Banana "Ice Cream"

Banana “Ice Cream”

Ingredients:

4 bananas, just slightly overripe (brown spots good, completely black not so good)
2 tbsps creamy peanut butter (optional)
2 tsps cocoa powder (optional)

Peel the bananas and slice them up into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick disks. Place the banana slices in the freezer for about an hour or until they are frozen solid. 

Put the frozen slices in a food processor and pulse. First they will start to resemble crumbs, but keep going. The bananas will soon turn into a frozen mush – at this point, start scraping the sides down (you will do this a lot). Or you could add a dash of milk since the liquid will help the blending. 

After a few minutes of stopping to scrape the sides down, the banana begins to blend into a creamy texture. When the bananas look like whipped ice cream, you can add the peanut butter and cocoa powder.

Straight out of the food processor, the ice cream is like soft serve. You can also freeze it for a firmer texture.

Homemade Oreos

This is a Pintrest tested recipe from:

http://www.mykitchenaddiction.com/2012/02/homemade-oreos/

Homemade Oreos

Cookie Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup dutch process cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Filling Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons half and half
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
3 – 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, whisked to remove any lumps

Begin by preparing the cookies.  Combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl, and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and vanilla, and beat until well incorporated.

Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry mixture to the creamed mixture, beating on the lowest speed.  Continue to mix on the lowest setting until the dry ingredients are just incorporated.
Divide the dough in half, and shape into two discs.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
When the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.  Set aside.

Taking only one portion of dough out of the refrigerator at a time, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Roll the dough to 1/8 – 1/4-inch thickness.  Use a cookie cutter (approximately 2 inches in diameter) to cut out cookies and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once the cookies are cooled, prepare the filling.  Combine the softened butter, half and half, vanilla, and salt and beat until combined.  The mixture may be a bit lumpy, but will come together.  Add the powdered sugar gradually, approximately 1/2 cup at a time, until the filling comes together.  It will be slightly stiffer than a cupcake frosting.


Transfer the filling to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip.  Pipe the filling onto half of the cookies, and top with the remaining cookies to form cookie sandwiches.

Spicy Sausage Kale and Potato Soup

Spicy Sausage Kale and Potato Soup

Ingredients:

1 pound spicy italian sausage (removed from casing)
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
2 large bunches of kale, stemmed and chopped, about 4 overflowing handfuls
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 medium or 2 large russet baking potatoes, sliced
8 cups chicken broth or stock, 2 boxes
1/2 cup heavy cream

Heat a large heavy-duty pot over medium-high heat. Once the pot has heated through, add the sausage. Using a wooden spoon, begin to break up the sausage and allow it to cook, stirring occasionally, until it has fully browned. Remove the crisped sausage from the pot and transfer it to a plate or bowl. Set aside.

Lower the heat to medium, add the butter or oil and throw in the onions and garlic. Stir, scraping down the bottom of the pot picking up the browned bits of sausage with the back of a wooden spoon, and cook until soft and translucent about 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes, if using. Continue to sauté until the onions have caramelized. Add the chopped kale in batches, allowing it to wilt down as it cooks. It might seem like a lot of kale but it will cook down, just like spinach! Add the nutmeg and stir. Cook the kale for another 3 minutes until it has turned bright green and completely wilted down. Throw in the sliced potatoes and cooked sausage.

Pour in the chicken stock or broth and bring it up to a boil. Lower the heat and allow the soup to simmer until the potatoes are cooked tender and soft. Taste the soup for seasoning, at this point you may add more salt, pepper or red pepper flakes, if desired. Once the potatoes are fully cooked, stir in the heavy cream. 

Serve right away.

Pistachio Cake

Pistachio Cake

Cake Ingredients:

1 box vanilla cake mix

1 (3.4oz) box instant pistachio pudding

3 eggs

1 cup oil

1 cup milk

Green food coloring, 8 or more drops.

Frosting Ingredients:

1 (3.4oz) box instant pistachio pudding

½ cup milk

1 (8oz) tub frozen whipped topping, thawed

Green food coloring, 5 or more drops.

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Spray a 9X13 baking dish with nonstick spray.

In a medium bowl, combine dry cake mix with dry instant pistachio pudding. Mix together until combined.

Add in eggs, oil, and milk. Stir just until combined.

Stir in green food coloring.

Pour into prepared baking dish.

Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Remove from oven when inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

Put instant pistachio pudding into a mixing bowl. Add in ½ cup cold milk and stir until combined. Fold in thawed whipped topping. Add in a few drops of green food coloring.

Spread frosting over cooled cake.

Slice and serve.

Sweet & Sour Chicken

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Chicken Breading:

3-5 chicken breast

salt and pepper

1 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, beaten

1/3 cup canola oil

Rinse chicken, trim off fat or extras and then cut into 1 inch cubes. season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken into cornstarch and coat all the way and then into eggs. Heat oil in large skillet. Cook chicken until browned. Place in baking dish. 3 chicken breasts can be in a 9x9 but 5 chicken breasts fits better in a 9x13.

Sauce:

3/4 cups sugar

4 Tablespoons ketchup

1/2 cup white distilled vinegar

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon garlic salt

Whisk until smooth. Then pour evenly over chicken. I also added in some fresh veggies (green beans, bell pepper, broccoli) and some pineapple chunks. Turn chicken and veggies so the sauce coats everything and then put in the oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. turn chicken and then cook for 15 more minutes.

Serve hot.

Top Ramen Chow Mein

Top Ramen Chow Mein

Ingredients
1/4 c. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
ground black pepper, to taste
2-3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3 packages of Top Ramen noodles, cooked and drained without the seasoning
2/3 c. chopped celery (chopped diagonally)
1 medium-sized onion, thinly sliced
2 c. chopped cabbage

In a small bowl combine soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and black pepper. Set aside.

Cook Top Ramen noodles according to packet and discard included flavoring packets. Drain, and set aside.

Heat oil in a large wok or skillet. Add celery and onion and saute for about 1-2 minutes or until onions start to become soft and transparent. Add cabbage and saute an additional minute or so.

Toss Top Ramen noodles and soy sauce mixture with the vegetables over medium-high heat for an additional 2-3 minutes or until noodles are heated through.

Serve hot.

Banana Cheesecake Roll

*This recipe originated from:

http://eatcakefordinner.blogspot.com

Banana Cheesecake Roll

Cheesecake Filling:

1 (8 oz.) + 1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. sugar

1 egg

3 Tbl. milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Banana Cake:

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

4 egg yolks

1 tsp. vanilla

1/3 c. + 1/2 c. sugar, divided

1/2 c. mashed banana (around 1 large banana)

4 egg whites

1/4 c. powdered sugar (for sprinkling over cake)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a 15x10x1-inch jelly-roll pan with butter.  Line with parchment paper and grease with butter again, making sure to coat the entire surface and sides of the pan; set aside. 

For the filling:

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar and beat with an electric mixer until smooth.  Add the egg, milk and vanilla and beat until combined.  Spread in the prepared pan; set aside.

For the cake:  

In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and baking soda; set aside. 

In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks and vanilla on medium speed until thick and lemon colored. 

Gradually add 1/3 cup of sugar and beat well.  Stir in the mashed banana.  In a large, clean bowl with clean beaters, beat the egg whites on medium until soft peaks fork (tips curl).  Gradually add 1/2 cup of sugar, beating on high speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight)  Gently fold yolk mixture into beaten egg whites.  Gradually sprinkle the flour mixture evenly over egg mixture and fold together just until blended.  Carefully spread the batter evenly over the filling in the pan.  

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched.  

Immediately loosen cake from sides of pan, sprinkle cake with 1/4 cup of powdered sugar and cover with a clean kitchen towel.  Place a wire cooling rack, upside down, on the top of the cake. 

Carefully pick up both sides of the pan, while holding the rack and flip over.  The cake will now be on top of the towel on the cooling rack.  Carefully peel off parchment paper.  Starting with the short side, roll up cake as tightly as possible (don't roll up the towel with it).  Allow to cool completely on wire rack.  

Slice and serve.  Wrap any leftover cake in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.

Peach Vanilla Bundt Cake

Peach Vanilla Bundt Cake with Peach Soaking Syrup
Cake Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 ½ cups diced fresh peaches

Syrup Ingredients:
⅓ cup fresh peach puree, strained
⅔ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon orange juice

Place rack in center of oven, and preheat oven to 350. Grease and lightly flour inside of 10 inch bundt pan.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.

Using a hand mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar and beat at medium-high speed until the mixture is light in texture and color, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating for 30 to 40 seconds after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl as necessary. Beat in vanilla. At low speed, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with yogurt.

Scoop half of batter into pan and spread with spatula. Sprinkle with peaches. Scoop remaining half of batter on top of peaches. Smooth with spatula.

Bake cake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then invert it onto another rack. Place the cake, on the rack, over a baking sheet.

While cake is baking, make syrup. Combine peach puree, sugar, and orange juice in a small non reactive saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Using a pastry brush, dab syrup generously all over surface of the warm cake, allowing it to soak into the cake before reapplying. Let the cake cool completely.

Poaching Eggs in the Microwave

 

How to Poach Eggs in the Microwave

Ingredients:

1 egg
boiling water
1 tsp white vinegar

Pour boiling water into ramekin to 3/4 full, and add the vinegar. Crack an egg and gently slip it into the water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 30 seconds. Use a soup spoon to gently turn the egg over. Cover again and microwave 15 seconds longer. Remove immediately from water and drain on a paper-towel lined plate.

Sweet & Spicy Caramelized Onion BBQ Grilled Cheese

*This recipe was a Pintrest tested recipe from:

 http://www.ringfingertanline.com/2012/10/23/sweet-spicy-caramelized-onion-bbq-grilled-cheese/

Sweet & Spicy Caramelized Onion BBQ Grilled Cheese

Ingredients:

8 slices sourdough bread
4 slices sharp cheddar
4 slices pepper jack or other spicy cheese
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp butter
2-4 Tbsp BBQ sauce

Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced red onion and stir occasionally until color changes to slightly brown and taste is sweet, about 10-15 minutes. Remove onions from skillet and set aside.

Spread 1 Tbsp of the remaining butter onto one side of each slice of bread. Divide BBQ sauce evenly among 4 of the slices, and spread evenly opposite the butter side. Lay cheddar cheese on top of sauce. Divide caramelized onion among the sandwiches, then top with pepper jack. Finish assembly by placing remaining bread slices on top. The butter sides of the bread should both be on the outside of the sandwiches.

Melt the remaining butter in the skillet on medium-low. Cook sandwiches two at a time, flipping when bread is golden brown on one side and cheese begins to melt. If cheese is not melting quickly enough, place a lid over the pan or use a heavy skillet to place on top and press the sandwiches down.

Serve warm.

Carrot Oatmeal Muffins

Carrot Oatmeal Muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 cup rolled oats1 cup all purpose flour1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour1 1/2 cups sugar1 tablespoon baking powder1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs + 1 large egg white
3/4 cup oil
2 cups grated carrot
Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full and bake for approx. 20 minutes. They are done when a knife inserted comes out clean, and tops spring back when lightly touched.

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon ground flax seed

3/4 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and oil. Stir in grated carrots. Add to dry ingredients and stir until combined.

Serve warm.

Bacon and Corn Pancakes

Bacon and Corn Pancakes

Ingredients:

8 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/3 cup finely chopped sweet onion

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2/3 cup milk
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup canned corn
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
warm maple syrup, for serving

In a medium skillet, cook the bacon pieces until they begin to brown. Add the onion and continue to cook until the bacon is crisp and the onion is softened. Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of the bacon mixture for topping the pancakes upon serving- and set it aside.


While the bacon is cooking, combine the flour, chives, baking powder, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in the milk, egg and oil, just until moistened. Stir in the bacon mixture, corn and cheese. The mixture will be thick. If you'd like the griddle cakes to be slightly thinner than those pictured, add a little more milk to thin out the batter.


Heat and grease a large skillet. Pour a heaping 1/4-cup of the batter into the skillet and cook until it is golden brown- 3 to 4 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Serve stacks of pancakes topped with a sprinkle of the reserved bacon/onion and a good dose of warm maple syrup.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Ingredients:

2 lbs. sweet potatoes

1 Tbsp. salt (for cooking water)

2 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling and shaping

1 egg

Peel sweet potatoes and cut into large, similarly sized chunks. Put sweet potatoes pieces in a large pot and cover with water. Add salt and bring to a boil. Cook until tender. Drain thoroughly and return sweet potato chunks to the empty, hot pot. Shake them a bit to help further evaporate excess water in them.

Mash potatoes thoroughly. (I actually used my submersion blender to make sure there were no lumps.) But a large fork or potato masher work, too.

Stir in flour 1/2 cup at a time, until a dough forms. You may or may not need the final 1/2 cup. The dough will be very soft.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop a spoonful of the dough into the boiling water, stir, and let cook until it floats to the surface and then let it cook another 30 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to remove dumpling sample. If it held together, proceed with the recipe without adding the egg. If it fell apart, stir in the egg - at first the dough will pull apart and all may seem lost. Keep stirring: The dough will come back together. If the addition of the egg made the dough terribly wet, stir in up to another 1/2 cup flour.

Divide dough into four even sections. Working with one at a time, dump dough onto a well floured surface and roll into a 1-inch-thick snake. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces and place on a floured baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.

Cook dumplings, as described for the sample above, in salted water, being careful not to crowd the pot. Work in batches and keep cooked gnocchi tossed in a bit of butter in a warm oven while you cook the remaining gnocchi. Serve with butter and Parmesan, browned butter and sage, or your favorite pasta sauce.

Blackberry Sourdough Scones

Blackberry Sourdough Scones

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour ( see tip above)
2 C Fresh or frozen Blackberries
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cold butter- sliced into 8 pieces
1 cup sourdough starter
1/3 cup milk plus more if necessary)
lemon zest of one lemon
3-4 tablespoons, for brushing, optional
¼ cup sugar, for sprinkling on top, optional

Line a 8 inch cake pan with plastic wrap and fill with 2 Cups blackberries. If your berries are very tender, freeze before hand, this way they will hold their shape a little better.

In a food processor, pulse flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and sugar and lemon zest. Pulse in cold butter until mix resembles course sand. In a small bowl mix milk and sourdough starter ( or sour cream or yogurt) together. Add starter mixture to the food processor and pulse until it just forms a ball ( just a few times) adding a little more milk only if necessary. Dough should be heavy and thick. Don't over work.

Spread the dough over the blackberries and press down gently, into all the corners. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer over night, or for 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Remove from freezer, remove saran, invert on cutting board. Let sit 15-20 minutes or longer until thawed enough to cut. Cut into 8 equal size pie shape wedges. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar (optional). Place on parchment lined baking sheet, and bake for 18-20 minutes, until golden brown.

Serve warm.

Southwestern Quinoa Salad

Southwestern Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup dry quinoa
2 cups water
1 (15 oz.) can black beans
1 (15 oz.) can corn
1 large green bell pepper, chopped

1 medium tomato, diced
1 cup scallions, sliced

1 cup  avocado, diced
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chili powder

Cook quinoa as directed on package.  Once the quinoa is completely cooked, fluff the quinoa with a fork and set it aside to cool.

Drain the black beans and the corn in a colander and rinse thoroughly with cold water.  Pat dry with a paper towel, and pour the beans and corn into a large bowl.  Add chopped green bell pepper, diced tomato sliced scallions, diced avocado, and chopped cilantro.  

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, black pepper, garlic powder, and chili powder.  Pour the dressing over the salad, and toss well.  

Add the cooled quinoa to the salad and toss well, making sure that the salad is evenly coated with the dressing.  Season to taste with additional black pepper, garlic powder, or chili powder. 

Refrigerate and serve cold.

Graham Crackers

Graham Crackers

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup butter, chilled & cubed

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


In a food processor or mixer combine the first 6 ingredients.


Add cubed and chilled butter to the mix and pulse/mix until it resembles coarse meal.


Add honey and water and continue to mix until it all combines.


Remove and shape the dough into a flat disk and place between two pieces of parchment paper.


Roll dough out until 1/4 inch thick. Cut into crackers or shapes.


Place cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.


Cool and serve.

Pull-Apart Cheesy Bread

Pull-Apart Cheesy Bread

Ingredients:

1 loaf (round is preferable) sourdough bread

1 pound mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup finely diced green onion, with tops

2-3 tsp garlic salt and pepper

1 tbls red pepper flakes

Cut the bread lengthwise and width wise - without cutting through the bottom crust.  

Place on a foil-lined baking sheet.  

Insert cheese between cuts.  

Combine butter, onion, garlic salt and pepper.  

Drizzle over bread. 

Sprinkle red pepper flakes over bread.

Wrap in foil; place on a baking sheet.  

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  

Unwrap.  Bake 10 more minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Serve hot.

Shame on me!

Well, the title of this post says it all. I have seriously lacked on posting new blogs this year! I can't believe I haven't posted a recipe since March. I'm so embarrassed. But I'm going to play the pregnancy card and blame my lack of blogging to my ever growing tummy and extreme lack of energy. As it turns out, growing a human while taking care of a toddler leaves me with little time and motivation to blog these days. In fact, when I do get a minute to myself, rather than blog, I usually find myself flaking out on the couch in sheer exhaustion.

However, despite my lack of blogs, I have not been quiet in the kitchen. I have still been baking away this whole time. So consequently I have a huge stash of recipes to post. Now, normally I post a short story or some explanation about my coming to the recipe before I get to the actual recipe itself when I post a blog. But since I am so behind in my posts, I figure I will just post the recipes themselves and forego the little story that normally goes with it. That way, you guys can get to cooking the good stuff and not have to wait for another year before I eventually get all the recipes posted.

Now that being said, I don't expect that I will be posting much in the coming months after I dump this stash of recipes on you now, simply because I will be having my baby in as early as two weeks. Once the baby is here, I know it will be a great victory for me just to get a shower in let alone have time and energy to blog.

So I hope you will enjoy the mountain of recipes I will be posting in the coming week or so. And I hope that I will have more for you at least by the new year. During the time of my leave, however, I still welcome any comments, suggestions, and questions you may have. Although I won't be posting much once the baby is here, I will still be checking in from time to time to see what you have to say.

Thanks and enjoy!

-Jenn

Polenta with Corn and Thyme

When I was a little girl, I remember many times waking up to find my dad standing over a large pot, its contents steaming away as my dad would whisk it into submission.
"What'chya make'n?" I'd ask in a sleepy daze.
"Cornmeal mush." He'd reply with a smile. "Watch." he'd say with excitement, "the fun part is about to begin."
Quickly I would push a chair up next to him and scramble up to see my dad work his magic.
"See this?" he'd say, showing me a small cup of yellow cornmeal.
"Yeah."
"This little cup is about to make a whole pot full of cornmeal mush! Just watch."
I held my breath as I watched my dad carefully pour the cornmeal into the pot. The contents bubbled and boiled, breathing its hot breath across my face. It smelt of sweet corn and milk. And before I could ask what was in the pot, the mixture began to thicken and grow. As it hissed and plopped loud bubbles against the walls of the pot, I watched as it doubled, tripled, and quadrupedal in size. I was amazed.
"There," my dad said proudly, "that looks about right. Here. Have a taste and tell me what you think."
After blowing on it a few times, I took a bite and was amazed at the creamy, warm, sweet taste of cornmeal mush.

My first exposures to cornmeal was a unique one. Most people have it in the form of cornbread. But I was one of the lucky ones. I grew up eating cornmeal mush for breakfast quite regularly. It was a cheap and delicious way to make a large breakfast without breaking the budget or sacrificing flavor. As an adult, I learned that it was basically a combination of yellow cornmeal, water, milk, butter, and sugar. That was it. But I loved it. And to this day, I still enjoy watching the magic of the cornmeal mixture thickening and growing in the pot. For that very reason, I enjoyed making this polenta recipe. It has the texture of cornmeal mush and is basically made in the exact same way except that, rather than being a sweet dish, this one is a savory one. Now I can have my delicious cornmeal mush in the form of breakfast and dinner!

It is amazing how far these few ingredients will go. From just half a cup of yellow cornmeal, I was able to feed my entire family! With its warm creamy texture, and its sweet and savory flavor, this recipe makes for some great comfort food. And for me, it will always remind me of those early mornings, watching the magic of cornmeal and how it can grow into an entire meal.

Polenta with Corn and Thyme

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup canned, or frozen corn kernels
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
garlic salt and ground pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. (Reserve other tablespoon of butter for later use.) Add corn and thyme leaves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until corn is warmed through. Add whole milk and water and bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in yellow cornmeal. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick and creamy, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of butter (reserved from earlier) and grated Parmesan. Season with garlic salt and ground pepper. Serve immediately.

Chicken Salad with Avocado Dressing

I reek of Seattle. I have pale skin that will burn even in the shade. When I go to a coffee shop I often order something like a grande triple shot, no whip, no foam, soy milk, skinny cinnamon dolce latte. I like to play my acoustic guitar at open mic nights in some mom and pop cafe. If it is 60 degrees and sunny, I will wear shorts and sandals and a big warm sweat shirt. I like to do art on my free time. I am guilty of having sat in a cafe with my laptop while attempting to write a story. I can spend hours in a book store or at an organic farmers market. I have a blog. And about 95% of the year I spend indoors out of the rain.

But every now and then my Californian roots show their colors.

The majority of my family on both my mother and father's side grew up in California. Because of this, I have found that a lot of my family's eating habits reflect that of the California area. Although I grew up in the Northwest, an area riddled with seafood, we usually avoided seafood due to my mom's severe shellfish allergy. So, consequently, I was raised on the food my parents grew up with. A lot of it was Mexican style cuisine since we lived in Southern California, close to the Mexican border. And in our household there was one item in particular we always had stocked: avocados. Given that avocados grow best in a warm weather climate, they can be found practically everywhere in California. Because of this, everyone in my family grew up eating them regularly. There were times I remember my mom slicing an avocado in half, handing me a spoon, and letting me just eat the avocado right from its rind. 

Naturally, being an avocado lover myself, I immediately fell in love with this recipe. It celebrates the flavor of avocado while keeping the dish light and refreshing. It would be great for a picnic lunch, or as a cold dish on a hot day. It is a quick and easy meal to make which is always a plus in my book! And for me, it was a taste of home.

Chicken Salad with Avocado Dressing

Ingredients:

3 1/4 cups shredded cooked chicken (from 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts)

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

1 large shallot, finely chopped

1 avocado, diced small

1 1/2 cup purple grapes, halved

3/4 cup avocado dressing (recipe posted below)

coarse salt and ground pepper

4-6 large slices sourdough bread, toasted

In a medium bowl, combine chicken, celery, shallots, avocado, grapes, and dressing. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Serve on toast.

Avocado Dressing

Ingredients:

2 avocados

1 cup buttermilk

1 scallion, thinly sliced (white and light-green parts only)

1/4 cup packed fresh mint leaves

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup water

coarse salt and ground pepper to taste

In a food processor or blender, combine all ingredients and pulse until smooth. (To store, refrigerate in an airtight container, up to 3 days.)

Linguine with Asparagus and Egg

I can't tell you how many times I have attempted to poach an egg and ended up basically making egg soup. Defeated, I would watch as the egg would burst into a thousand little feathery pieces, swirling around in a murky cloud before sinking down into the depths of the pan. I was a poor cook but a fantastic egg murderer. But when I came across this recipe and saw that it called for a poached egg, I knew I had to give it another try. The recipe sounded too good to pass up. So I rolled up my sleeves, put on my big-girl apron, and set to work on attempting once again to make a poached egg.

Well, I don't know if the stars just so happened to align perfectly that night, but for the first time ever I successfully poached, not just one, but three eggs! And boy oh boy was I glad that I did. The poached egg really brought this dish together. Unlike a lot of pasta dishes with heavy sauces, this sauce is surprisingly light and creamy, comprised primarily of the egg yolk itself. So if you're like me and enjoy a good pasta dish and love the buttery creamy taste of eggs, then you'll really get a kick out of this recipe.

Linguine with Asparagus and Egg

Ingredients:
3/4 lb linguine or fettuccine
1 large bunch thin asparagus, ends trimmed, halved lengthwise
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
4 large eggs
salt and pepper
garlic salt

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions, adding the asparagus in the last minute of cooking. Reserve 1 cup of the leftover pasta water, drain pasta and asparagus and return to pot along with butter and Parmesan. Toss until butter is melted, adding enough pasta water to create a thing sauce that coats pasta.

While pasta is cooking, in a large straight-sided skillet, heat 2 inches water over medium heat until a few bubbles rise to the top. Crack each egg into a small bowl and gently pour into skillet. Cook until whites are set and yolks are runny, 4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer eggs to parchment-lined baking sheet.

To serve, divide pasta among four bowls, top each serving with an egg, and season to taste with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan if desired.

Just say "no" to egg murder!

Honey Avocado Ice Cream

You are going to hate me for coming up with this recipe. It is stupidly easy to make and you will soon realize that you can have rich and creamy homemade ice cream without even needing an ice cream maker. The worst part is, it only takes four ingredients, so basically you can make this dessert any time you want with hardly any effort. It has a smooth, thick texture that will win you over in one bite. And with the savory avocado twist mingling with the sweet taste of honey, you will find this dessert to be wonderfully unique and cruelly addicting.

You will want to eat it all the time.

You're welcome.

Honey Avocado Ice Cream

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups cold heavy cream
2/3 cup honey
4 large egg yolks
1 large avocado


In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat heavy cream to stiff peaks, then refrigerate.

In a small pot, bring honey to a boil over medium-high heat and cook 2 minutes.

In another medium bowl, using mixer, beat egg yolks and avocado until smooth. With mixer running, add hot honey in a slow steady stream. Beat on high until mixture has cooled to room temperature, about 5 minutes. With a rubber spatula, fold in whipped cream. Transfer mixture to a 5-by-10-inch loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap. Freeze until set, 2-4 hours.

Beef Taco Skillet

At the end of a long and tiring day, who in the heck wants to make dinner? I sure don't. But I can't exactly afford to eat out every night for dinner either. Consequently, I love it when I can make a dinner that is not only delicious, but requires as little time possible to prepare.

Most evenings, as it nears my son's bedtime hour, my son does not like my attention being diverted away from him. Too often I find myself shuffling around the kitchen with a very opinionated little guy prancing around at my feet, unpacking my entire kitchen as I go. Needless to say, a quick dinner is the only thing that can keep my family fed without completely destroying my kitchen or my sanity.

Now for my commercial bit...

When it comes to a quick dinner, I find that Campbell's condensed soups often work wonders as a base for a meal. Cream of Chicken and Cream of Mushroom were my two all time favorites for making gravies, sauces, you name it. But now I have a new one to add to the group: tomato soup. Of course you don't have to use Campbell's brand soups. But I have found that, out of other condensed soup brands I have tried, it's one that I favor over others.

So yes, today's recipe was brought to you by Campbell's tomato soup. The original Campbell's recipe for this dish was alright, however, it was seriously lacking in flavor. It kind of tasted like a watered down version of sloppy joes or like Chef Boyardee which is...yuck...we don't even need to go there. But after a little alteration here and there, I was able to create a flavor packed dinner that was, above all else, super easy and quick to make. In fact, reading this post will probably take you longer than it will to make the dish. So I'm going to shut up now and let you go enjoy this quick delicious meal.

Beef Taco Skillet

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. ground beef
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed tomato soup
1/2  cup chunky salsa
1/2 cup water
5 large flour tortillas cut into 1" pieces
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1-2 Tbs spicy taco seasoning (I actually used a spicy chipotle dip mix that worked great!)

Cook beef in skillet over medium-high heat until well browned, stirring often to separate meat. Pour off fat.

Stir in soup, salsa, water, taco seasoning, and tortillas in skillet and heat to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cook 5 minutes. Stir. Top with cheese.

Vegan Lemon Bundt Cake

Sugar. My sweet, sweet, oh-so unhealthy but sinfully delicious friend. When I am stressed, you offer me a moist warm cookie to get lost in. When I feel moody and frumpy, there you are with rich chocolate kisses. When I have suffered a heart ache, you serve me up a pint of creamy cold ice cream. When my friends and family are over, you entertain their taste buds with dazzling cakes and pies. For every birthday, holiday, winning little league team, broken heart, romantic date, and countless other memorable times in our lives; sugar has been there.

For years, I must admit, chocolate was my go-to sweet treat. But as I have ran into my adult years, I find myself gravitating more and more towards desserts that feature lemon, lime, and other tart flavors as their main attraction. Key-lime pie, lemon meringue pie, lemon cookies, lemon drops, lime sorbet, and lemon cake. With the tangy, mouth-watering citrus to balance out the sweet sugar base of the dessert, it is a flavor that brings my taste buds to life.

The recipe I am posting today is one for vegan lemon bundt cake. When I first came across the recipe in the book "The Joy of Vegan Baking" I found that the cake seriously lacked enough lemon flavor and, because of it's use of maple syrup in the recipe, made it taste oddly of lemon pancakes. So I altered the recipe to my liking and the recipe below is what I came up with. I found it to be moist, dense, and yet surprisingly light in flavor. I hope you enjoy!

Lemon Sauce

Ingredients:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup boiling water
zest and juice from 2 lemons

In a large saucepan, stir together the sugar and cornstarch. Gradually stir in the boiling water, and simmer over low heat until thick, stirring occasionally. Stir in the lemon zest and juice, and remove from the heat. Serve warm or at room temperature over cake.

Vegan Lemon Bundt Cake

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
zest of 2 lemons
6 teaspoons Ener-G Egg replacer (equivalent of 4 eggs)
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup lemon sauce*
1/2 cup canola (or vegetable) oil
1/2 cup nondairy milk
1 tablespoon lemon extract
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 recipe lemon sauce*

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a Bundt pan.

In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, making soda, salt, and lemon zest until well combined.

In a medium bowl mix the egg replacement powder with the water until frothy (about 2 minutes). Add the lemon juice, lemon sauce, canola (or vegetable) oil, milk, and lemon and vanilla extracts, and blend again for another minute.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and pulls away from the edges of the pan. Let cool completely before unmolding. Serve with lemon sauce.

Holiday Rewind: Pumpkin Dip

This is the last post of the holiday rewind! I have to admit, this recipe was a Pintrest find. It was extremely easy to make (seriously, less than ten minutes), and it basically tasted like softened pumpkin pie ice cream. It's great for parties, and it's dangerously snackable. I made this as part of some pre-Thanksgiving dinner snacks and the family seemed to really enjoy it, especially my son. Since the holidays are packed with tons of sweet treats as it is, it was nice to have a lighter alternative dessert for my son. He still got a sweet treat without the major sugar crash so it was a win win for all of us!

Pumpkin Dip

Ingredients:
1 can of pumpkin (15oz)
1 box of instant vanilla pudding (5oz. Just the powder. Don't make the pudding!)
1 container of cool whip (16oz)
1/2 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon

Mix pumpkin, pudding mix, cool whip, and pumpkin pie spice together in a large bowl.

Chill for 2-3 hours before serving.

Sprinkle with cinnamon just before serving. Serve with fresh fruit slices, vanilla wafers, and/or ginger snaps.