Archive for January, 2009

Peanut Butter and Jelly Pancakes

thumbs_up.pngRead my review of this recipe.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup flour (white or wheat)
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup milk, plus extra if needed to thin
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, heated slightly to thin
  • Butter, for griddle
  • Sliced banana, optional

Directions:

Preheat a griddle. In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. In another bowl, mix in egg, milk, peanut butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix to combine. The batter should be thick, but add a little extra milk if it feels too thick. Let mixture sit 5 minutes. Melt a little butter on griddle and move around to coat entire griddle. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake on griddle to form 5-inch pancakes. The batter spreads as it cooks. Fill griddle without crowding pancakes. If using the banana, add a couple slices to each pancake. Flip when air pockets start to pop on the top and a quick peak on the underside reveals a golden pancake. Repeat with remaining butter and batter. Serve pancakes with Strawberry or Blackberry Syrup.

Makes about 8 pancakes.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe courtesy of Sunny Anderson.

Comments

Carrot Cupcakes

Read my review of this recipe.

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 extra-large eggs
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 3 cups grated carrots (less than 1 pound)
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • 3/4 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 pound confectioners’ sugar

    Directions:

    Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

    Beat the sugar, oil, and vanilla together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the eggs, 1 at a time. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Add the grated carrots, raisins, and walnuts to the remaining flour, mix well, and add to the batter. Mix until just combined.

    Line muffin pans with paper liners. Scoop the batter into muffin cups until each is 3/4 full. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and cook for a further 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a rack.

    For the frosting, cream the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the sugar and beat until smooth.

    When the cupcakes are cool, frost them generously and serve.

    Makes 24 cupcakes.

    Nutrition:

    Substitutions:

    I changed the recipe quite a bit: 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup white sugar, 2/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce, 2/3 cup oil, 1 1/2 cup white flour, 1/2 cup wheat flour, and only 1/4 pound (1 stick) of butter in the frosting. I think the changes would have been perfect (except I would only use 1 1/2 cups sugar total next time), except the baking time is way off. I would say bake them at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes. The recipe makes a lot of frosting – it could easily be cut down, probably even in half.

    Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten.

    Comments

    Outrageous Brownies

    thumbs_up.pngRead my review of this recipe.

     

    Ingredients:

    • 1 pound unsalted butter
    • 1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided
    • 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
    • 6 extra-large eggs
    • 3 tablespoons instant coffee powder
    • 2 tablespoons real vanilla extract
    • 2 1/4 cups sugar
    • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided (1 cup for batter and 1/4 cup in the chips and nuts)
    • 1 tablespoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 3 cups diced walnut pieces

    Directions:

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 by 18 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.

    Melt together the butter, 1 pound chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate on top of a double boiler. Cool slightly. Stir together the eggs, instant coffee, vanilla and sugar. Stir in the warm chocolate mixture and cool to room temperature.

    Stir together 1 cup of the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips with 1/4 cup flour to coat. Then add to the chocolate batter. Pour into prepared pan.

    Bake for about 30 minutes, or until tester just comes out clean. Halfway through the baking, rap the pan against the oven shelf to allow air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Do not over-bake! Cool thoroughly, refrigerate well and cut into squares.

    This makes a huge amount of brownies. To make a 9×13 pan, half the recipe. To make a 9×9 pan, third the recipe. To make an 8×8 pan, quarter the recipe.

    Nutrition:

    Substitutions:

    Extremely fudgey brownies! I omitted the walnuts and increased the chocolate chips.

    Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten.

    Comments

    Brownie Pancakes

    thumbs_up.pngRead my review of this recipe.

     

    Ingredients:

    • 1 1/4 cup flour
    • 1/2 cup brown sugar
    • 1/2 cup cocoa
    • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 3 eggs
    • 3/4 cup plain yogurt
    • 3 tablespoons water
    • 2 tablespoons strong brewed coffee
    • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 medium bananas, cut into 1/8 inch thick slices
    • 1/4 cup cinnamon sugar (mixed half and half)

    Directions:

    Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

    Mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together and eggs, yogurt, water, coffee, oil, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and whisk gently but thoroughly. The batter will be dark and thick.

    Place a large non stick frying pan over medium heat. Rub the bottom of the pan with butter. Use a 1/4 cup measure to portion the batter into the pan. Immediately turn down the heat. As soon as bubbles form on the top, place sliced of banana on each pancake. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, and flip the pancake over. Continue to cook for about 2 more minutes or until the center if gently firm. Remove the pancakes from the pan and place on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and place in the oven. Cook the rest of the batter, stacking as you go with cinnamon sugar in between the pancakes.

    Pancakes can be served with strawberry sauce, caramel, powdered sugar, sour cream, or pecans (or all of the above).

    Makes about 12 pancakes.

    Nutrition:

    Substitutions:

    Recipe courtesy of Brownie Points

    Comments

    Spicy Shrimp Burgers

    Read my review of this recipe.

     

    Ingredients:

    • 1 pound raw peeled and deveined small shrimp
    • 1 celery stalk with green, leafy tops, coarsely chopped
    • 1/2 small to medium yellow skinned onion, coarsely chopped
    • 1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
    • 1 clove garlic
    • A handful parsley leaves
    • 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
    • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1 teaspoon hot sauc
    • 1 lemon, zested
    • Salt and pepper
    • 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • 4 English muffins
    • 1/4 cup mayonnaise or reduced fat mayonnaise
    • 1/4 cup chili sauce or salsa or taco sauce
    • Butter or Boston lettuce leaves

    Directions:

    Divide the shrimp in half. Put half the shrimp into a food processor and grind it up. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl using a rubber spatula. Add the whole shrimp to the bowl. Add celery, onion, bell pepper, garlic and parsley to the processor and pulse-grind it into a fine chop. Add the vegetable mixture to the shrimp. Add the Old Bay, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, lemon zest, salt and pepper to the bowl, to season. Stir the shrimp mixture to combine.

    Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil. Use a large metal scoop to scoop 4 mounds of shrimp burger mixture into the pan. Gently pat down to form patties. Fry patties 3 to 5 minutes on each side, until they firm up and the shrimp turn whitish-pink.

    Makes 4 burgers.

    Nutrition:

    Substitutions:

    I had a lot of issues with these burgers. First, there didn’t seem to be nearly enough shrimp compared to the veggies. I had to double the shrimp to get a good ratio. Second, the mixture was very wet. I added an egg and at least 1/2 cup (or more) panko bread crumbs to keep the burgers together. That being said, the burgers did taste really good – Seth loved them – I think the recipe just needs to be tweaked a little.

    Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray.

    Comments

    Winter Minestone

    thumbs_up.pngRead my review of this recipe.

     

    Ingredients:

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 onion, chopped
    • 2 carrots, peeled, chopped
    • 2 celery stalks, chopped
    • 3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 pound Swiss chard, stems trimmed, leaves coarsely chopped
    • 1 russet potato, peeled, cubed
    • 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
    • 1 fresh rosemary sprig
    • 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
    • 2 (14-ounce) cans low-sodium beef broth
    • 1 ounce piece Parmesan cheese rind
    • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
    • Salt and pepper

    Directions:

    Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, pancetta, and garlic. Saute until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the Swiss chard and potato; saute for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and rosemary sprig. Simmer until the chard is wilted and the tomatoes break down, about 10 minutes.

    Meanwhile, blend 3/4 cup of the beans with 1/4 cup of the broth in a processor until almost smooth. Add the pureed bean mixture, remaining broth, and Parmesan cheese rind to the vegetable mixture. Simmer until the potato pieces are tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Stir in the whole beans and parsley. Simmer until the beans are heated through and the soup is thick, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Discard Parmesan rind and rosemary sprig (the leaves will have fallen off of the stem.)

    Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

    Serves 4.

    Nutrition:

    Substitutions:

    I omitted the pancetta and used fried rosemary.

    Recipe courtesy of Giada DeLaurentiis.

    Comments

    Halibut with Tomato Broth

    thumbs_up.pngRead my review of this recipe.

     

    Ingredients:

    • 1 teaspoon olive oil
    • 2 shallots, sliced into thin rounds
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 pound frozen artichokes, thawed
    • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
    • 2 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
    • 4 (6-ounce) halibut or cod fillets
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
    • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

    Directions:

    In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic and artichokes and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, and tomatoes with juice. Nestle the fish into the broth and season with salt, pepper, and thyme. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until fish is cooked through. Add lemon juice. Ladle the artichoke and tomato broth into shallow bowls. Top with the halibut. Serve immediately.

    Serves 4.

    Nutrition:

    Substitutions:

    Recipe courtesy of Giada DeLaurentiis.

    Comments

    Strawberry Sauce

    thumbs_up.pngRead my review of this recipe.

     

    Ingredients:

    • 1 pound frozen unsweetened strawberries
    • 1/3 cup brown sugar, or more to taste
    • 1/3 cup water
    • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
    • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla

    Directions:

    Combine the strawberries, sugar and water in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat; cover partially so the saucepan lid is slightly ajar. Cook until the berries thaw, then uncover and cook until the berries are soft, allowing the mixture to maintain a low boil. In all, the process will take about 25 minutes.

    Combine the lemon juice and cornstarch in a small bowl, then add to the saucepan, stirring until the mixture comes back to a low boil. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Use a large spoon to mash the cooled berries against the sides of their saucepan to form a slightly chunky sauce or puree with a hand blender for a smoother sauce. Add the vanilla extract; taste and add sugar as needed. Sauce can be refrigerated up to a week.

    Makes about 3 cups.

    Nutrition:

    Substitutions:

    Great sauce for topping pancakes (especially peanut butter or chocolate pancakes) and ice cream or for stirring into oatmeal and yogurt.

    Recipe courtesy of Washington Post.

    Comments

    Cherry Almond Clusters

    thumbs_up.pngRead my review of this recipe.

     

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup toasted almonds, coarsely chopped
    • 1/2 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
    • 6 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped

    Directions:

    In a medium bowl, toss together the almonds and the cherries. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper.

    Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over slightly simmering water, over the lowest possible heat, stirring frequently. Make sure the water is not touching the top pan. When chocolate in melted, remove from the heat and stir the fruit-nut mixture. Spoon out heaping tablespoon-sized clusters of the chocolate mixture onto the baking sheet about 1-inch apart. Put them in the refrigerator to set for 15 minutes. Store and serve at room temperature.

    Makes about 12 clusters.

    Nutrition:

    Substitutions:

    I make this recipe to use up the end of the dried fruit and nut mixture that Seth loves. The end up the bag usually ends up raisins, almonds, and peanuts so that’s what I mix into the chocolate. I don’t even bother chopping the mix-ins.

    Recipe courtesy of Ellie Krieger.

    Comments

    Ramen Shrimp Pouch

    thumbs_up.pngRead my review of this recipe.

     

    Ingredients:

    • 2 packages Ramen noodles
    • 1/2 cup dried mushrooms, chopped
    • 20 large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
    • 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
    • 1/2 cup sliced scallions
    • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 quart vegetable broth
    • 1/2 cup mirin
    • 1/4 cup soy sauce
    • 4 teaspoons sesame oil

    Directions:

    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

    Divide ramen noodles evenly in center of each of the 4 pieces of aluminum foil. Stack the following ingredients on top of noodles, in this order: mushrooms, shrimp, onions, scallions, red pepper flakes, and salt. Pull sides and corners of pouch up to form a small basket shape leaving an opening at the top to pour in liquid.

    In small bowl, combine vegetable broth, mirin, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Distribute liquid evenly among packs. Press foil together, leaving a small opening to allow steam to escape. Place on cookie sheet and bake in oven for 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

    Serves 4.

    Nutrition:

    Substitutions:

    I did make some changes to my pouches. I used a portobella mushroom that I removed the gills from and chopped up. I also used twice as many shrimp in each pouch. I cut down on the sesame oil as well by about half.

    Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown

    Comments

    « Previous Page« Previous entries « Previous Page · Next Page » Next entries »Next Page »