96 posts from 2008

coconut-lime sugar cookies

• 1-1/2 cups wheat pastry flour
• 1-1/2 cups coconut flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt (you may use less -- a coworker gave me the idea to use more salt . . . it's wonderful!)
• 1-3/4 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature (or Earth Balance)
• 2 large eggs (or your favorite egg replacement -- I think applesauce would work well for this recipe)
• More fine sugar for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.
2. Put sugars and lime juice in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
3. Mix on medium speed for 30 seconds and then add the butter -- mix until pale and fluffy (about 1 minute).
4. Mix in eggs -- one at a time -- and then reduce speed to low so you can gradually (and that's important, GRADUALLY) mix in the flour mixture.
5. Scoop large-ish dough balls using a 2-inch ice cream scoop. Roll balls in sugar and then drop onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets (you don't have to line them, but I did for once), spacing three inches apart.
6. Flatten cookies slightly . . . and then transfer to the oven.
7. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes (mine took 17), rotating sheets halfway through.
8. Let cookies cool completely on wire racks and then top with glaze.

coconut-lime sugar cookies

• 1 cup vegan powdered sugar (or regular will do)
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 6-8 teaspoons water (which you'll add slowly until you reach your desired consistency)
• 2 teaspoons honey (or I imagine maple syrup or agave nectar would work)
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• A pinch or two cayenne pepper
• 1 to 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (or omit this part)

1. In a medium bowl, use a fork to mix together powdered sugar, lime juice, and water. Note: As mentioned above, you'll wanted to gradually add the water until mixture is a thin glaze (but not TOO thin . . . it's up to you).
2. Add honey (or substitute), which thickens it a bit . . .
3. Then add all other ingredients.
4. When cookies are completely cool, glaze them. I found it was helpful to put some parchment paper underneath my cooling rack to catch the drips. Glaze will harden in about half an hour (depending on how thick you applied it).

coconut-lime sugar cookies

Bloghere

• 4 cups vegetable stock, divided
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups white rice
• 4 large poblano peppers (we just used green peppers)
  
• 6 ears corn on the cob or 3 cups frozen corn kernels
• 3 tablespoons corn, peanut or vegetable oil, divided
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 (15-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained well
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1/2 palm full
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, eyeball it in your palm
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/2 pound spinach leaves, deveined and coarsely chopped
• 4 scallions, coarsely chopped
• 2 limes, zested, juiced
• 1 cup shredded Chihuahua cheese (we used Monterey Jack)

charred & stuffed peppers with green rice

1. Preheat broiler or grill pan to high.
2. Heat about 3 1/2 cups stock in a sauce pot with a bay leaf to boiling. Add rice, cover pot reduce heat to low and simmer 18 minutes until tender.
3. Place peppers under broiler or on hot grill and char evenly all over, 15 minutes.
4. While peppers and rice are working, scrape the corn off the cobs or defrost frozen corn and dry by spreading out on clean kitchen towel. Heat 2 tablespoons light oil in a skillet over high heat. When the oil smokes or ripples add corn, onion, jalapenos and toss until the vegetables char at edges and onions are tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high and add in garlic, fire roasted tomatoes and season with cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook another minute or 2 then turn pan off.
5. Place the cilantro, spinach, scallions, lime zest, half a cup of stock and a tablespoon of oil in food processor and process into coarse green paste. Stir into your rice pot in the last 3 to 4 minutes of its cooking time.
6. Sprinkle the lime juice over the corn mixture.
7. Split the charred peppers open but not in half with small sharp knife then scoop out the seeds with a small spoon. Place peppers in a shallow baking dish and stuff each split pepper with lots of the corn mix, top each pepper with 1/4 cup cheese and place back under broiler to melt and char the cheese.
8. Serve peppers on beds of green rice.

Bloghere

spinach & tomato focaccia

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water (115 degrees F)
• 3 cups white or wheat flour (or a mix)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon rosemary

• 28 ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes
• 1/4 cup Olive oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• Garlic, minced (however much you'd like to add)
• Spinach (fresh, but if you don't have any, you can just make a tomato focaccia)
• 1 egg (again, optional)
• Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast to taste

spinach & tomato focaccia

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Roast the tomatoes: First take canned tomatoes and slice them into thin rounds. Divide between two baking sheets, drizzle oil & salt on top.
3. Bake until tomatoes begin to shrivel and juice on the pan has reduced, about 45 minutes.
4. In the meantime, start making the dough: Dissolve yeast in warm water and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
5. Stir in 1-1/2 cups flour, sugar, salt, olive oil, rosemary, and then another cup of flour.
6. Then knead in the remaining flour for five minutes -- you may need to add more water depending, but you should have a smooth, elastic dough.
7. Spray a medium-sized bowl with nonstick cooking spray (or use your hand to coat it with oil) -- set dough in and turn to fully coat.
8. Cover and allow to rise in a warm, draft-free place for 15 minutes.
9. When the tomatoes are done -- take them out of the oven to cool. Then generously brush another rimmed baking sheet with oil and set aside.
10. Increase oven temp. to 425 degrees F.
11. Take dough and place onto oiled baking sheet. Start flattening out & flip so that both sides are coated with oil.
12. Using lightly oiled hands, keep spreading the dough evenly, making sure it completely fills the sheet. The dough should be dimpled (from pressing with your fingertips) and full of bubbles.
13. Cover baking sheet with plastic wrap and let rise for 15 minutes.
14. Arrange tomatoes atop the dough. Add spinach, garlic, parmesan/nutritional yeast, etc.
15. Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes -- rotating sheet halfway through.
16. Then add egg (if you wish) and bake for another 5 minutes or until the egg has set. If you bread begins to brown, cover with aluminum foil.

spinach & tomato focaccia

spinach & tomato focaccia

Bloghere

Super Spinach Nutrition
It’s no wonder Popeye always received superhuman strength after eating spinach; it’s packed with nutrition:

• Popeye Canned Spinach is a great source of vitamin C and beta carotene—both potent antioxidants that can fight cancer and boost immunity.
• Canned spinach also contains calcium, iron, fiber, and vitamins A and K.
• Lutein, an antioxidant that helps to prevent cancer and age-related macular degeneration, is also found in canned spinach.
• You’ll also find folate in canned spinach. Folate is known to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke, and birth defects.
• Researchers have shown that at least 13 flavonoids in spinach may work to slow cell division in cancer.

spinach-white bean soup

• 27 ounce can of spinach
• 13 ounce can white beans
• 2 cups milk (I used soy)
• 1 tablespoon butter (I used Earth Balance)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce (light on sodium -- this just gives the soup some flavor)
• 2 teaspoons powdered garlic
• Pepper (to taste)
• Parmesan cheese (to taste, and only if you want it/have it or use nutritional yeast)
  
• A blender or food processor

1. Lightly rinse spinach and beans.
2. Throw all ingredients (except garlic powder, pepper, and parmesan) into a large stock pot and cook on medium heat until butter has melted.
3. Transfer mixture to a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth & fully incorporated.
4. Pour back into pot & add garlic powder, cheese, and pepper. Heat until warm and slightly bubbly.
5. Serve with more pepper.
   

SUGAR, BLEACHED ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), PEANUT BUTTER FLAVORED MORSELS (SUGAR, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED PALM KERNEL AND PALM OILS, MILK AND NONFAT MILK, PEANUTS, PEANUT FLOUR, AND 2% OR LESS OF SOY LECITHIN, SALT, HYDROGENATED PALM OIL, ARTIFICIAL VANILLA FLAVORS), MARGARINE (PALM OIL, WATER, SUNFLOWER OIL, HYDROGENATED COTTONSEED OIL, SALT, VEGETABLE MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, SOY LECITHIN, SODIUM BENZOATE, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, BETA CAROTENE COLOR, VITAMIN A PALMITATE ADDED), PEANUT BUTTER (PEANUTS, DEXTROSE, HYDROGENATED RAPESEED AND COTTONSEED OILS, SALT), WATER, EGGS, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, MOLASSES, SALT, CORNSTARCH, PEANUT BUTTER PASTE (PEANUTS, PEANUT FLOUR, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED PALM KERNEL OIL, SALT, HYDROGENATED PALM OIL), BAKING SODA, SODIUM ALUMINUM PHOSPHATE, VANILLA EXTRACT, MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES AND POLYSORBATE 60, VANILLIN - AN ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR

candy cookies

• 1 cup extra crunchy peanut butter (I used a natural variety from Wegmans)
• 1 cup butter or Earth Balance (at room temp.)
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups unbleached white flour
• 1-1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• m&ms
  
• Reece's peanut butter cups (I used some of the trees)

candy cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cream together peanut butter, butter, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time & then stir in the vanilla.
4. Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder & gently fold these ingredients into the wet mixture.
5. Then mix in however many m&ms and Reece's peanut butter cups (cut into chunks the size of the m&ms) you want. I used about 3/4 cups m&ms and 4 Reece's trees.
6. Take heaping tablespoons of dough and roll between your palms to make 2-inch balls (& spread them 2 inches apart on a nonstick baking sheet).
7. Press each cookie with the tines of a fork.
8. Bake for 10 minutes & then transfer to a rack to cool.
9. Enjoy immediately.

• Earlier this week, Marie over at Make and Takes posted instructions on how to fashion Cookie Dough Log Rolls that are absolutely perfect for gift-giving. The best part, as Marie describes, is that "They can be put in the fridge for a few days or frozen to pull out and bake up later. Yum! Homemade cookies anytime!"

• I also recently caught Paula Dean's "Cookie Swap" episode on the Food Network. David Bromstad (from HGTV's Color Splash) was a guest. Anyway, if you want to bake these up and give the finished product as a gift -- try to catch that episode, or follow these instructions: Get pretty take-out containers (you can find them at A.C. Moore and other craft stores, as well as online. Ribbon. Vellum. And other decorative accents. GO WILD. The only technical part is that you'll need to cut vellum sheets to serve as moisture barriers between the layers of cookies. Otherwise, it's all art.

Bloghere

• DONATE. Even a few cans or dollars can help -- and at feedingamerica.org, for example, "For every $1 you donate, Feeding America helps provide 20 pounds of food and grocery products to men, women and children facing hunger in our country." And there are many more groups out there, a simple Google search can connect you to them.
  
• VOLUNTEER. Local soup kitchens and other organizations need your help -- not just around the holidays, but ALL year.
• TALK. Get the awareness out about this issue -- talk about it with your other foodie friends.

1. A thick soup containing fish or shellfish, especially clams, and vegetables, such as potatoes and onions, in a milk or tomato base.
2. A soup similar to this seafood dish: corn chowder. (That's the one for us!)
   

new cookbook

• 1 tablespoon (or so) olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups cubed, peeled potatoes
• 1 cup carrot slices
• 1 can (15 ounces) creamed corn (or just corn mixed with 1/2 cup soy milk & 1 tablespoon melted Earth Balance)
• 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (your favorite bean will also work)
  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 2 cups soy milk
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

vegetable-corn chowder

1. Lightly oil 4-quart Dutch oven (or large saucepan) and heat over medium heat until hot.
2. Add onion and celery. Cook and stir for 3 minutes, until crisp-tender.
3. Add vegetable stock and salt & bring to a boil over high heat. (NOTE: You may wish to add the salt at the very end after tasting the chowder. That's what we did, and depending on your stock, corn choice, etc. you may not need any salt at all.)
   
4. Add potatoes and carrot. Reduce heat to medium-low. Then simmer, covered for 10 minutes (or until potatoes and carrot are tender).
5. Stir in corn, beans, pepper, and poppy seeds. Simmer -- again, covered -- for 10 minutes (or until heated through).
6. Whisk milk into cornstarch in a medium bowl until smooth. Stir into vegetable mixture.
7. Simmer -- uncovered -- until thickened.

strawberry & blackberry cobbler

• 2 cups blackberries (I used frozen)
• 1 cup strawberries (again, frozen -- and I used whole instead of sliced)
• 1/3 cup triple berry jam (or any other kind of preserves/jam you have around)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons coconut flour (or unbleached white flour)

• 1/2 cup unbleached flour
• 1/2 cup wheat pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg (or replacement for 1 egg using Ener-G egg replacer)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted (or Earth Balance)
• 2/3 cup soy nog (or regular milk, soy milk, etc.)

berries

batter

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F & butter the baking pan. I used our Le Creuset eggplant dish, but you may use an 8-inch square baking pan.
2. In a bowl, combine the berries, jam, sugar, lemon peel, lemon juice, and flour. Stir gently until mixed.
3. Spoon evenly into the prepared baking dish and set aside while you prepare the topping.
4. In another bowl, whisk together (or sift) the flour, baking powder, cloves, and sugar.
5. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the egg (or replacer) and combine it with the lemon peel, melted butter, soy nog (or milk), and vanilla.
6. Make a depression in the dry ingredients, add the liquids, and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined.
7. Spread topping evenly over the berry mixture.

strawberry & blackberry cobbler

strawberry & blackberry cobbler