Recipes Discovered - Recipes

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 1/2 cups packaged shredded sweetened coconut
• 12 oz dark chocolate chunks (about 2 cups)
• 3/4 cup almonds with skins (4 oz), toasted, cooled, and chopped **

Directions:

** To toast the almond, spread on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for 5 to 7 minutes, until you can smell them. Remove from the baking sheet, allow them to cool slightly, and then chop.

Beat together the butter and both sugars. Once fluffy, add the eggs and the extracts and beat well. Add the flour mixture and mix until just blended. Stir in oats, coconut, dark chocolate, and almonds.

Drop heaping tablespoonful (or a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop) onto a baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake them at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges just turn brown. Cool on the baking sheets for 1 minute before transferring to a cooling rack.

Makes 4 1/2 dozen cookies.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe courtesy of epicurious.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium eggplants
• Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, minced (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 28 ounces fire roasted diced tomatoes, lightly drained
• 1/4 cup loosely packed basil leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 8 ounces mozzarella or provolone cheese, shredded

Directions:

To prepare the eggplants: Cut off the stems, remove the skin, and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Evenly coat each slice with a heavy amount of salt and purge on a sheet pan fitted with a cooling rack for 30 minutes. Rinse with cold water and squeeze dry in paper towels. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and lightly oil a baking sheet. Lightly season each eggplant slice with salt and pepper and place on the oiled sheet. Bake the eggplant until the slices begin turning brown on top, about 12-15 minutes. Remove the eggplants from the oven and transfer them to a plate to cool.

While the eggplant is cooling, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onions and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cool for 1 more minute. Add the tomatoes; simmer until stew-like, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil.

In a lightly oiled 9 inch square casserole dish, place a small amount of the tomato sauce, followed by an even layer of eggplant, sauce and mozzarella cheese amounting to 1/3 of the total volume of each. Repeat layering process until all the eggplant is used. Finish casserole top with remaining tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until top browns and is bubbly, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Serves 4.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe adapted from Ashbury’s Aubergines.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 3 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup water

For the icing

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

For the cake: Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees. Lightly grease ten 9-inch cake pans, or use 2 or 3 cake pans at a time, and place a rounded piece of parchment paper in the bottom of each pan. The paper can be reused after the cakes bake.

Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.

Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer; beat on medium speed until light and creamy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time; beat until smooth. Reduce the speed to low and add the sifted dry ingredients 1 cup at a time; beat until incorporated. Still on low speed, add the evaporated milk, then the vanilla and water, beating until well combined.

Place about 1/2 cup of batter in each of the cake pans; use the back of the spoon to spread it evenly. The batter should just cover the bottom of the cake pan. Bake 2 or 3 layers at a time on the middle oven rack anywhere from 8 to 16 minutes. (A layer is done when you hold it near your ear and do not hear it sizzle.) As the cake layers are done, run a spatula around the edge of the pan and ease out the layers. Remove the parchment paper, and let them cool.

To make the icing: Combine the sugar and evaporated milk in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the chocolate and butter; warm through, stirring, until both have melted. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla extract, stirring to combine. The icing will be thin but will thicken as it cools. It will take about a half hour to the icing to be thick enough to spread. Stir it occasionally as it cools.

Place the bottom layer on a cake plate; spread 2 or 3 spoonfuls of icing on each layer. (Don’t worry if a layer tears; no one will notice when the cake is finished.) Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining icing; push any icing that runs onto the plate back onto the cake.

Nutrition:

Based on 16 cake slices: calories: 545, total fat: 26 g, saturated fat: 16 g, sodium: 121 mg, cholesterol: 121 mg, carbs: 74 g, fiber: 2 g, protein: 8 g

Substitutions:

I would make one and a half batches of the icing - it’s easier than going back and making more.

Recipe courtesy of The Washington Post.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 6 6-inch tortillas (or 4-5 cups stale corn tortilla chips)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• Zest and juice of 1 lime, divided
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (canned), seeded and chopped, plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce
• 2 15-ounce cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes, drained
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 4 cups corn, fresh off the cob or frozen and defrosted
• 2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup chicken stock or water
• 1 1/2 cup shredded cheese, any variety
• 4 scallions, chopped on bias
• 1/4 cup (about a handful) chopped parsley or cilantro
• Sour cream, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Stack the tortillas on top of one another and slice them into strips about an inch thick. Place into a mixing bowl along with 1 tablespoons vegetable oil, cumin, coriander and lime zest. Give everything a toss to evenly coat the tortilla strips then place them onto a baking sheet. Bake the strips until they’re crispy and golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.

While the tortillas are crisping up in the oven, place large skillet over medium-high heat and add the butter. Add the corn to the melted butter and cook it until really golden brown, 8-10 minutes. (The secret to getting it good and brown here is to only stir it occasionally – let the corn sit so that the sides can brown up.) Remove to a dish, set aside, and place the skillet back on the stove top. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet and then toss in the onion and garlic and cook 3 to 4 minutes to soften them up. Add in the chipotle peppers along with the adobo sauce and the tomatoes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and stir to combine. The sauce can be used as is or transfer everything to a food processor and pulse until it resembles salsa. Set aside. Place the same skillet back over medium-high heat. Add the black beans and heat them through. Using a fork, wooden spoon or potato masher, mash the beans to a paste (or however you like them), adding a little chicken stock to loosen them up.

Assemble the chilaquiles by ladling half of the salsa into a 9×13 casserole dish. Arrange the toasted tortilla strips or chips in the dish and top them off with the black beans, followed by the corn and the remaining salsa. Top with a shower of your shredded cheese and pop it into the oven to melt the cheese, about 10 minutes. When the dish comes out of the oven squeeze the juice from the lime over the top and garnish with scallions and chopped parsley. Pass some sour cream at the table to dollop on top.

Serves 6 to 8 people.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

The original recipe called for 10 tortillas. I halved the recipe and only used 2 (I believe they were 8 inches though), and I thought it was enough tortillas. I used whole wheat tortillas, although any variety will work.

Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon soy sauce, divided
• 1 cup pineapple juice, divided
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1 pound pork loin, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 cup diced celery, jicama, or water chestnuts
• 2 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped green peppers
• 1 cup chopped red peppers
• 1 tablespoon corn starch dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water
• 2 cup chopped pineapple
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions:

In a large non-reactive bowl, combine 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup pineapple juice, garlic, and ginger. Place the pork in the bowl and toss to cover. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup pineapple juice, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, water, and 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Mix to combine and set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain the excess marinade from the pork, and then add the pork to the hot skillet. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, until pork is golden brown. Remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel.

With the skillet still over medium-high heat, add the onion, celery, carrots, peppers. Cook for 5 minutes, until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Add the reserved sauce mixture and the corn starch mixture. Cook for one minutes, until the sauce thickens, and then add the pork back to the skillet, along with the pineapple. Stir to combine, remove from the heat, and then drizzle with sesame oil. Serve over rice.

Serves 4 - 6 people.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I would cut the sugar down to 1 tablespoon.

Recipe adapted from Alton Brown.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

Cakes:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup shortening
• 2 egg yolks and 2 whole eggs (save the egg whites for the filling)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup sour milk or buttermilk
• 1 cup hot water
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cocoa
• 4 cups flour

Filling:

• 2 egg whites
• 2 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup butter, softened

Directions:

Cakes: Cream sugar and shortening together in a large bowl. Add eggs and vanilla and mix. Combine all the dry ingredients together and add to the creamed mixture alternatively with milk and hot water. Batter consistency should be between cake batter and cookie dough; if it is too thin, add more flour. Drop by tablespoon onto greased sheets. Bake at 400 for 8 to 10 minutes, or until cakes bounce back when touched, similar to cupcakes. Remove to wire racks and allow to cool completely.

Filling: Beat the egg whites, vanilla, flour, and 2 tablespoons powdered sugar together very well and then add the shortening, butter, and remaining 2 cups powdered sugar. Continue mixing until fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Spread about two tablespoons of filling on one cake and top with another.

Makes about 30 whoopie pies.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

To make peanut butter filling, follow the same directions, except decrease the shortening to 1/4 cup, omit the butter, and add 1/2 cup peanut butter. The mixture will at first crumble, but continue beating for 5 minutes or so until it becomes creamy.

Recipe courtesy of Sharon Gibbons.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds sweet potatoes
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 ounces whiskey or bourbon
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Scrub sweet potato, poke several times with a sharp knife to pierce the skin, rub with oil, and then place in a foil lined baking dish or cookie sheet. Roast in the oven for at least an hour until very soft. Remove from the oven and peel off the skin. Slice into large pieces.

In a large skillet, bring butter, sugar, and orange juice to a simmer. Add the sweet potato pieces and then pour liquor over the potatoes. Remove from the stove and carefully ignite. When the flames stop, return to the stove, and mash the potatoes with a fork. Can be served immediately or cooked until desired consistency is reached. Sprinkle with cinnamon before serving.

Serves 4.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cups ketchup
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, 45 minutes to an hour.

Yields about 1 cup.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Try this sauce to make BBQ Turkey Meatloaf.

Recipe courtesy of The Neely’s.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
• 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup Neely’s BBQ Sauce, divided
• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 2/3 cup oatmeal

Directions:

In a saute pan over medium heat, add olive oil. Add onion, bell pepper, salt, pepper, and garlic. Saute until tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and cool slightly. Add the paprika, sugar, onion powder, Old Bay, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and 1/2 cup BBQ sauce to the onion mixture. Stir to combine and then add the ground turkey. Process the oatmeal in a food processor until it resembles coarse bread crumbs, and then add to the turkey mixture. Mix lightly by hand until combined and then divide into 4 equal portions. Transfer the meat mixture to a foil lined cookie sheet or baking pan. Using your hands, shape the meat into an oblong or rectangular shape.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove and add the reserved 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce to the top of the meatloaf and continue to bake for 15 more minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe courtesy of The Neely’s.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 3 scallions, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup peeled jicama, diced
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely minced
• 1 ruby red or pink grapefruit
• 1 navel orange
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1 lime
• Rice

Directions:

Place the shrimp in a large bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss well to coat and set aside for 5-10 minutes.

To make the salsa, combine the scallions, ginger, jicama, and jalapeno in a medium bowl. Zest the grapefruit, orange, and lime. Reserve the zest, and then use a large, sharp knife to slice the peel off the grapefruit and orange (be sure to remove all the white pith). Cut between the membranes to release the fruit segments. Dice the segments, add them to the bowl, and reserve the membrane. Add the avocado to the bowl and squeeze the lime over the salsa. Mix lightly to combine.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook 5 to 6 minutes, turning to ensure that they brown evenly on both sides. Squeeze the membrane of the grapefruit and orange over the shrimp to release the juices and sprinkle with the reserved fruit zest. Toss to coat evenly. Remove to a plate when cooked. Serve shrimp and salsa over rice.

Serves 2.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe adapted from Food Blogga.