M&M Cookies

My Mom always made these M&M cookies for my birthday, and they are still one of my favorites.

2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
1 c.(2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 c. granulated sugar
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 t vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 c. M&M candies
1 c. chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 375F. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in M&Ms and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

-Adapted from the original Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe

Avocado and Papaya Salad

Winter is most definitely here in New England, but it is nice to think back to those warm summer days. That made me remember this salad which I made for the Fourth of July!

2 avocados, peeled, halved, and pitted
2 papayas, peeled, halved, and seeded
1 lime, zested and juiced
1/2 t salt
1/4 t sugar
1/8 t freshly ground black pepper
1/8 t cayenne
2 T extra-virgin olive oil

Slice the avocados lengthwise into 1/2″ thick slices. Slice the papayas width wise into 1/2″ thick slices. Arrange overlapping slices on a serving platter, alternating slices of avocado and papaya. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Spoon the dressing over the avocado and papaya. Serve immediately.

-Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

Black Eyed Peas and Greens

I use canned beans frequently, but I would like to start using dried beans more often since they are less expensive and take up less room in my cabinet. The package indicated that the beans should be sorted and rinsed, and good thing I followed these instructions as I found one small rock and a twig.

This recipe was fairly easy, and the greens were not at all bitter. I would describe the dish as healthy warm comfort food for a cold day. I served this over the polenta triangles which I posted yesterday.

3 c. dried black-eyed peas
6 c. water
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 t salt
6-8 c. chopped collard greens
2 medium leeks, cleaned and chopped
Freshly ground black pepper

Place black-eyed peas and water in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to simmer, and cover but leave a small air vent. Add the garlic after 15 minutes. Continue cooking gently until the peas are tender, a total of about 30-35 minutes, adding more water if needed. Stir in salt, greens, and leeks. Cover and simmer for 5 more minutes. Season to taste with black pepper.
-Mollie Katzen “Still Life with Menu Cookbook”

Polenta Triangles

I have bought tubes of polenta, but never made my own until now. This recipe was easy, economical, and definitely the best polenta I have ever tasted. If you’ve been thinking that polenta is just bland mush, this recipe may change your mind.

1/2 c. yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 c. vegetable broth, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. (2 oz.) crumbled feta cheese

Combine cornmeal and 1/2 c. broth in small bowl; mix well. Set aside. Pour remaining 1 c. broth into large heavy saucepan; bring to a boil. Add garlic and moistened grits; mix well. Return to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover; cook 20 minutes. Remove from heat; add feta cheese. Stir until cheese is completely melted. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon mixture into prepared pan. With wet fingertips, press polenta evenly into pan. Refrigerate until cold.

Spray a frying pan with nonstick cooking spray. Turn polenta out onto cutting board, cut into squares, and then cut each square diagonally into 2 triangles. Cook over medium-high heat 1 minute or until bottoms are lightly browned. Turn triangles over; grill until browned and crisp. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Roasted Chicken

Our cooking club theme this month was ‘Cook What You Fear’. Turns out, we all had different fears, and dinner included Stuffed Artichokes, Clams, Roasted Chicken, Twice Baked Potatoes, and Chocolate Layer Cake.

I had never cooked a whole chicken before; reaching inside the chicken to clean the cavity definitely scared me. It was time to overcome my fear, and this is the recipe I used. As everyone promised me, it was easy, and the chicken was moist and flavorful.

1 (3-3 1/2 lb) whole chicken
2 T oil
2 T melted butter
1 1/2 T salt
1 t garlic powder
1/2 t black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Rinse the chicken inside and out well under cold water, then pat dry using a paper towel. In a small bowl mix the oil and melted butter until blended, then rub all over the chicken. Using clean hands rub the inside and outside of the chicken with salt, garlic powder, black pepper and cayenne. Place the chicken into a baking dish (you can place the chicken onto a small roasting rack if desired).

Roast the chicken at 450F for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 400F and continue roasting for about 40 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches about 175F to 180F. Cover with foil and let sit for 15 minutes before slicing. Do not slice before that time or the juices will flow out.

-Adapted from RecipeZaar (Kittencal)

Shrimp Pad Thai

I had a request to use shrimp in a recipe, and I’ve also been wanting to try to make Pad Thai. I was overwhelmed by the number of Pad Thai recipes out there, and many of them were quite different. Some used ingredients I couldn’t easily find (tamarind paste) and others used ingredients that didn’t seem to fit (ketchup). I finally settled on this recipe, and tweaked it just a bit from the original.

While I was happy with the final product, this recipe was a lot of work. I was constantly moving, trying to keep up with all the various steps. My kitchen was a disaster by the end of the project. Also, I drained the noodles too early, and they became a sticky mess, so I needed to add quite a bit more of the liquid ingredients (soy sauce, rice wine, and lime juice) to resolve that issue.

What I liked about this recipe was that it had just the right amount of spice, tempered by the lime juice. It was also a good opportunity to cook shrimp, which is something I enjoy but don’t make very often. However, I will try another Pad Thai recipe, perhaps one that uses chicken and peanuts, so that I can compare. And next time I will see if I can bribe a Kitchen Assistant to come help!

1 1/2 T vegetable oil, divided
1 T garlic, minced
1 T ginger, minced
16 large shrimp, peeled
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 T soy sauce
1 T oyster sauce
1 T rice wine vinegar
1/2 t red pepper
7 ounces rice noodles, cooked according to package directions
1/2 c. bean sprouts
3 scallions, sliced
1 T lime juice

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok or a large frying pan. Add the garlic and ginger, and saute until golden brown. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until pink, tossing from time to time. Remove and set aside in a bowl. Heat 1/2 tablespoon of oil in the same pan and add the eggs. Stir to scramble the egg into small pieces, remove and set aside with the shrimp. Heat the remaining oil in the pan and add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice wine, and red pepper. Stir briefly, add the drained noodles, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the bean sprouts and chopped scallions. Mix well and continue to cook until noodles are heated through, adding the shrimp mixture just before serving. Season, if necessary, with a little more soy sauce, sprinkle in lime juice, and serve while hot.

-Adapted from Danny Boome Ltd (Food Network)

Spinach Pie

This is my favorite crust less quiche recipe. I have made several variations with sauteed onions, mushrooms, and Canadian bacon.

1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 c. fat-free cheddar cheese, shredded
1 c. fat-free cottage cheese
3 eggs
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix all ingredients; pour into a Pam-sprayed pie dish and bake for 35-45 minutes. Cut into wedges.

24 Hour Vegetable Salad

I have seen many other versions of this salad recipe, and you can certainly improvise based on what vegetables are available.

4 c. torn lettuce or spinach
1 c. sliced mushrooms
1 c. shredded carrot
2 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
6 slices bacon, cooked, drained, and crumbled
3/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese
2 scallions, sliced
3/4 c. mayonnaise
1 1/2 t lemon juice

Place lettuce or spinach on bottom of bowl. Layer mushrooms, then carrots. Arrange egg slices and bacon over vegetables. Top with 1/2 c. of cheese and the scallions. For dressing, combine mayonnaise and lemon juice. Spread dressing over top of salad, sealing to the edge of bowl. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and chill for 2 -24 hours. Just before serving, toss to coat the vegetables.

-Betty Crocker

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

As my Mom recently reminded me, I have always had an interest in cooking. At 4 years old I went to a program called “Kids in the Kitchen” and my Mom still uses one of the recipes; it is another family favorite.

Thanks Mom, for nurturing my enthusiasm, and being willing to taste almost anything!

2 eggs
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 c. sugar
1 8 oz. plain yogurt (vanilla or lemon also works)
2 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. grated lemon rind
1 heaping cup of blueberries

Preheat oven to 375F. Beat egg, melted butter and sugar together. Stir in yogurt. Add to dry ingredients and mix until blended but not smooth. Fold in blueberries. Spoon into cups. Bake 20-25 min.

Makes 12 muffins.