Month: November 2011

Espresso Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

While many people have Black Friday traditions that involve shopping and decorating, I prefer our tradition of a fairly lazy day, followed by a big family party in the evening.  We were asked to bring a dessert, and settled on these Espresso Chocolate Shortbread Cookies from Smitten Kitchen.  (Yes, that’s two Smitten recipes within the span of 3 days.)

The dough was easy to put together, but must be refrigerated for at least 2 hours prior to baking.  You place the dough in a gallon size Ziploc bag, and then press it flat which eliminates the need for a rolling pin.  This was a neat trick!  And, it’s amazing how the texture of the dough changes in the refrigerator, making it easy to slice with a knife.  I don’t generally use a ruler for baking projects, but we had some confusion as to the correct dimensions for the shortbread squares.  Then there was confusion over whether the lines I cut were crooked.  You can decide.

 

 

As it turns out, the cookies that were irregularly shaped were just as good as the perfect squares.  I really liked this shortbread, and the small pieces were perfect to bring to a party.  The espresso flavor was fairly subtle, so I might try using stronger coffee next time.  The original recipe also suggests substituting toffee chips for the bittersweet chocolate.  Now that we know the tricks to making shortbread, I’ll have to try another version soon.

 

 

 

 

Fig and Cranberry Compote

My sister brought two additions to the Thanksgiving table this year, my new nephew and this Fig and Cranberry Compote from Real Simple.

 

 

 

 

I didn’t get a chance to take a picture of the compote before dinner because it was too hectic, and this is all that was left after dinner.  I was really surprised that this recipe only got 2 stars on the Real Simple website, because we all loved it.  The fresh cranberries are sweetened with both figs and honey, but the final product is still quite tart.  Perhaps other people prefer a sweeter cranberry sauce, but we thought this was the perfect complement to turkey.  Both additions will be back at the Thanksgiving table next year!

 

Red Wine Chocolate Cake

The good news is that I have a week full of posts which highlight some great recipes, even if I can’t take credit for much of the cooking.

I took note of this Red Wine Chocolate Cake from Smitten Kitchen a couple of months ago.  Then my friend Susan made it, and told me it really was that awesome.  So when my sister asked what cake she could make for my birthday, this seemed like the perfect choice.

This cake also requires relatively little effort for such a large reward.  You need just one bowl and one cake pan.  The cake itself was really good,  like a flourless chocolate cake with a hint of sweet.  But the mascarpone and whipped cream topping was even better.  The instructions say to “dollop generously” and so we did, even though this was the night before Thanksgiving.  Although I love apples and pumpkins and cranberries in the fall, chocolate is always in season.

 

 

Baked Eggs with Spinach

Sometimes when I sit down to write a blog post, I have a sense of deja vou.  Then I search my own archives.  Oh that’s right, I did make Baked Eggs with Spinach and Tomatoes this summer!  Well this one is different, OK?

I found this recipe for Baked Eggs with Spinach and decided to try a miniature version in a loaf pan.  Unless you’re feeding a crowd, a 13″x9″ pan is pretty big.  I had just picked up a new carton of Land O’Lakes eggs from the store (see disclosure) and there’s always a box of spinach in my freezer.  Really, the most difficult part of the recipe is determining when the eggs are done.  You can use the old fashioned method of shaking the pan, but the eggs are quite hidden under the breadcrumbs and cheese.  So you might try the more modern method of a food thermometer.  Based on the picture below, I need to improve my skills in this area.  This still ended up a rich and delicious lunch, and I’ll be sure to practice again soon.

 

 

Baked Eggs with Spinach

1 T Smart Balance Light
1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 Land O Lakes eggs
1/4 c. breadcrumbs
1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 350F.  Place margarine in loaf pan, and bake for 4-5 minutes to melt.  Remove pan from oven, and stir spinach in melted margarine to coat.  Create two indentations in spinach, and carefully crack an egg into each space.  Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and cheese.  Bake for 12-15 minutes, until eggs are set.

– Adapted from Serious Eats

Disclosure: As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received a coupon for 2 dozen free eggs from Land O’Lakes.  The opinions in this post are completely my own, and I was not compensated by any other method to write this review.

Crockpot Potato Vegetable Casserole

I declared this past Saturday a “No-Homework” day.  My house was a mess, the laundry was piled high, my refrigerator was empty, and I needed a break.  To celebrate the occasion, I told my friend Tara to come over for dinner.  OK, it was a little ambitious to think I could completely clean and organize my house in one day and get dinner on the table for us.  I am lucky to have friends who aren’t very fussy, and will pretty much try anything.

I decided to use my crockpot to make this Layered Vegetable Casserole.  No, this is not a typical Saturday night dinner, but it is a pretty decent meal and reminded me a little of potato skins.  I used mostly frozen vegetables here, but I see this as a dish that could be changed from season to season based on what’s available.  And of course, if you have homemade tomato sauce in the freezer, that would make it even better.  Next time I would use a little more sauce which I think would help the vegetables cook more easily.  There are a few more versions of this recipe floating in my head, but in the meantime enjoy!

 

 

Crockpot Potato Vegetable Casserole

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1/2 c. corn
1/2 c. peas
1 T Italian seasoning
1/4 t black pepper
3 large potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced
1 (16 oz.) bag frozen broccoli
1 1/2 c. reduced fat shredded cheddar

In a bowl, mix tomato sauce, carrots, corn, peas, and spices.  Spray the inside of your crockpot with cooking spray.  Layer 1/3 of the potato slices in the bottom.  Add 1/3 of the broccoli, followed by 1/3 of the vegetable sauce.  Sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese.  Repeat layers (potatoes, broccoli, sauce, and cheese) 2 more times.  Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or until potatoes are soft.  Serve garnished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

-Adapted from Happy Healthy Mama

Taco Bowls

Do you need a really easy crockpot chicken recipe?  Then check out these Taco Chicken Bowls from Budget Bytes, one of my new favorite recipe blogs.  It looks like a great meal, whether you’re cooking for a family or just yourself and the freezer.

Do you need a really easy vegetarian crockpot recipe that uses only the ingredients which you have on hand?  Then check out my version below!  You don’t need to use your crockpot for this one, I am sure a pan on the stovetop would work.  But it is a lot easier to just turn the crockpot on High and forget about it until it’s dinnertime.  This dish may not be particularly unique, but it was a hot balanced meal that hit the spot.  And even better, it makes a great lunch for the next day!

 

 

Crockpot Taco Bowl

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 (8 oz) package frozen corn
1 T chili powder
2 t cumin
1 t minced garlic
1/2 c. water
Brown Rice
Shredded Cheddar
Sour Cream

Place beans, tomatoes, corn, spices, garlic, and water in the crockpot and stir.  Cook on high for 3 hours.  Serve mixture on a bed of brown rice, topped with shredded cheddar and sour cream.

-Inspired by Budget Bytes

 

Whole Wheat Oat Bran Muffins

A few people mentioned that if I was going to take a break from blogging, then I should have made my last post something more exciting than Cranberry Tofu.  I see what they mean, it would have been more fun to look at chocolate cake or even a nice fall soup.  Sorry about that.  I am not entirely sure that Whole Wheat Oat Bran Muffins are exactly what you had in mind, but here they are.

I had oat bran on hand from the Dukan Pancake experiment, and thought it would be nice to make some muffins.  Because these days, sometimes I don’t even have the energy to make Overnight Oats for breakfast.  I used this Oat Bran Muffin recipe, and substituted whole wheat flour for the white flour.  I admit the muffins are fairly dense and not overly sweet, but I like them!  And I think they’ll be perfect with the Grande NonFat Misto that I seem to grab every day.  Next time I might add raisins to make them a bit sweeter, but since I now have a dozen 11 of these in my freezer, I’ll be set for breakfasts on the run for a while.  Thanks for sticking with me this month, I miss blogging regularly and can’t wait to get back to it.

 

 

Cranberry Marinated Tofu

You guys know I love leftovers, and this recipe for Leftover Cranberry-Soy Sauce Tofu is very creative.  Except I didn’t have leftover cranberry sauce, I had fresh cranberries leftover from this Butternut Squash Cranberry Rice.  So I modified things a bit and ended up with a few decent meals.  But if you do have leftover cranberry sauce, this recipe would be even easier.  Lunch the day after Thanksgiving perhaps?

My first meal with the tofu was the sandwich you see below, but I wasn’t that impressed.  I served the remaining tofu over brown rice, and liked that much better.  The tofu had a subtle taste that was more savory than sweet, and I liked that the marinade still had visible chunks of cranberry. This was a great idea, and I’ll be on the lookout for more from the Lunch Box Bunch!

 

 

Cranberry Marinated Tofu

1 heaping cup fresh cranberries, rinsed
1/2 c. apple juice
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 T lemon juice
1 T brown sugar
1 block tofu, drained and cut into 9-12 slices
Oil

Mix cranberries, apple juice, soy sauce, lemon juice, and brown sugar in a small sauce pan.  Simmer on the stove for 20-30 minutes, until most of the cranberries have burst.  Let cool slightly, and then place tofu slices in marinade.  Allow the tofu to marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

Heat oil in a large frying pan.  Add tofu pieces and sear on both sides.  Add the marinade to the pan, and continue to cook until the marinade is reduced.  Serve over brown rice.

-Adapted from the Lunch Box Bunch

Oat Bran Galette

Last week, a group of us got together to discuss the Dukan Diet.  As a future dietitian, I think it’s important to understand the various diets out there so you can speak intelligently to patients and clients.  So I am not in any way advocating the Dukan Diet, but I did think it was interesting that the diet recommends a daily serving of oat bran.  A popular way to get this serving is to make an Oat Bran Galette with oat bran, yogurt, and egg white.  I decided to trade in my oatmeal this week for some oat bran, and give it a whirl!

 

 

There’s nothing magical about this oat bran galette, but it did taste pretty good and was more filling than I expected.  Now that I have a whole container of oat bran, I’ll have to try some other variations.