shawna's recipes

Creamy Mushroom Soup

2009-03-24T13:37:00.000-07:00

I LOVE cream of mushroom soup, but I can't do dairy. That means I've spent a sad amount of time without mushroom soup in my life. There are plenty of boxed versions that are either vegan or lactose free, but I find them disgusting. Finally, I've made my own. It's creamy, it's mushroomy, and my husband ate it twice (dinner, then lunch), and he's REALLY picky. Especially when it comes to soup.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

4 cups beef broth, separated
3 cups button mushrooms, finely chopped (I used canned, but fresh would be better)
1 finely chopped onion
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp corn starch
1 cup sour cream (I used Tofutti)
1 tsp black pepper, or generous few grinds fresh

Directions:

Saute the onions in the olive oil for two minutes until softened. Add garlic for another two minutes, then mushrooms. Pour in three cups of beef broth and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, whisk corn starch into remaining beef broth. Add to simmering pot and return to boil. Boil 2 minutes or until soup begins to thicken.

Remove from heat and whisk in sour cream and black pepper.

Allow to cool for at least five minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Note: You can increase the corn starch to 2 tbsp and serve this as a gravy over your favorite steak or biscuits, or pour it over noodles to make a meatless stroganoff.

Fresh Squeezed Clementine Juice

2009-02-12T08:30:00.000-08:00

This isn't how-to o recipe. It's more of a suggestion for what to do with old or banged up fruit. If, like me, you have texture issues, squeeze your citrus fruits or peel and puree other with a bit of lemon juice. Apples aren't the only fruit that make a good sauce, and syrup isn't the only topping for a pancake. Why not make a reduction? Here's what we did when Noah suddenly expressed disinterest in the clementines he'd favored for two weeks:

Those are pounds 14 and 15 in my cup, and they were delicious!

Asian Chicken Salad

2009-02-10T11:07:00.000-08:00

Sorry I've been so spotty on recipes lately. It's not that I don't have them. It's just that life is hectic lately. I'm planning to merge this site with my regular site and try to post a recipe/week with lots more pictures. I don't know when that will happen, just letting you loyal readers know.

Because there's been a hint of Spring in the air, we've fallen face first into salads over the last week. Here's one my husband surprised me by liking, pictured below and paired with egg rolls, from a box, from the freezer section of a store, and devoured with sweet and sour sauce. The salad is super easy.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

5 leaves Romaine lettuce
1 good handful of spinach
1 small can mandarin oranges, well drained and divided, if you have it (we didn't, but we did have tomatoes and those were okay)
1 carrot, shredded
1 chicken breast, cut in strips on the diagonal
your favorite Asian dressing (we go for the Ken's Soy Ginger around here)
1 tsp sesame seeds, divided

Directions:

Cut your Romaine in strips, toss with spinach and carrots. Plate with oranges on top. Put on chicken strips, Asian dressing, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve. Enjoy.

Honey for Milk

2009-02-03T09:04:00.000-08:00

This home remedy came to me from Purnur. She told me to massage the breast with warm honey to relieve clogged milk ducts. I think this sounds relaxing, but you'd have to wash carefully if you're nursing a child under one. I think this would be lovely combined with a hot bath or shower. :)

[Image Source]

Chai from Turkish Tea

2009-01-28T08:30:00.000-08:00

I have a Turkish teapot! Basically, it's composed of two teapots, one smaller than the other, and they stack up (not pictured). It's like a golden ticket. The other day, I used it to concoct a wake-me-up chai. You don't need a Turkish teapot to do this, but you do need two vessels in which you can boil water.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup loose leaf black tea (I used Caykur Turkish tea)
6-10 green cardamom pods
4 cloves
an inch of cinnamon stick
two small pieces of candied/sugar ginger (you can use fresh ginger or even ground ginger, if necessary)
5 cups water plus two cups water

Directions:

The bottom to my Turkish teapot holds five cups of water. I fill it up all the way and bring the water to a boil.

In the meantime, add tea plus other ingredients to the smaller teapot or whatever you are using that you can also boil water in.

When the water comes to a boil, pour two and a half cups over the tea leaves. Bring that to a boil, stir to make sure all leaves are wet, then simmer ten minutes.

Replace the water you used from the bottom pot and bring back to a boil.

When time's up, allow the tea leaves to settle for about five minutes. Then pour 1/4 cup tea through a strainer into a cup. Add water to fill the cup. You can strengthen or weaken the tea to you liking.

Feel free to add milk and sugar at this point. Enjoy with a book. Preferably of your own choosing. ;)

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Whipped Honey Butter

2009-01-27T18:02:00.000-08:00

Mm. Comfort food.

[Image Source]

Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
2 tsp honey

Directions:

Combine honey and butter in a bowl with mixer on Medium-High speed for about one minute, until it is light and airy.

Serve on your favorite sliced or quick breads, sweet potatoes or breakfast foods.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge until it's gone. You may need to take a fork to it to recombine if the honey and butter separate.

Crock Roasted Vegetables (Potatoes and Carrots)

2009-01-20T05:47:00.000-08:00

Easy as pie. Photo here.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

3 Medium Russet potatoes, washed and cubed, skins still on
4 large carrots, peeled and cut in chunks
3/4 tsp dried thyme, rosemary or sage
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
few grinds black pepper

Directions:

Put all ingredients in the crockpot. Toss to make sure they're well coated with olive oil and spices. Cook on LOW for 4 hours. Uncover, toss, and cook on HIGH (uncovered) for 1/2 hour to 1 hour.

Lentils with Rice

2009-01-15T08:00:00.000-08:00

1. Caramelize two large onions in 2-3 tbsp olive oil, sliced in thin rings.

2. Cook 2 cups lentils halfway (15 minutes, covered).

3. Retain water from partially cooked lentils. Add enough water to make 2 cups.

4. Wash and drain one cup rice.

5. Stir half of the onions as well as spices (1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp red pepper, 1/2 tsp black pepper) into lentils. Add the 2 cups liquid and washed rice.

6. Place in rice cooker on White Rice setting. OR cook covered on stovetop for about fifteen to thirty minutes* or until rice is done. When it's done, fluff lightly and top with remaining onions.

Comfort food. Sigh.

(*I never do this on the stovetop because I always either burn it or undercook the rice. Yeah. That's why I got a rice cooker.)

Spicy Winter Tomato Soup

2009-01-13T08:00:00.000-08:00

On my quest to find a satisfying, dairy-free tomato soup, I created this recipe. I really liked it. So did my SIL. My hubby, too, especially with a generous spoon of White Bean Puree* dropped in the middle.

Serves 6

Pictured with Crock Roasted Vegetables and White Bean Puree

Ingredients:

1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
4 cups vegetable stock
2 cups water
1/4 cup red/orange lentils
1/2 tsp red pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp salt
few grinds black pepper

Directions:

I put it all on HIGH in the slow cooker for about four hours. You could do this on the stovetop in half an hour--just cook until the lentils are tender, then hit it with the immersion blender until it's all smooth.

*To make White Bean Puree, add up to 1/4 cup bean liquor leftover from White Beans with Oregano to White Bean Dip recipe.

Our Favorite Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2009-01-08T08:49:00.000-08:00

Oatmeal raisin cookies are Nathan's favorite. He gets very cranky if I mess with the Betty Crocker recipe. He likes the traditional: full of fat and sugar. But I'm a brave woman. I'm not afraid to make changes.

Below, you'll find a healthier version of these cookies. I replaced the eggs with flax seed, shortening with applesauce, white flour with whole wheat, and cut down the sugar. I hope you'll give them a try!

[Nathan made the pictured cookies using margarine instead of applesauce, white flour and 2/3 cup sugar. Applesauce will make these fluffier. It also compensates for the dryness of wheat flour.]

Makes 36 cookies

Ingredients:

1/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (vegan) margarine, softened
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp ground flax seed plus 6 tbsp water, mixed together and microwaved at 30 second increments until the consistency of eggs (about one minute)
3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 and grease your cookie sheet(s).

Beat all ingredients except oats, flour and raisins in large bowl at medium speed or by hand. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Drop about 2 tbsp dough on cookie sheet 2 inches apart.

Bake 10-15 minutes until top darkens.

Serve warm with black tea or a cup of milk.

Barley with Tomatoes and Oregano

2009-01-01T15:29:00.000-08:00

This is a great alternative to Spanish rice. It's not seasoned the same way, but if you're looking for something whole grain that's quick and easy, tasty and filling, and can most likely be made from things already in your pantry, this is it. Serve it to your kids and see if they notice that it's not white rice.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 cup barley
2 14 oz cans diced tomatoes with juice
2 cups water
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp Kosher salt

Directions:

Saute onion in olive oil three minutes over Medium heat. Add garlic, oregano and salt and saute one minute more. Stir in barley and saute one minute. Pour over tomatoes and water. Bring to a simmer. Simmer covered for 10-15 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and barley is cooked.

White Bean Dip

2008-12-30T17:52:00.000-08:00

I had some extra crock-cooked navy beans with oregano. I've wanted to try a bean dip for awhile. Nathan said the beans were too plain. I'd made them with nothing but sea salt and oregano, and loved them drizzled with a bit of olive oil, but he was right. That was the push I needed.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 cups leftover White Beans with Oregano, drained
1/4 cup olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic, depending on hhhhhow much you like it :)
few grinds black pepper

Directions:

Blend together until smooth. Squeeze in lemon juice if you'd like and fold in a quarter cup of chopped parsley. Serve with pita wedges, pretzels or your other favorite dipper.

Angel Hair Pasta with Garlic, Spinach and Mushrooms 2

2008-12-25T08:24:00.000-08:00

This is not-whole-wheat revisit to my earlier angel hair pasta post. It has less garlic and more veggies, is easy and quick if you need something for a potluck, and is great if you have fresh spinach that's a bit wilted or, like mine, got partially frozen in the vegetable drawer. :/

Serves 8-12 depending on sides

You will need:

one box angel hair pasta
1 can tomato sauce
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp salt plus salt to taste
2 cups sliced mushrooms (I used canned)
1 small onion, diced
3 cups fresh spinach
1/2 tsp chopped garlic
2 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Cook and drain pasta according to package instructions. Set aside.

Saute your onions for about three minutes over Medium heat. Add garlic, oregano and basil and cook three minutes more. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer five minutes, stirring occasionally. When spinach is completely wilted, you can either take this off the burner or keep covered and simmer awhile longer. Taste and add more salt as desired.

Pour over pasta in a casserole dish or in the pasta pot. Toss gently to combine. Serve hot or cold.

Design-Your-Own Pizzas

2008-12-23T09:33:00.000-08:00

This is an easy family favorite, and it's much cheaper than ordering in. Especially if you either buy in bulk or shop sales. I prefer to make my own dough. I use a large recipe. It takes about an hour and a half with a bread machine. Otherwise you could pick up a couple crusts at the store and go the two pizza route.

Makes 2 large pizzas or 4 personal pizzas

What you will need:

Pre-made pizza crusts or other dough
1 can tomato sauce
Dried oregano
Dried basil
4 cups shredded mozzarella or vegan cheese (more if you like extra as a topping)
Your favorite toppings. We chose sliced Yard-O-Beef, black olives and mushrooms. We usually add tomato slices too, but our tomato was gone.

Directions:

Follow package instructions for pre-made crusts.

Otherwise: Preheat oven to 425. Spray two cookie sheets.

Sprinkle flour on your counter top. Punch down your dough and cut into four pieces. Roll out and toss one piece. Mine always come out rectangular. Fold up sides for crusts. Place two per baking sheet.

Put on your desired amount of tomato sauce. Sprinkle oregano and basil on top. Sprinkle on about one cup of cheese per pizza. Unless you're like me. Then skip the cheese altogether. Add toppings.

Your kids can decorate their own!

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crust begins to brown and your house smells like pizza.

Note: Yard-O-Beef works quite well as a meat topping, especially for people who don't eat pork. For a spicier sub, try soujouk or even thinly sliced turkey kielbasa.

*I filed this under vegan and vegetarian since you can choose your own toppings.

Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies

2008-12-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

Peppermint Recipe #3: Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies. Chocolate and peppermint. What a romantic pairing. And here it is again in yet another delectable form. Since I'm having so much fun with this, I think I'll offer you a Mint Chocolate Cake next week. Really, as long as it's cold, I love peppermint. And my love of chocolate is neverending.

Makes 2 dozen cookies.

My husband and I made these based on this recipe over at 101 Cookbooks (check for the link in the sidebar). I stumbled upon it while looking for a peppermint bark recipe (ended up making it my way) and thought, "Hey! Why not?" We made them. They were good. Here is the recipe we recommend to you--altered from the original.

Ingredients:

3 cups (unbleached) all-purpose flour
1 cup Hershey's cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter or stick margarine, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups peppermint bark, roughly chopped (that's about half what you made last week)

Directions:

We followed the ones from the site:

Preheat the oven to 375F degrees. Position the racks in the middle of the oven, and line baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats.

Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy, then beat in the sugar until it is the consistency of a thick frosting. beat in the eggs one at a time, incorporating each fully before adding the next and scraping down the sides of the bowl a few times. Stir in the vanilla until evenly incorporated. Add the dry ingredients in 3 increments, stirring between each addition. At this point you should have a moist uniform dough. Stir in the peppermint bark, and optional chocolate chips by hand, mixing only until evenly distributed. Reserve a bit of the bark to sprinkle on top of the cookies after you have dropped them onto the baking sheets.

Drop a heaping tablespoon of dough for each cookie onto the prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart and bake for about 10 - 14 minutes, until very fragrant. Cool on wire racks.

When we made them, we used unbleached whole wheat flour. Don't do that. The recipe above has been altered to instruct you not to do that. Unless you really like whole wheat flour. Then go for it but know that the cookies were on the dry side and tasted a bit like peppermint bark lodged in a wheat cracker. With that said, I like wheat flour, and I liked these, but my husband refused to bring them to work saying he couldn't afford that type of liability. Whatever. More for me. :)

Peppermint Bark

2008-12-11T08:00:00.000-08:00

Peppermint Recipe #2: Peppermint Bark! Nothing else quite says December to me. Whether it's rainy days, sleet, snow, a fire in the fireplace and some peppermint bark stashed in a secret spot, perfect for discreet nibbling, or sharing if you're feeling charitable. ;) And it's so easy! All you need is a little pent up wrath, some peppermint candy and chocolate chips.

Makes enough for you, your family and some dearly loved friends.

Ingredients:

3 cups chocolate chips (I used Hershey's Dark Chocolate Chips with great success, but you can also use white or semi-sweet chocolate for this.
A dozen candy canes or a two cups of peppermint candies.
Wrath.

Directions:

Channel your wrath into smashing the unwrapped peppermint candies to bits. You'll want some dust and some chunks. You really want some chunks in this, so don't feel like you need to completely destroy it all. Unless, of course, you've been saving up that wrath for awhile, or you want to make a bit of this that a child without molars can consume. For that, you want to make sure this is totally chunk free.

I used a hammer from my husband's workbench, a towel, a ziploc bag and a rubber cutting board on my counter top. Worked like a charm.

Theoretically, you could just break up the candies with your fingers or run candy canes through your food processor, but where's the fun in that?

Melt your chocolate according to package instructions. Mix in the peppermint. (Here, you can add a tsp of peppermint extract if you like. I didn't.)

Spread the mixture on a cookie sheet you've covered with wax paper. Not too thin! You shouldn't see the wax paper through the chocolate. Stick it in the fridge or some other place it can cool and harden. When you're satisfied, sneak a few bites just to be sure.

Break up and store in a plastic bag or container. Keep it in your fridge or give it out as gifts. Or tell your husband you gave it all away, tiptoe downstairs after he goes to sleep and eat it all yourself.

If, for some reason, it hasn't all disappeared over the weekend, check back here on Tuesday for a chocolate peppermint bark cookie recipe. :)

Peppermint Hot Chocolate, Peppermint Mocha

2008-12-05T06:01:00.000-08:00

Hooray for Winter and all things peppermint. This is pretty much the only time of year when I enjoy mint anything, unless it's Summer in Lebanon, but that's another story. I'll save it for a summer day. As for now, here is the first of three peppermint posts.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 cup milk if using espresso machine, 1.5 if using microwave (1/2 for each cup)
two palmfuls of chocolate chips
1 oz Torani chocolate mint syrup (optional)
peppermint extract (optional)--I didn't try the extract
1 small candy cane left whole
1 small candy cane, crushed to dust
Hershey's special dark chocolate syrup
1-2 shots espresso OR 1/2 cup strongly brewed coffee

Directions:

Put a palmful of chocolate chips, 1/2 oz Torani syrup or 1/2 tsp peppermint extract, a couple pinches of crushed candy cane, some chocolate syrup and espresso (if making a mocha) into a cup.

For the microwave: Reserve espresso for this and add it at the end.

Pour the milk over your ingredients. For kids, heat one minute on HIGH. For adults, 2-3 on HIGH. Stir it all up really well.

If using an espresso machine:

Heat your milk to 100 degrees for kids, 140 for adults. Pour it over your ingredients, reserving foam. Stir it all up really well, top with foam.

Decorate your hot chocolate with the extra candy cane over the side of the cup. Add some flavor to the look of your mocha by sprinkling on some peppermint dust. Drink and enjoy!

Chicago Style Hot Dogs

2008-12-04T11:22:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the hiatus. We stopped watching TV during the day at my house and it was how I had time to keep up my blogs. So, to get me back into the swing of things quickly, here's an easy family favorite--ever since my hubby and I stopped at a hot dog stand outside the Field Museum in Chicago. Here's a link if you're feeling up to doing a little research on the food's history.

Ingredients:

Kosher beef hot dogs to feed your family + buns and the following toppings:

Dill relish or sliced pickles
Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
sliced tomatoes
ketchup
(deli/spicy) mustard
Sauerkraut
finely diced onions

[Photo Credit]

Directions:

Sprinkle it all on. Or just use the toppings you like. :) Happy eating!

Turkey Dreaming

2008-11-25T08:56:00.000-08:00

I'll be back next week!

Simple Bean Soup

2008-11-20T17:16:00.001-08:00

Once the weather turns cold, I crave simple warm foods--preferably soups and stews. Today's is an easy bean soup that can be made in a slow cooker (my preferred method) or on the stovetop. You can use pretty much any bean you like. This time I used a pinto. Pintos are a bean that you don't need to soak before cooking. I haven't had much luck not soaking other dried beans.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1/2 lb dried beans such as pintos, navy or great northern, washed and picked over
2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
3 cups water
2 cloves of garlic, cut in half
1 tsp salt, sea salt if you have it
1 tsp dried oregano

In the slow cooker:

Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker on LOW for 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally. Beans will be done when they are tender but not falling apart. If you want to thicken this soup up, gently mash a portion of the beans and let sit on WARM for an hour before serving.

On the stovetop:

Combine all ingredients. Bring to a rolling boil. Allow beans to boil according to instructions on the back of bean package, but do not turn heat off. Instead, turn heat down to keep beans at a simmer, covered for an hour and a half. Stir occasionally and add more water as needed. As above, gently mash a portion of the beans if you want a thicker soup.

I prefer this soup thin with a big scoop of cooked white rice in it. If you use white beans, this is lovely with a little olive oil drizzled on top.

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

2008-11-18T08:28:00.000-08:00

Cold day, hot soup. Doesn't get much better. Or simpler.

Makes 4 1 cup servings

Ingredients:

4 cups beef broth
2 large onions, sliced in rings
1 clove garlic, smashed and finely chopped
a few drops of Worcestershire sauce (less than 1/2 tsp)
1/2 tsp salt
several grinds black pepper

Combine ingredients in slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 4-6 hours or on LOW 8-10.

Serve over a crusty homemade bread and top with mozzarella, provolone or parmesan cheese.

Tomato Bulgur Soup

2008-11-13T08:39:00.000-08:00

Mmm. Hot tomato soup on a cold day. I've been working for awhile on finding a dairy free tomato soup that is creamy and filling. This comes close. The bulgur gives this soup a bit of a nutty flavor. If you're not into that, substitute barley.

Makes 4 1-cup servings

Ingredients:

4 cups vegetable or chicken stock (low sodium)
1/3 cup bulgur
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp onion powder
4 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp fresh or 1 tsp dried parsley

Directions:

Bring all ingredients except tomato paste to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil covered for 5 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Add tomato paste and return to simmer. Whisk while simmering until tomato paste is dissolved and soup begins to thicken (about 5 minutes).

Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

For a Mediterranean twist, squeeze lemon juice over soup just before eating.

Apple Pie Puffs

2008-11-11T08:30:00.000-08:00

Makes 24 puffs

Ingredients:

1 pkg puff pastry shells
3 apples, peeled, cored and diced very small(I used Jonathan)
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp lemon juice

Directions:

Baked pastry shells and remove centers according to package instructions.

Combine apples, cinnamon and sugar in a mixing bowl. Toss together.

Place in pan in medium heat and cook until apples are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool a bit before spooning into pastry shells.

Serve immediately.

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Cookies

2008-11-06T08:37:00.000-08:00

Ahh Fall. Fall food. I love trying new things that warmly welcome the season. Generally my husband frowns when I make adjustments to his favorite foods--and he did demand to know why I wanted to alter the divinely inspired oatmeal raisin cookie--but he was game when I explained the alterations would lessen the fat and increase fiber. More importantly, he was happy with the outcome. He said, They're not as sweet as oatmeal cookies, but I like them." He's been eating a couple every day.

I liked them too, and so did Noah. Noah calls these "biscuits" because of the way they rose. They have a cake-like consistency but make a satisfying cookie.

Makes 36 cookies

Ingredients:

2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine at room temperature
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs
3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp ground flax seed
1 cup raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 and grease your cookie sheet(s).

Beat all ingredients except oats, flour, flax and raisins in large bowl at medium speed or by hand. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Drop about 2 tbsp dough on cookie sheet 2 inches apart.

Bake 10-15 minutes until top darkens. You'll be able to use the toothpick test to tell if these are done.

Serve warm with black tea or a cup of milk.

Chicken and Bowtie Pesto

2008-11-04T08:26:00.000-08:00

This is very easy, especially if you're using leftover chicken.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 roasted chicken breasts, diced
1 box bowtie pasta, cooked
1/2 container store bought basil pesto
2 cups grape tomatoes (optional)

Directions:

Warm chicken and tomatoes through by placing them in the bottom of a large pan (the one you cooked your pasta in) with some pesto. When heated, put pasta back in the pan with the rest of your pesto and mix well.

Serve hot or cold.

Homemade Applesauce

2008-10-30T08:19:00.000-07:00

Warm applesauce on a cool Fall day! Throw in some cinnamon and you're talking serious comfort food.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

3 cooking apples (I used Jonathan), cored, peeled and cut in chunks
1 handful golden raisins (optional)
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp brown sugar

Directions:

Combine ingredients in a bowl and microwave until apples are tender (about 6 minutes).

Puree with immersion blender. Serve in small bowls as a side or dessert. My favorite--eat it in front of the fire place.

Homemade applesauce is MUCH more flavorful than store bought. It may punch you in the mouth. If you aren't prepared for this, add more water, and substitute a pear for one apple.

Happy eating!

Mashed Potato Soup

2008-10-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

Ahh. Comfort Food.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

8 md Russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups water
2 tbsp salt
freshly ground black pepper

Soup pictured is less on the soup side and more on the mashed potato side. This recipe adjusts for more water.

Optional Toppings:

4 strips bacon, cooked and chopped
chives
cheddar cheese
sour cream
fresh salsa

Directions:

Place all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 4-6 hours. Stir occasionally. When potatoes are soft (by hour 4), smash some of them. Soup will thicken.

Suggestion: Make use of child labor when washing potatoes. ;)

Serve with desired toppings.

Note: This is easy on the stovetop. It takes about half an hour. Just boil the potatoes until they're done, then mix it up.

Chocolate Cake in a Cup!

2008-10-24T08:00:00.001-07:00

Noah and I made chocolate cake in microwave mugs on Wednesday. We found the recipe on Her Cup Runneth Over via the Crafty Crow.

A few things about this recipe:

1) Definitely try it!

2) Be sure to check the wattage on your microwave. The time on this recipe is for a 1000 watt microwave on HIGH or FULL power.

3) Add more milk and oil if you make this with wheat flour. Otherwise it will be very dry.

4) Pour a cup of milk over it and turn it into hot chocolate cake.

5) Serve it with ice cream on top. Mmmm.

6) It's a great one to do with your kids.

We made ours with M&Ms instead of chocolate chips since we were fresh out. I think the chocolate chips would have turned out much better and added moisture. We'll try that next time. Noah really liked helping me measure out the ingredients, but he liked eating the cake more. A tip: Make the cakes for the family after lunch if you don't plan on making them the meal. ;)

The Best Ginger Cookies

2008-10-22T07:58:00.000-07:00

I don't know what the temperature is outside your door, but outside mine it's just perfect for some ginger molasses cookies fresh from the oven. I love these cookies. I've loved them since a friend brought them in to share in a grad class. I craved them all through my first pregnancy. Finally, I asked him for the recipe. He gave it to me. I made my own adjustments based on necessity. They got my through a winter pregnancy. I've already made them once this fall. Once is not enough. Thank you, Bob.

Makes 36 cookies, but that may only be enough for one. :)

Ingredients:

2 cups flour (feel free to sub half with wheat flour)
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg
1/4 cup dark molasses
2 tbsp finely chopped sugared ginger (optional, but it really makes the cookie)

additional sugar for coating

Directions:

Preheat over to 350 degrees and grease a baking sheet.

Combine flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and salt.

In a separate bowl, beat sugar and canola oil in a large bowl for about two minutes until color is pale. Mix in egg and molasses. Add sugared ginger.

Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and mix. It'll be a little tough, but persevere! It's worth it!

Roll dough into 1 inch balls and coat with sugar. Place on baking sheet 2 inches apart.

Bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool 3 minutes, then move from baking sheet. Cookies will crack on the top when they're done, but they'll look like they still need cooking in the middle. Don't worry. These cookies are tougher than you'd expect. They're done. But stick a toothpick in them if you're worried.

For uniform cookie shape, whack the cookie sheet just out of the oven on the side of the stove. The cookies will collapse.

lest you think i've disappeared

2008-10-21T07:26:00.001-07:00

I haven't. I'm still here. I had a birthday and visited family. More recipe posts soon. I've got quite a queue building up. I just need a couple hours to type them up. :)

Essential Oils for Better Breathing

2008-10-14T07:00:00.000-07:00

Another Martha-inspired post!

I had a chest-cold about a year ago and Martha showed up at my door with Peppermint and Eucalyptus oils. A few drop in a pot of boiling water and I was breathing much easier.

What's great about these is that there are no added chemicals, so if you're not already allergic to the plant, you won't be hurting yourself by scenting your air. I keep three oils handy: Eucalyptus, Peppermint and Cassia (cinnamon).

You can find them in your local supermarket or Whole Foods store. Pick up your favorite scents, mix and match if you like, and take some time to relax.

Another of Martha's tricks: dab a little peppermint oil on your heating/cooling vents (she puts little cotton filters on her vents, but you can just spread some oil on the slats) so when your air kicks on, your house smells fresh. And I wondered why I always left there craving candy canes. :)

Aunty 2's Boiled Chicken

2008-10-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

I don't really number my aunts. Well, only in stories. But this is a story of a sort. My aunt made this chicken probably the most of anything else I saw her make, and I never wrote the recipe down. What was I thinking, there in the little wicker chair tucked into the corner of the kitchen? I hunched there with a notebook and pencil between the stove and the spices every day for nearly two months. I was so intent on keeping out of the way that I only recorded 25 recipes in two months! If I had it to do all over again. . . But I don't. I can only hope that I get another two months in her kitchen, two with my cousin down the mountain, and at least one with my aunt in Beirut. Until then, this reproduction of the boiled chicken I not only smelled (smell was the way my aunt appealed to my recipe memory), but actually spiced a couple times.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, cleaned and dried
1 large pot of boiling water
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp salt

Directions:

Boil chicken until meat easily pulls away from the bone, 30-90 minutes. I'm really sorry that I don't have a more specific time reference. In Lebanon we did this on a gas range and it took about an hour. Over a gas range in the states, it seemed to take less time. I'm not sure if it was the flame or the chicken. Over an electric cooktop, well, I haven't actually tried it, but I'm guessing 45 minutes. Just be cautious. If you cook this too long or on too high of a heat, it will be very dry.

There is a next step for this recipe. You need:

the meat removed from the chicken (you can leave the drumsticks whole)
1 tsp allspice (optional)
sunflower oil or vegetable oil

Sprinkle allspice over chicken. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over Medium Low heat. Saute the chicken until it begins to brown on the outside. Don't try to crowd it all in the pan. Do this in batches.

Serve with Toom Sauce and pocket bread or over Lebanese Lentils and Rice. Enjoy!

Lebanese Lentils with Rice

2008-10-07T07:21:00.000-07:00

I learned this one in Lebanon in my aunt's kitchen. She serves this with a whole cooked chicken (not included here, but stay tuned for her chicken recipe) taken apart and mixed in. She reserves some of the chicken pieces for the top of the rice and arranges them in an appealing presentation I've never been able to reproduce. If you've been reading this blog for awhile, you're well aware that attractive presentation of inanimate objects is not my forte. :) Anyway, my aunt's recipe is at least twice the size of this one. After all, when I was around she was regularly feeding fourteen.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 cups white rice
1/2 cup lentils
1 tsp allspice
1.5 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

1 lb ground beef, fully cooked and drained

Directions:

Wash the rice and lentils and add spices to them. Mix well. Cook the rice in a rice cooker on the stovetop. Remove from heat and fluff. Gently mix in the ground beef and added salt if necessary. Serve with fattoush or tabbouleh and pocket bread for scooping.

Martha Gets Wild with Rice

2008-10-02T07:14:00.000-07:00

My best bud turned me on to a mix of whole grain rice that is nutty and satisfying. She buys from the bulk bins to mix her own. She's a big believer in not putting food in your mouth that doesn't have some health benefit. This is high in fiber and I believe has protein. I'm a big fan because it tastes good. And since my son will only eat his rice plain, this is an awesome alternative to just spooning starch into his mouth. I followed Martha's example by purchasing the following:

1 lb Himalayan red rice
1 cup wild rice

Combine them, measure out the amount you want to use, saute in sunflower oil, and cook with salt and pine nuts. This is delicious and deserves and award. Mine never turns out quite like Martha's. Please experiment.

And happy birthday to my little sister!

Marvelous Meatballs

2008-09-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

You can do this on the stove or in the slow cooker. Just grab your favorite pre-cooked meatball and simmer it in this savory sauce. This one is a winner for sure. It's adapted from a recipe my sister read me over the phone. Seriously, her phone recipes save me every time. Everyone took seconds of this. Here goes.

Serves 6

2 lbs precooked meatballs (can be frozen)
2 cans tomato sauce
1 onion, chopped
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup water
1 clove minced garlic
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp red pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Slow Cooker Directions:

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours. If you want a thicker sauce, turn to HIGH and cook uncovered for the last hour.

Alternate Directions:

Simmer on stovetop until carrots and onions are tender, meatballs are heated through, and you've reached your desired thickness (about 1 hour).

I made this with meatballs my mom gave me. I'm pretty sure they contained ground beef, onion, salt, pepper and possibly garlic and onion powder. I'll have to ask and post her recipe another time.

Serve over rice with a salad and side vegetable. Enjoy!

Olive Oil and Cradle Cap

2008-09-26T19:02:00.000-07:00

Today I bring to you the healing powers of olive oil. Yes, you read that right. Don't think me lazy--just overworked. I want to post more recipes, but I haven't had a chance to finish writing them. They're on their way though. But for this week's second post, another bit of home remedy.

Aside from the fruity taste olive oil provides in its raw and cooked forms, it is incredibly useful when it comes to treating skin and hair. I use olive oil soap in the shower (thanks Martha!) and it keeps me from needing lotion. It's just that good. I've also used it to treat chapped lips on myself and my toddler. But lately I've used it to treat my newborn's cradle cap.

I love olive oil. Drizzling it on my son's head kind of makes me want to eat him. Instead, I wait an hour and wash his hair. What the oil does is soften the scales and help them rub away when you wash. The oil heals the area, so the scales don't come back. And since I keep a huge container of oil in my kitchen for cooking, there's no added expense.

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil
warm running water
shampoo
conditioner or lotion

Directions:

Wet baby hair. Drizzle with olive oil. Rub gently for 3 minutes. Allow to sit for an hour. Wash away with your favorite sensitive shampoo. And if you're like me, rub a little lotion or conditioner on the kid's head and don't wash it all away.

It's likely that you won't get all the olive oil off the baby's head. That's ok. Don't try to scrub it off. That will only make cradle cap worse--as will picking off the scales. Just leave the excess oil. It will soak in and make his hair super healthy. In fact, you can use 1/4 cup warm olive oil on your own hair in place of a hot oil treatment with lovely results. You can also rub 1/2 cup over your skin after exfoliating once a month to make yourself glow.

[Photo Source]

Creamy Tomato Bacon Soup

2008-09-24T11:48:00.000-07:00

It's so hard to find a good tomato soup recipe that is also dairy free. I made one up myself, and it turned out pretty well. I'm posting it here with modifications. If you want a truly dairy free recipe, use vegan butter/margarine when you make the roux.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp tomato paste
1 small onion, chopped and sauteed in
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with juice
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup water
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
4 strips beef bacon, diced, cooked and drained
salt and pepper to taste

plus
4 tbsp margarine
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 cup flour

Directions:

Combine first set of ingredients in your slow cooker. Set to HIGH. Allow to cooke for 5-6 hours or all day.

At hour 4 (or 1-2 hours before serving), hit it with the immersion blender until everything is liquid.

Melt the margarine in a pan over medium low heat. Sautee tomato paste for about one minute. Add flour until it is combined and smooth and bubbly. If it's too dry and won't bubble, that's ok. You can add in a bit of water or just use the immersion blender again before serving.

USE A WHISK to add your roux to the soup. Work to combine it as best you can. Let cook for 1-2 hours more on HIGH or until thickened. This is great with grilled cheese sandwiches.

Optional: Serve with Melba toast and a spoonful of soft goat cheese.

I'm sorry there's no picture of the final product. I planned to take one, but while I was posting this, this happened:

An interesting note: he pulled the goat cheese out of the fridge and added it to the soup himself. I'm not sure if that was before or after he tried to make a liquid tablecloth.

Lemon with Honey

2008-09-18T07:40:00.000-07:00

Lemon and honey have been used for years as home remedies for coughs, colds, sore throats, or anyone who needs to keep their voice in tip top shape. I'm using it for allergies--it's awesome for clearing out any unnecessaries in your throat, and it's also quite tasty. I recommend it with a fall breakfast. It would be great as a non-caffeinated day opener (so have it with suhoor)!

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 lemon, cut in half
2 tbsp raw honey (raw has more healing properties than the processed stuff, but use what you have)
2 cups boiling water

Directions:

Boil your water. In the meantime, squeeze the juice from 1/2 a lemon into a cup. Use the other half for a second cup. Put one tbsp honey in each cup. Pour on the boiling water while stirring. Drink while hot.

And sorry about two drink posts this week. Things have been hectic. Upcoming are Beef Curry, Lemon Cake with Mixed Berry Filling, and something with lentils. :)

Hot Chocolate

2008-09-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

Noah and I have our own tradition. Every Friday we stay in our pajamas until after noon, we take our breakfast a little later, and he gets to indulge in a cup of hot chocolate. Why not? They drink chocolate for breakfast in Europe. We call this "Hot Chocolate and a Movie with Mom". Yeah, there's a movie too, but only if he requests it.

I make the drink a bit differently every time. I've been trying to strike just the right note. Sometimes soymilk can be a little tricky, but I think we found a combination of ingredients that works.

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 cup (soy)milk
3 tsp chocolate Nesquick or other drink mix
2 tsp chocolate chips, divided
whipped topping

Directions:

Drop 1 tsp chocolate chips in the bottom of a cup. Add milk and Nesquick. Stir it up. Microwave for 2 minutes. Stir some more. Microwave 1 minute or so until it's hot, less for little ones. Remove from microwave, top with ReadyWip and chocolate chips. Serve.

Chicken and Biscuits: Slow Cooker or Oven

2008-09-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

I make this because I love my husband. It's his favorite dish. I also make it because it's easy, and I can do it dairy-free with no problem at all. Oh yeah. One other reason: I make it because I love myself.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

4 cups chicken stock
3 chicken breasts, roasted and diced
1 large onion, diced
3 large carrots, cut 1 inch on the diagonal
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in 1 inch on the diagonal
1/2 cup frozen peas
1.5 sticks unsalted butter or dairy-free margarine
3/4 cup flour
2 tsp salt
black pepper

1 batch of your favorite biscuit mix/recipe
(Note: I use soymilk in my biscuits and they always turn out well.)

Slow Cooker Directions:

Melt margarine in a pan and add onions. Saute over Medium-Low heat about 7 minutes until translucent. Add salt, several grinds of black pepper and stir in flour until it is all smooth and bubbly.

In the meantime, turn your crock pot on LOW. Add chicken stock, carrots and potatoes. When onion roux is ready, stir it in as well. Cover and cook on LOW 4-7 hours or until potatoes are tender. Make sure you check it periodically, especially after the 4 hour mark so your veggies don't turn to mush. Stir, turn to WARM and add diced chicken and frozen peas.

Preheat oven to biscuit-cooking heat. If you are so inclined, spray the top edges of your slow cooker. Drop biscuits dough in like dumplings. Place crock in the oven without the lid and bake for 15-20 minutes (usually about five minutes longer than recommended for cooking biscuits on a baking sheet).

Remove from oven, allow to cool for at least ten minutes. Serve it up in bowls and enjoy!

Oven Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix biscuit dough and set aside.

Spray a 4 quart baking dish with Pam.

Melt margarine in a large sauce pan and add onions, carrots and potatoes. Saute over Medium-Low heat about 7 minutes until onions are translucent. Add salt, several grinds of black pepper and stir in flour until it is all smooth and bubbly.

Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in chicken and peas. Pour into baking dish. Drop biscuit dough on top. Bake in oven for 30-40 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown on top and cooked through. You may need to turn up the heat at the end to crisp up your biscuits if they require a much higher baking temperature. But if you want to be more certain that your veggies will be cooked, add the biscuits after baking the roux and veggies for 20 minutes at 375. Be sure to turn up the heat to your biscuit cooking recommendation.

Roasted Chicken Breast

2008-09-09T14:02:00.001-07:00

I've used roasted chicken breast in a lot of recipes on this blog, but I've never posted the instructions by themselves. Here they are:

Ingredients:

3 chicken breast, or however many you will use during the week
Kosher salt
black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Hit a baking sheet with Pam.

Rinse chicken breast. Pat dry. Generously salt and pepper each side. I like to use freshly ground black pepper. Place on the baking sheet.

Cook for 15-17 minutes on each side.

Allow to cool and serve as an entree with sides, or add to another dish, such as Chicken Caesar Salad, Cajun Chicken Salad, Tomato Sauce with Chicken and Zucchini, or the upcoming Chicken and Biscuits post (it's happening Thursday). Mmm. Comfort food.

Black Bean Soup

2008-09-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

This came to me from my older sister. She adapted it from a recipe blog or cookbook, I'm not sure which. If you've seen it somewhere before, that's why. Here's her version:

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
½ tsp salt*
2 (14 oz) cans black beans, drained but not rinsed
2 c. vegetable broth
1-1/2 c. water

[Photo Credit]

Directions:

Sauté the onion in the olive oil until translucent. Add the crushed garlic, chili powder, cumin, and red pepper and sauté an additional 30 seconds. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until most of the beans are pureed, leaving some beans intact for texture.

My sister says she also adds some cornstarch to thicken this soup up a bit. You can try that or you can mash half the beans before you start simmering the soup and see if that thickens things up for you.

Enjoy!

Homemade Pizza!

2008-09-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

We used a bread machine pizza dough recipe from our bread machine cookbook and added the following toppings:

1 14 oz can tomato sauce
1 tsp dried oregano
1 4 oz can mushrooms (under the cheese)
3 cups shredded mozzarella
1.5 fresh tomatoes, sliced
1 tsp dried basil

It was very, very tasty. And Nathan's coworkers were impressed when he brought it as lunch the next day. I was also impressed because our leftover pizza doesn't usually hold up well, but this one still had a crust that tasted fresh, even reheated!

Carrot Orange Smoothie

2008-08-28T07:51:00.000-07:00

I love carrot orange juice. It struck me as strange the other day that I'd made a fine mist of ice cubes with my immersion blender, but I'd never tried to destroy any carrots with it. This occurred to me as I was rooting through my fridge for something green to put in a green smoothie for Noah. There was no greenery to be found. What we hadn't consumed had wilted beyond recognition (so sad, but happily rare these days). So I pulled out the carrots and thought, "What the heck. I'll give it a shot." And I did.

Much to my delight, uncooked carrots are MUCH easier to turn into soup than I'd expected. Thus this smoothie was born.

My favorite part of this unexpected success is the sweetness the carrots lend to the drink. If you are prone to putting honey or other sweetener in your smoothies, you might want to skip it, or at least taste this smoothie beforehand.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2/3 c frozen mixed berries
1 c baby carrots
1 c orange juice

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a blender or use your immersion blender on them until smooth. Pour into two cups and enjoy.

Try this without the mixed berries for a simple, fibrous carrot orange drink.

Mish Mish Muffins, or Whole Wheat Apricot Muffins

2008-08-26T07:53:00.000-07:00

A few things about these muffins:

1) They are very tasty and packed with vitamins.
2) They go vegan really well because the apricots are soaked in apple juice, so egg substitutes won't dry this recipe out. If you do substitute for egg, I recommend using flax.
3) The first time I had an apricot muffin was just after I delivered my first son. My sister-in-law brought them to me and they were all I ate for three days.
4) You should refrigerate leftovers.
5) Mish Mish is the Arabic term for apricot.

Makes 12 mini muffins. (The normal-sized ones.)

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped dried apricots
1/3 cup apple juice

1 cup whole milk or soy milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg or egg substitute
1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp baking powder
1 cup unbleached white flour
1 cup whole grain wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar

Streusel Topping:
1/4 cup white flour
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp stick margarine

Directions:

Place diced apricots in a bowl. Heat apple juice 2 minutes on HIGH in microwave. Pour juice over apricots. Stir them a bit and let them sit at least ten minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a muffin pan.

Beat milk, oil, egg, and vanilla together in a large bowl.

Sift remaining dry ingredients together (or have a helper do it for you) and add all at once to wet ingredients.

Stir until flour is just wet and still lumpy.

Use a slotted spoon to remove apricots from excess juice, if any. Fold into batter. Be careful not to overmix!

Use an ice cream scoop to drop 1/4 cup batter into muffin cups.

Cut together streusel topping and squeeze with your fingers until it looks like rough crumbs.

Keep a close eye on any toddlers to make sure they don't eat all the sugar.

Sprinkle 1 tsp topping over each muffin.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until browned and toothpick comes out clean.

The apricots may stick to the pan after cooking, so use a knife around the edges to make sure the muffins come out neatly. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then enjoy!

A special thanks to Noah for all his hard work. :)

Summer Squash Gazpacho

2008-08-21T17:18:00.000-07:00

This is an adaptation of Tuesday's tomato sauce recipe. It's a great meal if you are low on pasta or don't have any at all. I love a cold soup in summer!

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

1/2 box shells, penne or other pasta
salt

2 14 oz cans tomato sauce
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
2 small-medium summer shquash (one zucchini, one yellow squash), diced or cut in large chunks

Directions:

Bring water to a boil with added salt. Cook pasta according to package instructions.

While pasta cooks, saute zucchini in olive oil with oregano for about 2 minutes over a medium heat. Add garlic. Cook for one minute more.

Here's the main difference between Tuesday's and today's:

Pour tomato sauce in a pan over medium-low heat. Add zucchini, oregano, and garlic. Allow to simmer COVERED up to ten minutes (until pasta is done). You don't want this to get too thick, so keep it covered.

Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Allow pasta to cool as well and stir into soup just before serving.

Enjoy!

Tomato Sauce with Chicken and Zucchini

2008-08-18T14:46:00.001-07:00

Every now and then--more often than we'd like--my husband and I find ourselves faced with slim pickins for a quick dinner. Our pantry reveals a box of pasta. I dig around in search of bottled spaghetti sauce, but I just never remember to buy the stuff. Instead, I find canned tomato sauce and dried herbs. Add garlic, fresh veggies and leftover chicken to this and voila! you've got yourself a nice dinner in under thirty minutes. Here's how things went down tonight:

Serves 6-8 (Hooray for leftovers!)

Ingredients:

1 box shells, penne or other pasta
salt

2 14 oz cans tomato sauce
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
2 small-medium zucchini, diced or cut in large chunks
1 breast of chicken, cooked and cut on the bias, then in half (optional)

Directions:

Bring water to a boil with added salt. Cook pasta according to package instructions.

While pasta cooks, saute zucchini in olive oil with oregano for about 2 minutes over a medium heat. Add garlic. Cook for one minute more.

Pour tomato sauce in a pan over medium-low heat. Add zucchini, oregano, garlic and chicken. Allow to simmer uncovered up to ten minutes (until pasta is done).

If you like a thicker sauce, use only one can and/or begin simmering just tomato sauce when you put the water on to boil. Add other ingredients when you begin cooking pasta.

If you want to make chicken specifically for the sauce, I recommend the following:

Season chicken breast on both sides with oregano, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake fifteen minutes on each side at 375 degrees. Cut on a bias wdth-wide, then in half and cook in sauce as directed above.

Serve over pasta and enjoy. [Photo credit]

Avocado for Your Tummy

2008-08-15T08:03:00.001-07:00

This is a Sri Lankan home remedy I picked up in Lebanon. While there, I had some digestive issues, and the maid who was taking care of my ailing grandmother whipped this up for me. She told me it would calm my stomach. It did. And it was delicious.

Ingredients:

1 avocado
2 tsp sugar

Directions

Mash avocado and sugar together. Eat with a spoon.

Try it with brown sugar too as a surprising dessert.

[Photo Credit]

Alton Brown can cook for me anytime

2008-08-12T07:24:00.000-07:00

One thing we like about Alton Brown's cooking in our home is how simple it is. AB's recipes really highlight the flavors of the main ingredient.

My husband has one of Brown's cooking tomes. He reads it at night when he rolls downstairs for a midnight snack. (He and our newborn seem to be on the same eating schedule, but that's another story.) He usually leaves the book open on the counter. I'm easily drawn in by AB's writing style. It's just like his show, Good Eats: witty, silly, conversational, and it tends to the absurd.

While reading the passage on simmering, I discovered a bean pot recipe. I'm a big fan of a pot of beans. It's easy and cheap and almost always quite tasty. We made AB's recipe last night. Even though we added too much rosemary (we used dried instead of the recommended fresh), I could tell that the dish was delightful. It really made the most of a pound of white beans, and I look forward to trying it again.

We also recently made AB's chili. It was definitely restaurant-worthy, and is the new favorite in our house.

Check out a copy of I'm Just Here for the Food from your library or buy it at Amazon to get these tasty recipes or just have a good laugh. The book will teach you lots and lots about cooking, and it's a great read.

Sleepy Green Tea

2008-08-08T12:16:00.000-07:00

My best friend Martha makes this tea that can wash all my stress away in just one sip. Maybe it's because the tea is made with anise seed, the base for licorice. Yensoon (anise) is what I was given while sick in Lebanon. In addition to having calming properties (it can put you to sleep the first time you have it), it also greatly relaxes the stomach. This tea doesn't use enough to knock you out. Martha brews it with a decaf green tea. Add in some sugar for a real treat. Either way, prepare for a hypnotic effect.

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients:

2 c. water
1 t. anise seed
2 decaf green tea bags

Sugar

Directions:

Place anise in water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add tea bags. Allow to steep 3-5 minutes. Pour through strainer into each cup. Add sugar if desired. Enjoy!

Sweet Sugar Cookies!

2008-08-06T07:49:00.000-07:00

My son, Noah, is two-and-a-half now. He's incredibly articulate. We can have full conversations, albeit simple ones.

Noah's reached the stage where he wants to do everything Mommy and Daddy are doing. He likes to be a helper, so I've been putting him to work. I try to cook something simple with him every day. Today, we mixed the dough for sugar cookies based on this recipe. Later, we'll make some buttercream frosting. He'll pick the color and help me measure the ingredients. And if things are going well, maybe we'll utilize our chocolate pudding to make the pudding pops I posted last week.

Aside from it being a great learning opportunity, cooking with Noah is just a lot of fun. That is, if I can keep him from adjusting the measurements with little innovations of his own. If nothing else, cooking with my baby is always an adventure.

Pictures forthcoming.

Mom's Spinach Rolls

2008-08-04T07:01:00.000-07:00

I found this in my inbox a few days back. My mom was staying with me to help when I had my latest little boy. She bought the ingredients for spinach rolls, but Baby 1 kept her too busy to find time in my kitchen. Here's her recipe. To be honest, I prefer the original, which does away with all veggies except onion and spinach. If you want to try it that way, triple the spinach and omit other veggies. These are also great without cheese.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 bag of frozen chopped spinach or a comparable amount of fresh chopped spinach (fresh is always better)
1 medium onion, diced
1 small zucchini (optional)
1 small summer squash (optional)
2-3 medium potatoes diced (optional)
shredded mozzarella cheese
salt
olive oil

Directions:

In a large frying pan use approximately 2 Tablespoons olive oil to brown the diced onion.

If you add diced potato, brown them before adding other vegetables.

Combine spinach (and other veggies) and cook with the onion until hot and any water has evaporated.

Place cooked spinach (or veggie combination) into uncooked dough or pastry and cook until the bread is golden brown.

Turkish bread recipe:
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon yeast

Put into bread maker on a regular cycle until dough ball is formed, then let rise for approximately 20 minutes. This dough is good for pizza, pide, spinach rolls, etc.

Thanks, Mom!

Rocky Road Fudge Popsicles

2008-08-01T07:06:00.001-07:00

I saw this delightful recipe on the Crafty Cow and I can't wait to try it.

Dark Chocolate Cheesecake

2008-07-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

I wanted cheesecake and I wanted it fast, so I picked up the following:

Ingredients:

1 graham cracker crust
1 container Philadelphia cheesecake filling at room temperature
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Use a mixer to combine the cheesecake filling and cocoa powder. You may want to cut back on the cocoa powder if you want a lighter, more milk-chocolate flavor.

Spread the filling into the crust with a spatula. Top with chocolate chips. Chill at least one hour.

Serves 8

Enjoy!

Lebanese Swiss Steak

2008-07-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

I found this pretty delicious when I was in Lebanon. I've scaled down the recipe significantly. It was originally for 20 steaks. This one will be for 2-4.

Serves 2-4 depending on preference

Ingredients:

2 lbs cube (Swiss) steak pounded about 1/2 inch thick

1/2 cup oil
2 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp allspice
2 cloves garlic, minced
juice of 1 lemon

Directions:

Marinate steaks overnight in mixed wet ingredients.

Remove steaks and reserve marinade.

Fry steaks in a large sauce pan on medium until browned on both sides. Add 1/2 cup water to pan along with marinade. Cook until steaks soften (about 20 minutes). Serve hot.

Tequila-Free Sunrise

2008-07-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

As always, no alcohol here! We don't drink and we like to keep things kid-friendly anyway. Here's what you need to make your own sunrise--a great party or holiday drink your kids are sure to love.

Serves 4

2 cups orange juice
2 cups pineapple juice
4 tbsp cherry grenadine
orange slices and maraschino cherries (optional)

"Tequila Sunrise" by M.K. Mallet

Directions

Pour 1/2 cup orange and 1/2 cup pineapple juices each into 4 clear cups. Add 1 tbsp grenadine to each cup. Do not stir. The grenadine will settle and create the sunrise effect.

Decorate with little umbrellas that have maraschino cherries on the bottom and/or slices of orange.

Mjadara

2008-07-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

I don't know how to translate this, but I think it's best described as a lentil stew leaning toward a dip. You cook the lentils until they "melt," then scoop up bites with pocket bread (or bagel chips!). It's both tasty and nutritious. For me, it falls into the category of creamy comfort food. It's also simple and inexpensive. I hope you try it out!

Ingredients:

1 cup orange lentils, washed and picked over
1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped
1/3 cup Uncle Ben's white rice
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive or sunflower oil or mix
5-6 cups water
1 cube Maggi chicken or vegetable bouillon*
1 tbsp butter or margarine

Directions:

Saute onions in oil until golden brown. Add lentils, rice, and water to the pan. Put a lid on the pan but don't close it tightly. Bring to a boil and cook until the rice and lentils break down or "melt" together. This takes about an hour on a Medium heat. They'll become creamy when you stir them. If you find they're getting too thick, add more water and turn down the heat a bit. You want the texture to be close to hummus: creamy and smooth.

Add salt and bouillon, stirring occasionally as they continue to cream together. If it's fully cooked, you won't need to blend or anything. Just stir it.

When the mixture thickens, remove from heat, add the tbsp butter and stir it in as it melts. Add more salt to your tastes. I put less salt in this recipe because I don't know what kind of bouillon you'll use. My aunt's original recipe takes 2 full tsp salt in addition to the Maggi cube.

Full discolsure: My aunt says the butter at the end is her secret to mjadara perfection. I hope she doesn't mind my sharing it!

Serve hot or at room temperature with pocket bread and a salad. Of course in Lebanon there would also be a whole roasted chicken on the table, hummus, french fries, some sort of beef dish, stuffed grape leaves, some type of fried fish, etc. But this dish is really heavy and satisfying. I find it's wonderful in summer if you let it cool down. Good for taking along on picnics. However you choose to eat it, enjoy!

*Maggi bouillon cubes make 2 cups of broth, so if you use a different kind of cube, make sure it is an equivalent measure.

If you want to use stock, add it in place of 2 cups water earlier in recipe.

[Photo Credit]

Chili-Cheese Mac: A Leftovers Post

2008-07-21T08:00:00.001-07:00

You have some leftover chili, just enough for one, but there's more than one of you and you're not sure what to do? Add it to some Mac N Cheese for a quick, kid-friendly meal. To be honest, it sounds a little gross to me, so maybe it does to you too. But I made it in a moment of low energy when I needed a quick meal. A teen was over playing with my son. Not only did Noah eat it (he hates Mac N Cheese), but the teen ate it, commented on how good it was and went back for seconds. I also ate it and was pleasantly surprised by how unprocessed the meal tasted.

Serves 4

1 cup leftover chili ( I used beef and bean, but a vegetarian chili would work nicely as well)
1 box Kraft Mac N Cheese
water
salt
1/2 stick butter or margarine
1/2 cup shredded cheddar or mixed cheese

Directions:

Bring water to a boil according to Mac N Cheese package instructions. Put some salt in the water. Cook noodles. Drain almost completely, leaving a bit of water in the pan. Mix in the butter. DO NOT add milk.

In the meantime, heat up leftover chili in microwave on HIGH 2 minutes.

Add cheese packet to macaroni and mix well. Pour in chili and 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Stir it all together until well-combined. Serve immediately.

Accompany this dish with fruit slices and Jell-O Jigglers for a truly kid-oriented meal.

Ayran

2008-07-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

This is refreshing Lebanese drink that's great for summer and great for the intestine. My cousin drinks a big cup every night to help with an ulcer. It's served at restaurants in Lebanon or in homes when people visit. Adjust the thickness to your own preference.

Serves 6

3 cups plain yogurt
1 cup small-diced cucumber (1/2 inch)
1 tbsp finely chopped mint
2-3 cups water
1-2 tsp salt

[Photo Credit]

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together in a pitcher and chill. Add more or less water according to your tastes. Serve with a meal or as a refreshing drink out on the patio.

Note: Pretty much everything but the water and yogurt is optional in this recipe. The cucumber and mint really cool it down though.

Fritos Burritos

2008-07-16T08:00:00.001-07:00

They used to serve these at Taco Bells in the Southwest. They're still available at Sonic, but I think they're called a Fritos wrap. Very, very tasty. Here's my "instant" take.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1 can chili starter
1 can diced tomatoes, but chop them up really small
1 tsp chili powder
1 small bag Fritos
1 pkg flour tortillas, burrito-sized
cheddar or Mexican style shredded cheese

Directions:

Brown beef and add chili starter and tomatoes (or according to starter instructions). Simmer together at least 15 minutes with chili powder and red pepper if you want an extra kick.

When chili is done, warm tortillas in microwave (30 seconds at a time covered with a damp paper towel). Spoon chili into tortilla. Add shredded cheese and sprinkle Fritos over before folding it up.

There you have it. Burritos with a crunch. And it's easy to make it vegetarian. Just use beans instead of meat. Enjoy!

Macaronis bil Laban (Noodles with Yogurt)

2008-07-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

This is similar to the Turkish Shells recipe I posted awhile back, but it's the Lebanese version. I've toned down the garlic a bit. In Lebanon, this has a bite that stays with your for days. Pair it will Tabbouleh to help with garlic breath. A nice garlic bread or other toasted bread makes a lovely accompaniment. Also a tasty pairing: roasted chicken.

Serves 6

1 box spaghetti or noodle of your choice
1 large container
4-5 cloves of garlic, finely smashed (get out your mortar and pestle)
4 tsp finely chopped fresh mint
1 tsp salt

Directions:

Cook noodles according to package instructions and drain.

Mix yogurt, garlic, mint and salt together and allow to sit in fridge for at least one hour.

Pour yogurt over noodles and mix. Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve cold.

(Soy) Mocha "Frappuccino"

2008-07-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

For a long time I've been peeved that I can't get a soy (chai) frappuccino at Starbucks. Well, that no longer matters. Ha! I say to those corporate snobs and bigwigs, catering to the lactose tolerant of the world as though they somehow rank above the rest of us. It's time for the lactose intolerant (and anyone else sick of overpaying for frozen drinks) to stick it to the man by producing our own flavorful and affordable alternatives. And from the comfort of our own homes. That means we can enjoy a nice frap anytime we want to.:P

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1/2 cup very strongly brewed coffee of your choice (double the beans when you brew it)
1 cup soymilk
1 cup ice cubes
4 heaping tsps Nesquik or other chocolate drink mix (or use chocolate soymilk)
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla
Whipped cream (optional)
Chocolate syrup (optional)

[Photo Credit]

Directions:

Place all ingredients except whipped cream and syrup in blender and combine until smooth. My immersion blender attachment works great for this--better than the actual blender. It takes about 30 seconds to get everything just right. Tweak to your tastes with more coffee or chocolate. For a creamier texture, add whipped cream into the mix. If you have fancy syrups, use those in place of powders and vanilla. Serve topped with whipped cream and drizzled with chocolate syrup. Add a straw and stay cool!

Tip: 1/2 tsp cinnamon is a nice flavor boost. You can also use a frozen banana in place of half of the ice.

For kids: Omit coffee and add a bit more soymilk. Tastes great!

Note: I think a regular frappucino doesn't really use much milk. This is sort of a latte style frap. As a result, it will be much lighter in color. I'm not very good with strong coffee tastes, so feel free to switch the coffee and milk amounts. If you come up with something closer, let me know!

Melfoof (Stuffed Cabbage)

2008-07-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

For the cabbage lover out there, there's really nothing more delightful than a well-stuffed cabbage leaf. This is a meal I have fond memories of from my childhood. My grandmother, God rest her soul, used to make this for the brief period when she lived with my family in the States. It was wonderful. Everything from her hands melted on your tongue and lifted you to a better place. I hope one day to be reunited with her. Until then, I must rely on the recipes passed down through the generations.

Serves 12-16

Ingredients:

1 head cabbage
1 lb ground beef or beef and lamb mixture
1 tsp vegetable oil
2 cups white rice such as Uncle Ben's
2 tsp salt
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp vegetable oil
4 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp white pepper (don't worry if you can't find this)
1 tbsp allspice
water

1 lb cube steak

2 tsp cumin
1 small branch mint (5 leaves)
5 cloves garlic

Optional: 6 small, cored zucchini

Directions:

Remove the leaves from the cabbage by cutting out the core. Retain cabbage hearts. Blanch in boiling water until tender, about 1 minute.

Brown meat in vegetable. Cook until it begins to thicken on its own, losing some of its moisture. Add the salt and pepper. Stir together 30 seconds, then add rice.

Fry the rice with the meat until it begins to turn translucent. Add another tsp vegetable oil along with cumin. Remove from heat but continue to stir. Allow to cool.

Stuffing the cabbage leaves

Stuffing cabbage leaves is very different from stuffing grape leaves. First of all, you're going to any stiff parts of the leaf as you find them. Also, you're going to leave the ends of the rolled leaf open. Actually, rolling these is easier than with grape leaves. You just put 2 tbsp filling into the middle of the leaf, fold the leaf in half, then roll in the direction you folded.

Putting it all together

Fry the tomato paste in vegetable oil in the large pot you will cook everything in. Add 1 inch of water to pot along with the garlic. Let the tomato paste disperse in the water. Place steaks along the bottom of the pot. Add salt, pepper, white pepper and allspice. Also place reserved cabbage hearts in pot.

Lay the stuffed cabbage leaves on top of everything, fitting them tightly into the pot and creating a new layer when necessary. My aunt likes to put a layer of stuffed zucchini on top of the cabbage rolls. To do so, just core 5 or 6 small zucchini, stuff with cabbage stuffing leaving one inch free inside the zucchini, and stack on top of cabbage rolls. Cover it all with a heavy plate or other disc to keep leaves from floating up. Add enough water to cover everything. Add remaining 2 tsp cumin, mint and garlic to the top of the water.

Bring to a boil and simmer covered for about an hour until rice is done. It may take more or less than an hour to cook the rice through the leaves, depending on how high it's all stacked in the pot.

When it's done, most of the liquid will have been absorbed. What's left, if anything, should look like a thin tomato sauce. The steaks at the bottom of the pan should be tender and will have prevented the cabbage leaves from sticking.

This is a work-intensive meal, but it's worth trying. Once you've made it a couple of times, it stops feeling like so much work. And you learn how to tweak it according to your tastes. I find the end result to be worth the effort. Remember, this serves 12-16. It's absolutely fine to cut the recipe down or plan to freeze half of the meal. Usually, this is served hot once as dinner, then we just eat it cold from the fridge at lunchtime until it's all gone.

Serve by moving to a platter or just right out of the pot.

Peach and Nectarine Crumble

2008-07-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

Nathan made this for me based off a VT recipe for Mango and Pineapple Crumble. I had a bunch of peaches and nectarines I knew I wouldn't get through before they passed their prime, and my husband, being the amazing and caring companion that he is, took pity on me one evening and whipped this up. I was too tired to cook, but clearly wanted to eat the result, lol. Lucky for me he's a whiz in the kitchen! Anyway, the recipe is pretty changed as far as spices go.

Serves 6

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup quick cooking oats
1/4 cup plus 3 tbs packed brown sugar
1 and 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, divided
1 and 1/4 tsp ground ginger, divided
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg, divided
1/4 tsp allspice, divided
1/4 tsp salt

5 tbsp margarine cut into pieces and divided
4-5 peeled and diced peaches
3-4 peeled and diced nectarines
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp chopped candied ginger

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8 inch square baking dish.

Combine flour, oats, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/8 tsp allspice, and salt in medium bowl. Add 4 tbsp margarine and squeeze together with your fingertips until it gets all crumbly.

Combine remaining 3 tbsp brown sugar, 3/4 tsp cinnamon, 3/4 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/8 tsp allspice in a large bowl. Add peaches, nectarines, candied ginger and vanilla and toss together until coated.

Place in baking dish topped with one tbsp margarine. Sprinkle oat topping over mixture. Bake 40 minutes or until topping is golden brown and juices bubble. Cool 10 to 20 minutes. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Sorry there's no image of the finished product. I froze half right away for post-partum delight and the other half disappeared rather quickly . . .

Auntie's Orange Lemonade

2008-07-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

My aunt made this for me when I was visiting Lebanon in 2003. It was hot hot hot, even up on the mountain. I think she could see how much I wanted something more than the Tang-like powdered mango drink they kept feeding us. She got a whole bunch of oranges, lemons and a knife and set to work.

Ingredients:

5 lb bag oranges
3 lb bag lemons
2 cups sugar

[Photo Credit]

Wash and cut up lemons and oranges into small pieces--rinds on. Put them in a huge bowl with the sugar over the top. Stick your hands in there and squeeze all the fruit. Let it sit on the counter for an hour. Remove rinds, squeezing out any remaining juice. Fish out seeds or strain. Mix well. Refrigerate. Serve cold.

Noodles for Noah

2008-07-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

Some days Noah wants noodles. But he's a weird kid and refuses to touch mac n cheese. This means I have to get creative. It also means I have an opportunity to feed him something a bit more healthy than traditional kid food--something I might even eat too. After a stay at my older sister's house, I came up with a noodle dish Noah won't refuse. Full disclosure: it's heavily based on what Big Sis feeds her daughter under the same circumstances. This meal has a very mild flavor.

Serves 2-3 kids or 1 kid and 1 adult

Ingredients:

1/2 cup multi-colored vegetable rotini
1/2 cup whole wheat shells
1/2 cup whole wheat elbows
1 large carrot, peeled and thinly chopped
1/4 cup frozen peas
1.5 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup water
pinch salt and black pepper

[Photo Credit]

Directions:

Bring stock and water to a boil. Add noodles and carrots and cook according to noodle package directions until 1 minute before al dente. Add peas, salt and pepper. Continue to cook until noodles are done. Most of the liquid will have been absorbed. The rest will thicken as the noodles cool.

Serve cooled.

Tip 1: Let your kid pick the noodles out at the grocery store so s/he will be more excited about this dish.

Tip 2: Choose veggies you know your kid won't hate, or console yourself that at least the vitamins and stuff for the veggies are imparted in the water the noodles absorb. :)

Tip 3: Cook the veggies separately until you can mash them with the noodles like a thick sauce. Then they don't look like veggies.

Food I Want to Eat

2008-07-01T12:28:00.000-07:00

I want everything from The Chicken-Salmon Challenge episode of Robin Miller's Quick Fix Meals. I love the play of Asian flavors on my tongue, especially when the foods are light and not fried. If I can make it at home, even better. Then I don't have to worry about things being cooked in the same pans or reused oils, etc. Yes, I'm a worrier. But even better, I can control salt levels in my food. Check out the menu:

Chicken and Vegetable Spring Rolls

Chicken with Orange-Sage Sauce with Herbed Cheese-Stuffed Bread Twists

Roasted Miso Salmon with Lemon and Cilantro with Roasted Rosemary Yukons

Salmon Salad with Red-Chile Caesar Dressing

Fool M'dmmis

2008-06-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a Lebanese recipe that translates well to the slow cooker. Just soak the beans overnight with baking soda and sugar. The combo helps reduce the amount of gas the beans produce in your system.

Ingredients:

2 cups dry fava beans
2 cups dry garbanzo beans
1 tbsp baking soda
1 tbsp sugar
water

3-4 cloves garlic, smashed
1-2 tsp salt, to your taste
juice of 2 lemons

Directions:

Place beans in a large dish and cover with water. Soak beans overnight with baking soda and sugar. If I'm planning to cook beans in my crockpot, I soak them right in the pot with the lid on. In the morning, drain the beans and cover with fresh water. The water should rise at least 1 inch above the beans.

Bring beans to a boil and continue to cook until they are soft (about 1 hour, but check them frequently in case you are boiling at a higher temperature) or cook for 3-4 hours on HIGH in your slow cooker. Stir occasionally. Beans should be tender but not falling apart.

While they cook, smash or puree the garlic with the salt and lemon juice. Stir it into the cooked beans.

Serve drizzled with olive oil and garnished with parsley. Pair with tomato, cucumber and red pepper as well as pocket bread to scoop it up.

A note on parsley: Parsley is more than just pretty on a plate. It's a palate cleanser as well as a breath freshener, so don't skip out on eating it. Especially following dishes containing raw garlic. :)

Enjoy!

[Photo Credit]

Watermelon Cooler

2008-06-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to post a refreshing summer drink every Friday. I hope you're trying them out. I'd love some feedback.

Today's post isn't just refreshing, it's everything that's good about watermelon and more because it takes the flavor, removes the mess, and adds a chill that's certain to cool you down on a hot summer day.

I came up with this because I'm almost guaranteed to be too hot these days. Pregnancy will do that to you. It's nothing grand on the scale of creativity, but it does the trick. Also, watermelon is great for reducing swelling. And it's great for parties--it adds a lot of color (who doesn't look summery with a fruity beverage in their hand?) and one 10-12 lb watermelon will make about a gallon of watermelon cooler.

Mix in lemon, orange or strawberry juice if you want. They go nicely together. Add more ice to turn this into a slush. Or freeze it in ice cube or popsicle trays. Watermelon ice cubes look great in a summer drink. Here's the recipe:

Makes ~1 gallon

Ingredients:

1 watermelon, 10-12 lbs (should be heavy for it's size and sound hollow when it's thumped)
2 cups ice cubes

Directions:

Dice the watermelon and blend in batches, adding some ice to each batch. Mix together in a large container. The watermelon will separate. Just stir it a bit and pour into cups with umbrellas or fun straws. Serve immediately.

Toom (Garlic Sauce)

2008-06-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

Ah, the beloved Middle Eastern dipping sauce. Depending on your tastes, the thought of it will make you shiver with delight or fear. For our good friend Hassan, just mentioning toom brings a smile to his face. For many others, the world is painted in colors of nostalgia. Can good toom be found in the United States? That's up for debate, but mine (my aunt's recipe) seems to pass the test for both my dad and Hassan. If you've never tried this before, I strongly encourage it. Especially if you intend to rotisserie a chicken any time soon. It's an amazing accompaniment, although it does take a few bites for the magic to happen.

Ingredients:

6 cloves garlic
2 tbsp plain yogurt or mayonnaise
1 tsp salt
1 medium Russet potato, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 cup vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

Heat oil in shallow pan. Make sure the heat is low. You'll know the oil is ready when you splash a drop of water in the pan and it spits back at you. BE CAREFUL when you do this. Drop in potato slices and cook until potatoes turn golden on the outside but are only half done. I suggest 2 minutes maximum, but frying is different in everyone's kitchen. I will say not to crowd the pan and to use some type of splatter shield.

Remove potatoes from oil and allow to drain on paper towels. Once drained, place them in the food processor with remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides once or twice. This won't take long.

The mixture should be thick from the potatoes. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Hhhhhappy eating. :)

[Photo Credit]

Sage Roasted Vegetables

2008-06-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

When I cooked the Sage Roasted Chicken for Noah last, I added in summer squash and carrots. It was a huge hit. So huge that Noah kept pulling out all the veggies and chowing down while running back and forth between Nathan and I to exclaim, "I like carrots! I like squash! I like potatoes!" Three things we've been having trouble getting him to choke down in any form. So, I've edited the chicken recipe to make a vegan version that's a surefire win as a side or main dish. Depending on your preferences, give it a shot with or without the chicken. (Pictured with chicken.)

Ingredients:

3 medium Russet potatoes, skin on, cut into cubes
2 medium yellow summer squash, sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 medium zucchini, sliced 1/2 inch thick
3 large carrots, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 medium white or yellow onion, diced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
1 tsp salt
few grinds black pepper
1.5 cups vegetable or no-chicken stock

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine all ingredients except stock in a large baking dish and toss together. Pour stock over, adding more if your baking dish is deeper.

Bake for 1 hour or until carrots and potatoes are tender.

Serve with rice or fresh French or country style bread.

Shawna's "Frosty"

2008-06-20T10:09:00.000-07:00

I love a good Frosty, but once again I have some lactose issues. I can usually deal with ice cream desserts, but here's a way to make a lactose free "Frosty" at home. Or fill it with lactose if you like. Very tasty.

Actually, it took me awhile to get the texture right. The flavor is pretty easy to mimic--the key being unsweetened cocoa powder. But the thing about a Frosty is it has ice in it as well as ice cream, so it's not your typical shake. You can actually double the ice and halve the ice cream for a treat that's more frozen chocolate than Frosty and is still incredibly satisfying.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 scoops Breyer's lactose free Vanilla ice cream or non-dairy Vanilla ice cream
4 ice cubes
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup chocolate (soy)milk
OR
1 cup (Plain soy)milk AND 2 tbsp chocolate drink mix such as Nesquick

Directions

Combine ice cubes, milk and cocoa powder until smooth. Add ice cream and continue to blend. Serve up, spoon in and enjoy! Also great with whipped cream, a cherry and a drizzling of chocolate syrup.

Sorry I don't have a picture of this one. I've been experimenting with it for awhile, but I consume it too fast to catch it on film. :)

Creamy Garlic Cheese Grits

2008-06-19T07:18:00.000-07:00

I love cheese grits. They are a true comfort food. If you make them right, they're smooth. I find eating a good batch of grits the equivalent of a good chicken soup. Here's how we make them here. The pictures are from a batch my wonderful husband made for me based on modifications of Paula Deen's Baked Garlic Cheese Grits recipe. These grits have a bold flavor that makes them more suitable for brunch than breakfast. They're pretty simple to throw together and are great for entertaining, or for a slow weekend at home with a nice cup of coffee.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

3 cups no-chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch pepper
pinch garlic powder
1 cup regular grits
16 ounces grated Cheddar
1/2 cup (soy)milk
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 2-quart casserole dish.

Bring the broth, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan. Stir in the grits and whisk until completely combined. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the grits are thick, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the grated Cheddar and milk and stir.

Gradually stir in the eggs and butter, stirring until all are combined. You'll want to temper the eggs so they don't curdle and turn into scrambled eggs as you combine them. Do this by putting a little of the grits into the eggs and mixing to bring the temperature of the eggs up before you pour them into the grits. When you do pour them in, do so slowly.

Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until set. The cheese will rise and form a nice crust so you end up with a dish of grits that looks almost like a souffle. Garnish with parsley or serve my favorite way: with an overeasy egg on top.

Baked Spaghetti Two Ways

2008-06-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

The thing about spaghetti is it's great with meat or vegetables, and it's even better the second time around. This recipe is enough for a family of four twice, or is great as a take-along at a dinner party.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef OR 2 medium zucchini, diced
1 small white or yellow onion, diced
2 tbsp minced fresh oregano
1/2 cup chopped fresh or canned mushrooms
1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 14 oz cans tomato sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

1 12 oz. pkg spaghetti

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook spaghetti according to package instructions.

While spaghetti cooks, brown beef on medium heat with onions in large sauce pan. Drain and return to pan.

If using zucchini, soften onions for 2-3 minutes before adding zucchini. Do not drain.

Add oregano, mushrooms and garlic and allow to cook one minute more. Stir in sauce, salt and pepper. Allow to simmer until spaghetti is done.

Pour half the sauce in the bottom of a large baking dish. Place drained spaghetti over pasta and toss. Pour remaining sauce on top of spaghetti. Top with mozzarella and bake covered for 10 minutes and uncovered for 20 minutes. Cheese will brown on top. Serve with side salad and rolls.

[Photo Credit]

Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

2008-06-17T12:00:00.000-07:00

I love mashed potatoes! That's really all I have to say about yet another comfort food post. :)

Ingredients:

4 medium Russet potatoes
2-3 whole cloves garlic
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp butter or margarine (1 tbsp per potato)
1/2 cup plain, low-fat yogurt

Directions:

Scrub potatoes. Leave whole with skins on. Place with garlic cloves in a pot to boil for fifteen minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Strain potatoes and garlic. Place in a mixing bowl with remaining ingredients and mash to desired consistency. I like to use a pastry blender to mash my potatoes. It makes quick work of it, and it still leaves some chunks in the potatoes. My mom likes to whip her potatoes with an electric mixer.

Serve with white gravy, corn on the cob and oven-fried chicken.

White Gravy

2008-06-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

To this basic white (or black pepper) gravy recipe, I like to add 1-2 tsp oil leftover from cooking my favorite spice soujouk (sausage). It comes together nicely in the pan, even without a whisk, I've discovered. It also reheats really well.

Ingredients:

4 tbsp margarine or butter
4 tbsp flour
2.5 cups milk
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

Melt margarine in a medium saute pan. Add flour and cook until smooth. Add milk, pepper and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute, still stirring. Serve.

*You may want more salt or pepper, especially if you choose not to use drippings.

Banana Cocoa Smoothie: Recommended Recipe

2008-06-13T07:22:00.000-07:00

This is from the May issue of Vegetarian Times. It's surprisingly chocolatey (even without the extra chocolate VT recommends), thanks to the cinnamon. Noah loved it and so did I. To be honest, we drank it all for breakfast just the two of us.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 cups soymilk (they recommend chocolate, but I used plain)
2 ripe, frozen bananas
1 tsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
8 ice cubes

Directions:

Blend all ingredients together until smooth and serve.

Angel Hair Pasta with Garlic, Spinach and Mushrooms

2008-06-11T09:05:00.000-07:00

If you are using leftover pasta from the Angel Hair Pasta with Toasted Garlic and Salmon recipe, omit the garlic from this recipe and simply toss cooked pasta with sauteed veggies.

Serves 4

1/2 pkg whole wheat angel hair pasta
3 cups fresh spinach
1 pkg fresh sliced button mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 tsp salt
few grinds black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil plus 1-2 tbsp
mozzarella cheese (optional)

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package instructions.

In the meantime, saute spinach, mushrooms and garlic in olive oil. Use a large pan. As spinach shrinks, add salt and black pepper.

Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water. Place in pan with vegetables and oil. Add pasta water. Toss together gently adding more olive oil as necessary.

When well combined, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Serve and enjoy.

Salmon and Toasted Garlic over Angel Hair Pasta

2008-06-10T08:48:00.000-07:00

You might have noticed that I'm a huge fan of simple dishes. I like foods that are quick to make, easy to put together, and allow for the multitasking that parenting demands. Here's another one of those lunches or dinners that fills up a family with little work.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 pkg whole wheat angel hair pasta
2 wild-caught salmon fillets, each cut in half
3-4 cloves fresh garlic, sliced
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt plus salt in pasta water
few grinds black pepper

[Photo Credit]

Directions:

Fill pot with water and salt to season pasta. Bring to a boil. Put pasta in water and set timer according to package instructions.

In the meantime, wash and pat dry salmon fillets. Cut in half and place on sprayed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and few grinds black pepper. Place in oven on BROIL for up to 10 minutes. Set aside.

Note: I find that cooking fish depends on taste and your oven, so check it every three minutes for nine minutes, then every minute until it's done. You probably know how your oven cooks fish better than I do, but it usually takes us about 10 minutes to cook the fish through so that it flakes apart if you turn a fork in it, but isn't dried out and overdone.

While salmon cooks, sautee garlic on Medium Low heat in olive oil with tsp salt just until soft and slightly golden. Set aside.

Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water. Return pasta with water to pan. Add olive oil and garlic and toss gently. Add a few grinds of black pepper if desired. Place on plates and top with cooked salmon fillets. Serve with Spinach Salad and enjoy.

Consult Angel Hair Pasta with Garlic, Spinach and Mushrooms for what to do with leftover noodles (to be posted tomorrow).

Fresh Spinach Salad

2008-06-09T09:16:00.000-07:00

Spinach leaves by themselves make a refreshing salad. We usually add light caesar dressing, but use the dressing of your choice, and maybe sex it up with more of favorite veggies.

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh spinach, washed and well-drained
1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
1/4 cup grated carrots (1 small carrot)
croutons

[Photo Credit]

Directions:

Mix ingredients together and toss with your favorite dressing. Some suggestions:

Caesar
Balsamic Vinaigrette
French
Homemade Mediterranean Dressing

More ingredient suggestions:

Sliced fresh summer squash
Green onion
Button Mushrooms

Homemade Mediterranean Dressing

2008-06-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

This is great for salads or as a marinade for grilled fish or chicken.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp salt
few grinds black pepper

[Photo Credit]

Directions:

Combine ingredients, using only half of the lemon juice at a time. Tweak to your tastes. Serve over salads or use as a marinade.

I love a couple teaspoons of this over a chopped tomato.

Broccoli and Carrot Strata

2008-06-05T11:15:00.000-07:00

My husband actually ate his veggies!

This recipe is adapted from the broccoli and potato strata found in Vegetarian Times this month. I saw the dish and knew it was something I wanted to try, but I didn't have all the ingredients on hand, so I made a few adjustments. I bet you could find the original recipe on their site. I'm just too tired right now to look it up. :)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup ricotta cheese
1 tsp (freshly grated) parmesan cheese (optional)
1 egg, beaten
2 cups fresh spinach
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

8 medium carrots*
2 tsp milk
pinch nutmeg
1 to 1.5 cups fresh or frozen broccoli florets

1/4 cup mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with Pam.

Mix ricotta, parmesan, egg, spinach, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Spread the cheese mixture in the bottom of your loaf pan.

Peel and wash carrots. Place in a microwave-safe dish with two tsp water and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on HIGH for 12 minutes. Mash carrots with nutmeg and milk. Spread over cheese in loaf pan.

Microwave covered broccoli florets with one tsp water on HIGH for 3 minutes. Place florets on top of mashed carrots.

Top with 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

*The original recipe called for 2 medium sweet potatoes in place of carrots. Try it with sweet potato puree, canned yams or even pumpkin puree and just add the same seasonings. It's almost like a vegetable pie without the crust. :)

Chicken Caesar Salad

2008-06-04T10:50:00.000-07:00

I realize I already covered this with my Chicken Caesar Wraps post, but I wanted to take a moment to really appreciate a beautiful summer dish. My husband is a big fan of Chicken Caesar Salad because it's filling and it can be light. All you have to do is use a light dressing and be moderate in the amount you put on the salad. See below for serving suggestions.

Serves 2 with no sides

Ingredients:

1 head Romaine lettuce
2 chicken breasts
2 tbsp light Caesar dressing
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
croutons

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare chicken breasts by washing, patting dry and sprinkling with kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper on either side. Bake on a cookie sheet 15-20 minutes on each side until done all the way through.

Allow to rest for five to ten minutes. Refrigerate for half an hour or overnight if you're making the chicken ahead. Slice on the diagonal either across the length or the width of the breast.

Wash lettuce and allow to dry in a strainer before cutting into strips. Toss with 2 tbsp dressing and a few grinds of black pepper.

Put on plates and top with chicken strips and croutons. Grate or shave parmesan cheese over salad if desired, and garnish with cherry or grape tomatoes.

Sweet Cornbread Muffins

2008-06-03T09:30:00.000-07:00

The secret to this sweet, moist cornbread is fresh corn cut off the cob and mixed in just before baking.
[Photo Credit]

Ingredients:

1 and 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup yellow corn meal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg, beaten
1 cup corn kernels (2 ears of corn)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 12-muffin tray.

Shuck and wash two ears of corn. Stand upright and cut down the sides with a knife. Kernels should come off easily. Collect all the kernels, separating out any strings, and set aside.

[Photo Credit]

Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir in milk, oil and eggs until dry ingredients are just moistened. Fold in corn kernels.

Use an ice-cream scoop to measure batter into muffin tin. Bake for 15-20 minutes until tops are golden brown.

Serve with chili, other beans, enchiladas or as a breakfast item with strawberry jam!

Sour Cream Coffee Cake (with Strawberries)

2008-05-31T11:02:00.000-07:00

This is adapted from Ina Garten's recipe of the same name. Here's a link to her recipe so you can see all the, ahem, adjustments I made. I find her recipes to have an intimidating amount of fat a lot of times, but they're incredibly tasty, as you might expect. So I do what I can where I can. When I made this, it came out really well, but with one big mistake. I cooked the strawberries into the cake. As this recipe suggests, I highly recommend keeping your berries fresh and pouring them over each serving instead of cooking them inside the cake. That way they don't get slimy, and you can choose to mix it up if you do like I do and keep the cake as breakfast throughout the week. :)

Ingredients:

12 tbsp margarine at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup date sugar
4 medium eggs at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract

1.5 cups light sour cream
1.25 cups white flour
1.25 cups wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Streusel ingredients:

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp kosher salt
3 tbsp cold margine, cut into pieces
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

For the topping:
1 lb sliced strawberries
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a bundt or tube pan.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Finish stirring with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.

For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in the nuts, if desired.

Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it out with a knife. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup streusel. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, spread it out, and scatter the remaining streusel on top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

In the meantime, prepare the strawberries by tossing them gently with sugar, lemon juice and water. Allow to chill until you are prepared to serve them. This can be made without the lemon juice, but the lemon juice will help to preserve the strawberries' freshness for up to three days, so you can just have them prepared and spoon them onto the cake as it's served.

Remove cake from oven. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the cake, streusel side up, onto a serving plate. You'll need to push a knife down into the sides of you pan to make sure the cake doesn't stick when you turn it out.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! It was a winner in my house.

Note: If you don't have date sugar, use brown or white sugar. Date sugar is a diabetic friendly substitute for sugar, and you can sub all the sugar for date sugar, but you will need to increase the moisture of the cake with an additive such as applesauce or additional sour cream.

[Photo Credit]

White Beans with Oregano

2008-05-29T21:00:00.000-07:00

A straightforward slow-cooker dish that relies on the beautiful flavor of fresh oregano. There is no need to pre-soak the dried beans. They'll cook in the time recommended.

Ingredients:

1 lb dried white (navy or great northern) beans, sorted and picked over
2 whole cloves garlic
3-4 branches fresh oregano
1 tsp salt
6 cups water

Salt and olive oil for serving

Directions:

Place all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on HIGH for five hours. Most of the water will be absorbed. Allow to sit uncovered for 1/2 hour on WARM so remaining water can thicken into a sauce. Either remove the garlic cloves or mash them up and mix them into the beans. Serve with cornbread, a vegetable side and olive oil for drizzling over the beans.

Lemon Tart: Recommended Recipe

2008-05-27T13:18:00.000-07:00

Nathan and I tried this out this weekend. I would have taken a picture but it didn't last very long. It's over at Joy of Baking. I highly recommend this creamy and tart tart for a party or romantic dinner.

A sidenote: We finally discovered something our two-year-old won't eat. He gagged when we gave him a bite, requested to spit it out, then wiped it off his tongue. Too much lemon for him, I guess. But that's cool because it meant more for me. :)

Beef and Cheese Enchiladas

2008-05-26T15:48:00.000-07:00

These enchiladas are straightforward and inexpensive. They bake in 35 minutes, and it only takes 15 minutes to put together.

Serves 4 with a side of Mexican Rice or Salad

Ingredients:

1/2 small white onion, chopped
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 lb ground beef
1 can red enchilada sauce
2 cups Mexican blend grated cheese
1/4 cup sliced black olives (optional)
8-10 corn tortillas

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Soften the onions in olive oil on a medium heat. Add the beef and cook until brown. Drain thoroughly.

Pour about 2 tbsp enchilada sauce in the bottom of a medium-sized baking dish. Fill a tortilla with 1 tbsp beef and onions and 1-2 tbsp cheese. Place in pan folded side down. Repeat until pan is filled or all tortillas are used. The tortillas will probably break, but don't worry about it. It will all hold together as it cooks. [Pictured with mozzarella.]

Top enchiladas with remaining cheese and beef and onions. Pour over remaining enchilada sauce and top with black olives.

Bake for 35 minutes and allow to cool 5-10 minutes before serving.

For a Mediterranean twist: Use mozzarella cheese and 2 tbsp fresh oregano in place of cheese blend.

Smokey Hamburger Chili

2008-05-23T09:56:00.000-07:00

If you like a meaty chili, and you like that smokey grilled flavor, this chili is for you. The chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are the key to this chili's smokey flavor. For a chili with a real kick, double the peppers adn be sure to add plenty of chili powder. All cans = about 14 oz.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
1 can black-eyed peas
1 can chili beans
1 can diced tomatoes
2 stalks celery, chopped (optional)
1/2 yellow or white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 chipotle chili pepper in adobo sauce + 1 tbsp adobo sauce
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp red chili powder (optional)

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours. 1/2 hour before serving, turn to HIGH.

Or

Combine ingredients in a medium sized pot on your stovetop and simmer covered until onions and celery are tender. Stir every half hour and check to see if additional liquid is needed. 2 hours is a good stovetop time to allow the flavors to really combine.

Blueberry Wheat Muffins

2008-05-22T10:34:00.000-07:00

I love my Betty Crocker cookbook because it makes a good start to nearly any basic dish, but outside the very basics, I find most dishes (cakes excluded) to be incredibly bland. When it comes to muffins, I'm always looking for ways to increase flavor and aroma. For these muffins, wheat flower, lemon zest and juice, as well as a bit of vanilla are key. They're a bit more intensive than your average muffin, but they've got a great nutty flavor that I hope you'll enjoy.

Makes 12 mini muffins. (The normal-sized ones.)

Ingredients:

1 cup whole milk or soy milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
zest of 1/2 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp baking powder
1 cup unbleached white flour
1 cup whole grain wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Streusel Topping:
1/4 cup white flour
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp stick margarine

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a muffin pan.

Beat milk, oil, egg, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla together in a large bowl. Sift remaining dry ingredients together and add all at once to wet ingredients. Stir until flour is just wet and still lumpy. Fold in blueberries. Be careful not to overmix!

Drop 1/4 cup batter into muffin cups.

Cut together streusel topping and squeeze with your fingers until it looks like rough crumbs. Sprinkle 1 tsp topping over each muffin.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until browned and toothpick comes out clean.

Sage Roasted Chicken with Potatoes

2008-05-19T17:53:00.000-07:00

If you have fresh herbs on hand, this is an easy and flavorful dish worth whipping up. If you grow your own herbs and sage isn't one of them, subsitute basil, oregano, thyme or rosemary. Chicken and potatoes are very versatile, and any fresh herb is better than none. But stick with one herb at a time so you can really appreciate the flavor.

***

Noah loves this with summer squash and carrots. It's also lovely with some zucchini.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts, cut in one inch cubes
3 medium Russet potatoes, scrubbed and sliced into 1/4 inch disks
1 branch fresh sage, chopped
1.5 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup chicken or no-chicken stock

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place all ingredients except stock in baking dish. Toss together. Pour stock over. Place in oven and bake for 45-55 minutes stirring once or twice until potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through.

Serve with corn on the cob and iced (sweet) tea. :)

Martha's Kefta Sauce

2008-05-17T07:16:00.000-07:00

If you like a rich tomato sauce with your kefta, use this sauce recipe instead of the one included in my kefta recipe. I find it to be superior when it comes to the American palate.

1 can Red Gold pureed tomatoes
1 can Red Gold diced tomatoes
1/2 onion diced and sauteed
1/2 tsp minced garlic, sauteed
salt to taste

Cook the kefta in this rich sauce and enjoy.

Actually, Martha doesn't put potatoes and tomatoes on top of her "kufta." She actually makes a completely different dish. (A note: her hubby is Palestinian.) It consists of meatballs seasoned with a Morrocan spice mixture that contains curry. She forms and cooks the meatballs and then stews them in the sauce. She likes to serve this with a wild rice, red rice and short brown rice mixture. It's quite amazing. She brought me some yesterday. She also brought borracho beans. What a great friend!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

2008-05-14T17:38:00.001-07:00

A recipe I want to try:

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

If only I had the energy. Check out the reviews!

***

My own review: Nathan made these for me and I promised to love him forever! So tasty. They came out a bit delicate--as in, some of them fall apart. I've been eating the broken ones because everyone knows that broken cookies don't have as many calories. Seriously, they're the best PB cookies I've ever had, and believe me, I've had a few. :)

Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie

2008-05-09T14:13:00.000-07:00

This is a quick and easy dessert that is great for summertime. You can use a ready-made graham cracker crust or the recipe below.

Ingredients:

8-10 graham cracker sheets
1 stick butter, melted (1/2 cup)

8 oz cream cheese
1/2 stick butter (1/4 cup)
1/3 cup sugar

2 cups sliced, fresh strawberries
1/4 cup strawberry preserves or jam

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Crush graham crackers and mix with butter. Press into a greased pie plate and bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven.

Place sugar, butter and cream cheese in a microwave safe mixing bowl. Microwave at half power for 15-20 seconds or until cream cheese and butter are softened. Cream ingredients together one minute until smooth.

Spread cream cheese mixture over crust.

Top with sliced strawberries, layering them in a spiral from the outside to the inside of the crust.

Microwave the preserves for 30 seconds so it liquefies. Stir and spoon over the top of the pie.

Refrigerate pie for at least one hour before serving. Enjoy!

Tips: For a lower calorie dessert, omit the butter in the cream cheese mixture, use low fat cream cheese and cut the sugar down to 1/4 cup. Instead of topping with preserves, use two tsp granulated sugar or let the strawberries speak for themselves.

For a chocolatey twist: Put a layer of melted chocolate over the cooked crust. Allow to harden. Spread on cream cheese mixture and strawberries. Drizzle more melted chocolate over the top. It's a bit more difficult to eat when it hardens, but is tasty.

I Heart Biryani

2008-05-09T12:22:00.001-07:00

Yet another tribute to a food that satisfies my soul. Chicken biryani, I love you.

I went to dinner at a friend's house Wednesday night. His mother had prepared an authentic chicken biryani. When I say authentic, I mean it was made by someone who grew up eating it and who knew how it should taste. Had I known she would be making this dish, I would have asked to come over and watch the process. Like I did for two months in my aunt's kitchen in Lebanon, I would have taken copious notes and smelled and tasted the food at each stage of preparation. That way I would have remembered. Maybe I would be able to recreate the dish I love so much, have a zillion recipes for, yet can never get to turn out quite right.

My frustration is endless. If every Friday could be Biryani Friday, believe me friend, it would be. Chicken Biryani. Lamb or Vegetable Biryani. My kitchen would overfloweth, as would this blog with recipes for not just those items, but all foods Desi. You know that dessert that is little balls of dough that have been fried (?) and are drowning in ultra-sweet syrup? And that lamb and potato gravy dish that you eat with some tasty bread. How about naan? I want it all, my friend. Why can't I have it all?

I sigh with the frustration of knowing that Baby 2, like my son Noah, will have an incurable taste for biryani just as I do. After all, amniotic fluid takes on the flavors of the foods you eat, and the baby develops tastes based on that, I've read. Which is why it's important to eat a good variety of veggies while pregnant. It's definitely true for Noah. He loves nachos, spicy food and man did he devour that biryani not once, but twice.

Twice! Becuase Aunty was kind enough to send some home with me when she saw how round my preggo eyes got at the sight of delicious, aromatic biryani piled high in an enormous pot. Tender chicken, fluffy rice. The delicate flavors layered in my mouth. Sweet taste of Heaven! I enjoyed it again today. God bless her hands.

Please keep sending the recipes. And please help with detailed instructions. Especially regarding treatment of the rice. Perhaps some pictures of the process? Or you could just come to my house and show me step-by-step. I will reward you with baked goods. Perhaps even my super-secret Triple Chocolate Texas Brownie recipe. . . Or maybe just some brownies.

Cajun Chicken Salad

2008-05-07T12:40:00.000-07:00

This is a great way to use up leftover chicken. If it's been cooked in a sauce and isn't too heavily spiced, give it a good rinse and turn it into sandwich meat.

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, fully cooked and diced
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp blackened seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1-2 tbsp minced fresh onion (optional)

Mix all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Overnight is better. Serve on sourdough with a slice of cheddar, tomato and lettuce or on top of an iceberg lettuce salad.

If your chicken is frozen or fresh, bake for 30 min at 350 or until done, turning once halfway through. Season with salt and pepper before cooking if desired.

Oatmeal Banana Muffins

2008-05-05T19:03:00.000-07:00

I found the basis for this recipe on another cooking site and made some adjustments recommended by someone else who had tried the recipe. I also make some recommendations for add-ins on these super-moist muffins. They're quite tasty and very low in sugar. I hope you try them and enjoy.

Note, if you're not a fan of banana, use 1 cup mashed sweet potatoes or 1 cup pumpkin puree instead.

Ingredients

1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup milk
1 cup flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2.5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup melted butter
1 egg
1 cup very ripe mashed banana (about three medium)
1/4 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425.

Measure oats and milk into the same bowl and let sit until milk is absorbed. Sift dry ingredients together in a small bowl. Mash bananas and mix with egg and butter. Stir in oat mixture. Finally, add the dry ingredients and stir until just mixed. Measure into muffin tins and bake for 15 minutes or until tops are golden brown.

Tabbouleh

2008-05-02T11:38:00.000-07:00

This famous Lebanese salad is a great addition to any afternoon or evening meal. It's good cold or at room temperature. I've even known some to eat it warm!

Serves 10-12
Prep Time: 30 minutes

2 bunches parsley
3 scallions/spring onions
3 small tomatoes
1/4 cup bulgur
7-8 branches mint
juice of 1 and 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp allspice
1-2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Wash and drain bulgur and let stand for 30 minutes. Wash and drain parsley, onions and mint and chop all three as finely as possible by hand. Place in a large mixing bowl. Dice the tomatoes in 1/4 inch cubes and add to mixture. To this, add the lemon juice, allspice, salt and pepper. Mix these ingredients together. Now mix in the bulgur. After all the other ingredients have been mixed, add enough of the olive oil to moisturize the salad. The amount of olive oil used depends on personal preference. Cover and refrigerate before serving. Enjoy by scooping with lettuce.

Image from Chef's Pencil.

Waffle Toppers

2008-05-01T13:34:00.000-07:00

My husband thinks it's weird that I put peanut butter on my waffles, but let me tell you, it is tasty! I mean, who doesn't like peanut butter on toast? And because we recently purchased a new waffle iron (I'll review it soon), I thought I'd make a few waffle topper suggestions.

Peanut Butter and Syrup
Fresh sliced strawberries and powdered sugar plus a little whipped cream
Vanilla or Butter Pecan ice cream
your favorite canned fruit topping

Or make your own fruit topping with a cup of fruit, one-quarter to one-half a cup of water and 1/8 cup sugar. Dissolve the sugar in the water in a saucepan on medium-high heat. Add the fruit and simmer until it begins to thicken. If it's too thick, add more water. Not thick enough? Use up to a tbsp of corn starch or mix in some of your favorite jelly to help it along. Serve warm over your waffles.

Alton Brown recommends topping your waffles with fried chicken. I'm willing to try it. :)

A post with more content coming soon. :) I still have many, many recipes to type up.

Strawberry Confetti Smoothie

2008-04-28T17:30:00.001-07:00

I didn't have spinach on hand, nor did I have any peaches. Combine the lack of those items with my craving for all things lemonade, and this is my take on "John's Green Smoothie" (last post).

1 handful Italian Spring Mix or other salad greens
1-2 tbsp ground flax seed
1 cup frozen strawberries
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup lemonade

Blend and add more water or juice until it reaches your desired smoothness.

One awesome thing about the way this comes out is that the greens and flax and strawberry seeds make it look like it has confetti. Very festive!