Monday, December 16, 2013


Ingredients
1 cup fresh baby lima beans (from about 1 1/2 pounds in the pod) or other shelling bean (such as edamame)
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
Sea salt
1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (raw, from 2 ears)
2 nectarines, cut into thin wedges
1 Hass avocado, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large orange bell pepper, finely julienned
1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

Directions
1.  In a small saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the lima beans until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the beans and rinse under cold water.

2.  In a large bowl, whisk the lime zest and juice with the olive oil, scallion, jalapeño and shallot; season the dressing with salt. Gently fold in the lima beans, corn, nectarines, avocado, orange pepper and tomatoes. Refrigerate the “ceviche” for at least 2 hours. Fold in the cilantro just before serving and serve the “ceviche” chilled.


MAKE AHEAD The salad can be refrigerated for up to 8 hours and eaten over the course of a week! 

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Beet & Citrus Salad


Yield: 8 to 10 servings * Hands-on: 30 minutes * Total: 2.5 hrs
Ingredients:
3 medium-size fresh beets
3 Ruby Red grapefruit
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 cups loosely packed arugula
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pistachios

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Trim beet stems to 1 inch; gently wash beets, and place in an 8-inch square pan. Add 1/4 cup water, and cover with aluminum foil. Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes or until tender. Uncover and cool completely (about 30 minutes).

2. Cut a 1/4-inch-thick slice from each end of grapefruit using a sharp, thin-bladed knife. Place, flat ends down, on a cutting board, and remove peel in strips, cutting from top to bottom following the curvature of fruit. Remove any remaining bitter white pith. Holding peeled grapefruit over a bowl, slice between membranes, and gently remove whole segments. Reserve 1/4 cup juice.

3. Whisk together olive oil, next 4 ingredients, and reserved 1/4 cup grapefruit juice in a bowl.

4. Peel beets, and slice into wedges. Arrange arugula on a large platter; top with grapefruit and beets. Drizzle with vinaigrette; sprinkle with pistachios. Add salt and pepper to taste.

From Southern Living December 2013 Magazine.

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Quinoa Corn Edamame

YIELDS ABOUT 4 CUPS

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups frozen, shelled, edamame
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup cooked, cooled quinoa (leftover is great)
1 green onion, sliced (just green parts)
½ red sweet bell pepper, diced
2 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro
1½ Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp dried thyme
⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
dash of cayenne

STEP 1:
Briefly boil the edamame and the corn, just until tender. Drain very well and cool completely.

STEP 2:
In a large bowl, combine the edamame, corn, quinoa, green onion, red pepper and cilantro.

STEP 3:
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lime juice, salt, chili powder, black pepper, thyme and cayenne until emulsified. Drizzle mixture over salad mixture and toss to coat. Cover and chill for at least two hours

Recipe found on 86 lemons.

Sriracha Chicken Pozole

Picture from original recipe posting. Find it here.


INGREDIENTS

  • 2 large beefsteak tomatoes (cored if desired)
  • 4 large dried guajillo peppers
  • 10 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 white onion cut into 1/2 inch rounds
  • 5 whole cloves, 3 Tbs. sriracha sauce
  • 1/2 tsp ground allspice
  • 3 Tbs. vegetable oil
  • 3 Tbs. distilled white vinegar
  • 2 tsp granulated sugar
  • 3 good pinches kosher salt
  • 2 large fresh poblano peppers
  • 2 pounds chicken (skinless boneless thighs and breasts)
  • 1 quart chicken broth
  • 2 tsp dried Mexican oregano
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1 sprig fresh mint
  • 2 (14.5 oz) cans white hominy, drained and rinsed
  • 1 avocado finely diced
  • 6 radishes finely sliced
  • 1 lime

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENT OPTIONS

  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme (1/2 teaspoon dry)
  • 1/2 teaspoon coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, optional
  • Shredded lettuce or cabbage
  • Diced tomatillos
  • Diced green or red bell peppers



DIRECTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 500. Score an X in the bottom of each tomato and place them on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Roast tomatoes for 25 minutes, until softened and slightly charred all over.
  • Cut the stems off the guajillo chiles and slice them lengthwise. Shake out the seeds. Lightly toast them in a small cast iron until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of cold water and let sit for 30 minutes, or until soft and pliable.
  • Back the skillet, toast the onions and garlic until you see good charred marks on all sides, and the onions have softened, about 10 minutes.
  • To a blender, add the tomatoes (with the skins peeled), onions, garlic, chiles (drained from water), sriracha sauce, cloves and allspice. Puree for a good two minutes, until very smooth. Add a little water if needed.
  • Heat the vegetable oil in a large dutch oven over medium high. Add the puree (it will probably splatter) to the pan and and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add a cup of water, vinegar, sugar and a Tbs. of salt. Partially cover and simmer on a medium heat for 30 minutes, adding a little more water if needed, to keep it at the same consistency.
  • In the meantime, flip your oven to broil. Place the poblano peppers on a baking sheet and broil until blackened and charred all over, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately transfer to a small plastic bag, and seal it. Let sit for 15 minutes, allowing the skin to loosen. Once cool enough, peel the skin away from the peppers and slice into small strips.
  • After 30 minutes of simmering, add the chicken, cilantro, mint, Mexican oregano, hominy, chicken stock and another Tbs. salt. Stir to combine, and simmer on medium for another 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
  • Ladle pozole into bowls and garnish with sliced radishes, dice avocado, fresh sprigs cilantro and a good spritz of lime juice.


Sunday, August 25, 2013

Rosemary Chicken with Corn Quinoa

Ready in 40 minutes. Serves 4 or 5.

Chicken Ingredients:
4 skinned and boned chicken breasts (2 lb.)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation:
Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, and rosemary. Cook in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 6 minutes on each side or until done. Serve with quinoa.

Fresh Corn Quinoa Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups uncooked red quinoa
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 cups water
4 shallots or 2 small onions, quartered
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups fresh corn kernels
6 cups shredded greens (such as chard)
1/2 cup torn basil
1/4 cup torn mint
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation:
Bring quinoa, salt, and water to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 8 to 10 minutes or until tender; drain. Cover and let stand 15 minutes. Meanwhile, sauté shallots in hot olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat 3 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add corn kernels and shredded greens; cook 2 minutes or just until wilted. Add quinoa, basil, mint, and fresh lemon juice.

Recipe from Southern Living's September 2013 issue. See it here.

Monday, July 22, 2013

Chicken Piccata

Serves: 4 Calories: 365 Prep Time to Table: 30 minutes 
Ingredients:

  • 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • 2 ounces all-purpose flour, divided (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 T finely chopped shallots
  • 1 medium garlic clove, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 3/4 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth, divided
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation:

  1. Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Place 1 teaspoon flour in a small bowl, and place remaining flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle both sides of chicken evenly with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour in shallow dish; shake off excess.
  2. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken to pan; sauté 4 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.
  3. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in pan; swirl to coat (optional - turns out great without the added oil). Add shallots to pan; sauté 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add wine; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook until liquid almost evaporates, stirring occasionally. Remove shallots mixture and put on top of chicken, on serving plate(s).
  4. Add 1/4 cup broth to reserved 1 teaspoon flour; stir until smooth. Leave aside.
  5. Add remaining 1/2 cup broth to pan; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by half (about 5 minutes). Stir in flour mixture (from step 4); cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, juice, and capers*. Place 1 chicken breast half on each of 4 plates; top each serving with about 2 tablespoons sauce.
  6. Notes: *Not a fan of capers – so left these out of original recipe and also reduced shallots and garlic
Original recipe from Cooking Light Jan/Feb 2012. Used adapted recipe found here.

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Patriotic Peanut Butter Cookies (Frosted)


Prep time: 20 mins  *  Cook time: 20 mins  *  Total time: 40 mins  *  Serves: 24

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup butter (room temperature)
  • 1½ cups dark brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1½ cup chunky peanut butter (room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups white chocolate chips
  • 6 teaspoons vegetable shortening
  • red food coloring
  • blue food coloring


INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • In a stand mixer, combine the softened butter with the dark brown sugar and granulated sugar until well mixed.
  • Add the eggs and continue mixing until the eggs are completely incorporated.
  • Now pour the vanilla extract into the cookie dough and mixer for 30 seconds to combine.
  • Add the chunky peanut butter to the bowl and mix for 2 minutes, or until the peanut butter is completely mixed into the dough.
  • Now add the salt, baking soda, and flour and mix slowly for 2-3 minutes. The dough should be very sticky.
  • Scoop the dough onto un-greased baking sheets (2-3 tablespoons per cookie). Lightly press the cookie down to form a small disk (do not use a fork!).
  • Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges start to brown. Remove from the oven and let sit for a minute before moving to a cooling rack. Once the cookies are cool to the touch, move them to the refrigerator or freezer to cool completely.
  • While the cookies are cooling, separate the white chocolate chips into 3 bowls and add 2 teaspoons of shortening to each bowl. Microwave for 60-90 seconds to melt the chocolate. Add red coloring to one of the bowls and blue to another.
  • Once the cookies are cooled, place the cookies upside-down into the plain white melted chocolate to coat the top of the cookie. Place back in the refrigerator or freezer so that the chocolate can harden.
  • To add the red and blue stripes, use a spoon to spread the red and blue chocolate over ⅓ of the cookie. Again, place back in the refrigerator or freezer to harden. Store in the refrigerator until serving.
  • Note - I found it hard to apply colored frosting on top of the white frosting. As an alternative, I used a zip lock bag to pipe the colored frosting through.


Recipe from Zack and Cilantro Saga on Cooking & Beer.

Monday, April 8, 2013

Hot Cross Buns (Cinnamon Raisin Bread)

Active Time: 15, Total Time:  3.25 hours, Serves 13

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45
degrees C)
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon instant powdered milk
1/4 cup white sugar
3/8 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 egg white
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
3/4 cup dried raisins (or currants)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons water

CREAM CHEESE ICING
1 tablespoon cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:
1. Put warm water, butter, skim milk powder, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, egg, egg white, flour, and yeast in bread maker and start on dough program. My bread maker sets this program for 2 hours and 20 minutes.
2. When 5 minutes of kneading are left, add raisins and cinnamon. Leave in machine till double.
3. Punch down on floured surface, cover, and let rest 10 minutes.
4. Shape into 12 balls and place in a greased 9 x 12 inch pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place till double, about 35-40 minutes. I was able to let it rest for 10 minutes and it turned out fine.
5. Mix egg yolk and 2 tablespoons water. Brush on balls.
6. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 20 minutes. Remove from pan immediately and cool on wire rack.
7. To make crosses: mix together confectioners' sugar, and cream cheese. Put in a zip lock back and cut a corner, to allow icing an X on each cooled bun.

From AllRecipes.com. Frosting from previous recipe.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Dark Chocolate & Raspberry Banana Bread


Yield: 1 loaf | Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 50 - 60 mins
INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup granulated white sugar
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
  • 1/3 cup plain low fat yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chunks or chips
  • 1 cup halved raspberries, tossed in 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour


DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.
  3. In a separate large bowl, beat the sugar and butter with an electric mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended. Stir in the flour mixture; just until moist. Don't over-mix. Stir in the chocolate chunks and then gently stir in the raspberries. If you want, you can sprinkle a few additional chocolate chunks and raspberries on the top to make it look pretty.
  4. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Remove from pan and cool completely on the wire rack.


COMMENTS:
Source: Thank you Recipe Boy! Below are some comments they made on the recipe:
Since there have been some mixed reviews, we're adding in some tips to help you make this recipe a success (added 9/25/12)

  • This recipe turns out perfect for us, so here are the details: We bake at sea level in a greased pyrex pan and we bake on the middle rack in a gas oven.
  • Don't use frozen raspberries or freshly washed raspberries (they will add too much moisture).
  • If you bake in a dark metal pan or if you are baking at a different altitude or using an electric oven, you may possibly get different results.
  • Oven temperatures can vary quite a bit, so if you have an oven thermometer that is helpful to see if yours is recording the right temperature.
  • If the top is browning too quickly, cover the top with foil in the middle of baking to prevent it from browning further.

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Pasta, Pancetta and Kidney Bean Soup (Pasta e Fagioli)



YIELD: Makes 2 quarts, serving 5  ACTIVE TIME: 25 minutes  TOTAL TIME: 35 minutes


IINGREDIENTS:
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes packed in juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon butter
3 ounces pancetta or bacon, finely chopped (optional)
1 medium onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
2 (15 ounce) cans dark red kidney beans
2 bay leaves
1 cup small pasta such as shells, ditali, or elbows
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

DIRECTIONS:
Pour the tomatoes into a medium bowl and using hands, squeeze each tomato through your fingers to break it up into small pieces (be careful, they can squirt). Set aside.

Heat olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until butter is melted. If using pancetta, add to pan and cook, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add onion, garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring constantly until fragrant and softened but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and their juice, chicken broth, kidney beans, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce to a bare simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, adding pasta to soup for the last 5 to 10 minutes (depending on the package directions). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Discard bay leaves, stir in parsley and serve, drizzling each serving with extra-virgin olive oil at the table.

Original recipe from Serious Eats

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Winter Kale & Squash Citrus Salad



Ingredients
Kale
Butternut Squash, peeled, cut & roasted in 400 degree oven for 1 hour
Grapefruit
Dried Cranberries
Raw Cashews
Cherry Tomatoes
Balsamic Vinaigrette for dressing

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Waffle Iron Hash Browns



Ingredients
5 medium to small potatoes, yields two full waffles.
Butter

Directions
Peel, shred, and squeeze out all liquid. Spread melted butter on waffle iron. Put shredded potatoes on waffle iron for about 20 minutes.

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Blueberry Scones


Serves 8  *  Prep time 10  * Bake time 15  * Ready in 25

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen
1 container fresh blueberries (6 oz)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 large egg
Sugar in the raw, for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS:
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Grate butter into flour mixture on the large holes of a box grater; use your fingers to work in butter (mixture should resemble coarse meal).
3. In a small bowl, whisk sour cream and egg until smooth.
4. Using a fork, stir sour cream mixture into flour mixture until large dough clumps form. Use your hands to press the dough against the bowl into a ball. Gently stir in blueberries.
5. Place on a lightly floured surface and pat into a 7 to 8-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick. Use a sharp knife to cut into 8 triangles; place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, about 1 inch apart. Sprinkle with sugar in the raw.  Bake until golden, about 15 to 17 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.

COMMENTS: 
Original recipe found at allreceipes.com under name Simple Scones. Modified version above.