Just in time for St Patrick's day, I'm back with a great, green cookie recipe. These moist and delicious oatmeal raisin cookies have a green tinge, thanks to some fresh grated zucchini! Without further ado, I bring you...
Martian Cookies
1/2 cup room temperature butter
3/4 cup sugar (I use organic, evaporated cane juice sugar)
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour (I use whole wheat pastry flour)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup quick oats
1 cup grated zucchini (leave the skin and squeeze the moisture out)
1/2 - 1 cup raisins
Preheat oven to 350
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until soft; then add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, mixing well
In a separate bowl, stir together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Add to butter mixture gradually, beating on low speed until well-mixed. Stir in oats, zucchini, and raisins.
Drop by rounded teaspoons on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on cookie sheets for a few minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
Makes 2 dozen delightful treats
Happy, green eating!
1.25.2011
under construction: carrot burgers
I would like to thank allrecipes.com once again! In their daily email yesterday, they sent me a link to this recipe for carrot burgers. Being me, I couldn't just make the recipe as-is, and had to tweak it. Here's what I came up with.
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots, cooked until tender
1 can black beans, rinsed and mashed
1/4-1/2 small onion, finely diced
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups panko
salt and pepper to taste
Mix eggs, panko, and spices
Stir in black beans, onions, and carrots
Form mixture into patties
Heat a small amount of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium to medium-high
Cook patties about 3 minutes per side, until golden brown and crispy
These ended up surprisingly crunchy and tasty, although missing "something". I think I could cut way back on the panko as well. Hence, the "under construction" title. I'll update when I figure out the best fix! Until then...
Happy, healthy eating
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots, cooked until tender
1 can black beans, rinsed and mashed
1/4-1/2 small onion, finely diced
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups panko
salt and pepper to taste
Mix eggs, panko, and spices
Stir in black beans, onions, and carrots
Form mixture into patties
Heat a small amount of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium to medium-high
Cook patties about 3 minutes per side, until golden brown and crispy
These ended up surprisingly crunchy and tasty, although missing "something". I think I could cut way back on the panko as well. Hence, the "under construction" title. I'll update when I figure out the best fix! Until then...
Happy, healthy eating
1.11.2011
there's no crying in baseball...
...and no sweet potatoes in Ratatouille. Blech! I thought I would add a little winter vegetation to an otherwise summery mix and it did not end well. Next time I will save the sweet potatoes for this awesome "recipe" (if you can call it that, it's almost too easy)...
Sweet Potato Fries
Ingredients: Sweet Potatoes, Olive Oil, Salt, Paprika
Preheat oven to 400
Slice potatoes into sticks, wedges, or rounds and place in large bowl
Toss with a few glugs of olive oil
Spread on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt and paprika
Bake 40-ish minutes, turning once, until fork-tender and browned around the edges
Told you it was easy! The real recipe I wanted to share in this post is from my beloved Moosewood cookbook, "Simple Suppers". Ratatouille is basically roasted summer veggies. It can be served as-is, over rice, or in any number of creative pairings.
We had this as-is with a little shaved parm on top and buttery bread on the side. I mixed the leftovers into spaghetti sauce and served over pasta a couple days later - that may have tasted better than the original dish! Next time, I'll add some extra tomatoes and make the leftovers into Ratatouille Pizza with some goat cheese... Enjoy this ridiculously easy and delicious recipe!
Roasted Ratatouille
1 zucchini
1 large yellow onion (I like yellows for their more mild flavor, but you can use yellow or white here)
1 eggplant
2 tomatoes
2 bell peppers (I used one red and one green)
6 garlic cloves
Olive oil, salt, and pepper
Preheat oven to 450
Chop veggies into bite-size pieces (try to keep everything a uniform size)
* My advice is to chop the eggplant first, then salt pieces and set aside until ready to assemble
Rough-chop or mince garlic, depending on whether or not you like to eat giant chunks of garlic
Combine veggies in a large bowl (wipe the eggplant or lightly rinse before adding) and pour oil over, then toss to coat
Add salt and pepper to taste, then spread onto a large cookie sheet (with sides!)
Roast for 20 minutes, then stir
Roast for 20 more minutes, then check for done-ness (fork-tender)
If not done to your liking, stir again and return to the oven for 5-15 minutes
Serve piping hot with a little shaved parmesan on top
Happy, healthy eating!
Sweet Potato Fries
Ingredients: Sweet Potatoes, Olive Oil, Salt, Paprika
Preheat oven to 400
Slice potatoes into sticks, wedges, or rounds and place in large bowl
Toss with a few glugs of olive oil
Spread on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt and paprika
Bake 40-ish minutes, turning once, until fork-tender and browned around the edges
Told you it was easy! The real recipe I wanted to share in this post is from my beloved Moosewood cookbook, "Simple Suppers". Ratatouille is basically roasted summer veggies. It can be served as-is, over rice, or in any number of creative pairings.
We had this as-is with a little shaved parm on top and buttery bread on the side. I mixed the leftovers into spaghetti sauce and served over pasta a couple days later - that may have tasted better than the original dish! Next time, I'll add some extra tomatoes and make the leftovers into Ratatouille Pizza with some goat cheese... Enjoy this ridiculously easy and delicious recipe!
Roasted Ratatouille
1 zucchini
1 large yellow onion (I like yellows for their more mild flavor, but you can use yellow or white here)
1 eggplant
2 tomatoes
2 bell peppers (I used one red and one green)
6 garlic cloves
Olive oil, salt, and pepper
Preheat oven to 450
Chop veggies into bite-size pieces (try to keep everything a uniform size)
* My advice is to chop the eggplant first, then salt pieces and set aside until ready to assemble
Rough-chop or mince garlic, depending on whether or not you like to eat giant chunks of garlic
Combine veggies in a large bowl (wipe the eggplant or lightly rinse before adding) and pour oil over, then toss to coat
Add salt and pepper to taste, then spread onto a large cookie sheet (with sides!)
Roast for 20 minutes, then stir
Roast for 20 more minutes, then check for done-ness (fork-tender)
If not done to your liking, stir again and return to the oven for 5-15 minutes
Serve piping hot with a little shaved parmesan on top
Happy, healthy eating!
12.16.2010
easy homemade cupcakes
1. Buy a box of cake mix and a can of frosting
2. Prepare according to directions on box
I'm only semi-kidding with the above post! I haven't made from-a-box treats in a very long time, but as Room Parent who needs 2 dozen cupcakes for the class holiday party tomorrow and Mom who needs 2 dozen more for her daughter's 6th birthday party on Saturday, this is the route I am forced to take. It is still better than buying them at the store, and I can decorate them with love!
For the class party, I am going to frost vanilla cupcakes with white frosting and decorate with baby carrots and raisins to make snowmen. They look adorable in my imagination, let's hope they turn out the way I plan!
For my daughter's birthday party, we are going with a cooking theme. The girls will make individual pizzas and I will be throwing some Whole Foods pre-made pizzas in the oven for the adults. We are going to decorate canvas aprons and make Fruit Loop necklaces. For the cupcakes, I bought a bunch of frosting tubes and sprinkles and am going to let the girls go to town decorating their own. I may actually bake a cake too, depending on what kind of time I have left. I have a great chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream recipe! I haven't found a really good yellow or white cake recipe, but this chocolate one rivals bakery cakes with it's moist, spongy, richness.
Happy, party eating!
2. Prepare according to directions on box
I'm only semi-kidding with the above post! I haven't made from-a-box treats in a very long time, but as Room Parent who needs 2 dozen cupcakes for the class holiday party tomorrow and Mom who needs 2 dozen more for her daughter's 6th birthday party on Saturday, this is the route I am forced to take. It is still better than buying them at the store, and I can decorate them with love!
For the class party, I am going to frost vanilla cupcakes with white frosting and decorate with baby carrots and raisins to make snowmen. They look adorable in my imagination, let's hope they turn out the way I plan!
For my daughter's birthday party, we are going with a cooking theme. The girls will make individual pizzas and I will be throwing some Whole Foods pre-made pizzas in the oven for the adults. We are going to decorate canvas aprons and make Fruit Loop necklaces. For the cupcakes, I bought a bunch of frosting tubes and sprinkles and am going to let the girls go to town decorating their own. I may actually bake a cake too, depending on what kind of time I have left. I have a great chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream recipe! I haven't found a really good yellow or white cake recipe, but this chocolate one rivals bakery cakes with it's moist, spongy, richness.
Happy, party eating!
12.09.2010
mushroom-asparagus risotto
I have been playing around with risotto for at least the last year. I love it! Every time I make it, I feel like I'm in a gourmet restaurant (or a contestant on Hell's Kitchen, but let's not go there right now). And I love the endless combinations of add-ins. I used to make my mushroom risotto with mushrooms, onion, and a little goat cheese. But I think I have found an even better combo! I'm excited to share it with you, and then to eat leftovers for lunch!
Mushroom-Asparagus Risotto
Prep and cooking time = up to an hour
Serves 4-6
butter or olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 pound mushrooms, sliced (I used a combo of baby bellas and shitakes)
1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup white wine (optional)
1 quart vegetable broth
1 bunch asparagus, chopped and steamed
1 cup shredded smoked gouda
salt and pepper, to taste
In a small pan, heat the vegetable broth until simmering
In another pan (or the microwave if you're so inclined) steam the asparagus until bright green. This can be set aside, covered, until time to add to the risotto.
In a very large pan (a wok works great), heat 1-2 tablespoons oil or butter over medium-high
Add onions and mushrooms and cook, stirring often, about 7 minutes or until beginning to soften
Add a little more (1 Tbsp) oil or butter, then add risotto, stirring to coat
Let cook for just a minute or two, then add wine *if not using wine, start adding broth
Once wine is absorbed (3-5 minutes), begin adding broth 1/2 to 1 cup at a time
*The secret with risotto is to add the hot broth in small batches and allowing most of it to absorb into the rice before adding more. During this process, you must be constantly stirring
**When you are nearing the end of your broth supply, start testing the rice by biting into it. The risotto should offer a little resistance, but not be hard or crunchy in the middle, much like al dente pasta
***If you run out of broth and the rice is not cooked through, add hot water a little at a time
Once your risotto is the perfect texture, turn your burner off
Season with salt and pepper, if desired
Stir in a little butter, if desired, to add a little extra creaminess
Stir in asparagus and cheese
Serve and fall in love!
Happy, healthy eating!
Mushroom-Asparagus Risotto
Prep and cooking time = up to an hour
Serves 4-6
butter or olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 pound mushrooms, sliced (I used a combo of baby bellas and shitakes)
1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup white wine (optional)
1 quart vegetable broth
1 bunch asparagus, chopped and steamed
1 cup shredded smoked gouda
salt and pepper, to taste
In a small pan, heat the vegetable broth until simmering
In another pan (or the microwave if you're so inclined) steam the asparagus until bright green. This can be set aside, covered, until time to add to the risotto.
In a very large pan (a wok works great), heat 1-2 tablespoons oil or butter over medium-high
Add onions and mushrooms and cook, stirring often, about 7 minutes or until beginning to soften
Add a little more (1 Tbsp) oil or butter, then add risotto, stirring to coat
Let cook for just a minute or two, then add wine *if not using wine, start adding broth
Once wine is absorbed (3-5 minutes), begin adding broth 1/2 to 1 cup at a time
*The secret with risotto is to add the hot broth in small batches and allowing most of it to absorb into the rice before adding more. During this process, you must be constantly stirring
**When you are nearing the end of your broth supply, start testing the rice by biting into it. The risotto should offer a little resistance, but not be hard or crunchy in the middle, much like al dente pasta
***If you run out of broth and the rice is not cooked through, add hot water a little at a time
Once your risotto is the perfect texture, turn your burner off
Season with salt and pepper, if desired
Stir in a little butter, if desired, to add a little extra creaminess
Stir in asparagus and cheese
Serve and fall in love!
Happy, healthy eating!
hanukkah is not just for adam sandler
My almost-6 year old asked to celebrate Hanukkah this year. Not really knowing what to serve for our celebratory dinner other than latkes and challah bread, I turned to my trusted friend allrecipes.com. I get a lot of ideas for recipes from this site, though I rarely make them as posted. I find recipes with good reviews, read the reviews, then come up with something (hopefully) yummy on my own. I came across a recipe for Applesauce Noodle Kugel that sounded great and decided to put my own twist on it. Here's what I came up with...
Apple Cinnamon Kugel
12 oz (3/4 package) wide egg noodles, boiled until al dente
1-1/2 sticks melted butter, divided
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup applesauce
2 small apples, thinly sliced
cinnamon, to taste
6-8 graham crackers, crushed
Preheat oven to 350 degrees while noodles are boiling.
Mix melted butter (reserving a few tablespoons), yogurt, eggs, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and applesauce
Stir in cooked noodles and apple slices
Pour into greased 9x13 glass baking dish
Sprinkle cinnamon over top
For topping, mix graham crumbs with reserved butter and sprinkle over top
Bake 45-55 minutes, covering with foil if top begins to dry out
Let rest for 5 minutes before serving
This is by no means healthy, but it is very happy to the tummy! Having no idea what kugel should look or taste like, I think it turned out great. It's more of a dessert flavor, although I have been eating leftovers for breakfast all week. Perhaps you will, too...
Happy, healthy eating!
Apple Cinnamon Kugel
12 oz (3/4 package) wide egg noodles, boiled until al dente
1-1/2 sticks melted butter, divided
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup applesauce
2 small apples, thinly sliced
cinnamon, to taste
6-8 graham crackers, crushed
Preheat oven to 350 degrees while noodles are boiling.
Mix melted butter (reserving a few tablespoons), yogurt, eggs, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and applesauce
Stir in cooked noodles and apple slices
Pour into greased 9x13 glass baking dish
Sprinkle cinnamon over top
For topping, mix graham crumbs with reserved butter and sprinkle over top
Bake 45-55 minutes, covering with foil if top begins to dry out
Let rest for 5 minutes before serving
This is by no means healthy, but it is very happy to the tummy! Having no idea what kugel should look or taste like, I think it turned out great. It's more of a dessert flavor, although I have been eating leftovers for breakfast all week. Perhaps you will, too...
Happy, healthy eating!
12.03.2010
musings about salad
Remember the Seinfeld episode about Elaine and the Big Salad? I love a big salad! The bigger, the better. I could (and usually do) eat salad every day. If I were stuck on a deserted island with only salad to eat, I would probably live happily for many years. That said, not any salad will do. Your run-of-the-mill restaurant side salad... puh-lease! That's not salad! That's watery lettuce, carrot sticks, and maybe a tomato if you're lucky. I like my salad to have a little of everything... sweet and savory, chewy and crunchy. Always on dark leafy greens, and typically with vinaigrette. I love anything balsamic! Here are some of my favorite salad combos right now. They change with the seasons and my mood...
gorgonzola, pears and/or sweet apples and/or red grapes and/or fresh figs, and walnuts
smoked gouda, grilled asparagus, and walnuts
goat cheese, dried cherries or cranberries (depending on the season), and walnuts or pecans
* This one is great for Fall when made with craisins and served with a cranberry vinaigrette (will post a recipe eventually)!
colby jack, fresh tomato and cucumber slices, avocado chunks
Greek salad with feta, tomato, cucumber, but no olives :)
* I have a great homemade classic Greek dressing recipe to post
** By the way, did you know you can turn Greek Salad into Greek CousCous?! Don't even get me started on things you can do with cous cous!
This post is all over the place - kind of like me today. It's been one of those days where the kids were up too early and everyone's crabby and nothing seems to be going right. At least I know I'll have a good dinner tonight! Mmmm, salad... :)
Happy, healthy eating!
gorgonzola, pears and/or sweet apples and/or red grapes and/or fresh figs, and walnuts
smoked gouda, grilled asparagus, and walnuts
goat cheese, dried cherries or cranberries (depending on the season), and walnuts or pecans
* This one is great for Fall when made with craisins and served with a cranberry vinaigrette (will post a recipe eventually)!
colby jack, fresh tomato and cucumber slices, avocado chunks
Greek salad with feta, tomato, cucumber, but no olives :)
* I have a great homemade classic Greek dressing recipe to post
** By the way, did you know you can turn Greek Salad into Greek CousCous?! Don't even get me started on things you can do with cous cous!
This post is all over the place - kind of like me today. It's been one of those days where the kids were up too early and everyone's crabby and nothing seems to be going right. At least I know I'll have a good dinner tonight! Mmmm, salad... :)
Happy, healthy eating!
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