Tag Archives: food

Garlic Green Beans

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Quick Post: These were so good, (so was the entire meal – roast chicken and garlic rice pilaf linkage). This is such an easy, amazingly flavorful meal and definitely company worthy (not to mention cheap!) It hits all the right buttons! Thanks for reading, enjoy 🙂

Garlic Green Beans – adapted from A Sweet Pea Chef

  • 1 lb. fresh green beans, stems removed
  • 2 tbsp. unsalted butter (**next time, I’ll use 1 TBSP**)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

Directions:

Steam green beans until slightly tender, about 6-8 minutes.

Melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes. Transfer steamed green beans to the melted butter and garlic. Toss to coat green beans evenly and continue to saute for approximately 5 minutes over medium heat.

Stir Fry

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This was really good and my whole family enjoyed this meal. Next time I will add some honey or more orange juice for a little more sweetness, because the savory flavors were pretty strong. I like my flavors to have a little more balance, but other than that this is definitely a winner. Even my kids wondered if I’ll make this again! I can’t beat that kind of enthusiasm, especially when it has so many veggies in it. I will add more veggies next time and the fam requested baby carrots, and I missed the crispy crunch of water chestnuts. M doesn’t care for those, but he can pick them out; which means more for me 😉 Thanks for reading, enjoy!
Pat’s Broccoli and Chicken Stir-Fry – adapted from Food Network
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 tablespoon red pepper flakes, plus more to taste, if desired
  • 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon peanut oil, plus more as needed
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons peeled and chopped ginger
  • 1 cup snap peas, rinsed and blanched
  • 1 cup bell pepper, sliced and blanched
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced at an angle – thin, blanched
  • 2 cups broccoli florets, blanched

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, orange juice, rice wine vinegar, light brown sugar, sesame oil, red pepper flakes and cornstarch. Reserve.

Set a wok over medium-high heat and coat with 1 tablespoon of peanut oil. When the oil shimmers, add about half of the chicken thigh pieces. Stir-fry until the chicken is fully cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat the process with the remaining chicken thighs.

Add enough peanut oil to the hot wok to coat the bottom. Add the garlic, ginger, green onions, and red pepper flakes, to taste, and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chicken back to the pan along with the broccoli florets and stir to warm through. Pour in the reserved sauce and stir until the sauce is thickened and bubbly, about 45 seconds. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

Thousand Layer Cookie

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I’m not a newlywed anymore, (and honestly, I did not cook like this ten years ago…) but I was intrigued as soon as I found this recipe online. I figured that if this book had awesomeness between its covers like this, it would certainly be worth borrowing from the library 🙂 Up until a couple of weeks ago, I had no idea that this kind of cookies existed. This website has great pictures of step by step of how these amazing cookies are created and they’re worth the extra effort! I love that the chopped chocolate instead of chips because you get chocolate in every single bite – powder,  shards and chunks all in one awesome cookie. They bake up slightly crisp but chewy in the centers; and the flaky fleur de sel leaves a pleasant, salty zing on your tongue. I have never used that salt until today, but I can’t wait to use it in other recipes to see what the fuss is all about. These are the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever had. Period. End of story. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Thousand Layer Cookies – adapted from The Newlywed Cookbook

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar (150 g)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 g)
  • 4 large egg yolks, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface (280 g)
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
  • 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/4 teaspoon fleur de sel

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and both sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg yolks, two at a time; add vanilla and mix to combine.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Scrape down sides of bowl and mix to combine.
  4. Divide dough into three equal portions. Wrap each portion with plastic wrap and transfer to refrigerator; let chill for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, using a serrated knife, coarsely chop chocolate into thin shards. Set aside.
  5. Unwrap one portion of chilled dough and place on a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle with half the chocolate and top with a second portion of chilled dough. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate and top with remaining portion of dough.
  6. Lightly dust with flour and gently roll out dough to a 9-by-6-inch rectangle, about 1 1/2 inches thick. Using a 2-inch-round cutter, cut out 10 rounds of dough. Gather scraps and lightly pat into another 1 1/2-inch-thick rectangle and cut out remaining cookies. Place on prepared baking sheets about 3 inches apart and brush with beaten egg. Sprinkle with fleur de sel, if desired.
  7. Transfer cookies to oven and bake until cookies are set, 12 to 15 minutes, switching baking sheets from top to bottom halfway through baking. Let cookies cool slightly on baking sheets, about 3 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Strawberry Ice Pops

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I recently purchased these ice pop mold from Amazon, and borrowed this book from the local library. This book is full of real fruit recipes and I can’t wait to try the cantaloupe, watermelon, avocado (yes, avocado!), lime, spicy pineapple, and maybe I’ll try the roasted banana ice pops. I am almost tempted to purchase this book! 😉
Verdict: This is the first recipe in this book, probably because it’s the most basic and well-loved flavors. It was very easy to make and of course, there is a little waiting involved, but these are definitely worth making. Yes, there is sugar in these, but I’m sure you could substitute with another type of sugar. Next time I’ll use less sugar because these are pretty sweet. If you’re using super ripe and sweet fruit, adjust your sugar content accordingly – unless you like super sweet popsicles. Thanks for reading, enjoy!
Strawberry Paletas – adapted from Paletas
  • 4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
  • 3/4 cup sugar (**I used vanilla sugar**)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice

Directions:

Combine the sugar and strawberries in a bowl. Let sit until the strawberries start releasing their natural juices, 20-30 minutes. Place in a saucepan with the water over medium heat. Simmer until they are slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor, add the lemon juice, and puree until smooth. If using conventional molds, divide the mixture among the molds, snap on the lid and freeze solid, about 5-8 hours.

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

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Yes, it came out a little – okay, a lot wonky…but I have issues with braids on top of loaves. I didn’t tuck the braid underneath the loaf, and this is what happens. I should know by now that patience and reading through the full recipe is rewarded. Don’t be like me! 😉 However, in the end what the food looks like isn’t nearly as important as how it tastes.

Verdict: S calls this “cloud bread” and didn’t seem to mind that this is wheatier than other loaves I usually make. This bread tastes great and isn’t bitter from all the wheat flour. It’s also surprisingly soft and squishy, but not so soft that it fell apart while eating my sandwich. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Whole Wheat Bread – adapted from My Kitchen Addiction

  • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • 1 cup lukewarm water
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast (or one packet)
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup bread flour (King Arthur)
  • 3+ cups white whole wheat flour (King Arthur)

In a large mixing bowl, combine the water and the orange juice.  Sprinkle with the yeast and granulated sugar, and stir to dissolve.  Add the yogurt, canola oil, salt, and cup of bread flour.  Use a wooden spoon to mix, beating vigorously to start to develop the gluten in the bread flour.  Gradually, add the whole wheat flour, mixing with the wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl to form a ball. At that point, turn the dough out onto a clean, floured surface, and knead until you have a smooth dough (about 6-8 minutes). The amount of whole wheat flour needed will vary on the humidity and other factors.  Add just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to your hands as you knead.

Return the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover (with plastic wrap or a damp towel), and let rise until the dough has doubled (about an hour or two). It has risen sufficiently when the imprint of your fingers remains and the dough doesn’t spring back up.

Punch down the dough and form it into the shape of a loaf.  If you prefer, you can make a braid-topped loaf (like the one in my pictures) by reserving 1/3 of the dough, dividing it into three long strands, and creating a braid.  Place the braid on top of the loaf, tucking in the ends.  Place the shaped loaf into a greased loaf pan, cover, and let rise for an additional hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Bake the bread uncovered for 15 minutes, then cover with aluminum foil (to prevent over-browning on the top) and bake for an additional 20 – 25 minutes.  The internal temperature of the bread should be 190°F when the bread is done. Let the bread rest in the pan for a minute or two before transferring it to a wire rack to cool.  Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

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I love Pinterest…and who doesn’t? I tried to fight joining for a while, but I can tell you that these past few months of browsing through have led me to some great recipes that I might not have otherwise found.
I really like the flavor of these because the oat flour gives them something extra. Next time I will toast the oats before grinding them up in the food processor to kick that “oaty” flavor up a notch. These would be great with strawberries in place of the blueberries and I’m sure I’ll get around to trying that variation soon. This recipe made 14 pancakes, which is great for us because I can freeze for future quick breakfasts for the kids. Now that we have a few mornings a week when we have to leave early, it really saves me time and worry. Thanks for reading, enjoy!
Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes – adapted from Cooking Classy
 
  • 1 cup + 2 Tbsp lightly packed oat flour*
  • 1 cup + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 Tbsp butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
Directions:
Preheat a non-stick griddle over medium heat. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together oat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large mixing bowl combine buttermilk, milk, eggs and melted butter. Stir in dry ingredients (mixture should by slightly lumpy, don’t over-mix). Pour 1/4 cup mixture onto buttered preheated griddle then drop about 10 -12 blueberries onto pancake. Flip pancake when bubbles start to appear on surface and bottom is golden.  Cook opposite side until golden.  Repeat process with remaining batter.  Serve pancakes warm topped maple syrup and butter.

*Oat flour can be purchased in the health food section of most super-markets. You can also make your own by grinding 1 1/2 cups whole oats in a food processor for about 2-3 minutes, until it is very fine.  I prefer the actual oat flour over grinding my own, it presents a slightly better texture.  Also, lightly pack the oat flour when you are measuring it, I found it measures a bit different then all purpose flour.

Turkey Roast Dip with Gruyere

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Quick Post: So, you don’t like turkey? Well, make this for the people in your life who do, and you’ll score major points!! This is seriously the best turkey meal I have eaten – it comes in second after my favorite Thanksgiving turkey recipe. I cannot put into words how amazing this is – I just accept it; and can’t wait for more people to try this. Using fresh herbs is so important because it’s where most of the flavor comes from.  I used some homemade chicken stock – again, because there isn’t a whole lot going on in this, so use the best ingredients. Thanks for reading, enjoy!!

Turkey Roast Dip with Gruyere – adapted from Kelsey Nixon

for the turkey:

  • 3 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
  • Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 large onion, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock – preferably homemade
  • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 (3-pound) bone-in turkey breast
 for the sandwiches
  • 6 demi French baguettes, sliced in half (**I used a loaf of this**)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • Gruyere cheese
Directions:

For the turkey: In a small mixing bowl, mix together the softened butter and fresh herbs. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.Spread the chopped onions over the bottom of a slow cooker. Pour the chicken stock and Worcestershire sauce into the slow cooker. Sprinkle the turkey with salt and pepper. Slather the turkey breast with herb butter, spreading half under the turkey skin. Place the turkey on top of the onions, breast side up. Cover and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours, checking it after 4 hours to see if the internal temperature has reached 170 degree F. Once the turkey reaches 170 degrees F, remove it from the slow cooker, transfer to a cutting board, tent with aluminum foil and allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing. Reserve any juices from the slow cooker. After the breast has rested, remove the skin and slice very thinly using a sharp knife.

For the sandwich: Preheat the broiler. Brush each side of the sliced bread with the softened butter and place on a baking sheet, buttered side up. Top each buttered baguette with sliced cheese. Place under the broiler until the cheese melts and begins to turn golden brown.

Carefully remove from the oven. Pile the sliced turkey on the bottom half of each sandwich before topping it with the cheesy top. Serve the turkey au jus left over in the slow cooker for dipping.

One Loaf Basic Bread and One Cinnamon-Raisin Swirl

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I like when recipes offer variations like this one – it’s like two for the price of one 😉  It was just me and the kids this week as M was off checking out an IBM convention for work. When he’s away I like to take advantage of not worrying if he will like something I make or not. See – he doesn’t like onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, mustard or raisins. He says he’s not picky, and believe me I have met some picky eaters – but those foods he refuses are often main components to so many recipes! It really ruins meal planning for me at times. The kids and I love raisins and I don’t often get to make a loaf like this one. Besides, it had been a couple of months since last I made French toast.
These loaves came out nicely with a tight, but not dense crumb – perfect for hearty sandwiches, grilled cheese or toast. I will make this one again with my modifications. I can’t justify using all white flour in any of my loaves, and I find if I substitute one-third of the flour with white whole wheat, my family doesn’t complain 🙂
Walter Sands’ Basic White Bread and Cinnamon-Swirl Variation – adapted from King Arthur Flour
  • 2 cups warm water
  • 2 tablespoons raw sugar
  • 1 packet active dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup Bakes’s Special dry milk (71 grams)
  • 2 tablespoons soft butter
  • 4 cups (500 grams) AP Flour
  • 2 cups (240 grams) white whole wheat flour
  • 2 teaspoons salt

cinnamon-raisin swirl – (I used half this amount)

  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions: 

1) Pour the warm water into a mixing bowl. Add and let dissolve the sugar or honey and then the yeast.

2) When the yeast is bubbling, add the butter, 3 cups of flour, the dry milk, and salt. Mix together.

3) Stir in another 2 1/2 cups of flour, keeping the last 1/2 cup in reserve. Knead the dough for 3 to 4 minutes, until it begins to behave as if it belongs together. Cover and let the dough rest while you clean and grease the mixing bowl.

4) Continue kneading for 3 or 4 more minutes, until the dough feels smooth and springy.

5) Place the bowl in the greased bowl, turn it over to coat both sides, and cover the bowl. Let it rise in a draft-free place until doubled, 1 to 2 hours. Deflate the dough, and divide it in half. For cinnamon-swirl bread, roll each piece of dough into a rough 9″ x 15″ rectangle. Spread each piece with half the melted butter, then sprinkle with half the raisins, sugar, and cinnamon. Starting with a short edge, roll into a cylinder. Place the loaves in the pans, seam-side down, and let rise and bake as directed at right., and place in greased 8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ pans. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise until the dough domes an inch above the rim of the pans.

6) After the dough has been rising for 20 minutes, preheat the oven to 350°F. When the loaves are sufficiently risen, bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until nicely browned and the center of the loaves reads 190°F when measured with an instant-read thermometer. Remove from the oven and tip the breads out of their pans. Place on a rack to cool completely before slicing.

This is our favorite recipe for custard and I have been using it for years. I have tried others, but this is the best in my opinion. Dry out your bread slices overnight, or spread the pieces on a cooling rack placed on a sheet pan at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. I soaked the raisins in hot water before I put them on the dough, but I didn’t have time to let them drain for very long. That’s why the loaf didn’t stay together at the top. All that steam built up underneath and created a big air bubble all the way through. Thankfully, it tastes better than it looks! Thanks for reading, enjoy 🙂

Cheddar and Mozz Mac

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Quick Post: This is his fave mac n’ cheese, but now with a new cheese combination. This was a last-minute dinner decision, so I used what I had on hand for this, and thankfully it worked out. I know that cheddar and mozzarella isn’t an “outside the box” kind of pairing, but for someone who rarely steps outside a recipe, it’s blog-worthy 😉 This blog is as much about archiving as it is sharing with all you lovely readers out there. I always like being able to read what changes I made in the past, improvements, tweaks, recommendations, good, bad and ugly rather than try to remember it all! 🙂 Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Ginger and Cilantro Baked Tilapia

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Quick Post: I was hoping that this would taste better, but I didn’t care for it too much. My husband said it was ok, but I know I wont make this again. It’s missing something – there are too many savory flavors going on here and not enough balance. Maybe it needed some lime to brighten it up, but I didn’t think to try that. I served the fish over this rice instead of the recommended orzo. Thanks for reading!

Ginger and Cilantro Baked Tilapia – adapted from the Kitchn

  • 1 1/2 pounds tilapia fillets
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
  • 1 inch fresh ginger, grated, about 1 tablespoon
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, roughly chopped (optional)
  • 1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • Scallions, chopped for garnish
  • Extra cilantro, to garnish
Directions:

Heat the oven to 475°F. Pat the fish dry, season lightly with salt and pepper, and lay in a 9×9-inch or 8×8-inch ceramic or glass baking dish.

Put the garlic, grated ginger, chopped jalapeño, and cilantro in a small food processor with the white wine, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Whir until blended. (Alternately, you can finely chop or mash the aromatics in a mortar and pestle, then whisk together with the liquid ingredients.)

Pour the sauce over the fish, rubbing it in a little. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily and is cooked through. It will be very moist and even a little gelatinous, still.

Serve immediately over brown rice or orzo, garnished with the additional scallions and cilantro.