To wrap up our evening after trick-or-treating, I made pumpkin pie ice cream this afternoon. S, who loves pumpkin pie, particularly loved this ice cream. I got the recipe from Food Network, specifically the recipe given by Nick Holcomb 2002 for FoodTV.com's Ice Cream Cook-Off Competition, but to be honest, I changed so many steps and ingredients in this recipe that I'm going to have to call it "inspired" by that recipe and not actually that recipe! We made this ice cream in our mega ice cream ball (it made 3 1/2 cups of liquid, so right about a quart of ice cream), and I halved the original recipe. Usually I follow a recipe as closely as I can the first time I make it, but between life, time, and food allergies, this recipe doesn't much resemble the original even though it was the first time making it for me. Here's the original: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/pumpkin-pie-ice-cream-recipe/index.html. It called for chilling overnight before making it into ice cream, which wasn't going to happen since I wanted it for tonight, and it called for half-and-half and whipping cream, both of which are not allowed when allergic to dairy! Here is my revamped version of pumpkin pie ice cream. It was really good, and I'm envisioning it in various forms: drizzled with caramel and sprinkled with toasted or candied pecans, put into a gingersnap crust to make a pumpkin ice cream pie, made into a milkshake, served alongside warm gingerbread. Mmmmmmm.
3 c. Silk soy creamer
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 c. white sugar
1/4 c. packed light brown sugar
1/2 c. canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1. In a medium bowl and using a fork, mix together the white sugar and brown sugar, then whisk in the creamer and vanilla until the sugar is dissolved into the creamer.
2. In a separate bowl, stir together the pumpkin and the spices.
3. Add the pumpkin spice mixture to the cream sugar mixture, and whisk to combine all of it thoroughly.
4. Pour into an ice cream maker and follow the maker's directions to freeze the cream base into ice cream.
5. Once made into ice cream, eat immediately or freeze in a separate container.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Pumpkin Breakfast
It's Halloween, and we had a pumpkin breakfast! Pumpkin pancakes, using the copycat IHOP recipe which is a family favorite, and pumpkin waffles from a new recipe were on the menu, and both were excellent! The waffles had a bit of a problem separating when I raised the waffle iron lid, so next time I will spray the iron with cooking spray before each waffle or maybe replace some of the oil with shortening. All leftovers are on a large cutting board, single layer, and in the freezer to flash freeze. When frozen, I'll bag them up, ready to reheat for quick weekday breakfast!
IHOP Pumpkin Pancakes
2 eggs (I used 1/2 c. Eggbeaters)
1 1/4 cups buttermilk (I used 1 T in the bottom of a 1 cup measure, then filled with 1/2 c. Silk original soy milk and the rest with Silk soy creamer - I ran out of soy milk)
4 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons canned pumpkin
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1. Preheat a skillet over medium heat.
2. Combine eggs, buttermilk, butter, pumpkin, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Blend ingredients together.
3. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Mix in the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients and blend until smooth.
4. Pour the batter into the skillet to form 5-inch circles (1/4 cup portions). When the batter stops bubbling and edges begin to harden, flip the pancakes. They should be dark brown. This will take about 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook the other side for the same amount of time, until dark brown.
Pumpkin Waffles
1 lg egg, beaten
2 egg whites, beaten (I used 1/2 c. Eggbeaters in place of the egg and egg whites)
4 T. lightly packed brown sugar
1 c. evaporated skim milk (I used 1 c. Silk soy creamer)
2 T vegetable oil
1/2 c. canned pumpkin puree
2 tsp vanilla
1 c. flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp clove
1/2 c. apple, finely diced
1/4 c. toasted walnuts
(I omitted the apples and walnuts because the kids preferred them without.)
1. Beat together the egg, egg whites, sugar, milk, oil, pumpkin, and vanilla.
2. Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl. Add to egg mixture and stir to combine - do not overmix!
3. Fold in apple and nuts.
4. Cook in your waffle maker per your waffle makers instructions, probably about 1/2 c. - 3/4 c. batter per waffle and 2-3 minutes to cook.
Recipe from Recipezaar.
IHOP Pumpkin Pancakes
2 eggs (I used 1/2 c. Eggbeaters)
1 1/4 cups buttermilk (I used 1 T in the bottom of a 1 cup measure, then filled with 1/2 c. Silk original soy milk and the rest with Silk soy creamer - I ran out of soy milk)
4 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons canned pumpkin
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1. Preheat a skillet over medium heat.
2. Combine eggs, buttermilk, butter, pumpkin, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Blend ingredients together.
3. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Mix in the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients and blend until smooth.
4. Pour the batter into the skillet to form 5-inch circles (1/4 cup portions). When the batter stops bubbling and edges begin to harden, flip the pancakes. They should be dark brown. This will take about 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook the other side for the same amount of time, until dark brown.
Pumpkin Waffles
1 lg egg, beaten
2 egg whites, beaten (I used 1/2 c. Eggbeaters in place of the egg and egg whites)
4 T. lightly packed brown sugar
1 c. evaporated skim milk (I used 1 c. Silk soy creamer)
2 T vegetable oil
1/2 c. canned pumpkin puree
2 tsp vanilla
1 c. flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp clove
1/2 c. apple, finely diced
1/4 c. toasted walnuts
(I omitted the apples and walnuts because the kids preferred them without.)
1. Beat together the egg, egg whites, sugar, milk, oil, pumpkin, and vanilla.
2. Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl. Add to egg mixture and stir to combine - do not overmix!
3. Fold in apple and nuts.
4. Cook in your waffle maker per your waffle makers instructions, probably about 1/2 c. - 3/4 c. batter per waffle and 2-3 minutes to cook.
Recipe from Recipezaar.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Walking on the Wild Side with Pumpkin
Today's pumpkin foods are peanut butter pumpkin dip and pumpkin bread pudding. I did the dip as the kids' after school snack, serving it with the cinnamon sugar pita chips, pretzel sticks, and apple slices. It was pronounced a success by the kids and me, and it was incredibly easy to make. It would also be good with carrots and celery, graham crackers, that sort of thing. I was really impressed with the gusto with which my kids put away the dip and dippers! As for the pumpkin bread pudding.... A custard is a very old way of cooking a creamy sauce or dish based on eggs and milk, with recipes dating back to the 1300s. Many custards are sweet, but some are savory, with the most common savory use in the U.S. being quiche. Pumpkin pie is a sweet custard pie. The buckle I made on Wednesday night had a custard bottom. Bread pudding is usually custard with bread in it and served with a sauce often made from alcohol ("hard sauce") or maybe syrup. This pumpkin bread pudding is exactly that - a pumpkin custard laced liberally with a rich bread, in this case a brioche I had made that had some pumpkin in it. It is very good, and I can see it being a very nice holiday brunch dish.
Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dip and Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips
Dip:
1/2 c. smooth peanut butter (not natural style)
3/4 c. canned pumpkin
1/8 c. honey
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until well blended - it will have a slightly whipped texture. A mixer will do well, too, but a food processor is better.
Pita Chips:
1 12-oz package pita bread (I used whole wheat pitas)
2 T sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Split pita bread in half so you have two rounds from each pita. Cut into triangles or rectangles with a pizza cutter or sharp knife.
3. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Lay pita pieces on a cookie sheet in one layer, rough side up, spray lightly with cooking spray, and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
4. Bake for 7-9 minutes until chips are browned and crisp. Watch carefully, as they will go from perfect to burned very quickly.
5. Remove from the oven, cool, and repeat with remaining pita pieces.
Store dip in the refrigerator and the pita chips in an airtight container.
Recipe from Recipezaar.
Pumpkin Bread Pudding
1 1/4 c. 2% milk (I used Silk regular soy milk)
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp ginger, 1/8 tsp allspice, 1/8 tsp nutmeg)
3 large eggs, lightly beaten (I used 3/4 c. Eggbeaters)
15 oz canned pumpkin
4 1/2 c. egg rich bread, such as brioche or challah, cut into 1/2" cubes - the egg rich bread gives a fuller flavor than white bread
nonstick cooking spray (I used margarine to grease the baking dish)
1/2 c. maple syrup
1/4 c. pecans, chopped and toasted
1. Combine the first 5 ingredients in a lage bowl, combining well with a whisk.
2. Add bread, tossing gently to coat.
3. Spoon mixture into an 8x8 baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cover with foil. Chill at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
5. Place the 8x8 baking dish in a 13x9 baking dish. Add hot water to the 13x9 baking dish to a depth of 1".
6. Bake, with the 8x8 dish covered with the foil, at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. **I baked covered for 25 minutes, then baked uncovered for 35 minutes, checking it every 10 minutes. After 10 minutes uncovered, it was still obviously wet, and a knife stuck in the center came out covered in the custard. Another 10 minutes, and it wasn't as bad but not done. Five more minutes, and the knife had only small amounts of custard clinging to it. The bread cubes around the edges were looking a little dry; in the future, I would bake covered for 35 minutes and uncovered 25 minutes.
7. Serve each serving of bread pudding warm with about 1 T maple syrup and 1 1/2 tsp pecans spooned over the top.
Recipe from Recipezaar.
Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dip and Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips
Dip:
1/2 c. smooth peanut butter (not natural style)
3/4 c. canned pumpkin
1/8 c. honey
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until well blended - it will have a slightly whipped texture. A mixer will do well, too, but a food processor is better.
Pita Chips:
1 12-oz package pita bread (I used whole wheat pitas)
2 T sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Split pita bread in half so you have two rounds from each pita. Cut into triangles or rectangles with a pizza cutter or sharp knife.
3. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Lay pita pieces on a cookie sheet in one layer, rough side up, spray lightly with cooking spray, and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
4. Bake for 7-9 minutes until chips are browned and crisp. Watch carefully, as they will go from perfect to burned very quickly.
5. Remove from the oven, cool, and repeat with remaining pita pieces.
Store dip in the refrigerator and the pita chips in an airtight container.
Recipe from Recipezaar.
Pumpkin Bread Pudding
1 1/4 c. 2% milk (I used Silk regular soy milk)
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp ginger, 1/8 tsp allspice, 1/8 tsp nutmeg)
3 large eggs, lightly beaten (I used 3/4 c. Eggbeaters)
15 oz canned pumpkin
4 1/2 c. egg rich bread, such as brioche or challah, cut into 1/2" cubes - the egg rich bread gives a fuller flavor than white bread
nonstick cooking spray (I used margarine to grease the baking dish)
1/2 c. maple syrup
1/4 c. pecans, chopped and toasted
1. Combine the first 5 ingredients in a lage bowl, combining well with a whisk.
2. Add bread, tossing gently to coat.
3. Spoon mixture into an 8x8 baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cover with foil. Chill at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
5. Place the 8x8 baking dish in a 13x9 baking dish. Add hot water to the 13x9 baking dish to a depth of 1".
6. Bake, with the 8x8 dish covered with the foil, at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. **I baked covered for 25 minutes, then baked uncovered for 35 minutes, checking it every 10 minutes. After 10 minutes uncovered, it was still obviously wet, and a knife stuck in the center came out covered in the custard. Another 10 minutes, and it wasn't as bad but not done. Five more minutes, and the knife had only small amounts of custard clinging to it. The bread cubes around the edges were looking a little dry; in the future, I would bake covered for 35 minutes and uncovered 25 minutes.
7. Serve each serving of bread pudding warm with about 1 T maple syrup and 1 1/2 tsp pecans spooned over the top.
Recipe from Recipezaar.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
A Spicy Soup and a Sweet Treat
We did two new pumpkin dishes tonight: spicy pumpkin soup and pumpkin buckle. The soup is good, but I don't like it. I know that doesn't make any sense. I can tell that the texture is good, the spices and flavors have a nice balance, but having grown up without savory squash dishes means that my brain rebels against something close to the consistency of pumpkin pie but not sweet and with a distinct curry flavor. Although I won't make it again, I encourage others to give it a try. The pumpkin buckle will certainly be made here again - it was delicious!
Spicy Pumpkin Soup
1/4 c. butter or margarine
1 c. chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp coriander powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
3 c. chicken broth
16 oz canned pumpkin
1 c. half-and-half cream (I used Silk soy creamer)
1. Melt butter in a medium-large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cooking until soft.
2. Add seasonings. Cook at least one minute.
3. Add broth and bring to a low boil for 15-20 minutes.
4. Add pumpkin and half-and-half. Boil for 5 minutes.
Makes 6 cups. Recipe from Recipezaar, #385456.
Pumpkin Buckle
1/2 c. butter or margarine, melted
Crust:
1 c. flour
1 c. sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c. milk (I used Silk soy creamer)
1 tsp vanilla
Filling:
3 c. canned pumpkin
1 c. evaporated milk (I used Silk soy creamer)
2 eggs (I used 1/2 c. Eggbeaters)
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
1 T flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1. Pour butter or margarine into a 9x13 baking dish.
2. Mix up the crust batter: Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, then stir in the milk and vanilla until smooth. Pour this into the pan over the butter, do not stir!
3. Mix up the filling: Beat the pumpkin, milk, and eggs. Combine all of the dry filling ingredients and stir that into the pumpkin mixture. Pour this into the pan over the batter and butter, do not stir!
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 55-60 minutes. The top will be golden brown.
This dessert is much like I cobbler I make with cherry pie filling and a batter made with Bisquick - the ingredients invert so that the result is a pumpkin pie bottom and a crispy, tender, 1/2" thick cobbler type top. Serve this warm with vanilla or cinnamon ice cream, freshly whipped cream, or with milk.
Recipe originally from Recipezaar.
Spicy Pumpkin Soup
1/4 c. butter or margarine
1 c. chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp coriander powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
3 c. chicken broth
16 oz canned pumpkin
1 c. half-and-half cream (I used Silk soy creamer)
1. Melt butter in a medium-large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cooking until soft.
2. Add seasonings. Cook at least one minute.
3. Add broth and bring to a low boil for 15-20 minutes.
4. Add pumpkin and half-and-half. Boil for 5 minutes.
Makes 6 cups. Recipe from Recipezaar, #385456.
Pumpkin Buckle
1/2 c. butter or margarine, melted
Crust:
1 c. flour
1 c. sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c. milk (I used Silk soy creamer)
1 tsp vanilla
Filling:
3 c. canned pumpkin
1 c. evaporated milk (I used Silk soy creamer)
2 eggs (I used 1/2 c. Eggbeaters)
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
1 T flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1. Pour butter or margarine into a 9x13 baking dish.
2. Mix up the crust batter: Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, then stir in the milk and vanilla until smooth. Pour this into the pan over the butter, do not stir!
3. Mix up the filling: Beat the pumpkin, milk, and eggs. Combine all of the dry filling ingredients and stir that into the pumpkin mixture. Pour this into the pan over the batter and butter, do not stir!
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 55-60 minutes. The top will be golden brown.
This dessert is much like I cobbler I make with cherry pie filling and a batter made with Bisquick - the ingredients invert so that the result is a pumpkin pie bottom and a crispy, tender, 1/2" thick cobbler type top. Serve this warm with vanilla or cinnamon ice cream, freshly whipped cream, or with milk.
Recipe originally from Recipezaar.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins
I thought I would experiment with some pumpkin recipes this week, and I started off this morning with pumpkin oatmeal muffins, a new-to-me recipe from Recipezaar, posted by Engineer in the Kitchen that has the added interest of being vegan. This, I believe, is a bit of a case of there can be too much of a good thing. In this instance, it's "low fat" and I'm going to try this recipe again and replace the applesauce with oil. I used muffin papers (come on, it's the week of Halloween, I have a 4-year-old and a 6-year-old, and I have these cute Halloween muffin papers in my cupboard), and the lack of oil/fat in these muffins made them stick so badly to the papers that a good muffin was lost. This could probably be avoided by not using muffin papers and instead greasing muffin cups, but I'm thinking that 1/4 c. of oil for 12 muffins is not going to kill me but might keep the muffins from sticking to the papers! Otherwise, the texture was nice: soft but firm. The flavor was good, pumpkin with a slight earthy flavor from the oats. Chopped nuts, raisins, chopped crystallized ginger, chopped dried pineapple, or other dried berries would all be good additions to these muffins. I might also experiment with substituting wheat flour for some of the all purpose flour. All in all, I'd say that this has the makings of a great breakfast muffin.
1 c. oats (I used old fashioned)
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. packed brown sugar (I used light brown)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp sea salt (I used kosher)
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 c. rice milk (I used Silk original soy milk)
1 c. canned pumpkin
1/4 c. applesauce (I will use vegetable oil next time
1. Blend the oats in a blender or food processor until they are crumbs (not quite flour).
2. In a large bowl, mix the first nine ingredients (oats through baking soda).
3. In a small bowl, mix the remaining three ingredients.
4. Stir the wet mixture into the dry mix until moistened.
5. Fill muffin tins (6 Texas sized or 12 regular) and bake at 400 degrees F, 25 minutes for Texas and 18 minutes for regular.
1 c. oats (I used old fashioned)
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. packed brown sugar (I used light brown)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp sea salt (I used kosher)
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 c. rice milk (I used Silk original soy milk)
1 c. canned pumpkin
1/4 c. applesauce (I will use vegetable oil next time
1. Blend the oats in a blender or food processor until they are crumbs (not quite flour).
2. In a large bowl, mix the first nine ingredients (oats through baking soda).
3. In a small bowl, mix the remaining three ingredients.
4. Stir the wet mixture into the dry mix until moistened.
5. Fill muffin tins (6 Texas sized or 12 regular) and bake at 400 degrees F, 25 minutes for Texas and 18 minutes for regular.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Sweet Bean Endings
To wrap up bean week, I decided to do some sweet treats that utilize pureed beans, which add to the fiber, body, moisture, and nutrition of the treats. We tried black bean brownies and navy bean oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, both recipes from the US Dry Bean Council.
Black Bean Brownies
1/2 c. cocoa powder
1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened
2 c. white sugar
1 c. pureed, cooked black beans
4 eggs (or 1 cup egg substitute)
2/3 c. flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 pan.
In a bowl, mix cocoa, butter, sugar, black bean puree, and eggs until well blended.
Mix together the remaining dry ingredients in a small bowl and stir into the wet mixture.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Verdict: This is not what we would call a brownie but more of a cross between a brownie and a chocolate cake. I also didn't hear my timer beep and left it in the oven for 47 minutes. A little crisp around the edges but still very moist and rich in chocolate flavor. This was enjoyed by the whole family and will be made again, possibly in "cupcake" form.
Navy Bean Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 c. white sugar
1 c. packed light brown sugar
1/2 c. butter or margarine softened or shortening (I used Blue Bonnet margarine)
1 c. pureed navy bean (rinse and drain canned navy beans, then puree)
2 eggs or 1/2 c. egg substitute
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 c. flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 c. quick cooking oats
6 oz (1 c.) chocolate chips (I used Hershey's semisweet)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a food processor, puree cooked/canned beans until a thick, smooth paste is formed.
Measure 1 cup of bean puree and ceram with butter and sugars in a mixer.
Add eggs and vanilla and blend well.
Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and combine thoroughly.
Stir in oats and chocolate chips.
Drop tablespoons of dough onto a greased cookie sheet. (I use a tablespoon scoop that looks like a mini ice cream scoop, and I use parchment paper to line my cookie sheets.) Bake for 16 minutes or until golden brown. ( I bake two sheets at a time, rotating them halfway through the time.)
Yield: 5 dozen cookies
Verdict: This is a good cookie. It isn't what I think of when I think of "oatmeal cookie" like it doesn't quite have enough oatmeal, but it's good. The dough is rather wet but still holds its shape. Adding 1/2 cup to 1 cup more oatmeal might make it more oatmeal cookie-like and firm it up, but it will also require more chocolate chips. The cookie is tender on the inside and slightly crispy on the outside. I think I will put more chocolate chips in the cookies next time. Note again that I said "next time" with this recipe too - this one is a keeper if I'm judging by how many of them my family has eaten! I'm also going to puree my remaining cooked navy beans and freeze them in one cup portions to use in this recipe.
Both of these recipes should be able to have some or maybe all of their flour substituted with whole wheat flour, making them jam packed with whole grains, fiber, and protein. Both of these are being tucked into the "do again" recipe file, and it was a great way to end bean week!
Black Bean Brownies
1/2 c. cocoa powder
1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened
2 c. white sugar
1 c. pureed, cooked black beans
4 eggs (or 1 cup egg substitute)
2/3 c. flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 pan.
In a bowl, mix cocoa, butter, sugar, black bean puree, and eggs until well blended.
Mix together the remaining dry ingredients in a small bowl and stir into the wet mixture.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Verdict: This is not what we would call a brownie but more of a cross between a brownie and a chocolate cake. I also didn't hear my timer beep and left it in the oven for 47 minutes. A little crisp around the edges but still very moist and rich in chocolate flavor. This was enjoyed by the whole family and will be made again, possibly in "cupcake" form.
Navy Bean Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 c. white sugar
1 c. packed light brown sugar
1/2 c. butter or margarine softened or shortening (I used Blue Bonnet margarine)
1 c. pureed navy bean (rinse and drain canned navy beans, then puree)
2 eggs or 1/2 c. egg substitute
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 c. flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 c. quick cooking oats
6 oz (1 c.) chocolate chips (I used Hershey's semisweet)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a food processor, puree cooked/canned beans until a thick, smooth paste is formed.
Measure 1 cup of bean puree and ceram with butter and sugars in a mixer.
Add eggs and vanilla and blend well.
Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and combine thoroughly.
Stir in oats and chocolate chips.
Drop tablespoons of dough onto a greased cookie sheet. (I use a tablespoon scoop that looks like a mini ice cream scoop, and I use parchment paper to line my cookie sheets.) Bake for 16 minutes or until golden brown. ( I bake two sheets at a time, rotating them halfway through the time.)
Yield: 5 dozen cookies
Verdict: This is a good cookie. It isn't what I think of when I think of "oatmeal cookie" like it doesn't quite have enough oatmeal, but it's good. The dough is rather wet but still holds its shape. Adding 1/2 cup to 1 cup more oatmeal might make it more oatmeal cookie-like and firm it up, but it will also require more chocolate chips. The cookie is tender on the inside and slightly crispy on the outside. I think I will put more chocolate chips in the cookies next time. Note again that I said "next time" with this recipe too - this one is a keeper if I'm judging by how many of them my family has eaten! I'm also going to puree my remaining cooked navy beans and freeze them in one cup portions to use in this recipe.
Both of these recipes should be able to have some or maybe all of their flour substituted with whole wheat flour, making them jam packed with whole grains, fiber, and protein. Both of these are being tucked into the "do again" recipe file, and it was a great way to end bean week!
Bean Beginnings
I've never had hummus before. Always intended to try it but never did. Story of my life some days. Friday I changed that. I made hummus!!! Since I've never eaten hummus, I'm not sure how it compares to really authentic hummus, but we liked what we made. The only problem was that it was slightly dry, so some more oil will be added on the next batch. Note that I said "next batch" - we will be making this again!
Hummus
1/3 c. toasted sesame seeds or 1/4 c. tahini
1/8 tsp crushed red chiles (I used red pepper flakes)
15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed or 2 c. cooked dry packaged garbanzo beans (chick peas)
1/8 c. lime or lemon juice
1/2 tsp minced garlic (I chunked a whole, large clove)
1/2 tsp salt (I used kosher salt)
2 T olive oil
If using sesame seeds: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, spread sesame seeds in a baking pan or sheet and toast for 8-12 minutes until golden brown, stirring frequently.
In a food processor, puree sesame seeds or tahini and chiles, add beans, and puree again. Add lime or lemon juice, garlic, and salt, puree until smooth. Finally add oil and process until well blended.
Spoon into a serving bowl, cover, and let stand at room temperature for one hour to blend flavors.
Recipe from the US Dry Bean Council.
Another bean appetizer that is simply as gorgeous as it is delicious is to add rinsed and drained black beans and corn to fresh pico de gallo. Heat tortilla chips in the oven, 10 minutes at 250 degrees, and wow!
Pico de Gallo
1 1/2 c. seeded, diced tomatoes
1/4 c. diced red onion
1 T diced jalapenos
1 T minced garlic
juice of 2 limes
2 T chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
Mix everything together in a bowl. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to marry.
Recipe from Emeril Lagasse on Food Network.
*I've made this so many times that I now estimate all ingredient measurements, usually chopping a couple nice sized tomatoes (and not removing the seeds and gel, which the gel packs much of the intense tomato flavor), half a medium onion white or red, a jalapeno, a few cloves of garlic, and 1/3 bunch of cilantro. For every 2 cups of pico de gallo, add 1 cup corn (thawed from the freezer or plain leftovers from the fridge) and 1 cup rinsed and drained black beans. Just imagine the colors - purple-black beans, red tomatoes, yellow corn, white onion, green cilantro and jalapenos. Wow! And the flavor bursts in your mouth just as much! As for nutrition.... It really doesn't get much better!
Hummus
1/3 c. toasted sesame seeds or 1/4 c. tahini
1/8 tsp crushed red chiles (I used red pepper flakes)
15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed or 2 c. cooked dry packaged garbanzo beans (chick peas)
1/8 c. lime or lemon juice
1/2 tsp minced garlic (I chunked a whole, large clove)
1/2 tsp salt (I used kosher salt)
2 T olive oil
If using sesame seeds: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, spread sesame seeds in a baking pan or sheet and toast for 8-12 minutes until golden brown, stirring frequently.
In a food processor, puree sesame seeds or tahini and chiles, add beans, and puree again. Add lime or lemon juice, garlic, and salt, puree until smooth. Finally add oil and process until well blended.
Spoon into a serving bowl, cover, and let stand at room temperature for one hour to blend flavors.
Recipe from the US Dry Bean Council.
Another bean appetizer that is simply as gorgeous as it is delicious is to add rinsed and drained black beans and corn to fresh pico de gallo. Heat tortilla chips in the oven, 10 minutes at 250 degrees, and wow!
Pico de Gallo
1 1/2 c. seeded, diced tomatoes
1/4 c. diced red onion
1 T diced jalapenos
1 T minced garlic
juice of 2 limes
2 T chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
Mix everything together in a bowl. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to marry.
Recipe from Emeril Lagasse on Food Network.
*I've made this so many times that I now estimate all ingredient measurements, usually chopping a couple nice sized tomatoes (and not removing the seeds and gel, which the gel packs much of the intense tomato flavor), half a medium onion white or red, a jalapeno, a few cloves of garlic, and 1/3 bunch of cilantro. For every 2 cups of pico de gallo, add 1 cup corn (thawed from the freezer or plain leftovers from the fridge) and 1 cup rinsed and drained black beans. Just imagine the colors - purple-black beans, red tomatoes, yellow corn, white onion, green cilantro and jalapenos. Wow! And the flavor bursts in your mouth just as much! As for nutrition.... It really doesn't get much better!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
TNT (Tried N True) Chili Recipe
This is an awesome bean recipe. I originally got the recipe from bean council, I believe, and then I tweaked it a little for us. The original recipe didn't have tomato paste and only called for two cans of beans, plus it called for diced tomatoes with green chiles which we substituted petite diced tomatoes and also canned chiles. The petite diced tomatoes just break down a little better, the tomato paste thickens things up a bit, the extra beans stretch the chili and add a little more texture and color, and honestly, you can't find petite diced tomatoes with green chiles in the can without paying an arm and a leg for them. Make this recipe with ground turkey, and you have a meal incredibly high in protein, low in fat, low in sodium, high in vitamin C and other nutrients. It freezes well too, so freeze in 1 cup portions and have a stash in the freezer to heat and eat with sandwiches, on baked potatoes, or just on its own!
1 lb ground beef or turkey
3 14.5-oz cans petite diced tomatoes
6 oz can tomato paste
7 oz can diced green chiles
3 14.5-oz cans beans, rinsed and drained - we like a mix of great northern, black, and dark red kidney
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 - 1 medium bell pepper, diced
1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 T chili powder
1 tsp cumin
2 T packed light brown sugar
1 T cocoa powder
(the sugar and cocoa powder help to cut the heat so that the chili doesn't continue to heat past your tongue!)
Brown the meat in a skillet, draining off any fat if necessary. Stir in the bell pepper, onion, and garlic, and saute the mix until the onion and pepper begin to soften.
Mix all of the ingredients in a 6 qt crockpot. Cook on low for anywhere from 4 hours to 12 hours. This is a forgiving recipe, and the flavors will blend best with the longer cook time. I put this recipe in the crockpot at 8 a.m., I will scoop some out at noon for me to take to work for my dinner, and A will be able to dish up a bowl for himself at 6 or 7 this evening for his dinner, putting the rest in the fridge for leftovers. We'll be eating this with yesterday's pinto bean bread too!
1 lb ground beef or turkey
3 14.5-oz cans petite diced tomatoes
6 oz can tomato paste
7 oz can diced green chiles
3 14.5-oz cans beans, rinsed and drained - we like a mix of great northern, black, and dark red kidney
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 - 1 medium bell pepper, diced
1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 T chili powder
1 tsp cumin
2 T packed light brown sugar
1 T cocoa powder
(the sugar and cocoa powder help to cut the heat so that the chili doesn't continue to heat past your tongue!)
Brown the meat in a skillet, draining off any fat if necessary. Stir in the bell pepper, onion, and garlic, and saute the mix until the onion and pepper begin to soften.
Mix all of the ingredients in a 6 qt crockpot. Cook on low for anywhere from 4 hours to 12 hours. This is a forgiving recipe, and the flavors will blend best with the longer cook time. I put this recipe in the crockpot at 8 a.m., I will scoop some out at noon for me to take to work for my dinner, and A will be able to dish up a bowl for himself at 6 or 7 this evening for his dinner, putting the rest in the fridge for leftovers. We'll be eating this with yesterday's pinto bean bread too!
Bean Catch Up!
Tuesday morning C was sick, then I headed off to work, so no beans Tuesday. I made up for lost time Wednesday! I tried Idaho Fudge, New England Baked Beans, and Pinto Bean Bread. I have to give thumbs up for all three recipes being easy. The fudge never set, but the flavor is rich and chocolatey, so I'm wondering if my beans had to much moisture (I took them straight out of the crockpot where they were cooking) and will try it again. The baked beans were good and smelled amazing, although S still prefers Bush's baked beans. The bread was very good and smelled absolutely incredible; I will be making this bread again! Each loaf has a cup of mashed pinto beans, adding lots of vitamins, minerals, and protein without making a bread that sits like a lump in your belly.
Idaho Bean Fudge
15 oz can pinto beans (black beans may be used), rinsed and drained
1 c. cocoa powder
2/3 c. butter or margarine, melted
1 T vanilla extract
4 c. powdered sugar
1 c. chopped walnuts
In a blender or food processor, puree beans with butter until smooth. Transfer to a bowl.
Add cocoa, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Beat 3 minutes until thoroughly mixed. Stir in nuts.
Spread mixture evenly in a 9x13 pan. Refrigerate until chilled and firm.
Recipe from teh US Dry Bean Council.
New England Baked Beans
1 lb dry navy beans or 4 15-oz cans of navy beans (I would use the cans, I cooked my beans in the crockpot and they were still pretty firm)
8 oz bacon, cubed (I skipped this part)
2 c. chopped onions
2 tsp minced garlic
1/3 c. unsulphured molasses
1/3 c. packed light brown sugar
2 tsp prepared mustard
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp ground allspice
2 bay leaves
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Cook the beans according to package directions.
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
Transfer beans and enough cooking liquid to barely cover into a large baking pan, 3 qt casserole, or oven safe pot. Stir all ingredients into the beans.
Bake, covered, for 1 hour for dry beans 30 minutes for canned beans. Uncover and bake 4-6 hours, stirring every hour.
Recipe from the US Dry Bean Council.
Alternate crockpot directions that I came up with:
Cook the bean according to package directions.
Transfer beans and enough cooking liquid to barely cover into a 4-6 qt crockpot. Stir all other ingredients into the beans.
Cover and cook on low for 4-8 hours, this recipe seems to be flexible. If you are working, omit the bacon and use a timer either on your crockpot or a light timer you've plugged your crockpot into to start the crockpot while you are at work. The bacon isn't safe to leave out unrefrigerated and not cooking for the whole morning, but the beans, onions, sugars, and spices will be fine.
Pinto Bean Bread
2 c. lukewarm milk (I used plain Silk soy milk)
4 1/2 tsp yeast (2 packets)
2 c. pinto beans, mashed (it takes about 2 1/2 cup of pinto beans to get 2 c. mashed, just rinse and drain the beans then run through a food processor or blender or mash by hand)
2 T sugar
2 tsp salt
2 T shortening, melted (do not use oil)
5-6 c. flour (my beans were a bit moist, so I needed closer to 6 - 6 1/2 c.)
Stir together the milk, beans, sugar, salt, shortening, and one tablespoon of the flour.
Stir in the yeast and wait for it to proof, about 5 minutes (you'll see foam form).
Stir in the flour to make a kneadable dough. Knead 5-10 minutes until satiny and smooth, adding more flour to your work surface to keep the dough from sticking. (I found this dough to be very sticky and added in almost another cup of flour. The dough was smooth and elastic, not nearly as firm as Play Doh, much more firm then chocolate chip cookie dough.)
Place in a large greased bowl, flipping the dough over to put the now greased dough side up. Cover loosely with a clean cloth, dampening it lightly if your air is dry. Let it rise in a warm (70 - 80 degrees) place until dobule in size (45 minutes or so).
Punch down (take it out, put it on a lightly floured surface, fold it in thirds like a wallet, turn it 90 degrees, repeat, do this half a dozen times - you are redistributing yeast and other ingredients). Put it back in the bowl and let it rise until double again (another 45 minutes).
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two loaf pans.
Put the dough on your work surface (no flour needed), cut it in half, and shape into two loaf shapes, then put the shaped dough into the greased loaf pans.
When the oven is heated, bake for 30 - 40 minutes (I needed the full 40 minutes). The original directions says "or until thumps hollow on the bottom" which makes me say "um, they're in glass loaf pans, how am I supposed to tap the bottom of the bread?" At 30 minutes, the loaf was tan in color. At 40 minutes, the loaf was a light brown color. I let it cool for 10 minutes, then turned it out of the loaf pan, let it cool for another 10 minutes, then sliced it. The bread was still a bit steamy but was thoroughly baked, so I'll do the 40 minutes bake time again.
Original recipe was found on Recipezaar by wildheart, but I changed the milk to soy milk and added the more exact instructions.
If you slice it thinly enough to fit in the toaster, it would make good toast. I put some margarine on a 1" thick slice and broiled it until lightly brown, then spread homemade strawberry jam over it. It was steaming, warm, hearty but tender, very good flavor and texture. If you know the beans are in there, you can faintly detect them. Otherwise, you'd never know. This recipe is definitely a keeper for us.
Idaho Bean Fudge
15 oz can pinto beans (black beans may be used), rinsed and drained
1 c. cocoa powder
2/3 c. butter or margarine, melted
1 T vanilla extract
4 c. powdered sugar
1 c. chopped walnuts
In a blender or food processor, puree beans with butter until smooth. Transfer to a bowl.
Add cocoa, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Beat 3 minutes until thoroughly mixed. Stir in nuts.
Spread mixture evenly in a 9x13 pan. Refrigerate until chilled and firm.
Recipe from teh US Dry Bean Council.
New England Baked Beans
1 lb dry navy beans or 4 15-oz cans of navy beans (I would use the cans, I cooked my beans in the crockpot and they were still pretty firm)
8 oz bacon, cubed (I skipped this part)
2 c. chopped onions
2 tsp minced garlic
1/3 c. unsulphured molasses
1/3 c. packed light brown sugar
2 tsp prepared mustard
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp ground allspice
2 bay leaves
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Cook the beans according to package directions.
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
Transfer beans and enough cooking liquid to barely cover into a large baking pan, 3 qt casserole, or oven safe pot. Stir all ingredients into the beans.
Bake, covered, for 1 hour for dry beans 30 minutes for canned beans. Uncover and bake 4-6 hours, stirring every hour.
Recipe from the US Dry Bean Council.
Alternate crockpot directions that I came up with:
Cook the bean according to package directions.
Transfer beans and enough cooking liquid to barely cover into a 4-6 qt crockpot. Stir all other ingredients into the beans.
Cover and cook on low for 4-8 hours, this recipe seems to be flexible. If you are working, omit the bacon and use a timer either on your crockpot or a light timer you've plugged your crockpot into to start the crockpot while you are at work. The bacon isn't safe to leave out unrefrigerated and not cooking for the whole morning, but the beans, onions, sugars, and spices will be fine.
Pinto Bean Bread
2 c. lukewarm milk (I used plain Silk soy milk)
4 1/2 tsp yeast (2 packets)
2 c. pinto beans, mashed (it takes about 2 1/2 cup of pinto beans to get 2 c. mashed, just rinse and drain the beans then run through a food processor or blender or mash by hand)
2 T sugar
2 tsp salt
2 T shortening, melted (do not use oil)
5-6 c. flour (my beans were a bit moist, so I needed closer to 6 - 6 1/2 c.)
Stir together the milk, beans, sugar, salt, shortening, and one tablespoon of the flour.
Stir in the yeast and wait for it to proof, about 5 minutes (you'll see foam form).
Stir in the flour to make a kneadable dough. Knead 5-10 minutes until satiny and smooth, adding more flour to your work surface to keep the dough from sticking. (I found this dough to be very sticky and added in almost another cup of flour. The dough was smooth and elastic, not nearly as firm as Play Doh, much more firm then chocolate chip cookie dough.)
Place in a large greased bowl, flipping the dough over to put the now greased dough side up. Cover loosely with a clean cloth, dampening it lightly if your air is dry. Let it rise in a warm (70 - 80 degrees) place until dobule in size (45 minutes or so).
Punch down (take it out, put it on a lightly floured surface, fold it in thirds like a wallet, turn it 90 degrees, repeat, do this half a dozen times - you are redistributing yeast and other ingredients). Put it back in the bowl and let it rise until double again (another 45 minutes).
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two loaf pans.
Put the dough on your work surface (no flour needed), cut it in half, and shape into two loaf shapes, then put the shaped dough into the greased loaf pans.
When the oven is heated, bake for 30 - 40 minutes (I needed the full 40 minutes). The original directions says "or until thumps hollow on the bottom" which makes me say "um, they're in glass loaf pans, how am I supposed to tap the bottom of the bread?" At 30 minutes, the loaf was tan in color. At 40 minutes, the loaf was a light brown color. I let it cool for 10 minutes, then turned it out of the loaf pan, let it cool for another 10 minutes, then sliced it. The bread was still a bit steamy but was thoroughly baked, so I'll do the 40 minutes bake time again.
Original recipe was found on Recipezaar by wildheart, but I changed the milk to soy milk and added the more exact instructions.
If you slice it thinly enough to fit in the toaster, it would make good toast. I put some margarine on a 1" thick slice and broiled it until lightly brown, then spread homemade strawberry jam over it. It was steaming, warm, hearty but tender, very good flavor and texture. If you know the beans are in there, you can faintly detect them. Otherwise, you'd never know. This recipe is definitely a keeper for us.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Black Bean Burgers
My mother-in-law is fond of saying, "Don't make the same mistakes I did; make new ones." Her logic is sound: learn from the mistakes of others and build upon it, accepting that you will make mistakes too. Tonight's bean experiment was for an item that I have eaten quite a few times in restaurants and from store bought (freezer section) versions, and I've been meaning for quite a while to do it myself and just haven't gotten around to it. Tonight's dinner was black bean burgers with tomato slices and leaf lettuce with chips and pickles on the side. I used a good looking recipe from Sandra Lee on Food Network.
Problem one: my garlic was a bit strong, and the other, more subtle flavors were drown in garlic. I'm not sure if that was completely my garlic or if it was also the fault of the amount called for in the recipe.
Problem two: the directions really didn't mention that the mixture is fairly sloppy. Actually, I have no idea how I would have been successful doing these on an indoor grill. I decided to do half the burgers in an oiled skillet over medium-low heat and the other half on a piece of foil on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. The ones in the skillet were exceedingly difficult to flip and by the time they were quasi solid, they were sticking to the pan even though I had drizzled it generously with olive oil. The ones in the oven looked much better until I tried to flip them over and they were just about as miserable as the skillet version.
So I'm including the recipe below. I won't be making this one again, but I will be trying another recipe. I'll post what happens with future attempts!
1/2 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 T chopped garlic (I would really reduce this to 1 tsp)
2 15-oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained, divided
2 T chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tsp chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 egg (I used 1/4 cup Eggbeaters)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 c. bread crumbs (I used whole wheat)
1. In a food processor, pulse onion and garlic until finely chopped. Add one of the cans of beans, cilantro, parsley, egg, and red pepper flakes and pulse to combine.
2. Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl, add the remaining can of black beans and the bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper if desired, and mix until well combined.
3. Divide mixture into 8 - 9 patties (I used 1/3 measuring cup, leveled off).
4. Directions said to cook on a hot oiled grill or grill pan over medium-low heat for six minutes each side.
Problem one: my garlic was a bit strong, and the other, more subtle flavors were drown in garlic. I'm not sure if that was completely my garlic or if it was also the fault of the amount called for in the recipe.
Problem two: the directions really didn't mention that the mixture is fairly sloppy. Actually, I have no idea how I would have been successful doing these on an indoor grill. I decided to do half the burgers in an oiled skillet over medium-low heat and the other half on a piece of foil on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. The ones in the skillet were exceedingly difficult to flip and by the time they were quasi solid, they were sticking to the pan even though I had drizzled it generously with olive oil. The ones in the oven looked much better until I tried to flip them over and they were just about as miserable as the skillet version.
So I'm including the recipe below. I won't be making this one again, but I will be trying another recipe. I'll post what happens with future attempts!
1/2 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 T chopped garlic (I would really reduce this to 1 tsp)
2 15-oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained, divided
2 T chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tsp chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 egg (I used 1/4 cup Eggbeaters)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 c. bread crumbs (I used whole wheat)
1. In a food processor, pulse onion and garlic until finely chopped. Add one of the cans of beans, cilantro, parsley, egg, and red pepper flakes and pulse to combine.
2. Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl, add the remaining can of black beans and the bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper if desired, and mix until well combined.
3. Divide mixture into 8 - 9 patties (I used 1/3 measuring cup, leveled off).
4. Directions said to cook on a hot oiled grill or grill pan over medium-low heat for six minutes each side.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Mexican Chicken Soup
Tonight's bean dish was Mexican Chicken Soup. This is one of our favorites, is great in the crockpot, freezes beautifully, can be made using leftover roast chicken or turkey, and is packed full of protein and vegetables - one of the most perfect dishes I know! The bean in this one is the black bean. It's size is very complimentary to the corn, the color makes a nice contrast, the flavor is mild while being strong enough to hold up to the strong flavors in the soup, and has a good texture for soups - creamy but firm.
1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed and sauteed until done or 1 1/2 lb cubed or shredded leftover roasted chicken or turkey
1 envelope taco seasoning or 2 tsp chili powder and 1 tsp cumin
32 oz can V8 juice
16 oz salsa
15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
10 oz (2 1/2 cups) corn
toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and minced fresh cilantro
Combine all ingredients in a 5 qt crock pot. Cover and cook on low at least 3 hours and up to 12 hours (newer crock pots cook hotter, so in my new one, I leave it on low for 10 hours and then switch to warm).
Recipe from Taste of Home.
1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed and sauteed until done or 1 1/2 lb cubed or shredded leftover roasted chicken or turkey
1 envelope taco seasoning or 2 tsp chili powder and 1 tsp cumin
32 oz can V8 juice
16 oz salsa
15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
10 oz (2 1/2 cups) corn
toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and minced fresh cilantro
Combine all ingredients in a 5 qt crock pot. Cover and cook on low at least 3 hours and up to 12 hours (newer crock pots cook hotter, so in my new one, I leave it on low for 10 hours and then switch to warm).
Recipe from Taste of Home.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Bean Week!
I have gotten a request for bean recipes (thanks, Kim!), and I've been wanting to experiment with bean dishes but put it off all summer in favor of using the bounty of my garden. You know, use it or lose it when the garden is producing free food! Now it's fall, and it's a great time to start bean week. I'm going to start off with some basic bean information and then post at the end of each day the recipe I did for that day, a couple tried and true and a few new to me recipes. One recipe I'm going to do is for the oven and takes 7 hours, so I'm going to adapt it to the crockpot just because I think it's more accessible for the average person that way. Two other recipes are for the crockpot and not just bean soup which most people think of when thinking of beans and crockpot in the same sentence. In fact, I'm not going to do a traditional bean soup at all! I'm going to mix it up with which beans I'm using, trying to get in a variety, using navy, pinto, kidney, black, great northern, and garbanzo, all beans easily found in an average supermarket in both dry and canned forms. Side dishes, main dishes, maybe an appetizer and a dessert will all make appearances. Beans are low in fat while high in fiber, protein, vitamins, an minerals and lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of colon and prostate cancer.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Apple Pie Jam
We go through a *lot* of jam here because we put it on sandwiches, toast, and muffins plus use it as a glaze on meat, an add in for oatmeal, a sweetener in tea or coffee, a filling for cakes, cookies, and muffins, and swirled through brownies and blondies before baking. C's favorite jam is apple pie jam, and our apples are now harvested from our two mature, high yielding trees. Result: I'm making apple pie jam! If you can, this is a simple boiling water bath process. I'm sure that this jam can also be frozen, and it certainly can be put into jars or containers and refrigerated, sharing the extra jars with friends and family. If you don't can this, it is not shelf stable, so make sure to preserve it or refrigerate it!
4 c. finely chopped/minced fresh apples, peels, cores, and bad spots removed
a little water - check out the directions, probably 1/4 c. - 1/2 c.
2 T. lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1 tsp margarine or butter (optional , and note that this is a *teaspoon* not a tablespoon, just a pat will work)
1 box dry/powdered pectin
4 c. sugar
1 c. packed light brown sugar
1. Put the finely chopped apples into a quart measuring glass, then fill with water so that the water also measures 4 cups - you are just filling in the little nooks and crannies with water.
2. Put the apples and water, margarine, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and pectin into a fairly large pot (I like to use an 8 quart stock pot to ensure that it doesn't boil over). Stir to combine, and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Boiling is rather vague, since there isn't much liquid, but you'll know it by the bubbling of what liquid there is.
3. Add the two sugars and stir to combine everything. Bring to a boil over high heat. When it is at a full roiling boil (one that cannot be stirred down or one in which the bubbling doesn't stop when you stir it), continue to boil and stir for 1 full minute.
4. Remove from heat and transfer to jars/containers. If canning, fill prepared jars, adjust lids and bands, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. If freezing, fill containers of choice, seal, cool, and freeze. If refrigerating, fill containers of choice, seal/put a lid on, and refrigerate.
This recipe makes 7 or 7 1/2 cups of jam, which is a dark caramel color speckled with lighter pieces of the apple. It's lovely and distinctive looking as well as delicious!
4 c. finely chopped/minced fresh apples, peels, cores, and bad spots removed
a little water - check out the directions, probably 1/4 c. - 1/2 c.
2 T. lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1 tsp margarine or butter (optional , and note that this is a *teaspoon* not a tablespoon, just a pat will work)
1 box dry/powdered pectin
4 c. sugar
1 c. packed light brown sugar
1. Put the finely chopped apples into a quart measuring glass, then fill with water so that the water also measures 4 cups - you are just filling in the little nooks and crannies with water.
2. Put the apples and water, margarine, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and pectin into a fairly large pot (I like to use an 8 quart stock pot to ensure that it doesn't boil over). Stir to combine, and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Boiling is rather vague, since there isn't much liquid, but you'll know it by the bubbling of what liquid there is.
3. Add the two sugars and stir to combine everything. Bring to a boil over high heat. When it is at a full roiling boil (one that cannot be stirred down or one in which the bubbling doesn't stop when you stir it), continue to boil and stir for 1 full minute.
4. Remove from heat and transfer to jars/containers. If canning, fill prepared jars, adjust lids and bands, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. If freezing, fill containers of choice, seal, cool, and freeze. If refrigerating, fill containers of choice, seal/put a lid on, and refrigerate.
This recipe makes 7 or 7 1/2 cups of jam, which is a dark caramel color speckled with lighter pieces of the apple. It's lovely and distinctive looking as well as delicious!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Dinner in a Hurry That Doesn't Taste Like Dinner in a Hurry
I'm cooking up 5 pounds of meatballs today. Most of them will be cooled, flash frozen, and bagged for the freezer. Spaghetti and meatballs, meatball subs, waikiki meatballs, meatballs with a jelly glaze, swedish meatballs, barbeque meatballs, that 5 pound bag will be gone in a hurry. I'm going to set some of today's meatballs aside and use them for dinner tonight, making one of our favorites, shanghai meatballs with jasmine rice and steamed broccoli. Fast, easy, and delicious, this is a perfect dinner for busy nights. Heat store bought meatballs or make your own, adding shanghai sauce for the last few minutes to heat the sauce and lightly glaze the meatballs. Jasmine rice is sticky, perfect for giving the sauce something to cling to, is lightly sweet which balances nicely with spicy flavors, and cooks in only 15 minutes after the water is heated to a boil. It even reheats well in the microwave! Stir in some chopped crystallized ginger for an added sweet and tangy flavor. Heat some frozen broccoli, and dinner is ready!
Shanghai Sauce
1 1/4 c. water
1 T cornstarch
3/4 c. dark brown sugar
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 T. minced fresh ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
2 T lime juice
1 T lemon juice
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Stir the cornstarch into the water, then stir in the remaining ingredients. Heat over medium heat until it begins to bubble, reduce heat, and simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes. A double batch will take closer to 45-50 minutes to thicken. This sauce freezes beautifully, so double up and freeze in 1 cup portions to use to coat wings, meatballs, or chicken tenders! This is a copy cat recipe for Chili's Boneless Shanghai Wings, and we love it!
Shanghai Sauce
1 1/4 c. water
1 T cornstarch
3/4 c. dark brown sugar
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 T. minced fresh ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
2 T lime juice
1 T lemon juice
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Stir the cornstarch into the water, then stir in the remaining ingredients. Heat over medium heat until it begins to bubble, reduce heat, and simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes. A double batch will take closer to 45-50 minutes to thicken. This sauce freezes beautifully, so double up and freeze in 1 cup portions to use to coat wings, meatballs, or chicken tenders! This is a copy cat recipe for Chili's Boneless Shanghai Wings, and we love it!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Giving Yourself a 10 Minute Spa Day Every Day
I am incredibly busy, but I do like the little treats for myself. My favorite thing is making sugar scrubs for in the shower. My favorites: gingerbread, chocolate almond, and ginger. I've been trolling http://www.bathandbodyrecipes.com/ and then branching out into my own concoctions. Bubble baths are also so much more incredible when you make it a tea bath or milk bath or add homemade bath salts or bath oils. Get 2-cup plastic containers from the store that have screw on lids which cost only $2-$3 for a pack of 3, and you have a safe, convenient, and inexpensive container too. Similar scrubs cost $15-$25 at bath and beauty stores, even more when you go to high end beauty counters, but you can make them for only a couple dollars. Finding organic ones is incredibly difficult, but you can easily find the organic components yourself. So arm yourself with a good quality light oil such as grapeseed, almond, apricot kernel, or jojoba, some sugar, and some add-ins, and make your shower time an incredible, aromatic experience that will exfoliate your skin while simultaneously pushing moisturizers into your skin.
Note: oils do have scents, except grapeseed oil. Grapeseed oil is my preferred sugar scrub oil because it doesn't compete with what I'm adding to it, but other oils work well with different scents. In a chocolate sugar scrub, coconut oil, almond oil, and macadamia oil are certainly good options, but coconut oil and gingerbread spices aren't such a great combination.
Gingerbread Sugar Scrub
1/2 c. light brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. - 3/4 c. massage oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp allspice
(all spices are ground)
Mix everything together, adding just enough oil to make a paste. When the scrub sits for a day or two, it's okay for there to be a thin layer of oil on top, just stir it back into the sugar, but the paste shouldn't be loose or sloppy/gloppy.
Chocolate Almond Sugar Scrub
1 c. white sugar
1/2 c. - 3/4 c. massage oil
1 tsp - 2 tsp almond extract
1 T cocoa powder
Mix everything together, adding just enough oil to make a paste. When the scrub sits for a day or two, it's okay for there to be a thin layer of oil on top, just stir it back into the sugar, but the paste shouldn't be loose or sloppy/gloppy.
These are also child safe, so when I let my young children use these scrubs on their chapped hands, it's okay that they taste these or that they eat food after using them on their hands.
Note: oils do have scents, except grapeseed oil. Grapeseed oil is my preferred sugar scrub oil because it doesn't compete with what I'm adding to it, but other oils work well with different scents. In a chocolate sugar scrub, coconut oil, almond oil, and macadamia oil are certainly good options, but coconut oil and gingerbread spices aren't such a great combination.
Gingerbread Sugar Scrub
1/2 c. light brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. - 3/4 c. massage oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp allspice
(all spices are ground)
Mix everything together, adding just enough oil to make a paste. When the scrub sits for a day or two, it's okay for there to be a thin layer of oil on top, just stir it back into the sugar, but the paste shouldn't be loose or sloppy/gloppy.
Chocolate Almond Sugar Scrub
1 c. white sugar
1/2 c. - 3/4 c. massage oil
1 tsp - 2 tsp almond extract
1 T cocoa powder
Mix everything together, adding just enough oil to make a paste. When the scrub sits for a day or two, it's okay for there to be a thin layer of oil on top, just stir it back into the sugar, but the paste shouldn't be loose or sloppy/gloppy.
These are also child safe, so when I let my young children use these scrubs on their chapped hands, it's okay that they taste these or that they eat food after using them on their hands.
Monday, October 12, 2009
What Columbus Was Missing - Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
After having wonderful houseguests for a long weekend, I'm back! Lots of cooking, lots of eating, lots of laughter. One of the things that we had this weekend was roast beef in the crock pot with roasted garlic and chives mashed potatoes. Easy and packed with flavor, roasted garlic and chives mashed potatoes really add some zip to your dinner and have the added bonus of freezing well for later eating. I used white potatoes and removed the jackets, but I've also made these with red-skinned mashed potatoes and mashed with the skins on, making for a nice texture and color contrast plus an added boost to the nutrition count.
Roasted Garlic
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Rub or peel the extra paper from a whole head of garlic, just enough to expose the cloves but not to break the cloves off the head. Lay the head of garlic on its side and slice off the very top of the head, which will take off the tips of some of the cloves.
Take a square of foil about 8"x8" and lay it on the counter, then sit the head of garlic on the foil. Drizzle about 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil or vegetable oil over the head. Wrap the garlic in the foil, making a packet.
Bake the garlic for 30-40 minutes until the garlic is soft. Cool the garlic, then peel the roasted cloves or squeeze them through the holes in the end of the peels.
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
2-3 lb potatoes, cut into chunks 1"-2" across
water to cover the potatoes in a pot by 1"-2"
1/4 c. butter or margarine, room temperture or melted
1/2 c. milk, soy milk, soy creamer, broth, or whatever your preference for mashed potatoes, warm
1/4 c. chopped fresh chives
1 head of roasted garlic, out of the peels
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Boil the potatoes until fork tender, then drain and transfer to a mixing bowl.
Break them up with a mixer, then pour in the melted butter and the warm milk - using warm will keep from cooling the potatoes and make for better incorporation. Add in the roated garlic.
Mix until creamy, making sure not to overmix. Beating them too long will break down the cell structure too much and produce glue-like mashed potatoes. Adding the milk slowly will also ensure that you add in only as much as you want - everyone likes mashed potatoes a little different!
When just about done mixing, add in the chives and the black pepper and finish mixing. Serve hot with butter or gravy, freeze in individual portion sizes, use leftovers to make potato pancakes and just enjoy a gourmet mashed potato with extra nutrients, color, and texture along with an explosion of flavor!
Roasted Garlic
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Rub or peel the extra paper from a whole head of garlic, just enough to expose the cloves but not to break the cloves off the head. Lay the head of garlic on its side and slice off the very top of the head, which will take off the tips of some of the cloves.
Take a square of foil about 8"x8" and lay it on the counter, then sit the head of garlic on the foil. Drizzle about 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil or vegetable oil over the head. Wrap the garlic in the foil, making a packet.
Bake the garlic for 30-40 minutes until the garlic is soft. Cool the garlic, then peel the roasted cloves or squeeze them through the holes in the end of the peels.
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
2-3 lb potatoes, cut into chunks 1"-2" across
water to cover the potatoes in a pot by 1"-2"
1/4 c. butter or margarine, room temperture or melted
1/2 c. milk, soy milk, soy creamer, broth, or whatever your preference for mashed potatoes, warm
1/4 c. chopped fresh chives
1 head of roasted garlic, out of the peels
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Boil the potatoes until fork tender, then drain and transfer to a mixing bowl.
Break them up with a mixer, then pour in the melted butter and the warm milk - using warm will keep from cooling the potatoes and make for better incorporation. Add in the roated garlic.
Mix until creamy, making sure not to overmix. Beating them too long will break down the cell structure too much and produce glue-like mashed potatoes. Adding the milk slowly will also ensure that you add in only as much as you want - everyone likes mashed potatoes a little different!
When just about done mixing, add in the chives and the black pepper and finish mixing. Serve hot with butter or gravy, freeze in individual portion sizes, use leftovers to make potato pancakes and just enjoy a gourmet mashed potato with extra nutrients, color, and texture along with an explosion of flavor!
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Pumpkin is Back!!!
For months, I have been checking the local grocery stores for canned pumpkin but to no avail, the shelf was always empty. Now that it's October, pumpkin is back, and I'm stocking up! Pumpkin is packed full of vitamins and carries a serious punch of flavor and moisture. I love to bake with pumpkin, and this year I'm going to expand my repertoire. Our list of favorites includes pumpkin pie, cranberry pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, and pumpkin cupcakes. I know that there are loads of pumpkin chocolate chip recipes, but they just aren't for us. Give us a good fruit-nut-pumpkin combo any day! Pumpkin pie separates from the crust when baked, but the other baked goods are excellent candidates for freezing, and who says that a quick bread with pumpkin, cranberries, and walnuts can't be a breakfast food? Homemade pumpkin puree can be frozen, but only pumpkin cubes can be canned, not pureed pumpkin as the puree is too dense for reliable heat penetration in home canning (and no one wants botulism). I'm thinking about making a batch of pumpkin butter for the freezer, though! Stay tuned for the recipe if I like how it turns out.
Cranberry Pumpkin Bread
2 1/4 c. flour
1 T pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
2 c. sugar
1 15-oz can pumpkin puree
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 c. dried cranberries
1 c. chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x5 loaf pan.
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the dry ingredients minus the sugar: flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt.
In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the wet ingredients plus the sugar: eggs, sugar, pumpkin, and oil, beating until just blended.
Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until batter is just blended/moistened. Stir in the cranberries and the walnuts.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes.
*If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, use the following for each tablespoon of pie spice: 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp allspice, 1/2 tsp nutmeg
Cranberry Pumpkin Bread
2 1/4 c. flour
1 T pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
2 c. sugar
1 15-oz can pumpkin puree
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 c. dried cranberries
1 c. chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x5 loaf pan.
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the dry ingredients minus the sugar: flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt.
In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the wet ingredients plus the sugar: eggs, sugar, pumpkin, and oil, beating until just blended.
Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until batter is just blended/moistened. Stir in the cranberries and the walnuts.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes.
*If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, use the following for each tablespoon of pie spice: 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp allspice, 1/2 tsp nutmeg
Monday, October 5, 2009
Cooking Day!
We went to Sam's Club on Saturday and stocked up on some things. I'm not out of bread flour, but the price has dropped to the lowest I've seen it - $6.99 for 25-lb bag - so we picked up another bag. One 5-lb bag at the store is running $3 or more, so we're pretty much getting 13 pounds of bread flour for free. I can handle that! We also picked up boneless skinless chicken breasts, a total of 12 pounds, and 30 pounds of ground beef. Today is a cooking day!
A was a doll and cooked up 10 lb of burger with only a little seasoning, which will be bagged 2 cups to a bag and frozen (shold be 9 bags), ready to pull out and heat for tacos, spaghetti, hamburger bbq, anything we need cooked ground beef for. Now what am I going to do with the other 20 pounds?
5 lb pico de gallo burgers
5 lb cajun burgers
5 lb hamburgers
5 lb meatballs
Try mixing up gourmet burgers yourself for half the cost of them at the butcher counter when you can even find a butcher counter that does them! Websites like www.cheese-burger.net/tag/gourmet-burger-recipes are great inspiration sources. Mix, shape, flash freeze or wrap in plastic wrap, and bag, then thaw and grill/broil when you want something different for dinner.
A big help for us for quick meals is to have small (1/4 lb), grilled/broiled hamburgers in the freezer. We go as far as putting one regular hamburger bun and one cooked hamburger in a sandwich bag and then putting a bunch of them in a gallon freezer bag, then when someone wants a burger, we microwave a hamburger for a minute, put the roll in the microwave and heat for another 15-20 seconds. Voila! Hot hamburger and soft, fresh roll.
Meatballs. People so often overlook these nuggets of helpful protein. We'll mix up 5 lb of basic meatballs, 1 tablespoon (1 oz) each, broil them until barely done, then flash freeze and bag. Check out http://www.meatballrecipes.net/ for some ideas, then start checking your favorite cooking websites for recipes using meatballs. We like best meatball subs, spaghetti and meatballs, meatballs with a sweet and tangy ginger sauce over jasmine rice. This fall, I'm going to be trying a couple of recipes in the crockpot using meatballs and a fruit based sauce which can be served over rice with steamed vegetables on the side.
Now for the chicken. Every last morsel will be used for boneless wings, using a Chili's copy cat recipe I got from a book that I unfortunately cannot remember the name of! This is a wonderful recipe. Fantastic fresh, they freeze and reheat in the oven in 10 minutes. Toss them in 1/4 c. and 1 T melted butter/margarine, and you have great boneless buffalo wings.
1 c. flour
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1 egg or 1/4 c. egg substitute such as Eggbeaters
1 c. milk or soy milk
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
oil for frying
Combine flour, salt, peppers, and paprika in a medium bowl.
Whisk together the egg and milk in another medium bowl.
Cut the chicken breasts into 2-bite-size chunks (original recipe says 3/4" thick, 1 3/4" wide, 3" long) or smaller if you like.
Dip each chicken piece into the egg wash, then dredge in the flour mixture, setting aside each piece on a plate or cutting board.
When all of the pieces have been dredged, repeat the process. Chill for 15 minutes while the oil heats.
After the rest period, fry in hot oil for 5-6 minutes. Chicken will be golden brown and crispy. Drain on towels.
A was a doll and cooked up 10 lb of burger with only a little seasoning, which will be bagged 2 cups to a bag and frozen (shold be 9 bags), ready to pull out and heat for tacos, spaghetti, hamburger bbq, anything we need cooked ground beef for. Now what am I going to do with the other 20 pounds?
5 lb pico de gallo burgers
5 lb cajun burgers
5 lb hamburgers
5 lb meatballs
Try mixing up gourmet burgers yourself for half the cost of them at the butcher counter when you can even find a butcher counter that does them! Websites like www.cheese-burger.net/tag/gourmet-burger-recipes are great inspiration sources. Mix, shape, flash freeze or wrap in plastic wrap, and bag, then thaw and grill/broil when you want something different for dinner.
A big help for us for quick meals is to have small (1/4 lb), grilled/broiled hamburgers in the freezer. We go as far as putting one regular hamburger bun and one cooked hamburger in a sandwich bag and then putting a bunch of them in a gallon freezer bag, then when someone wants a burger, we microwave a hamburger for a minute, put the roll in the microwave and heat for another 15-20 seconds. Voila! Hot hamburger and soft, fresh roll.
Meatballs. People so often overlook these nuggets of helpful protein. We'll mix up 5 lb of basic meatballs, 1 tablespoon (1 oz) each, broil them until barely done, then flash freeze and bag. Check out http://www.meatballrecipes.net/ for some ideas, then start checking your favorite cooking websites for recipes using meatballs. We like best meatball subs, spaghetti and meatballs, meatballs with a sweet and tangy ginger sauce over jasmine rice. This fall, I'm going to be trying a couple of recipes in the crockpot using meatballs and a fruit based sauce which can be served over rice with steamed vegetables on the side.
Now for the chicken. Every last morsel will be used for boneless wings, using a Chili's copy cat recipe I got from a book that I unfortunately cannot remember the name of! This is a wonderful recipe. Fantastic fresh, they freeze and reheat in the oven in 10 minutes. Toss them in 1/4 c. and 1 T melted butter/margarine, and you have great boneless buffalo wings.
1 c. flour
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1 egg or 1/4 c. egg substitute such as Eggbeaters
1 c. milk or soy milk
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
oil for frying
Combine flour, salt, peppers, and paprika in a medium bowl.
Whisk together the egg and milk in another medium bowl.
Cut the chicken breasts into 2-bite-size chunks (original recipe says 3/4" thick, 1 3/4" wide, 3" long) or smaller if you like.
Dip each chicken piece into the egg wash, then dredge in the flour mixture, setting aside each piece on a plate or cutting board.
When all of the pieces have been dredged, repeat the process. Chill for 15 minutes while the oil heats.
After the rest period, fry in hot oil for 5-6 minutes. Chicken will be golden brown and crispy. Drain on towels.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Caramel Corn on a Rainy Day
It's a Friday, it's the beginning of October, and it's a cool, rainy day. I'm making caramel corn for tonight's family movie night! My family goes crazy for this stuff, so a double batch will definitely have to be made. I found the recipe in a cookbook I found at the library book sale for 25 cents: *Wake Up and Smell the Coffee: Favorite Breakfast and Brunch Recipes From teh Upper Midwest's Best Bed & Breakfast Inns*. How can you not want to flip through a book like that?!
Slightly long in the making but very easy and incredibly delicious, this caramel corn recipe is fantastic and a staple in our house, especially in the fall with steaming mugs of hot apple cider. Throw in some nuts, and we even tell ourselves it's pretty healthy with the fiber of the popcorn and the protein of the nuts!
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. (4 T) margarine or butter
1/2 c. dark corn syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
2 qt (8 c) plain popped popcorn
Cook all ingredients except the popcorn at medium-high heat for five minutes, stirring constantly. This is to dissolve the sugar and create a light syrup.
In a very large bowl, mix the caramel with the popcorn.
Spread the mixture on a jelly roll pan (I believe a cookie sheet with a rim would work just as well) at 250 degrees for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
Cool on the pan, still stirring occasionally to break up the chunks that will stick together.
Recipe from The Inn at Cedar Crossing in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.
Slightly long in the making but very easy and incredibly delicious, this caramel corn recipe is fantastic and a staple in our house, especially in the fall with steaming mugs of hot apple cider. Throw in some nuts, and we even tell ourselves it's pretty healthy with the fiber of the popcorn and the protein of the nuts!
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. (4 T) margarine or butter
1/2 c. dark corn syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
2 qt (8 c) plain popped popcorn
Cook all ingredients except the popcorn at medium-high heat for five minutes, stirring constantly. This is to dissolve the sugar and create a light syrup.
In a very large bowl, mix the caramel with the popcorn.
Spread the mixture on a jelly roll pan (I believe a cookie sheet with a rim would work just as well) at 250 degrees for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
Cool on the pan, still stirring occasionally to break up the chunks that will stick together.
Recipe from The Inn at Cedar Crossing in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.
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