Bailey's Ice Cream

I love ice cream!  The Perfect Scoop is the homemade ice cream bible.  My favorite recipe is Vanilla Frozen Yogurt--deliciously cold and sweet, but tangy and not super fatty.  I even use homemade yogurt for the batter.  Mmm.  But today for a slightly more extravagent frozen treat, I modified some of the basic recipes (Vanilla Ice Cream + Eggnog Ice Cream) to create a Bailey's Ice Cream recipe.

BAILEY’S ICE CREAM

Ingredients:
2 Cups of Heavy Cream
1 Cup Whole Milk
½ c Bailey's Irish Cream
3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
Pinch salt

Whisk all of the ingredients together until the sugar has dissolved. Then freeze as you would normally freeze ice cream either in an ice cream maker.  Optional: Drizzle with Bailey's and serve.  Enjoy!

Smitten Kitchen's Flatbreads with Honey, Thyme, and Sea Salt

I have been sadly neglecting this blog, but not for any lack of experimenting in the kitchen.  I have been busy trying new recipes right and left, utilizing our delicious, fresh produce from the CSA.  Unfortunately may of the delicious recipes I've tried have been straight out of the Appetite for Reduction cookbook, so I can't share them here--but I would highly recommend the cookbook!  I'm beginning to really appreciate vegan cooking and the recipes have a lot of flavor (sometimes a bit TOO much flavor, but I'm learning to adjust the quantities of her spices).

A new adventure for this week is from the smittenkitchen.com blog: Flatbreads with Honey, Thyme, and Sea Salt.  Doesn't that sound amazing!  I'm also eager to try the smittenkitchen recipe for homemade ricotta cheese.

Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day

I LOVE fresh bread!  It fills the house with a homey aroma and is delicious slathered in jam or butter or with a slice of cheese.  It makes great sandwiches, a quick toast breakfast, or a simple snack.  I especially love artisan bread: peasant loaves, french bread, olive bread, and cheese breads.

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day is a great, easy method for baking as much fresh bread as I want.  The basic idea is that you make a large batch of dough, mix it without kneading, let it rise once, let is rest in the refrigerator, and then pull it out and bake it whenever you have a fresh bread craving.

In using this cookbook I have learned to bake on a pizza stone, including the difficult task of sliding a fully dressed pizza off of the peel onto the hot stone.  One piece of advice: coat the pizza peel liberally with corn meal or flour.  You will be glad you did!  You can also freeze partially baked loaves and finish baking them at a later date for the treat of fresh bread straight out of the oven.

Improvisational Basil Pizza

In the midst of making pizza, I discovered I didn't have any tomato sauce!  So I improvised and used olive oil and frozen basil leaves instead.  The result was a delicious white gourmet pizza and a good use of our frozen bumper crop of basil from last summer.  Definitely something we'll have again!

CSA Week #4

This week from our CSA we received:

• beets
• sugar snap peas
• spinach
• Russian kale
• radishes
• hon tsai tai

Hon Tsai Tai is a type of flowering bok choi, a mild Asian green from the mustard family.  It has purple stalks, dark green leaves, and yellow flowers, all of which are edible.  We're excited to try it for the first time this week!

On the menu: Beet Bake from Cathy with couscous and Teriyaki Greens, Pasta e Fagioli from Appetite for Reduction, Hon Tsai Tai with Chicken & Peanut Sauce

How to Keep your Cutting Board From Slipping

Rolling out dough on a cutting board can be frustrating if your cutting board slips on the counter.  A quick fix for this problem is to place a wet dish rag or a rubber sink mat underneath the board.  No more slipping!

Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking

I just finished reading Kate Payne's Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking.  It's a fun read and chock full of tidbits of useful information and other book and internet resources.

A few things I am now inspired to do:
1) Bake a loaf a bread--I've gotten sadly out of the habit.  More on that soon!
2) Can a few things this season--tomatoes & applesauce are at the top of my list.  I just need to get my courage up while I wait for those things to be in season!
3) Ditch my toxic cleaning solutions and start using more natural products.  This feels like a bigger project, but one that I may be ready to tackle soon.
4) Shop at thrift stores, consignment shops, and Craigslist more often--you never know what you might find!

Italian Sausage Spinach Lasagne

Sometimes the Lasagne Fairy visits our house!  When I get home from work there is a prepared lasagne in the fridge with instructions for cooking.  All I have to do is throw it in the oven!  Not only is the Lasagne Fairy's visit a treat for me...Cory is happy because he loves sausage!  Luckily I found a local sausage company, so I can feel a little better about purchasing and eating meat.  This week I used fresh spinach from our CSA!  Although you *can* make this recipe with uncooked lasagne noodles, the Lasagne Fairy recommends cooking the noodles first for a perfect lasagne!

Italian Sausage and Spinach Lasagna 
Adapted from fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com

Ingredients

.875 lb Italian sausage

1 small yellow onion, diced
1 pinch of red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
15 oz ricotta cheese
1 egg
1 lb fresh spinach leaves, chopped or 1 box frozen spinach, thawed & drained

2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp fresh nutmeg, grated
1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese (divided)
2 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded (divided)
1 jar Newman's pasta sauce

1 box Lasagna noodles

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

In a skillet, cook the Italian sausage, breaking it into crumbles. 

Add the onions and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes and cook until the meat is brown.

Add the garlic and cook for 60 seconds.

Remove from heat and drain any grease.
In a large bowl, mix ricotta, egg, spinach, basil, parsley, oregano, nutmeg, 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, and 1/2 a cup of mozzarella cheese.
Layer a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with: sauce, noodles, ricotta, noodles, sauce, sausage, noodles, ricotta, noodles, sauce & remaining cheese.

Bake covered for 30 minutes. 

Uncover and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

CSA Week #3

This week from our CSA, we received:

• Paris Market Carrots
• Hakurei Turnips
• Lettuce Mix
• Spinach
• Arugula
• Lacinato (Dino) Kale

I just finished reading In Defense of Food, in which Michael Pollan argues we should "eat food, mostly plants, not too much."  Belonging to a CSA encourages us to follow his advice, as we're busy creatively designing meal plans to include all of the week's produce.  It has the added benefit that we try new varieties of vegetables.  So far this season our culinary repertoire has expanded to include Russian kale (delicious!), Hakurei turnips (a fresh, crunchy snack), Asian braising mix (i.e. lettuce gone to seed), and Napa cabbage (yum!).

On the menu this week: Italian Sausage Spinach Lasagne, Curried Scrambled Tofu with Arugula from Appetite for Reduction, and a Mexicana Kale Bowl from Appetite for Reduction.

Raspberry Zinger & Lemonade

A refreshing summer beverage!

Raspberry Zinger & Lemonade

4 tea bags Celestial Seasoning's Raspberry Zinger tea
1/2 gallon lemonade

In a large glass pitcher, cover the tea bags with boiling water.  Let brew for 10-15 minutes.  Add lemonade and top off pitcher with cold water & ice.  Leave tea bags to continue brewing in the fridge.

Made From Scratch: Salad Dressing

Salad dressing is simple enough to make from scratch.  You can vary the seasonings and create many variations.


Salad Dressing
from my dad

Ingredients:
6 T olive oil
2 T lemon juice or vinegar
salt
pepper
garlic
herbs

1) In a small bowl, whisk together 1 T olive oil, 1 T lemon juice or vinegar, & seasoning.
2) Add 2 T olive oil and whisk.
3) Add 3 T olive oil and 1 T lemon juice or vinegar and whisk.
4) Adjust seasoning to taste.

Napa Cabbage Salad

This week in our CSA we got a large head of Napa Cabbage, sweeter and finer than typical cabbage.  I used it in a variety of dishes, but this was my favorite.

Napa Cabbage Salad
Adapted from Ollin Farms CSA Newsletter

Ingredients:
1/2 c slivered almonds

1 lb napa cabbage, chopped

2 scallions, thinly sliced

2 carrots, grated
raisins
3 T vegetable oil
1 T soy sauce
1/2 t sugar
pepper

1) Combine almonds, cabbage, scallions, and carrots in a large bowl.
2) In a small bowl, whisk together oil, soy sauce, sugar, & pepper.
3) When ready to eat, sprinkle with raisins and drizzle with dressing.

CSA Week #2

This week in our CSA, we received:

• Napa Cabbage
• Lettuce Mix
• Radishes
• Tomatoes
• Russian Kale
• Baby Bok Choy

Participating in a CSA and going out to the farm makes me feel connected to the earth.  I am also SO impressed how long the produce maintains its freshness compared to grocery store produce!

On the menu: Napa Cabbage Salad, Curried Cabbage & Peas from Appetite for Reduction, and Asian Cabbage Salad from Clean Food.

Creamed Greens and Spring Onions with Pasta

Last week I used the delicious spinach from our CSA and spring onions from our garden to make...

Creamed Greens and Spring Onions with Pasta
Adapted from smittenkitchen.com

Ingredients
1 lb greens (Swiss Chard and Spinach work nicely), remove stems and slice into ribbons
3 spring onions, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 T butter
3 T flour
1 3/4 c milk
1/2 c parmesan
salt and pepper
1 lb pasta, cooked

1) Wash the greens and do not dry them.  Place them in a large pot over high heat.  Cook covered until wilted (about 6 minutes).
2) Place greens in a mesh strainer and press out any extra liquid.  Set aside.
3) Using the same pot, cook the onion and garlic in the butter over low heat until softened.
4) Stir in the flour.
5) Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly.  Stir in the parmesan.  Cook until thickened.
6) Stir in the greens and pasta.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Macaroni & Cheese

So much better than Mac & Cheese from a box...and not that much more work! Definitely one of our favorites! We've been experimenting with different spice combinations for a less traditional macaroni and cheese.

MACARONI & CHEESE
From Liz
Serves 4.

Ingredients:
16 oz macaroni
2 T butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T flour
1/4 t cayenne pepper
2 c milk
1/2 t salt
2 1/2 c cheddar cheese, grated
*Optional seasoning:
          1/2 t ground mustard + 1 t dried thyme

Cook the pasta.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large sauce pan.
Add the garlic and pepper and optional spices. Cook for 1 min.
Add flour. Cook 1 min, stirring constantly.
Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly.
Add the salt and simmer 2 min.
Stir in the cheese and melt completely.
Drain the pasta and add to the sauce.

Optional: Cover with breadcrumbs and bake at 350-degrees F for 30 minutes.

Recipe Index

I created a recipe index to help when you're searching for a specific recipe.  Please let me know if you have any suggestions for making navigation easier on this blog!

CSA Week #1

This week was our first week this season to pick up produce from our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).  The harvest included:

• Salad greens
• Asian braising mix
• Prize choy
• Spinach
• Kale
• Turnips

I learned that braising mix is just (salad) greens gone to seed and intended for cooking!  I also learned that not all turnips are meant to be peeled and cooked.  Ours were delicious sliced raw into a salad along with their greens.

I was reminded how fun and delicious it is to plan a menu around local, seasonal produce.  Some recipes I'm going to make this week: Ginger Bok Choy & Soba Noodles from Appetite for Reduction and Creamed Spinach with Spring Onions & Pasta.  Stay tuned!

Smoothies

A summer breakfast favorite.

Smoothies
Adapted from the UltraSimple Diet
Serves 2.

1 c yogurt
1/2 c milk
1 banana
1 c fruit (fresh or frozen)
1 T ground flax seed
1 T peanut butter
1 T honey
8 ice cubes

1) Mix ingredients in blender or with immersion blender.

Chocolate Milk!

In our attempts to eat locally, we started getting milk deliveries from the local milk man this month. There is nothing that beats a glass of fresh (chocolate) milk! Mmm!

Supermarkets

A good reminder about the marketing strategies in supermarkets.

Kitchen Tools: Pyrex Pans with Lids

Another one of my favorite kitchen tools!  What could easier than putting a lid on a pyrex baking dish after it has cooled and throwing the whole thing in the fridge!

Tortilla Pinwheel Wraps

Definitely a crowd pleaser at parties!

TORTILLA PINWHEEL WRAPS

from Cathy

Makes approx, 48 pieces

Directions:

1. Mix cream cheese, green onions, and Ranch salad dressing mix. 

2. Spread on a tortilla.  Be sure to get all the way to the edges.

3. Sprinkle with other toppings.

4. Roll the tortilla tightly and wrap in saran wrap.

5. Refrigerate over night (or put in freezer for several hours) & slice.

Spinach Wraps

16 oz cream cheese

4-6 chopped green onion

4-5 spinach tortillas 

4 oz chopped black olives

10 oz can chopped tomatoes (drained)

Vegetable Wraps

16 oz cream cheese

1 envelope Ranch salad dressing mix

2 green onions, finely chopped

4-5 flour tortillas 

1/2 c celery, chopped

1/2 c red bell peppers, chopped

1/4 c olives, diced

1/4 c carrots, shredded

Eat Local Food

Gingered Carrots and Red Onions with Broccoli

This is an easy stir-fry, packed full of flavor.

GINGERED CARROTS AND RED ONIONS WITH BROCCOLI
Adapted from the UltraSimple Diet
Serves 6.

Ingredients
1 T ginger, peeled & minced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 carrots, julienned
1 red onion, slice into strips
1 bunch broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 T olive oil
1/8 t red pepper flakes
1/2 t sea salt
brown rice

1. Heat the oil in a large pan.
2. Add the ginger, garlic, carrots, onions, and red pepper flakes.  Saute for 2-3 min.
3. Add the broccoli and saute for 2-3 more minutes.
4. Season with salt.
5. Serve over brown rice.

Spinach Calzones

You can fill calzones with all sorts of yummy pizza toppings.  Spinach calzones are a delicious spring meal!

SPINACH CALZONES
From Zack & Liz

Makes 6 calzones.

Ingredients:

Quick Rise Pizza Dough

1 box frozen spinach, thawed and drained
½ onion, chopped
1 t basil leaves
¼ lb cheddar cheese, grated
salt &pepper

1) Make Quick Rise Pizza Dough

2) While the dough is rising, sauté spinach, onion, & basil.
3) Divide dough into six balls.
4) Flatten dough into rounds, approximately 6” in diameter.
5) Spoon filling onto dough onto half of the circle.
6) Top with cheddar cheese.
7) Fold dough into half circles and pinch the edges closed.
8) Slice tops lightly with a knife.
9) Cook 20 minutes until golden brown.
10) Serve with warm pizza sauce. 

Orzo With Feta And Olives

This is a great summer dish and a popular addition to potlucks. Be careful not to add too many red pepper flakes or it will be spicy! You can also add halved cherry tomatoes for variety.

ORZO WITH FETA AND OLIVES

Serves 6.

Ingredients

1 ½ c orzo
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
¼ c olive oil
3 T pine nuts
½ t red pepper flakes
¾ c feta cheese, crumbled
¾ c black olives, sliced
1 c cherry tomatoes, halved
½ c parmesan cheese, shredded
¼ c fresh basil leaves, chopped

1) Cook orzo.
2) Steam broccoli.
3) Put orzo and broccoli in a large bowl.
4) Pour oil and nuts over orzo. Mix to coat.
5) Add feta, olives, tomatoes, parmesan, and basil. 

Wild Rice Soup

This soup can be made with half and half for a creamier, richer meal, or without for a hearty warm winter meal.

Wild Rice Soup 

From Zack & Liz

Serves 2.

Ingredients

½ package Uncle Ben’s Wild Rice
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 T butter
3 T flour
1 t salt
pepper
1 c water
1 can broth
1 c half and half (optional)
parsley

1) Cook rice according to Uncle Ben’s directions.
2) Sauté celery, carrot, and onion in butter.
3) When tender stir in flour, salt, and pepper.
4) Stir in water, broth, and rice.
5) Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
6) Stir in half and half and parsley. Do NOT boil. 

Bhakti Chai

My husband and I fell in love over a debate about the best chai!  One of our joint favorites: Bhakti Chai

It is spicy (rather than too sweet),...
comes in caffeinated, decaf, and unsweetened flavors,...
and is available for purchase online.
Mmm!

Focaccia

Delicious served with soup in winter!

FOCACCIA 

From my mom

Ingredients
1 c warm water
2 t yeast
2 t sugar
¼ c olive oil
1 1/2 c white flour
1 ½ c whole-wheat flour
Coarse sea salt

1) In a large bowl soften the yeast with water and sugar.
2) Add olive oil and flour.
3) Knead.
4) Let rise in greased bowl for 1 hour.
5) Punch down.
6) Roll out to fit in a 9x13 pan.
7) Use a chopstick to make holes in the top.
8) Sprinkle with sea salt.
9) Let rise for 15-20 min.
10) Bake at 450 for 12-15 minutes.

Pesto

Yum!  Make a bunch of pesto with the summer basil crop and freeze it in ice cube trays to enjoy all winter long.  To defrost, just thin with boiling water.

Pesto 

from my dad

Ingredients

½ c parmesan cheese
1 c fresh basil leaves (or arugula)
¼ c pine nuts
4 cloves garlic
¼ - ½ c olive oil
Salt

1) Blend cheese, basil, pine nuts, and garlic in food processor until smooth.
2) Gradually add olive oil.
3) Blend until smooth.
4) Before serving thin with boiling water.
5) Serve over warm pasta.

Linguini With Walnut Sauce

Fancy enough to serve when you have company for dinner!  Easy enough for a busy weeknight!  You can make it ahead of time and freeze it, too.

LINGUINI WITH WALNUT SAUCE

from my dad

Ingredients

½ c olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ t pepper
2 t dried basil
2 c parmesan, grated
1 c warm water
1 c broken walnuts
6 c (3/4 lb) hot cooked linguini pasta

1) Place oil, garlic, pepper, and basil in an electric blender. Blend until smooth.
2) Add cheese and ½ c water. Blend until smooth.
3) Add nuts and remaining water. Blend until smooth and thick.
4) Heat sauce gently and serve over hot pasta.

Cheese Enchiladas

You can adjust the spiciness of this recipe by using mild or hot chiles and more/less chili powder. Dipping the tortillas in the sauce can be messy, but it keeps them from ripping. Be careful not to burn yourself!

CHEESE ENCHILADAS 

Serves 4.

Ingredients
2 c Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 c Cheddar cheese, shredded
¾ c sour cream
1 medium onion, finely chopped
¼ t pepper
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (4.5 oz) medium green chiles, drained
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2/3 c water
1 T chili powder
½ t dried oregano
¼ t ground cumin
8 corn tortillas

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2) In a medium bowl mix cheeses, sour cream, onion, and pepper. Set aside.
3) In a medium saucepan, heat tomato sauce, chiles, garlic, water, chili powder, oregano, and cumin to boiling, stirring occasionally.
4) Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 5 min.
5) Pour into a 9” cake pan. Let cool slightly.
6) Dip each tortilla into sauce to coat both sides. Spoon ¼ c cheese mixture onto each tortilla and roll. Place seam downward in 11 x 7 glass dish.
7) Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas.
8) Bake uncovered for 20 min or until bubbly.
9) Top with additional cheeses, salsa, and/or sour cream.

Basil Cream Sauce Over Pasta

A quick and easy pasta dish. You can mix and match the vegetables, depending on what's in season!

BASIL CREAM SAUCE OVER PASTA

from Zack & Liz
Serves 2.

Ingredients
Pasta
1 red pepper, chopped
1 handful green beans, chopped
1 handful frozen corn
¼ onion, chopped
1 T butter
1 ½ T flour
1 c milk
1/8 t salt
¼ c parmesan cheese, grated
1 T dried basil
pepper

1) Cook pasta.
2) Sauté red pepper, green beans, corn, and onion.
3) Melt butter in a separate pan.
4) Add flour and stir until absorbed.
5) Add milk and salt.
6) Over medium heat, stir until thickened.
7) Remove from heat and add parmesan cheese, basil, and pepper.
8) Pour over vegetables and warm pasta.

Dad's Birthday Chocolate Cake

My dad loves coffee, chocolate, and raspberries, so when I found this recipe on smittenkitchen.com, I knew it was the perfect treat to bake for his birthday! After my first attempt ended in a volcano of chocolate in my oven (because I used 9 inch cake pans that were 1 inch deep instead of 10 inch pie pans that were 2 inches deep--oops!), I halved the recipe and cooked it in three 8 inch cake pans that were 1 inch deep. Perfect! Happy birthday, dad!

DAD'S BIRTHDAY CHOCOLATE CAKE
Adapted from smittenkitchen.com
Serves 10-12

For cake layers
 1.5 oz semisweet chocolate
3/4 c brewed coffee

1 1/2 c sugar

1 1/4 c flour

3/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 t baking soda

1/2 t baking powder

3/4 t salt

2 eggs

1/2 c vegetable oil

3/4 c buttermilk

1/2 t vanilla

For ganache frosting8 oz semisweet chocolate
1/2 c heavy cream

1 T sugar

1 T light corn syrup

1/4 stick butter

Raspberry Filling 
10 oz frozen raspberries, thawed

1/4 c sugar

1 T cornstarch

IMPORTANT: three 8 inch cake pans

Make cake layers:
1. Preheat the oven to 300-degrees F. and grease three 8-inch cake pans. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease the paper.
2. Melt chocolate in hot coffee in a small saucepan over low heat.
3. In a large bowl mix sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
4. In another large bowl, beat the eggs until thickened and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a Kitchenaid mixer).

5. Slowly add the oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture.
6. Gradually mix in the sugar mixture.
7. Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven 30-35 min.  Do NOT overfill the pans.
8. Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Invert layers onto racks and remove wax paper.  Cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.

Make frosting:
1. In a saucepan bring cream, sugar, and corn syrup to a boil over moderately low heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved.
2. Add chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted. 

3. Remove from heat.  Cut butter into pieces and add, whisking until smooth.
4. Transfer frosting to a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until spreadable.

Raspberry Filling
1. Puree the raspberries in a food processor, blender or immersion blender.
2. Press the puree through a fine-mesh strainer with the back of a spoon, removing the seeds.
3. Heat the puree in a small pot with the sugar and cornstarch until mixture boils, stirring constantly. As it boils, it should quickly thicken.
4. Let it cool complete before spreading it thinly over three layers.

Frost the cake with ganache and enjoy!

Extraordinary Desserts!

My favorite dessert restaurant of all time: Extraordinary Desserts!  Unfortunately for my taste buds--but fortunately for my health--it's in San Diego, CA.  Be sure to visit if you're in town!

Kitchen Tools: Kitchenaid Mixer

Where would I be without my Kitchenaid mixer?

I love the handle on the bowl for easy release and the splash guard...and also the ice cream attachment.  More ice cream recipes coming this summer!

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever!

These are the best kind of chocolate chip cookie--soft and chewy!  There are two* tricks to their perfection:

1. Margarine and brown sugar.  Reading the cookie section of CookWise (all about the chemistry of cooking), I learned that different fats melt at different temperatures, which greatly affects the consistency of the cookie.  Butter melts quickly in the oven, making cookies spread.  Shortening and margarine melt at hotter temperatures, so the cookies don't spread as much in the oven. Brown sugar absorbs moisture from the atmosphere, maintaining the cookie's softness over time.
2. Baking time.  It is easy to overcook cookies. You should take them out before they LOOK done.  12 minutes usually is perfect for me.  \

*I hear that the third trick for perfectly shaped cookies is to use a cookie scoop.

MARY'S MOUNTAIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
from Kelly
Makes 3 dozen.

Ingredients
1 c margarine
3/4 c sugar
3/4 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 T vanilla
2 1/2 c flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
2 c chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350-degrees F.
2. Mix margarine & sugars until creamy.
3. Add eggs and vanilla.
4. Fold in flower, salt, baking soda, and chocolate chips.
5. Form balls and place on a baking sheet.
6. Bake 12-15 minutes until edges just begin to brown.  Do not overcook!

Chile Rellenos

The trick to getting the flour to stick to the chilies is to roast and skin them! If you have a gas stove, I recommend roasting the chiles over an open burner flame. If you have an electric stove, just throw them in the oven on a cookie sheet until they're blackened.  You can follow the recipe exactly, or for a simpler version don’t separate the eggs. Just scramble them, dip the floured chiles, and pour the rest of the egg into the pan as the chilies cook.

Chile Rellenos
from my mom
Serves 2.

Ingredients
3 anaheim green chile peppers
¼ lb Monterey jack cheese
3 eggs
vegetable oil
½ c flour

1) Roast peppers in oven on broil until skins blacken and blister.
2) Peel skins and make ½” slits at stem.
3) Remove the seeds.
4) Slice cheese ¾” wide as long as peppers and slide inside chili.
5) Preheat pan with 1 T oil.
6) Separate egg whites and beat until stiff.
7) Fold in egg yolks.
8) Dip chiles in flour.
9) Dip peppers in egg better.
10) Fry peppers.

Appetite for Reduction

I love getting new cookbooks!  The latest addition to my collection is Appetite for Reduction by Isa Chandra Moskowitz (Thanks, Liz!).  It's a low-fat vegan cookbook, with lots of delicious sounding main dishes, side dishes, and salads.  It also has a lot of gluten-free and soy-free recipes for those on a more restricted diet.  I'm eager to try a few of the recipes this week.  Stay tuned!

Mom's Banana Bread

I hate bananas, but I love this banana bread, as long as the bananas are thoroughly smashed. It’s a great use for bananas that are past their prime. You can store them in the freezer in a plastic bag until you’re ready to bake!

Banana Bread 
from my mom
Makes 1 loaf.

Ingredients
½ c butter, melted
1 c sugar
2 eggs
3 bananas, mashed
½ t salt
1 t baking soda
1 c white flour
1 c whole-wheat flour
1/3 c hot water

1) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2) Grease and flour a loaf pan.
3) Blend butter and sugar.
4) Add eggs and bananas.
5) Mix well.
6) Add salt and baking soda. Mix.
7) Add flour slowly, alternating with hot water.
8) Pour into loaf pan.
9) Bake for 70 min. 

Made From Scratch: Buttermilk

Who knew you could make your own buttermilk!  Just add one tablespoon on vinegar or lemon juice to 1 c of milk and let it sit for about 10 minutes.  No need to buy a quart of buttermilk at the store anymore when recipes only call for a cup!

Mexican Layered Bean Dip

Mexican Layered Bean Dip 
from Cathy

Makes 2 dinner plates or 1 platter.

Ingredients
1 large can refried beans
½ pkg. taco seasoning
½ small carton sour cream
½ small carton avocado dip
1 can sliced black olives
½ small can green chiles
Chopped green onions
Chopped tomatoes
Cover with shredded cheddar cheese
Tortilla chips

Mix together beans and taco seasoning. Spread on a plate. Layer other ingredients on top. Serve with chips.

Made From Scratch: Yogurt

Last year I discovered how easy it is to make homemade yogurt!  You don't have to have a yogurt maker, but it makes the process a lot easier and more reliable.

Equipment
Double boiler OR a large pot and smaller pot or metal bowl that fits inside
Spoon, metal
Thermometer
Tongs (for removing items after sterilizing)
Yogurt maker, heating pad, oven with pilot light, or slow cooker.

Ingredients
Milk, (I use 2% milk from our local dairy, but skim, 1%, or whole milk work, too.  The fattier the milk, the thicker the yogurt). You need an equal amount to the amount of yogurt you want--for example, 1/2 gallon milk = 1/2 gallon yogurt.
2-3 T plain yogurt (for starter)
Powdered milk (optional, to thicken yogurt, 1/4 c per 1/2 gallon of milk)
Fruit (optional, for flavor)
Sweeteners, like honey, maple syrup, agave (optional, to sweeten)

How to...
1. Boil a large pot of water.
2. While you wait for the water to boil, make an ice bath in your sink.
3. Sterilize your equipment by dunking it in the boiling water.
4. Put the milk in the top of the double boiler and heat to 180-degrees F, stirring frequently.
5. Place milk pot into ice bath to cool the milk to 110-degrees F, stirring occasionally.  (This is a good time to add the powdered milk, if you're going to use it.)
6. Add yogurt to milk once it's cooled and stir until dissolved.
7. Put yogurt into yogurt maker and follow manufacturers directions.  Or put it in a warm place (with a heating pad, in the oven with a pilot light, or in the slow cooker) and let it sit undisturbed for 7 hours. The longer it sits, the thicker and tangier it will become.
8. Chill the yogurt in the refrigerator.
9. Add sweetener or flavor. I like to sweeten my yogurt by the bowl with honey and fruit and eat it with granola.
10. Enjoy!  But don't forget to save a few tablespoons of yogurt as starter for the next batch!

Kitchen Tools: Rice Maker

I don't know what I did before I got our Zojirushi rice maker!  No more soggy or dry rice for us.  Best of all it has a timer so that you can set it in advance to have rice ready when you need it.  And it even sings to us when it's done!

Cashew and Green Pea Bhaji

An easy recipe!  Especially with a rice cooker to make perfect brown rice!

CASHEW AND GREEN PEA BHAJI
Adapted from World Vegetarian by Madhur Jaffrey

Ingredients
1 1/2 c whole raw cashews
1 1/2 T peanut oil
1 t whole mustard seeds
15-20 fresh basil leaves
1 fresh Jalapeno pepper
1 c fresh or frozen defrosted peas
3/4 t salt
brown rice

1. Soak the cashews overnight in water, covered by at least 3 inches.  Drain.
2. Heat oil in frying pan over medium heat.  Add mustard seeds.
3. As soon as the seeds start to pop, add the basil leaves and stir once or twice.
4. Add the cashews, chile, peas, and salt.
5. Cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes.
6. Serve over brown rice.

Preserving Jalapeno Peppers

To help Jalapeno peppers last longer in the fridge, put them in a brine solution (1 c water + 1 T salt).  Just rinse them off before using!  Mine lasted over a week and were no worse for the wear.

Chai Sugar Cookies

CHAI SUGAR COOKIES
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated Magazine
Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Ingredients
2 1/4 c flour
1/2 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 c sugar
1/3 c sugar, for rolling
2 oz cream cheese
1/4 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t ground cardamom
1/4 t ground ginger
1/4 t ground cloves
pinch of black pepper
6 T margarine, melted
1/3 c vegetable oil
1 egg
1 T milk
1 t vanilla

1. Preheat the oven to 350-degrees F.
2. Mix 1 1/2 c sugar and cream cheese.  (The cream cheese can still be lumpy.)
3. Pour melted margarine over the sugar & cream cheese and mix.
4. Mix in oil.
5. Add egg, milk, and vanilla.
6. Add dry ingredients and mix until blended.
7. Using your hands, roll dough into balls.  Handle as gently and briefly as possible.
8. Roll dough balls in 1/3 c extra sugar to coat evenly.
9. Place on a baking sheet and flatten with a cup.
10. Bake 11-13 minutes or until edges are set and just beginning to brown.  Do not overcook!
11.  Cool on wire racks.

Teriyaki Greens

The easiest way to prepare dark greens!  And delicious, too!

TERIYAKI GREENS

From my mom

Serves 3-4.

Ingredients

1 head kale, chard, or collard greens

Olive oil

Soy sauce

1)    Wash greens and cut from stalk.

2)    Chop into bite-size pieces

3)    Sauté in olive oil until almost wilted

4)    Add olive oil and sauté until limp.

Chocolate Strawberry Scone Cake

A delicious spring dessert with fresh strawberries! A birthday favorite at our house!

I am not 25 anymore, alas!

CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY SCONE CAKE

I think I clipped this recipe out of the newspaper years ago.

Serves 8-12.

Ingredients

2 ½ c flour

¼ c sugar

4 t baking powder

¼ t salt

2/3 c butter

2/3 c milk

2 eggs

6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 c whipping cream

2 baskets strawberries

1)    Preheat the oven to 425.

2)    Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

3)    Cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.

4)    In a small bowl combine milk, 1 egg, and 1 egg yolk.

5)    Mix into dry ingredients until just moistened.

6)    Turn out onto a floured board and knead lightly several times to form a ball.

7)    Divide in half.  Pat each half into a circle 8” in diameter.

8)    Place one circle on a greased baking sheet.

9)    Cover evenly with chocolate chips.

10)   Top with remaining circle, pressing lightly to seal edges.

11)   Beat the remaining egg white and brush it onto the top of the cake.

12)   Sprinkle generously with sugar.

13)   With a sharp knife slice halfway through top later to form six wedges.

14)   Bake 18-20 minutes or until golden brown and springy to touch.

15)  Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

16)  Whip cream and add 1 c berries.  Sweeten to taste.

17)  Serve wedges of warm scone cake topped with whipped cream and strawberries.

New World Soup

This soup is made entirely from ingredients found in the "New World," when Europeans came to the Americas.  It's also a delicious (and deliciously easy!) soup.  Unfortunately the ingredients are mostly summer vegetables and summer is not a time when a bowl of hot soup is particularly attractive.  I wonder how well zucchini freezes.  We'll have to give it a try this summer!

NEW WORLD SOUP

From my mom

Ingredients

1 ½ c frozen corn or 1 can corn

3 potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes

1 ½ c canned kidney beans

1 medium zucchini, sliced

1 can cut-up tomatoes

½ c refried beans

Water, juice from canned vegetables

1)    Put all ingredients in a big pot and simmer for 1 hour.

Kitchen Tools: GlassLock Tupperware

There are many contenders for the best tool in my kitchen.  One that we use every day are our GlassLock Tupperware.

Their best features:
1) They are glass on the bottom and therefore microwaveable.
2) They're dishwasher safe, even the lids.
3) The lids snap on tightly and don't leak in my bag on the way to work.
4) They come in a variety of sizes for the perfect mama bear and papa bear lunch portions.

Dal Makhani

We are still talking about the amazing meal we had at Athidi Fine Indian Cuisine in Auckland! So, we decided to attempt making Dal Makhani, one of the dishes we had there. It was our first attempt at Indian food, ever...and it was delicious!

DAL MAKHANI
Adapted from Veggie Cookboook
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 c black lentils
1/3 c kidney beans
1 T chopped ginger
1 t turmeric powder
1 T red chili powder
1 t salt
3 T butter
1 T oil
1 t cumin seeds
1 T chopped ginger
1 T chopped garlic
1 chopped onion
1 t garam masala
1 can diced tomatoes or 2-3 diced tomatoes
½ c cream (or yogurt?)
Oil 1 tbsp.
Naan, rice, or roti

1. Wash and soak beans in 5-6 c water overnight.

2. Cook the soaked lentils and kidney beans in 5-6 cups of water with salt, red chili powder, turmeric, and grated 1 T ginger until beans are done/soft.  (This takes longer than you think!) Drain off some of the water and lightly mash bean mixture. Set aside.

3. Heat oil and butter in a thick bottomed pan. Add cumin seed and let it crackle. Add 1 T ginger, garlic, chopped onions, and cook till light golden brown in color.

4. Add garam masala and chopped tomatoes. Sauté till tomatoes are well mashed and fat starts to leave the masala. Add mashed beans to this mixture and little water (to desired consistency). Correct seasoning, and simmer at very slow flame for 15-20 minutes.

5. Add fresh cream and let it simmer for 5 minutes and turn off the heat.

6. Serve hot with naan, rice, or roti.

Aloo Matar

We tried a new recipe from our friend Angela and were simply delighted with the results! Who knew cooking Indian food could be so easy? Thanks, Angela!

ALOO MATAR

Adapted from allrecipes.com

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 medium onions, finely chopped

1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste

1 bay leaf

4 large potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup tomato puree

1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

naan or basmati rice

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onions, ginger garlic paste, and bay leaf. Cook until the onions are tender.

2. Mix in the potatoes and peas. Cover and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.

3. Stir the tomato puree, garam masala, paprika, sugar, and salt into the vegetable mixture. Continue cooking about 10-12 minutes.

4. Serve with naan or basmati rice.

Aunt Cathy's Amazing Granola

This is our standard summer breakfast fare, eaten with yogurt. It's a real mix-and-match recipe, so feel free to experiment!

AUNT CATHY'S AMAZING GRANOLA

from Aunt Cathy, modified from Cafe Beaujolais

Approximately 28 servings.

Ingredients:

6 c oatmeal

unsweetened big-flake coconut (We use ~5 oz.)

Nuts: (We use ~2 c sunflower seeds, 2 c roasted cashews, & 2 c almonds)

Sesame Seeds

Sunflower Seeds

Cashews

Almonds

Pumpkin Seeds

Macadamia Nuts, halved

1/2 c oil (We use safflower oil)

1/2 c honey

1 t vanilla

1/4 t salt

1 t cinnamon

Dried Fruit: (We add fruit by the bowl, as desired.)

raisins

dried cherries

dried cranberries

currants

Preheat the oven to 325-degrees F.

In a sauce pan, over low heat, warm the oil, honey, vanilla, and salt.

Mix together oats, nuts, and coconut in a large bowl.

Pour oil mixture over oats & nuts and mix well.

Spread granola on two baking sheets.

Bake for a total of 35-45 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes! Swap which pan is on top each time you stir.

Allow to cool, then add in dried fruit.

Store in airtight containers.

Serve with yogurt, milk, and/or fresh fruit.