Shakshuka with Mint, Yogurt & Toasted Baguette

So, yeah we tried a bunch of those meal kits last year during my busy season.  We really enjoyed Plated, Home Chef and HelloFresh!  The other night, my son informed me that his absolute favorite new meal last year was the Shakshuka from Plated!  Wow!  I was amazed.  I have reactivated my Plated and my HelloFresh accounts to take advantage of these meal kits when my busiest time starts again.  I can't wait to get a bunch of new meals to cook for my family.  Please try this one.  It is fantastic!


Shakshuka with Mint, Yogurt, and Toasted Baguette (Plated)

1 yellow bell pepper
1/4-ounce mint
1 shallot
3 cloves garlic
1 container nonfat Greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seed
1/4 cup roasted red peppers
1/2 cup tomato purée
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon sugar
1 demi-baguette
1 cheesecloth

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
• eggs
• olive oil
• kosher salt
• black pepper
• fine-mesh sieve
• 10" medium ovenproof pan
• baking sheet

Prepare ingredients:
Preheat oven to 450°F. Rinse bell pepper and halve lengthwise, discarding seeds and stem. Cut lengthwise into ¼-inch strips. Rinse mint and roughly chop leaves, discarding stems. Peel shallot and thinly slice. Mince garlic. Add ¼ teaspoon salt and black pepper to container with yogurt, stirring to combine.

Fry aromatics:
Place a fine-mesh sieve over a small heatproof bowl and line with cheesecloth. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a medium ovenproof pan over medium-high heat. When oil is shimmering, add spice mix, half of shallot, and half of garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Pour aromatics and oil into prepared strainer, letting oil drain into bowl and reserving both. Set aside.

Simmer shakshuka:
Return oil from aromatics to pan over medium heat. When oil is shimmering, add bell pepper, remaining shallot, and remaining garlic, and cook until softening, 2-3 minutes. Add roasted red peppers, tomato purée, diced tomatoes and their juices, and sugar. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium high and simmer until reduced slightly, 4-6 minutes. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and black pepper as desired.

Toast baguette:
While sauce simmers, halve baguette lengthwise, then place cut-side up on a baking sheet. Drizzle thoroughly with olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper as desired. Transfer to oven and toast until golden, 6-8 minutes.

Bake eggs:
Create 2 small, evenly-spaced pockets in the shakshuka. Crack 1 egginto each pocket, nestling into shakshuka. Season with a pinch of saltand black pepper as desired. Transfer to oven and bake together with baguettes until egg whites are just set, 6-8 minutes. Carefully remove pan from oven.

Plate shakshuka:
Dollop yogurt over shakshuka in pan, then garnish with fried aromatics and mint. Divide shakshuka between serving bowls. Serve with toasted baguette for dipping. Dig in!

Unforgettable Best-Ever Chocolate Quinoa Cake

I found this recipe on the Making Thyme for Health website but I later found a similar recipe on Barefeet in the Kitchen.  Both of these blogs say it originally came from Quinoa 365 cookbook by way of Mel's Kitchen Cafe blog.  It is an amazing cake.  I want to eat the entire thing.  I never heard of a cake made with actual quinoa before. I thought it was made from quinoa flour but it isn't.  Try this cake and you will be amazed at how moist and delicious it is.  I made a few changes but it is mainly the same as the recipes I found online.  It can be vegetarian or vegan if you want to make a few changes.

Unforgettable Chocolate Quinoa Cake

Servings: 12 -16 servings, depending on size
Ingredients:

Cake Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked quinoa loosely packed
• 1/3 cup milk of choice
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup butter melted and slightly cooled
• 1-1/2 cups white sugar or coconut sugar
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Frosting Ingredients:

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream (or coconut cream - see below)
• 1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two round cake pans (or a 9 x 13 pan) and then line the bottoms of the pans with parchment. (Do not skip the parchment if you want to be able to take the cake out of the pan.)


Combine the milk, eggs and vanilla in the blender or food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the cooked quinoa and the butter and puree until completely smooth. Stop the machine as needed to scrape the sides and make sure everything is well mixed. This will be a thick and creamy consistency once the quinoa is pureed. (You should not see any little beads of quinoa in the pureed mixture.) Whisk together the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and add the contents from the blender. Stir until well combined.


Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans and bake on a center oven rack for 28-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean (if you are using a 9 x 13 inch pan please check for doneness at around 20 minutes). Remove the cakes from the oven and let cool 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire cooling rack. Peel off the parchment and let the cakes cool completely before frosting.


Place the chocolate chips in a medium size glass bowl. Heat the cream in a medium saucepan until is gently simmers. Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes or so and then whisk to combine until it is smooth and glossy. Refrigerate and let cool completely. (2-3 hours in the refrigerator or about an hour in the freezer.) When fully chilled. use a mixer to whip the chocolate cream into soft peaks.


Place one cake layer upside down on a plate. Scoop half the frosting onto that layer and gently spread it across almost to the edge. Place the other layer on top of the frosting and top with the remaining frosting. You can frost the sides if you like, I chose to leave mine simple. Chill 2-3 hours before serving to allow the frosting to set.

I actually used the ingredients and instructions from Making Thyme for Health which uses coconut milk.

FOR THE WHIPPED CHOCOLATE COCONUT CREAM FROSTING:

• 1 (13.5 ounce) can of full fat coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
• 1 (10 ounce) bag chocolate chips

To make the frosting you will need to refrigerate the coconut milk overnight (in the coldest part of your refrigerator) so that the cream separates. Grab the coconut milk from the refrigerator but don’t shake the can or turn it upside down before opening. Open the can and scoop out the solid parts with a spoon then place them in a medium size saucepan.  Add the chocolate chips to the saucepan then warm over medium heat, until the coconut cream and chocolate melt together. Whisk until smooth then transfer to a large bowl that you can later use to whip it in. (note: if the melted chocolate/coconut milk mixture still appears really dark you can add more coconut milk to lighten it up so that the end result isn’t bitter)

Allow to cool on the counter then cover and refrigerate for several hours, until thickened. Once it has thickened, remove from the refrigerator and beat on high for thirty seconds to one minute, until a fluffy icing has formed. (you could make it the night before baking the cake).

Transfer the cakes to a surface for icing with the bottom side up. I recommend that you only transfer the cakes once as they are fragile and difficult to hold together once removed from the parchment paper.

Frost the cake and refrigerate until ready to serve. The icing will melt in really warm conditions but should be fine for a few hours in cooler settings.

Enjoy!

BTW 3/4 cup of dry quinoa will make 2 cups of  cooked quinoa!

Coconut-Apple-Ginger Dal

I tried this soup because it lent itself to some adjustments to suit my son who has many food allergies and sensitivities.  I know that without lentils, this isn't a true "Dal" but it works for us. The original re recipe came from Epicurious.  If you skip the yogurt, this recipe is vegan.

Coconut-Apple-Ginger Dal

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. virgin coconut oil
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 (3") piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped
1 large apple (unpeeled), grated on the large holes of a box grater
1-1/2 cups red lentils (I used red quinoa)
1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
Plan yogurt, cilantro leaves, and toasted unsweetened coconut flakes (for serving)

Preparation:

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Cook cayenne, cumin, and turmeric, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add onion, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes.  Add apple and lentils and stir to coat.  Stir in coconut milk and 2-1/2 cups water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until lentils are completely soft and dal is thick, 20-25 minutes.  Add line juice and season with salt and pepper.

Divide dal among bowls and top with yogurt, cilantro, and coconut flakes; season with more pepper.

Enjoy!

Cacio E Pepe

This is another epicurious.com recipe.  The blurb on that site says this dish is "magnificent".  I really can't argue with them.  It is a very simple dish that, to me, exemplifies comfort food.  I grew up eating a dish called alio y olio.  This dish is very similar in its simplicity but does not contain either garlic or oil.  Cacio E Pepe is quite literally translated to just cheese and pepper.  There isn't much else involved.  I never thought it would appeal to me but it is a version of, well, let's call it "Italian Mac & Cheese".  If you want to try making this, go with this version of it.  I think epicurious.com got it right.  Enjoy!

Cacio E Pepe
Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:

Kosher salt
6 ounces pasta (such as egg tagliolini, bucatini or spaghetti)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed, divided
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
3/4 cup finely grated Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup finely grated Pecorino

Preparation:

Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a 5 quart pot. Season with sale; add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until about 2 minutes before tender.  Drain, reserving 3/4 cup pasta cooking water.  (I did this the day before I made this dish because I discovered that when you cook pasta and cool it over night in a refrigerator it cuts the carbs in half.  Just put the cooked noodles into hot water to reconstitute them. I'm all about reducing carbs but I love pasta.)

Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add pepper and cook, swirling pan, until toasted, about 1 minute.

Add 1/2 cup reserved pasta water to skillet and bring to a simmer.  Add pasta and remaining butter.  Reduce heat to low and add Grana Padano, stirring and tossing until cheese melts and sauce coat the pasta and pasta is al dente.  (Add more pasta water if sauce seems dry.)  Transfer pasta to warm bowls and serve.

Olive Oil-Confit Chicken with Cipollini Onions

This is a recipe that I got from the epicurious website.  It looked very odd to me but I have made it twice now.  I enjoyed it both times.  Instead of chicken thighs, I used chicken breast. I followed all of the other directions.  It is time consuming to make but very flavorful when done.  I also used regular onions the first time I made it because I couldn't find Cipollini onions.  I liked it both times.

Olive Oil-Confit Chicken with Cipollini Onions

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

8 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (I used chicken breast so I didn't cook it as long)

1 lemon, thinly sliced into rounds, seeds removed

1 teaspoon fennel seeds (I have seen some people use anise instead)

6 sprigs rosemary, divided (I used rosemary leaves)

2-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more

Freshly ground black pepper

1-1/2 pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed

12 ounces Cipollini onions, peeled

4 to 4-1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil

Preparation:

Toss chicken thighs, lemon slices, fennel seeds, 4 rosemary sprigs, and 2-1/2 tsp. salt in a large bowl to combine, then season generously with pepper.  Cover and chill at least 12 hour and up to 1 day.  

Let chicken come to room temperature, 20-25 minutes.

Place racks in top and middle of oven; preheat to 275 degrees.  Arrange potatoes and onions in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot an season with salt. Transfer chicken mixture to pot, scraping in any stray fennel seeds, and arrange chicken, skin side up, over potatoes and onions in a single layer (it will be a tight squeeze). Pour in 4 cups of oil.  The oil should come to just over the top of the chicken; if the pieces aren't quite submerged, add the additional 1/2 cup of oil. Cover pot and place on middle rack in oven.  Bake chicken, adding remaining rosemary sprigs after 1 hour, until meat is very tender but not quite falling off the bone, 2 to 2-1/2 hours. Let sit until pot is cool enough to handle, 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat broiler.  Use tongs to carefully remove chicken from pot and place, skin side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Transfer potatoes to baking sheet, arranging around chicken. Broil until chicken skin and potatoes are both browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Let rest 5-10 minutes on baking sheet. 

While chicken and potatoes are under broiler, transfer onions, lemon slices and rosemary to a platter.  Strain oil through a fine sieve into a large measuring glass.

Use a fork to lightly mash potatoes, revealing some of their creamy interior.  Season with more salt. Transfer chicken and potatoes to platter with reserved onions, lemon slices and rosemary sprigs.  Drizzle with some of the strained oil (save the rest for another use).

Do ahead

Chicken can be baked (but not broiled) 2 days ahead.  Let cool in oil, then chill.

Enjoy!

Scandanavian Almond Cake

Scandinavian Almond Cake

Ingredients:

½ cup salted butter, melt and strain through cheese cloth (or coffee filter).  Throw away milk solids and use only clarified part

1-1/4 cups sugar

1 egg

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon almond extract

2/3 cup half-and-half

1-1/4 cups flour

¼ cup sliced almonds (optional)

Directions:

1.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.      Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray and line the long side of the pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.

3.      Mix the sugar with the egg in a bowl.  Beat them together until fluffy.

4.      Add the baking powder and almond extract.  Mix well.

5.      Add the cooled clarified butter to the sugar mix.  Add half of the cream and mix it in.  Add half of the flour and mix it in.  Now add the rest of the cream and mix; then add the rest of the flour and mix thoroughly.

6.      Put the almonds in the bottom of the loaf pan and then pour the batter over it.

7.      Bake the cake for 50-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

8.      Let the loaf pan sit on a wire rack or a cold burner for 15 minutes.  Then loosen the cake from the short sides of the pan with a metal spatula or knife.  Tip the cake out onto a pretty platter, and then remove the parchment paper.

9.      Let cake cool and then dust the top with powdered sugar (optional).

Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room Blueberry Loaf

I had some blueberries just sitting in my freezer. I had the urge to bake something with them.  I found a recipe for Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room Blueberry Muffins from the Cinnamon & Sugar website. I didn't want to make muffins so I decided to put the whole batter into a 5 x 10 inch loaf pan.  I had to bake it longer, of course, but it was basically perfect.  I also made few changes to the recipe to make it with less gluten and less sugar.  Here is what I came up with.

Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room Blueberry Loaf

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose gluten free flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar (I substituted 1/3 cup plus 1-1/2 tablespoons Truvia)
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
2 cups fresh blueberries (I used frozen)

Topping

1/4 cup sugar (I used sugar in the raw)
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees (I turned oven down to 350 degrees halfway through baking).

2. Generously butter a 5 x 10 inch loaf pan and dust with flour, tapping out excess; set aside. You can also line pan with parchment if you like.

3.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Working over the bowl, toss blueberries in a fine sieve with about 1-1/2 teaspoons flour mixture to lightly coat; set aside the flour mixture and the blueberries.

4.  In the bowl of an electric mixer or using a handheld mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

5.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined.

6.  Mix in the vanilla extract.

7.  With the mixer on low speed, add reserved flour mixture, beating until just combined. Add milk, beating until just combined. Do not over mix.

8.  Using a rubber spatula, fold in the blueberries.

9.  Use spatula to put batter evenly into loaf pan. 

10. For topping mix together 1/4 cup sugar and nutmeg.  Sprinkle sugar mixture on top of loaf batter.

11.  Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until loaf is golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 50 minutes.

12.  Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Golden Yellow Beets

This post is my ode to the golden or yellow beet.  I'm not giving you a recipe.  I was scrolling through my Facebook feed a few weeks ago when I saw my cousin had posted a meal she made. I'm not usually one to look at other people's dinners but this one looked interesting.  When I saw her description of it, I knew that I had to taste it for myself.  She described a lemony concoction of chicken, green beans and golden beets.  Well, I had never even heard of golden beets but they sounded like a root vegetable that I needed to try.  I'm so glad that I did.  I even got my 89 year old mother to try them which wasn't easy.  She is very picky.  I made the meal in a very similar way to my cousin's description but instead of chicken thighs, I used chicken breast.  It was fantastic. 

My cousin told me that she didn't have an actual recipe so I basically "winged" it (excuse the pun).  My dish was made in the oven with peeled and sliced golden beets on the bottom of an oiled baking tray, on top of that I put the chicken breast, then I added the green beans.  I had par boiled the beans first.  I poured some olive oil and lemon juice on top.  I also minced up a few garlic cloves and added them to the mix.  I added some spices (just go for the obvious: salt, pepper, Italian basil, oregano, onion, etc.).  I wished that I had added a few onions - white or even Vidalia.  That could have added a little more sweetness to my dinner. 

In any event, my mom and I really loved this meal. We loved it so much that I have been experimenting with Golden Beets and so has she. You have to understand that neither my mom nor I have ever been particularly fond of any type of beet.  In fact, I didn't really know there was any other type of beet than the red, kind of bloody looking beets. That ordinary beet kind of disgusts me. I can't even take the smell of them.  I know, I know, many people love them but I am not one of them.  I have been trying to get away from eating potatoes. As much as I love them, they aren't really as healthy as I would like. I did go low carb for about two years. I wish I had known about yellow beets when I was doing my low carb diet.  In fact, I want to start that again soon. I will be adding yellow or golden beets to my repertoire frequently now that I know and love that ugly root vegetable.  Please try them. You may have to search for them at a grocery store. We had to go to several different stores but if you go to a farmers market or Whole Foods, you shouldn't have any problem finding them. 

Enjoy!

Zucchini Marinara

This is definitely NOT my own personal recipe. It comes from the Proietti's who own a fantastic Italian restaurant in Rochester, NY called Proietti's.  They serve this as an appetizer.  It is fantastic as a side or as an appetizer. Enjoy!

Zucchini Marinara

• Approximately 2 medium zucchini
• 4 oz. 100% Olive Oil
• 1 oz. Sweet Basil
• ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1 tablespoon Chicken Base
• 1 tablespoon Sugar
• 1 28 oz. Can Whole Peeled Tomatoes (drained & smashed)
• 1 clove Fresh Garlic chopped

Cut ends off zucchini and discard.  Cut zucchini in half lengthwise.  Slice zucchini in pieces approximately 1/4” wide.  In a medium size frying pan, combine all of the ingredients except the tomatoes.  Saute’ on medium high heat until the zucchini starts to soften, approximately 5 to 6 minutes, mixing often.  Add the tomatoes and cook an additional 20 minutes mixing often, being careful not to over cook.  If desired you may skim off any excess oil.  May be eaten hot or warm, as an appetizer, or over your favorite pasta. Serves 4-6

Creamy Avocado Lime Salmon

I made this recipe today for my husband and my son.  My son told me this was the best thing I have ever made. My husband was also impressed with this meal. The recipe came to me from a recipe board newsletter. The recipe board is called Delish. I'm telling you that their recipes really are delish!

Creamy Avocado Lime Salmon

By Sally McKenney

·         

Total Time: 0:30

Prep: 0:10

Level: Easy

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the Salmon

·        4 salmon fillets, skins removed (about 2 lbs. total)

·        2 tbsp. sesame oil

·        1 tbsp. honey

·        2 cloves garlic, minced

·        1/2 tsp. chili powder

·        1/4 tsp. kosher salt

·        1/4 tsp. Freshly ground black pepper

·        1/4 c. sesame seeds

For The Sauce

·        1 avocado, diced

·        Juice of 1 lime

·        2 tbsp. fresh cilantro

·        1 tbsp. Greek yogurt

·        1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

·        kosher salt

Directions

1.     Preheat oven to 375º. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.

2.     Rinse salmon and pat dry, then place on baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine sesame oil, honey, garlic, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Rub salmon with mixture, then spread 1 tablespoon sesame seeds over each fillet.

3.     Bake salmon 15 to 20 minutes, depending on thickness (about 10 minutes per 1" thickness, measured from the thickest part of the fillet). For crispier edges, broil the last 3 minutes.

4.     Meanwhile, make the sauce: Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Taste and add salt as desired.

5.     Remove cooked salmon from oven and serve with avocado sauce.

Coconut Flour Cake

This is a recipe that I found on the Nourished Kitchen website.  I made a few changes to the recipe to accommodate the tastes of my family and, in some cases, because I did not have a particular ingredient. My changes are in red. The results were excellent. I served this cake to my extended family at a get-together for my son's last day before he returned to college after spring break. It was a resounding success! 

I would suggest reducing the baking time by about 5 minutes because the bottom got a little over-cooked and really stuck to the baking pans. I had to resort to freezing the cakes and, basically, scraping them out of the pans.

Coconut Flour Cake

Prep time:  20 mins

Cook time:  45 mins
Total time:  1 hour 5 mins
Serves: 1 cake, about 8 servings

Dense, moist, and rich with coconut flavor, coconut flour cake is a remarkable treat. While both its texture and flavor is reminiscent of classic yellow cake, it's considerably more nourishing thanks to the nutrient profile of both coconut flour and fresh pastured eggs. We serve coconut flour cake for birthdays and special occasions.

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

• 12 eggs
• 2 cups coconut milk
• up to ¾ cup honey (I used 1/2 cup honey)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract (I used 3 tsp vanilla extract)
• ½ tsp coconut extract (I did not use this)
• ½ tsp orange extract (I did not use this)
• 2 cups coconut flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking soda (added by me)
• 1 Tbsp. Coconut Palm Sugar
• ¼ tsp unrefined sea salt
• coconut oil, for greasing the pan

For the Frosting:

• 2 cups coconut spread (I used 2 cups butter)
• ½ cup virgin coconut oil
• up to ⅓ cup honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (used 2 tsp vanilla extract)
• 1 tsp coconut extract (I did not use this)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Beat a dozen eggs, two cups coconut milk and up to three-quarters of a cup of honey together with vanilla, coconut and orange extracts until smooth, creamy and uniform in both color and texture.
3. Dump two cups coconut flour, a half-teaspoon baking soda and a quarter teaspoon unrefined sea salt into the mixture of eggs, honey and extracts, and continue to beat until a smooth batter forms.
4. Grease and flour two eight-inch cake tins. (Make sure you grease pans very well.)
5. Pour, or spoon, the cake batter into the greased and floured tins, shaking them to even out the batter and smoothing it with the back of a spoon or with a rubber spatula.
6. Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 35-40 minutes, or until the cake separates from the sides of the tin and a toothpick inserted into the cake's center comes out clean.
7. Allow the cake to cool completely before removing from the tin and frosting with the coconut frosting below.
8. Beat all ingredients for the frosting together until thoroughly combined.
9. Refrigerate the frosting for five to ten minutes so that it stiffens a bit.
10. Remove from the refrigerator, beat for about one minute.
11. Frost your cake.

Recipe by Nourished Kitchen at http://nourishedkitchen.com/coconut-flour-cake/

Spinach Soup

This is a recipe courtesy of Ree Drummond (Pioneer Woman). I found it on the Food Network website. I searched for it because I had made spinach and there was a lot of it left over. I correctly assumed that my guys would eat more Spinach Soup than they would eat of just plain spinach.  This soup is excellent. Try it, you'll like it!

Spinach Soup

2 tbsps. olive oil
10 oz. fresh spinach
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 medium onion, chopped
4 tbsps. (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
2 tsps. kosher salt, or more to taste
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (original recipe calls for 1/2 tsp. but it was too much for me)
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the spinach and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until the spinach is wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the mixture to a blender or food processor, pour in 1/4 cup hot water and pulse until pureed. Set aside.

In a large soup pot, cook the onions in the butter over medium heat until the onions begin to soften. Sprinkle the flour over the top and stir to combine. Cook for about 2 minutes, then pour in the milk, stirring occasionally. Add the salt, cayenne and some black pepper and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour in the pureed spinach, then cook until thickened, another 3 to 5 minutes.

Check the seasonings, adding more salt, black pepper or cayenne as needed. Serve warm.

Thanks Ree Drummond!

Slow Cooker Brussels Sprouts

This is a recipe for Brussels sprouts that I made on Christmas Eve. Everyone in the family loved these sprouts except my son. He didn't like the fact that the sprouts were sweet. He really isn't supposed to eat any seeds so I left out the sesame seeds. I will make this recipe when he is not home.

Slow Cooker Brussels Sprouts

2 (12 oz) packages of Brussels sprouts, halved
2 tbsps. honey
2 tbsp. Thai sweet chili sauce
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp. low-sodium teriyaki sauce
1 tbsp. sesame seeds

STEP 1 Set the Brussels sprouts in a large plastic container or resealable bag. Drizzle with honey, close container and shake to coat. Add the Thai sweet chili sauce and shake again. Finally, add apple cider vinegar and teriyaki sauce and shake until Brussels sprouts are completely coated.

STEP 2 Set coated Brussels sprouts in the bowl of a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours, or until fully cooked. Use a slotted spoon to transfer cooked Brussels sprouts to a mixing bowl, reserving the liquid at the bottom of the slow cooker.

STEP 3 Set reserved cooking liquid in a small sauce pan and reduce over medium high heat, until a thick syrup forms. Stir frequently and take care not to scorch the sauce. When sauce is thickened, drizzle over the cooked Brussels sprouts, toss with sesame seeds, and serve.

Creamy Brussels Sprouts and Cauliflower Soup

This soup is from the December 2016 issue of People Magazine. The recipe was meant to be vegetarian but I used low sodium beef broth because I had it. I also had to add the salt, pepper and other spices because when I used low sodium broth, the soup was very bland. If you use full sodium broth, then leave out the salt. 

Creamy Brussels Sprouts and Cauliflower Soup

1 lb. Brussels sprouts

1 10 oz. bag frozen cauliflower florets

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. butter

½ cup diced white onions

2 cups vegetable/beef/chicken broth

1 cup 2% milk

1-1/2 tsp kosher salt

½ tsp pepper

½ tsp garlic powder

bacon bits to garnish

STEP 1 Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Halve the Brussels sprouts. Arrange sprouts and cauliflower on a large sheet pan and drizzle with the olive oil. Roast for 15 minutes, stirring halfway.

STEP 2 Meanwhile, melt butter in a large sauce pan and sauté diced onion until translucent. Add the broth and spices and then bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.

STEP 3 Transfer one half of the roasted vegetables to the broth and simmer for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Return the remaining vegetables on the baking sheet to the oven to roast for another 5 minutes.

STEP 4 Use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Remove from heat and stir in the milk and remaining roasted vegetables. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Left Over Ham and Green Bean Soup

We had turkey and ham for Thanksgiving this year and we had some left over. I didn't know what to do with all the green beans that were left over either so I decided to put them all together in a soup and it turned out great!

Left Over Ham & Green Bean Soup


4 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups diced ham
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 carrots, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 bag riced cauliflower
sea salt, to taste
white pepper, to taste

Put everything into slow cooker except cream. Cook for 6-8 hours on low. Add cream just before serving. 

Left Over Turkey Soup

I made this soup with the leftover turkey we had after Thanksgiving. I could also be made with chicken but since I had turkey, I used it.  We loved this soup! All ingredients are approximate.

Left Over Turkey Soup

4-5 cups chicken broth (fresh or canned)
3 cups diced turkey or chicken
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 carrots, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
sea salt
white pepper

Place all ingredients into a 6-7 cup slow cooker and cook for 6-8 hours on low. 

Triple Berry Crisp

I made this recipe for my son's Robotics Club banquet.  It went over very well. I think it was a success because most of the other desserts were store-bought. None of the other desserts were made with fruit, either. It is an easy dessert to make and turned out to be very tasty. I upped the sugar from 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup.

Triple Berry Crisp
by Mario Batali

2 cups blueberries
2 cups raspberries
2 cups blackberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon Limoncello
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt

Crisp Topping

1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
Raspberry Gelato or Vanilla Ice Cream (to serve)
powdered sugar (to garnish)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease 9 x 9 baking dish with butter.

2. In a large bowl, gently toss together the berries and sugar. Make a slurry with the Limoncello and cornstarch. Stir into the berry mixture and transfer to the prepared baking dish.

3. Distribute the Crisp topping evenly over the berries and bake for 35-45 minutes or until golden on top.

4. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

5. Serve warm with a scoop of raspberry gelato or vanilla ice cream and powdered sugar.

6. For the Crisp Topping: Whisk together the dry ingredients until evenly combined. Blend in the butter with your hands for pastry blender until pea-sized.

Baker's Chocolate One Bowl Brownies

This is the original recipe taken from the box of Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate. I started making these brownies when I was 11 years old. It is a tried and true brownie recipe. Enjoy!

BAKER'S ONE BOWL Brownies

Recipe by Kraft

Prep Time: 15min.

Total Time: 50min.

Servings: 24 servings

This BAKER'S ONE BOWL Brownies recipe is the one that gets handed down through the generations. You'll know why after one bite.

What You Need

·         1 pkg. (4 oz.) BAKER'S Unsweetened Chocolate

·         3/4 cup butter or margarine (1-1/2 sticks)

·         2 cups sugar

·         3 eggs

·         1 tsp. vanilla

·         1 cup flour

·         1 cup coarsely chopped PLANTERS Pecans (optional)

Make It

Tap or click steps to mark as complete

·       Heat oven to 350°F.

·       Line 13x9-inch pan with Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Spray foil with cooking spray.

·       Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Add flour and nuts; mix well. Pour into prepared pan.

·       Bake 30 to 35 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Do not overbake.) Cool completely. Use foil handles to remove brownies from pan before cutting to serve.

·       Tip: For cakelike brownies, stir in 1/2 cup milk with eggs and vanilla. Increase flour to 1 1/2 cups.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

The Best Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe

Ingredients: (what you will need for the best buffalo chicken dip recipe):

·         1 pound of boneless skinless chicken breast (or approx 2-3 large chicken breasts)

·         1 cup of ranch dressing ( Hidden Valley, Kraft, or Wishbone)

·         1 cup of Franks Original Red Hot (do not substitute this please)

·         1 8 oz block of cream cheese (do not use fat free, 1/3rd less fat OK)

·         1 package of fancy shredded sharp cheddar cheese (2 cups)

•     Green onions (optional)

You will also need the following items to dip into the best buffalo chicken dip... Bite size tortilla chips, celery, wheat thins, Triscuits or a combination of all of them.

Here are your step by step instructions:

• Boil your chicken breasts on the stove in a medium to large sauce pan, on medium heat about 30 to 45 minutes or until cooked all the way through and pre heat your oven to 350 F.

• While the chicken is boiling cut the cold cream cheese into cubes and place them into an 11.5" x 8" x 2" Pyrex style baking dish lightly misted with buttered flavor Pam.

• Evenly sprinkle the fancy shredded cheese on top of the cream cheese cubes.

•  Pour the 1 cup of ranch and the 1 cup of Franks Red Hot on top of the cheesy mixture and place the dish into the oven uncovered for 7 to 10 minutes.  You will want to stir the mixture after about 7 to 10 minutes and put it back in the oven and bake an additional 7 to 10 minutes and stir until mixture and cream cheese is well mixed together.

• While the mixture is baking and your chicken is done boiling you will want to shred your chicken. The best way to do this is by putting the pan into the sink and running cold water over the chicken to speed up the process, once cooled you may hand shred the chicken into a bowl.

• After the cheesy mixture is done baking and mixed together well you may now add the chicken, simply pour the chicken on top of the mixture, carefully stir the mixture well and cover with aluminum foil and bake an additional 20 to 30 minutes.

• Once baked you can carefully pour into your serving bowl, garnish with green onion and celery and enjoy!

Crockpot Beef

I modified this recipe from the short rib recipe I posted a long time ago.  It is a new family favorite.

2-3 lbs beef (chuck, bottom round, or brisket all work)

4 onions roughly chopped

1 bag baby carrots

3 stalks celery, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, chopped or garlic paste

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup dry red wine (merlot or cabernet)

2 cups beef broth or stock

3-4 tablespoons flour

I sometimes do this when the beef is still frozen - doesn't seem to matter.

Salt and pepper the beef.  Put all vegetables (including garlic) in bottom of slow cooker/crock pot. Place beef on top of the veggies. Pour wine and broth over top of beef. I usually cook it on high for an hour or two and then switch to low and cook for approximately 6-8 hours. Remove the beef from the pot, then I remove all the veggies and strain the broth. Put the broth into a small pot and whisk in the flour until the sauce thickens. I pour the sauce over the beef and put it back into the slow cooker on warm until everyone is ready to eat. The meat is usually falling apart. I tend to discard all the veggies and serve with other side dishes like mashed potatoes and green beans or whatever your family likes best.

Enjoy!

Oven Baked Macaroni & Cheese - UPDATED VERSION

I was asked to make macaroni and cheese for a function today.  When I went back through my old blog posts and pulled out the original Macaroni & Cheese recipe that I used many times I realized that the old recipe doesn't state the amount of flour to use or the method of blending the flour into the milk to make the roux. I decided to do an update with a more accurate recipe that you will find below.

Oven Baked Macaroni & Cheese

16 oz of uncooked elbow macaroni
1 stick of butter
4 cups of milk
1/2 cup flour
12 oz sharp cheddar (grated) cheese, reserve a handful to sprinkle on top
1 teaspoon of salt (I cut this down from 2 teaspoons in the original recipe)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Cook the macaroni according to the package directions.
3. In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter, whisk in flour to make a paste.
4. Warm the milk in microwave for 2-3 minutes.
5. Slowly add milk to the paste.
6. Whisk in the milk until thickened (about 1-2 minutes).
7. Remove from heat and add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, mustard and cheese, stir until smooth.
8. Stir the cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce and pour into a 3 quart casserole dish.
9. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and bake for 30 minutes.

(You can easily do half the recipe in a 1-1/2 or 2 quart baking dish or even double the recipe for a large crowd.)

Enjoy!

Roasted Cauliflower

This is a great way to make cauliflower. It is very tasty.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

Ingredients:

2 heads cauliflower, cut into florets
2 leeks, thinly sliced, white and pale green parts only
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Place the cauliflower, leeks and red peppers on the prepared baking sheet.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, thyme, and salt.  Add to cauliflower mixture, tossing gently to coat.

Bake until the cauliflower is tender, 35 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Serve

Enjoy!

Blueberry Blast Smoothie

I tried this smoothie a few weeks ago. It was great. The recipe comes from Ellie Krieger. It is simple but satisfying.

Blueberry Blast Smoothie

Ingredients:

1/2 cup nonfat or 1% lowfat milk
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 cup frozen blueberries (unsweetened)
1 teaspoon honey

Directions:

Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

Classic Vinaigrette

This is a nice easy vinaigrette to make when you don't want the bottled stuff with all its chemicals and such.

Classic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1-1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation:

Combine vinegar, shallots, salt, Dijon mustard and pepper. Gradually add olive oil, stirring until incorporated.

Snow Pea Salad with Shallot and Tarragon

I have to hand it to Martha Stewart for this recipe. I loved this vinaigrette so much that I would put it on a salad or any vegetable. It is delish! The only changes I made were to par boil the snow peas and I used dry tarragon. Next time, I will slice the peas but this time, I didn't.

Snow Pea Salad with Shallot and Tarragon
by Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons champagne or white-wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 pound snow peas, thinly sliced lengthwise
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together mustard, vinegar and oil; season with salt and pepper. Add shallot, snow peas, and tarragon and combine.

To store, refrigerate covered, up to 6 hours.