The Kitchen Of Magical Goodness

Matzah Ball Soup

2009-04-16T08:24:00.003-05:00

I'm behind in posting and have quite a backlog of recipes to add. I had hoped to put them in chronologically based on when I tried them out, but alas, that is not to be. There was a specific request for this recipe, so it comes first. And no, asking for the Cheesy Corn recipe will not hasten its appearance here. You know the rules.

Anyway, I made this soup for my Passover seder. I hadn't done my own matzah balls in a very long time or possibly ever. If I have, I think they were from a mix. Not that a mix is much of anything other than matzah meal. Regardless, I went all out on this one and did my own broth and matzah balls. It went over smashingly and I even made a second batch a few days later to use up leftover ingredients.

The glory of this recipe is that it can be tailored very easily to your specific tastes. Don't like celery but love carrots? Leave the celery out and add more carrots instead. Can't find a parsnip but have a turnip? Switch it out. Also, you can make this chicken broth and use it for all sorts of other soups or cook it down and use it as chicken stock.

Matzah Ball Soup

For the Chicken Broth:

Ingredients:

1 whole (3-4 pounds) fresh chicken
1 large parsnip quartered
2 leeks (white part only) cleaned thoroughly and quartered
1 small rutabaga quartered
3 ribs of celery with leaves halved
10 parsley stems
2 large carrots quartered
2 large onions quartered
8 peppercorns crushed
½ tsp dried thyme
Kosher or coarse salt
Salt and pepper to taste

1- Clean the chicken and discard giblets or other items in the cavity. Salt the entire chicken inside and out liberally with kosher or coarse salt. Let chicken stand for 35 minutes.
2- Wash salt from chicken and place in a large stockpot. Cover chicken with parsnip, leeks, rutabaga, celery, parsley, carrots, onions, peppercorns and thyme. Cover with 4 or 5 quarts of cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to simmer. Simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours, occasionally skimming the foam from the top.
3- Remove the chicken to a large platter when it is still firm and not falling apart. Remove the meat from the chicken and save for other use or to put back in the soup later. Return the bones to the pot and simmer for one more hour.
4- Strain the soup into a large bowl and discard everything in the strainer. Refrigerate long enough to allow hardened fat to form on surface, then simply remove the fat setting it aside. Bring back up to heat with salt and pepper to taste.
5- For deeper flavor, you can repeat the process with another round of vegetables. If additional broth is needed, you may add more water and then the vegetables. Simmer for 2 hours or until the broth has the desired taste.

For the Matzah Balls:

Ingredients:

4 eggs
½ cup club soda
3 Tbsp vegetable oil or reserved chicken fat from broth
2 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup matzah meal

1- Whisk the eggs until blended. Add the club soda, vegetable oil or fat, salt and pepper. Blend in the parsley and matzah meal. Cover and refrigerate this mixture for about 1 hour.
2- Bring about 5 quarts of water to boil. Rub vegetable oil on hands and form matzah balls with about 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons of mixture (makes about 12-15). Drop in boiling water and simmer covered about 35 to 45 minutes depending on desired consistency.
3- Serve in chicken broth. You can cook the matzah balls in the chicken broth for either the last 15 minutes of cooking or for an additional 15 minutes depending on the size of the matzah balls and preferred texture.

Roasted Cauliflower and Tofu Curry

2009-02-28T03:25:00.003-05:00

I've started to realize that there are a ton of recipes that I've tried that haven't made it in here yet. So I'm going to make a concerted effort over the next few weeks to get some of them posted. The best time to start is now.

I made this for Rachel at one point as a thank you for letting me use her car or driving me around or taking care of Gloucester... I dunno, something. Anyway, I can't eat it so I can't speak to the taste personally, but she indicated that it was good. It's also fairly decent for you, so that's an added bonus. It's also a good vegetarian dish. I served this up over brown rice, but you can used whatever kind you like or even some other grain.

Roasted Cauliflower and Tofu Curry

1 lb extra firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tsp olive oil
2 Tbsp curry powder (whatever kind you like will work but I used a madras variety)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp table salt
1 large onion, sliced into 1/4-inch half moons
1 medium head cauliflower, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (Don't use frozen. It'll end up too mushy.)

1- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Gently press tofu between several layers of paper towels to remove excess water.
2- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil, spices and salt. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until onions are very wilted and browned (about 8 to 9 minutes or possibly longer depending on how precisely they are sliced).
3- Combine cauliflower and tofu in a large bowl. Pour onion mixture into bowl and coat with cooking spray; mix with a spoon to thoroughly coat. Spread mixture onto a baking sheet in an even layer.
4- Roast, stirring 3 times, until cauliflower and tofu are golden brown and smell very fragrant, about 25 to 35 minutes.

Southwest Nacho Casserole

2008-07-27T19:53:00.002-05:00

This was one of the Books & Snacks 2008 dishes. It makes a decent amount of food, so it would be good for a crowd.

Southwest Nacho Casserole

2 lbs lean ground beef (I did half beef, half turkey)
1 cup water
2 envelopes taco seasoning
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chilies
2 cans (16 oz each) refried beans
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (I used a four cheese blend)
1 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 can (2.5 oz) silced ripe olives, drained
1 bag gold tortilla chips (extra thick)
chopped cilantro if desired
sour cream if desired

1- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 13x9 glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook ground beef in a 12" nonstick skillet until thoroughly cooked. Drain and return to skillet.
2- Stir in water and taco seasoning into the skillet with the meat. Bring to a boil then cook for 2-4 minutes until thickened. Stir in chilies.
3- Spread refried beans into the bottom of the baking dish. Top with ground beef mixture. Cover tightly with foil.
4- Bake 30-40 minutes or until bubbly around the edges.
5- Remove from oven and uncover. Sprinkle with cheese, tomato, onion and olives. Arrange tortilla chips around the outside edges of baking dish. Return to oven and bake uncovered about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. If desired, sprinkle with cilantro and top with sour cream. Serve with remaining tortilla chips for scooping.

Mozzarella alla Caprese on a Stick

2008-07-27T19:28:00.003-05:00

Sorry for the blurry image. The photo was taken back before I had a digital camera and only had the one on my phone. I made this for the first Family Dinner I went to back in Champaign when the theme was food on a stick. Since then, I've made it a number of other times and have they always get a great response. The fact that they're super easy makes them even better.

Mozzarella alla Caprese on a Stick

8 grape or cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon virgin olive oil
4 (1/2 -ounce) balls fresh mozzarella (buffalo or regular)
4 large basil leaves
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar (white or regular- using white limits discoloration, but I go with regular since it is what I already own)
Salt to taste
Fresh ground black pepper to taste

1- Make slits in each of the tomatoes (I usually do four around the sides from top to bottom). Marinate in the olive oil for 20 minutes.
2- Place the mozzarella balls in the balsamic vinegar and let set for 20 minutes. Remove the mozzarella and wrap in the basil leaves.
3- To assemble: Place one tomato on a 4-inch wood skewer, then the basil-wrapped mozzarella, then another tomato. Drizzle the remaining balsamic vinegar and olive oil over the entire kebab and season to taste with ground sea salt and cracked black pepper.

This makes four skewers. Recipe can be doubled, tripled, etc.

Maple-Glazed Walnuts

2008-07-15T23:15:00.003-05:00

I've made these for Books & Snacks 2008. They have yet to be tried, but I've made similar ones in the past. That is somewhat reassuring to my nervous disposition.

Maple-Glazed Walnuts

1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 1/2 tsp maple flavor
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce
2 cups walnut halves and pieces

1- Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line a lipped cookie sheet with foil and spray foil with cooking spray.
2- In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except walnuts and mix well. Add walnuts and toss to coat. Spread on the prepared cookie sheet, separating any large clumps.
3- Bake for 17 to 22 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or until glaze thickens and adheres to nuts. Watch during the last 5 minutes to prevent burning.
4- Remove from oven and spread out nuts on waxed paper. Cool completely, then break apart.

Prosciutto And Melon Skewers

2008-06-07T13:54:00.003-05:00

Another food on a stick for Amy and Jim's shower. These look fancy, taste decadent and require no cooking. That makes them a win all around as far as I'm concerned. I do not have a melon baller (I know, I know), but I do have a small cookie scoop that worked just fine for the job. Because there are so few ingredients and no "seasonings," be sure that you go for good/high-quality items.

Prosciutto And Melon Skewers

12 thin slices of prosciutto
1 large ripe melon, such as cantaloupe
72 small mint leaves

1- Cut each slice of prosciutto in half lengthwise then fold in half lengthwise. Cut the melon in half, scoop out the seeds and peel away the skin. Cut the flesh into 72 equal pieces. If you are using a melon baller or cookie scoop, there is no need to remove the skin.
2- Thread a folded piece of prosciutto onto a skewer followed by a piece of melon and then a mint leaf. Fold the prosciutto around the melon piece and thread it onto the skewer a second time. Again follow with a piece of melon and a mint leaf. Do this one more time and then fold the end of the prosciutto over the top of the third melon/mint stack. When looking at the skewer, the prosciutto should be interwoven with three pieces of melon. Chill until required, but serve at room temperature.

Tabbouleh Party Pita Pockets

2008-06-07T13:41:00.003-05:00

The ones without cheese were my vegan option for Jim and Amy's shower (in addition to the veggies and fruit of course). My version isn't exactly traditional tabbouleh as I didn't use bulgur, so I just called them Party Pita Pockets. They were still tasty or at least people told me they were.

Tabbouleh Party Pita Pockets

2/3 cup bulgur wheat (I actually used couscous as I had it on hand and needed to use it up.)
Juice of 1 large lemon
1 small garlic clove, chopped
2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced (Yes, I used canned to make my life easier.)
4 scallions, minced
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
24 mini pitas (I got a package of whole wheat and one of white to further indicate the vegan vs. the not.)

1- Soak the bulgur wheat in a large bowl of cold water for 30 minutes; drain thoroughly (in my case, it was make the couscous and set aside).
2- Whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, mint, parsley and cumin in a small bowl. Stir into the bulgur wheat. Leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours.
3- Once marinated, add the tomatoes and scallions and mix well. If you intend to make the entire batch not vegan, you can also mix in the feta cheese at this point.
4- Lightly toast the mini pita breads and split each one across the top. Stuff with tabbouleh and serve. At this point, if you have not already mixed in the feta, you can sprinkle some of the crumbles on top of however many pitas you choose.

Sun-Dried Tomato And Olive Chicken Skewers

2008-06-07T13:22:00.003-05:00

I made these for Jim and Amy's shower because everyone likes food on a stick.

Sun-Dried Tomato And Olive Chicken Skewers

7 oz. sun-dried tomatoes preserved in oil
1/2 cup pitted ripe olives
18 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I got the ones cut into tenders to save time.)
1 cup fresh white bread crumbs (I used seasoned packaged ones for simplicity's sake.)
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1- Place the sun-dried tomatoes with the oil and the olives in a food processor and process into a rough puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2- Cut the chicken into 48 1" cubes and place in a shallow non-metallic dish (or a large ziploc bag, which is what I used). Cover with tomato-olive mixture and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
3- Preheat the oven to 400. Mix together the bread crumbs and parsley in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4- Thread 2 pieces of chicken onto each of 24 wooden skewers then sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture (I lightly pressed each side of the skewered chicken into the breadcrumbs to minimize the mess.)
5- Arrange the chicken on a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake until the chicken is cooked through and tender (start checking it at about 10 minutes- you may want to turn the skewers over halfway through cooking to ensure a better crust on both sides.
6- Allow the chicken to rest before serving warm. These can also be served at room temperature.

Broccoli And Cheddar Mini Quiche

2008-05-22T11:14:00.003-05:00

Yes, my pretties, I know it's been a while since I've posted. It isn't because I haven't been cooking. Nor is it that I don't want to share the magic. I've just been swamped with other work and updating here has fallen by the wayside. But I'm hoping to remedy that with a flurry of posts over the next few days of tasty magical goodness I've been making since the last time I was around. Let's begin...

I've often made mini quiche over the years as finger food for various events. Usually I've done bacon, swiss, green onion and pimento or spinach, swiss and bacon. This time I needed a vegetarian option since I was making them for Jim and Amy's work-folk wedding shower, so I went with broccoli and cheddar. The nice thing about mini quiche is that once you have the basics down, you can change out the filling to suit your needs. Also, you can make these ahead of time and freeze them if need be.

Broccoli and Cheddar Mini Quiche

Pie crust for 2-crust pie (You can buy pre-packaged or make your own.)
1 cup cooked chopped broccoli (I got frozen florets to help speed things along since I was
making a ton of other food.)
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
3 large eggs
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 cup heavy cream (You can also use half-and-half. I had heavy cream on hand so I went with it.)

1- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease and flour mini muffin tins.
2- Roll out pie crust to about 1/8" thickness (or if using pre-packaged, go with it as is when all unfolded). Cut out as many 2 1/2" rounds as you can from the dough. I have a scalloped edge cookie cutter that works perfectly and gives the edges a nicely finished look. Carefully fit each round into the muffin tin.
3- Sprinkle about 1/2 to 1 tsp of the chopped broccoli into each muffin cup and top with a small amount of shredded cheese.
4- Whisk together the eggs, salt, pepper, mustard and heavy cream. I do this in a liquid measuring cup with a spout to make the next step easier. Pour the mixture into each
muffin cup until just short of the top of the crust (about 3/4 full) and sprinkle each with a bit more broccoli.
5- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until set. When you go to remove these from the tins, use the edge of a knife to lift each mini quiche out as opposed to flipping the tin over.

Candy Cane Shortbread

2007-12-17T10:50:00.001-05:00

It wouldn't be the holidays without candy canes and shortbread. So why not combine them? I suggest running the candy canes through a grinder. You'll get a better texture for the cookes since there won't be huge chunks of candy in them. It doesn't have to be as fine as sugar, but the more ground up, the better. I don't normally love peppermint things, but I did like these cookies. At first you think the candy cane is going to be overpowering, but the shortbread holds up nicely in the second bite.

Candy Cane Shortbread

For the Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 ground candy canes
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1/4 cup cornstarch

For the Frosting

1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 Tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/8-1/4 cup ground candy canes (Any larger chunks should be used here instead of in the cookies. The amount you need will depend on how much you sprinkle on top of the cookies.)

1- Preheat oven to 300 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the ground candy canes and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Gradually add the flour and cornstarch and mix until the dough forms.
3- Form into 1" balls and place onto prepared baking sheets. Gently press down on each cookie to flatten using fingers or a glass dipped in sugar (I prefer the glass method).
4- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the bottoms begin to brown.
5- Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Combine the powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp. of milk and vanilla and mix until the frosting is smooth adding more milk as needed. Drizzle cookies with frosting then sprinkle with the ground candy canes.

Roasted Tomato Enchiladas

2007-12-17T10:30:00.000-05:00

I made these for Rachel as a thank you for driving me all over Philadelphia and for taking care of Gloucester when I've been out of town. I can't eat them, of course, but I've been told they are tasty. You can adjust the spiciness of them by how much you season the filling and what kind of canned tomatoes you get. You can also add cheese to the top if you want. These are good make ahead meals since you can prepare everything up to baking and keep them in the fridge. I'd be careful about freezing them since the tortillas may get soggy when thawed out. I make these and put them in individual tins so they can be made in single portions for a meal.

Roasted Tomato Enchiladas

15 oz. firm tofu
15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper (I use a black and red pepper mix.)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
4 large burrito-size tortillas (I use whole wheat since they are better for you. You can also get smaller size tortillas to make more enchiladas.)
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
29 oz. canned diced, fire-roasted tomatoes with green chilies (So you'll need two 14.5 oz. cans.)
1-2 dashes of hot sauce (optional)

1- Preheat oven to 350. Coat a deep, 12" skillet with cooking spray. Coat a 9" square baking dish with cooking spray.
2- Drain tofu and dice into 1/2" cubes. Add to the skillet and brown over medium heat until firm and the outsides are dry.
3- Spoon the tofu into a mixing bowl and add the beans and spices. Mix well. Divide the tofu equally among the tortillas and fold the sides into the center. Place the tortillas, seam side down, in the baking dish.
4- Coat skillet with additional cooking spray. Add onion and garlic and saute over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add undrained tomatoes and cook over high heat until the mixture thickens slightly, about 3-5 minutes. Spoon over the tortillas.
5- Bake until thoroughly heated, about 10 minutes. If you are adding cheese, sprinkle over the tortillas about halfway through baking.

Crab Cakes

2007-11-18T21:54:00.000-05:00

I made these for Amy's birthday party. I've never made crab cakes before and have only very rarely used crab at all, but these came out really well. Plus they were super easy.

Crab Cakes

3/4 cup breadcrumbs (I used seasoned, but you could go with plain)
1 lb. fresh crab meat, drained well, picked over
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp hot sauce
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil

1- Line baking sheet with waxed paper. Place 1/2 cup breadcrumbs in a shallow dish.
2- Mix crab, mayonnaise, chives, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, hot sauce and remaining 1/4 cup breadcrumbs in a medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in egg.
3- Using 2 Tbsp for each, form crab mixture into twenty 1 1/2" diameter cakes. Coat cakes with breadcrumbs in dish, pressing to adhere. Transfer cakes to prepared baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours.
4- Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, add cakes to the skillet and cook till golden and heated through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer cakes to paper towel to drain.

Lemon Pepper Garden Saute

2007-11-18T20:14:00.000-05:00

I made this for Amy's birthday party and made some grilled chicken also sauteed with lemon pepper as well to go along with it.

Lemon Pepper Garden Saute

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
3/4 cup red bell pepper strips
1/2 cup sliced onion, separated into rings
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 3/4 cups sliced zucchini
1 1/2 cups sliced yellow squash
1 3/4 cups chopped plum tomato
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
1 tsp lemon pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup parmesan cheese (optional)

1- Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, onion and garlic, then saute 2 minutes. Add zucchini and yellow squash then saute 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add tomato, basil, lemon pepper and salt then saute 1 minute or until heated through.
2- Remove from heat and sprinkle with cheese.

Beef Sirloin With Coffee And Chili Rub

2007-11-18T20:04:00.000-05:00

I actually made this with flank steak for Amy's birthday party. It worked out pretty well for a large group instead of individual steaks. I might tinker with the rub if I ever make it again, but it was tasty nonetheless. I think I'd add onion powder and maybe ground coriander and use espresso powder instead of the instant coffee.

Beef Sirloin With Coffee And Chili Rub

1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp instant coffee
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ancho chili powder (or other chili powder if you can't find the ancho)
2 (1 1/2 lb) boneless beef sirloins, cut 1 1/2" thick

1- Combine the first six ingredients in a bowl.
2- Rub both sides of the steaks and then let them sit for 30 minutes.
3- Grill steaks (or broil if you do not have a grill) on medium high until cooked to desired temperature.

Grilled Corn Salad

2007-11-18T19:51:00.000-05:00

I made this as a side dish for my baked flautas. I can't eat it, but have been told that it is quite tasty. Since you use the broiler to grill the corn, you don't have to wait till summer, though the corn will probably be better then. Next time I'll try the George Foreman grill to see how well the corn turns out on there.

Grilled Corn Salad

4 large ears of corn, husked
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and minced
2 stalks celery, minced
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp cumin seed (not ground cumin)
1/2 tsp salt
3 dashes hot sauce (or to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

1- Spray broiler rack with cooking spray and preheat broiler.
2- Spray the corn with cooking spray and broil, turning once, until corn is golden in spots, about 12 minutes (it may take longer depending on your broiler). Cool for 20 minutes.
3- Cut corn kernels off the cobs and place them in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss well.

Cauliflower Poppers

2007-11-18T19:41:00.000-05:00

I also added brussel sprouts to this, but it makes the dish more complicated since the sprouts have to be rinsed, soaked and baked a bit before mixed with the cauliflower. Apparently this makes a lot more than I had intended. I doubled the recipe and it was way more than needed. When cooked right, these are tender, but not mushy. Not quite the same as the battered and fried version, but tasty all the same.

Cauliflower Poppers

1 small head of cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets (about 4 cups)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder

1- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a baking pan or jelly roll pan with cooking spray.
2- Place cauliflower in a small bowl or ziploc bag. Add remaining ingredients and toss well to coat.
3- Spread the cauliflower in prepared pan so the florets are mostly in one layer. Bake until tender but not mushy, about 10 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Mint Chip Chocolate Cookies

2007-11-18T19:24:00.000-05:00

I made these for Rachel's party since I was out of town. I also took some into work since the recipe made a good amount of cookies. The real inspiration for them was that I had some of the Nestle Mint/Chocolate Swirled Chips in my pantry that I needed to use otherwise I was going to eat them. So I worked out this recipe. The mint flavor is pretty strong, so be sure to add the mini chocolate chips to help cut the mint and increase the chocolate. It also helps keep the cookies from drying out.

Mint Chip Chocolate Cookies

2 1/4 cups flour
2/3 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 large eggs
1 10 oz. pkg of Nestle Mint/Chocolate Swirled Chips
2 oz. mini chocolate chips

1- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2- Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.
3- Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until creamy. Add eggs one at a time beating well. Add the flour mixture gradually then stir in both types of chips.
4- Drop by well-rounded teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet.
5- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until centers are set. Do not overbake. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

2007-10-22T10:41:00.000-05:00

I'm always on the lookout for new shortbread recipes. Much like my quest for the perfect corn spoon bread recipe that recreates the old Annie's Santa Fe spoon bread, I think that I'm trying to replicate something that I've had once before. I've had fantastic shortbread, but it's never exactly right. This one is decent, but again, not the droid I'm looking for.

Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1 Tbsp sugar

1- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2- Mix butter, brown sugar and vanilla together until fluffy. Gradually blend in the flour and cornstarch. Add chocolate chips.
3- Form into 1" balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Pour sugar into a small dish, dip the bottom of a drinking glass in sugar and lightly press down on each ball to flatten.
4- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the bottoms begin to brown.
5- Cool for 5 minutes, sprinkle additional sugar on warm cookies if desired and remove to a rack to cool completely.

Chessboard Cake

2007-07-08T20:57:00.003-05:00

This is the cake I made for Books & Snacks. It looks even cooler when in individual slices. This cut-away picture shows that the center creates kind of a mirror effect on each side of the cake. That's just the way it comes out, but when sliced, you don't notice that. Yes, you do have to have special equipment for this one, namely a Chessboard (or Checkerboard) Cake Pan Set. Mine was given to me which meant I absolutely took the first excuse to make one that I could. This is the recipe that came with the set. I think you could do a lot of interesting things with this set, like perhaps a white and red velvet cake or chocolate and orange cake.

Chessboard Cake with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting

For the cake:

4 cups cake flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
18 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 cups sugar
6 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups whole milk
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

1- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour the three round cake pans. Place a round of parchment paper inside each.
2- Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
3- In a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed till smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each. Continue beating until fluffy, white and increased in volume. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add the flour mixture in four additions, alternating with the milk (beginning and ending with the flour).
4- Pour about 1/3 of the batter (4 1/2 cups) into a medium bowl. Add the chocolate and stir until blended.
5- To form the checkerboard pattern, place the divider ring in one of the prepared pans and spoon the plain batter into the outer and center rings, filling them 1/2 to 2/3 full. Spoon about 1 cup of the chocolate batter into the middle ring. Gently lift the ring out of the pan. Wipe off any remaining batter and place the ring in the second pan and repeat the procedure with the plain and chocolate batters.
6- For the third cake pan, reverse the procedure. Place the ring in the pan and spoon the chocolate batter into the outer and center rings. Spoon about 1 cup of the plain batter into the middle ring. Gently life the ring out of the pan. It's important that each layer have approximately the same amount of batter so that they will be the same thickness when baked.
7- Set the pans on the same rack in the oven, if possible, and bake until the tops of the cakes spring back, 25-30 minutes. Transfer the pans to wire racks and cool for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and cool completely on racks.

For the frosting:

4 3/4 cups confectioners sugar
1/4 tsp salt
12 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup whole milk
1 Tbsp vanilla
6 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

1- Combine the sugar, salt and butter (you can use either a food processor or a mixer) until well mixed. Note that the ingredients will be dry and crumbly.
2- Add milk and vanilla and process/mix until smooth.
3- Add the chocolate and process/mix until well blended, smooth and creamy.

Assemble the cake:

1- Take a 10" round cardboard (or whatever plate you intend to use for the cake) and stack one of the cake layers on the bottom. Be sure to use one of the repeated patterns (white/chocolate/white).
2- Spread about 2/3 cup of frosting all the way to the edges of the layer.
3- Place the second layer (chocolate/white/chocolate).
4- Spread about 2/3 cup of frosting all the way to the edges of the layer.
5- Top with remaining cake layer (white/chocolate/white).
6- Spread thin coat of frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
7- Let the cake sit in the fridge until the frosting is set. This is important as the layers have a tendency to slide.
8- Frost with remaining frosting and let sit until set.

Cornbread Crostini

2007-07-08T20:57:00.001-05:00

Tasty munchies made for Books & Snacks. I had an idea like this a while ago and then saw a sort of recipe for them. You can either make your favorite cornbread from scratch or go with one made from a mix (8 1/2 oz. box). Just make sure you bake it in an 8x8 pan otherwise the crostini will be too small. Also be sure to store these in an airtight container otherwise they'll just soak up the moisture that you bake out of them.

Cornbread Crostini

1 8x8 cornbread, baked, removed from pan and cooled completely

1- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2- Cut cooled cornbread into 1/2" slices then cut each slice in half.
3- Place pieces in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
4- Bake for about 10 minutes or until crisp, turning over once. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Lemon Apricot Chicken

2007-07-08T20:43:00.000-05:00

The meat dish made for Books & Snacks. I used the thin-sliced boneless, skinless chicken breast you can usually find pre-packaged in the grocery store. Sometimes subbing that out when a recipe suggests pounding out the chicken works and sometimes it doesn't. This is one where it does. If you are making a variety of other foods and want to save some time and mess, I wholeheartedly stand behind taking the short-cut here.

Lemon Apricot Chicken

For the chicken:

1/4 cup butter, melted
1 egg
2 Tbsp water
1 cup Bisquick or similar baking mix
1 Tbsp grated lemon peel (I used dried, though I would be interested in how it tastes with fresh.)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper
6 small boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, about 1 lb. (I had more chicken, probably about 2 lbs. total in the thin-sliced version as discussed above.)

For the sauce:

2/3 cup apricot preserves
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp ground ginger

1- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spread 1 Tbsp of melted butter in a jelly roll pan, 15 1/2x10 1/2 (I used two pizza pans as I had already used my jelly roll pan for something else).
2- Beat egg and water slightly in a shallow dish. In another shallow dish, combine baking mix, lemon peel, garlic powder and pepper.
3- Flatten chicken to 1/2" thickness between plastic wrap or waxed paper (skip if using the thin-sliced chicken).
4- Dip chicken into egg mixture then coat with baking mix mixture. Place in the pan. Repeat with all pieces of chicken. Drizzle with remaining melted butter.
5- Bake for 20 minutes. Turn and bake about 10 minutes longer or until cooked through. Remove from oven and set aside to rest.
6- Prepare sauce by combining all ingredients in a saucepan until hot then spread small amount over the top of each piece of chicken. Serve any remaining sauce for people to add to taste.

Corn Pudding

2007-07-08T20:35:00.000-05:00

I made this for Books & Snacks and amazingly enough, it isn't horrible for you. Be careful about overbaking this. It's going to look a little underdone when you pull it from the oven, but if you leave it in too long it'll get dried out. I used more corn than the recipe originally called for with good results. I bet it would be even better with fresh corn. I just didn't have the wherewithal to deal with fresh for today's event.

Corn Pudding

3 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper (You could use white pepper if you have it on hand to keep the colors clean, though there is so little pepper in it that you probably won't notice even if you use black pepper.)
2 cups fat-free evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups egg substitute
2 Tbsp butter, melted
6 cups corn kernels

1- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray.
2- Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl.
3- Combine milk, egg substitute and butter in a large bowl. Whisk in the dry ingredients until smooth. Stir in the corn.
4- Pour mixture into prepared dish and bake for 40-45 minutes until deep golden brown and set.
5- Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Spinach Pie

2007-07-08T20:18:00.000-05:00

I made this for my Books & Snacks party. It made way too much filling, so I'm probably going to make a quiche-type item with the left over. It might make for an interesting warm dip if you used the extra in a glass dish with breadcrumbs on top. Anyway, if you used a deep-dish pie pan, you'd probably use it all. I just don't have one that deep. Ah well. It gives me stuff to experiment with. You can either make your own pie crust or buy some at the store. It's totally up to you.

Spinach Pie

Pie crust for a double crust pie
2 Tbsp butter
3 cups shredded zucchini (I just cut mine up into small pieces.)
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced (I used baby bellas aka porcini.)
1 tsp seasoned salt
1 10 oz. pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
15 oz. ricotta cheese
8 oz. French cream cheese, softened (You can use Boursin or a similar "garlic and herb spreadable cheese.)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp Tabasco
1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp. water

4- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
1- Melt butter in skillet over medium-high heat and add zucchini and mushrooms. Sprinkle with seasoned salt and saute until tender. Remove from heat and set aside.
2- Combine spinach, ricotta, cream cheese, mozzarella, eggs and Tabasco in a large bowl. Stir in zucchini and mushrooms.
3- Line a pie plate with the bottom pie crust. Spoon in filling. Top with second pie crust. Cut vents and flute edges.
4- Brush with egg/water glaze.
5- Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then at 375 degrees for 35-45 minutes until golden.
6- Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack for 30 minutes before serving.

Slow Cooker Pork Ribs

2007-05-20T09:03:00.000-05:00

These are one of my staples that I make for parties and events. They take planning since they cook for 8 hours, but everyone loves them, so they're worth it. You could use other types of ribs if you wanted, but pork baby back always work best for me.

Slow Cooker Pork Ribs

4 lbs. pork baby back ribs (If I can't go to a butcher, I usually end up with like 5 lbs. because of the way they are packaged.)
1 cup ketchup
1 cup barbecue sauce (Use your favorite. I like a mix of different kinds for mine, and that's a secret.)
1 cup chili sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 Tbsp vinegar (I use red wine vinegar.)
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1-3 dashes hot sauce

1- Heat oven to 400 degrees. Rub the ribs with salt and pepper (or a pork rub which is what I do) on each side. Cook for 15 minutes on each side to render some of the fat.
2- Cut up the ribs into slabs that will fit in your slow cooker and place inside.
3- In a large bowl, combine all the remaining ingredients. Pour over the ribs in the slow cooker.
4- Cook on low for 8-10 hours (The longer you cook them, the more they'll fall off the bone.)

Mediterranean Stew

2007-05-04T10:30:00.000-05:00

I was happy to get to make this as it is good for vegetarians and goes in the crock pot so you can put everything in before work and come home and have it done. I served this in day-old ciabatta rolls that I picked up at the store. You could easily use pumpernickel or some other type of bread bowl or just a regular bowl. I also topped mine with feta to add a nice tang. I think I might try to do this again and put the feta on top and set the bread bowl in the broiler to melt the cheese just a bit. This stew lends itself well to adding meat if so desired.

Mediterranean Stew

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
2 cups cubed eggplant with peel, salted and drained
1 cup zucchini
1 10 oz. package frozen okra
1 14 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 cup chopped onion
1 14 oz. can chickpeas, drained
1 carrot, sliced
1/3 cup raisins
1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup vegetable stock (Try to find stock not broth.)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp paprika

1- In a slow cooker, combine the first 10 ingredients.
2- In a bowl, combine the remaining 8 ingredients.
3- Add the spice/liquid mixture to the slow cooker and stir to combine.
4- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until vegetables are tender.