Cranberry-Blueberry Muffins
Makes 18 muffins
It’s not too often that I come across a new muffin recipe that I love! This one is great, filled with fruit, not too sweet….
(modified from Weight Watchers recipe)
Preheat oven to 375.
Spray muffin tins with cooking spray and dust with flour or yellow cake mix
I combined the first 9 ingredients, and then folded in the flour (#10), and the berries.
Spoon the batter into the cups. Dust the top of each muffin with granulated sugar.
Bake til golden, about 15 minutes.
These delicious, quick, and pretty cookies come from a new blog I discovered, 17andbaking. I made them for the annual December frisbee tournament down on the Cape, Get Ho Ho Ho. Even though it was less than 35 degrees outside, I think these cookies warmed everyone up a bit. NOTE: The dough needs to chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours so plan accordingly!In a medium bowl, mix together cocoa, white sugar, and vegetable oil. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; stir into the cocoa mixture. Cover dough, and chill for at least 4 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough into one inch balls with lightly oiled palms. I used a cookie scoop to portion the dough, a tablespoon or rounded teaspoon would also work depending on what size you like. Coat each ball well in confectioners’ sugar before placing onto prepared cookie sheets.
Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Let stand on the cookie sheet for a minute before transferring to wire racks to cool.
While Tova was visiting me in Boston, Charlie surprised us by making dinner using the slow cooker. It was his first time using a slow cooker, and the dish turned out beautifully! Since Tova and I didn't know exactly when we'd be home from our errands, he could just let the short ribs simmer away in the slow cooker until we were ready to eat. This recipe is adapted from Beth Hensperger & Julie Kaufmann's Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook.
Recipe slightly adapted from smitten kitchen. Surprisingly quite good!
Our friend Bobby, who writes a great blog about deep fried adventures, hosted a Deep Fried Thanksgiving Potluck on Sunday. In addition to a deep fried turkey, we sampled deep-fried stuffing, mashed potatoes, and of course sweet potatoes. Charlie and I decided to make tostones, or fried plantains, a dish we had loved during our trip to Nicaragua. These were very easy and really good! We couldn't cook them up fast enough for people. We served them with guacamole, but they're just as good plain or with some rice and beans.INGREDIENTS:
3 to 4 large unripe (green) or barely ripe (slightly yellow) plantains about 2 cups olive, canola, or peanut oil for frying 1. With a sharp small knife cut ends from each plantain and cut a lengthwise slit through skin. Cut plantains crosswise into 1-inch-thick pieces and, beginning at slit, pry skin from pieces. (Warning: this is a little trickier than peeling bananas!) 2. In a 12" nonstick skillet heat 1/2 inch oil over moderate heat until just hot enough to sizzle when a plantain piece is added. Fry plantains in batches, without crowding, until tender and just golden, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. With tongs transfer plantains as fried to paper towels to drain. 3. Remove skillet from heat and reserve oil. With the bottom of a heavy saucepan or a wide solid metal spatula flatten plantains to 1/4 inch thick (about 3 inches in diameter). This is the most fun part. 4. Dip flattened plantains into a bowl of warm salted water, 1 at a time. Heat reserved oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and fry flattened plantains in batches, without crowding, until golden, about 3 minutes. Use tongs to transfer tostones to paper towels to drain. Season with salt if desired. 5. Serve immediately. |
Yield: Makes 18 to 24 tostones |
Sprinkle pecans over the bottom of a greased and floured 10-inch Bundt cake pan.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all remaining ingredients except glaze. Beat with an electric mixer on 30 seconds at low speed of an electric mixer; then beat for 2 minutes at medium speed. Pour batter into prepared pan; bake at 325° for 1 hour, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan and let cool completely on wire rack. Pierce cake all over with meat fork, skewer, or wooden pick. Spoon glaze slowly over cake, letting it sink in.
Glaze
· 1/4 cup butter (or less)
· 1/4 cup orange juice
· 1/2 granulated cup sugar (or less)
· 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
· 1/2 cup Curacao or Triple Sec
Melt butter in a heavy saucepan. Stir in orange juice and sugar; bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in orange zest and liqueur.
Mix the ingredients together, until they form a smooth paste.
This makes enough for around 3 or 4 chicken breasts. We cut the chicken into bite-size pieces, but you could also leave the breasts whole. Cover the chicken with the marinade. Leave it to marinate for 10min - 2hrs (the longer you let it sit, the deeper the flavors.
Cook on the stove-top or on the grill (7min per side for a whole chicken breast, 3min per side for cut-up chicken).
Serve with basmati rice!
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat and add the onion and garlic.
Cook until softened, but not browned, about 5 minutes.
Remove the leaves and thick core from the cauliflower, coarsely chop.
Add cauliflower and stock to pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the cauliflower is very soft and falling apart, about 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and, using a hand held immersion blender, puree the soup (or puree in small batches in a blender).
Add the Parmesan and stir until smooth. Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Spread the shredded cheese over the foil in 1 even thin layer.
Bake about 10 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes.
Break sheet of crisp cheese into large pieces and garnish each soup bowl with a couple shards.
I made this recipe with blackberries I picked when I visited Arianna in Northampton a few weeks ago. The blackberry/basil combination is really good and definitely different! This is adapted from a recipe in one of my favorite books, "Animal Vegetable Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver. Enjoy!Preheat oven to 400. Combine the above in an oven-proof casserole dish, mix
and set aside.
Cut butter into flour and sugar, then rub with your fingers to make a chunky, crumbly mixture (not uniform). Sprinkle it over the top of the fruit, bake 30 minutes until golden and bubbly.
Devour!
In a large pot combine the wheat berries and enough water to come 2 inches over the wheat berries. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered for 1 hour, or until tender. OR, cook wheat berries in rice cooker with this proportion: 1 cup berries to 2.25 cups water. I added a few garlic cloves, a chopped onion, and a bay leaf to the water. Use as is, or drain if there is excess fluid.
Toast the walnuts in a medium dry skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the wheat berries, walnuts, celery, dried cherries, scallions, parsley, olive oil, balsamic vinegarl and lemon juice. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
5 ears of corn, shuckedIn a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the corn for 3 minutes until the starchiness is just gone. Drain and immerse it in ice water to stop the cooking and to set the color. When the corn is cool, cut the kernels off the cob, cutting close to the cob.
Toss the kernels in a large bowl with the red onions, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Just before serving, toss in the fresh basil. Taste for seasonings and serve cold or at room temperature.
Inspired by a Log Lunch recipe, adapted from Gourmet 1990 via Epicurious. I made this for a dinner at Alexis' house with her mom and it was a big hit!2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
4 1/2 cups all-purpose and/or bread flour
2 cups mashed cooked russet potatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds)
1 tablespoon salt
2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary (dried is ok too)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 pounds small red or purple potatoes
1. In a small bowl sprinkle the yeast over 1 cup warm water and let it proof for 5 minutes, or until foamy.
2. In a large bowl combine 4 cups of flour with the mashed potatoes and the salt until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the yeast mixture, and stir the dough until it is combined well.
3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it, incorporating as much of the remaining 1/2 cup flour as necessary to prevent it from sticking, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a ball, put it in an oiled bowl, and turn it to coat it with the oil. Let the dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled.
4. While the dough is rising, in a small bowl stir together the garlic, the rosemary, and the oil and let the mixture stand, covered.
5. Turn the dough out into an oiled 15 1/2- x 10 1/2-inch jelly-roll pan, press it evenly into the pan, and let it rise, covered loosely, in a warm place for 30-45 minutes, or until it is almost double in bulk.
6. Using a mandoline or hand-held slicer cut the small potatoes into paper-thin slices, arrange the slices on the dough, overlapping them, and brush them with the oil mixture, discarding the garlic. Sprinkle the focaccia with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Bake it in the bottom third of a preheated 400°F. oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until it is golden. Let the focaccia cool in the pan on a rack and serve it fresh out of the oven!
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup whole wheat flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
1 cup buttermilk (OK to substitute sour cream or plain yogurt)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 tablespoons oil
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/3 cup corn kernels
NOTE: I used fresh corn and grilled the corn first -- shucked, lightly oiled (olive oil), lightly salted, wrapped in foil; I also added a bit of shredded cheddar cheese!
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, melted butter, oil, egg and yolk together until well blended. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Don’t worry about being thorough – the batter will be lumpy, and that’s just the way it should be. Stir in the corn kernels. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes (12 minutes for minis) at 400 degrees, or until the tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.
Adapted from recipe called Dorie Greenspan’s Corniest Corn Muffins
· 4 cups pitted sweet cherries (about 1 1/2 pounds)
· 1/4 cup granulated sugar
· 2 tablespoons water
· 2 teaspoons cornstarch
· 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
To prepare compote, combine cherries, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons water, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in extract. Cool.
Options: add a pinch of salt, amaretto, lemon juice
Preheat overn to 350 and grease pan(s).
Mix together section 1. Mix together Section 2. Mix together Section 1 and 2. Add Chocolate.
Put in pan(s) and bake for 30-35 minutes or until done.
Mom's Regular Old Charoset
*4 apples, peeled and cored
*2/3 c. almonds or walnuts (or pecans….) - you can toast them a little beforehand if you like
*¼ c. +/- of brown or white sugar
*1 T. cinnamon
*4T sweet wine and or/ grape juice
*raisins, currants, craisins, or other dried fruit (these taste best if you soften them first – put in a mug and cover with grape juice and heat in microwave to boiling point, and then let them sit for a bit to absorb the liquid)
Chop all the ingredients in a CUISINART to taste! Add the apples closer to the end or else they will be chopped into mush! Change quantities and ingredients however you like!
Sephardic Charoset from Surinam
* ½ - 1 cup unsweetened coconut
* ½ - 1 cup finely chopped walnuts or almonds
* ¼ c. sugar
* 1 T cinnamon
* a few cups of assorted dried fruit: raisins, apple, prunes, apricots, pears, craisins, dates, currants, etc.
* 4 oz. cherry jam
* sweet red wine or grape juice (or other juices I used some mango & orange juice too!)
Here is a my new Hamantaschen recipe which I put together and baked today:
3/4 stick of butter, softened or melted
3 spoonfuls of cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar; 1 egg; 1 t vanilla; splash of OJ
1 t baking powder; 1 1/4 c flour; 1/3-1/2 c almonds, toasted and ground as fine as possible; pinch salt
Cream butter and cream cheese together, then add the rest of the wet ingredients. Add dry ingredients, and mix or blend in cuisinart. Taste for sweetness. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour or sugar, and knead gently into a smoother hunk 'o dough. Make a few balls out of the dough and chill in the freezer for 20-30 minutes.
Roll out dough- thin circles tended to be crispier when baked. Form into cutesy Hamantaschen and bake at 350° for 10-20 minutes, checking often to avoid burnt bottoms.
This is a hearty and easy Indian-spiced chickpea dish. Adapted from www.smittenkitchen.com.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 medium onions, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (to taste)
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (to taste)
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 cups tomatoes, chopped small or 1 15-ounce can of whole tomatoes with their juices, chopped small + tomato paste to thicken (about half a small can)
2/3 cup water or vegetable broth
4 cups cooked chickpeas or 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 lemon (juiced)
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion, garlic, ginger and pepper and sauté over medium heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Turn heat down to medium-low and add the coriander, cumin, cayenne, turmeric, cumin seeds, paprika and garam masala. Cook onion mixture with spiced for a minute or two, then add the tomatoes and any accumulated juices, scraping up any bits that have stuck to the pan. If you want a deeper tomato flavor and a slightly thicker sauce, add some tomato paste. Add the water or broth and chickpeas. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, then stir in salt and lemon juice.
Eat up or put a lid on it and reheat it when needed. Curries such as this reheat very well, later or or in the days that follow, should it last that long.
