FOR (BUSY) PEOPLE WHO LOVE GOOD FOOD
I brought these spinach bites to my cooking club as well, but they also lacked any strong flavor. The recipe overall has potential though, and next time I would use a much sharper cheese to see if that makes a difference.
1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 c. cheddar cheese
1/2 c. breadcrumbs
1 t Italian seasoning
1 T mustard
2 eggs, well beaten
Mix ingredients and form into balls. Place on a cookie sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375F for 10-15 minutes.
My cooking club theme this month was “Beginnings and Endings” featuring both appetizers and desserts. This dip had a flavor which was good, but fairly subtle. If you’re looking for something a little spicier, add some red pepper flakes. You might also use this as a sandwich spread.
While I do love traditional Irish bread, it can be somewhat messy to cut, and these muffins are a great alternative. They have a nice light texture, and will complement any breakfast.
1 1/2 c. flour
3/4 c. whole wheat flour
1/3 c. sugar
2 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1 1/2 c. raisins
6 T butter
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
Preheat oven to 400F. Coat the muffin tin or foil liners (12) with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, stir together the dry ingredients and raisins. In a small bowl, melt the butter in the microwave. While it melts, in a large bowl, whisk the egg and buttermilk, then whisk in the melted butter. With just a few quick stirs, turn the flour mixture into the wet mixture. The dough will be quite stiff. Fill the muffin cups, and bake for 18-20 minutes.
-Recipe courtesy of King Arthur Flour
St. Patrick’s Day is coming up, and that means it’s time for Irish soda bread. This recipe came from a friend of my Mom’s, but it tastes very much like the Irish bread my grandmother used to make. I think the key is not to add too much flour while kneading; the dough will be fairly sticky at the end.
I brought the bread to work and forgot to snap a picture. It came out a little dry this time, I think I over baked it a little. There’s more buttermilk in the refrigerator, so I’ll see if I have time for another loaf.
4 c. flour
3 T sugar
1 T baking powder
1 t salt
3/4 t baking soda
6 T butter
1 1/2 c. raisins
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. buttermilk
Preheat oven to 350F. Coat a 2 quart round casserole dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix the first 5 ingredients (flour through baking soda). With a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in raisins.
In a small bowl, beat eggs slightly. Remove 1 T egg and reserve. Stir buttermilk into remaining egg and then stir into flour mixture just until flour is moistened. The dough will be sticky.
Turn dough onto a floured surface, and with floured hands, knead about 10 strokes to mix thoroughly. Shape into a ball, and place in casserole dish. With a sharp knife, cut a cross in the top and brush dough with reserved egg.
Bake about 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
I was inspired by this recipe to make my own broctato mash. I used a lovely goat cheese, which added to the creaminess of the dish. I cooked the potatoes and broccoli separately, and mixed them together at the end with the milk and cheese. It was a great easy side dish!
While performing a Google search for wheat berry recipes, I discovered a traditional Italian dish called cuccia. There are many variations, but I took the sweet approach and used ricotta cheese and almonds. This would make a wonderful dessert for any Italian feast.
3/4 c. wheat berries
1 1/2 c. ricotta cheese
1/4 c. sugar
3 T sliced almonds
Cover wheat berries with water, and simmer covered for about 2 hours. Mix ricotta cheese, sugar, and almonds in a bowl. Stir in wheat berries, and mix well.
While doing some pre-spring cleaning, I stumbled upon this recipe which was given to me years ago. Chocolate always grabs my attention! You can’t really taste the chocolate here, but it creates a mole sauce which makes this chili just a little unique. I may try mashing a few of the black beans to make the sauce thicker.
And just in case you were getting as bored as I was of my white bowls, here is the new bowl and salad plate that I got at Target.
2 t olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 T minced garlic
2 stalks celery, diced
1 T cumin
1/2 t cinnamon
1 T chili powder
1/2 t black pepper
2 (14.5 oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes in juice
1 T lime juice
1 T soy sauce
1 c. corn
1 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute 10 minutes. Add celery, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat and stir in the spices (cumin, cinnamon, chili powder, and black pepper) and a few spoonfuls of water. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add beans, tomatoes, lime juice, soy sauce, and corn, and simmer on low for 15- 20 minutes. Stir in the chocolate and mix until the chocolate melts.
Wow! This lentil patty had so much flavor and while it was much softer than a more conventional burger, I loved the texture. I took the photo plain, but you could certainly dress this up with lettuce, tomato, and pickles, or maybe sour cream and avocado. While the recipe requires minimal effort, it takes over 2 hours between the start and finish, so plan ahead. They are worth it though!
1 c. lentils
1 carrot, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 c. vegetable broth
1/2 c. bulgur
1 T ketchup
1 T mustard
1 T Heinz 57 sauce
Bring lentils, carrot, celery, and vegetable broth to a boil, and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Add bulgur, ketchup, mustard, and sauce and continue cooking on low for 15 minutes. The mixture will be very thick. Remove from heat and let stand until cool to the touch.
Form into patties, and place on cookie sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes, turning halfway through.
I did not miss the beef at all in this cheese “steak” sandwich! The mushrooms and onions had so much flavor, and you may want to add peppers to the mix as well. You could definitely use sliced cheese here which would give the sandwich a more traditional look, but the Laughing Cow wedges worked well.
1 t olive oil
1 onion, sliced
2 Portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 t flour
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 T soy sauce
2 wedges Laughing Cow Light cheese
2 whole wheat buns
Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add sliced onions, and cook for 5-10 minutes. Add mushrooms, and continue cooking until vegetables are soft and golden brown. Sprinkle flour over vegetables, and add vinegar and soy sauce and mix well. Simmer for 1 minute, and add salt and pepper to taste.
Divide mixture between 2 whole wheat buns which have been sliced and spread with cheese.
I have been looking to try jicama in a salad, after reading that it provides good “crunch”. Raw jicama tastes something like a cross between a potato and an apple; it has an earthy taste with a hint of sweetness. And while it does provide crunch, there was too much of it in this recipe, and the texture overpowered the tender mango and avocado. Next time I’ll adjust the proportions to achieve a better balance. I still enjoyed the fresh taste of the salad, enhanced by the lime juice. If you’re thinking this salad looks familiar, it is similar to the Chicken and Clementine Salad I made a few weeks ago. Spinach salads are one of my favorites.
2 c. julienned jicama
1 mango, peeled and diced
1 avocado, diced
1 (6 oz.) bag baby spinach
3 T lime juice
1 T olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Toss jicama, mango, and avocado. In a small bowl, mix lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Add dressing to jicama mixture, and serve on a bed of spinach.
Recipes that Fit 