"Healthier-than-thou" Tuna Sashimi Bowl

So if one day you feel particularly lazy and particularly health-conscious you can try this quick and, as the name suggests, healthy meal!!! The preparation couldn't be easier - the only downside is that you'll need to find a place that sells sashimi-grade tuna and other Japanese ingredients.

So here it is in no particular order and without any measurements:

Fresh Sashimi-grade Tuna
Uncooked Soba noodles (that's buckwheat)
Seaweed salad (pre-made)
Lemon
Miso paste (any kind)
oil (something light)
Sesame seeds (optional)
Soy sauce and wasabi for dipping

The only thing that needs to be cooked is the noodles. Follow the instructions on the package - I believe 4 min at rapid boil is just right. Drain them under cold water as soon as the 4 min is up!!! Transfer some of the noodles (or all) into a nice bowl.

Then cut your beautiful tuna into sashimi slices - any size you like - and arrange it on one side of the bowl on top of the noodles. Put some seaweed salad next to the Tuna for contrast!

Now comes the experimentation part - making some sort of sauce to "dress" your bowl. I dissolved about half a teaspoon of Miso paste in some freshly squeezed lemon juice and then added some vegetable oil and water to dilute it. Keep trying the sauce until you like how it tastes. When you're satisfied with it just pour it on top of the tuna (but not so much on the seaweed) and VOILA you have just created one of the HEALTHIEST dishes on this blog!

Oh of course, you will need some soy sauce and wasabi to dip your sashimi in! Also, if you have sesame seeds you can sprinkle them on top, as well.

Enjoy!

Cardamon pasta

I had to make something for lunch tomorrow, and I'm obsessed with the cardamon that I bought recently at costplus world market. love it.

so:
whole wheat pasta
red onion
carrots
mushrooms
red onions
green beans (yum so fresh from new leaf!)
tomato
(basically i used the veggies that were in my veggie drawer and hadn't gotten moldy)
cardamon
garam masala
cayanne pepper
salt
honey
olive oil
(peanuts or mint might be good additions)
leftover feta burger

sauted the onions and carrots with the spices and honey in olive oil. when they are a little soft, add the green beans and mushrooms. continue to add spices until there is a strong flavor to your taste. once the veggies are cooked but still firm (al dente) add them to the cooked pasta and cook the meat, and add it. You can serve with a salad or eat plain.

BBQ: lemonade, potato salad, burgers

I used some recipes from epicurious. Apparently I had no idea how to BBQ, it's harder than it sounds. You have to pile the coals in a pyramid, put paper underneath them, and open the lil holes while it's burning. wait for them to get grey before you cook the food.

I made a lemonade, and I added mint leaves, and frozen berries. I think frozen berries are a great addition. They look really beautiful and turn the lemonade a pretty color.

I made a potato salad, recipe follows. I used balsamic vinegar, frozen peas and garlic. It wasn't super flavorful, and might benefit from a flavored oil or extra herbs... i'm not sure. it looked pretty though.

potato salad with mint and peas Gourmet | July 2004 Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 25 min

Makes 6 side-dish servings.

The Last Touch

2 lb small red potatoes
2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup thawed frozen or cooked fresh baby peas (5 oz)
1/3 cup chopped or torn fresh mint leaves

Cover potatoes with cold salted water in a 3-quart saucepan, then simmer, covered, until tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

While potatoes are cooking, whisk together vinegar, shallot, salt, and pepper in a large serving bowl.

Drain potatoes and halve or quarter if desired. Add to vinegar mixture while warm and toss to coat. Add oil, peas, and mint and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm or at room temperature.

Epicurious.com © CondéNet, Inc. All rights reserved.

I also made hamburgers. I saw lots of recipes for feta burgers so i decided to make these. they came out really big so i think you could make more than 8 servings, and they are really poufy. definitely the indentation is important, i didn't bother to do it. the garlic sauce (i think it's an aioli) is really good, and i might start keeping it on hand to serve with other things... and to ward off vampires. but unfortunately it might also ward off cute boys who want to kiss me so it's a trade off.

feta burgers with grilled red onions Bon Appétit | July 2007 These newfangled burgers are stuffed with feta cheese. Pressing the center of the raw hamburger to form a slight indentation prevents the burger from puffing up in the center when cooking.

Makes 8 servings.

Pam Anderson

3 pounds lean ground beef
1 cup (packed) crumbled feta cheese
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
8 large garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 medium red onions, peeled, each cut crosswise into 4 slices
8 hamburger buns
2 large tomatoes, each cut crosswise into 4 slices

Break up beef in large bowl. Sprinkle feta, oregano, salt, and pepper over; toss. Divide into 8 portions; form each into 41/2-inch patty, pressing in center to form slight indentation. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.

Puree garlic in processor. With machine running, gradually add 1/2 cup oil; process 30 seconds. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.

Spray grill rack with nonstick spray. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush onion with 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place burgers and onions on grill. Cover; cook 5 minutes. Turn; cook until onions are charred in spots and burgers are medium-well, about 4 minutes longer. Transfer to plate. Brush cut sides of buns with garlic oil. Place buns, cut side down, on grill; toast about 1 minute. Turn; cook until heated, about 1 minute.

Place burgers on bun bottoms. Top each with onion, tomato, and bun top.

Epicurious.com © CondéNet, Inc. All rights reserved.

I also made the fruit salad again, but I didn't bother with the ginger sauce. I served beer too, but nobody drank it... we went to the beach and met some guys there and they gave us some cheapy beer... ah labor day! It was a lovely day.

Strawberry Shortcake

Krustez baking mix (you'll find it in the pancake section) is so good. I'm like one of Pavlov's dogs. I drool whenever I hear the name. I always see on the back a recipe for Strawberry shortcake and I finally tried it out. Turns out it's really good.

I made the Krusteaz shortcakes, make sure you combine all the dry ingredients first, and then add the liquid to the dry. Use parchment paper so the bottoms won't burn and so they won't stick to your baking sheet.

For the topping, cut strawberries into pieces and coat with sugar.

Top everything with whipped cream, either whip your own until it forms soft peaks but not until stiff, or buy the stuff in the can. (I made it with sweetened yoghurt, which was ok... but it's definitely better with whipped cream)

Yum!!!

From the Box Falafals

Thank you Cost Plus World Market! I bought a box of Al Fez "Lebanese style falafel chickpea onion, & herb snack" there. All you do is follow the directions, which is basically pour the mix in a bowl with some water. Then, the hard part is the frying, but that's not even that hard. I ate them in a sandwich with some pita bread, tomatoes, lettuce, and Al Fez Tahini dressing. Yum!!! This is a really easy way to make an impressive and healthy meal. (If you serve it with salad and whole wheat pita)

Lentil Dal

Again, I made this awhile ago, so the recipe will be unfortunately even more vague than usual. This is a Deirdre-ized version of the Eastern food Dal, which is, according to my friend Danny, "any type of legume dish" at least I think that's what he said...

I couldn't find much clear information on how to cook lentils, pretty much all I got from the web was, "cover them with water" which is about as vague as you can get. So, I covered them with water, but ended up having to add much more water as I went along. I would say maybe a 3-1 ratio is about right, especially if you want it a little soupy.

1 cup lentils
3 cups water
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
6 slices salami
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garam masala
1 bay leaf
yoghurt
1 cup rice
salt, pepper

Add the lentils and rice to a pot, simmer on low heat, covered. Add a bay leaf while it is cooking, and cut the salami into 1/2 inch squares and add that as well. Once the lentils have absorbed most of the water, test them and see if they are soft enough. Make sure they don't absorb all the water or they will burn. Once they are soft add the cherry tomatoes and the spices and cook until the tomatoes have softened. Serve over the cooked rice, and drizzle the yoghurt on top. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Velveted chicken with goat cheese, served over salad

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, I've been really busy. Hopefully I'll remember at least sort of how I made this, it was a while ago. Things have been really hectic with a new job (which I am not going to stay at... could not stand the hours) and my cat getting hit by a car. I hope he is going to be ok. The vet bill was crazy, and he is walking kind of funny. The vet was trying to determine if he had suffered any mental damage... It's not really that funny, but I wasn't sure what to say when he asked if Jack was completely normal mentally before the accident.

Chicken Salad:
1 Tbs Cornstarch
1 tbs water
1 chicken breast
olive oil
1/3 generous cup goat cheese
1/2 tsp thyme
Salt, pepper

Dissolve the cornstarch in the water so it makes a thin paste. cut the chicken breast into chunks and marinade it in the paste for 10 -15 min. This will help make the chicken be a soft texture. Stir fry the chicken in olive oil for 10 min or until it is cooked through but not dry. Remove the chicken from the pan and put it immediately into a bowl containing the crumbled goat cheese and thyme, with salt and pepper. Stir until the cheese is melted and coats the chicken.

Serving suggestion: prepare a green salad with tomatoes and potatoes, and top in the center with the chicken.

Jessica Biel's Gourmet Whole Wheat Pizza

Ingredients:

1 package "almost whole wheat" dough from Trader Joe's

For the sauce:

1 can crushed tomatoes (works best with fire-roasted variety)

1-2 Tbsp Olive oil

A tad of white wine if you have it

Toppings:

Shredded skim Mozarella (enough to cover pizza)
8-9 slices Dry Italian Salame (lite)
Goat cheese crumbles
Fresh Campari tomatoes
Thinly Sliced sweet onion (optional)
4-5 button mushrooms (sliced)
Olives (of course)


Preparation:

Follow instructions on dough package (needs to be out of fridge for at least 20 min). While dough is chilling (as in "I'm just chillin' here for 20 min" ) on your counter, you can start preparing the sauce. Empty the contents of the crushed tomatoes can into a small saucepan. Add the olive oil and the white wine (easy there) and bring to a boil. Let it simmer on medium heat, while stirring occasionally. It should take around 20-30 minutes to achieve the right consistency - somewhat thick and creamy (you can always add water or cook it for longer if it doesn't look quite right). Make sure you are prepared for how messy this sauce will make your stove...try using a lid, but don't cover the pan completely or it will slow down the cooking time).

Back to the dough. Roll it on a slightly flowered surface into a shape, size and thickness of your liking (I make it very thin and rectangular, but maybe you want something else...like a heart-shape for example if you are in a lovey-dovey mood). Place the rolled dough on a lightly oiled baking sheet and start applying the sauce (which u hopefully have mastered by now) evenly.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

TOPPINGS! This is the fun part. Figuring out your own way to arrange this may take awhile, so I suggest this: 1. layer mozarella cheese all-over 2. sprinkle onions lightly (if you're using them) 3. Place Salami slices strategically (not overlapping with each other) 4. put some some goat cheese crumbles ON EACH piece of Salami 4. put mushrooms, olives and slices of campari tomatoes wherever you find room! The trick is to avoid covering the toppings with each other too much so that everything can get its chance in life to get nicely baked!

If your oven is ready, put your beautiful pizza inside and cook until perfection (that is a subjective state, by the way). It took me roughly 12-15 minutes because I like it well-done.

ENJOY! Serve with white wine, or if you don't drink, with some Ginger Ale :)

Love,

Jessica

Keith's Egg and Bacon Ice-cream

Ugh...lets not go there :)

Leah's Steamed Fish

1 Small Whole Fish (such as trout) that measures 6-8 inches, or part of a whole fish (skin on!)
3 cloves garlic
1 Tbs sesame oil
2 inches Ginger
3 Tbs Soy Sauce

Take a cook pot that has a fitted lit, place a steamer inside, fill with water to the level of the steamer, place a plate on top of the steamer. Wash the fish, put it on top of the plate. Chop the garlic and put it on top of the fish. Julienne the ginger and put it on top of the fish. Pour oil and soy sauce on top as well. (remove skin from ginger) Steam the fish for 15 minutes or so until it smells done. You can check doneness by slicing into with a sharp knife. Serve with rice and pour the sauce on top. Remove bones before serving.

Broiled Salmon

I am always looking for new fish recipes. This one is very simple, and my mom always cooks salmon this way (in fact I think it's the only way she cooked it when I was living at home...)

Take a salmon fillet (fillets are easy to find in the grocery store, however, as I hear from my friends who grew up outside America, fish is much more flavorful if you get it with the skin still on.)

Anyways, take a salmon fillet. Wash it off, and place it on a prepared broiling pan.

A broiling pan is a very useful piece of equipment, consisting of a top piece which has holes in it, and a lower part as well, which catches the juices while the meat is cooking. You will want to cover the top part with aluminum foil, and cut through so the holes are still there. Then spray the foil with pam or olive oil.

Then put the fillet on, skin down. You can put some olive oil or butter on top of the fish, although it's not really necessary, because it's such an oily fish.

Turn the oven up as high as it will go (to the "broil" setting") and leave the door open a little bit. your oven may not need the door open to broil, but for some ovens you need to do this. once it is really hot, put the fish in. Cook it for about 10 minutes or until it starts to smell cooked. Then take it out and check the inside with a sharp knife to see if it is cooked. Allow 10 min for each inch of thickness. The smell test is key though... Do not overcook!!! Once it is almost done only allow another minute or so as it cooks quickly.

Take it out and squirt some lemon on and salt and pepper. This is good with a salad or with bread or anything else. You can even eat it all on it's own. Salmon is so good. If there are leftovers you can break them apart and scramble them with eggs, or put them with lettuce in a salad. You can also mix with mayonnaise to make a salmon salad sandwich.

Maria's Bulgarian Open Faced Sandwiches

Delicious!! [measurements are guesstimations... cut enough to cover the bread without overwhelming, slice thinly, and arrange artfully, placing the olive in the center, as is traditional in bulgarian cooking]

1 piece of break
2 Tbs goat cheese
5 slices salami
6 slices cucumber
1 olive

Toast the bread, and smear with goat cheese. Cover with salami slices, then cucumber. Place olive in center. Serve. Yum!! :)

Tomatoes can be substituted for salami.

Marinara Pasta with Veggies

2 cloves garlic
olive oil
1/2 onion
1 carrot
1 bell pepper
2 zucchini
1 box cherry tomatoes
thyme
basil
rosemary
1 bottle marinara sauce
3-4 cups dried pasta

Saute the garlic in the olive oil, then add the onion, bell pepper, carrot, and zucchini, waiting a little time in between, allowing the more tuberous veggies a chance to soften before cooking the softer veggies. Once they are all cooked but not soft, add the cherry tomatoes so they have a chance to deflate a little. Add the spices. Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Add the pasta, veggies, and marinara sauce to a big bowl and mix together. The veggies and pasta should warm the sauce sufficiently. Err on the side of extravagance for veggie and spice amount.

FARMERS' MARKET SALAD WITH SPICED GOAT CHEESE ROUNDS

This is funny... I cooked a farmers market salad for my friend neola, and then I ordered a farmers market salad when we went out for dinner a few days later. The one I got at the restaurant was different though (we went to malabar and they made it with frisee, strawberries, pistachios... it was good. the berries were a little bitter though, and they would need to be sweet to offset the frisee.) pistachios in salad are amazing.

here's the recipe for the salad i made, courtesy of epicurious:

[again, i didn't have dijon mustard (it's on the list! don't make that face at me!), and the goat cheese is hard to cut... i tried freezing it a little bit, but i don't know that that helped much. i didn't have fresh thyme so i used dried. i think fresh would have been much better, but dried was ok in a pinch. i am going to try to get a thyme plant to grow in the garden.

i didn't have a shallot so i just used garlic, and regular salt, and balsamic vinegar, and plain mustard. the salad dressing came out fine. i love potatoes in a salad.. and olives make a yummy addition as well :) i used the rest of the tomatoes in the next recipe.

Why you'll make it: Because it's everything that's good at the market right now in one good-for-you salad.

Goat cheese rounds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 teaspoons ground cumin
11/2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
16 (1/3-inch-thick) rounds chilled soft fresh goat cheese (from one 11-ounce log)

Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 shallot, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse kosher salt

Salad
1 pound baby new potatoes (such as Dutch yellow baby potatoes), halved
1 pound green beans (or mix of green and yellow), trimmed
8 cups (loosely packed) mixed salad greens
1/3 cup (packed) small fresh basil leaves
12 ounces assorted small tomatoes (such as cherry, grape, and teardrop; preferably mix of red and yellow)
1/2 cup black olives (such as Niçoise)

For goat cheese rounds:
Line baking sheet with waxed paper or parchment paper. Mix first 6 ingredients in shallow bowl. Dip cut sides of goat cheese rounds into spice mixture to coat. Place on prepared baking sheet. Chill until ready to serve. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.

For vinaigrette:
Whisk first 4 ingredients in small bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season with coarse salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewhisk before using.

For salad:
Steam potatoes until just tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to plate; cool. Steam green beans until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Rinse under cold water; drain. Pat dry with paper towels. DO AHEAD Potatoes and green beans can be made 6 hours ahead. Wrap separately in paper towels. Place in resealable plastic bag; chill.

Combine greens and basil in large bowl. Add enough vinaigrette to coat lightly; toss. Arrange on large platter. Add potatoes and green beans to same large bowl; add remaining dressing and toss. Arrange potatoes and beans atop greens. Scatter tomatoes and olives over. Surround with goat cheese rounds.

Chicken Tacos

This is my version of a taco sauce based on what I read off the back of a taco sauce label in... guess where?



Tortillas
1/2 White onion, chopped
1 orange bell pepper, chopped
2 chicken breasts, chopped
1 cup rice
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 avocado
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup cilantro
1 lime
tapatio to taste
half hablespoon of butter
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tsp honey
2 tbs vinegar
cayenne pepper
salt

First, put the butter and 1 tbs oil (you don't have to measure, just pour some liberally in the pan with the butter) and wait till the butter melts. Next, add the rice and 2 cups water to a pan (or follow the directions on the rice container). Add the garlic to the oil, and saute, with the onion and bell pepper. While they are cooking, season with 3/4 of a tsp each of cumin and turmeric (to taste), and salt and cayenne pepper to taste. After they are done, remove from pan, add some more oil, and add the chicken, turn to med low. Splash some tapatio on, and add the vinegar. Add 1/2 tsp of cumin and turmeric (to taste), and 1 tsp honey. Add a tsp of garlic powder. Add the tomato paste. cook until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, then turn off heat.

Guacamole:
Combine the chopped tomatoes with the avocado, and smush the avocado. Squeeze in half of the lime juice. Add the cilantro.

Serve in tortillas (you may warm in the microwave or on burners) with the rice and guacamole.

Serves 3-4

Cookies

I made cookies this week to bring in to work (unfortunately a large percentage of them ended up in my belly... on my thighs... etc) Ah, well, the sacrifices we make for a delicious cookie! I used the Tollhouse recipe as seen below, but instead of using the Tollhouse chips I used ghiradelli bittersweet. I love using ghiradelli chips in cookies. I think they taste the best, plus I love the shiny gold bags (all right, I'm a sucker for a pretty bag!) I noticed there's a new chip on the market, I think it was nestle, but it's a dark chocolate chip. Dark chocolate has become really popular since scientists have found out its health benefits. I thought about using it, but I thought I would prefer something sweeter. Next time I might try the dark chocolate though, to balance out the sweetness from the coconut.

Substitutions: I used about 3/4 cup less flour, and added 1 cup oats (I had the instant oats, which are cut into smaller pieces, which I think worked well for this recipe)

I added about 3/4 cup coconut
I added about 1 cup chopped almonds

The cookies came out tasty, although they were definitely cooked at 9 minutes, and I ended up turning the oven down and cooking them a little less for the later batches. I'm not sure if my oven heats up more than it says it's at or what... I need to get a thermometer for it.

They also tasted a little buttery and kinda salty, so I might use a little less salt next time, and maybe substitute something else for some of the butter, I'm not sure what... maybe oil. Or just use a little less butter. I accidentally melted the butter before I creamed it, maybe this affected the flavor. I'll post some photos soon, as well as some photos of the wonton soup that I made.

Wonton Soup

I used the following recipe, with modifications: used canned chicken broth (combined with bottled condensed &water) instead of making my own, and used the remaining cabbage instead of bok choy. added some ginger to the soup. I didn't use shrimp. I used a 1 1/4 lb of pork. The onion and cabbage tasted really good in the soup, you can't go wrong w/ swanson's broth. I think i could have added even more spices to the wontons... i added garlic as well... maybe more onion would have been good, or more soy sauce... still they taste great, and so pretty! the pieces of green onion in the soup add a great touch. yum.


Wonton Soup Wonton Soup

by the Editors of Easy Home Cooking Magazine

Wonton Soup

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

1/2

cup finely chopped cabbage

8

ounces lean ground pork

4

ounces deveined shelled shrimp, finely chopped

3

green onions with tops, finely chopped

1

egg, lightly beaten

1-1/2

tablespoons cornstarch

2

teaspoons soy sauce

1

teaspoon oyster sauce

2

teaspoons sesame oil, divided

48

wonton wrappers (about 1 pound)

1

egg white, lightly beaten

3/4

pound bok choy or napa cabbage

6

cups chicken broth

1

cup thinly sliced Barbecued Pork (recipe follows)

3

green onions with tops, thinly sliced

Edible flowers for garnish

Preparation:

1.

For filling, squeeze cabbage to remove as much moisture as possible. Place cabbage in large bowl. Add pork, shrimp, chopped onions, whole egg, cornstarch, soy sauce, oyster sauce and 1-1/2 teaspoons sesame oil; mix well.

2.

For wontons, work with about twelve wrappers at a time, keeping remaining wrappers covered with plastic wrap. Place one wonton wrapper on work surface with one point facing you. Place 1 teaspoon filling in bottom corner; fold bottom corner over filling.

3.

Moisten side corners of wonton wrapper with egg white. Bring side corners together, overlapping slightly; pinch together firmly to seal. Cover finished wontons with plastic wrap while filling remaining wontons. (Cook immediately, refrigerate up to 8 hours or freeze in resealable bag.)

4.

Cut bok choy stems into 1-inch slices; cut leaves in half crosswise. Set aside.

5.

Add wontons to large pot of boiling water; cook until filling is no longer pink, about 4 minutes (6 minutes if frozen); drain. Place in bowl of cold water to prevent wontons from sticking together.

6.

Bring chicken broth to a boil in large saucepan. Add bok choy and remaining 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil; simmer 2 minutes. Drain wontons; add to hot broth. Add slices of Barbecued Pork and sliced onions. Ladle into soup bowls. Serve immediately. Garnish, if desired.

GREEN BEAN AND RED ONION SALAD WITH WARM CIDER VINAIGRETTE

I didn't have dijon mustard or mustard seeds or apple cider vinegar... I used some extra apple juice concentrate and cooked it longer... and I used a combo of white and balsamic vinegar. it came out ok, a good side salad. you get a lot of extra salad dressing. I want to go buy some mustard seeds and try it again with mustard seeds... I think this would be a good accompaniment to a piece of quiche or fish and rice... it could go with pretty much anything, or you could add some tempeh to it and then it could stand on its own.

1/2 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon mustard seeds

6 ounces green beans, trimmed, cut in half on deep diagonal
4 cups (packed) baby greens (about half of 4.5-ounce package)
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
2 large radishes, trimmed, halved, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon finely chopped bread-and-butter pickles

Boil apple concentrate in small saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in vinegar, oil, mustard, and mustard seeds. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm before using.)

Cook beans in medium pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes; drain well. Transfer beans to large bowl; cool slightly. Add greens, onion, radishes, and pickles. Toss with enough vinaigrette to coat.

Makes 2 servings.

Bon Appétit
February 2001

Epicurious.com © CondéNet, Inc. All rights reserved.

Ginger Fruit Salad

FRUIT SALAD WITH GINGER SYRUP

This didn't come out as gingery as I would have hoped. I made it with 3 nectarines, 3 peaches, a mango, and half a small cantelope. It still tastes great and I think the mint is a great addition. I've noticed that it is just as cheap to buy an herb growing in a pot than to buy a packet of fresh herbs at the grocery store. I think it makes a really big difference to have fresh herbs. My basil is still alive (not quite thriving) but I bought some copper tape to protect it from the snails. The copper creates an electrolytic effect: when the slimy, wet slug comes into contact with the copper it creates a circuit and the slug is shocked.

Anyways, back to the fruit salad: next time I might include some little pieces of candied ginger as well, I think that would taste good. Also, some of the juice from the cantelope went into the sauce and diluted it, so I would try to avoid that in the future. The mint was definitely very tasty though... Mmmm...

*******************

This recipe yields more ginger syrup than you'll need for the fruit salad. Add a spoonful to a glass of club soda, sparkling water, or iced tea for a refreshing summer drink.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr (includes chilling)

For ginger syrup
3 cups water
2 cups sugar
2 cups thinly sliced fresh ginger (1/2 lb; from a 10-inch piece), left unpeeled

For fruit salad
4 cups (1-inch pieces) summer fruit (such as mixed berries, melons, peaches, and/or nectarines)
3 tablespoons small mint leaves

Make syrup:
Bring water, sugar, and ginger to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan, then stir until sugar is dissolved. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat and let steep 15 minutes. Pour ginger syrup through a sieve into a bowl, discarding ginger. Chill, covered, at least 2 hours.

Make fruit salad:
Toss fruit and mint with 1/4 cup syrup, or to taste.

Cooks' note:
Syrup keeps, covered and chilled, 2 weeks.

Makes 4 servings.

Gourmet
June 2004

Epicurious.com © CondéNet, Inc. All rights reserved.

Back from Vacation Pasta salad

using only what's in your cupboards:

whole wheat pasta
canned black beans
fresh cherry tomatoes (they were still good!)
frozen peas & corn
sundried tomatoes
spike! seasoning
fresh basil (from the yard)
salted roasted sunflower seeds
raisins
vinegar
olive oil
honey
pepper (black)
dried basil

boil the pasta, then mix everything up in a bowl... quinn had a really good bean salad recipe that called for mango and avocado that i will try and remember. this one is pretty tasty though, and goes well with the orange juice that was in my freezer. yum!

Gnocchi & Pesto

Gnocchi Recipe

From Heidi Swanson.

Francesca's mom seemed disappointed we didn't have a potato ricer or potato mill on hand, but said that mashing the potatoes by hand would be fine. I've done it many times by hand now, and it is fine. For those of you wanting to do some of the preparation in advance, in one test I cooked and mashed a batch of potatoes a day ahead of time, put them in a covered bowl overnight, and incorporated the egg and flour the next day when I was ready to cook the gnocchi - no problems.

Scant 2 pounds of starchy potatoes (2 large russets)
1/4 cup egg, lightly beaten
scant 1 cup of unbleached all-purpose flour
fine grain sea salt

Fill a large pot with cold water. Salt the water, then cut potatoes in half and place them in the pot. Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes until tender throughout, this takes roughly 40-50 minutes.

Remove the potatoes from the water one at a time with a slotted spoon. Place each potato piece on a large cutting board and peel it before moving on to the next potato. Also, peel each potato as soon as possible after removing from the water (without burning yourself) - I've found a paring knife comes in handy here. Be mindful that you want to work relatively quickly so you can mash the potatoes when they are hot. To do this you can either push the potatoes through a ricer, or do what I do, deconstruct them one at a time on the cutting board using the tines of a fork - mash isn't quite the right term here. I run the fork down the sides of the peeled potato creating a nice, fluffy potato base to work with (see photo). Don't over-mash - you are simply after an even consistency with no noticable lumps.

Save the potato water.

Let the potatoes cool spread out across the cutting board - ten or fifteen minutes. Long enough that the egg won't cook when it is incorporated into the potatoes. When you are ready, pull the potatoes into a soft mound - drizzle with the beaten egg and sprinkle 3/4 cup of the flour across the top. I've found that a metal spatula or large pastry scraper are both great utensils to use to incorporate the flour and eggs into the potatoes with the egg incorporated throughout - you can see the hint of yellow from the yolk. Scrape underneath and fold, scrape and fold until the mixture is a light crumble. Very gently, with a feathery touch knead the dough. This is also the point you can add more flour (a sprinkle at a time) if the dough is too tacky. I usually end up using most of the remaining 1/4 cup flour, but it all depends on the potatoes, the flour, the time of year, the weather, and whether the gnocchi gods are smiling on you. The dough should be moist but not sticky. It should feel almost billowy. Cut it into 8 pieces. Now gently roll each 1/8th of dough into a snake-shaped log, roughly the thickness of your thumb. Use a knife to cut pieces every 3/4-inch (see photo). Dust with a bit more flour.

To shape the gnocchi hold a fork in one hand (see photo) and place a gnocchi pillow against the tines of the fork, cut ends out. With confidence and an assertive (but light) touch, use your thumb and press in and down the length of the fork. The gnocchi should curl into a slight "C" shape, their backs will capture the impression of the tines as tiny ridges (good for catching sauce later). Set each gnocchi aside, dust with a bit more flour if needed, until you are ready to boil them. This step takes some practice, don't get discouraged, once you get the hang of it it's easy.

Now that you are on the final stretch, either reheat your potato water or start with a fresh pot (salted), and bring to a boil. Cook the gnocchi in batches by dropping them into the boiling water roughly twenty at a time. They will let you know when they are cooked because they will pop back up to the top. Fish them out of the water a few at a time with a slotted spoon ten seconds or so after they've surfaced. Have a large platter ready with a generous swirl of whatever sauce or favorite pesto you'll be serving on the gnocchi. Place the gnocchi on the platter. Continue cooking in batches until all the gnocchi are done. Gently toss with more sauce or pesto (don't overdo it, it should be a light dressing), and serve immediately, family-style with a drizzle of good olive oil on top.

Serves six.

Pesto:

1 large bunch of basil, leaves only, washed and dried
3 medium cloves of garlic
one small handful of raw pine nuts
roughly 3/4 cup Parmesan, loosely packed and FRESHLY GRATED
A few tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil

Special equipment: large mezzaluna for chopping

Start chopping the garlic along with about 1/3 of the basil leaves. Once this is loosely chopped add more basil, chop some more, add the rest of the basil, chop some more. I scrape and chop, gather and chop. At this point the basil and garlic should be a very fine mince. Add about half the pine nuts, chop. Add the rest of the pine nuts, chop. Add half of the Parmesan, chop. Add the rest of the Parmesan, and chop. In the end you want a chop so fine that you can press all the ingredients into a basil "cake" - see the photo up above. Transfer the pesto "cake" to a small bowl (not much bigger than the cake). Cover with a bit of olive oil, it doesn't take much, just a few tablespoons.

You can set this aside or place it in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it. Just before serving give the pesto a quick stir to incorporate some of the oil into the basil. She occasionally thins the pesto with a splash of pasta water for more coverage, but for our gnocchi this wasn't necessary.

Makes about 1 cup.

Vietnamese Rice Cakes

I have always wanted to make something with banana leaves. I'm not sure where I could buy them in Santa Cruz, but maybe at one of the Mexican grocery stores or at the Flea Market. This recipe is courtesy of Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table by Mai Pham.

ingredients

1 3/4 cups sticky (glutinous) rice, preferably long-grain
1 drop of green food coloring (optional)
1/4 cup dried split mung beans
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
5 ounces pork shoulder or butt, cut into 1/4-inch-thick chunks
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 (14" x 16") sheets plastic wrap plus extra
1 (14" x 16") sheet aluminum foil
2 (14" x 14") pieces banana leaf

preparation

1. Place the sticky rice in a large bowl and cover it with 3 inches of water. Stir in the food coloring, if using, and let the rice soak overnight. (Once soaked, the rice will double to about 4 cups.) In a separate bowl, soak the mung beans for at least 4 hours. Drain both just before using and set aside in separate bowls. Add the salt to the rice and stir to blend.

2. Combine the shallots, fish sauce, black pepper and pork pieces and let marinate for 30 minutes.

3. Heat the oil in a frying pan over moderate heat. Add the pork pieces and all the marinade and stir just until the meat is brown around the edges, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

4. Using a steamer basket, steam the mung beans until they are soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

5. To make the packet, neatly lay down the wrappers in this order: 1 sheet of plastic wrap (leave the other for use later), the aluminum foil, 2 sheets banana leaves (one perpendicular to the other). Place one cup of the rice in the center of the banana leaf, spreading it to cover a 5-inch square. Place half of the mung beans on top, then add the pork pieces. Cover with the remaining mung beans and place 1 cup of rice on top. Bring the narrow sides of the wrappers together. Fold the gathered edges over twice, then flatten against the packet. (You now have two open ends.) Fold one end over and hold the packet upright. Add half of the remaining rice, tapping it and pushing it down so the packet will be an even square. Fold the end over and repeat on the other side.

6. Place the packet with the folded sides down in the center of the remaining plastic sheet. Wrap tightly so that water will not seep into the packet during cooking.

7. Tightly tie the packet with two parallel strings in both directions (as in a tic-tac-toe pattern).

8. Fill a large stockpot with water. Add the packet and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Place a colander or something heavy on top of the packet to keep it submerged in the water. Cook uncovered until done, about 6 hours, adding more water if necessary. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for 1 hour.

9. To serve, cut the packet (without unwrapping) into 1/2-inch slices. Remove the wrapping and arrange the slices on a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature. If wrapped in plastic and refrigerated, the cake will keep for 1 week.

Editor's Note: Mai Pham says the rice cakes will feel "plump and soft" when they are finished cooking. You can reduce the cooking time to about four hours by precooking the rice. Pham says to toast the soaked, drained rice in a nonstick pan over medium heat until it is dry and looks opaque.

Risotto

With thanks to Marcella Hazan and my Mom

arborio rice 2 cups
sweet white onion 1/2 or 1/3
italian sausage - if in links, squeeze out of the links 1/2 lb
ground beef 1lb
beef broth 5-6 cups simmering
porcini mushroom 1 packet
mushrooms 1/2 lb
add white wine (1/2 cup towards end, when broth is done)
1/2 -3/4 cup parmesean/romano

soak porcini mushrooms (boiling broth (1/2-1 cup, then soak mushrooms, then remove mushrooms) wash off sand, cut into little pieces. saute onion, then add ground italian sausage. add rice (m-L temp), add broth, then mushrooms, slowly while it simmers, 1/2 cup at a time, stir (1/2 hr about)

add mushrooms & ground beef 2/3 of the way through cooking the rice.

meanwhile brown ground beef and mushrooms, add them at the end.

Banana Muffins

Leah and I made these so you know they are yum. Leah directed, and I assisted.

We basically used the following recipe, but used about 1/3 cup butter and added extra olive oil to make up the difference. about 4 tbs. we added cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice (about 1/2 tsp each) we added extra sugar (1 cup). also added oatmeal. we thought about adding choc chips but didn't (this might be good another time). we made muffins instead of bread and baked them for 20 min. yum!

if made again: add more oil, butter, sugar, bananas, honey, more oats and less flour

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Weird Creature

As seen on PopSugar

Toll House cookies

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
• 1 cup chopped nuts

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

PAN COOKIE VARIATION: Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Prepare dough as above. Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Makes 4 dozen bars.

SLICE AND BAKE COOKIE VARIATION:
PREPARE dough as above. Divide in half; wrap in waxed paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Shape each half into 15-inch log; wrap in waxed paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.* Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices; place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

* May be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 week or in freezer for up to 8 weeks.

FOR HIGH ALTITUDE BAKING (5,200 feet): Increase flour to 2 1/2 cups. Add 2 teaspoons water with flour and reduce both granulated sugar and brown sugar to 2/3 cup each. Bake drop cookies for 8 to 10 minutes and pan cookie for 17 to 19 minutes.

Italian Fennel and Onion Risotto (with peas)

I haven't cooked this one before, (and have yet to make a successful risotto, except for the from the box ones, but I am going to try this one soon, fingers crossed!) Two versions of the recipe follow, from
http://www.newitalianrecipes.com/risotto.html

To make risotto, you must use a certain type of rice. Italian Arborio (a fat, starchy, medium grain rice) is by far the most common used in this country to make risottos, because it is available in most every grocery store. Other rices that work well are Roma, Vialone, Carnaroli, Nano and Maratelli.

A perfect Arborio dish is rich and creamy, so these starchy brands of rice are essential to the texture. If you use regular short or long grain generic rice, for example, you will likely wind up with sticky sushi rice.

Since every risotto we've ever made has taken a different amount of cooking stock, our suggestion to you is to have plenty at hand when your preparation is taking place. 5-8 cups is about our norm.

Why do stock amounts vary so? Because, for some you add wine in the early stages, others you add porcini mushroom broth (a byproduct of reconstituting dried porcinis. Dried is about the only way most of us can get them. We can buy fresh porcinis in the Denver metro area but they cost around $35 a pound). Porcinis grow under chestnut trees in Italy, and the stock from reconstituting the dried ones is earthy and deeply flavorful, "killer good", in fact.

So, have 8 cups of stock on hand to start. Homemade chicken, shrimp or beef stock, whichever goes best with your risotto of the day, will produce far superior results to packaged. Homemade stock is well worth the trouble, but if you have to use processed, you are still going to have a really good dish!

Here are the general cooking instructions for preparing a simple, vegetable risotto, to give you an example of what we have found to be the best means of making these dishes:

The formal version of this recipe, with the full ingredients list, is here: Fennel And Onion Risotto Heat 6 cups of chicken stock to just simmering. (have at least 2 more cups handy just in case) Add some chopped herbs such as Italian parsley, thyme or basil to the stock.

Coarsely chop one medium fennel bulb, one medium onion, 4 garlic cloves and 1 cup of pecorino Romano cheese (ewe's milk Romano), and have handy 1 cup of cooked green peas. Reserve for correct time to add.

Heat 2 T of olive oil or butter in a well-seasoned, cast iron skillet (or the heaviest, non-stick skillet you have.)

Add about 3-4 T of chopped shallots or onions to the oil and sauté for 2-3 minutes over medium heat.

Add your Arborio rice. For this example, we'll use 1 cup. This is enough to feed four to six as either a first course (the Italian tradition), or as a main course.

Stir the rice well with the onions and oil, because the purpose is to thoroughly "coat" the rice. This helps regulate absorption of the liquid.

Add 1/4 cup of dry flavorful white wine. Your choice. We've even used "Meade" which is quite a flavorful addition.

Add your vegetables, except for the peas.

When the wine is about 3/4's absorbed, reduce the heat to the lowest setting if you are cooking in an iron skillet, (low medium if in anything else), and ladle in enough stock to cover the smoothed out risotto.

When the added liquid level drops about 1/3, re-cover the risotto with more stock.

Continue this process for about 20 minutes.

When the stock absorption rate slows down considerably, add the cooked peas.

The end of the cooking is critical for the final texture of the dish, so when the rice is mostly tender, but with just a hint of texture to it, and the liquid you have added to this point is mostly absorbed, add the Romano and 2 T of butter.

At this point, stir the risotto profusely to blend in the cheese and butter and remove your finished risotto from the heat.

Let it stand for 3 or 4 minutes and then serve in pasta bowls, garnished with some freshly chopped Italian parsley.

An oaky Italian chardonnay goes well with this dish.

All right, you are a seasoned risotto chef now. Bada bing, bada boom!

Now that you are a "skilled" preparer, make some of the others you will find links to at the bottom of this page. We will be adding more risotto recipes as time goes on.

Buon appetito always!
Brought to you with love from
Aunt Aletha and Dear Old Dave

*************************************************************

New Italian Recipes Presents:
Italian Fennel And Onion Risotto (with peas)

Ingredients:
1 cup Italian Arborio rice
3 + 3 T e. v. olive oil
2 medium to large onions, coarsely chopped
1 medium to large fennel bulb, white part chopped coarsely, greens frozen and reserved for making chicken or shrimp stock.
1 1/2 cups peas
1/4 cups fresh Italian basil, finely chopped
A few little pieces of the fennel green leftovers
1/2 cup dry white wine, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio
6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1/2 cup pecorino Romano cheese
2 T butter or yogurt butter
1/4 cup Fresh, finely diced, Italian Parsley
!/4 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano

Preparation:
Set chicken stock to a slow simmer in a large sauce pan or soup pan, add in basil and fennel green scraps.

In a large cast iron skillet or large non-stick skillet, heat 3 T olive oil to medium low.

Add the onions and fennel, and cover. Let the vegetables soften and release their juices for at least ten minutes. Remove to a separate bowl.

Add the other 3 T of olive oil to the same pan for 30 seconds, then add the Italian Arborio rice.

Toss with rice a few times to coat it well with oil. This helps the rice to absorb the cooking juices slowly. It also helps create the silky texture that we so love in a really professionally done risotto.

Add the onions and fennel back in with all their incredibly flavorful juices.

Also, add the wine and let it reduce by about 3/4.

Now you add a ladle or two of the barely simmering stock, stir a little, make sure the developing fennel and onion risotto is completely covered with juices and simmer over low heat. let it just simmer for a few, until the liquid is absorbed and the liquid level is just below the top of the rice.

Add more stock. You don't have to stir this time but make sure the rice is completely covered again.

And just keep repeating this for about fifteen or so. You are just about done now, so add the peas.

Let the level of the liquid in your risotto reduce by about half.

It's now time to taste for tenderness of the rice. If the rice is tender enough for your personal taste (we like it really tender with just a tiny bit of crispness), add the cheese and butter, stir them in thoroughly and let the risotto continue to cook until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed, then remove from heat.

Please let the dish stand for about 5-7 minutes and the flavors will meld (marry) a bit more.

Serve in bowls (we've got these really cute Italian bowls we serve risotto and pasta in).

Top with grated Parmigiano-reggiano and freshly chopped Italian Parsley.

Lasagna

From "diana's kitchen, http://www.dianaskitchen.com/page/recipes03/0922_lasagna.htm"

I think this would be better with fresh garlic and fresh basil, if you have basil growing in your yard. (I just bought some at trader joe's, although it's getting a beating from the snails, I hope it's gonna make it.) You can also cut up some parsley and mix it up with the ricotta, and an egg so it is firm. I would also put some spices in there so it has more flavor. You can also saute some spinach and zucchini and add a layer or two of vegetables, yum! Make sure the last layer on top is cheese. I usually cover it up with tin foil for most of the baking, and them remove for the last few minutes. This is a recipe in progress, I want to check with my mom about certain details :)

• 8 ounces lasagna noodles
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 8 ounces mushrooms, optional
• 1 jar (about 16 ounces) spaghetti sauce, your favorite
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon dried leaf basil, crumbled
• 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions; drain and set aside. In a large skillet, brown beef, onion, and mushrooms; drain well. Stir in spaghetti sauce, garlic powder, salt, oregano, and basil. In a 2-quart buttered baking dish (about 11x7x2-inches), layer 1/3 of the lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the sauce and 1/3 of the ricotta cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat layers twice. Bake lasagna for 30 minutes, or until thoroughly heated and bubbly. Let stand for 8 to 10 minutes before cutting and serving. Serves 6 to 8.

I WANT YOU!

TO GIVE ME YOUR RECIPES!

Got a great cookie recipe? Know how to make some mean barbeque? Can fix a salad that'll knock yer socks off? Was everyone drooling over your pasta dish at the last company picnic? Don't be shy! Be proud! Share your recipes :)

Baker's One Bowl Brownies

My Personal Favorite. Made these way too many times in middle school and high school, probably explains why I wasn't better at track ;) They are incredibly quick and easy, but very tasty. Best when not overcooked.

4 squares BAKER'S Unsweetened Baking Chocolate
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup coarsely chopped PLANTERS Pecans

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Line 13x9-inch baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Grease foil.
MICROWAVE chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Add flour and pecans; mix well. Spread into prepared pan.
BAKE 30 to 35 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Do not overbake.) Cool in pan on wire rack. Remove brownies from pan, using foil handles. Cut into 24 squares. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature.


An easy way to make this even more yummy is Paula Dean's Caramelized Brownies, which I saw on her TV Show but haven't made yet. They looked really yummy and pretty. She tops them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Man that girl is crazy.


1 package chewy brownie mix (recommended: Duncan Hines)
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare the brownie mix according to the package directions. Pour batter into a greased 9 by 13-inch pan. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the pecans and sugar and cook, over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves. Drizzle the caramel mixture over brownie batter and bake until a toothpick can be inserted and withdrawn cleanly, 25 to 30 minutes.

Chicken in Sweet and Zesty Raisin Sauce

This is from the Sunmaid raisin website, Lance made this for me and it came out really well. He used fresh tomato instead of canned, which I think was a good substitution, and probably fresh ginger would taste good too. He served it with some kind of yellow rice (I was thinking it had saffron in it, but he said it was cumin I think, and a salad. It was a good meal.)

Chicken in Sweet and Zesty Raisin Sauce
Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can (14.5-oz.) diced tomato
3/4 cup Sun-Maid Natural Raisins
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger or 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

HEAT oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
BROWN chicken breasts 3 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and set aside.
TO SKILLET, add tomatoes, raisins, lemon juice, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon and pepper.

BRING to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 3-5 minutes or until slightly reduced.
ADD chicken breasts to pan. Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Fried Rice

already cooked rice
some kind of cooked meat
scrambled egg
cooked veggies
frozen peas and/or carrots
soy sauce
fish sauce and/or oyster sauce
sugar
cinnamon and/or anise (if you like)
cayenne pepper

***lots of variations on this one. basically: mix the rice with all the pre-cooked ingredients (you can mix in the frozen peas/carrots as well, they will de-thaw in the mix). heat up a frying pan to high heat and put some oil in it. add the rice/meat/veggie/egg mixture to the pan, and pour the soy sauce and other sauces on top, adding spices and pepper to your taste. fry, being careful not to burn. This is a good way to use up leftover rice, and a tasty way to get your veggies.

:)

thanks to leah (who taught me this recipe), who fixed a very boring veggie mix that I made, using a brown rice/veggie mix, using a stir-fry method, but she added allspice and cumin. it came out great.

Seafood Pasta

5-6 Prawns
4 strips Bacon cut into squares
3/4 cup green beans
1 tbs fresh basil
4 sun dried tomatoes
1/2 cup scallops
salt to taste
black pepper to taste
cayanne pepper to taste
"spike" seasoning to taste
dried basil
2 cups pasta. corkscrew
olive oil

*** always listen to music while you cook. I recommend KPIG or cuban/latino. cook the pasta, adding salt and some olive oil to the pot. defrost the prawns and scallops. cook the bacon in the pan, and once it's started to harden, add the green beans. cook the green beans, adding some olive oil if necessary. add the seafood, and the spices. cook at medium low heat until the prawns are pink. pour the pasta into the frying pan, and taste. if necessary, add more spices. add the fresh basil and sun dried tomatoes (cut the sun dried tomatoes into small pieces)

serve with a salad

Recent Pics

Here is a pic of an eggplant dish I made. There's also pics from a hike in Big Basin, and from my Dad and me on Father's day :)

~Deirdre

Steak Salad

Cook a steak (grill or stir fry) - but don't overcook it. Slice it into long, thin strips.

Mix up a green salad. I think this is best with spinach, arugula, or an herb mix, but it could work with anything. Cut up some heirloom tomato and an avocado and mix that in.

Make a salad dressing of some olive oil and vinegar, proportions to your fancy, put in some salt and some freshly grated pepper. Squeeze in some lemon juice. Mix it up with a fork.

Mix up the steak, and the greens, and pour the dressing on top. Toss.

Yum!

Green Curry

I made a modified version of this last night. This version is courtesy of Thai Kitchen. (as you can probably tell) I think it's good with some bamboo shoots as well, maybe about a quarter cup, also bell pepper and peas. I think it would be good with tofu, as long as you don't simmer it so long that it disintegrates.

Green Curry with Basil

Smooth and rich with a delicate hint of basil.

1 (14 oz.) can Thai Kitchen Pure Coconut Milk (Regular or Lite)
1-4 Tbs. Thai Kitchen Green Curry Paste
1/3 cup vegetable or chicken stock
2-3 Tbs. Thai Kitchen Premium Fish Sauce
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1⁄4 cup chopped basil leaves
1 1⁄2 cups assorted vegetables, cut into 1” pieces (try red bell pepper, zucchini, peas, or your favorite combination)
12 oz. chicken breast, cut into 1” pieces
Thai Kitchen Jasmine Rice

Mix the coconut milk, green curry paste, stock, fish sauce, brown sugar and basil in a 2 quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the vegetables and chicken and simmer for an additional 10 minutes, until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Serve over cooked Thai Kitchen Jasmine Rice. Serves 4.

Free or Cheap Things To Do In Santa Cruz

1. Garage Sales
2. Go to the Beach
3. Hiking: Big Basin, Cowell, Nisene Marks
4. Events at the University
5. Walking around on Pacific
6. Walk on Westcliff
7. Farmers Market
8. Flea Market
9. Gardening
10. Get a Chai in a Coffee shop and write in your journal - (the attic, pergolessi's, the ugly mug, lulu's)
    
11. Browse at Record stores (streetlight)
12. Museum of Natural History in Seabright
13. Go to the Garden of Eden swimming hole in Felton
    

Events:

See: http://santacruz.org/index.shtml
http://www.ucsc.edu/news_events/calendar/
http://www.gtweekly.com/

Fireworks at the wharf - Jun 16th 9PM

Free Friday night bands on the beach starting Jun 22 - http://beachboardwalk.com/concerts/

Digital media celebration Jun 8-10 http://danm.ucsc.edu/web/Emergence2007

Juneteenth celebration - celebrates the signing of the emancipation proclamation. jun 16th. Laurel Park 12-5

Japanese Cultural Fair Jun 23. Mission plaza park

Inter tribal council & youth powwow - santa cruz county fairgrounds. jun 23

woodies on the wharf - jun 23

capitola summer twilight concerts on the esplanade. jun wed's 6-8. www.ci.capitola.ca.us

Free First Fridays at the Museum of Art and History! www.santacruzmah.org

Arboretum at UCSC
arboretum.ucsc.edu

Santa Cruz Saturday Market at San Lorenzo Park