Enjoy!
15-MINUTE FRIED HERBED CHICKEN
This comes from Mark Bittman of the New York Times' cooking newsletter. Mark writes, “This chicken takes so little time but tastes so good that it raises the bar for weeknight cooking. Chicken pieces are smothered in an herb and onion paste, dredged in flour and fried in the amount of time needed to make a salad. The amount of oil you need to crisp up the chicken is minimal, and the flavor is terrific.” Time: 15 minutes; makes 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 to 3 cloves garlic
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 to 2 tablespoons mixed fresh herbs, like tarragon and sage
2 tablespoons tahini or peanut butter
1/4 cup olive oil, more for frying
Flour for dredging
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or 4 half-breasts
Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish
Lemon wedges for serving
Salt to taste
Preparation
In a blender or the container of a food processor, combine garlic, onion, herbs and tahini. As you purée the mixture, slowly add just enough olive oil through the feed tube to make a thick, smooth paste; do not let it get too thin.
Put flour in a shallow bowl. Place chicken in another bowl. Rub puréed mixture over chicken, then dredge each piece in flour. Gently shake off any excess flour, coat again with paste and dredge once more in flour.
Heat 1/4 inch olive oil in a skillet; when it is hot, fry chicken for about 4 minutes each side, until well browned and cooked through; it will take longer if you use chicken with the bone in. Garnish with parsley and serve hot or warm, with lemon wedges.
GARLIC MASHED POTATOES
Is there anything more comforting than mashed potatoes? This comes from Florence Fabricant, also from the New York Times' cooking newsletter. Florence writes, “These are classic mashed potatoes, brightened up with a substantial amount of garlic. Feel free to adjust the garlic to taste, and to deepen the flavor, try roasting the cloves before mixing them in with the potatoes. (For everything you need to know to make perfect potatoes, visit our potato guide.)” Time: 40 minutes; makes 6 servings.
To view this online, go to http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/4288-garlic-mashed-potatoes.
Ingredients
3 pounds Idaho potatoes, peeled
6 cloves garlic, peeled
3/4 cup hot milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, or 2 tablespoons olive oil
Preparation
Cut the potatoes into uniform two-inch chunks and place in a heavy saucepan along with the garlic. Cover with water, bring to a boil, lower heat to medium and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
Drain the potatoes and garlic and mash the potatoes and garlic together. Stir in the hot milk, season to taste with salt and pepper and add the butter (less if desired) or oil. Serve at once.
SUPERFAST FUDGE BROWNIES
This recipe comes from The Working Stiff Cookbook, by Bob Sloan and illustrated by Michael Klein. I absolutely love this cookbook. Even vegetarians can find plenty to love in it. The great thing about this recipe is that it really doesn't take much longer than a boxed mix, and is so much better!
The recipe starts with, "The perfect comfort food to go with your burgers. (Burger Bliss was on the preceding page.) Brownies always lift the spirits. Especially these brownies. They're fast, easy, and foolproof." I agree!
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter (or margarine), cut into 4 pieces
1/2 cup Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter an 8-by-8-inch baking pan.
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter with the cocoa powder, stirring continuously until the butter is just melted. Use a rubber spatula to transfer the butter mixture to a large mixing bowl and let it cool for 2 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring until each is well combined. Add the flour and stir just until combined. Do not overmix.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake on the center rack of the oven for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with tiny crumbs on it. Serve warm or at room temperature.
OUTRAGEOUS CHOCOLATE CRANBERRY FUDGE CAKE
Not sure where this recipe came from. Possibly Ocean Spray®? That’s the closest I can think of. I received it in an email in early 2009. Makes 10 servings.
Ingredients:
For cake:
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
1 cup Ocean Spray® Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
For glaze:
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup Ocean Spray® Jellied Cranberry Sauce
Directions:
Make cake:
Preheat oven to 325ºF. Line an 8-inch round cake pan with foil. Coat foil with cooking spray. Dust pan with flour, tap to remove excess.
Microwave 2/3 cup chocolate chips, butter and unsweetened chocolate in large microwave-safe bowl on High for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Microwave for 30 more seconds if necessary to melt chocolate.
Add cranberry sauce and sugar; mix well. Add eggs, vanilla, flour and baking powder mix well. Pour batter in prepared pan.
Bake for 40 minutes or until center is set and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan 30 minutes. Refrigerate 1 hour or until cold.
Make glaze:
Microwave cream and chocolate chips together in medium microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute on High. Stir until smooth. Microwave for 30 more seconds if necessary to melt chocolate. Add cranberry sauce; mix well.
Turn cake out onto serving plate; remove foil. Spread glaze over top allowing some to drip down sides of cake. Chill 1 hour or until glaze is firm. Can be made a day ahead of time. Store at room temperature.
FRIED GREEN TOMATOES
This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list.
Ingredients
3 medium, firm green tomatoes
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup milk
2 beaten eggs
2/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs or cornmeal
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Directions
Cut unpeeled tomatoes into 1/2 inch slices. Sprinkle slices with Salt and pepper. Let tomato slices stand for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, Place flour, milk, eggs, and bread crumbs in separate shallow dishes.
Heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a skillet on medium heat. Dip tomato Slices in milk, then flour, then eggs, then bread crumbs. In the Skillet, fry half of the coated tomato slices at a time, for 4-6 Minutes on each side or until brown. As you cook the rest of the Tomatoes, add olive oil as needed. Season to taste with salt and Pepper.
LOW FAT CARROT AND SWEET POTATO SOUP
This is from Fiona Haynes, About.com’s Low Fat Cooking expert. Fiona wrote, “The natural sweetness of this low fat carrot and sweet potato soup is complemented by the spiciness of curry powder and cumin. Full of beta-carotene and a good source of fiber, this is a wonderfully nutritious beginning to a meal or a perfect lunch. Enjoy with whole grain bread or crackers.” Prep Time: 0 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Serves: 6
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tsp cumin
2 tbsp curry powder
1 pound bag of baby carrots
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 1/2 cups fat-free, low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
Preparation
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven and saute onion until softened. Stir in cumin and curry powder and cook for 1 minute. Add carrots, sweet potatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
When cool, transfer vegetables to a blender and blend until smooth, working in batches. Return to Dutch oven to reheat.
Per Serving: Calories 146, Calories from Fat 21, Total Fat 2.3g (sat 0.3g), Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 73mg, Carbohydrate 28.4g, Fiber 4.6g, Protein 2.9g
Showing posts with label NY Times. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NY Times. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
Monday, March 28, 2016
Meatless Monday
If it's Monday (and my calendar says it is), then it's Meatless Monday - time for six yummy vegetarian recipes. Enjoy!
CHOCOLATE-CRUSTED PUMPKIN PIE
This comes from the October 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 71. It starts off, "Tweak the holiday pie tradition with a chocolate crust and pumpkin filling that's thickened with cornstarch, not eggs." Makes 1 9-inch pie (serves 8)
This recipe can be viewed online here.
Crust
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 stick Earth Balance margarine, cubed
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
Filling
1 1/2 cups Oven-Roasted Pumpkin Purée or 1 15-oz. can puréed pumpkin
1 cup almond milk
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
6 Tbs. Earth Balance margarine, melted
To make Crust: Pulse flour, cocoa, and confectioners’ sugar in food processor until combined. Add margarine, and process until mixture resembles sand. With processor running, add vanilla and 3 to 4 Tbs. cold water, and process until smooth dough forms. Chill 2 hours.
Roll out dough to 11-inch circle on floured work surface. Press into 9-inch pie pan. Chill 30 minutes.
To make Filling: Drain pumpkin in mesh strainer over bowl 30 minutes.
Combine almond milk and lemon juice in bowl. Whisk together brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves in bowl. Whisk in almond milk mixture, then pumpkin and margarine.
Preheat oven to 400˚F. Place Crust on baking sheet, top with parchment paper, and fill with dried beans to weigh down. Reduce oven heat to 350˚F, and bake Crust 10 minutes. Remove parchment and beans, and bake 5 minutes.
Pour Filling into Crust, and bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until Filling is bubbling in center. Cool completely before serving.
nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 377; Protein: 3 g; Total Fat: 20 g; Saturated Fat: 8 g; Carbohydrates: 47 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 361 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 24 g; Vegan
SWEET POTATO PUREE WITH CANDIED PECANS
This comes from the November 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 52. It starts off, This recipe straddles the line between luscious side dish and low-key dessert. To bring the dish to a potluck, keep the candied pecans crunchy by packing them separately and sprinkling them on the dish just before serving.
Candied Pecans
1 1/2 cups raw pecan halves
2 Tbs. pure maple syrup
1 Tbs. coconut oil, melted
2 Tbs. raw organic cane sugar
Sweet Potato Purée
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 Tbs. coconut oil
1 1/2 cups light coconut milk, warmed
To make Candied Pecans: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, or coat with cooking spray. Spread pecans on prepared baking sheet, and toast 4 minutes.
Transfer pecans to large bowl, and stir in maple syrup and coconut oil. Stir in sugar until pecans are thoroughly coated. Return to baking sheet, and bake 3 to 5 minutes more, or until pecans look dry. Cool. Transfer to food processor, and pulse several times, or until pecans resemble chunky crumble. Transfer to small bowl, and set aside.
To make Sweet Potato Purée: Preheat oven to 400°F, and line baking sheet with parchment paper, or coat with cooking spray. Toss together sweet potatoes, maple syrup, and coconut oil in large bowl. Transfer sweet potatoes to prepared baking sheet, and roast 1 hour, stirring every 10 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender.
Purée sweet potatoes and coconut milk in food processor until creamy. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and spread in 2-qt. casserole. Sprinkle Candied Pecans over top.
nutritional information Per 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 285; Protein: 3 g; Total Fat: 20 g; Saturated Fat: 7 g; Carbohydrates: 26 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 23 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 15 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free
WARM RED CABBAGE SALAD WITH SWEET POTATOES
This is from the November/December 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 40. It begins, “Crisp-tender, just-cooked cabbage serves as a warm salad base for seasoned sweet potatoes. To build a meal around this dish, chef Michael Anthony suggests adding 'a few other dishes, like roasted Brussels sprouts and roasted parsnips, for a variety of textures and to give the meal depth and a sense of progression.'” Serves 6 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced (2 cups)
1 Tbs. butter
1/8 tsp. light brown sugar
4 Tbs. olive oil, divided
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup raisins
2 Tbs. toasted pine nuts
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 medium head red cabbage, quartered and shredded (6 cups)
2 cloves garlic, smashed
Combine sweet potato, butter, brown sugar, and 11/2 cups water in small saucepan, season with salt and pepper, if desired, and bring to a boil. Simmer 12 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are tender, and most of water has evaporated. Add 2 Tbs. oil, parsley, raisins, pine nuts, lemon juice, and vinegar, and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, or until all remaining liquid has evaporated.
Heat remaining 2 Tbs. oil in large skillet over high heat. Add cabbage and garlic, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cook 5 minutes, or until cabbage wilts, stirring often.
Remove garlic cloves. Transfer cabbage to serving bowl, and top with sweet potato mixture.
nutritional information Per Per 3/4-cup serving: Calories: 199; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 20 g; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Sodium: 62 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 9 g; Gluten-Free
EGGPLANT, TOMATO AND CHICKPEA CASSEROLE
This comes from Martha Rose Shulman in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. If you haven't signed up for their newsletter, I highly recommend it. Yes, they do have many meat-based recipes, but they also have plenty of vegetarian recipes.
This one begins, “This dish is based on a Middle Eastern staple traditionally served with fresh Arabic bread at room temperature, though I like to serve it warm. The casserole tastes best if made a day ahead.” Time: 2 hours; makes 4 to 6 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 large eggplant or 2 medium (1 pound), peeled if desired, cut in half lengthwise, then sliced about 1/2 inch thick
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, sliced thin across the grain
2 to 4 garlic cloves (to taste), minced
1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Pinch of sugar
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 sprig basil
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and brush the foil with olive oil. Place the eggplant slices on the foil, sprinkle with salt and brush each slice lightly with oil. Place in the oven for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the heat, and carefully fold the foil in half over the eggplant. Crimp the edges together, so that the eggplant is sealed inside the foil and will continue to steam and soften. Leave for at least 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about five minutes, and add the garlic and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, about a minute. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, cinnamon, basil and salt to taste. Bring to a simmer, and simmer uncovered, stirring often, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the sauce is thick and fragrant. Add freshly ground pepper, then taste and adjust salt. Remove the basil sprig, and stir in the drained chickpeas.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 2-quart baking dish or gratin. Cover the bottom with thin layer of tomato sauce, and make a layer of half the eggplant. Spoon half the remaining sauce over the eggplant, and repeat the layers.
Bake 30 minutes, until bubbling. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool for at least 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle on the parsley before serving.
Tip:
Advance preparation: You can assemble this dish through step 3 up to two days ahead. Keep it in the refrigerator. Leftovers will be good for about three days. Martha Rose Shulman can be reached at martha-rose-shulman.com.
HUMMUS-VEGGIE WRAPS
Yield: 4 servings
Source: The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan
Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/910.shtml
Ingredients
4 whole-wheat flour tortillas (8 to 9-inch rounds)
1 cup ready-made hummus
1 small carrot, shredded with a potato peeler
2 slices red onion, separated into rings
12 thin slices peeled cucumber
16 young tender spinach leaves or 1 cup alfalfa sprouts
Directions
Warm the tortillas according to package directions. Lay the tortillas on a flat surface and spread the lower half only of each tortilla with 1/4 cup of the hummus.
Top the hummus on each tortilla with a quarter of the carrots, onion rings, cucumber slices, and spinach or sprouts, leaving a 1-1/2 inch margin on the right and left sides.
Fold the right and left margins in, then roll each tortilla up from the bottom to enclose the filling. Cut each warp in half and serve immediately.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 258; Protein: 10 g; Fat: 8.6 g; Sodium: 625 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Saturated Fat: 0.5 g; Dietary Fiber: 6.7 g; Carbohydrates: 38 g; Exchanges: 2-1/2 Starch, 1 Very Lean Meat, 1/2 Vegetable, 1 Fat
ALMOND CHEESECAKE BARS
Light and creamy cheesecake bars topped with toasted almonds.
Serves: 20
Serving Size: 1 bar
View recipe and photo here: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1229.shtml
Crust Ingredients:
1/4 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
1 1/4 cups graham cracker or vanilla wafer crumbs
1/3 cup light butter, melted
1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds, finely ground
Filling Ingredients:
12 ounces reduced fat cream cheese
1/2 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
2 large eggs
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
2-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup toasted, sliced almonds
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray an 8x8 pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Mix crust ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Mix well. Press into prepared pan. Bake 10-12 minutes or until firm.
Mix cream cheese and Splenda Granulated Sweetener together until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl, and mixing well after each addition. Add sour cream and extracts; mix well. Pour over prepared crust.
Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 47 minutes, or until firm. Top with toasted almonds.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 120; Protein: 4 g; Fat: 8 g; Sodium: 105 mg; Cholesterol: 35 mg; Saturated Fat: 3.5 g; Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Sugars: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 8 g
CHOCOLATE-CRUSTED PUMPKIN PIE
This comes from the October 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 71. It starts off, "Tweak the holiday pie tradition with a chocolate crust and pumpkin filling that's thickened with cornstarch, not eggs." Makes 1 9-inch pie (serves 8)
This recipe can be viewed online here.
Crust
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 stick Earth Balance margarine, cubed
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
Filling
1 1/2 cups Oven-Roasted Pumpkin Purée or 1 15-oz. can puréed pumpkin
1 cup almond milk
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
6 Tbs. Earth Balance margarine, melted
To make Crust: Pulse flour, cocoa, and confectioners’ sugar in food processor until combined. Add margarine, and process until mixture resembles sand. With processor running, add vanilla and 3 to 4 Tbs. cold water, and process until smooth dough forms. Chill 2 hours.
Roll out dough to 11-inch circle on floured work surface. Press into 9-inch pie pan. Chill 30 minutes.
To make Filling: Drain pumpkin in mesh strainer over bowl 30 minutes.
Combine almond milk and lemon juice in bowl. Whisk together brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves in bowl. Whisk in almond milk mixture, then pumpkin and margarine.
Preheat oven to 400˚F. Place Crust on baking sheet, top with parchment paper, and fill with dried beans to weigh down. Reduce oven heat to 350˚F, and bake Crust 10 minutes. Remove parchment and beans, and bake 5 minutes.
Pour Filling into Crust, and bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until Filling is bubbling in center. Cool completely before serving.
nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 377; Protein: 3 g; Total Fat: 20 g; Saturated Fat: 8 g; Carbohydrates: 47 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 361 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 24 g; Vegan
SWEET POTATO PUREE WITH CANDIED PECANS
This comes from the November 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 52. It starts off, This recipe straddles the line between luscious side dish and low-key dessert. To bring the dish to a potluck, keep the candied pecans crunchy by packing them separately and sprinkling them on the dish just before serving.
Candied Pecans
1 1/2 cups raw pecan halves
2 Tbs. pure maple syrup
1 Tbs. coconut oil, melted
2 Tbs. raw organic cane sugar
Sweet Potato Purée
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 Tbs. coconut oil
1 1/2 cups light coconut milk, warmed
To make Candied Pecans: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, or coat with cooking spray. Spread pecans on prepared baking sheet, and toast 4 minutes.
Transfer pecans to large bowl, and stir in maple syrup and coconut oil. Stir in sugar until pecans are thoroughly coated. Return to baking sheet, and bake 3 to 5 minutes more, or until pecans look dry. Cool. Transfer to food processor, and pulse several times, or until pecans resemble chunky crumble. Transfer to small bowl, and set aside.
To make Sweet Potato Purée: Preheat oven to 400°F, and line baking sheet with parchment paper, or coat with cooking spray. Toss together sweet potatoes, maple syrup, and coconut oil in large bowl. Transfer sweet potatoes to prepared baking sheet, and roast 1 hour, stirring every 10 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender.
Purée sweet potatoes and coconut milk in food processor until creamy. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and spread in 2-qt. casserole. Sprinkle Candied Pecans over top.
nutritional information Per 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 285; Protein: 3 g; Total Fat: 20 g; Saturated Fat: 7 g; Carbohydrates: 26 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 23 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 15 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free
WARM RED CABBAGE SALAD WITH SWEET POTATOES
This is from the November/December 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 40. It begins, “Crisp-tender, just-cooked cabbage serves as a warm salad base for seasoned sweet potatoes. To build a meal around this dish, chef Michael Anthony suggests adding 'a few other dishes, like roasted Brussels sprouts and roasted parsnips, for a variety of textures and to give the meal depth and a sense of progression.'” Serves 6 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced (2 cups)
1 Tbs. butter
1/8 tsp. light brown sugar
4 Tbs. olive oil, divided
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup raisins
2 Tbs. toasted pine nuts
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 medium head red cabbage, quartered and shredded (6 cups)
2 cloves garlic, smashed
Combine sweet potato, butter, brown sugar, and 11/2 cups water in small saucepan, season with salt and pepper, if desired, and bring to a boil. Simmer 12 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are tender, and most of water has evaporated. Add 2 Tbs. oil, parsley, raisins, pine nuts, lemon juice, and vinegar, and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, or until all remaining liquid has evaporated.
Heat remaining 2 Tbs. oil in large skillet over high heat. Add cabbage and garlic, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cook 5 minutes, or until cabbage wilts, stirring often.
Remove garlic cloves. Transfer cabbage to serving bowl, and top with sweet potato mixture.
nutritional information Per Per 3/4-cup serving: Calories: 199; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 20 g; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Sodium: 62 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 9 g; Gluten-Free
EGGPLANT, TOMATO AND CHICKPEA CASSEROLE
This comes from Martha Rose Shulman in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. If you haven't signed up for their newsletter, I highly recommend it. Yes, they do have many meat-based recipes, but they also have plenty of vegetarian recipes.
This one begins, “This dish is based on a Middle Eastern staple traditionally served with fresh Arabic bread at room temperature, though I like to serve it warm. The casserole tastes best if made a day ahead.” Time: 2 hours; makes 4 to 6 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 large eggplant or 2 medium (1 pound), peeled if desired, cut in half lengthwise, then sliced about 1/2 inch thick
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, sliced thin across the grain
2 to 4 garlic cloves (to taste), minced
1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Pinch of sugar
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 sprig basil
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and brush the foil with olive oil. Place the eggplant slices on the foil, sprinkle with salt and brush each slice lightly with oil. Place in the oven for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the heat, and carefully fold the foil in half over the eggplant. Crimp the edges together, so that the eggplant is sealed inside the foil and will continue to steam and soften. Leave for at least 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about five minutes, and add the garlic and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, about a minute. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, cinnamon, basil and salt to taste. Bring to a simmer, and simmer uncovered, stirring often, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the sauce is thick and fragrant. Add freshly ground pepper, then taste and adjust salt. Remove the basil sprig, and stir in the drained chickpeas.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 2-quart baking dish or gratin. Cover the bottom with thin layer of tomato sauce, and make a layer of half the eggplant. Spoon half the remaining sauce over the eggplant, and repeat the layers.
Bake 30 minutes, until bubbling. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool for at least 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle on the parsley before serving.
Tip:
Advance preparation: You can assemble this dish through step 3 up to two days ahead. Keep it in the refrigerator. Leftovers will be good for about three days. Martha Rose Shulman can be reached at martha-rose-shulman.com.
HUMMUS-VEGGIE WRAPS
Yield: 4 servings
Source: The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan
Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/910.shtml
Ingredients
4 whole-wheat flour tortillas (8 to 9-inch rounds)
1 cup ready-made hummus
1 small carrot, shredded with a potato peeler
2 slices red onion, separated into rings
12 thin slices peeled cucumber
16 young tender spinach leaves or 1 cup alfalfa sprouts
Directions
Warm the tortillas according to package directions. Lay the tortillas on a flat surface and spread the lower half only of each tortilla with 1/4 cup of the hummus.
Top the hummus on each tortilla with a quarter of the carrots, onion rings, cucumber slices, and spinach or sprouts, leaving a 1-1/2 inch margin on the right and left sides.
Fold the right and left margins in, then roll each tortilla up from the bottom to enclose the filling. Cut each warp in half and serve immediately.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 258; Protein: 10 g; Fat: 8.6 g; Sodium: 625 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Saturated Fat: 0.5 g; Dietary Fiber: 6.7 g; Carbohydrates: 38 g; Exchanges: 2-1/2 Starch, 1 Very Lean Meat, 1/2 Vegetable, 1 Fat
ALMOND CHEESECAKE BARS
Light and creamy cheesecake bars topped with toasted almonds.
Serves: 20
Serving Size: 1 bar
View recipe and photo here: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1229.shtml
Crust Ingredients:
1/4 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
1 1/4 cups graham cracker or vanilla wafer crumbs
1/3 cup light butter, melted
1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds, finely ground
Filling Ingredients:
12 ounces reduced fat cream cheese
1/2 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
2 large eggs
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
2-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup toasted, sliced almonds
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray an 8x8 pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Mix crust ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Mix well. Press into prepared pan. Bake 10-12 minutes or until firm.
Mix cream cheese and Splenda Granulated Sweetener together until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl, and mixing well after each addition. Add sour cream and extracts; mix well. Pour over prepared crust.
Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 47 minutes, or until firm. Top with toasted almonds.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 120; Protein: 4 g; Fat: 8 g; Sodium: 105 mg; Cholesterol: 35 mg; Saturated Fat: 3.5 g; Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Sugars: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 8 g
Friday, March 11, 2016
Weekend Recipes
Enjoy!
CARROT CHEESECAKE
This comes from The Food Network Kitchen, and begins, “Most people would agree that the cream cheese frosting is the best part of any carrot cake, so it makes perfect sense to replace it with a thick layer of creamy cheesecake. These two classic cakes make one showstopping mash-up dessert.” Total Time: 2 hr; Prep: 30 min; Cook: 1 hr 30 min; Yield: 10 to 12 servings; Level: Intermediate.
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/carrot-cheesecake.print.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
Carrot Cake:
1/2 cup pecan halves, plus more, chopped, for garnish
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Kosher salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups shredded carrot (2 to 3 medium carrots)
Cheesecake:
Three 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sour cream
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Sour Cream Topping:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch kosher salt
Directions
For the carrot cake: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spread 1/2 cup of the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden and toasted, 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool, and then finely chop.
Combine the pecans, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk together the oil, sugar and eggs in a separate bowl. Stir the carrots into the egg mixture. Fold the carrot-egg mixture into the flour mixture until just combined. Pour into an ungreased 9-inch springform cake pan and tap it on the counter to even out the batter. Bake until the cake bounces back when pressed and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. The cake can be made a day ahead and stored in the pan.
For the cheesecake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Beat the cream cheese, sour cream and granulated sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the flour, lemon zest and juice and vanilla, about 1 minute.
Pour the cheesecake mixture over the carrot cake. Wrap the bottom and sides of the pan with a large piece of foil. Put in a roasting pan or a large baking dish and fill halfway up the sides of the cake pan with water. Bake until the cheesecake is pale yellow and just jiggles slightly in the center, about 1 hour. Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake rest in the hot oven for 30 minutes. Remove, run a sharp knife around the edge and let cool completely on a rack. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
For the sour cream topping: Whisk together the confectioners' sugar, sour cream, vanilla and salt. Spread on top of the cheesecake; garnish with chopped pecans. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Cut into slices and serve.
WHOLE GRAIN BLUEBERRY MUFFINS WITH ORANGE STREUSEL
This comes from Julia Moskin in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, “This master recipe for juicy, whole grain berry muffins is both extremely flexible and extremely rewarding. It is sweet but not sugary, packed with whole grains but not dense, and reasonably rich in fiber, protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. The fresh berries and nuts are interchangeable with dried fruit, coconut or sunflower seeds. And the muffins freeze beautifully; they can go from a 300-degree oven to the breakfast table (or the car) in about 20 minutes.” Time: about 2 hours; makes 18 to 24 muffins.
br />To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Muffins:
2 cups all-purpose flour, more as needed
2/3 cup whole wheat flour or wheat germ, preferably toasted
2/3 cup fine-ground yellow cornmeal
2/3 cup rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons nutmeg or allspice (or use additional cinnamon)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups buttermilk, more as needed
1 1/3 cup coconut oil, or neutral oil like safflower or canola
2/3 cup maple syrup
4 eggs
2 cups grated carrots or tart apple
1 1/2 cups blueberries
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans (optional)
For the Streusel (Optional):
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Preparation
Make the muffins: In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flours, cornmeal, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, mix the wet ingredients: buttermilk, oil, maple syrup and eggs.
Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and gently mix just until blended. Don’t worry about a few lumps or streaks of flour. Stir in the carrots, blueberries and nuts if using. (If you'd like, reserve a handful of blueberries for sprinkling on top of the muffins just before baking.)
Set batter aside at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes to allow flours to absorb the liquid. Check batter after 15 minutes by giving it a light stir. It should be thick, not runny (this will help the muffins rise). Thin with a little more buttermilk or thicken by adding 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Set aside for 5 minutes more, check and adjust texture again, and repeat until batter is thick and fluffy.
Heat oven to 425 degrees and place rack in top third of oven. Butter or spray a muffin tin (regular or jumbo), or line the cups with paper liners. Make sure to also butter or spray the top surface of the tin to help the muffins release.
Make the streusel if using: In a small bowl, mix and pinch all the ingredients together until blended and crumbly. (If using butter, cut into small pieces first.)
Using an ice-cream scoop or small ladle, divide thick batter among muffin cups, filling almost to the top. Mound the batter slightly in the center of each cup; this will help make a domed muffin top. If you reserved blueberries for topping, press them lightly into the muffins. If you are topping with streusel, use your fingers to divide streusel over batter and press lightly onto the surface.
Place muffin tin in oven and reduce heat to 400 degrees. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a tester inserted into center of muffin comes out moist but clean. Rotate the pan halfway through baking. Cool muffins in pan on rack, then remove from tin.
Repeat with remaining batter. If there is not enough batter remaining to fill all the cups, fill every other cup with batter. Pour water into the empty cups to protect the pan in the oven.
Tip
To freeze extra muffins, wrap them individually in aluminum foil. Reheat, still wrapped, in a 300-degree oven for about 20 minutes. Or unwrap and reheat in a microwave.
ZESTY SLOW-COOKER ITALIAN POT ROAST
This recipe, from the FamilyTime e-newsletter, begins, “Chuck roast, potatoes, celery and carrots simmer to tenderness in the slow-cooker with an Italian-inspired tomato sauce made special with Campbell's® Condensed Tomato Soup.” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cooking Time: 600 minutes (10 hours); Servings: 6. Source: Campbell's Recipes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
4 medium potatoes, cut into quarters (about 4 cups)
2 cups fresh or thawed frozen whole baby carrots
1 stalk celery, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 3/4 cup)
1 medium Italian plum tomato, diced
1 beef bottom round roast or beef chuck pot roast (2 1/2 to 3 pounds)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Tomato Soup
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon chopped roasted garlic*, or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
1 teaspoon each dried basil leaves, dried oregano leaves and dried parsley flakes, crushed
1 teaspoon vinegar
Directions
Place the potatoes, carrots, celery and tomato into a 3 1/2-quart slow cooker. Season the beef with the black pepper. Place the beef into the cooker.
Stir the soup, water, garlic, basil, oregano, parsley and vinegar in a small bowl. Pour the soup mixture over the beef and vegetables.
Cover and cook on LOW for 10 to 11 hours** or until the beef is fork-tender and the vegetables are tender.
*To roast garlic, place 1 whole garlic bulb onto a square of aluminum foil. Drizzle with vegetable oil. Wrap the foil tightly around the garlic. Roast at 350°F. for 45 minutes or until the garlic is soft. Peel and chop the garlic.
**Or on HIGH for 5 to 6 hours.
Tip: For thicker gravy, mix 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup water in a small bowl until the mixture is smooth. Romove the beef and vegetables from the cooker. Stir the flour mixture into the cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 10 minutes or until the mixture boils and thickens.
BEEF AND BEAN BURRITOS
This comes from Ree Drummond of The Food Network's The Pioneer Woman. Total time: 55 min; Prep: 35 min; Cook: 20 min; Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/beef-and-bean-burritos-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
1 medium onion, diced
2 pounds ground beef
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
Three 7-ounce cans Mexican tomato sauce (I use El Patobrand) or enchilada sauce
One 28-ounce can refried beans
3/4 cup grated Cheddar, plus extra for sprinkling
12 burrito-size flour tortillas
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
Directions
Preheat the oven to 170 to 180 degrees F.
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the onions until softened. Then add the ground beef and cook until the beef is cooked through. Add the cumin, chili powder, oregano and salt and stir to combine. Pour 2 cans of the Mexican tomato sauce into the meat and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Add a little water if the mixture gets too dry.
Meanwhile, heat the refried beans in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the cheese, and stir it in till it's melted. Remove from the heat.
Heat the tortillas in the microwave for 1 minute, and then spread a small amount of beans on each tortilla. Add a small amount of the meat. Fold over the ends of the tortilla, and then roll them up. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas. Then place them in a large baking dish, cover with foil and keep warm in the oven.
When ready to serve, drizzle the remaining can of tomato sauce over all of the burritos and sprinkle with more grated Cheddar. Return to the oven for a couple of minutes just to melt the cheese.
Sprinkle the tops with the cilantro leaves and serve immediately to the fork-bangers in your life. They'll kiss you and hug you. Repeatedly.
BEST TOMATO SOUP EVER
This comes from Ree Drummond of The Food Network's The Pioneer Woman. Total Time: 40 min; Prep: 25 min; Cook: 15 min; Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/best-tomato-soup-ever.print.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
1 medium white or yellow onion
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
Two 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
One 46-ounce bottle or can tomato juice
3 to 6 tablespoons sugar
1 or 2 tablespoons chicken base, or 3 chicken bouillon cubes
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup sherry, optional
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Directions
To begin, dice the onion. Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven. Throw in the onion and cook until translucent.
Now dump in the diced tomatoes and stir to combine. Add the tomato juice.
Next - and this is important - in order to combat the acidity of the tomatoes add 3 to 6 tablespoons of sugar. Now, you'll want to start on the low side, then taste and add more as needed. Some tomatoes and juice have more of an acidic bite than others. (For what it's worth, and I realize it's not worth much, I use 6 tablespoons of sugar.)
Next, add 1 or 2 tablespoons chicken base to the pot. I added 3, and it wound up being a little too much.
Now you can add lots of freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine, then heat almost to a boil. Then turn off the heat.
Add in the sherry if desired. Stir in the cream. Add the basil and parsley and stir.
Serve the soup warm!
TWICE BAKED POTATOES
Prep Time: 10 Minutes - Cost: $ Servings: 4 - Difficulty Level: 2
Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/175.shtml
Ingredients
4 Medium potatoes, baked
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1 tbsp onion, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
Paprika
Dried Parsley Flakes
Directions
Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out potatoes, leaving skins intact for restuffing.
With wire whisk, beat potatoes with cottage cheese, milk, and onion. Spoon mixture back into skins.
Sprinkle with paprika flakes and black pepper.
Bake for 10 minutes until just golden.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 73; Fat: 7 g; Sodium: 316 mg; Cholesterol: 3 mg; Exchanges: 1 Bread
ROCKY ROAD CAKE
I was taking a speech class at a local junior college. One week we had to give a demonstration speech; one lady demonstrated how to make this cake, passing out copies of the recipe along with pieces of cake. It’s absolutely delicious. The icing can be used on almost any kind of cake; it would be really good on carrot cake! For the longest time, several members of my family wanted this for their birthday cakes. It can be found at my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
1 C chopped nuts
4 eggs
1 C raisins
1 C mayonnaise
1 C mini-marshmallows
1 C water
6 oz. package of chocolate
1 package (18.25 oz) Devil’s Food cake mix w/pudding
Grease & flour 2 9" pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix first four ingredients in medium-size bowl. In large bowl at low speed, mix cake mix, eggs, may & water until blended. Increase speed to medium & beat for 2 minutes. Stir in nut mixture. Pour into greased & floured pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes on cooling rack.
Icing (for Rocky Road Cake)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 stick butter
8 oz. cream cheese
1 box confectioners sugar
Place ingredients in bowl & cream together. When cake is cool, ice. ENJOY!
CARROT CHEESECAKE
This comes from The Food Network Kitchen, and begins, “Most people would agree that the cream cheese frosting is the best part of any carrot cake, so it makes perfect sense to replace it with a thick layer of creamy cheesecake. These two classic cakes make one showstopping mash-up dessert.” Total Time: 2 hr; Prep: 30 min; Cook: 1 hr 30 min; Yield: 10 to 12 servings; Level: Intermediate.
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/carrot-cheesecake.print.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
Carrot Cake:
1/2 cup pecan halves, plus more, chopped, for garnish
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Kosher salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups shredded carrot (2 to 3 medium carrots)
Cheesecake:
Three 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sour cream
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Sour Cream Topping:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch kosher salt
Directions
For the carrot cake: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spread 1/2 cup of the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden and toasted, 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool, and then finely chop.
Combine the pecans, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk together the oil, sugar and eggs in a separate bowl. Stir the carrots into the egg mixture. Fold the carrot-egg mixture into the flour mixture until just combined. Pour into an ungreased 9-inch springform cake pan and tap it on the counter to even out the batter. Bake until the cake bounces back when pressed and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. The cake can be made a day ahead and stored in the pan.
For the cheesecake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Beat the cream cheese, sour cream and granulated sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the flour, lemon zest and juice and vanilla, about 1 minute.
Pour the cheesecake mixture over the carrot cake. Wrap the bottom and sides of the pan with a large piece of foil. Put in a roasting pan or a large baking dish and fill halfway up the sides of the cake pan with water. Bake until the cheesecake is pale yellow and just jiggles slightly in the center, about 1 hour. Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake rest in the hot oven for 30 minutes. Remove, run a sharp knife around the edge and let cool completely on a rack. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
For the sour cream topping: Whisk together the confectioners' sugar, sour cream, vanilla and salt. Spread on top of the cheesecake; garnish with chopped pecans. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Cut into slices and serve.
WHOLE GRAIN BLUEBERRY MUFFINS WITH ORANGE STREUSEL
This comes from Julia Moskin in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, “This master recipe for juicy, whole grain berry muffins is both extremely flexible and extremely rewarding. It is sweet but not sugary, packed with whole grains but not dense, and reasonably rich in fiber, protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. The fresh berries and nuts are interchangeable with dried fruit, coconut or sunflower seeds. And the muffins freeze beautifully; they can go from a 300-degree oven to the breakfast table (or the car) in about 20 minutes.” Time: about 2 hours; makes 18 to 24 muffins.
br />To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Muffins:
2 cups all-purpose flour, more as needed
2/3 cup whole wheat flour or wheat germ, preferably toasted
2/3 cup fine-ground yellow cornmeal
2/3 cup rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons nutmeg or allspice (or use additional cinnamon)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups buttermilk, more as needed
1 1/3 cup coconut oil, or neutral oil like safflower or canola
2/3 cup maple syrup
4 eggs
2 cups grated carrots or tart apple
1 1/2 cups blueberries
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans (optional)
For the Streusel (Optional):
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Preparation
Make the muffins: In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flours, cornmeal, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, mix the wet ingredients: buttermilk, oil, maple syrup and eggs.
Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and gently mix just until blended. Don’t worry about a few lumps or streaks of flour. Stir in the carrots, blueberries and nuts if using. (If you'd like, reserve a handful of blueberries for sprinkling on top of the muffins just before baking.)
Set batter aside at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes to allow flours to absorb the liquid. Check batter after 15 minutes by giving it a light stir. It should be thick, not runny (this will help the muffins rise). Thin with a little more buttermilk or thicken by adding 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Set aside for 5 minutes more, check and adjust texture again, and repeat until batter is thick and fluffy.
Heat oven to 425 degrees and place rack in top third of oven. Butter or spray a muffin tin (regular or jumbo), or line the cups with paper liners. Make sure to also butter or spray the top surface of the tin to help the muffins release.
Make the streusel if using: In a small bowl, mix and pinch all the ingredients together until blended and crumbly. (If using butter, cut into small pieces first.)
Using an ice-cream scoop or small ladle, divide thick batter among muffin cups, filling almost to the top. Mound the batter slightly in the center of each cup; this will help make a domed muffin top. If you reserved blueberries for topping, press them lightly into the muffins. If you are topping with streusel, use your fingers to divide streusel over batter and press lightly onto the surface.
Place muffin tin in oven and reduce heat to 400 degrees. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a tester inserted into center of muffin comes out moist but clean. Rotate the pan halfway through baking. Cool muffins in pan on rack, then remove from tin.
Repeat with remaining batter. If there is not enough batter remaining to fill all the cups, fill every other cup with batter. Pour water into the empty cups to protect the pan in the oven.
Tip
To freeze extra muffins, wrap them individually in aluminum foil. Reheat, still wrapped, in a 300-degree oven for about 20 minutes. Or unwrap and reheat in a microwave.
ZESTY SLOW-COOKER ITALIAN POT ROAST
This recipe, from the FamilyTime e-newsletter, begins, “Chuck roast, potatoes, celery and carrots simmer to tenderness in the slow-cooker with an Italian-inspired tomato sauce made special with Campbell's® Condensed Tomato Soup.” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cooking Time: 600 minutes (10 hours); Servings: 6. Source: Campbell's Recipes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
4 medium potatoes, cut into quarters (about 4 cups)
2 cups fresh or thawed frozen whole baby carrots
1 stalk celery, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 3/4 cup)
1 medium Italian plum tomato, diced
1 beef bottom round roast or beef chuck pot roast (2 1/2 to 3 pounds)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Tomato Soup
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon chopped roasted garlic*, or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
1 teaspoon each dried basil leaves, dried oregano leaves and dried parsley flakes, crushed
1 teaspoon vinegar
Directions
Place the potatoes, carrots, celery and tomato into a 3 1/2-quart slow cooker. Season the beef with the black pepper. Place the beef into the cooker.
Stir the soup, water, garlic, basil, oregano, parsley and vinegar in a small bowl. Pour the soup mixture over the beef and vegetables.
Cover and cook on LOW for 10 to 11 hours** or until the beef is fork-tender and the vegetables are tender.
*To roast garlic, place 1 whole garlic bulb onto a square of aluminum foil. Drizzle with vegetable oil. Wrap the foil tightly around the garlic. Roast at 350°F. for 45 minutes or until the garlic is soft. Peel and chop the garlic.
**Or on HIGH for 5 to 6 hours.
Tip: For thicker gravy, mix 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup water in a small bowl until the mixture is smooth. Romove the beef and vegetables from the cooker. Stir the flour mixture into the cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 10 minutes or until the mixture boils and thickens.
BEEF AND BEAN BURRITOS
This comes from Ree Drummond of The Food Network's The Pioneer Woman. Total time: 55 min; Prep: 35 min; Cook: 20 min; Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/beef-and-bean-burritos-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
1 medium onion, diced
2 pounds ground beef
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
Three 7-ounce cans Mexican tomato sauce (I use El Patobrand) or enchilada sauce
One 28-ounce can refried beans
3/4 cup grated Cheddar, plus extra for sprinkling
12 burrito-size flour tortillas
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
Directions
Preheat the oven to 170 to 180 degrees F.
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the onions until softened. Then add the ground beef and cook until the beef is cooked through. Add the cumin, chili powder, oregano and salt and stir to combine. Pour 2 cans of the Mexican tomato sauce into the meat and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Add a little water if the mixture gets too dry.
Meanwhile, heat the refried beans in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the cheese, and stir it in till it's melted. Remove from the heat.
Heat the tortillas in the microwave for 1 minute, and then spread a small amount of beans on each tortilla. Add a small amount of the meat. Fold over the ends of the tortilla, and then roll them up. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas. Then place them in a large baking dish, cover with foil and keep warm in the oven.
When ready to serve, drizzle the remaining can of tomato sauce over all of the burritos and sprinkle with more grated Cheddar. Return to the oven for a couple of minutes just to melt the cheese.
Sprinkle the tops with the cilantro leaves and serve immediately to the fork-bangers in your life. They'll kiss you and hug you. Repeatedly.
BEST TOMATO SOUP EVER
This comes from Ree Drummond of The Food Network's The Pioneer Woman. Total Time: 40 min; Prep: 25 min; Cook: 15 min; Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/best-tomato-soup-ever.print.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
1 medium white or yellow onion
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
Two 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
One 46-ounce bottle or can tomato juice
3 to 6 tablespoons sugar
1 or 2 tablespoons chicken base, or 3 chicken bouillon cubes
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup sherry, optional
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Directions
To begin, dice the onion. Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven. Throw in the onion and cook until translucent.
Now dump in the diced tomatoes and stir to combine. Add the tomato juice.
Next - and this is important - in order to combat the acidity of the tomatoes add 3 to 6 tablespoons of sugar. Now, you'll want to start on the low side, then taste and add more as needed. Some tomatoes and juice have more of an acidic bite than others. (For what it's worth, and I realize it's not worth much, I use 6 tablespoons of sugar.)
Next, add 1 or 2 tablespoons chicken base to the pot. I added 3, and it wound up being a little too much.
Now you can add lots of freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine, then heat almost to a boil. Then turn off the heat.
Add in the sherry if desired. Stir in the cream. Add the basil and parsley and stir.
Serve the soup warm!
TWICE BAKED POTATOES
Prep Time: 10 Minutes - Cost: $ Servings: 4 - Difficulty Level: 2
Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/175.shtml
Ingredients
4 Medium potatoes, baked
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1 tbsp onion, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
Paprika
Dried Parsley Flakes
Directions
Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out potatoes, leaving skins intact for restuffing.
With wire whisk, beat potatoes with cottage cheese, milk, and onion. Spoon mixture back into skins.
Sprinkle with paprika flakes and black pepper.
Bake for 10 minutes until just golden.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 73; Fat: 7 g; Sodium: 316 mg; Cholesterol: 3 mg; Exchanges: 1 Bread
ROCKY ROAD CAKE
I was taking a speech class at a local junior college. One week we had to give a demonstration speech; one lady demonstrated how to make this cake, passing out copies of the recipe along with pieces of cake. It’s absolutely delicious. The icing can be used on almost any kind of cake; it would be really good on carrot cake! For the longest time, several members of my family wanted this for their birthday cakes. It can be found at my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
1 C chopped nuts
4 eggs
1 C raisins
1 C mayonnaise
1 C mini-marshmallows
1 C water
6 oz. package of chocolate
1 package (18.25 oz) Devil’s Food cake mix w/pudding
Grease & flour 2 9" pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix first four ingredients in medium-size bowl. In large bowl at low speed, mix cake mix, eggs, may & water until blended. Increase speed to medium & beat for 2 minutes. Stir in nut mixture. Pour into greased & floured pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes on cooling rack.
Icing (for Rocky Road Cake)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 stick butter
8 oz. cream cheese
1 box confectioners sugar
Place ingredients in bowl & cream together. When cake is cool, ice. ENJOY!
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Wednesday Recipes
Here are today's six Wednesday recipes. Enjoy!
CHOCOLATE WHITE CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES
This yummy recipe comes from Ina Garten, star of The Food Network's hit show, Barefoot Contessa. Total Time: 35 min; Prep: 20 min; Cook: 15 min; Yield: 40 to 48 cookies; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chocolate-white-chocolate-chunk-cookies-recipe3.print.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs at room temperature
2/3 cup good unsweetened cocoa
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds good white chocolate, coarsely chopped
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Cream the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the vanilla, then the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix well. Add the cocoa and mix again. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt and add to the chocolate with the mixer on low speed until just combined. Fold in the chopped white chocolate.
Drop the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, using a 1 3/4-inch ice cream scoop or a rounded tablespoon. Dampen your hands and flatten the dough slightly. Bake for exactly 15 minutes (the cookies will seem underdone). Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
KATHARINE HEPBURN'S BROWNIES
This came in a recent New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. It begins, “Much like its author, this recipe is a no-fuss classic. It calls for just 1/4 cup of flour, which yields an incredibly rich and gooey brownie, and it's super easy to make. So easy, in fact, that baking a batch of these might just become part of your weekend routine.” Time: about 45 minutes; makes 12 brownies
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 cup chopped or broken-up walnuts or pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
Preparation
Heat oven to 325 degrees.
Melt butter in saucepan with cocoa and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour, nuts and salt. Add to the cocoa-butter mixture. Stir until just combined.
Pour into a greased 8 x 8-inch-square pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Do not overbake; the brownies should be gooey. Let cool, then cut into bars.
LAZY CHICKEN
This recipe from Tablespoon.com's e-newsletter, begins, “A healthy one pot dish with summer vegetables and chicken. Serve this right from the pan...it's lazy chicken after all.” Prep Time: 10 min; Total Time: 30 min; Makes 4 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 pound chicken breasts, cut into one-inch cubes
2 red potatoes, sliced thinly
1 small white onion, thinly sliced
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced into disks
1 -2 teaspoons steak seasoning
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 (14.5 ounce) can Muir Glen™ organic fire roasted crushed or diced tomatoes
10 basil leaves, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
Salt and pepper
Directions
In an oven safe skillet, sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and brown on medium high heat for a couple of minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Add olive oil to the pan. Layer the sliced potatoes and onions in the pan and sprinkle with half of the steak seasoning. Cook potatoes and onions in a thin layer until brown, turning as little as possible to get a nice sear.
Add chicken broth to the pan. Spread zucchini in a thin layer on top of the potatoes and onion. Sprinkle zucchini with the remaining steak seasoning.
Place chicken in an even layer over the zucchini. Pour tomatoes evenly over the chicken. Sprinkle tomatoes with the oregano and basil. Cover and cook until the veggies and chicken are completely done.
Sprinkle with cheese and place under the broiler until cheese melts or starts to brown. You could also just cover the pan with a lid on the stove to melt the cheese.
Serve right away.
BUTTERMILK ROAST CHICKEN
This came from Nigella Lawson in a recent New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. It begins, “Roast a chicken and you know you have a comfortable meal. Alter that a little by butterflying the chicken, a surprisingly simple task that can be carried out with a pair of kitchen scissors, and you have a quick dinner that carries with it the casual air of barbecue, without the bother. Here, buttermilk, which is usually associated with fried chicken, helps to tenderize the chicken and conveys the aromatics: you really get the full value of the rosemary, pepper and garlic. If you want to substitute maple syrup for the honey, you can. Best of all, you can leave the marinating bird in the fridge for up to two days; thus, it gets more tender and you know you have a dinner that needs no more than to be popped into the oven.” Makes 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 4-pound chicken
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
1 tablespoon crushed black peppercorns
1 tablespoon Maldon or other sea salt
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon honey
Preparation
Butterfly chicken by placing breast side down and using heavy-duty kitchen shears to cut along both sides of backbone. Discard backbone, turn chicken over and open it like a book. Press gently to flatten it.
Place chicken in a large freezer bag. Add buttermilk, 1/4 cup oil, garlic, peppercorns, salt, rosemary and honey. Seal bag securely and refrigerate overnight or up to two days.
Heat oven to 400 degrees.Remove chicken from marinade and place on a rack so excess can drip off. Line a roasting pan with foil and place chicken in pan. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Roast for 45 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 degrees. Continue roasting until well browned and until juices run clear when chicken is pierced where leg joins thigh,about another 20 minutes.
Place chicken on a carving board and allow to rest for 10 minutes before cutting into serving pieces. Place a portion on each of four plates, and drizzle each serving with pan juices.
MEZZI RIGATONI WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND SPICY SAUSAGEbr />
This wonderful recipe is from Giada De Laurentiis, star of The Food Network's Giada At Home, and posted on The Today Show's cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “Need to put dinner on the table but the fridge and pantry are looking scarce? You're in luck because Giada De Laurentiis has two delicious meals that only use five simple ingredients. Here, the celebrity chef is sharing two great five-ingredient recipes: mezzi rigatoni with butternut squash and spicy sausage, plus flat iron steak with piquillo pepper pesto.”
To view this online, go to http://www.today.com/recipes/mezzi-rigatoni-butternut-squash-spicy-sausage-t64641
Ingredients
1 pound mezzi rigatoni pasta
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons for finishing
1 pound spicy Italian sausage, casing removed
1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/3 inch pieces
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 cups roughly chopped baby arugula
Preparation
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until just al dente. Drain well reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon into bite sized pieces, until the sausage is cooked though. Add the diced squash to the pan and stir to combine. Add the water and season with the salt. Using the wooden spoon, make sure all of the squash is submerged. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the squash is tender and the liquid has reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the cooked pasta and 3/4 cup parmesan. Stir vigorously to combine, breaking up the squash slightly as you go and thinning with pasta water as needed until the pasta is coated in a light and creamy sauce. Stir in the arugula and the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Cook just until the arugula is wilted. Serve topped with the remaining Parmesan.
PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE MUG CAKES
This comes from the Tablespoon e-newsletter, and starts off, “Mmmm, pumpkin! Transform this fall coffee-house favorite into a cake that can be baked in your microwave in just two minutes.” Prep Time: 4 min; Total Time: 7 min; Servings: 2
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 egg
3 tablespoons brewed espresso coffee or very strong coffee, room temperature
1 tablespoon canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup Original Bisquick™ mix
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Pinch of salt
Whipped cream, for serving
Ground cinnamon, for serving
Directions
In small bowl, beat melted butter, egg, espresso and pumpkin with whisk. Add the sugar, Bisquick mix, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Mix until incorporated; batter may be lumpy.
Divide batter between 2 microwavable mugs. Microwave uncovered on High 2 minutes. Cool a few minutes before serving.
Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
CHOCOLATE WHITE CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES
This yummy recipe comes from Ina Garten, star of The Food Network's hit show, Barefoot Contessa. Total Time: 35 min; Prep: 20 min; Cook: 15 min; Yield: 40 to 48 cookies; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chocolate-white-chocolate-chunk-cookies-recipe3.print.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs at room temperature
2/3 cup good unsweetened cocoa
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds good white chocolate, coarsely chopped
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Cream the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the vanilla, then the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix well. Add the cocoa and mix again. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt and add to the chocolate with the mixer on low speed until just combined. Fold in the chopped white chocolate.
Drop the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, using a 1 3/4-inch ice cream scoop or a rounded tablespoon. Dampen your hands and flatten the dough slightly. Bake for exactly 15 minutes (the cookies will seem underdone). Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
KATHARINE HEPBURN'S BROWNIES
This came in a recent New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. It begins, “Much like its author, this recipe is a no-fuss classic. It calls for just 1/4 cup of flour, which yields an incredibly rich and gooey brownie, and it's super easy to make. So easy, in fact, that baking a batch of these might just become part of your weekend routine.” Time: about 45 minutes; makes 12 brownies
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 cup chopped or broken-up walnuts or pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
Preparation
Heat oven to 325 degrees.
Melt butter in saucepan with cocoa and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour, nuts and salt. Add to the cocoa-butter mixture. Stir until just combined.
Pour into a greased 8 x 8-inch-square pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Do not overbake; the brownies should be gooey. Let cool, then cut into bars.
LAZY CHICKEN
This recipe from Tablespoon.com's e-newsletter, begins, “A healthy one pot dish with summer vegetables and chicken. Serve this right from the pan...it's lazy chicken after all.” Prep Time: 10 min; Total Time: 30 min; Makes 4 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 pound chicken breasts, cut into one-inch cubes
2 red potatoes, sliced thinly
1 small white onion, thinly sliced
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced into disks
1 -2 teaspoons steak seasoning
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 (14.5 ounce) can Muir Glen™ organic fire roasted crushed or diced tomatoes
10 basil leaves, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
Salt and pepper
Directions
In an oven safe skillet, sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and brown on medium high heat for a couple of minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Add olive oil to the pan. Layer the sliced potatoes and onions in the pan and sprinkle with half of the steak seasoning. Cook potatoes and onions in a thin layer until brown, turning as little as possible to get a nice sear.
Add chicken broth to the pan. Spread zucchini in a thin layer on top of the potatoes and onion. Sprinkle zucchini with the remaining steak seasoning.
Place chicken in an even layer over the zucchini. Pour tomatoes evenly over the chicken. Sprinkle tomatoes with the oregano and basil. Cover and cook until the veggies and chicken are completely done.
Sprinkle with cheese and place under the broiler until cheese melts or starts to brown. You could also just cover the pan with a lid on the stove to melt the cheese.
Serve right away.
BUTTERMILK ROAST CHICKEN
This came from Nigella Lawson in a recent New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. It begins, “Roast a chicken and you know you have a comfortable meal. Alter that a little by butterflying the chicken, a surprisingly simple task that can be carried out with a pair of kitchen scissors, and you have a quick dinner that carries with it the casual air of barbecue, without the bother. Here, buttermilk, which is usually associated with fried chicken, helps to tenderize the chicken and conveys the aromatics: you really get the full value of the rosemary, pepper and garlic. If you want to substitute maple syrup for the honey, you can. Best of all, you can leave the marinating bird in the fridge for up to two days; thus, it gets more tender and you know you have a dinner that needs no more than to be popped into the oven.” Makes 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 4-pound chicken
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
1 tablespoon crushed black peppercorns
1 tablespoon Maldon or other sea salt
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon honey
Preparation
Butterfly chicken by placing breast side down and using heavy-duty kitchen shears to cut along both sides of backbone. Discard backbone, turn chicken over and open it like a book. Press gently to flatten it.
Place chicken in a large freezer bag. Add buttermilk, 1/4 cup oil, garlic, peppercorns, salt, rosemary and honey. Seal bag securely and refrigerate overnight or up to two days.
Heat oven to 400 degrees.Remove chicken from marinade and place on a rack so excess can drip off. Line a roasting pan with foil and place chicken in pan. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Roast for 45 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 degrees. Continue roasting until well browned and until juices run clear when chicken is pierced where leg joins thigh,about another 20 minutes.
Place chicken on a carving board and allow to rest for 10 minutes before cutting into serving pieces. Place a portion on each of four plates, and drizzle each serving with pan juices.
MEZZI RIGATONI WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND SPICY SAUSAGEbr />
This wonderful recipe is from Giada De Laurentiis, star of The Food Network's Giada At Home, and posted on The Today Show's cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “Need to put dinner on the table but the fridge and pantry are looking scarce? You're in luck because Giada De Laurentiis has two delicious meals that only use five simple ingredients. Here, the celebrity chef is sharing two great five-ingredient recipes: mezzi rigatoni with butternut squash and spicy sausage, plus flat iron steak with piquillo pepper pesto.”
To view this online, go to http://www.today.com/recipes/mezzi-rigatoni-butternut-squash-spicy-sausage-t64641
Ingredients
1 pound mezzi rigatoni pasta
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons for finishing
1 pound spicy Italian sausage, casing removed
1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/3 inch pieces
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 cups roughly chopped baby arugula
Preparation
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until just al dente. Drain well reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon into bite sized pieces, until the sausage is cooked though. Add the diced squash to the pan and stir to combine. Add the water and season with the salt. Using the wooden spoon, make sure all of the squash is submerged. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the squash is tender and the liquid has reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the cooked pasta and 3/4 cup parmesan. Stir vigorously to combine, breaking up the squash slightly as you go and thinning with pasta water as needed until the pasta is coated in a light and creamy sauce. Stir in the arugula and the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Cook just until the arugula is wilted. Serve topped with the remaining Parmesan.
PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE MUG CAKES
This comes from the Tablespoon e-newsletter, and starts off, “Mmmm, pumpkin! Transform this fall coffee-house favorite into a cake that can be baked in your microwave in just two minutes.” Prep Time: 4 min; Total Time: 7 min; Servings: 2
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 egg
3 tablespoons brewed espresso coffee or very strong coffee, room temperature
1 tablespoon canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup Original Bisquick™ mix
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Pinch of salt
Whipped cream, for serving
Ground cinnamon, for serving
Directions
In small bowl, beat melted butter, egg, espresso and pumpkin with whisk. Add the sugar, Bisquick mix, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Mix until incorporated; batter may be lumpy.
Divide batter between 2 microwavable mugs. Microwave uncovered on High 2 minutes. Cool a few minutes before serving.
Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Friday, February 19, 2016
Friday Recipes
Finally, Friday! Here are six recipes to help you through the weekend. Enjoy!
CHOCOLATE LOAF CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GLAZE
This is from Diana Rattray, About.com's Southern Food expert. Diana wrote, “This chocolate loaf cake is the perfect size for a family dessert, and it is easy to prepare and bake. The cake and the simple glaze are both made with cocoa powder.
“Serve the cake with a scoop of ice cream for an incredibly delicious dessert.” Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Total Time: 75 minutes; Yield: 12 to 16 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1/2 cup (4 ounces) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 5 1/ 2 ounces
3/4 cup milk
Chocolate Glaze
6 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup milk
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
Preparation
Heat the oven to 350° F. Grease and flour a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan or spray with a baking spray (with flour in it).
Beat sugar and butter together until well blended. With the mixer on low speed, add the salt, vanilla extract, baking soda, baking powder, and cocoa. Mix until blended.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add about one-third of the flour and half of the milk and mix on low speed until blended.
Add another one-third of the flour and the remaining milk and mix until well blended. Add the remaining flour and mix until blended. Do not overbeat.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly.
Bake for about 60 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove to a rack to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Carefully remove the cake from the pan and cool completely on a rack.
Glaze the cake with the chocolate glaze (directions below) or frost as desired. Or serve slices with fruit and whipped cream or ice cream.
Chocolate Glaze
Sift the confectioners' sugar into a bowl and set aside.
In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the cocoa powder and milk and continue cooking and stirring until thickened.
Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat and whisk in the confectioners' sugar. Thin with more milk, if needed, or add more confectioners' sugar if a thicker icing is desired.
Spread or drizzle the warm glaze over the cooled cake.
Once the glaze is firm, cover the cake with foil or plastic wrap. Store leftovers at room temperature for up to 3 to 4 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week. The unfrosted cake may be wrapped and frozen or up to 6 months.
ORANGE CHESS PIE
This comes from About.com's Southern Food expert, Diana Rattray. For this recipe, Diana wrote, “This refreshing orange chess pie is an amazing dessert, and it can be enjoyed any time of the year! With fresh orange juice and grated zest and fresh lemon juice, it is bright and bursting with citrus flavor.
“I've included a simple pie crust recipe, but you can use a frozen crust or refrigerated pie dough. Follow the instructions for partially baking a pie crust.” Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 65 minutes; Total Time: 95 minutes; Yield: 8 Servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Pie Crust (or use a purchased 9-inch pie shell)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 ounces chilled butter, cut in small pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 scant teaspoon granulated sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons of ice water
Filling
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons milk
finely grated zest of 1 orange
1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (about half of a lemon)
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
Preparation
Pie Crust
Put the 1 1/4 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of sugar in a food processor and pulse to blend. Add half of the chilled butter pieces and pulse 5 or 6 times. Add the remaining chilled butter pieces and pulse another 5 or 6 times. You should have visible pieces of butter in the mixture with some the size of peas.
Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of the ice water over the flour and pulse a few times.
Add more water, about 2 to 3 teaspoons at a time, pulsing a couple of times after each addition. When the mixture begins to clump together, turn it out onto a floured surface.
With your hands, knead just enough to shape the dough into a disk. Overworking the dough can cause shrinkage when the pie is pre-baked, so handle it as little as possible.
Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 45 minutes.
Heat the oven to 375° F.
Roll the disk out into a 12-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick. Keep checking and adding flour to the work surface if you notice any sticking.
Fit the pastry into the pie plate and crimp the edge as desired.
Line the pastry with parchment paper or foil and fill about 2/3 full with pie weights or dried beans.
Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment or foil with the pie weights. Prick the dough all over, and then bake for about 5 minutes longer, or just until you begin to see a little color. Remove the crust to a rack and reduce the oven temperature to 350° F.
Orange Filling
In a mixing bowl combine the 1 1/2 cups of sugar, 1 tablespoon of flour, cornmeal, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 6 tablespoons of melted butter, the milk, orange zest and juice, the lemon juice, and the lightly beaten eggs. Beat with an electric mixer until well blended.
Pour the orange filling mixture into the partially baked pie crust. Bake at 350° F for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until set. Check the pie for browning after about 20 to 25 minutes. If necessary, put a pie shield or homemade foil ring over the edges of the crust to prevent over-browning.
Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool on a rack. Chill before serving.
Serve this pie with freshly whipped cream or thawed whipped topping.
POTATO CAVATELLI
This comes from Kim Severson in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. Kim wrote, “These are an easy, homey version of handmade pasta that freeze well. They are sturdier and more toothsome than gnocchi but have more character than dried cavatelli. It takes a little practice to get the flip of the indentation just right, but once you get the feel for it you can turn out enough for dinner quickly. They hold up well under a heavy tomato ragù, but also take well to a simple sauce of butter, a little pasta water and Parmesan or pecorino. This recipe is easy to double, too, which leaves plenty to freeze for another night. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet dusted in flour, then store in a zippered plastic bag.” Time: 45 minutes; makes 6 servings as a first course, 4 as a main course.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 large russet potatoes
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup neutral oil, like canola
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 eggs
3 cups flour/450 grams, plus more for rolling
Preparation
Boil potatoes unpeeled and send through a ricer to make 2 cups. Alternately, peel and boil, then mash. Mix in butter and milk. Let cool.
In a sturdy bowl, using a stand mixer with a dough hook, or a wooden spoon or your hands, mix potatoes, oil, salt and eggs until smooth. Work in 2 cups flour, gradually adding more until dough is stiff and not sticky. (The amount of flour needed can vary greatly.)
Pinch off a ball of dough, roll into a rope about an inch in diameter and cut into 3/4-inch dumplings. On a floured surface, press your thumb against the cut side of each dumpling and press down and away, so the dough flattens and flips up over your thumb. The result should look like a miniature hot dog bun.
In boiling salted water, cook cavatelli, stirring once or twice as soon as you put them in, for about 5 minutes or until they rise to the top. Alternately, put them in a single layer on a baking sheet, then store in the freezer in a plastic bag. Dumplings will take about 10 to 12 minutes to cook. Top with tomato sauce, pesto or butter and Parmesan.
MEZZI RIGATONI WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND SPICY SAUSAGEbr />
This wonderful recipe is from Giada De Laurentiis, star of The Food Network's Giada At Home, and posted on The Today Show's cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “Need to put dinner on the table but the fridge and pantry are looking scarce? You're in luck because Giada De Laurentiis has two delicious meals that only use five simple ingredients. Here, the celebrity chef is sharing two great five-ingredient recipes: mezzi rigatoni with butternut squash and spicy sausage, plus flat iron steak with piquillo pepper pesto.”
To view this online, go to http://www.today.com/recipes/mezzi-rigatoni-butternut-squash-spicy-sausage-t64641
Ingredients
1 pound mezzi rigatoni pasta
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons for finishing
1 pound spicy Italian sausage, casing removed
1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/3 inch pieces
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 cups roughly chopped baby arugula
Preparation
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until just al dente. Drain well reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon into bite sized pieces, until the sausage is cooked though. Add the diced squash to the pan and stir to combine. Add the water and season with the salt. Using the wooden spoon, make sure all of the squash is submerged. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the squash is tender and the liquid has reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the cooked pasta and 3/4 cup parmesan. Stir vigorously to combine, breaking up the squash slightly as you go and thinning with pasta water as needed until the pasta is coated in a light and creamy sauce. Stir in the arugula and the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Cook just until the arugula is wilted. Serve topped with the remaining Parmesan.
BUTTERNUT ROAST CHICKEN
This comes from Nigella Lawson in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “Roast a chicken and you know you have a comfortable meal. Alter that a little by butterflying the chicken, a surprisingly simple task that can be carried out with a pair of kitchen scissors, and you have a quick dinner that carries with it the casual air of barbecue, without the bother. Here, buttermilk, which is usually associated with fried chicken, helps to tenderize the chicken and conveys the aromatics: you really get the full value of the rosemary, pepper and garlic. If you want to substitute maple syrup for the honey, you can. Best of all, you can leave the marinating bird in the fridge for up to two days; thus, it gets more tender and you know you have a dinner that needs no more than to be popped into the oven.” Makes 4 servings.
To view this online, go to http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/7264-buttermilk-roast-chicken.
Ingredients
1 4-pound chicken
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
1 tablespoon crushed black peppercorns
1 tablespoon Maldon or other sea salt
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon honey
Preparation
Butterfly chicken by placing breast side down and using heavy-duty kitchen shears to cut along both sides of backbone. Discard backbone, turn chicken over and open it like a book. Press gently to flatten it.
Place chicken in a large freezer bag. Add buttermilk, 1/4 cup oil, garlic, peppercorns, salt, rosemary and honey. Seal bag securely and refrigerate overnight or up to two days.
Heat oven to 400 degrees.Remove chicken from marinade and place on a rack so excess can drip off. Line a roasting pan with foil and place chicken in pan. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Roast for 45 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 degrees. Continue roasting until well browned and until juices run clear when chicken is pierced where leg joins thigh,about another 20 minutes.
Place chicken on a carving board and allow to rest for 10 minutes before cutting into serving pieces. Place a portion on each of four plates, and drizzle each serving with pan juices.
SIMPLE PERFECT ENCHILADAS
This comes from The Food Network's Ree Drummond. Total Time: 1 hour; Prep: 20 minutes; Cook: 40 minutes; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Easy.
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/simple-perfect-enchiladas-recipe.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
Sauce:
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
One 28-ounce can enchilada or Mexican red sauce
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Meat:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
Two 4-ounce cans diced green chiles
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 to 14 corn tortillas
Canola oil, for frying
1/2 cup chopped black olives
1 cup chopped green onions
3 cups grated sharp Cheddar
Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Beans and/or rice, for serving
Directions
For the sauce: In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the canola oil and flour. Whisk together and allow to bubble for 1 minute. Pour in the red sauce, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.
For the meat: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil. Brown the ground beef with the onions. Drain the fat, and then add the green chiles. Add the salt and stir to combine. Turn off the heat and set aside.
In a small skillet over medium heat, lightly fry the tortillas in canola oil just until soft. Do not crisp. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat until all the tortillas have been fried.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Dip each tortilla into the sauce. Set the sauce-soaked tortillas on a cookie sheet. Onto each tortilla, place some of the meat mixture, black olives and green onions. Top with a generous portion of grated Cheddar. Roll up the tortilla to contain the filling inside.
Place the tortilla seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas. Stir the cilantro into the sauce and ladle a little sauce over the top. End with a generous sprinkling of cheese. Bake the enchiladas until bubbly, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle extra chopped cilantro over the top. Serve with beans and/or rice.
CHOCOLATE LOAF CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GLAZE
This is from Diana Rattray, About.com's Southern Food expert. Diana wrote, “This chocolate loaf cake is the perfect size for a family dessert, and it is easy to prepare and bake. The cake and the simple glaze are both made with cocoa powder.
“Serve the cake with a scoop of ice cream for an incredibly delicious dessert.” Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Total Time: 75 minutes; Yield: 12 to 16 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1/2 cup (4 ounces) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 5 1/ 2 ounces
3/4 cup milk
Chocolate Glaze
6 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup milk
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
Preparation
Heat the oven to 350° F. Grease and flour a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan or spray with a baking spray (with flour in it).
Beat sugar and butter together until well blended. With the mixer on low speed, add the salt, vanilla extract, baking soda, baking powder, and cocoa. Mix until blended.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add about one-third of the flour and half of the milk and mix on low speed until blended.
Add another one-third of the flour and the remaining milk and mix until well blended. Add the remaining flour and mix until blended. Do not overbeat.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly.
Bake for about 60 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove to a rack to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Carefully remove the cake from the pan and cool completely on a rack.
Glaze the cake with the chocolate glaze (directions below) or frost as desired. Or serve slices with fruit and whipped cream or ice cream.
Chocolate Glaze
Sift the confectioners' sugar into a bowl and set aside.
In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the cocoa powder and milk and continue cooking and stirring until thickened.
Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat and whisk in the confectioners' sugar. Thin with more milk, if needed, or add more confectioners' sugar if a thicker icing is desired.
Spread or drizzle the warm glaze over the cooled cake.
Once the glaze is firm, cover the cake with foil or plastic wrap. Store leftovers at room temperature for up to 3 to 4 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week. The unfrosted cake may be wrapped and frozen or up to 6 months.
ORANGE CHESS PIE
This comes from About.com's Southern Food expert, Diana Rattray. For this recipe, Diana wrote, “This refreshing orange chess pie is an amazing dessert, and it can be enjoyed any time of the year! With fresh orange juice and grated zest and fresh lemon juice, it is bright and bursting with citrus flavor.
“I've included a simple pie crust recipe, but you can use a frozen crust or refrigerated pie dough. Follow the instructions for partially baking a pie crust.” Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 65 minutes; Total Time: 95 minutes; Yield: 8 Servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Pie Crust (or use a purchased 9-inch pie shell)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 ounces chilled butter, cut in small pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 scant teaspoon granulated sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons of ice water
Filling
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons milk
finely grated zest of 1 orange
1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (about half of a lemon)
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
Preparation
Pie Crust
Put the 1 1/4 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of sugar in a food processor and pulse to blend. Add half of the chilled butter pieces and pulse 5 or 6 times. Add the remaining chilled butter pieces and pulse another 5 or 6 times. You should have visible pieces of butter in the mixture with some the size of peas.
Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of the ice water over the flour and pulse a few times.
Add more water, about 2 to 3 teaspoons at a time, pulsing a couple of times after each addition. When the mixture begins to clump together, turn it out onto a floured surface.
With your hands, knead just enough to shape the dough into a disk. Overworking the dough can cause shrinkage when the pie is pre-baked, so handle it as little as possible.
Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 45 minutes.
Heat the oven to 375° F.
Roll the disk out into a 12-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick. Keep checking and adding flour to the work surface if you notice any sticking.
Fit the pastry into the pie plate and crimp the edge as desired.
Line the pastry with parchment paper or foil and fill about 2/3 full with pie weights or dried beans.
Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment or foil with the pie weights. Prick the dough all over, and then bake for about 5 minutes longer, or just until you begin to see a little color. Remove the crust to a rack and reduce the oven temperature to 350° F.
Orange Filling
In a mixing bowl combine the 1 1/2 cups of sugar, 1 tablespoon of flour, cornmeal, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 6 tablespoons of melted butter, the milk, orange zest and juice, the lemon juice, and the lightly beaten eggs. Beat with an electric mixer until well blended.
Pour the orange filling mixture into the partially baked pie crust. Bake at 350° F for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until set. Check the pie for browning after about 20 to 25 minutes. If necessary, put a pie shield or homemade foil ring over the edges of the crust to prevent over-browning.
Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool on a rack. Chill before serving.
Serve this pie with freshly whipped cream or thawed whipped topping.
POTATO CAVATELLI
This comes from Kim Severson in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. Kim wrote, “These are an easy, homey version of handmade pasta that freeze well. They are sturdier and more toothsome than gnocchi but have more character than dried cavatelli. It takes a little practice to get the flip of the indentation just right, but once you get the feel for it you can turn out enough for dinner quickly. They hold up well under a heavy tomato ragù, but also take well to a simple sauce of butter, a little pasta water and Parmesan or pecorino. This recipe is easy to double, too, which leaves plenty to freeze for another night. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet dusted in flour, then store in a zippered plastic bag.” Time: 45 minutes; makes 6 servings as a first course, 4 as a main course.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 large russet potatoes
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup neutral oil, like canola
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 eggs
3 cups flour/450 grams, plus more for rolling
Preparation
Boil potatoes unpeeled and send through a ricer to make 2 cups. Alternately, peel and boil, then mash. Mix in butter and milk. Let cool.
In a sturdy bowl, using a stand mixer with a dough hook, or a wooden spoon or your hands, mix potatoes, oil, salt and eggs until smooth. Work in 2 cups flour, gradually adding more until dough is stiff and not sticky. (The amount of flour needed can vary greatly.)
Pinch off a ball of dough, roll into a rope about an inch in diameter and cut into 3/4-inch dumplings. On a floured surface, press your thumb against the cut side of each dumpling and press down and away, so the dough flattens and flips up over your thumb. The result should look like a miniature hot dog bun.
In boiling salted water, cook cavatelli, stirring once or twice as soon as you put them in, for about 5 minutes or until they rise to the top. Alternately, put them in a single layer on a baking sheet, then store in the freezer in a plastic bag. Dumplings will take about 10 to 12 minutes to cook. Top with tomato sauce, pesto or butter and Parmesan.
MEZZI RIGATONI WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND SPICY SAUSAGEbr />
This wonderful recipe is from Giada De Laurentiis, star of The Food Network's Giada At Home, and posted on The Today Show's cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “Need to put dinner on the table but the fridge and pantry are looking scarce? You're in luck because Giada De Laurentiis has two delicious meals that only use five simple ingredients. Here, the celebrity chef is sharing two great five-ingredient recipes: mezzi rigatoni with butternut squash and spicy sausage, plus flat iron steak with piquillo pepper pesto.”
To view this online, go to http://www.today.com/recipes/mezzi-rigatoni-butternut-squash-spicy-sausage-t64641
Ingredients
1 pound mezzi rigatoni pasta
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons for finishing
1 pound spicy Italian sausage, casing removed
1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/3 inch pieces
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 cups roughly chopped baby arugula
Preparation
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until just al dente. Drain well reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon into bite sized pieces, until the sausage is cooked though. Add the diced squash to the pan and stir to combine. Add the water and season with the salt. Using the wooden spoon, make sure all of the squash is submerged. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the squash is tender and the liquid has reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the cooked pasta and 3/4 cup parmesan. Stir vigorously to combine, breaking up the squash slightly as you go and thinning with pasta water as needed until the pasta is coated in a light and creamy sauce. Stir in the arugula and the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Cook just until the arugula is wilted. Serve topped with the remaining Parmesan.
BUTTERNUT ROAST CHICKEN
This comes from Nigella Lawson in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “Roast a chicken and you know you have a comfortable meal. Alter that a little by butterflying the chicken, a surprisingly simple task that can be carried out with a pair of kitchen scissors, and you have a quick dinner that carries with it the casual air of barbecue, without the bother. Here, buttermilk, which is usually associated with fried chicken, helps to tenderize the chicken and conveys the aromatics: you really get the full value of the rosemary, pepper and garlic. If you want to substitute maple syrup for the honey, you can. Best of all, you can leave the marinating bird in the fridge for up to two days; thus, it gets more tender and you know you have a dinner that needs no more than to be popped into the oven.” Makes 4 servings.
To view this online, go to http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/7264-buttermilk-roast-chicken.
Ingredients
1 4-pound chicken
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
1 tablespoon crushed black peppercorns
1 tablespoon Maldon or other sea salt
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon honey
Preparation
Butterfly chicken by placing breast side down and using heavy-duty kitchen shears to cut along both sides of backbone. Discard backbone, turn chicken over and open it like a book. Press gently to flatten it.
Place chicken in a large freezer bag. Add buttermilk, 1/4 cup oil, garlic, peppercorns, salt, rosemary and honey. Seal bag securely and refrigerate overnight or up to two days.
Heat oven to 400 degrees.Remove chicken from marinade and place on a rack so excess can drip off. Line a roasting pan with foil and place chicken in pan. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Roast for 45 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 degrees. Continue roasting until well browned and until juices run clear when chicken is pierced where leg joins thigh,about another 20 minutes.
Place chicken on a carving board and allow to rest for 10 minutes before cutting into serving pieces. Place a portion on each of four plates, and drizzle each serving with pan juices.
SIMPLE PERFECT ENCHILADAS
This comes from The Food Network's Ree Drummond. Total Time: 1 hour; Prep: 20 minutes; Cook: 40 minutes; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Easy.
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/simple-perfect-enchiladas-recipe.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
Sauce:
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
One 28-ounce can enchilada or Mexican red sauce
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Meat:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
Two 4-ounce cans diced green chiles
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 to 14 corn tortillas
Canola oil, for frying
1/2 cup chopped black olives
1 cup chopped green onions
3 cups grated sharp Cheddar
Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Beans and/or rice, for serving
Directions
For the sauce: In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the canola oil and flour. Whisk together and allow to bubble for 1 minute. Pour in the red sauce, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.
For the meat: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil. Brown the ground beef with the onions. Drain the fat, and then add the green chiles. Add the salt and stir to combine. Turn off the heat and set aside.
In a small skillet over medium heat, lightly fry the tortillas in canola oil just until soft. Do not crisp. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat until all the tortillas have been fried.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Dip each tortilla into the sauce. Set the sauce-soaked tortillas on a cookie sheet. Onto each tortilla, place some of the meat mixture, black olives and green onions. Top with a generous portion of grated Cheddar. Roll up the tortilla to contain the filling inside.
Place the tortilla seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas. Stir the cilantro into the sauce and ladle a little sauce over the top. End with a generous sprinkling of cheese. Bake the enchiladas until bubbly, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle extra chopped cilantro over the top. Serve with beans and/or rice.
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Wednesday Recipes
Enjoy!
PINK VELVET CHEESECAKE SWIRL BROWNIES
This comes from the Tablespoon e-newsletter. It begins, “These colorful pink brownies are definitely not brown – or boring!” Prep Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 4 hours 0 minutes; Makes 24 servings.
To view this online, along with a step by step photographic tutorial, click here.
Ingredients
1 Betty Crocker™ SuperMoist™ Cake Mix white
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg
1 teaspoon chocolate extract
2 tablespoons milk or water, plus 2 more tablespoons
1 teaspoon Betty Crocker™ gel food color Neon Pink
1 (8 oz.) block cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 325ºF.
Line a 9x13-inch pan with non-stick tin foil or with parchment paper and spray with baking spray. Combine cake mix, melted butter, egg, chocolate extract, 2 tablespoons milk and pink food coloring in a mixing bowl. Stir until combined.
Reserve 1/2 cup of batter, then pour the rest into prepared pan. Spread batter in a thin layer in bottom of pan. Stir the remaining 2 tablespoons milk into reserved batter, thinning it out.
Stir together cream cheese and sugar (or pulse in a food processor). Add egg and vanilla extract and stir until smooth. Pour cheesecake filling over the brownie batter. Drizzle the reserved pink batter over cheesecake, then swirl using a fork or knife.
Bake uncovered for 18 minutes. Remove and cover pan with tin foil. Return to oven for 6-8 more minutes. The center will still jiggle slightly and will firm up as it cools.
Cool at room temperature for about an hour, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
When ready to serve, cut into 24 squares. Store any extras in refrigerator.
30-MINUTE PIZZA PASTA SKILLET
This comes from the Tablespoon e-newsletter, and begins, “Ready, set, go! Pizza flavors wrap up a skillet meal in just 30 minutes!” Prep Time: 30 min; Total Time: 30 min; Makes 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1/2 lb. lean ground beef
2 oz. (1/2 cup) sliced pepperoni, chopped
1 (14-oz.) jar spaghetti sauce (2 cups)
3/4 cup water
7 oz. (2 cups) uncooked ready-cut spaghetti
1/4 cup sliced ripe olives
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into bite-sized strips
4 oz. (1 cup) shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
Brown ground beef in large skillet over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked. Add pepperoni; cook 1 minute. Drain.
Stir in spaghetti sauce, water and uncooked spaghetti. Bring to a boil; stir. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook 10 to 15 minutes or until spaghetti is of desired doneness, stirring occasionally.
Add olives; stir gently to mix. Arrange pepper strips over top. Sprinkle with cheese. Remove from heat. Cover; let stand 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
ONE-POT CHEESY CHICKEN ENCHILADA PASTA
This also comes from the Tablespoon e-newsletter. It begins, “Can't decide between enchiladas and pasta tonight? Satisfy both desires with this quick and easy 30-minute meal.” Prep Time: 30 min; Total Time: 30 min; Makes 6 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1/2 lb uncooked medium pasta shells
1 can (14.5 oz) Muir Glen™ organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (10 oz) Old El Paso™ mild enchilada sauce
2 cups water
1 bunch thinly sliced green onions, greens and whites separated
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 can (15 oz) Progresso™ black beans, drained, rinsed
1 can (11 oz) Green Giant™ SteamCrisp™ Niblets™ whole kernel sweet corn, drained
2 cups finely chopped deli rotisserie chicken
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (8 oz)
Chopped fresh cilantro, lime wedges and sour cream, if desired
Directions
In large colander, rinse and drain uncooked pasta. In 4-quart saucepan, mix pasta, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, water, green onion whites and chili powder. Heat to boiling over high heat; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 14 to 16 minutes, stirring frequently, until pasta is tender; do not drain.
Stir in beans, corn and chicken; return to simmering. Cook 2 minutes longer to combine flavors. Remove from heat; stir in cheese.
Top with green onion greens. Serve with cilantro, lime wedges and sour cream.
RICE PUDDING IN A MUG
This comes from The Kitchn's e-newsletters. I love the site, as well as its sibling site, Apartment Therapy. If you haven't checked out these two sites, and/or signed up for their e-newsletters, you should!
This recipe serves 2, and can be viewed online by clicking here.
1 large egg
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch salt
1 1/2 cups cooked rice, any kind
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg and sugar until light and fluffy. Whisk in the milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cooked rice, and stir until well-combined. Divide the mixture between two tall mugs. Microwave on full power for 2 to 4 minutes, until the pudding has set. (Cooking time will vary greatly depending on your microwave and the width and depth of the mug. Start with 2 minutes and continue cooking in 30-second increments until it is done.)
Carefully remove the mugs from the microwave and let them stand for a minute or two before serving. If you like, top each pudding with an extra sprinkle of cinnamon, citrus zest, raisins, or whipped cream.
VEGETARIAN CHILI WITH CORN BREAD TOPPING
This comes from Nigella Lawson in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. Nigella wrote, “The idea behind this spicy, all-vegetable chili is ease: It’s easily made on a weekend, a meditative wintry afternoon in the kitchen, chopping and stirring. Then, on a weeknight made even shorter by commuting and homework, concoct an easy corn bread topping, spread it on the chili and bake it for a while. It’s healthy, filling food.” Time: 1 hour 35 minutes; makes 8 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Chili
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups red bell peppers (about 2 large peppers), finely diced
2 teaspoons hot red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
1 1/2 cups red lentils
3 cups canned chopped tomatoes
3 1/2 cups drained canned kidney beans
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
For The Corn Bread Topping:
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups cornmeal
2 tablespoons flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup butter milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup coarsely grated Cheddar cheese
For Serving:
2 cups sour cream
1 cup chopped cilantro
Preparation
To prepare chili, heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a deep, wide pan with a lid. Add onions, garlic and bell peppers, and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in red pepper flakes, coriander, cumin and cardamom pods. Stir in lentils.
Add chopped tomatoes, kidney beans, ketchup, tomato paste, cocoa and 3 cups water. Stir well. Cover, and simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture is thickened and beans are tender, about 45 minutes. Chili can be made ahead to this point and topping added later. (In that case, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days, bringing to room temperature before proceeding.)
For corn bread topping, heat oven to 425 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine salt, cornmeal, flour, baking powder and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, honey and oil. Pour liquid ingredients into dry; stir until combined.
Pour chili into a baking dish 13 by 9 by 3 inches. Spread corn bread topping evenly over chili, and sprinkle cheese on topping. Bake until topping has risen and turned golden brown, about 25 minutes.
Remove from oven, and let chili stand about 5 minutes. To serve, cut into squares, and pass sour cream and cilantro at the table.
CHEWY FUDGE BROWNIES
This comes from Alex Witchel in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. Alex wrote, “These brownies must sit for some time before they reach their deeply fudgy peak. They are a perfect midweek recipe to yield a weekend's dessert, though in truth they'll be ready after only a night's rest. Once they've matured, you end up with a mystifying brownie that is firm to the bite yet melting in the mouth. Walnuts contribute crunch if you like that sort of thing. They are entirely optional.” Makes 24 brownies.
To view these online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan
1 1/2 cups walnut halves (optional)
9 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped or broken into small pieces
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13-by-9-inch glass baking pan. If using walnuts, spread on a baking sheet and toast in oven until fragrant and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool.
Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat, add chocolate, and cover pan until chocolate is melted, about 10 minutes. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, salt, sugar and vanilla just until thick, creamy and beginning to lighten in color.
Whisk the butter and chocolate until smooth, then mix into the sugar-egg mixture just until well combined. Using a spatula, fold in the flour, using as few strokes as possible, until it disappears. Fold in the walnuts, if using. Spread the batter evenly in the baking pan.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, checking after 22 minutes to avoid over-baking. When the tip of a knife inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs, but not liquid, remove brownies from the oven. Allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and leave in the pan for several hours or overnight before cutting into squares. Store in an airtight container.
PINK VELVET CHEESECAKE SWIRL BROWNIES
This comes from the Tablespoon e-newsletter. It begins, “These colorful pink brownies are definitely not brown – or boring!” Prep Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 4 hours 0 minutes; Makes 24 servings.
To view this online, along with a step by step photographic tutorial, click here.
Ingredients
1 Betty Crocker™ SuperMoist™ Cake Mix white
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg
1 teaspoon chocolate extract
2 tablespoons milk or water, plus 2 more tablespoons
1 teaspoon Betty Crocker™ gel food color Neon Pink
1 (8 oz.) block cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 325ºF.
Line a 9x13-inch pan with non-stick tin foil or with parchment paper and spray with baking spray. Combine cake mix, melted butter, egg, chocolate extract, 2 tablespoons milk and pink food coloring in a mixing bowl. Stir until combined.
Reserve 1/2 cup of batter, then pour the rest into prepared pan. Spread batter in a thin layer in bottom of pan. Stir the remaining 2 tablespoons milk into reserved batter, thinning it out.
Stir together cream cheese and sugar (or pulse in a food processor). Add egg and vanilla extract and stir until smooth. Pour cheesecake filling over the brownie batter. Drizzle the reserved pink batter over cheesecake, then swirl using a fork or knife.
Bake uncovered for 18 minutes. Remove and cover pan with tin foil. Return to oven for 6-8 more minutes. The center will still jiggle slightly and will firm up as it cools.
Cool at room temperature for about an hour, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
When ready to serve, cut into 24 squares. Store any extras in refrigerator.
30-MINUTE PIZZA PASTA SKILLET
This comes from the Tablespoon e-newsletter, and begins, “Ready, set, go! Pizza flavors wrap up a skillet meal in just 30 minutes!” Prep Time: 30 min; Total Time: 30 min; Makes 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1/2 lb. lean ground beef
2 oz. (1/2 cup) sliced pepperoni, chopped
1 (14-oz.) jar spaghetti sauce (2 cups)
3/4 cup water
7 oz. (2 cups) uncooked ready-cut spaghetti
1/4 cup sliced ripe olives
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into bite-sized strips
4 oz. (1 cup) shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
Brown ground beef in large skillet over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked. Add pepperoni; cook 1 minute. Drain.
Stir in spaghetti sauce, water and uncooked spaghetti. Bring to a boil; stir. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook 10 to 15 minutes or until spaghetti is of desired doneness, stirring occasionally.
Add olives; stir gently to mix. Arrange pepper strips over top. Sprinkle with cheese. Remove from heat. Cover; let stand 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
ONE-POT CHEESY CHICKEN ENCHILADA PASTA
This also comes from the Tablespoon e-newsletter. It begins, “Can't decide between enchiladas and pasta tonight? Satisfy both desires with this quick and easy 30-minute meal.” Prep Time: 30 min; Total Time: 30 min; Makes 6 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1/2 lb uncooked medium pasta shells
1 can (14.5 oz) Muir Glen™ organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (10 oz) Old El Paso™ mild enchilada sauce
2 cups water
1 bunch thinly sliced green onions, greens and whites separated
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 can (15 oz) Progresso™ black beans, drained, rinsed
1 can (11 oz) Green Giant™ SteamCrisp™ Niblets™ whole kernel sweet corn, drained
2 cups finely chopped deli rotisserie chicken
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (8 oz)
Chopped fresh cilantro, lime wedges and sour cream, if desired
Directions
In large colander, rinse and drain uncooked pasta. In 4-quart saucepan, mix pasta, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, water, green onion whites and chili powder. Heat to boiling over high heat; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 14 to 16 minutes, stirring frequently, until pasta is tender; do not drain.
Stir in beans, corn and chicken; return to simmering. Cook 2 minutes longer to combine flavors. Remove from heat; stir in cheese.
Top with green onion greens. Serve with cilantro, lime wedges and sour cream.
RICE PUDDING IN A MUG
This comes from The Kitchn's e-newsletters. I love the site, as well as its sibling site, Apartment Therapy. If you haven't checked out these two sites, and/or signed up for their e-newsletters, you should!
This recipe serves 2, and can be viewed online by clicking here.
1 large egg
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch salt
1 1/2 cups cooked rice, any kind
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg and sugar until light and fluffy. Whisk in the milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cooked rice, and stir until well-combined. Divide the mixture between two tall mugs. Microwave on full power for 2 to 4 minutes, until the pudding has set. (Cooking time will vary greatly depending on your microwave and the width and depth of the mug. Start with 2 minutes and continue cooking in 30-second increments until it is done.)
Carefully remove the mugs from the microwave and let them stand for a minute or two before serving. If you like, top each pudding with an extra sprinkle of cinnamon, citrus zest, raisins, or whipped cream.
VEGETARIAN CHILI WITH CORN BREAD TOPPING
This comes from Nigella Lawson in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. Nigella wrote, “The idea behind this spicy, all-vegetable chili is ease: It’s easily made on a weekend, a meditative wintry afternoon in the kitchen, chopping and stirring. Then, on a weeknight made even shorter by commuting and homework, concoct an easy corn bread topping, spread it on the chili and bake it for a while. It’s healthy, filling food.” Time: 1 hour 35 minutes; makes 8 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Chili
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups red bell peppers (about 2 large peppers), finely diced
2 teaspoons hot red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
1 1/2 cups red lentils
3 cups canned chopped tomatoes
3 1/2 cups drained canned kidney beans
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
For The Corn Bread Topping:
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups cornmeal
2 tablespoons flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup butter milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup coarsely grated Cheddar cheese
For Serving:
2 cups sour cream
1 cup chopped cilantro
Preparation
To prepare chili, heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a deep, wide pan with a lid. Add onions, garlic and bell peppers, and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in red pepper flakes, coriander, cumin and cardamom pods. Stir in lentils.
Add chopped tomatoes, kidney beans, ketchup, tomato paste, cocoa and 3 cups water. Stir well. Cover, and simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture is thickened and beans are tender, about 45 minutes. Chili can be made ahead to this point and topping added later. (In that case, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days, bringing to room temperature before proceeding.)
For corn bread topping, heat oven to 425 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine salt, cornmeal, flour, baking powder and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, honey and oil. Pour liquid ingredients into dry; stir until combined.
Pour chili into a baking dish 13 by 9 by 3 inches. Spread corn bread topping evenly over chili, and sprinkle cheese on topping. Bake until topping has risen and turned golden brown, about 25 minutes.
Remove from oven, and let chili stand about 5 minutes. To serve, cut into squares, and pass sour cream and cilantro at the table.
CHEWY FUDGE BROWNIES
This comes from Alex Witchel in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. Alex wrote, “These brownies must sit for some time before they reach their deeply fudgy peak. They are a perfect midweek recipe to yield a weekend's dessert, though in truth they'll be ready after only a night's rest. Once they've matured, you end up with a mystifying brownie that is firm to the bite yet melting in the mouth. Walnuts contribute crunch if you like that sort of thing. They are entirely optional.” Makes 24 brownies.
To view these online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan
1 1/2 cups walnut halves (optional)
9 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped or broken into small pieces
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13-by-9-inch glass baking pan. If using walnuts, spread on a baking sheet and toast in oven until fragrant and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool.
Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat, add chocolate, and cover pan until chocolate is melted, about 10 minutes. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, salt, sugar and vanilla just until thick, creamy and beginning to lighten in color.
Whisk the butter and chocolate until smooth, then mix into the sugar-egg mixture just until well combined. Using a spatula, fold in the flour, using as few strokes as possible, until it disappears. Fold in the walnuts, if using. Spread the batter evenly in the baking pan.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, checking after 22 minutes to avoid over-baking. When the tip of a knife inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs, but not liquid, remove brownies from the oven. Allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and leave in the pan for several hours or overnight before cutting into squares. Store in an airtight container.
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
Tuesday Recipes
Here are today's six yummy recipes. Enjoy!
CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE MUFFINS
This comes from Danilo Alfaro, About.com's Culinary Arts expert. Danilo wrote, “If you love chocolate, you'll love these chocolate chocolate muffins. We make them with cocoa powder and semi-sweet chocolate chips, so they'll satisfy even the most serious chocoholics.
”The key to these chocolate muffins is, after we fold the chocolate chips into the batter and fill up the muffin pan, we sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top before baking.” Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 35 minutes; Makes 12 to 18 muffins
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups whole milk
2 large eggs, beaten
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus 1/3 cup additional chocolate chips for sprinkling
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
Combine the milk and the melted butter. Then add the oil, and finally whisk in the beaten eggs and stir in the vanilla extract.
Thoroughly grease and flour a muffin pan (or better yet, you can use paper muffin liners).
Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ones and mix no more than ten seconds. The batter should be visibly lumpy. That's OK! It's extremely important not to overmix the batter, or the resulting muffins can be hard or misshapen.
TIP: The dry and wet ingredients, respectively, can be mixed in advance, but as soon as the wet and dry ingredients have been combined with each other, the liquid will activate the baking powder and the batter needs to be baked right away.
With a rubber spatula, gently fold 1 cup of chocolate chips into the batter. Don't overwork the batter.
Carefully spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan (you can use a small ladle or even an ice-cream scoop).
Finally, sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips onto the tops of the muffins, and transfer to the oven immediately.
Bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Remove pan from the oven and let the muffins cool for five minutes in the pan. Then remove the muffins from the pan and let them cool another five minutes on a wire rack.
LEMON-BLUEBERRY POKE CAKE
This comes from the Pure Wow e-newsletter. It begins, “Not every cake has to be some elaborate artistic masterpiece. Sometimes you just want a cake that tastes good and looks pretty and doesn't take an entire afternoon to make. Like this recipe for poke cake. It starts with boxed cake mix and ends with you (and some friends, if you're into sharing) indulging in bite after bite of lemon cake infused with blueberry goodness.” Makes 10 to 12 servings; Time: 50 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 box lemon cake mix, batter prepared (but not baked)
2 cups blueberries
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons lemon zest
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan and line it with parchment paper. Lightly grease the parchment paper.
Pour the prepared lemon cake batter into the pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
While the cake bakes, combine the blueberries, 1/4 cup water and sugar in a small pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat until the mixture becomes juicy, about 5 to 6 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with a small amount of the hot blueberry liquid. Whisk to combine, then pour the cornstarch mixture back into the pot. Continue to simmer until the blueberry mixture thickens slightly, 2 to 3 minutes more. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Let the cake cool for 7 minutes. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes into the cake, leaving at least 3/4 inch between each hole.
Pour the warm blueberry syrup over the cake. Use a spatula to spread it evenly and also encourage it into the holes. Cool the cake completely.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Add the confectioners' sugar and lemon zest and then whip to medium peaks.
Spread the whipped cream evenly over the cooled cake. To serve, slice into squares. If not serving immediately, cover and refrigerate. The cake will keep for 2 days.
TEX-MEX STUFFED PEPPERS WITH GROUND BEEF AND BEANS
This comes from Diana Rattray, About.com's Southern Food expert. Diana writes, “These Tex-Mex stuffed peppers have loads of flavor, with refried beans, tomatillo salsa, and ground beef. The tasty filling for the peppers is similar to a burrito filling.
“The refried beans, ground beef, corn, and rice are seasoned with several Tex-Mex seasonings and the peppers are topped with Mexican cheese before they are finished baking. Spice them up with a bit of cayenne pepper or finely chopped jalapeno peppers, or use shredded pepper jack cheese for the topping.” Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Total Time: 80 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
4 medium bell peppers (Use more than one color - red, green, yellow, and/or orange)
1/2 pound lean ground beef (see variations, below)
1/3 cup finely chopped onions
1 can (16 ounces) refried beans, regular or fat free
1 cup whole kernel corn, drained, thawed if frozen
3/4 cup Rosarita green tomatillo salsa
1/2 cup cooked rice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup enchilada sauce or tomato salsa, optional
shredded Cheddar cheese or Mexican-style blend
Preparation
Heat the oven to 350° F. Line a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan with foil.
Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise, from the top of the stem to the bottom; remove and discard seeds and membranes.
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the bell peppers to the water and boil for 3 minutes. Remove them from the water and place them on paper towels, cut sides down, to drain.
In medium skillet, brown the ground beef with the chopped onions. Add the refried beans, tomatillo salsa, rice, parsley, garlic powder, chili powder, and cumin; simmer until mixture is hot and bubbly. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.
Arrange the peppers cut-side up in the prepared baking dish. Fill each pepper with the ground beef mixture.
Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake the stuffed peppers in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes.
Uncover the baking pan and top each stuffed pepper with a few tablespoons of enchilada sauce, taco sauce, or tomato salsa, if desired, and then top with the shredded cheese. Continue baking until the cheese has melted.
Serve with additional tomatillo salsa or tomato salsa, if desired.
CRAIG CLAIBORNE'S SMOTHERED CHICKEN
This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, “Craig Claiborne was a child of Mississippi who started as food editor of The Times in 1957 and did as much as anyone to help bring home cooking into the spotlight. The dish “belongs in the ‘comfort’ category,” he wrote in 1983, “a food that gives solace to the spirit when you dine on it.” You could give your smothered chicken some European flair with mushrooms and small onions in the gravy, as Claiborne did in his experiments with Pierre Franey, then his kitchen co-pilot. Or you could send yourself south to the Creole tastes of the Delta, with a blend of tomatoes, chopped celery, onion and green peppers added to the sauce. But sometimes the easiest way is the best. Try it.” Time: 1 hour 20 minutes; Makes 4 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 chicken, about 3 1/2 pounds, spatchcocked (split down the backbone, breast left intact and unsplit)
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth, ideally homemade
Preparation
Craig Claiborne believed a cast-iron skillet to be essential for the authentic preparation of this dish. Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Select a skillet large enough to hold the chicken comfortably when it is opened up, as for broiling. Fold wings under to secure them.
Melt the butter in the pan and add the chicken, skin side down. Cover chicken with a plate that will fit comfortably inside the skillet. Place a heavy can, stone or brick on top of the plate to weigh it down. Cook over low heat, checking the chicken skin, until it is nicely browned, about 25 minutes.
Remove weight and plate. Turn chicken so skin side is up. Replace plate and weight and continue cooking for about 15 minutes more.
Remove chicken and pour off fat from the skillet, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan. Add the flour to the fat, stirring with a wire whisk over medium heat. Gradually add the chicken broth and, when thickened, return chicken to the skillet, skin side up. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover with the plate and weight and continue cooking over low heat about 20 to 30 minutes longer or until the meat is exceptionally tender. Spoon the sauce over it.
Cut chicken into serving pieces, and serve with the sauce and fluffy rice on the side.
CHOCOLATE LOAF CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GLAZE
This is from Diana Rattray, About.com's Southern Food expert. Diana wrote, “This chocolate loaf cake is the perfect size for a family dessert, and it is easy to prepare and bake. The cake and the simple glaze are both made with cocoa powder.
“Serve the cake with a scoop of ice cream for an incredibly delicious dessert.” Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Total Time: 75 minutes; Yield: 12 to 16 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1/2 cup (4 ounces) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 5 1/ 2 ounces
3/4 cup milk
Chocolate Glaze
6 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup milk
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
Preparation
Heat the oven to 350° F. Grease and flour a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan or spray with a baking spray (with flour in it).
Beat sugar and butter together until well blended. With the mixer on low speed, add the salt, vanilla extract, baking soda, baking powder, and cocoa. Mix until blended.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add about one-third of the flour and half of the milk and mix on low speed until blended.
Add another one-third of the flour and the remaining milk and mix until well blended. Add the remaining flour and mix until blended. Do not overbeat.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly.
Bake for about 60 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove to a rack to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Carefully remove the cake from the pan and cool completely on a rack.
Glaze the cake with the chocolate glaze (directions below) or frost as desired. Or serve slices with fruit and whipped cream or ice cream.
Chocolate Glaze
Sift the confectioners' sugar into a bowl and set aside.
In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the cocoa powder and milk and continue cooking and stirring until thickened.
Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat and whisk in the confectioners' sugar. Thin with more milk, if needed, or add more confectioners' sugar if a thicker icing is desired.
Spread or drizzle the warm glaze over the cooled cake.
Once the glaze is firm, cover the cake with foil or plastic wrap. Store leftovers at room temperature for up to 3 to 4 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week. The unfrosted cake may be wrapped and frozen or up to 6 months.
LEMON CHICKEN
This comes from Rachael Ray, star of The Food Network's 30 Minute Meals. Total Time: 25 min; Prep: 10 min; Cook: 15 min; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/lemon-chicken-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast or chicken tenders, cut into chunks
1/4 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
Coarse salt
2 tablespoons wok or vegetable oil, 2 turns of the pan (preferred brand: House of Tsang)
1 tablespoon (a splash) white or rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup chicken broth or stock
8 ounces (1 cup) prepared lemon curd
1/4 cup hot water
1 lemon, zested
2 scallions, thinly sliced or 20 blades fresh chives, finely chopped
Directions
Coat the chunked chicken lightly in flour, seasoned with a little salt. Heat a large skillet or a wok-shaped nonstick pan over high heat. Stir fry chicken until golden, 3 or 4 minutes. Remove chicken from the pan and return pan to heat. Reduce heat to medium.
Add a splash of vinegar to the pan and let it evaporate. Add stock or broth to the pan and scrape up any drippings with a whisk. Thin curd by stirring in a little hot water. Add curd to broth and whisk to combine. Add chicken back to the pan and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes to thicken sauce and finish cooking chicken pieces through. Remove the pan from heat, add the scallions or chives and zest, and toss chicken pieces well to combine zest and scallions or chives evenly throughout the sauce. Serve with Special Rice, recipe follows.
Cook's Notes: Wok oil infused with ginger and garlic is usually available on the International Foods aisle in many markets.
Chicken broths and stocks are available in resealable paper containers, making storage of remaining product easy and on hand in the refrigerator; they are found in the soup aisle.
Lemon curd is a sweet lemon spread available in most markets. It is on the jam/jelly aisle.
CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE MUFFINS
This comes from Danilo Alfaro, About.com's Culinary Arts expert. Danilo wrote, “If you love chocolate, you'll love these chocolate chocolate muffins. We make them with cocoa powder and semi-sweet chocolate chips, so they'll satisfy even the most serious chocoholics.
”The key to these chocolate muffins is, after we fold the chocolate chips into the batter and fill up the muffin pan, we sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top before baking.” Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 35 minutes; Makes 12 to 18 muffins
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups whole milk
2 large eggs, beaten
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus 1/3 cup additional chocolate chips for sprinkling
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
Combine the milk and the melted butter. Then add the oil, and finally whisk in the beaten eggs and stir in the vanilla extract.
Thoroughly grease and flour a muffin pan (or better yet, you can use paper muffin liners).
Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ones and mix no more than ten seconds. The batter should be visibly lumpy. That's OK! It's extremely important not to overmix the batter, or the resulting muffins can be hard or misshapen.
TIP: The dry and wet ingredients, respectively, can be mixed in advance, but as soon as the wet and dry ingredients have been combined with each other, the liquid will activate the baking powder and the batter needs to be baked right away.
With a rubber spatula, gently fold 1 cup of chocolate chips into the batter. Don't overwork the batter.
Carefully spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan (you can use a small ladle or even an ice-cream scoop).
Finally, sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips onto the tops of the muffins, and transfer to the oven immediately.
Bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Remove pan from the oven and let the muffins cool for five minutes in the pan. Then remove the muffins from the pan and let them cool another five minutes on a wire rack.
LEMON-BLUEBERRY POKE CAKE
This comes from the Pure Wow e-newsletter. It begins, “Not every cake has to be some elaborate artistic masterpiece. Sometimes you just want a cake that tastes good and looks pretty and doesn't take an entire afternoon to make. Like this recipe for poke cake. It starts with boxed cake mix and ends with you (and some friends, if you're into sharing) indulging in bite after bite of lemon cake infused with blueberry goodness.” Makes 10 to 12 servings; Time: 50 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 box lemon cake mix, batter prepared (but not baked)
2 cups blueberries
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons lemon zest
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan and line it with parchment paper. Lightly grease the parchment paper.
Pour the prepared lemon cake batter into the pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
While the cake bakes, combine the blueberries, 1/4 cup water and sugar in a small pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat until the mixture becomes juicy, about 5 to 6 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with a small amount of the hot blueberry liquid. Whisk to combine, then pour the cornstarch mixture back into the pot. Continue to simmer until the blueberry mixture thickens slightly, 2 to 3 minutes more. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Let the cake cool for 7 minutes. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes into the cake, leaving at least 3/4 inch between each hole.
Pour the warm blueberry syrup over the cake. Use a spatula to spread it evenly and also encourage it into the holes. Cool the cake completely.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Add the confectioners' sugar and lemon zest and then whip to medium peaks.
Spread the whipped cream evenly over the cooled cake. To serve, slice into squares. If not serving immediately, cover and refrigerate. The cake will keep for 2 days.
TEX-MEX STUFFED PEPPERS WITH GROUND BEEF AND BEANS
This comes from Diana Rattray, About.com's Southern Food expert. Diana writes, “These Tex-Mex stuffed peppers have loads of flavor, with refried beans, tomatillo salsa, and ground beef. The tasty filling for the peppers is similar to a burrito filling.
“The refried beans, ground beef, corn, and rice are seasoned with several Tex-Mex seasonings and the peppers are topped with Mexican cheese before they are finished baking. Spice them up with a bit of cayenne pepper or finely chopped jalapeno peppers, or use shredded pepper jack cheese for the topping.” Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Total Time: 80 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
4 medium bell peppers (Use more than one color - red, green, yellow, and/or orange)
1/2 pound lean ground beef (see variations, below)
1/3 cup finely chopped onions
1 can (16 ounces) refried beans, regular or fat free
1 cup whole kernel corn, drained, thawed if frozen
3/4 cup Rosarita green tomatillo salsa
1/2 cup cooked rice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup enchilada sauce or tomato salsa, optional
shredded Cheddar cheese or Mexican-style blend
Preparation
Heat the oven to 350° F. Line a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan with foil.
Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise, from the top of the stem to the bottom; remove and discard seeds and membranes.
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the bell peppers to the water and boil for 3 minutes. Remove them from the water and place them on paper towels, cut sides down, to drain.
In medium skillet, brown the ground beef with the chopped onions. Add the refried beans, tomatillo salsa, rice, parsley, garlic powder, chili powder, and cumin; simmer until mixture is hot and bubbly. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.
Arrange the peppers cut-side up in the prepared baking dish. Fill each pepper with the ground beef mixture.
Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake the stuffed peppers in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes.
Uncover the baking pan and top each stuffed pepper with a few tablespoons of enchilada sauce, taco sauce, or tomato salsa, if desired, and then top with the shredded cheese. Continue baking until the cheese has melted.
Serve with additional tomatillo salsa or tomato salsa, if desired.
CRAIG CLAIBORNE'S SMOTHERED CHICKEN
This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, “Craig Claiborne was a child of Mississippi who started as food editor of The Times in 1957 and did as much as anyone to help bring home cooking into the spotlight. The dish “belongs in the ‘comfort’ category,” he wrote in 1983, “a food that gives solace to the spirit when you dine on it.” You could give your smothered chicken some European flair with mushrooms and small onions in the gravy, as Claiborne did in his experiments with Pierre Franey, then his kitchen co-pilot. Or you could send yourself south to the Creole tastes of the Delta, with a blend of tomatoes, chopped celery, onion and green peppers added to the sauce. But sometimes the easiest way is the best. Try it.” Time: 1 hour 20 minutes; Makes 4 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 chicken, about 3 1/2 pounds, spatchcocked (split down the backbone, breast left intact and unsplit)
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth, ideally homemade
Preparation
Craig Claiborne believed a cast-iron skillet to be essential for the authentic preparation of this dish. Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Select a skillet large enough to hold the chicken comfortably when it is opened up, as for broiling. Fold wings under to secure them.
Melt the butter in the pan and add the chicken, skin side down. Cover chicken with a plate that will fit comfortably inside the skillet. Place a heavy can, stone or brick on top of the plate to weigh it down. Cook over low heat, checking the chicken skin, until it is nicely browned, about 25 minutes.
Remove weight and plate. Turn chicken so skin side is up. Replace plate and weight and continue cooking for about 15 minutes more.
Remove chicken and pour off fat from the skillet, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan. Add the flour to the fat, stirring with a wire whisk over medium heat. Gradually add the chicken broth and, when thickened, return chicken to the skillet, skin side up. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover with the plate and weight and continue cooking over low heat about 20 to 30 minutes longer or until the meat is exceptionally tender. Spoon the sauce over it.
Cut chicken into serving pieces, and serve with the sauce and fluffy rice on the side.
CHOCOLATE LOAF CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GLAZE
This is from Diana Rattray, About.com's Southern Food expert. Diana wrote, “This chocolate loaf cake is the perfect size for a family dessert, and it is easy to prepare and bake. The cake and the simple glaze are both made with cocoa powder.
“Serve the cake with a scoop of ice cream for an incredibly delicious dessert.” Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Total Time: 75 minutes; Yield: 12 to 16 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1/2 cup (4 ounces) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 5 1/ 2 ounces
3/4 cup milk
Chocolate Glaze
6 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup milk
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
Preparation
Heat the oven to 350° F. Grease and flour a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan or spray with a baking spray (with flour in it).
Beat sugar and butter together until well blended. With the mixer on low speed, add the salt, vanilla extract, baking soda, baking powder, and cocoa. Mix until blended.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add about one-third of the flour and half of the milk and mix on low speed until blended.
Add another one-third of the flour and the remaining milk and mix until well blended. Add the remaining flour and mix until blended. Do not overbeat.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly.
Bake for about 60 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove to a rack to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Carefully remove the cake from the pan and cool completely on a rack.
Glaze the cake with the chocolate glaze (directions below) or frost as desired. Or serve slices with fruit and whipped cream or ice cream.
Chocolate Glaze
Sift the confectioners' sugar into a bowl and set aside.
In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the cocoa powder and milk and continue cooking and stirring until thickened.
Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat and whisk in the confectioners' sugar. Thin with more milk, if needed, or add more confectioners' sugar if a thicker icing is desired.
Spread or drizzle the warm glaze over the cooled cake.
Once the glaze is firm, cover the cake with foil or plastic wrap. Store leftovers at room temperature for up to 3 to 4 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week. The unfrosted cake may be wrapped and frozen or up to 6 months.
LEMON CHICKEN
This comes from Rachael Ray, star of The Food Network's 30 Minute Meals. Total Time: 25 min; Prep: 10 min; Cook: 15 min; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/lemon-chicken-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast or chicken tenders, cut into chunks
1/4 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
Coarse salt
2 tablespoons wok or vegetable oil, 2 turns of the pan (preferred brand: House of Tsang)
1 tablespoon (a splash) white or rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup chicken broth or stock
8 ounces (1 cup) prepared lemon curd
1/4 cup hot water
1 lemon, zested
2 scallions, thinly sliced or 20 blades fresh chives, finely chopped
Directions
Coat the chunked chicken lightly in flour, seasoned with a little salt. Heat a large skillet or a wok-shaped nonstick pan over high heat. Stir fry chicken until golden, 3 or 4 minutes. Remove chicken from the pan and return pan to heat. Reduce heat to medium.
Add a splash of vinegar to the pan and let it evaporate. Add stock or broth to the pan and scrape up any drippings with a whisk. Thin curd by stirring in a little hot water. Add curd to broth and whisk to combine. Add chicken back to the pan and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes to thicken sauce and finish cooking chicken pieces through. Remove the pan from heat, add the scallions or chives and zest, and toss chicken pieces well to combine zest and scallions or chives evenly throughout the sauce. Serve with Special Rice, recipe follows.
Cook's Notes: Wok oil infused with ginger and garlic is usually available on the International Foods aisle in many markets.
Chicken broths and stocks are available in resealable paper containers, making storage of remaining product easy and on hand in the refrigerator; they are found in the soup aisle.
Lemon curd is a sweet lemon spread available in most markets. It is on the jam/jelly aisle.
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