March 2008 Archives

Just added my favorite recipe for chocolate chip cookies to the recipe archive.

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Now I wish I had bought that penne pasta when I was at Trader Joe's the other day. I was thinking about it, but then decided the fewer pantry items I bought, the better. Otherwise I would just have to pack it all up when I move. If I wanted pasta I'd just have to settle for the box of spaghetti that I already had.

Of course, then I had an idea for a sauce that would be fantastic with penne - chunks of tomatoes and big white beans simmered with onions, garlic, basil, oregano, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. A sauce like that just wouldn't play well with spaghetti. It wouldn't have anything to hold on to. Unless... it was puréed. Now there's an idea. A fiber-packed pasta sauce that isn't easily recognizable as such. Served with whole wheat pasta and a nice sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, you could have yourself a tasty and healthy meal.

In theory.

I mean, it's ok. A bit starchy. I think it would have been much better not puréed. Or perhaps with another can of tomatoes added to combat the starchiness.


» Recipe for Tomato Sauce with White Beans

I picked up a bag of this yesterday and I cooked some up for lunch today. Great stuff!

It's a mix of Israeli style couscous, orzo, baby garbanzo beans, and red quinoa. I cooked it with some olive oil then added a little salt, freshly ground pepper, and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

It would also be good as a side dish for any kind of meat.

Saturday was bread-making day again. I made a loaf of oatmeal bread for myself and a pan of whole wheat dinner rolls for Easter dinner.

For the oatmeal bread the only thing I changed from last timelast time (other than making one loaf instead of two and making sure to grease the pan) was using only milk for the liquid instead of a mixture of milk and water. It turned out nicely, except for an air pocket near the top. I probably should have kneaded it a little before shaping. The first rise took about an hour and a half. The second took about an hour and fifteen minutes. It was in the oven for 40 minutes and it got a little too dark on top.

As for the dinner rolls, I found a recipe that looked good at EatingWell.com. The photo won me over and the user comments sealed the deal. Other than making the dough in my stand mixer I followed the recipe exactly. The first rise took an hour and fifteen minutes. Shaping the rolls took about a half hour and they were ready for the oven in about an hour but I had to wait another 15 minutes or so for the first loaf to finish baking. The recipe said to bake them at 400°F for 20 minutes or until lightly browned, but 20 minutes ended up being way too long. The rolls ended up being dried out. Disappointing. The recipe definitely has potential though, and if I make them again I'll probably bake them at a lower temp like 375°F and watch them carefully so they don't get too browned. As for the egg wash, I'll probably skip it and just dip the tops of the rolls in wheat germ before placing in the pan to proof.

These would probably make good burger buns too, making 12 bigger rolls instead of 24 small rolls.

» Whole Wheat Dinner Roll Recipe

Why am I posting this againposting this again? Because that's the whole point of this blog!

I doubled all of the ingredients except the rice (because I didn't have enough, and I didn't want 1/2 a can of beans and tomatoes leftover) and oil (because you only need enough to coat the onions), and I'm hoping I didn't make a huge mistake by doubling the salt and spices even though essentially the amount of food isn't doubled... I didn't really think about that before-hand. I've been a bit scatterbrainedscatterbrained today (probably because last night's sleep was repeatedly interrupted by nightmares - ugh).

So um, I like this rice:bean ratio, but halve the salt and spices. You can always add more if needed, but unfortunately it doesn't work the other way around. It's not an absolute disaster, just saltier and spicier than I would prefer. By a lot.


» Recipe for Black Beans and Rice: Revisited

I guess it's really me who is absentminded, not the banana bread.

As I gathered the ingredients I put the butter in the microwave to melt. A phone call interrupted things, then when I got back to my prep I realized I didn't have enough sugar! I decided to use brown sugar to make up the difference. It ended up being almost half and half, a tiny bit more white sugar than brown.

I got the batter mixed up, noting that it seemed a bit drier than usual. I chalked it up to using more flour - I usually weigh my flour, 4.5 oz for each cup, but this recipe actually stated 2 cups or 10 oz. I wasn't too worried about it.



I divided the batter up into three mini loaf pans and stuck them on a cookie sheet and into the oven.

Going back over the recipe my eyes fell on the butter. THE BUTTER. That was still in the microwave, not even melted. Oops.



As you can see, the loaves still turned out beautiful, and accidentally low fat. I can always butter the slices, right? The flavor's not bad and it will probably improve over time.


» Recipe for Absentminded Banana Bread

I think Molly, of Orangette, can make anything sound delicious. I don't know how she does it. She now has a column in Bon Appetit, which I didn't realize when I selected that particular magazine for my free subscription (thanks amazon!). When I read her article last month I wasn't paying attention to the author but the writing felt very familiar. It wasn't until she mentioned it on her blog that I found out that she had written it! Now it's the first article I look for when the new issue comes in the mail.

Anyway, this month she wrote about homemade mayonnaise. I rarely eat the stuff. I don't have anything against it, it's just that I don't make sandwiches or egg/tuna/chicken salad that often. I've had a jar of Miracle Whip Light in my fridge, since my very first shopping trip after I moved in here, it seems, and it's only half-empty. But somehow Molly made homemade mayo sound so dreamy that I just had to try my hand at it. She certainly has a way with words.

Yesterday as I was going through my pantry, contemplating what to make for lunch, I came across a lonely can of tuna. Remembering that I have celery in the fridge that I should use before it looks too sad, I decided it was a good day for tuna salad. Also, a good excuse to see if homemade mayo is all it's cracked up to be.

After a lot of whisking and patience, I ended up with almost a cup of mayonnaise. There's no way I can use it all up within its one week shelf-life. But a dab mixed into some tuna, chopped celery and a bit of relish then sandwiched between two slices of toasted homemade bread was pretty good. Not to mention I knew exactly what I was eating. No mystery ingredients here. Next time I need mayo I'll probably make it again, only I'll use a hand mixer and give my arm a rest.

» Recipe

I had a Gala apple that was getting a little old so I figured I should put it in a cake or something. I did some searching and came across Elise's recipe for Apple Coffee CakeElise's recipe for Apple Coffee Cake. It called for one apple so it was my best option.

As I read through the comments I thought about how I would make the cake, based on the reviews. A few said there was too much sugar, another said she used 3 apples. Since I had to go to the store for milk anyway I bought another apple, a McIntosh, which is better for baking. I used both apples and chopped them into small pieces instead of slicing them. I also only used 2 tbsp of sugar for the topping instead of 1/3 cup. I forgot to sprinkle some of the cinnamon sugar on the apples before spreading the other half of the batter on top, so I just sprinkled it all on top. I was thinking about just mixing the apple chunks into the batter instead of putting it in the pan in layers, but I think the layers helped provide a more uniform distribution of apples. I baked it in an 8" square pan for about 30 minutes.

It's good, but I think I cut out too much of the sugar. The apples really need some of that cinnamon sugar on them. I like the extra apple in it. If I were to make it again I would use 3 tbsp of sugar for the cinnamon sugar mixture and definitely not forget to sprinkle some on the apples. The cake is very moist but I think it would benefit from a touch of vanilla extract - not much, maybe 1/2 tsp.

Nutrition Info (for 1/12 of the cake): 135 calories, 5.9g fat, 0.7g fiber, 19.1g carbs, 2.1g protein

I'm intrigued by thesethese.

Delicious and filling. I took my own advice and used the other lentil recipemy own advice and used the other lentil recipe, taking out the quinoa and adding kale and a couple of carrots. I think the only thing I would change about this is chopping the kale a little finer.


» Recipe for Lentil Stew

I got this recipe from Orangette, who got it from Gourmet. The first time I made it I remember it was beyond good. Then I made it again, using up the rest of the opened bag of lima beans and it wasn't as good. I haven't made it since, until today. I made a half recipe, and was disappointed when most of the water evaporated while cooking. I suppose I could have added more water. I should have, because the end result was too salty. All the flavors were concentrated. And the beans seemed a little old and freezer-burned. Maybe that blackout had something to do with it. I might use a little less oil next time as well.

I made it in my 2-quart le creuset. The lid might not be very tight-fitting, hence the evaporation. I guess I should go back to using my small saucepan next time.

Overall, I love the flavors in the recipe. I may have to start buying a better brand of frozen vegetables (instead of the cheap store brand). Maybe Trader Joe's has good ones.

Nutrition Info (1/2 recipe): 313 calories, 13.5g fat, 8.7g fiber, 35.4g carbs, 10.6g protein

Based on a recipe from this month's issue of Bon Appétit. I substituted lentils for the cannellini beans. It would have been great with caramelized onions (like my last lentil recipelast lentil recipe). I sort of wish I had just made the other lentils and added some kale.

Also, this was my first slice of the oatmeal breadoatmeal bread, and I think it's my favorite homemade loaf yet. Oh, and that hard-boiled egg? 10 minutes. Doesn't even look any less cooked than the 17 minute ones17 minute ones. I take back what I said about wanting the yolks cooked more. I think I like them this way. Plus, they're quicker.


» Recipe for Sauteed Kale with Lentils and Garlic

This may be the least photogenic dessert ever.

I used the recipe from Simply Recipesthe recipe from Simply Recipes (minus the whiskey sauce) but only made 2/3 of it and baked it in an 8" square dish. Bread pudding is supposed to be made with stale white bread but the only reason I was making it was to use up some of my broken oatmeal breadbroken oatmeal bread, so I realized that this pudding was not going to be your typical bread pudding.

What I liked about this recipe: since the bread cubes are squished up in the milk the pudding has a uniform consistency instead of being a pile of bread cubes. My cubes were messy anyway. The flavor is also good. I added a bit of nutmeg that wasn't called for in the original recipe.

What I didn't like about this recipe: way too much butter in the bottom of the dish. While it did make for a nicely caramelized edge, the excess kind of hangs around looking gross, seeping out onto the empty area of the dish after serving a piece. I think it would have been just as good if I had taken a paper towel and sopped up the excess butter before pouring in the pudding mixture. Also, it never really set entirely. I finally took it out of the oven after 1 hour and 15 minutes and the center still wasn't set. Maybe I should have used a different pan or put it in a water bath like I saw recommended in a different recipe.


» Recipe for Oatmeal Bread Pudding

It was going so well until I decided to see what would happen if I didn't grease the pans. Stupid.



Fortunately, I made two loaves, and one of them survived. I guess the failure will become a year's supply of bread crumbs. Or croutons. Or... bread puddingbread pudding? Hmm. Things are looking up already.

The recipe itself seems to be a good one. The loaves rose nice and high, and I cut into the broken one to reveal a great texture with no huge air bubbles. Next time I will be sure to grease the pan like a good girl.


» Recipe for Oatmeal Bread: The one where curiosity killed the bread

I used the vegetarian cassouletvegetarian cassoulet as inspiration for my lunch today. I got most of the ingredients that I needed yesterday, but the store was out of leeks. I picked up a bunch of kale instead - not that it could replace leeks, but I figured it would go well in a bean stew. Plus, I could use a few more greens in my diet.


» Recipe for Cannellini & Kale Stew

I chopped up an apple, cooked it in about 1/2 tbsp butter and a little cinnamon, then added it to my Oatmeal PancakeOatmeal Pancake recipe. I cut down the oil to 1/2 tbsp and added more cinnamon (1/4 tsp).

Made 6 pancakes.

I need to learn how to go easy on the maple syrup. These pancakes probably don't need much, if any. Otherwise they were very good! Leftovers are in the freezer for future breakfasts/snacks.

I never try this, but I think this pancake recipe would be great with whole wheat flour. I'll try it next time.

I tried out Orangette's yogurt cake again to compare it with the C&Z version. I may have gotten a little carried away with flavoring. After reading through the comments I decided to try substituting some of the sugar for honey. Then at the last minute I added almond extract. The resulting cake is fluffy and moist, but the almond flavoring is a bit over-powering. I think it would be great with some real Amaretto though (and perhaps sprinkle some sliced almonds on top?). Maybe next time I'll try subbing out even more of the sugar for honey (or all of it?), but leaving the additional flavoring out. I'm even thinking that by using all honey I can cut down on the oil a little (1/3 cup instead of 1/2?). The cake seems a bit greasy, as did the C&Z cake.

In the end, I think I prefer Orangette's to C&Z's, although when I'm through with it I'll have my very own recipe that doesn't look much like either one.


» Recipe for Honey-Almond Yogurt Cake

Vegetarian Cassoulet - I would make 1/3 of a recipe (roughly) and cook it in my 2-quart le creuset. May skip the bread crumb topping and just serve it with homemade bread. If I were to use the topping, I'd add some grated parm cheese and bake it until golden.

I'm really happy with the way this loaf turned out. It's a lot taller than my previous attempts, and it might be the first time I didn't end up with a huge air pocket near the top. I think the reason for this is that I kneaded it a little longer than I normally do (usually I get lazy and only knead it for a couple minutes instead of the 6-8 minutes the recipe states - note to self: no more laziness!), and then when I shaped it into a loaf I worked with it a bit more than usual - folding it a few times, flattening it out, forming it into a ball, and finally pinching it to form the loaf.

This is also the first time I made dough in the KitchenAid. Love it.

Based on my usual Honey Wheat BreadHoney Wheat Bread recipe. Would have also added wheat germ but I was out.


» Recipe for Honey Wheat Bread With Oats and Flaxseed

I've had this recipe for mujadara bookmarked for a while now and had a bag of lentils sitting in my pantry for almost as long. Today, while searching for something nutritious to fill my slightly queasy stomach, I remembered those lentils. So in between loads of laundry and bread dough proofing I made this surprisingly delicious dish.

It's loosely based on the mujadara but I added a can of tomatoes and replaced the rice with quinoa. I also used some homemade vegetable brothhomemade vegetable broth that I had in the freezer instead of water. This recipe makes a lot. It filled my 12" skillet. After I served myself a measly bowl I felt I'd hardly made a dent. Thankfully I'll enjoy the leftovers!


» Recipe for Lentils and Quinoa

These look pretty good. I usually just make banana bread when I have overripe bananas, but this could be a nice alternative.

I used the recipe from my Better Homes & Gardens cookbook. I've made it once before and noted that it is "fantastic".

I made it without any substitutions, although I'm curious to try it with butter instead of Crisco. I made it in an 8"x2" round cake pan instead of a 9" pan. It fit perfectly. Baked it for 40 minutes. I think last time I may have made it in an 8" square pan. I think I prefer squares to wedges when it comes to gingerbread.

It's just ok. Very moist, but very crumbly. Tastes mostly like molasses. I think gingerbread should taste more like... ginger. And spices. Needs cloves. Perhaps some nutmeg. I'm not a big fan this time around. I'm hoping that this is a cake that gets better after sitting for a day. We'll see. (See edit below)

I also tried making the vanilla sauce they recommend to serve with it. It ended up being less saucy and more gooey than I expected. Almost like gelatin or something, and it has a weird smell. I think I may just toss it. Only made 1/2 a recipe so no big loss.

There's a gingerbread recipe in The NEW Best Recipe, so maybe I'll try that one next time I have a gingerbread craving. It uses butter, a wider variety of spices, and milk instead of water.

Also, there's a recipe for Honey Spice Cake in the Chocolate & Zucchini cookbook that sounds good.

Edits: It is a little better the next day. Still too crumbly though. Will definitely just use the America's Test Kitchen (The NEW Best Recipe) version next time though.

Just found another recipe for gingerbread in the family cookbook. It has an orange glaze that sounds really good, but it doesn't specify a pan size. Comparing ingredients it looks like it would fit in the same size pan.