two little chefs

Paula's Loaded Oatmeal Cookies

2012-01-27T10:44:00.002-07:00

I happen to love oatmeal cookies, and I happen to love trying different oatmeal cookie recipes. I just think there is something delicious and comforting about oats and cinnamon. And I also happen to think that these are probably close to the most delicious oatmeal cookie I have ever had. And I also happen to be loving Paula Deen recipes these days, which is probably not a great thing, because as you know, her recipes are not known for their health benefits. Rather they are known for being rich, decedent, and of course buttery. This recipe is no exception, and in fact beyond being full of spices provides a buttery icing to put on top.

I tried a few different options while making these cookies. I tried a batch without walnuts as my husband isn't a fan (he thinks they have a rotten taste). I tried a batch with walnuts, because I enjoy having nuts in my cookies, however, if I am totally honest, I think I preferred the ones without the walnuts.

And I tried icing some of the cookies and leaving some without any icing, because the reviews of this cookie said that the icing was too much. My opinion: they don't NEED the icing, but man alive are they extra good with the buttery icing on top. So I would just go ahead and have it.

And finally I would just like to add that I couldn't stop eating these while they were on my counter. So if you are going to make them, might I suggest giving some away. Or perhaps freezing a few. Because they truly are so good that, if you are like me, will continue to snack on them while cooking dinner and and ruin your appetite.

Paula's Loaded Oatmeal Cookies
Recipe by Paula Deen
Pictures by Caroline

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal

1 cup raisins

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Brown Butter Icing, recipe follows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease 1 or more cookie sheets. Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, shortening, and sugar in a bowl until fluffy. Add eggs and beat until mixture is light in color. Add buttermilk. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice; stir into creamed mixture.
Fold in oatmeal, raisins, walnuts, and vanilla, blending well.
Drop by rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
Drizzle with Brown Butter Icing.

Brown Butter Icing:

1/2 cup butter

3 cups sifted powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 to 4 tablespoons water

In a small saucepan heat the butter over medium heat until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in 3 cups sifted powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in enough water (3 to 4 tablespoons) to make an icing of drizzling consistency.
Drizzle on warm cookies.

Walnut Basil Pesto Pasta

2012-01-24T03:00:00.000-07:00

With the exception of the weekend, I don't have time for much cooking these days, and I don't anticipate that changing until the end of this semester...in May. I suppose that's what I get for thinking it's a good idea to work a full time job and teach two 5 credit classes. The bad thing about this whole situation, aside from bordering on crazy and not really having time to cook, is quite obvious: I get home from work late, tired, and brain-dead and just want something moderately good-tasting (sometimes I'd even settle for something mediocre) to be put in my mouth without having to lift a finger. What a lovely dream.

The good thing is that it has forced me to try to think of speedy dishes that taste good but won't make me grumpy with the effort. This pesto is one of those creations.
When I made this I had enough pesto for 4 pasta meals for 2 people though it may vary depending on how much pesto you like on your pasta. My husband prefers a light coating, as you may see from the picture. Some people like the pesto really coated on til the point that the pasta looks ~~moldy~~ green. It's really a matter of personal preference. If you plan on using up your pesto quickly, store it in the fridge for a few days and eat a lot of pesto that week (it also makes an excellent spread on lightly toasted Italian bread or on a sandwich). Otherwise, freeze the extra. Serve alone or with a side of salmon or grilled chicken with steamed vegetables.

Walnut Basil Pesto Pasta
Recipe by Kelly
Picture by Kelly

2 cups fresh basil leaves, tightly packed
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup walnuts
2/3 cup olive oil, divided
1/2 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese, grated
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 pound thin spaghetti

Combine basil, garlic, and walnuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. If you plan on using the pesto right away, add cheese and pulse (if you plan on freezing the pesto, leave the cheese out until you're ready to eat it). Season with salt and pepper. Add remaining olive oil gradually, until it reaches your desired consistency.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water and cook pasta according to directions on package.
Drain pasta and toss with several tablespoons of pesto (to taste). Freeze remaining pesto.

Orange Brownies

2012-01-17T08:12:00.000-07:00

"Orange brownies" you say? Don't be deceived there is no chocolate here, but never fear, they are delicious. Read on....

If I were to name this recipe, I would have called them Orange Bars, as they are quite similar to lemon bars, but with a different citrus flair. They are soft and chewy out of the oven and will keep well in an air tight container for about one or two days. Plus they smell amazing from the time you begin zesting your orange until you take them out of the oven and pop one into your mouth.

Orange Brownies
Recipe from Paula Deen
Pictures by Caroline

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

4 eggs

2 teaspoons pure orange extract

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

Glaze:

1 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan and set aside. In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, and salt. Add butter, eggs, orange extract, and orange zest and beat with a handheld electric mixer until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes*, or until light golden brown and set. Remove from oven and pierce top of entire cake with a fork.

Glaze:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, stirring until smooth. Pour glaze over cake. Cool cake and cut into squares.

*I ended up cooking mine about 10 minutes longer than is suggested in the original directions.

Creamy Sweet Potatoes

2012-01-13T03:00:00.000-07:00

There is something wonderful about sweet potatoes. Perhaps it is that somehow I feel like I am being extra healthy when I eat them, even when they are smothered in cream and cheese. Perhaps it is that while it is a potato it is chock full of vitamins, specifically vitamin A. Or perhaps it is just that they seem to be one of my new favorite vegetables; I didn't eat many sweet potatoes growing up, none that I can remember in fact. And more importantly I purchased a large box of them recently and am experimenting with them in different recipes.

Either way, you will love this recipe. It is basically a rendition of a scalloped potatoes or creamy potluck potatoes or, in my world, a funeral potato. I threw this recipe together with ingredients I had in the pantry and it was delicious. So delicious in fact that my husband and I ate all of them...I had anticipated leftovers for lunch the next day...oh well, it was worth it!

Creamy Sweet Potatoes
Recipe by Caroline
Picture by Caroline
Makes 2 hearty servings or 4 polite servings

3 1/2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced about 1/4" thick
1-10 3/4 ounce can cream of chicken soup
1/4 sour cream
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons milk
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

In a large sauce pan cook sweet potatoes in salted water for 10 minutes, or until just tender. Drain, rinse with cool water, and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl mix together soup, sour cream, cheese, milk, green onions, garlic salt, salt, and black pepper. Gently stir in the cooked potatoes. Transfer mixture to a square baking dish.
Bake in a 350° oven for 25 minutes or until heated through; the top should just start to brown slightly. Let stand for about 5 minutes, server warm.

Couve

2012-01-09T03:00:00.000-07:00

I didn't eat collard greens even once (to my knowledge) until I reached the age of 25. Collard greens were a weird vegetable that only southern people ate, most likely drenched butter and definitely fried, right? And they weren't called collard greens, they were "call-ahds" or just "greens." The fact that they are related to cabbage and brussel sprouts made them even less appealing. What 9 year old in her right mind willingly eats a leafy green that kind of tastes like cabbage and looks like spinach.

At least that's what I thought until my sister moved to Brazil brought her Brazilian husband back to the US (yes, this is another Brazilian story) and then introduced to me to how delicious collard greens could be. Called couve in Portuguese (pronounced ko-vee), these greens are a common side dish served with rice and beans at many a Brazilian meal. My husband has fond memories of eating couve during the time he also lived in Brazil, and to say he was excited about figuring out how to make it is an understatement.

Our first task was identifying which vegetable couve actually was. The dictionary called it kale, but my bro-in-law and husband said the leaves didn't match (too curly). After perusing the produce section, we finally settled on collard greens and rushed home to douse them in a bit of oil and salt, resulting in one ecstatic husband.

The best way (and most authentically Brazilian) to prepare the leaves for this dish is to rinse them off and cut out the thick stem from the leaves. This is the most "arduous" part of the preparation. Then stack several leaves on top of each other and roll them up, starting with the round side. Slice the roll into 1/8 inch rounds. And then cook them. That's it. Really. Easy, right? To make your meal correctly Brazilian, serve your couve with rice (cooked with some garlic and salt) and beans (also cooked with garlic and salt). Top the beans and rice with a fried egg and you've got a common working class meal that I can't get enough of these days.

Couve
Recipe by Kelly
Pictures by Kelly

1 bunch collard greens, washed, rolled, and thinly sliced
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

Heat the oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add onions and cook until softened, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add collard greens and saute about 1 minute. Add tablespoon of water and cover. Let cook about 2 minutes (the greens should be a little wilted but not soggy). Add salt and serve.

Spicy Red Lentil Chili

2012-01-04T03:00:00.000-07:00

I'm not going to be the one to say that you ate too many sweets this past month. I won't tell that I saw you sneak that extra helping of dessert, and I'm certainly not about to hint that it's time to start eating some healthy food now and then. I'm not going to suggest that you make one of those New Year's resolutions that you're probably not going to follow through with anyway. And I'm most definitely not going to try to persuade you to make this soup just because it's tasty, healthy, and, um, shall we say, cleansing.

Instead, I'm going to show you this soup and tell you that if you make it, you'll feel good about yourself, inside and out. And what better way to bring in the new year than by feeling whole and renewed?

Welcome, 2012!

Spicy Red Lentil Chili
Recipe adapted from wegmans.com
Picture by Kelly

1 cup red lentils
4 cups, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup (1-2 stalks) celery, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
2 medium carrots, peeled cut into 1/4 inch pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger (1 inch piece), peeled and finely chopped
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups vegetable (or chicken) stock
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black powder
2 tablespoons cornstarch + 2 tablespoons water
1 cup shredded chicken (optional)

Bring lentils and 2 cups water to boil on high; turn off heat. Remove half the lentils and liquid (or more if you prefer a thicker texture); place in blender and puree, about 1 min.
Heat oil in stockpot on medium-low. Add onions; cook, stirring, about 2 min, until soft but not browned. Add celery, ginger, carrots, and garlic; cook, stirring, 5 min, until soft but not browned. Add tomato; cook 5 min.
Add stock, 2 cups water, turmeric, cumin, salt, black pepper, and chili powder. Bring to simmer.
Add reserved whole and pureed lentils plus liquid. Cook about 15 min, until lentils are tender.
Combine cornstarch and remaining 2 Tbsp water in small bowl. Bring soup to boil; add cornstarch/water mixture. Stir 30 seconds to thicken slightly. Season to taste with salt.

Lemon Crinkle Cookie

2011-12-22T03:00:00.000-07:00

Okay okay, so I ran out of time. That is pretty common around the holidays, right? Luckily I made these awesome cookies a couple of weeks ago in the anticipation of presenting them on the blog in the near future. I had hoped to post another idea for a cute treat to deliver to your friends this Christmas season, but hey these will work well. In fact, as I was thinking about it, these would be a fantastic addition to any plate, tin, or bag you are delivering this season. Here are the reasons why, 1) they are GOOD; 2) they will be a nice contrast to the fudge you are taking your lovies; 3) they are yellow; 4) did I mention they are GOOD?

So make a batch of these, add them to your package of fudge and don't forget to save a few for yourself. Merry Christmas! And we'll see you next year.

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Recipe from Lauren Brennen off LDSliving

Pictures by Caroline

yield 2-3 dozen

½ cups butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 whole egg

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoons baking powder

⅛ teaspoons baking soda

1-½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease light colored baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Whip in vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and juice. Scrape sides and mix again. Stir in all dry ingredients slowly until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar. Scrape sides of bowl and mix again briefly. Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate. Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.
Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begin to barely brown and cookies look matte {not melty or shiny}. Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

*If using a non-stick darker baking tray, reduce baking time by about 2 minutes.

Momma's Fudge

2011-12-19T03:00:00.000-07:00

My momma is a fudge connoisseur. Everywhere she goes, she has to try the local specialty fudge to see if it's as good or better than hers. More often than not, those other fudges are grainy, hard, crumbly, or not chocolate-y enough. But momma's fudge is creamy, rich, and smooth. It's firm. It tastes like chocolate. It's quite possibly the best fudge I've ever had...and it's definitely the best momma has ever had.

You can use a variety of chocolate in this recipe. I usually use chocolate chips (preferably Ghiradelli) and some other decent quality milk chocolate, but we've also used generic brand chocolate chips with a Hershey bar. It's best eaten at room temperature (and easiest to cut) or maybe right out of the pot when it's still so warm it burns your finger a little. Make it and share with your neighbors--wrap it up in parchment and then brown paper and tie it up with string.

Momma's Fudge
Recipe from Kelly's Momma
Pictures by Kelly

1 cup butter
4 1/2 cups sugar
1 12 oz can evaporated milk
2 bags semi sweet chocolate chips (24 oz)
3 oz milk chocolate
8 oz marshmallow creme (fluff)
2 teaspoons vanilla

In a large heavy saucepan on medium heat, melt the butter. Add evaporated milk and sugar and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, and remove from heat.
Add vanilla, marshmallow creme, chocolate chips and milk chocolate, and stir until chocolate and creme have melted and everything is well blended.
Pour into a 9 x 13 inch pan lined with parchment paper. Bring to room temperature (about 1 hour) and chill about 4 hours.

Holiday Biscotti

2011-12-15T03:00:00.000-07:00

Do you know that I love hot chocolate? And do you know that I love having a delicious piece of biscotti to dip into my hot chocolate? So much so that my dad, who also loves biscotti and buys a big box of it occasionally, always sends me home with a few pieces when I visit. It is great. And what a great treat to deliver to your friends: a beautiful bag filled with gourmet hot chocolate, biscotti, and in my case some chocolate dipped pretzel sticks* as well.

So here is a delicious recipe I found from Giada De Laurentils with nuts, dried cranberries (I used cherry flavored craisins), and white chocolate...it even looks festive. You could also try making some chocolate biscotti and adding it to your treat bag. Take these to your friends and I guarantee they will love them!

*As a side note: I also dipped pretzel sticks in milk chocolate and then drizzled some white chocolate over the tops to add to my treat bags. Super easy; super tasty.

Holiday Biscotti
Recipe from Giada De Laurentils
Picture s by Caroline

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

3/4 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped (I used sliced almonds instead)

2/3 cup dried cranberries

12 ounces good-quality white chocolate, chopped

Red and green sugar crystals, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl to blend. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Add the flour mixture and beat just until blended. Stir in the pistachios and cranberries.
Form the dough into a 13-inch-long, 3-inch-wide log on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until light golden, about 40 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes.
Place the log on the cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the log on a diagonal into 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the biscotti cut side down on the baking sheet. Bake the biscotti until they are pale golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer the biscotti to a rack and cool completely.
Stir the chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until the chocolate melts. Dip half of the biscotti into the melted chocolate. Gently shake off the excess chocolate. Place the biscotti on the baking sheet for the chocolate to set. Sprinkle with the sugar crystals. Refrigerate until the chocolate is firm, about 35 minutes.
As you dip the biscotti into the melted chocolate, you can also dip them into crushed pistachios if you like.
The biscotti can be made ahead. Store them in an airtight container up to 4 days, or wrap them in foil and freeze in re-sealable plastic bags up to 3 weeks.

Spiced Frosted Nuts

2011-12-12T03:00:00.000-07:00

I have a problem. I make tasty treats, sometimes delectable, even. Alas, I don't know how to give them away in an attractive kind of way...tin foil or paper plates is my previous go-to, but for Christmas it hardly seems festive (and it can be dangerous, as we learned after the husband dumped a plate of steaming caramel sticky rolls on the ground on the way to make a delivery). So what to do?

While I was making these spiced nuts, a recipe so easy it's laughable, I was pondering on how to solve this dilemma. I didn't have a cute box or festive bag, but I did happen to have several jam jars sitting about (the lids, however, were nowhere to be found, which is why you only get to see the jars from a distance). So in went the nuts with a festive red and green ribbon around the lid and side. Jam jar = problem solved!

Maybe you have a problem, too. Maybe you're too busy with work, family, friends, parties, etc, to spend a lot of time on gifts for the neighbors, your kids' teachers, or your coworkers. You want to spend the holiday season relaxing with your family rather than stressing about what to bake. Luckily, Caroline and I have come up with several simple and festive treats to share with friends, serve at a party, or, of course, eat all by yourself. Check back here during the next 2 weeks to see what else we've got!

Spiced Frosted Nuts
Recipe from The All-American Dessert Book
Pictures by Kelly

1 large egg white
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound (about 4 1/2 cups) walnut or pecan halves
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Lightly grease a large rimmed baking sheet or coat with non-stick spray.
In a large bowl using a fork, beat together the egg white and salt until frothy. Stir in the nuts until thoroughly coated.
In a large bowl, stir together the sugars and cinnamon until well blended. Add the nut micture to the sugar mixture, stirring until the nuts are thoroughly coated.
Turn the nuts onto a baking sheet, spreading out to form an even layer. Bake, stirring eery 10 minutes, until crisp and dry, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer the sheet to a wire rack. Let cool completely. Pack in tins, jars, or other airtight containers.*

*The nuts will keep at room temperature for up to a week, or refrigerated for up to a month.

Winter Veg Pasta with Sweet Potato Sauce

2011-12-08T08:46:00.001-07:00

Just because the air is cold and the ground is frozen doesn't mean you can't have fresh vegetables in every meal you prepare. As we are in full swing of the holidays and our waist bands get a smidge tight it is important to have an easy go to healthy recipe. This is it; full of vegetables, lean meats, and flavor you will love.

Now, I admit I may have exaggerated the easy to make part...wait, don't go! It is easy to make, but there is a little prep time with the sweet potatoes. Unless you have a wee baby in the home, like myself, and are frequently stemming vegetables into complete submission and then pureeing them to the end of any form they once had, you probably won't have loads of sweet potato puree just sitting in your freezer, or see making some for this pasta as a great opportunity to stock up. But really is so easy to peel a sweet potato and steam or boil it, it just takes a little time. So get out those winter veggies, pull out the pasta, and start cooking, because you are going to love this.

Winter Veg Pasta with Sweet Potato Sauce
Recipe and Pictures by Caroline
Makes 4 servings

2 skinless chicken breasts, cubed (or omit for a vegetarian option)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 large carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and chopped
2 ribs celery, halved lengthwise, and chopped
2 tsp dried basil (or 1/2 cup fresh)
2 tsp dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Roma tomato, chopped
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
12 oz short pasta

Directions

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion, celery, carrots and cook until they soft, but not browned. Add herbs and garlic and continue to cook for 2 or 3 minutes, turning occasionally. Add tomato, sweet potato puree (directions in step two), and chicken broth, bring to a boil. Add cubed chicken, reduce heat cover tightly, stir occasionally and cook for another 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
To prepare the sweet potatoes: peel and slice the sweet potato. Either steam or boil sweet potato until it become very soft. Put sweet potato and some of the water in a blender and puree until it is a very smooth consistency.
Meanwhile (again) bring a large saucepan of water to boil with a pinch of salt. Cook pasta to package directions.
Add vegetable mixture to pasta and mix together until well combined. Serve warm and enjoy.

Potato Corn Chowder

2011-12-05T03:00:00.000-07:00

I wish it were cold outside. I wish for frost in the morning and snow in the afternoon. Before you think I'm totally nuts, you have to remember that I grew up in upstate NY, not far from Buffalo which = lake effect snow all winter long. I've almost never had a birthday that wasn't dreary and blustery. Winter lasts from November to ~~April~~ May. Parking lots are made for snow piles, not cars. I'm accustomed to the cold. But now I live in the "south" or close to it. And it just hasn't been that cold here. Windy, yes (especially on my daily walk over the Potomac), but not cold. It's still fall. Case in point: today it is forecasted to be 64 degrees. To me, that's nearly summer.

My point to this fascinating weather update is that I wish I could eat this chowder on a cold and blustery day. It seems more appropriate in the winter rather than on a cheery sunny day. But since the weather isn't cooperating with my preferences (and in all honesty, I really am enjoying the warmer temperatures and I'm very much looking forward to a spring that starts in March. And that means the rhubarb will be ready earlier) we'll have to make do with what we've got.

Two steps. That's all there is to this. You don't even have to peel the potatoes. After a few short hours, you'll have a savory-smelling kitchen and dinner ready to go. But here's one caveat about my recipe: it doesn't have any bacon, bacon grease, or lard, which, I've been told on good authority from a chowder-eating fiend, is a must when it comes to chowder. The first time I experimented with this recipe, I did include bacon. And it was very tasty. But I didn't have any this time around, and let's face it, good bacon can be expensive! So I left it out. And it was still delicious (don't tell my bacon-loving husband, but it might have even been better without it)-- creamy, a little bit sweet, a little bit savory, in short, the perfect comfort food. If you too love bacon, add 1 tablespoon of bacon grease + 4-5 pieces of crumbled cooked bacon to the rest of the ingredients in the slow cooker.

Potato Corn Chowder
Recipe by Kelly
Pictures by Kelly

6 medium potatoes, peel on, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
8 cups (about 2 bags) frozen corn
1 medium onion, finely choped
3 stalks celery, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt + more to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups half and half
fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (optional)

Combine all ingredients except half and half in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
Add half and half. Blend about 2/3 of the soup using an immersion blender (or scoop it into a regular blender- I prefer my chowder a bit smoother, but you can blend according to your preference). Add more salt and pepper, to taste. Serve topped with cilantro, if desired.

Pumpkin Waffles

2011-11-22T03:00:00.000-07:00

I've been making a lot of pumpkin things lately, the natural consequence being that I have had a tupperware packed with pumpkin pretty much consistently since mid October. No, no, it hasn't been sitting there since October. I've been using and replenishing. I really think that someone should tell the pumpkin packing companies that we don't need 15 oz of pumpkin, we need a nice even 16. And the huge cans? Aside from making 2 pumpkin pies, what recipe have you ever used that actually required the whole over-sized can? 29 ounces? Really?! Most recipes require one to two cups of pumpkin, which means that I'm constantly using up the half in the fridge only to replace it with 1 1/2 more. It's a vicious cycle.

So in an attempt to use up what I have before I leave for Thanksgiving (did I mention that I'm going to Indiana to visit my dearest friend A...and I cannot wait!), we had these lovely waffles for breakfast yesterday. And they were awesome because, let's be honest, eating these waffles was like eating dessert for breakfast. Think of them as pumpkin pie in breakfast form (although, just for the record, I do think it's perfectly acceptable, even encouraged, to eat leftover pumpkin pie for breakfast). And just like pumpkin pie, they're even better with a hearty dollop of whipped cream on top.

And finally, because we want you to have the most delicious Thanksgiving, here are a few of our favorites recipes to complete your perfect meal.

Our holiday feast, where you will find recipes for turkey, several sides, and apple pie
Butternut squash and apple soup a great starter to hold you over if you're planning a late Thanksgiving dinner (my grandma likes a prompt 12:30, so there's no time to mess around with appetizers)
Spiced roasted squash acorn and butternut squash in one sweet and well spiced side
Cran-apple torte one of my family favorites and great for those who may not prefer pumpkin pie

Have leftover turkey? Try our turkey and artichoke stuffed shells or the turkey apple cranberry bake.

We wish you a happy, healthy, and thankful day!

Pumpkin Waffles
Recipe by Kelly
Pictures by Kelly

2 cups flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup pumpkin
4 eggs, yolks and whites separated
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 2/3 cup milk

maple syrup and/or whipped cream, for topping

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, powder, soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks, pumpkin, butter, and milk. Add dry ingredients and whisk just until smooth.
In a small bowl, whisk egg whites until they form soft peaks. Gently fold egg whites into the batter and stir just until combined.
Brush waffle iron with oil or lightly coat with cooking spray. Pour batter into iron (this will vary depending on the size of your iron) and cook according to your waffle iron's instructions.
Place waffles in oven until ready to eat. Repeat the process and serve with maple syrup and/or whipped cream.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

2011-11-18T08:57:00.001-07:00

Lately my husband and I, and even my baby, having been enjoying sweet potatoes prepared in different ways. I came across a recipe for sweet potato fries, which I had never tried, but thought sounded good. So I decided to try them alongside one of my hamburgers.

At first I was a wee bit disappointed with the results of these oven fries as they weren't crispy at all, even though the flavor was what I had hoped. Fortunately I had told Kelly what I was making that night and then told her the results; so under the direction of her great wisdom, I decided to revamp the recipe slightly and rename them Roasted Sweet Potatoes and once again I was happy with the results.

So go out in this lovely fall weather, get a bag of sweet potatoes and go crazy. And for even more sweet potato goodness try more of our other sweet potato recipes, just search under the label "sweet potatoes". My personal favorites: Sweet Potatoes with Spiced Black Beans and Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Recipe and Pictures by Caroline

2 large sweet potatoes, skin on, well scrubbed
1 1/4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp dried oregano
1/2 tbsp dried rosemary

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Cut the potatoes into wedges 1/4-inch thick.
2. Meanwhile, mix the oil, salt, pepper, oregano, and rosemary in a medium sized bowl. Add the potatoes and stir to coat.
3. Line a cookie sheet with tinfoil. Place the sweet potatoes on the cookie sheet and spread out giving each potato wedge as much room as possible. Bake for 30 minutes until wedges start becoming golden. The last 5 minutes turn to oven to broil to give an the outsides a bit more texture. Serve warm.

Bacon Egg and Avocado Sandwich

2011-11-15T03:00:00.000-07:00

If I could skip the meal of lunch, I would be one happy woman. It's my least favorite meal and I generally do my best to ignore it. For a while I just tried not eating lunch, but then I wound up so famished by 2:30 that I felt I couldn't go on with life. No really. I occasionally collapsed. Low blood sugar, you see. Then I moved into the "bird food" phase: carrot sticks, nuts, yogurt, apple/other form of fruit. This was less dangerous to my blood sugar, but I was still ravenous by early afternoon. If I'm lucky, I make enough dinner the night before to have at lunch the next day, but even that is pretty sketchy. I'm exceedingly picky about leftovers, and if it doesn't involve rice or rice or possibly soup, I'm probably not interested.

The crux of the problem is that I just don't like sandwiches. Who doesn't like sandwiches? It's an American lunch staple. So let me clarify: I don't like sandwiches that one can take to work/school in a brown bag and eat without warming up or melting. Sliced meats and I are not very friendly. Tuna is ok but reminds me of a smelly friend from junior high. Egg salad is delicious, but one can only eat it for so long before it starts to taste like glue. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches get soggy. Peanut butter and nutella make a better dessert.

So what to eat? Good question. One which I'm still trying to work out (or rather, my husband is because he makes my lunch every day). In the meantime, however, I did concoct a sandwich that I really really love (not that it helps my lunch situation since it requires cooking). I like to call it the BEA--Bacon Egg and Avocado. I've actually been thinking about eating it for breakfast every now and then...but then what would I eat for lunch?

Bacon Egg and Avocado Sandwich
Recipe by Kelly
Picture by Kelly

Makes 2 sandwiches

1 avocado, cut in half lengthwise and sliced
3-4 strips bacon, cut in half
2-3 pieces of red or green leaf lettuce
2 eggs
2 slices Gouda cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
spicy brown mustard (optional)
4 pieces whole wheat bread

In a large skillet, cook the bacon on medium high heat until done (just before it turns crispy).
In the same pan, fry two eggs. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.
After you've flipped the egg and just before it is done (over-medium: the yolk should be firm, but still slightly runny in the middle), top with cheese and cook until cheese is melted. Meanwhile, lightly toast the bread.
Assemble the sandwich: spread the mustard (if using) on the toast; place egg down first; lay 3-4 half pieces of bacon on top of the egg; place avocado slices and lettuce on bacon/egg; top with toast.

Magic Bars

2011-11-11T03:00:00.000-07:00

I've been a grump lately, for various reasons which shall remain undisclosed. You did not, after all, trot over here to our blog to listen to me complain about the silly unimportant little things that irk me on a daily basis. Let's just leave it at this: I've really had to resist the impulse to drown my woes in buttery chocolatey treats and spend the evenings watching movies, reading tragedies, and definitely not exercising. To my credit (and surprise), I haven't been giving in, which is a good thing because if I glut myself on treats, it just makes me feel worse: not only will I be a grump, I'll be a rolly grump.

Anyway. I've had a thing for what are known as magic bars for a long time. I think I had them first at my friend Kim's house. I have vague recollections of eating several rows all by myself...I couldn't help it. They were so dang good. Fast forward 15 years and you get these; not quite the same as Kim's mom's bars--true magic bars have a graham crust rather than an oat-y shortbread base--but possibly a bit more sophisticated. Because oats = sophistication? Sure.

So here we have it. A combination of ingredients that really can't go wrong: oats, sugar, chocolate, sweetened condensed milk. The beginning of all good things and luckily a slightly improved mood. :)

Magic Bars
Recipe adapted from EverydayFood
Pictures by Kelly

3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or a generous 1/4 teaspoon regular salt)
3/4 cup whole rolled oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butterscotch chips and/or toffee bits (optional)
1 cup walnuts
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 9 x 13 inch pan with parchment paper (optional) and then lightly grease with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar, flour, and salt and mix together with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse meal (or use a food processor and pulse). Add oats and stir until just combined. Press dough evenly into bottom of pan and bake until lightly browned and firm, about 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips, walnuts, and butterscotch or toffee bits (if using). Drizzle with condensed milk and top with coconut. Bake until coconut is golden, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.

Chicken and Cheese Corn Enchiladas

2011-11-08T03:00:00.000-07:00

I admit, I am a fan of Mexican food. Most importantly, it is just really tasty. For another, it is often pretty easy to make, which I am a huge fan of. Enter this recipe. This recipe lets you use a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken; easy!! (Plus I guarantee you will have loads of left over chicken for sandwiches, soup, or snacking). Because of the simplification of using a pre-cooked chicken, I decided to simplify the original recipe even more and omit the husking of fresh tomatillos and substituting canned ones, which can be easily found at your local grocery store.

The other thing that I loved about this recipe, which I hadn't done before, was broiling the enchiladas. This produces awesome results. It enhances the flavor of the sauce and it makes the tortilla shells just slightly crispy on the edges...yumm-o. And then, you will have left-over chicken, possibly sauce, and tortillas, so you can throw a couple together the next day for lunch, pop them in the broiler, and voila, lunch!

Chicken-and-Cheese Corn Enchiladas

Recipe adapted from the Food Network

Pictures by Caroline

Ingredients

1 small red onion, halved

5 canned tomatillos

1 serrano chile, stemmed and seeded

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

½ teaspoon salt

Pinch of sugar

10 corn tortillas

3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1/3 cup fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing

Sour cream and salsa for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat the broiler. Slice the onion into thin rings and set aside. Place the sliced onions, canned tomatillos and serrano on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil until the vegetables are soft and slightly brown, 5 minutes, turning as needed. Set about ¼ of the broiled onions to the side. Transfer the rest of the vegetables and any liquid to a blender, add the broth and puree. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and the sugar.

2. Meanwhile, stack the tortillas, wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave just until warm and soft, 1 minute; keep covered. Toss the chicken with 2 cups shredded cheese in a bowl. Spoon a portion of the chicken* mixture down the middle of each tortilla. Add a few cilantro leaves and roll up. Place the enchiladas side by side in a lightly oiled 9-by-13-inch baking dish and brush with the 2 tablespoons olive oil. Broil until crisp and golden, 3 minutes.

3. Pour the tomatillo sauce over the enchiladas and top with the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Return to the oven and broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Garnish with the broiled onion rings and any remaining cilantro. Serve with sour cream and salsa if desired.

*If your chicken is cold, just wrap the shredded chicken in foil and pop it in the broiler or oven for a few minutes to heat it up before putting into the tortilla shells.

White Bean Chicken Chili

2011-11-05T10:53:00.003-06:00

It is cold today. The Wasatch Mountains are covered with a healthy dusting of snow and there are very tiny flakes falling in my yard. The ski resorts are all telling us the days they will be opening and there are already Christmas decorations up in the stores. I don't know that I am ready for all of this, in fact I can say that I AM NOT ready for the winter to come, but apparently my vote didn't count this year (although I don't know that Mother Nature ever actually asked me).

SO, I figure today will be a great day for you to try this White Bean Chicken Chili that I made earlier this week. It is good, and to be honest it is even better as leftovers. I found the recipe in a compilation cookbook my sister gave me several years back and then I tweaked it a little. I liked my results and I hope you will too!

White Bean Chicken Chili
Recipe and pictures by Caroline

2 chicken breasts, shredded
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1-15oz can Butter beans
1-15oz can white beans
1-4oz can green chilies
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
dash red pepper flakes
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Sour Cream garnish

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and saute until translucent and soft. Stir in the garlic, cumin, oregano, and red pepper flakes until spices become fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the green chilies.
2. Add undrained beans and chicken broth; bring to a boil and reduce heat. Add the chicken breasts and cheese until the cheese melts.*
3. Serve hot and garnish with sour cream if desired.

*Another option is to leave the cheese on the side and just add as much as you want.

Shredded Chicken with Kale and Curried Lentils

2011-10-31T03:30:00.000-06:00

It snowed here this weekend. Yes, here in DC. Snow. Before Halloween. I expect this from upstate NY where I grew up (I remember many a Halloween with trick or treaters trudging through the snow). But not DC. Not yet. Thankfully none of the snow stuck and I awoke this morning to a sunny crisp fall day. Almost like the weather wanted to apologize for the snow mistake of yesterday.

So because it wasn't snowing or raining today (and therefore my overwhelming urge to make bread had dissipated) and because these lentils are ORANGE and tomorrow is Halloween, this is what we had for dinner.

Sadly, orange lentils (which are really called red lentils) turn a yellowish brown color when they cook. Green lentils turn brownish and yellow lentils turn brownish. It seems that lentils are just determined to be ugly. And no matter what you do, lentils WILL smoosh together while they cook, becoming a sloppy, beany, delicious mess. But it does makes for a slightly less attractive dish. If you ever see perfectly separated lentils picture in a magazine, they cheated. I promise. They probably used canned lentils or didn't cook them all the way. I've never ever been able to make a lentil dish look as amazing as it tastes. Ok, maybe it's just me, but have you ever made a pretty lentil dish?

A few variations: this dish is lovely without chicken. Or sometimes I serve a lovely tandoori chicken on the side instead of the shredded and combined version. I love kale, so that's what I've included in the recipe. But swiss chard or spinach or even collard greens would also be an excellent addition. Play with it a little and let us know what you think.

Shredded Chicken with Kale and Curried Lentils
Recipe by Kelly
Pictures by Kelly

2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup red lentils
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
3-4 cups kale, chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 small chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 lemon

Preheat oven to high broil. Rub 1 teaspoon of oil and a pinch of salt and pepper over chicken and place in oven. Broil until chicken is cooked through (about 15 minutes), turning once. Remove from oven and shred.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot. Add onions and saute about 4 minutes. Add 1 garlic clove and ginger and stir about 1 minute. Add lentils, salt, curry powder, and broth. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, over medium heat about 20 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
About 5 minutes before lentils are done, heat remaining tablespoon oil in skillet on medium heat. Add 1 garlic clove and saute about 1 minute. Add kale and cook, stirring oaccasionally, until kale is wilted and tender, 4-5 minutes.
Combine lentils and kale in a large bowl and stir to combine. Top with chicken and squeeze lemon over the top.

We've had a makeover!

2011-10-26T07:24:00.002-06:00

Two little chefs has finally had a much needed facelift. Many thanks to Elizabeth and Michelle of Loving Life Designs who volunteered to take on the task of making our blog a little more user friendly and far more attractive. Please notice the links to our facebook, twitter, and pinterest pages on the side bar, as well as links to our recipes. You can still search by ingredient in the "labels" section, only now it won't take up half the page. So what do you think? We may make a few more tweaks in the coming days (like finally finishing the "our kitchen" section), and we finally uploaded the "about us" section, but this is our new look for now! Please explore and share your thoughts.

If you like what you see, and I'm sure you do, please go check out Michelle and Elizabeth's blog. These two lovely ladies are both talented and uber creative graphic designers. They're also sisters (twins, actually), moms (their daughters are both adorable), dancers, and just all around awesome. And they're currently offering to do customized Christmas card designs for you...for free. So if I were you, I'd head on over there and check it out. Thanks ladies! :)

And thanks for reading!

Roasted Red Pepper and Spinach Calzones

2011-10-25T03:00:00.000-06:00

There's this little Italian pizzeria in Denver near where my Grandpa lives called "Rico's." They make The Best Calzones I've ever had. Maybe it's because Rico is really Italian. And so are most of his kitchen staff (family members, by the look of things). The dough is perfect, the cheese melty and stringy and delicious, and the calzone is smothered in sauce. Most of the food they sell is for take-out as their little restaurant only seats about 20 people in their cramped booths and tables sitting almost in the middle of the walk-ways.

And the best part of all is if you're female and Rico isn't too busy with other things, he will shout "Ciao, Bella!" as you walk out the door. My dream is to go back and have Rico shout "Beautiful" to me. He didn't last time. Maybe one day...

I'm quite sure that if Rico had a bite of these calzones he would throw his Italian hands up in the air in dismay No sauce? Only one kind of cheese? Where's the MEAT?" But that aside, I think they're pretty dang tasty. I have an undying love for caramelized onions and red peppers, and these calzones contain both, so I'm pretty well satisfied. Except for the "Bella" part. No one called me Bella as I took these out of the oven.

In all honesty, you could really put almost anything in here. Tonight I'm dreaming of Gorgonzola cheese with my caramelized onions (another favorite), but we have been known to go as simple as tomatoes and basil, to mushrooms and caramelized onions, sausage and pepperoni with sauce, or even add a dollop of ricotta cheese to whatever mix of vegetables I have lying around. So go wild. I do recommend at least trying the roasted red peppers and spinach, but if that doesn't tickle your fancy, I'm sure you can think of something to stuff them with.

Roasted Red Pepper and Spinach Calzones
Recipe by Kelly
Pictures by Kelly

1 large onion, halved and sliced lengthwise
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
5 ounces spinach (8 packed cups)
2 red peppers, seeded and cut into quarters*
2 cups mozarella cheese, grated
1 batch of pizza dough (below) or 1 pound store-bought pizza dough, thawed

Preheat oven to high broil. Place red peppers on a cookie sheet skin side up and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Broil until skins begin to blister and turn black, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool about 5 minutes. Peel skins off and cut into 1-inch pieces.
Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add spinach and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in red peppers, pepper, and salt, to taste. Remove from heat.
Divide dough into 4 pieces. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface into about a 6-inch circle. Put about 1/4 of filling on the lower half, leaving a 1/2 inch border, and top with cheese.
Fold dough over to enclose filling. Seal edges. Beginning in 1 corner, stretch sealed edge outward, pinching and rolling dough up over edge to resemble a rope, working your way around. Transfer to baking sheet. Cut 3 steam vents in top of each and brush with remaining tablespoon oil. Repeat for remaining 3 balls of dough.
Bake until golden-brown, about 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

*As a faster option, buy bottled roasted red peppers. It will save you time and maybe even money if the peppers are out of season.

Pizza dough
from Betty Crocker's Cookbook

2 1/2 to 3 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup very warm water

Mix 1 cup of the flour, the sugar, salt, and yeast in a large bowl.
Add oil and warm water and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed, about 3 minutes.
Stir in enough remaining flour until dough is soft and leaves sides of the bowl. Knead until dough is smooth and springy.
Place in a large bowl and let rest about 30 minutes. Prepare pizza or calzones.

Pumpkin-Apple Muffins

2011-10-21T03:00:00.001-06:00

My dear friend and co-chef Kelly was so kind as to search out some delicious recipes for me to try a couple weeks ago. She sent me several options from main courses to treats. Of all of them, this one stuck out to me the most; right away I knew I wanted to try it.

To my delight these muffins turned out just as I had hoped, better really. Much to my pleasure the enjoyment started with mixing the ingredients. No, I didn't have images in my mind of pumpkin fairies sprouting from the can of pumpkin filling (although that would have made for some great pictures), but the smell of the spices mixed together instantly made me feel fallish. It was intoxicating.

But the true joy of these muffins is in eating them. They are good, really good. The combination of pumpkin, apple, raisins and spice is very agreeable, to use a Jane Austen phrase, and if you are a Jane Austen fan, let's just say that Mr. Darcy would surely approve of these. Enjoy!

oh and ps...you will have pumpkin filling left, loads of it, so may I suggest: Buttermilk Glazed Pumpkin Donuts or Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

Pumpkin-Apple Muffins

Recipe from Bon Appetit

Pictures by Caroline

Yield: 18 muffins

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups sugar
1 cup canned solid pack pumpkin
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup chopped peeled cored apples
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Topping ingredients:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease eighteen 1/2-cup muffin cups or line with muffin papers.
Sift first 4 ingredients into medium bowl. Stir sugar, pumpkin, oil and eggs in large bowl until well mixed. Mix in dry ingredients, apples, raisins and walnuts. Place equal amounts of batter into prepared cups.
Topping: Combine brown sugar, flour and cinnamon in small bowl. Cut in butter with fingers or pastry blender until mixture is crumbly.
Sprinkle topping over muffins. Bake until muffins are golden brown and tester inserted into centers of muffins comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool. Serve muffins warm or at room temperature.

Granola

2011-10-18T08:48:00.002-06:00

Granola (noun): a breakfast food consisting of rolled oats, brown sugar, nuts, driedfruit, etc., usually served with milk. Granola (noun): a person who enjoys nature, living free, and not showering more than necessary. Which definition do you like better? Which definition did I get off of dictionary.com? If you guessed the first, you are correct, but if you are about my age you remember that in high school there was a group of people that we referred to as the "granola's", kindof sub-par hippies I guess. And I am willing to bet that these so called "granola's", liked to eat granola.

What does this have to do with this recipe? Absolutely nothing, just thinking about the two words, and wondering if a person is described as a "granola" and is eating granola, what does that make them? Hmmm....I'm just sayin'

Anyways, I got this recipe from a family member. Now I actually loved her ingredients, including almonds and coconut. However, I didn't have almonds in the pantry and you know I can only use coconut on a rare occasion as my husband snubs coconut. So, I actually made a batch of this stuff based on her recipe, which turned out really well; in fact I am having some now with yogurt. Below I have decided to include her ingredient list as well as my own. But like the correct definition of granola states it is a food with rolled oats, brown sugar, nuts, driedfruit, etc. So take the "etc" to mean, put in whatever you want and it will likely turn out wonderful.

Granola

Recipe from Lynda C.

Pictures by Caroline

Lynda's recipe

6 cups rolled oats
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup shelled sunflower seeds
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped almonds
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup raisins

Caroline's adaptation

6 cups oats

1/2 cup ground flax seed

1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 honey

1 tsp vanilla

dash salt
1 cup raisins

Directions

Mix together rolled oats, wheat germ, shelled sunflower seeds, shredded coconut and chopped almonds in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
Heat vegetable oil, brown sugar and honey in a small sauce pan. Add to it 1 tsp. vanilla and 1/2 tsp. salt when heated.
Pour hot liquids over rolled oat mixture, tossing to coat lightly. Spread evenly on two lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 275 degrees for 30 minutes.
When cooled, add raisins and store in tightly covered container. Makes about 3/4 of a large plastic ice cream bucket. Recipe can be halved.

Buttermilk Glazed Pumpkin Donuts

2011-10-14T03:00:00.000-06:00

After you see this post, you're going to want to make these this weekend. Because you won't meet a better autumnal treat than this: a pumpkin base, rich with spices, fried and dunked in a sweet and tangy buttermilk glaze. If you're not drooling yet, you must hate pumpkin. Or maybe donuts. Though I'm not sure how you can hate donuts. "But they're so bad for you," you say. True. They are. But you only make them once a year. Ok, maybe one season a year. And they are so worth it.

"But donuts are a pain to make--frying is hard!" you say. Actually, they're not. We had ours fried and dunked (and photographed) in under an hour. Here are a few tips to help alleviate your fear of frying: 1) the frying process is fast, but the key is to make sure the oil is hot enough before cooking. If you flick a bit of water (a finger flick, no more!) in the pot of oil, it should bounce around like mini rocket. At that point, we usually throw in a little blob of dough as a tester. Bust it open with a knife. If it's coked through inside, you're ready to begin. 2) Flip the donuts when they start to turn brown on the edges and when the tops start looking a bit crinkly. If you do donut holes, they'll gradually start looking like they're about to flip over on their own but still need a little help to make it all the way. 3) It is very helpful to have an assistant (thanks, T-rav!) to either flip the frying donuts or dunk them in the glaze. That way you won't be covered in glaze and oil from frying and dunking and frying and dunking.

"But I'll burn my fingers when I dunk them in the glaze," you say. Well, you might. But if you wait until they no longer look shiny (usually about 20 seconds), they will be significantly cooler and much less likely to burn. As my momma always used to say "It'll toughen up."

Ok, any more excuses? No? Good.

In my opinion, the flavor of these donuts improve as they cool. Definitely try one warm (how could you possibly resist?), but the spices emerge more with time. But not too much time. Eat them right away and share with your friends and neighbors. Or eat them all yourself. I know you want to.

Buttermilk Glazed Pumpkin Donuts
Recipe adapted from The Family Kitchen
Pictures by Kelly

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour + extra for rolling
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 + a pinch allspice
1/4 + a pinch nutmeg
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup pumpkin puree
Canola oil for frying

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, spices and sugar.
Whisk together all of the remaining ingredients (except for the canola oil) in a medium-sized bowl.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and stir them around the bowl until the mixture is well combined (you will probably need to use your hands to it all well integrated together and you may need to add a little flour). Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, rolling the donut dough to approximately1/4-1/2″ thick. Cut with a donut cutter.*
Heat 2 inches of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, gently slide the donuts into the oil, frying on the first side until the edges of the donut are lightly browned and starting to crinkle; flip carefully and allow to cook on the other side until lightly browned.
Remove and dunk immediately into buttermilk glaze. Allow to air dry on a cooling rack before serving.

Buttermilk Glaze
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Dip hot donuts in the glazed, then allow to air dry on a cooling rack

*I used a large + mini biscuit cutter to make the regular sized donuts and the mini only (obviously) to make the donut holes. If you don't have a donut cutter, you could use a cup and cut the hole out yourself with a knife, but that sounds like a lot of work. Just go buy cutter.

Boeuf Bourguignon

2011-10-11T05:33:00.001-06:00

I'm sure you've all seen Julie and Julia by now. I for one loved it. I loved the food, the scenery (yes, please to Paris!) and watching Meryl Streep do an awesome Julia Child. And, if you must know, I watch(ed) it for analytical purposes. To my dismay and shame, the character of Julie (sadly, not Julia, she's way too nice to be me), is so strikingly similar in all the worst ways to myself, that I had to watch the movie over and over to critique/observe my many flaws. And yes, I have been known to throw a fit in the kitchen. It's a bit embarrassing, actually. Remind me why I'm writing this...

Boeuf Bourguignon is probably one of Julia Child's more famous dishes and it's a major part of the movie Julie and Julia. It took me a while to get around to making it because I figured it was just a beef stew, and who needs to go sprinting to the kitchen for beef stew? Good, yes. Worth skipping all sorts of other interesting recipes, not a chance, I thought. But I was wrong. So wrong. Boeuf Bourguignon is amazing. It's not hard to make and is totally worth the 2.5 hour wait and the extra expense of cooking with wine.

Here's another confession: I am utterly lost in the wine aisle. Being a non-alcohol drinker and living in a place where all alcohol must be purchased at the liquor store, I have been used to grabbing the cheapest whatever I could find and ducking out of the store in a hurry (lots of creepy dudes hang out at the liquor store). But now that I live in DC and alcohol is available at the grocery store, it's a different ball game. Because the alcohol section of my grocery store is about twice the size of liquor store I was accustomed to. And there are 15 shelves of wine claiming to be red. So what do I choose? Do I want something very oaky? Young? Full? Dark red? Light red? Sweet?
Let's just say it was overwhelming at best. I finally settled on a cheap Chianiti ($6) because I knew for a certainty what it was. So my point is, I can't really give you any advice on selecting the best wine because I have no idea (feel free to share if you're knowledgeable in this area). Based on whatever I've read, however, I can tell you that even if you choose a wine that may not be the highest quality or isn't something you'd normally drink, it should still work fine for cooking.

And finally, if you prefer not to use wine in your cooking, I have two things to say: 1) check out this website with a nice little chart halfway down that explains how much alcohol burns off in cooking; and 2) I haven't yet tried this particular recipe without wine, but having made many other wine-less stews, using beef stock will do the trick as well. It just won't have quite the same flavor.

Bon Appetit! (sorry I couldn't resist)

Boeuf Bourguignon
Recipe from Mastering the Art of French Cooking*
Pictures by Kelly

6 oz bacon
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 lbs lean stewing beef
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons flour
3 cups red wine
2-3 cups beef stock (or bouillon)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 crushed bay leaf
18-24 pearl onions
1 pound mushrooms, quartered
2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a large dutch oven-type pot, saute the bacon over medium heat for 2-3 minutes to brown slightly. Remove from pot and set aside
Dry the beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Saute it, a few pieces at a time, in the hot oil and bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides. Remove from pot.
In the remaining oil and bacon fat, brown the onion and carrots, 3-4 minutes. Remove from pot and pour out remaining oil.
Return the beef to the pot and add the salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the flour and toss to coat beef with the flour. Cook about 4 minutes until the meat is covered with a light crust.
Return the bacon, onions, and carrots to the pot. Stir in the wine and enough beef stock to barely cover the meat. Add the tomato paste, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Cover and place in oven; cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.
Just before the beef is done, saute the mushrooms in 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a large pan. Remove from pan and add pearl onions and 1/2 tablespoon butter. Cook until soft (you may want to add a few tablespoons of water).
When meat is tender, remove pot from oven, taste, and add more salt as needed. Add pearl onions and mushrooms. Serve with boiled salted potatoes.

*I made some slight alterations to the directions. Ok and I also added more carrots than Julia. I just happen to like more carrot in my stew, thank you very much. And I skipped her final step involving thinning or thickening the sauce because I thought my sauce was already the perfect thickness. If you want to do it exactly the way Julia Child did, you can go buy her book. :)