Japanese-Style Cabbage Salad

Rated: Prep Time: 25 Minutes Ready In: 25 Minutes Servings: 12

"This fabulous salad recipe is comparable to what is served in Japanese restaurants. It's vegan and tastes great! It goes well with traditional Japanese foods and also with American foods instead of coleslaw."

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons sesame oil 3 tablespoons rice vinegar 1 clove garlic, minced (optional) 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root (optional) Or 1 tsp powder 1 tablespoon white sugar (optional) 1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 large head cabbage, cored and shredded 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced 1 cup almond slivers 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds 1/2 cup shredded carrots Sunflower seeds (optional)

Directions:

1.	Whisk together sesame oil, vinegar, garlic, ginger, sugar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until the sugar has dissolved. Toss the cabbage, green onions, almonds, and sesame seeds in a large bowl with the dressing until well coated. Add dressing just before serving.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2010 Allrecipes.com

Printed from Allrecipes.com 5/27/

CHRISTINA NOTE: I used 1/2 of green cabbage and 1/2 red cabbage. I did not have fresh ginger but a tsp of powder ginger tasted great. I also added some apple cider vinegar. You could also crumble some dried ramen noodles on top. This is a yummy crunchy salad. See my add ins italicized in ingredients above.

Avrie and Halle even liked it. PS pic above is by me

Peanut Butter Bars

Super Yummy Peanut Butter Bars

3/4 c butter
3/4 c brown sugar
3/4 c white sugar
3/4 c peanut butter
2 eggs
3/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
1 1/2 c oats

Cream together first 8 ingredients with electric beaters. Add flour and oats. Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes. Do not over bake. Take them out just when the edges are brown, it will still look a little gooey in the middle. Spread with chocolate frosting after cooled.
Sarah S.

Cream Puffs

Cream Puffs recipe-

1 c water
1/2 c stick margarine or butter
1 c flour
4 large eggs

Heat oven to 400. Heat water and margarine to rolling boil in med. sized saucepan. Stir in flour; reduce heat to low. Stir vigorously over low heat about 1 minute or until mixture forms a ball; remove from heat.
Beat in eggs, all at once; continue beating until smooth. Drop dough by scant 1/4 cupfuls about 3 inches apart ( or bigger, just depending on the size you want) onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 35-40 minutes or until puffed and golden. Cool and cut off top third of each puff and pull out any strands of soft dough.
Fill with cream filling of vanilla pudding ( my favorite). Dust with powdered sugar, chocolate syrup, whipped cream or whatever else.

Chinese Chicken Salad

Chinese Chicken Salad

TOSS:
Chinese Cabbage
Regular Cabbage
Red Cabbage
Snow peas
Peppers - red / yellow / orange
Carrots
Radishes
Cucumbers
Cilantro
Cheese

Dressing:
2 T. brown sugar
2t. soy sauce
1 T sesame oil
¼ c. veg. oil
3 T. rice vinegar

Brenley

Super Simple Pesto Pasta

Another thing I like to make is pesto pasta...super simple..

Whole Wheat Pasta
Parmesan Cheese (grated from a block or preshred)
Pesto (homemade or store bought, I've tried both)
Cilantro
Tomatoes

Cook pasta, drain, then add cheese while pasta is still hot. Stir in small amounts to avoid clumps. Then add pesto and stir. Last, add cilantro and tomatoes. DONE!

It's so easy and you can add as much of any of that as you like. You could even add more veggies to it like bell peppers and I think it would taste fabulous!

:) Brenley

Spinache Quiche

Spinach Quiche -All Recipes.com

Rated:	Prep Time: 20 Minutes	Ready In: 1 Hour
Submitted By: Bailey	Cook Time: 40 Minutes	Servings: 6

"This savory deep-dish pie features herbed feta cheese that melts and mingles in every bite. The cheese is sauteed and mixed with spinach, mushrooms, Cheddar cheese and lots of garlic. This mixture is then combined with milk and eggs, and poured into a prepared crust. A bit more Cheddar cheese is sprinkled over the top, and then the quiche is slipped into the oven until it 's set."

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter 3 cloves garlic, chopped 1 small onion, chopped 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained 1 (4.5 ounce) can mushrooms , drained 1 (6 ounce) package herb and

garlic feta, crumbled 1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese salt and pepper to taste 1 (9 inch) unbaked deep dish pie crust 4 eggs, beaten 1 cup milk salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2.	In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Saute garlic and onion in butter until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Stir in spinach, mushrooms, feta and 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into pie crust.
3.	In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into the pastry shell, allowing egg mixture to thoroughly combine with spinach mixture.
4.	Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Sprinkle top with remaining Cheddar cheese, and bake an additional 35 to 40 minutes, until set in center. Allow to stand 10 minutes before serving. Note from Anne McDonald: Other ways to use this recipe! Stuffed chicken - put a chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and hammer flat with a mallet or cooking hammer. Then lay chicken out flat, fill with the mix, roll up, wrap with bacon and secure with tooth pics, cook on 350 for 20 to 40 minutes (just keep on checking) and there you have it. I also like to use it in place of just regular cheese for quesadillas, it works great with the Costco ones. You can just mix it with pasta and it turns out really flavorful and colorful. In an egg omelet Really the options are endless Have fun

Strawberry Shortcakes

Adapted from Claudia Fleming and Russ Parsons

Serves 6
1 2/3 cups (224 grams) all-purpose flour
3 1/2 tablespoons (50 grams) sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon (20 grams) baking powder
2 hard-boiled egg yolks
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (84 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 teaspoons lemon or orange zest (optional)
2/3 cup (168 grams) plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
Shortcake assembly
1/2 pound strawberries, washed, hulled and quartered
2 tablespoons (25 grams) sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup whipping cream, beaten to soft peaks

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, egg yolks, and salt. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and zest, if using, and pulse until the flour resembles coarse meal. Add 2/3 cup of cream and pulse until the dough comes together.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gather into a shaggy mass. Knead a couple times to make it into a cohesive mass and then pat it into a rough circle about 6 to 7 inches in diameter, and 3/4 to
1-inch thick.

Using a sharp knife, cut the circle into 6 wedges and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Alternately, you can use a cookie cutter to make shapes of your choice. Chill for 20 minutes (and up to 2 hours).
Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush the tops of the shortcakes very lightly with heavy cream and sprinkle lightly with the coarse sugar. Bake until risen and golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Turn the pan around halfway through to ensure even cooking.

While the shortcakes are baking, toss the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice together in a bowl. Let stand several minutes. (If the strawberries are extremely firm, do this 30 minutes in advance.)
Split the shortcakes in half horizontally and set the tops aside. Place the bottoms on dessert plates and heap strawberries over them. Spoon whipped cream generously over the strawberries and replace the shortcake tops. Serve immediately with any remaining whipped cream on the side.

Homemade Graham Crackers

Graham Crackers
Adapted from Nancy Silverton’s Pastries from the La Brea Bakery, and 101 Cookbooks, because for some absurd reason that will be immediately rectified, this book is not yet in my collection.

If you’re new to graham crackers, do know that the word “cracker” is misleading. They’re moderately sweet, like a cookie or biscuit, but they do have the snap of a cracker. I can’t say that I’d serve them with cheese, but if you’ve never schmeared them with cream cheese frosting, you’re missing out.

The topping amount will make a heavy coating, like the store-bought ones. Make only half if you just want a light-to-moderate sprinkling.

Makes 10 4 x 4.5-inch graham crackers or 48 2-inch squares

2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (375 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour (a swap of 1/2 cup with whole wheat flour or 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour works well here, too)
1 cup (176 grams) dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon (6 grams) baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt (4 grams)
7 tablespoons (3 1/2 ounces or 100 grams) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen
1/3 cup (114 grams) mild-flavored honey, such as clover
5 tablespoons (77 grams) milk, full-fat is best
2 tablespoons (27 grams) pure vanilla extract

Topping (optional)
3 tablespoons (43 grams) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon (5 grams) ground cinnamon

Make the dough: Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Pulse or mix on low to incorporate. Add the butter and pulse on and off on and off, or mix on low, until the mixture is the consistency of a coarse meal.

[Alternately, if you don't have a food processor or electric mixer, you can cut the ingredients together with a pastry blender. Just make sure they're very well incorporated.]

In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, milk, and vanilla extract. Add to the flour mixture and pulse on and off a few times or mix on low until the dough barely comes together. It will be very soft and sticky. Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap and dust it lightly with flour, then turn the dough out onto it and pat it into a rectangle about 1-inch thick. Wrap it, then chill it until firm, about 2 hours or overnight. Meanwhile, prepare the topping, if using, by combining the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and setting aside.

Roll out the crackers: Divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator. Sift an even layer of flour onto the work surface and roll the dough into a long rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. The dough will be sticky, so flour as necessary. Trim the edges of the rectangle to 4 inches wide. Working with the shorter side of the rectangle parallel to the work surface, cut the strip every 4 1/2 inches to make 4 crackers. [This makes a traditional graham cracker shape. I rebelled and made mine into 2-inch fluted squares with one of these.]

Place the crackers on one or two parchment-lined baking sheets and sprinkle with the topping. Chill until firm, about 30 to 45 minutes in the fridge or 15 to 20 minutes in the freezer. Repeat with the second batch of dough. Finally, gather any scraps together into a ball, chill until firm, and re-roll.

Adjust the oven rack to the upper and lower positions and preheat the oven to 350°F.

Decorate the crackers: Mark a vertical line down the middle of each cracker, being careful not to cut through the dough (again, this is for the traditional cracker shape). Using a toothpick or skewer (I like to use the blunt end of a wooden skewer for more dramatic dots), prick the dough to form two dotted rows about 1/2 inch for each side of the dividing line.

Bake for 15 to 25 minutes, until browned and slightly firm to the touch, rotating the sheets halfway through to ensure even baking. [The baking time range is long because the original recipe calls for 25 minutes but my new oven -- which I suspect runs crazy hot but have yet to confirm with the actual purchase of an oven thermometer -- had them done in way less. Be safe, check them sooner. Nobody likes a burnt cracker!]

Yellow Layer Cake

Best Yellow Layer Cake

Everyone needs a killer yellow cake recipe. This is mine, and dare I say, it should be yours too. It just works. Every time. And if you’ve ever tried a yellow cake mix and wondered why yours didn’t come out that consistently plush (but not freakishly unnatural) at home, dare I say it’s because you hadn’t made this one yet?

Yield: Two 9-inch round, 2-inch tall cake layers, and, in theory, 22 to 24 cupcakes, two 8-inch squares or a 9×13 single-layer cake (I have yet to audition the cupcakes, shame on me)

4 cups plus 2 tablespoons cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups buttermilk, well-shaken

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans and line with circles of parchment paper, then butter parchment. (Alternately, you can use a cooking spray, either with just butter or butter and flour to speed this process up.)

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition. At low speed, beat in buttermilk until just combined (mixture will look curdled). Add flour mixture in three batches, mixing until each addition is just Incorporated.

Spread batter evenly in cake pan, then rap pan on counter several times to eliminate air bubbles. (I like to drop mine a few times from two inches up, making a great big noisy fuss.) Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then run a knife around edge of pan. Invert onto rack and discard parchment, then cool completely, about 1 hour.

Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting
Adapted from The Dessert Bible

Yes, it’s true: A chocolate frosting recipe without any butter, whipped eggs and barely a modicum of added sugar. Oh, and you don’t even need an electric mixer to make it. What are you waiting for?

Only cooking note: Be sure that your sour cream is at room temperature before you make the frosting. I did not (the original recipe does not warn of this) and just as I poured in the melted chocolate, my super buzzed on my apartment door to check on my always-malfunctioning oven and when I’d returned minutes later, the chocolate had seized a little, leaving little bits (like chocolate chips!) throughout my frosting. These could have been strained out but I decided they made the cake more rustic. Nevertheless, room temperature sour cream — a temperature closer to the tepid chocolate — should allow you to avoid this, ringing doorbells or not.

[Concerned about the sourness? Perhaps you might enjoy some Instant Fudge Frosting instead.]

Makes 5 cups of frosting, or enough to frost and fill a two layer 9-inch cake

15 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/4 teaspoons instant espresso (optional, but can be used to pick up the flavor of average chocolate)
2 1/4 cups sour cream, at room temperature
1/4 to 1/2 cup light corn syrup
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the chocolate and espresso powder, if using, in the top of a double-boiler or in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Stir until the chocolate is melted. (Alternately, you can melt the chocolate in a microwave for 30 seconds, stirring well, and then heating in 15 second increments, stirring between each, until the chocolate is melted.) Remove from heat and let chocolate cool until tepid.

Whisk together the sour cream, 1/4 cup of the corn syrup and vanilla extract until combined. Add the tepid chocolate slowly and stir quickly until the mixture is uniform. Taste for sweetness, and if needed, add additional corn syrup in one tablespoon increments until desired level of sweetness is achieved.

Let cool in the refrigerator until the frosting is a spreadable consistency. This should not take more than 30 minutes. Should the frosting become too thick or stiff, just leave it out until it softens again.

Cheesecake-Swirled Brownies

Cheesecake-Swirled Brownies
Adapted from Gourmet, June 2007

It’s true, I have made these before. Well, not these, a different recipe and they’re good, great even, but I’ve always wanted to fix it up a little. That brownie recipe is wonderful, but not simplified enough for a two-step process and there was never enough cheesecakiness (oh yes, it is a word) to balance it. Also, my mother has always made hers with chocolate chips swirled into the cream cheese and although I feel that a good brownie should not need extra chocolate in the form of frosting or chips to make it work, it sure cuts fantastically through the cream cheese swirl. Thus, three changes and a new recipe was warranted. Make these instead.

I added the aforementioned chocolate chips and more unsweetened chocolate to the brownie recipe, as commenters seemed to feel it was not chocolaty enough. I don’t think anyone could make the same argument about these.

Makes 16 2-inch square, thick brownies

Brownie batter
1 stick (1/2 cup or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup all-purpose flour

Cheesecake batter
8 ounces cream cheese, well softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Plus
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Make brownie batter: Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Heat butter and chocolate in a 3-quart heavy saucepan — though I did mine double-boiler style, placing the mixing bowl I was using over simmering water, thereby creating one less dirty dish and melting the chocolate more gently — over moderately low heat, whisking occasionally, just until melted. Remove from heat and whisk in sugar, eggs, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until well combined. Whisk in flour until just combined and spread in baking pan.

Make cheesecake batter: Whisk together cheesecake batter ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. Dollop over brownie batter, then swirl in with a knife or spatula.

[I actually like using a butter knife because the tip of it is round enough that you can use it to fold bits of the brownie batter over the cheesecake batter for a more visibly marbled effect. Try it!]

Sprinkle chocolate chips over cheesecake/brownie batter swirl. Although it might be more logical to just mix them into the cheesecake batter (and feel free to do this, it will have no ill-effect) I thought it might interrupt the swirl-ability of it.

Bake brownies: Bake until edges are slightly puffed and center is just set, about 35 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Slicing tip: I like to chill my brownies until they’re almost frozen before cutting them. It makes it much easier to get a clean slice. I also like to eat my brownies super-cold, but that’s just personal taste.

Parmesan Cream Crackers

Parmesan Cream Crackers
Adapted from Mark Bittman

Maybe I’ve mentioned this before but I like The Minimalist column quite a bit for Bittman’s ideas and low-fuss approach to cooking, but when it comes to the execution of these ideas, I need a lot more detail to make them work. In this case, the recipe itself makes delicious crackers but I found rolling the crackers the recommended 1/2-inch thick to be still too thick, that they required docking to keep them from being little puffers and that I got the best browning from making them as individual crackers, not a large one scored. Below is the original recipe with my adaptations.

Rolling the dough 1/4-inch thick, I yielded 30 1 1/2-inch square cookies that shrank slightly and puffed to 3/8-inch thick

1 cup all-purpose flour, more as needed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese (alternate: I think Romano could also work well here)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup cream or half-and-half, more as needed
Coarse salt, pepper, sesame or poppy seeds or whatever you like for sprinkling (optional).

Heat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly dust with flour. Put flour, salt, cheese and butter in bowl of a food processor. Pulse until flour and butter are combined. Add about 1/4 cup cream or half-and-half and let machine run for a bit until a dough forms. If it does not come together, add more liquid a teaspoon at a time, until mixture holds together but is not sticky. (I only needed the ingredient levels as listed to pull the dough together.)

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface until 1/4-inch thick or even thinner, adding flour as needed. From here, you can either form them into individual crackers (I went for 1 1/2-inch squares cut with a fluted pastry wheel) and bake them an inch apart on your baking sheet (the method I used) or transfer the entire rolled-out sheet to your baking sheet (draping it over the rolling pin will make it easier) and score them lightly with a knife, pizza or pastry wheel to break into crackers after they are baked. For either method, dock all over with a fork and sprinkle with salt or any other toppings you are using.

Bake until moderately browned, about 12 minutes. Cool on a rack; serve warm or at room temperature or store in a tin for a few days.

Note: Mine were the most crisp before they’d been kept in a container. If you’re baking them less than a day in advance, I think they can be left uncovered to maintain their best texture.

Chana Masala

Chana Masala
Adapted from a Madhur Jaffrey recipe, which was adapted over here because much to my frustration, I own two Madhur Jaffrey books and this is in neither

This is an intensely spiced bright orange chana masala with a sourish bite that reminded of us the best restaurant versions we’ve tasted. I’m thrilled to finally have a good recipe for it at home.

The major changes I made were simplifying the addition of spices, adding more tomatoes and oh, the recipe calls for a tablespoon of amchoor powder, which I did not have. I looked it up and learned that it was dried unripe mango powder (which sounds so delicious to me, I’m buying it next time I go to Kalustyan’s, who also sells it online), which is clearly a sour flavor, so I upped the lemon juice i used instead. The dish had a nice sour snap at the end, so I will presume this is a good swap.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 medium onions, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 fresh, hot green chili pepper, minced
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (I used a quarter of this because my cayenne is extremely hot)
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1 tablespoon amchoor powder (see note)
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 cups tomatoes, chopped small or 1 15-ounce can of whole tomatoes with their juices, chopped small
2/3 cup water
4 cups cooked chickpeas or 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 lemon (juiced) (see note; I used a whole lemon to swap for the amchoor powder)

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion, garlic, ginger and pepper and sauté over medium heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Turn heat down to medium-low and add the coriander, cumin, cayenne, turmeric, cumin seeds, amchoor (if using it), paprika and garam masala. Cook onion mixture with spiced for a minute or two, then add the tomatoes and any accumulated juices, scraping up any bits that have stuck to the pan. Add the water and chickpeas. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, then stir in salt and lemon juice.

Eat up or put a lid on it and reheat it when needed. Curries such as this reheat very well, later or or in the days that follow, should it last that long.

Black Bean Soup

Black Bean Soup with Chipotle and Toasted Cumin Seed Crème Fraîche
Adapted from Bon Appetit

We finished this soup, by the way. Every last serving. We never do that. It’s magic, I tell you.

A big note about cooking times: The original recipe says 6 hours. Mine were done at 2 hours 45 minutes. Do black beans vary wildly in cooking time? Do slow cookers vary wildly in cooking time? These are all pressing questions. Check your beans at 3 hours, and holler at me in the comments if your cooking time ends up being much longer.

Yields 6 main course servings

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium-size red onions, chopped
1 medium-size red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium-size green bell pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 16-ounce package dried black beans
1 tablespoon chopped chipotle chiles from a can (this gives it a solid kick, dial back if you are wary)
7 cups hot water (I just used very hot tap water)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and both bell peppers and sauté until beginning to brown, about eight minutes. Add garlic and cumin; stir one minute. Transfer mixture to 6-quart slow cooker. Add beans and chipotles, then 7 cups hot water. Cover and cook on high until beans are very tender, about 3 hours. [See note up top.]

Transfer two cups bean mixture to blender; puree until smooth. Return puree to remaining soup in slow cooker. Stir in lime juice, salt, and pepper. Adjust seasonings to taste; we found we needed more salt. Ladle soup into bowls. Spoon dollop of toasted cumin seed cream (below) over each bowl and serve.

Do ahead: This soup keeps great in the fridge, and even thickens a bit. In a good way!

Toasted Cumin Seed Crème Fraîche
Hacked from Bobby Flay

1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds
1 cup crema or crème fraîche (or make your own crema, make your own crème fraîche, or swap sour cream or yogurt, for a close-enough taste)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Place the cumin in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Toast until lightly golden brown. Place in spice grinder or mortar and pestle and grind until coarse. Stir it into the creme and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Thick, Chewy Granola Bars

Thick, Chewy Granola Bars

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

This is probably the most flexible recipe I’ve posted. When it comes to granola, what you’re looking for is a basic proportion of chunky (nuts, dried fruit) to sticky (syrups, sugar, butter or oils) and from there, you can really go to town. The vanilla is optional. The cinnamon is optional. You can use no dried fruit or you can use all dried fruit in your 2 to 3 cup mix. You can toss in things like puffed rice cereal or flax seeds. In the comments, I’d love to hear what mix you came up with and how you liked it. I can only imagine the possibilities.

Of note: The original recipe calls for something called “sticky bun sugar” which can be made at home with sugar, butter and corn syrup. It is for this reason that corn syrup is listed within one ingredient but also separately, and I used all butter rather than two different fats. Whether the corn syrup can be entirely replaced with honey or maple syrup or the butter can be entirely replaced with a healthier oil is worth auditioning, I just didn’t. Yet. I can tell you this: as is, this is the best granola bar I’ve ever eaten.

1 2/3 cups quick rolled oats (if gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free oats)
1/2 to 3/4 cup granulated sugar (use more for a sweetness akin to most purchased bars; use less for a mildly sweet bar)
1/3 cup oat flour (or 1/3 cup oats, processed till finely ground in a food processor or blender)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 to 3 cups dried fruits and nuts (total of 10 to 15 ounces)*
1/3 cup peanut butter or another nut butter (I used almond butter) (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional, namely because I was not convinced that the flavor came through)
6 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup honey, maple syrup or corn syrup
2 tablespoons light corn syrup (see Note above)
1 tablespoon water

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8″ x 8″ x 2″ pan in one direction with parchment paper, allowing it to go up the opposing sides. Lightly grease the parchment paper and the exposed pan, or coat with a non-stick spray.

Stir together all the dry ingredients, including the fruit and nuts. In a separate bowl, whisk together the vanilla, melted butter or oil, liquid sweeteners and water. Toss the wet ingredients with the dry (and peanut butter, if you’re using it) until the mixture is evenly crumbly. Spread in the prepared pan, pressing them in firmly to ensure they are molded to the shape of the pan. (A piece of plastic wrap can help with this, as you press down on the back of it.)

Bake the bars for 30 to 40 minutes, until they’re brown around the edges — don’t be afraid to get a little color on the tops too. They’ll still seem soft and almost underbaked when you press into the center of the pan but do not worry, they’ll set completely once completely cool.

Cool the bars in their pan completely on a cooling rack. (Alternately, after about 20 minutes you can use your parchment “sling” to lift and remove the bars, and place them in their paper on the rack to cool the rest of the way. This can speed the process up.)

Once cool, a serrated knife (or bench knife) to cut the bars into squares. [Updating to note, as many had crumbling issues:] If bars seem crumbly, chill the pan of them further in the fridge for 30 minutes which will fully set the “glue”, then cut them cold. To store, wrap the bars individually in plastic or stack them in an airtight container. In humid weather, it’s best to store bars in the refrigerator. They also freeze well.

*Suggestions: Dried cranberries, apricots, pecans, sunflower seeds, coconut, walnuts, sesame seeds, pepitas, dried pples or even chocolate chips. My mix: 1/2 cup wheat germ, 1 cup dried cherries, 1 cup walnuts, 1/2 cup pecans and 1/2 cup dried unsweetened coconut flakes. Because my pieces were all pretty coarse, I pulsed them in the food processor a few times to break it up a little, though this isn’t necessary if you don’t mind yours chunkier.

Arroz con Leche

Arroz Con Leche
Adapted from Ingrid Hoffmann

Do you like Cozy Shack rice pudding? Has the rice pudding you fell in love with at New Jersey diners and New York delis been elusive to you at home? Well, step right up! (Can you see me in my cape and top hat, waving you into the circus tent? No? Sigh.) Look no further! All of your rice pudding dreams will come true right before your very eyes!

Ahem, more soberly: I made a few changes to the original ingredients, adding salt and swapping large peels for finely grated zest. Some fun ideas for next time: Swapping out some of the milk for an equivalent amount of coconut milk. Swapping a jar of store-bought dulce de leche for the sweetened condensed milk.

Original recipe says it serves 4, I say 8, easily

1 cup long-grain white rice
2 cinnamon sticks (I had very large canela sticks — see bottom for more info — so I only used one)
2 strips of lemon or orange zest (can use a peeler to get a larger piece)
3 whole cloves or a tiny pinch of ground cloves
4 cups water
1 egg
3 cups whole milk (updated to note that many people, including my mother, successfully made this with lower fat milks)
1 (12-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (I realized after the fact that my can had been 14 ounces, had no averse effect)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Soak the rice, cinnamon sticks, lemon or orange zest and whole or powdered cloves in the water in a heavy saucepan for 1 hour.

After soaking, bring the rice mixture to a boil on high heat, uncovered. When it starts to boil (about 5 minutes), lower the heat to medium and cook for 10 to 12 more minutes or until water is almost evaporated.

While rice is cooking, beat the egg in a bowl. Add the milk and stir well to mix. Add the egg mixture, condensed milk, salt, vanilla extract and raisins, if using, to the rice and cook over medium-low heat, stirring carefully, until it thickens slightly or until desired consistency about 25 to 35 minutes (see notes that follow).

(About cooking time: Many reviewers said 25 to 35 minutes was way too much cooking time for them, and that 15 to 20 minutes would have been better. I was all ready to pull my pot off early, but actually needed almost 30 minutes. Still, want to give you a heads up that yours might be done sooner.)

(About “desired consistency”: I cooked mine until all but 10 percent of the liquid had been absorbed, which yielded a creamy, not-too-thick pudding. If you like your arroz con leche thinner, pull it off the stove when more liquid is left. This pudding does most of its thickening as it cools, but the end result should still be thinner than traditional rice pudding.)

Remove citrus zest and cinnamon sticks. Let cool uncovered, then chill the rest of the way in the fridge.

Mexican cinnamon: A long time ago, I bought a jar of canela (Mexican "soft cinnamon") sticks from Rancho Gordo and this was the perfect time to bust it out. The cinnamon flavor is just a little different than we’re used to, a little less loud and one note, a little dynamic. It smells exactly like a cross between a cinnamon stick and apple cider. Seriously! When simmered with the pudding for almost an hour, the pudding had an almost spicy edge to it and an unmistakable flavor I associate only with arroz con leche.

Ham & Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bake

2-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

corned beef slices or ham slices
Monterrey jack or Provolone cheese

cooked bacon

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup sour cream

Make sure chicken is sufficiently thawed. For my family I usually use 2-3 chicken breasts and cut them in half lengthwise for smaller portions. Wrap up the chicken in 1 piece of bacon and 1 slice of corned beef or ham ( or whatever you have, I usually don't have bacon around) and secure with toothpicks. Sometimes I put a slice of Monterrey jack cheese or provolone in the middle. Brenda Robbins made us something similar to this and had cream cheese in the middle. That also sounds like an excellent idea. Place in 9x13 pan and pour the soup/sour cream mixture over the top. That's your sauce. We love to make rice with this recipe and pour the sauce over it too. Bake at 325 for 1 1/2 hours or whenever it's done!
Sarah Sturgeon

Choclolate Caramel Crackers

Chocolate Caramel Crack(ers)

Adapted from David Lebovitz, who adapted it from Marcy Goldman who is the genius that first applied this to matzo

4 to 6 sheets matzo or approximately 40 Saltine crackers or crackers of your choice
1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into a few large pieces
1 cup packed light brown sugar
A big pinch of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semi- or bittersweet chocolate chips (or chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate)
1 cup toasted chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts or a nut of your choice (optional)
Extra sea salt for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 11-by-17-inch baking sheet completely with foil, and then line the base of the foil with parchment paper, cut to fit.

Line the bottom of the baking sheet with matzo or crackers, covering all parts. [If using matzo, you'll need to break pieces to fit any extra spaces, which will be annoying because despite being perforated, it does not actually break in straight lines. I have some luck pressing a serrated knife straight down along a section between perforations, if that (hopefully) makes sense.]

In a medium heavy-duty saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together, and stir it over medium heat until it begins to boil. Once it has begun boiling, let it bubble for three more minutes, stirring it well. It will thicken a bit as it cooks. Remove from the heat and add the salt and vanilla, and then quickly pour it over the matzo or crackers. You’ll want to spread it quickly, as it will begin to set as soon as it is poured.

Bake the caramel-covered crackers for 15 minutes, watching carefully as it will bubble and the corners might darken too quickly and/or burn. You can reduce the heat if you see this happening.

Remove from oven and immediately cover with chocolate chips. Let stand five minutes, and then spread them evenly across the caramel. An offset spatula works great here. If you’re using them, sprinkle the chocolate with toasted chopped nuts and/or sea salt. (The sea salt is great on matzo. On Saltines, it’s really not necessary.)

Once completely cool — I sometimes speed this process up in the fridge, impatient as should be expected in the face of caramel crack(ers) — break it into pieces and store it in a container. It should keep for a week but I’ve never seen it last that long.

Melting Crayon Craft

Melting Different Shapes
Looking for something to do with those old broken crayons? Take the wrappers off of old crayon break them into pieces mix all together and put to the side.

Take two muffin tins line them with either foil muffin cups or spray with just plain non stick baking spray. Put pieces of crayons in the muffin tins filling it halfway.

For extra special crayons, have kids add glitter before crayons go on to bake.

Heat oven to 200 degrees F. Put the muffin tin in the oven. Take out after the crayons are melted. For me it usually takes about 9-11 minutes but watch them since oven temperatures vary.

After they are melted take out of the oven put to side. Let cool. I usually let cool about an hour but if you are in a hurry put them in the fridge to cool and after they are cool you have fun new crayons for the kids.

For fun holiday ideas, take a flat cookie sheet lined with easy release foil. Use metal cookie cutters. Press the cookie cutters down a little bit. Put crayon pieces in each cookie cutter and melt the wax. Let cool and you will have crayons in neat shapes.

Or take plastic candy molds and dixie cups. Put crayon pieces in the cup. Melt the crayons in microwave for about 5-8 minutes pour into the molds let cool in freezer for 20-30 min and they will pop right out of the mold.

By Courtney Herriage

More crayon craft ideas here:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf666289.tip.html

Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie Yummy!

1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 lg. eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. plus 4 tbsp. flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cream of tartar
2 cups semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
(1 cup coarsely chopped nuts optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, beat butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix well.

Mix the flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar in another bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until well blended. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.

Spread dough into a 15 1/2 in pizza pan or a rectangle cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. When cool, may be decorated or just cut and enjoy!

Warning: this cookie is so good it will be hard to only have one piece!

A great way to make cookies without the haste. This feeds a crowd great and is fun for kids.

cooks.com From Heather

Monkey Bread

The best ever Pulled Pork

1 1/2 c brown sugar

1/2 c soy sauce

1/2 c ketchup

1/4 c honey

2 T vinegar

3 T minced garlic

1/4 t ginger powder

1 t salt

1/2 onion (sliced)

3-4 lb pork roast

Place sliced onions in the bottom of the crock pot. Add roast. Mix the rest of the ingredients and pour over the roast. Cook 2-3 on high or 4-5 on low. Shred the pork and leave in for at least an hour. Great in burritos.
Susanne Nelson


Christina's tip: Take some leftovers and roll up in tortillas. Freeze or save for leftover enchiladas. Place rolled tortillas in a pan and poor Green Chili Enchilada sauce over it. Cook 350 until bubbly and enjoy! One of our favorites. See pic below:

Knock-Off Cafe Rio Sweet Pork or Chicken Burrito or Salad

INGREDIENTS:

1- 3lb pork roast shoulder or butt

OR

6 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts

2 cans of COKE

1 1/2 C brown sugar

2 small cans diced chilis

1 - 14oz can of tomato sauce

1 1/2 t chili power

1 1/2 t cumin

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all ingredients in crock pot, then add roast or chicken. Cook the night before on low for 6-7 hours, shred pork or chicken next morning, put back in crock pot and let marinade up to 4-5 hours on warm. If you are in a hurry cook on high for 3-4 hours and then shred it and let it cook another 2.

SERVE:

In tortillas that has melted cheese on it with lime rice and black or pinto beans.

or

On a mix of greens that are on a tortilla that has cheese melted on it with fried tortilla strips.

CAFE RIO, CREAMY TOMATILLO DRESSING FOR THE SALAD:

1/2 C mayonnaise

1/2 C cilantro

1/2 t cayenne pepper

1/2 of a pkg of Hidden Valley Ranch Buttermilk Recipe Dressing Mix

1/4 C buttermilk (sub 1/4 T lemon jice and 1/4 C milk)

1 clove garlic minced

2 tomatillos quartered

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all ingredients well in a blender. Chill before serving.

Summer Fresh Salad

Summer Fresh Salad

Salad:
1 large head red leaf lettuce (washed, dried, cut, chilled)
1 (11 oz) can of mandarin oranges (drained)
1 small container of feta cheese
1/4 c craisins
1/2 c sliced strawberries
1/2 c red grapes (halved)
1 can of pears (diced)
1 cooked chicken breast (cubed)

Salad Dressing:
1/2 c Italian salad dressing
1/2 t grated orange peel
1/3 c fresh orange juice
2 T sugar

Top with candied nut of your choice:

1 C SLICED ALMONDS (or nut of your choice)

1/3 C PACKED BROWN SUGAR

1 t GROUND CINNAMON

1 LARGE EGG WHITE (LIGHTLY BEATEN)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine first 3 ingredients in small bowl. Stir in egg whites. Spread mixture evenly onto a foiled lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes. Stir mixture; bake an additional 13-15 minutes or until crisp. Transfer foil to wire rack. Cool almond mixture. Break almond mixture into small pieces. Store at room temperature in an air tight container for up to 1 week.

Erin Mayfield

Kids Favorite Salmon Patties

Cheese Muffins

Balsamic Vinegarette Bruchetta

Marshmallow Fondant Recipe

Quick Chimichungas

Quick Chimichangas

1 lb ground round, chicken, fish or no meat at all. (Season to your liking ex: Beef with seasonal all salt.)
1 med onion
2 cloves garlic crushed
2 cups (8ox) 4 cheese MEX BLEND shredded cheese, divided
1 (16 oz) Can refried beans
1 (16 oz) can black beans drained
1(4.5oz) can chopped green chilies drained
½ cup picante sauce or salsa (I sometimes do a full cup)
12 (8in) tortillas
Extras: Salsa, sour cream, lettuce, guacamole
Cook first 3 ingredients in large skillet over med high heat. 8-10 minutes or until beef is no longer pink. Stirring into crumbles- drain
Stir in 1 ½ cups cheese, both beans, chilies, and salsa into beef mixture.
Place ¼ cup of beef mixture in center of each tortilla. Fold opposite sides of tortillas over filling, tucking sides in forming rectangles. Can secure with toothpicks.
Place on baking sheet; coat chimichangas with cooking spray.
Bake 425 for 8 minutes; turn chimichangas over spray again and bake 5 more minutes until crispy. Serve immediately with remaining cheese and desired toppings.
Christina note: I love this for a quick yummy meal, we usually have leftovers for Ry to take for lunch the next day. I usually save some beans and cheese out for the girls and roll them some smaller ones, since they do not like onions etc. This is also great for groups. If you are in a big hurry skip the toasting step, everything is already cooked. Enjoy!

Homemade Oreos

Homemade Oreos
2 pkg devils food cake mix
4 eggs
1 c shortening

Mix shortening and eggs together until smooth. Gradually add the cake mix with a hand mixer.
Roll dough into one inch balls. Flatten balls on greased cookie sheet. Place in oven for 7-8 minutes on 350 degrees.

Icing:

1 pkg cream cheese (softened)
1/4 c butter (softened)
1 tsp vanilla
3 c powdered sugar

Cream the vanilla, cream cheese, and butter until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar.

Variations: Use different cake mixes for flavor variations or flavorings for icings.