Archive for the ‘Recipes’ Category

Newer Entries »

Oatmeal Blueberry Applesauce Muffins

Thursday, April 9th, 2009

Oatmeal Blueberry Applesauce Muffins

As a lover of food, most of my free time is spent absorbing as much information about food as possible. I am often reading books, food publications, and of course food blogs!

One blog in particular that serves as daily inspiration is Joy The Baker. Joy is a self-taught baker and her love for the act of baking shines through her blog.  Of course the first post that caught my eye regarded my favorite topic and was titled, “Best Weekend Breakfast Ideas.” On that particular day Joy invited all of her readers to have breakfast together and shared some of her favorite breakfast recipes. Though every recipe on the list looked and sounded delicious, this week I choose to make her interpretation of a blueberry muffin. 

These muffins were appealing to me due to their healthy nature, they are low in fat, whole grain, and are fruit-filled! Since I had old-fashioned oats and steel-cut oats, I used both that created a nice texture.

Oatmeal Blueberry Applesauce Muffins

 

Oatmeal Blueberry Applesauce Muffins
Joy the Baker (makes 12-15 muffins)

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tbsp canola oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

3/4 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper cases or spray with nonstick cooking spray. I simple greased and floured a muffin pan, saving the paper.

In a large bowl combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In a medium bowl combine applesauce, buttermilk, sugar, oil and egg. Make a well in dry ingredients and add applesauce mixture. Stir until just moist. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.

Bake for 16-18 minutes.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Life, Recipes | 1 Comment »

Breakfast For Dinner

Monday, March 16th, 2009

Breakfast For Dinner

 

Tonight for dinner my boyfriend and I decided to cook something quick and satisfying for dinner. One of my favorite dinners as a child was breakfast for dinner. Having breakfast for dinner always felt as though we were breaking the rules by having familiar breakfast foods at night. Since I usually don’t indulge in pancakes so early in the morning, I thought that this would be the perfect time to make them. I found a recipe for Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes from the Bon Appetit archives and modified it for the ingredients I had on hand. Instead of using white flour I replaced it with more nutritious wheat flour and omitted the blueberries and made a fruit salad on the side instead. Along with the pancakes we also prepared some fresh breakfast sausages from the meat counter at Whole Foods. To top off the dinner we decided to make mimosas with the champagne I had left over from my birthday. 

(Blueberry) Buttermilk Pancakes

Adapted from Bon Appetit (makes about 12 pancakes)

1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
3 tbs. sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
2 tbs. unsalted butter, melted, plus more for cooking
2 cups fresh blueberries (I omitted these)
Pure maple syrup

Preheat oven to 250. Place baking sheet in oven. Whisk first four ingredients in large bowl. Whisk buttermilk, eggs, and two tbs. melted butter in medium bowl; stir into dry ingredients. Fold in berries. 

Heat large, nonstick skillet over medium heat; brush with butter. Drop batter by 1/3 cupfuls onto skillet. Cook pancakes until brown, brushing skillet with more butter as needed, about three minutes per side. Transfer to sheet in oven to keep warm. Serve pancakes with maple syrup.

 

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Life, Recipes | 3 Comments »

Tim’s Homemade Pizza

Tuesday, March 10th, 2009

Homemade Pizza

Last night my boyfriend and I made homemade pizzas for dinner. Our friend Tim shared with us his recipe he used to proudly make for his family when he was younger. I have made pizza dough from scratch in the past, but found it not worth my time and resorted to buying pre-made pizza dough from Trader Joe’s. The other night Tim and our friend Katie made this pizza and it looked delicious so I decided it might be fun to give the recipe a try. We tried it for the first time last week and the pizza turned out good, but not great. In an effort to not give up on this recipe, we decided to give it another chance. This time I realized the error of our ways when I asked my boyfriend if he kneaded the dough. This question was brought with a puzzled look and I quickly understood why the dough the previous round was only so-so. By not kneading the dough we had not developed the gluten, which made for a tougher crust. This time after kneading the dough, the crust was light, fluffy, and delicious! For this particular dinner we decided to make two pizzas and double the recipe, since the recipe produces rather small sized pies.

For one pizza we decided to top it with pesto sauce, green peppers, Portobello mushrooms, tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese.

Veggie Pesto Pizza

For the second pizza I roasted some garlic and spread it first on the prepared dough. Then I topped it with a drizzle of olive oil, sautéed potatoes with shallots and rosemary, goat cheese, and some Portobello mushrooms.

Potato and Goat Cheese Pizza

This pizza is so good that I’d like to make it a weekly tradition! Now I understand why Tim made this so proudly for his family and has dubbed it “Pizza Wow!”

Pizza Wow!

Tim (Serves two)
2 cups flour (I used whole wheat white flour)
1 ½ tsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 cup hot water
2 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. (or 1 packet) yeast 

Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Combine hot water (the temperature of hot tap water) and oil, stirring. Add additional flour and continue stirring until stirring becomes difficult.

Remove dough from the bowl and knead with your hands, adding flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Shape the dough into a ball and return to the bowl. Cover it with a dishtowel and let sit for 45-60 minutes.

Cover a large cutting board with cornmeal. Place the dough ball in the center and gently spread outward in a circle by pushing down on the dough. Continue until you achieve your desired shape and crust.

Place a large pizza slab in the oven on the center rack and preheat to 400.

Top off the pizza with your desired sauce, toppings and cheese. Toppings high in moisture (tomatoes, canned mushrooms, etc.) should be used sparingly. Slide the pizza off the cutting board and onto the pizza slab in the oven. Cook for 15-17 minutes or until the cheese is a golden brown and the crust is firm.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Life, Recipes | No Comments »

Carrot Bran Muffins

Wednesday, March 4th, 2009

I came across this recipe for carrot bran muffins on Rachel’s fabulous blog Heart of Light. Her blog ranges from design inspirations to food and recipes. What really strikes me is her photography. That’s how I became intrigued by this recipe. I love to bake and to have interesting and delicious things to help me start off my day. The combination of bran, carrot, and raisins makes for a healthy treat that has just the right amount of sweetness. I made these muffins with a convenient bag of pre-shredded carrots, but I thought they were a bit too big and I might like the texture a bit more if I shredded them on my own for the next time I make this recipe.

Carrot Bran Muffins

Like most baked goods, I like to eat these muffins warm and with a pad of butter, but they would be equally good with some jam or just by themselves. These muffins also freeze and reheat quite nicely for a mid-week snack!

Carrot Bran Muffins

Carrot Bran Muffins

Heart of Light (Makes 6 large or 12 small muffins)

1 cup wheat bran
1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
¼ cup brown sugar
1 ¼ skim milk
1 egg
2 tbsp. canola oil
1 ¼ cups shredded carrot (about 2 large carrots)
¼ cup raisins
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
3 tsp. cinnamon
3 tsp. ginger

Have oven pre-heated to 400 degrees. Prepare a muffin tin with liners or baking spray.
Combine all dry ingredients and whisk.
Add raisins and shredded carrots to the dry ingredients and stir well.
In another bowl, whisk together all liquid ingredients.
Mix everything together until the batter is just moist. Don’t overmix or the muffins will be tough. The batter will be very thick. Spoon evenly into the muffin cups.
Bake 15 minutes or until muffins rise and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Posted in Life, Recipes | 2 Comments »

Garbanzo Bean Salad

Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009

My friend Angelia told me about this easy lunch recipe yesterday at work. All the ingredients were items I already had on hand so I was super excited to recreate it for today’s lunch. All that I needed to do was rinse a can of garbanzo beans and add them to a bowl. Then I added some chopped cherry tomatoes and chopped garlic. I also hard boiled two eggs and sliced them and added them to the mix. To finish it off I added about a tablespoon of olive oil and some salt and pepper to taste. It is a fantastic lunch option, easy to make and healthy. This is definitely a recipe that I will be adding to my weekly lunch rotation! 

Garbanzo Bean Salad

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Life, Recipes | 1 Comment »

Zucchini Bread

Friday, February 27th, 2009

Zucchini Bread

One of my new favorite breakfast treats now includes zucchini bread. My friend Jess gave me her recipe about a month ago and I can’t get enough of it. Not only is it vegan and good for you, but it is extremely delicious, especially if eaten warm or toasted with a pad of butter. I adapted her version of this recipe to my kitchen because I didn’t have ground ginger, so instead of going out to the store and buying the spice I replaced it by using extra cinnamon and bumped up the amount to 2-3 tsp. I also toasted my walnuts before adding them to the batter to add some extra flavor. This quick bread makes an especially delicious weekend breakfast and a great, easy breakfast for the rest of the week.

Zucchini Bread

Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread 


3/4 cup apple sauce
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla
2 cup grated zucchini 
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp. salt
2-3 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350˚. Grease and flour a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan. Combine oil and brown sugar in a medium bowl and beat well with a whisk. Add flavorings and zucchini and mix well. Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then add to wet mixture. Once combined, add nuts. Bake for 60 minutes then let cool on a baking sheet.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Life, Recipes | 1 Comment »

Dinner From the Pantry

Wednesday, February 25th, 2009

Last night I wanted something quick and easy that is also healthy and flavorful. In an effort to save money and effort I decided to pull together a dinner composed mostly of items found in my pantry.

Ingredients

While I cooked a package of Trader Joe’s whole-wheat parpardelle pasta, I sautéed two cloves of garlic in some olive oil. Once that was golden brown I added a bag of spinach and some white wine and seasoned it with salt and pepper and let it wilt. In another pan I browned a handful of pine nuts. Once everything was cooked I tossed the pasta with the spinach and pine nuts. I also found some flavorful capers and artichokes in the refrigerator and added them to the pasta. To finish the pasta off I added a couple spoonfuls of Whole Foods bruschetta topping and stirred.

Pantry Pasta

This is the type of pasta that I love to make and I often like to add or omit ingredients according to what I have in my kitchen.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Life, Recipes | 1 Comment »

My 24th Birthday Dinner Party

Monday, February 23rd, 2009

Birthday Cupcake

This past Saturday I turned 24 and to celebrate I invited seven of my closest friends over for a dinner party. Since I love to cook I was so excited to plan and prepare for the event. Early in the day my mom and sister came over to help with preparations. As a group we picked up the groceries and we each did our fair share of chopping and cooking. Mom also helped to transform my boyfriend’s living room by setting the table and placing flowers and candles throughout the room.

Dinner Party

The night’s festivities began with drinks and an easy appetizer of Boursin cheese topped with pesto served with crackers and chopped veggies. On the menu for dinner was my favorite recipe for vegetarian lasagna I found from Saveur Magazine. Alongside the lasagna we enjoyed caesar salad (via Bon Appetit) and soft baguette slices with sun-dried tomato pesto dipping oil.

The night was full of great friends, conversation, laughter and great food. I am so grateful for my friends and family for making this birthday such a memorable one!

Vegetarian Lasagna

Vegetarian Lasagna
Saveur (Serves 6-8)

12 tbsp. unsalted butter
12 sun-dried tomatoes
1 shallot, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1⁄2 cup flour
5 cups milk
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 lbs. shiitake mushrooms,
stemmed, quartered
1⁄2 lb. spinach, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tbsp. chopped oregano
1 tbsp. chopped thyme
1 tbsp. chopped rosemary
1 tbsp. tomato paste
5 cups whole canned tomatoes, crushed
1 lb. lasagna noodles
2 1⁄2 cups grated grana padano
2 1⁄2 cups grated fontina

1. Grease a 9″x 13″ baking pan with 1 tbsp. butter. Cover dried tomatoes with 1 cup boiling water; soak for 20 minutes. Drain. Chop; set aside.

2. Make béchamel: Heat 8 tbsp. butter in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and carrots; cook 5 minutes. Add flour; cook 2 minutes. Whisk in milk; boil. Reduce to medium-low; simmer, whisking, until thick, 20–25 minutes. Add nutmeg; season with salt and pepper.

3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil and remaining butter in a 6-qt. pot over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; cook 10 minutes. Add dried tomatoes, spinach, garlic, parsley, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and tomato paste; cook 3 minutes. Add canned tomatoes. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set sauce aside.

4. Heat oven to 375˚. Spread 2 cups tomato sauce in baking dish. Cover with a layer of noodles. Spread 1 cup béchamel over top; sprinkle with 1⁄2 cup of each cheese and 2 cups tomato sauce. Repeat layering 2 more times. Top with remaining noodles, tomato sauce, béchamel, and cheeses. Bake covered with foil on a baking sheet for 1 hour. Remove foil; raise oven to 500˚. Bake until golden, 15 minutes.


Caesar Salad with Herbed Croutons
 Bon Appetit (Serves 6-8)

For dressing
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 1/2 ounces)
8 anchovy fillets
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3/4 cup olive oil

For croutons and salad
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
3 3/4-inch-thick country bread slices, crusts cut off, bread cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 4 cups total)
• 12 cups coarsely torn hearts of romaine (about 9 ounces)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Cracked black pepper

Make dressing:
Combine 1/2 cup Parmesan, anchovies, lemon juice, 3 garlic cloves, and mustard in processor; blend well. With processor running, slowly add olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Make croutons and salad:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, thyme and rosemary; saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add bread cubes to skillet with garlic-herb oil and toss to coat. Spread out bread cubes on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake just until croutons are golden, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

Place romaine in large bowl. Add 2/3 cup dressing and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese and toss to coat. Add croutons and toss well. Serve, passing remaining dressing, Parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper separately.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Life, Recipes | 3 Comments »

Newer Entries »