Wild Rice with Apples

There's something about wild rice that makes me feel like I am eating something really healthy. Oh wait, I am. It's even better when it tastes as good as this rice does. I used a rice blend instead of just wild rice. I think I am going to make this for the next vegan party I attend.

Wild Rice with Apples
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
2 cups chopped Pink Lady apple
1 cup chopped leek
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 cup apple cider
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
2 cups uncooked wild rice
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add apple; sauté 7 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Remove from pan.

Reduce heat to medium. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in pan. Add leek; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring occasionally. Stir in broth, 2 cups water, cider, and thyme; bring to a boil. Stir in rice; reduce heat, and simmer 55 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Drain and discard excess liquid. Return rice mixture to pan over medium heat. Stir in apple, pecans, salt, and pepper; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Pineapple Lassi

Like food, I love having new recipes for drinks all the time. This Cooking Light recipe is very good. Tastes very yogurty. Maybe not like a real lassi, but good nonetheless. I used some Greek yogurt. Thick, creamy and nonfat.

Pineapple Lassi

2 cups vanilla low-fat yogurt

1 cup canned crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1/4 cup light coconut milk
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon bottled ground fresh ginger (such as Spice World)
6 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in a blender; process until well blended. Serve immediately.

Veggie -loaded Tangy Tuna Salad

When my husband asked for tuna salad or lunch, I thought it was the perfect excuse to try this tuna salad. I have been making mine the same way forever, and I never order it at a restaurant. It's easy: tuna, miracle whip, mustard and relish. Never even measure. Well this recipe is basically the same . . . just with some veggies added. It gives it a crunchiness and makes it better for you. Sounds good to me.

Veggie-loaded Tangy Tuna Salad

8 ounce can of tuna packed in water, drained

1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper (I used green, you can use any color)

1/4 cup chopped carrots

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/3 cup fat-free mayo or miracle whip

2 tsp honey mustard (or regular mustard)

1 tsp sweet relish

dash of salt

dash of pepper

Combine tuna, mayo, relish, mustard, salt and pepper. Add veggies. Stir and spread on bread or crackers.

Nonna's Lemon Ricotta Muffins

Wow! If you make these (and you should), you have to eat one when it is still warm from the oven. Soooooo good. These look tasty and are tasty. Thank you Giada De Laurentiis.

Nonna's Lemon Ricotta Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar or more as needed for sprinkling
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/3 cup thinly sliced almonds

Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup sugar, butter, and lemon zest in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the ricotta. Beat in the egg, lemon juice, and almond extract. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until blended (the batter will be thick and fluffy).

Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle the almonds and then the remaining 1 teaspoon of sugar over the muffins. Bake until the muffins just become pale golden on top, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Sausage and Zucchini Rice

What to do with a giant zucchini from the Farmers Market? Make Rachael Ray's Sausage and Zucchini Rice. I think it would be very easy to substitute what you have in this recipe. I used chicken sausage and basil instead of parsley.

Sausage and Zucchini Rice

4 tablespoons butter
1 onion, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1-1/2 cups rice
One 32-ounce container (4 cups) chicken broth
1/2 pound hot Italian sausage, casings discarded
2 zucchini, cut into small cubes
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted


In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice and 3 cups chicken broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and cook until tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the sausage, breaking it up, over medium heat until no longer pink, about 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a plate. Add the zucchini to the skillet and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Return the sausage to the skillet, add the remaining 1 cup chicken broth and 1/2 cup water and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the rice along with 1/2 cup Parmesan, the parsley and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan and the pine nuts.

Vegetarian option: Skip the sausage and cook the zucchini in extra-virgin olive oil with corn kernels and sliced mushrooms.

Zucchini Cake

I think that this recipe came from my aunt. I'm not sure. It's been awhile. I usually make it as a bundt cake, but opted for muffin form this time. You just need to cook it for less time if you make muffins. MMMM, just as good as carrot cake.

Zucchini Cake

3 eggs, beaten

2 cups flour
1½ cups sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup oil
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups grated zucchini
1 teaspoon baking powder

Shift together all dry ingredients, then add eggs, oil, and zucchini. Pour into floured bundt cake pan and bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. Cool and shift powdered sugar over top.

Pomegranate Fish ....I mean Candied Orange Peel

I searched high and low for pomegranate molasses a while ago when I wanted to try pomegranate molasses baked beans. Found it. The beans tasted horrible. Incredibly tart. I thought I would try another recipe with my leftover molasses. It was also horrible. Pomegranate Fish That recipe required candied orange peel. No idea where to find that. Checked several grocery stores and finally decided to make it myself. I found a simple recipe on the Food Network website and now I know how to make candied orange peel--which many people consider a candy and make it during the holidays.

Candied Orange Peel

6 thick-skinned Valencia or navel oranges

4 1/2 cups sugar, plus extra for rolling
1 1/2 cups water

Cut tops and bottoms off of the orange and score the orange into quarters, cutting down only into the peel and not into the fruit. Peel the skin and pith of the orange in large pieces, use the orange for another recipe. Cut the peel into strips about 1/4-inch wide. Put the orange peel in a large saucepan with cold water to cover, bring to a boil over high heat. Then pour off the water. Repeat 1 or 2 more times depending up how assertive you want the orange peels to be. (Test kitchen liked the texture of a 3 time blanch best, it also mellowed the bitterness. But it is a matter of preference.) Remove the orange peels from the pan.


Whisk the sugar with 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 8 to 9 minutes
(If you took the sugar's temperature with a candy thermometer it would be at the soft thread stage, 230 to 234 degrees F.) Add the peels and simmer gently, reducing heat to retain a simmer. Cook until the peels get translucent, about 45 minutes. Resist the urge to stir the peels or you may introduce sugar crystals into the syrup. If necessary, swirl the pan to move the peels around. Drain the peels, (save the syrup for ice tea.) Roll the peels in sugar and dry on a rack, for 4 to 5 hours. Return to the sugar to store.

Cook's Note: One way to use orange peels is to stuff a dried date with a piece of orange peel and almond, then dip the entire thing into dark chocolate.