Cornbread

This is a really delicious cornbread recipe that is also healthy. You can add whole eggs and butter instead of oil if you want to fatten it up a bit. Serve with hearty chili or at breakfast, or bake it a little longer, and crumble it up to make a fantastic Thanksgiving stuffing!


1 C yellow cornmeal
1 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
14 oz creamed corn (canned)
1/2 C buttermilk
2 large egg whites
2 tsp corn oil

Mix all ingredients and pour into a square baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean. Allow to cool before cutting and serving.

Chili

This is one of my mom's recipes that I always crave on cold days. It's easy to make and freezes really well, so go ahead and make a big pot so you can have leftovers later on.


2 1/2 lbs ground beef or turkey
44 oz canned kidney beans
2 large onions, diced
8 1/2 C chopped tomatoes (canned or fresh)
1 C diced bell peppers
4 cloves garlic, crushed and quartered
Oregano
Chili powder
Salt and Pepper
1/4 C brown sugar

Brown the beef with the onions and garlic in a large pot. Add the remaining ingredients, except sugar, and simmer for about an hour, stirring frequently. Taste for seasoning, and add more spices if necessary. If too thin, add some tomato paste. I like to add a little sugar as well.

Serve with sharp cheddar cheese and cornbread.

Lamb and Couscous

This recipe is somewhere between the Greek lamb and rice my mother used to make, and an Afghani dish with lamb, yogurt and rice. I like to serve it with couscous, but rice would work just as well.


1 lb ground lamb
1 C peas (frozen is fine)
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 large onion, diced
4 cardamom pods
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
Salt and pepper

Yogurt sauce:
1 1/2 C Greek yogurt
1 tomato, diced
1 Tbs finely chopped mint leaves
1 tsp cumin
Salt and pepper

In a large pan, sautee the onions and garlic with the fennel and cardamom. Add the meat and spices, cook through, adding the peas halfway. Remove the cardamom pods before serving.

For the yogurt sauce, combine all ingredients.

Serve over couscous with the yogurt sauce on top.

"Peppadew" Peppers

These are sweet, spicy peppers that I like to use in pasta, on sandwiches, in salads, cocktails (see below), or just to snack on. Don't discard the brine when you open a jar- it's great for dressings!


4 C small red peppers
3 C cider vinegar
3/4 C sugar
1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1/4 tsp turmeric
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 Tbs olive oil

Remove the tops from the peppers and scrape out the seeds. In a frying pan over high heat, "blister" the skin of the peppers. Allow to cool and then remove the skin. In a large pot, bring the remaining ingredients to a boil, then add the peppers and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour into sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch at the top of the jar. Top with 1 1/2 Tbs olive oil and seal in a canner.

For a cocktail recipe using these peppers, click here.

Hopple Popple (Split Pea Soup)

When I was a kid, my mom travelled a lot for business, and she would sometimes leave my dad and I with a pot of split pea soup to eat. My dad would serve it to me with cut up hot dogs in it, and he called it "Hopple Popple." Now that I'm all grown up, I still like hot dogs in my pea soup, but you could just as easily add ham, or just leave the meat out all together.

1 lb dried split peas
1 C chopped carrots
1 C diced potatoes
1 C chopped celery
8 C chicken or vegetable stock
1 small onion, diced
2 Tbs olive oil
Salt and pepper

Cook the onion in the olive oil until translucent. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about an hour, or until all the vegetables are very soft. Puree in a blender or food processor. Serve with sliced hot dogs.

Sauteed Delicata Squash with Greek Yogurt

Delicata squash is one of the few winter squashes with an edible skin. It can be baked and mashed, like an acorn or butternut squash, but I like it sliced thin, sauteed in butter, and served with creamy Greek yogurt. Yum!

1 Delicata squash
1/4 tsp cinnamon
5 cardamom pods
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbs butter
3 Tbs brown sugar
1/2 C plain Greek yogurt

Cut the squash into quarters, lengthwise, and remove the seeds. Slice the squash as thinly as possible. In a medium skillet, melt the butter. Add the squash, cardamom, and cinnamon, and sautee until tender. Remove from heat and discard the cardamom podds. Stir in the salt and sugar, and serve with a dollop of yogurt.

Chicken Pot Pie

This pot pie is not really made in a pot, but I love the idea of having your whole meal in one dish. You have your veggies, your chicken, and your starch in each bite! And you can make pot pie with basic ingredients that you probably have on hand. Today I had the chicken, peas, and onions in the freezer, the broccoli and herbs in the refrigerator, and the potatoes, butter, flour, and broth in the pantry, so the only thing I had to shop for was carrots! I am not a mushroom lover, but it would be very easy to add them, or just about any other vegetable. I would not recommend anything with an overwhelming flavor, though, such as brussel sprouts or bell peppers, or anything too watery, like tomatoes. But it's a perfect recipe for those wintery root vegetables, and I can't think of a more comforting dinner on a cold day.

2 chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
1 C peas
1 C chopped carrots
1 C pearl onions
1 C broccoli, chopped into small pieces
1 C potatoes, diced
2 Tbs rosemary, chopped fine
1 tsp thyme
2 C butter (keep 1 1/2 C very cold)
3 C flour
Salt and pepper
2-3 C chicken broth

Start by chopping your potatoes and steam them until just cooked and drain. Meanwhile, cut the carrots and broccoli. Dredge the chicken pieces in a little flour, and brown them with a little oil or butter in a medium-sized pot. Remove the chicken and add 1/2 C more butter to the pot. Once the butter is melted, add a cup of flour and stir to make a roux. Gradually add broth until a thick sauce forms. Season with half the rosemary, the thyme, and salt and pepper. Stir in the chicken and vegetables.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Cut the remaining 1 1/2 C butter into two cups of flour until the mixture is coarse, like breadcrumbs. Add just enough ice water so that the dough comes together. On a floured board, divide the dough into two sections. Press down on one section to flatten slightly, and sprinkle with the half the remaining rosemary. Fold over and roll out to fit your pie pan. Pour the chicken and vegetable mixture into the crust. Repeat above to make a second crust, and lay over the top of the pie. Crimp the edges with your fingers, and use a fork to vent the top.

Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and cook for another 20-25 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

* You could also make four small pies, instead of a large one!

Pineapple Salsa

I made this to go with fish tacos, but I think it would also be great with pulled pork.

2 C pineapple, finely diced
1 habanero pepper, chopped as fine as you can get it
1 serrano pepper, also chopped very fine
1/4 large onion, finely diced
1 Tbs finely chopped cilantro
1 Tbs finely chopped mint
Juice of one lime
Salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients.

Tres Leches/ White Russian Cake

In our household we are big fans of Tres Leches cake, and also bowling. So for Eric's birthday, my friend Kara and I decided to modify the traditional recipe by adding Kahlua as an ode to his hero, The Dude. This is the original, basic Tres Leches recipe that we used (after testing two others). If you want to try the White Russian version, substitute Kahlua for the rum, and also add some to the whipped cream for a bonus! This cake gets better and better the longer it sits, so make sure to save some for leftovers.

One recipe of yellow cake (we tried two from scratch but ended up liking the Duncan Hines cake mix best!)
1 12 oz can of evaporated milk
1 14 oz can condensed milk
1 C half and half
3/4 C white rum
2 C whipping cream
2 Tbs sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Bake the cake and let cool. Mix together the evaporated milk, condensed milk, half and half, and rum, and pour over the cake. Cover and let soak in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, until all the liquid is absorbed. Before serving, whip the cream with the vanilla and sugar and spread over the top of the cake. Serve with strawberries. Yum!

Chilean Sea Bass with Fried Plantains and Rice

2 Chilean sea bass filets
2 ripe plantains (not completely black)
1 C rice
2 limes
1/4 C olive oil
1/2 C canola or peanut oil
2 cloves of garlic
2 fingers of ginger
1 Tbs dried basil
1 Tbs garlic powder
1 tsp dried chili flakes
Salt and pepper

Grate the garlic and ginger into a bowl and mix with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Add the zest and juice of one lime. Set aside.

Boil 1 1/2 C water for the rice. Once boiling, add the rice, basil, garlic powder, and chili flakes. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Let cook for 15 minutes, and then allow to sit covered for 5 minutes. Before serving, stir in the juice of the second lime.

Season the sea bass filets with pepper and salt and place on a sheet of foil on a baking pan. Pour the lime and ginger mixture over them and fold the foil up around the sides to keep the liquid from spilling out. Bake for about 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees.

Meanwhile, slice the plantains on a diagonal, about 1/4 inch thick. In a large pan, heat the canola oil until it begins to smoke. Drop the plantains into the oil so that they form a single layer in the pan and cook till golden brown on both sides, flipping halfway. Remove them from the oil and place on a paper towel to drain. While still hot, toss with a little salt.

Pecan-Crusted Chicken Salad

I was very pleased with myself for making this one up, based loosely on the memory of a salad I had at Grub in Los Angeles a year ago.

Baby spinach
Goat cheese
1 large Asian "apple-pear"
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 C finely chopped pecans
3 Tbs cornstarch
2 Tbs honey
1 Egg
2 Tbs milk
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

In a shallow bowl, mix the pecans and cornstarch. In a second bowl, whisk together the egg, honey, and milk, and season with salt and pepper. Dip the chicken into the egg mixture and then in the pecans to coat. Place in a shallow baking pan with a little olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes, turning over halfway through. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before slicing.

Cut the Asian pear into chunks. Toss with the spinach and orange dressing (see below). Serve with hunks of goat cheese and the sliced chicken on top.

Orange-Honey Dressing:

1 small orange (I used a tangelo)
2 Tbs honey
2 Tbs olive oil
Salt and pepper

Combine the zest of the orange, its juice, and all other ingredients.

Apple Sauce

This is a very simple recipe that I put together to use up the 60 pounds of apples my father gave me last week. I've left out the quantities since I imagine that most people will be putting up less than 20 quarts, but it's really just a matter of tasting as you go.

Tart apples (like Granny Smith), peeled and diced
Sugar
Cinnamon, Cardamom, Nutmeg

Combine all ingredients to taste in a large stockpot. Simmer until the apples are extremely soft, and transfer to jars.

Summer Vegetable Risotto

6 handfulls arborio rice
Olive oil
1 bulb garlic
1 C cippolini onions, sliced thin
Handful fresh thyme
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
4 yellow squashes, chopped
1 C english peas, shelled
1 bunch asparagus, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
2 C fresh corn kernels, removed from the cob
4 C vegetable broth
1/2 C white wine
Butter

Chop the top off the garlic bulb and wrap the bulb in foil, leaving an opening at the top. Place in the oven at 400 degrees and roast for 30-40 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool, and then squeeze the garlic out of the paper and set aside.

Start the risotto by caramelizing the onion in a little olive oil. Once the onions are golden brown, deglaze the pan with the white wine and let it cook off. Add the rice and toss to coat in the oil. Add about a cup of broth and bring to a boil. After you have added the first cup of liquid, add a couple pinches of thyme, and the roasted garlic. When almost all of the liquid has been absorbed, add more. Keep adding broth until it runs out, and then use water. You want to keep the rice bubbling, but not sticking to the bottom of the pan, so you will need to keep stirring constantly for about 45 minutes. Once the rice is soft, add the vegetables and simmer until cooked through. Season as necessary, and remove from the heat. Add a tablespoon of butter (or two for a large amount) and let melt into the rice.

Blueberry Pie

This pie helped me win a bake-off once. This crust recipe is from Martha Stewart and is sweeter than a standard pie crust, but I think it works really well with the blueberries.

Filling:
6 C fresh or frozen blueberries
2 C sugar
3 Tbs corn starch
1 Tbs lemon juice
Cinnamon and nutmeg to taste

Crust:
2 1/2 C flour
3 Tbs sugar
1 C cold, unsalted butter
2 large egg yolks
4 Tbs ice water

In a food processor, mix the flour and sugar. Add the butter and process until coarse, approximately 10 seconds. Add the egg yolks one at a time through the feed tube, while the machine is running and add enough ice water that the dough just holds together. Turn dough out onto two pieces of plastic wrap and press into flat circles. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

Meanwhile, toss the berries with the rest of the filling ingredients. Take one of the pie crusts out of the refrigerator and roll out to about 1/8 inch thickness. Line a deep dish pie pan with it and fill with the berry mixture. Roll out the second crust and cut into 1" strips. Weave a lattice over the top of the pie, tucking the ends of the strips under the bottom crust. Pinch the edges of the crusts together.

Bake in a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees and bake for another 30-35 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.

"Frango" Mint Brownies

Frango Mints are a Chicago specialty, sold exclusively at Marshall Field's. My mother brought this recipe to California, and we make it with Andes Mints (any after-dinner style chocolate mint would do), for lack of Frangos. These are very rich, dense brownies, so don't be surprised if they don't rise very much in the oven.

2 oz unsweetened chocolate
1/2 C butter
2 eggs
1 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 C flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 C chopped mints (one package of Andes will do)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt the baking chocolate and butter, and allow to cool slightly. Beat the eggs with the sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the chocolate and butter mixture. Add the vanilla, flour and salt. Fold in the mints. Pour the batter into an 8" greased pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a shiny crust has formed on top. Be careful not to overbake!! Allow to cool before cutting into squares.

Devilled Eggs

12 large eggs
1/2 C mayonnaise
2 Tbs mustard
1 Tbs ketchup
3 Tbs pickle relish
Salt and pepper

Hard cook the eggs with a tablespoon of vinegar in the water and let cool. Peel and slice in half, setting the yolks aside in a small bowl. Mix the remaining ingredients with the yolks, smashing with a potato masher or fork. Spoon the mixture into the egg whites and arrange on a platter. Garnish with paprika or sliced olives, if desired.

Filet Mignon with Green Peppercorn Sauce

My friend Jane lived in Italy for a year and brought back a wealth of cooking knowledge. This is a recipe she makes with tenderloin, but my butcher was all out, so I used filets, and I think it came out great.

1 Tbs green peppercorns
2 filet mignons
1/4 medium onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, chopped
2 Tbs butter
1/4 C heavy cream
1/2 C beef broth
2 Tbs brandy or wine

Start by soaking the peppercorns in warm water for at least a half hour. Sprinkle the steaks on both sides with salt and pepper. In a medium pan, cook the onions, garlic, and shallots in the butter until translucent. Place the steaks in the pan and cook on one side until the center of the meat on the top side feels warm to the touch. Turn over and cook until done. Set aside on a platter. Add the cream, brandy, broth, and peppercorns to the pan and simmer until thickened. Pour over steaks and serve.

Zucchini Bread Two Ways

Eric came home from visiting family in Redding this weekend with some wonderful garden-fresh produce, including one enormous zucchini that, when grated, yielded 4 cups. Naturally, I decided to make zucchini bread, and with so much zucchini, I thought I'd try two different recipes. The first comes from Martha Stewart, and the second is from Sheila Lukin's "USA Cookbook." As you can see from the photo, the first one came out much more dense (due to the brown sugar, I think), but they are both very moist. I think I prefer the fluffier lemon version, but both would be a great addition to any breakfast table.

Zucchini Spice Bread

1 3/4 C grated zucchini
1 C light brown sugar
2 Tbs granulated sugar
2/3 C vegetable oil (I used butter because I was out of oil)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 C flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
3/4 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease the insides of a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Grate the zucchini and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugars, oil, vanilla and eggs.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients. Add to the egg mixture, and stir to combine well. Fold in the zucchini and pour into the prepared pan. Bake about 45-55 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool before slicing.

Zucchini Lemon Loaf

1 1/2 C flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 large eggs
1/2 C vegetable oil (again, I used butter)
1 C granulated sugar
1/4 C sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
Zest of one lemon
1 C grated zucchini
1/2 C chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Sift the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices, and set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and add the oil and sugar. Add the sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest and mix well. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the zucchini and nuts. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean. Let cool before slicing.

Wild Plum and Nectarine Jam

I made this recipe up, and I am so pleased with the way it turned out!! The nectarines add just a little extra something to the plums, and the vanilla bean just highlights the flavors. Best of all, it comes out the most beautiful color...

3-4 quarts of small wild plums, pitted
2 large nectarines, pitted and coarsely chopped
Juice of one large lemon
1 vanilla bean, sliced in half length-wise
Lots of sugar, to taste
12 half-pint jelly jars

Combine all the ingredients in a big pot and bring to a boil, while mashing the fruit with a potato masher. As the mixture boils, a foam should form on the top of the pot. Skim this off, being careful not to mix it into the fruit. After you've removed the foam, continue to boil for about an hour, stirring occasionally. To see if it's done, dip a spoon in the jam and place it on a plate in the freezer for a few minutes. When you take the spoon out of the freezer, run a fingertip down the back of the spoon. If it leaves a trail, the jam is firm enough. When in doubt, let it boil a little longer. Remove the vanilla bean and pour into jars.

Now for canning: I have a great steam canning pot that my father gave me, and it makes my job MUCH easier. These are pretty easy to find, and I think they're a worthwhile investment if you are planning to can a lot (and once you see how easy it is, you probably will!). However, it is also pretty easy to just use a big stock pot and boil the jars.

The most important things to remember are to make sure you wipe the rims of the jars after you fill them, and to not tighten the lids too much. Once you have the jam in the jars and the lids on, place them in your canning pot, or in a large stock pot with a wire rack in the bottom and cover with water. Make sure the jars are spaced at least an inch apart. Bring the water to a boil. If using a steam canner, wait until the steam comes out in long columns. Boil/ steam for about 10-15 minutes. Remove the jars from the pot with canning tongs (SO useful if you don't want to burn your arms), and place on a towel to cool.

Chicken and Biscuits

The great thing about cassroles is that they are easy to prepare, and they keep well. This recipe from my mom has always been a favorite of mine. It's an example of a classic product-inspired recipe, probably originally found on the back of a can or in one of the promotional cookbooks I collect.

Casserole:

3.5 lbs chicken tenders or (or abour 8 breasts, cut into pieces)
1 C flour
1 can cream of chicken soup (or cream of mushroom)
1 C cream or milk
1 lb pearl onions (canned or frozen are great)
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 C sour cream
1/2 C sliced, green olives (optional)

Biscuits:

1 C butter
1 C breadcrumbs
2 tsp poppy seeds
Pinch each of rosemary, thyme, sage
4 Tbs sliced, green olives (optional)
2 C flour
2 Tbs sugar
2 Tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 C milk

Combine all the casserole ingredients except for the sour cream and olives. Pour into a large casserole dish and bake, covered, at 350 degrees for an hour.

Start the biscuits by melting 1/2 C butter, and mixing in the breadcrumbs, poppy seeds, herbs, and olives. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt. Cut in the rest of the butter and add the milk to form a dough. On a floured surface, knead 20 times and then roll out into a rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick. Spread the breadcrumb mixture on top, and then roll up the dough, jelly-roll style, sealing the edges with water. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate until you're ready to use.

After an hour of baking, take the casserole out of the oven and stir in the sour cream and olives. Unwrap the biscuit roll, cut into one-inch slices and arrange over the top of the casserole. Turn the oven up to 400 degrees and bake for another 20 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown.