1 12 ounce package firm tofu
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
green onions
hoisin sauce
1. Cut tofu into cubes or sticks.
2. Pat dry w/ paper towel (so when dipped in cornstarch not slimy)
3. Heat oil in pan and add tofu so half submerged
4. Fry 3-5 minutes until golden, drain
5. Season w/hoisin and garnish with green onions
**best eaten when warm
***alternative: place in broth, top with nori, carrots and green onions, the combos are endless!
Ingredients:
1 bag of beans and spices
1 28 ounce can tomatoes (chopped)
1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
1 large onion (chopped)
1 ham hock, diced ham or 6 Italian sausages (hot or sweet, precooked and crumbled)
juice from 1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
*saltine crackers
*cheese
Directions:
1. Rinse beans and place in a large kettle with 2 quarts of water or chicken broth.
2. Boil for 2 hours.
3. Add remaining ingredients and cook for 1 hour longer.
4. Stir frequently, adding more water or broth if necessary.
5. Serve with toast or crackers or cheese.
Like the baby growing:
And then the stockpile:
It's gotten so that we're creating art of sorts from them (check the two at left whispering to each other about the one about to be sacrificed):
All fun aside, the squash shan't go to waste and after a search online, and some quality time at the stove with $10 in ingredients, we present butternut squash soup:
One 2-pound butternut squash—quartered, seeded, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
5 thyme sprigs
2 garlic cloves, halved
2 medium leeks, white and pale green parts only, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 celery rib, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 thick slices of bacon, cut crosswise 1/2 inch thick
2 packed cups coarsely chopped collards or kale
One 15-ounce can pinto or roman beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium carrot, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 cup corn kernels
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
1. In a large, heavy pot, combine the broth, squash, thyme, garlic, leeks and celery and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes.
2. In a medium skillet, heat the vegetable oil. Add the bacon strips and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until crisp, about 7 minutes.
3. Discard the thyme sprigs from the soup. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender. ***you may want to save a few chunks of squash for presentation purposes*** Return the soup to the pot. Add the bacon, collards, pinto beans, carrot, bell pepper and corn and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes. Season the soup with salt and pepper and serve.
Make ahead: The soup can be refrigerated overnight. Reheat gently.
Nutritional content for one serving: 264 cal, 10 gm fat, 1.4 gm sat fat, 37 gm carb, 7 gm fiber.
Thanks to the lovely photos on What Did You Eat for being the inspiration to make this delicious soup.
]]>As a solution, especially with all the heat going on in the I.E., the following Watermelon Granita recipe sans the alcohol:
1. Cut watermelon into pieces and blend to extract juice
2. Heat half of watermelon juice and sugar in a small pot over medium flame and stir to dissolve sugar.
3. Add lime juice and remaining watermelon juice
4. Pour into square baking dish, freeze
5. Scrape mixture with fork after an hour. Continue scraping each hour until entire mix is slushy.
They also provide some pictures, but here's one of our lovelies in the process of being wrapped:
And a sweet, red bean one, naked and ready for eating (but for the missing dose of sugar...)
.
This was all that was left to photo, the cheescake is that good...The recipe, from Everyday Foods is available here.
Try it as an alternative to the heavy cream cheese cheescakes.
]]>How about having both your fruit and vegetables with a cookie?
(snicker.)
Ingredients:
Cream cheese filling:
2 oz cream cheese (@ room temperature)
2 oz or half a stick of unsalted butter (also @ room temperature)
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
Dry goods (as AB would say)
3/4 cup all purpose flour
a pinch of salt
1 tsp ground ginger or 2 tsp fresh minced ginger
Wet works
1 stick unsalted butter melted & cooled
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
a pinch of salt
1 egg yolk
Last minute mix ins
1/3 cup currants (or raisins)
1 cup old fashioned oats
3/4 cup shredded carrots
1. In a small bowl prepare the cream cheese filling by mixing the softened cream cheese, butter and sugar. Add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, mix to combine and then set in fridge for 30 minutes to firm.
2. Prepare the wet works: in a bowl combine sugars and use fingers to break any lumps. Add melted and cooled butter, whisking to dissolve mixture. Add a pinch of salt, then one egg yolk. Stir to combine.
3. Fold in 3/4 cups shredded carrots, then add the dry goods, currants/raisins and oats. Continue folding gently until combined.
4. Place by tablespoons on parchment lined baking sheet (using two spoons helps transfer mix and keep them rounded). Bake at 350 degrees 15-18 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through to brown.
5. Let cookies cool completely before adding filling (otherwise the filling will melt!) then top with another cookie or serve individually.
© Everyday Foods
Here's one from ATK that's part of their lower family favorites series (read: low cal/fat):
...the magic's in toasting Panko (Japanese bread crumbs) and cutting down on the use of cheese.
The recipe is free if you join ATK and you can find it in their 7th season, complete with photos of how to prep chicken cutlets:
Onward!
]]> Ingredients:Flour coating:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 T salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Egg wash:
3 egg whites
1 T water
Crispy crust:
1 1/2 cups panko toasted with
1 T olive oil for 10 minutes over medium heat
and when cool mixed with
1 oz grated parmesan
Tomato sauce:
1 28 oz. can canned, diced tomatoes
4 cloves garlic
1 T tomato paste
1 tsp olive oil
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1 T chopped basil
salt and pepper to taste
*2 T mozzarella with topping
1. In a large skillet over medium heat, toast panko with olive oil 10 minutes stirring till brown (just pour the oil over panko in pan). When brown, transfer to shallow dish and when cool, mix in grated parmesan.
2. Pulse diced tomatoes in food processor till smooth. In a large saucepan, cook garlic, tomato paste, oil and red pepper flakes over medium heat until paste begins to darken, about 1-2 minutes. Add pureed tomatoes, stir, simmer and cook till thickened, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside (and try to avoid sampling as you're cooking!)
3. When panko is toasting or when tomato sauce is simmering, assemble flour coating and egg wash in two separate shallow dishes.
4. Also, line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil, spray a wire rack with vegetable oil spray and place atop cookie sheet. Adjust oven rack to the middle position, preheat to 475 degrees.
5. Prep chicken: remove fat, trim and halve breasts horizontally to form 2 cutlets and pound if needed. Pat dry with paper towel, dip into flour mix, pat off excess, dip next in egg wash and let excess drip off. Then press into panko/parmesan mix firmly and place on prepared wire rack.
6. Spray chicken pieces with vegetable oil spray, bake 475 for 15 minutes.
7. Top with 2 T of tomato sauce, 2 T shredded mozzarella. Return to oven for 5 minutes, or when cheese melts. Top with additional basil, sauce on side, grated cheese.
Yum!
]]>
Yum.
]]> Bittersweet chocolaterecipe to come...
]]>
Vegetable oil, for baking sheet
8 slices white bread
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon hot-pepper sauce
Salt and pepper
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese (2 ½ ounces)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 pounds chicken parts (preferably legs, thighs, and wings), rinsed and patted dry
1. Preheat oven to 400°. Generously rub a baking sheet with oil. In a food processor, pulse bread until it turns into coarse crumbs.
2. In a large bowl, stir together buttermilk, hot-pepper sauce, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. In a separate bowl, mix breadcrumbs, Parmesan, thyme, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
3. Place the chicken in the buttermilk mixture, turning to coat evenly. Working with one piece at a time, remove chicken from liquid, letting excess drip back into bowl; dredge in the breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat evenly. Place coated chicken pieces on prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake until chicken is golden brown, about 35 minutes.
Recipe ©2007 Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. (Go Martha!)
add cake flour, sugar, vanilla, almond extract, lemon juice, a pinch of salt, cream of tarter. Bake 325 for about 50 minutes or until cake bounces back when pressed, then turn cake pan upside down to cool and...
Ta-dah.
]]> Ingredients12 egg whites
A.
3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
B.
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp almond extract
C.
1 cup sifted cake flour
3/4 c sifted granulated sugar
Directions:
1. In a large mixing bowl, break a dozen eggs and remove yolks to keep egg whites. Mix on low until the eggs are broken and bubbles form on the edges of the bowl.
2. Add A 1 tablespoon at a time until on high. Mix on medium-high until soft peaks form.
3. Add B and beat to combine.
4. Sift in C 3 tablespoons at a time and, using a spatula, gently fold to mix.
5. Pour mixture into an ungreased two piece tube cake pan (with a removable bottom), even top with spatula and tap pan on countertop to remove air bubbles. Bake 325 degrees for about 50 minutes, or when cake is lightly brown and springs back when pressed.
6. Cool the cake by turning the pan upside down (this is so gravity won't flatten your cake.)
7. Cut and enjoy! (The folks in the test kitchen served with a generous dollop of Haagan Dazs chocolate ice cream).
Recipe courtesy of America's Test Kitchen #526 There's a hole in your cake.
]]>Pasta w/Almond Pea Pesto
The recipe can be found on PBS' Everyday Food and for those who are auditory or visual learners, there's even a ultra fast video to watch.
Salt
Pepper
1 pound penne
2 ten ounce packages of frozen peas
lemon
1/2 cup blanched almonds (or the slivered type)
1/4 cup olive oil
Easy and delicious!
]]> Also part of the episode watched was the recipe forMediterranean Tuna Melt
Again, the recipe can be found here.
]]>
The baked brown rice is delicious on its own (seriously, it almost didn't last through the browning of the bacon) but if you want to jazz it up--and trust us, you do--you can add bacon, dijon, dill and prepare yourself for some great eats.
]]> Ingredients (plain baked rice)1. Put rice in a 8 inch square baking dish and add boiling water, unsalted butter and kosher salt. Stir.
2. Cover well with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour in 375 degree oven.
3. Fluff with fork and let rest.
Ingredients Part 2 (brown rice salad: did someone say bacon?!)
6 slices of bacon
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbs chopped fresh dill (this'll make all the difference!)
1. Heat a ten-inch sauté pan over medium heat and fry about six pieces of bacon until nice and crisp.
2. Remove bacon, and then lightly fry half a cup of diced red onion in the fat. When it's nice and brown, deglaze with half a cup of white wine vinegar. Add it very slowly. There might be some splattering.
3. Then follow that with half a cup of chicken broth, two teaspoons of Dijon mustard, a teaspoon of sugar, a teaspoon of kosher salt, and half a teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.
4. Add the crumbled bacon back into the pan, along with one recipes worth of baked brown rice and a tablespoon of fresh dill. Stir until all the liquid is absorbed.
Alton Brown notes that the rice can be refridgerated for up to a week, but you know what? A signal of it's deliciousness: the makings disappeared within 20 minutes! Yum-o.
]]>
The food lore surrounding recipe, from the brilliant Alton Brown, is that it's addictive despite how nauseatingly sweet it can be. But really, you can't stop eating it once you've started and I made it a few years ago only to think about it again when, this year, out of ideas for the coworkers, I figured, why not?
Alton's image looks like he uses way more white chocolate than called for
or maybe I just need to find the episode where he devises some creative way to mix all the ingredients together, either way, it's a versatile recipe and if you aren't in the mood for sweets you can pour milk over the cereal or snack on the pretzels and peanuts while watching tv.
Which just goes to show, good eats.
]]> Alton Brown's White Trash Mix:Ingredients:
-Two 11 ounce bags of white chocolate chips
-3.5 Cups Cheerios
-3 Cups Rice Chex
-3 Cups Corn Chex
-1 Pound plain M&Ms
-2.5 Cups mixed nuts (no peanuts)
-2 Cups small pretzels
1. Get a really big metal bowl and place it over a large sauce pan/pot containing about an inch of water. Put this over medium heat.
2. Dump in the chips in the bowl and stir with a rubber spatula (every now and then) until they’ve melted smooth. You can walk away from time to time but be careful not to let the water get too hot or the cocoa butter will bog.
3. Dump everything else in the bowl and fold over and over until the hunks and chunks are well coated.
4. Spread the mess out on parchment paper or freezer paper and set in a cool place until it sets solid, then break it into pieces and seal in tins.
5. "Dole this stuff out carefully. It is highly habit forming. Happy Holidays, kids"
]]>Here we are trying to get down the gist of the ingredients and the entire mixing procedure when Mom tells us of the way she learned to test the ingredients: by taking a lick of raw meat. Listen for the full 3 seconds of silence when we pose the question of whether or not she's had a meat mixture that's too wet. No, never.
Duh. Mom's recipe rocks.
ps. you'll hear three voices on the audio. mom's, annie's (doing the interviewing) and cathy's (chiming in to ask the stumper question). deeper voice = cathy, higher voice = annie. revealing twin secrets here, y'all.
And a video on the art of dumpling skin rolling:
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