Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Today being St. Patrick's Day, I, of course, had to make something somewhat festive. When I was a kid my mom would make everything green. She would make cookies and bread and dye the dough green, so we'd have green sandwiches and green cookies. In the morning she'd dye the milk green (those were the powdered milk days, so it only made the milk even nastier than it already was - why is it that no matter how cold powdered milk is, it always tastes like warm milk? Ug...gross!). Then for dinner we'd always have corned beef and hash. I'm not such a corned beef fan, so I avoid it at all costs (much to my husband's dismay!). So this year I pretty much made the same thing as last year, switching things up a little. The jigglers were green this year and I bought bread rather than made it. I didn't like the Irish Soda bread much, so I was going to attempt some Beer Bread (Sprite works great in replacing the beer!), but didn't end up having the time. So here's my menu:

For Dinner:

• Oven Baked Fish (I used Wild Alaskan Cod this time...mmm)
• Colcannon (via Martha Stewart - see recipe below)
• Green (Lime) Jello Jigglers
• Garlic & Asiago Bread (from T.J.'s)
• Homemade Ginger Ale (See Recipe below)

For Dessert:

• Pistachio pudding with homemade whipped cream

Here's the recipes for Colcannon & Homemade Ginger Ale:

Colcannon

(photo and recipe via Martha Stewart)

• 1 1/2 lbs russet potatoes
• 1 savoy cabbage, tripped pale-green leaves finely shredded (4 cups)
• 1 leek, pale-green and white parts only, cut into 1/2" dice
• 1 cup milk
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• Coarse salt

Preheat broiler. Peel and quarter potatoes, and place in a medium saucepan; add enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes and return to saucepan. Mash with a potato masher or pass through a ricer; cover pan to keep warm.

Meanwhile, in another saucepan, combine cabbage, leek, milk, 2 Tbsp butter, and nutmeg; season with salt. Cover, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until cabbage and leek is soft but not browned, about 15 minutes. Stir into potatoes.

Spread mixture in an 8" square baking dish. Make a small well in the center, and place under the broiler until lightly browned on top, about 5 minutes.

Remove from broiler. Place remaining 2 Tbsp butter in well. Serve immediately, spooning melted butter from well onto each serving, if desired.

Homemade Ginger Ale

(photo & recipe via Berlin's Whimsy)

• 2 cups rough chopped fresh ginger (about 3 large pieces)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• Large bottle of sparkling water
• Fresh limes (each beverage requires one half)

To make the Ginger Syrup Mix:

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the water and ginger pieces until barely simmering. Simmer for five minutes, turn off heat, cover and let steep for one hour. Drain the ginger water over a fine mesh strainer into a measuring cup. Discard the ginger pieces. Pour the mixture back into the same saucepan, add the sugar and gently heat this mixture until the sugar dissolves. Let cool and store this Ginger Syrup in the fridge.

To make a Ginger Ale:

In each tall glass, add ice, 2 parts ginger syrup, 1 part fresh-squeezed lime juice, 3 parts sparkling water. Stir and taste. Adjust amounts to your liking (I added more sparkling water).

Spicy Peanut Salad

Its been way too long since I've posted any recipes and to be frankly honest I really haven't been making anything new. Actually I haven't really been cooking much at all. Its been too hot. When its hot the last thing I want to do is heat up the stove or the oven. It just makes things worse! I have a bunch of old recipes I want to share, but was kind of waiting until I made it to take pictures, but I think I'm gonna have to just post some.

In the mean time, here's a recipe I actually picked up at Trader Joes. For those of you who've never stepped foot into a T.J.'s (poor souls!), they have a corner in their store where they always have some product you can test. Yesterday they made this cabbage salad to test out their Asian-style Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette. It was surprisingly tasty. I'm not a fan of peanuts. I like Thai peanut sauce with noodles, but thats about it...no peanuts, no peanut butter, no peanut butter cookies. These went great with TJ's Coconut Curry Chicken Stix (they're like Asian taquitos). This is a semi-homemade recipe...nothing much to it, but its tasty. I think it tastes best when you let it sit a little bit so the cabbage and carrots can soak up the dressing and soften up a bit.

• Shredded cabbage
• Shredded carrots
• Salted blister peanuts (I don't like peanuts, so I left this out...cashews might work too)
• Seedless raisins (or I used craisins...dried cherries would work too)
• Asian-Style Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette (from Trader Joes...I'm sure there is an equivilant at your nearest grocery or Asian food store)

Combine cabbage, carrots, peanuts, and raisins in a large bowl, mixing all ingredients. Add Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette to taste, tossing well to combine (I like to let it sit for a little bit so the cabbage can soften up a bit and soak some of the vinaigrette). Serve and enjoy!

KFC Coleslaw

I can't believe I haven't shared this recipe yet. Its a must! I used to hate coleslaw. I've found that a lot of people over do the onion and I don't like raw onions (although I do LOVE caramelized onions!). KFC's is good, Mo's is good (especially with their shredded pork sandwiches!)...this recipe is good. The key really is to let it sit in the fridge for some time after you make it. It says refrigerate for 2 hours, but its even better if you do it over night. This goes great on (or on the side of) a burger. I made it today to go with our slow-cooked bbq pork ribs...mmm! Now thats some good summer southern comfort food for ya!

• 1/2 cup mayonaise
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 1/2 Tbsp white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 8 cups (1 head) finely chopped cabbage
• 1/4 cup shredded carrot (1 medium or a handful of baby carrots)
• 2 Tbsp minced onion

Be sure cabbage and carrots are chopped up into very fine pieces (about the size of rice - use a food processor). Place in a large bowl. Combine the mayonnaise, sugar, milk, buttermilk, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a smaller bowl and beat until smooth. Add to cabbage, carrots, and onion; mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving (overnight is best).

Serves 10-12.

Texas Potatoes

There are so many variations of this recipe.  Some people call it Potato Casserole, some Funeral Potatoes, but I've always known them as Texas Potatoes.  This was a recipe my mom got from a lady at church many, many years ago.  It goes great with Individual Meatloaves...my husband LOVES the combo!  I usually double the cornflake topping for a crunchier bite and since we have a smaller family, I usually put it in 2 8x8 pans and freeze the 2nd pan for another day.  I forgot to take a picture before it was devoured...can you tell my boys like these potatoes?

• 1 (32 oz or 2 lb) bag frozen potatoes, cubed
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp salt (optional)
• dash of pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 (16 oz) carton sour cream
• 2 cups cornflake crumbs mixed with 1/4 cup melted butter (I double this, so 4 cups cornflakes & 1/2 cup butter)

Preheat oven to 350°.  Combine potatoes (it cooks faster if you defrost the potatoes first), onions, and cheese in a large bowl.  Combine soup with butter and heat until butter is melted.  Remove from heat and stir sour cream into soup mixture.  Pour over potatoes and blend carefully.  Pour into 9x13 pan (or 2 8x8 pans) and top with crumb mixture.  Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.

A Feast for the 4th

We had an excellent feast for the 4th of July.  Some friends came up for the weekend and we ate our hearts out (most likely literally...or rather now our arteries are major clogged).  I really wasn't in the creative mood, so I turned to who other than (yes, you guessed right I'm sure) the Pioneer Woman.  She is just the best (if you can find me someone better, let me know).  Here's what was on the menu:

Jalapeno Poppers (I'm SO addicted!)

• fresh jalapenos
• cream cheese, softened
• bacon, sliced in 1/2 or 1/3 depending on size of bacon & jalapenos

Cut jalapenos in half, length-wise.  With a spoon, remove seeds and membranes (if you want it a little hotter, leave a little in).  Smear softened cream cheese into each jalapeno half.  Wrap jalapeno with bacon piece.  Stick toothpick through the middle.  Bake on a pan with a rack in a 375° oven for 20-25 minutes.  You don't want the bacon to shrink too much, but after 20 minutes if the bacon isn't brown enough, turn on the broiler for a couple minutes to finish it off.  

PW's Potato Salad

• 5 pounds potatoes (she uses russet, I used red)
  
• 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
  
• 4 Tbsp prepared mustard
  
• 5 green onions, sliced
  
• 8 small pickles (she uses sweet, I used dill)
  
• 1 tsp salt
  
• 1/2 tsp paprika
  
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
  
• 4 hard boiled eggs, coarsely chopped

Cut potatoes in halves or thirds, then boil until fork tender. Drain. Mash potatoes or run them through a ricer or food mill to make them extra fluffy.  Fold potatoes together with mayo, mustard, green onions, salt, pepper.  Fold in pickles and eggs, then taste for seasonings, adding more salt, mustard, or mayo as needed.  If need more moisture, can add a little pickle juice from the jar.

PW's Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad

Dressing:

• 1 (7 oz) jar sun-dried tomatoes, drained
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• salt
• pepper

Salad

• 16 oz corkscrew pasta
• 1 jar olives (she used Kalamata, I used plain ol' sliced black olives)
• 1 pint ripe cherry tomatoes, halved
• Several basil leaves, chopped or julienne
• 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Prepare dressing by blending sundried tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, and vinegar until tomatoes are chopped.  Blend while drizzling in olive oil; continue blending until mixed together.  Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and rinse with cold water until no longer hot.  Pour 2/3 of the dressing over the pasta, add olives, and toss together.  Add remaining ingredients, tossing together and adding more dressing until the salad is coated to your liking.  Serve on a big platter with an extra sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

and these Tasty Burgers of My Husbands Own Creation

I really can't tell you exactly what was in the patty.  Basically into the ground beef he mixed in chopped bacon, goat cheese, Worcestershire, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, cayenne, salt, and pepper (he's the mixing king!).  Then grilled them on up on the bar-b.  I topped mine with sliced avocado, fresh tomato, and caramelized onions.  Oh baby, it was tasty!

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

Yay, I'm back online! I apologize for the great lack of posts, but my internet has been down for way too long and I FINALLY have it all sorted out and back up and running again...hip-hip-horray! I'll try to back track and see if there's anything new and delicious I've made in the past few months, so we'll start with this one. It is (again, I know, I know) a Pioneer Woman masterpiece (I can't help it...her stuff is awesome, but I do have to add that my husband has decided he needs to hire her as one of his chefs when he becomes uber rich...but in the mean time I've had to put a limit on PW recipes - 1 a week - our hearts can't handle too much more than that!). So on to the recipes.

I love roasted peppers...my esophagus doesn't always love me for eating them (peppers give me crazy heart burn), but my taste buds rejoice. And of course you can't go wrong with cream, so naturally when I saw this recipe I knew I'd love it (the PW hasn't failed me yet!). I was right. I made it for my hubby for Father's Day 'cause I knew he'd like it too...and oh did he! This pasta has the yumminess of a cream sauce, but the tang and lightness of a red sauce. The only complaint I had was I didn't have orecchiette pasta on hand so I used a fusilli-type pasta which we both agreed was a little too heavy for the sauce...a little too much pasta that is. So next time I will most definitely hunt down some orecchiette. This sauce would even be great drizzled on fish or chicken or something. Try it...it's super yummy!

• 3 red bell peppers
• 2 Tbsp pine nuts (optional)
• 1/2 medium onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Flat leaf parsley, finely minced
• Fresh Parmesan, shaved or grated
• 1/2 to 1 lb pasta (orecchiette, penne, fusilli, etc.)

Roast red peppers*. Whether its under the broiler or on the grill, you should blacken them for about ten minutes, then remove them and set them on a plate for a few minutes. Next, place them in a Ziploc bag to allow to sweat. Peel the charred skins from the peppers, then remove seeds & stems. Set aside.

Lightly toast pine nuts in a skillet over medium-low heat for about five minutes. Keep them moving by jiggling the pan now and then. Set aside.

In a blender or food processor purée the peppers with pine nuts. Set aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions.

In a skillet or pot over medium heat, drizzle in olive oil. Add diced onions and garlic and cook until soft. Pour in pepper purée and stir together. Add plenty of salt. Just cook the mixture over medium to medium-low heat while the pasta cooks, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn't burn.

Pour in cream and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt, if necessary. Add cooked pasta, then stir together. Place pasta into a bowl, top with chopped parsley and plenty of shaved Parmesan.

*Click here if you'd like step-by-step photographic instructions

Easter Dinner

We had a wonderful Easter feast!  I spent hours cooking the night before, but it was much worth it!  I wanted to share with you 3 of the recipes I made (yes, I made more than this...I'm telling you I was a cooking maniac Saturday night!).  They're not mine, they're the Pioneer Woman's.  I felt a bit like her apprentice or something, but man, can she cook some good comfort food!  I made her Bacon-Wrapped Jalapenos, Twice Baked Potatoes, and Homemade Mac & Cheese.  The potatoes turned out awesome, but I messed up the Mac & Cheese.  First off I doubled the recipe, then I let it sit in the refrigerator all night before I baked it, which wasn't such a good idea.  The noodles soaked in the sauce, so when I baked it, it turned out kind of dry and rather bland.  I will definitely make it again, but do it fresh and right next time!  The Jalepenos were amazing!  I'm addicted!  I can feel myself getting fatter and fatter as I eat them, but I didn't care...not today anyway.  They were just too good not to pop in my mouth!  This is my first time making them, so I was a little paranoid about them being too hot, so I cleaned those suckers out, removing ALL the seeds and membranes.  Next time I'll leave a little, 'cause they didn't have much kick to them, but they were still absolutely heavenly!  Thank you Pioneer Woman (again!) for making our Easter delicious!  Here's the links to the recipes:

Bacon-Wrapped Jalepenos

Twice Baked Potatoes

Homemade Mac & Cheese

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Other than wearing green so I wouldn't get pinched, I've never been big on celebrating St. Patrick's day.  My mom used to bake green bread and die our milk green and all that fun stuff, but thats about it.  I guess I just never really knew why we celebrated it in the first place.  Now that I have kids old enough to care, I'm big on holiday celebrations, so today I thought I'd find the real reason why we celebrate St. Patrick's Day (and since I'm not Catholic or a beer drinker, it might be a good idea).  Here's a few of the facts I found, so I'll pass them on to you.  You can go here or here or even here.  There's fun facts like the color of St. Patrick used to be blue not green (I personally think the green came from Ireland being so green...took a lot to figure that one out!) or that the shamrock was St. Patrick's way of teaching the people about the holy Trinity or that St. Patrick was said to have rid Ireland of all snakes (did you know that Ireland has NO snakes?), but really they think that the snakes meant Druids, who's symbol was the snake.  Anyhow, St. Patricks Day is (obviously) big in Ireland, but it seems that it came to the good ol' USA with the Irish settlers here.  I guess its a good thing I've got some Irish in me (I think) and that I like Ireland - I'd really LOVE to visit there some day and even though I can't understand 1/2 of what they say, I LOVE their accents! ;)

Alright, enough of the trivia and on with the food.  Of course I had to throw in some green food for the kids, but I wanted to make some good ol' Irish food.  I opted out of the Corned Beef & Cabbage because (gasp) I can't stand corned beef.  I know, I know.  My husband loves it, but everything about it just grosses me out.  Soooo, instead we had the following (oh and I didn't mention that we had green eggs for breakfast):

• Oven Baked Fish
• Colcannon - a traditional Irish potato dish.
• Pot O' Gold Jello - lemon (yellow) jello jigglers made in ice cube trays and stacked like gold bars.
• Irish Soda Bread
• Ginger Beer for my hubby (I can't stand the stuff).  It's not Irish, in fact its Caribbean, but the bottle was green and it gave us the feel for the Irish beer tradition without actually drinking beer...silly us!
• Sprite for the kiddies - those mini green cans were perfect!

For dessert we enjoyed:

• Shamrock Truffles from Bakerella of course!  I couldn't find Double Stuffed Mint Oreos, so I just used Mint Joe-Joes from Trader Joes and they turned out excellent!
• Leprechaun Pudding - Pistachio pudding topped with homemade whip cream.

I hope all of you had as tasty of a St. Patrick's day as we did!  

The Best Jello Jigglers

What would a family gathering or a church function or a summer bbq be without jello?  I'm not huge on the jello casseroles or whatever they're called, but I DO love my jello jigglers!  But here's the thing, I don't like them the way they say to make them on the box.  I like them my mother-in-laws way.  You've never had a jello jiggler until you've eaten one Ma's way!  So I'm spilling the beans and sharing her secret with all of you (sorry Ma, it had to be done!).  

• 1 (6 oz) pkg of jello (any flavor of your choice!)
• 1 pkg unflavored gelatin (yes, you heard me right, extra gelatin!)
• 1 cup boiling water (you heard me right, that's 1/2 of what normal jigglers use!)

Boil water.  While water is boiling, pour jello and gelatin into square baking dish (I prefer glass, but you can also pour them into molds or ice cube trays).  Stir in boiling water, but be sure to do it slowly so you don't create foam on the top!  Stir until everything is COMPLETELY dissolved, otherwise you'll get weird crystals forming on the top and bottom of your jigglers!  This may take a couple minutes.  When the jello and gelatin are completely dissolved, place dish in refrigerator for a couple hours until they're solid and nice and chewy!  

To serve, cut them into squares or whip out your cookie cutters and make 'em into shapes!

Baked Asparagus

Asparagus, like eggplant and okra, is one of those vegetables that, as a child, was never introduced in my home. I never really tried until I was married. They're also those types of vegetables that if cooked right is absolutely delicious, but when done wrong, are absolutely disgusting (hence the reason why they weren't introduced in my family growing up)! I've been on somewhat of an asparagus kick lately. It seems to me that asparagus can be pricey - when this is the case or when its not in season, I turn to T.J.'s frozens. Last night we had fresh asparagus...mm, mm, mm! Frozen tastes good baked, but there is certainly nothing like fresh! Its so much crunchier! So I encourage you to try asparagus if you haven't already...I dare you!

• Asparagus
• Olive Oil
• Salt (or garlic salt if you'd like)

Preheat oven to 400°.  Wash asparagus.  Cut tips of ends off (on the non-leafy/flowery side).  Place in a large ziplock bag.  Drizzle with olive oil until lightly coated.  Sprinkle in some salt to your liking.  Close bag and toss.  Dump asparagus onto a baking sheet.  Spread out, making sure none are on top of each other (they can touch, just don't pile them).  Bake for about 10-12 minutes until cooked through to your liking (I like it crunchier, which takes 10 minutes, if you like them softer, leave in longer).  I usually like to flip them over 1/2 way through.  Cool slightly and enjoy!

Julie R.

Food Thats Oh So Good!

Its been a while since I have done a Good Food Review and there really is so much good food out there.  Here are a few of my favorite indulgences...mmm, makes my mouth water just thinking about them!  Now heed my warning, these are not low fat, low cal items, but every now and then its good to indulge your senses in something absolutely delicious!

Hummus & Tandoori Naan

Lets start with hummus. I had never heard of it until 8 years ago when I married my husband. Its a regular at his family's get togethers and it is good. You really have to have the right stuff, though. I've had brands that are flat out gross, but when its good, it is dang good! I like Trader Joes' original hummus. They have a bunch of other flavors - I've had garlic and tomato & basil (both good, but a bit stronger tasting), and I today I just bought Cilantro & Jalepano for my hubby to try - we'll see. I also like Athenos - my favorite is the roasted red pepper hummus and Sabras (you can buy a big batch, as well as individual serving size containers at Costco). Its good with veggies, on sandwiches, and my personal favorite, Tandoori Naan. Oh my goodness, this is one of my new favorites. I've only had naan (a bread from India) at Indian restaurants until now. My mother-in-law introduced me to T.J.'s. My hubby prefers garlic naan, I like their whole wheat. It is chewy and flavorful and full of yummy goodness. Dip it in some good hummus and I could eat all day long. Mmm!

Gnocchi Gorgonzola

For those of you who don't have a Trader Joes near you, I apologize on this one. I don't think there is a substitute anywhere for it. This is another hidden treasure of Trader Joes for sure! Its in the frozen foods section - it literally takes 7 minutes to whip up and it is delicious! We've hooked most of our family on it. I love this for a "I feel lazy, but want a good meal" kind of night. In fact I made it last night with some grilled chicken and cooked carrots. My husband LOVES it, my 5 year old downs more of this then probably anything else (except for the fish I made here), and I haven't seen my 1 year old eat so much for dinner in a LONG time! Yes, its good stuff!

Jalepano Smokehouse Almonds

Last, but certainly not least are my almonds (yes, MY almonds!). They're Blue Diamond's Bold Jalepano Smokehouse Almonds. These are so not me! I don't like very spicy, I'm not a huge nut fan, but WOW! I (or rather Santa) actually bought these for my husband's stocking, but when he opened them up, he said, you would love these. Boy was he right! He had about 5, then I took immediate ownership over the can. I've been in love ever since. I really have to hold restraint with these puppies...they're so not low fat (although almonds are the good fat, right? :) ) and they can give me heartburn, but every now and then its worth it for a few minutes of bliss!

In Celebration of My Dutch Heritage

As I already stated in my last post, today is Sinterklaas Day!  My dad and his family are from Holland, so I was taught to appreciate my Dutch heritage.  Every year we celebrate Sinterklaas Day...Swarte Piet (his helper) comes to our door the night of the 5th and throws candy and other goodies in our door (but we never see them), we put our wooden shoes out, fill them with carrots and snacks for Sinterklaas' horse, and Sinterklaas comes and fills our shoes with delicious Dutch goodies (my favorites being a little orange, stroopwafels and a chocolate letter in the shape of our first initial...cool, I know!), leaving us with yummy treats the next morning.  I've always thought it was so fun...to have a little mini Christmas before Christmas. :)  So in commemoration, I thought I'd share a few recipes of my favorite dishes from Holland.

Croquettes

My Oma and Opa (grandparents) used to make these little appetizers for us pretty much every Christmas and New Years.  Oma would make the dough and Opa would fry them.  This isn't their recipe, but it still looks pretty tasty.

• 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
  
• 1 Tbsp butter
  
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  
• 1/4 cup milk
  
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
  
• 1/4 tsp paprika
  
• 1/4 tsp chili powder (optional)
  
• 1/2 tsp curry powder (optional)
  
• 1/4 tsp salt
  
• 1/8 tsp pepper
  
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  
• 1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh parsley
  
• 1/4 lb. spiced Gouda cheese, cut into strips (optional)
  
• 1/2 egg
  
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  
• 1 Tbsp water
  
• 3/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
  
• 1/2 cup oil for frying
  

Place ground beef in a skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring to crumble, until evenly browned. Set aside. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour until smooth, and cook for about 2 minutes. Gradually stir in milk, and then chicken broth to make a smooth thick sauce. Add the cooked ground beef, and season with paprika, chili powder, curry powder, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and parsley. Stir to blend well. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool to room temperature. When the meat mixture is cooled and slightly firm, shape into cylinders 3 to 4 inches long, and 1 1/2 inches wide. If you wish, press a strip of the spiced Gouda cheese into the center, making sure it is completely surrounded. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Place bread crumbs on a plate or tray. Coat croquettes with flour, then dip in the beaten egg mixture, and then roll the croquettes in the crumbs to coat. Repeat the coating process if a thicker breading is desired. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, fry croquettes until golden brown on all sides. If you have a deep-fryer, they can be deep-fried instead. Remove to paper towels to drain, and serve hot.

Stampot

• 7-8 potatoes
  
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped
  
• 1 lb. smoked Keilbasa sausage, cut into 1/2” thick coin shaped slices
  
• lots of butter
  
• salt and pepper to taste
  
• (you can also add cooked spinach, cabbage, and/or carrots)

Peel and quarter potatoes. Put potatoes in a dutch oven or large covered sauce pan. Add enough water to just cover potatoes. If adding cabbage, put in pan on top of potatoes and water. If adding spinach, add about 3 minutes before potatoes are done. While potatoes are cooking, in a medium skillet, heat butter and sauté onions and sliced sausage until heated through and golden brown. When potatoes are cooked through, drain water and put back in pot. Add butter, salt, and pepper. Beat on low with an electric mixer till the mixture is well blended. Hand mix sausage and onions in or serve on top of potatoes. Can be served with or without gravy (really with all the butter, you don't really need it!).

Oliebollen

This is like the Dutch version of donuts. I believe these are traditionally eaten for, around, and between Christmas and New Years.  My Oma (grandma) makes these with raisins or chopped apples, but I like them plain with a little powdered sugar sprinkled on top.  To be honest, I don't ever make them from scratch, I make it from a box.

• 1 (0.6 ounce) cake compressed fresh yeast
  
• 1 cup lukewarm milk
  
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 2 tsp salt
  
• 1 egg
  
• 3/4 cup raisins (I omit this)
  
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and finely chopped (I omit this)
  
• 1 quart vegetable oil for deep-frying
  
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar for dusting
  

Break up the compressed yeast, and stir into the warm milk. Let stand for a few minutes to dissolve. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Stir the yeast mixture and egg into the flour and mix into a smooth batter. Stir in the currants, raisins and apple. Cover the bowl, and leave the batter in a warm place to rise until double in size. This will take about 1 hour. Heat the oil in a deep-fryer, or heavy deep pan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Use 2 metal spoons to shape scoops of dough into balls, and drop them carefully into the hot oil. Fry the balls until golden brown, about 8 minutes. The doughnuts should be soft and not greasy. If the oil is not hot enough, the outside will be tough and the insides greasy. Drain finished doughnuts on paper towels and dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve them piled on a dish with more confectioners' sugar dusted over them. Eat them hot if possible.

Nasi Goreng

This is actually an Indonesian dish, but the Dutch occupied the Netherland-Indies (now Indonesia) for like 250 years, adapting a lot of Indonesian cuisine...this being one of them.  I prefer buying the frozen packaged Nasi Goreng at Trader Joes, so this is for those of you without good ol' Trader Joe (by the way, Trader Joes sells mini stroopwafels year round and around Christmas time, they sell the big ones, too).

• 5 large onions
  
• 3 garlic cloves
  
• 1 head of cabbage
  
• 1 pkg bean sprouts (about 1 lb)
  
• 2/3 bunch leek
  
• parsely
  
• meat (pieces of pork or ham)
  
• ketchup or soy sauce
  
• white rice
  

Cook rice. Cook onions till they are “yellowish,” add meat (cook for about 20 minutes on low heat). Add cabbage, cover and heat on low for another 15 minutes. Add leek and bean sprouts, cook for another 10-15 minutes on low heat. Add noodles, then ketchup or soy sauce, parsely, salt, pepper, and if you wish, add more spices to taste.

Julie R.

AG, CA

Thanksgiving: Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potato Casserole

I haven't tried this yet, but definitely plan to soon!  It comes from The Cooking Divas.  Lately I am just in love with sweet potatoes...mmm!

• 3 c. cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
  
• (about 2 large or 3 medium)
  
• 1 c. sugar
  
• 1/2 c. butter
  
• 2 eggs, beaten
  
• 1 tsp. vanilla
  
• 1/3 c. milk
  

Peel, slice and boil potatoes for 20-25 min. Mix other ingredients in a bowl. Drain potatoes and add to mixture, beat with mixer until smooth. Pour into lightly buttered 9x13 dish. Top with the following:

• 1/2 c. brown sugar
  
• 1/4 c. flour
  
• 1/4 c. butter, softened
  
• 1/2 c. chopped pecans
  

Cut brown sugar, butter and flour together until crumbly. Add pecans and sprinkle on top of potato mixture. Bake at 350 for 30 min.

Mashed Sweet and Russet Potatoes with Herbs

This comes from Martha Stewart.  I would have never thought to put sweet potatoes in with normal ones for a heavenly mashed potato combo!

• 4 garlic cloves (do not peel)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, pricked with a fork (about 1 pound total)
  
• 2 medium russet potatoes, pricked with a fork (about 1 pound total)
  
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus a sprig for garnish
  
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
  
• 1 3/4 teaspoons coarse salt
  
• Pinch of freshly ground pepper
  
• 1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with racks in center and lower thirds. Put garlic on a small piece of foil; drizzle with oil. Fold to form a packet, and crimp edges to seal. Place garlic packet and the potatoes on center rack; place a baking sheet on lower rack to catch the juices.

Bake, flipping halfway through, until the sweet potatoes are very tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 45 minutes. Remove sweet potatoes and garlic from oven; set aside. Continue to bake russet potatoes until very tender, about 15 minutes more. Remove from oven; let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.

Peel potatoes. Pass through a ricer or a food mill into a medium bowl. Squeeze garlic from skins into bowl with potatoes. Stir in butter, parsley, sage, salt, and pepper. Stir in yogurt, and serve.

Serves 4.

Some other yummy looking Sweet Potato recipes:

• Mashed Sweet Potatoes (Martha Stewart)
  
• Butter-Pecan Sweet Potatoes (Martha Stewart)
  
• Sweet Potato Cannelloni (Martha Stewart)
  
• Oat-Topped Sweet Potatoes (Kraft)
  
• Baked Garlic Sweet Potatoes (Taste of Home)
  

Julie R.

AG, CA

Thanksgiving: Snicker Salad

Over the past couple years, this has become a staple at family holiday events.  My youngest sister has become the official snicker salad chef.   This recipe is just approximate measurements – you can add as much or little of everything that you want.  It's supposed to be served as a salad, but both my husband and I usually save it for dessert.

• 5-6 Granny Smith apples (or any tart apple)
  
• 3 king-size Snicker bars
  
• Bunch of red grapes, halved
  
• 12-16 ounces Cool Whip
  

Chop the apples and Snicker bars into small bite-size pieces. Mix apples, snickers, and grapes thoroughly into the Cool Whip. Use the sprinkles for garnish over the top. For best flavor, refrigerate for several hours.

Julie R.

AG, CA

Macaroni & Cheese

This recipe comes from Jessica Seinfeld (yes, Jerry's wife)'s cookbook, Deceptively Delicious.  I'm lucky enough to have 2 wonderful children who LOVE their vegetables (yes, even...well mostly...the green ones!), so I don't have to "sneak" vegetables into their meals.  But I do love the idea of making things more healthy and more delicious by adding veggies to everyday normal foods.  This is her Macaroni and Cheese 1 with Butternut Squash or Cauliflower.  It is actually really good!  The only thing I would change about the recipe is to add more noodles - it was a little too saucy.  Everyone in my family loved it, so I give it 2 thumbs up for sure!  This is one comfort food you won't have to feel as guilty about eating!

• 1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni (I would do at least 2 cups next time)
  
• Nonstick cooking spray
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  
• 1/2 cup nonfat skim milk
  
• 1/2 cup butternut or cauliflower puree (I used butternut squash...yum!)
  
• 1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese (about 8 ounces)
  
• 4 ounces (almost 1/4 cup) reduced-fat or nonfat cream cheese
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika
  
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the macaroni and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander.

While the macaroni is cooking, coat a large saucepan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the oil, then the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture resembles a thick paste but has not browned, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the milk and cook, stirring every now and then, until the mixture begins to thicken, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vegetable puree, Cheddar, cream cheese and seasonings and stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Stir in the macaroni and serve warm.

Serves 4.

Julie R.

AG, CA

Ode to Carrots!

The other day my son surprised me by saying, "Mom, can you buy me some carrots?  I want to bring some for snack at school...Did you know that carrots make you see in the dark?"  Well, how can I say no to a healthy snack?  Since I've been a slacker cooker lately (or rather I've only really made things I've already posted), I'm having to go to my old archives of favorites.  So to commemorate a joyous occasion (of my son requesting a healthy snack), here's 2 carrot recipes totally worth trying!

Cumin and Orange-Glazed Carrots

I think this may have originated from Gourmet Magazine, but I'm not really sure.

• 3 navel oranges
  
• 4 lb medium carrots, peeled
  
• 3 1/2 Tbsp vegetable or olive oil
  
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  
• 1 3/4 cup water
  
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  
• 1 Tbsp sugar
  
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
  
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
  

Cut out round from parchment paper to fit just inside 12” heavy skillet, then set aside. Squeeze oranges until you get 1/2 cup juice. Cut 1” slices of carrots. Heat oil in skillet over moderate heat until hot, but not smoking, then add cumin seeds and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add carrots, water, orange juice, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and pepper. Cover carrots directly with parchment paper, then continue to simmer, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes. Remove parchment paper, then continue to simmer, stirring occasionally until most of liquid is evaporated and carrots are tender and glazed, about 20 minutes more. Serve warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with chopped orange (this is optional).

Serves 10. (can 1/2 the recipe if desired)

Vintage Press Carrots

The Vintage Press is the fanciest restaurant in the town where my husband grew up. Occasionally they have cooking classes where they teach you how to cook a meal, then feed it to you and send you home with the recipes (a great thing!).  My mother-in-law went to one and obtained this recipe. It is really easy, yummy and creamy (can you tell yet that my family and I like creamy?).

• 1 lb carrots, peeled & cut
  
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
  
• salt & white pepper
  
• ground nutmeg
  
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
  

Cook carrots, drain. Combine ingredients in a blender. Serve immediately.

Julie R.

(Next time I make either of these I'll try to remember to take pictures)

Sweet Potato Fries

I know I already posted today, but we had these for dinner tonight and they were SO good I just had to share the recipe with you!  My mom introduced them to me a few months ago, but this is the first time I actually made them.  Every time I eat them I just can't stop!  They're a great healthy alternative to real fries or potato chips.

(photo courtesy of veganfamilyfavorites.com)

• Sweet potatoes
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Any other seasoning you might want to add (pepper, rosemary, cinnamon, etc.)

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Slice sweet potatoes into 1/4" thick strips like fries (you can buy them already sliced at Trader Joe's).  Place sliced sweet potatoes in large ziplock bag.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Seal bag and toss until coated.  Pour in single layer onto cookie sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes, flip fries and bake for 10 more minutes.  Enjoy!

Tilapia, Potatoes and Zucchini

I'm not really a big fish eater, but I decided to try my hand at some Tilapia. Its healthy, easy to make, and delicious! I added Rosemary Potatoes and "fried" zucchini to complete tonight's dinner.

Lemon Garlic Tilapia

Honestly, I didn't actually  measure anything except the butter. Just have enough juice to generously cover all fillets-and sprinkle spices on top.

4 Tilapia fillets

3 tablespoons Fresh lemon Juice

1 Tablespoon melted butter

1 clove garlic (I didn't have any cloves-so i just used about 1 Tbsp garlic salt)

1 tsp dried  parsley flakes

pepper to taste

-Preheat oven to 375 F (middle rack). spray baking dish with pam.

-Place fillets in dish, pour lemon juice over fish, and butter on top of that. Sprinkle garlic, parsley and pepper.

-Bake until white and flakes when pulled with fork. Check every ten minutes for 30 mins. (it may be done in 10)

Rosemary Potatoes

9 red potatoes

Rosemary

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Cube potatoes into small chunks. Lay on cookie sheet in a single layer. Cover lightly with E.V.O.O., flip over and drizzle again. generously sprinkle rosemary, salt and pepper on top.

Put pan in with fish (rack on top of) cook for about 30-45 minutes until soft. (move to middle when fish is done)

"Fried" Zucchini

1-2 large zucchini

Extra Virgin olive oil

Grated Parmesan Cheese

dried Oregano

Slice Zucchini Lengthwise into 1/5 inch slices.

Brush on E.V.O.O. and cover with cheese, flip over and repeat with more more cheese and lightly sprinkle with oregano.

Cook on sheet for about 10 minutes on each side @ 375F

(I made the potatoes and zucchini on the same sheet/the fish and zucchini were done at about the same time)

Carina d.

SLO town, Cali

Tomatoes, Tomatoes, and More Tomatoes

My father-in-law has the most amazing garden where one of the many things that he grows are the tastiest tomatoes you'll ever have...they're so good that you can eat them like apples.  We don't live too close, so when we see him, he stocks us up with a BIG supply, so we've had to get creative on how to eat them so we don't waste them.  If you don't like tomatoes, then you haven't had a good one!  Here are 5 of our favorite tomato recipes thus far.

Fresh Tomatoes & Cheese on Bread

This is my husband's favorite midnight snack.  The picture doesn't quite do it justice.

• Slice of bread (we like Trader Joe's' par baked Artisan bread, but French bread will do as well)
• Fresh tomatoes, sliced
• Fresh Mozzarella log, sliced
• Olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Sea salt
• Fresh basil, optional

Place slice of bread on plate. Sprinkle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar (or if you're like my husband, you might want to add the olive oil on top of the tomatoes instead).  Layer with tomato slices.  Sprinkle with sea salt.  Layer with mozzarella slices.  If you'd like you can add a leaf or 2 of fresh basil.

Fresh Mozzarella Ball & Tomato Salad

• Fresh small Mozzarella balls, halved (or cubed fresh mozzarella log)
• Grape tomatoes, halved (or if you have Roma tomatoes from your garden, they're great sliced)
• Garlic salt, to taste
• Fresh ground pepper, to taste
• Olive oil, to taste
• Balsamic Vinegar, to taste
• Fresh basil, to taste

Mix all ingredients and serve.

Tomato Sandwich

I had one today and it was SO good!

• Bread, sliced
• Mayonnaise
• Mustard
• Fresh tomatoes, sliced
• Fresh mozzarella, sliced
• Avocado, sliced (optional)
• Fresh basil leaves (optional)
• Armenian cucumbers, sliced (optional, but gives a great crunch!)
• Sea salt
• Olive oil (optional)
• Balsamic vinegar (optional)

Spread mayonnaise and mustard on bread slices.  On one slice of bread, layer with sliced mozzarella.  If desired, layer with avocado, basil, and/or Armenian cucumber slices.  Layer with sliced tomatoes.  Sprinkle with sea salt.  If desired, drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Top with remaining bread slice.  Eat with caution - it's delicious and messy!

Artichoke & Tomato Salad

• 1 can artichoke hearts in water, quartered
• Fresh tomatoes cut into bite size chunks
• Italian salad dressing

Mix all ingredients and enjoy!

Fried Green Tomatoes

These are great at the end of tomato season when the tomatoes just don't quite cut it.  Pick them before they turn red and they are delicious!  I had never heard of them before (just the movie), but my mother-in-law makes them and I could seriously eat an entire plate myself.

• Green tomatoes (unripe tomatoes), sliced
• Seasoned breadcrumbs
• Salt
• Pepper
• Eggs, beaten
• Cooking Oil (I prefer Olive Oil)

Mix breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper in pie dish (or any shallow dish).  In another shallow dish, beat eggs.  Warm up skillet with some oil.  Dip tomato slices in egg, then coat with breadcrumb mix.  Place in skillet.  Cook until both sides are golden brown and tomatoes have softened.  Serve warm.

Julie R.

AG, CA