Tart Cranberry Dipping Sauce

I like dipping sauce for turkeys--or chicken or whatever. This one is pretty tasty. I added extra sugar and syrup to make it a little less tart.

Tart Cranberry Dipping Sauce

1 pound frozen cranberries
2 cups orange juice
3 cups ginger ale
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 orange, zested

Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive saucepan (stainless steel), and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 to 45 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half.

Carefully puree with stick blender or blender until smooth. Check for seasoning and serve in small ramekins.

Alton Brown's Cranberry Dipping Sauce

'Cheesy' Scalloped Potatoes

I don't consider scalloped potatoes as a classic Thanksgiving potato dish, but that's okay. These are pretty good. They are vegan, but I imagine you could use real cream cheese as well. They don't get the nice brown top like you do in the oven, but it is convenient.

‘Cheesy’ Scalloped Potatoes


2 Tbsp. dried minced onion
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 Tbsp. minced parsley
1 tsp. salt
Black pepper, to taste
8 potatoes, sliced
8 oz. vegan cream cheese, cubed

Lightly grease a crock pot. In a small bowl, combine the onion, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper.
 Layer 1/4 of the sliced potatoes on the bottom of the crock pot. Sprinkle with 1/4 of the seasoning and top with 1/3 of the vegan cream cheese cubes. Repeat the layers, ending with the seasonings.

 Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours, or until the potatoes are tender. During the last half hour of cooking, stir the potatoes.

vegcooking.com

Crock Pot Herbed Zucchini

This is one of the many dishes that we had a Vegan Thanksgiving-- or Thankful Veghead as my sister calls it. I liked it. It wasn't a traditional Thanksgiving dish, but it was easy (a crockpot dish) and good. It is pictured in the top left of this crowded plate.

Crock Pot Herbed Zucchini


2 lbs. zucchini (unpeeled), sliced
2 vegetable bouillon cubes
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
2 Tbsp. dried minced onion
2 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1 cup tomato juice

Mix all ingredients together carefully in crockpot. Cover and cook on high setting for 3 to 4 hours. If thicker sauce is desired, remove cover during last hour.

Homemade Gravy

I have never made homemade gravy before. I have tried some made by family that had no flavor so I was satisfied with the jar stuff. This year, I decided to try it. I made some changes. We didn't have any Cognac so I just used extra white wine. We also smoked the turkey, so now drippings. The gravy was okay. I think it tasted like onion gravy. Way too much onions in it. Also, I cooked it a little too long. So don't follow the recipe exact if you think it is getting thick. So I will try gravy again, but not this one.

Homemade Gravy

1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (2 onions)
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Defatted turkey drippings plus chicken stock to make 2 cups, heated
1 tablespoon Cognac or brandy
1 tablespoon white wine, optional
1 tablespoon heavy cream, optional

In a large (10 to 12-inch) saute pan, cook the butter and onions over medium-low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Don't rush this step; it makes all the difference when the onions are well-cooked.

Sprinkle the flour into the pan, whisk in, then add the salt and pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock mixture and Cognac, and cook uncovered for 4 to 5 minutes until thickened. Add the wine and cream, if desired. Season, to taste, and serve

Ina Garten's Homemade Gravy

Ciabatta Stuffing with Chestnuts and Pancetta

I don't really like stuffing. Something about wet bread that I just don't like. I did try this and it had some really good flavors. Just didn't like the texture. Of course, I never eat stuffing for Thanksgiving. I don't have any preconceived ideas about what stuffing should taste like. Some people are very particular. So if you are willing to try new recipes, this has a really good flavor. And I didn't get any pictures of Thanksgiving. I promise to do better :)

Ciabatta Stuffing with Chestnuts and Pancetta

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
8 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 (7.4-ounce) jars roasted peeled whole chestnuts, coarsely broken
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 pound day-old ciabatta bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup (or more) canned low-salt chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, beaten to blend

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter a 15 by 10 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a large bowl. Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, rosemary, and garlic. Saute until the onions are very tender, about 12 minutes. Gently stir in the chestnuts and parsley. Transfer the onion mixture to the large bowl with the pancetta. Add the bread and Parmesan and toss to coat. Add enough broth to the stuffing mixture to moisten. Season the stuffing, to taste, with salt and pepper. Mix in the eggs.

Transfer the stuffing to the prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down, and bake until the stuffing is heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the top is crisp and golden, about 15 minutes longer

Giada DeLaurentiis' Ciabatta Stuffing with Chestnuts and Pancetta

Delux Restaurant

I am sorry about not posting very often. But we have had non-stop company at the same time that I started a new job--plus 2 holidays! Did I mention that we are re-tiling our shower? Let's just say that I have been busy. I promise in a week, there will be more consistent posting. Maybe not as many as when I wasn't working for 3 months, but more. So here's a little review of a restaurant in Phoenix. It's an upscale burger joint. The burgers are really good. Large burgers, good buns, good toppingd. Not a huge menu, but they also have good fries. You can get regular or sweet potato--or a mix of both. They have ketchup and another sauce that kind of tastes like the Bloomin' Onion sauce at Outback. And they come in a mini shopping cart! So cute. If I had a restaurant, I would do something like that. They are also located next to a gelato place. Yum.

Blazin' Baked Beans

Beans, beans, the musical fruit .. . .. So true, so true. Although I don't think it's really the beans that are musical. More like music-inspiring. So these are really spicy. Beware. Use less, more, or no chipotle chiles depending on your tolerance level. We followed the recipe and they were very warm for me. But not "grabbing my water" warm. They are really easy to make, but make sure you  have enough time to bake them.

Blazin' Baked Beans

1/4 pound finely diced bacon slices (raw)
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons finely chopped chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
5 (16-ounce) cans navy beans, rinsed and drained
1 (18-ounce) jar low-sodium barbecue sauce
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.

Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan, and set bacon aside. Add onion to drippings in pan; sauté 3 minutes.

Combine bacon, onion, and remaining ingredients except cooking spray in a large bowl; toss well. Spoon the bean mixture into a 13 x 9-inch or 2 1/2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.

Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream

This a another David Lebovitz recipe. I know, I know. But I have come to trust his recipes. I think it is from his book, but you can find it here . This was very good--not quite great-- especially if you like dark chocolate. I think next time I would just use some really good milk chocolate. Use what you like. I used frozen berries and regular old Hershey's cocoa. I don't think the type of cocoa matters, since there is no reaction involved (google the difference between Dutch and regular cocoa if you are confused).

Pistachio Gelato

Apparently this David Lebovitz guy knows what he is doing. I found this recipe on his website. He has a book out called The Perfect Scoop as well. I am not sure if this recipe is in it, but I plan to find out. Between the book and the website, you are sure to find something good to make. Now this is gelato, so it has a intense flavor. That's a good thing. There was a minor issue of the pistachio paste. I had pistachios, so I assumed that I could make some without havng to hunt down a store that carried the paste. I found several recipes that called for bitter almond extract as part of the recipe. What? Don't know where to find that and I wanted this gelato soon. So I finally found one that called for equal parts pistachio to powdered sugar. Just grind the nuts in the food processor and add the sugar. Give a whirl. Then add water a little at a time until it forms a paste, like marzipan. I had to find some conversions to figure out that 7 ounces is about 3/4 cup plus 2 T. And Voila. Super yummy gelato.

Pistachio Gelato

2 cups (½ liter) whole milk
1/3 cup (65 gr) sugar
2 tablespoons (16 gr) cornstarch (also known as corn flour)
7 ounces (200 gr) Bronte pistachio paste
a few drops of lemon or orange juice (I forgot to add this, it was fine)

Make a slurry by mixing the 1/4 cup of the milk with the cornstarch, mixing until the starch is dissolved and the mixture is smooth.

Heat the rest of the milk in a medium-sized saucepan with the sugar. When it almost starts to boil, stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook at gentle simmer for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, scrape into a bowl, and chill thoroughly, preferably overnight.

Once chilled, whisk in the pistachio paste and just a few drops of citrus juice until smooth. Freeze the gelato in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions.

7 Layer Dip

Got some avocadoes? Why make guacamole when you can make 7 layer dip. Of course, I prefer my dip without the sour cream or guacamole. Many people do like all the layers, and this was pretty good. It's also very versatile. Pick whatever ingredients you like. Refried beans or black beans. Cheddar cheese or monterrey jack. Yum.

7 Layer Dip

2 cups of refried beans, either from one 15-ounce can or homemade

1 teaspoon (or more) of bacon fat (or 1 strip of bacon, cooked and minced) optional
1 teaspoon of chipotle powder, Tabasco chipotle sauce, or adobo sauce, more to taste (or plain chili powder to taste)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt
1 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup chopped green Anaheim chiles (canned) OR a Tbsp of chopped pickled jalapenos (more to taste)
1 avocado, peeled and chopped
1 hot house tomato, cut in half horizontally, seeds and juice gently squeezed out and discarded, chopped
1/3 cup of sour cream, or if you can get it Crema Mexicana (Mexican sour cream)
1/2 small can of sliced ripe black olives
Heat the refried beans in a medium sauté pan or cast iron skillet. Stir in enough water to get a creamy, easily dip-able consistency, about 1/4 of a cup. The taste of refried beans is greatly enhanced by bacon fat; we'll add a teaspoon to canned beans or a tablespoon or more to taste if we are making the beans from scratch. If you don't have bacon fat, you can cook up a strip of bacon, chop it up fine and add that to the beans. If you are trying to avoid pork, note that most canned refried beans are made with added lard, so check the ingredients. You can use olive oil instead, to help the consistency of the beans.

Mix in the chipotle chili powder (or Tabasco, or adobo, or regular chili powder) and cumin to taste. Note that the avocados and the sour cream will cool down the spiciness of the beans considerably, so you can afford to be a bit more spicy than you might think. Stir in salt to taste, depending on how salted your refried beans are to begin with, and depending on how salty the tortilla chips are that you are serving with the dip.

Once the beans are hot and bubbly, spread them over the bottom of a warmed serving dish. Immediately add the shredded cheese so that the heat from the beans helps melt the cheese. (The cheese doesn't need to be completely melted, but even if it is just a little, it will help the dip stay on the chip.)

Layer on the chopped green chilies, chopped avocado, chopped tomato. Spoon on the sour cream (or crema Mexicana, crema fresca, or even cream fraiche). Top with sliced green onions and olives.

Serve immediately with tortilla chips.

White Bean and Roasted Eggplant Hummus

I'm not a huge fan of hummus, so I am going to say that this recipe is only okay. If you really like hummus, you may like this. I had some eggplants to use and brought this to a family function.

White Bean and Roasetd Eggplant Hummus

1 (1 1/2-pound) eggplant or 3 Japanese eggplants, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

Olive oil, for drizzling, plus 1/3 cup
Kosher salt, for seasoning, plus 1/2 teaspoon
Freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning, plus 1/4 teaspoon
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
1 clove garlic
1 hothouse cucumber, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and place an oven rack in the middle.

Place the eggplant on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Set aside to cool.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the cooled eggplant, beans, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add 1/3 cup of olive oil until the mixture is creamy. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Place the hummus in a dipping bowl and serve with the cucumber slices. Alternatively, spoon the hummus over the cucumber slices and arrange on a serving platter.

Milk Chocolate Ice Cream with Candy Pieces

This ice cream is amazing. Thank you David Lebovitz! I do not normally eat plain chocolate ice cream, but I would eat this plain. On that note, why eat plain when you can add good stuff. So pick your favorite candy, chop it up, and stir it in! I avoided candy with caramel in it, because it just gets hard and crunchy if you don't make it freezer friendly.

Milk Chocolate Ice Cream with Candy Pieces

8 ounces (230g) dark milk chocolate (at least 35% cacao solids), broken or chopped
1 1/2 cups (375ml) whole milk
3/4 cup (150g) sugar
pinch of salt
4 large egg yolks
1 1/2 cups (375ml) crème fraîche or heavy cream, or a combination (see Note)

Put the pieces of milk chocolate in a large bowl and set a mesh strainer over the top. Then make an ice bath in a larger bowl (or the sink), that you'll rest the bowl of milk chocolate within later.

In a medium-sized saucepan, warm the milk, sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks.

Once the milk is warm, slowly pour about half of it into the yolks, whisking constantly, to warm them. Scrape the warmed yolks back into the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly with a heatproof utensil, until the custard thickens and coats the spatula.

Immediately strain the custard over the milk chocolate, and stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Whisk in the crème fraîche or heavy cream (or combination of the two).

Rest the bowl of milk chocolate custard in the ice bath, and stir until cool. Chill thoroughly, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Should the custard get very thick once chilled, whisk it vigorously before adding it to your machine, which will thin it out so it's pourable.

To add the candy pieces, add to ice cream maker during last few minutes of the stirring process--or stir into mixture before freezing in freezer container.
Note: If using crème fraîche, chill the ice cream within eight hours of adding the crème fraîche; letting it rest in the refrigerator overnight and turn the whole batch a bit too-tangy. If using heavy cream, it's fine to chill overnight.

Banoffee Pie

I think I have finally figured out the appropriate proportion of this recipe. I used Paula Deen's recipe as a basis. I think this recipe is much better when you make your own crust, dulce de leche, and whipped cream. You can buy premade, but it's just not as good.

Banoffee Pie

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
7-8  tablespoons butter, softened
1 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
3 large bananas
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix graham cracker crumbs with softened butter and press mixture into 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes.

Lower the oven to 300 degrees F for the toffee filling.

To create toffee filling, caramelize the sweetened condensed milk. Pour the condensed milk into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Cover with foil and place dish inside a larger poaching pan. Add water to poaching pan until half way up sides of baking dish. Bake for 1 1/2 hours.

I actually prefer the boiling method. Cover can with water in a large pot. Cook on medium heat for 3 hours. Make sure that the can is ALWAYS covered with water. It can explode if it becomes uncovered.
Once both the crust and toffee filling are cooled, spread half of the filling evenly inside crust. Slice the bananas and layer on top of filling. Pour remaining half of filling over bananas, spreading evenly. Whip the cream with the confectioners' sugar and vanilla and spread on top of toffee filling and bananas

Chicken Pot Pie

Talk about comfort food. Pot pies are so good. Like chicken soup but in a yummy, flaky crust. I can never finish one, so I think I will make smaller pies next time. I have made this using the garam masala pot pie filling as well. So good. So much better than the frozen ones--but I did love those as a kid.

Chicken Pot Pie

Pastry
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small chunks
3/4 cup ice water, plus more if needed

 Pot Pie
shredded chicken from rotisserie chicken (about half the chicken)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 quarts chicken broth
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 carrots, cut in 1/2-inch circles
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup fresh sweet peas, about 1 pound
1 garlic clove, chopped
Leaves from 8 fresh thyme sprigs
Needles from 1 fresh rosemary sprig, chopped
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 egg mixed with 3 tablespoons of water, for egg wash
Coarse salt

To make the pastry: Combine the flour and salt in a very large mixing bowl. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender or your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour in the ice water and work it in to bind the dough until it holds together without being too wet or sticky. Squeeze a small amount together, if it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Make 4 equal size balls of dough and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate while preparing the rest of the recipe (feel free to make the dough the night before if you prefer.)

To make the pot pie filling: Wipe out the stockpot and put it back on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Melt the butter and just as the foam subsides, add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or whisk to prevent lumps. This is a roux, which will act as a thickener. Cook and stir the roux until it's the color of a California blonde. Now, gradually pour in the chicken broth, whisking the entire time to prevent lumps. Whisk and simmer for 10 minutes to cook out the starchy taste of the flour and thicken the broth; it should look like cream of chicken soup. Fold in the carrots, pearl onions, peas, garlic, rosemary, thyme, and lemon juice; stir to combine. Simmer for 10 minutes to soften the vegetables a bit; season the mixture with salt and pepper. Stir in the shredded chicken until incorporated, remove from the heat and cool to room temperature; it will get quite thick as it cools down.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator and set it out on the counter for 5 minutes to warm up a bit, making it easier to roll out.

Sprinkle the counter and a rolling pin lightly with flour. Take each dough ball and separate into 2 smaller balls--keep one slightly larger than the other. Roll out larger ball so that it covers your oven safe dish. Scoop pot pie filling to fill bowl. Roll out smaller ball and cover bowl. Squeeze edges together to seal. Cut a slit in the top of pie. Lightly beat the egg with 3 tablespoons of water to make an egg wash and brush it on the dough. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Place the chicken pies in the oven and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until puffed and golden. Let the chicken pie rest for 10 minutes before moving it.

Source: Tyler Florence

Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are basically a recipe from Betty Crocker. I just changed half the chocolate chips to milk chocolate. These are hands down the best cookies in the world. They are perhaps the best food in the world. I think if I were on a deserted island, I would want these with me. The secret to making truly great cookies is to cook them just right. Not too crispy, not too raw (some grocery stores often have that not cooked enough center, ick). The size of the cookie affects that a little. So keep an eye on them while they are cooking!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2/3 cup margarine (I prefer to use Imperial margarine rather than butter in these)
2/3 cup shortening (I use the butter flavored one)
2 eggs
1 T vanilla
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chip
6 ounces milk chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix thoroughly shortening, butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla. Stir in remaining ingredients. Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown. Cool slightly before removing from sheet.

Sloppy Joes

These sloppy joes do not taste like the ones I ate as a kid. They are much sweeter. The recipe came from my husbands small file of recipes--that I am sure came from his mother. They are very good. Sometimes I make these, sometimes I make the less sweet more tomatoey kind. Both are yummy. Sloppy joes are just so easy to make, I love them.

Sloppy Joes

1 lb hamburger
1/2 cup ketchup (I bet you can use a combo of tomatoe paste and tomato sauce)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 T mustard
2 tsp Worcestshire sauce
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder

Brown and drain hamburger. Mix all ingredients and simmer on stovetop for 15 minutes.

West Indies Guava Barbecue Sauce

I got 5 little yellow guavas in my basket this week. Never had a fresh guava before. This one had a bunch of inedible seeds in it. After taking the seeds out, there wasn't much fruit left. So I made something easy that didn't require a lot of guava flesh. Barbecue sauce. Can't say that I tasted the guava, but the sauce was good. I forgot to get some liquid smoke, but it had a nice sweet, tangy, and a little spicey flavor.

West Indies Guave Barbecue Sauce

1 guava - peeled, seeded, and chopped

1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons liquid smoke flavoring
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon habanero hot sauce
1 teaspoon molasses
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

In a large saucepan over low heat, stir together the guava, tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, and brown sugar until well blended. Stir in liquid smoke, fresh lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, habanero sauce, and molasses. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Cover, and cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.

Chili-Garlic Roasted Broccoli

Roasting vegetables is good. I keep discovering that it works for more and more vegetables. I never would have thought that broccoli would be good in the oven. This is a really simple and flavorful recipe. Sprinkle on some seasonings and oil and cook for 20 minutes in the oven. Voila!

Chili-Garlic Roasted Broccoli

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, eyeball it

5 to 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon grill seasoning blend (recommended:Montreal Steak Seasoning by McCormick Grill Mates)
1 large head broccoli, cut into thin, long spears


Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, chili powder and grill seasoning in the bottom of a large bowl and add the broccoli spears. Toss to coat broccoli evenly then transfer to a large nonstick baking sheet. Roast the broccoli until ends are crisp and brown and stalks are tender, 17 to 20 minutes.

Source:
Rachel Ray

Filipino Avocado Milkshake

Avocado beverage trial #3. I saved this one for the last because I expected it to be the most avocado flavored of them all. It was. It's not a strong avocado flavor, but it's there. Many people would like it. I don't. I didn't gag or anything, but I really liked the first recipe the best. Green Goblin potion wins!! It really does have them best name anyway.  I guess I learned that avocado can be added to my already tasty smoothies for extra nutritional value, but I will avoid the plain avocado milkshake.

Filipino Avocado Milkshake

1 avocado - peeled, pitted, and cubed

5 cubes ice
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/3 cups milk
1 teaspoon fresh lemon or lime juice
1 scoop vanilla ice cream

Place avocado, ice, sugar, milk, lemon juice, and ice cream into a blender. Puree until smooth.



Source: All recipes

Chocolate Avocado Milkshake

Avocado beverage trial #2. This one fell a little flat. Only because it tasted a lot like milk with cocoa powder in it. The powder didn't blend so well. I think it would benefit to use chocolate syrup instead of powder or just use chocolate soy milk or almond milk. Can't taste the avocado. Maybe a banana would be a good addition as well.

Chocolate Avocado Milkshake

½ ripe Hass avocado
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cup skim milk

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend on high until smooth and serve over ice.

Source: skinny chef

Green Goblin's Punch

With a title like this, it seems this recipe is perfect for Halloween. That was not my intention, but it works. I actually was reading about the nutritional benefits of avocado and decided there had to be a way to eat it but didn't taste it. Not a fan of guacamole. I found a bunch of smoothie and milkshake recipes. This is avocado drink recipe trial #1. With the strong flavors of orange and pineapple, the only reason you know this has avocados is the light green color. It is actually really good.

Green Goblin's Potion

1 medium or large ripe avocado
1 1/2 cup fresh pineapple
1 Tbs honey
1 1/2 cup orange juice
2 tsp lime juice (optional)
1/4 tsp coconut meat or flavor
2 ice cubes--or a handful

Blend all ingredients in the blender.
 
Website Source: bewellbuzz.com

Skeptical Salad (Winter Version)

My sister dubbed this salad "Skeptical Salad" because she was skeptical about it tasting good. Now she makes it all the time. I can't remember what magazine I got it out of, but it is now a classic at my house. The original recipe uses sliced strawberries. I wanted an option for the winter when you can't get good strawberries. I chose pomegranates. They have the same sweet/tart balance as strawberries. I still prefer the original version, but the winter version is good too. For the glazed walnuts, Emerald makes really good ones. You can try the bulk bins (Sprouts has them) or even make them yourself. Make sure you use good lettuce-- Romaine or the fancy greens. Iceberg just doesn't work in this recipe. I often omit the green onions. They aren't bad. They add a bit of spice, but I think it is unecessary.

Skeptical Salad

Mixed greens

1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced OR 1 pomgranate (avrils only)

11 ounce can of mandarin orange segments

2/3 cup green onions, sliced (I rarely add this)

1 cup glazed walnuts

Toss all ingredients

Dressing
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup honey
2 T vegetable oil
2 tsp Dijon mustard

Mix all ingredients. Refrigerate until serving.

Honey Chipotle Ribs

I decided to try a new ribs recipe when my husband requested them for dinner. I think good ribs are more about how you cook them than what sauce you use. Sauce is important, but there are plenty of good ones out there. The important thing is to cook your ribs until the meat falls off the bone--love the crock pot for that-- and then put it on the grill so that it has that crispiness. MMMM, crispy.

Honey Chipotle Ribs

2 racks baby back ribs, cut into 2 to 3 rib portions
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups ketchup
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 tablespoons Tabasco Chipotle Sauce, or to taste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Heat oven to 375°.
Line a large baking sheet (with sides) with heavy duty foil. Place rib sections, rib sides down, on the baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour.

Combine remaining ingredients in a food processor or blender; process until smooth.

Transfer ribs to the slow cooker; cover with onions and pour the chipotle barbecue sauce over all. Cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or HIGH for about 4 to 5 hours.

Persimmon Pomegranate Fruit Salad

I suppose it's not very often that most people are wondering what to do with their pomegranates and stumble across a recipe with persimmons and think "hey, I have those too!" Well, it could happen. Or maybe you think this sounds good and want to take advantage of the fall fruit. The one thing I did not have was apples, so I substituted some pears. While this is not a complicated recipe, it is good. I think it is the only recipe for fruit salad in which I have ever used mint. Mint, when used correctly, is a great punch of flavor. Just don't use too much. I found this recipe on simplyrecipes.com.

Persimmon Pomegranate Fruit Salad

3 fuyu persimmons, peeled, chopped (1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces), seeds (if any) discarded

3/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1 Granny Smith or Fuji apple, peeled, cored, chopped (1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces)
7-10 leaves fresh mint, thinly sliced crosswise (stack then, then roll them up like a cigar and take slices from the end)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey

Gently toss all of the ingredients together.
Keeps for at least a couple of days in the refrigerator, but best eaten same day it is made.

Chocolate Hazelnut Gelato

Giada De Laurentiis really knows her way around Nutella. I'm not sure what makes it gelato, but it sure does taste amazing. I didn't get a chance to take a picture, but just imagine a scoop of velvety, creamy, chocolate goodness. Drool.

Chocolate Hazelnut Gelato

2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar, plus 1/4 cup
4 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)
1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, crushed, for garnish

In a saucepan combine the milk, cream, and 1/2 cup sugar over medium heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whip the egg yolks with the remaining sugar using an electric mixer until the eggs have become thick and pale yellow, about 4 minutes. Pour 1/2 cup of the warm milk and cream mixture into the egg mixture and stir. Add this mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Place a strainer over a medium bowl and pour the warm custard mixture through the strainer. Stir in the vanilla and hazelnut spread until it dissolves. Chill mixture completely before pouring into an ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions to freeze. To serve, scoop gelato into serving bowls and top with hazelnuts.

Green Beans with Toasted Hazelnut Lemon Butter

Who doesn't like green beans? This recipe is simple, quick and really brings them to a whole new level. The best part? You can make the butter ahead of time and even use it on other vegetables. I make this for holidays, dinners, or just because. If you can't find any fresh green beans, you could even use frozen.

Green Beans with Toasted Hazelnut Lemon Butter

1 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened

3 tablespoons finely chopped hazelnuts, toasted
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
2 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
8 cups water
1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed

Combine butter, hazelnuts, rind, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl; stir with a fork until well blended.
Bring 8 cups water and remaining 1 3/4 teaspoons salt to a boil in a large saucepan. Add green beans; cook 3 minutes. Drain. Return pan to medium heat. Add beans and butter mixture; cook 3 minutes or until the butter mixture melts. Toss gently to coat.

Chocolate Ferrero Rocher Cake with Nutella Ganache

I saw this recipe while doing some recipe surfing one day and decided I had to try it. Well, I did. I have to say, my version of the cake should be named "disaster cake." I did some research and have figured out the probable culprit. Actually, there are 3 culprits. The recipe I found is based on  a recipe that is from the NY Times, but there are a couple of differences. I wish I had read the original recipe before I tried to make it.

First, in the adapted recipe the temperature was listed at 200 degrees Celsius. After converting this online, I got 392 degrees Fahrenheit. The original recipe says to bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. And too hot of an oven leads to cracks in your cake. I had a lot of cracks---it essentially cracked apart.

Second, this recipe calls for 4 "Singapore eggs." Now what the heck are these? After a little more digging, the person who changed the recipe says that she thinks that eggs in Singapore are smaller than the typical American egg. So she added another one. So I had one too many eggs.

Thirdly, she changed the oil that the original called for to butter on a 1:1 ratio. This is inaccurate since it will add a smaller amount to liquid--thus a drier cake.

Did I mention the ganache was too thin?

This is the first time that a cake I made has ever completely collapsed. Now I know why. Check out the pictures. It is officially a disaster cake. Now, the idea behind the cake is good. I may attempt it again. But I definitely have learned some lessons.

Chocolare Ferrero Rocher Cake with Nutella Ganache

Vegetarian Hash

Skillet dishes are a good way to use up some vegetables that you have. They're easy and flexible-- as long as you know which vegetables take longer to cook. I used onion instead of shallots, replaced the red bell peppers with  more green, and used my white potatoes and just cut them a little smaller. Vegetable goodness.

Vegetarian Hash

3/4 lb new potatoes, unpeeled
1 small acorn squash, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped, divided
olive oil cooking  spray
4 tsp olive oil
2 shallots, minced
2 cups broccoli, shredded
1/3 cup each or red and green bell pepper
2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a bowl, lightly toss potatoes and squash with 1/2 tsp rosemary, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 2 tsp oil. Place on baking sheet misted with cooking spray. Bake for 25 minutes until tender, toss every 10 minutes.

Heat remaining 2 tsp oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Saute' shallots, broccoli and bell peppers for 1 minute. Add potato-squash mixture and cook for 5 minutes or until heated. Sprinkle with lemon juice, remaining 1/2 tsp rosemary, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and heat through.

Turkey Tenders with Cranberry Yogurt Dipping Sauce

I love chicken nuggets. Or in this case, turkey nuggets. I've discovered that you can bread meat in just about anything and it's always good-- panko, regular bread crumbs, pretzel, pita. Not only that, the seasoning possibilities are endless. Well, these are pretty basic, but I really liked them. They're easy and healthy (from the Clean Eating  website). My husband really liked the dipping sauce. I thought it was way too tangy. I used my favorite nugget dipping sauce, honey, to make it better. It is really good with the honey. You can adjust the amount of honey to your own taste--I highly recommend it.

Turkey Tenders with Cranberry Yogurt Dipping Sauce

2 whole-wheat pita breads

1 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
1 lb turkey tenderloins
1 clove garlic, split
2 tsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place pita breads on the foil and bake until dry and crispy, about 7 to 10 minutes.

When the pita breads are cool enough to handle, break them up and grind them into coarse crumbs with a food processor. Stir in salt and fresh sage. Place the seasoned crumbs onto a plate.

Dry off turkey tenderloins with a paper towel. Rub split garlic clove all over the meat. Cut the tenderloins into 1 1/2-inch chunks and place in a bowl. Add olive oil to bowl and, using your hands, mix until the meat is evenly covered with the oil.

Roll each piece of turkey in the seasoned bread crumbs until well coated and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the turkey is cooked through and no pink remains. Serve warm with Cranberry Yogurt Dipping Sauce.

Cranberry Yogurt Dipping Sauce

1 cup fat-free Greek-style yogurt
1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries

 Combine yogurt and dried cranberries in a food processor and blend until cranberries are finely chopped. Serve with Turkey Tenders.

Udon Noodle Soup

This recipe is a hodge-podge of a bunch of recipes that I saw online. It's not a hard soup to make. You just need some dashi--essential in Japanese soups. It can be home made or made from granules like a boullion. The can be made with kelp, bonito, or mushrooms--or all of these. I went to the Asian supermarket to get my dashi granules. While there I picked up some daikon--Japanese radish and oyster and dried shitake mushrooms. I had a soup at a Japanese restaurant once and was really hoping to recreate it. I'm sure this wasn't perfect, but it was very good. I did find it a little tricky to eat the noodles in the soup. Maybe next time I will break them in half first.

Udon Noodle Soup

I didn't really measure, so this is a best guess on the amounts

6 cups dashi

1/2 pack of udon noodles

1/4 cup green onions

1/2 cup matchstick carrots

1/2 cup matchstick daikon

3/4 cup mushrooms (shitake, oyster, whatever you want)

1 lb ground pork

2 cloves garlic

1 T ginger

2 T soy sauce
1 T mirin
2 tsp sugar
poached egg (optional)

Boil udon noodles until al dente. Set aside. Prepare dashi. Add soy sauce, sugar, and mirin. Add onions, carrots, mushrooms, and daikon. 

Mix pork with ginger and garlic. Roll into small meatballs. Heat frying pan over medium heat and cook 5 to 8 minutes, turning until browned all over. Add to soup.

Place noodles in bowl and cover with soup. Place poached egg on top, if desired.

Persimmon-Apple Tart with Gingersnap Streusel

Persimmons are not exactly a fruit you see a lot of here in Arizona. I have learned that they are a cold weather fruit. That explains it. I got 2 in this weeks produce basket and found them on sale at the Asian market to get 2 more (Sprouts also had them, but they were a lot more expensive there). Gotta say, love google. I learned that there are 2 common types--Fuyu or Hayachi. The Hayachi can only be eaten when really ripe and mushy. The Fuyu, which is what I had, can be eaten anytime. It works really well in a tart since it is crisp like an apple. So I googled some persimmon recipes. The cookies and breads didn't peak my interest. This tart that I stumbled across on the Cooking Light's webpage sounded yummy. I can't help but think that persimmons look like tomatoes and almost expect that flavor. They really taste similar to a pear. I used a pastry crust from Joy of Vegan Baking that was really good and flaky. The gingersnap streusel was a nice punch of flavor. If you don't like gingersnaps, you could use a vanilla wafer.

Persimmon-Apple Tart with Gingersnap Streusel


Pastry for a single-crust 9-inch pie

1 cup crushed gingersnap cookies
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
About 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tart apples, such as Newtown Pippin or Granny Smith (1 lb. total)
4 firm-ripe Fuyu persimmons (1 1/2 lb. total)
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Roll pastry out on a floured board to fit a 9-inch tart pan with removable rim. Lay pastry in pan, easing into corners. Fold excess pastry down and flush with pan rim, then press against pan side so pastry extends about 1/8 inch above rim.

Bake in a 350° oven until pastry is lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Use hot or warm.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, stir together crushed gingersnaps, brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons flour. Mix in melted butter. Squeeze mixture to form lumps. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix granulated sugar and cornstarch. Peel, core, and thinly slice apples. Stem, peel, and thinly slice persimmons. Add fruit to bowl along with lemon juice and mix well.

Pour mixture into pastry and shake pan to settle filling evenly, then crumble gingersnap mixture over it. Bake tart on lowest rack of a 325° oven until pastry is browned and filling bubbles, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Lay a sheet of foil over streusel if it begins to darken before pastry is done. Let stand until warm or at room temperature; remove pan rim

Turkey Sausage Ragu

I recently discovered a magazine called Clean Eating. The basic idea of clean eating is to eat foods more naturally, not processed. I love the idea. Can't always follow it. But I try. So far, I have made a couple of recipes from this magazine that are really good. I am constantly trying new fruits and vegetables these days--or old ones in new ways. This one has kale in it. Who knew kale could be so tasty? Nothing fancy, just a really good pasta recipe. I love that you can taste all the ingredients without having a sauce that overpowers it.

Turkey Sausage Ragu


3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for garnish
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
8 oz. spicy Italian turkey sausage, casings discarded
1/4 tsp. chile flakes
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1/2 cup red wine
1 14.5 oz. can chopped tomatoes in juice
1 tbsp. fresh oregano leaves, torn with fingers
1 large bunch kale, cleaned, stems discarded, rough chopped
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
8 oz. whole-wheat pappardelle, fettuccine or tagliatelle pasta
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
Parmigiano Reggiano, for garnish

Add 1 tbsp. oil, onion and thyme to a medium pot over medium heat. Stir to coat, cover and cook until onion is softened and just beginning to color, 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Uncover pot, add sausage, chile flakes and garlic, and continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Off the heat, carefully deglaze by adding wine. Return to heat and reduce for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, oregano and kale. Stir well, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove cover and continue cooking until sauce is reduced and slightly thickened, 10 minutes. Stir in an additional 2 tbsp. oil plus vinegar. Season with salt and black pepper.

When sauce is almost finished cooking, add pasta to a large pot filled with boiling salted water and cook until al dente, following package directions. Drain well and immediately toss with tomato reduction to coat. Then serve, topped with a drizzle of oil, a sprinkling of parsley and Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings.

Cheryl's Shredded Brussel Sprouts with Lemon

I never had Brussels sprouts as a kid. So I don't have any childhood prejudices towards them. After having Brussels sprouts a few times, I have decided that they need to be made with a little flavor help but are decent. Little mini cabbages. I found this recipe in the newspaper and decided to try it. It's pretty good.

Cheryl's Shredded Brussel Sprouts with Lemon

1 sweet yellow onion, chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
2 pints Brussels sprouts, shredded or sliced very thin
1 large lemon, juice and zest
4 T butter
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup sliced, fresh mushrooms
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Chop onion. Mince garlic. Shred sprouts by finely slicing with knife. Grate 1 tsp zest from lemon and squeeze 3 T of juice. In large frying pan or wok, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until soft, 5 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook for 1 minute. Add sprouts, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally until tender, about 15 minutes. Add lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in cheese.

Pork Katsu

I don't remember what prompted me to find a katsu recipe. Although it's not really much of a recipe, it is good and easy to make. I used some extra pork loin to make this recipe.

Pork Katsu and Katsu Sauce

4 boneless pork loin chops
Salt and pepper
Flour (about 1/4 C)
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 C panko


Katsu Sauce
1/4 C ketchup
2 Tbsp worchestershire sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp Dijon mustard

(recipe from Nook & Pantry) Make a slice through the fat and silverskin (tough whitish fiberous membrane) that surrounds the outer edge of the chop every 2 inches around the chop. This helps the chops flatten more evenly and prevent them from curling when cooked. Pound each cutlet with a meat mallet until 1/4 in thick. Use the waffle surface (spiky side) to tenderize the meat and the smooth side to pound the chop to a thin even layer (the bottom of a pan also works).

Salt and pepper both sides of the pork chop then dredge the pork cutlet in flour and shake off the excess. Then coat the chop in beaten egg and bread with panko. Repeat for each cutlet.

Heat 1/4 in of oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Place the pork chops in the hot oil and fry each side until golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes per side. Drain on paper towel and pat off the excess oil.

Cut into bite size pieces before serving. Serve with rice and katsu sauce

Sweet Basil Tapenade

This is a recipe from my sister's present to me. She gave me an extra copy of the book Veganomicon so that I could make vegan stuff for her. She's so thoughtful. The tapenade is so good that my dad has even made it. Not just liked it. He made it himself. That's impressive. Normally, we just serve it on baguette slices--toasted is better-- and it's great that way. This time I had some extra and decided it would taste good on grilled chicken. And it does. So I used the chicken recipe from Giada and just switched out the basil dressing for the tapenade (the basil dressing is also tasty--makes a nice lemony grilled chicken). The slightly tart lemon on the chicken was a perfect compliment to the sweetness of the tapenade.

Sweet Basil Tapenade

3 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves

1 cup walnut pieces or halves

2 to 4 cloves garlic

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup walnut oil (can use more olive oil)

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

1 tsp grated fresh lemon zest

1&1/2 tsp  salt, or to taste

Black pepper

Chop the basil, walnuts, and garlic in a food processor until chunky. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the processor bowl frequency. Add the oils, maple syrup, and lemon zest, and process until thick and creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Store in a glass jar with a thin layer of olive oil on the surface and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Grilled Chicken With Basil Dressing

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus 1/4 cup
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds, coarsely crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
3 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
1 large garlic clove
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

Whisk 1/3 cup of oil, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, fennel seeds, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper in a resalable plastic bag. Add the chicken and seal the bag. Massage the marinade into the chicken. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day, turning the chicken occasionally.

Meanwhile, blend the basil, garlic, lemon peel, remaining 1/4 cup lemon juice, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a blender until smooth. Gradually blend in the remaining 1/3 cup oil. Season the basil sauce, to taste, with more salt and pepper, if desired.

Prepare the barbecue for medium-high heat or preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from the marinade. Discard the marinade. Grill the chicken until just cooked through, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to serving plates, drizzle with the basil sauce and serve.

Bourbon Peach Cobbler

It's pretty much the end of peach season. But if you still have some peaches and you want to make them into a delicious dessert, Tyler Florence's cobbler is amazing. MMMMMMMMMM Yum! The bourbon is not overpowering and when you put a scoop of vanilla on this, divine. I used skim milk instead of the cream in the dough and it was still good.

Bourbon Peach Cobbler

8 peaches, peeled and sliced, about 6 to 8 cups
1/4 cup bourbon
3/4 cup sugar, plus more for dusting
2 tablespoons corn starch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
3/4 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing (I used skim milk)

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large bowl add the peaches, bourbon, 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon and mix well to coat the peaches evenly; set aside.

Prepare the dumplings: Into a bowl sift together the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter into small pieces. Add it to the flour mixture and cut it in with a pastry blender or your hands until the mixture looks like coarse bread crumbs. Pour in the cream and mix just until the dough comes together. Don't overwork; the dough should be slightly sticky but manageable.

In a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-low heat, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Add the peaches and cook gently until heated through, about 5 minutes. Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls over the warm peaches. There can be gaps, the dough will puff up and spread out as it bakes. Brush the top with some heavy cream and sprinkle with some sugar; put it into the oven on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Cook for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is browned and the fruit is bubbling

Noodles with Roasted Pork and Almond Sauce

Cooking Light's latest issue has a bunch of noodle-based recipes. You really can't go wrong with noodles and almond/peanut sauce. I substituted Udon noodles for the fettucine and natural peanut butter for the almond butter, since I already had those on hand. Just a little heat and plenty of flavor, this one is easy and good.

Noodles with Roasted Pork and Almond Sauce

1/2 teaspoon canola oil

1/2 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 ounces uncooked fettuccine (or any long type, fatty noodle)
1/4 cup almond butter (peanut butter works too)
2 1/2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
1 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh mint
 
Preheat oven to 425°.


Drizzle oil in an ovenproof skillet. Sprinkle pork with 1/8 teaspoon salt and pepper; place pork in pan. Bake at 425° for 10 minutes. Turn pork over, and bake an additional 10 minutes or until a thermometer registers 155°. Place pork on a cutting board; let stand 10 minutes. Shred pork into small pieces.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain pasta in a colander over a bowl, reserving 2 tablespoons pasta water; keep pasta warm.

Combine almond butter, 2 tablespoons pasta water, remaining salt, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, and chili garlic sauce. Divide pasta evenly among 4 bowls; top evenly with sauce, pork, onions, and mint.

Apple Cupcakes with Cinnamon-Marshmallow Cupcakes

I saw these cupcakes while waiting in line at the grocery store (in the Eating Well magazine). I thought they sure looked like "eating well" to me. Or more like eating delicious. Well, they were okay. Not bad, but not great. The marshmallow frosting was definitely sticky, but not very marshmallowy.

Apple Cupcakes with Cinnamon-Marshmallow Cupcakes


Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups shredded peeled apples
1/2 cup diced dried apples
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, plus 3/4 cup, divided

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
1/3 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk
Frosting
1 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup water
4 teaspoons dried egg whites (see Note), reconstituted according to package directions (equivalent to 2 egg whites)
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for garnish

To prepare cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12 (1/2-cup) muffin cups with cupcake liners or coat with cooking spray.

Combine shredded and dried apples in a bowl with 3 tablespoons brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Set aside. Beat oil and the remaining 3/4 cup brown sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined. Beat in eggs one at a time until combined. Add vanilla, increase speed to high and beat for 1 minute.

Whisk whole-wheat flour, cake flour, baking soda, salt and the remaining 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon in a medium bowl.

With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the batter, starting and ending with dry ingredients and scraping the sides of the bowl as needed, until just combined. Stir in the reserved apple mixture until just combined. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. (The cups will be full.)

Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before frosting.

To prepare frosting: Bring 2 inches of water to a simmer in the bottom of a double boiler (see Tip). Combine 1 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup water in the top of the double boiler. Heat over the simmering water, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes. Add reconstituted egg whites, cream of tartar and pinch of salt. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed until the mixture is glossy and thick, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the top pan from the heat and continue beating for 1 minute more to cool. Add vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and beat on low just to combine. Spread or pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle cinnamon on top, if desired.

Make Ahead Tip: Store unfrosted cupcakes airtight at room temperature for up to 1 day.
Equipment: 12 (1/2-cup) muffin cups

Ingredient Note: Dried egg whites are pasteurized so this product is a wise choice in dishes that call for an uncooked meringue. Look for brands like Just Whites in the baking or natural-foods section of most supermarkets.

Sweet Pea Baking Company's Vegan Pumpkin Bottoms

I hate pumpkin pie, but I don't hate pumpkin baked goods. Still not my favorite, but these are pretty tasty. So many people love pumpkin--especially in the fall--that I feel I must have something pumpkiny in my arsenal for festivities. I made the mini-muffin version of these, because people like little bites at parties (so they can try more desserts of course). The only thing I would change is to add something to the top. Maybe some vegan cream cheese frosting or drizzle some melted vegan chocolate on top. Yum.

Sweet Pea Baking Company's Vegan Pumpkin Bottoms

Cake batter:

1½ cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup water
1/3 cup oil
½ cup canned pumpkin purée
1 teaspoon vanilla
Filling:
4 ounces (½ tub) Tofutti cream cheese (non-hydrogenated)
¼ cup sugar
2½ teaspoons Ener-G Egg Replacer (or 1½ teaspoons cornstarch)
¾ teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon lemon zest
Pinch salt
3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate with fine pieces sifted out)

Make the batter: Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, pie spice and ginger together in a large bowl. Add the water, oil, pumpkin and vanilla and whisk until the batter is smooth.

Make the filling: In a food processor (or with a mixer in a pinch), blend the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the egg replacer, vanilla, lemon zest and salt and let the food processor run for a minute, until the mixture is smooth. Stir in chocolate chips.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard-size muffin tin with muffin cups. Fill each cup with 2 tablespoons of pumpkin batter. Drop 1 to 1½ tablespoons of the filling into the center of each and then top with the remaining pumpkin batter (about 1 heaping tablespoon on each). Bake until a toothpick inserted into the pumpkin part of the cupcake comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Note: You can also make these in a mini-cupcake tin, filling each cup with 1 tablespoon pumpkin batter and 1 teaspoon of the filling and topping with the remaining pumpkin batter. Bake them for 15 minutes, checking with toothpick for doneness.

Fried Corn

Corn is good. Unless it's canned creamed corn. Then, not so much. Last night, we grilled our corn. That is probably my favorite way to eat corn. Rub some olive oil on it and sprinkle on some salt and pepper. Then just throw them on the grill until they are fire-kissed. Super-yum. This recipe from Sandra Lee is yum too. I did lighten it a little  bit. I used a smidge of butter and them olive oil instead of all butter. I used honey, a little less than called for. And finally, I used skim milk instead of cream. I really liked the taste of the honey on the corn. I didn't miss the extra fat either.

Fried Corn

4 tablespoons butter

1 (16-ounce) bag frozen corn, defrosted (I used fresh off the cob)
3 tablespoons white sugar or honey  (I used 1 T honey)
1/3 cup heavy cream (I used skim milk)
Salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter. When butter is foamy add the corn stirring to coat with the butter. Cook stirring frequently for 1 minute. Add sugar or honey and cook for 2 minutes more. Increase heat to high and add heavy cream-continue to stir so corn won't stick to pan. Add salt and pepper. Cook corn until most all of the cream has absorbed about 5 minutes more. Remove add serve hot