Orange-Cream Cheese Tea Bread (Makes 2 Loaves)

You have to really like orange for this most delicious recipe found on www.justapinch.com. I modified the recipe-by using skim milk and low-fat cream cheese. It seemed appropriate to add the word "tea" to the title of this creamy bread, because the loaves are smaller than ones baked in your typical larger loaf pan. This bread is dense, similar to a pound cake. Tea (pinkies up), coffee, and especially a glass of cold milk hit the spot with this fragrant orange bread.

Ingredients:

1 8 oz package low-fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter flavored shortening

1 2/3 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 cup skim milk

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons grated orange peel

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Combine cream cheese and shortening, creaming well. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, beating well after each addition.  Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix well after each addition. Stir in walnuts and orange peel.

Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 8" x 4" x 3" inch loaf pans. Bake at 375 for 50-55 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Sprinkle the orange juice over the loaves and transfer bread from pans to a wire rack so they can finish cooling.

Thai Butternut Squash Soup

I have a variety and abundance of squash in my freezer which I picked, sliced into small pieces (5"x5"), seeded, baked, and froze in quart size freezer bags. Over the holidays I've been thawing some of this beautiful squash for soups and pies (pumpkin--it's a squash). I peel off the skin once the piece of squash is thawed--very easy. I've made this Thai butternut squash soup twice now, once in the crock pot and once on the stove. I like the crock pot version a little better. It's silky smooth and luscious. The cilantro, red curry sauce, ginger, and lime provide an oh-so-lovely Thai flavor.  I don't know exactly how much squash I used but I'm estimating 5 cups. Enjoy. This is what winter soup is all about.

5 cups of cooked butternut squash

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 14 oz. can light, unsweetened coconut milk (Trader Joe's)

Juice of 1 lime

1/2 cup white onion, finely chopped 

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed

3 tablespoons red curry sauce (Trader Joe's)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (Penzey's is great)

A couple of good shakes of:

-black pepper

-paprika

-garlic powder

Put it all ingredients into a crock pot (slow cooker) and stir.  Cook on low for 4 hours.  To get the creamy, smooth, silky texture use an immersion blender to blend the soup until completely smooth.  You can also transfer the soup into batches to a food processor or blender, or use a potato masher to mash the soup until nearly smooth.  I used to food processor method.  Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with:  a) finely chopped cilantro, b) finely shredded lime peel, c) chopped nuts, d) a small dollop of sour cream, or, e) all of the above. 

Homemade Applesauce

Last night I made homemade applesauce for the first time in my life. It is so easy! This morning for breakfast I had this delicious, thick, homemade applesauce with cinnamon sprinkled on top.

I used fuji, cameo, and delicious apples of the red and gold variety. I used 20 medium-sized apples which made about a gallon of applesauce. 

Ingredients:
20 apples of any variety, unpeeled, cored, cut into quarters
1 cup sugar
3 cups water
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

In a large saucepan, combine apples, water, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
  

Cover and cook over medium heat for 25-30 minutes, or until apples are soft.
 

Allow to cool, then mash with a fork or potato masher. After mashing, remove the biggest pieces of apple peel. The peel comes off of cooked apples much easier than it does on raw apples.

If you'd like, you can freeze the applesauce in freezer bags. Store any remaining applesauce in the fridge.

This recipe is a great way to use up apples if you have an abundance. You can also use applesauce as a healthy substitute for oil in recipes. 

Rigatoni Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

So many different ingredients can be added to pasta. And there are so many different pastas to add ingredients to! Tonight, my choices were what was conveniently located in the pantry and fridge.

1/2 package rigatoni pasta
1/2 package sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
3 cloves minced garlic
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Boil the pasta according to package directions. I cooked the rigatoni for 11 minutes, and then drained it for a minute and shook out the water. Don't rinse it with cold water unless you are planning to make a cold pasta salad.

While the pasta is cooking, add the olive oil to a small frying pan that has been heated over medium heat. Remember: hot pan, cold oil, food won't stick. Add the garlic and tomatoes and cook until the garlic is just starting to get brown. Remove from heat.

Place the drained pasta back into the saucepan in which it was cooked (I used a 4 quart pan). Mix the garlic-tomato-olive oil into the pasta. Spoon into a plate or pasta bowl. Sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Mom's Apple Crisp

Autumn is here.  The smells, the sights, the sounds (mostly of rain around here).  Here is an easy recipe for an apple crisp, and a great way to use your fall apple harvest.

4 large apples, cut into chunks
Cinnamon and nutmeg as you choose
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup unbleached white flour
4 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter cut into bits

1/2 cup each of walnuts and pecans
Dash of salt

Preheat over to 350.  Put apples in a pie pan.  Dust with cinnamon and nutmeg.  Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

In a food processor, chop nuts with a few short pulses.  Add sugar and flour and process to combine for five seconds.  Add salt and butter and pulse 8-10 times, until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

Sprinkle topping over baked apples and continue baking until topping is lightly browned and crispy – about 30 minutes.

You can mix in 1/4 cup of apple cider with the apples, but not necessary if the apples are juicy.  Be sure to have a cup of hot apple cider with your crisp while you sit by the fire!  

5 Must-Have Julia Child Books

From our friends at foodista.com, article written by Leah Rodrigues.
http://www.foodista.com/blog/2011/08/11/5-must-have-julia-child-books

Julia Child may be the most famous food writer in the United States.  Her books have taught generations of people how to cook.  In honor of Julia's upcoming birthday, I thought I would pay tribute by highlighting some of my favorite Julia Child publications.  Every cook should have at least one of her books in their cookbook collection.

Mastering The Art of French Cooking Vol. 1 and 2
These books are the backbone of all Julia Child's work, her magnum opus.  They fueled American's interest in French cooking.  Her recipes and techniques are still relevant in today's kitchen.

The Way to Cook
This book speaks to anyone with little or no cooking experience. Child describes basic cooking techniques in great detail to give the beginner confidence to get in the kitchen and cook.

Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home
This book is the companion to their hit PBS series of the same name.  The book is divided into chapters on appetizers, soups, eggs, salads and sandwiches, potatoes, vegetables, fish, poultry, meats, and desserts. It is written in a she said-he said format which allows both cooks to give culinary advice on the same topic.

As Always Julia: The Letters of Julia Child and Avis Devoto
Avis Devoto is one of the main reasons why Julia Child was able to publish Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  This book is a collection of letters recounting the writing process and the budding friendship between the two women.

My Life in France
A memoir of Julia and Paul Child's life in France beginning in 1948 when they first arrived in Paris until their last days enjoying their cabin in Provence.  It gives personal insight to Julia's life and tells of how she became a food icon.

Magical Blackberry Cobbler

This easy recipe makes a sweet cobbler that screams out for a scoop of vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt. And get this, even though the blackberries start out on the top of the crust batter when you place it in the oven, they are slowly but surely surrounded by the crust by the end of baking time. The baking powder is responsible for this magical event.

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk
3 cups fresh blackberries

Melt butter and pour into a 2 quart casserole dish. Combine thoroughly the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and milk in a small mixing bowl. Pour the mixture over the melted butter without stirring. Place blackberries on top of the batter. Bake at 350°F. for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

I'm Out of Eggs! What Can I Use Instead for my Recipe?

Kitchen Tip:  Egg Substitute

1 whole egg =
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons baking powder

From chow.com

Italian Potato Salad

I think I was Italian in another life. I love Italian food. This recipe and photo came from a fabulous website called Great Chicago Italian Recipes. 

This is not the traditional potato salad we often see at summer gatherings. This recipe is a nice change and it's full of veggies. Grab someone you like to cook with and make it together (it's nice to have a chopping helper).

Ingredients:

3 pounds of red potatoes

4 hard boiled eggs, sliced

1 red onion, chopped

3 stalks of celery, chopped

1 cucumber, chopped

4 roma tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 tsp of dried oregano

1/2 tsp of dried thyme
1/4 cup of fresh basil, shredded
1/4 cup of fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup of red wine vinegar
1/2 cup of mayonnaise

1 tsp of salt

1 tsp of fresh ground black pepper

In a medium size pot of boiling water, cook the potatoes until tender, around 10-20 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the water and let them cool.

Place the eggs in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Run the eggs under cold water to cool.

Peel and slice the eggs and cut the potatoes in half and place in a large bowl. Add the onion, celery, cucumber, tomatoes, garlic, oregano, thyme, basil and parsley and gently mix. Stir in the oil, vinegar, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Chill over night in the fridge to blend the flavors.

Prosciutto Crisps with Goat Cheese

Two ingredients: goat cheese & prosciutto. Awesome flavor in this little treat. What is prosciutto you ask? It is the Italian word for ham which is dry-cured. Prosciutto is simply delicious on sandwiches, wrapped around cantalope slices, and you can bake or broil it as well. I was having dinner at a friend's recently and to my delight was given a yummy little appetizer of prosciutto-wrapped dates. They were baked in the oven until the prosciutto was a bit crispy and they were to die for! After that, I felt compelled to come up with a prosciutto treat.

Ingredients:

1/4 lb. thinly sliced prosciutto

4 oz. goat cheese (I used peppadew, a new find I'm very happy about)

Take the goat cheese out of the fridge ahead of time. Broil the prosciutto slices in a baking pan lined with foil for 2-3 minutes on each side. My pan was about 6" from the broiler. Watch it carefully because it can burn since it's so thin. Remove from pan and place on a plate to let cool and crisp up. Spread each piece with goat cheese.  Voila! You have a nice little appetizer to take next door and share with your neighbors.

Baked Chicken with Feta Cheese

Easy alert! Sometimes, less is more--know what I mean? Fresh lemon juice is always best, but I did use that stuff in a plastic jar for this recipe and it was still delicious. 

4 large boneless, skinless, chicken breasts

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

6 oz. feta cheese

1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 350. 

Put chicken in a 13" x 9" baking dish lined with parchment paper. Drizzle chicken with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Season with salt & pepper. Top chicken with feta cheese, bell pepper, and drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of lemon juice over the chicken.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with parsley.

Caprese on a Stick

You've seen or perhaps made, Caprese salad. It's the colorful one that layers tomato, fresh mozzarella cheese, with a basil leaf on top. I drizzle extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and give it a dash of Kosher salt, when I make this salad. 

This recipe for Caprese on a stick is basically the same, but it uses cherry tomatoes and mozzarella balls for ease of skewering, and is placed on a wooden skewer for easy eating.

Ingredients:

20 small fresh mozzarella balls

20 fresh basil leaves

20 cherry tomatoes

Extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper

20 small wooden skewers

Place the mozzarella, basil and tomatoes on small skewers. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

Spinach Salad

I quickly threw this salad together recently and wanted to share it with you because it's:  good for you, easy, includes good cheese, has lovely color, you don't need to turn on the oven if it's hot where you are.

Ingredients:

8 oz. fresh spinach

1/4 of a small red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup feta or goat cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup dried cranberries

4 tablespoons walnuts, rough chopped

After washing and drying off, tear spinach into small pieces. Grab a bowl for the spinach and throw in the remaining ingredients. Add your favorite homemade salad dressing and you're good to go. 

Lemon Pasta Salad

I love all things lemon.  This recipe from the Neely's originally called for asparagus and regular peas, but I modified the ingredients a bit to get it how I like it, and of course, you can do the same.  This is a great salad to take to a summer pot luck or picnic.

1 pound corkscrew pasta

3 bell peppers, rough chopped

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

Salt

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup freshly chopped dill leaves

8 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Whisk together the mustard, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Add the tomatoes, dill, peppers, feta, and the mustard dressing. Toss with tongs to coat the salad well. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if needed.

Aleta's Chicken Salad with Homemade Salad Dressing

Try this tasty chicken salad with homemade dressing. Aleta says this is a great and satisfying dinner. 

Salad:
Mixed salad greens 
1 small grilled chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 apple, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons toasted walnuts 
Raisins or Craisins 

Dressing:
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons Splenda
2 teaspoons grainy/course ground mustard
dash pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 shallot peeled and finely chopped 

Whisk all of the above ingredients together and then whisk in:
1/4 cup olive oil

Put the salad ingredients in a big bowl. Make the dressing and toss it all together with the salad, and serve. This dressing makes enough for two dinner salads and keeps in the refrigerator in a covered container for several days. 

Homemade Cherry Ice Cream Without a Machine

Delicious red, juicy cherries are all around now and this is an easy recipe for making homemade cherry ice cream without a machine. I have not tried making this with other berries, but suspect you could substitute them for cherries. 

Ingredients:
2 cups pitted cherries
3/4 cup half-n-half
1 cup cream
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt

3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2-3 teaspoons almond extract (optional)

Have a bowl on ice ready in the freezer. Place the ice in a larger bowl and set the smaller bowl in it. Put your rimmed 13" x 9" baking dish in the freezer. This is for pouring the ice cream mixture into later on and will help speed up the cooling process.

In a medium saucepan, add cherries, half-n-half, cream, sugar and salt. Heat on medium heat. Right before the mixture boils, lower the heat to simmer for 15 minutes. Put mixture carefully into a blender and purée.

Pour mixture in the smaller bowl on ice. Add the milk. Stir in lemon juice and almond extract (optional). The almond extract brings out the deep flavor of the cherries.

Pour this mixture into the 13" x 9" baking dish in the freezer and freeze for 45 minutes. Take it out, break up frozen bits with whisk or spatula. Repeat this process at 30 minute intervals until it’s nearly impossible to break apart anymore.

Scoop into containers and place in the freezer until ready to serve. 

Photo and recipe (modified) are from:  http://www.soupbelly.com

Hazelnut Halibut with Lemon-Basil Cream Sauce

As promised, a Pacific Northwest-inspired seafood recipe, and it is so, so good! Hazelnuts are all over the Pacific Northwest and are used as mulch. If you cannot find hazelnuts in your own locale, you could use macadamia nuts or cashews. The measurements for both recipes are estimates, so feel free to adjust to your own tastes. Enjoy your food!

Halibut:

2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

2 halibut filets

1 egg white, whipped slightly 

1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, crushed 
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat a large pan (with lid) to medium-high heat and add the oil. Dip the halibut in the egg white and then into hazelnut mixture, pressing so it sticks. Add fish to pan and brown on both sides. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover with lid and cook for 

5-10 minutes until fish is opaque throughout. Serve hot, covered with lemon-basil cream sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Lemon-Basil Cream Sauce:

4 tbsp salted butter
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp vegetable stock or chicken stock 
2 tbsp Oregon pinot grigio
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp lemon zest
4 tbsp fresh basil leaves, torn or chiffonade

Melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat till slightly golden brown. Add the lemon juice, stock, wine, and garlic and cook on medium-low for 10-15 minutes or until reduced by about half. Whisk in cream until combined and reduce heat to low. Add lemon zest and stir. Sauce will thicken a bit after it starts to cool. If it isn't as thick as you'd like, you can thicken it up by first mixing some cornstarch with cool water and adding it to the sauce. If you add a thickener, bring the sauce back to a boil, and then reduce it again. Add the basil to the sauce just before serving, or place it on top of the sauce after drizzling it over the hazelnut halibut.

Chilled Asparagus with Garlic Aioli

Asparagus is great as a chilled side dish or appetizer. I had to put something together quickly for a party recently and made this in about 20 minutes. The aioli is so delicious as a dip for the chilled asparagus...along with many other things!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup light mayonaise
2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 bunch of asparagus

Mix mayo and garlic. Chill to blend flavors for about 30 minutes.

Cut 2-3" off the bottom of the asparagus bunch and rinse well. Put into a pot of boiling water for about 3 minutes. Asparagus will be a bright green after boiling. Drain asparagus and immediately submerge into a bowl of cold ice water. Chill in the fridge for about and hour. Serve with aioli. Crunch, crunch.

Olives -- I Don't Get It

No recipe here.  Just a few thoughts on the mystery olive.  I do not like olives....at all. I just don't get olives.  What are they?  Fruit?  Vegetable?  I like the things they put inside of olives like blue cheese and garlic, but what's up with these little round things?  Black, green, what's the difference?  My sister loves olives and used to put a black olive on the end of each finger and come at me.  Then there's the time she ate an entire can of black olives while no one was watching.  I have a friend who is frustrated to no end about my lack of love for olives.  Drives him crazy!  He likes those Kalamata olives.  Now I've typed the word olives so many times it doesn't even look like a word.  What's the big deal about olives, anyway?!

Effie's Cranberry Salad

Effie is the best cook in the state of North Carolina as you may recall from my previous posts about her.  Here is another of her wonderful down home recipes from the cookbook her church dedicated to her.  And I don't know about you, but I'm always looking for a way to use up celery.

1 box lemon Jell-O
1 cup boiling water
1 cup sugar
1 cup chopped celery
1 pint cranberries
2 oranges (segmented)
1 cup nuts (I think walnuts or pecans would be good)
1 cup chopped apples

Grind the cranberries in a food processor or blender and put in a large bowl.  Mix in the Jell-O.  Add the water and all remaining ingredients.  Put in a mold to set.

Greek Lentil Salad

Lentils are a cousin of the bean, and both are a part of the legume family. All legumes are seeds that grow within pods. Lentils are shaped like a lens and can be used as poker chips. Lentils are fun because they come in all different colors and look cool in glass jars in your kitchen. One of the other great things about lentils is they don’t need to be soaked before cooking like other dried peas and beans, and they still have the same protein and fiber benefits.

Ingredients:

1 cup green lentils, rinsed and drained
1/4 small onion
2 bay leaves
1 large shallot, finely chopped 
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 small cucumber, diced
2 medium tomatoes, diced 
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Place lentils, onion, bay leaves, and 6 cups water in large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 25 to 30 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Drain, remove onion and bay leaves, and cool.

Stir together shallot and lemon juice in large bowl. Add lentils, cucumber, tomatoes, mint, and oil; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Chill 1 hour, or overnight. Serve topped with feta.

Recipe from Vegetarian Times. One cup of this healthy salad has 7 grams of fat and 228 calories.

Pork Empanadas

Empanadas are little pockets of deliciousness that can be filled with a variety of ingredients. They are often shaped like half moons but you can create rectangles and triangles as well, to signify the type of filling to be discovered inside. Empanadas originated in Spain and can be served hot or cold. One of my left coast friends made empanadas recently from a recipe found at foodandwine.com, and I modified it here to suit my tastes. For the purists out there, please ignore the following statement:  if you are short on time you could use pre-made dough.

Dough:
4 large egg yolks
1 large egg
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk

Filling:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large white onion, very finely chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
1 pound pork tenderloin, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup amber beer
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 jalapeño, seeded and very finely chopped

In a small bowl, beat 3 of the egg yolks with the whole egg. In a large bowl, whisk 3 1/2 cups of the flour with the salt. With a pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut in the butter until it's evenly distributed in tiny flecks. Add the wine, 1/4 cup of the milk and the beaten eggs and stir until a soft dough forms. Pat the dough into 2 disks, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes, until firm.

In a small bowl, whisk the 1 remaining egg yolk with the remaining 1 tablespoon of milk; cover the bowl and keep the egg wash chilled.

In a medium skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is browned, about 8 minutes longer.

Meanwhile in a large skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the chopped pork, season with salt and pepper and cook over high heat until the pork is golden brown on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Stir and cook until no pink remains, about 3 minutes longer. Stir in the browned onions, beer, cilantro, soy sauce, lime juice, paprika, garlic, cumin and jalapeño and cook for 1 minute. Transfer the filling to a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 350. Turn one disk of dough out onto a floured work surface and sprinkle with flour. Roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick. Cut the dough into a 15-by-12-inch rectangle and pitch the scraps. Cut the dough into nine 4-by-5-inch rectangles. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of filling onto one side of each rectangle. Moisten the edges with water and close the empanadas, pressing the edges to seal. Transfer the empanadas to a large rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with the second disk of dough and the remaining filling.

Brush the empanadas with the egg wash. Bake them for about 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until the empanadas are golden brown. Serve.

Radish, Parsley & Lemon-Butter Tea Sandwiches

Royal watchers predict a menu of small bites at Westminster Abbey tomorrow for Will and Kate's big day! Make a cup of tea and munch on these little sammies while you watch the wedding.

Ingredients:
4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Salt
7 slices of sandwich bread, crusts removed
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley  
6 ounces red radishes, thinly sliced

In a small bowl, blend softened butter with lemon zest and juice. Season with salt.
Spread the bread slices with the lemon butter. Using a 1 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter, cut 16 rounds from 4 slices. Cut the remaining slices into 2 1/2-by-1-inch rectangles. Top with the parsley leaves and radish slices. Serve at once, or cover the sandwiches with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for up to 2 hours. 

Photo and recipe from http://www.foodandwine.com

Got Lemon? Classic Lemon Bars

I love lemon bars. My Grandma used to make them at holiday time along with addicting chocolate fudge. These lemon bars take a bit of effort because this recipe uses a homemade crust, but they are well worth it. You can also freeze lemon bars. Here's to you, Grandma!

Crust:
Vegetable oil, for greasing 

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, diced
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed 
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar, + more for garnish
1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling:
4 large eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
2 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 cup fresh lemon juice (~ 8 lemons)

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350. Grease a 9" x 13" pan with vegetable oil and line with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides; grease the foil with oil. Pulse the butter, flour, both sugars and the salt in a food processor until the dough comes together, about 1 minute. Press evenly into the bottom and about 1/2 inch up the sides of the prepared pan, making sure there are no cracks. Bake until the crust is golden, about 25 minutes.

Whisk the whole eggs and yolks, sugar and flour in a bowl until smooth. Whisk in the lemon zest and juice. Remove the crust from the oven and reduce the temperature to 300. Pour the filling over the warm crust and return to the oven. Bake until the filling is just set, 30-35 minutes.

Let the bars cool in the pan on a rack, then refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours. Lift out of the pan using the foil and slice. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Recipe from www.foodnetwork.com and photograph by Stephanie Foley.

Lemon Ginger Syrup - It Ain't Just for Pancakes Anymore

I hear today's a good day to build lemon ginger syrup into your life. This aromatic syrup could be a component of your homemade salad dressings, added to tea, used to glaze a pork tenderloin, combined with cucumber slices and rice vinegar, or drizzled over broiled slices of eggplant.

2 cups of sugar
1 1/2 cups of water plus 2 tablespoons
Zest of 1 lemon (in strips)
1 1/2 cups of peeled, coarsely grated ginger (from 2 large hands of ginger)

Dissolve the sugar in the water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once it begins to bubble, cook for 2 minutes, then add the lemon zest and ginger.  Let the mixture return to a low boil for a few seconds, then remove from the heat. Cover and let it infuse overnight. The next day, uncover and stir in the 2 tablespoons of water.  Place over medium-low heat until warmed through. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing on the solids to extract as much flavor as possible.  Discard the solids.  Refrigerate in a jar with a tight-fitting lid for several weeks.  Voila!

From cookbook author Simon Hopkinson.

Italian Roast Pork & Rosemary Potatoes

Fresh rosemary goes so well with pork and potatoes and this fabulous recipe calls for all three. I always have a rosemary plant growing in a pot on my deck so I can snip a bit as needed. The wonderful taste of rosemary comes sailing through in this delectible roast pork and potato dish. This is another dish that smells just like Sunday dinner!

Ingredients:
2-3 pound pork loin 

1 large yellow onion
1 pound of small red potatoes, cut in half
5 cloves garlic
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp freshly ground rosemary
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine

Preheat oven to 350.

Rub the pork roast with garlic, thyme, oregano and 1 teaspoon of the ground rosemary. Drizzle some of the olive oil on the roast and rub to coat.

Place pork into a roasting pan with a rack at the bottom. Place potatoes around the roast and sprinkle with the remaining rosemary. Add onions, remaining olive oil, salt, pepper and white wine.

Place in 350 degree oven covered for about 45 minutes. Uncover and roast for about another 30 minutes.

This recipe is from one of my favorite websites: http://www.great-chicago-italian-recipes.com

Caesar Salad with Crispy Tofu Croutons

This is a nice twist on the traditional caesar salad and is sans raw egg yolks. Tofu is nicely incorportated into the dressing and the croutons--yep, tofu croutons. Cool, huh? Now before you wrinkle your nose about tofu remember that it absorbs the flavors of what it's being cooked with and is one of the best sources of low-fat protein around. Be brave, embrace your inner tofu, and enjoy this nice salad on a beautiful spring day!

1.5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1.5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1.5 tablespoons freshly grated parmesean cheese, plus more for serving
1 oil-packed anchovy fillet, drained
2 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
One 14-ounce package firm tofu, drained and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
Vegetable oil, for frying 1/2 cup cornstarch
2 romaine hearts (1 pound), torn into bite-size pieces
6 ounces soft silken tofu, drained

Wrap the firm tofu in paper towels and press out some of the water. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of vegetable oil until shimmering. In a bowl, toss the tofu with the cornstarch until coated. Add the cubes to the oil and fry over moderately high heat, turning once, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the croutons to a paper towel–lined plate; season with salt.

In a large bowl, toss the romaine with the dressing and two-thirds of the croutons. Transfer the salad to plates and top with the remaining croutons. Sprinkle with parmesean and serve. Recipe modified slightly from http://www.foodandwine.com/

In a blender, puree the silken tofu with the olive oil, lemon juice, the parmesean, the anchovy, garlic, Worcestershire, and mustard. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.

Orange Glazed Blueberry Scones

Scones. They're a little like muffins, but not as moist and often with fewer calories. I've been looking for a good scone recipe and found this on the Food Network. The recipe came from Tyler Florence and was shown on his program called "Chicken & Dumplings/Scones not Stones". These scones are flavorful and the orange glaze really kicks it up a notch. Try making some for a lazy weekend afternoon.

Scones:

2 cups unbleached flour, plus more for berry rolling 
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut in chunks
3/4 cup buttermilk or cream
1 egg
1 pint fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 400. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar; mix thoroughly. Cut in the butter using 2 forks or a pastry blender. The butter pieces should be coated with flour and resemble crumbs.

In another bowl, mix buttermilk and egg together, and then add to the flour mixture. Mix just to incorporate, do not overwork the dough.

Roll blueberries in flour to coat, this will help prevent the fruit from sinking to the bottom of the scone when baked. Fold the blueberries into batter, being careful not to bruise. 

Drop large tablespoons of batter on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until brown. Cool before applying glaze.

Orange Glaze: 

2 tablespoons unsalted butter 
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted 
2 oranges, juiced and zested 

Combine butter, sugar, orange zest, and juice over a double boiler. Cook until butter and sugar are melted and mixture has thickened. Remove from heat and beat until smooth and slightly cool. Drizzle or brush on top of scones and let glaze harden.

Dad's Green Onion Risotto

This is the risotto recipe that goes with the Shrimp Paulista recipe I just posted. By the way, if you have never had risotto, try it! It takes a bit of patience, but it warms the soul and you won't regret making it. So good.

Ingredients:

4-6 cups broth

2 tablespoons butter

1 bunch green onions, white parts finely chopped, green parts thinly sliced

1 cup Arborio rice

½ cup dry white wine

¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons ricotta cheese

1 teaspoon orange zest

Bring the broth to a low simmer in a medium saucepan. In a separate pan, sauté the onions in the butter until softened. Add the rice and coat with the butter. Add the wine and cook until it is absorbed by the rice. Begin adding the broth, one cup at a time, until it is absorbed and the rice is softened (about 20-25 minutes). Remove from heat and add the cheeses and the orange zest.

Place in large bowls and top with Shrimp Paulista.

Dad's Shrimp Paulista

My Dad is a gourmet cook who creates delicious meals every day. He simply loves to cook and has a wonderfully stocked kitchen and pantry. When I was a kid I remember him making guacamole, ice cream sundaes with all the toppings, Chinese food, and one particular mystery recipe. It was a chocolate looking liquid substance he was pouring into ice cubes trays and then placing into the freezer. He can't remember what it was but it sure left an impression on me. He also emails recipes to me and I stash them away on my computer. This shrimp recipe goes with this Green Onion Risotto recipe--both from Dad's files. Bon Appetit!

Ingredients:

2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined (reserve the shells)

4 tablespoons lime juice

1 lime

½ cup chopped cilantro,divided

6 garlic cloves, minced and divided

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil

Prepare a broth with the shrimp shells by boiling them in 6 cups of water for 15 minutes. Remove the shells and strain through a fine strainer several times.

Place shrimp in a bowl and toss with lime juice, ¼ cup cilantro, 3 garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper flakes. Refrigerate for 25 minutes (while cooking the risotto).

Place oil in a large sauté pan. Add shrimp, marinade, and remaining garlic. Sauté until shrimp are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add remaining cilantro, salt, and pepper flakes.

Serve in a large bowl on top of the risotto. Garnish with lime wedges and chopped cilantro.

Parmigiano-Reggiano Vinaigrette

What is Parmigiano-Reggiano you ask? Only some of the best cheese in the entire world. And before you ask, no, it is not that stuff in the green can at the grocery store!

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 

6 tablespoons red wine vinegar

4 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Kosher salt

Mix together and serve on a salad, veggies, dip your bread in it, or put it on baked chicken breasts. It's all good.

Lemon-Rosemary Chicken Breasts

Anything with lemon is good in my book! Lemonade, lemon squares, lemon hummus, lemon cake, lemon in my water...

1/4 cup olive oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 lemon
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (you will probably need 2 lemons in addition to the one above)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and cook for just 1 minute but don't allow the garlic to turn brown. Turn off the heat and add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, rosemary, and 1 teaspoon salt. Pour into a 9 by 13" baking dish.

Pat the chicken breasts dry and put them on top of the sauce. Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon in 8 wedges and tuck them in with the chicken pieces.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, until the chicken is done and lightly browned. If the chicken isn't browned enough, put it under the broiler for 2-3 minutes. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the pan juices.

Carrot Nut Bread (Makes 2 Loaves)

I like it when bread recipes make two loaves and this is one of those recipes. You can freeze one loaf or cut it into slices and freeze slices individually as I often do. I modified this recipe from one I found at www.preparedpantry.com to make it a little healthier. Think of this as a healthier version of carrot cake.



Ingredients:
2 cups grated carrots (I used a food processor)
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup skim milk
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare two medium loaf pans with cooking spray or you can grease them with butter.

Grate and measure the carrots and set aside. Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

Whip the eggs together in a medium bowl. Stir the sugar in and then add the oil, vanilla, and milk. Make a depression in the dry ingredients and add the wet mixture along with the carrots and nuts. Mix with a spatula until combined.

Divide the batter between the two loaf pans. Bake on the top shelf of the oven for 45 to 50 minutes at 350 degrees or until the loaves test done when a toothpick is inserted in the middle of the loaves. Remove the loaves from the pans and cool on wire racks. This bread makes a great gift.

Lemon Sauce for Bread Pudding

This lemon sauce recipe is from cooks.com and is just one of many different types of luscious sauces you could drizzle over your homemade bread pudding. I can think of many other things this sauce would go well with too...

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar (or Splenda Blend)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups water
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon (~ 2 1/2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons butter

Blend the sugar, cornstarch and water in a sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook 2-3 minutes until mixture is thickened. Remove from heat and add lemon zest, lemon juice and butter. Serve the warm lemon sauce over bread pudding or whatever you'd like.

Rum Sauce for Bread Pudding

Oh my, this stuff is quite the treat. The rum sauce can also be used for other goodies aside from bread pudding.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
Rum to taste, about 3 tablespoons....

In a small saucepan over low heat, mix the butter and sugar. Add the vanilla. Slowly stir in 1 egg, then add the rum. Heat and stir on low heat for about 5 minutes. Serve warm over bread pudding or with whatever you'd like.

New Orleans Bread Pudding

This bread pudding is very dense and a small piece can be very filling. Cut into small squares and freeze them individually.

New Orleans Red Beans & Rice

Milk Chocolate Truffles

This recipe is from ehow.com...just in time for Valentine's Day...

3 1/2 tablespoons salted butter

1/4 cup confectioner's sugar

2 egg yolks

1/3 cup heavy cream

12 oz. milk chocolate

Melon baller or small ice cream scoop

Additional confectioner's sugar (optional)

Cocoa powder

Soften the butter by bringing it to room temperature or heating it for a few seconds in the microwave. Add ¼ cup confectioner's sugar and mix it together until creamy. Add the egg yolks and beat until it's thoroughly mixed.

Chop the chocolate into small pieces and mix it into the butter, egg yolk, and sugar mixture.

Bring the cream just to a boil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Stir constantly while you heat the cream to prevent burning.

Pour the boiling cream over the pre-mixed ingredients and stir thoroughly until the chocolate is completely melted.

Place the mixture into the refrigerator to solidify it completely. This will take about 2 hours. Chill the melon baller or ice cream scoop in the freezer while you wait.

Put about a cup of mixed cocoa powder and confectioner's sugar in a bowl. For a fairly sweet coating, use a 1:1 ratio of cocoa and sugar. If you want the traditional bittersweet coating, use straight cocoa powder. Adjust this to suit your taste.

Use the chilled melon baller or ice cream scoop to make balls of the chocolate filling, and roll in the cocoa and confectioner's sugar mixture. You can put the bowl of filling inside a larger bowl of ice to keep it chilled while you work. If it becomes too soft and sticky, return it to the refrigerator for 15 minutes before continuing.

• Store your truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• You can use any kind of milk chocolate, but baking chocolate is the highest-quality milk chocolate readily available. Milk chocolate chips or (plain) milk chocolate candy bars also work well. If the truffles are too sweet, you can reduce or eliminate the confectioner's sugar or use semi-sweet chocolate instead.
• To make flavored truffles, add 1 teaspoon flavoring extract or 1 tbsp. flavored liqueur to the filling before adding the hot cream. For a Mexican twist on this recipe, add 1 teaspoon cinnamon to the filling before you pour in the hot cream.

Chicken Noodle Soup

This is a family recipe for the magical soup that will cure what ails you!

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

3 carrots, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

8 cups prepared chicken broth (there are low-sodium options)

½ teaspoon black pepper

3-4 cups cooked chicken, chopped

6 oz egg noodles

salt to taste

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the chicken broth and pepper; bring to a boil. Stir in the chicken. Add the noodles. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the noodles are tender, about 10 minutes. Add salt to taste.

Veganaise Cole Slaw

1 cup Veganaise 

1/4 teaspoon celery seed 

2 tablespoons sugar 

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar 

1 teaspoon ground mustard 

16 oz bag preshredded cole slaw

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Add a 16 oz bag of preshredded cole slaw and toss well. Chill to blend the flavors before serving. This cole slaw also makes a great topping for BBQ sandwiches.

Cold Couscous Salad

I first made this salad one hot summer when I was in graduate school. It's healthy, crunchy, and light. You can use whatever flavor of couscous you like best.

Ingredients:
1 box couscous
1 can corn
1 small to medium red onion, chopped
6-8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup red wine vinegar (or to taste)
1/4 cup light olive oil (or to taste)
kosher salt to taste

Cook the couscous according to box directions. Place cooked couscous into large bowl to cool. Add the remaining ingredients and stir. Put in the fridge for a couple of hours to allow the flavors to blend.

Sauteed Chicken in Tarragon Cream Sauce

This chicken recipe uses tarragon in the cream sauce, which has a really nice, rather sweet flavor. In place of heavy cream I've used skim milk in this recipe and it was good, it just had fewer calories. 

Chicken:
2 tbsp butter
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper 

Sauce:
2 tbsp yellow or white onion, chopped
1 tbsp flour
1 cup dry white wine
1 tsp dried tarragon
1/2 cup heavy cream

In a large pan, heat butter over medium heat. Season the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper and add it to the pan. Cook the chicken until brown, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook until just done, 4 to 5 minutes longer. Remove the chicken from the pan and put it in a warm spot.

Reduce the heat to medium low. Stir in the onion and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the onion and stir to combine. Increase the heat to medium, whisk in the wine and the tarragon, and cook until the sauce starts to thicken, about 2 minutes. Stir in the cream and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pour sauce over the chicken and serve.

Greek Salad & Dressing

I worked at a Greek restaurant in the suburbs of Chicago when I was a teenager. I was strongly influenced by the food prepared by Greek cooks. I learned to love feta cheese, cream of chicken soup with rice, Greek salad, Athenian steak, and last, but certainly not least, lemon. Lots of lemon. This recipe makes a flavorful Greek salad that doesn't use lettuce but instead, includes tomato, red onion, and feta cheese. 

Salad:

1 lb grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced 

1 cup Greek feta cheese, crumbled

Dressing:

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 garlic clove

1/2 small shallot, chopped

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon dried Greek oregano

1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 large basil leaf

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper

In a food processor or blender, combine the red wine vinegar with the garlic clove, shallot, mustard, oregano, thyme and basil and puree until smooth. With the machine on, slowly add the olive oil. Season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine the tomato halves, sliced onion and crumbled feta cheese. Toss with the vinaigrette and serve the salad immediately.

I learned this word at the Greek restaurant--Opa! 

A Greek word or pronouncement of celebration; the celebration of life itself.

Baked Mini Meatballs with Feta Cheese

I felt like making meatballs recently so I looked up a few recipes, modified them, added my own touches, and came up with the recipe below. Since lean ground beef is used (90/10 or 85/15) make sure you don't over cook them or they will be dry. This recipes makes about 36 2" meatballs so if that's too many, you can freeze them. You can easily double the recipe if you need a larger quantity. Enjoy!

Baked Mini Meatballs with Feta Cheese

1 pound lean ground beef

1 egg

1/8 cup sweet onion, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup feta cheese

1/3 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Coat a cookie sheet with baking spray. Mix all ingredients until well blended. Shape beef mixture into 2" meatballs and place on cookie sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes. Sprinkle with kosher salt (I always use kosher but you can use whatever you'd like. I think kosher brings out the flavor of food better.)