| Granola anyone? |
[Mar. 11th, 2007|07:06 pm] |
I decided to make granola this weekend. It came out pretty good, but next time I'm going to try and make bars instead. It does make some very tasty and filling cereal, though!
Granola
5 cups regular oats, uncooked
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
3/4 cup wheat germ
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup coconut
3/4 cup unprocessed bran
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup dried cranberries
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In large mixing bowl, stir together oatmeal, brown sugar, wheat germ, nuts, coconut, and bran. In small saucepan, mix together oil, honey, and vanilla. Stir and heat on medium heat until bubbly. Pour over dry oat mixture and stir until well mixed. Spread onto foil-lined pan. Bake at 325 degrees F until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven. Stir to prevent sticking. Cool completely. Stir in dried cranberries after cooled.
Makes about 8 cups. |
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| Fresh Salsa |
[Mar. 11th, 2007|10:48 am] |
Yesterday I went to Finley Market in downtown Cincinnati. They have a pretty good Farmer's Market on the weekend and I scooped up some good deals on produce. I bought a pineapple (YUM!), tomatoes, garlic, cilantro, onion, limes, and zucchini. While I was there I decided that I wanted to make salsa, so I tried to get as much there as I could. Here's what I did to make the salsa....
Salsa
10 - 15 plum tomatoes
1 bunch cilantro
1 small onion
5 cloves of garlic
1 Hungarian hot pepper
2 jalapeños
juice from 2 limes
a splash of vinegar
Dice the plum tomatoes, onion, garlic, and peppers. I like dice the peppers really small which helps to distribute the hotness evenly. Put the tomatoes, onion, garlic and peppers in a bowl. Finely chop the cilantro. I uses almost the whole bunch, but I like a lot of cilantro! Add to the bowl with other ingredients. Squeeze the juice from the two limes into the bowl and add a splash of vinegar. Mix well. Serve right away or refrigerate overnight to let the flavors meld better.
This came out just right for my taste in salsa. If I'd have had a food processor, I'd probably have used it to give it a little more juice, but overall I'm happy with how it came out and my family loved it!
Here's a bonus photo of what it looked like after sitting in the fridge overnight. There was a bit more juice in the bottom compared to how much there was at first.
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| Thyme-Marinated Grilled Asparagus |
[Feb. 12th, 2006|04:49 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  hungry | ] |
2 pounds asparagus, tough stems trimmed
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 shallots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon orange juce concentrate (or 1/2 fresh squeezed orange juice or 1 teaspoon orange juice)
1 tablespoon grain mustard
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste
Bring 2 quarts of salted (kosher salt works best) water to a boil in a large pot. Add asparagus and cook until it is crisp-tender, 3 to 4 mins depending on size. Drain and shock in ice cold water ensuring it is completely cooled off. Set aside.
In a bowl, combine vinegar, shallots, garlic, thyme, orange juice concentrate, and mustard. Slowly whisk in oil to blend well. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour mixture over asparagus. Let marinate while you light the coals or start the grill. (I like to marinade the asparagus 30 mins to an hour.)
Grill the asparagus on each side just to mark it, 1 to 2 mins per side. Remove from grill. Serve warm or at room temperature.
~~~~
This is my absolute favorite recipe for asparagus. This recipe made me LOVE asparagus (I used to not touch the stuff with a ten foot pole). This marainade can be used on other veggies - my favorite being squash (green or yellow).
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| Fresh from the garden |
[Aug. 9th, 2005|11:37 am] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  accomplished | ] |
This year I made my first attempt at a vegetable garden and here are some photos of what I picked today:
The yellow tomatoes are the first ones picked of what we planted! We've got so many cucumbers and tomatoes we don't know what to do with them all! The peppers we planted are just about ready to be picked and they look so pretty on the plant right now. Food that you grow yourself seems to taste so much better than anything you could buy in the store (plus it's a heck of a lot cheaper too!).
The parsley, basil, and thyme we planted seems to have died. The heat wave we got recently really did them in... and I know it's partly our fault for not having watered them every night like we should have been. Maybe tonight when we water them they'll come back to life a bit... they aren't completely dead yet, but on their way. The cucumbers need water too because some of their leaves are turning brown. Ah well... at least everything is growing quite well still :o) |
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| I finally broke down and bought it. |
[Apr. 5th, 2005|09:06 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  cheerful | ] |
For the longest time I've wanted some nice knife guards for my Wusthof knives. I've also wanted a smaller case to carry them in because the one I got from school is rather large and not really that portable. Because I am now starting my internship and have to bring my own knives (just my chef's knife and paring knife), I need some way to transport them with me to work. Since I'll be working at the casino (well Michael Jordan's Steakhouse, but it's in the casino), I don't want to just carry my knives in broad view of everyone, plus I think security would lock me up and take my knives. So, I find myself really needing something that is easier to carry them in and some knife guards.
I chose to go with the Wusthof 8-pocket knife roll and some lovely knife guards - two 4 inch pairing, one 8 inch chef's, one 6 inch chef's, and one 10 inch slicing knife guards. All in all only $45.00 including shipping. Not as bad as I thought it would be! |
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From ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) shann |
[Apr. 1st, 2005|09:34 am] |
Tortellini Salad
INGREDIENTS
1 (9 ounce) package Tortellini, prepared according to pkg. directions, chilled
1 (10 ounce) package ready-to-use spinach, torn into bite-size pieces
1 cup diced mozzarella cheese
1 (6 ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and sliced
1 cup sliced ripe olives, drained
1/3 cup roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1 cup red wine salad dressing
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS
1. COMBINE pasta, spinach, mozzarella cheese, artichokes, olives and roasted peppers in medium bowl. Add dressing; toss to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. |
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| Rice cooker and cook book |
[Feb. 24th, 2005|12:40 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  ecstatic | ] |
Amazon.com is my friend :o)
I've been wanting a rice cooker for quite some time and I was really hoping for a 3-cup Hello Kitty one that I found on eBay which ended up going for way too much money. Anyhow, after some shopping around, I found one on Amazon that I like.
On it's way to me is the Zojirushi NS-KCC05 Micom Programmable 3-Cup Rice Cooker & Warmer (which in reality is only about a 2 1/4 cup rice cooker, but that's fine by me!). It's got great reviews and a not too bad price, so I figured I'd go with it. After I ordered it I sorta wish I'd have gone with the the 5-cup model, but what's done is done! If I find a real NEED for one later down the line I'll get one. This one should do just fine for now.
Along with the machine, I got a cook book: The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook: 250 No-Fail Recipes for Pilafs, Risottos, Polenta, Chilis, Soups, Porridges, Puddings and More, from Start to Finish in Your Rice Cooker
I'm actually really anxious to make some sweet rice since I've got 2 fairly large bags of it at home. I can hardly wait for it to arrive!! |
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| Chocolate Chip Muffins |
[Feb. 7th, 2005|11:51 am] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| | hungry | ] |
I got this in email today and I'm anxious to try it out!
Chocolate Chip Muffins
Ingredients:
Cupcakes
2 squares (2 ounces) unsweetened chocolate
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2 eggs
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
Frosting
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 1/2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup each mini semisweet and nonpareil chocolate chips
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Baking Time: 20 minutes
Makes 24 cupcakes
Directions
1. For cupcakes, preheat oven to 325F. Line 24 standard-size muffin pan cups with paper liners. In top of double boiler set over simmering water, melt chocolate; remove top of pan and set aside to cool.
2. In small bowl, mix 1 cup flour, baking soda and salt. In large bowl, with mixer on medium speed, beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Alternately beat flour mixture and buttermilk into sugar mixture. Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla extract. In a small bowl, toss chocolate chips with remaining 1 tablespoon flour; stir into batter.
4. Spoon batter into muffin cups. Bake 20 minutes or until tops are firm. Transfer pans to wire racks to cool. Remove from pans.
5. For frosting, in a small bowl, mix confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder; blend in milk and butter until smooth. Spread frosting over cupcakes then sprinkle with chocolate chips. |
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| Oatmeal Molasses Bread |
[Jan. 8th, 2005|01:57 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| | cheerful | ] |
Oatmeal Molasses Bread
1 cup quick oats
1 1/2 tablespoon non-hydrogenated vegan margarine
1 pkg active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup molasses
2 teaspoon salt
4 2/3 cup flour (of choice - I use half whole wheat half unbleached for good density)
2 cups boiling water
( Directions and pictures ) |
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| Yummy bread |
[Jan. 6th, 2005|11:14 am] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| | cheerful | ] |
Last night I made Oatmeal Molasses Bread. It was pretty easy to make and boy did it make some yummy toast this morning!
I took pictures and when I get home I'll post them along with the recipe :o) |
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| ICE CREAM!!! |
[Dec. 25th, 2004|05:16 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| | cheerful | ] |
For Christmas, I got a Cuisinart Ice Cream Machine.
Today I made the recipe in the book that came with it for vanilla ice cream (the kind you have to cook first). It's setting up in the freezer right now.
So who's got some good ice cream or sorbet recipes for me? I'm dying to make some good stuff with it and I'd REALLY like a recipe for soy ice cream if anyone's got one!
Recipes anyone?
Edit: I found a few... but since I really do like using tried and true recipes, I'd love some of the one's you've got!
Vegan Soy Ice Cream
HungryMonster.com Ice Cream Recipes (549 of them!!)
VeganChef.com has a few different ones. |
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| Nifty! |
[Nov. 17th, 2004|11:49 am] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  amused | ] |
I'm sitting here browsing through The Vegetarian Family Cookbook by Nava Atlas and under a section for snacks, I came across this:
Paper Bag Popcorn: Did you know that all popcorn is microwavable? If you buy your own organic popcorn kernels in bluk, it's not only much more economical, but you you control how much salt (if any) goes on, and you avoid preservatives and hydrogenated fats. Here's how: Simply put 1/4 cup unpopped kernels in a lunch-sized brown paper bag. Fold the top over and secure with a couple pieces of tape. Microwave on high for about 2 minutes, until you no longer hear any popping. Transfer to a large bowl and sprinkle with salt to taste. If you'd like, drizzle a small amount of melted non-hydrogenated margarine on the popcorn and stir well.
There's also some recipes for "Make Your Own Flavored Popcorn" - Chili-Spiced Popcorn, Popcorn Parmesan, Peanut Caramel Corn, and Almod-Maple Popcorn.
Just thought I'd share!! The other day I wanted some popcorn and being to lazy to pop the kernels on the stove for regular popcorn, I popped this toffee stuff in the microwave. I was craving salty and ended up with sweet. YUCK. I'll have to remember this for next time! |
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| Veggie Bars!! |
[Oct. 22nd, 2004|03:05 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| | hungry | ] |
I've been craving these for weeks now and I'm finally going to make some this weekend. Thought I'd post the recipe for now and once I make them I'll post the pictures that go with it.
Veggie Bars
1 to 2 pkgs Pillsbury croissant rolls
1 cup mayonnaise
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch dressing/dip mix
2 to 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 to 1 ½ cups broccoli, finely chopped
1 to 1 ½ cups cauliflower, finely chopped
1 medium to large tomato, finely chopped
Note: How much croissant rolls you need depends on the size of your baking sheet. Use more cheese or veggies if desired.
Directions:
Open croissant rolls and press flat into baking sheet, making sure there are no gaps - basically you are making on big croissant sheet. Bake as directed on package. Cool completely before doing anything else!
Combine mayonnaise, softened cream cheese, and ranch mix. Blend well. (The mixture will be lumpy but does set up after being chilled.) Spread mixture over croissants evenly. Sprinkle broccoli, cauliflower, and tomato over mixture evenly. Cover completely with cheese.
Let chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Best if chilled overnight. Once chilled, cut and serve. Enjoy! |
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| Meringues! |
[Sep. 7th, 2004|09:10 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| | cheerful | ] |
For the wonderful folks of LJ, I made meringues as part of the ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif) cookiesforlj "project." Of course, you know when I cook or bake, I take pictures and post the recipe. So here it is!
According to the recipe you should yield 24. I doubled the recipe when I made these and got about 50, so it depends how big you make them.
Meringues
4 egg whites
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla or almond extract (optional) (or any other extract you want)
a few drops food coloring (optional)
( Directions and photos! ) |
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| No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies (aka "Toad Turds") |
[Sep. 6th, 2004|11:08 am] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| | cheerful | ] |
These have to be some of my very favorite cookies and I'm not one for chocolate! To me, they really aren't that chocolatey, just sweet. My dad used to always call these "Toad Turds" whenever me or my mom would make them, so to this day, that's what I usually call them and when looking for a recipe, I actually tried finding it under that name. Needless to say, that didn't work! I did find the recipe I was looking for in my "Box-O-Recipe Cards" that I have. Anyhow... on with the recipe and pictures!
No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies (aka "Toad Turds")
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk (I used soy and it works just as good)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups rolled oats (may also use the quick cooking kind, but doing so makes the texture different)
Also, have wax paper handy to drop the cookies on.
( Directions and pictures! ) |
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| New York Style Cheesecake |
[Sep. 5th, 2004|12:49 am] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  calm | ] |
This was a wonderful cheesecake, though I thought it was missing something (not sure what!). One day, though, I will be able to make my grandma's recipe, which has to be the best cheesecake I've ever had (I need to find the right adjustments for my oven that runs a bit on the warm side). This recipe can also be found on the Kraft Food website, here.
New York Style Cheesecake
1 cup graham cracker crumbs (I used cinnamon graham crackers)
3 Tbsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
5 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
( Directions with pictures.... ) |
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| Peanut Butter and Jelly bread |
[Aug. 15th, 2004|11:30 am] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  full | ] |
Vegweb.com has become one of my favorite sites. I found a recipe for Peanut Butter and Jelly bread that is made in a bread machine (you can find it here).
Peanut Butter and Jelly Bread
1 cup water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup jelly
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar (I used Sugar in the Raw)
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoon active yeast
Put the ingredients in the bread maker according to your manafacturer (if you have Breadman, add ingredients straight down the list, water being the first ingredient added and the yeast being last). Select sweet (or basic) setting, with light crust. Let the bread machine do the rest of the work for you, remove from pan, slice and enjoy!
I did notice one problem. During the 2nd and 3rd kneeding cycles, my machine nearly walked off of the counter! So if you decided to make this, I'd recommed being around for the whloe time the machine is doing the work just to make sure nothing a happens.
( Want picutres?! ) |
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| Old-Fashioned Pound Cake |
[Jul. 26th, 2004|09:20 am] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| | full | ] |
I made this one yesterday at the request of Rogers (one of the guys I work with). He asked me for a "plain cake" and said pound cake was pretty much the same thing where he comes from (the Caribbean). I found this to be a bit dry, but he liked it.
Old-Fashioned Pound Cake
2 cups (4 sticks) butter
4 cups sifted confectioners sugar
6 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
4 cups sifted cake flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
( Recipe and pics behind cut. ) |
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