The Better Crumb

Green Juice Fast

2013-04-22T10:27:00.003-04:00

Needless to say, after a week at Universal Studios in Orlando I needed to cleanse! I've discovered that a Green Juice Fast doesn't have to be painful. To my surprise, it's actually been quite pleasurable and I really look forward to drinking my favorite green juice! I know there are a lot of green juice recipes out there, but this one is so good that everyone I make it for asks for the recipe. So here it is. Let me know how it works for you.

Following the Clean Cleanse by Alejandro Junger, I drink this yummy green drink I've developed for breakfast and dinner and have my only meal at lunch, usually consisting of a big green salad with chickpeas and turkey or chicken. Initially, I lost 4 lbs. overnight which was clearly water weight from the french fries, pizza and God knows what and then a pound every day after that. I'm feeling quite virtuous, but put a Volcano in front of me from Rainforest Cafe' and it's all over!

This recipe makes enough juice for breakfast and dinner. Just refrigerate what you don't drink at breakfast and save the rest for later. I find if my drink is ready and waiting I don't start snacking. Don't forget to wash all vegetables thoroughly. For a cold drink, make sure your coconut water is refrigerated.

Green Juice Fast

2-16 ounce servings

A big handful of kale (2 ounces), tough stems removed

A big handful of spinach (2 ounces)

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed

4 tablespoons unsweetened, dried coconut

1/4 cup raw almonds

1 apple, cored

1 cup pineapple, or a small banana

16 ounces pure coconut water

Place all ingredients in a Vitamix, or high powered blender and mix until blended and smooth.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe

2013-03-19T22:38:00.001-04:00

I think the best combination in the world is chocolate and peanut butter. I put my two favorites together to come up with this fabulous Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe, which makes dark, rich, crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside cookies with creamy peanut butter that melts in your mouth. They remind me of the amazing, oversized, dark chocolate peanut butter cookies my friend Jen brought me back from Levain's in New York City. I've never forgotten them, and since I don't get to the upper west side too often, I decided to make my own!

Levain uses peanut butter chips in their cookies, but they've never done much for me so I avoid them in my baking. They just don't have that smooth, creamy texture and taste of real peanut butter, so I prefer to use peanut butter cups in this chocolate peanut butter cookie recipe. Plus, the milk chocolate in the cups helps to make this cookie even smoother. If possible, time your baking so they can be eaten soon after they come out of the oven and are still warm. They are outrageously good! When I served them to my family tonight there was a two second pause, and then a unanimous "OH MY GOD"!

You can keep the dough balls in a plastic container lined with parchment in the freezer, and just bake them as desired. I use mini chocolate peanut butter cups from Trader Joes, but you can also use the smaller Reese's peanut butter cups that come in a bag and chop them coarsely into 1/2 " pieces. If you can't find either, go with 18 oz. of the chips. If available, Muscovado brown sugar adds a hint of caramel. I also use Plugra in all of my baking which is a European butter with a higher fat content for more moisture and better flavor. Use the best cocoa you can find, like Valrhona which gives these cookies a deeper, richer flavor.

How to avoid a flat chocolate chip cookie? Here's a professional baking secret...the key to baking a puffy cookie that keeps its shape is to freeze your cookie dough (at least four hours, and preferably overnight) and the cookie trays before popping them into fully a hot oven (preheat for at least 30 minutes). Also, make sure your baking soda is fresh to avoid a flat cookie. Give yourself at least five hours before serving to allow for freezing time.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe

Makes about 24

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup 100% cocoa powder, unsweetened
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), cold and cut into cubes
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
18 oz. mini peanut butter cups, or larger cups coarsely chopped into 1/2" pieces

Place 3-4 cookie trays, lined with parchment paper in the freezer.

In a medium sized bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer, mix sugars together. Then add the cold butter. Mix for two minutes or so on medium speed until smooth. Reduce speed to low and add one egg at a time, using a spatula in between to scrape sides. Mix egg in thoroughly and add vanilla. Add flour and cocoa mixture and mix until combined. Add peanut butter cups and mix.

Form dough into balls 1 1/2" and freeze dough for at least four hours, preferably overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees for at least 30 minutes. Place 6-8 cookie dough balls on a frozen parchment tray and bake for 18 minutes, but no more or they will lose moisture. Let cool on wire racks.

Attack while warm.

Roasted Chickpeas Recipe

2013-03-11T08:23:00.000-04:00

I just can't contain my excitement over this Roasted Chickpeas Recipe. I mean they are just so good and on top of it, they are a great healthier snack option. Just about every nutritionist these days says we should eat beans daily. Yawn. Beans bore me. I can potentially get excited about chickpeas though, and these spicy roasted chickpeas are great to eat warm right out of the oven when your watching Justified or Downton Abby – or whatever show it is that you can't seem to watch without snacking.

I begged my youngest daughter to taste test just one – my "vegetarian" who eats meat, but no vegetables (or fruit for that matter), who has been known to eat three cupcakes at once, who sings rap songs entitled "I hate Carrots" – and she took the bowl away and claimed them as hers. I then thought I heard something to the likes of "it tastes like popcorn, they're SOOOOO good"! "What did you say?" I just had to hear it again. She then finished the bowl! My other two girls did manage to snatch a few before they were gone and concluded, "those chick peas were amazing!

I had tried several roasted chickpeas recipes online, but they were all too bland, so I came up with my own spice mixture which I tested several times with various amounts of spices. I am finally happy, and the spice mixture can also be used as a spice rub for pork or to season other foods, like roasted nuts.

If you are serving more than a few people, double up on the recipe and increase cayenne to 1/8th of a teaspoon.

Roasted Chickpeas Recipe

1 can chickpeas

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Spice Mixture:

1 1/2 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika (pimentón)

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

pinch of cayenne

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Rinse the chickpeas beans in a colander, and then using a paper towel dry them as best as you can. Allow them to sit and air dry for several minutes until fully dry.

Mix all of the spices together in a medium sized bowl. Add the dried chickpeas (add any skins that have fallen off too as they become crispy and delicious) and oil, and then mix until the chickpeas are evenly coated with the spice mixture.

Spread the chickpeas out on a baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes. Taste for crunchiness, and if they are still soft in the middle bake a few minutes longer ( but no more... they burn quickly at this point, so watch carefully) until crunchy.

Serve while warm.

Baked Turkey Meatballs

2013-03-06T12:04:00.001-05:00

These Baked Turkey Meatballs in marinara sauce are so moist and flavorful, you won't miss the beef at all. In fact, they're so amazing my family prefers the turkey which is a good thing since turkey is lower in fat.

After reading Super Immunity by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, I am trying to add more immune boosting, anti-inflammatory and anticancer foods to my family's diet. The added mushrooms, onions, garlic and turmeric give any store bought marinara sauce a health boost, or you can make your own healthy marinara sauce from scratch (see recipe below). Serve these Baked Turkey Meatballs in marinara sauce with whole wheat or any healthy pasta of your choice (have you tried black bean?), and a side of sautéed swiss chard with garlic and mushroom. There. You have just added the major immune boosting foods to create a meal that's not only healthy, but incredibly delicious, hearty and comforting.

You can use the leftover meatballs to make turkey meatball grinders the next day like I did for dinner tonight (just stick a few sauce covered meatballs on a whole wheat roll, top with shredded mozzarella and a sprinkling of Parmesan, and warm in the oven until the cheese melts). I got three enthusiastic "Mom, these are SO good"! thumbs up.

If you have picky little eaters like I do, chop the mushrooms very finely and they won't even know their in the sauce. You can also switch out the ground turkey for grass fed ground beef if you prefer.

Baked Turkey Meatballs

Makes about 24

1 pound ground turkey, dark or white meat

1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup water

1 large egg, whisked

1 garlic clove, crushed

2 teaspoons parsley, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (for coating the baking pan)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a large baking pan with the tablespoon of olive oil.

Mix all ingredients together and form into 1" round meatballs.

Place meatballs on the olive oil coated tray and roll them around so that they are all covered with a thin coating of oil.

Bake meatballs on baking pans for twenty minutes.

Marinara Sauce with a Health Boost

serves 6-8

*2 28 oz. cans whole peeled plum tomatoes (preferably San Marzano), no added sodium, or two 28 to 32 oz. jars of store bought marinara sauce, no sugar added
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil (optional)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
handful of fresh basil
freshly ground black pepper
meatballs (see recipe above)

Pour the 2 cans of tomatoes (or store bought marinara sauce) into a large pot. Add the remaining ingredients (except the meatballs) into the sauce and cook on low, stirring occasionally until sauce becomes thick and dark red (about an hour). During the last twenty minutes of cooking, add the meatballs so that the flavor is absorbed into the sauce.

Look for tomatoes with less than 70 mg. of salt per serving, such as "Cento". If using store bought sauce, you can omit the salt.

Individual Beef Wellington

2013-02-10T15:06:00.000-05:00

If you are looking for dinner ideas for Valentine's Day, look no further. These Individual Beef Wellington are so special and so good, you will be making them over and over again due to popular demand. My family expects them every Christmas Eve as well. I once heard about a chicken soup recipe that is supposed to guarantee a girl a marriage proposal. Nonsense. No soup will do that... but these mini beef wellingtons will! Yes, they are that spectacular.

You can also make these wellingtons with lobster, and sometimes I make a combination of the two if I have a crowd to feed (for lobster, just pre-bake lobster tails brushed with some melted butter the same way you do with the filets in part 1, then remove the lobster meat and follow the recipe in the same manner).

Don't let the three parts of this recipe intimidate you. There is very little labor involved in this recipe. I've broken it up so you can get part 1 and 2 of the recipe out of the way in the morning to make things easier, especially if you are making other side dishes. Part 3 is simple... just brush them quickly with egg wash and pop them in the oven before serving.

I like to serve these individual beef wellingtons with roasted root vegetables (a mixture of beets, turnips, parsnips, carrots etc...) and butternut squash for sweetness. Cut vegetables into squares, about 1/2 inch thick. Coat with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in a 425 degree oven until browned and crispy, at least 45 minutes to an hour. They are also great served with sautéed french string beans with slivered almonds.

**The meat generally comes out slightly pink in the middle, or medium-well but everyone always seems to be very happy with the doneness of the meat, from those who like it rare to those who prefer well done. If you definitely want it rare though, only bake it initially for 10 minutes.

Individual Beef Wellington

4 1 1/2"-thick filet mignons
1 small shallot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
8 medium sized mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 14 -17 ounce package puff pastry, thawed (I prefer the award winning puff pastry, Dufour)
1 egg

Part 1

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Salt and pepper filet mignons on both sides and roast in a baking pan for 12 minutes (they will cook more later). Remove pan and turn off oven. Allow filets to cool.

Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a pan and heat over medium heat. Sauté shallots until translucent, then add garlic and mushrooms and cook until tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Refrigerate filets and mushroom mixture in separate bowls in the refrigerator until cold, about an hour.

Part 2

Roll out puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. You want to make sure it is big enough to get 4 6"-inch squares from it. Cut the puff pastry into 4 6"-inch squares with a pizza cutter (alternatively, you can cut it into 4 squares and then roll out each square individually. This is useful if you have small counters to work on).

Bring out the filets and mushroom mixture from the refrigerator.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg.

On each square of puff pastry, lay a tablespoon of the mushroom mixture in the center. Then lay one filet on each pile of mushroom mixture.

Lift one corner of the pastry over the center of the filet. With a pastry brush, brush a small amount of egg wash on top of the corner and then bring the opposite corner up and over so that it lays over the egg washed corner (the egg wash is acting as a glue). Do the same for the other two corners, and using your hands press the seams down to ensure that the package is closed and secure (You don't want the juices spilling out as it cooks) and the pastry is snug around the filet.

Lay the beef wellingtons seam side down on a shallow non-stick baking pan or a parchment-lined regular baking pan at least 3 inches apart. Allow to cool in the refrigerator for an hour or more. Keep the egg wash chilled as well.

Part 3

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Brush the tops of the beef wellingtons with the egg wash and bake for about 20 minutes, or until puff pastry is golden brown and crispy.

Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2013-01-16T20:48:00.002-05:00

A few days ago I was really in the mood for dessert, but being January and still on my best behavior as far as eating healthier foods, I set out to create a virtuous cookie. These Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside and have that warm browned butter flavor and nuttiness going on that makes a freshly baked oatmeal cookie so irresistible. My husband ate so many he lost count and my daughter grabbed one and yelled "these cookies are amazing"! The batch was gone before I could reach for my second cookie.

If you can find Muscovado brown sugar (Whole Foods carries it), it adds a caramel taste that just makes this the best oatmeal raisin cookie you've ever tasted! I use Plugra unsalted butter for all of my desserts, which is a European butter with a higher fat content. It elevates any cookie to greatness!

Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Makes about 22 cookies

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups whole grain pastry flour (by Arrowhead Mills)

1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast oatmeal on a baking sheet for about 15 minutes, or until fragrant. Let cool (it's okay if the oatmeal is still slightly warm when you add it to the mixing bowl)

In a mixing bowl, mix sugar together with the butter until thoroughly combined. Add egg and mix until incorporated, then add vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add dry ingredients to the mixing bowl along with the toasted oatmeal and raisins. Mix until combined.

Form into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and place them about 3 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheets.

Bake for about 15-17 minutes until cookies are lightly browned.

Allow to cool.

Fluffy Blueberry Pancakes Recipe With Homemade Breakfast Sausage

2013-01-08T09:48:00.000-05:00

I seriously cannot imagine a better breakfast than this fluffy blueberry pancakes recipe with homemade breakfast sausage, and while you might be thinking this is the kind of breakfast you can only get in a great restaurant, think again.

Not too far away from me is a very charming diner that is famous for their blueberry pancakes. For weeks, my friend and I planned a visit and dreamt of fluffy blueberry pancakes with homemade breakfast sausage. We finally had our much anticipated breakfast, and indeed the little diner was as charming as can be, but I was floored when the oversized, lone blueberry pancake came out and it was as flat as a pancake. This was not the stack of thick, puffy pancakes with syrup running down the edges of my dreams! It just didn't hit the spot... and the sausage? Commercial links. Sigh.

It's ok though, because I came home hell bent on coming up with the perfect, fluffy blueberry pancakes recipe with homemade breakfast sausage. Breakfast just doesn't get any better than this, and you don't have to feel intimidated or guilty about eating it because as usual I've tried to make things as healthy, quick and easy as possible without sacrificing flavor.

Note that there is no sweetener added to the mix, as I assume you will be topping with maple syrup. If you're planing on eating them without syrup, you may want to add a tablespoon of sugar for a touch of sweetness.

Fluffy Blueberry Pancakes Recipe
Makes About 8 pancakes

1 1/2 cups whole grain pastry flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

1/3 cup blueberries

Mix the dry ingredients together in a medium size bowl. Add wet ingredients along with the lemon zest and mix thoroughly. Add blueberries and mix gently.

Lightly coat a griddle pan with vegetable or olive oil, and set the burner to medium-low heat. Pour large spoonfuls of pancake batter onto the hot griddle, cooking on both sides until lightly browned and cooked all the way through.

Serve with maple syrup.

Homemade Breakfast Sausage
Makes About 10 Patties

This homemade breakfast sausage recipe is adapted from Lisa Fain's, "Breakfast Sausage to Begin the Day" from her blog, Homesick Texan. The original recipe is so hot, only a true Texan could take the heat. For us mere mortals, here is a toned down version (and still spicy, but perfectly so). I cut the recipe in half here because I don't usually need that much sausage, but if you want to make the larger batch and freeze some for later just double up. You can also use this sausage in lasagna – it's fantastic.

1 pound ground pork

1 1/2 teaspoons sage

1 teaspoon marjoram

1 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

3/4 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix all ingredients together thoroughly. Form into flat disks (just over 1/4 inch thick), as they do puff up when you cook them. Lay patties on a large baking sheet at least 1 inch apart and bake for about 30 minutes, flipping halfway, until crispy and browned on both sides.

The Best Butter Cookie Recipe!

2012-12-11T12:09:00.003-05:00

It's not until I pull out my favorite cookbook, Christmas From the Heart of the Home by Susan Branch and open it to what I promise you is the best butter cookie recipe ever, that I feel excited for the holidays. Its bright red cover, adorable Christmas illustrations, personal reflections and irresistible recipes always makes me smile, and as corny as it sounds brings warmth to my heart. Every traditional Christmas recipe you can think of is here...spiced cider, egg nog, Christmas pudding and the best of all, Annie Hall's Butter Cookies.

Several years ago when my daughter was in pre-school, one of the mothers brought in a tray of decorated Christmas cookies for a holiday party. I took one bite and that was it... I was obsessed. I cornered the woman for the recipe and after weeks of begging finally got it from her. I have been using it faithfully every since and would never dream of modifying it. It's buttery and tender with just the right amount of sweetness, and it's perfect for decorating. Toss out every other butter or sugar cookie recipe in your recipe box... this is the only one you will ever use again!

I am only giving you directions here for "cookie cutter cookies", which are the ones that I make and decorate. For candy canes, roll cookies, jelly-filled and drop cookies you will need to refer to the book. When you are mixing the dough, it will look crumbly and dry but keep mixing and it will come together. I like to roll my dough out to just over 1/4" thick. If you find the dough is hard to roll out and is cracking, it may be that your dough is too cold. In this case, let it warm up a bit. Bake these cookies until the bottom is lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

Reprinted with permission from Susan Branch, November 2012

The Best Butter Cookie Recipe!

Annie Hall's Butter Cookies

2 c. butter, softened

1 1/2 c. sugar

4 egg yolks

2 tsp. vanilla

4 1/2 c. unbleached flour

1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With an electric mixer (even the hand-held kind), cream together butter and sugar. Add egg yolks and vanilla and mix well. Sift flour and salt together and beat into butter mixture until well mixed.

Chill dough. Roll onto lightly floured board to thickness of 1/2". Cut with cookie cutters...

When ready to bake, use an ungreased cookie sheet and place cookies 1" apart. Bake for about 10 minutes, but do not brown them. Remove cookies from cookie sheet while still warm and cool on sheets of waxed paper... Decorate in your own inimitable way.

This is an icing that will harden, but won't harden too much which is how I like it! Add candy decorations immediately - it hardens fast.

Royal Icing

Mix together:

1 pound confectioners sugar

1/4 cup meringue powder

3 ounces cold water

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

food coloring if desired

Salted Chocolate Caramel Crunch

2012-11-27T10:03:00.003-05:00

Sometimes recipes comes to me in my sleep, and in this case it could very well be the best dream I've ever had. These Salted Chocolate Caramel Crunch clusters are stuffed with everything good – nuts, pretzels, crispy rice, marshmallows and caramel. They are so good, I have to hide them from myself!

These clusters make a great hostess or teacher's gift for the holidays. Place them in a box or tin lined with holiday tissue paper, or a cellophane bag tied with festive ribbon. I use Trader Joe's Belgian milk chocolate for it's creaminess, the same chocolate I use in my World's Best Chocolate Chunk Cookie. You can also switch out the almonds with pecans, peanuts or cashews if you prefer.

Salted Chocolate Caramel Crunch

Makes 12

16 oz. of your favorite chocolate, melted
1/4 cup almonds, coarsely chopped and toasted
1/4 cup puffed rice crisps
1/4 cup pretzels, broken into pieces
mini marshmallows (36 ct.)
12 individual caramels
Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Toast almonds in oven for 10-15 minutes, until lightly toasted and fragrant.

Melt chocolate in a double boiler, or bowl placed over a small pot of boiling water.

Line a 12-count cupcake pan with paper cupcake holders.

Mix almonds, puffed rice and pretzels in a bowl.

Pour a teaspoon of melted chocolate into the bottom of each paper cupcake holder.

Divide the nut-pretzel mixture between the cups (about 2 teaspoons per cup), placing the mixture on top of the melted chocolate.

Top mixture with 3 mini marshmallows.

Place a caramel on top of each cup.

Place tray in oven for about 5 minutes to melt marshmallows and caramel.

Cover with another teaspoon of melted chocolate, and top with a pinch of flaky sea salt.

Cool in freezer for thirty minutes.

Remove clusters from paper holders, and allow them to come to room temperature before eating.

Enjoy!

Avgolemono

2012-11-21T10:52:00.000-05:00

By now, you may have noticed that I love easy, quick meals. So when I realized I only had a few items in my refrigerator to make dinner with – eggs, chicken and lemons – and I was too lazy to run to the store, I had to get creative. I remembered the Greek, chicken lemon soup, called "avgolemono" my friend Kiki had brought over once when I had the flu, and called her for the recipe. I thought my Cream of Mushroom Chicken Bake was the easiest and best tasting recipe of all time, but this avgolemono soup has it beat! As Kiki says, "Greeks love making it because there is such a big return on the low effort."

Let's just say I was not expecting the response I got from a meal born out of laziness, that I threw together half heartedly with so few ingredients.

My husband demanded I make this soup every week, saying it was the one of the best things I've ever made. My kids ate it up and begged for more and we all fought for the last spoonful from the pot. They even asked me to make it again the next day (this is from a family that hates leftovers – my little one wanted to open a restaurant called "Leftovers", so we could serve them to customers and never have to eat them again).

Add plenty of black pepper to this soup. You can use brown basmati rice if you prefer. It's best to juice the lemons with a juicer, rather than by hand to extract all the juice. If you squeeze the lemon by hand, you may need to add more lemon. Best served with sliced bread on a cold night.

Avgolemono

4 whole chicken breasts with bone, skin removed

6 cups water

1/2 cup rice

1 large lemon (or 2 small), juiced thoroughly

2 large eggs

3 teaspoons salt

freshly ground black pepper

Take lemon out of the refrigerator. Crack the eggs into a large bowl and allow them to come to room temperature while broth cooks. Set aside.

Boil chicken pieces and rice in the 6 cups of water, until cooked. Transfer chicken to another bowl to cool.

Add lemon, salt and plenty of black pepper to the broth. Turn off heat.

Whisk eggs, and while whisking quickly pour about a cup of hot broth into the eggs in a slow stream (this is to avoid cooking the eggs). Add a couple more cups of broth in the same manner, and then add the egg and broth mixture back to your soup pot as you continue to whisk the broth in the pot quickly. Failure to whisk quickly during this whole process will result in scrambled eggs! Shred chicken and add to the soup.

Serve hot with fresh bread.

Reheat gently... boiling will cause the soup to curdle.

Cheese Popovers

2012-11-14T12:27:00.001-05:00

I thought long and hard about what recipe I could share with you that would be life changing as far as your traditional Thanksgiving menu. One item immediately popped into my head (excuse the pun)... cheese popovers!

Of course... biscuits are always good, but I swear once you make this cheese popovers recipe you will never go back to biscuits or rolls again! Once you fall in love with popovers (and you will), you will want to try all sorts of variations, i.e., crispy bacon or sausage and cheddar, gruyére and ham or a sweet option like butter with brown sugar and cinnamon.

I suggest doubling this recipe if you have more than 8 people to feed... no one will eat just one, and they are just as good wrapped in foil and reheated in the oven the next day. For serious popover lovers, popover pans are sold at Williams-Sonoma.

Cheese Popovers

Makes 12

2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole milk
4 large eggs
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
Nonstick canola or olive oil spray

Place a 12-cup muffin or popover pan in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

Mix flour and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.

Place eggs in a large bowl and whisk.

In a small pan, warm milk until hot, but do not boil. Then add hot milk to the eggs in a slow and steady stream, while whisking quickly (this is very important to do, otherwise it will curdle).

Whisk flour mixture into the egg mixture. It will look lumpy, but don't worry.

Remove hot pan from oven and spray with oil to coat. Add enough batter to each cup to fill about 1/3 of the way.

Top each cup with about 2 tablespoons of grated cheddar cheese.

Bake for about 45-50 minutes until nicely browned and puffy. They will deflate soon after coming out of the oven... this is normal. The browner they are on the bread portion of the popover, the less they will deflate. To help reduce deflating, slit each popover with a knife immediately after you remove them from the oven to release steam.

Remove popovers from pan with a metal spatula and serve warm.

Hurricane Beef Chili with Beans & Whole Wheat Cornbread

2012-11-06T10:33:00.003-05:00

We had no power or heat for an entire week thanks to Hurricane Sandy, but with a small generator, a countertop electric burner and some determination I did manage to come up with a great Hurricane beef chili with beans and whole wheat cornbread recipe!

This is forever more my "go to" chili recipe... it's the perfect comfort food for the cold weather. It's flavorful, has just the right amount of heat, and is not too labor intensive.

I use ground beef for flavor, but ground turkey works well too. Serve over rice and/or with whole wheat corn bread (recipe follows), and top with cheese, sour cream and diced red onion.

Hurricane Beef Chili With Beans

Olive oil for sautéing

1 lb. lean ground beef or turkey

1 medium onion, chopped

1 large green pepper, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

5 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon tomato paste

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons salt

1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped

2 28 oz. cans diced tomatoes

1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

Shredded Mexican, Fiesta or cheddar cheese, sour cream and red onion for topping

Sauté ground beef in a dash of olive oil (you may need more if using ground turkey), until cooked. Add onions, green pepper, carrot and garlic and cook until translucent, about 10 minutes.

Add tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, salt and chipotle pepper and sauté for a few more minutes. Then add canned tomatoes and pinto beans.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and cook for at least an hour. If chili is too thick, add a little water or chicken stock.

Whole Wheat Cornbread

3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

3/4 cup cornmeal
3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons honey

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Coat a 9" pan with a light coating of olive oil.

In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, mix wet ingredients together. Then add wet ingredients to the dry, mixing gently. Pour batter into oil coated pan.

Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Healthy Homemade Granola Bars

2012-10-24T11:00:00.000-04:00

Before I came up with this healthy homemade granola bars recipe, I would spend every weekday morning yelling "you're going to miss the bus!" at the top of my lungs while my kids scrambled to find their shoes, coats and books. If they got any breakfast in at all, it was a store bought granola bar during the thirty second car ride to the bus stop. Sound familiar?

But in my mind, a store bought granola bar is worse than having nothing at all. Most of these "healthy" bars contain so many ingredients – half of which you don't recognize – that the manufacturer has to make the print so tiny you can barely even read the ingredient list. On top of that, they're usually loaded with carbohydrates and sugar. No thanks.

I set out on a mission to come up with a healthy granola bar recipe that contains fiber, protein, omega 3's, antioxidants, and uses a relatively low glycemic sweetener. The result is a delicious, chewy bar that my kids will happily eat in the morning and that I can feel good about giving them.

The beauty of a homemade granola bar is you can tailor it to your taste. Maybe swap the chocolate for dried cranberries or cherries... the possibilities are endless.

Sometimes, instead of adding salt to my mixture I like to sprinkle Maldon flaky sea salt on parchment paper and then lay the warm, freshly cut granola bars on top so the salt sticks to the bottom. The sweet and salty combination is irresistible. I usually use dark chocolate because of the health benefits, but my kids really love the peanut butter and semi-sweet chocolate chip combination the best.

Healthy Homemade Granola Bars
8 bars

1 cup rolled oats, toasted
1/2 cup almonds or walnuts, finely chopped and toasted
1 1/2 cups puffed brown rice, or puffed kamut cereal
1/4 cup dark chocolate (70%), or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
1/4 cup creamy almond butter or peanut butter
1 1/2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Toast rolled oats and chopped nuts for 10-15 minutes until fragrant. Let cool.

In a large bowl, mix together brown rice syrup, almond butter (or peanut butter), flaxseed, vanilla and salt.

Combine rolled oats, nuts, puffed rice and chocolate. Add dry ingredients to the brown rice syrup mixture, and mix until syrup is evenly distributed. You will need to use your hands for this!

Transfer mixture to the parchment lined baking tray. Use a rolling pin to flatten the mixture to a thickness of 1/2 inch, and a bench scraper (see my top ten kitchen gadget post) to shape it into a rectangle. If you don't have a bench scraper, you can use a ruler or other object with a straight side.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes (12 minutes for a chewier bar and 15 minutes for a little more crunch). Let cool for ten minutes, and then cut into bars (by pushing down, not across) while still warm and pliable with a bench scraper or knife. Use your bench scraper to push in the sides of the bars to shape if crumbly. Store in an airtight container.

Cream of Mushroom Chicken Bake

2012-10-12T10:28:00.001-04:00

What if I told you there was a one pot healthy meal that took five minutes of prep time to make... that would have your family clamoring for more, scraping the pot to get every last bit into their hungry mouths?

It's all true! Cream of Mushroom Chicken Bake is my savior on those crazy nights when I am running my kids back and forth to all of their activities. I throw it together in five minutes tops, pop it into the oven and hop in the car to drive my kids around while it bakes. Did I mention this recipe only uses three main ingredients? Yes, it's the kind of recipe you would find on the back of a Campbell's Soup can, but it's oh so good...

My husband's mother, Gerry, made this dish for his family when they were growing up, and it is the dish he remembers most fondly. She used Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup and white rice, but nowadays there are a lot of healthier options. I use Amy's or Whole Foods 365 brand Cream of Mushroom Soup and brown rice. I think she would approve.

Make sure you bake this until the creamy rice is browned and crispy around the edges. The crispier the better - this is the part that everyone attacks, and you want enough of it or it could turn ugly. Serve with a side of green beans.

Gerry's Cream of Mushroom Chicken Bake

Serves 4-5

4 whole chicken breasts, bone in

2 cups brown rice (basmati, or medium grain)

2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup, plus water (see below)

1 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Rinse brown rice, and place in a large dutch oven or casserole dish with lid. Read package instructions for the rice to determine how much liquid is needed for cooking. Pour the two cans of soup into a large measuring cup, and add water until you have reached the amount of liquid needed for the rice (for example, I needed 2 1/2 cups of water for my 2 cups of rice. My two cans of soup measured out just under two cups, so I added water until I reached the 2 1/2 cups of liquid necessary). Add salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Lay the chicken breasts on top of the rice.

Cover pot, and following package instructions for the rice, cook for the amount of time indicated (usually 40-50 minutes). Uncover, and increase the oven temperature to 500 degrees. Cook until the chicken is browned on top (you can spoon some of the liquid on top of the chicken while it's baking to help it crisp), the liquid is absorbed into the rice, and the edges of the rice are brown and crispy (depending on the type of rice, about 30 minutes or more ).

Easy Chicken Parmigiana

2012-10-07T08:53:00.000-04:00

I'm not fancy. I like good old comfort food and lots of it. Besides, sometimes simple meals are the best. Everyone always goes crazy over this easy chicken parmigiana, and I've given out the recipe many times. My children's friends have gone home asking their mothers to make it, and I even once had an Italian grandmother ask for the recipe! It's incredibly good, but just as importantly, it's a quick and easy dinner! Truthfully, I don't even measure for this dish it's so forgiving and it always comes out tasting great but I've broken it down for you here. Your family is going to love you for this.

Serve with pasta and a salad and your done!

I used to make my own tomato sauce, but then I discovered Rao's Marinara Sauce. When it cooks down, it thickens and turns a dark red. I always try to have a case on hand. You can use a pan lid to press down the chicken as it's frying to get a more even, crispy brown coating.

Easy Chicken Parmigiana

Serves six

3 large chicken breasts, sliced in half to make 6 thin cutlets

2 eggs, beaten

2 cups bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for sprinkling on top

1 32 ounce jar marinara sauce

6 slices fresh mozzarella

salt and pepper

Extra virgin olive oil for frying

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix together the breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup Parmesan and salt and pepper.

In a casserole dish, approximately 12" by 8" wide, cover bottom of dish with about 1/2 " of marinara sauce. set aside.

Add about 1/8th of an inch of olive oil to the bottom of a large pan and heat over medium-high heat. Coat chicken in egg batter, then dip in the breadcrumb mixture covering breast thouroughly on both sides. Fry in the pan, adding more salt and pepper until medium brown and crispy on both sides. Remove chicken and place in the casserole dish on top of sauce.

Add about a tablespoon more of of marinara sauce on top of each chicken breast, making sure that most of the chicken breast is showing through. Add a slice of mozzarella on each breast and then top the whole thing with a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Bake until sauce is dark, thick and bubbling and cheese is starting to brown on top (start checking after 20 minutes).

Warm marinara sauce for pasta on the side.

The Best Red Wine Sangria!

2012-09-29T20:11:00.000-04:00

I became obsessed with trying to make The Best Red Wine Sangria after my family's trip to Spain last Spring.

I have never been much of a drinker, so when I enthusiastically drank glass after glass, all the way from Madrid to Sevilla my husband started to get a little worried. The problem was temporarily solved however, when I got home and was unable to find a recipe that even came close to the red sangria I had at Botin in Madrid. Frustrated, I went back to my sober ways.

As it happens though, my good friend Casey who is an authority on all things good told me that she too had tried several red wine sangria recipes but could not find one that came close to the sangria at El Pote's in New York City. She graciously shared the recipe she finally perfected and it is in fact, the best red wine sangria ever, but beware... all who try it become completely addicted! My friend's ex-husband actually does chores around her house in exchange for this sangria and she will not give him the recipe!

I omit the sugar completely and instead of plain soda water, I use orange flavored Sanpellegrino. I also add a cinnamon stick.

The Best Red Wine Sangria!

"Casey's Sangria"

1 bottle Spanish dry red wine

1 cup Cointreau

1/2 cup brandy

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup lemon juice

sliced oranges, lemons and sour green apples

1 cup soda water

Mix all ingredients together in a large pitcher except the soda water. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Add soda water, ice and serve. Alternatively, if you plan to drink it throughout the week you can just add a splash of soda water to each individual glass.

Salud!

Moist Yellow Cake

2012-09-20T22:31:00.001-04:00

This is a great, moist yellow cake recipe from scratch that you will use over and over again... it is soft and moist and melts in your mouth. I've made this recipe hundreds of times and everyone always goes crazy over it.

The frosting has just the right consistency for decorating. Both kids and adults love it, unlike a traditional buttercream which appeals more to adults and can sometimes taste like you're eating a stick of butter.

My daughter's favorite variation is strawberry: Add about 8 medium finely chopped strawberries to the batter and strawberry juice to the frosting for subtle favor and a pale pink color. I use about an 1/8th of a cup of strawberry juice. Deduct the amount of juice you use from the 1/2 cup of milk in the frosting recipe.

For cupcakes: fill cups 3/4 of the way and bake 25 minutes

Moist Yellow Cake

3 cups cake flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (two sticks) unsalted butter, cut into cubes and brought to room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar

5 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup whole milk

2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and line two, 8" pans with parchment rounds.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

On medium speed in a mixer, mix butter until light colored and fluffy (this step is crucial to having a delicate, light crumb!). Slowly pour sugar in a steady stream until combined and fluffy.

Add vanilla to the eggs and on low speed, add one egg at a time, scraping the bowl in between with a spatula.

Combine whole milk with buttermilk.

Alternating, add a third of the flour and mix in, then a third of the buttermilk. Keep repeating and finish with the buttermilk. Remove bowl and mix by hand briefly with a spatula scraping sides and mixing thoroughly.

Divide batter between pans and bake for about 40 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick.

Creamy White Frosting

Wait until the cake is completely cool before icing. Add all ingredients to a mixer bowl. Start the mixer on the lowest speed, then work up to medium-high to avoid a cloud of confectioners sugar! Mix until light and fluffy.

1 cup softened butter

2 lb. bag of confectioners sugar

1/2 cup whole milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

Pinch of salt

Grape-Nuts Ice Cream

2012-09-20T08:14:00.001-04:00

On the way to and from Martha's Vineyard this summer, my family stopped at the famous Gray's Ice Cream in Tiverton, Rhode Island www.graysicecream.com., famed for its Grape-Nuts Ice Cream. My husband had been hearing about this ice cream for years from his boss and now, finally, we had the opportunity to try a cone from one of the top ten ice cream shops in the country.

All the flavors we tried were exceptionally good, but the New England specialty, Grape-Nuts ice cream stood out the most and sent me into a tizzy. It tasted like cereal with milk... creamy, with just the right amount of texture from the Grape-Nuts. I had to find out how to make it!

I'm guessing that Gray's Ice Cream, being an American institution makes American style ice cream, as opposed to French ice cream, which is made from a custard base using eggs.

Here's my version of it, and I think it's pretty darn close! In fact, it's amazing!

If you can get your hands on fresh, local milk and cream you will really taste the difference!

Unauthorized use and/duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog's author/owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Pauline Rhoads and The Better Crumb with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Grape-Nut Ice Cream

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup cane sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup Grape-Nuts
Pinch of salt

Heat whole milk in small pan until hot, and mix in sugar. Stir until dissolved and then add salt. Turn off heat and let cool. Combine with the rest of the ingredients and chill for at least an hour. Prepare in an ice cream machine according to manufacturers instructions.

World's Best Chocolate Chip Cookie

2012-09-18T12:44:00.002-04:00

I became obsessed with baking the world's best chocolate chip cookie after trying dozens of recipes that were "just okay". With each batch, I would carefully watch the faces of my husband and children (there is no tougher crowd!) after they took their first bite for their reaction. At most, I got "pretty good". Many would have given up, but I became more determined than ever. Finally, after weeks of testing I got the unanimous response I was looking for... "This is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever!"

Since then, I have been told that my cookies "can stop traffic", and one man even said that he "knew what they were going to taste like before he even bit into it" and that they were even better than he dreamed. They are everything a chocolate chip cookie should be... puffy, crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. They are perfect.

I've baked these cookies by request for numerous birthday parties, Bat/Bar Mitzvahs and other gatherings. Each time, the reactions are the same. People just go crazy over them. I've been questioned, grilled and practically accosted for this recipe. So here it is.

I have to say, these cookies have become quite famous and I guess if my only legacy is that I baked a damn good cookie, so be it.

How to avoid a flat chocolate chip cookie? Here's a professional baking secret...the key to baking a puffy cookie that keeps its shape is to freeze your cookie dough (at least four hours, and preferably overnight) and the cookie trays before popping them into fully a hot oven (preheat for at least 30 minutes). Also, make sure your baking soda is fresh to avoid a flat cookie. Give yourself at least five hours before serving to allow for freezing time. I like to use Muscovado brown sugars and Plugra, which is a European butter with a higher fat content. Forget expensive chocolate, I find that the best is Trader Joe's Belgian milk chocolate, which comes in a convenient 17.6 ounce jumbo bar. It's extra creamy and delicious!

World's Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes About Two Dozen Cookies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), cold and cut into cubes
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
18 oz. milk chocolate, coarsely chopped into 1/2 inch chunks (or 17.6 oz. if using Trader Joe's large bar)

Place 3-4 cookie trays, lined with parchment paper in the freezer.

In a medium sized bowl, mix flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer, mix sugars together. Then add the cold butter. Mix for two minutes or so on medium speed until smooth. Reduce speed to low and add one egg at a time, using a spatula in between to scrape sides. Mix egg in thoroughly and add vanilla. Add dry flour mixture and mix until combined. Add chocolate chunks and mix.

Form into balls 1 1/2" to 2", depending on how large you want your cookies and freeze dough for at least four hours, preferably overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees for at least 30 minutes. Place 6-8 cookie dough balls on a frozen tray and bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until cookies are medium brown around the edges and puffy and lightly browned and caramel colored on top. Let cool on wired racks.

Pink Lemonade Ice Cream

2012-08-17T13:24:00.000-04:00

Sometimes you are handed lemons in life (the bitter, rotten kind), but this Pink Lemonade ice cream recipe is the perfect example of how you can take those lemons and turn them into something amazing! Nothing's quite as satisfying as easy, homemade ice cream and kids love the pink lemonade taste because it's just the right combination of tart and sweet and oh so pretty...

Your ice cream is only as good as your ingredients! If you can get a hold of fresh, local cream and milk you will taste the difference. As a healthier alternative, you can also replace the heavy cream with Greek Yogurt.

Pink Lemonade Ice Cream

"When Life Gives You Lemons"

Makes About 4 Cups

1/2 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup strawberry juice (for color)
1 cup cane sugar
Pinch of salt
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk

In a small pan, bring lemon and strawberry juice to a boil. Lower to simmer and cook until liquid is reduced by half. Mix in sugar until dissolved and mix in lemon zest and salt. Turn off heat and let cool.

Combine all ingredients. Whisk until smoothe, then refrigerate for at least an hour. When cold, prepare in an ice cream machine, following manufacturer's directions.