Crispy Corn Fritters

I am not one to make recipes at home that require me to fry the food item, however, for some reason this recipe was calling to me. It was easy to make and I had most of the ingredients at home. We fried these puppies up last night and they did not disappoint--so delicious! 


Crispy Corn Fritters

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup (packed) grated zucchini
• 3/4 cup fresh (or frozen, thawed) corn kernels
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons packaged corn muffin mix
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 large egg, whisked to blend
• Vegetable oil (for frying)
• Spicy Rèmoulade

• Special equipment:

  A deep-fry thermometer

Preparation

• Heat olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini, corn, onion, and thyme and sauté until corn is slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in cilantro and let cool.
• Whisk flour, corn muffin mix, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk milk and egg in a small bowl to blend; whisk into dry ingredients. Add zucchini mixture; fold just to blend. Chill for 30 minutes.
• Pour vegetable oil into a large pot to a depth of 2". Attach a deep-fry thermometer to side of pot. Heat oil over medium heat to 325°. Working in batches, spoon batter into oil by heaping tablespoonfuls. Fry until golden brown, turning once. Using a slotted spoon, transfer fritters to paper towels to drain. Serve with Spicy Rémoulade.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2011/10/corn-fritters-with-spicy-remoulade#ixzz1cGoL3qyw


Remoulade

Feel free to cut back on the cayenne to tame this tangy sauce.

Makes about 2/3 cup

Recipe by Maxcel Hardy

October 2011

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons coarse-grained mustard
• 2 tablespoons drained prepared horseradish
• 2 tablespoons chopped scallions
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

• Whisk first 7 ingredients in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2011/10/spicy-remoulade#ixzz1cGoj9Ey9

Grilled Pizza

Unfortunately, our oven completely died this past week. I did go out and buy us a new one but unless it is an emergency (what really constitutes an oven emergency?) the oven would not be delivered until Saturday. On top of the dead oven, we ran out of propane halfway through grilling salmon for dinner... but luckily the previous owner had left behind her propane tank so we were in luck on that front.

The day before the oven died I had bought all the fixin's for a delicious pizza and the dough (I love making my own dough, but really, Trader Joe's is just as good when life gets busy) was set to expire this week. So... I decided to try out some grilled pizza. And y'all, it was really good! It baked up very quickly and Mr. E. and I nearly devoured all of the pizza. Yum!

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• box of mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
• 8 oz. mozzarella, sliced

Directions

1. Preheat grill for high heat. Heat olive oil with garlic for 30 seconds in the microwave. Set aside. Punch down dough, and divide in half. Form each half into an oblong shape 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick.
2. Brush grill grate with garlic flavored olive oil. Carefully place one piece of dough on one side of hot grill and the other pizza half onto the other side of the grill. The dough will begin to puff almost immediately (like, within 15 seconds!). When the bottom crust has lightly browned, turn the dough over using two spatulas. Working quickly, brush oil over crust, and then brush with 2 tablespoons tomato sauce. Arrange vegetables over crust. Spread cheese on top. Close the lid, and cook until the cheese melts. Remove from grill, and set aside to cool for a few minutes.

*I sauteed the mushrooms and onions in advance because I didn't think they would have enough time to cook before the pizza was finished as the cook time is so quick.

Adapted from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pizza-On-The-Grill-I/Detail.aspx

Mr. E's birthday

All summer long Mr. E has been craving a cherry pie. Cherry pie making doesn't come naturally to me and I don't see cherries at the farmer's market so it is not usually something I think to make. He always sees them in grocery stores or even at the bakery at the beach but honestly, they look like the filling was dumped right out of a can. So... for his birthday this year he asked for a homemade cherry pie. After a bit of research I found that no, we don't grow the kind of cherries around here that go in a pie, but yes, someone has taken the time to review cherries and found that the best cherries out there are from a company called Orgeon Fruit. Luckily, a new organic/local grocery store just opened a few miles down the road from us and I was able to find these cherries!

I hope he loves this pie as much as I do as I put a lot of love (and research) into this dessert!

Cherry Pie with Crumb Topping (I combined two recipes from Emeril & Oregon Fruit Company)

3/4 c sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch*
2 cans Oregon Red Tart Pie Cherries, drained, reserve juice from one can
1/4 tsp almond extract (optional)
Pastry for a 9-inch pie

Crumb Topping:
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Drain the cherries and reserve the juice from only one can. In a saucepan, stir the cherry juice into the combined mixture of the cornstarch and sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Gently stir in cherries and optional ingredients. Remove from heat. Pour filling into pastry lined pie pan. In a separate bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, flour, remaining 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg. Blend the butter into the dry ingredients using your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Place on top of the cherry filling. Bake 30-40 minutes or until crust browns and filling begins to bubble. If necessary, cover edges with aluminum foil during the last 15 minutes to prevent over-browning. Cool pie several hours to allow filling to thicken before slicing.

*Three tablespoons quick cooking tapioca may be substituted. Discard juice, combine sugar, tapioca, cherries, and almond extract; mix well and let stand 20 minutes before pouring mixture into pastry lined pie pan. Continue as above.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/apple-and-cherry-pie-with-oatmeal-crumble-topping-recipe/index.html
http://www.oregonfruit.com/of.pl?pg=rp&rcp=Cherry%20Pie

Banana Crunch Muffins

I am in a dinner club with a lovely group of Mom's in our area. The basic premise is that the host creates the menu and emails out the assigned recipes (or wine) to those who will be attending. The host makes the main entree and the rest is created by the guests! Anyways, the theme for our dinner this month is Breakfast and I was asked to make the Banana Crunch Muffins. Yum--I love anything made by the Barefoot Contessa so I was happy with this new creation of hers. They were just as delicious as they sound...and who doesn't have a few overripe bananas lying around?

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 pound unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 bananas)
• 1 cup medium-diced ripe bananas (1 banana)
• 1 cup small-diced walnuts
• 1 cup granola
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• Dried banana chips, granola, or shredded coconut, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 18 large muffin cups with paper liners. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the melted butter and blend. Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and mashed bananas, and add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Scrape the bowl and blend well. Don't overmix.

Fold the diced bananas, walnuts, granola, and coconut into the batter. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each 1 to the top. Top each muffin with dried banana chips, granola, or coconut, if desired. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from the pan, and serve.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/banana-crunch-muffins-recipe/index.html

Veggie Burgers

We eat veggie burgers about 2 times per week and I LOVE them. However, as pseudo-vegetarians I really wanted one that had a bit more protein than the traditional burgers we got at Trader Joe's. I found this recipe on one of the blogs http://edibleperspective.com I sometimes check in with (I do like her food recipes but I am not as interested in the home renovation aspect of her blog). These burgers were SUPER easy to make and so much healthier in every way in comparison to the ones I get at TJ's. Nathan described them "twiggy" but in a good way and he even enjoyed a leftover burger for lunch today... that says a lot coming from someone who needs to have his leftovers spaced out over a few days. I am excited to try different variations on this standard burger next time.

Below is the recipe from her blog.
Chickpea Herbed Veggie Burgers [adapted from Oh She Glows]

• 1c cooked chickpeas
• 1 small carrot, coarsely chopped
• 1 small sweet onion, coarsely chopped
• 1/4c salsa [*if your salsa is very watery, drain some of the liquid, or per Angela’s instruction use 1/2 chopped bell pepper and add it to the food processor with the carrot + onion]
• 1/2c spinach, lightly packed
• 1/2t dried dill
• 1T oregano
• 1/2T parsley
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4t fine grain sea salt
• black pepper
• pinch or 2 of cayenne pepper
• 1/4c unsalted sunflower seeds
• 1T pepitas
• 1T ground flax meal
• 1/2-3/4c millet flour

1. Preheat your oven to 350.
2. Place the carrots, onion + garlic in the food processor and process for about 20sec.  You don’t want to puree it, but just have it well combined and in similar sized small/medium pieces.
3. Add in the chickpeas, spinach, salsa, dill, oregano, parsley, salt, pepper and cayenne [if using]. Pulse around a handful of times, until just combined.  *Be careful not to over process or the mixture will become too liquidy.
4. Empty contents into a bowl and mix in sunflower seeds, pepitas, and flax meal.
5. Start by adding in 1/2c millet flour [ground in a blender from whole, raw millet].  I used buckwheat flour instead, Mix until combined and test the mixture by trying to roll a ball in your hands.  If the mixture falls apart or is not holding together add flour in 2T increments.  The mixture should be fairly wet but still able to hold together.  You want to make sure not to add too much flour.  Add enough so they just hold together.
6. Form into 6 patties [this size works the best so they don’t fall apart], place on the parchment lined pan and then to the grill for about 15min.. 
7. Whey they are golden brown, flip and cook another 8-12min, until browned evenly on both sides. 

*The most important part of this recipe is not adding too much flour.  As mentioned in the directions, the mixture will be quite wet, which is what you want.  Before the first flip, they should stiffen up and hold together without a problem.
*If you don’t have millet flour, or raw millet to grind into flour, you can sub chickpea flour, quinoa flour [grind raw quinoa], oat flour [grind oat groats or rolled oats], or buckwheat flour [grind from raw buckwheat groats], etc.  If you don’t need this to be gluten free, you can use spelt flour [like Angela], or wheat.
Feel free to make this recipe your own by changing up the spices.  This past summer, I made an Italian version and topped them with fresh tomato, basil + mozz.  You could definitely make a curry style or a cumin Mexican spiced variation as well.
The best thing about these, is how easy they are to prep.  It may seem like a lot of ingredients, but the burgers literally come together in the time it takes to preheat your grill or oven.
http://edibleperspective.com/2011/04/cabinets-dinner/

Curry Honey Hummus

If you know me well, you know that I LOVE hummus of all kinds. What's not to like--so may flavors, packed with protein and good fats and you can dip your foods into it! LOVE it! This one is from a food blog (http://edibleperspective.com/) that I follow and it was so good that I even licked the food processor bowl after making it... at 10:30 in the morning. What, you don't have a food processor (you know who you are:)? You must get one. I use this appliance more than any other appliance in my kitchen. I have the Cuisinart 14 cup (I definitely need the 14 cup size for the foods I prepare) and it works marvelously.

Curry Honey Hummus yields appx 2c

• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 can cooked chickpeas, drained + rinsed (or you can use one cup of dried chickpeas soaked overnight in at least 3 inches of water, drained and then boiled in three inches of water for about an hour until tender. This way is cheaper and you can avoid the BPA that lines almost all of our cans of food (Eden Organic is the one exception that I have found so far with BPA free cans).
• 3T olive oil
• juice from 1/2 a lemon ~2T
• 1T curry
• 1/2t turmeric
• 1/2t thai red curry paste [or you can sprinkle cayenne pepper]
• 1.5T tahini
• 1T honey
• ~3T water
• 1/2t ground cumin
• s+p [to taste]

1. In a food processor grind garlic clove[s] and scrape side of bowl.
2. Add chickpeas, oil, juice, curry, turmeric, curry paste or cayenee, tahini, cumin and honey.  Process until smooth.  Scrape down bowl once or twice.  Add water until it’s to the consistency you’re looking for. 
3. Add ~1/4-1/2t salt + 1/4t pepper [or to taste] and process for a few intervals of 30sec to really get it whipped and fluffy.

http://edibleperspective.com/2010/02/recipe-time-2/

Pumpkin Spiced Almond Butter

My neighbor recently brought over a jar of her homemade Fresh Herb Butter--even Baby O was licking her fingers! I wanted to thank her with one of my homemade spreads and this new recipe sounded delicious! 

Pumpkin Spiced Almond Butter

• 2c raw almonds
• 2T maple syrup
• 1T maple syrup
• 1.5T molasses
• 2t cinnamon
• 1/4t ginger
• 1/8t nutmeg
• 1/2t salt
• 1 1/2T canola oil

1. Preheat your oven to 300*
2. Spread the almonds on parchment, on a baking sheet.
3. Pour on 2T maple syrup + 1T molasses.  Stir.
4. Roast for 30min, stirring once every 10min.
5. Take out of the oven and let cool for about 30min.
6. Dump into your food processor and turn on.
7. Process + scrape down bowl as needed, until it butterizes. ~15min.  [Past the stage where it has formed a large ball of dough]
8. Add in 1/2T molasses, 1T maple syrup, 1 1/2T oil, all spices and salt.
9. Process again until smooth consistency is met.  ~5-8min.  [If you want it even smoother, add another 1/2-1T oil]

http://edibleperspective.com/2010/10/a-nutty-kind-of-day/

Roasted Maple Cinnamon Almond Butter

I LOVE peanut and almond butter. Yum--I would eat this everyday for lunch on a sandwich if I knew I would not feel guilty about skipping a spinach salad for a nut butter sandwich. We have a great grocery store in town that sells a lot of items in bulk... including nuts! In addition, many of the blogs I follow have inspired me to try to make my own, especially since they include such options as Salt Kissed Cashew Nut Butter and Maple Vanilla Almond Butter... delicious!

My first foray into nut butter took place over the weekend while my in-laws were visiting. Having an extra set of hands or two around the house seems to provide a bit of free time for things like... making nut butters! I got this recipe from http://edibleperspective.com and and it looks like she has a lot of over tasty recipes. However, as a new follower of her blog, I can only vouch for the nut butters.

Roasted Maple Cinnamon Almond Butter

• 2c Almonds
• 3T maple syrup
• 2T maple syrup
• 1/2t salt
• 1t cinnamon
• 1T grapeseed or canola oil

1. Preheat your oven to 325*
2. Line a pan with parchment if you don’t want to clean a sticky mess!  Pour the almonds on the pan with 1.5T of the maple syrup.
3. Roast for ~15min, stirring 3 times.  Watch so they don’t burn. 
4. Let them cool for 10+min.
5. Put in the food processor.
6. Turn the processor on + let it go until it’s buttery 10 ~15min.  Scrape down the bowl as needed. 
7. Add in the salt, cinnamon and 1T maple syrup and process again until smooth + combined.
8. Stream in oil and process until smooth consistency is reached.  If it’s still not smooth enough add another 1/2T of oil, but that shouldn’t be necessary.

Thanks Edible Perspective!

Roasted Vegetable Dip

Yum! My in-laws were visiting last week and I wanted to make an appetizer that was did not involve cheese. this was delicious and will be made again in the near future!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place veggies on a cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast in oven for 35 minutes until browned. Cool and transfer to a food processor with basil and parsley. Pulse to combine. Transfer to a bowl, stir and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with veggies or pita bread.

1 bulb fennel, cored and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
small eggplant, peeled and chopped
1 small zucchini, cut into thick half moons
3 T extra virgin olive oil
3 T balsamic vinegar
20 basil leaves, chopped
1/4 cup flat parsley, chopped

Courtesy of Rachel Ray

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

     Every year on my birthday Mr. E. is out of town at a work meeting. Luckily, his colleague is going to be attending this meeting on behalf of their office from here on out so I will finally have him back with my on my birthday next year. However, this year we had to hold the celebrations a few days early. I requested a chocolate cake with peanut butter icing but I found this recipe on Epicurious and he decided to give it a try. Even though it is my birthday, I usually try to lighten these recipes just a bit... however, this time around I should have just stuck with the original. The cake tastes okay (I have never met a cake I didn't like!) but it could have been better so next time around I will stick with the original.


Filling (Use half the amount listed below and you will still have leftovers to make truffles)

• 2 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned (natural) chunky peanut butter

Cake

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned (natural) chunky peanut butter
• 1 pound golden brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermillk

Frosting

• 1 1/2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar, divided
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
• Butterfinger candy bars, coarsely chopped
• Glazed peanuts

Preparation

For filling:
Bring cream and sugar to simmer in saucepan, whisking to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; let stand 1 minute. Whisk until smooth. Whisk in peanut butter. Chill uncovered overnight (we did not have time to chill it overnight so I chilled it in the refrigerator for a few hours and it was fine.)

For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides (we only have two pans so we made the recipe with two pans and it worked fine). Line bottoms with parchment paper. Sift first 4 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and peanut butter in large bowl until blended. Beat in sugar. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla. At low speed, beat in flour mixture in 4 additions alternately with buttermilk in 3 additions.

Divide batter among pans and spread evenly. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes 5 minutes. Turn out onto racks; peel off parchment. Cool cakes completely.

For frosting:
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla in large bowl to blend. Whisk whipping cream and 3/4 cup powdered sugar in bowl until mixture holds medium-firm peaks. Fold into cream cheese mixture in 3 additions; chill until firm but spreadable, about 1 hour.

Place 1 cake layer, bottom side up, on 9-inch tart pan bottom. Spread with half of filling. Place another layer, bottom side up, on work surface. Spread with remaining filling; place atop first layer. Top with remaining cake layer, bottom side up.

Spread frosting over top and sides of cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; chill. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours before continuing.) Press candy and peanuts onto top of cake. 
 

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chocolate-Peanut-Butter-Cake-with-Cream-Cheese-and-Butterfinger-Frosting-231746#ixzz1FpxPanCb

Chickpea Stew

This recipe is actually called Chickpea Chili but in my mind chili includes a topping of sour cream and cheddar and this stew definitely stands on its own... and it was oh-so-delicious and healthy!

Ingredients

• 1  cup  dried chickpeas
• 2  quarts boiling water
• 2  tablespoons  olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2  cups  chopped onion
• 5  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  tablespoon  tomato paste
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  ground cumin
• 1  teaspoon  kosher salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground red pepper
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground turmeric
• 2 1/2  cups  fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2  cup  water
• 2/3  cup  sliced pimiento-stuffed olives
• 1/2  cup  golden raisins
• 1  (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained and crushed
• 4  cups  chopped peeled butternut squash
• 1  cup  frozen green peas, thawed
• 1/4  cup  chopped fresh cilantro
• 6  cups  hot cooked couscous
• 8  lime wedges

Preparation

1. Place chickpeas in a saucepan; add 2 quarts boiling water. Cover and let stand 1 hour; drain. Place beans in a 6-quart slow cooker.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in tomato paste and next 5 ingredients (through turmeric); sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add onion mixture to slow cooker. Add broth and next 4 ingredients (through tomatoes) to slow cooker; cover and cook on HIGH 8 hours.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil; swirl to coat. Add squash; saute 5 minutes. Add squash to slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 1 hour; stir in peas. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serve over couscous with lime wedges.

Pimiento Mac and Cheese

Oh boy! When Bon Appetit Magazine declared this recipe as the best macaroni and cheese dish to date, I had to try it... especially since it included one of the specialties of our new home state, pimiento cheese! Unfortunately I made a big "no-no" and decided to make the recipe a bit healthier by doubling the amount of pasta in the dish and thus decreasing the amount of cheesy goodness in each serving. Mr. E immediately saw through the change and so I will once again be testing out this recipe in all of its original goodness sometime next week. However, I must say that even my healthier version kicked butt! It might be hard to find the Peppadew Peppers but it will be worth the effort!

Pimiento Mac and Cheese

6 servings 

• PREP TIME: 45 minutes
• TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 5 minutes

Recipe by Rozanne Gold

Photograph by Marcus Nilsson

March 2011

Ingredients

• 1 7- to 8-ounce red bell pepper, seeded, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 garlic cloves, halved, divided
• 1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 3/4 cup drained mild Peppadew peppers in brine, 1 tablespoon brine reserved
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ancho chiles
• 1 1/4 cups (packed) coarsely grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup (packed) coarsely grated whole-milk mozzarella
• 8 ounces medium shell pasta or gemelli (I used cavatelli)

Preparation

• Bring 1/2 cup water, bell pepper, and 11/2 garlic cloves to boil in small saucepan. Cover; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until pepper is soft, about 15 minutes.
• Toast panko in skillet over medium-high heat until golden, stirring often, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to bowl; cool to lukewarm. Rub 1 tablespoon butter into crumbs to coat. Mix in 1/4 cup Parmesan.
• Transfer bell pepper mixture to processor. Add Peppadews and 1 tablespoon brine, 2 tablespoons butter, ground chiles, and 1/2 garlic clove; then add cheddar and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Blend until sauce is smooth; season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter 8-cup baking dish (or 6 individual dishes). Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain; return to pot. Stir sauce and mozzarella into pasta. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon pasta into dish. Sprinkle with crumb topping.
• Bake pasta until topping is crisp and sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes (15 for individual). Let stand 10 minutes

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2011/03/pimiento_mac_and_cheese

Almond Crunch Ice Cream

     You would think that I was pregnant or something with all these recent posts about dessert! Nope, not pregnant, just a nursing Momma with cravings. We purchased this ice cream machine with wedding gift certificates but it wasn't until last summer that I started to use the machine. And THEN--my friend Christina recommended that I get Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream book. The ice cream I am able to whip up now could go head to head with B & J's any day....
       This particular flavor is one that I kind of made up as I am in love with all things almond flavored or with Almond chunks/paste. Trader Joe's makes these thin almond crisp cookies that are divine and I thought they would go well with some Almond Ice Cream and Mr. E. and I both agree--this is the best creation I have made yet!

Ingredients:
2 cups light cream
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp almond extract
1.5 cups crushed almond cookies

Mix the cream and milk together and then add the almond extract. Pour the milk and cream mixture into the ice cream maker according to their instructions. After 28 minutes of mixing, add the broken cookies for the last 2 minutes of mixing. Voila--believe me, you will not be disappointed. Oh, and you will even have a little bit of sweetened condensed milk left in the can and if you enjoy a cup of coffee at the beginning of your day, a spoonful of this yummy goodness will make an incredible cup of joe!

Buckley's Tavern

Mmmm... wild mushroom soup! I came across this recipe on the website for Buckley's Tavern in Centreville, Delaware as I was searching for their recipe for pumpkin hummus (still no luck), however, this looked like the perfect recipe for our lunchtime soups. Mmmm.... Unfortunately it is not made with the local mushrooms that southeastern Pennsylvania is known for, but rather run of the mill California mushrooms which are sold in our grocery.

Wild Mushroom Soup

Ingredients

3 lbs assorted mushrooms (they suggest portabella, shiitake and chanterelle's from Kennett Square)
2 leeks (whites only) cleaned and chopped
3 cups chopped tomatoes (if using canned, drain liquid and you will need 2 large cans)
1 tsp minced garlic or one garlic clove minced
1 Bay leaf, 1/4 cup chopped parsley and thyme
48 oz. low sodium chicken stock
1/4 cup sherry
EVOO for sauteeing

Directions:

In a heavy bottomed 4 quart pot, saute leeks, tomatos and garlic over medium heat until soft. Add mushrooms and cook for 5-10 minutes until mushrooms release some liquid. Deglaze pot with sherry. Add stock, bay leaf, herbs and cook for 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with a green salad and crusty bread!

Courtesy of Buckley's Tavern, Centreville, Delaware

Caribbean Succotash

Ooooo, this dinner was delicious! It was the cover recipe in the January issue of Bon Appetit so I knew it would be good. It is the perfect vegetarian meal--filled with veggies and protein and completely satisfying. Mr. E. ate this dinner... once... but is not a big fan of coconut milk so unfortunately this will not be one of our go to meals as I had hoped it would be.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh or frozen double-peeled fava beans, butter beans, or baby lima beans (about 9 ounces), thawed--I used one can of butter beans rinsed.
• 3/4 cup diced peeled carrots
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup diced zucchini
• 1 cup diced red bell pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
• 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1 cup diced unpeeled Persian cucumber or English hothouse cucumber
• 3/4 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
• Large pinch of cayenne pepper
• Large pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Preparation

Cook fava beans in large saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer fava beans to medium bowl. Add diced carrots to same saucepan of boiling water; cook until carrots are tender, about 4 minutes. Drain and transfer carrots to small bowl.

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, diced zucchini, diced bell pepper, pressed garlic cloves, and minced fresh thyme. Sauté until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add corn, diced cucumber, and reserved carrots; stir 1 minute. Add beans, unsweetened coconut milk, cayenne pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg. Stir until heated through, about 1 minute. Season succotash to taste with salt and pepper.

Ingredient Info: Double-peeled fava beans (beans that have been removed from their pods, then individually peeled) can be found at Middle Eastern markets. Unsweetened coconut milk can be found at many supermarkets and at Indian, Southeast Asian, and Latin markets.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Caribbean-Succotash-363249#ixzz1BgWx4eee

Super Sourdough Refrigerator Bread

This bread is so good that you will have a hard time resisting the urge to nibble on it before it is fully cooled after it comes out of the oven!

Super Sourdough Refrigerator Bread

1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 3/4 cups warm water (about 110 degrees)
1 tsp sugar
1 cup sourdough starter, room temperature
1/3 cup each sugar and oil
1 T salt
2 eggs, well beaten
about 8 cups flour

     In a large bowl, combine yeast, 1/4 cup of the warm water and the 1 tsp of sugar. let stand until bubbly (about 15 minutes). Stir in remaining 1.5 cups water, the starter, sugar, oil, salt and eggs. Beat in 4 cups of the flour, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. With a heavy duty mixer or wooden spoon, gradually mix in as much of the remaining flour as dough will absorb. Place dough in a greased bowl, turn over to grease top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
     To continue, punch dough down and divide in half. With greased hands, shape each half into a smooth loaf. Place each in a greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pan; cover and let rise in a warm place until loaves rise 1 inch about pan sides (about 2 hours). Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven (325 degrees for glass plans) for 30 to 35 minutes until well browned. Turn out onto a rack to cool. Makes two loaves.

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