Black Bean Soup with rice

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, minced
4 garlic cloves
salt and pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
3 cans seasoned black beans, drained but not rinsed
1-1/2 cups water
2 cups chicken broth (OR vegetable stock)
1/4 tsp. cayenne

Toppings: sliced avocado, salsa, sour cream, shredded cheese, corn, chopped green onion, chopped fresh onion

For the Cilantro-Lime Rice:1 cup long grain white rice
2 cups water
1 T. olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
juice of 1/2 lime & grated zest of 1/2 lime

1-2 T. chopped cilantro

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, then saute until soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 30 more seconds, stirring constantly. Add chili powder and cumin then saute for 30 more seconds.
2. Add drained beans, water, and chicken broth, bring soup to a boil, then lower heat slightly and simmer for 15 minutes. Scoop 2 ladle-fulls of soup into a blender or food processor, then blend until almost smooth. Alternatively use a hand-held immersion blender to process 1/3 of the beans in the soup pot. Add blended soup back into the pot then add hot sauce and stir to combine.
3. For the Chipotle-Lime Rice: While soup is simmering, bring water, oil, and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Add rice, place a lid on top, then turn heat down to medium-low and simmer until rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir to fluff then add lime juice and chopped cilantro.
4. To serve, scoop cooked rice into bottom of bowls then top with hot soup. Top with sliced avocado, salsa, sour cream, etc.

Sugar Cookies

(Pictured on top, frosted)

Sugar Cookie Cutouts

2/3

cup of butter, softened

3/4

cup of sugar

1

teaspoon of baking powder

1/4

teaspoon of salt

1

egg

1

tablespoon of milk

1

teaspoon of vanilla

2

cups of all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. If necessary, cover and chill about 30 minutes or until dough is easy to handle.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough at a time until 1/4 inch thick. Using a 4-1/2- to 6-inch cookie cutter, cut dough into desired shapes. Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. At this point, add colored sugar or sprinkles if you like (otherwise, leave them plain and frost/decorate after they've been baked.)
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are very lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack; cool.

Kolacky

(Kolacky pictured on left side of plate.)

Cream together:
 1/2 pint (approx. 1 cup) vanilla ice cream, slightly melted
 1/4 c. powdered sugar
 1 tsp. vanilla
 1 cup soft butter
 3 to 3-1/2 cups flour (add enough to make a stiff dough that isn't TOO sticky)

Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for several hours.

Preheat the oven to 350º.

Take a portion of the dough (1/3 or 1/4) and roll out into a rectangle, and less than 1/4" thick.
Cut into strips, making squares approx. 2"x 2".

Into the center of each, spoon a scant amount of Solo filling (apricot, raspberry, prune....) and gather up two corners of the dough square, pinching together to seal.

Place kolacky onto lightly greased baking sheet, leaving a little room in between each cookie.

Bake for 20 min., until the edges begin to turn golden.  Remove from oven. Cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar.

Chili Lime Chicken

FAST & EASY - this is great for weeknights when you do NOT feel like cooking!!

Take 2 large (or 4 small) boneless, skinless chicken breasts & pound them until they're uniform in thickness.

Make a rub (this is up to you - don't be afraid to go BOLD): chili powder, cumin, cayenne, thyme, garlic powder, salt, freshly ground pepper - sprinkle over chicken & rub into meat. Set aside while pan's heating.

In a large pan, heat 4 T. olive oil & 1 T. butter until very hot (but not smoking!) - place the chicken in the pan & fry for several minutes - turn pcs. over and cook until they're done. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the chicken - press into the thickest part of the chicken & if the juices run clear, it's done. Squeeze the juice of 3 limes over the chicken to deglaze pan, turn chicken over & swirl around in pan juices before serving. Season with salt & pepper.

No matter how I turned the plate, the chicken wound up looking like fish! ha! I suppose you could easily make this using fish too! :-)

Gazpacho

gazpacho:  noun, a Spanish-style soup made from tomatoes and other vegetables and spices, served cold.

1 large cucumber, halved and seeded, but not peeled
2 red bell peppers, cored & seeded
4 large plum tomatoes
1 small red onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
23 ounces tomato juice (3 cups)
4 Tblsp. cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup good olive oil
1/2 T. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper


 Chop the cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onions into 1-inch cubes - you don't have to be precise here. Put each vegetable separately into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it is coarsely chopped. Do not overprocess or it will turn to sludge!

After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well and chill before serving. The longer gazpacho sits, the more the flavors develop.  


Serve in bowls & garnish with fresh springs of basil or parsley.

Scotcharoo Cookies

These are CHEAT cookies - made with a cake box mix (something I don't often use) - quick, easy, TASTY!!

If you've ever had Scotcharoos (cooked corn syrup-butter-sugar/peanut butter-rice krispies base with melted chocolate/butterscotch chip topping), they're reeeeeeally good! When I was flipping thru cookie recipes recently, I found an easy recipe, changed a few things, added a few ingredients and came up with a simple cookie recipe that tastes a LOT like classic Scotcharoos! It's a 'cheat' recipe with cake mix, but until I figure out a 'scratch' recipe, this will have to do for now! :)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, mix together:

1 package of chocolate cake mix (Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker devils food or dark chocolate...)

1 stick (1/2 cup) melted butter

1 Tblsp. vegetable oil

1 tsp. vanilla

1 beaten egg plus one egg white only

Mix together well - add:

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 cup rice krispies

1 cup butterscotch chips

Drop onto ungreased (or parchment lined) baking sheets by heaping tsps. - flatten slightly

Prep Bowls

"Pinch Bowl" - A pinch bowl is a very small bowl which is designed to hold a limited amount of ingredients. There are a number of uses for pinch bowls, and many chefs and cooks like to keep a set around, often in a handy location so that they are easy to access in a hurry. Most kitchen supply stores sell pinchbowls made from a variety of materials and in an assortment of shapes and sizes.

"Mise en place bowls" - Mise en place is a French culinary phrase that means “setting in place.” It refers to the set-up of precisely measured ingredients and necessary utensils at a cooking station in advance of food preparation. Mise enplace may also include condiments, garnishes and serving dishes.

Pronounced “meez ahn plahs,” and sometimes spelled “misen place,” this technique facilitates the smooth, successful preparation of foods. It is especially helpful for preparing dishes made from complex recipes. Mise en place is most commonly used in professional kitchens where many dishes are prepared throughout the course of a work shift. Most restaurants spend the first few hours of each shift completingmise en place before the dining room opens.

Bolognese Sauce

Your pasta will thank you!! :)

In a large saucepan, heat 4 Tblsp. olive oil, add:

4 tblsp. chopped bacon (pre-cooked)

1 cup grated celery

1 cup grated onion

1/2 cup grated carrots

6 cloves smashed, minced garlic

Saute over med. heat until fragrant and vegetables are cooked & translucent.

Add 1# ground round & 1/2# ground veal or pork (or combination)

Continue cooking, breaking up meat as it browns, stirring often.

Once meat is cooked, add a large can (16 oz) of crushed tomatoes and a large can (16 oz.) of plum tomatoes (with juice), breaking up tomatoes .. and a small can (6 oz) of tomato paste. ( If desired, add a half cup of wine - I leave it out.)

Season with a couple tsps. of basil (fresh or dried), salt & pepper to taste, 1/2 tsp. oregano, couple tsps. of chopped parsley, a few shakes of cayenne.... Cover and simmer on med-low heat for 1-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Check for seasonings - stir in 1/2 cup cream (heavy cream or half and half) to sauce. Add some sauce to cooked pasta, tossing to cover - add more after plated. Serve with or without shaved parmesan.

Spritz Cookies

These are my daughter's  (Amie) favorites!! The browned butter in the icing gives the cookies a rich, nutty-like flavor.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine and mix well:

1-1/2 C. (3 sticks) butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. baking powder

3-1/2 cups flour

When thoroughly mixed, put dough in a cookie press (I use a Pampered Chef 'gun') & squeeze onto cookie sheets, leaving a little space between each one. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges begin to turn golden.

Remove from oven and cool before frosting.

Browned butter icing:

In a medium saucepan, on med-low heat, melt 6 Tblsp. Kick the heat up to medium, stir the butter as it's heating up, watching it CLOSELY. After a few minutes, it will begin to foam. Stir and continue to watch VERY closely (the butter goes from golden brown to BURNED in no time!!) and the second the butter gets golden brown (little speckles will form on the bottom of pan) remove from heat and stir - it will continue cooking. Don't wait for butter to cool; add 3 cups powdered sugar and stir ... add a teasp. of vanilla extract. Add milk SLOWLY, a Tblsp. at a time, mixing well, until a spreading consistency is reached. You might need to add a bit more powdered sugar or a bit more milk, depending on how thick you'd like the icing. It will harden rather quickly, so shake sprinkles on the cookies immediately after frosting each, unless you want to keep them plain.

Individual PB Cup Cheesecakes

These are individual cheesecakes, baked in cupcake papers, with a crust, a Reese's cup on top of the crust, then covered with cheesecake batter. After they're baked & cooled, a spoonful of chocolate ganache puts the proverbial icing on the cake!! Recipe will be posted soon! :)

Heat oven to 350º - line muffin pans with cupcake papers.

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
unwrap a couple dozen mini Peanut butter cups

Beat cream cheese, 2/3 cup sugar, 3 eggs, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla with mixer until smooth. Put a spoonful into each muffin paper- top with a mini PB cup.  Put another larger 
spoonful of batter over (completely cover PB cup).  

Bake 13-16 minutes, until the cheesecake is set.

Remove from oven. Cool completely.

Make a chocolate ganache -

Heat 1 cup of heavy whipping cream (LOW heat - do NOT boil!!) - add 2 cups of chopped up semi sweet chocolate (can use half semi sweet and half bittersweet)  and stir continually until chocolate is totally melted & incorporated.

Spoon chocolate over each cheesecake. Refrigerate.

Baked Apple French Toast

This is a WONDERFUL 'overnight' french toast that can be prepared in the evening & tossed into the oven the next day -- perfect for a holiday morning breakfast!! This version reminds me of caramel apples and autumn!!

Grease a 9 X 13" pan.

Tear/dice up 6 large (or 8 small) croissants or any buttery type of dinner roll.  Lay them in the pan.

Spoon 2 cups chunky applesauce over the cut up bread and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon.

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk together:

6 eggs

2 C. milk

1/3 C. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/8 tsp. salt

Pour over bread/apple mixture evenly.  Cover tightly and refrigerate at least 4 hours - preferably overnight.

When ready to bake - let sit on the counter for 1/2 hr. to remove chill.

Heat oven to 350º.

While oven is heating prepare topping.

In a small bowl, combine:

6 T. flour

1/2 C. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

and 

CUT in 6 Tblsp. cold butter using a pastry blender (or knives), cutting it in until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Sprinkle the crumbs evenly over the bread in the pan.

Bake loosely covered for 40 minutes.  Remove from oven, uncover and bake another 10-15 min. until topping becomes golden and the center is completely set.

Serve with warm syrup or caramel topping (& chopped, toasted nuts, if desired).  We had ours with Trader Joe's caramel sauce, which was an excellent choice!! This tasted like FALL!!!

Buttery Pecan Crisps

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, cream together:

1/2 cup soft butter

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup flour

1 cup chopped, toasted pecans (before making cookies, bake pecan halves for 8-10 min. @350... cool & chop up)

Form cookies in 3/4" balls, place on ungreased sheets, leaving a little bit of space (but these cookies don't spread out). Flatten them slightly. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until the edges are golden. 

While still warm, put a cup of powdered sugar in a bowl & gently toss warm cookies in the powdered sugar. Cool.

Meat Pies (bridie, pasty...)

These little meat pies are called many different things, have many variations & you can alter the filling in a million ways!  And do NOT think of Johnny Depp as Sweeney Todd when you hear 'meat pies'. :D The little pies I baked may not LOOK fantastic, but they are delicious.  I have not perfected pie folding, so bear with me. 

This makes approx. a dozen. 
For the filling, in a pan, heat a tblsp. cooking oil and add one to 1-1/4# ground round.
Saute for 5 minutes and then add 1/2 cup minced onion and a clove of minced garlic, 2 shredded carrots, 1/4 cup shredded green pepper.
Stir and continue cooking another 10-15 minutes until vegetables are soft and meat is totally cooked. Drain completely.

Add 1 heaping tsp. beef base (comes in a jar - it's like a bouillon paste and MUCH better!!), 1/2 tsp. Trader Joe's 21-season salute (or all-season like Ms. Dash), 1/4 tsp. black pepper, 1/4 tsp. salt, 4 Tblsp. worcestershire sauce.  Pour 2/3 cup water over everything and stir. If it looks like there isn't enough liquid (you don't want it swimming in water!), add a tad more.  Cover and simmer for an hour.  If you like vegetables (like peas, potatoes, turnips), add them mid-cooking time.

In a small cup or bowl, stir together 2 tblsp. flour and enough COLD water to make a smooth paste.  Add to the pot - stir to thicken the meat/gravy.  Once it's thickened, taste & adjust seasonings if needed.
Cool down until the meat isn't steaming hot - it won't work if you put hot meat into the cool pie crust.

Heat the oven to 400º.

Have pastry ready (enough for a 2 crust regular pie), rolled out and divided into 10-12 equal pieces.  You can cut these in circles (then add filling and fold over) or squares (same thing, but make triangles).

Put a Tblsp. (or more) of filling into the centers of each pc. of pastry.  Fold the top half of the pastry over the filling, pressing down the edges to seal.  You can crimp it with a fork.

Put on ungreased baking sheets, leaving a little space between each meat pie.  Bake for 18-24 minutes, until the crust turns golden colored.  

Remove from the oven and cool on racks.  

Cauliflower Bacon Frittata

A frittata is an Italian 'open faced' omelette, a quick, easy & satisfying meal for ANY time of day or night!

Have ready: 3-4 cups cooked, chopped cauliflower.

Saute 8 slices of chopped bacon - half way thru cooking time, add 1/2 cup diced onion and continue cooking until onion is soft & bacon is done. Drain and pat grease. Set aside.

Crack a dozen eggs in a bowl, add 4 Tblsp. water & season with S&P, pinch of cayenne & any blend herbs/spices you like. With a wire whisk, beat eggs thoroughly. Stir in a tblsp. chopped parsley.

Heat a nonstick 10" pan that's been sprayed with nonstick spray. Pour in the eggs and as they're cooking, 'lift' the sides of the cooked eggs, allowing the uncooked eggs to slide underneath. Carefully continue this, making sure the eggs don't get TOO scrambled up.

When eggs are fairly cooked, spoon the cauliflower mixture evenly over the top of the eggs. Place under the broiler (not TOO close to the heat) and continue cooking until the top is set, checking often to make sure it doesn't overcook. Remove from heat. Top with shaved colby-jack, cheddar or whatever kind of cheese you like (and as much as you like!) and return to broiler until the cheese melts.

Slide frittata onto a plate - wait a minute or 2 and then slice into wedges.

Chocolate Sheet Cake

Heat oven to 350º.

Ingredients:

2 c. sugar2 c. flour
1 c. water
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 c. butter (2 sticks)
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. soda
2 eggs

Mix sugar and flour together, set bowl aside.

Heat together in a saucepan the water, salt, cocoa and butter until it's melted together; pour into the sugar and flour mixture. Add the buttermilk, vanilla, soda and eggs; mix together well. Pour into greased & floured cookie sheet (jelly roll pan) with rim (17 x 11 x 1 inch). Bake 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes - 

frost while warm.

Frosting:

1/2 c. butter (1 stick)
4 tbsp. cocoa
6 tbsp. buttermilk
16 oz. powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. chopped nuts

Boil well the butter, cocoa and buttermilk. Remove from heat and add sugar, vanilla. Spread on the warm cake.

Chocolate Crinkles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, cream together:

1 stick soft butter

1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa

1-1/4 sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

Combine: 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder & 1-2/3 C. flour and add to creamed mixture.

Put 1 cup powdered sugar into a bowl.

Roll dough into 3/4" balls & roll the balls into powdered sugar. Place them on parchment lined baking sheets (or lightly greased sheets).