Recipes

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Reply to: Cuban Black Beans. My recipe is someplace other than where I am. Here's one that's similar. It has balsamic vinegar in it, but I would use rum instead. I doubt ham hock is traditional, but it still makes it delicious. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/13902/cuban-black-beans-i/ Allrecipes Cuban Black Beans Serve these flavorful black beans over rice, as a sauce for pasta, or with a good loaf of bread. Submitted by Richard Tebaldi Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins Additional Time: 8 hrs Total Time: 9 hrs 50 mins Servings: 6 Ingredients 1 pound black beans, washed 1 onion, chopped 1 red bell pepper, chopped 1 green bell pepper, chopped 2 bay leaves 1 ½ teaspoons paprika 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin 1 tablespoon dried oregano 2 minced hot green chile peppers 3 cloves garlic, minced ¼ cup balsamic vinegar salt to taste ground black pepper to taste Directions In a large bowl, cover beans in water and soak overnight. Rinse beans and transfer to a large stock pot. Add onion, red and green bell peppers, bay leaves, paprika, cumin, oregano, chile peppers, and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Test beans for tenderness; when tender add garlic and balsamic vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Nutrition Facts Calories 296 Total Carbohydrate 56g Dietary Fiber 13g Total Sugars 6g Protein 18g Total Fat 2g Saturated Fat 0g Vitamin C 80mg Sodium 11mg Calcium 127mg Iron 5mg Potassium 1326mg

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Reply to: I‘ve used ham hocks for this split pea soup but prefer the shanks that seem to be meatier. I was never a big fan of split pea soup until I found this Silver Palate recipe years ago. I’ve made it without the tarragon and spinach and it’s still delicious. The sherry’s nice but can be omitted if desired. I‘m not a big tarragon fan and never thought the spinach added much. Split Pea Soup With Ham Note: I make this now with 8 cups stock/2 cups water…and sometimes all stock. 1 pound dried green split peas 6 cups chicken stock (preferably low sodium) 4 cups water 1 meaty ham bone or smoked ham shank or hock (about a 1.75 lb. shank or hock works well) 2 ribs celery, leaves included, diced 3 T. chopped fresh Italian parsley 1/2 tsp. crumbled dried tarragon leaves 4 T. butter (a bit less is still fine) 1 cup diced peeled carrots 1 cup diced onion 1 leek (white part only), rinsed and sliced 1 cup slivered fresh spinach leaves 2 T. dry sherry 1/2 tsp. pepper Rinse peas in a strainer and then combine them with the stock and water in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil. Add the ham bone, celery, 1 T. of parsley and tarragon. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes. Melt butter in saucepan over medium-low heat. Add carrots, onion and leek. Cook until veggies are wilted, about 10 minutes. Add them to the soup pot, along with the spinach. Simmer, partially covered, about 45 minutes. Remove soup from heat. Remove ham bone and shred meat from bone, removing any excess fat. Return meat to the soup. Add sherry, pepper, and remaining 2 T. parsley. Taste for seasoning; salt is usually not needed due to the salt in the ham. Heat through and serve immediately. For reheating: The soup will thicken quite a bit when chilled but will thin out when reheated. ETA - As with most soups, this is best made ahead.

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Reply to: @Diana Bier, Thank you for posting those photos that show how a punch of color can bring a room to life. Alison’s rooms are to die for, but I’ll show a far more modest use of color. I wanted a quiet, serene MBR, a mix of BM Beach Glass and beige/ivory tones. But I absolutely insisted on hanging my favorite picture opposite the bed, where I can see it every morning when I wake up, and where I saw it every morning for 22 years in our previous home. The jolt of orange and chartreuse never fails to delight me— and I like to think of it as my very own Picasso. 😉

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Reply to: So I actually cooked zoodles tonight. My version of shrimp scampi with zoodles. I sautéed the shrimp with a drop of olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder. Once the shrimp was half way done I added two cups of chicken broth, squeezed a half of fresh lemon into the pan, then threw the half lemon in to pan, with some fresh parsley to the pan. I microwaved the zoodles for two minutes before adding to pan. Then scooped out the amount I wanted with shrimp and broth, sprinkled parm cheese on top. Delish. I also use zoodles instead of pasta with a tomato meat sauce. I really enjoy zoodles. So I think replacing the noodles in your recipe with zoodles will work!

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Reply to: Well I'll just come right out and say it. I ate your piece. There. Sorry. Here's the recipe. Cranberry Lemon Meringue Pie Crust: 1 1/4 c Bobs Red Mill Gluten Free flour mix 1/2 t salt 1 T sugar 10 T unsalted butter 5 T ice water Process flour salt sugar to mix, then dot with pieces of butter and process into pea sized crumbs. Empty into a bowl and add water. Press into a dough with your hands and flatten into a disk. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll into a 12" circle and transfer crust into a glass pie plate. Roll edge under and flute. Refrigerate for an hour. I got this bit from Cooks Illustrated - prick the dough surface with the tines of a fork then line with heavy duty aluminum foil and prick the foil. Bake on the bottom rack of a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes, checking after 10 for ballooning. If the crust is puffing up, pull the dish out of the oven and with a gloved hand, deflate it. After 15 min, remove the foil and bake for 10 more minutes until the crust has browned. Cranberry Filling: 2 c fresh cranberries 1/4 c orange juice 1 T orange zest 1 c sugar Pinch of salt Add all the ingredients to a saucepan and cook over medium heat until all the berries have burst and the filling is thick enough that a spoon along the bottom leaves a trail in the pan. Remove from heat, and spoon the filling through a medium/fine mesh sieve to remove the cranberry skins and most of the seeds. Spoon warm filling into the bottom of the warm crust. Lemon Filling: 1 c sugar 1/4 c corn starch 1/8 t salt 1 1/2 c water 6 egg yolks 1/2 c lemon juice 1 T lemon zest 2 T butter Bring the first four ingredients to a simmer while whisking. When the mixture starts to become clear, whisk in egg yolks and return to a simmer. Add lemon justice and zest and return to a simmer while whisking. Remove from heat and add the butter. Cover the filling with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Meringue: 1 T corn starch 1/3 c water 4 egg whites 1 T vanilla 1/2 c sugar 1/4 t cream of tartar Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and place oven rack in middle position. Mix the first two ingredients in a saucepan and whisk, bringing it to a simmer. When the mixture starts to turn clear remove it from the heat. In the bowl of a stand mixer beat eggs and vanilla until frothy. Mix cream of tartar with sugar, and spoon the mixture into the egg whites, beating till soft peaks form. Spoon cornstarch mixture into the egg whites and beat just until stiff peaks form. Heat the lemon filling just to a simmer then remove from the heat and ladle it onto the cranberry filling. Spoon the meringue onto the edges of the crust first, then into the middle of the pie. Use a spoon to create peaks. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until the meringue is lightly browned. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. It's going to take three hours to cool. The waiting is the hardest part. Enjoy!!!

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Reply to: My salads are definitely on par with restaurant offerings and I do use most of these tips. However, when making an emulsified vinaigrette you dont need mayo—just use a bit more dijon. And I use a balsamic glaze instead of molasses, as it heightens the flavors already present and adds jusr a touch of sweetness, much less than molasses. A nice local honey is also s better sub for the heavy flavor of molasses, IMO. When I was in my bread making phase I had lots of extra and used it for croutons, they are my DOWNFALL! Seasoned with herbs and parmesan, they are a great addition to almost anything. Spiced candied pecans have been a staple on salads for decades here in the south and now you don’t see them as much. I’ll use them rarely on a holiday salad but not my own, as they add needless calories. As always, Lan Lam has great tips, recipes and (my favorite thing about ATK) great explanations why her methods work better.

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Reply to: Lulu, I don't know if this will help because the names of the qualities one wants aren't scientific or universal: I learned in a class from a baking scientist (a friend dragged me there but I learned some good stuff!) that a teaspoon of water in a regular batch of cookies (i.e., several dozen average size) makes the difference between chewy and hard, all other things being equal. So when Nestle took the spoon of water out of the Toll House recipe on the package, they were opting for crisper than chewier. Do be sure to use cane sugar. There are people who can successfully use beet sugar because they know how, but cookies are the most sensitive to different ingredients, and there's a 3% difference in the makeup between cane and beet sugar. Beet bakes up much drier. Also, regular cookie recipes assume granulated white sugar, not superfine (also called castor sugar or baking sugar) or raw or anything else. The brown sugar should be white cane sugar which has molasses added. Other kinds of sugar work differently. You can adapt recipes to them, but they're not likely to come out just right as written. Basic American recipes also assume bleached white AP flour. They'll usually work out fine with unbleached, but the texture may be affected. The process of bleaching affects how it absorbs water. The kind of butter you use makes a difference, too. Different butters have different water contents. High quality American style butters have a butterfat content of 82-83%, and the difference is reflected in the water content. European style butter has 85-86% butterfat, and American bargain butter has about 80% butterfat. Most American recipes are meant for the 82%. You can't tell from the per serving nutrition information, but even if your brand doesn't say what the percentage is on the package, they often will on their websites, or sometimes you can find it on baking or nutrition oriented websites. Usually, if it doesn't say, however, top brands are the 82% and discount brands are 80%. The Euro style ones will usually say that they are. Use the euro style for croissants and the American premium for cookies. Baking margarine (inc. "vegan butter") is only suitable for cookies if it's sticks with 100 Calories per tablespoon. The others have too much water and/or other weirdness that might work fine on your baked potato but won't bake right. Margarine has a different sized fat globule and a much higher melting point. This greatly affects the texture of the cookies. Use butter if you want a melt in your mouth kind of cookie, and/or a crispier one. Also, if you're doing dough balls that are supposed to spread in the heat of the oven. Use margarine for drop cookies that spread less and hold the shape you make them better because of the higher melting point. This also lets you skip the chill before baking step that helps when you use butter. (The proportions of flour to fat, etc., in cut out cookies are generally such that they hold their shape even with butter.) When I make flat chewy Toll House, I use The Expert's method: Make a quenelle of cookie dough, place it on the sheet, then flatten with the back of the spoon. The Expert, who is famed amongst those who know for his Toll House cookies, is also the one who contributed the instruction to pull the pre-flattened cookies out of the oven before the centers are set. If you wait for them to completely firm up they won't be particularly chewy. The edges should be firm, with the faintest hint of brown, when you take them out, and they finish up on the warm cookie sheet. Finally, do make sure your oven is well calibrated. If it's too accurate, it might also affect older recipes and need to be adjusted down a little. If it's an older or less precise oven with a greater variation of actual temperature, the setting and/or time may be affected. Even so, each oven is different. Don't just follow the recipe on that. Get to know your own oven, and what timings and temperatures give you your desired results. An extra minute can also be the difference between chewy and hard. I don't know if this addresses your problem, but most often with cookie issues it's because of the ingredients being different or the bake time/heat not being watched.. Good luck!

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Reply to: I’m reminded of Nora Ephron’s book, Heartburn. She gives her simple vinaigrette recipe, but there was some kick element to the vinaigrette vignette — was it that she didn’t give the recipe to Carl (her ex)? Link with lots of vinaigrette recipes. (I am not a member, but finagle ways to view pages.) 🔸 https://www.pinterest.com/pin/1759287346242451/

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Reply to: Sure. Whisk together : 1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt 1 tablespoon milk 1/4 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce Pinch of cayenne pepper Buy a small wedge of Point Reyes or Maytag. Crumble 1/2 cup and fold in. add Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Refrigerate, preferably overnight for flavors to develop

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Reply to: It would depend on what I wanted the gift to convey. I have a ton from HG. I find fleece the warmest. I have a Garnet Hill cashmere with fringe I just love, and then I have some cotton ones that are local in Maine. Meanwhile, someone must buy this! I love throws packaged this way, andin this case a beachblanket. How CUTE is this? (many colors) random, but at least this one is actually a blanket

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Reply to: My sangria was: 1 bottle of wine (I used Sauvignon Blanc, but anything dry will work.) 2 cups of fresh apple cider 1 cup of apple brandy Chopped apples, orange slices, fresh cranberries Combine ingredients and chill overnight. To serve: Ice (I wouldn’t add to the pitcher, so it doesn’t get diluted.) Ginger ale or club soda. We added to our glasses individually. If I was going to add to the pitcher, I’d use 12 ounces.

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Reply to: Happy to share: 2 lb. cranberries (I use 3 twelve ounce bags) 3 apples, peeled, cored diced 2 pears, peeled, cored, diced 2 cups golden raisins 2 cups sugar 1 cup orange juice 2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1/4 cup orange liqueur (optional) Mix all the ingredients except the liqueur in a large pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often. Simmer 45 minutes uncovered. Everything will break down, but it will have texture. Stir in the liqueur at the end if you are using. I like Triple Sec. It makes a lot, but you can scale it down. I portion it in pint containers and freeze it for use all year. Chicken, pork chops, turkey burgers, chicken sausages.

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Reply to: This salad was very pretty and scored well in my family. The recipe was torn from a magazine so I’m not sure of the source, and I couldn’t find it online, in a cursory search. Mixed Beet and Orange Salad Serves 8/ active time 15 minutes, total time 55 4 oranges, mixed varieties 1.5 lbs beets, mixed varieties Slice oranges and refrigerate. Roast beets in 400 degree oven until tender (in foil pouches with a strip of orange zest, olive oil, s&p. Peel and slice when cool.). Dressing: Save 1/2 tsp zest and 2 tsp juice from an orange. 2 TBS finely chopped shallot 2 TBS white wine vinegar 1 TB Dijon mustard 1/4 tsp ground allspice 1/2 cup EVOO 1/4 cup micro-greens or watercress Shake in a jar and season to taste. Arrange sliced beets and oranges on platter, drizzle with the dressing, sprinkle with the greens.

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Reply to: Grilled flank steak with sauteed onions and mushrooms, green beans, and leftover linguine that I will probably goose up with garlic butter. @LynnNM, I have made strata a few times. Yesterday I chose an Epicurious recipe because I liked that it is sort of a formula (see link here: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes-menus/how-to-make-strata-recipe-article). I used a sourdough boule and gruyere, and added sausage and wilted spinach. However, unlike any strata I have ever made, this one had two options. The more traditional option AFAIK is to use stale bread (or bread dried out in the oven); this recipe said that was not necessary as long as you did not "soak" the uncooked strata too long (usually I soak a strata over night). I tried the method with fresh bread and its like eating a sponge. IMHO strata must always be made with stale bread, no matter what Epicurious says. However, if you want a strata recipe I highly recommend this one from Anglophilia, who used to post here and I believe is no longer with us. The flavorings in this one are divine IMHO. When I make a recipe, I save it in Googledocs and each time I make it I edit it and add notes. My version, below is slightly different. I have also included Anglophilia's original recipe at the bottom of this post. Anglophilia’s Cheese Strata, edited 8 slices white bread*, stale ¾ lb sharp yellow cheddar, shredded - used a 8 oz block of Cabot Seriously Sharp ¾ lb sharp white cheddar, shredded - (ditto) 2T butter, melted 6 extra large eggs, lightly beaten 2 c half and half 1 heaping tsp brown sugar 1/2 t dry mustard 1/2 t salt 1/2 t Worcestershire ¼ tsp paprika 1/8 t pepper 1/8 t cayenne 1-2 scallion, finely minced *Buy a 16 oz Chabaso Ciabatta and use ~¾ of it. Cut into ½” slices, then cut it into 6ths. Put it in a 350 oven for 5-7 minutes, watching that it does not burn, then let it cool completely. Toss in melted butter Butter a 2 quart shallow baking dish. Place half of the diced bread on bottom, then cover with half of each cheese, then repeat. Add all remaining ingredients to the eggs, and pour over the bread mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or up to a day. Remove and let stand 1/2 hour before placing in the oven. Preheat the oven to 300F. Place the dish in ½” water bath and bake for one hour. Turn the oven off and leave in oven for 30 minutes more. From Anglophilia, a recipe often posted on this site and beloved by many, I made it once exactly as written and could not figure out the point of the paper bag so I no longer do that.

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Reply to: Does anyone remember Cristina Ferrare? I have a cookbook of hers called Family Entertaining from way back. This topic made me think of her enchilada recipe I’ve always made with rotisserie chicken. Any cheese of choice is good. Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas 12 corn tortillas 1 cup each shredded cooked chicken and Jack cheese 8 oz. cream cheese, diced 2 cups grated Jack cheese 2 4-oz. cans diced green chiles, drained 6 scallions, chopped 1/2 cup chopped black olives 1/2 cup chopped cilantro 1/2 cup sour cream 2 10-oz. cans enchilada sauce (I use the red for this) Heat enchilada sauce. Dip each tortilla in sauce to soften. Place about 2 T. mixed chicken and cheese, a few cubes of diced cream cheese and 1 tsp. green onion on each tortilla. Sprinkle with chiles, olives, and cilantro. Roll up and place seam-side down in prepared greased 9X13 baking dish. Mix the 1/2 cup sour cream into remaining enchilada sauce and pour over tortillas. Top with remaining cheese. Cover and bake for about 45 minutes.

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Reply to: I've upped my sunscreen. I now use Laura Geller's tinted moisturizer which has SPF 50.

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Reply to: From my DMIL. It’s delicious.

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Reply to: Even here in the deep south I make some soups year round like Pasta e Fagioli and Roasted Red Bell Pepper Bisque. I recently made a mashed potato soup with leftover mashed potatoes. It was surprisingly very good. Mashed Potato Soup 4 cups mashed potatoes butter onion, small chop celery, small chop 1 TB. flour 2 cups chicken broth (made with Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken bouillon) frozen corn shredded cheddar Saute onion and celery in melted butter. Add flour and stir for a couple minutes. Add broth, then mashed potatoes and frozen corn. Simmer to heat through. Add cheese to melt just before serving. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Roasted Red Bell Pepper Bisque 2 jars roasted red bell peppers or 4 red bell peppers, roasted, seeded, and peeled 2 tablespoons butter 1/3 cup chopped shallots 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 red serrano pepper, minced (optional) 3 cups chicken broth 1/4 cup half and half or heavy cream salt and pepper, to taste lemon wedges Saute shallots, garlic, and serrano in butter until soft. Add red peppers. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Add broth, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Puree with immersion blender until smooth. Add half and half or cream. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with lemon wedges. Don’t forget them! The juice adds a wonderful flavor profile to the finished soup.

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Reply to: Chocolate Chip Raspberry Scones This simple scone recipe can be modified in a variety of different ways. Blueberries instead of Raspberries. Leave out the chocolate chips, replace them with white chocolate or butterscotch. Add 1/2 teaspoon of mint or almond extract. Thanks to AnnT at Houzz for the original recipe. 2-1/2 cups All Purpose flour 1/2 cup granulated sugar or brown sugar 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder (high altitude - reduce to 2 teaspoons) 1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold butter cut into small pieces 1 cup heavy cream (or whipping cream) - (high altitude - increase to 1-1/4 cups) 1 cup frozen Raspberries 1 cup mini chocolate chips Mix dry ingredients well. Cut in butter. Mix in cream. When the cream is almost incorporated, add fruit, berries or nuts. Bake at 425F for 15-18 minutes (high altitude - 440 degrees for 20 minutes) or until tops are just turning golden and centers are set.

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Reply to: This is on repeat in our kitchen. It's delicious, beautifully aromatic, and so simple to put together. African Peanut Stew 1 10-12 oz. bag frozen chopped onion 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon dried ground ginger 2 10-12 oz. bags frozen cubed sweet potato or butternut squash 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional) 1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce 1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 2 tablespoons peanut butter 4 cups veggie broth 1 bag frozen chopped spinach, collard greens, or kale (or 1 bunch fresh) Add all of the ingredients to a large pot, heat to a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer for a few minutes. You can cook this one for 5 minutes or 30 minutes, it doesn't matter. I also like to use my immersion blender towards the end of cooking to thicken it slightly. Serve and enjoy!

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Reply to: This is my favorite dressing that I eat on kale every day. I massage it in. That sounds silly but that's really what I do lol! For the distilled vinegar I use 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar and no white wine. I do use the lemon juice and everything else in those proportions. I put it in a jar and shake it up.

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Reply to: This one is very fresh tasting and simple. I wouldn't refer to it as amazing but we eat salad dressed with it at least three times a week. I almost always have a box of spinach or arugula in the fridge and a box of grape tomatoes so I can easily make a quick salad as a dinner side. I find that the arugula and spinach last longer than the bags of other kinds of lettuce. 2/3 cup good olive oil 1/3 cup champagne vinegar 1 clove minced garlic 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp of your favorite dried herb - oregano, marjoram, etc. dash of pepper

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Reply to: A classic vinaigrette is my favorite. Here's Jacques Pépin's method, which you can vary to suit your taste.

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