Oh! You Cook!

Ode to Chocolate Day - a Throwback from the Past

noreply@blogger.com (Oh! You Cook!) — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 15:56:00 +0000

In honor of Chocolate Day, I present a relatively easy candy throwback. The references to the Nabisco factory show how ancient I am ... Nabisco was long-ago sold to some conglomerate and the factory is even longer closed. But luckily, somewhere, someplace, Lorna Doones are still produced *happy sigh*.

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Twix Bars: shortbread cookie base, topped with a layer of caramel, then enrobed in chocolate. Love 'em! Whether left or right bars, I'll eat 'em all!

Always wanted to make them myself, but thought they would be very time consuming, so I never bothered. But after accidentally finding a few recipes for Twix Bars while researching for other things, they didn't look as complex as I thought. However, virtually every recipe I found used store-bought caramels, and after years of enjoying homemade caramels I just couldn't bring myself to use store-bought.

But, interestingly enough, almost all those recipes that used store-bought caramels made their shortbread base from scratch ... a real head-scratcher to me, since I find it difficult to make a good "shortie" but have zero problem with scratch caramels. Go figure.

Lorna Doone has its own separate place in my heart (yes, I have a candy heart). As a kid, I went to summer day camp. Each weekday the bus picked us Bronx kids up and brought us deep into the Garden State. Along the way we passed a Nabisco cookie factory. Twice a week they produced (we assume by the aroma) Lorna Doones. And twice a week the entire busload of kids practically hung out one side of the bus, trying our best to inhale as much sweet air as our lungs could hold.

Anyway, back to the present. As I opened a pack of Lorna Doones, and held up one of those cookie squares, I realized that if split in two, each half would each make a perfect Twix clone base. So I took the remaining 3 cookies home (after all, an opened package couldn't be put back, amiright?), and made a micro-mini practice batch. Not left or right, but rather ambidextrous, more or less. A bit of scientific testing on select library staff proved I had a winner!

Ambidextrous Twix Bars
Yield: up to 80 relatively identical mini-bars

1 (10 oz.) box Lorna Doone (or 40 of your favorite shortbread cookie squares)

2 Tbl. unsalted butter, cut up

1/2 rounded cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar

3 Tbl. light or dark corn syrup

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

5 Tbl. sweetened condensed milk

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1 (24 oz.) bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 Tbl. vegetable shortening

Holding a sharp knife with both hands (one on the handle and one on the opposite side of the blade), firmly push down through each Lorna Doone to cleanly cut in half. Set cookie halves in a single layer on a large cookie sheet covered in parchment; set aside.

Combine sugar, corn syrup, salt, sweetened condensed milk and butter in a 1 quart saucepan. Stir constantly over medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved and the butter has melted. When mixture comes to a boil, insert a candy thermometer, then carefully stir occasionally.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Continue to stir occasionally until the temperature reaches 240-242F, approximately 10 minutes. Immediately remove from heat; carefully stir in vanilla extract.

Try to be less messy than I was.

Spoon a 1/4 teaspoon of caramel on each cookie half. Let caramel set up for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.

Pour half of chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon shortening in a heat-safe 1-quart bowl. Microwave at full power for 1 minute. Stir, then microwave at full power for 30 seconds; repeating until chocolate is completely melted and smooth.

Chocolate-enrobed Twix Bars in various stages of setting up

With a dipping fork, dip a bar into chocolate, turning bar as necessary to make sure it is completely enrobed.

Lift bar up and tap fork several times on inner edge of bowl to allow excess chocolate to drip off.

Carefully slide bar off fork onto baking sheet. Repeat with remaining bars, melting remaining chocolate chips and vegetable shortening as needed.

Store completely set bars in a tightly covered container or freezer bag at room temperature up to a day or two, in fridge up to a week or in freezer up to a month.

Allow bars to come to room temperature, still in container (to prevent moisture from forming on bars) before serving.

Roasted Tomato Soup with Pesto

noreply@blogger.com (Oh! You Cook!) — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 14:27:00 +0000

The Absolute Best (NO Exaggeration!) Roasted Tomato Soup

I’ve made quite a few different tomato soup recipes over the years. Most have tasted like a bowl of marinara sauce straight out of a jar. This one however, in my humble opinion, is the absolute best and totally worth the extra 30 minutes of time roasting the tomatoes, which you can even do a few days in advance.

So you don’t have an excuse to cheat and grab a can labeled “roasted tomatoes’. I swear their roasting consists of passing a mini blowtorch quickly over the chopped tomatoes. REAL roasting concentrates the sweetness in the tomatoes.

But do not ... I repeat do NOT … taste the freshly roasted tomatoes because you will shove all of them in your mouth and have nothing left for the soup. Plus you’ll burn your mouth and not taste anything for a few days.

Just stop, and slide the whole batch into the saucepan. Speaking of roasting, be sure to line the pan with a silicone mat or foil and be generous with the olive oil. Your future self will be grateful to NOT have to soak/scrape/scrapte/soak the pan overnight because you put the tomatoes in to roast without bothering to check them during the roasting ... ask me how I know 😭.

Although I made this tonight to serve with fish, for the occasional lunch this soup is great alongside grilled cheese triangles. Because grilled cheese triangles taste better than grilled cheese rectangles. No, I am an adult. Why do you ask?

The Absolute Best (NO Exaggeration!) Roasted Tomato Soup
Yield: 2 servings (recipe can be doubled)

1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
Vegetable broth (or water), around 1 1/2 cups
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled (depending on how much you love garlic)
2 Tbl. olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper, or to taste
1 tsp. dried basil (or 4 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped), for garnish

Preheat oven to 450F. Line a medium-sized rimmed baking pan with a silicon mat or aluminum foil; set aside.

Drain tomatoes into 2-cup measuring cup; add broth or water to cup to measure 1 1/2 cups liquid; set aside.

Place drained tomatoes onto the prepared baking pan. Add garlic cloves. Pour olive oil over both and use (preferably) clean hands to coat tomatoes and garlic, spreading mixture in a single layer.

Place pan in oven and roast for 30 minutes (start checking after 20), or until tomatoes just start to char.

Scrape (because tomatoes will fight you) the roasted mixture into a 2-quart pot. Stir in liquid juice mixture, salt, pepper, and basil. Bring just to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.

Remove pot from heat. Using an immersion blender or food processor, puree soup until smooth (or to personal preference).

Taste and add more salt and/or pepper if needed.

Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with the basil; serve immediately.

Cheesecake Parfaits - close enough for National Cheesecake Day

noreply@blogger.com (Oh! You Cook!) — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 22:27:00 +0000

How could I have missed that today is National Cheesecake Day????? Had no idea it was even a thing until I heard the radio ad from Big Box Cheesecake.

So now I have to celebrate last minute with you, Dear Reader.

I know! I'll share a summer rerun. A mad-easy no-bake recipe for ... tah-dah ... Cheesecake parfait. You don't even need to heat the strawberries. The only heat needed is the microwave to nuke the butter for the graham cracker base. So enjoy this last-minute desssert. Or save it for tomorrow. There's no law against cheesecake any other day of the year.

If you want to cut back on the fat and calories, substitute low-fat cream cheese and/or low-fat sweetened condensed milk, then serve in smaller glasses.

TIP ALERT! To properly fill the glasses, spoon cheesebake batter into a large freezer bag. Snip off a corner, and pipe in the batter. This avoids shmearing batter all over the sides of the glasses. Doesn't affect flavor, but really looks spectacular.

No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Parfaits
No strawberries? Substitute with a cup of either blueberries or chopped peaches.
Adapted from: Annie's Eats and Food.com
Yield: 6-8 company servings

1 (8 oz.) package regular cream cheese
1 cup chopped strawberries
2 Tbl. granulated sugar
1 cup graham cracker crumbs (7-8 crackers, crushed or whizzed 30 seconds or so in a food processor)
1 Tbl. granulated sugar
1 1/2 Tbl. unsalted butter, melted
1 (10 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1⁄3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Place cream cheese in a large mixing bowl. Set aside for 30-45 minutes to bring to room temperature.

Stir together the strawberries and sugar in a 1-quart bowl. Let stand at 1 hour, stirring occasionally . Using a fork, gently mash the berries. Cover and refrigerate.

In another 1-quart bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter until evenly mixed. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the crumb mixture into the bottom of 6-8 flute glasses. Set aside.

Beat cream cheese at medium speed until fluffy, about 1 minute. Pour in sweetened condensed milk; continue to beat another minute or until thoroughly combined, stopping the mixer to scrape down sides of bowl with spatula as necessary. Add lemon juice and vanilla; beat at low until incorporated.

Spoon or pipe the cheesecake evenly into the glasses. Cover and refrigerate up to two days.

No more than a couple hours before serving, drain strawberries, then spoon strawberries evenly over the cheesecake batter.

Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Vegetarian (or Vegan) Black Bean Chili - a quick throw-together meal!

noreply@blogger.com (Oh! You Cook!) — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 02:27:00 +0000

Not everything this summer needs to be made on the grill.

Proof is this here black bean chili. Almost like regular chili, but with a tex-mex leaning. Just add a wedge of cornbread, some toppings if you wish, and you have a delicious and healthy dinner.

It’s really a simple throw-together dinner that is practically hands-off once you throw it all together. And please, do NOT get upset at the long-ish list of ingredients. Most of the list are spices, and much if not all are already in your pantry.

The chili powder provides flavor but without heat, so if you are the type who thinks ketchup is too spicy, go ahead and use the entire amount.

Smoked paprika, on the other hand, depending on the brand can have a little touch of heat, so start with 1/4 teaspoon, and add more at the 15 minute mark.

Many people thing cumin is only for Indian food. One taste of this chili proves it is a necessary ingredient here as well. Start with 1 teaspoon and work your way up to 2 teaspoons.

Hey MomCook, I can see not having to drain the diced tomatoes, but was that a typo about not draining the beans either? Nope, Dear Reader! The liquid helps the chili thicken without long cooking. Just leave out any extra salt until after 15 minutes of simmering. Then add if you think it needs some (spoiler alert – it won’t!).

Vegetarian (or Vegan) Black Bean Chili
Tastes even better reheated the next day! If too thick after a night in the fridge, simply stir in 1/4 cup or so of water to loosen it up a bit.

2 Tbl. extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 Tbl. chili powder
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
2 Tbl. garlic powder
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
2 15-oz. cans black beans, undrained
1 28-oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup thick and chunky salsa (your favorite brand and amount of heat … I use Chi-Chi’s medium)
1 cup water, divided
Kosher salt and additional black pepper to taste

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional for a dairy version)
A couple dollops of sour cream (optional garnish for a dairy version)
Cornbread, for serving (optional)

Heat olive oil in a medium-sized soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onions; cook saute occasionally for 8 minutes or until onions are softened and just beginning to char. Add chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano cumin, cayenne pepper and black pepper, stirring constantly for 1 minute or until spices become fragrant.

Stir in black beans along with their liquid, diced tomatoes, salsa, and half cup of the water.

Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors have melded and chili has thickened, 15–20 minutes. Stir in the remaining water if the chili seems too thick.

Taste, add kosher salt and additional black pepper (as well as more garlic) if needed.

Place a hunk of cornbread on each plate. Ladle some chili over each. Garnish with grated cheddar cheese, sour cream, and/or chopped cilantro if desired. Serve hot.

Easy-Peasy Peach Toast ... now with a Carb-free Option

noreply@blogger.com (Oh! You Cook!) — Sat, 28 Jun 2025 17:30:00 +0000

Peaches are beginning to pop into the markets by me, so it’s time for an old fave o’ mine … Peach Toast!

This is one of those “no-recipe” recipes. Don’t worry … and just stop with the eye glaze! Yes, quantities ARE given, but please feel free to play around with them until they become preferred preferences. In fact, don’t even bother measuring the ricotta … just *plop* a soup spoon-full onto one of the toasted bread slices. Too much plop? Spoon some off and dump it onto the other slice. Not enough? Dig some more out of the container. Everything else is just a shake and a squeeze.

Heck, I’ve even used sliced and frozed peaches (which I might have overbought from the Try-n-Save), pouring out the guess of a whole peach’s worth or so onto a plate to let defrost so I wouldn’t bend my table knife if they didn’t de-froze enough because I was ~~starving~~ impatient to eat.

Even the number of servings this recipe makes is a suggestion. All depends upon how hungry you are at breakfast/brunch/lunch time (see what I did there? Time to eat is whenever your heart desires … or when you roll out of bed. I don't judge).

One time, on a whim, I tossed on some grated lemon peel, the excess left over from the previous night’s dinner. A total game changer … you can see AND taste the brightness it adds!

Don’t despair if you only have peaches of the canned persuasion! While I prefer fresh ripe peaches, sometimes (and by “sometime” I mean “most of the year”) fresh ripe peaches aren’t available. So drain the peaches, slice/chop ‘em up, then continue with the recipe.

Better yet, use blueberries … especially since they are available fresh just about all-year round. At least at my local market.

Truthfully, you can use whatever bread you have on hand, just as long as it (when toasted) can hold all the toppings without doing the Brand X paper plate dropsies all over your phone due to your bad habit of eating while doom scrolling. But since I’m attempting to be healthy, I use a 7-grain bread with mega fiber. Nice and thick rustic bread from the bakery also works very well as well.

Anyhoo, thought I was sooo smart, coming up with this-here recipe. But then I made the mistake of firing up the Googles … only to discover I inadvertently reinvented the wheel. Numerous iterations of this dish, with varied toppings, abound on the intertubes. But I like mine the best … of course. So feel free to tinker with the ingredients or quantities to make your own personal couple o'slices of heaven on a plate.

Easy-Peasy Peach Toast ... with a Carb-free Option

Every one of the quantities and ingredients listed can be tweaked to your preference
Yield: 1 or 2 servings, depending upon your appetite

1 Tbl. ricotta cheese (regular or part-skim)
2 tsp. honey, divided
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon, plus more for garnish
2 thick slices of “good” bread of your choice, toasted
1 medium peach, skin on, chopped

Optional but very delicious toppings:
1 tsp. fresh grated lemon peel
1 Tbl. chopped walnuts or pecans (or any nut you prefer)

In a small bowl, stir together ricotta, 1 teaspoon of the honey and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon.

Plop a tablespoon of the ricotta mixture onto each slice of toasted bread, then slather around using the back of the spoon (or the knife you used to chop up the peach).

Divide the chopped up peach between the slices. Optionally top with nuts and/or grated lemon peel, then drizzle the remaining honey over the peaches. Garnish with an additional pinch of cinnamon if you like as well. Serve immediately.

Note:

To lose the carbs, omit the bread and double the ricotta (or sub with a cup of Greek yogurt), then gently fold in all the remaining ingredients. Taste, adjusting any or all the ingredients. Serve immediately.

noreply@blogger.com (Oh! You Cook!) — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 00:11:00 +0000

A throw-together delicious and filling soup, with or without the chicken!

Don’t let the list of ingredients and/or measuring scare you. This isn’t a cake recipe where all the measurements have used, or event accurate. I had opened bags of frozen corn and green beans in the freezer. Didn’t bother checking to see how much was in each (maybe there was over a cup of corn and barely a 1/2 cup of green beans), I just emptied the bags into the pot (That’s right … no defrosting!) and kept going. Plus a few nanoseconds of time were saved by not draining the kidney beans or diced tomatoes.

Two tablespoons of chili powder sounds like a massive punch, but please trust me … it’s all flavor and no heat. But what if you really want some heat? Then add a few shakes of the smoked paprika. Otherwise leave it out. The soup will still be delicious.

Chili's Southwestern Vegetable Soup
Adapted from Top Secret Recipes
Serves 6
Prep time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Total Time: 1 hour

Note: Make this a hearty soup by adding 1 cup of shredded rotisserie chicken. Make it a one-bowl meal by upping the amount of chicken to 2 cups

6 cups vegetable broth (preferably low-salt)
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup red kidney beans, undrained
1 cup yellow frozen corn kernels
1 cup frozen cut green beans
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies, undrained
1/2 cup diced red onion
2 Tbl. tomato paste
6 corn tortillas, very finely chopped (or until you lose patience)
2 Tbl. chili powder
1 tsp. smoked paprika (for spicy heat, totally optional)
2 tsp. garlic powder

1-2 cups rotisserie chicken (totally optional)

Optional garnishes:
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
Several handfuls corn tortilla chips
Handful cilantro leaves and tender stems, coarsely chopped

Dump all the soup ingredients in a deep soup pot over medium-high heat.

Cover and bring soup to a boil. Remove cover and reduce heat. Gently simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls. Serve hot, passing around garnishes. Refrigerate leftovers, covered, up to 3 days.

Root Veggies Salad - serve warm or cold

noreply@blogger.com (Oh! You Cook!) — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 00:17:00 +0000

Trust me ... tastes great!

So I saw this honkin' sized bag of roasted veggies at my local Ginormous Grocery Warehouse, and just HAD to try it because PRE-ROASTED VEGGIES!

It was mostly mostly sweet potatoes, with parsnips and others of the root persuasion keeping them company or something.

The pre-added flavors consist of pepper and a little oil. So it was basically a blank slate that I could do with what I wanted.

And what I wanted to do with them magically appeared in my inbox ... faster than you can say "Amazon ad."

I left out the parsley because I used it up the other day. And for some reason the original recipe calls for dried cherries, which I never have in stock. So I subbed with sun-dried tomatoes in oil. Because they are the same color. Of course.

I prefer the salad warm ... it's delicious alongside steak or chicken. Bet it would be great cold at a park picnic as well.

Oh, yeah, also subbed pecans for the walnuts. I might not even bother buying more walnuts ever again ... so good!

Root Veggies Salad
Adapted from: Taste of Home

4 cups Roasted Root Veggies, do not frozen
1/2 cup shelled walnuts or pecans
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 Tbl. white vinegar
1 Tbl. honey
1/2 tsp. grated lime zest
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley (optional)

Nuke (or air-fry) the roasted root veggies according to package directions. Let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, toast the walnuts or pecan (check out how to toast your nuts here), let cool, then coarsely chop. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, honey and lime zest. Pour over the cooled veggies and gently toss. Add the cooled nuts, sun-dried tomatoes, and parsley. Gently toss again.

Serve warm immediately as a delicious side, or cover and chill for up to 3 days before serving.

Weeknight Creamy Tomato Soup with Bagel Croutons

noreply@blogger.com (Oh! You Cook!) — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 19:47:00 +0000

I like a happy soup

So I was up to the Simmer directions of a wildly-yummy tomato soup, when my mind wandered over to the end of the directions, where it said to garnish with croutons.

I had no garnish. Or so I thought. Then my eyes wandered over to a few bagels leftover from breakfast. And my mind wandered to this local deli which serves their pea soup with thinly sliced (the long way) toasted bagels. Yup, huge but delicious.

So while in mid-simmer (the soup, not me), I attempted to carefully try to slice a bagel as thinly as possible. Which is harder than it sounds ... even semi-stale bagels are still soft and don't like being thinly sliced, even with my sharp bread knife. So I gave up and sliced the bagels into rounds all the way around as evenly as I could.

An attempt was made

I took the somewhat round very squashed circles, laid them out in a single layer on a cookie sheet, then quickly sprayed them with olive oil cooking spray (don't judge, this is WAY easier than brushing them with oil). Flipped the slices and quickly spritzed them again. You can at this point shake a little garlic powder on any plain slices, but since they started out as garlic bagels I didn't bother.

Then shoved the sheet into a 400F oven (that was only up to around 350F at the time ... I had a time-crisis) and checked them after 5 minutes. Then left them for another minute.

O.M.G.! They looked silly but were crunchy and delicious! And perfect to add to the soup ...

Oh, yeah, creamy tomato soup. The original reason for this post.

Unlike the croutons, where as long as they are crunchy and garlicy, I am a picky when it comes to tomato soup. Many restaurant versions (not to mention recipes) taste to me like soupy marinara sauce.

And not in a good way.

This soup does not taste like marinara sauce. It it luscious, comforting, and very tomato-y. You would never consider dumping it over pasta.

So how did I come up with such magic? Well, Dear Reader, the ingredients and quantities are a delicious amalgamation of like 3 or 4 different recipes, with enough tweaking and tinkering that I can call it my own with a clear conscious.

If you prefer, you can break up the directions over two days: after the roasting step, let the veggies cool then refrigerate, covered, up to 3 days prior. Then continue with the recipe.

Weeknight Roasted Creamy Tomato Soup
Make this recipe parve (dairy-free) without shame by subbing plant-based butter and oat milk for the butter and cream.

Yield: 4 servings

2 (28 oz.) cans diced tomatoes (preferably fire-roasted), drained well, reserving the juices
6 cloves garlic, smashed then peeled
2 small (or 1 large) yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper, plus more to taste
Vegetable stock, added to the reserved tomato juice if necessary to equal 3 cups of liquid (plus up to an additional cup, if needed)
3/4 tsp. dried thyme or dried oregano (if you use fresh, double the amount, plus a few sprigs for garnish)
2 dried bay leaves
4 Tbl. butter, (plus 2 additional tablespoons if using milk)
1/2 loosely-packed cup fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped (plus a few extra small leaves for garnish)
3/4 cup heavy cream (or 1 cup of whole or 2% milk)

bagel croutons (see musings above)

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment.

Spread drained tomatoes, garlic cloves and onions in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until all the veggies start to turn dark brown on the edges.

If you need to stop, here's the place: cool, cover and refrigerate veggies up to 3 days (also refrigerate the stock mixture). When you are ready to continue, use veggies and stock mixture straight from the fridge.

Transfer all veggies (and stock mixture) to a deep sauce pot (6 quarts or larger). Deeper than you think you need. You'll thank me later.

Add thyme (or oregano), bay leaves, and 4 tablespoons of the butter. Cover and bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes (20 to 25 minutes if roasted veggies and stock were in the fridge).

Turn off heat. Remove and discard bay leaves, then add chopped basil to the pot. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth or to your preference.

Then stop to thank me when you see how much the soup attempts to splatter its way out of the pot, but can't because the deep pot contains (most of) the splatter.

Turn heat to low, then add cream (or milk and additional butter), heating soup for a few minutes (do not let boil). If soup is too thick for your liking, add up to 1 cup additional veggie stock. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed.

Ladle soup into bowls. Top with basil leaves and herb sprigs if desired, and serve with bagel croutons in or alongside.

Peek-a-boo!

Steak Tacos with a Difference (and beans and Citrus slaw)

noreply@blogger.com (Oh! You Cook!) — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 23:41:00 +0000

Add more slaw for better crunch

This is not your usual taco. It’s made with thinly sliced beef instead of ground, and without the usual taco seasoning or sauce. But it’s super-de-duper tasty!

Use pre-shredded Cole slaw mix to speed up the prep … those tiny pinches of shredded carrot (or even red cabbage, depending upon the brand) won’t hurt the tacos none.

Each taco uses 2 tortillas, so that if/when a tortilla tears its contents don't spill all over the plate (or you).

And pay no attention to those beans in the photo! The steaks were marinating in the fridge when I went to grab a can o'beans of the pink persuasion ... which turned out to be AWOL. So white kidney beans had to sup. I think pink or black beans would have added more flavor, but Hubs inhaled his first taco then doubled up on the beans for his second (which messed with his glucose, but I guess he felt it was worth it). Anyway, as I suggest, try using pink or black then let me know wat ya think, ‘kay?

Steak Tacos with a Difference (and beans and Citrus slaw)
Serves: 4

1 1/2 loosely packed cups cilantro leaves and tender stems

1/2 cup orange juice, divided
Juice from 1 1/2 lemons (approx. 3-4 tablespoon, depending upon size)
4 tsp. ground garlic
1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 lb. beef, boneless flanken or strip steaks, cut in pieces to fit marinade bowl
1/2 small head green cabbage, shredded (about 4 cups) OR 1 bag Cole slaw mix
2 Tbl. olive oil
2 Tbl. white wine vinegar
2 tsp. onion powder, divided
1 15-oz. can pink or black beans, drained and rinsed well
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. chipotle chile pepper

8 6-inch corn tortillas, warmed

Chop cilantro leaves and stems. Set aside one-half for the slaw dressing.
Stir together the other half of the chopped cilantro with 1/4 cup of the orange juice, lemon juice, garlic, and 1 teaspoon of the pepper. Add beef, turning to coat. Cover; allow to marinate for 1-2 hours in refrigerator.

Preheat broiler to high. Remove beef from marinade (reserve marinade) and place on broiling pan. Broil 6 inches from heat until top becomes slightly charred, then carefully turn beef; continue to broil until slightly charred (insides should be medium-rare). Remove from oven; cover and keep warm to let it continue to finish at medium. At this point, toss the corn tortillas, wrapped in foil, into the oven to warm while you continue the recipe.

Create dressing by stirring together remaining 1/4 cup orange juice, oil, vinegar, 1 teaspoon of the onion powder, the reserved chopped cilantro, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place cabbage in a large serving bowl. Pour dressing over shredded cabbage; toss gently to combine. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, heat reserved marinade in a small saucepan, covered until a full rolling boil. Reduce heat slightly; let boil for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to a simmer, then add drained beans, remaining teaspoon onion powder, smoked paprika and chipotle chile pepper; cover, return to simmer; simmer beans are warmed through, about 5 minutes.

Turn beef onto cutting board. Thinly slice against the grain.

Top each pair of tortillas, one laid on top of each other, with beef, slaw, and beans.

Jam-Filled Lemony Hamantaschen

noreply@blogger.com (Oh! You Cook!) — Fri, 22 Mar 2024 19:39:00 +0000

Nothing says Purim like hamantaschen, the famous 3-sided filled cookie.

I used to make the classic recipe, flavored with orange juice. However, this year, when I went to find the tattered decades-old recipe, it seemed to have disappeared (or dissolved ... it was easily 30 years old). I found this version shared on one of the many Jewish cooking/baking sites I lurk at. It uses lemon instead of orange. Good thing, since I forgot to purchase oj at my last Try-n-Save run, but conveniently had a few lemons begging for use. As a bonus, the lemon flavor really brightened up the tasted of the jam filling! So out with the old classic, in with the new tradition.

Jam-Filled Lemony Hamantaschen
Adapted from: Cinnamon Shtick

Note: For a parve (non-dairy) version, replace the butter with stick margarine, and replace the milk with your preferred milk substitute

2 cups plus 2 Tbl. (283 g) unbleached flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. table salt
2 tsp. lemon zest (from about 1/2 lemon)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut up, room temperature
1 whole egg plus one yolk, room temperature
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. milk (whole, low-fat or skim)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup of the jam or preserves of your choice (I used strawberry), room temperature or straight from the refrigerator

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the lemon zest and sugar. Add butter. Run mixer on low speed until sugar is mixed in, then increase to medium speed for 2 minutes (with a stand mixer) or 3 minutes with a hand mixer), scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula, if necessary, until sugar is completely mixed into the butter and mixture is lighter and fluffy.

Stop mixer, add whole egg, egg yolk, lemon juice, milk, and vanilla; continue to beat at medium speed until all the liquid ingredients are fully incorporated, at least 1 additional minute.

Stop mixer, add all of the flour mixture into the mixer bowl. Turn the mixer on the lowest speed and mix just until the dry ingredients are mixed in.

Scrape out half the dough on a large piece of plastic wrap. Using the plastic wrap, push down and shape the dough into a thin disk. Wrap the disk completely and refrigerate for at least two hours, up to overnight. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Preheat oven to 400F.

Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Take one of the dough disks from the refrigerator and roll out in between two pieces of parchment paper that are lightly dusted with flour. Roll dough so that it is about a quarter-inch thick.

Using a round cookie cutter or glass 2½ inch in diameter, cut as many rounds out as you can. You may need to dip your cutter into some flour to avoid it sticking to the dough. Quickly (so that the dough doesn’t warm up and become sticky) gather the scraps of dough together, then roll out and cut more rounds.

Fill each round with 1 level teaspoon of the jam (t won't look like enough ... but it's plenty!). Form each circle into triangles by first folding up 2 sides of the rounds and with one hand pinch edges tightly. Then with both hands bring up the other sides of the rounds, each pinching two sides together, thus making three corners. You want to make sure that the seams are fully closed so that they do not open while baking, while allowing the jam to peek out in the center. If the seams refuse to cooperate, lightly wet your fingers and pinch again.

Place the hamantaschen on one of the prepared cookie sheets. Repeat with remaining rounds and jam, allowing about an inch between each hamantaschen.

Place the cookie sheet with the hamantaschen in the freezer for at least 15 minutes. This is important to prevent the dough from spreading out too quickly as it is baked.

Repeat with the remaining disk of dough.

Bake in center of oven for 10-12 minutes, or until hamantaschen are lightly brown around the bottom edges. The tops should not brown. Turn over one if necessary, to assure the bottoms are not starting to burn.

Place cookie sheet with the hamantaschen on a cooling rack for 5 minutes (to allow hamantaschen to set up), and then transfer cookies, still on parchment, to a cooling rack; cool completely before enjoying.

Store hamantaschen in a single layer (or between layers of wax paper or parchment) in a food-safe plastic bag or tightly covered container for up to 3 days. Can freeze for up to a month.

Magic Tomato-Red Lentil Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Oh! You Cook!) — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 17:40:00 +0000

Can you imagine a veggie-type soup that is so hardy you don't need to add meat? Or cheese? Or even another vegetable besides the required tomato paste? Yes, I count tomato paste as veggie ... fight me.

Not even onions, or their fancy-schmancy shallot cousins. Promise, you won't miss them.

Not even a lot of ingredients, either: olive oil/butter, tomato paste, lentils (duh!) a couple herbs and spices, plus a lemon. That's why I call this baby magic. I'd also call it easy, but a Dear Reader thinks any recipe with more than 5 ingredients is difficult.

This soup kinda reminds me of franks and beans. But without the franks. Or the beans. You can add franks (or sausage) to the soup if you'd like. I give the option in the recipe.

But don't even think of using leftover rotisserie or grilled chicken (ask me how I know).

But Dear Reader or not, this is rather easy to throw together ... 'cause from starting to finishing is easily under 30 minutes, with maybe 10 minutes of actual work by you. The soup does the rest of the magic itself (unless you drop the salt box all over the floor ... don't ask).

But it's okay for you to take the credit anyway. I'll never tell.

Magic Tomato Red Lentil Soup
Adapted from: NY Times
Yield: 4-5 servings
Note: Serve with a hunk of crusty bread for an easy lunch.

2 Tbl. olive oil (or butter)
1 (6 oz. ) can tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. za’atar (or dried oregano), divided
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
2 tsp. red-pepper flakes plus additional to taste (if you like heat), divided
1 cup red lentils, rinsed, drained, and picked over for debris
1 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt, plus additional to taste, divided
1 whole lemon

Optional:
8 ozs. sausages or franks, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds then sautéed until seared, browned and fully cooked

4 ozs. regular or herb goat (or ricotta) cheese

In a 10-inch skillet (with lid), heat olive oil (or butter) over medium flame. Add tomato paste, garlic, coriander, 1/2 teaspoon of the za’atar (or oregano), smoked paprika, and 1 teaspoon of the red pepper flakes. Sauté frequently until the mixture turns slightly darker and begins to stick to the bottom of the pan (this happens just a bit even with nonstick), 2 to 4 minutes. Sautéing really brings out deep flavor of the ingredients so don’t skip it.

Add 4 1/2 cups of water, lentils and 1 teaspoon of the Kosher salt. Increase heat to medium-high, deglazing (scraping any browned bits stuck to the pan), along with breaking up any big chunks of tomato paste mixture. Partially cover the pan and bring to a simmer. Then completely cover pot, reduce heat to low, and let simmer until lentils just start to break down, about 20 minutes (if not sure, spoon out a few lentils and carefully taste: they should be soft yet maintain their shape). Stir occasionally, scraping any lentils that may be sticking to bottom of the pan.

While soup is simmering, finely zest the entire lemon into a small bowl. Then cut lemon into wedges for serving and set aside.. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon Za’atar (or oregano), 1/2 teaspoon each of the red pepper flakes and salt to the zest. Rub lemon mixture with your (preferably clean) fingers to release that fresh lemony smell. Taste and add more kosher salt and/or red-pepper flakes if needed

Optionally stir in seared sausage (or frank) pieces, if using. Taste soup; season if needed with additional kosher salt.

Ladle soup into individual bowls. If using, top each serving with the cheese, Sprinkle top of cheese evenly with the lemon-herb mixture (because it'll look pretty) or just toss mixture onto the soup. Serve each bowl with reserved lemon wedge alongside to squeeze on additional lemon flavor.

Asian-Style Ground Beef with Green Beans and Basil Leaves

noreply@blogger.com (Oh! You Cook!) — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 19:34:00 +0000

A delicious weeknight dinner that takes almost as much time as it takes to make the rice.

Asian-Style Ground Beef with Green Beans and Basil Leaves

Total time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 Servings

1 cup uncooked rice
2 Tbl. fish sauce
2 Tbl. Hoisin sauce
1 Tbl. white miso
1 Tbl. gochujang

1 tsp. five-spice powder

1/2 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

8 ozs. fresh green beans, rinsed and trimmed (or a 12 oz. bag frozen whole or cut-up green beans, slightly defrosted)

2 Tbl. vegetable oil
8 oz. ground beef
2 garlic cloves
1 cup loosely packed basil leaves (lightly chop if leaves are large)

Start cooking the rice according to package directions.

Meanwhile, whisk together the fish sauce, hoisin sauce, white miso, gochujang, fie-spice powder, and black pepper until smooth; set aside. Peel, the mince (or grate) the garlic. If the string beans are long, cut into bite-size pieces. Set all aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, then drizzle in the oil. When oil is hot, add ground beef. Use a spatula to stir and break up the meat into small pieces, until it is no longer red (a little pink is okay), about 5 minutes. Turn off heat, then carefully pour out excess oil.

Return skillet to the burner over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, stirring constantly until garlic is well distributed and fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Add green beans and reserved sauce mixture. Stir constantly until everything is evenly distributed and green beans are heated thru but still crisp-tender, about 2-3 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat. If the rice needs a few more minutes to cook, cover skillet and keep warm.

When rice is ready, remove skillet cover (if used) then add basil to the skillet, stirring around a few seconds to distribute the leaves.

Divide the rice among 4 plates. Spoon meat mixture evenly over the rice; serve immediately.

Crunchy No-Yeast, No-Knead Breadsticks

noreply@blogger.com (Oh! You Cook!) — Wed, 31 May 2023 17:55:00 +0000

Artsy photo to highlight basil & sesame toppings

So what do you do if you planned to make breadsticks, but forgot that you didn't remember to buy yeast at the local Try-n-Save? Worse, it's like 30 minutes before it's time to start reheating leftovers for dinner.

You make no-yeast breadsticks, of course! This recipe is SO simple and quick I've made it several times already since discovering it last week.

Toss the short list of ingredients in your food processor, let spin a few moments, then easily roll the dough out ... no, really! It does NOT stick to the rolling pin if you remember to first lightly dust with flour. Did I mention simple? Unlike cookie dough rolling, where you have to be gentle and use a light, delicate touch, this dough is very forgiving and doesn't care how non-delicate my heavy-handed hands can be.

Naked breadsticks for the family kvetcher.

Although the recipe calls for slicing up the dough into 1/2-inch strips, I didn't bother measuring, just guesstimating the widths (don't judge). Fresh out of the oven, the larger 'sticks might be slightly soft, but they will crunch up when cool. The original recipe has been slightly modified, both in length and ingredients, to better suit my family. Hope it suits yours.

Crunchy Breadsticks
Lightly adapted from Taste of Home
Prep: 10-20 min. Bake: 20 min.
YIELD: 30-43 mini breadsticks, depending upon lengths and how narrow the dough is sliced.

2 cups unbleached flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. table (fine) salt
3 Tbl. vegetable shortening
1/2 to 3/4 cup ice water
1 Tbl. olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried basil (or your fave herb) and/or sesame seeds, optional

Line a large cookie sheet with parchment; set aside. Preheat oven to 350F.

In a food processor, combine the flour, baking powder, table salt and shortening; cover and process until combined but crumbly. While processing is running, gradually add water (start with the 1/2 cup, then drizzle in a tablespoon at a time) until dough comes together into a ball.

Transfer dough to a floured surface. Roll dough into a rectangle as thin as you can make it (around 8ish by 10ish). Using a sharp knife (or better yet, a pizza wheel), from the long side slice into thirds, then cut each length into 1/2 inch or so mini-strips. Twist each strip 2-3 times then place on prepared baking sheet in a single layer (they can be close since they won't really rise but don't let them touch). Brush with oil. Combine kosher salt and herb (if using); lightly sprinkle over breadsticks. More will fall between the 'sticks, but that's life (that's what people say).

Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, 18-25 minutes, depending upon thickness of the breadsticks. Cool on a wire rack. Breadsticks will crisp up as they cool.

Gingery Carrot Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Oh! You Cook!) — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 15:00:00 +0000

This is a somewhat different take on a Carrot Bisque I shared 12-ish years ago, cramming some time in while helping Daughter with her wedding prep. I especially love that unlike most other carrot soup recipes I've come across, there are no potatoes, bananas (see bisque link above), or anything else very high in carbs, making this soup diabetic-friendly. Also Passover-friendly. Enjoy!

Stock photo.
We slurped up the soup too fast to take a decent photo

Gingery Carrot Soup

Adapted from The Chew: Quick & Easy cookbook

Yield: 4 servings

1 Tbl. olive oil
1 onion, large dice
6 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
2 large garlic cloves, smashed then peeled
1 2-inch ginger root, peeled (use the edge of a spoon to easily scrape off skin), roughly chopped
1 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
1 tsp. honey
2 cups chicken stock (use veggie stock for a parve version)
1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk (regular or light)
kosher salt and coarsely ground pepper, to taste
1 lime, cut into wedges, for garnish, optional
2 Tbl. cilantro leaves (lightly chopped), for garnish, optional

Heat olive oil in a deep soup pot over medium heat.
Add onion and sauté occasionally until translucent, about 5 minutes. Sir in garlic, carrot, and ginger; sauté for 2 more minutes.
Add stock, cumin, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and honey and bring to a simmer. Cover and continue to simmer on low heat for 10-15 minutes, or until carrots soften a bit.
Remove pot from burner. Use a blender, food processor or hand blender to blend mixture as smooth as possible.
Pour carrot mixture back into pot (if you used a blender or processor). Return pot to burner. Add coconut milk. Heat over medium heat just until soup returns to a simmer. Taste and add salt and/or pepper to taste.
Ladle into 4 bowls. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with lime wedges on the side if desired.

Curried String Beans (Easy)

noreply@blogger.com (Oh! You Cook!) — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 16:42:00 +0000

Ready for a flavored-up string bean recipe? Passover-friendly as well (if you eat kitniyot)!

Green beans are naturally gluten-free and very low in carbs. But sometimes they can be a bit boring. Not this side-dish, nosiree! These ‘beans have a wonderful complex flavor that will wow any special guest, yet whips up in a few minutes, making it great for weeknights. Passover-friendly as well (if you eat

kitniyot)!

Caramelized Shallot Pasta

noreply@blogger.com (Oh! You Cook!) — Sun, 26 Mar 2023 01:45:00 +0000

MiddleChild’s girlfriend recently made us Caramelized Shallot Pasta, an amazingly easy yet delicious pasta sauce recipe. Despite what looks like a million ingredients, it’s really pretty quick to make. Unless you are a very slow chopper, the sauce will be ready before the pasta is cooked al dente (Italian for “undercook”). Speaking of pasta, the water used to make the pasta contains a lot of starch, so remember to NOT drain off the water when the timer goes off. You will be using this magical starchy solution to helps thicken up the sauce without resorting to any other thickener.

TIP ALERT! When pasta water is in a recipe, I like to use somewhat less water than the directions (or your mother) calls for. This increases the amount of dissolved starch in the water, making the sauce even silkier.

This recipe makes twice the amount of sauce needed ... but don’t even think halving the ingredients! Make the entire recipe, freezing the excess afterwards. Your future hectic self will eventually thank your current smart self for being so efficient #CookOnceServeTwice. Or have your future grateful self pop a paté knife into the future saved half and slather over thinly sliced and toasted Italian bread. *French kiss* … um … I mean *Italian kiss*.

Caramelized Shallot Pasta
Adapted from: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020830-caramelized-shallot-pasta

1 box (10-12 ozs.) thin or regular spaghetti
1 loosely packed cup parsley, leaves and tender stems, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, 4 thinly sliced, 1 finely chopped, divided
1 pinch each kosher salt and crushed red pepper flakes
3 Tbl. olive oil
6 large shallots, very thinly sliced
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper (or to taste)
1 (2-ounce) can anchovy fillets, well drained
1 (6-ounce) can of tomato paste
2 Tbl. fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)

Cook spaghetti al dente according to package directions. Meanwhile, continue with the directions:

In a small bowl combine parsley and the finely chopped garlic clove; season with a pinch each of kosher salt and red pepper flakes. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium low heat. Add shallots and thinly sliced garlic. Sauté frequently, until the shallots have softened and edges just start to brown, 5 to 10 minutes (watch to avoid burning).

Add red pepper flakes, pepper and whole drained anchovies (no need to chop). Sauté continuously until the anchovies “melt” into the mixture, about 2 minutes.

Reduce heat to low; stir in tomato paste (the tomato paste will clump and fight you). Continue to sauté continuously until the tomato paste starts becoming a bit darker, about 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Transfer half the thick mixture to a resealable container and freeze if not using within a few days. Cover skillet to keep sauce warm; set aside until spaghetti is ready.

When spaghetti is al dente according to package directions, remove pot from heat; do not drain.

Uncover skillet and return to burner over medium heat. Using tongs, carefully transfer spaghetti to skillet along with a cup of the pasta water. Cook, lifting and turning the spaghetti to coat with sauce, using a wooden spoon if necessary to scrape up the delicious crispy bits on the bottom, until spaghetti is cooked to your preference and sauce has reduced and no longer soupy. This should take about another 3 to 5 minutes.

Remove skillet yet again from heat; add lemon juice and continue to lift and turn spaghetti a few more times with the tongs to distribute juice evenly.

Divide pasta among 4 pasta bowls. Top with parsley mixture and serve.

Incredible Chicken Breasts with Lemon-Dijon Mustard Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Oh! You Cook!) — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 01:03:00 +0000

The taste of this restaurant-quality-tasting dinner will make you want to lick your plate clean (which I might have done after the photo shoot).

White Bean Soup with Rosemary and Garlic

noreply@blogger.com (Oh! You Cook!) — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 21:48:00 +0000

A fast starter to a weeknight dinner!

Years ago I posted a recipe white bean soup, but today’s version is quicker, easier and even more deliciousier to make. No need to drain nor rinse the beans. Chop an onion, then smash and run garlic thru with a blade a few times. You are now halfway to weeknight soup!

Best Homemade French Dressing - Easy

noreply@blogger.com (Oh! You Cook!) — Sat, 29 Oct 2022 20:28:00 +0000

theHubs and I are rabid salad eaters. And our fave dressing is a certain brand's Country French. But with inflation and retirement, I try to save money wherever possible without compromising on taste.

So after surfing the interwebs along with my stash of cookbooks to find out if it was possible to clone the bottled stuff, after trying and combining a whole bunch of different recipes, I think I finally nailed it!

Turns out it is mad-easy to make a delicious French dressing from scratch. No cooking, peeling or chopping! No weird ingredients either. You probably already have all the ingredients in your pantry. The hardest part of this recipe is slooowly pouring in oil to allow the dressing to emulsify and take on that creamy texture like the bottled stuff.

Garlic-Infused Lentils with Franks and Shallots

noreply@blogger.com (Oh! You Cook!) — Sun, 27 Mar 2022 18:05:00 +0000

An amazingly delicious dish that elevates the otherwise lowly yet beloved hot dog!

If you need a dinner idea that tastes better the more you eat ... this is your dish.

If you need to use up that bag of lentils in the back of your pantry ... this is your dish.

If you want to serve a dinner that might actually get your finnicky kids (or that equally finicky adult you live with) to eat without whining TOO much (especially that finicky adult) ...

... this might work too.

But first I want to speak about the wonders of shallots.

Jewish-Style Cabbage Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Oh! You Cook!) — Sun, 30 Jan 2022 23:51:00 +0000

Soup-er Sunday!

Ingredients taste larger than they appear

I was scrolling through my favorite time waster, Facebook, when I saw someone’s post about making cabbage soup. Considering the snowy weekend we had here in NJ, it sounded like a great idea. Every couple decades or so, give or take, I crave cabbage soup, and that post intrigued me enough to push away from the computer for a while. Not really sure why (soup, not computer) because my cabbage soup recipe is pretty quick and easy to make and really should be a staple in my winter soup rotation. Shred some cabbage, dice an onion, squeeze a lemon, open a can of tomatoes. The hardest part was finding where I stashed the brown sugar.

Veal Cutlets with Chili-Maple Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Oh! You Cook!) — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 20:14:00 +0000

For those who eat veal, here’s a very easy weeknight entrée that leans towards the spicy.

The Food52 recipe I did a riff on called for an entire tablespoon of chili-garlic sauce. Knowing that massive quantity would melt my stomach (and I’m the type that likes a dish where flames shoot out my ears), I dialed it down to a mere teaspoon. But if you are ~~the kind who thinks ketchup is too spicy~~ a more reasonable person, use just a couple drops, juuust enough to impart flavor without hurting yourself … I really want you to come back again and try some other of my recipes, m’kay? <kissy noises>

Chickpea Caprese Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Oh! You Cook!) — Mon, 03 May 2021 20:11:00 +0000

Ever wonder how chickpeas got their name? It's not like they look like chicks. Unless you squint your eyes.

According to Bon Appetit, despite having been grown in the middle east for millenniums, the term chickpea is one of those English corruptions of a nickname that evolved from Cicero, whose family grew chickpeas in France.

Because if you say Cicero with a French accent, it almost sounds like chickpea. :P

No one is sure why the Spanish term for the chickpea is garbanzo. It might have evolved from the Basque term garbantzu.

An entire blog can be written about ceci (Italian). But, oops, ran out of time.

Chickpea Caprese Salad
Adapted from nytimes.com

Yield: 2 main, or 4 as a side

Note: you can also use very plump dry sun-dried tomatoes in place of those packed in oil

1 (15.5 – 16 oz.) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, then drain again well
4 large sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained then chopped
6 ozs. whole milk mozzarella, diced (or small mozzarella balls, halved
3-4 thin slices red onion, finely diced
1/4 loosely packed cup basil leaves, coarsely chopped
2 Tbl.olive oil
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/4 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
1 Tbl. balsamic vinegar

In a medium bowl, use a large spoon to combine chickpeas, tomatoes, cheese, and onion.

Add the basil, olive oil, salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar. Gently turn salad over a few times with the same spoon to evenly distribute all the ingredients.

Taste; add more salt, pepper and/or balsamic vinegar if needed.

Refrigerate if not serving within 30 minutes.

Store up to 3 days in a tightly covered container. Remove from fridge about 30 minutes before serving to remove chill.

Easy-Peasy Bread-and-Butter Ginger Pickles

noreply@blogger.com (Oh! You Cook!) — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 20:58:00 +0000

So there’s this friend, who shall remain nameless (Hi Juley!), who mentioned a long-while back that she used to enjoy a special kind of bread-and-butter pickle sold at her local farmer’s market.

Or maybe a neighbor made a batch for her.

Whatever.

Bare with me here … I’m trying to come up with a backstory. Many Dear Readers like to enjoy reading how a recipe can into being. If you normally skip to the recipe yet somehow are still reading, thank you BTW!

Anyway, back to the semi-true story.

Lemon-Vanilla Halvah (Middle-East Sesame Candy) - Easy No-Mixer Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Oh! You Cook!) — Sat, 25 Jul 2020 01:34:00 +0000

Halvah. Unlike the Indian Carrot Halva (pudding) dessert I shared (and spelled differently) a while back, this halvah is a middle-eastern fudge-like confection. The basic version is made from sweetened tahini (ground up sesame seeds). You can buy it plain, with chopped nuts or coated with chocolate, just to name two. While there is a local vendor in a nearby farmer's market that carries 5 or so different kinds, In Israel some places sell handmade halvah in as many as 100 different flavors!

To tell the truth, I grew up not caring much for halvah. Back then the only kind I knew about was that store-bought stuff: dry, gritty and crumbly, with a yukky aftertaste .. and not in a good way either. Even the chocolate coated style didn't save it. So I'm not even sure why this recipe called out to me. But hoo-boy! I am sure glad it did!

Oh! You Cook!

Ode to Chocolate Day - a Throwback from the Past

Roasted Tomato Soup with Pesto

Cheesecake Parfaits - close enough for National Cheesecake Day

Vegetarian (or Vegan) Black Bean Chili - a quick throw-together meal!

Easy-Peasy Peach Toast ... now with a Carb-free Option

Easy-Peasy Peach Toast ... with a Carb-free Option

Root Veggies Salad - serve warm or cold

Weeknight Creamy Tomato Soup with Bagel Croutons

Steak Tacos with a Difference (and beans and Citrus slaw)

Jam-Filled Lemony Hamantaschen

Jam-Filled Lemony HamantaschenAdapted from: Cinnamon Shtick

Magic Tomato-Red Lentil Soup

Asian-Style Ground Beef with Green Beans and Basil Leaves

Asian-Style Ground Beef with Green Beans and Basil Leaves

Crunchy No-Yeast, No-Knead Breadsticks

Crunchy BreadsticksLightly adapted from Taste of HomePrep: 10-20 min. Bake: 20 min. YIELD: 30-43 mini breadsticks, depending upon lengths and how narrow the dough is sliced.

Gingery Carrot Soup

Curried String Beans (Easy)

Caramelized Shallot Pasta

Incredible Chicken Breasts with Lemon-Dijon Mustard Sauce

White Bean Soup with Rosemary and Garlic

Best Homemade French Dressing - Easy

Garlic-Infused Lentils with Franks and Shallots

Jewish-Style Cabbage Soup

Veal Cutlets with Chili-Maple Sauce

Chickpea Caprese Salad

Chickpea Caprese SaladAdapted from nytimes.com

Yield: 2 main, or 4 as a side

Easy-Peasy Bread-and-Butter Ginger Pickles

Lemon-Vanilla Halvah (Middle-East Sesame Candy) - Easy No-Mixer Recipe

Jam-Filled Lemony Hamantaschen
Adapted from: Cinnamon Shtick

Crunchy Breadsticks
Lightly adapted from Taste of Home
Prep: 10-20 min. Bake: 20 min.
YIELD: 30-43 mini breadsticks, depending upon lengths and how narrow the dough is sliced.

Chickpea Caprese Salad
Adapted from nytimes.com