Proceed with Caution

Baked Buffalo Wings

2012-01-31T05:30:00.000-05:00

When I was first getting to know my (now) husband, I was relieved to discover there would never be a sports team rivalry in our house. The only sport he (mildly) cares for is football, and his favorite team is ::snicker:: the 49ers. I'm not a huge sports fan myself, but I'll watch baseball if the Red Sox are playing, football if the Patriots are playing, hockey if the Bruins are playing, and basketball if the Celtics are playing (maybe).

I never dreamed we'd have such an interesting day in our house, as the day of the AFC/NFC championship games. I eagerly watched as much as I could of both games (working around our son's naps and bedtime). First - the Pats win. And down to the last few minutes, the 49ers could have pulled off a victory, too. I was a little sad at the loss, because that would have made for a really exciting Superbowl in our house!

I wanted to make buffalo wings for this day of football. I've used Alton's method/recipe before, but when I finally got around to trying that sauce, I was underwhelmed. So this time I went off in search of a new recipe, and this one caught my eye. I decided to give this new method a try, as well, as it looked a little easier and I liked the idea of baking the wings for a few minutes with the sauce on them.

We loved this spicy and slightly sweet sauce for buffalo wings. These baked wings aren't as crisp as fried ones, but I actually prefer them! To turn up the heat, increase the cayenne in the coating, or spike the sauce with some Tabasco or other favorite hot sauce.

Baked Buffalo Wings

Source: Slightly adapted from Lana's Cooking
Yield: Serves 2-3
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Inactive time: 1 hour
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 2 hours, 20 minutes

Ingredients

3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt, divided
20 chicken drummettes
1/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup Frank's, or your favorite hot sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Instructions

Prepare a large baking sheet by lining with foil. Spray a cooling rack generously with cooking spray and place in the baking sheet.
Add flour, cayenne powder, garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a large ziploc bag. Seal the bag and shake to mix ingredients together.
Dry the drummettes well with paper towels, then toss in the ziploc bag until well coated, about 5 at a time. Shake off the excess flour and place on prepared rack.
Place the wings in the refrigerator, uncovered, for at least one hour.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Bake wings for 25 minutes, turn each wing over, then bake an additional 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together the melted butter, hot sauce, honey, soy sauce and remaining ½ teaspoon of salt in a small bowl.
Remove the wings from the oven and dip them 3 or 4 at a time in the sauce mixture.
Place the coated wings back on the pan, return the pan to the oven and cook for an additional 6-7 minutes.
Remove from the oven, place on a serving dish and drizzle remaining sauce over wings.

Carrot Cake Comparison

2011-11-04T13:50:00.000-04:00

Today, I am honored to be recognized by a fellow food blogger, Jen of The Beantown Baker. She's included me in her (fabulous) Friday Favs series! Hop on over to her blog to see the results of my carrot cake comparison!

Chipotle Salsa Turkey Burgers

2011-08-25T05:21:00.002-04:00

Whew! It's time to dust off the cobwebs around here. We've had a busy summer and I took some time to focus on my family, friends, and home. I'm excited to get back to blogging again, especially with fall just around the corner and a new season of Glee and Glee Cupcakes!

Part of the reason for the slow down around here is that I wasn't really making new recipes. To keep things simple in the kitchen, I fell back on things I've made before and knew we loved. This recipe is one that I made many times over this summer. The inspiration came one day when there were a few odd ingredients in the fridge that needed to be used up. This is one of those recipes that, now, I can skip the recipe card and go based on memory - and I love that!

These turkey burgers are a great choice when you are looking for something different than your run-of-the-mill burgers. The chipotle and adobo sauce provide a great smokiness, and the red onion is bright punch of flavor. We love them!

Chipotle Salsa Turkey Burgers

Yield: Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey
1 chipotle pepper with about 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
1/3 cup salsa
1/2 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
1/3 cup red onion, diced
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
juice from one large lime, divided
2 teaspoons chili or taco seasoning
1/2 an avocado
burger buns, lettuce, sliced tomato, cheese, and whatever else you like to put on burgers

Instructions

De-seed and mince the chipotle pepper.
Add all ingredients except avocado and half of the lime juice to a large bowl.
Mix gently just until thoroughly combined; do not over-work.
Shape into four equal burgers. Grill over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes per side, or until no longer pink in the center.
Mix avocado and reserved half of the lime juice in a small bowl. Spread avocado mixture on burger bun. Build the burger with your favorite toppings, and enjoy!

Good Morning Muffins

2011-06-24T09:05:00.000-04:00

Long ago, I learned an important kitchen lesson: read the recipe in its entirety before you even think about making it. Too many times before that, I'd only have skimmed the ingredient list, then go to make the recipe and realize I need an overnight rest/marinade, or the final product needs 4 hours to set afterwards, or some other hidden time requirement. I'm much better, now, at properly preparing myself for a recipe. Still, I sometimes get ahead of myself.

Last Saturday I was happily pouring over a new baking book, when I saw this muffin recipe. I thought to myself, "perfect! I'll prep the ingredients tonight and bake in the morning." I often do that, these days, since dragging out containers of dry ingredients and measuring them is a lot easier when our son is asleep, than when he is awake. Later that evening, when I set out to combine dry ingredients and locate all the others and arrange them in an easy-to-grab place in the fridge, I realize there was very little prep work that could be done. Sure, I could throw together the few dry ingredients, but those comprised not even a third of the ingredient list - not a huge time saver. I didn't want to grate the zucchini or chop the apple ahead of time, so I conceded and left all the prep work for Sunday morning.

As I made the muffins on Sunday morning, I wondered if all this work (in itself not much, but more than any other muffin recipe I've made) would be worth it. I got my answer shortly after removing these glorious muffins from the oven. Absolutely - yes! I was so excited to try one, I didn't even wait for them to properly cool. These quickly became my new favorite muffin, and I can't wait to make them again. The add-ins play so well together, against the almost nutty whole wheat muffin base, with just the right hint of cinnamon to round it out.

These lightly sweetened muffins are packed with delicious add-ins and make a fabulous breakfast!

Good Morning Muffins

Source: Slightly adapted from Flour, by Joanne Chang

Yield: 12 muffins

Preparation time: 20 min

Cook time: 45 min

Total time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 cup (40 grams) wheat or oat bran
1/2 cup (120 grams) hot water
1 small zucchini, grated (about 1 1/2 cups packed or 200 grams)
1/2 cup (80 grams) raisins
1/2 cup (50 grams) pecan halves, chopped and toasted
1/2 cup (60 grams) unsweetened flaked coconut
1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped (about 1 cup or 120 grams)
2/3 cup (150 grams) packed light brown sugar
3 eggs (or 3 Tablespoons ground flax seed with 9 tablespoons water)
3/4 cup (150 grams) canola or safflower oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (210 grams) whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup (75 grams) old fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Prepare a muffin tin with nonstick baking spray or paper liners.
In a medium bowl, stir together the bran and hot water until the bran in completely moistened. Add zucchini, raisins, pecans, coconut, apple; stir until well mixed.
If you are using eggs: Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat sugar and eggs on medium speed for 3-4 minutes, until the mixture thickens and lightens. (This will take 6-8 minutes with a hand-held mixer). On low speed, drizzle in oil, slowly, and vanilla. Adding it slowly is key to maintain the air you have beaten into the eggs. If you are using flax seed/water as an egg substitute: add sugar, flax seed, water, oil and vanilla to a large bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined.
In a medium bowl, stir together oats, flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, folding carefully with a spatula until well combined. Add the bran mixture and fold until well combined. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, dividing it evenly and filling the cups to the rim.
Bake 35 to 45 minutes, or until muffins are lightly brown on top and spring back when pressed in the middle with a fingertip. Let cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then remove muffins from pan to finish cooling.
The muffins taste best the day they are made, but can be stored in an airtight container at room tempurature for up to 3 days. They can be frozen up to a week, if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.

Glee! Star-Berry Cupcakes

2011-05-24T14:01:00.000-04:00

For tonight's season finale (*tear*), I chose to present Rachel's cupcake. I am always sad when the show goes on break or the season ends, but this time I am also excited, as I will have all summer to dream up awesome Gleecakes (thanks, Kelsey!) for the rest of the gang, including Finn, Quinn, Puck, Santana, Brittany, Artie, Sam, Sue, Mr. Schue... maybe even a (crazy)Gleecake for Terri?

Rachel is an exceedingly driven member of the student body at McKinley High. She wants nothing more in life than to be a star (well, aside from gaining the affections of Finn). She lets nothing stop in her way of getting as much exposure as possible - from always speaking her mind on any Glee club matter, to securing television commercials for the group, to demanding solos in competition.

Rachel is consistently reminding us that stars are her signature icon, so incorporating stars into her cupcake was a given! As Rachel would most surely attest that she is naturally uber talented, I chose a starfruit, with it's natural star shape, to adorn sparkly buttercream topped cupcakes. However, I also couldn't resist hiding a star inside the cupcake because, really, how much fun is this?!

Rachel's Star-Berry Cupcake combines vanilla cake with a surprise strawberry star baked inside, topped with strawberry swiss meringue buttercream, silver pearl dust, and sliced starfruit.

Star-Berry Cupcakes

Source: Vanilla cake reworded from Confections of a Foodie Bride, Strawberry cake slightly adapted from Good Things Catered (inactive blog), Buttercream slightly adapted from The Culinary Life/Garrett McCord and Beantown Baker/epicurious,
Yield: about 12 cupcakes
Total time: 4 hours 10 minutes, including 2 hours inactive time

Ingredients

For the strawberry cake:

1 1/4 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 1/2 tablespoons buttermilk, at room temperature
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped strawberries
1/4 cup freeze dried raspberries, ground fine (optional, for coloring; can use red food coloring instead, if desired)

For the vanilla cake:

1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed and softened to room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 large eggs (beat the third egg in a small bowl, use half)
1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the buttercream and decoration:

4 ounces egg whites (from a carton is fine)
6 ounces sugar
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room
temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2-4tablespoonspureed strawberries
1 starfruit, sliced thin
silver pearl dust

Instructions

For the strawberry cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare one 9" or 8" round cake pan by spraying with baking spray. Sift flour, salt, and baking soda in medium bowl. In bowl of mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and mix until combined. Add buttermilk, oil and vanilla until combined. Add flour mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in chopped strawberries and ground freeze dried raspberries (or food coloring, to desired shade of pink/red).
Pour batter into cake pan. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan and continue to cook on wire rack until thoroughly cooled.
Wrap well in plastic wrap, and freeze for at least 2 hours to prepare cake for cutting. Once frozen, use a small star cookie or fondant cutter to make star shaped pieces of cake. Use immediately or store, well wrapped, in freezer until you are ready to continue with the cupcakes.

For the cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350. Line one muffin/cupcake baking pan with 12 cupcake liners. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Place butter in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until the butter is light and creamy in color. Stop and scrape the bowl. Cream the butter for an additional 60 seconds.
Add the sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl before each addition. Add the eggs one at a time. Reduce the mixer speed. Stir vanilla into the buttermilk. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk. Mix just until incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix for 15 seconds longer.
Add roughly 2 tablespoonds of batter to each cupcake liner. Place one frozen strawberry cake star in the batter, standing up and all facing the same way. (Remember which way stars are placed, so that decoration added to the top of the cupcakes at the end can signal which way to cut/eat the cake to reveal the star.) Continue to add vanilla batter to each cupcake liner, making sure to cover the stars.

Center the pan onto the lower third of the oven and let bake 15-18 minutes. (A skewer test won't work here, since it would go into the pre-baked star cake.)
Let cool completely in the pans. While baking and cooling, prepare buttercream. Frost cupcakes with buttercream, sprinkle with pearl dust, and top with sliced starfruit.

For the buttercream:

Add egg whites and sugar to a heat-safe bowl. Place bowl over a pot of simmering water and whisk lightly until the muixture reaches 140 degrees F and the sugar is dissolved.
Pour hot whites into a room-temperature bowl and whip with a wire whip until double in volume on medium-high speed. When the mixer stops, the meringue should not move around in the bowl. Meanwhile cut up butter into 2-inch pieces. (The butter should be slightly moist on the outside but cold inside.)
On your mixer, remove the whip and attach the paddle. Add half the butter into the bowl immediately and pulsate the mixer several times until the meringue has covered the butter completely. To pulsate the mixer, turn it on and off in a jerky motion. This forces the butter on the top to the bottom of the bowl. Add the balance of the butter and pulsate mixer several times. Slowly increase the mixer's speed, starting with the lowest speed and increase the speed every 10 seconds until you reach a medium-high speed.
Continue beating until the mixture begins to look light and fluffy. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl. Reduce speed to low. Add vanilla and 2 tablespoonds of strawberry puree and continue to beat on low speed for 45 seconds. Then beat on medium-high speed for an additional 45 to 60 seconds. Add additional puree, if necessary, to acheive desired color and taste. If frosting gets too soft, powdered sugar can be added to help stiffen it back up.
Note: Leftover buttercream can be placed in plastic containers with lids and kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost completely (several hours) and rewhip before using. Storage: Store the icing in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Glee! Gingered Bow Cupcakes

2011-05-17T10:12:00.000-04:00

Emma is one of my favorite characters on Glee, so I was very excited to make her cupcake this weekend. On the outside, Emma is a reserved, polished, sweetheart of a guidance counselor with a little spunk to go along with her firery red hair. Inside, she wrestles with more complex issues - a battle with OCD and a longing to be loved by the one man who stole her heart.

I knew from the start that her cake would be carrot cake, but with her recent proclamation of Gingerhood, a little kick from some ground ginger was definitely in order! The ginger also helps add a level of complexity to the flavor of the cake, to play off Emma's internal struggles. In keeping with Emma's polished exterior, I topped the cake with a tribute to her signature bow blouses and throwback hairstyle - a white fondant bow with curled tails.

Emma's cupcake combines gingered carrot cake with a delicate cream cheese frosting, topped with a signature bow!

Gingered Bow Cupcakes

Source: Slightly adapted from Baking Illustrated

Yield: about 24 cupcakes

Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (12 1/2 ounces)
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoons table salt
1 pound medium carrots (6 to 7), peeled
1 1/2 cups evaporated cane juice (10 1/2 ounces)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
4 eggs (large)
1 1/2 cups safflower oil
8 ounces cream cheese, softened but still cool
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar (4 1/2 ounces)
fondant, for decorations

Instructions

Wash all bowls, pans, utensils, and equipment in hot, soapy water. Dry thoroughly.
Wash all carrots thoroughly to ensure they are free of pesticides.
Day dream about Will Schuester.
Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 muffin pans with sterilized cupcake wrappers.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and salt in medium bowl; set aside.
In food processor fitted with large shredding disk, shred carrots (you should have about 3 cups); transfer carrots to bowl and set aside. Wash food processor components thoroughly with hot, soapy water, then dry pieces and fit bowl with metal blade. Process granulated and brown sugars and eggs until frothy and thoroughly combined, about 20 seconds. With machine running, add oil through feed tube in steady stream. Process until mixture is light in color and well emulsified, about 20 seconds longer. Scrape mixture into large bowl.
Realize you are alone and break down in tears, singing "All By Myself."
Pull yourself together.
Stir in carrots and dry ingredients until incorporated and no streaks of flour remain. Full cupcake wrappers 2/3 of the way and until toothpick or skewer inserted into center comes out clean, about 16-20 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking time.
Cool cupcakes to room temperature in pan on wire rack. When ready to frost, prepare icing. Try not to pass out while working with cream cheese and butter. Process cream cheese, butter, orange juice, and vanilla in clean food processor workbowl until combined, about 10 seconds, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Add powdered sugar and process until smooth, about 10 seconds. Frost cupcakes and top with fondant bow. Have a cupcake to make yourself feel better.
Resume day dreaming about Will Schuester.

Glee! Vote for the next cupcake!

2011-05-10T14:59:00.003-04:00

After one final week off, I'll be ready to return next week with another Glee Cupcake. My problem is - I can't decide which one to make! You can help me out by voting for the one you want to see next. I've narrowed the field to Puck, Brittany, or Emma.

The winner is.....

Emma!

Look for Emma's cupcake here on Tuesday!

Sourdough French Toast

2011-05-03T13:45:00.002-04:00

Much to my own dismay, there will be a short break in the Glee cupcake series. I did make the next ones this past weekend, but the recipe needs tweaking, so I'm holding it back. Artie deserves only the best!

Instead, I bring you another weekend breakfast treasure: sourdough french toast. Sourdough bread is one of my husband's favorite foods. He is originally from northern California, and when we head that way to visit his family, a stop in San Francisco is a must. We love taking a stroll down to the Boudin sourdough factory, grabbing a loaf and some cheese, and sitting on the waterfront to enjoy our snack. Of course, it also makes a great companion on the next leg of our trip - wine country. Sourdough + cheese + wine tasting = a great way to spend a beautiful California afternoon.
While the sourdough bread from our local grocery store isn't quite the same as Boudin, it's still a fun reminder of our trips out west. I wanted to do something fun with a recent loaf that I purchased, and this seemed like a delicious idea. Someday I will make the leap and try making homemade sourdough, but for now our local bakery bread works just fine!

Sourdough is a great choice for french toast because the bread itself carries so much great flavor. Just a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg is used to enhance the natural beauty of sourdough.

Sourdough French Toast

Source: Slightly adapted from Napa Farmhouse
Yield: Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

1 loaf dense sourdough bread
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon honey
1 pinch kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1-2 tablespoons butter, plus more as needed
pure maple syrup, for serving
fruit, for serving

Instructions

Cut the sourdough into four 1-inch thick slices, then cut each slice in half, diagonally. Reserve the rest of the loaf for another use.
In a shallow dish, whisk together eggs, milk, flour, honey, salt, and spices.
Heat enough butter in a large skillet so that it coats the surface (larger skillet would need more butter).
Dip slices of bread in egg mixture, coating both sides, and then add to skillet. Cook until golden brown on both sides.
Serve immediately, with maple syrup and fruit.

Glee! Blackberry Blackbird Cupcakes

2011-04-26T09:05:00.001-04:00

Welcome to the second installment of Glee cupcakes! I was so excited to discover that it would be a 90 minute episode tonight, that I couldn't wait to get started on the next cupcake. I seemed to hit it right on the money last week - a diva cupcake for Mercedes paired with an episode with her being a true diva (puppies, anyone?). Seeing the previews for tonight's episode made my pick for this week easy - Kurt!

One of my favorite performances from Kurt is the recent Blackbird, sung after the death of Pavarotti (the Warbler's canary mascot), and that became the inspiration for Kurt's Glee cupcake. I used my favorite vanilla bean cake recipe for the cake, because I knew they bake up with a flat top that would be perfect for the design I had in mind.

Kurt's Blackberry Blackbird Cupcake combines vanilla bean cake, blackberry filling, and lime swiss meringue buttercream. A nest of candied lime peel holds a fresh blackberry on top of a beautiful rose of buttercream.

Blackberry Blackbird Cupcakes

Source: Cake reworded from Confections of a Foodie Bride,
Buttercream slightly adapted from The Culinary Life/Garrett McCord and Beantown Baker/epicurious,
Candied lime peel reworded from Martha Stewart

Yield: about 16 cupcakes
Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

For the cake:

1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed and softened to room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 large eggs (beat the third egg in a small bowl, use half)
1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup blackberry jam
16 fresh blackberries, rinsed and dried

For the buttercream:

8 ounces egg whites (from a carton is fine)
12 ounces sugar
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
juice of one lime

For the candied lime peel:

1 lime
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water
superfine sugar, for coating

Instructions

For the cake:

Preheat oven to 350. Line two muffin/cupcake baking pans with 16 cupcake liners. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Place butter in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment. Split and scrape the vanilla pod into the butter, discard pod (or reserve for another use). Beat for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until the butter is light and creamy in color. Stop and scrape the bowl. Cream the butter for an additional 60 seconds.
Add the sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl before each addition. Add the eggs one at a time. Reduce the mixer speed. Stir vanilla into the buttermilk. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk. Mix just until incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix for 15 seconds longer.
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Lift up and drop each pan onto the counter top a couple of times to burst any air bubbles and allowing the batter to settle. Center the pans onto the lower third of the oven and let bake 15-18 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs attached.
Let cool completely in the pans. While baking and cooling, prepare buttercream and candied lime peel.

For the buttercream:

Add egg whites and sugar to a heat-safe bowl. Place bowl over a pot of simmering water and whisk lightly until the muixture reaches 140 degrees F and the sugar is dissolved.
Pour hot whites into a room-temperature bowl and whip with a wire whip until double in volume on medium-high speed. When the mixer stops, the meringue should not move around in the bowl. Meanwhile cut up butter into 2-inch pieces. (The butter should be slightly moist on the outside but cold inside.)
On your mixer, remove the whip and attach the paddle. Add half the butter into the bowl immediately and pulsate the mixer several times until the meringue has covered the butter completely. To pulsate the mixer, turn it on and off in a jerky motion. This forces the butter on the top to the bottom of the bowl. Add the balance of the butter and pulsate mixer several times. Slowly increase the mixer's speed, starting with the lowest speed and increase the speed every 10 seconds until you reach a medium-high speed.
Continue beating until the mixture begins to look light and fluffy. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl. Reduce speed to low. Add vanilla and lime and continue to beat on low speed for 45 seconds. Then beat on medium-high speed for an additional 45 to 60 seconds.
Leftover buttercream can be placed in plastic containers with lids and kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost completely (several hours) and rewhip before using. Storage: Store the icing in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

For the candied lime peel:

Peel lime with peeler from top to bottom. Using a sharp knife, carefully remove any thick white pith from lime peel. Cut peel into thin strips.
Bring a medium pot filled with water to a boil over high heat. Prepare an ice-water bath. Add lime peel to boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer lime peel to ice-water bath to cool. Repeat process.
Heat sugar and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar is dissolved. Drain lime peel and add to saucepan; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer lime peel to a wire rack set over parchment paper to drain. Toss with superfine sugar to coat. Store candied lime peel in an airtight container up to 3 days.

Assembly

Prepare cupcakes for filling with the cone method: Using a small, sharp knife, cut a cone out of the center of each cupcake. Fill the cupcake with a rounded teaspoon of blackberry jam. Remove the tip of the cone (to leave room for the filling) and replace the top to the cupcake. Cake is a terrible thing to waste, so be sure to enjoy all those little pieces you cut off!
To make rose design, fit a pastry bag with a large star tip, such as Wilton # 1M. Fill bag with buttercream, and pipe onto cucpcake in a circular motion, starting in the center of the cupcake and moving outward.
Top with fresh blackberry and pieces of candied lime peel.

Turkey and Chickpea Burgers

2011-04-22T14:32:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it's been almost two years since I started eating clean. (For anyone that's new, take a look back at my introduction to clean eating post.) I haven't been perfect - pregnancy did have an effect on my diet, and I did the best that I could during the few months when not much seemed appetizing. Obviously pregnancy throws a kink in one's weigh loss plans, but I am happy to say that renewing my commitment to eating clean after the birth of our son helped me reach my pre-pregnancy weight. I feel great and am happy to be back on track towards reaching my ideal weight. Sure, I still bake some decadent desserts and a few non-clean meals and side dishes, but overall, adapting recipes to be a almost, if not totally, clean is second nature. I don't miss much about full fat and over processed foods. I rarely enter the aisles at the grocery store; most of my time is spend in the produce section! I have come to a place where clean eating is easy. It's our lifestyle now, and I am so happy to have over 100 clean recipes on this blog to share with you!

One of my favorite recipes sources is still, two years later, Clean Eating Magazine. I'm not with it enough to know when the next issue is supposed to arrive in the mail, so when it does, it's like Christmas. I have to flip through right away, and check out the newest ideas. Spring has finally made its way to New England, and that means only one thing to my husband: it's grilling time! I went back through some old issues for any recipes that were overlooked, and rediscovered this recipe for turkey and chickpea burgers.

Turkey burgers are my favorite, and this is a great twist on them. These are quick to throw together and taste great!

Turkey and Chickpea Burgers

Source: Slightly adapted from Clean Eating Magazine, Jan/Feb 2009
Yield: Serves 5
Preparation time: 10 min
Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

1 can chickpeas (15 oz)
1/2 cup scallions, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon cumin (we use coriander)
1 teaspoon fresh black ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
1 pound ground turkey breast
red onion, tomato, lettuce, and buns, for serving

Instructions

In a food processor, combine chickpeas, scallions, cumin, pepper, salt and worchestershire sauce. Pulse until smooth.
Transfer chickpea mixture to a large bowl. Add ground turkey and mix until well combined.
Divide mixture into 5 equal portions and shape into a patty. Grill burgers over medium heat, about 5 minutes per side, until cooked through.
Serve burgers on buns with your favorite burger toppings.

Glee! Choco-Diva Cupcakes

2011-04-19T10:21:00.003-04:00

I was in the mood to bake cupcakes over the weekend, but found myself without a cause. Certainly one should be able to make cupcakes just for the heck of it, but I thought for a moment about what I could celebrate with cupcakes, and quickly thought of Glee! My favorite show returns with new episodes this week, after a hiatus during the month of March. I love everything about this show - the music, the satire, the one-liners, the drama, and most of all, the insane talent. Fellow Gleek Krystal suggested I make some Glee themed cupcakes, and got me started with a few great suggestions!

I had already planned to make chocolate cupcakes, so Krystal's suggestion of a choco-diva cupcake for Mercedes jumped out at me. Mercedes is a sassy and confident member of the glee club, with the desire to be in the limelight and the talent to back it up. Befitting of her large personality, I created an over the top cupcake with definite style and intense flavors.

The Mercedes Choco-Diva Cupcake combines coconut chocolate cake, coconut cream filling, and almond buttercream, with caramel and chocolate ganache drizzled on top. For extra flair, the frosting is piped in a ruffled design, inspired by Cook like a Champion.

Note: I am on a dairy-free diet for the time being, so I made the vegan chocolate cupcakes below (the perfectly domed tops at Oh She Glows convinced me I need to try her recipe - and it did not dissappoint!), but you can use your favorite chocolate cake recipe.

Choco-Diva Cupcakes

Source: Cake and Frosting adapted from Oh She Glows, Coconut Cream filling adapted from here, Caramel and Chocolate Ganache Glaze adapted from Baking: From My Home To Yours
Yield: 12 cupcakes
Total time: 2 hours, 30 minutes (make the caramel first to cut down on idle time!)

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

1 cup non-dairy milk, (regular milk is fine if you aren't sensitive to dairy or following a vegan diet)
1 cup evaporated cane juice
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, divided

For the frosting:

1/2 cup Earth Balance buttery stick or equivalent, at room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
3 tablespoons non-dairy milk, (regular milk is fine if you aren't sensitive to dairy)

For the filling:

1 can coconut milk (do not use light milk)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons evaporated cane juice, or sugar

For the caramel:

1/2 cup evaporated cane juice, or sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon agave nectar, or light corn syrup
1/4 cup reserved coconut cream (from filling)
1 teaspoon Earth Balance buttery stick or equivalent, at room temperature

For the chocolate ganache glaze:

2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup reserved coconut cream (from filling)
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon evaporated cane juice, or sugar

Instructions

One Day Ahead: Identify which end of the can of coconut milk you'll open with the can opener, and place it that-side-down in the refrigerator. It's best to chill it at least 24 hours, as this will allow the cream to separate and rise to the top.

For the cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350F and line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners. With an electric or stand mixer, beat together the non-dairy milk, oil, sugar, apple cider vinegar, vanilla, almond extract in a large bowl. Beat on medium speed for one to two minutes.
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until all the clumps are gone. Stir in coconut, reserving 2 tablespoons.
Pour batter into prepare pan (it will be thin), about 2/3 full for each. Sprinkle tops of each with reserved shredded coconut (they will self-toast in the oven and add another great dimension to these cupcakes!).
Bake for 22 minutes at 350 degrees F, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool completely in the pan.

For the frosting:

In a mixing bowl, beat Earth Balance (or equivalent) with an electric or stand mixer for 2-3 minutes. Add milk, vanilla, and salt and beat and additional minute.
Slowly add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Beat until fully combined, then another 5 minutes more. Add additional milk, a little at a time, if necessary to reach desired consistency.

For the filling:

Open can of refrigerated coconut milk. Pour off the clear/milky coconut water (it will be on the top if you chilled the can open-side-down). This can be saved for smoothies or added to juice.
Scoop the cream out of the can and into a small bowl (about 1 1/2 cups).
Combine 1 cup of coconut cream, vanilla and cane juice in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the cupcakes.

For the caramel:

Add cane juice, water and agave nectar in a small heavy bottomed saucepan and stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, without stirring. Let boil until a nice amber color is acheived, about 5-10 minutes. It's easiest to check the color of the sugar by dropping a small amount on a white plate.
Once at the desired color, remove the pan from the heat, and stand back to add the coconut cream and butter (it will spatter). Stir the caramel to calm it down, then pour into a heatsafe bowl.
Let caramel cool for one hour before topping cupcakes.

For the chocolate ganache glaze:

Add the chocolate to a medium heatsafe bowl.
Add the coconut cream, water and cane juice to a small saucepan and stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
Pour cream mixture over chocolate, and let sit for 30 seconds.
Using a whisk or spatula, slowly stir the chocolate/cream mixture with slow, concentric circles starting in the center. Stir until all the chocolate is melted and smooth.

Assembly! (thought you'd never get here, eh?)

Prepare to fill the cupcakes - the cone method works best here. Using a small, sharp knife, cut a cone out of the center of each cupcake. Fill the cupcake with coconut cream. Remove the tip of the cone (to leave room for the filling) and replace the top to the cupcake. Cake is a terrible thing to waste, so be sure to enjoy all those little pieces you cut off!
To apply the ruffled frosting, fill a pastry bag fitted with a leaf tip (such a Wilton #104) with buttercream. I find that placing the cupcake on a small piece of foil makes it easy to turn while applying frosting. With the fat end of the tip facing out, pipe a circle of frosting around the edge of the cupcake, using a back and forth, overlapping motion. Fill in the center of the frosting ring to leave an even layer for the next level of frosting. Complete the second layer using the same back and forth overlapping motion, with a slightly smaller circle. Again, fill in the center so it is one even layer of frosting. Complete one more circle, smaller yet, for the third layer. Move the tip and and down, while turning the cupcake, to make a crown of frosting on top.
Using a large spoon, drizzle caramel and chocolate ganache glaze over the cupcakes.

One Pot Meal: Baked Chicken

2011-04-15T08:27:00.002-04:00

One pot meals are a thing of wonder. This especially rings true for a messy cook such as myself. Despite the fact that we have somewhere on the order of four times more counter space now than we did in our last home, I still manage to cover all the surfaces during some of my more involved cooking/baking days. I have been known to exclaim, "I don't have anywhere to put this!" only to have my husband look at me in bewilderment. In my defense, it usually involves needing my sink, which is, in my opinion, rather small for the size of our kitchen.

With my parents coming to visit last Sunday for a grandson-fix, I was inspired to make this by a lonely whole chicken wasting away in our deep freezer. This recipe is easy all around (even more-so if you get your butcher to cut up the chicken for you) and great for when you have company. Toss all the ingredients in a roasting pan and pop it in the oven for 50 minutes. We even used the roasting pan as the serving dish and let everyone pick out what they wanted, buffet style. With just one dish to clean up, it allowed for less time in the kitchen and more time where it counts - with family!

Simple, but classic flavorings of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and thyme make this baked chicken dish a great choice for last minute guests, or anytime you want a wholesome, comforting meal with minimal effort.

Baked Chicken with Onions, Potatoes, Garlic, and Thyme

Source: Slightly adapted from Everyday Food, October 2009
Yield: Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (3 to 3 1/2 pounds), cut into 8 pieces and breasts halved crosswise
1 pound white new potatoes, halved (quartered if large)
1 large red onion, cut into eighths
1 head garlic, cloves separated and left unpeeled
6 sprigs thyme
1 lemon, quartered
1 pound baby carrots
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange chicken, potatoes, onion, carrots, garlic, thyme, and lemon in a 12-by-16-inch roasting pan.
In a small bowl, whisk together the oil and vinegar and drizzle over chicken and vegetables.
Toss to combine and season with salt and pepper. Turn chicken skin side up. Roast until chicken is browned and cooked through, about 50 minutes.

Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes

2011-04-12T11:58:00.000-04:00

I recently talked about regional differences in traditional breakfast foods. With our first little one here now, we seem to be starting some breakfast traditions of our own. Once each weekend, we get up and cook a delicious breakfast together, be it biscuits and gravy, eggs with toast and hash browns, bagel sandwiches, or my favorite - pancakes! It's a nice change from a bowl of cereal or cream cheese laden bagel, and fun to prepare a meal together.

We typically use my favorite pancake recipe with apples and (sometimes) cranberries, but last week I got inspired to make peanut butter banana pancakes. I'm not sure where the urge came from, but my husband sometimes slathers peanut butter in between his pancakes, so I knew he would be on board! At the last minute, chocolate chips sounded like a perfect addition, so I tossed a few into the batter.

I am so happy with how these pancakes turned out. There is a great balance of the three main components, which complement each other well in every bite!

Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Source: Adapted from my favorite pancake recipe
Yield: Serves 4 (2 pancakes each)
Preparation time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup oat bran
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon honey
1 banana
1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Add the peanut butter and honey to a heat-safe bowl. Microwave in 20 second intervals on low power until mixture is softened and warm. Mash half of the banana, and slice the remaning half into 1/4 inch thick rounds, then cut the rounds into quarters. Stir the mashed banana into the peanut butter mixture.
Stir together oat bran through cinnamon in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine milk, egg, and oil; stir to mix.
Add milk mixture to flour mixture, stir just until mixed. Fold in peanut butter mixture, chopped banana, and chocolate chips.
Heat griddle or pan, then spray with cooking spray. Drop 1/3 cup of batter onto griddle, repeat with remaining batter. Heat until bubbles form at the surface and bottom is lightly browned, then flip and cook through.

Curry Shrimp with Green Beans and Soba Noodles

2011-04-08T05:38:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago I mentioned one of our favorite curry recipes, and said it was one of two favorites. Today, I am bringing you the other favorite! After trying so many different recipes, this one always stood out as the best. When I went back to evaluate why, and compare all the recipes, I found that this one calls for twice the curry powder that the others do. That could definitely explain why we like this recipe so much more!

As luck would have it, I wanted to make this right as we ran out of curry powder. I was due to refill some other spices, so I turned to my trusty spice store, Penzeys, for a new order. I flipped to the curry page in the catalog and was instantly overwhelmed. There were so many different kinds, and I am somewhat embarrassed to admit that I didn't realize "curry powder" was really a blend of several different spices. I thought curry powder was just - curry powder, like turmeric is just turmeric. Boy, was I wrong!

I grabbed my empty curry jar and scanned the ingredient list, then picked the one in the catalog that sounded the closest and crossed my fingers as I placed the order. I chose the sweet curry powder, and it turned out to be the perfect choice. It was just the right blend for us!

This is a fabulously quick, easy, one pot meal - great for a weeknight. This combination of spices is our favorite curry sauce, which I suspect we will be able to use in many other curry dishes in the future!

Curry Shrimp with Green Beans and Soba Noodles

Source: Slightly adapted from The Gracious Pantry
Yield: Serves 2-3
Preparation time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound frozen shrimp (peeled and deveined, tail off)
1 can light coconut milk (14 oz)
1 pound fresh green beans
3 green onions, diced
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
4 teaspoons curry powder
juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 tablespoons cornstarch
6 ounces soba noodles

Instructions

Combine all ingredients except soba noodles in a large pot or pan, cover and bring to a boil.
Once you have a nice rolling boil, remove the lid and continue to cook over medium to medium-high heat.
Add soba noodles and cook an additional 3-4 minutes, until noodles are soft and shrimp are cooked through.

Tilapia with Lemon Pesto and Oven Roasted Tomatoes

2011-04-06T10:18:00.000-04:00

We've been in a fish rut for a months now. All I seem to make with our stash of frozen tilapia is fish tacos. While fish tacos are pretty darn awesome, I knew I would need to move on, eventually. For a while I could blame it on the nice weather (I'm talking last summer, here), but even in the dead of winter, I turned to that easy-to-prepare, delicious, healthy fish taco recipe.

I could further blame it on the fact that most of the tilapia recipes in my queue call for breadcrumbs, and I can't find whole wheat breadcrumbs in the store. Or, I did eventually find some, but a look at the ingredient label revealed that they contained high fructose corn syrup. (In breadcrumbs? Really?) They immediately went back on the shelf. Yes, I know I can make them at home, but I'm too ~~lazy~~ busy to figure out how to achieve the right texture.

Enter one of my favorites blogs: Elly Says Opa! This recipe caught my eye because I had some pesto to use up, and allowed me to skirt around my bread crumb debacle.

This turned out to be a quick, simple way to prepare a flavorful dish!

Tilapia with Lemon Pesto and Oven Roasted Tomatoes

Source: Elly Says Opa!
Yield: Serves 2
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons pesto
1 lemon
2 tilapia filets
salt and pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425. Toss the tomatoes and the garlic with the olive oil and some salt and pepper. Roast for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, juice the lemon and reserve both the juice and the juiced lemon. To the juice, add the pesto and stir to combine. Season the tilapia with salt and pepper and then spread the pesto mixture on top of the fish.
Take the pan of roasted garlic and tomatoes out of the oven and nestle the cut lemon into the pan. Place the tilapia on top of the lemon and tomatoes and put back in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until the fish is flaky and no longer opaque. Spoon the tomatoes over the fish.

Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

2011-03-27T20:17:00.002-04:00

"You've never had biscuits and gravy?"

My husband was shocked, but no, it was not something my parents ever made for breakfast when I was growing up. I'm from the Boston area, and breakfast was usually either cereal, various preparations of eggs, sometimes with bacon, various pastries, or the occasional loaf of Polish rye bread from Alice's Bakery in Southie. My husband is from northern California, which doesn't scream "biscuits and gravy" to me, but his mom grew up in Kansas, so that's probably where it comes from!

What is standard breakfast fare in your neck of the woods?

These tender, flaky biscuits are a fabulous complement to the creamy gravy, which has just the right spice from the fennel in homemade sausage.

Biscuits and Gravy

Source: Slightly adapted from Beantown Baker and Good Things Catered
Yield: Serves 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 12 minutes
Total time: 27 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (I used Earth Balance vegan butter sticks)
3/4 cup milk (I used 2%)
8-12 ounces chicken sausage (I chopped up 7 pre-cooked patties, which ranged from 1 to 1.5 ounces each, since that is what we had on hand)
3 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
2 cups milk (I used 2%)
pepper

Instructions

For the biscuits: Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture until the butter pieces are pea sized. Add the milk, stirring just until combined.
Turn dough out onto a work surface dusted with powdered sugar or whole wheat pastry flour. Roll out dough to 1" thick.
Cut dough into rounds or other desired shape. Top each biscuit with a small cube of butter.
Bake biscuits at 450 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes.
For the sausage gravy: Brown sausage in a skillet. Add milk and flour to pan and whisk together to form a gravy. Add more milk to thin the consistency out, more flour to thicken the consistency. Season with pepper to taste.
Serve gravy over biscuits.

Irish Soda Bread

2011-03-17T05:14:00.007-04:00

Despite a significant amount of Irish in my blood, I'd never had Irish soda bread until last weekend. With Saint Patrick's Day upon us, I've seen requests for this recipe everywhere, and it piqued my interest. When I first saw the (very simple) ingredient list, I thought, "What is so special about this bread?"

It seemed easy enough to whip up, so that I did. My first loaf was dense and almost chewy - not good eats. This recipe turned out so much better for my second attempt, and had me singing the praises of Irish soda bread along with everyone else.

This tasty bread is crisp on the outside, but so soft on the inside. The buttermilk lends great flavor to the bread - tear off a piece and enjoy with butter, jam, or just by itself! Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Irish Soda Bread

Source: Slightly adapted from Cate's World Kitchen
Yield: 1 loaf
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/8 teaspoons baking soda (fresh is best)
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 F, and grease a baking sheet (or line with parchment)
Combine the flour, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl and wisk together with a fork.
Stir in half the buttermilk, then add the remaining buttermilk 2 tbsp at a time.
You want the dough to be just a little bit moist. It should hold together, but not be sticky. If you accidentally add too much milk, knead in some flour until the dough is no longer sticky.
Shape into a ball, then cut an X into the top.
Bake for about 45 minutes, or until golden brown. (If you tap on the bottom of the loaf with your knuckles, it should sound hollow).
Let cool as long as you can stand to wait, then serve with butter and jam.
Best if eaten within about 3 hours of baking.

Basil Chicken in a Coconut-Curry Sauce

2011-03-15T08:00:00.000-04:00

It's easy to get lost in the sea of recipe sources these days. There are cookbooks, family recipes tucked in a recipe box, magazines, Food Network shows, more magazines… and let's not forget all the other food blogs I have in my Google Reader. Every once in a while I think of those poor cookbooks (collecting dust), hanging around the kitchen, and find it refreshing to crack them open and rediscover the recipes waiting inside.

I recently pulled out my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook for some inspiration, and found plenty! I kept jumping from one page to the next, finding quite a few recipes to choose from given what ingredients I already had in the house. I was sold on this recipe, however, as soon as I saw the title. First off, it would use some basil that was dying a slow death in my refrigerator (and good basil is a terrible thing to waste). Second, I've been mildly obsessed with curry lately. In the last month, I've probably made five different curry dishes. Two have emerged as our favorites, for different reasons, and this is one of them.

We love this dish because marinating the chicken in the spices allows for a nice punch of flavor. The dish is balanced by the sauce, which uses fresh garlic, onion, and ginger, and has a surprisingly subtle background of basil.

Basil Chicken in a Coconut-Curry Sauce

Source: Reworded from Better Homes and Gardens Bridal Edition Cookbook
Yield: Serves 4
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped red onion
2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced or grated
1 can unsweetened light coconut milk (~14 ounces)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons fresh basil, cut into ribbons
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
3 cups cooked rice (use brown rice if you are following a clean eating diet)

Instructions

In a medium bowl combine curry powder, black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and the chili powder. Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces. Add to spice mixture in bowl; toss to coat. Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours to allow spices to penetrate meat.
Pour oil into a wok or large nonstick skillet; heat over medium-high heat. Add half of the chicken to wok. Cook and stir for 4 to 6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove from wok. Repeat with remaining chicken.
Add onion, jalapeno peppers, and garlic to wok; cook and stir about 8 minutes or until crisp-tender.
Stir together coconut milk, cornstarch, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt until smooth. Carefully add to onion mixture in wok. Cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly.
Return chicken to wok. Stir in basil and ginger. Cook and stir about 2 minutes or until heated through. Serve over hot rice.

Vanilla Bean Cake

2011-03-11T05:27:00.065-05:00

In 2007 after we moved to the Chicago area, I started a job that allowed me a 4 day work week. I jumped at the chance to have that schedule, since I had a long commute and it meant saving wear and tear on my car, and making a dent in the gas bill. However, when you combine 3 day weekends + a husband with a demanding job + not being close to family or friends... you get a whole lot of free time.

I dove into cooking, then blogging, then cooking groups like TWD and BB. I filled my weekends with trying new recipes and new techniques, hoping to find favorites that I could someday share with someone other than my husband.

Last year we moved back to the east coast, little more than an hour from where I grew up. When it was time to plan our son's baptism, I knew right away that I wanted to make the cake. This is what I'd been working towards - years of building experience in the kitchen, so I could share the fruits of that labor with family and friends!

For this cake, I pulled from some old favorites, tried new recipes, and built my first stacked cake! I was really happy with how it came out, considering how rushed I was putting it together. The top section is a 6-inch, triple layer cake made with Beatty's Chocolate Cake (water instead of coffee, though) and chocolate mousse filling. The bottom was a 9-inch, triple layer cake made with vanilla bean cake and raspberry filling. I also made Swiss Meringue Buttercream for the first time for this cake, and loved it! I'll be posting that recipe once I work out some kinks that I had with it.

This vanilla bean cake recipe was perfect. Fluffy, moist cake with great vanilla flavor - I couldn't get enough! This is definitely my new favorite white cake recipe. I made 1.5 times the below recipe to have enough for three 9-inch layers.

Vanilla Bean Cake

Source: Reworded from Confections of a Foodie Bride
Yield: Two 8 or 9-inch cake layers
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

3 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 cup unsalted butter, cubed and softened to room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs
1 1/4 cups buttermilk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and line two 8-inch or 9-inch baking pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Place butter in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment. Split and scrape the vanilla pod into the butter, discard pod (or reserve for another use). Beat for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until the butter is light and creamy in color. Stop and scrape the bowl. Cream the butter for an additional 60 seconds.
Add the sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl before each addition. Add the eggs one at a time. Reduce the mixer speed. Stir vanilla into the buttermilk. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk. Mix just until incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix for 15 seconds longer.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an off-set spatula. Lift up the pan with the batter, and let it drop onto the counter top a couple of times to burst any air bubbles and allowing the batter to settle. Center the pans onto the lower third of the oven and let bake 45 to 50 minutes or until the cake is lightly brown on top and comes away from the sides of the pan and a skewer inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs attached. I found that 45 minutes was too long for my cake and ended up overbaking them a bit, so check early.
Let cool completely in the pans before removing the cakes and frosting.

Party Punch

2011-03-07T14:24:00.029-05:00

In February, we celebrated our son's baptism. Such an event brought all sides of my family together (sadly my husband's family lives clear across the country, so it's hard to attend events like this). When planning the menu, I arrived at the beverage category and things quickly got out of hand. You see, there are some polar opposites in my family. When my mom's side gets together to celebrate an event, they bring along certain friends: Caymus, Cakebread, Jameson (why not add a little Irish to your coffee?), Veuve, Van Gogh, Bud, and Coors. My dad's side? They bring out the Martinelli's. Yup - sparking apple cider is about as wild as it gets there!

I created the Mom's side portion of the menu with simply red and white wine, and two types of beer. After running it past her, she thought that mimosas, espresso martinis, and a third beer offering were in order. I had to politely remind her that this was a Sunday afternoon event - no need to run the gamet on alcoholic beverages! We compromised and ended up somewhere in the middle. For the Dad's side of the menu, I found this suggestion for punch on a cooking board that I frequent. I wanted to do something other than just water and soda, and this was a fabulous choice! What are your family gatherings like? Are the offerings more like Mom's side or Dad's side?

This party punch is easy to throw together, fruity with a little zing from the ginger ale. A great treat for all party guests!

Party Punch

Source: Ammie of Adventures in my kitchen
Preparation time: 5 min

Ingredients

2 quarts cranberry juice
1 can pineapple juice (46 ounces)
2 cups orange juice
2 liters ginger ale
1 orange, sliced

Instructions

Add all ingredients except orange slices to a large punch bowl with ice. Stir to combine.
Float orange slices in punch for garnish.

Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate with Whipped Coconut Cream

2011-02-23T05:43:00.003-05:00

Hot chocolate is one of the most comforting winter indulgences, I think. Warm, creamy, delicious chocolate - perfect for curling up with when it's cold and snowy outside. I look forward to enjoying hot chocolate all winter long, and it's one of the only ways I truly enjoy chocolate. My husband loves it, too, and when I saw this recipe for peanut butter hot chocolate, I knew he'd be excited about it.

Chocolate and peanut butter is such a classic combination, and they marry well together in this lovely twist on classic hot chocolate. Growing up, my favorite topping was none other than the classic Fluff. I loved that stuff (well, I still do!) but it's not exactly fitting into the clean eating lifestyle. Enter: the genius happening over at The Gracious Pantry. Tiffany recently introduced her readers to a whipped cream alternative made from coconut milk. Given my recent addiction to all things curry, I had some coconut milk in stock and decided to try it out.

All I can say is coconut cream = awesome. I forgot all about Fluff once I topped my hot chocolate with this heavenly stuff. I'm sure you are wondering if you can taste the coconut. I could when sampling it alone, but I skimped a bit on the honey/vanilla. Once atop the hot chocolate, I couldn't pick out the coconut at all. Just lovely, creamy deliciousness to perfectly complement more lovely, creamy deliciousness.

Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate with Whipped Coconut Cream
Source: Slightly adapted from Dolcetto Confections/Martha Stewart
Generously serves 2

2 cups skim milk
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
3 tablespoons natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons sucanat
1 tablespoon whipped coconut cream

In a medium saucepan over low heat, warm milk until it just begins to simmer and bubbles form around the edge of the pan. Whisk in chocolates, peanut butter, and sucanat until melted and smooth. Cover and continue warming over low heat until warmed through. For a thicker cup of cocoa, simmer hot chocolate uncovered until desired thickness is achieved. Ladle hot chocolate into individual mugs, top with whipped cream.

Whipped Coconut Cream
Source: Reworded from The Gracious Pantry

1 14 ounce can regular coconut milk (do not use light milk)
1 tablespoon. agave or honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon coconut cream (recipe follows)

1. Identify which end of the can you'll open with the can opener (for some cans that's the bottom) and place it that-end-down in the fridge for at least a day. The longer, the better. Gently turn the can over and open it. The cream should be solid at the (now) bottom of the can, with a layer of clear liquid on top. Pour off the clear liquid (great for use in smoothies or added to juice for a tropical touch).

2. Scoop the cream out of the can and into a medium bowl. Add honey and vanilla extract. Blend or whisk together until well combined.

3. Refrigerate coconut cream for a few hours to set; it will thicken slightly when chilled.

Note: If you find that even after chilling, the cream won’t stiffen up, put it into a blender with 1 package of unflavored gelatin. Let it sit out for about an hour. Once it’s thick as it should be, put it back into the fridge to chill further.

Mediterranean Vegetable, White Bean and Feta Penne

2011-02-14T05:33:00.051-05:00

Loaded with fresh ideas, I pulled this recipe from my "to make" list for an easy weekend meal. When I showed the recipe to my husband, he requested that I add some chicken. I thought it would be a great addition, too, and decided that seasoning it with Herbs de Provence would be a great complement to the flavors in the dish.

This dish is not only delicious, but a cinch to throw together. The flavors are great (of course, I am a huge fan of feta cheese), and we discovered an added bonus - it is also delicious as a cold pasta salad for leftovers!

Mediterranean Vegetable, White Bean and Feta Penne
Source: Slightly adapted from Clean Eating Magazine, February 2011, Page 40

6 oz whole-grain penne pasta
1 cup cooked canned white beans, drained and rinsed well
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced, divided
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp plus 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium zucchini, cut into eighths lengthwise, then cut into 2-inch pieces
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into thin strips, then cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta
2 boneless, skinless chicken breats (optional)
1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Cook penne according to package directions, adding beans during the last minute of cooking.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, 2 cloves garlic, vinegar, basil, pepper flakes and salt; set aside.

3. (Optional if using chicken) Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium heat, tilting skillet to coat bottom lightly. Sprinkle chicken with herbs de provence, then add to skillet. Cook about 8 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Remove from skillet.

4. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in same skillet over medium high heat, tilting skillet to coat bottom lightly. Add zucchini and bell pepper and cook for 4 minutes or until edges begin to brown, stirring frequently. Add remaining 2 cloves garlic and cook for 15 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in tomato mixture and drizzle with remaining 1 tbsp oil. Chop chicken into bite size pieces and add to vegetable mixture. Cover to keep warm.

Four: Drain penne-bean mixture, place in a serving bowl, sprinkle evenly with rosemary and all but 1/4 cup feta. Spoon vegetable/chicken mixture over top and finish with remaining feta.

Orange Chipotle Chicken

2011-02-11T05:43:00.001-05:00

My desire to finally get back in the kitchen was greatly influenced by the arrival of the latest issue of Clean Eating Magazine. I can’t get enough of this magazine. I’ve said it before and I will say it again – I seriously love it! The latest issue is chock full of recipes I can’t wait to try (many of them are listed as $2 per serving!), but this one jumped out at me immediately. The flavors sounded perfect, and I knew my husband would love them. Already having the ingredients in stock also helped to make it attractive (getting to the grocery store is somewhat more challenging these days).

This meal has the perfect trifecta – quick to make, packed with great flavors, and easy on the wallet. I am sure we will be revisiting it soon!

I neglected to deseed the chipotles, and the dish was pretty spicy, so remember to remove them if you are sensitive to that.

Orange Chipotle Chicken
Source: Clean Eating Magazine, February 2011, Page 38

1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin (cumin haters like me can use coriander)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp safflower oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb), rinsed and patted dry, pounded to 1/2-inch thick
1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tbsp chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (remove seeds to keep the heat down)
1 tsp orange zest
2 cups cooked brown rice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions

One: In a small bowl, combine chile powder, cumin, and 1/4 tsp salt. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Tilt skillet to coat bottom lightly. Season both sides of chicken with chile-cumin mixture and cook for 3 minutes per side or until no longer pink in center. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Two: Add orange juice and maple syrup to juice and bits left in skillet and cook for 1 minute to thicken slightly (until it measures 1/4 cup liquid) stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in chipotle chiles in adobo sauce and orange zest. Add chicken back to skillet, return to heat and cook for 1 minutes on medium high turning constantly.

Three: In a medium bowl, combine rice, cilantro and remaining 1/4 tsp salt. Serve chicken over rice and spoon any excess glaze over top of chicken pieces.

Nutritional Information (per serving: 3 oz chicken and 1/2 cup rice):
Calories: 283
Fat: 4g
Sat. Fat: 1g
Carbs: 32g
Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 8g
Protein: 29g
Sodium: 337 mg
Cholesterol: 32 mg

Quick Chicken Fricassee

2011-02-07T05:17:00.000-05:00

I'm a huge fan of Cook's Illustrated for trusted, tested recipes. I've been getting the magazine for a few years, but recently let my subscription run out because I think I'd benefit more from the online subscription the offer. I love to research products and having all of their tests and ratings at my fingertips is more beneficial to me, than getting new recipes sent to my door a few times a year. However, in the last magazine issue I received, there were quite a few recipes that seemed perfect for us. This was one of them. I happily added the ingredients to my grocery list, but somehow completely forgot to write down the mushrooms. I decided to make it anyway and it was still fabulous! We are huge fans of chicken with a pan sauce recipes, and this was just one more recipe for our arsenal.

Quick Chicken Fricassee
Source: Cook's Illustrated, November/December 2010, page 20

Note:
Two tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley leaves may be substituted for the tarragon in this recipe.

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thighs, or a combination
Table salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound cremini mushrooms, stems trimmed, caps wiped clean and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup sour cream
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon (see note)

1. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Heat butter and oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. When foaming subsides, place chicken in skillet and cook until browned, about 4 minutes. Flip chicken and continue to cook until browned on second side, about 4 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to large plate.

2. Add mushrooms, onion, and wine to now-empty skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add flour and garlic; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add broth and bring mixture to boil, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Add chicken and any accumulated juices to skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees when inserted in breasts and 175 degrees when inserted in thighs, 5 to 10 minutes.

3. Transfer chicken to clean platter and tent loosely with foil. Whisk sour cream and egg yolk together in medium bowl. Whisking constantly, slowly stir ½ cup sauce into sour cream mixture. Stirring constantly, slowly pour sour cream mixture into simmering sauce. Stir in nutmeg, lemon juice, and tarragon; return to simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken and serve.

Quinoa Vegetable Soup

2011-02-03T05:43:00.001-05:00

The snow has been piling up around here, and that generally means one things: comfort food. In an effort to keep things healthy around here, I turned to this soup recipe for something warm, comforting, and most of all - filling!

I didn't have any marjoram (and wasn't about to go out to the store for some), but I found a spice blend in my cabinet that seemed like it would work well. I also used chicken broth, since that's what I had on hand. This is a delicious soup that is so easy to throw together. It's a great way to get in some vegetables and grains, so you can feel a little less guilty about some other comfort foods calling your name!

Quinoa Vegetable Soup
Yield: Approximately 4 quarts
Source: The Gracious Pantry

8 cups vegetable broth + 8 cups vegetable broth on reserve
2 cups uncooked quinoa (rinsed well, unless you buy pre-rinsed)
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
1 small bunch celery, cleaned and sliced
1 small head broccoli, washed and chopped
2 lbs. mushrooms, washed and sliced
1 red onion, peeled and diced
2 tbsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. onion powder
1 tsp. thyme
2 tsp. celery seed
1 tbsp. marjoram
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 vegetable bouillon cube

Directions

Step 1 – Saute the onions and mushrooms over low-medium heat in the olive oil until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms have completely wilted.

Step 2 – In a large soup pot (a 4 quart pot), combine 8 cups of broth, carrots, celery, broccoli, onion/mushroom mixture, bouillon cube and spices. Bring to a boil.

Step 3 – When the soup is at a full, rolling boil, add the quinoa.

Step 4 – Reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the vegetables are soft and the quinoa is transparent.

Step 5 – Add extra vegetable broth as needed to maintain a soupy consistency.

Getting back in the kitchen

2011-01-27T11:53:00.000-05:00

I apologize for the lack of updates in the last month or so. Things changed greatly in our home last November when we welcomed our new son into the world. We are slowly adjusting to our new (and wonderful) life, so I hope to begin posting regularly again. Thanks for sticking with me during this brief hiatus!

Frozen Banana Delight

2010-12-17T05:59:00.005-05:00

As we enter the holiday season, filled with tempting treats loaded with fat and sugar, I thought I'd show you an easy alternative that might help curb your cravings for treats that don't fit a clean eating lifestyle.

Otherwise known as “one ingredient ice cream” or “banana ice cream,” this super easy treat is a cool, creamy alternative to ice cream. It can be enjoyed in it’s simplest form – with just bananas, or with a few key additions to punch up the flavor. My favorite additions are peanut butter and cocoa powder!

Frozen Banana Delight

1 ripe banana
1 tablespoon natural peanut butter (optional)
1 teaspoon cocoa powder (optional)

Slice banana into chunks and freeze in a single layer on a parchment lined plate or cookie sheet. Once frozen, place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until it is transformed into a creamy treat. You may need to intermittently stop the processor or blender to scrape down the ingredients.

Mexican Shrimp Burgers

2010-12-01T13:50:00.001-05:00

My husband was originally a little skeptical about the idea of shrimp burgers, but he was nice enough to wait and tell me that AFTER I made them. These burgers totally won him over. We both agree that they are fantastic, and definitely something different! I love that they are actually relatively easy to prepare and being able to use frozen shrimp, which thaw quickly, makes it even more attractive.

Mexican Shrimp Burgers
Source: slightly adapted from Everyday Gourmet / FN

1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 egg
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
2 garlic clove, peeled
3/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs, plus more as needed
1 poblano chile, roasted, peeled, stemmed, seeded, and diced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Avocado Aioli:
1 Hass avocado, halved, pitted, and peeled
1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 medium garlic cloves, peeled
1 serrano chile, stemmed, halved and seeded
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 whole wheat burger buns, split in half
2 medium tomatoes, or pico de gallo
6 lettuce leaves or a mixture of baby lettuce leaves

Directions

Burgers:
In a food processor, combine the shrimp, egg, cilantro, garlic, 3/4 cup bread crumbs, poblano chile, salt, and pepper. Process until the mixture is a coarse puree. (If the mixture is too wet, add additional bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture can be molded easily). Form the mixture into 4-6 patties and put on a plate and store in the fridge to firm up while you make your aioli.

Avocado Aioli:

Scoop the avocado pulp into the bowl of a food processor. Add the yogurt, lime juice, garlic cloves, serrano chile and cilantro. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Heat the oil over medium-medium high heat in a non stick skillet. (because the shrimp doesn’t have a lot of fat, the oil will help develop a nice crust). Add burgers to pan, gently sear until golden, about 3 minutes per side, depending on the thickness. Cover burgers while cooking to ensure that the shrimp will cook through. Do not over cook the burgers! Like anything using shrimp, it will taste best when the shrimp are just cooked through.

To assemble:

Serve the shrimp burgers on buns, topped with avocado aioli, sliced tomato or pico de gallo, and lettuce.

Chicken Fried Rice with Bok Choy

2010-11-17T05:37:00.000-05:00

My favorite farmer's market vendor ended up with a surplus of bok choy that needed to be used up. He generously offered me a second bag for free, so I came home and scoured through my recipe list to see what I could make. This recipe caught my eye because it was simple to make, I had the remaining ingredients on hand, and it would use up most of the bok choy!

I honestly wasn't expecting much from this recipe, but it really turned out great! My husband insisted that this be made part of the regular rotation. I am happy to oblige, since it was so easy and delicious!

Chicken Fried Rice with Bok Choy
Source: Slightly adapted from Everyday Food, December 2008
Serves 4
(This recipe followed another recipe in the magazine, which had instructions for cooking the rice and chicken. I have amended the chicken cooking instructions.)

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1 pound
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound bok choy, cored and coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups cooked brown rice
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil, and spray lightly with olive oil. Place chicken breasts on foil, spray lightly with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake about 30 minutes, or until no longer pink on the inside (inside temperature of 165 degrees F). Set aside to cook, then chop into cubes. This step can be done ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium. Add eggs; season with salt and pepper, and cook while stirring to break it up into pieces, until set, 1 to 3 minutes. Set cooked eggs aside (reserve skillet).

3. In skillet, heat remaining tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add bok choy, onion, and garlic; season with salt and pepper (skillet will be very full). Cook, stirring frequently, until bok choy is crisp-tender, 2 to 4 minutes.

4. Add rice, chicken, eggs, ginger, vinegar, and soy sauce. Cook, tossing, until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.

Spicy Baked Chicken Tenders

2010-11-15T04:53:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago, my husbands schedule changed and his work days got longer. As a result, he came home hungry and ready to eat... something. Though his days are longer, he still gets home before me, so I started thinking of ideas that would be easy for him to make quickly. I decided to try making chicken tenders from my crispy baked chicken recipe, but changing it up and making them spicy.

My husband loved the idea, and has been making his own little snack wraps (chicken tenders in a tortilla with lettuce and cheese) every week after work. It's taken me a few weeks to perfect the combination of ingredients, and maintain the level of spicy flavor after baking, but I think I finally got it right.

Spicy Baked Chicken Tenders
Yield:
Note: lately, I've been out of flax seed and breadcrumbs, so I made the substitutions below. It's fun to experiment with different combinations!

3-4 chicken breasts, sliced into tenders
2 egg whites (I sometimes go with 1/4 cup egg whites from a carton)
1/4 cup Frank's hot sauce
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup plain dried breadcrumbs, or oat bran
1/4 cup ground flax seed, or cornmeal
2 tablespoons taco seasoning (recipe follows)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Combine egg whites, hot sauce, and cornstarch in a shallow dish or bowl. Whisk to combine thoroughly. Combine wheat germ, breadcrumbs/oat bran, flax seed/cornmeal and seasonings in a shallow dish. Dip chicken in egg white mixture, then in breading mixture. Shake off excess breading and place on a baking sheet fitted with a rack (to keep chicken elevated when cooking). Lining the baking sheet with foil is optional for easy cleanup. Bake chicken at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Taco Seasoning
From: Allrecipes

~ 1 tablespoon chili powder
~ 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
~ 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
~ 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
~ 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
~ 1/2 teaspoon paprika
~ 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin (we use coriander)
~ 1 teaspoon sea salt
~ 1 teaspoon black pepper

Double Apple Bundt Cake

2010-11-08T05:02:00.002-05:00

I was cleaning out my wallet recently and discovered not one, but TWO Williams Sonoma gift cards. I'm never sure if gift cards in my wallet are used up, or still carry a balance, so I checked on these two and sure enough - they both had a balance! There are two things from W-S that I've had in the back of my mind for... quite some time now. One is their Gold Touch cake pans. I have the muffin tin and my cupcakes/muffins always come out flawless, so I've been wanting to slowly replace my current pans, as they age, with Gold Touch pans.

The other item is the Heritage bundt cake pan. Since I don't have a bundt cake pan, and Tuesdays with Dorie recently made a delectable apple bundt cake that caught my eye, I decided to get the bundt pan to use up my gift cards. Yay! I love new kitchen paraphernalia.

In a twist of fate, I looked up the recipe in the index in the back of the book, and it had one page number in italics to indicate that there was a photo of the cake. I always love seeing photos, so I flipped to that page and was so excited to see what looked like cranberries! However, then I realized that the cake looked a little... off... from what I was expecting. I'm pretty sure the picture on that page is actually of the Holiday Bundt cake, which calls for cranberries and pumpkin puree. That seemed more like the picture. Nevertheless, I was stuck on cranberries and had already decided they were going in my apple bundt cake. While looking over the Holiday Bundt Cake recipe, I happened to notice a slightly different icing recipe. I decided I like that one better for this cake, so I have included it in the recipe below.

This cake baked up beautifully in my new Heritage pan! It is dense, moist, and full of apple flavor with the occasional tart bite of cranberry (too occasional for my taste, in the future I might add more!). The maple glaze was a great pairing for these flavors. Overall, a great fall treat!

Double Apple Bundt Cake
Source: Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours

* 2 cups AP flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour)
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* ½ teaspoon baking soda
* ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
* ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
* ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
* ¼ teaspoon salt
* 1 ¼ sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 1 ½ cups sugar (I used evaporated cane juice)
* 1 cup store-bought apple butter
* 2 eggs
* 2 medium apples, peeled, cored and grated
* 1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
* ½ cup plump, moist raisins (dark or golden) (I used 1 cup fresh cranberries
* Confectioners’ sugar for dusting (optional)

For the Icing (optional)

* 6 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
* About 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Getting ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9- to 10- inch (12 cup) Bundt pan. If your pan is not nonstick, dust the interior of the pan with flour, then tap out the excess. (If yo’ve got a silicone Bundt pan, there’s no need to butter or flour it.) Don’t place the pan on a baking sheet – you want the oven’s heat to circulate through the Bundt’s inner tube.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed, scraping the bowl as needed, for 3 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth, thick and pale. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for about 1 minute after each addition; you’ll have a light, fluffy batter. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the apple butter – don’t worry if it curdles the batter. Still on low, add the grated apples and mix to completely blend. Add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the batter. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the nuts and raisins/cranberries. Turn the batter into the Bundt pan and smooth the top of the batter with the rubber spatula.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a think knife inserted deep into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for 5 minutes before unmolding and cooling the cake to room temperature. If possible, once the cake is completely cool, wrap well in plastic and let it stand overnight at room temperature to ripen the flavors.

If you’re not going to ice the cake, you can dust it with confectioners’ sugar just before serving.

To make the optional icing: Put the sugar in a small bowl and stir in maple syrup. Keep adding syrup a little at a time until you have an icing that falls easily from the tip of a spoon. Drizzle the icing over the top of the cake letting it slide down the curves of the cake in whatever pattern it makes. Let the cake stand until the icing dries, a matter of minutes, before slicing.

Chicken Breasts with a Mustard Caper Pan Sauce

2010-10-27T05:36:00.000-04:00

We have become huge fans of the chicken-with-pan-sauce type of meal. I think it's a great way to add variation to otherwise plain old chicken, while still begin quick to prepare and very flavorful. Another great aspect of this category is that small changes to the sauce, which can often be done with items already in your pantry or fridge, can yield very different dishes.

I'd been wanting to make this recipe for quite a while, and when the time finally came, I saw it as an opportunity to use up some artichoke hearts that were in the fridge. They were a great addition to an already wonderful dish!

Chicken Breasts with a Mustard Caper Pan Sauce
Source: Slightly adapted from My Italian Grandmother

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
approx 1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (skip the butter and stick with oil for a clean meal)
1 -2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
1 generous tablespoon of dijon mustard
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons of capers
4 artichoke hearts, quartered
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil and the butter in a saute pan (stainless steel will work best) over medium heat. Saute chicken on both sides then remove to a plate. If the pan is dry add a little more oil and the garlic. Do not let garlic burn or it will taste bitter (lower the heat if necessary). Cook the garlic for a minute and add flour. Allow flour to cook for 1 minute and stir. Turn heat up again if you lowered it an add stock while stirring with wooden spoon or whisk. Add mustard, capers, and artichokes and season with pepper. Taste it before you add salt and adjust salt and mustard accordingly. If you want your sauce to thicken reduce it further, or if you want more sauce add a little more stock and let it reduce. Add parsley. When your sauce is done add the chicken to the pan with and toss to coat. Cover and let it cook for another 5-10 mins (depending on the thickness of your chicken) so chicken is cooked through.

Candy Corn Ice Cream

2010-10-22T05:14:00.000-04:00

I love the onset of autumn for a number of reasons. The chill in the air becomes a welcome reprieve from the summer's humidity, the leaves turn vibrant shades of yellow, orange, and red, and stores stock the shelves with Halloween candy. I love candy corn, but rarely purchase it because it is so hard to not eat the whole bag in one sitting, which invariably leads to a stomach-ache (not to mention a giant leap off the Clean Eating wagon).

This year, I couldn't resist picking up a bag when I saw this recipe. How could candy corn ice cream be anything short of fantastic? Not surprisingly, this creamy dessert is super sweet, and is thankfully easier to portion control! The original recipe is even simpler than what I have posted here, but I had some egg yolks to use and decided to make a custard base, rather than a simple Philadelphia style ice cream.

Candy Corn Ice Cream
Yield: about 4 cups
Adapted from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody
I found that 11-ish ounces of candy corn was more than enough - next time I might reduce that a little because it is so sweet!

1 cup (8 oz) heavy cream or half and half
2 cups (16 oz) half and half or whole milk
4 egg yolks
11 ounces candy corn (give or take a few )

Add the cream/half and half/milk to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, in a separate small bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks to break them up. Working two tablespoons at a time, add about 6 tablespoons of the heated cream mixture to the egg yolks, whisking constantly, to temper the eggs. Add tempered eggs to the saucepan with the heated cream mixture. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon (approximately 160 degrees F).

Add candy corn to thickened custard, stirring until the candy corn is mostly dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Transfer to a container and chill mixture at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Freeze in your ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Think Pink! Cranberry Orange Cheesecake Bites

2010-10-19T20:09:00.000-04:00

Hooray! It's October, and that means it's time, once again, for The Power of Pink Challenge. I am so glad Jen is hosting this event for another year, as I think it's a great (and fun!) way to remind yourself to stop and think about breast cancer. Do you have a loved one that has been affected by this disease? Maybe you have been affected? Are you doing your monthly self-exams?

I've been slacking a bit on creativity in the kitchen, so this was a very welcome exercise in cooking or baking. I desperately wanted something naturally pink (as opposed to using food coloring, etc), but my first thought when it comes to pink is strawberries. Not only did I use those last year, but October really isn't the height of strawberry season. Two aisles over from the pathetic looking strawberries at the grocery store - the answer was obvious: cranberries!

I absolutely love all things cranberry, and was so excited to come up with something new. Once again, I was stuck on cheesecake this year. I couldn't get it out of my head. I decided to go a different route from last year, and the ideas eventually evolved into these super cute mini cheesecake bites.

This cheesecake is not too dense, but rather has a light, almost whipped (heavenly!) texture. They are packed with cranberry and orange flavor, complimented by a rich oreo cookie crust (how can you go wrong with oreos?), and dipped in creamy white chocolate. The combination of flavors is incredible, and I can't wait to make these again!

Think Pink! Cranberry Orange Cheesecake Bites
Adapted from here and Christine Avanti
Yield: 36 bites

For the cranberry puree:
6 ounces fresh cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh orange juice (from about 1/2 of a large orange)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients except vanilla in heavy large saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens and the cranberries start to pop. Allow to cool slightly and transfer to a food processor to (carefully!) puree, or use a hand blender to puree in the pot. Stir in the vanilla extract. Transfer to a bowl, covering with plastic wrap, pressed down on the surface to avoid forming a skin on top of the puree. Refrigerate to cool completely, at least 4 hours. Makes about 1 cup of puree.

For the crust:
1.5 cups crushed oreo cookies (from about 15 oreos)
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon sugar

For the cheesecake filling:
2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese (regular or 1/3 less fat), at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 extra large eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon orange zest (from about 1/2 of a large orange)
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1/2 cup sour cream
2/3 cup cranberry puree

For dipping:
30 ounces good quality white chocolate bar, chopped fine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare an 8x8 or 9x9 baking pan by lining with a sheet of foil matching the width of the pan, and extending out over two opposites sides of the pan. This will be used to lift the cheesecake out of the pan after it has cooled, for easy slicing. Spray foil and exposed inside edges of pan with baking spray.

To prepare the crust - combine all crust ingredients in a small bowl. Dump out into baking pan and press down into an even layer on the bottom of the pan. Bake crust for 8-10 minutes, then remove from oven and place on a wire rack until cheesecake filling is ready.

Beat 8 ounces of cream cheese and 1/3 cup sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on low until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl a few times. Blend in the remaining cream cheese and sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs and yolk, one at a time, beating well after adding each one. Beat in the orange zest and juice, then the sour cream just until it's completely blended. Stir in the cranberry puree until the batter is as uniform or marbled as you like.

Pour batter evenly over partially baked crust. Set pan inside a larger one (my 9x13 pan worked great for my 8x8 pan) and add water to the larger pan, about 1 inch deep. Carefully transfer to the oven and bake cheesecake for 35-40 minutes until set and slightly puffy, or until the center no longer jiggles when the pan is gently shaken. Remove the pan from the water bath, transfer to a wire rack, and let cool for 2 hours. Cover the pan and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. At this point, you can remove the cheesecake, slice into bars as you see fit, and enjoy them that way. Otherwise - you can carry on and enrobe them in white chocolate!

Slice cheesecake into 36 squares. Place on a parchment lined sheet and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours. Over a double boiler, carefully melt white chocolate, taking care not to scorch it. Stir constantly and remove from the heat before all the chocolate is melted - continuing to stir will melt the rest.

Remove a few cheesecake squares at a time from the freezer. Have another parchment lined sheet ready. Working quickly, dip each side of the cheesecake square in white chocolate. I found that with frozen squares, I could hold it with my index finger on top and thumb on the bottom, and rotate all 4 sides through the white chocolate. The coating would harden in just a few seconds, then I could dip the top, and finally the bottom of the squares by holding the sides. The square could then be placed on the parchment lined sheet to finish hardening. If you want to adorn the tops of the squares with something like sanding sugar, have it ready and be prepared to work quickly if you want it to stick! Repeat with remaining squares, rewarming the white chocolate as necessary.

Store cheesecake bites in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a up to a week, or well wrapped in the freezer for up to a month.

Apple Cinnamon Caramel Ice Cream

2010-10-06T05:31:00.002-04:00

One of the things I love most about our new town is the Farmer's Market. There is one five days a week, each time in a different location in the surrounding area. It makes it so easy to get fresh local produce - if I can't make it on Saturday, I just go on Thursday or Monday.

Palazzi Orchard is a local farm that always has an abundance of apples in many varieties. I was so excited a few weeks ago to see that my favorite - McIntosh - were finally here! I've been snagging a bag of them each week, and I finally decided it was time to get creative and use up some caramel that was cluttering up my refrigerator.

I started with a base of cinnamon ice cream that I have made before, and added the apples and caramel, originally envisioning a beautiful swirl. I didn't get quite the swirl effect that I wanted, but I promise myself someday I will get it figured out. In the meantime, beautifully swirled or not, this is some really fantastic fall inspired ice cream!

Apple Cinnamon Caramel Ice Cream
Yield: About 4-5 cups
*I find that I can still make decent ice cream without needing a ton of heavy cream. When making it for company, I'll always go the full fat route, but for just me and my husband, I usually cut it down a little. If you are unsure of what you will like, start with the cream and half and half, working your way down on subsequent batches to see how much of a change in texture you are willing to take.

8 ounces heavy cream or half and half*
14 ounces 2% milk, whole milk, or half and half*
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
about 3 cups chopped apple, preferably McIntosh (4 medium large apples or about 1.5 pounds)
2/3 cup honey (can also use sugar)
2 egg yolks, beaten
1/2 cup caramel

Heat cream, milk, cinnamon stick and ground cinnamon in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until simmering, but not boiling. Turn off heat, cover, and let steep for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel and thinly slice apples. Add to a saucepan over medium-low heat, and cook down until soft, about 10-15 minutes.

Remove cinnamon stick from cream mixture. Return cream mixture to heat, bring back to a simmer, then add honey and whisk until dissolved. Add 2 tablespoons of heated cream mixture to beaten egg yolks, whisking constantly, to temper the eggs. Repeat 3 more times, then add tempered eggs to the saucepan with the heated cream mixture.

Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon (approximately 160 degrees F). Strain mixture, if desired.

Puree half of the cooked apples and add to cream mixture. Add caramel to the remaining half of cooked apples and stir to combine. Cool both mixtures thoroughly, at least 4 hours in the refrigerator, preferably overnight. Add cream mixture to your ice cream maker and churn for about 25 minutes, or until it is about soft serve consistency. Add caramel apple mixture, then turn off ice cream maker, having let it just lightly swirl the caramel apple mixture into the ice cream. Alternatively, swirl in the caramel apple mixture by hand.

Whole Chicken in a Crockpot

2010-09-29T05:41:00.001-04:00

This is definitely not an earth shattering recipe, and it's barely a recipe at all! I thought I would just share a few tips that I've picked up that have made things easier for me when cooking a whole chicken in the crockpot.

It's really quite a marvelous thing - season a whole chicken, pop it in the crockpot, let it do it's thing for a few hours, and you have fall-off-the-bone chicken, ready to eat! I've been making this for a few weeks now and using the chicken for lunches during the week. One week I decided to roast the chicken in the oven, and decided I greatly prefer the crockpot. The meat truly does fall off the bone, which makes it really easy to separate out.

Whole Chicken in a Crockpot

One whole chicken
olive oil
seasoning of your choice
one lemon

Start by preparing the crockpot. I like to use crockpot liners for easier (and faster - don't have to wait for the crock to be cool enough to handle) clean up. Make 3 balls out of tin foil (about 2-3 inches in diameter) and place in triangular pattern in the crockpot. If available, place a rack on top of the foil balls. I have one that is just the perfect size, and I have found that it makes it easier to remove the chicken in one piece when it's done cooking. The chicken will release a lot of juice while cooking, so the foil balls will help keep it elevated, but the rack will help it come out of the pot without falling apart and dropping back into the liquid.

Prepare chicken by removing the giblets, rinsing well inside and out, and patting dry with paper towels. There are many ways to season the chicken - I keep it pretty simple with a little olive oil and some home-mixed Emeril's Essence. Fresh herbs + butter is another great way to go. Rub the oil and seasonings all over the chicken and under the skin to help flavor the breasts. Cut the lemon into quarters and stuff into the cavity.

Place chicken on rack in crockpot, and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 4 hours. Remove chicken by lifting from the rack. I find it helpful to wedge a strong, metal spatula underneath the rack to help lift it up and out. Then just enjoy the chicken!

Garlic Mashed Cannellini Beans

2010-09-27T05:00:00.000-04:00

We enjoy pureed black beans (our easy version of refried beans) whenever we have anything in the Mexican category, but I had never thought of mashing other types of beans. I was inspired by Elly to make mashed cannellini beans instead of mashed potatoes to go with the chicken croquettes. They were very easy to make and we loved them! I did make one change, though, as we like thyme better than rosemary, so I altered that one ingredient to suit us.

Garlic Mashed Cannellini Beans
Source: Slightly adapted from Elly Says Opa!

2 tsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 tsp. fresh chopped thyme or 1/2 tsp. dried
3/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
2 tsp. lemon juice

Heat a skillet over medium heat and then add the oil until shimmering. Saute the garlic in the oil until fragrant and lightly browned, and then stir in the cannelini beans and thyme.

Add broth to the skillet and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 10-15 minutes.

Stir in the lemon juice off the heat and mash the beans with a potato masher.

Chicken Croquettes

2010-09-20T04:59:00.000-04:00

The first time I had the pleasure of enjoying chicken croquettes was on a study abroad trip to Spain back in 2000. I was totally in love, but since I don't fry anything at home, I never really considered making them. I was reminded of how awesome they are when I saw this recipe posted by Mary Ellen, so I figured I'd give them a try and then pan fry some and bake others to see if both methods produce good results. I also decided to replace the butter in the croquette portion of the recipe, with pureed cottage cheese. While I'm sure butter would take better, the cottage cheese actually worked really well.

Baking the croquettes also worked out really well, and makes this long recipe just a little easier. When we sat down to eat, it became clear my husband had never had these before, and he kept referring to them as "chicken balls." He loved them and we were definitely fighting over the leftovers!

Chicken Croquettes
Source: Slightly adapted from Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

Croquette Ingredients

* 1 c milk
* 1 c chicken stock
* 1/4 tsp white pepper
* 2 tsp freshly chopped parsley leaves
* Salt
* 1/2 cup pureed cottage cheese
* 1 stalk celery, minced
* 1/2 onion, minced
* 1 c all purpose flour
* 1 1/4 lbs cooked chicken breast, ground in a food processor
* Olive oil for pan frying, or spraying on croquettes before baking

Breading Ingredients

* 2 eggs
* 2 c milk
* 1/8 tsp salt
* 3 c all purpose flour or cracker meal
* 3 c bread crumbs

Chicken Gravy Ingredients

* 3 tbsp butter
* 2 c chicken stock
* 3 tbsp all purpose flour
* 2 tsp chopped fresh parsley
* Pinch white pepper and salt

* Making the croquettes (refer to the croquette ingredients): In a heavy pot, heat the milk and stock on the stove and add the white pepper, parsley, and salt. In a separate pot, warm the cottage cheese and add the celery and onions. Stir in the flour and cook for 3 minutes. Pour in the hot milk/stock mixture and stir until thickened and smooth. Fold in the chicken and allow to cool.

* Breading the croquettes (refer to the breading ingredients): Shape 3 oz portions of the croquette batter into the shape of a cone and place on a tray lined with wax paper. Set out three bowls/breading dishes. In the first, make an egg wash with the egg, milk, and salt. The second bowl is flour, the third is breadcrumbs. Dip the croquettes into the egg wash, then flour, then egg wash again, then breadcrumbs.

* Cooking the croquettes: For pan frying the croquettes, heat oil in saute pan. Add croquettes, rotating to cook all sides, about 2 minutes per side. Drain well and blot on paper towels. For baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place croquettes on a rack over a baking sheet, spray croquettes lightly with olive oil. Bake for about 15 minutes.

* Cooking the gravy: Melt the butter in a 1 or 2 qt saucepan. Stir in the flour. Pour in the stock and whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook for 20 minutes, whisking occasionally. Add the parsley, white pepper, and salt to taste.

Turkey-Jack Burgers with Mango Salsa

2010-09-15T05:27:00.001-04:00

This recipe combines a super simple turkey burger with a flavorful mango salsa. The magazine didn't give a recipe for mango salsa, but I knew where I could find a great one, so I wasn't deterred. As I noted in the recipe, I prefer to stuff the burgers with cheese rather than cook it on top of the burger. Whatever you like best will work!

Turkey-Jack Burgers with Mango Salsa
Source: Reworded from Clean Eating Magazine, July/August 2010
Serves: 4

1 lb extra lean ground turkey breast
1 1/2 teaspoons chile powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 ounces reduced fat pepper jack cheese or Monterey jack cheese, sliced
4 Romaine lettuce leaves, stems removed
2/3 cup fresh mango salsa (recipe follows)
4 sprouted grain (or whole wheat) hamburger buns

Mist large skillet with cooking spray and preheat to medium (or prepare grill at medium heat). In a large bowl, combine turkey, chile powder, and salt. Shape mixture into 4 equal patties, each 1/2 inch thick*. Add patties to grill or skillet and cook until undersides are deep golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and place 1/2 ounce of cheese on each burger. Continue cooking until undersides are browned and patties are firm to the touch, 4 to 5 more minutes.

To serve, sandwich one lettuce leaf, one burger, and 2 1/2 tablespoons of salsa between each bun.

*Alternatively, divide ground turkey mixture into 4 equal portions. Working with one portion, shape half into a round patty. Top with 1/2 ounce of cheese, then with other half of portion. Seal around the edges of the patty to hold in the cheese. Repeat with remaining 3 portions of turkey mixture. Cook as directed above, omitting cheese on top of burger.

Mango Salsa
Source: Good Things Catered
Yield: 3-4 cups

2 large ripened mangoes, peeled and flesh cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 small jalapeno, seeded and diced extra fine
1/2 medium red onion, diced fine
1/2 large red pepper, seeded and diced small
juice of 1 lime
a teeny pinch of salt

In large bowl combine all ingredients and toss to combine.

Lime Marinated Chicken

2010-09-13T05:22:00.001-04:00

I know I have said this before, but we eat chicken so much that I try to keep some variety in our meals. This is yet another delicious marinade for grilling chicken. Very easy to throw together and doesn't need a really long marinating time.

Lime Marinated Chicken
Source: The Grilling Bible via Domestic Pursuits
produces enough marinade for 4 butterflied chicken breasts

1/2 cup lime (or lemon) juice
4 tablespoons honey mustard*
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Whisk together all ingredients. Pour over chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for two hours.

*don’t have honey mustard? use 2 tbsp honey and 2 tbsp mustard

Sausage and Grilled Vegetable Penne

2010-08-31T05:24:00.002-04:00

After describing last week's grilled sausage and pasta dish to my husband, his reply was "and then you are going to add pasta sauce?" I explained that no, I wouldn't add pasta sauce, but that the lemon juice/pasta water would create a light sauce. He seemed disappointed by this prospect, although he ended up enjoying the dish.

This weekend we were having some guests for dinner, so when looking for inspiration, I found another sausage/pasta/vegetable dish that would take the addition of some red sauce quite well. The meal turned out great and I was happy to prepare my husband what he had really wanted!

Sausage and Grilled Vegetable Penne
Source: Slight adapted from Melissa d'Arabian
Serves: 4

1 sweet onion, cut into wedges
1 medium zucchini, sliced in 1/2 lengthwise and then into strips about 3/4" thick
1 red bell pepper, cheeks and seeds removed, sliced into long strips about 3/4" thick
1/2 pound button mushrooms, stemmed and sliced in half
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, washed, dried, sliced in half
4 sweet or hot chicken Italian sausages, thinly sliced or casings removed
12 ounces whole-grain penne
about 16-20 ounces pasta sauce
Freshly grated Parmesan, for garnish

Preheat the grill and a grill pan to medium, about 400-450 degrees F.

In a bowl, toss all the vegetables, except the tomatoes, with oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add vegetables to grill pan and cook until caramelized, turning vegetables halfway through the cooking time. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions, and warm the pasta sauce.

Add the sausage to the grill and cook until heated through, for fully cooked sausage. Uncooked sausage will take longer, about 20 minutes. Once the vegetables and sausage are cooked, cool slightly, then coarsely chop. Add vegetables, sausage, pasta and sauce to a large bowl and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve topped with Parmesan.

Honey Mustard Chicken Sandwich

2010-08-25T05:52:00.000-04:00

My husband was on his own for dinner one night, and rather than do the usual BBQ or Franks-doused grilled chicken, I was impressed to find that he branched out and tried something new. My first clue that this had happened was in the sink when I got home - dirty measuring cups. My heart nearly stopped at the sight of them, because my husband never, and I mean never, formally measures anything when cooking. His inspiration came from none other than the bottle of mustard in the fridge. Combining two things he loves - mustard and ranch dressing - he knew he would love it. I was surprised, yet again, to find that I liked it just as much! The next time he wanted to make it, I suggested we change up the recipe a little, and turn it into honey mustard chicken sandwiches. He loved the idea and we both loved the results.

Tangy Honey Mustard Chicken Sandwiches
Source: Adapted from French's mustard

2/3 cup ranch dressing
1/3 cup classic yellow mustard
1/4 cup honey
4 medium boneless chicken breasts
rolls of your choice (we like Arnold sandwich thins)
sliced tomato
lettuce

Mix dressing, mustard, and honey. Pour 2/3 cup of sauce over chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Grill chicken over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, or until cooked through. Serve chicken on rolls with lettuce, tomato, and reserved mustard sauce, as desired.

Grilled Sausage with Olives, Capers, and Summer Vegetables

2010-08-23T05:51:00.019-04:00

I love keeping tabs on Cara's blog for great healthy recipe ideas, tips, and tricks. Last week this recipe came up, and seemed perfect for us since we had lots of basil, summer squash, and green beans to use up! I wanted to add a grain to the dish, and ended up going with our favorite pasta - Barilla Plus (that stuff is awesome). This result was a fantastic dinner - bright from the touch of lemon, with plenty of briney goodness from the olives and capers (I found that it didn't need any additional salt). As an added bonus - it was quick to throw together, with the pasta cooking in the same time as the sausages and vegetables.

Grilled Sausage with Olives, Capers, and Summer Vegetables
Slightly adapted from Cara's Cravings

1 pound summer squash, halved lengthwise and sliced
3/4 pound fresh romano beans or green beans, cut into 1 - 1 1/2" pieces
1 pound (4 links) Italian turkey or chicken sausage
about 1/3 cup chopped basil
4 ounces pitted Kalamata olives, cut in half
1 tablespoon capers
juice of 1 lemon
8 ounces of your favorite pasta
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

Combine the sliced squash and beans on a baking sheet. Spray with olive oil cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. Also spray the sausages with cooking spray.

Place the vegetables in a grill basket and the sausages right on the grill. If you are using pre-cooked sausages, you won't need to leave them on their very long. Just grill until they are hot throughout and have some nice grill marks. For uncooked sausages, cook for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until cooked through and browned. Stir the vegetables every so often, until crisp-tender and lightly charred and beginning to caramelize in spots.

Meanwhile, chop the basil and slice the olives and add both to a large bowl. Also, cook pasta according to the package directions, and reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining pasta. When the sausage is done, let it rest for a few minutes and then slice into 1" chunks. Add the sausage pieces, vegetables, cheese, and pasta to the bowl with the basil and capers. Squeeze the lemon juice over everything, toss, and add pasta water a little at a time to achieve desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

Chewy, Chunky Blondies

2010-08-20T11:10:00.000-04:00

I much prefer blondies to regular brownies. It's likely because I'm just not that big of a chocolate person. I had a craving for blondies and went straight to Dorie Greenspan for my fix. It has been a while since I've made anything from her book, since I left TWD in late 2008 (wow, was it that long ago?). I figured I was due for some quality time with Dorie.

I was feeling pretty confident that there were a few ingredients I could change without screwing up the final results, and I was right! The Earth Balance butter, sucanat, evaporated cane juice and whole wheat pastry flour all played their parts flawlessly. These are a wonderful treat that I could feel a little less guilty about... until adding a scoop of ice cream, that is!

Chewy, Chunky Blondies
Source: Slightly adapted from Dorie Greenspan, Baking: From My Home to Yours p.109

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) Earth Balance butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sucanat
1/4 cup evaporated cane juice
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips, or 1 cup store-bought chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips or Heath Toffee Bits
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Getting Ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare a 9×13-inch baking pan with baking spray and put it on a baking sheet.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add both sugars and beat for another 3 minutes, or until well incorporated. Add the eggs one by one, beating for 1 minute after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing just until they disappear into the batter. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the chips and nuts. Scrape the batter into the buttered pan and use the spatula to even the top as best you can.

Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the blondies comes out clean. The blondies should pull away from the sides of the pan a little and the top should be a nice honey brown. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for about 15 minutes before turning the blondies out onto another rack. Invert onto a rack and cool the blondies to room temperature right side up.

Cut into 32 bars, each roughly 2-1/4 x 1-1/2 inches.

Zucchini Muffins

2010-08-18T06:39:00.052-04:00

I have always loved my mom's zucchini bread recipe, and looked forward to it every summer when there was a surplus of zucchini in the house. Now that I have my very own surplus, I can make it for myself! Of course I wasn't about to let it go by unaltered, as I thought there were a few places that I could significantly clean up the recipe to make it more healthy.

After making a few batches, a friend mentioned how blueberries are fantastic in zucchini muffins/bread, so I picked some up to try. Seriously--they are awesome. I didn't grab a picture of the blueberry version, but it is SO worth making! I've been freezing the muffins and then taking one to work each day to enjoy with my morning cup of tea - it's perfectly defrosted by the time I'm ready for it.

Zucchini Muffins
Source: Adapted from a recipe received from my mom
Yield: 2 loaves or 16-20 muffins

1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 cups evaporated cane juice (such as bob's red mill)
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups grated zucchini (not peeled, but gently squeezed to remove excess moisture)
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 cup blueberries (optional but highly recommended!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two loaf pans or two muffin pans with baking spray.

Add applesauce, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract to a bowl and mix with hand or stand mixer until combined.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda and whisk to evenly distribute ingredients.

Slowly add flour mixture to wet ingredients and mix on low speed with a stand mixer, or by hand until all the flour is incorporated.

Gently fold zucchini, walnuts and blueberries into batter. Pour batter evenly into loaf pans, or scoop about 1/3 cup batter into each muffin well in the muffin tins. Bake loaf pans for 55 minutes, or muffin tins for 18-22 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack.

To freeze: wrap well with plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag.

Summer Vegetable Gratin

2010-08-16T06:40:00.042-04:00

This recipe has been on my "to make" list for, well, two years now! I was finally inspired to make it by the abundance of zucchini from the garden. The original recipe calls for carmelized onions, but my husband isn't a huge fan of them. I decided that I'd swap them out for some bulgur, to add a little whole grain-y goodness to the dish.

We served this with lemon basil chicken. I loved the almost nutty flavor addition from the bulgur. This dish is a great way to use up those delicious garden vegetables!

Summer Vegetable Gratin
Source: Slightly adapted from Cook's Illustrated, July/August 2008
Serves: 6-8 as a side or 4 as a light main dish

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound zucchini, ends trimmed and sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 pound summer squash (yellow), ends trimmed and sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 teaspoons table salt
1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes (3 to 4 large), sliced 1/4 inch thick
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1 cup cooked bulgur
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
2 medium shallots, minced (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush 13- by 9-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon oil; set aside.

Toss zucchini and summer squash slices with 1 teaspoon salt in large bowl; transfer to colander set over bowl. Let stand until zucchini and squash release at least 3 tablespoons of liquid, about 45 minutes. Arrange slices on triple layer paper towels; cover with another triple layer paper towels. Firmly press each slice to remove as much liquid as possible.

Place tomato slices in single layer on double layer paper towels and sprinkle evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt; let stand 30 minutes. Place second double layer paper towels on top of tomatoes and press firmly to dry tomatoes.

Combine garlic, 3 tablespoons oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and thyme in small bowl. In large bowl, toss zucchini and summer squash in half of oil mixture, then arrange in greased baking dish. Sprinkle 1/2 cup bulgur evenly over squash. Slightly overlap tomato slices in single layer on top of bulgur. Spoon remaining garlic-oil mixture evenly over tomatoes. Bake until vegetables are tender and tomatoes are starting to brown on edges, 40 to 45 minutes.

Combine remaining bulgur, remaining tablespoon oil, Parmesan, and shallots in medium bowl. Remove baking dish from oven and increase heat to 450 degrees. Sprinkle mixture evenly on top of tomatoes. Bake gratin until bubbling and cheese is lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and let sit at room temperature 10 minutes before serving.

Zucchini Pancakes

2010-08-11T18:40:00.000-04:00

I am super excited and nervous to have our own garden growing this year. I wasn't sure if it would do well, but everything is growing like crazy! As a result, we have plenty of zucchini, so I went off in search of interesting things to make with it. I culled a couple of zucchini pancake recipes for inspiration: one from Ina Garten since I completely trust her, and one with such a raving review that I just had to incorporate it. The result, combined with fresh garden tomatoes, was an absolutely delicious breakfast that my husband wanted nothing to do with. I was quite ok with that - more for me!

Zucchini Pancakes
Source: Adapted from All Eyes on Jenny and Ina Garten

1 1/2 cups zucchini, grated and squeezed to remove excess moisture
2 Tablespoons grated red onion
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
6-8 tablespoons flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons mayo
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
1 tablespoon butter

Mix all ingredients, except butter, together in a large bowl. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add butter to pan and allow to melt, spreading over the surface of the pan. Drop about 1/4 cup of batter into pan for each pancake, flatten and cook until golden on each side. Served topped with tomato slice and more cheese.

Barbecue Chicken Burgers

2010-08-09T05:35:00.000-04:00

This summer we moved to a relatively rural area, and I was excited about that because I knew there would be great opportunities for a variety of fresh, locally grown produce. I couldn't wait for the Farmer's Market to start up in June, and I've been loving the things I find there.

One of my favorite stands is Wayne's Organic Garden. Attaining organic certification from the USDA is no small task, and on my first visit to the stand I let them know how much I appreciated the effort they put into maintaining their farm.

On one recent trip, they had gorgeous bunches of green onions that I couldn't pass up. I knew I wanted to make something with them as soon as I got home, to enjoy the fresh onion flavor. We already had planned on burgers that day, so I did a quick search and found this recipe for barbecue chicken burgers that sounded delicious. I liked that it incorporated another vegetable (carrots) right into the burger! A great way to get a few more vegetables in our diet.

We really enjoyed the contrasts in these burgers between the smokey, spicy cayenne and chili sauce against the sweet molasses. These are unique burgers that are worth a try!

Barbecue Chicken Burgers
Source: Good Housekeeping via The Daily Green

1 pound ground chicken breasts
1 medium carrot, grated (1/2 cup)
2 green onions, minced
1 garlic clove, crushed with garlic press
2 tablespoons chili sauce
1 tablespoon light (mild) molasses
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 hamburger buns, warmed
Sliced cucumber, lettuce leaves and green onion (optional)

1. In medium bowl, with hand, mix ground chicken, carrot, green onions and garlic until evenly combined.

2. On waxed paper, shape chicken mixture into four 3 1/2-inch round patties (mixture will be very soft and moist).

3. Place patties on grill over medium heat and cook about 12 minutes or until juices run clear when center of burger is pierced with tip of knife, turning over once. (If you have a grill with widely spaced grates, you may want to place burgers on a perforated grill topper to keep them intact.)

4. Place burgers on warmed buns. Serve with cucumber slices, lettuce leaves and green onions if you like.

Butterscotch Pudding Pops

2010-08-04T06:20:00.000-04:00

Fudgsicles have been a bit of an obsession for me this summer. Perhaps it's the unusual heat we've had, but I have been drawn like a magnet to this frozen treat. Well, my world came crashing down this past weekend when I went to the store and they were out of fudgsicles.

I thought, hey, this is no big deal. There is a store brand fudge pop, so I'll just get those. BIG mistake. The store brand fudge pops are inedible. Completely disgusting. They are almost... salty. I was very upset by all of this.

Thankfully, I didn't have to be upset for long. I was putting away some cookbooks, and among them was the small booklet that came with my ice cream maker. A quick flip through the book presented a possible alternative - make my own fudgsicles! I immediately went to the pantry in search of pudding mix. I didn't even care that this was basically a semi-homemade/convenience recipe; I wanted my fudgsicles. All I ended up having in the pantry was a package of butterscotch pudding, but I figured that butterscotch pudding pops sounded good, anyway. I mix up the batter and churned away. 20 min later I filled my popsicle molds and put them in the freezer, hoping for the best.

My fears that they would come out rock hard or icy were unfounded. They are perfect! Cool, creamy, delicious. Next up? Skip the pudding mix and go straight to my favorite chocolate pudding recipe. I hope it turns out just as well!

Any Flavor Pudding Pops
Source: Slightly adapted from Cuisinart ICE-20 Recipe booklet

2 packages (3.4-3.9 ounces each) of your favorite instant pudding flavor
3 cups cold 2% milk

Place ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and whisk until well blended. Freeze according to manufacturer's ice cream maker instructions. Transfer to popsicle molds, and freeze until firm.

Chicken Caesar Burgers

2010-07-30T13:55:00.000-04:00

We have finally upgraded our grilling equipment! We were chugging along with a lava rock grill, but it's small and cooks slowly (not necessarily a bad thing), and now that we have a home and are closer to family, we wanted something a little larger. We decided on the Weber Genesis E-320, and love it!

It's pricey, but built to last, so we are very happy with it (unlike the aforementioned lava rock grill, which after 1 year is spewing rust out the bottom every time we light it). Of course, I think my favorite part is the side burner. This means I now have a total of ONE gas burner at my disposal. ::shoots evil side-eye at electric stove::

We couldn't wait to use it, and decided on these Chicken Caesar burgers for the inaugural run. We've made them before, so we already knew they were great. These burgers fabulously present that classic combination of flavors, and I especially love the dressed greens on top.

Of course, my husband generally takes things a step further, and implored me to post a photo of his version:

Chicken Caesar Burgers
Source: Rewritten from Rachael Ray

1 1/4 pounds ground chicken breast (the average weight of 1 package)
3 garlic cloves, 2 finely chopped, 1 cracked from skin
4 anchovies, finely chopped (optional, but recommended)
A handful of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Salt and coarse black pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
A handful flat leaf parsley, chopped (I omitted)
1 tablespoon lemon zest plus juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus some for drizzling
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 heart of romaine lettuce, chopped
2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
4 crusty rolls, split in half

In a bowl, combine the chicken, finely chopped garlic, anchovies, a handful of cheese, a pinch of salt and a generous amount of pepper, Worcestershire sauce, parsley and lemon zest. Mix the meat and form four burger patties.

Heat a large nonstick skillet with one tablespoon of EVOO, a turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. When hot, add the chicken patties and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. Alternatively, grill burgers over medium high heat, 3-4 minutes on each side.

Pre-heat the broiler and toast the bread on a cookie sheet or broiler pan. Alternatively, toast bread on the grill. Once lightly golden in color, remove from oven and rub the breads with cracked garlic. Drizzle bread with the EVOO.

Combine Dijon, lemon juice and 2-3 tablespoons of EVOO with salt and pepper, and toss the greens with it.
Place the patties on the bun bottoms and top them with a pile of romaine, sliced tomatoes and bun tops.

Mustard Grilled Potatoes

2010-07-28T06:04:00.000-04:00

I was looking for a different way to prepare potatoes on the grill (we typically do rosemary potatoes). This recipe intrigued me with the suggestion to parboil the potatoes first. The original recipe calls for rosemary to season the dish, but since I was trying to get away from rosemary, I switched out the seasoning with Mural of Flavor from Penzeys.

The first time I made these, I boiled them for too long and had sliced them too thin. The results, while delicious enough to try the recipe again, were less than photogenic. Second time around, I paid closer attention to the parboil, and made sure the coins were sliced correctly. The mustard/mayonnaise bath provides a lovely crisp coating around the finished potatoes. They are crisp on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside. We love them! I think many different seasoning options would go well with this dish, so feel free to be creative!

Mustard Grilled Potatoes
Source: Slightly adapted from Fine Cooking

By par-cooking your potatoes before they go on the grill, they'll have a soft, almost cakey texture on the inside when they're done, but they'll still have that terrific grilled flavor. The mayonnaise not only adds flavor to the potatoes, but helps keep them from sticking to the grill. Serves four as a side dish.

1 lb. medium red- or yellow-skinned potatoes
Kosher salt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. herb seasoning of your choice
freshly ground pepper

Wash the potatoes and cut them into 3/8-inch slices. Cover the potatoes with cold water and 1 Tbs. salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower to a gentle simmer (you don't want them to break up), and cook until they're almost but not quite fully cooked, 4 to 6 minutes. The potatoes will still be a little hard in the center, but the outer edges will look opaque. Drain in a large colander and rinse with cold water until they're cool; handle them gently. Spread them out on clean dishtowels and let them sit at room temperature (for up to an hour) until you're ready to grill them.

Light a charcoal grill and allow the fire to reach a medium-hot temperature (the top of the coals should be 5 to 6 inches from the grill grate, and you'll be able to hold your hand over the fire for no more than 3 to 4 seconds when it's medium hot). Alternatively, heat the entire surface of a gas grill until it reaches medium hot.

In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss the potato slices with the mayonnaise mixture until the potatoes are well-coated. Put the potatoes on the grill grate in one layer, directly over the fire. Cook for 3 to 6 minutes or just until deep golden brown and crisp. With tongs, turn the pieces over to the other side. Cook until that side is deep golden brown and crisp, another 3 to 6 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.

Decadent Chocolate Trifle

2010-07-23T06:56:00.001-04:00

This is a fantastic dessert that can be made the semi-homemade way, or dressed up with from scratch versions of chocolate cake, whipped cream, and caramel. Either way, it is delicious and sure to be a big hit at any party!

And yes, I changed the name. I've made this twice now, and with small children at both parties, the original name just didn't seem appropriate!

Decadent Chocolate Trifle
Source: Slightly adapted from Deborah's Culinary Concoctions

1 box chocolate cake mix
ingredients for completing cake mix, as directed by the box
1/4 cup semi sweet mini chocolate chips
7 oz sweetened condensed milk
7 oz caramel ice cream topping (plus additional for garnish if desired)
4 Skor or Heath candy bars, chopped
2 (8 oz) tubs Cool Whip Lite whipped topping.

Prepare cake mix according to box directions, and fold in semisweet chocolate chips before spreading batter into pan. Bake as directed. Set aside to cool.

In a saucepan over low heat, combine sweetened condensed milk and caramel topping, stirring until smooth and blended. Using a skewer or the handle of a spoon poke holes across the top of the cake every 1-2 inches. Slowly pour the warm caramel topping mixture over the top of the cake, letting it sink into the holes. Cover and refrigerate until just before serving (I have made the cake the night before, then completed the trifle the next day).

Just before serving assemble dessert in a large glass trifle or serving bowl. Cut cake into chunks and layer evenly across the bottom of bowl, top with a layer of Cool Whip and a small amount of chopped candy bars (reserve some for garnish) - repeat layers, ending with Cool Whip topping. Top with reserved chopped candy bars and drizzle with caramel topping if desired.

Margherita Pizza

2010-07-21T06:11:00.000-04:00

Alton Brown is one of my favorite chefs (TV personalities?), yet he often falls to the back of my mind. Then someone says those two magic words and I have to make whatever they are talking about, because I know it will be fantastic.

I've made margherita pizza before at home. While it was good, and hit the spot, I recently saw someone recommend Alton Brown's version. Naturally, the challenge was on. I had to make his recipe, and soon. Luckily, it's not too hard to convince my husband that I need to forgo any other plans and make pizza. He is always ready for pizza!

This recipe was no exception to the AB rule. Marinating and grilling the tomatoes is such a great way to add new depth to this pizza. My only complaint would be that the amount of mozzarella and tomato seems small for the size of the pizza dough. I'll admit to not measuring the size that I rolled the dough to, but I know I was in the vicinity of 16 inches and I felt the toppings were a bit sparse. It was easy to add more mozzarella and basil, but next time I will have to remember to add a bit more tomato as well. Either way, the flavor is fantastic, and is definitely my go-to way for making margherita pizza.

Margherita Pizza
Source: Slightly adapted from Alton Brown

Enough dough for one 16" pizza (see below for a whole wheat pizza dough recipe)
1 large tomato, cut into 1/3-inch thick slices
5 to 7 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, grated
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2-ounce grated Parmesan
4 ounces part skim mozzarella, shredded or sliced thin into rounds
handful large basil leaves, shredded

Heat a gas grill to high and make sure the grill grates are clean and free of debris.

Toss the tomato with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the garlic, salt and red pepper flakes in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.

Lightly flour the countertop and flatten the dough ball. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 16-inch round, rotating and stretching the dough as you go. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured pizza peel or baking sheet and stretch to re-shape if necessary.

Oil the grill grates and decrease the heat to medium. Brush the dough with 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil and flip onto 1 end of the hot grill, leaving room for the tomatoes on the grate. Put the prepared tomatoes on the grill, close the lid and cook until the bottom of the crust is golden brown and the tomatoes are softened, about 1 to 2 minutes. Brush the raw side of the dough with 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil, then immediately flip using the peel. Top with the grilled tomatoes, smashing and spreading the tomatoes to create a sauce. Sprinkle with the Parmesan, mozzarella and basil. Close the lid and cook until the bottom of crust is golden brown and the cheese has melted, another 1 to 2 minutes. Shift the pizza back onto the pizza peel or baking sheet (a large, flat spatula may help), and move the pizza to a cooling rack to let rest for 3 minutes before slicing.

I was in a pinch (you know, since this urge was sudden) for pizza dough as I didn't have any of my old standby... well, on standby in the freezer. I turned to an issue of Everyday Food for a semi-whole wheat pizza dough recipe that could be made in one day. I found it easy to work with and think it makes a very good crust. One recipe make enough dough for two 16" pizzas.

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
Source: Everyday Food Magazine, January 2009

1 1/2 cups warm (115 degrees) water
2 packets ( ounce each) active dry yeast
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for bowl
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for kneading
2 cups whole-wheat flour (spooned and leveled)

Place water in a large bowl; sprinkle with yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Brush another large bowl with oil.

In bowl with yeast, whisk sugar, oil, and salt. Stir in flours with a wooden spoon until a sticky dough forms. Transfer to oiled bowl; brush top of dough with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; let stand in a warm spot until dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface. With floured hands, knead until smooth, about 15 seconds; divide into two balls.

Shape one ball into desired size for pizza. Other ball can be wrapped in plastic wrap, stored in a ziploc bag, and frozen. Thaw completely in refrigerator before use.

Stuffed Strawberries

2010-07-19T06:43:00.000-04:00

This dessert has been a favorite of mine for years. I am glad to have the chance to finally share it. I made this for a recent summer party (finally took a picture of them!) and everyone loved them. The filling isn't overly sweet, but in combination with sweet, ripe strawberries, the balance is perfect. As an added bonus, this dessert is easy to prepare.

Stuffed Strawberries
Source: Slightly adapted from Amber's Delectable Delights / Allrecipes.com

1 pint fresh strawberries
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, or to taste
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions
Cut the tops off of the strawberries and stand upright on the cut side. Make a cut 3/4 of the way down from the tip of the strawberry towards the bottom. Rotate the strawberry 90 degrees and make another slice.

Beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and extract until smooth in a mixer or a food processor. Place into a piping bag with a star tip. Pipe into each strawberry and arrange on a serving platter.

Tomato Basil Orzo Salad

2010-07-16T06:27:00.002-04:00

I made this recipe once, years ago, and remember liking it very much. We were invited to a summer party a few weeks ago, and I was pondering what to bring when my husband suggested this orzo salad. I thought it was a great idea, and we got to use some fresh basil from our Aerogarden. It was a huge hit with the party guests!

Tomato Basil Orzo Salad
Source: Sunset Magazine
Yield: 4 to 6 light-entrée servings or 8 to 10 side-dish servings

1 1/2 cups dried orzo pasta (use whole wheat orzo to make this a clean eating dish)
1 1/4 pounds firm-ripe tomatoes, at room temperature
3/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 or 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
About 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper

1. In a 3- to 4-quart pan over high heat, bring 1 1/2 to 2 quarts water to a boil. Add orzo and cook until barely tender to bite, 8 to 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, rinse and core tomatoes; chop and place in a large bowl. Add basil, garlic, olive oil, and vinegar; mix gently.

3. Drain pasta well and add to tomato mixture. Mix, adding parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper to taste.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 255 (32% from fat)
Protein: 7.8g
Fat: 9g (sat 1.8)
Carbohydrate: 37g
Fiber: 2.6g
Sodium: 74mg
Cholesterol: 2.6mg

96 Candles

2010-07-15T06:56:00.000-04:00

In case you were ever wondering what 96 candles would look like on a birthday cake (which is also known as the earthquake cake for the rift that went right through the "Happy Birthday" wording)... I give you...

96 candles (95 + 1 for good luck, for the beloved Grammy)

Let’s just look past those decorating “skills,” mmmmkay?

Three Year Blogiversary!

2010-07-14T06:48:00.000-04:00

I know things have been a little slow around here, but life has more or less gotten in the way, with selling our house, moving 1000 miles, crashing at my parent's house for a month, and setting up shop in a new home in the northeast. I promise there are plenty of recipes to come, and soon!

Today, I am celebrating my three year (!) anniversary of writing this food blog with a list of my top 10 favorites from the past year. As I reviewed my posts, I saw quite a few recipes that we loved and have made over and over again. This was previously something that is quite rare for us, as I have a list of new recipes to try that is seemingly a mile long, and I like to try many new recipes each week. Please enjoy a second look at some of these favorites of ours.

1. S'mores Cupcakes

I am starting off with the only dessert recipe on this list - quite a change for me! I think part of the reason for the lack of sweets on the list this year is my switch over to clean eating. I was baking up less and less of the decadent treats. These cupcakes were wildly popular at a summer cookout last year, and are a really fun twist on a classic summer treat.

2. Whole Wheat Breads

I'm sort of cheating here, but I have loved everything that I have made so far from Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads book. Reinhart really knows what he is talking about, and I return time and time again to this book for bagels, bread, burger buns, pizza dough, etc. The time commitment may seem intimidating, but it's really not that bad if you plan ahead.

3. Southwestern Chicken Pizza

When it comes to homemade pizza, my husband and I have had a blast creating unique topping combinations at home. I came across this pizza recipe one day while looking for a way to use up tomatillos, and it became an instant classic in our house. It's our favorite pizza recipe, by far!

4. Artichoke Stuffed Turkey Burgers

I don't think it gets much better than a burger stuffed with artichokes and fontina cheese. Need I say more?

5. Pico de Gallo

I was dying to find a replacement for my husbands all-too-frequent snack of chili+salsa+velveeta. One weekend, at his suggestion, we made an old favorite of his from back home. I fell in love, too, and demanded we make it every weekend thereafter. Though we have missed some here and there, this pico de gallo recipe is pretty much a given on the weekends in our house.

6. Oat Bran Cranberry Pancakes

Bisquick used to be my standard pancake "recipe." I slowly began to branch out and try various scratch pancake recipes, but after the turn to eating clean, still needed something more nutritionally sound. The search was most definitely over after trying this recipe, and I now use it as a base for just about any kind of pancakes (though truthfully, apple cinnamon is almost always what we end up making). The batter seems thin after preparing it, but puffs up nicely while cooking and ends up being a great texture.

7. Lemon Thyme Roasted Turkey Breast

For the first time last year, I went with a turkey breast on Thanksgiving instead of a whole bird. I knew I wanted to add some flavor to it, and Cook's Illustrated came through for me yet again. This was absolutely phenomenal, and I plan to use it for a long time coming!

8. Baked Oatmeal

Between whole wheat bagels and baked oatmeal, I was never short on healthy, filling breakfast ideas this year. A warm bowl of this oatmeal was a perfect, and very quick, way to start those cold midwest winter mornings.

9. Italian Chicken Patties

This unassuming dish packs great flavor and comes together relatively quickly without too much effort. Perhaps it's the gravy talking, but I was instantly in love.

10. Sesame chicken and noodles

This was yet another dish that had us fighting for the leftovers. I think it's a must-try if you like sesame!

Watermelon Sherbet

2010-05-11T06:51:00.000-04:00

Oh, how I love sherbet! This reminds me of those watermelon cakes from Friendly's, especially if you include mini chocolate chips. Very cool and refreshing for a warm summer!

Watermelon Sherbet
Source: Norfolk Cooking Examiner; Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

¾ cup sugar (I used 1/2 cup agave nectar)
1/8 tsp salt
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 ¼ cups watermelon juice
2/3 cup heavy cream
3 drops red food coloring (optional)

To make the watermelon juice, process about 5 cups of seeded, chopped watermelon in a food processor until pureed. Strain puree through a sieve catching watermelon juice in a bowl until required amount is reached. This took about ¼ of a large watermelon for me.

In a food processor, combine sugar, salt and lime juice. Pulse until the sugar looks like wet sand; about 6 times. While the food processor is running, slowly pour in the watermelon juice. Process for about 1 minute to ensure that the sugar has been dissolved. Strain the liquid through a sieve, pour liquid into a bowl, and place in the freezer for about 1 hour. The mixture should be very cold but not frozen.

In a chilled bowl, whisk heavy cream until it reaches the soft peak stage. Slowly pour the cold watermelon liquid into the cream while continuously whisking. Add in the food coloring if using. I used it to make it look more like watermelon because the cream lightens up the color dramatically. Immediately pour into an ice cream maker and churn for about 30 minutes, or until it’s the consistency of soft serve ice cream.

Pour sherbet into a container, I like to use a loaf pan, and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of it. Freeze for at least 3 hours before serving. Enjoy!

Chicken Parmesan with Bulgur and Eggplant Bake

2010-05-06T06:16:00.002-04:00

I'm no stranger to chicken parmesan recipes, but when I saw this recipe and how easy it came together, I had to try it. The quinoa and eggplant bake sounded fantastic too, but I was out of quinoa and substituted bulgur, which worked great! I also decided to go with long strips of thinly sliced eggplant rather than chopping it into chunks, so it was almost like an eggplant lasagna. Delicious!

This meal was absolutely delicious and paired together so well. The chicken parmesan was so easy to make, and the eggplant bake had such great flavor.

The ingredients of the bake seem a little sparse for the size of the pan, and I may switch to a 9x9 or similarly sized casserole dish next time, but it is still definitely workable as written.

Chicken Parmesan with Bulgur and Eggplant Bake
Source: Slightly adapted from Not Your Bubbe's Kitchen

4 thin sliced chicken breasts, about 4 ounces each
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
3 egg whites, slightly beaten
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 cup part skim shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup tomato and basil sauce
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Using three shallow dishes, place flour in the first dish, egg whites in the second, and panko in the third, seasoned with the garlic powder, oregano, basil, parsley and 1 tbsp of Parmesan cheese.

Salt and pepper the chicken. Dredge chicken in flour, then egg, then panko mix. Heat 1/2 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet. Add chicken to pan and cook about 5-7 minutes. Add another 1/2 tbsp oil, then flip chicken pieces. Top with sauce, evenly divided among the chicken pieces, about 1/8 cup on each. Then top with the remaining 1 tbsp of Parmesan cheese, evenly divided among the chicken pieces, and 1/8 cup of mozzarella on each chicken piece. Cover skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes more.

1 cup bulgur
1 1/4 cups of water
3 cups of peeled, diced eggplant
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
2 garlic cloves, sliced
4 tbsp part skim ricotta cheese
1.5 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup part skim shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup tomato and basil pasta sauce

Cook the bulgur according to package directions. Mix all the cheeses together. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Spoon 1/2 of the bulgur in the pan, making a thin layer. Sprinkle in 1/2 of the vegetables: eggplant, onions, tomato, and garlic slices. Drizzle 1/2 cup of the pasta sauce on top of veggies. Dot the top of the sauce with about 1/3 of the cheese mix. Repeat layers, ending with the remaining 2/3 of cheese mix.

Bake at 400 degrees F for about 40-45 minutes.

Chicken and Artichokes with Wine Sauce

2010-05-05T06:05:00.001-04:00

It should be no surprise that we love artichokes, chicken, and wine. Flipping though my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, I found a great sounding recipe that combined all three!

This sauce was fantastic and such a perfect topping for skillet cooked chicken. As an added bonus, it is quick to put together. We served it with mashed potatoes and fresh steamed broccoli for a wonderful meal.

Chicken and Artichokes with Wine Sauce
Source: Slightly adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, Bridal Edition, page 427
Serves: 4

1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon dried sage, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons safflower oil
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 8 or 9 ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and halved lengthwise (I used canned)
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley

1. In a shallow dish, stir together flour, sage, 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper; reserve one tablespoon of flour mixture. Coat chicken in remaining flour mixture.

2. In a large skillet cook chicken in hot oil over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until no longer pink (170 degrees F), turning once. Remove chicken from skillet; cover and keep warm. Drain off any excess oil in skillet.

3. In the same skillet, cook mushrooms and artichoke hearts in hot butter over medium heat for 3 minutes or until artichokes are tender.

4. In a small bowl stir together reserved flour mixture, wine, broth, and 1/8 teaspoon salt until smooth. Add wine mixture to skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Pour sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with parsley and cheese.

Moo Shu Chicken

2010-04-29T06:15:00.001-04:00

This was soooo delicious and a great use of some cabbage that I had. I chopped my own rather than using a bag mix since I had both green and red cabbage, and carrots. I've never had moo shu anything before, so I don't know how it compares to restaurant style, but we both loved the flavors!

Moo Shu Chicken
Source: Clean Eating Magazine, Winter 2008, p70

3 Tbsp. water
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
1 tsp. honey or agave nectar
1/4 tsp. minced garlic
1 lbs. sliced chicken breast
1 Tbsp. cooking oil
3 cups packaged shredded cabbage with carrots (coleslaw mix)
2 cups steamed brown rice
Shredded carrots and cherry tomatoes, quartered (optional)

In a small mixing bowl, stir together water, soy sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil, hoisin sauce, honey/agave nectar and garlic. Set mixture aside.

Trim fat from chicken breast and cut chicken into thin, bite-size strips. Pour cooking oil into a wok or large skillet. (Add more oil as necessary during cooking.) Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Stir-fry chicken for 2 or 3 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

Push meat from center of wok. Stir in sauce. Push chicken and sauce to center of wok. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Add shredded cabbage with carrots to skillet.

Stir ingredients together to coat with sauce. Spoon about 3/4 cup of the chicken mixture over rice. Garnish with carrots and cherry tomatoes, if desired.

Chicken and Pineapple Skewers

2010-04-27T06:46:00.001-04:00

These were listed as an appetizer, to be served on skewers with a cherry tomato. We turned them into a meal by serving with rice and grilled zucchini strips.
We loved the fresh summery flavor, especially the pineapple sweet and sour sauce! This is a great recipe to enjoy now that the weather is getting warmer and spring has arrived!

Although the recipe calls for fresh pineapple, I took this opportunity to use up some canned pineapple and it still came out great. :-)

Chicken and Pineapple Skewers
Source: Clean Eating Magazine, May/June 2009, p50

2 green onions, chopped
2 tbsp low sodium tamari soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
1/2 pound fresh pineapple, cubed
1 tbsp agave nectar or honey

In a large bowl, whisk together onions, soy sauce, vinegar and ginger. Add chicken and cover, marinating in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Drain chicken; discard marinade. Skewer chicken, alternating with pineapple. Grill until chicken is cooked through. Serve with sauce (recipe follows)

Pineapple Sweet and Sour sauce
Makes about 2 3/4 cups
Source: Clean Eating Magazine, May/June 2009

1 pound fresh pineapple
zest and juice of one lime
zest and juice of one lemon
1 tbsp agave nectar or honey
1 tsp freshly ground ginger

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until well blended, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Tune Nicoise

2010-04-22T06:30:00.001-04:00

Something I think my husband is better at stocking the pantry than I am. Unfortunately, in his recent trip to the grocery store, he forgot one crucial element: We are moving, and soon. And we are not just moving across town, no. We are making a nearly 1,000 mile trip back to the east coast! He returned from the store with an abundance of tuna, so I turned to this recipe to help us use it up.

I've never had anything like this before, but I was nearly addicted to it. It was also very easy to throw together! A word of caution, the dressing is very tangy and the dish may be a bit salty for some, so you may want to go very easy on the salt (I think the olives provide enough!)

I happened to be out of couscous so I used bulgur, forgetting that bulgur is quite a bit larger than couscous. This made my casserole seem a bit carb heavy between the bulgur and potatoes. Next time I'll cut down the amount of bulgur if I find myself without couscous again.

Tuna Nicoise Stovetop Casserole
Source: Clean Eating Magazine, March/April 2010, p75
Serves 8

2 cups couscous
8 small red potatoes, cut into halves or 4 large red potatoes cut into quarters
2 6 oz pouches or cans unsalted water packed tuna
1/2 pound frozen green beans, thawed
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, sliced
Juice and zest 1 lemon
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp white onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp fresh parsley, minced
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Olive oil cooking spray

Cook couscous according to package directions

Over medium-high heat, bring a medium size pan filled with water to boil. Cook potatoes for 10 minutes; drain. In a large bowl, mix together tuna, green beans, olives and potatoes. Once couscous is cooked, mix it into tuna-vegetable mixture.

In a medium bowl, whisk together lemon juice and zest, Dijon, onion, garlic vinegar, oil, parsley, salt and pepper. Pour dressing over tuna-couscous mixture.

Heat large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over high heat for 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium high, mist pan with cooking spray and sauté tuna couscous mixture for about 5 minutes or until throughly warmed. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Nutrients per 1 Cup serving:
Calories 430
Total fat: 6 g
Sat. fat: 1 g
Carbohydrates: 70 g
Fiber: 11 g
Sugars: 4 g
Protein: 25 g
Sodium: 350 mg
Cholesterol: 15 mg

Honey Mustard Chicken

2010-04-20T06:12:00.002-04:00

My husband and I loved this easy version of tangy honey mustard chicken. The recipe suggested serving with this colorful rice pilaf, but I really didn't care for that part of the meal.

Honey Mustard Chicken
Source: Clean Eating Magazine, March/April 2010, p76
Serves 4

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 tbsp raw organic honey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, whisk together honey, mustard, vinegar, oil, garlic, and 2 tbsp water. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Heat a large nonstick or cast iron skillet over high heat for 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-high, mist pan with cooking spray and saute chicken for about 5 minutes or until cooked through and no longer pink. Add honey-mustard mixture to chicken and saute for about 3 minutes.

Creamy Cabbage Soup with Gruyere

2010-04-07T06:15:00.001-04:00

I had some leftover cabbage and perused my Google Reader for ideas to use it up. This looked like a nice soup to have on hand for lunch or a light dinner after work. I'm relatively new to cabbage, but I thought this was great! Wanting to keep it lower fat, I opted to use milk as the original recipe suggests, but supplement it with pureed cottage cheese for extra creaminess. I only wish I had croutons to enjoy with it!

Creamy Cabbage Soup with Gruyere
Source: Slightly adapted from NYT via Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 russet potato, peeled and grated
3/4 lb cabbage (about 1/2 medium head), cored and chopped fine
Salt to taste
5 cups water, chicken stock, or vegetable stock
1 Parmesan rind
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups low-fat milk
1/2 cup pureed cottage cheese
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
For garnish: homemade croutons, minced chives

Directions

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot.
Add the onion and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the potato, cabbage, and 1/2 tsp salt. Stir together for a minute, taking care that the potatoes don't stick to the pot.
Add the stock, Parmesan rind, and salt/pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
Add the milk and cottage cheese to the soup. Stir to combine well and heat through without boiling.
A handful at a time, stir the Gruyere into the soup and continue to stir until the cheese has melted.
Taste, adjust seasonings. Remove the Parmesan rind.
Serve, garnishing each bowl with some croutons and minced chives.

Chicken French with a White Wine Lemon Butter Sauce

2010-04-05T06:40:00.001-04:00

This is a delicious and easy way to prepare chicken that is sure to be a crowd pleaser. I found that it came together relatively quickly with minimal effort, and the sauce is amazing! We kept it simple by serving with sauteed zucchini. I can't wait to make it again!

Chicken French with a White Wine Lemon Butter Sauce
Source: Slightly adapted from Good Things Catered

Ingredients:

4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp granulated garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
juice of 1 1/2 lemons
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
-In wide, shallow bowl combine flour, salt, pepper, paprika and garlic, stirring to combine.
-In large, heavy bottom skillet, add olive oil and heat over medium high heat until almost smoking.
-Meanwhile, pound chicken breasts to even thickness and season liberally with salt and pepper.
-Toss chicken breasts in flour mixture and place, breast-side down, into preheated pan.
-Cook over medium high heat until breast side is nicely golden browned, about 7-10 minutes.
-Flip chicken breasts to breast-side up and cook until golden browned and chicken breast is cooked through, about 7-10 more minutes depending on thickness.
-Remove chicken from pan, place on platter and cover with foil to keep warm (Katie recommends placing platter in an oven preheated to 200 degrees F, but I just cover with foil!)
-Add white wine to skillet and stir to deglaze, scraping all browned bits up from bottom of pan.
-Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 2-3 minutes.
-Add lemon juice and stir, cooking until reduced by at least half, about 2-3 minutes.
-Remove from heat and stir in butter to thicken.
-Salt and pepper to taste (Note: if you’d like the sauce thicker at this point you may add a slurry of 1 tsp cornstarch and 1 tsp water and heat, stirring constantly for 30-60 seconds).
-Remove platter from oven, top with sauce and serve immediately.

Chicken Souvlaki

2010-04-02T06:27:00.000-04:00

This is a great, simple recipe for grilled chicken, with a refreshing flavor, thanks to the lemon juice.

Chicken Souvlaki
Source: Cooking Light

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into (1/2-inch-thick) slices
Cooking spray

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a zip-top plastic bag; seal and shake to combine. Add chicken to bag; seal and shake to coat. Marinate chicken in refrigerator for 30 minutes, turning once.
Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Thread the chicken and zucchini, alternately onto each of 4 (8-inch) skewers.
Heat a grill pan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add skewers; cook 8 minutes or until chicken is done, turning once. Serve with tzatziki sauce.

Baked Pasta with a Turkey Meat Sauce

2010-03-29T18:40:00.000-04:00

Winter will soon be a distant memory, and before we are enjoying the comforts of spring, I thought I would share a great cold weather comfort dish. I challenged myself to truly follow the limits of the amount of cheese in the recipe. If my husband is anywhere near me while cooking, I feel compelled to add more because he always looks at me like he's thinking, "that's all?"

However, precisely one cup of cheese worked out perfectly for this dish! I swapped out the asparagus for some zucchini, which worked great. This is a delicious, hearty, comforting meal!

Baked Pasta with a Turkey Meat Sauce
Source: Clean Eating Magazine, January/February 2009
Serves: 6

12 ounces whole wheat penne or pasta of your choice
3/4 lb thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into two inch pieces, or 2 small zucchini, washed and cut into 1/2" quarters
olive oil cooking spray
3/4 lb lean ground turkey
3 cups no salt added tomato sauce (Muir Glen recommended)
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp sea salt or coarse kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 ounces part skim mozzarella cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. When pasta is one minute from being done, add the asparagus or zucchini and boil for 1 minute, then drain and return to pot.

Meanwhile, coat a large skillet with cooking spray and heat to medium high; add turkey and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Add tomato sauce, basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and simmer until heated through, 3 to 4 minutes. Add turkey meat sauce to pasta and stir to combine.

Lightly coat a 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray; add 1/2 the pasta mixture and sprinkle with 2/3 of the mozzarella. Add remaining pasta mixture and top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until cheese is melted. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Nutritional information per 1 1/2 cup serving:
Calories: 400
Total Fat: 6 g
Sat Fat: 3 g
Carbs: 56g
Fiber 8 g
Sugars: 8g
Protein: 28 g
Sodium: 270 mg
Cholesterol: 40 mg

Marshmallow Fondant

2010-03-26T06:30:00.001-04:00

These were my first roses, so be gentle. ;-)
Here are the instrucions I used for making marshmallow fondant. I found it to be easy, fun to work with, and delicious!

Marshmallow Fondant
Source: Peggy's Baking Corner

16 ounces white mini-marshmallows (use a good quality brand)
2 to 5 tablespoons water
2 pounds icing sugar (recommended: C&H Cane Powdered Sugar)
1/2 cup Crisco shortening, in a small bowl

Melt marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave or double boiler: Put the bowl in the microwave and heat for 30 second intervals, stirring in between until marshmallow is just melted (usually about 2 1/2 minutes total).

Place 3/4 of the powdered sugar on the top of the melted marshmallow mix. Now grease your hands GENEROUSLY (palms, backs, and in between fingers), then heavily grease the counter you will be using and dump the bowl of marshmallow/sugar mixture in the middle. (I think I misinterpreted here and added 3/4 cup sugar, rather than 3/4 of the sugar. I just kept adding it and eventually got to something workable, so it's definitely forgiving).

Start kneading like you would bread dough. You will immediately see why you have greased your hands. Add the rest of the powdered sugar and knead some more. Re-grease your hands and counter when the fondant starts sticking. If the mix is tearing easily, it is to dry, so add water (about 1/2 tablespoon at a time and then knead it in). It usually takes about 8 minutes to get a firm smooth elastic ball so that it will stretch without tearing when you apply it to the cake. It is best if you can let it sit, double wrapped, overnight (but you can use it right if there are no tiny bits of dry powdered sugar). If you do see them, you will need to knead and maybe add a few more drops of water.

Prepare the fondant icing for storing by coating it with a good layer of Crisco shortening, wrap in a plastic-type wrap product and then put it in a re-sealable or Ziploc bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible. Marshmallow fondant icing will hold very well in the refrigerator for weeks.

To make the decorations for the cake, I first colored the fondant by separating it in to smaller balls, and adding small amounts of Wilton food coloring. After kneading the dough, the color becomes incorporate and uniform throughout the fondant.

Then I selected cutting implements to make the sized circles that I wanted. I don't have an array of circular cookie cutters, but I found a shot glass, my 1M tip, and another smaller tip worked just fine! I rolled out each color on a silpat with a plain wooden rolling pin, and for me no additional powdered sugar or cornstarch was necessary. If your dough is sticking, either of those will help. I simply cut the fondant like cookie dough, and pulled up the scraps for re-rolling and repeating the process.

Afterwards, I let the circles air dry on parchment paper on a baking sheet, covered lightly with plastic wrap until I was ready to decorate the cake. The pieces will stiffen as they dry, so if you want them to hold a different shape on the cake (such as draping them over the side), that shape should be set before the fondant dries.

For the leaves, I used a leaf cutter and pressed into the fondant with a toothpick to make the veins. I made the roses following this method.

Strawberry cake with Chocolate Mousse Filling

2010-03-25T06:48:00.001-04:00

A recent baby shower for a friend gave me another chance to bake a cake. I always try to do something different and after some mulling around, I decided on strawberry cake with chocolate mousse filling.

I also decided that this cake would be my first leap into fondant. I planned on icing the cake with regular buttercream, but I wanted the decorations to be in fondant. I found a recipe for marshmallow fondant and had a blast working with it! More on that tomorrow.

The strawberry cake part didn't turn out quite as I'd planned, as the cake looked more like a whole wheat cake than a strawberry cake! Thankfully, the strawberry flavor came through ever so delicately. The chocolate mousse filling was truly fantastic, and I was definitely excited that I had a little bit left over to save for dessert another night.

Strawberry Cake with Chocolate Mousse Filling
Source: Slightly adapted from Good Things Catered, here and here

For the cake, I modified Angie's Strawberry Cupcake recipe to use pureed strawberries since mine were frozen and I didn't think they would work well, chopped. I also baked it in two 9" round pans rather than in cupcake form. For the mousse, I cut the recipe in half.

For the cake:

2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cup sugar (or a little less)
2 eggs
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup pureed strawberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare two 9" or 8" round cake pans by spraying with baking spray. Sift flour, salt, and baking soda in medium bowl. In bowl of mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time until combined. Add buttermilk, oil and vanilla until combined. Add flour mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in pureed strawberries.

Divide batter between two cake pans. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cake in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pans and continue to cook on wire rack until thoroughly cooled.

For the mousse:

4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cups heavy cream, divided
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 egg yolks
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 pinch salt

Directions:
In large double boiler, add chocolate, 2 tablespoons cream and butter. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally until melted. Let cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan over medium heat, add egg yolks, sugar and 2 tablespoons cream. Whisk to combine over heat, stirring well, until mixture reached 160 degrees, about 2 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat, add chocolate mixture and set in saucepan in ice. Stir mixture until cooled, about 7-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in bowl of stand mixer, whip remaining 3/4 cup of cream until just forming stiff peaks. Fold whipped cream into chocolate mixture. If not filling cake right away, place into bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place into fridge overnight.

To assemble the cake, place one layer on serving platter, and pipe a border of icing around the edge of the top surface of the cake (to build a well for holding in the mousse). Generously top bottom layer with chocolate mousse. Apply top layer of cake, then frost cake as desired.

Pumpkin Chocolate Brownie Cake

2010-03-22T06:03:00.004-04:00

I have been ooo-ing and aaahhh-ing over have cake, will travel for a few weeks now. The recipe offerings are vegan, but I noticed many of them call for the clean eating ingredients that have become a staple in my kitchen. I was in the mood to bake this weekend so I perused the dessert offerings over there and decided on this brownie cake. I've been getting a little tired of cookies, and I wanted to open a can of pumpkin for some baked oatmeal, anyway. It smelled delicious coming out of the oven, and the 30 minutes of cooling was pure torture.

One bite of this heavenly, soft, delicious cake and I was seriously concerned about how to prevent myself from eating the rest of the pan before bedtime. The pumpkin flavor is very light, the cinnamon is warm and inviting, and the chocolate chips add just enough to keep it chocolatey. I'm in love!

Pumpkin Chocolate Brownie Cake
Source: slightly adapted from have cake, will travel
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Non-stick cooking spray
1/4 cup skim milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 cup (120 g) whole-wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup (128 g) Sucanat
2 tablespoons (10 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup (122 g) pumpkin purée
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup (58 g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4). Lightly coat an 8-inch (20-cm) square baking pan with spray. Combine vinegar and soymilk in a medium bowl: it will curdle and become like buttermilk.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, sucanat, cocoa, spices, and salt.

Whisk pumpkin purée, applesauce, oil, and vanilla into the buttermilk mixture, until combined. Fold wet ingredients into dry, being careful not to over mix. Fold in chocolate chips and place batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan, on a wire rack. Remove from pan after at least 30 minutes. Enjoy at room temperature or cold.

Nutritional Information, per serving (1/6th of recipe)
Calories: 263
Total fat: 7 g
Sat fat: 0.3 g
Cholesterol: 1.3 mg
Sodium: 419.6 mg
Potassium: 28 g
Carbohydrate: 46.9 g
Fiber: 4.6 g
Sugar: 28.3 g
Protein: 3.4 g

Black-Eyed Pea Stew

2010-03-17T06:13:00.001-04:00

This is a delicious, light soup that comes together in just about 30 minutes. A few simple ingredients is all you need for a healthy, fiber packed snack or lunch. I punched up the flavor a little bit by adding some ground coriander, though red pepper flakes would be a nice addition, too.

Black-eyed Pea Stew
Source: slightly adapted from Clean Eating Magazine, March/April 2009
Serves: 4

4 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
8 ounces collard greens or your favorite greens (I use kale), chopped
1 14.5 ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
12 ounces red potatoes, 1/2 inch dice (about 2 cups)
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 15.5 ounce can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained (scant 2 cups)
ground black pepper

Bring broth and 2 cups water to boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add greens, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.

Add tomatoes, potatoes and coriander, return pot to a simmer. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender, 10-12 minutes. Stir in peas and simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with pepper to taste, and serve.

Nutritional Information:
Per 2 1/4 cup serving

Calories: 180
Total fat: 1 g
Sat fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 37 g
Fiber 8 g
Sugars: 5 g
Protein: 10g
Sodium: 710 mg
Cholesterol: 0 mg

Jalapeno Poppers

2010-03-15T06:16:00.001-04:00

Peppers, of any kind, are just not my thing. It just so happens that I married a man who grew up eating hot chili peppers off the vine. I have slowly learned to adapt my cooking so his taste buds are still happy (without killing mine in the process!). I have also challenged him to try meals that are not blazing hot, hoping he will realize that there are other flavors out there to be enjoyed! I do think I have been moderately successful in this venture. ;-)

This recipe was from the February newsletter of Clean Eating magazine (which you can sign up to receive free by e-mail through their website). Knowing I'd have no interest in them myself, I thought my husband would enjoy them and decided to give them a whirl.

Curiosity killed the cat here, and I couldn't resist trying one when he said how good they were. Much to my surprise, I thought it was really good and reached back for another one! Is there hope for me, yet?

Jalapeno Poppers
Source: Slightly adapted from Clean Eating Magazine
Yield: 40 poppers

20 medium jalapeño peppers
1 cup spelt flour or whole-wheat flour
1 cup cornmeal, finely ground
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp chile powder
1/2 tsp ground coriander
3/4 cup greek yogurt)
1/4 cup egg whites
3 tbsp raw honey
1/3 cup cilantro sprigs, chopped
3 green onions, thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup)
1 1/4 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese, divided
1/3 cup greek yogurt or low-fat sour cream (optional)
1/3 cup all-natural jarred salsa (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Cut stem end off each jalapeño and discard. Cut peppers in half lengthwise and, using a small paring knife or a teaspoon, carefully cut or scoop out seeds and discard. Place peppers cut-side-up on a parchment-lined baking sheet; set aside.

3. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, chile powder and coriander; set aside.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together yogurt, egg whites and honey. Add yogurt mixture, plus cilantro, green onions and 1 cup cheese to dry ingredients and mix well until just combined.

5. Spoon about 2 tsp mixture into the center of each jalapeño half. Smooth tops of mixture and place jalapeños back onto baking sheet, filling-side-up.

6. Place tray into oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle stuffed jalapeños with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and continue to bake for 2 more minutes or until top is golden brown and cheese is melted. Let cool at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving. Arrange on a platter and serve immediately with sour cream and salsa for dipping, if desired.

Nutrients per 2 poppers (2 stuffed jalapeño halves):
Calories: 82, Total Fat: 1.5 g, Sat. Fat: 0.5 g, Carbs: 13 g, Fiber: 2 g, Sugars: 4 g, Protein: 4 g, Sodium: 171 mg, Cholesterol: 3.5 mg

Pumpkin French Toast

2010-03-12T06:39:00.001-05:00

Though pancakes are my favorite, I decided to change it up last Sunday and make french toast. I modified this recipe from allrecipes.com after opening the fridge and seeing some leftover pumpkin puree. This french toast is delicious, filling, and thanks to the secret ingredient - not at all soggy!

Pumpkin French Toast
Source: Adapted from allrecipes
Serves: 4

1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or whole wheat flour)
1 cup skim milk
pinch salt
3/4 cup eggbeaters
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
8 slices of whole wheat bread

Add flour to a large bowl. Whisk in milk, then eggbeaters and pumpkin puree. Whisk in spices, vanilla, and maple syrup. Dip bread slices into egg wash, and place on a heated griddle or pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cook until golden brown on one side, then flip until other side is golden brown. Serve with pure maple syrup.

Cooking Tip: Freezing Garlic

2010-03-10T07:12:00.002-05:00

When it comes to garlic, there are usually two options. Buy fresh and grate/mince/whathaveyou as needed, or buy the jarred garlic. My husband is a huge fan of the jarred kind, but I find it less than appealing. I much prefer the taste of fresh garlic, and I love grating it on my microplane for a truly pulverized result.

But sometimes, I go to cook and discover that the garlic has been sitting in the cupboard too long and is sprouting or just plain gone bad. I think I have finally found a solution to circumvent that problem. A friend and reader of mine recently suggested that I grate up a bunch of garlic, the press into a ziplock freezer bag and store in the freezer. When you need garlic, just break a piece off and throw it in the pan, or let it soften on the counter before using in your recipe.

I've been doing this for a few weeks (and went through the entire bag of garlic pictured below!) and it has been working out great! The only undesirable thing I noticed with the first batch was that the garlic was very quick to turn green - a merely cosmetic problem that usually happens as a result of contact with something acidic, but can also be due to the age of the garlic. The heads of garlic that I used definitely were not the freshest, so that could have contributed to my issue.

Sesame Chicken and Noodles

2010-03-09T08:47:00.001-05:00

I'm not quite sure where to begin, as my love for these recipes is overwhelming. Katie first posted the sesame noodles over at Good Things Catered, and I was instantly smitten. Then the sesame chicken appeared and the two recipes immediately went on the menu. I knew they would be great, because a) they are from Katie, and b) hello, sesame anything is awesome!

Little did I realize the joy that would befall me when I had the first bite of this chicken. It was out-of-this-world-good! There is something magical about this simple combination of ingredients, and I happily made the same chicken again the very next weekend!

Sesame Chicken

Source: Slightly adapted from Good Things Catered

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp sesame oil
1 heaping Tbsp Chinese garlic chili sauce (I improvised with 1 tablespoon good quality hot sauce and 1 clove worth of grated garlic)
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (Katie lists 1 cup, but I found it was way more than I needed)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 Tbsp black sesame seeds
1 tsp olive oil

Directions:
-In medium bowl, combine chicken, sesame oil and garlic chili sauce.
-Toss to combine well and place in fridge.
-Marinate chicken for at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours.
-Remove from fridge when ready to cook and place a nonstick pan on stove over medium heat.
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-Place olive oil into pan and heat until almost smoking.
-Meanwhile another shallow bowl, add bread crumbs, garlic powder, salt, pepper, sesame seeds and toss to combine.
-Using tongs, place chicken breast into bread crumb mixture and coat well.
-Place into hot pan and repeat with remaining chicken breasts.
-Cook until golden in color on one side, about 2-3 minutes and flip.
-Cook an additional 2-3 minutes and place pan into preheated oven.
-Bake until internal temperature of 160 is achieved (do not over cook) and remove, about 10-15 minutes.
-Place chicken on warm serving plate, let rest for at least 10 minutes and serve.

Sesame Noodles

Source: Slightly adapted from Good Things Catered

1 (8oz) package whole wheat thin spaghetti (we use Barilla Plus)
1 large carrot, ends removed and sliced into thin matchsticks
1 cup snow peas, rinsed
1 heaping Tbsp tahini
1 Tbsp creamy natural peanut butter
1/2 tsp good quality sesame oil
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
6 green onions, sliced thinly, dark green ends removed
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 cup reserved pasta water

Directions:

-Cook pasta according to package directions.
-Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine tahini, peanut butter, sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce and green onions.
-Stir to combine well and set aside.
-In last 2 minutes of cooking time, add carrots and snow peas to boiling water.
-Remove 1 cup pasta water from pan and set aside.
-Drain pasta and vegetables, and place into large bowl along with other ingredients.
-Add 1/2 of reserved pasta water and toss to combine all ingredients.
-Add sesame seeds, let sit for 1 minute and add additional pasta water to obtain desired consistency

-Serve warm or cold.

Cinnamon Honey Ice Cream

2010-03-05T06:25:00.001-05:00

Do you love cinnamon Teddy Grahams? If so, this ice cream is for you! It tastes exactly like the cinnamon Teddy Graham snacks I remember from my childhood. I think that's all there is to say here!

Cinnamon Honey Ice Cream

8 ounces heavy cream
14 ounces 2% milk, whole milk, or half and half (Depending on your preference)
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup honey
2 egg yolks, beaten

Heat cream, milk, cinnamon stick and ground cinnamon in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until simmering, but not boiling. Turn off heat, cover, and let steep for 30 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick and return cream mixture to heat.

Bring back to a simmer, then add honey and whisk until dissolved. Add 2 tablespoons of heated cream mixture to beaten egg yolks, whisking constantly, to temper the eggs. Repeat 3 more times, then add tempered eggs to the saucepan with the heated cream mixture.

Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon (approximately 160 degrees F). Strain mixture, if desired. Cool thoroughly, at least 4 hours in the refrigerator, preferably overnight. Freeze according to the directions for your ice cream maker.

Mashed Potatoes

2010-03-03T06:03:00.001-05:00

Another simple recipe, we also enjoyed mashed potatoes at our Christmas dinner. My favorite recipe is more of a favorite method, and it comes from the editors at Cook's Illustrated. The focus of the method is to prevent the starch molecules from absorbing too much water and exploding, which is the cause of gluey mashed potatoes. This method calls for steaming the potatoes, which introduces less water to them. The result is perfectly creamy mashed potatoes (never gummy) that you can flavor however you like best.

Fluffy Mashed Potatoes
Source: Cook's Illustrated, March/April 2008
Serves 4

2 pounds yukon gold potatoes (4 to 6 medium), peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks, rinsed well, and drained.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (I omit when I want lighter mashed potatoes)
table salt
2/3 cup whole milk, warm (we never have whole milk in the house, I just use skim or 2%. Having it warm is the key here)

Place a metal colander or steamer insert in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add enough water for it to barely reach the bottom of the colander. Trun heat to high and bring water to a boil. Add potatoes, cover, and reduce heat to medium high. Cook potatoes 10 minutes. Transfer colander to sink and rinse potatoes under cold water until no longer hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Return colander and potatoes to pot, cover, and continue to cook until potatoes are soft and tip of paring knife inserted into potato meets no resistance, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Pour off water from Dutch oven.

Set a ricer (preferred) or food mill over now empty pot. (I'll admit hear that I just smoosh most of the potatoes through the holes in my steamer basket and call it a day). Working in batches, transfer potatoes to hopper of ricer or food mill and process, removing any potatoes stuck to the bottom. Using a rubber spatula, stir in melted butter and 1/2 teaspoon salt until incorporated. Stir in warm milk until incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper; serve immediately.

Brussels Sprouts Braised in Butter

2010-03-01T06:03:00.001-05:00

For Christmas, my (culinary idol) aunt sent me Julie & Julia along with Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I was eager to dive in until I realized that almost every recipe had butter. If not, it had cream. These aren't exactly clean eating approved ingredients. However, I had some brussels sprouts that I planned on preparing for Christmas dinner, so I decided to make an exception for the holiday.

Of the 7 brussels sprouts recipes in the book, I chose brussels sprouts braised in butter. It seemed easy enough, and it was! It was easy to get then started just as the turkey was finishing, and then bake them while the turkey rested and was carved. The brussels sprouts were tender and delicious!

Brussels Sprouts Braised in Butter
Source: Slightly reworded from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, by Julia Child
Serves 6

Preliminary cooking:
1-2 quarts (1 1/4 to 2 1/2 pounds) brussels sprouts, trimmed and washed
7-8 quarts water
1 1/2 tsp salt per quart of water

Bring water to boil in a large kettle, then add salt. Drop brussels sprouts into the rapidly boiling salted water. Bring to a boil again as rapidly as possible.

Boil slowly, uncovered, for 6-8 minutes, or until almost tender. Immediately remove with a skimmer and drain in a colander.

1 1/2 Tablespoons softened butter
1 1/2 quarts partially cooked brussels sprouts (prepared by following instructions above)
salt and pepper
2 to 4 tablespoons melted butter

Preheat overn to 350 degrees F. Smear butter inside the casserole dish. Arrange brussels sprouts heads up in the casserole dish. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, and with the melted butter.

Cut a round of wax paper to the shape of the casserole dish, and lightly butter the paper. Lay the paper over the brussels sprouts. Cover and heat on top of stove until vegetables begin to sizzle, then place in the middle level of the preheated oven. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the sprouts are tender and well impregnated with butter. Serve as soon as possible.

Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-02-26T06:26:00.001-05:00

I saw these in a recent issue of Clean Eating magazine and could not wait to make them. I love cookies and always am looking for new clean cookie recipes to try. These were so easy to make, but apparently I made them a little too easy - I didn't mix the dough well enough and I had quite the variety of cookie shapes, all on the same pan! I had the flat-as-a-pancake variety, tall mounds that never seemed to settle at all from the drop shape, and then the perfect middle ground. (I have a picture of the cookie sheet somewhere, when I find it, I will post it in all it's hilarity).

These cookies are delicious, and this was my first time trying almond butter. It's quite different from peanut butter, and I really like it (though really, I'm not surprised, almonds are my favorite!)

Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Source: Clean Eating Magazine, March/April 2010
Yield: 24 cookies

1 cup unsalted almond butter, stirred well
3/4 cup sucanat
1 large egg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa or greater), broken into small pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, stir together first 5 ingredients until (well!) blended. Stir in chocolate.

2. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto parchment lined baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and let cook for 15 more minutes.

Nutritional Information, per cookie:
Calories - 110
Total fat - 8 g
Sat. fat - 1.5 g
Carbohydrates - 10 g
Fiber - 1 g
Sugar - 3 g
Protein - 2 g
Sodium - 55 mg
Cholesterol - 10 mg

Maple Bars

2010-02-25T06:46:00.001-05:00

I've posted protein bars before, but this was a slightly different take on your average protein bar. Nutty and a little sweet, these are great for on the go! I tried following the instructions in the magazine once, for baking them individually in foil packets, but I didn't like the end result. The second time around, I baked in a loaf pan and sliced after baking, and thought that worked much better!

Nutty Maple-Cinnamon Bars
Source: Clean Eating Magazine

Yield: 6 bars
Prep time: 25min

1 cup rolled oats, divided
3 Tbsp unsalted almonds (I used chopped walnuts out of laziness)
4 scoops vanilla protein powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
4 Tbsp pure maple syrup
Olive oil cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a blender, process 1/2 cup oats into oat flour. In a large bowl, stir together oat flour, remaining 1/2 cup oats, almonds, protein powder, cinnamon, and salt. Combine applesauce, vanilla and maple syrup with dry ingredients; mix thoroughly.

3. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray. Spread mixture into a loaf pan. Bake in preheated oven for 16-18 minutes, or until the center is set. Store leftovers in the fridge. Let cool, then slice into 6 bars.

NUTRITION INFORMATION:
per bar
Calories: 213
Sat. fat: 1g
Monounsat. fat: 2g
Polyunsat. fat: 1g
Total fat: 4g
Carbs: 29g
Fiber: 3g
Sugars: 14g
Protein: 15g
Sodium: 189mg
Cholesterol: 23mg

Orange Saffron Chicken with Coconut Saffron Risotto

2010-02-22T06:40:00.002-05:00

I've been in love with saffron in risotto since Ina's butternut squash risotto. Something about that combination is nothing short of fantastic to me. With a little leftover coconut milk, I was scouring my Google Reader subscriptions for ideas, and came across this dinner from Jenn Cuisine.

I thought all the flavors in this dish came together nicely. I especially liked the little bite from the toasted almonds (which I chopped since I didn't have slivered ones) among the soft spinach. The coconut in the risotto is subtle, or perhaps mine was just overpowered by my heavy handed measure of saffron. ;-)

Coconut-Saffron Risotto
Source: Reworded from Jenn Cuisine

3 tbs. canola oil (EVOO may not mix well w/ coconut flavors)
1 shallot or onion, chopped
3/4 cup arborio rice
splash of sherry
2 cups coconut milk
2 cups veggie broth
1/2 tsp saffron
salt to taste

Directions:
1. In a pot with a large surface area, saute the onion in oil (med-high) until translucent. Then add in the rice for about 3 min until turns golden. Meanwhile, add coconut milk and broth to a saucepan and start it heating but keep it just under a boil so it is steaming.

2. Add in a splash of sherry to the rice and while stirring, let the sherry get absorbed into the rice.

3. Reduce heat down to medium. Add in 3/4 cup broth and saffron, stirring to let the rice soak up the broth until it is nearly all absorbed. Repeat with remaining broth until the rice is plump and soft. Add in salt to taste.

Orange Saffron Chicken with Orange and Almond Spinach
Source: Jenn Cuisine

2 tbs. canola oil
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp. saffron
1 orange
salt and pepper
1 lb. spinach
1/4 cup sliced toasted almonds

Directions:
1. Squeeze orange juice (don’t toss the orange just yet!) and saffron in a small pot, and heat for a few minutes (but don’t boil it like crazy, there isn’t much liquid).

2. Take off the burner and let cool a bit to near room temp. Then add the chicken in an airtight container and set in the fridge for a good half hour.

3. Meanwhile, saute the spinach with 2 tbs. canola oil in a skillet on med-high heat. Once wilted, add in meat of orange and toasted almond slices, salt and pepper to taste. Remove from burner and set aside.

4. Using same pan (adding more oil if needed), add chicken and orange/saffron juice to the pan at med-high heat. Saute until chicken is thoroughly cooked and browns on the outside.

To serve, plate risotto on the bottom, then top with spinach and chicken. I garnished with a couple of saffron threads, almond slices, and orange zest.