sourdough bread, in 1/2 inch cubes (slightly stale is best)
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp sage
1/2 cup broth

1. Preheat oven to 325. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add celery, onion and mushrooms, and saute 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Stir in bread cubes, spices and broth.

2. Spoon stuffing into a lightly greased 3-quart baking dish. Bake 30 minutes or until bread is golden and toasted.

Recipe courtesy of Try-Foods International.
274 calories per serving.

Long time no see...

Wow, only four recipes in the last six months---I guess it's proof that I've been busy lately. But I am officially moved into my new house, with its gorgeous kitchen, and I am ready for chopping, dicing, sauteing, and lots of other fun stuff. Stay tuned, I expect to be posting quite a bit more.

Bread Machine Naan

2 cups bread flour or plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp dried yeast
4 tbs milk
1 tbs vegetable oil
2 tbs natural yoghurt
1 egg

1. Add ingredients to breadmaker in the order recommended by your breadmaker manual (mine stipulates all the wet ingredients first, then the dry, then the dried yeast last).

2. Set machine to the "Dough" cycle and press start.


3. Preheat the oven and a baking tray to 220'C/ 425'F.


4. When the machine is finished, remove the dough and cut into three pieces. Roll each out into a tear drop shape about 1/2" thick, and place onto the hot baking tray.



5. Bake until puffed up and golden on the top, about 10-15 minutes. Remove and brush with melted butter or a mixture of melted butter and crushed garlic or herbs, if desired.

Recipe courtesy of http://simple-living-simple-cooking.blogspot.com

Low-Carb Barbeque Sauce

Leon, this one's for you.

Makes 4 cups.

1 tsp. canola or olive Oil
1 cup minced onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 bouillon cubes
1/2 cup hot water
3 6-oz cans tomato paste
1 cup granular Splenda
3/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup Dijon mustard
3 tbsp. Hickory flavor Liquid Smoke
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 tbsp. Tabasco sauce, more to taste

1. Place oil in large saucepan. Add onions and garlic, and saute over medium heat until translucent.

2. Mix the bouillon cubes and hot water until partially dissolved. Add bouillon mixture and all remaining ingredients to the saucepan. Stir well using a wire whisk.

3. Simmer uncovered 25-30 minutes, stirring frequently. Refrigerate overnight in a non-metallic container, sauce is best if prepared a day before using. May be refrigerated for up to a week.

Note: This recipe is fantastic. My dad made it for ribs the other day, and it is officially my favorite sauce in the world--suitable for vegetarians to carnivores, no-carb diets to all-carb diets. Yum.

Recipe courtesy of diabetesforums.com

Janet Nelson's Persimmon Cookies

1/2 c butter
1 c sugar (I use less)
1 egg
1 c of persimmmon pulp (see note)
1 1/2 c nuts
1 1/4 c cran-raisins
2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp each - cinnamon
ground cloves
nutmeg
often I add orange peel

1. Add the baking soda to the persimmon pulp and set aside for at least 5 minutes

2. Cream the butter, sugar, egg. Add the pulp and mix.

3. Gently stir in the flour mixture (with spices etc). Add the nuts and cran-raisins. Drop by teaspoonfuls (it spreads) on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.

Note: The type of persimmon used to make these cookies is called Hachiya, and they are kind of pointy at the bottom. (There are other varities of this fruit, so make sure that's the kind you have.) Make sure the persimmon is ripe/soft and just scoop the pulp out with a spoon. 1 cup equals about two big fruits.

These cookies freeze exceptionally well, so make a bunch when persimmons are in season, and you can have healthy cookies all year.

Cheese Enchilada Chowder

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes
10 oz. frozen corn (or more if you like)
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped bell pepper (whichever color you like...I have used fresh or frozen)
1 large can enchilada sauce
1 can cream of chicken
2 c. milk
cheese

1. Combine all ingredients in crock pot, except for cheese. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 3-4. Add cheese to individual servings. Also, I like a dollop of sour cream.

Serve with chips & guacamole, cornbread, whatever. Can also add a can of chickpeas for extra protein.

Recipe from Telestial Kitchen.

Jeanne's Easy Lemon Cookies

1 package lemon cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1/3 cup powdered sugar for decoration


1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. Pour cake mix into a large bowl. Stir in eggs, oil and lemon extract until well blended. Drop teaspoonfuls of dough into a bowl with the powdered sugar. Roll them around until they are lightly covered. Once sugared, put them on an ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Bake for 6-9 minutes. The bottoms will be light brown, and the insides are chewy.

Note: These cookies freeze exceptionally well. I recommend making a double batch and freezing half for potlucks and things like that.

Man Soup

(This is named for my husband, who only likes really hearty soup)

1 package dried tortellini
2 cans of vegetable broth
1 cup of water
frozen green beans, french cut
1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
boullion to taste
mix of rosemary, oregano, italian seasoning, and a salt-free spice blend (basically I just raided the spice cabinet until the broth smelled good and wasn't too salty.)
This recipe is very adaptable. If you like corn, add it, if you hate garbanzos, leave 'em out, etc. Even the spices are flexible--I think oregano is a keeper though.

1. Bring the water and broth to a boil. While it is heating up, open the chickpeas and rinse them under running water until they stop foaming. Then add them to the broth.
2. While the broth is heating up, add spices and bouillon to taste.
3. When the broth is boiling, add the frozen greenbeans. They heat through really quickly.
4. Bring the broth to a boil again.
5. Add the tortellini and cook to the manufacturer's instructions (mine took about 12 minutes)
6. Serve.
This whole thing takes about 25 minutes, and used just stuff we had in the kitchen. Its very filling, and makes good leftovers--although by the next day, this is way too thick to still qualify as soup. :)

(Another way to do this is to cook the tortellini separately, and add them to each serving, so they don't absorb all the water in the pot before you can eat this as leftovers.)

September Recipes

Potato Chowder

Pasta with Cream Sauce and Sauteed Zuchinni

Hummus with Pita and Baby Carrots and Sliced Bell Peppers

Cauliflower Leek Soup

Cream Cheese Quesadillas

Figs with Port Salut Cheese and Water Crackers

Roasted Corn Chowder

Tortellini Soup (Man Soup)

Fish Sticks with Tartar Sauce

Gyoza Soup

Garlic Lover's White Bean Soup

Crockpot Stuffed Zucchini

Split Pea Soup with Ham

Crockpot Couscous

Lazy Lasagna

Crockpot Veggie Curry

New Tag

Jason and I are in the market for a house, and in honor of that, I added a new tag today: Budget--because that's what we'll have to do if we're paying a mortgage. :)
Also added a bunch of more crockpot recipes to anticipate the cooler weather we'll be having soon. (Yeah, so in California we won't be having that kind of weather for months, but a girl just likes soup, okay!)

Crockpot Curried Vegetables

3 cups coarsely chopped red potatoes
2 cups peeled and coarsely chopped sweet potatoes
1 cup coarsely chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped onions
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 (14-oz) can vegetable broth
1 (13.5-oz) can unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking rice
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup dry-roasted cashews

Add the first 9 ingredients to your crockpot; stir the ingredients to mix them up. Pour the broth and coconut milk over the vegetable mixture. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours. Stir in the rice and frozen peas; cover and cook 5 more minutes. Ladle mixture onto individual plates and sprinkle with cashews.

Crockpot Glazed Carrots

1 package fresh baby carrots - (32 oz)
1/2 cup marmalade
1 Tbs water
2 Tbs brown sugar
1 Tbs butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 Tbs cornstarch
2 Tbs water
Salt to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in crock pot and cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours, until carrots are tender.

About 15 minutes before serving, make a paste of the cornstarch and cold water; stir into carrots. Taste and adjust seasonings.

This recipe yields 4 to 6 servings.

Green Chile Grits

2 cups regular grits
6 cups water
1/2 tsp paprika, optional
1/2 to 1 tsp salt
4 to 6 ounces chopped mild green chile
1 or more jalapeno chiles -- seeded, chopped fine
1 dash cayenne

Combine all ingredients in the crockpot and cook on LOW for 6 to 9 hours or on HIGH 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. If cooking on high, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup more water if too thick. Similar to polenta, you serve right away or you can refrigerate the mixture in a buttered loaf pan for a few hours or overnight. Unmold, slice (1/2-inch) and fry in butter or a low fat substitute until browned. This recipe yields about 8 servings.

Crockpot Couscous

1 Tbs dried onion flakes
2 carrots chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can garbanzos drained
1 veggie boullion cube
1 Tbs diced garlic
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp tumeric
1/4 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups cooked couscous

Put all ingredients except for couscous into the crockpot. I usually spray the crockpot with Pam, so the mixture doesn't stick. Cover and put on the high setting for 3 hours. After 3 hours, stir the mixture, shut off the crockpot, and then add the cooked couscous. Let set for 10 minutes. Serves 4-6.

Sweet and Sour Cabbage

I. Love. Cabbage. No, seriously. I am so excited to try this.

1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbs flour
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup vinegar
1 medium head red cabbage shredded
1 small onion finely chopped

In your crockpot, combine sugar, flour, salt and pepper. Stir in water and vinegar. Add cabbage and onion and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low 3-4 hours

Crockpot Enchiladas

1-3/4 lbs. canned crushed tomatoes in tomato purée
14 ounces chunky style prepared salsa
6 ounces tomato paste
2 lbs. canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 lb. corn kernels, thawed if frozen
1/4 lb. canned diced mild green chilies, drained
1-1/2 Tbs. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
5 corn tortillas
2 ounces olive slices, drained

Combine first 8 ingredients in a bowl. Mix thoroughly. Pour about 1 cup of mixture into the bottom of an electric slow cooker on low heat. Spread evenly and top with 1-1/2 tortillas, cutting to fit pot. Spread 1/3 of remaining tomato mixture over top. Repeat layering process, ending with tomato mixture. Spread top evenly. Sprinkle with olives. Cover and cook about 5 hours. Serve hot. This recipe serves 5 people.

Crockpot Pumpkin Cake

1 cup of pumpkin
4 eggs
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
2 Tbs baking powder
1 cup of oil
1/2 cup of orange juice
2 and 1/4 cups of flour

Grease your crock pot and set it on high.

Cook it for 2 or 2 and 1/2 hours on high.

Crockpot Stuffed Zucchini

1 medium zucchini or summer squash, halved lengthwise, with seeds removed
1 cup tomato sauce
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/4 cup uncooked brown rice
1 Tbs dried parsley
1 Tbs dried basil
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 Tbs pine nuts, toasted
Fresh parsley (optional)
Fresh basil (optional)
Mozzarella cheese (optional)
Parmesan cheese (optional)

To toast pine nuts, place them in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally until golden or about 5 minutes. Place the zucchini halves in the bottom of an oval shaped crockpot. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the tomato sauce and vinegar. In another small bowl, combine the onions, garlic, rice, parsley, basil, pepper, along with 2 tablespoons of the tomato sauce-vinegar mixture. Fill the zucchini halves with the rice mixture. Top with the remaining tomato sauce-vinegar mixture. Cover and cook on LOW until the rice is tender, 4 to 6 hours. Garnish with the pine nuts, fresh herbs, and cheese. Makes 2 main dish servings or 4 side dish servings.

Crockpot Baked Apples

4-6 medium baking apples (anything other than red delicious)
Brown sugar or honey or maple syrup
Cinnamon

Carefully remove cores with paring knife and veggie peeler or spoon handle. Do not peel and do not pierce skin on bottom of apple. Mix a little brown sugar and cinnamon and fill apple holes. Or substitute honey or maple sugar.

Place in crockpot at bed time and cook on low through the night (6-8 hours). You'll awaken to a wonderful aroma and hot baked apples for breakfast.

Serve with your favorite granola or wheat toast. This easy crockpot baked apples recipe is one of our favorites in the fall and winter.