My post of Classic Marinara is indeed a winner, but most women don't have hours to spare marinating and firing tomatoes. I decided to include this recipe because it requires minimal effort and is cheap, cheap CHEAP to make. It also tastes great! Prep time is about 10 minutes, cooking time is 45 but doesn't require much of a watchful eye.
10 Minute Marinara:
28 oz can of diced tomatoes
5-6 large basil leaves (or 1tbsp dried)
1.5tbsp oregano
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
dash of chili powder
2 tbsp olive oil
Squish the tomatoes well with your fingers, throwing out stems. Add the spices and oil and simmer for 45 minutes or until most of the moisture has evaporated. I prefer to keep mine a bit runny so the grease doesn't take over. Serve and enjoy!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Fake Chicken Salad
This is an oldie but a goody. My mom came up with this when I went through my hardcore vegan phase in high school -- that only lasted a few months, but I still make this years later. I dare you to serve this to your meat loving, vegetarian hating friends..I haven't had any complaints yet! I'm including the tofu but this recipe is fine without it, I think it adds a more interesting texture to have a mix of tofu and tempeh.
Fake Chicken Salad:
1.5c cubed tempeh (I use 5-grain)
1c cubed extra firm tofu
3/4c veganaise
1/3c diced celery
1 tbsp mustard
1/4tsp black pepper
1 avocado, cubed (optional)
Combine the veganaise, mustard and pepper. Add the tempeh then the tofu. Drop the avocado bits on top, roll into a tortilla or sandwich and enjoy!
Fake Chicken Salad:
1.5c cubed tempeh (I use 5-grain)
1c cubed extra firm tofu
3/4c veganaise
1/3c diced celery
1 tbsp mustard
1/4tsp black pepper
1 avocado, cubed (optional)
Combine the veganaise, mustard and pepper. Add the tempeh then the tofu. Drop the avocado bits on top, roll into a tortilla or sandwich and enjoy!
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Cheese Bread
Do I even have to say it anymore? Castsugar rescued me in the throes of bake sale-dom yet again. This time with cheese bread -- it's a molten cheddar center encased in sweet fluffy yeast bread. It's also relatively fast. When selling it I suggested that the buyer throw it into a 350 degree oven for 10 or 15 minutes before serving -- this stuff is best hot and fresh! I also omitted the jalapenos from the original recipe, but if you want spicy bread add 2 tbsp of them chopped to the dough.
Cheese Bread:
2c warm water
1/4c sugar
1 packet yeast
1.5 tsp salt
1/4c vegetable oil
6c bread flour
2-3c cubed cheddar cheese
Combine the yeast, water and sugar and allow to proof for 10 minutes. Add the oil and salt, add the flour one cup at a time until dough is elastic. Grease a large bowl and let the dough rise for 60-90 minutes, covered.
Grease 2 LARGE loaf pans. Splice the risen dough into 2 pieces and flatten each one. Place 1/2 of the cubed cheese over each dough disc and roll up, tucking the ends under. Allow to rise in the pans for 30 more minutes. Make absolutely sure the dough doesn't rise over the loaf pans, otherwise you'll get cheddar overflow in the oven! Bake at 350 for 30 minutes and allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes before serving.
Cheese Bread:
2c warm water
1/4c sugar
1 packet yeast
1.5 tsp salt
1/4c vegetable oil
6c bread flour
2-3c cubed cheddar cheese
Combine the yeast, water and sugar and allow to proof for 10 minutes. Add the oil and salt, add the flour one cup at a time until dough is elastic. Grease a large bowl and let the dough rise for 60-90 minutes, covered.
Grease 2 LARGE loaf pans. Splice the risen dough into 2 pieces and flatten each one. Place 1/2 of the cubed cheese over each dough disc and roll up, tucking the ends under. Allow to rise in the pans for 30 more minutes. Make absolutely sure the dough doesn't rise over the loaf pans, otherwise you'll get cheddar overflow in the oven! Bake at 350 for 30 minutes and allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes before serving.
Monday, August 4, 2008
At-Home Pesto Sauce with Fettucine
I'm finally moved into my new house and back in the kitchen! As I've written about, I'm experimenting with new recipes that I can incorporate into a healthy diet. Pesto sauce is delicious and contains healthy fats from olive oil and pine nuts. It adds flavor to plain pasta and bruschetta without taking over. I'm posting my blender-free method because hand chopping allows the separate flavors to sing rather than being, well, blended into each other. The pieces aren't uniform and the sauce is a bit "chunkier". The hand chopping is totally worth the extra effort and saves lots on cleanup. So let's get started!
Pesto:
2-3 c loose fresh basil leaves (I buy the live basil, it tastes much better this way)
1/4c pine nuts
3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
pinch of sea salt
Fettucine:
2 tbsp salt
1 box fettucine
1/2 c finely shredded asiago cheese
1 tbsp olive oil
Using a mezzeluna, pizza cutter or sharp knife cut 1/3 of the basil until very fine and almost paste-y. Place into a mixing bowl and move onto the next 1/3. You want to do this in batches to avoid bruising and pulverizing the leaves.
Once your basil is chopped, do the same with the pine nuts and garlic. Slice until very fine and incorporate into the basil. Add the salt and olive oil, set aside.
Boil a pot of water and add the olive oil and salt. Add your fettucine and cook until al dente. Immediately after straining add the pesto and toss until all the pasta is evenly coated. Top with asiago and serve!
Pesto:
2-3 c loose fresh basil leaves (I buy the live basil, it tastes much better this way)
1/4c pine nuts
3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
pinch of sea salt
Fettucine:
2 tbsp salt
1 box fettucine
1/2 c finely shredded asiago cheese
1 tbsp olive oil
Using a mezzeluna, pizza cutter or sharp knife cut 1/3 of the basil until very fine and almost paste-y. Place into a mixing bowl and move onto the next 1/3. You want to do this in batches to avoid bruising and pulverizing the leaves.
Once your basil is chopped, do the same with the pine nuts and garlic. Slice until very fine and incorporate into the basil. Add the salt and olive oil, set aside.
Boil a pot of water and add the olive oil and salt. Add your fettucine and cook until al dente. Immediately after straining add the pesto and toss until all the pasta is evenly coated. Top with asiago and serve!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Spicy Chocolate Gingerbread
I ran across this recipe in Castsugar's blog -- my mom is a fan of gingerbread so I had originally planned on making it for her birthday. I wound up doing a "test batch" for the bake sale, and WOW. This is possibly one of the better things that has come out of my kitchen.
It literally warms your throat when you eat it, but isn't sharp or spicy like so many recipes that call for chili powder. You can taste each ingredient when you take a bite, which is rare for recipes that call for so many complex flavors in one dish. I was skeptical of Castsugar's raves about this cake but I'm a true believer now. If you bake nothing else from this blog, try this recipe. It will blow you away. This one is going in the green box -- the old tin box where all of my great grandmother's favorite recipes are kept. This is where I turn when I need something utterly original and delicious that no one was expecting but everyone loves. You simply gotta try it!
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1 c. plus 2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
2 Tbsp. white sugar
3/4 c. light syrup
3/4 c. molasses
1 1/2 tsp apple pie spice
2 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
2 tbsp warm water
2 eggs
1 c. milk
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa
6 oz. semisweet chocolate chunks
Preheat the oven to 325 and line 3 loaf pans with tin foil.
Meld the sugars, syrups, and butter together over medium-low heat in a large saucepan. Add your spices and allow to cool very slightly.
Combine the milk and eggs together. Mix the water with the baking soda and add to the egg mixture. Add the syrup mixture and stir well. Finish by adding the flour and cocoa. Finish by adding the chocolate chunks.
Pour into loaf pans and bake for 45 minutes. This will still appear liquidy on top; allow it to cool completely, as this creates a very moist cake. I find that this is just as good, if not better after a day or two of maturation time. You could add a glaze or frosting, but I find it to be perfect plain.
It literally warms your throat when you eat it, but isn't sharp or spicy like so many recipes that call for chili powder. You can taste each ingredient when you take a bite, which is rare for recipes that call for so many complex flavors in one dish. I was skeptical of Castsugar's raves about this cake but I'm a true believer now. If you bake nothing else from this blog, try this recipe. It will blow you away. This one is going in the green box -- the old tin box where all of my great grandmother's favorite recipes are kept. This is where I turn when I need something utterly original and delicious that no one was expecting but everyone loves. You simply gotta try it!
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1 c. plus 2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
2 Tbsp. white sugar
3/4 c. light syrup
3/4 c. molasses
1 1/2 tsp apple pie spice
2 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
2 tbsp warm water
2 eggs
1 c. milk
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa
6 oz. semisweet chocolate chunks
Preheat the oven to 325 and line 3 loaf pans with tin foil.
Meld the sugars, syrups, and butter together over medium-low heat in a large saucepan. Add your spices and allow to cool very slightly.
Combine the milk and eggs together. Mix the water with the baking soda and add to the egg mixture. Add the syrup mixture and stir well. Finish by adding the flour and cocoa. Finish by adding the chocolate chunks.
Pour into loaf pans and bake for 45 minutes. This will still appear liquidy on top; allow it to cool completely, as this creates a very moist cake. I find that this is just as good, if not better after a day or two of maturation time. You could add a glaze or frosting, but I find it to be perfect plain.
Cherry Cheesecake Brownies
I had been looking forward to making these ever since I found the recipe -- cheesecake, cherry, AND brownie?! All of my favorite things! While these did turn out well and I'm sure would be a hit at any bake sale or party, it seemed that it was almost too much of a good thing. There were so many flavors going on that none of them could really sing; I would have preferred the cheesecake and cherries over a plain ol' chocolate crumb crust. But these are worth a try!
Cheesecake:
16 oz cream cheese
1/2c sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
Brownie:
1c unsalted butter
6 oz baking chocolate
2c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3/4tsp salt
4 eggs
1 1/4c AP flour
21 oz. cherry pie filling + 1 tsp lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 350, and grease a 9 x 13 baking pan.
Melt the baking chocolate in a double broiler. Cream together the butter and sugar for the brownie layer, then add the eggs. Add the vanilla and melted chocolate and mix well. Stir in flour and salt and pour into the baking pan.
For the cheesecake layer, beat all ingredients together until smooth. Drop it by the tablespoon over the brownie layer, and follow by dropping tablespoons of the cherry mixture over it. Use a butter knife to swirl the layers, but do not mix them together. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the edges of the brownie begin to pull away and the edges of the cheesecake begin to turn slightly brown. Keep in mind that this brownie will still seem gooey when you first take it out of the oven, let it cool completely and chill for at least 4 hours (I let mine go overnight and am glad I did). Try serving these in cupcake liners, they're super gooey!
Cheesecake:
16 oz cream cheese
1/2c sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
Brownie:
1c unsalted butter
6 oz baking chocolate
2c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3/4tsp salt
4 eggs
1 1/4c AP flour
21 oz. cherry pie filling + 1 tsp lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 350, and grease a 9 x 13 baking pan.
Melt the baking chocolate in a double broiler. Cream together the butter and sugar for the brownie layer, then add the eggs. Add the vanilla and melted chocolate and mix well. Stir in flour and salt and pour into the baking pan.
For the cheesecake layer, beat all ingredients together until smooth. Drop it by the tablespoon over the brownie layer, and follow by dropping tablespoons of the cherry mixture over it. Use a butter knife to swirl the layers, but do not mix them together. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the edges of the brownie begin to pull away and the edges of the cheesecake begin to turn slightly brown. Keep in mind that this brownie will still seem gooey when you first take it out of the oven, let it cool completely and chill for at least 4 hours (I let mine go overnight and am glad I did). Try serving these in cupcake liners, they're super gooey!
No-Bake White Chocolate Key Lime Cheesecake
How's THAT for a title? These bars are surprisingly simple to make and require zero oven time. Since I had all burners blazing at the time, this was a relief. This is another gem from Castsugar, although she calls them bars I consider this a cheesecake. They're perfect for summer and I would imagine they'd be the first thing to go had the bake sale not been rained out. You must try these for your next barbeque or summer celebration!
Crust:
30 Oreo cookies
2 oz white chocolate
Filling:
6 oz white chocolate
1 pint whipping cream
8 oz cream cheese
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp key lime zest
1/3c confectioners sugar
I recommend using an aluminum cake pan instead of a traditional one for this recipe. If you don't have access to this, line a 8x8 pan with foil.
Melt all the white chocolate in a double broiler. Crush your oreos by hand or in a food processor, and combine them with 2-4 tbsp of the melted chocolate. Press into the bottom of the pan to form a crust.
Beat 1/2c whipping cream until peaks begin to form. Add cream cheese, lime, zest and sugar to a separate bowl, and beat well. Beat in remaining white chocolate. Fold in gently with the whipped cream and spread mixture over the crust. In a clean bowl, pour the remaining whipping cream and confectioners sugar and beat with an electric mixer until fluffy. Make sure to not overbeat or you'll wind up with sweetened butter! Spread the whipping cream over the lime layer, and voila! No bake cheesecake! Allow it to chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
Crust:
30 Oreo cookies
2 oz white chocolate
Filling:
6 oz white chocolate
1 pint whipping cream
8 oz cream cheese
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp key lime zest
1/3c confectioners sugar
I recommend using an aluminum cake pan instead of a traditional one for this recipe. If you don't have access to this, line a 8x8 pan with foil.
Melt all the white chocolate in a double broiler. Crush your oreos by hand or in a food processor, and combine them with 2-4 tbsp of the melted chocolate. Press into the bottom of the pan to form a crust.
Beat 1/2c whipping cream until peaks begin to form. Add cream cheese, lime, zest and sugar to a separate bowl, and beat well. Beat in remaining white chocolate. Fold in gently with the whipped cream and spread mixture over the crust. In a clean bowl, pour the remaining whipping cream and confectioners sugar and beat with an electric mixer until fluffy. Make sure to not overbeat or you'll wind up with sweetened butter! Spread the whipping cream over the lime layer, and voila! No bake cheesecake! Allow it to chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
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