Portuguese Bean Soup

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Portuguese-Bean-Soup-II/Detail.aspx

This was very tasty soup. I didn't know what portuguese sausage was though and couldn't find any where I looked, So I used spicy pork sausage instead.

Modifications:

1 lb hot ground pork sausage (instead of 2 lb portuguese sausage)

extra ham to make up for less meat

extra quart of water (though it really should be an extra 2 quarts since most of the liquid was absorbed during cooling)

1 tablespoon of chicken stock base (equivalent to 3 bullion cubes)

For next time:

Add 4 quarts water total.

Add 2 T chicken stock base.

Put in half the amount of pasta called for.

Hamburger and Macaroni

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/hamburger_and_macaroni/

This was very tasty. I added a green bell pepper (chopped) and sauteed it with the onions since I had one I needed to use. David liked it quite a bit. We put grated cheese on top.

Rugelach (cream cheese cookies)

This is from Joan Nathan's Jewish Holiday Cookbook.

THE DOUGH:

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Confectioners' sugar

APRICOT FILLING:

1 cup thick apricot preserves

3/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

CHOCOLATE FILLING:

1 cup (about 8 ounces) shaved bittersweet chocolate, preferably imported

1/4 cup sugar

CINNAMON-SUGAR FILLING:

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1. To make the dough, place the cream cheese and the butter in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle. Cream at a low speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Add the flour and mix until a very soft dough is formed, about 2 more minutes.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cookie sheets with baking parchment.

3. Mix the ingredients for the apricot or chocolate filling and divide the dough into 4 balls. Roll the balls out into 4 circles about 1/8 inch thick and 9 inches in diameter. Spread the apricot or chocolate filling over the dough. If using the cinnamon-sugar filling, brush the melted butter on first, then the combined cinnamon and sugar.

4. Using a dull knife, cut each circle of dough into 16 pie-shaped pieces about 2 inches wide at the circumference. Roll up from the wide side to the center. Place the rugelach on the parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake in the oven on the middle and lower racks, switching after 12 minutes, also switching back to front. Continue baking about 13 more minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the rugelach to racks to cool. Sprinkle the apricot and chocolate rugelach with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

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DH and I made 1/4 this recipe and used the apricot filling. It was yummy, but the jam oozed out during baking and turned black and gummy, which gave it a burnt flavor. Next year we'll do the chocolate filling instead.

Potato Latkes (pancakes)

This is from Joan Nathan's Jewish Holiday Cookbook.

10 medium russet or baking potatoes

2 medium onions

2 large or 3 medium eggs

1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, bread crumbs, or matzah meal

Salt and white pepper

Vegetable oil

1.

Peel the potatoes if the skin is coarse; otherwise, just clean them well. Keep them in cold water until ready to prepare the latkes.

2.

Starting with the onions, alternately grate some of the onions on the large holes of the grater and some of the potatoes on the smallest holes. This will keep the potato mixture from blackening. Press out as much liquid as possible and reserve the starchy sediment at the bottom of the bowl. Return the sediment to the mixture. (or use a food processor)

3.

Blend the potato mixture with the eggs, flour, and salt and pepper to taste.

4.

Heat 1 inch of oil in a frying pan. Drop about 1 tablespoon of mixture for each latke into the skillet and fry, turning once. When golden and crisp on both sides, drain on paper towels. Serve with yogurt, sour cream, sugar, or applesauce.

---

When I made this for DH and me, I used 4 potatoes (did not peel), 1 egg, 1 onion, and 2 T matzah meal. We ate it all in one sitting.
---
Update 12/2012:
I made this with 2 peeled potatoes, big long ones. Like 8 oz each or so. Plus 1 egg and 1 egg white, and 3 T matzah meal. I think I forgot the onion, but it was good still. I didn't realize I'd forgotten it until just now. It was an appetizer for 4 people, with some extra left. I served with sour cream and homemade applesauce (6 peeled chopped gala apples, cooked in heavy pot, added 1/2 tsp chinese 5-spice powder and 1 T lemon juice).

Goulash with Potatoes

This recipe is from the Pressure Perfect cookbook.

3 slices bacon, finely chopped

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

2 T red wine vinegar

2 T tomato paste

1/4 cup sweet paprika

2 t caraway seeds

1.5 cups beer or broth

2 bay leaves

1 tsp salt (omit if using salty broth)

3 lb beef chuck, veal shoulder, or pork shoulder cut into 1-inch chunks

2 lb medium red-skinned potatoes, peeled or scrubbed and halved

1/2 to 1 tsp dried thyme or marjoram

salt and freshly ground pepper

sour cream, for garnish

Heat a 4 qt or larger pressure cooker. Add the bacon and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until it begins to render some of its fat. Stir in the onions and continue cooking until they begin to soften, about 1 minute.

Stir in the vinegar, tomato paste, paprika, and caraway seeds. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in the beer, taking care to scrape up any browned bits sticking to the bottom of the cooker. Add the bay leaves, salt and meat. Set the potatoes on top.

Lock the lid in place. Over high heat bring to high pressure. Reduce heat just enough to maintain high pressure and cook for 16 minutes (beef) or 8 minutes (veal or pork). Turn off the heat. Allow the pressure to come down naturally (takes like 20 min). Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow steam to escape.

Skim off fat from top if possible. Remove bay leaves. Stir in the thyme or marjoram and season well with salt and pepper. Let the stew rest for 5 minutes (The potatoes will absorb some of the liquid and thicken the stew.)

Put into bowls and top with dollop of sour cream.

---

This could use some carrots or green beans, and more seasoning. The recipe says you could put green beans in at the end during the resting phase, or put carrots in at the beginning and chop them up later (leaving them in larger sections will help them retain more flavor, apparently).

Anyway, it was good and we enjoyed it.

Gyros and Tzatziki Sauce

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Gyros-Burgers/Detail.aspx

http://greekfood.about.com/od/dipsspreadspures1/r/Tzatziki.htm

I used the two recipes posted above to make Gyros with Tzatziki sauce. I halved the sauce recipe. This was very tasty! It was a bit more involved to prepare since I had to make a sauce & meat mixture, but was really good. I also found some thin gyro style wraps (that look like pitas but don't have an air pocket) that were fabulous.

Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/butternut-squash-pasta-sauce

This was ok. I had butternut squash ravioli once at Trio in Salt Lake City, and this was my attempt to recreate it. It did not work. It would have been better if there had been chunks in it, like crunchy fried onion or garlic, or unseasoned croutons or something. I froze what we didn't use and hope to make it into soup another time.

Navy Bean Soup with Ham

I baked a ham (no glaze). I saved the ham water and used it as stock in this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 lb navy beans (or white..I really can't tell the difference)

4 T oil

2 large onions, chopped

2-3 carrots, chopped

2-3 stalks celery, chopped

3-5 garlic cloves, minced

6 cups chicken broth (or ham broth if you've got it)

3 cups water or broth ((use water if you are going to be clever and boil a ham bone in in the soup to get more flavor). I used chicken broth here. I might have added more so there was enough liquid. I forget.)

2 bay leaves

1 T italian seasoning

2 large potatoes, chopped

chopped ham (2 cups?)

directions:

I think I soaked the beans overnight and then made the beans in the crockpot. Cooked on low for 8 hrs I think, along with ham broth.

Saute onion, carrot, celery, and garlic until softish. Add beans (soaked or fully cooked) and the rest of ingredients. Boil until veges are cooked. (or for 2 hrs if beans were only soaked)

note: (I got this recipe off of the back of the Safeway Navy Beans wrapper. It says to use a 2 lb ham hock and cook it for 2 hrs with all the ingredients (and soaked beans). Then says to remove ham hock, cut ham off of it and return to soup.)

Turkey Chili with White Beans

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Turkey-Chili-with-White-Beans-3090

I have made this according to the directions, as well as in the pressure cooker. It is good either way.

For the pressure cooker:

I browned the turkey and soaked ~1.5 cups dried white beans for 6 hours (longer is fine for sure, soak at least 4 hrs I think though). Rinse the beans. Then I put it all in my 4 quart pressure cooker pot with the rest of ingredients (raw chopped onion) and brought it to pressure, then cooked for 15-20 min, then let sit for 10 minutes off heat (so to let it naturally depressurize), then pulled off the pressure regulator and let the rest of the steam escape. Turned out great.

Roasted Chicken and Bow Tie Salad

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/roasted-chicken-bow-tie-pasta-salad
Roasted Chicken and Bow Tie Salad

Really good pasta with a lot of flavors. I have made it with other pasta shapes.

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

http://grandmasrolls.blogspot.com/2010/10/creamy-tomato-basil-soup.html (thanks Lib!)

Changes--

I used fresh roma tomatoes, probably 10-15 of them. It was a big bag, a few pounds. Also, I cut the cream in half and used only one cup, which was plenty. And I added salt--1/2 to 1 tsp and dried basil at the end. Finally, I used my hand blender to blend it all up (leaving it semi-chunky).

This was tasty soup. It goes great with a roll or breadstick (we had crescent rolls). Next time I will add basil in the beginning so the flavor is distributed better.

---

this was too sweet. Too creamy..it made me feel not so great. Alas. The leftovers weren't really eaten.

Onion Pandade

http://thestonesoup.com/blog/2010/09/onion-pandade-is-this-the-ultimate-comfort-food-5-ingredients/

This is onion and bread pudding. It was very good, if you are a bread pudding kind of person. I think it might have been too wet though. DH is not a bread pudding kind of person, but he still rated it a 3, which must mean the flavor was excellent! He doesn't like turkey stuffing either. Poor DH.

I used fresh parmesan cheese.

Stuffed Green Peppers

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1626,130178-251195,00.html

STUFFED GREEN PEPPERS

1 lb. ground beef

1 lb. ground pork sausage or ground pork

4 eggs

1 cup Italian style bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cloves fresh garlic

salt

pepper

Italian seasoning

1/2 cup cooked rice

4 large green peppers, sliced in half
2 8 oz cans tomato sauce

Grease bottom of pan with olive oil. Mix meat, eggs, bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, and all seasonings in large bowl (DON'T ADD TOMATO SAUCE. IT GOES ON AS A TOPPING). Add rice and mix together. Slice green peppers so that you have 8 halves. (You can also slice off the top of the pepper and use the whole pepper instead). Stuff peppers with meat mixture. Place in pan and pour both cans of tomato sauce over top and along bottom of pan. Cook @ 350 F for about 1 hour. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes. Serves 4 people, 2 halves each.

-------------

David and I loved this recipe. We found that there was no need for a side of rice. It is satisfying as is, and there is rice in the filling. It was so tasty. I made a point of not buying diet lean ground beef for this recipe, just "lean" (whatever that is..) so there would be more flavor. The flavor of the filling was fantastic. I used bulk pork sausage instead of ground pork as the original recipe calls for. The peppers I bought were massive and thick, so even after an hour there was still some crunch. So if you don't like that, be sure to buy peppers that are not as big.

Calories: 780 per serving / 4 servings (using sausage and 91/9 beef)

Persimmon Bread

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Persimmon-Bread-I/Detail.aspx

I've made this bread twice now, and it is very good. The first time I made it was a few years ago. I bought a few fuya persimmons (the flat ones that look like mini pumpkins) and didn't eat them all before they went soft. It was soft enough that I just scraped out the pulp into a baggy and froze it. I think about 3 persimmons make a cup of pulp, and that is all you need for this recipe.

Last year I bought a bunch of persimmons when they were on sale, waited (weeks) for them to ripen, and as each one became soft I scraped out the pulp and froze it. At the end, I had 2 cups of pulp that I put into two ziplock baggies.

So that is a lot of prep, but most of it is just letting it ripen. I've never made it with firm persimmons, but I don't think the flavor would be as strong or sweet.

Recipe alterations:

I used whole wheat flour, only 1/2 cup sugar, and 3/8 cup oil. It was great. Not too sweet to have with lunch.

Makes one loaf.

Cabbage and Crispy noodle salad

http://thestonesoup.com/blog/2010/09/pack-backers-do-you-overlook-this-wonderful-source-of-recipes-5-ingredients-10-minutes/

This was very fast. I used these Vietnamese style wheat noodles I saw at Safeway. They had a high fat content for pasta, so I assumed they were as close to "fried" as I could find at the moment. I left out the sugar because of DH's tastes. It was good. Very light, and DH kept snacking on the noodles long after the cabbage was gone. I added some chopped green onions as well.

No Sugar Banana Muffins

I made these for Janie and she loved them!

http://hubpages.com/hub/No-Sugar-Added-Banana-Muffins-Recipe

Ingredients:

3 lg. bananas

1 tsp cinnamon

1 egg

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour

1/3 c. melted butter

Preparation:

Mash bananas.

Add cinnamon and slightly beaten egg.

Add melted butter.

Sift dry ingredients together and add to above mixture.

Mix until moistened.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

This makes one dozen muffins.

Note: I have made these with 1/2 cup chopped walnuts and 1/3 cup chocolate chips added.

Berry Tart

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/berry_tart/

I used all strawberries in this, and no liqueur. Instead of liqueur, I added 1 tsp sugar and 1 tbsp water to the marmalade and heated them in a pot so the sugar dissolved.

The crust is a pain and a lot of work, but it gets rave reviews. I served this to a couple of DH's economics department friends that we had over for dinner, and one asked for the recipe. It would be SO much easier if I had a food processor. But I used a pastry cutter and did it by hand. Which took forever.

My 9 inch tart pan was a bit small for all the cream filling. The strawberries were piled pretty high. Next time I make this, I think I will use half as much mascarpone/cream/sugar. Not sure if the cream is necessary, but it definitely tasted great.

Spinach and Ham Quiche

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Light-and-Fluffy-Spinach-Quiche/Detail.aspx

Alterations:

5 eggs

instead of 8 oz cheddar, used half cheddar half feta.

used plain yogurt instead of mayo.

Next time only do 1/4th feta. Too much salt.

This was good. I added 3-4 oz chopped ham and used a bunch of fresh spinach that I sauteed with onions until they were dry enough.

Spicy Orange Chicken Stir-Fry

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spicy-Orange-Chicken-Stir-Fry-353398

This title is a misnomer because there is zero spice in this chicken. I added some garlic and chopped ginger to this dish. I don't think I have ever cooked something where DH liked it so much and I hated it so much. It was perfectly edible, I just didn't like the flavor.

Stir-Fried Egg and Tomato

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Stir-Fried-Egg-and-Tomato-352835

This was good. It would be better with garden fresh sweet tomatoes.

Peanut Butter Frozen Yogurt

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter

1 cup lowfat plain yogurt

1 cup plain milk kefir (or just use more yogurt)

1 cup lowfat 1% milk

1/3 cup agave nectar

I am experimenting with sweeteners.

This turned out pretty well. It was very tart (due to the kefir). It would have been great with swirls of chocolate sauce, or with choc chips or something.

Stir-Fried Beef, Broccoli, and Yams

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Stir-Fried-Beef-Broccoli-and-Yams-352549

This was good. I only used 1/2 tsp brown sugar and swapped oyster sauce for fish sauce. DH liked it a lot. But he'll give high ratings to anything with beef in it, I swear.

Vanilla Soymilk Ice Cream

2 cups soymilk (unsweetened whole fat)

1 cup heavy cream

2/3 cup brown sugar (not packed)

2 tsp vanilla

Mix and put in ice cream maker.

---

I got an ice cream maker for my birthday. I wanted to make ice cream soon afterward but had run out of milk and white sugar. Hence was born the above creation. It turned out pretty well, considering. The texture after being frozen was not very creamy. It upset my stomach too (but most ice cream does). I am going to experiment with using different sweetners.

Chicken Curry

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Kai-Kang-Dang-Chicken-Curry-with-Coconut-Milk/Detail.aspx

This was really good. Of course, it is fattening so it had better be. I made some brown basmati rice to go with it.

I used one can coconut milk in this recipe. I don't think it was 2.5 cups (maybe 14 or 15 oz though), but it was plenty. The bamboo shoots added a nice crunch. I found a can of them at the store but could not find Thai basil. I used regular basil instead and it tasted great. I left out the sugar since DH doesn't like sugar in his food. Instead of frozen veges, I used a head of broccoli. I thinly sliced the broccoli stem and added it to the sauté pan a few minutes after the broccoli florets so that the stem pieces would be a touch crunchy.

Irish Soda Bread

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/irish_soda_bread/

I've made this at least 3 times and it is fantastic. It makes a lot of bread though, so unless you have a large family then halve the recipe.

Cranberry Scones

http://www.gelskitchen.com/blog/recipe-archive/breakfast-cranberry-scones/

These were not as good as I'd hoped, but still ok. Definitely serve with jam to add sweetness. The dough was difficult to work with and I wasn't able to separate the wedges easily so the edges baked together. I much prefer Irish Soda bread.

Red Bean Chili

http://lululuathome.com/2010/06/red-bean-chili.html

This chili was good. It had a lot of flavor, but I think there is still room for improvement. Serving it with the red onion garnish was a good idea. It added some nice crunch. I didn't let is simmer for 2 hours (was like 1.25 hrs) and I didn't have carrots or corn, so I left those out. You could probably sub beef broth for the beer if you prefer. I've kept a bottle of dark lager beer in the cupboard for a while since I see it every now and then in recipes. Like this one.

Tarragon Egg Salad

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/tarragon_egg_salad/

This recipe turned out great! I love tarragon. So should you.

DH ate it on toast and I ate it on salad. No dressing necessary! It was a great combination.

Note: The leftovers are not that great. This recipe serves like 6 people, so adjust accordingly so it all gets eaten up right away.

Mexican Quesadillas

I did not make this recipe, but rather watched a friend from Mexico make it last night.

3 lb masa dough (lime treated corn meal mixed with water)

1 cup white flour

water

Knead ingredients together until you get a soft pliable dough.

Use a cast iron tortilla press (which is lined with plastic from a cut apart zip lock bag) to press dough into rounds. Then put a small amount of filling into the center of the pressed dough (but to the side of the place where you will fold) and fold the dough over (which is still sticking to the zip lock bag). Through the plastic, seal the edges of the dough together. Then peel off the plastic and drop quesadilla into boiling hot oil. Deep fry until medium brown and crispy on both sides.

"Picadillo" Filling:

ground beef

chopped carrot

peas

white onion, chopped,

tomatoes, chopped

She sauteed the vegetables with raw ground beef for at least 30 minutes until everything was cooked.

Chicken Filling:

Shred the chicken from four chicken breasts. She boiled the chicken breasts (still on the bone) in water that was salted and had a large clove of garlic in the water as well as half an onion. After it is cooked, remove from water and let cool enough to touch. Shred the chicken. Mix chicken with chopped white onion and chopped tomato. Sauté mixture until onions are cooked.

While putting filling in the quesadillas, she would use either filling. Sometimes when she used the chicken filling she would also add some mozzarella cheese.

The amount of dough made about 16 quesadillas. (They looked like empanadas.)

To eat, cut open the quesadillas and put sour cream, grated fresh cheese (queso fresco), avocado, and salsa.

Chicken Marsala

https://web.archive.org/web/20140110054056/http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/chicken-marsala-recipe/index.html

This was really good with a touch of sweetness to it. I attempted to double the recipe (for leftovers) but the sauce didn't thicken very well. This might have also been because I used almond meal instead of regular flour to "dredge" the chicken in. I don't think the almond meal works nearly as well as a thickening agent as flour. Next time I make this I will just make one recipe and actually follow the directions this time. Instead of making the "essence" I just put a few pinches of spices into the flour mixture.

10/26/2010 update:

I made this again tonight and followed the recipe. It turned out really delicious. I had some flour left over after "dredging" and put some of it in the liquid to help thicken, but it probably wasn't necessary. Marsala has a really unique flavor. David and I both really like it. We ate it over brown rice with asparagus.

Stir-Fried Beef with garlic, eggplant, scallions, and cashews

I took a recipe from Cook's Illustrated July/Aug 2010 issue and altered it slightly. The original is here: http://www.angelfire.com/games4/pyramidclub/EggplantGarlicShrimp.txt (basically swap shrimp for beef and add 2 T oyster sauce). DH doesn't like shrimp so I used beef. Also, I decreased the sugar from 2 T to 1 tsp. We both really loved it. It stands well on its own without rice. The eggplant adds a lot to the dish.

Serves 4
Serve this stir-fry with steamed white rice.

6 medium garlic cloves, peeled
1 pound skirt or flank steak, cut in strips against grain
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry sherry or Xiaoshing wine
1 teapoon sugar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons cornstarch
6 large scallions, greens cut into 1-inch pieces and whites sliced thin
1/2 cup unsalted cashews
1 medium eggplant (about 3/4 pound), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice

1. Mince 1 garlic clove and combine with beef, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, and salt in medium bowl. Let beef marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, whisk soy sauce, sherry, sugar, sesame oil, vinegar, red pepper flakes, and cornstarch in small bowl. Thinly slice remaining 5 garlic cloves and combine with scallion whites and cashews in small bowl.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add eggplant cook, stirring frequently, lightly browned, 3 to 6 minutes. Add scallion greens and continue to cook until scallion greens begin to brown and eggplant is fully tender, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer vegetables to medium bowl.

4. Add remaining tablespoon oil to now-empty skillet and heat until just smoking.
Add sliced garlic mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until just beginning to brown, about 30 seconds. Reduce heat to medium-low, add beef, and cook, stirring frequently, until beef is no longer pink on outside, 2 or 3 minutes. Whisk sauce to recombine, add to skillet; return to high heat and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and beef is cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Return vegetables to skillet, toss to combine, and serve.

Thin-Crust Pizza Dough

1/4 cup hot water

1 package yeast (1 scant tablespoon)

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup + 2 T whole almond meal

1/4 cup wheat bran (unprocessed if possible)

1 T oil

1-2 T water (to get consistency right)

Preheat oven to 425 F. Use large heavy-gauge pizza pan of cookie sheet.

Combine hot water (not too hot to touch) with yeast and let proof for a few minutes.

Combine the rest of the ingredients (except for the 1-2 T water) in a bowl using a rubber spatula. Add the yeast mixture. Add 1-2 T water if there are some dry bits.

Roll out the dough. It won't fill up the whole cookie sheet, but maybe a 12x15 inch area. It works best to put the dough directly onto the pan and then cover with greased wax paper or silicon and roll out that way, then peel off the paper (carefully). Pre-bake crust for 8 minutes (until edges begin to darken. Then put on toppings and bake another 10. The pizza did not stick at all.

It turned out as thin as a cracker, but was really good. DH loves thin crust and this was the thinnest ever and crunchy around the edges.

This recipe has almond meal in it because I am trying to increase the amount of protein I eat each day and decrease the amount of carbohydrates. My diet previously has been mainly carbohydrates and I would like to tip that balance somewhat. So you'll begin to see a few recipes on here that have the tag "l-c," which stands for low-carbohydrate. This recipe is a modified version of the thin crust pizza recipe in "The Low-Carb Comfort Food Cookbook."

Freezing Egg Yolks

I have wondered long about freezing egg whites and yolks. I finally resolved from chow.com that egg whites can be saved in the freezer for 12 months. They said that egg yolks didn't freeze well. But, I read recently in Cooks Illustrated (which the Palo Alto library has a subscription to) that you can freeze egg yolks if you mix them with a sugar syrup.

The syrup is 2 parts sugar to 1 part water. I think this is by volume. Mix 3/4 teaspoon syrup with 4 egg yolks before freezing. Apparently this makes it so the yolks thaw well and are still good. I haven't tried this yet, but it is great to discover this tip!

Baked Chicken

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/classic_baked_chicken/

This chicken was spectacular for being so simple. I had never parted a whole chicken before and this video helped. Really good!

Garlic Green Beans

Today I made green beans. They are my favorite vegetable. Normally I just steam veggies, but today I was adventurous, inspired by the green beans I ate with Reija & Bob a few days ago. It is very similar to this: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1634686 but has less salt and pepper.

Instead of measuring salt and pepper, I just put some on directly from the shakers. I used fresh ground pepper. I left out the oil and used 1 T butter. It was soooo good.

Chocolate Almond Cake

I first made this with a friend out of a dessert cookbook she had. It was so good I copied it down.

Cake:

12 oz unsalted butter

1 pound almond paste

1 3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup plus 2 T unsweetened cocoa powder

8 large eggs

Mix ingredients one at a time. The ingredients mix easier at room temperature. Make sure the butter and paste are smooth before adding more ingredients. A stand mixer makes this super easy.

Grease and flour a large baking sheet (17x12x1 in.). Put parchment on the bottom of the sheet so it is close to the edges but doesn't go up the side. Pour in cake batter and distribute.

Bake 25 min @ 350 F and let cool 10 min.

Now it gets complicated, and I usually skip the rest of the instructions.

------

Cut cake using round cookie cutter into as many rounds as possible.

Melt 4 oz 82% extra dark chocolate and brush top of cakes with it. Then stack each cake round in sets of two.

Melt together:

12 T (6 oz) unsalted butter, cut in cubes

8 oz 70% bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Drizzle melted mixture over stacked cakes and serve.

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The original recipe serves at least 8 people. I like to halve the cake recipe and put it in an 8x8 in. glass dish. It needs longer to bake, at least 10 min. longer (so 35 minutes total and maybe more). The center should not jiggle and toothpick comes out clean when it is done baking.

Instead of bothering with the complicated stuff that comes after the cake part, I just chop up some bittersweet chocolate and sprinkle over the top (while the cake is still hot). Or, I might take the brick of chocolate and smear it over the top of the cake in a single layer of chocolate. The end result is the same.

Bok Choy Stir Fry

http://steamykitchen.com/2112-bok-choy-stir-fry-recipe.html

I'd never made Bok Choy before this. It turned out pretty good. It's an interesting vegetable.

Buttermilk Drop Biscuits

http://simplycooking.wordpress.com/2007/12/07/best-drop-buttermilk-biscuits/

These biscuits didn't really drop. I had to use my hands to form the dough and press it onto the cookie sheet. I used half the butter called for and increased buttermilk to compensate. These were good, but I cooked them too long and so they were dry. 14 minutes is far too long. Next time I'll probably take them out after 10.

I made drop biscuits last year and haven't tracked down the recipe yet. I think I'll make this recipe again with whole wheat flour and cook it less time and see what happens.

These are best fresh. They were really dry the next day and beyond.

Corn and Black Bean Salad

Corn and Black Bean Salad

I adore this salad. It is best when you have really sweet corn. This might work with a super awesome brand of frozen corn, but fresh is best.

2 cobs of sweet fresh corn

1 can of black beans, rinsed

1-2 tomatoes, chopped

1 avocado, chopped

handful cilantro, chopped

Cut the corn from the cob. I had never eaten corn raw like this until Reija made this salad at a dinner last summer. It rocks. You could add other raw things too, like red bell pepper or fresh green beans.

Mix corn with other ingredients.

Eat.

I love this recipe since it is so fresh and good. I have discovered that DH would like this much more sans cilantro. Next time I'll put it in a bowl to pass around as a garnish.

Moroccan Beef Stew

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/MOROCCAN-BEEF-STEW-234422

This was a fun stew. After searing the beef I let it simmer in the broth with the the vegetables. I sautéed the vegetables but the carrots weren't quite done, and then threw in the veges and spices into the soup. I should have held off adding the raisins until 5 minutes before I took it off heat. The raisins released more sugar than I would have liked and the soup was a bit sweet for DH. He loved the olives though. I used regular raisins since I didn't have golden. When DH got home, I put in the cilantro and garbanzo beans at then took off heat. It was yum.

Tuna and Butter Bean Salad

http://thestonesoup.com/blog/2010/01/how-to-cultivate-the-packed-lunch-habit-save/

I didn't have butter beans. Neither did the store. It turns out, butter beans are white lima beans. I didn't discover that pertinent fact until after I'd already bought white kidney beans (Cannellini) to use in this recipe. It was fantastic and very quick and easy.

Update: Safeway DOES have butter beans. I found them. They were great with this!

Potato Salad

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/potato_salad/

I made 1.5 times this recipe but kept the # of bacon strips to six. This recipe was really tasty. It is not low fat by any means. I was planning to try out a low fat version, but had no yogurt. I used russet potatoes. I use my food scale so often including to measure potatoes in this recipe. It is a great thing to have in the kitchen.

This is great for a picnic. It served 6 adults as a side and there were still a bunch of leftovers.

9/26/2010 update:

I made this with 1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt, 1/4 cup mayo, and 1/4 cup low-fat sour cream (as a substitute for the 1 cup mayo/sour cream combo). It was still very tasty! DH didn't know the difference.

Eggplant Parmigiana

http://thestonesoup.com/blog/2010/05/10-tips-for-optimum-vegetable-storage/

This recipe has only 5 ingredients and was pretty easy. I tend to like eggplant dishes more than DH so I really liked it while he merely liked it. I also really liked the flavor of the eggplant skin.

Next time I will only do half the recipe so there aren't as many leftovers. As written, it would probably serve 6.

Chicken and Broccoli Pasta

My sister-in-law Sonrisa made this during our last christmas visit to Utah. It's really good.

2+ cups chopped chicken

2 small or 1 large head of broccoli (alternatively, use 1 bag frozen broccoli)

3-4 chopped tomatoes (or a can of chopped tomatoes)

12 oz bag egg noodles

Prepare chicken. Boil it or use leftover chicken and cut up. At least 2 cups of chicken as this recipe makes a lot of food.

Meanwhile, cut broccoli into bite size pieces, including the stem. The stem is good! Cut off the exposed end, but keep the rest. Steam broccoli. I used 2 small heads of broccoli thinking it would be a lot, and it turned out not to be nearly as much as I thought. I might 3 small next time.

Also meanwhile, boil lots of water and cook the pasta.

Also meanwhile, make alfredo sauce:)

Alfredo Sauce

1/4 c. butter

1/4 c. flour (I use whole wheat)

1 1/2 c. milk

1 1/2 c. water

2 chicken bouillon cubes

1/2 c. Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

Melt butter in medium sauce pan over medium heat. Stir in flour to make a paste. Slowly stir in water until smooth, Add milk, chicken bouillon cubes, and salt and pepper. Let simmer and thicken for about 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese.

Combine cooked broccoli, pasta, tomatoes, sauce, and chicken. Stir around until sauce is distributed.

Notes:

We were eating leftovers of this for way too long. It would serve at least 6 people. Next time halve or third the recipe!

Tortilla Pie

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Tortilla-Pie-231795

This was very quick and good. I did not heat/fry the tortillas. It fit perfectly into an 8x8 inch baking dish since I used 8 inch diameter medium size tortillas.

notes:
If using GF Udi brand white tortillas, they should be fried and crisped up first. They get too soggy otherwise. (But still good..but could be better!)

Potato Pancakes

This recipe is from a little cookbook called Frugal Feasts, by Mary Spilsbury Ross.

The following recipe is enough for ONE person. I doubled it.

Potato Pancakes

2 medium potatoes, peeled

1 small onion, grated

1 beaten egg

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

pinch black pepper

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1) Grate potatoes and onion onto tea towel, squeeze dry and place in a bowl. Add beaten egg, flour, salt and pepper, and stir very well.

2) Place frying pan over medium heat and add 1 tsp oil. Drop 1 heaping serving spoon of potato mixture into hot oil. Flatten as much as possible or pancake will not cook evenly. Fry until golden and crisp on the outside and tender inside.

3) Place pancake on a plate and keep warm in oven. Add another drop or two of oil to frying pan and continue making pancakes until batter is used up.

The recipe says to serve with bacon, sour cream on top, or applesauce on top. David liked sour cream. I tried applesauce and decided it was good if using a very thin layer.

Verdict: It was quick and easy, and tasted fine. I think I will look for another recipe to compare with this one though.

Popcorn

I have done this ellusive thing known as making popcorn on the stove. And had success!

I followed these instructions: http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/perfect_popcorn/

I used peanut oil, but I wonder if it would work with butter instead. I tried adding salt to the oil before popping began, but I don't think it distributed over the popcorn at all. Salting afterward seems the better way to me. A full 1/3 cup of kernels will barely fit in a 3 qt sauce pan. I used just under a 1/3 cup. My saucepan is tri-ply stainless. Not sure if that makes a difference. Nothing burned and it was delicious.

Olive Garden Soup

http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/Olive-Garden-Copycat-Zuppa-Toscana-38298

This is a rip off of the potato soup served at Olive Garden. It is really great. I alter the original recipe:

1/2 lb hot or mild sausage (i use bulk)

6 medium potatoes

3 slices bacon, cooked and chopped

1 or 2 onions

2 clove garlic

1 qt chicken broth

2 cups water

1/2 tsp pepper (if not using hot sausage)

1 cup milk

4 cups kale or swiss chard leaves (or a bunch, I don't measure. Like a couple huge handfuls. whatever. lots though, and make sure it is in chunks and not chopped in small bits. i just tear it off the stalks and don't do much else.)

Very good! If your sausage has very little flavor you might opt for the full lb.

I cook the bacon and sausage at the beginning (in the soup pot) and keep it in a bowl until the instructions (in the link) say to add it later on. The bacon gets crumbled. I use bulk mild or hot pork sausage from the New York Style Sausage Company. David likes the hot sausage best.

Chicken Pot Pie

I have made this pot pie several times and it is really good.

The original recipe is here: http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/Delicious-Chicken-Pot-Pie-10744

I use milk instead of half and half.

This made about 3 quarts because I added more vegetables. It barely fed 6 adults (3m/3f). It would have fed 4 more comfortably.

I used:

3 large chicken breasts

1 large onion

4 stalks celery

5 med carrots

4 med potatoes

fresh thyme

And then did what the recipe said. You could decrease the butter to make it lower fat. I usually use just a couple tablespoons of butter, and mostly milk instead of half and half. I do like to put in a bit of half and half or cream though, for the richness.

The crust I use for this comes from a comment by BothFex:

"Sift together 1 C. flour and 1 t. salt. Cut in 1/4 lb. cold butter or marg. till resembles coarse crumbs. Whisk together 1 egg yolk and 2 T. ice water add to flour mixture and mix till it just comes together. Let rest in fridge for 20 minutes then roll out and top pie."

I don't always let it rest, but it comes out flaky and good.

Update:

I always have the problem of the filling spilling out on top of the crust. When this happens, the crust is soggy and nasty. The solution I believe is to use pie dishes and fill them completely. Then put on a top crust only, and there is the rim for the crust to wrap around. When I make a huge pot pie in a 4 or 5 qt pot, the crust often falls too low and gets soggy. It has happened enough times that I need a different method. Alternatively, I could use a 2 or 3 quart glass casserole dish and fill it completely. Then put crust on top so that the edges seal. Sealing the edges is important so liquid can't get on top of the crust. Any leftover filling can be baked separately without crust. The most important things are to completely fill whatever container you use and then make sure the crust is large enough to extend beyond the edges and be sealed.

Another update:

I made this again but did it according to the measurements specified in the original recipe (except used less butter and milk instead of half and half). I used whole wheat flour in the pie, and half wheat half white in the crust recipe. It turned out really well. It was a touch too runny, so maybe a bit more flour would be good for thickening next time. This fit pretty well into a 2 quart glass dish, but was just shy of making it. The crust didn't drown this time, I think rolling it out large enough so it goes over the rim of the dish is key.

Another update- 5/1/2013:
Made again as in the last time, using original recipe in 2 qt glass dish, worked perfectly. Roll out dough large enough to go over the rim and fold under like a top crust on a regular pie. This time I used all white flour. The sauce was not too runny once it had time to cool slightly. I would recommend allowing 20-30 minutes of cooling time on the counter to avoid the initial runny sauce, it will still be really hot. It was a while ago that I made it last time though, and it might just be that white flour does better at thickening than whole wheat flour.

Pear Salad

David made a pear salad for an activity and it was really good. I looked in a couple cookbooks and we ended up putting these things in the salad:

pears

bacon

walnuts

feta

red onion

shallots

Spring mix lettuce

And then used a red wine vinaigrette as dressing. It was really good! The pears were just right and it was total luck that they had ripened well and were juicy and good. Pears often seem to be grainy to me, but these were great.

Baked Fajitas

My long time friend Jillian taught me to make these during undergrad. They are easy and good.

I think Jillian used portobello mushrooms instead of chicken, but I like to sub that for chicken and baby mushrooms.

Cooked chicken pieces (maybe 1 large chicken breast?)

1 bell pepper (I prefer a non-green type)

1/3 lb baby mushrooms (I think 10-15 mushrooms. I like crimini).

1 tsp cumin

4 medium flour tortillas

1 cup salsa

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Slice bell pepper into strips and slice mushrooms. Saute until mushrooms are cooked. Add cumin. Divide mushroom/pepper mixture into 4 piles in pan. Roll up mixture with 1/4 of available chicken pieces in tortilla. Put tortilla in square glass casserole dish. 4 of these should fit perfectly. Pour salsa over rolled up tortillas and sprinkle cheese over top. Bake for 20 min at 350.

(If you don't want to saute the veges, just roll up everything raw (but the chicken still cooked) and bake for 30-40 minutes.

This is good for 2 people.

Notes: Sauteed onions would be good with this.

Trout

One block from my house is a great little grocery store called JJ&F. They have a full service deli, butcher and fish area as well. (Awesome sandwiches!)

I bought one trout that had been deboned and gutted, so when you open it up you have two fillets still in their skins ready to go. I've made trout many times. The herbs / spices vary, but some things always remain the same.

---

Butter the bottom of a square casserole dish. Place trout skin down into dish. Mix 1 tbsp. butter and juice from one lemon and heat until butter is melted. Pout mixture over trout. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top.

---

So, that is the part that is always the same. This time I also chopped up some fresh basil (maybe 1/4 cup?) and put that on top of the fish before pouring the lemon butter over the top.

Then, I bake at 400 for 15 minutes.

It is soooo good. Even DH likes it.

Penne with asparagus and bacon

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Fettucine-with-Peas-Asparagus-and-Pancetta-358490

I just noticed epicurious.com spells fettuccine with one c, while BonAppetit.com uses two. Fettuccine has two c's, just so you know.

Anyway. I used penne instead. And left out the peas, of course. (You must know I hate peas.) And then I used bacon instead of pancetta.

This was AWESOME. yeah. The asparagus I bought was the slender kind. It worked really well. Use fresh parmesan cheese too. The Kraft kind is very inferior and pointless in my opinion...

Rice and corn salad

https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/southwest-rice-and-corn-salad-with-lemon-dressing

This was so good. I used medium grain white rice and frozen yellow corn. I used an entire poblano pepper as well as a whole yellow bell pepper. And used green zucchini. I've only seen yellow zucchini once earlier this year.

The poblano pepper hardly added any heat at all. It was very mild. So don't be afraid. The cilantro was lovely as well. But only if you like cilantro. Apparently some people don't. Weird people.

The sweet corn mixed with creamy avocado was a nice combination. Loved it!

Chicken with tarragon

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/quick-recipes/2010/05/chicken_with_tarragon_and_quick_roasted_garlic

I adore tarragon. And it was SO good in this. Fresh is best. Actually, fresh is all I know. I've no idea how dried tarragon would turn out. It could be nasty.

Pappardelle with lamb ragu

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/quick-recipes/2010/05/pappardelle_with_lamb_ragu

I did not like this very much. It tasted ok, but that's all. Ok is not enough for me. Plus it was purple. And the flavor did not redeem the purple color. Maybe the red wine I used was too dark? I used a Pinot Noir, same as I use in beef stew.

There are better uses for lamb.

DH liked it though. He is weird.

Indoor Pulled Pork

This is from the Jan/Feb issue of Cooks Illustrated. Or, here: http://thebittenword.typepad.com/thebittenword/2010/01/indoor-pulled-pork-and-other-superbowl-food-ideas.html

I made the lexington vinegar sauce because it has the least amount of sugar. This pork was SOO good. The texture is best when you don't over pull the pork--make sure it is still in big chunks.

The one and only time previous to this that I attempted pulled pork it turned out SUPER NASTY (it was a crockpot recipe... usually crockpots work well but not for this!)

This recipe is a winner. I used a 5 lb pork shoulder and tried to cut it in half (slabwise..is that a word?) but there were some bones that made it uneven. But it worked. There was way too much sauce. Easily half a recipe for sauce would be sufficient. We ate this for two meals and then froze the rest. It will last another couple meals I think.

I highly recommend this if you are at home for the day. I had to start dinner at 11 am, but most of that time it was in the oven and I was doing something else. Eat it on hamburger buns.

Mac and Cheese

http://www.dailyunadventuresincooking.com/2010/04/smoked-cheddar-chorizo-and-green-onion-macaroni-and-cheese.html

This is awesome. I used kielbasa sausage and regular cheddar and it was really good. I even used whole wheat macaroni and it tasted great.

1 3/4 cups dry macaroni (or 4 servings)

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups milk

salt and pepper

8 oz smoked applewood Cheddar (or regular), grated and divided

1 teaspoon sriracha, or other hot sauce

1 smoked chorizo sausage (or kielbasa) (about 1 cup chopped), cut lengthwise then thinly sliced into half moons.

1 small bunch green onions, finely sliced (about 1 cup chopped)

Preheat oven to 350F. Cook macaroni until al dente, drain and set aside.

In a small saucepan add butter and heat to medium low. Whisk in flour and cook for 2 minutes, whisking regularly. Slowly whisk in milk and turn the heat to medium high. Bring to a simmer and whisk regularly. Simmer for 2 minutes or until starting to thicken. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in cheddar (reserve a small about 1/4 of the cheese) and hot sauce until sauce is a uniform texture.

Stir in sausage and green onion and season to taste. Gently fold in cooked macaroni and pour into a casserole dish. Top with freshly ground pepper and remaining cheese. Bake for 25 minutes or until browned on top and bubbling.

Spanish Rice

http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/Betty-Crocker-1950s-Spanish-Rice-266461

This recipe is from my Betty Crocker cookbook. It's one DH used to make a lot back when I worked full time. Very easy and good.

Butternut Squash Soup

http://kitchen-parade-veggieventure.blogspot.com/2010/02/butternut-squash-soup-recipe-that.html

So this is the same recipe featured on an episode of Americas Test Kitchen. But their recipes aren't accessible without subscription.

This soup lacks umph. It was bland and boring. Sure it tastes like squash, but it wasn't enough flavor for me. Maybe if you used twice the amount of squash it would be better? Not sure, but it needed something more. And something chunky. David hates silky soups that don't have chunks. (well, moderately hate)

the end.

Lentil Soup with and without ham bone

I have made this lentil soup before: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/lentil-soup-recipe/index.html

and it was great. I think I included sausage last time too and swapped chicken for vege broth.

With Ham bone (4/28/2010):

So I used the same recipe but replaced the chicken broth with broth from boiling a ham bone for a few hours.

The result: bland. The ham bone (from a ham shank) was not enough flavor to spread over 2 quarts. There was still some meat on it too, but that didn't make enough difference.

-----

Without ham bone (10/25/2010):

I made this recipe again tonight, but used leftover black bean broth from cooking black beans (salted with garlic) combined with beef broth instead of the 2 qts of chicken broth the recipe calls for. I also added 1/4 lb hot bulk sausage, which I would increase to 1/2 lb next time. It turned out extremely flavorful, if a bit salty. (I'd forgotten the bean broth was already salted.) But it was the best version of lentil soup I've made so far.

Kale and White Bean Stew

http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/healthy/nutritiousdishes/lowcholesterolhearthealth/recipes/food/views/Kale-and-White-Bean-Stew-351254

This was pretty good considering how healthy it is. DH lamented the lack of meat (at which point I said I had planned on adding ham but he had eaten it). I swapped chicken broth for the vege broth. The fresh thyme is important for flavor. I put fresh tarragon in at the end and that made for a great flavor as well. Tarragon is awesome, by the way. It is great in yogurt sauce for gyros.

Ham with brown sugar and mustard glaze

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Old-Fashioned-Ham-with-Brown-Sugar-and-Mustard-Glaze-241636

This was very good. I'm don't get why it tells you to wrap the ham with parchment paper though. Seems pointless.

Pan Rolls

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Buttery-Pan-Rolls/Detail.aspx

These were ok. I made half the recipe and crammed them all in an 8x8 square pan. A 9x9 would have been perfect, but alas. I have not that size dish. They were good fresh, but made for unsavory leftovers. I did 50/50 white & wheat flour. I might give this one another chance someday though. Maybe I didn't knead it long enough. I kneaded it in my kitchen aid stand mixer. I'm always afraid it's going to break when I do that though. (Even though I'm using the recommended speed setting... of 2.)

Apple Matzoh Kugel

http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/holidays/passover/sederdinner/recipes/food/views/Apple-Matzoh-Kugel-104862

I made this on Easter. It tasted like something you'd eat for breakfast, and wasn't that great for dessert. It would have been better with some vanilla ice cream, but that would be cowardly (and we didn't have any). And the dried apricots were overkill. It liked it better when I picked them out. I will not make this again. There are far better uses for apples...

Korean Rice Bowl with steak and asparagus

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Korean-Rice-bowl-with-Steak-Asparagus-and-Fried-Egg-358210

This is way awesome. I ended up steaming the asparagus because the stalks were so fat. I didn't have any fleur de sel so used table salt in the sesame seed/chili powder mixture. Just omit the salt altogether. It was too salty, but was good on the asparagus. It was good with a fried egg. The steak marinade really made a good flavor in the meat. Highly recommend!

PS. Use white rice. It will be weird with brown.

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/Southern-Buttermilk-Biscuits-26110

These are amazing. DH loves them. The dough should be very rough. I wish I had a food processor, it would have sped things up. I spaced mine on the cooking sheet so the edges did not touch.

They are crispy and good. DH thought they were pillsbury biscuits. But, no. They are BETTER! Eat them all while they are fresh, if you can. Once you seal them in a bag their resale value plummets.

Chicken Noodle Soup

So, I sort of don't have a recipe for chicken noodle soup. This is what I do (approx):

Chicken broth. A quart maybe? Leftover chicken drippings from baked chicken are good to throw in as well.

A few carrots. 2-3.

A few celery stalks. 3-4.

Onion. 1.

Some noodles. I used 4 oz of bowtie pasta. But, whatever. My super fave noodles (hard to find depending on your location) are from the freezer section--Grandmas frozen noodles. They are awesome and swell up really fat.

leftover cooked chicken (a cup or two?)

Boil chopped veges in the broth. Then add pasta. You could put in some thyme or sage or something. If you've got it.

the end.

P.S. Every time I make chicken noodle soup the broth seems to get all absorbed. So, maybe put in extra broth:)
If grandma's noodles are not to be found, Mrs. Weiss' Kluski Enriched egg noodles are fantastic. I just put in the whole 8 oz bag and it works well for ~4 qts (or less) of soup. I like to add a can of cream of chicken soup sometimes too to make it creamy like my turkey noodle soup recipe.

Libby's Black Bean Soup

So, I made black bean soup using this recipe from my friend libby:

http://grandmasrolls.blogspot.com/2010/03/super-quick-black-bean-soup.html

It was ok. I used from scratch black beans, and used 1.25 cups dry to equal 2 cans. I soaked them overnight and then pressure cooked for 20 minutes. Then I let the pressure slow release (takes 20 min). I think the cooking time could be decreased by 5 minutes, but it didn't matter since I was pureeing the beans anyway. The soup was good so long as you have avocado, cheese, and chips to eat with it, but it doesn't stand as well on its own (sour cream would have been good too, but we were out). Plus, David doesn't like soups that don't have chunks. (nice visual there...)

I think some spices, meat, and veges would make this better.

Deep Dish Pizza-Chicago Style

http://www.thefoodspot.com/2010/03/02/deep-dish-pizza-chicago-style/

This recipe is the same as the one in the January 2010 issue of Cooks Illustrated.

The crust wasn't that great, not worth the effort. It was good, but regular crust is better. Or go out to eat and get real Chicago style pizza.

Ham and Potato Soup

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Delicious-Ham-and-Potato-Soup/Detail.aspx

This was good. DH really liked it.

Notes 11/2/2016: I made this again with chicken broth, and did not add extra chicken bouillion. I put in more like 1.5 cups ham too. Also, I used 1 T butter for the roux with 2 T flour, and mixed it with 1 cup milk.

I let the soup simmer for 20 or 30 minutes and I used a masher to gently mash up some of it. Then I added the thickened milk/flour/butter mixture after it was removed from heat.

I served this with biscuits (cheddar and dill added!).

(the end)

Corned Beef and Cabbage

https://web.archive.org/web/20140721063507/https://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Slow-Cooker-Corned-Beef-and-Cabbage/Detail.aspx

This is a yummy dinner. The cabbage is really important. DH likes the cabbage and carrots more than the potatoes and onion.

Yogurt Sauce

This is from Bon Appetit, part of the Lamb Kofte I made a while back. It goes well with middle eastern dishes. On gyros or falafels or something like that.

Yogurt sauce:

1 cup plain low-fat yogurt

2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

Stir all ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Cover and chill.

Falafels

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/05/crockpot-falafel-recipe.html

This method of cooking falafels was not very successful. They tasted pretty good though. I would not do it in a crockpot next time. They cooked unevenly. I wanted to make falafel that was not deep fried, but I could always just do it in a skillet with a couple tablespoons of oil.

I served the falafel with leftover hummus and some yogurt sauce I mixed up quickly.

Hummus

Homemade hummus is easy to make so long as you have tahini paste (from sesame seeds) in the fridge. This is from about.com.

This is a great recipe. I used dried garbanzo beans that I soaked overnight and then pressure cooked for 45 minutes.

1 16 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans

1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas

3-5 tablespoons lemon juice (depending on taste)

1 1/2 tablespoons tahini

1-2 cloves garlic, crushed (make sure not too large so you aren't overpowered)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas. Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.

Place in serving bowl, and create a shallow well in the center of the hummus.

Add a small amount (1-2 tablespoons) of olive oil in the well. Garnish with parsley (optional).

Serve immediately with fresh, warm or toasted pita bread, or cover and refrigerate.

Note: I have also just mixed the oil into the recipe and it works well.

Pork and Poblano Tamale Pie

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pork-and-Poblano-Tamale-Pie-357537

This was so good. I was really taken with this recipe in every way, and that's pretty rare so I gave it an unheard of 5. I was in a rush and didn't want to let it simmer for as long as the recipe said, so I turned it into a partial crockpot recipe. I put the raw pork in a 3 quart crockpot with the garlic, green salsa, and chicken broth. I put in on low while I was gone (6 hrs). It was super tender when I got back, and then I finished the recipe. After sauteing the onions and adding spices, I threw everything together and only simmered for 10-15 minutes while I mixed the cornbread batter and then put it in the oven. This would have been fine in a casserole dish, but I just left it in the skillet I used since it happens to have a metal handle and is ok for oven use.

For the pork, I used a strip of "country style pork rib" that I chopped up. It wasn't boneless, but I removed the bones after I turned off the crockpot.

I consider poblanos to be a very mild pepper. So don't worry about the heat. If you are a wimp (like my mom), use fewer poblanos and more bell pepper.

Notes from 3/27/10:

-Don't skip the corn puree step, even it your equipment doesn't seem to work well. It makes a big difference in the texture of the final product.

-And don't skimp on meat.

-And don't use all wheat flour in the cornbread topping. If adding wheat, do 50/50 mixture with white.

-And don't leave the poblanos in the oven too long. They get tough and are impossible to peel. Bake them at 500 for 15 minutes or so, and call it good, even if not charred. Alternatively, char them on the stove to over open flame.

-It is possible to leave the skins on the peppers, but then you have skins floating around in the dish. It is less appetizing. I prefer the skins removed even though roasting takes extra time.

Creamed Kidney Beans and Lentils

This is from my San Francisco Chronicle cookbook. I really liked it. I cooked brown rice to go with it and it is superb. I didn't have hot chiles, so I sprinkled in some red pepper flakes. I used half and half instead of cream.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried red kidney beans, picked over

1/2 cup dried brown lentils, picked over

2 1/2 cups water

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/2 cup minced onion

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

1/2 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

2 fresh hot green chiles, stemmed and minced

1/4 cup tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/4 cup milk (low-fat or whole)

1/4 cup whipping cream or half-and- half

1 tablespoon minced cilantro

Instructions:

Wash the kidney beans in several changes of water. Place in a pan and add water to cover by at least 2 inches. Let soak for 8 hours or overnight.

Drain and rinse the beans. Rinse the lentils and combine with the kidney beans. Place in a large, heavy saucepan; add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover (partially at first, until the foam settles, then snugly), and cook until the beans and lentils are tender but still hold their shape, about 40 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

Heat the butter in a large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and chiles and cook until the onion is lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste, coriander, cumin and pepper; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the cooked beans and lentils, the salt and milk. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed, 6 to 8 minutes.

Add the cream and heat through. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and garnish with cilantro.

Sicilian Chicken

This recipe is from my San Francisco Chronicle cookbook.

This chicken was really good. I ended up baking it instead of cooking in on the stove, but you could do it either way. I baked it for an hour and the leg/thigh quarters weren't done.

Ingredients:

1 chicken, cut into serving pieces

10 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 cup fresh mint leaves

Juice of 3 lemons

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup dry white wine

2/3 cup chicken broth

3 to 4 ounces slivered almonds, lightly toasted

Instructions:

1. Combine the chicken, garlic, 2/3 cup of the mint, the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and salt and pepper in a plastic container. Cover tightly. Refrigerate overnight, or up to 2 days.
2. Remove the chicken from the marinade and wipe dry. Reserve the marinade.
3. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saute pan. Add the chicken legs, thighs and wings; saute 20 to 25 minutes, turning several times.
4. Add the breast pieces and saute 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through, turning occasionally. Remove the chicken and keep warm.
5. Discard the fat in the pan, then add the wine and cook over high heat until reduced by half. Add the chicken broth and reserved marinade and cook over high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup.
6. Taste for seasoning, then pour the sauce over chicken.
7. Garnish with almonds and the remaining mint.

All American Meat Loaf

http://www.bhg.com/recipe/beef/all-american-classic-meat-loaf/

This is the first time I've ever made meat loaf. I used wine instead of beef broth (it was more handy at the moment...) and forgot the worcestershire sauce. David liked it a lot more than I did. I think the wine made it taste strange. There was this bitter taste to it that I think came from the wine and sourdough flavor. Next time I'll use regular french bread and beef broth instead of wine.

I also used regular ground beef instead of ground beef chuck/sirloin.

Never Fail Pie Crust

This is my regular pie crust recipe. I use it for savory and sweet pies. It is a flaky crust. (if you put it in a mixer it is not as flaky but is still semi-flaky.)

This is for a double crust pie or two single crust pies. You can freeze what you don't use and it will be good for at least a couple weeks.

3 c. flour
1 1/4 c. shortening
5-6 T. cold water
1 T. vinegar
1 egg
1 t. salt

Put everything in a bowl and mix with a pastry cutter. Or by just throwing everything into a mixer (what I do). If you have a food processor that can hold 7+ cups, then use that. Chill the dough for a half hour (wrapped in plastic) or so and roll out on floured surface.

Note: I have made this using lard instead of shortening, and the results were great.

French Apple Pie

I made apple pie for Pi day (you know, 3.14). I used this recipe: http://noshwithme.com/2006/11/the-yummiest-crumble-apple-pie-ever-ever-ever/

I used pink lady apples and it turned out fantastic. I did not follow their recipe for crust, I used my own.

The crumble topping that is part of this recipe goes well as a topping for any fruit crisp. It makes quite a lot though, so a half recipe is more appropriate. I might halve the crumble topping next time I make this pie too, as the topping is a very thick layer. (I'm still not sure if it is too thick).

Hungarian Beef Goulash

This was really good. Very much like beef stew. From my "One Pot Wonders" cookbook.

1/2 cup butter

2 lb rump, cut into cubes

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 lb onions

1/4 cup paprika

1/2 cup flour

1 T tomato paste

2 qts beef stock

1/2 lb carrots

1 lb potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

chopped parsley, for garnishing

Preheat the oven to 400F. Heat the butter in a large, heavy casserole dish, season the rump, and add to the dish. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Add the paprika and flour, mix well, and place in the preheated oven, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and mix in the tomato paste. Reduce the oven temperature to 350. Add enough of the stock to cover the meat. Bring to a boil on top of the stove, and season. Cover with a lid and return to the oven for 2 hours.

After 1.5 hours, mix in the chopped carrots and potatoes, and cook for another 30 minutes, or until the meat and vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with chopped parsley to serve.

Portobello Mushrooms and Polenta

This is a recipe from my San Francisco chronicle cookbook.

This was very different fare than we're used to, and I had strong aversion to one of the ingredients. David adored it though. I think it is my strong sense of smell that made me sensitive to the white truffle oil. I halved the recipe.

4 whole portobello mushroom, stemmed

1/4 cup olive oil

1 T chopped fresh thyme

1 T chopped garlic

2 t chopped fresh rosemary

1 t ground pepper

1 t salt

3.5 cups water

3/4 cup polenta

1/4 cup mascarpone at room temp

1 T white truffle oil

One day ahead: Rub both sides of the mushrooms with olive oil, thyme, garlic, rosemary, pepper, and salt. Cover the mushrooms and refrigerate overnight.

1.Bring the water to a boil in a heavy pot. Whisk in the polenta, reduce heat low and cook until thickened and cooked. Stir constantly.

2.Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

3.Combine the mascarpone and truffle oil and set aside at room temperature.

4.Place the marinated mushrooms in a baking dish. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes.

5.To serve, divide the polenta among serving plates. Top each serving with a mushroom and a tablespoon of mascarpone mixture.

Serves 4.

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I added some garlic to the polenta to give it more flavor. Next time I make this, I won't use any truffle oil. It is too strong for me.

Hot German Potato Salad

This recipe is based on this: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Hot-German-Potato-Salad-III/Detail.aspx

I have altered it so that there is more sauce and bacon, as it is too dry otherwise. This makes a lot of food, enough to feed 4 people at least as a main course. David really likes this because it has so many of his favorite flavors.

Ingredients

9 potatoes, peeled

1/2 lb bacon

2 small onions or 1 large

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons white sugar

4 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon celery seed

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 1/2 cup water

2/3 cup distilled white vinegar

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 30 minutes. Drain, cool and slice thin.

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside, reserving drippings (only save a small amount, pour the rest into a used aluminum can or glass jar to cool.

Saute onions in bacon drippings until they are golden-brown.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, celery seed, and pepper. Add to the sauteed onions and cook and stir until bubbly, then remove from heat. Stir in water and vinegar, then return to the stove and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil and stir for one minute. Carefully stir bacon and sliced potatoes into the vinegar/water mixture, stirring gently until potatoes are heated through.

Porcini Mushroom Risotto

Porcini Mushroom Risotto
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Porcini-Mushroom-Risotto-108603

I left out the fennel seeds and used one onion in place of the shallots (as I usually do). And I used only a half cup of grated parmesan cheese (real, not Kraft). I like risotto in general, and it's a great way to use porcini mushrooms. This recipe also uses the pressure cooker, though it needed to cook a bit more after taking the lid off the pressure cooker. There was still some liquid to be incorporated and stirring needed to make it creamy. Make sure to use arborio rice for the creamy risotto effect.

Cardamom Honey Chicken

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/cardamom_honey_chicken/

This was good, not too sweet. I cooked it longer than the 20 minutes recommended by the recipe since that did not seem like long enough to me. I used 4 chicken breast quarters and cooked for about 50 minutes. It might have been too long. I'm not good at gauging these things.

Zucchini with Beef and Garbanzo beans

http://almostturkish.blogspot.com/2006/11/zucchini-with-beef-and-garbanzo-beans.html

David loved this. I thought it was sort of bland, but I liked the method of cooking garbanzo beans from scratch. They were really good by themselves, I ate a bunch before putting the rest in the soupy mixture.

Originally I thought this was supposed to be soup, but then I happened to see that it should be served on top of rice or bulgar pilaf. So I did rice.

Turkey Divan

I made Turkey Divan from the Fanny Farmer cookbook--a very old one! Clearly, I have been using up leftover frozen thanksgiving turkey lately. This would have been great with some bread.

This is the recipe.

Layer in a small casserole dish:

4 stalks cooked broccoli (not sure what this means. I used 2 broccoli heads and steamed them for 15 min)

Leftover turkey (1-2 cups)

2-3 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

sauce (see below)

More Parmesan.

Bake at 350 for 12 min until "delicately brown". Whatever that means.

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Sauce:

1 cup cream sauce (see below)

stir 2 egg yolks into cream sauce

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Cream sauce:

Melt in double boiler or small heavy pan:

2 T butter

2 T flour

Blend well.

Slowly stir in 1 cup milk. (use whisk). Bring slowly to a boil, then boil 2 minutes. Stir constantly

Salt and pepper to taste.

French Toast

This is how I make french toast (this will make 6-8 pieces)

1 cup milk

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

Mix together and dip bread slice into mixture. Then cook on griddle or in pan. It's yum! I like it a lot more than DH though...

Corn and Wild Rice Soup

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Corn-and-Wild-Rice-Soup-with-Smoked-Sausage-833

This soup was good, but a bit sweet. I halved the recipe, and it still made a lot. I tried to cook the wild rice in the pressure cooker (for 20 min), but it didn't work so well. The rice cooked, but the liquid was not absorbed. Also, I left out the half and half. The sausage used for this was a safeway brand u-shaped smoked sausage, but it actually had corn syrup added so it made the soup sweeter than it should have been. The corn was plenty sweet as it was. Next time I'll use real Kielbasa.

Turkey Pot Pie

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Turkey-Pot-Pie-I/Detail.aspx

This recipe was really good, and fit well into a 9 inch deep dish pie pan. I did a double crust, but it was too rich. Next time I'll do a single crust for the top. This recipe is plenty for 4 adults.

Update:
I made 1.5 times the recipe and it fit perfectly in 2 standard 9 inch pie pans (not deep). This would feed 6 adults.

Tortellini Soup

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cheese-Tortellini-Soup-with-Cannellini-Kielbasa-and-Kale-106143

DH and I liked this. I used a 12 oz package of dry trader joes cheese tortellini and halved the rest of the recipe. It turned out more like tortellini stew. The kielbasa I'd purchased was a generic safeway brand, and it was a touch sweet. I think next time I'll buy real kielbasa (the U shaped sausage) and use less tortellini. It was still good though.