Pumpkin pancakes

1.5 c flour 1/4 c sugar 3/4 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp sale 2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1/4 tap ground allspice 4 eggs separated 3/4 C pumpkin purée 1 1/2 c milk 4T melted unsalted butter 1 tsp. vanilla Oil for pan Combine flour, sugar, powder, soda, alt, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice Beat egg whites unto medium peaks form Whisk together yolks, pumpkin, milk, butter, and vanilla. Whisk the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture Fold in egg whites in 2 additions Make pancakes. Yum!

Apple Spice Muffins

This recipe was adapted from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything? 1 T melted butter 2 C flour 1/4 c sugar 1/2 tsp salt 3 tsp baling powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 egg 1/4 c milk 1 c yogurt 1/4 c sour cream 1tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground allspice 1/2 tsp ground ginger Pinch ground cloves (crushed in mortar and pestle) 1 apple cored, peeled, and sliced Preheat oven to 375 Mix dry ingredients together Beat together eggs, melted butter, yogurt, sour cream and add milk if needed to get to thick batter consistency Stir in apples Mix wet into dry - don't over mix Fill muffin tins 2/3 full Bake for 20 minutes Less baking powder might be needed because I switched the recipe mid-stream, and it's hard to take out what's in. But, the came out very well like this.

Hot chocolate

1 c milk
.5 c chocolate chips
.25 c coconut milk
.5 tsp valilla
.25 tsp cayenne
.25 tsp salt
Boil liquids and salt and cayenne
Add chips
Immersion blend

Serve in warmed mugs with cubes of pound cake and toothpicks

Jalapeño poppers

We made these for a Super Bowl party last night. They were a winner even of the pats weren't.



http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/baked-jalapeno-poppers-recipe/index.html

We ended up needing more pinko than the recipe calls for. We also ad a ton of essence left over but it is very good. These tasted like the best part of really yummy chili.

12 fresh jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise, stems, seeds and membranes removed
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or less, to taste
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
8 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
1 cup panko crumbs, or fine dry breadcrumbs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet and set aside.

In a bowl, cream together the cream cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, cumin, and cayenne.

In a small bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, and 2 teaspoons of the Essence. In a shallow dish, combine the panko crumbs and remaining 4 teaspoons of Essence. In a third dish, combine the flour and remaining 2 teaspoons of Essence. Spread 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture into the middle of each jalapeno half. One at a time, dredge in the flour, dip into the egg mixture, then dredge in the panko crumbs, pressing to coat. If necessary, repeat the process. Place the coated peppers, cut side up, on the prepared baking sheet and bake until the filling is runny and the crust is golden, about 30 minutes.




Remove from the oven and serve immediately with cold beer.

*Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

No knead bread

This is roughly the no knead bread from mark bittmans "how to cook everything" cookbook.

And, it's unbelively simple and delicious.


3 cups of flour
1.5 tsp. salt
2.25 tsp yeast (one packet)
1.5 cups water

Combine flour, salt, and yeast. Add water and mix until flour is incorporated and a sticky dough forms. Cover it and let is rise for at least 4 hours (overnight or 24 hours have worked fine.

Heat oven to 450 and put in a dutch oven to heat.

Turn the dough out ontomtoma lightly floured surface. Fold it onto itself a few times (just 30 seconds or so). Recover and let rise for 30 minutes.

Lightly coat dough with olive oil and place in the Dutch oven with the seam side up.

Put the Dutch oven back in the oven. Bake for 30 min. Remove the top and bake for another 5-10 min until the loaf is browned.

Beet salad with goat cheese

- trader joes precooked beets
- arugula and mixed greens
- goat cheese
- fine bread crumbs
- balsamic vinegar
- egg white

Chop beets and add to greens
Slice cheese log into disks about .5 in wide
Dip disks in wiskes egg white
Coat disks in bread crumbs
Heat .25 inch of olive oil in a skillet over medium high until hot
Fry disks for about 1 minute on each side.
Carefully (they can crumble) transfer to salad and serve immediately.

Dress with sprinkle of balsamic and a bit of salt.

Brownies

I had unsweetened bakers chocolate so here is the recip I found for making brownies from unsweetened chocolate ( its from here: http://www.joyofbaking.com/katharinehepburnbrownies.html)


These were very good - very fudgy.

Katharine Hepburn Brownies: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Butter and flour an 8 inch (20 cm) square baking pan. 

Melt the chocolate and butter in a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar. Next, stir in the vanilla extract and eggs. Finally, stir in the flour, salt and chopped nuts (if using).

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 30 - 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. Serve at room temperature or chilled. These freeze very well.

Makes 16 brownies.

Sources:

Colwin, Laurie. 'More Home Cooking'. Harper Collins Publishers. New York: 1993.

Lebovitz, David. 'The Great Book of Chocolate'. Ten Speed Press. Berkeley: 2004.

O'Neill, Molly. 'New York Cookbook'. Workman Publishing. New York: 1992.



Katharine Hepburn Brownies:

2 ounces (60 grams) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup (30 grams) all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (100 grams) chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)



Read more: http://www.joyofbaking.com/katharinehepburnbrownies.html#ixzz1ivU7jZRF

Chicken roulades - I think

I made this out of stuff that looked good at the weekend farmers market but neded to be eaten by Tuesday evening.

- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- parm. Cheese
- 4 slices of slami
- sundries tomatoes in oil
- at least 6 asparagus spears
- 2 cubes each frozen garlic and frozen basil z(get these at trader joes or use freshbi you have it)
- 1 excellent tomato
- about 2/3 cup wine (red oe white) I used red because I had a bottle open.
- about 2/3 cup of peas ( this was past of the farmers MIT haul - and the were very good freshly popped from the pose. But I might whip them if the were nor fresh).
- rice if you want it as a side
- more asparagus spears if you want them as a side.

Preheat ovn to 450

Pound the chicken and about 1/4 inch thick (wax paper over it and mash worth a rolling pin).
The goal is to get a snap you can roll like a burrito. Skin side up works best. If the sun dried tomatoes are not in small pieces! Dice them. Spread over the chicken (skin side down) add a tsp of the oil the are in to each breast if the to a toes are in oil. Slice the park. Thinly and place the slices on the chcken over the tomatoes. Put two salami slices side by Sid on each piece mush the garlic and basil and spread over each piece. Place three asparagus spears across each piece - across the salami. Roll each piece around the asparagus like a big sushi roll. Re roll and retuck as necessary to get fairly tight littl zelin shapes. Tie them with string or oven proof rubber bands. Salt and pepper the pieces.

Heat a skillet over medium high heat and heat about 2 T olive oil in it. Add the chicken hen the oil is just smoking and let it sit for about three
minutes on the fiirst side. The turn over, and repeat for each side. Each side should be browned.

Add about 2/3 C wine to the pan. I used red but white might have been better. Cover the pan and put in in the oven for 10 min.

Remove pan, (careful it and the lid are HOT!!!) place on stove top. Remove chicken to a dish and tent with foil. Put pan with juices and bubbling wine over medium low heat and add the diced tomato and the peas. Cover and simmer for about 7 minutes.

After a few minutes, remove the ties or bands from the chicken and cut the pieces across the direction they are rolled to make spiraled slices.

Plate these (I also cooked rice so I plated over white rice) and top with the pan sauce.

I also served this with more asparagus spears stemmed in the top of the cooker.

Potato salad

DILLED SPRING POTATO SALAD  
2 pounds new white potatoes
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise, as needed
First, cook the potatoes in a large pan of lightly boiling, salted water until they can be pierced with a thin paring knife (they will continue cooking as they cool in their jackets). Drain well, return to the pan and let cool to room temperature.
Second, peel the cooled potatoes and slice 1/4 inch thick into a glass or stainless mixing bowl. Sprinkle with the cider vinegar and season with salt and pepper, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Third, toss the potatoes with the celery, dill, green onions and mustard. Fold in the sour cream and then add in enough of the mayonnaise to bind the salad together.

Note:

The potatoes may absorb some of the moisture if you prepare the salad ahead of time. You may want to add a little extra mayonnaise as needed just before serving.

Submitted by: kph

+ Add review or commentTalkFood! Join the discuss


This is from cooks.com here:
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1638,134182-250197,00.html

I didn't use any sour cream or mayo. I mixed in about a cup. Greek yogurt to provide some unifying goop at the end. I also used a few teaspoons of dill from a squeeze tube.

Easy bean salad

this is quick and easy It was perfect when I needed a side dish for a picnic. I made it with no parsley, basil (frozen cubes from trade joes), and some red ne vinegar in a addition to cider vinegar.

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/three_bean_salad/


Three Bean Salad Recipe
Prep time: 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 15-oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
2 celery stalks, chopped fine
1/2 red onion, chopped fine
1 cup fresh, finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 Tbsp fresh finely chopped rosemary
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
METHOD
1 In a large bowl, mix the beans, celery, onion, parsley and rosemary.
2 In a separate small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add the dressing to the beans. Toss to coat.
3 Chill beans in the refrigerator for several hours, to allow the beans to soak up the flavor of the dressing.
Yield: Serves 4 to 8.

Delicious easy broiled salmon fillets

this is a really easy and really good dish that Lindsay came up with - it takes Trader Joe's gyoza sauce.

start with two skinless salmon fillets and preheat the oven by turning the boiler on
brush the salmon fillets with olive oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper next brush the salmon fillets with gyoza sauce from Trader Joe's

put the salmon fillets on a cookie sheet under the broiler flame about two or 3 inches away sometimes you need to move the fillets lower after a few minutes of boiling the Fairfax. Also it makes for easier cleanup if you put the fillets on top of the some foil. After about 8 or 9 min. check to see if the fillets are cooked through in the middle if they're not move them lower give them another two or 3 min. That's it. We've made this about six or seven times and it's super super easy and delicious every time

Salad dressing

Here's how I make salad dressing:

first start with a 3 to 1 ratio of oil and vinegar three parts oil one part vinegar

add something sweet in the same amount as the vinegar also add about the same amount of mayo and the little bit of mustard and some seasonings

put all the stuff in a jar screw the top of the jar and give it a good shake

some good combinations are olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Champagne vinegar and olive oil and poppy seeds

Dans Sweedish pancakes

3 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 T sugar
1 T oil
1 Cup flour

israeli cous cous with curry and onions

This made for a satisfying side dish

1 box of Israeli cous cous (I think it is about a cup)
3/4 C chicken stock
3/4 cup water
1 med. - lg. onion rough chopped
2 tsp. curry powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 T olive oil

heat a sauce pan and add dry cous cous - toast for 4-5 minutes until slightly browned - shaking frequently (the pan)
remove toasted couse cous
Add oil - give it a moment to heat
add onion and saute / cook over medium high heat until slightly browned (at least 8 minutes)
return cous couse to pan and add stock and water
add curry powder and salt and pepper to taste
bring to a boil - reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 12 minutes
fluff with a fork

White Bean Chili

This is inspired by the white bean chili served at Bonnie's restaurant on Aspen Mountain. The pureed beans give it excellent thick creamy texture.

3 16 oz. cans white beans - drained and rinsed (Great Northern or cannellini)
3 cups chicken stock
1 medium red pepper
1 medium green pepper
1 medium onion
12 oz sour cream (low fat works fine)
1 C grated pepper jack cheese
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 12-16 oz. can diced tomatoes (drained)
7 oz. salsa
2 T diced green chilis
salt and pepper to taste (1 tsp. each works)
oil for the pan (about 1 T - canola or vegetable oil is fine)

Two chicken breasts

Green onions for topping

More grated cheese for topping

Grill the chicken breasts or rub them with salt, pepper, and olive oil and sear the outsides (a few minutes in a hot oiled pan for each side) and them put the pan in a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes or so – until a thermometer or other method says they are done

Let the chicken sit until it is cool enough to handle – breaking it up into chunks helps cool it

Pull the chicken into small strips

Rough Chop peppers and onion (small bite size pieces)
Heat oil in a chili pot (I suppose a Dutch Oven would be a good idea if you feel like it)
Sauté peppers and onion for a few minutes (not more than 6 or 7)
Puree half of the beans in a food processor
Add pureed and whole beans to chili pot and cook for 5 min.
add stock and bring to a boil
add cheese, tomatoes, salsa, chilis, and seasonings
reduce heat to simmer, add pulled chicken and simmer, stirring occasionally, until chili thickens – an hour is ideal

Add the sour cream off heat and stir – do not add the sour cream if the chili is boiling (it breaks up into nasty looking little bits – but – if this happens it still tastes fine)– let it cool a bit
serve with broken-up tortilla chips, chopped green onions, and extra grated cheddar or pepper jack cheese to sprinkle on top

Swiss Chard with Garbanzo Beans

This recipe is from Epicurious here:

It is quick, easy, and very good. I make it with rice on the side. The first time I made it I added some saffron to the rice - it was very good.

Garbanzo Beans:

• 2 15.5-ounce cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained (about 3 cups)
• 10 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 large shallots
• 3 small bay leaves, preferably fresh
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 1/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil

Chard:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed
• 3 small bay leaves, preferably fresh
• 2 shallots, sliced
• 2 bunches Swiss chard, center stems cut out, leaves coarsely torn
• 2 cups low-salt chicken broth

print a shopping list for this recipe

Preparation

Garbanzo beans:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine first 5 ingredients in 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour oil over; cover dish with foil. Roast until garlic is tender, about 45 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly, cover, and chill.

Chard:
Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic, bay leaves, and shallots. Cover; cook until shallots are tender, about 2 minutes. Uncover; add half of chard. Toss until chard wilts and volume is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add remaining chard. Toss until chard wilts, about 2 minutes. Add broth. Cover and cook until chard is tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Season chard with salt and pepper. Transfer chard mixture to large sieve set over bowl and drain. DO AHEAD: Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Drain garbanzos and reserve oil; discard bay leaves. Combine garbanzos and chard in large skillet. Add 2 tablespoons oil reserved from garbanzos. Toss over medium heat until warmed through, moistening with more oil by tablespoonfuls if needed, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Pasticcio

This is a wonderful pasticcio recipe from this blog: http://whippedtheblog.com

Here:

I made this with one pound of ground beef instead of two - and used ground beef from the local farmers market to try it out. I also used two diced garden tomatoes instead of a can. The pasticcio was delicious - especially the bechamel sauce.

Pasticcio

Meat Sauce:
1 T butter
2 lbs. ground beef
1 small onion, chopped finely
1 clove garlic
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon dried greek oregano
and/or fresh chopped parsley
1/2 cup white wine
1 can (14oz) diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
2 egg whites

Bechamel Sauce:
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup flour
4 cups hot milk
salt and pepper
nutmeg
1 cup grated cheese
2 eggs and 2 egg yolks

Noodles:
1 lb. pasticcio (macaroni) noodles
1 T salt
2 T butter
1 cup grated cheese

For the Meat Sauce:
Heat butter in pan and saute the onions, garlic and meat until browned. Add remaining ingredients except egg whites. Be generous with the spices and taste regularly. Be sure there is enough salt to bring out the flavor. I always add quite a bit more than the recipe calls for. Let the sauce simmer for 10-15 minutes. Turn off and stir until slightly cooled. Stir in egg whites. (Save the yolks for the bechamel.) You do not want the sauce so hot that it cookes the egg whites immediately. They should be incorporated.

For the Bechamel:
Melt butter in heavy saucepan. Add the flour and whisk for about 1 minute. Add the milk all at once and whisk until sauce is thickened and smooth. I usually heat the milk in another pan or in the microwave before adding. That and a quality, even heating sauce pan help make the best sauce. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. I add quite a healthy dose of each, probably at least 1/2-1 teaspoon. Remove from heat and stir in eggs and cheese. A sharper white cheese works well like Parmesan or Asagio. I do not think Mozzarella has enough flavor.

For the noodles:
Bring water to a boil with salt. Cook noodles until tender but slightly firm. Drain very well and return to pan. Stir in butter.

Asssembly:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a large, deep pan (lasagna pan works well). You can see by the amount of ingredients you have, this makes a large dish and serves at least 8 people.

Put half the noodles in the pan and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of cheese. Top the noodles with the meat sauce. Place the rest of the noodles on the meat sauce. Pour the bechamel over the top. Sprinkle on the remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Some of the noodles will be sticking through the top which is good because they get brown and crunchy in the oven. Bake for approximatley 1 hour or until top is lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let sit at least 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Caramelized Green Beens

This is a Martha Stewart Recipe from here:

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/caramelized-green-beans-with-pine-nuts?

Serves 4

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds green beans, stem ends removed
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

1. In a large skillet, heat butter and oil over medium-low. Add green beans; partially cover, and cook, tossing occasionally, until green beans are tender and browned in spots, 30 minutes. Add pine nuts; cook until nuts are toasted, 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Quick ravioli with balsamic brown better

This is from Giada here:

Ingredients

• 18 to 20 ounces store-bought ravioli (cheese, mushroom, or squash)
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup toasted, chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the ravioli and cook 4 to 5 minutes, until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally. Drain ravioli onto a large serving platter.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan cook the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the foam subsides, and the butter begins to turn a golden brown, about 3 minutes, turn off the heat. Let cool for about 1 minute. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Transfer the ravioli to the pan saucepan with the balsamic brown butter. Sprinkle walnuts and Parmesan over the top. Serve 

Blueberry Scones to try

This Recipe is from averagebetty.com here:

Ingredients for Buttermilk Blueberry 

Scones: 

2 cups all-purpose flour 

6 tbsp salted butter 

1/3 cup sugar 

2 tsp baking powder 

1/4 tsp baking soda 

1/4 tsp salt 

1/2 tsp vanilla 

1 egg 

2/3 cup buttermilk 

1 cup blueberries (frozen or fresh) 

For tops:

2-3 tbsp buttermilk 

1 tsp sugar 

Directions: 

 1. In a bowl, combine flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

 2. Cut stick of butter into pieces.  Add butter pieces to dry mixture.  Using a pastry cutter 

or your fingers, incorporate butter pieces until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 

 3. In a separate bowl combine egg, 2/3 cup buttermilk and vanilla. 

 4. Add blueberries to dry mixture.  Carefully coat blueberries with dry mixture.  

 5. Create a well in the center of mixture.  Add buttermilk mixture all at once to the well. 

 6. Carefully combine, just until moistened.  Pour mixture onto board. 

 7. Spray hands with cooking oil.  This will keep the dough from sticking to your hands 

when patting out the dough. 

 8. Cut into shapes and place on a baking sheet. 

 9. Brush tops with buttermilk and sprinkle with sugar. 

 10. Bake in a preheated 400(F) oven for 12-14 minutes until golden brown. 

Delicious warm or at room temperature.  

Makes 10 - 12 scones.  

Store in an airtight container for 3 days.  

Chocolate cupcakes with strawberry merenge buttercream frosting

This is a combination of two Martha Stewart recipes

Cupcakes
Frosting:

Cupcakes:

Ingredients

Makes 12

• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Easy White Icing
• Sprinkles (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Into a medium bowl, sift together cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each, then beat in vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with sour cream and beginning and ending with flour.
3. Pour batter into cups, filling each 3/4 full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Cool in pan 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then spread with Easy White Icing using a table knife or small offset spatula. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired.

Frosting:

Ingredients

Makes 5 cups

• 4 large egg whites
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into tablespoons
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) strawberry jam, pureed in a food processor

Directions

1. In the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over a saucepan of simmering water, combine egg whites and sugar. Cook, whisking constantly, until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch (about 160 degrees).
2. Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the egg-white mixture on high speed until it holds stiff (but not dry) peaks. Continue beating until the mixture is fluffy and cooled, about 6 minutes.
3. Switch to the paddle attachment. With mixer on medium-low speed, add butter several tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. (If frosting appears to separate after all the butter has been added, beat on medium-high speed until smooth again, 3 to 5 minutes more.) Beat in vanilla. Beat on lowest speed to eliminate any air bubbles, about 2 minutes. Stir in strawberry jam with a rubber spatula until frosting is smooth.

First published: January 2007

Chicken Gyros

THis recipe is from Epicurious here:

I meant to make it tonight - and got as far as defrosting chicken - but then I discovered that the pita bread I was planning to use was too old and yucky to use - buy I like the looks of the recipe so I hope to try it soon.

• 1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• 1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced

• 4 pita bread rounds, heated

Preparation

Stir yogurt, 2 tablespoons dill, garlic and 1 teaspoon lemon juice in small bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper.

Place chicken in medium bowl. Sprinkle with oregano, 1 teaspoon dill and salt and pepper. Toss to coat.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; sauté until brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to plate. Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Add onions; sauté until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Return chicken and any juices to skillet. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Stir until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Arrange pita rounds on plates. Top pita rounds with chicken mixture. Spoon some yogurt sauce over chicken. Serve, passing extra sauce separately.

Steamed Potato Salad

This was something I threw together quickly to round out a soup and salad meal that I thought would be too light. It was easy and worked out very well.

4 or 5 red potatoes - cut into 8ths - about 3/4 inch chunks.
1 T olive oil
kosher salt
2 T (or to taste) sour cream

Steam the potatoes for about 5-7 minutes - until they are cooked through but not mushy
keep the potatoes in the steamer basket and run it under cold water to cool the potatoes
put the potatoes in a bowl and add the salt and oil and toss
add the sour cream and toss

eat

this would probably be good with some chopped green herbs - like chives or breen onion tops

I liked the texture of this - it was creamy without being a mayo disaster

Lemongrass Coconut Sorbet

Lemongrass Coconut Sorbet

this is from myrecipe.com here

I made this as an afterthought for a fairly involved Thai meal - it was quick and easy and it was the best part of the dinner.

Yield

Makes about 1 quart; 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 10 stalks fresh lemon grass (about 12 oz.), rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 cup coconut milk (stir before measuring)

Preparation

1. Peel toughest outer layers from lemon grass; discard. Cut into 1/2-inch lengths. In a 2- to 3-quart pan over high heat, combine lemon grass, sugar, salt, and 2 1/2 cups water. Stir until liquid comes to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring occasionally, until light golden, about 20 minutes.

2. Pour through a fine strainer into a bowl, pressing on solids; discard solids. Nest bowl in a larger bowl of ice water and stir syrup until cool, about 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice.

3. Whisk in coconut milk. If mixture is lumpy, pour through a fine strainer.

4. Pour into an ice-cream maker (at least 1 qt.) and freeze. Scoop into bowls or, for a firmer consistency, freeze airtight up to 3 days.

Good Sloppy Joes

This was quick, easy and, surprisingly, really good. Credit to Rachael Ray here

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
• 1 1/4 pounds ground beef sirloin
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon steak seasoning blend, such as McCormick brand Montreal Seasoning
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 crusty rolls, split, toasted, and lightly buttered
• Garnish: sliced ripe tomatoes, pickles, Deviled Potato Salad, recipe follows

Directions

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and meat to the pan. Spread the meat around the pan and begin to break it up. Combine brown sugar and steak seasoning. Add sugar and spice mixture to the skillet and combine. When the meat has browned, add onion and red peppers to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium and cook onions, peppers, red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce with meat for 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and paste to pan. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to simmer and cook Sloppy Joe mixture 5 minutes longer.

Wrinlked Potatoes

This is from here:

• 2 pounds baby potatoes
• 1 cup salt, plus more as needed
• Mojo rojo or mojo verde, for dipping

Directions

1. Place the potatoes in a deep, medium-size pot. Add enough water to cover, and salt. Potatoes should float in the salted water; if not, add more salt.
2. Place pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to a simmer and cook until potatoes are easily pierced with the tip of paring knife, 25 to 30 minutes.
3. Drain water from pot, leaving just enough to cover the bottom. Return pot to low heat and cook, shaking pot until the salt covering the potatoes begins to crystallize, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cover pot with a clean kitchen towel until potato skins have wrinkled, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately with dipping sauces, as desired.

Mojo Rojo

• 8 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoons sweet pimenton (Spanish smoked paprika)
• 2 dried guindilla pepper, or other dried chile pepper
• 1/2 cup Spanish extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons sherry-wine vinegar

Directions

1. Using a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic and salt to a smooth paste. Add cumin, pimenton, and chile pepper; mash until well combined. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while continuing to mash, until all the olive oil is absorbed.
2. Turning the pestle in a slow, circular motion around the mortar, drizzle in 2 teaspoons water and vinegar. Keep at room temperature until ready to serve.

Mojo Verde:

Makes about 1/2 cup

• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 cups well-packed chopped cilantro leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 cup Spanish extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons sherry-wine vinegar

Directions

1. Using a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic and salt to a smooth paste. Add cilantro leaves and cumin seeds; mash until well combined. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while continuing to mash, until all the olive oil is absorbed.
2. Turning the pestle in a slow, circular motion around the mortar, drizzle in 2 teaspoons water and vinegar. Keep at room temperature until ready to serve.

Chicken and Rice one-pot Thai (sort of) dish

This is not very sophisticated - but it was easy, fairly quick, and came together all in one pot. I made it with chicken chunks that were too large - and I left them in too long (I put them in for the entire simmer time - they were much too done) Smaller chunks with less cooking time would probably be OK.


1.5 C rice - long grain regular old rice is fine
2 chicken breasts
2 T canola oil
2 medium onions
1 green pepper
1.5 T massaman curry paste
1 can chicken stock
1 can coconut milk (15 oz.)
.5 Can plum tomatoes
3/4 C thickly sliced carrots
1 small can sliced mushrooms
1.5 t fish sauce
1 lime


- Heat oil in a strait sided chefs pan
- Cut chicken into fairly large chunks - pat dry and season with salt and pepper
- Brown chicken chunks in hot oil - place in the pan and do not touch for about a minute or 90 seconds or so - turn each chunk with tongs - repeat until each side is browned - the insides will not be cooked
- remove chicken from pan and set aside
- add another 2T oil and heat
- add rice to pan and stir to coat - stir occasionally for 2 minutes -
- add pepper and onion chunks - continue stirring occasionally until rice is lightly browned
- add chicken stock and lower heat
- add three or four of the plum tomatoes - so not add all of the sauce or paste
- add the curry paste
- stir in the coconut milk
- add carrotts and mushrooms
- add the fish sauce and lime
- stir to combine - make sure the curry paste is distributed - add more chicken stock if needed
- bring the mixture to a simmer, lower heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes -
- stir once or twice to keep the rice from sticking if needed - add chicken chunks - recover and continue simmering for another 10-15 minutes
- serve with a squeeze of lime and sriracha sauce.