Green Rice with Smoked Paprika

While I'm not sure if I love the new direction of 101 Cookbooks, this recipe was well liked. Mom even said "Anne, this is really good!"

I would probably double the arugula butter, and possibly add a bit more to the rice. This a very mild side dish, suitable for many meals!

The Greenest Salad

This salad was very green, and very good! Tarragon is one of my favorite dressing ingredients, and mixing it with balsamic was awesome. The dressing makes a much larger quantity than you'll need for the salad, so you can save for later. I almost overdressed it, be wary. 

Of course, I did not use romaine, I used arugula and spinach, and fresh Feta. My photo didn't look great, so I stole Heidi's! 

Jalapeño-cheddar Scones

Steve and I loved these. They were easy to make. I froze half of the unbaked scones and they taste great out of the freezer and baked (for a few minutes longer then the unfrozen baking time). I used two jalapenos and I agree with all of the posters that they taste flavorful, not spicy.

The recipe is from Smitten Kitchen.

(I can not find my photo. I will post it when I find it.)

Arugula Pear Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette and Goat Cheese

Again, sadly no picture, but this is the salad I made for Thanksgiving 2012.

1 T Butter
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
3 large pears, cored and sliced
1/2 c dried cranberries
1/2 c sliced dried apricots
1/2 c pomegranate juice
2 T red wine vinegar
2 T sugar
1 T Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
pinch of allspice
1/4 c olive oil
10-ounces baby arugula
4 ounces soft goat cheese crumbled

In a large skillet over medium high heat, combine the butter and cinnamon.  When the butter has melted, add the pears and saute until they are softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the cranberries and apricots, then cook for another minute.  Set aside off of the heat.

In a blender, combine the pom juice, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt, pepper, allspice and olive oil.  Blend until well combined.

In a large bowl, arrange the arugula.  Top the greens with the sauteed pear mixture, then the goat cheese.  Serve the vinaigrette on the side.

Pilgrim Cocktail

Sadly no picture, but here is the recipe for the signature cocktail of Thanksgiving 2012.

3/4 oz white rum
3/4 oz dark rum
1/4 oz orange curacao
2 oz fresh orange juice
3 dashes of bitters
juice of half of a lime

Spinach Cake Muffins

I've been trying to be more inspired and creative with what I am feeding T these days.  Breakfast in particular has been in a rut.  These muffins seemed interesting, especially given the color.  I liked they incorporated some spinach, although I am not looking to dupe him.  They are easy to make, given the use of the Cuise.  I made regular sized muffins instead of minis, and think I would try minis next time. I will also try using some (or all) whole wheat flour.  They really are a vibrant green color.  T really enjoyed it.

Crock Pot Mexican Bean and Corn Soup

That's right.  I said Crock Pot.

Maiden voyage on the nine year old crock pot today.  Hard to believe.  I guess my (admittedly dumb) reasons for not using it: 1) it would make too much food 2) I'd burn the house down, have been proven unfounded.  This soup is incredibly easy to make and tastes very good.  Since it's from a kids' recipe site, it's not spicy, but there is good flavor.  I added a little ghost pepper salt and it was even better.  T even ate some for dinner, mostly focusing on the beans and corn.  Will make this again.

Pumpkin Waffles

It's pumpkin baked good time!  The best time of the year (well, one of them anyway).  I made these waffles a couple of weeks ago on a Saturday.  They are delicious and this recipe makes a ton.  I froze some and they reheat well, just toasted lightly in the toaster oven.

Alas, no picture as T got sick just as I sat down with my plate of waffles. Sigh.

Baked Tomatoes with Quinoa, Corn and Green Chilis

Ah, the end of summer is near.  I am trying to enjoy as many tomatoes, peaches and ears of corn as possible before they are gone for the season.  This recipe is a great way to feature corn and tomatoes.

I should have heeded the comments on the Cooking Light site. All confirmed that this takes time and is not a great recipe for a weeknight dinner.  Alas, I made it on a Wednesday.  It does take time, but I found the results worthwhile.

I really liked the results of cooking the quinoa with the tomato juices.  I will aim to make the "stuffing" again sometime as it's a great quinoa recipe.

Kale Pesto

I love me some kale these days. 

I've mostly been enjoying kale in salad form.  I was in the mood for pesto, but the basil at the farmer's market wasn't looking so good this week.  So I bought kale instead, in hopes of making this recipe.  As with most pestos, it's is very easy to make with the assistance of the cuisinart.  The washing and blanching of the kale are the most time consuming parts.  I did toast the nuts which helps I think.  I only used about 2/3 of a large clove of garlic and found it to be plenty.  I served it over mini-cheese ravioli and froze some for later. 

Crunchy Chickpeas

These are a good snack and easy to make.  They take a little time in the oven, but they are worth it.  They are a good alternative to snacking on nuts.  They satisfy the crunchy, salty cravings.

Yotam Ottolenghi's Sweet Corn Polenta

Jenny sent this recipe and I wanted to try the corn part. I love eggplant but lately I feel like it is only good when fried. I served the corn next to a salad and it was delicious. You could do a lot with this...next time I want to saute tomatoes and garlic and add basil. It was very good with the butter and feta but it would probably be just as good if you make it vegan.

French Yogurt and Olive Oil Cake

I've wanted to make an olive oil cake for a while now, and I liked the sound of this one. I bet Sarah would have loved to make this when she lived in Paris, and had all that amazing French yogurt!

I made this in a pan the recipe didn't recommend, which is why it is partially burnt - I decided to make up my own temperature and timing. Otherwise, this is a great and simple cake, and the lemon rind really made a difference!

Butter Roasted Carrots

This isn't really much of a recipe, but I am adding it to the blog.  This proves that adding butter makes everything better.  Also, T loves these.

Spicy Watermelon Salad

This salad from Sunset, is delicious and perfect for a hot day/evening during this hot summer.  I liked the approach to pickling/mellowing the onions and will try making them to add to other dishes.  I didn't add feta this time, but grilled some Halloumi to go with it.  So tasty!

Summer Veggie Rice Bowl

I made this recipe from Cooking Light for dinner tonight and it was quick, easy and tasty.   I didn't add edamame but otherwise followed the recipe.  It is a good way to use up summer produce (zucchini!) and I used basil from my "garden".  I used frozen brown rice which made it really easy.  I think the lack of edamame made it a little over dressed in the end.  I think I will cut back on the lemon juice and oil when I make it again.  It would also be good cold, or served as a side dish instead of a main.  Lastly, two of us ate the whole recipe for dinner, although it says it serves four.

No-Cream Creamy Corn Soup with Chipotle-Lime Topping

I've been waiting to make this recipe for awhile, and finally corn is in season again so I jumped at the chance! Like most white women, I love a good farmer's market, and I was happy to buy the corn for this soup from the Santa Monica Farmer's Market, as the recipe comes from the cookbook of the same name.

It was messy. I tried using the grater and was discouraged, so I cut the kernels off of two ears. Then I went back to the grater, and it really made a huge difference.

The result was awesome though, and other than grating the corn, the recipe is super easy. I would be careful with the onion choice though, mine might have been a bit too big. I blended the soup and the topping and it was an awesome combo. I used canned chipotle's, and the topping was fairly spicy, so keep that in mind. Overall a great soup I hope to make again!

Arugula, Corn and Tomato Salad w Shaved Parmesan

I made this salad on the 4th of July, and everyone seemed to like it. I'm not in love with an all-arugula salad, so I did half spinach, half arugula. Since I'm also not in love with Parmesan, next time I'll try another dry, salty cheese and see what happens. This salad is simple but great!

Indian-Style Cauliflower Soup with English Peas

I love the Santa Monica Farmers' Market, and I like the cookbook Santa gave me as well. English peas are making their 2012 debut, and this soup highlights them well. Mine was a bit spicier than expected, likely because I dumped in red pepper flakes instead of measuring, but it tastes great. 


The recipe in the link has 1 TBL for canola or ghee, and 2 TBL of ginger. In the book, it is the reverse. 


I've also realized I need a stronger immersion blender! And better lighting when I take these photos!

I will stick with Shalimar

I recently made palak paneer from 101 Cookbooks (she calls the recipe saag paneer, but I think it's palak). Every time we eat Indian food I order palak paneer. It is my hands down favorite food. I was excited when the recipe from 101 Cookbooks appeared. I tried making palak paneer a long time ago and it didn't turn out well.

A handful of the 101 Cookbooks readers posted that making this recipe at home was more expensive than buying palak paneer from a restaurant. I concur. I paid $5 for the spinach, and that amount was actually less than the recipe called for. I spent $5 on the paneer. I think I can order palak paneer from a restaurant for $8, so I have to agree with the other posters on this point.

The dish turned out okay. I liked that it did not taste like a lot of oil was added, which is often the case with restaurant quality paneer dishes. But something was missing and I will not make this again.

Raisin Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

I love no cookie more than an oatmeal cookie, usually without the addition of nuts and candy. This recipe from my Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics book produced light, thin-ish, cookies that could crumble easily. This surprised me considering you need two sticks of butter! But these aren't crispy, like bad chocolate chip cookies, these are awesome. I did not add the nuts or raisins, per the recipe.

I ended up adding chocolate chips to some of the cookies, and then some trail mix (one of the only things I would need if stranded on a deserted island), just to use more of it up before it went bad. 

A house guest ate almost all of them in two days! Also, these last for quite a while, over 10 days. 

Carrot Ginger Coconut Soup

I made this soup a few weeks ago and loved it. Carrot & ginger is a great combo, but I needed something new as all the carrot / ginger soups are starting to taste the same. The coconut milk, potato, and red pepper add a lot of depth.


This takes a bit more time than the recipe alludes, but is well worth it!

Pearl Couscous with Olives and Roasted Tomatoes

I live near a place called Huckleberry who makes an amazing Israeli couscous. When I stumbled upon this recipe I was thrilled to have more of it in my life - and it turned out well. This takes some time to make but is light and could pair well with many dishes. I would up the amount of olives, and probably add some French (salty!) feta. I abhor parsley and will leave it out next time, even the slightest bit of it repulses me. Lastly, don't forget to use good olive oil in the dressing, I did and wish I had paid more attention. The dressing is awesome though, and I would use on a salad any day!

Chocolate caramel pretzel tart

I bookmarked this recipe a long time ago. I moved it to the top of the 'must make' list when I received a jar of Dulce de Leche. It was really easy to make, and received rave reviews.

Chipotle Mac & Cheese

This recipe comes from the Homesick Texan blog.  I wasn't familiar with the blog, but Mom has this cookbook in her collection. 

I liked this recipe a lot.  I used whole wheat noodles and no bacon (surprising, no?).  It comes together quickly, as you don't boil the noodles and you don't have to make a white sauce.  The sauce is made in a blender, and looks like a Chipotle milk shake.  I probably could have used more Chipotle, but it did have nice flavor and wasn't so spicy that T couldn't eat.  In fact, he ate a few servings of it.  Meanwhile, I ate the rest!

Mini Whole Wheat Apricot Muffins

Muffins for my muffin!  I made these muffins for T, since muffin is one of his nicknames; also, I am looking for more breakfast/snack options for the kid.  They are from a Cooking Light First Foods cookbook.  I really liked these and T does too.  They freeze well too.

~ 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
~ 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp grated orange rind
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 large egg white
1/2 cup finely chopped dried apricots (soak for 10 min before chopping)

1) Preheat oven to 375.
2) Combine flours, sugar and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. 
3) Combine buttermilk, and next 3 ingredients in a bowl stir with a whisk.  Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moist.  Fold in apricots.  Spoon batter into 24 mini muffin cups coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 375 for 10 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center.  Remove from pans immediately; cool on wire rack.

Beet, Cabbage, Ginger Soup

Someone recommended this soup and I thought I would try it, even though I was hesitant about a WW recipe. I didn't have fennel as the original recipe requires. Instead, I made it with a little shallot, and a lot of ginger, and I also added in the beet greens and stems. 

This soup is delicious. It's also very red. Lastly, your niece loves it.

Here is the recipe.

Frosting utopia

I finally found the frosting of all frostings. And, it's so easy. I have always been intimidated by frosting recipes that call for egg whites or ones that you have to heat to a certain temperature.

The recipe is from Smitten Kitchen.

Here is the cake recipe. I have made this cake a few times and I really love it. The chocolate sour cream frosting that comes with that recipe is awesome, but only if you love sour cream.

Spinach and Chickpeas

I jumped on the bandwagon.

Which one you say?  The meatless Monday bandwagon.  I feel like a lot of my days, not just Mondays, are meatless, but why not make it "official"*?  On the first Monday of the year, I made this Spinach and Chickpea dish from a list of recipes for the semi-vegan. 

I really enjoyed this dish.  I used a little less spinach than it called for, because a full pound seemed like a lot; in hindsight, I should have used it all.  The breadcrumbs are delicious and the seasoning mix is key, as is the vinegar. 

* On the second Monday of the year, I ate bacon on my salad.  Oops.

Spinach and Chickpeas

Ingredients

Chickpeas
Spinach
Bread crumbs
Pimentón (smoked paprika)
Cumin
Garlic
Sherry vinegar
Olive oil

Preparation

1. Cook a couple of cloves of minced garlic in a generous amount of olive oil until fragrant, and then add bread crumbs made from 4 or 5 slices of crusty bread (pulse in a food processor for best results); cook, stirring frequently until evenly toasted; remove.
2. Add a little more oil to the pan and sauté a pound of spinach, along with 1 teaspoon each cumin and pimentón.
3. When the spinach begins to wilt, add a can of chickpeas, drained (or 2 cups cooked chickpeas), and cook for 5 minutes or so.
4. When you’re ready to serve, stir in a tablespoon of sherry vinegar and sprinkle with the toasted bread crumbs.