Blueberry, Lemon, and Poppy Seed Muffins

I love to make multidimensional muffin recipes in my mini muffin pan. Not only do they make great on the go breakfasts, but paired with a hard boiled egg and a cheese stick, they make a great addition to the lunch box. Like all of my mini muffin recipes, I bake 24 right away in the pan. There is usually enough batter remaining to scoop out (using the 1 tbsp. scoop) eight to ten scoops on a baking sheet, freeze until firm, and toss into a freezer bag for a later day. It's a great way to add them all over over time and wow your breakfast guests with four to five different mini muffins on your spread. 

You need:

2 1/4 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. sugar

10 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 c. lemon juice

1/4 c. whole milk

1 tsp. lemon zest

1 tbsp. poppy seeds

1 c. blueberries

Whisk the first three ingredients. Set aside. Beat together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and beat until smooth. Add the lemon juice, milk, zest, and poppy seeds. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients until combined. Fold in blueberries. Using a tablespoon scoop, scoop into 24 mini muffin tins with small paper liners. Freeze the remaining batter according to directions above. Bake 20 minutes at 375. 

*If you choose to make them as full sized muffins, this will make 12 large muffins. Increase your bake time to 30 minutes. 

My Favorite Guacamole

Because everyone needs a kick butt guac recipe.

You need:

4 ripe avocados, halved, seeded, and peeled

1 lime, juiced

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. cayenne

1/2 red onion, diced

3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Mash the avocados and lime. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir and let sit one hour at room temperature before serving. 

Freezer Breakfast Burritos

Breakfasts during the school week can be hard. I want the kids to be filled up with hearty protein-based meals, but there are only so many dishes of scrambled eggs I can feed them before they get bored. Breakfast burritos are a great alternative. As long as you roll them up tight, seal them in plastic wrap individually, and then seal them air tight in a freezer bag, they'll be good for a month or two, and are perfect to throw in the microwave for a filling and fast breakfast. 

This is the basic recipe for eggs, tomatoes, and cheese, but you can add in anything you like, such as precooked sausage (or breakfast sausage - just be sure to cook it first and then add the remaining ingredients), other vegetables, different cheeses - the possibilities are endless. 

You need:

6 flour tortillas, fajita sized

1 tomato, chopped

1/3 c. red onion

6 eggs

6 tbsp. shredded cheddar

In a skillet, saute the onion in a little butter or olive oil. Add the tomatoes and cook for one minute. Whisk the eggs together with a little salt and add to the pan. Cook until scrambled. Let cool a little. Spoon evenly among the tortillas. Top each with a tbsp. of cheddar. Roll up tightly, seal each in plastic wrap, and place together in a freezer bag. Freeze until ready to use. To use, reheat in the microwave for about 2 minutes. Serve with sour cream and salsa or fresh cilantro and plain yogurt.

Pumpkin Spice Granola

My little guy loves pumpkin. He also loves granola. When I came upon this east recipe in Family Circle, I knew I could double it and fill up my glass jars with a perfect granola for weekday mornings.  The recipe below is for one batch.

You need:

2 c. old fashioned oats
1 c. pumpkin seeds
1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/3 c. honey
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. dried cranberries

Mix all ingredients until combined. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, stirring halfway. Cool completely. Mix in cranberries. Store in an airtight container.

Lemon and Buttermilk Sorbet

I few weeks ago, I bought a high quality buttermilk with the hopes to try out a new buttermilk biscuit recipe. However, the heat made any type of baked good less appealing, and so the buttermilk sat toward the back of the refrigerator, lonely and forgotten.

It's back to school time again, which means I'm working my way through fridge and freezer to prep meals, breakfasts, and baked goods for easy access when back to the grind. It was then that I came upon the buttermilk. I knew it had only a few days left before I would have to toss it, which would have made my heart sink a little bit. With plenty of lemons on hand and the desire for something refreshing after a summer's worth of beer and picnics, this sorbet was just what I needed to make and keep on hand.

You need:

1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp. grated lemon peel
1 qt. buttermilk

In a small saucepan, dissolve the sugar in the lemon juice on low heat. Cool. Add the lemon peel and buttermilk. Chill for one hour in the refrigerator. Pour into your ice cream maker until complete. Store in an airtight container in the freezer.

Creamy Chicken Piccata

My sister and I used to love the movie Forget Paris. We loved Billy Crystal growing up, and we must have watched this movie three hundred times. Our favorite parts included his obsession with veal parmigiana. In the last scene, his friends hold their breath as he orders the veal...piccata. Yeah, maybe you just need to watch it to get it.

Anyway, whenever I see a piccata recipe, it makes me laugh. So when this one showed up in Family Circle magazine this month, I decided to try it. The kids loved the flavors and enjoyed it over mashed potatoes. It's a little more time consuming than others, but a good Sunday dinner.

You need:

2 1/2 lb. chicken cutlets
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 c. flour
3 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. butter
1/2 c. white wine (or chicken stock)
2 c. chicken stock
rind from one lemon, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. capers
1/2 c. mascarpone or cream cheese
2 tbsp. chopped parsley, optional
mashed potatoes, optional

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour on both sides. Shake off excess. In a nonstick skillet or cast iron frying pan, melt olive oil and butter over medium heat. Saute chicken three minutes per side, in two batches if necessary. Remove chicken to a plate. Add the flour and cook for 30 seconds. Use wine or 1/2 c. chicken stock and cook for 30 seconds, scrapping up the yummy, crusty bits. Stir in 2 c. chicken stock and lemon rind. Simmer for two minutes. Add chicken and capers to the pan. Cover and simmer for five minutes. Remove chicken to serving platter. Over low heat, whisk in the mascarpone or cream cheese until smooth. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with parsley.

Spaghetti CORNbonara

Oh my goodness.

This is REALLY good.

Have you ever had random bits of food in the refrigerator and you aren't sure how you are going to use them up? What does one do? Google "recipes for four slices of bacon?"

How fortunate I was when all of my monthly magazines arrived through the mail slot on the same day. Thanks to Better Homes and Gardens, I was able to adapt this unique recipe that uses corn in addition to the standard carbonara ingredients to use up the few ears of corn left over from a family birthday party and the four slices of bacon remaining from breakfast. The kids devoured it. And it was ridiculously easy.

You need:

six ears of corn, shucked, cooked, and cut off the cobs
12 oz. spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
3/4 c. reserved pasta water
1 c. half and half
2 egg yolks*
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
8 oz. bacon, cooked until crisp and broken into pieces
2 tbsp. reserved bacon grease (or 2 tbsp. butter, if you are using up your leftover bacon!)
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, half and half, and pepper. In a large skillet, cook the garlic in the reserved bacon grease or butter for 30 seconds. Add the cream mixture, spaghetti, corn, bacon, and Parmesan cheese. Bring just to a boil, stirring constantly. Add pasta water to desired consistency. Enjoy!

*Save those egg whites! Add them to three more for Breakfast Pie!

Olive Oil and Yogurt Cake

Oh my goodness. This was amazing.

We were stuck inside on what appears to be the only day of rain this summer, and I had the itch to play in the kitchen. I canned and baked my heart out. It was time for a cake. I'm enjoying Voracious so much that I have renewed it twice and am anxiously awaiting its release in paperback next month. This recipe was inspired by Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides, which I both read and enjoyed. The recipe is very easy to put together, and the most time consuming part was greasing and lining the springform pan.

You need:
1 1/2 c. plain, full-fat Greek yogurt
2/3 c. olive oil
3 large eggs
1 1/4 c. sugar
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
juice and zest of an orange
2 1/2 c. flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-in springform pan, line the bottom with parchment, and grease the parchment. In a large bowl, whisk together the first six ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredient, mixing until smooth. Pour into a prepared pan. Bake 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool slightly before serving.

Fruit Jam

This recipe works for all berry and cherry jams. It's amazing. Most importantly, it uses Pomona's Universal Pectin, which is the most incredible pectin product available, because it uses calcium rather than sugar as it's catalyst, requiring a quarter of the sugar in most recipes and still producing a deliciously sweet jam. This recipe makes 4-5 half pints of jam.

You need:

1 box Pomona's Universal Pectin
4 c. mashed fruit (approximately 2 quarts)
1/4 c. lemon or lime juice
3/4 c. to 2 c. sugar (to your taste)
2 tsp. calcium water (from Pomona's box)
2 tsp. pectin (from Pomona's box)

Prepare your calcium water by combining 1/2 tsp. calcium powder (the small packet) with 1/2 c. water in a small, clean jar with a lid. Shake well and store extra in the refrigerator for future use.
Wash fruit and remove stems. If using cherries, be sure to pit. If using strawberries, halve or quarter, depending upon size. Mash the fruit. Measure to four cups. Add calcium water and lemon juice to the mashed fruit. Mix well. Measure sugar in a bowl. Thoroughly mix pectin powder into the sugar. Set aside. Bring the fruit mixture to a full boil in a non-reactive saucepan. Add pectin-sugar mixture and stir vigorously for one to two minutes to dissolve the pectin. Bring the jam back to boil. Once it returns to a boil, turn off the heat. Use the boiling-water canning method. Process for ten minutes.

Pickle Relish

Did you know that shelf-stable, non-organic pickle relish is loaded with artificial dyes?

I did not. Because it didn't make any sense to me. I never in a million years would have thought to look for dyes in pickle relish. Because it's vinegar and cucumbers and deliciousness. Why the dyes?

I hate artificial dyes. The way I hate when cats walk on kitchen counters. And black walnut trees.

Last year, I moved to the organic aisle for relish. But seriously, $3.99 for relish? For vinegar (which is approximately $1 a gallon) and cucumbers (which grow manically and can be purchased for pennies in July)?

Enter the next phase of canning. Relish.

Let me be clear, relish takes some prep time. This recipe requires brining and resting and boiling, all before the boiling-water method of canning. BUT, it was really tasty. So if you are someone like me who can't get enough sweet relish in the summer (and fall, winter, and spring), give it a try. This makes 4-5 half-pint jars.

You need:

2 lbs. cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 lb. onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 c. salt
3 c. cider vinegar
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. water
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. black peppercorns
1 tsp. celery seed

Toss the first five ingredients together in a large bowl. Set aside for two hours. Drain thoroughly. At the end of the two hours, combine the remaining ingredients in a large stockpot, and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Add the vegetables and return to a boil. Simmer for five minutes. Remove from heat. Use the boiling-water canning method to can. Process for fifteen minutes in the canner.

The Boiling-Water Canning Method

You need:

Boiling Water canner
Jars, lids, and screw bands
Jar lifter, magnet, and wide mouth funnel
bowls
ladle, spoons, and potato mashers (when making jams)
6 qt. sauce pan

Clean jars, lids, and screw bands in hot soapy water. Rinse well and drain. Inspect jars for any cracks or chips. Heat jars by placing on the rack in the bottom of the canner. Do not overfill, as you don't want the jars clanging into one another. When using 8 oz. jars or smaller, add water to the jars and the canner until it reaches the top of the jars. When using pint jars or larger, add water to the jars and the canner until the jars are two-thirds full. Cover the canner and bring the water to a simmer over medium heat. It is not necessary to bring to a full boil, but to heat at a simmer to destroy any microorganisms.

Set the screw bands aside. They do not require heating. Place the lids in a small saucepan, cover with water and bring to a simmer. DO NOT BOIL. Keep the lids hot until ready to use.

When ready to fill jars, remove ONE JAR at a time from the simmering canner. Empty the water and ladle (using a wide mouth funnel) your product into the jars, leaving 1/4 in. of headspace between the top of the product/liquid and the lids. Wipe rims clean with a damp towel. Add the lid and screw on the band. Put the filled jar into the canner. Once all filled jars are in the canner, bring to a boil. Cover the canner and boil the time required in the recipe. Let jars rest in the canner for approximately five minutes. Remove from the water and let cool for 24 hours. Listen for the pop of perfection as the lids get sucked down and seal. Eat within one year.

Grilled Chicken Tabbouleh Salad

Sometimes, I can see recipes based on little more than a pile of vegetables at the bottom of my share bag. This week, my bag was filled with July wonders - tomatoes, cucumbers, scallions, and Romaine.

They spoke one thing: tabbouleh.

I love all forms of Mediterranean foods, including those from the Middle East. Tabbouleh has been a favorite since I was a little girl, and my Aunt Paula would make it for every summer party I can recall. It makes an easy side dish (no real cooking involved) or the base for a chopped salad with grilled chicken.

You need:

1/2 c. bulgar wheat
1/2 c. plain  Greek yogurt
3/4 c. finely chopped fresh mint
1/4 c. lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, pressed or finely chopped
3/4 tsp. salt
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 medium cucumber, seeded and diced
1 1/2 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 c. finely chopped parsley
3 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 heart of Romaine, coarsely chopped
1 lb. chicken breast, grilled and thinly sliced

Pour 3/4 c. boiling eater over bulgar wheat in a heat proof bowl. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 20-25 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the yogurt, 1/4 c. mint, 1 tbsp. lemon juice, garlic, 1/4 tsp. salt, and the cayenne. Cover and refrigerate.

Strain the bulgar to remove excess water. In a large bowl, mix the remaining ingredients. Add the bulgar and drizzle with dressing and the remaining mint.

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

My children love ice cream, and they are creative in their selections whenever we venture into an ice cream shop. I can be counted on to order the same thing each time - mint chocolate chip. But not my wee ones. They will try a new flavor each time, my little C sure to ask, "does it have peanuts? May you please wash the scoop first?"

Consequently, many of the flavors we create at home are unique concoctions that are recipes only in terms of the basic vanilla or chocolate at their base. However, because so much time was put into additions and extracts, I've always used a basic milk and cream base. With a little extra time on Saturday afternoon (a summer shower brought us inside and to dinner early), I decided to try for the first time a custard base. A plain vanilla custard base to be ready with our cherry pie on Sunday.

"Mama, this is the best thing I've ever tasted."

Try this. You will not be disappointed. An added perk? It calls for five egg yolks. My breakfast pie calls for five egg whites, which is baking at this very moment. Rather than put the time early in the morning (the kids have swim lessons and VBS this morning) to make the individual pies, I just rolled out a store bought pie crust and made it as a single pie in a tart pan. Store the whites in a sealed jar  or container for no longer than a couple of days and make the pie for an easy breakfast or dinner.

Another note to keep in mind - this is not a quick recipe. Unlike a milk and cream based ice cream, which requires about five minutes of hand mixing before popping into the ice cream maker (you can have fresh ice cream about 30 minutes after you've started), this one takes significantly longer to cook, cool, and chill (overnight). Don't be afraid of it, but give yourself the time needed.

You need:

2 c. whole milk
2 c. heavy cream
1 c. granulated sugar, divided
a pinch of salt
1 whole vanilla bean, halved and scraped of seeds
5 lg. egg yolks
1.5 tsp. vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk together the milk, cream, half of the sugar, salt, and the scraped vanilla bean (including the pod). Bring the mixture just to a boil. While the milk/cream mixture is heating, combine the yolks and remaining sugar in a medium bowl. Using a hand mixture on low speed or whisk, beat until the mixture is pale and thick.

Once the milk/cream mixture has come to a slight boil, whisk about 1/3 of the hot mixture into the yolk/sugar mixture in a slow and steady stream.  In the same fashion, add another 1/3 of the mixture, then return the combined mixture to the saucepan. Using a wooden spoon or plastic spatula, stir the mixture constantly over low heat until it thickens slightly and coats the back of the spoon. This mixture must NOT boil or the yolks will overcook - this should take only a few minutes.

Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer and discard the vanilla pod. Bring to room temperature. Stir in the vanilla extract. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Pour into ice cream maker and mix until thickened, about 20 minutes. Store in an airtight container.

Spaghetti with Black Pepper and Parmesan

I had the grandest of plans last night.

After a long day on the beach, we headed to Magnolia to what was advertised as a family-friendly farmers' and local foods market. When we arrived, we found one stall of a few vegetables, one seafood company selling hake and salmon, and a hodgepodge of local artisans whose wares and prices were anything but family friendly.

Where were the clams?! Where was the fresh asparagus?!

I needed to think fast, so we headed back to our house, stopped quickly at the local market for a loaf of fresh bread, and I thought for the remainder of the drive about this book I read on the way here. I had already blogged about it, vowing to cook my way through the book next year as my 2017 food challenge (and we all know Strega Nona quite well.) I grew up eating a version of it, and I've made it numerous times for my own kids (which is what they call "macaroni and cheese"). I knew I would have all of the ingredients on hand, so I ventured to give her version a try.

It did not disappoint. It was creamier than any version I grew up eating or had made myself, and the kids couldn't get enough of it. The only reason they didn't finish their plates was because they wanted to save some for lunch today. Here's my version based on what we had on hand at the house.

You need:

1 lb. thin spaghetti
1/4 c. Portuguese olive oil
4 garlic cloves, smashed
3 tsp. freshly ground lemon pepper
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
salt, to taste
crushed red pepper, to taste (the kids skipped this part)

Bring a large stock pot to boil, adding a good handful of salt to season the pasta. Cook the pasta according to package directions for al dente. Meanwhile, in a large skillet or large sauce pan, heat the oil over medium heat and add the garlic, cooking a few minutes on each side until golden brown. Add the lemon pepper and cook for another minute or so. Drain the pasta, setting aside a cup of the pasta water before you drain. Add the butter to the garlic and pepper, whisk in the pasta water, and then add the pasta. Sprinkle with the cheese and stir it all up together until you have a creamy mess of deliciousness. Serve hot with a little extra sprinkle of cheese on top and a shake or two of crushed red pepper, for those who can take the heat.

Classic Ratatouille

This is a Jamie Oliver recipe; he's often my go-to chef when I'd like a classic but hearty recipe inspired by some region of the world. He's truly a lover of food, as I am, and I have never been let down by one of his creations. This week, as I make room in the pantry and deep freeze for the incoming vegetable and fruit share on its way, I decided to give his ratatouille recipe a try. Ratatouille is a family favorite. It always makes so much, tastes delicious over a bowl of rice or with a side of crusty, homemade bread, and it's perfect for leftovers (the flavors simply blossom in the refrigerator). 

True to form, the recipe was a hit. And there's enough for an entire week of leftovers for lunch. 

You need:

2 red onions

4 cloves of garlic

2 eggplant

3 zucchini

3 red or yellow peppers

6 ripe tomatoes

½ a bunch of fresh basil

olive oil

a few sprigs of fresh thyme

1 23oz can of plum tomatoes ( I use pomodorini pelati)

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

½ a lemon

Prep your ingredients before you start – peel and cut the onions into wedges, then peel and finely slice the garlic. Trim the aubergines and courgettes, deseed the peppers and chop into 2.5cm chunks. Roughly chop the tomatoes. Pick the basil leaves and set aside, then finely slice the stalks.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large casserole pan or saucepan over a medium heat. Add the chopped aubergines, courgettes and peppers (you may need to do this in batches) and fry for around 5 minutes, or until golden and softened, but not cooked through. Spoon the veg into a large bowl.

To the pan, add the onion, garlic, basil stalks and thyme leaves with another drizzle of oil, if needed. Fry for 10 to 15 minutes, or until softened and golden. Return the cooked veg to the pan and stir in the fresh and tinned tomatoes, the balsamic and a good pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. 

Mix well, breaking up the tomatoes with the back of a spoon. Cover the pan and simmer over a low heat for 30 to 35 minutes, or until reduced, sticky and sweet. Tear in the basil leaves, finely grate in the lemon zest and adjust the seasoning, if needed. Serve with a hunk of bread or steamed rice.

Fresh Blueberry and White Chocolate Brown Butter Cookies

I've spoken before about how much I dislike food waste, but my children have an absolute disdain of berries that are even slightly past their prime. This week, the blueberries were out of C's range of interest, and they were no good for freezing, so I thought I would turn them into Sunday's dessert instead. However, I wanted to go beyond the typical blueberry pie or blueberry bars, and when I stumbled upon this recipe on Pinterest, I knew it would be a winner.

These cookies are amazing. They are a bit more work than usual, for they require browning the butter and chilling the dough for at least two hours before baking. Be sure to set aside the extra time when you make them. However, they were heavenly. And they make a good 25 or so large cookies, so they'll last the week as special treats for lunch or with a side of this week's homemade strawberry ice cream.

You need:

1 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 c. light brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla
3 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c. white chocolate chips
1 1/2 c. fresh blueberries

Brown the butter: Heat butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, when butter turns to an amber/light brown color, remove from heat immediately and pour browned butter into a small bowl and set aside to cool. Once butter has cooled, place in the large bowl of an electric mixer with sugars; beat on high speed until well combined. Add egg and vanilla, mix on medium speed until well combined. In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt; slowly add to wet ingredients with mixer on low speed; do not over mix. Slowly stir in white chocolate chips; remove bowl from mixer and gently fold in blueberries. Chill dough for 24 hours for best results (minimum of 2 hours) before baking. When ready to bake, pre-heat oven to 325 degrees; line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Scoop cookie dough with a large cookie scoop on to prepared baking sheets. Bake cookies until firm: 17-19 minutes or until edges are golden brown and blueberries have popped. Allow to cool before serving.

Sweet Potato Corn Cakes

I try so often to avoid food waste, so when I found myself with a five halves of corn on the cob, I needed to come up with something to do with the stripped kernels so I didn't have to toss them (no one likes reheated corn on the cob.) I headed over to my veggies and sides board on Pinterest, and I was lucky enough to find a recipe that used just enough corn and allowed me to use up the remaining sweet potatoes that were filing for retirement in cold storage.

It's important to follow the directions completely. Without the 30 minutes to form up in the fridge, the patties will crumble when you try to form and fry them. They made a unique addition to grilled chicken and the kids enjoyed them as well.

You need:

3 lbs. sweet potatoes
1 cup corn kernels
2 green onions
¼ bunch cilantro (divided)
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1 large egg
⅓ cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
½ cup vegetable oil (for frying)
1 cup plain yogurt
1 clove garlic

Begin by cooking the sweet potatoes. You can bake them in the oven or microwave until soft and cooked through. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them open and scoop the flesh into a large bowl. Slice the green onions and roughly chop a handful of cilantro (about ⅛th of a bunch). Add the green onions, cilantro, frozen corn kernels, salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper to the bowl with the cooked sweet potatoes. Stir until well combined. You can taste it at this point and adjust the seasoning as desired. Add the breadcrumbs, cornmeal, and egg to the bowl. These ingredients will bind the mixture together and keep it from falling apart while cooking. Stir until evenly combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the breadcrumbs to absorb moisture. While the sweet potato mixture is refrigerating, mix up the garlic sauce. In a small bowl combine the yogurt, one clove of well minced garlic, and a handful of cilantro leaves (roughly chopped). Stir until combined and then refrigerate until ready to serve. After the sweet potato mixture has refrigerated, it’s time to cook. Add enough vegetable oil to fully cover the bottom of a medium skillet. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until the surface appears wavy (if it begins to smoke, remove it from the burner immediately and turn down the heat). Shape the sweet potato mixture into small patties (about 2-3 Tbsp each) and cook about 4 at a time in the hot oil. Cook until golden brown on each side; about 2 minutes per side. After cooking, place on a paper towel covered plate to drain. Add more oil to the skillet as needed.

Recipe courtesy of bestfoodcookbook.com

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

One of the things I look forward to most at the start of summer is the abundance of rhubarb and strawberries. I love strawberry rhubarb pie, and I find myself forever searching for the perfect recipe - one that balances the sweetness of the berries with the tartness of the rhubarb.

I think I may have found it.

The link below is to one of my favorite blogs, Farm to Table Baby Mama. Her recipe hits all the right notes - flaky crust, tasty filling - and is easy to follow. You can also watch her clips on PBS or on the PBS app.

http://www.farmtotablebabymama.com/recipe/strawberry-and-rhubarb-pie/

Black Bean Burgers

These. Were. Delicious.

Meatless Mondays can grow tiresome after a while, not because we crave the meat, but because I want to ensure my family is getting enough protein without every eating tofu. Ever.

Tonight, I hosted ten Girl Scouts in my kitchen to learn about healthy eating habits and make a few recipes to take home. By the end of the hour, I was joyful and sitting in a very messy kitchen. I didn't have much energy to do anything, and I considered calling out for pizza. Fortunately, my wheat belly and passion for trying this new recipe prevailed, and M and I banded together and made quite possibly the easiest and most flavorful recipe for black bean burgers. We all inhaled them.

You need: (for four burgers)

1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 c. bread crumbs
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Smash the beans with a fork or potato masher. Combine with the remaining ingredients. Grill.

See what I mean? And SO good!!

Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers with Goat Cheese

Although we don't eat a tremendous amount of meat, we do find that at least three to four meals a week will have meat as a main ingredient. During the lenten season, we cut back tremendously on our meat intake as a way to abstain from indulgences and simplify our lives (and our diets). Throughout the year, we make a conscious effort to eat at least one entirely vegetarian meal a week, and we always celebrate Meatless Mondays. As a result, I've spent the last few months researching and pinning more meals with vegetables and grains at the center and meat to the side, if not absent entirely. This meal promised big in the nutritional arena - a healthful blend of colors and more than sufficient protein in the quinoa. 

My kids are major quinoa fans, usually asking for quinoa bowls on Meatless Mondays. This seemed to follow their tastes, so I decided to give it a try. It did not fail me. Both kids ate plenty and there are still five halves remaining for lunch leftovers. A worthy, inexpensive, and healthy weekday dinner. 

You need:

4  large or six medium red bell peppers (any color will do, or a mix)
1 cup quinoa
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 pound fresh asparagus, tough ends trimmed and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1 5-ounce log goat cheese
1 garlic clove, minced
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Slice bell peppers in half, remove stem, seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, cut side down, onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast peppers for 15-20 minutes until just starting to char and soften. Remove from oven, flip pepper halves over and set aside. Meanwhile, place quinoa in a dry saucepan over medium heat. Toast quinoa, stirring or shaking pan often, about 8-10 minutes or until just turning a light brown. Add 2 cups water, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook quinoa for 10-15 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork. Mix together garlic, lemon zest and juice, olive oil and black pepper, whisk until combined. Place quinoa, cherry tomatoes and asparagus in a medium-sized bowl. Add dressing and mix thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper. Fill pepper halves with quinoa mixture. Divide goat cheese into 8 portions and crumble over the top. Place stuffed peppers back in oven for 5 minutes until asparagus is crisp-tender and tomatoes and goat cheese are softened. Can serve immediately or at room temperature.

Adventures in Baking #4: Irish Soda Bread

Each year, we celebrate St. Patrick's Day with our dearest friends. Jim and Denise make the most delicious corned beef and cabbage you could ever savor, and Mike and I are responsible for three things: dessert, beer, and Irish soda bread. For  years, we've ordered the soda bread from one of Mike's co-workers, but she has decided to stop baking and selling. What a perfect opportunity to add Irish soda bread to my Adventures in Baking series.

This was absurdly easy to make. Unlike leavened breads, which are amazing but time consuming, this bread was assembled and baked in the same morning. It was dense, moist, and beautiful. Don't wait until next March to try it.

You need:

•  1 and 3/4 cups buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 4 and 1/4 cups flour
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 and 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• 1 cup raisins (I used half golden, half Thompson)
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a 8-10 inch oven safe skillet or dutch oven with butter or nonstick spray. A baking sheet will also do, though the bread may spread out a bit more. Whisk the buttermilk and egg together in a small bowl. Set aside. Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender, two forks/knives, or your fingers. Work the dough until into coarse crumbs, then fold in the raisins with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk mixture. Gently fold the dough together until dough is too stiff to stir. With floured hands, work the dough into a ball as best you can. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface and knead the dough for about 30 seconds or until all the flour is moistened. Dough will be sticky, but if it is absolutely too sticky add a little more flour as needed. Do not over knead. Transfer the dough to the prepared skillet/pan. Using a lightly buttered serrated knife, score an X on the top. Bake until the bread is golden brown and center appears cooked through, about 45 minutes. Loosely cover the bread with aluminum foil if you notice heavy browning on top about halfway through bake time. Remove skillet/pan from the oven and allow bread to cool for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. It's best with a really great Irish butter or my own marmalade. 

Chocolate Orange Challah Bread

I found this recipe on Pinterest. It looked delicious and complicated and just what could tackle on vacation.

It has proven to be all three. It takes forever. The recipe and instructions are so complex that I'm simply including the link to the original blog post from Yin and Yolk. It was worth the challenge, however. If you dare...

http://yinandyolk.com/2015/09/27/chocolate-orange-challah-bread/

Bolognese

I love slow Sunday suppers. I enjoy having all afternoon in the kitchen, experimenting with flavors and putting my own spin on recipes. However, we often find ourselves so busy over the weekend that it's hard to devote that kind of time.

This weekend's subzero temperatures afforded me the opportunity to hunker down and go for it. I had no interest in leaving the house for any reason. This was the perfect weekend for a four-hour Bolognese. You have to make the time for this recipe, but the best part is that it makes a generous amount, affording you with leftovers to freeze and enough to share with a fellow foodie. It's best over a flat noodle. Today, I used my fettuccine and served it up with a slice of Dutch oven bread and an arugula salad. 

You need:

2 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. olive oil

4 oz. pancetta, chopped

1 lg. onion, chopped

2 med. carrots, chopped

stems of 1 head fennel, chopped (about 1 cup)

3 lb. meatball mix (beef, pork, veal)

2 c. dry red wine

1 1/2 c. whole milk

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 28oz. can San Marzano tomatoes, undrained

1 rind of Parmesan cheese

In a large Dutch oven, heat butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook, stirring frequently, until just starting to brown, about five minutes. Add onion and cook five minutes more. Add carrots and fennel and cook for an additional two minutes. Add the meat and season with 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper. Break up the meat and cook until browned. Add the wine, stir, and simmer, uncovered, until the wine has evaporated. Add milk and nutmeg. Simmer, uncovered, until the milk has evaporated. Add tomatoes, crushing in your hands as you add them, as well as their juices. Bring to bubbling simmer. Add Parmesan rind, reduce to low, and simmer for three hours. 

Dark Chocolate Pudding

Our Valentine's Day dessert this year came at C's request. He's a pudding man. Thanks to Parents magazine for this very easy pudding. 

You need:

3/4 c. sugar

3 tbsp. cornstarch

2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

3 c. half and half or whole milk (I used 1 1/2 cup of each)

1 tbsp. butter

2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt

8 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips (I used 4 oz. each)

In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and cocoa powder. Add the milk or half and half and cook slowly over medium hear, stirring frequently until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat. Add the butter, vanilla, and salt. Stir in the chocolate until melted. Ladle into bowls and chill for up for 24 hours. 

Fennel and Citrus Salad

I made a lovely Bolognese today, but it only called for the stems of the fennel. I despise food waste, so I decided to use up the bulb and some leftover grapefruit and oranges from our last produce box. The result was such a fresh and flavorful salad, welcome on these cold days where summer seems miles away. This recipe makes about enough for 2-3 people.

You need:

1 bulb fennel
2 grapefruits, peeled and segmented
2 oranges, peeled and segmented
1 shallot, minced
zest of a lemon
1 tsp. fresh thyme
4 tbsp. olive oil (I used blood orange)
2 tbsp. white or champagne vinegar (I used cranberry pear)
juice of one lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Using a mandoline, slice the fennel very thin. Add to a large bowl. Add the grapefruit, onions, shallots, lemon zest, and thyme. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Dress the vegetables. Garnish with a few fennel fronds.

Fresh Pasta

Almost seventeen years ago, my Aunt Clem bought me a pasta maker for my wedding gift. Today, I finally used it. I don't know what allowed me to let it rest peacefully in the appliance graveyard in our basement, but a good friend got me thinking about fresh pasta and I decided to give it a whirl. I'm glad I did.

This recipe is simple, and you don't need a pasta maker to do this. A hand held, crank pasta machine will suffice, as will rolling the dough thinly and slicing with your pizza cutter. If you are going for a noodle, and I used it for fetching, the pasta maker or hand crank works well. If you are making a flat or shaped pasta, such as a ravioli or tortellini, do the whole thing by hand. Follow the directions for your pasta maker. The directions below are for hand crafted or crank pasta. It makes about a pound of pasta, just enough for four as a main course.

You need:

2 1/4 c. all purpose  or semolina flour
3 eggs
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. olive oil
1 to 2 tbsp. water

Mound the flour on your board. Form a well in the middle. In a small bowl, beat the eggs and pour into the well. Add the salt, olive oil, and one tablespoon of water. Mix with a fork, gradually lifting the flour into the center and incorporating the ingredients. Once fully incorporated, gently knead until dough is smooth. Shape into a flattened disk and let rest for about a half an hour.

Roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut the kind of pasta you need.  To cook, add to boiling water, just about 2-3 minutes.

Adventures in Baking #3: Dutch Oven No-Knead Bread

I have made a valiant effort to go as gluten-free as possible. A little less than a year ago, I realized that, while I didn't suffer from any form of Celiac disease, I certainly suffered from "wheat belly" and decided it was time to severely limit gluten products - bread, pasta, crackers, etc., and it really made a difference.

Enter Dave.
Our friend Dave has a passion for all things in the kitchen, and in this we are kindred spirits. Weekends are often spent sharing recipes and culinary achievements, with portions reserved to share at work. Although he would call himself a "hack" in his baking skills, his bread has caused me to often turn from my gluten-free ways and indulge in his famous Dutch oven loaf. We have been blessed with so many loaves sent our way, so I decided my first risen loaf in these baking adventures had to be a clone of his bread. After all, as Chicago would have pined, had Peter Cetera the chance to sample Dave's bread, "you're the meaning in my loaf/you're the inspiration."

And it really was easy. 

You need:

6 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. instant or active dry yeast
2 1/2 tsp. salt
2 2/3 c. cool water

In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, and salt. Add the water and stir until all the ingredients are well incorporated; the dough should be wet and sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest 12-18 hours on the counter at room temperature. When surface of the risen dough has darkened slightly, smells yeasty, and is dotted with bubbles, it is ready.

Lightly flour your hands and a work surface. Place dough on work surface and sprinkle with more flour. Fold the dough over on itself once or twice and, using floured fingers, tuck the dough underneath to form a rough ball. Place a full sheet/large rectangle of parchment paper on a cotton towel and dust it with enough flour, cornmeal, or wheat bran to prevent the dough from sticking to the parchment paper as it rises; place dough seam side down on the parchment paper and dust with more flour, cornmeal, or wheat bran. Pull the corners of parchment paper around the loaf, wrapping it completely. Do the same with the towel. Let rise for about 2 hours, until it has doubled in size.

After about 1 1/2 hours, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place a 6-8 quart heavy covered pot, such as a cast-iron Dutch oven, in the oven as it heats. When the dough has fully risen, carefully remove pot from oven. Unwrap the towel and parchment paper from around the dough and slide your hand under the bottom of the dough ball; flip the dough over into pot, seam side up. Pull the parchment paper off, scraping any stuck dough into the pan. Shake pan once or twice if dough looks unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for 10-15 more minutes, until the crust is a deep chestnut brown. The internal temperature of the bread should be around 200 degrees. You can check this with a meat thermometer, if desired. Remove the bread from the pot and let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Maple Syrup

Yes. Maple Syrup.

I love maple syrup.

Last year, with the help of a colleague from whom we bought our first house and the owner of our favorite local foods shop, we tapped our trees and gave it a shot. We tapped late and ended up with little more than some maple sugar and a tablespoon of syrup to call our own, but this year, I promised to do better.

Enter the 2016 maple syrup project. I managed to work out a deal with said colleague to loan another colleague (and very dear friend) his authentic and legit maple syrup boiler system. Last weekend, my friend and I made twenty taps in his shop, drilled his maple trees, hung the twenty or so buckets I picked up on the way, and waited for the sap to flow. Then I headed back to my own house in the suburbs and, with antique taps gifted by that same shop owner mentioned above, and tapped my own wee sugar maples. After a few days, I managed to collect two gallons of sap.

The plan this spring, as March approaches, is to help my friend boil the sap I collect and his own, and produce some serious syrup. But yesterday, as I was stuck in the house with freezing temperatures and snowy roads, I decided to break out the brew pot, dump the sap in, and see what happens.

About six hours later, I had six ounces of the most delicious, dark syrup. And I'm not sharing.

Except with my babies, who want half of it for breakfast.

Adventures in Baking #2: Overnight Orange Refrigerator Rolls

Two weeks ago, I held a family-style brunch for a dear friend's birthday. A few days before the brunch, I noticed that he repinned a recipe I saved for Blueberry Sweet Rolls. I decided then to add the rolls to our list of morning delights, only to find them an epic fail. EPIC. The didn't rise, despite my efforts to follow the recipe according to every detail. It was an 18-hour total disaster.

I refused to give up. Enter February break.

I love to get adventurous in the kitchen over vacations, so I headed to the library and checked out seven cookbooks - French recipes, Italian dinners, pastry ideas, a Jamie Oliver text, preserves, and, of course, baking. I've always been a fan of Food52 blogging, and I knew their Baking cookbook wouldn't steer me wrong. I marked all of the recipes I want to try out in the next few weeks, but I decided to start with these rolls. I had to prove that I could do it. And they turned out PERFECTLY. I'm so excited. And as soon as I'm done with this post, I plan to eat another one.

For the dough:

1 c. water
1/4 c. unsalted butter
1/4 c. shortening
7 tbsp. granulated sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1 pkg. active dry yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp.)
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 c. flour, plus more if needed

For the filling:

8 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. grated orange zest

For the glaze:

2 c. confectioners' sugar
1/4 c. orange juice


Start with the dough. Boil 1/2 c. water in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, add the butter and shortening, and stir until melted. Add the granulated sugar and salt and stir to combine. Let cool until lukewarm. Heat the remaining 1/2 c. water until it is between 105 and 115 degrees. Pour into the bowl of your stand mixer (or large bowl) and sprinkle the yeast over the top. Stir to dissolve the yeast. Stir in the butter mixture and the egg. Add the flour and, using the dough hook or your hands, mix thoroughly. If the dough is still sticky, add a little more flour. Cover and refrigerate for 8-10 hours. If you do this right before bed, you can start the next process as soon as you wake up.

Eight to ten hours later, take the dough out to rest. While it is resting, make the filling. Stir together all filling ingredients until completely combined. Set aside.  Line two muffin pans with paper liners or butter three 8 or 9 inches square baking pans (I used muffin pans). Turn the dough onto a floured work surface. Divide in half and roll out each portion into an 8 by 12 inch rectangle. Spread half the filling over each piece of dough. Roll up to make an even, firm log and slice each into 12 equal rounds. Put each roll into a lined muffin cup or arrange them in the prepared pans. Let rise for two hours (the original recipe said 1.5, but it's cold as cold here, so I gave it two hours.)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes if using the muffin cups or 20 minutes if using the square pans. Meanwhile, make the glaze. Whisk the confectioners' sugar with the orange juice until smooth. Drizzle over warm rolls. Try not to eat them ALL at once.

I'm giving half to our neighbors. Because it's Lent. And I want to eat them all.

Slow-Cooker Kielbasa and White Bean Cassoulet

We are forever looking for slow cooker ideas during the winter months because our schedules become so hectic. This recipe was so easy to  put together and it was absolutely delicious. Enough said.

You need:

1.5 c. dried white beans (your choice)
1 lb. kielbasa or other polish sausage, cut into 1 in. pieces
3 c. low sodium chicken broth
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes with juices
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp. chopped thyme leaves
salt and pepper
8 1/2 in, slices of baguette, buttered and toasted and cut into cubes
1/4 c. chopped flat-leaf parsley

Combine the beans, sausage, broth, tomatoes, onion, garlic, thyme, and 1/2 tsp. salt in slow cooker. Cover and cook for 7-8 hours. Season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with the baguette cubes and parsley.

Double-Duty: Easy Peasy Risotto and Baked Arancini

Last month's Parents magazine offered a series of recipes that allowed for two meals made out of one primary ingredient. We tried a few, but our favorite by far was the set of rice dishes. My children love rice and anything creamy, so we knew it would be a hit.

The planning is simple: the risotto is meal one and the reserved cooked arborio rice serves as the foundation of meal two. You simply reserve three cups of the risotto in the stage marked with an asterisk below. Enjoy!


Easy-Peasy Risotto

You need:
8 c. unsalted chicken stock
6 strips bacon, fried and chopped OR precooked sausage of your choice, sliced in medallions
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 c. arborio rice
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. frozen peas, thawed
3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. lemon juice

Heat the stock in the saucepan until barely simmering. Keep warm. Cook the onion with a little olive oil OR the reserved drippings from the bacon (about 2 tbsp. worth), about five minutes. Add the rice and cook for one to two minutes or until the rice begins to turn translucent. Add seven cups of the stick and the salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, about 15 minutes. Add the peas. If the rice looks dry, add more stock. Cook one to two minutes more or unit the risotto looks moist and creamy*. Add the bacon or sausage, parmesan cheese, butter, and lemon juice. Serve with additional Parmesan.


Baked Arancini

You need:

nonstick cooking spray
3 eggs
3 cups reserved risotto
1/4 tsp. salt
3 oz. mozzarella, cut into 12 cubes
1/4 c. all purpose flour
1 c. panko bread crumbs
jarred marinara sauce, warmed

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a foil lined baking sheet with cooking spray. In a large bowl, lightly beat one egg. Add the risotto and salt. Stir to combine. Using moist hands, form into 12 even disks. Place a cube of mozzarella in the center of one disc and encase it in risotto. Roll  into a ball, sealing the cheese inside. Repeat with remaining discs and cheese. Place the flour in a shallow bowl. In a separate shallow bowl, lightly beat the remaining two eggs. Put the panko in a third shallow bowl. Roll each ball in flour, egg, and panko. Transfer to a baking sheet, lightly coat with cooking spray, and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with marinara for dipping.

Adventures in Baking #1: No-Knead Honey Bread

I have decided that I would like to focus on two things this calendar year that need much improvement: my baking and my gardening. Both inspired by a dear friend, the first project I've tackled was a no-knead bread. The recipe comes from this month's Better Homes and Gardens, and it took all day long to accomplish. Lots of chilling, rising, waiting, and baking. In the end, I was left with two small and not significantly risen loaves that didn't turn out too badly. The consistency was certainly more country-style as opposed to a French or Italian loaf. But I enjoyed it both on its own and with a slathering of some leftover (albeit not yet fully set) orange marmalade which I made this morning.

You need:

3/4 c. warm water
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/3 milk
2 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. butter or olive oil (I used butter)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 3/4 c. all purpose flour
cornmeal
1 egg white
2 tsp. water
fresh herbs of choice (I used sage because it's what I had on hand)

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the 3/4 c water and yeast. Let stand five minutes. In a small saucepan, heat and stir the milk, honey, butter, and salt until just warm and butter almost melts. Stir milk mixture into yeast mixture. Stir in flour. Lightly coat a medium bowl with nonstick cooking spray and transfer dough to the bowl. Lightly coat a sheet of plastic wrap with nonstick cooking spray and cover bowl. Chill for four hours. Turn out dough onto a floured surface. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes. Grease a baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal. Shape dough into an oval loaf, lightly flouring dough. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set on the middle rack of an unheated oven. Place a bowl of warm water on the lower wrack. Let rise until doubled in size, about an hour. Remove loaf from oven and remove towel. Preheat oven to 400. In a small bowl, whisk egg white and 2 tsp. water. Brush over loaf. Place herbs of choice onto the top of the bread and brush with egg white mixture. Bake for 23 minutes. Check to be sure that thermometer reads 200 degrees. Remove from baking sheet and let cool on wire rack.

Easy Shortbread

My favorite part of the weekend is preparing our "weekly," a baked good that sits delightfully stacked  in our domed cake platter and serves as Sunday's dessert, weekday treats, and special snacking. The kids knew I was making marmalade today, and because there is always a little left over that tastes just as amazing loose and gooey (before it really sets), I decided to make a shortbread that, with a little warm marmalade and a scoop of ice cream, will make an amazing Sunday treat, with plenty of cookies left over for the week. This recipe only makes enough for a thin cookie in a 9x9 pan, so if you wish for more, double or triple the recipe.

You need:

3/4 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 c. flour

Cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the sugar and vanilla. Work in the flour. Knead the dough on an unfloured board until smooth. Press dough into greased pan. Prick the surface with a fork. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool in the pan for ten minute. Loosen the edges with a knife and invert onto a cutting board. Cut into serving pieces while still warm.

Sauerkraut

Cabbage is a tricky addition to a produce box. It requires me to get creative in my recipe selection, because my children will often rebel against its existence. However, I've got a great beef stir fry that they both go crazy for without even realizing it calls for half a head of savoy cabbage. The problem is what to do with the second half of the head. Enter sauerkraut.

This recipe is ridiculously easy to follow, as long as you are willing to commit to the days of work to prepare the fermentation process. I'm attaching the link to the blog I follow that has the easiest methods for fermenting your own kraut.

http://thestonesoup.com/blog/2014/08/simple-sauerkraut-recipe-a-favour/

Orange Pickled Beets

I get giddy when beets show up in our produce box. I love to eat them baked, roasted, boiled, and pickled. With so much going on in the oven today, I decided to pickle them in an orange-infused brine. The recipe below is for a beet bounty. I had only eight lovely beets in the box this month, so I halved the recipe and it worked perfectly. The leftover blue cheese and candied pecans I have in the refrigerator should do nicely to accompany these beets.

You need: 

20 fresh beets, tops removed
3/4 cup distilled vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 whole cloves
1 4-inch cinnamon stick
Peel of 1 large navel orange
1/2 cup orange juice

Place the beets in a stockpot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, and simmer for forty minutes or until fork tender. Meanwhile, prepare pickling syrup. In 1-quart saucepan, heat vinegar, sugar, water, salt, cloves, cinnamon stick, and orange peel to boiling over high heat, stirring once to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Remove and discard cloves, cinnamon, and orange peel. Stir orange juice into mixture and heat to simmering. Meanwhile, wash and rinse one 1-quart or two 1-pint jars and their caps. Drain beets, then rinse with cold water. Cool beets until easy to handle. Peel beets and pack into jars.  Add pickling syrup to cover beets. Cover jar and refrigerate at least 1 week before serving. They'll keep at least 4 weeks from bottling time.

Orange Marmalade

I love orange marmalade.

With a fervor only matched by Paddington himself, I could eat orange marmalade every day. Surprisingly, I've never made it. I've been canning and preserving for years, but I've never gotten around to marmalade. Last year, I was excited to see my favorite local food shop offer a course in making marmalade. It was a hands on instructional course, and each of us went home with our very own half pint of that golden goodness. 

Fast forward 11 months. I still never got around to making marmalade. Until today. Each month, from November to April, when our vegetable and fruit shares have ended, we order from that shop a produce box of local fruits and vegetables that have been kept in storage and are perfect for that time of year. Yesterday, we picked up our January box, filled with winter delights and delicious citrus. It was time to make marmalade. 

You need:

equipment - 

boiling water canner

eight 1/2 pint jars or four pint jars

new lids and screw bands

jar lifter, magnet, and wide-mouth funnel

ingredients:

 eight medium oranges

two medium lemons

2 1/2 c. water

1/8 tsp. baking soda

four cups sugar, divided into 1/4 c. and 3 3/4 c.

1 box sure-jell no sugar needed pectin

Prep jars and lids according to canning rules. Remove peel from oranges and lemons using a vegetable peeler. Finely chop or grind removed peel into thin silvers and set aside. Peel and scared remaining white part of peel from fruit. Chop fruit and reserve juice. Set aside. Place fruit peels, water, and baking soda in a large stock pot. Bring to boil on high heat. Reduce heat to medium low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add reserved fruit and juice. Cover and simmer an additional ten minutes. Mix 1/4 c. sugar and pectin in a small bowl. Add to the fruit in the stockpot, mix well, and bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Stir in remaining sugar, return to full rolling boil, and boil exactly one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Ladle into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe rims and threads, cover with lids and screw bands tightly. Place jars on rack in canner. Cover, bring to boil, and process 10 minutes. Remove jars and place upright on clean towel to cool completely. Check seals. Allow one week to set completely. 

Creamy Chicken Soup with Baby Peas and Carrots

Last night, we were invited to join friends for a game night, bookended with a feast of delicacies made by a host of impeccable cooking skills. With a new sitter on the way, we needed to make sure that we could have the kids fed, bathed, and ready before she got here. It was cold enough to prompt me to consider soup, so I went back into my binders and came across this recipe, one I had clipped years ago, pre-children, when I still subscribed to Food + Wine and actually cooked those recipes often. I had never made it, most likely under the assumption that it would be laborious. However, I was surprised to see how easy it was and how delicious it turned out. The original recipe called for a rotisserie chicken, which is always a possibility. However, I cannot stand the process of stripping a rotisserie chicken of its meat. There was also an incredible deal on chicken breasts this week at my favorite meat shop, so I decided to used cooked chicken as the foundation for a few meals for the upcoming week. Before I started the soup, I roasted a few breasts in the oven, chopping up one for this soup. Whichever works best for you will work for this soup. I also loved the idea of thickening the soup with a hearty bread, pureed with the stock and cream. I had a quarter of a loaf of my favorite bread in the world (thank you, Dave) that was leaving its time as toasting bread, so I took advantage of its age and chopped it right up!

You need:

2 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 lg. carrots, peeled and sliced very thin (I used a mandolin)
1 leek, halved lengthwise and thinly slices
3 c. cooked chicken
1/2 tsp. mild curry powder
4 c. chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
3 oz crustless peasant bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 c. half and half
1 c. frozen peas
1 tbsp. chopped flat leaf parsley

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the carrots and leeks and cook over moderate heat until slightly softened, about four minutes, stirring often. Add the curry powder (and dark meat of the chicken if you are using a rotisserie chicken) and cook, stirring, for one minute. Add three cups of the stock and season with salt and pepper. Simmer over moderate heat until the vegetables are tender, about five minutes. Meanwhile, in a blender, puree the bread, remaining one cup of stock, and half and half. Stir the puree into the soup along with the peas and simmer over low heat until thickened, about eight minutes. Add the chicken and heat through, about three minutes. Stir in the parsley and serve hot with a crusty roll or a slice of bread (preferably from a friend who makes incredible bread.)

Butternut-Apple Soup

It was my turn for soup again, so I brought this light but filling dish into school last week. With the right additions to add a little creaminess and crunch, it made for a hearty enough lunch to keep us all full on a cold return to work on January 4th (the building was freezing!) The recipe serves four, so I quadrupled it for soup club and a friend's lunch. 

You need:

1 large butternut squash

1 large, tart apple, peeled, cored, and halved

1 large onion, halved

4 c. unsalted or low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth (I used vegetable)

1 tbsp. mild curry powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 c. plain, low-far yogurt

1 tbsp. cilantro

2 tbsp. roasted pumpkin seeds

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the squash, apple, and onion cut side down on a parchment lined baking dish. Roast for 30 minutes. Transfer the apple and onion to a blender. Return the squash to the oven for another 15-30 minutes or until tender. Let cool. Scoop the flesh from the squash and add to the apple and onion. Add 2 c. of the broth, the curry powder, and the salt. Puree until smooth. Transfer to a large saucepan. Add the remaining broth and bring to a boil. Simmer for ten minutes, covered. Serve topped with a little yogurt, cilantro, and pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!

Please note: You can also skip the blender part if you have a rockin' immersion blender. Put the squash flesh, apple, onion, broth, curry powder, and salt into your saucepan. Blend with immersion blender. Continue with the simmering bit.