Monday, February 28, 2005

Old Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls

630 g-700g all-purpose flour (4 3/4 to 5 1/4 cups)
1 package active dry yeast
1 cup milk
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 whole eggs
3 tablespoons butter -- melted
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Glaze
1 1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon milk or cream -- (1 to 2)

In a large mixing bowl combine 2-1/4 cups of the flour and the yeast. In a saucepan heat and stir milk, butter, granulated sugar, and salt just until warm (120 degree F to 130 degree F) and butter almost melts. Add milk mixture to dry mixture along with eggs. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl. Beat on high speed 3 minutes. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic (3 to 5 minutes total). Shape into a ball. Place in a greased bowl, turning once. Cover; let rise in a warm place until double (about 1 hour).
Punch dough down. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half. Cover; let rest for 10 minutes. Lightly grease two 9x1-1/2-inch round baking pans. Roll each half of dough into a 12x8-inch rectangle. Brush rectangles with the melted butter. In a small bowl, combine the 2/3 cup sugar and the cinnamon; sprinkle over each dough rectangle evenly. Roll up each rectangle, jelly-roll style, starting from a long side. Seal seams. Slice each roll into 12 pieces. Place, cut sides down, in prepared pans. I find it easiest to cut with unflavored dental floss.
Cover dough loosely with clear plastic wrap, leaving room for rolls to rise. Refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours. Uncover; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. (Or, to bake rolls right away, don't chill dough. Instead, cover loosely; let dough rise in warm place until nearly double, about 30 minutes.)Break any surface bubbles with a greased toothpick.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Bake rolls for 20 to 25 minutes or until light brown (if necessary, cover rolls loosely with foil for the last 5 to 10 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning). Remove from oven. Cool slightly. Drizzle with Vanilla Glaze. Serve warm.

Sunday, February 27, 2005

Pumpkin Bars



1 c. oil
2 c. sugar
2 c. pumpkin
4 eggs
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix ingredients together. Pour into a greased jelly roll pan. Bake 20-25 minutes at 350. Cool and frost.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 oz. neufchatel cheese, softened
4 Tbs. butter, softened
2 Tbs. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 c. powdered sugar

Mix all ingredients until smooth. Spread on cooled bars. Top with finely chopped walnuts, if desired.

Saturday, February 26, 2005

Grandma's Blondies



2/3 cup butter, melted
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chocolate chips

Mix melted butter and brown sugar. Add vanilla and eggs, mix well. Add dry ingredients. Toss walnuts and chocolate chips with 1 TBS flour and fold into batter. Spread into a greased cake pan and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Friday, February 25, 2005

Marinara Sauce

from Giada De Laurentiis

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves

In a large casserole pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper, to taste. (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.)

Thursday, February 24, 2005

Blackberry Mustard Glazed Ham

from Cooking Light Magazine

This classic recipe will be well received at all of your holiday gatherings; try it with any flavor of fruit preserves you enjoy. Adorn the platter with fresh blackberries, apple slices, oregano, and flat-leaf parsley.


1 (5-pound) 33%-less-sodium smoked, fully-cooked, bone-in ham half
Cooking spray
1/2 cup apple juice
1 (13-ounce) jar blackberry preserves
1 (7.3-ounce) jar whole-grain Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 350°.
Trim fat and rind from ham. Score outside of ham in a diamond pattern. Place ham on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray.
Combine juice, preserves, and mustard in a medium bowl, stirring until well combined. Set aside half of preserves mixture.
Bake ham at 350° for 1 1/2 hours or until a thermometer registers 140°, basting with half of preserves mixture every 20 minutes. Remove ham from oven. Place ham on a platter; cover and let stand 15 minutes before slicing.
Place reserved preserves mixture in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Cook until reduced to 1 cup (about 15 minutes). Serve sauce with ham.


Yield: 20 servings (serving size: 3 ounces ham and about 2 teaspoons sauce)

Wednesday, February 23, 2005

Oven Braised Lentils with Sausage

From Cooking Light

Comforting and easy to prepare, this hearty dish is good for busy nights, as the lentils cook in the oven and leave you free to tend to other things.

2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 1/4 cups chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrot
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 thyme sprigs
2 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (16-ounce) bag dried lentils
1 (14-ounce) package turkey kielbasa, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 bay leaf
Preheat oven to 375°.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 1 minute. Add water and remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover and place in oven. Bake at 375° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until lentils are tender; discard bay leaf. Yield: 10 servings (serving size: about 1 1/4 cups)

Tuesday, February 22, 2005

Gorgonzola Artichoke Cream Pasta Sauce

Recipe shared by tomboy on CLBB

1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup unsalted butter -- cut up
4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese -- room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 can artichoke hearts -- (14 ounce) well drained and chopped (I used a box of frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and cut into smaller pieces.)

In a large saucepan, heat chicken broth, cream, and butter to boiling over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Simmer, uncovered, for 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Whisk in Gorgonzola cheese until melted and sauce is smooth. Stir in salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in chopped artichokes and cook until heated through. Serve sauce over pasta (some type of shelled pasta works best to capture the sauce).
Walnut and Bread Topping (optional, but recommended):
Preheat oven to 350-degrees. In a small bowl, toss together 1/4 cup soft (fresh) breadcrumbs, 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts, 1 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Spread in an 8x8x2-inch baking pan. Bake, uncovered, in a preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes or until golden. Sprinkle of pasta and sauce.

Monday, February 21, 2005

Warm Apple Buttermilk Custard Pie

From Cooking Light
The key to both a flaky piecrust and crisp streusel topping is to keep them as cold as possible before putting them into the oven.

Crust:
1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)
Cooking spray
Streusel:
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 1/2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
Filling:
5 cups sliced peeled Granny Smith apple (about 2 pounds)
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 3/4 cups fat-free buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325º.
To prepare crust, roll dough into a 14-inch circle; fit into a 9-inch deepdish pie plate coated with cookig spray. Fold edges under; flute. Place pie plate in refrigerator until ready to use.
To prepare streusel, lightly spoon 1/3 cup flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine 1/3 cup flour, brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a medium bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Place streusel in refrigerator.
To prepare the filling, heat a large nonstrick skillet coated with cookig spray over medium heat. Add sliced apple, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; cook 10 minutes or until the apple is tender, sitrring mixture occasionally. Spoon the apple mixture into prepared crust.
Combine remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, salt, and eggs, stirring with a whisk. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla. Pour over apple mixture. Bake at 325º for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300º (do not remove pie from oven); sprinkle streusel over pie. Bake at 300º for 40 minutes or until set. Let stand 1 hour before serving. Yield: 10 servings

Sunday, February 20, 2005

Honey Pecan Crusted Chicken

from Cooking Light Magazine

1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 chicken breasts -- skinned
8 chicken leg -- skinned
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/4 cups corn flakes -- crushed
1/2 cup pecan -- finely chopped

Preheat oven to 400.
Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over chicken.
Combine honey, mustard, paprika, and garlic. Brush both sides of chicken with sauce.
Combine cornflakes and pecans. Dredge chicken in cornflakes.
Place on large baking sheet that has been prepared with cooking spray. Lightly coat chicken with cooking spray.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

Saturday, February 19, 2005

Wild Rice Cakes with Bacon

Make the rice cakes ahead, then reheat in the oven to free the stovetop for other items.

2 teaspoons butter
1 cup uncooked brown and wild rice blend
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
Cooking spray

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add rice; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add salt and broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes or until liquid is absorbed, and rice is tender. Drain any excess liquid. Cool slightly.
Place egg and egg white in a large bowl; add flour and baking powder, stirring with a whisk. Add the rice, green onions, and next 4 ingredients (green onions through bacon), stirring with a rubber spatula until well blended.
Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Spoon 3 (1/4-cup) mounds rice mixture into skillet; flatten slightly with spatula. Cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown and thoroughly heated. Repeat procedure with remaining rice mixture. Serve immediately.
Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 cake)

Friday, February 18, 2005

Chickpea,Tomato, and Red Onion Salad

Chickpea, Tomato, and Red Onion Salad

1 red onion, pickled
1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 medium tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1 TBS olive oil
Freshly ground black pepepr, to taste
1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco (fresh Mexican cheese)

Prepare the pickled red onion and let marinate at least 1 hour. Reserve in a small bowl. In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, tomatoes, vinegar, salt, olive oil, and pepper. Drain the onions and add to the salad along with the crumbled cheese. Toss gently to mix. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Thursday, February 17, 2005

Outrageous Brownies

from Ina Garten

1 Pound unsalted butter
1 Pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 extra-large eggs
3 tablespoons instant coffee granules
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350º. Butter and flour a 12 x 18 x 1-inch baking sheet. Melt together the butter, 1 pound of chocolate chips, and the unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, stir (do not beat) together the eggs, coffee granules, vanilla, and sugar. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and allow to cool to room temperature.
In a medium bowl, sift together 1 cup of flour, the baking powder, and salt. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup of flour, then add them to the chocolate batter. Pour into the baking sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes, then rap the baking sheet against the oven shelf to force the air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Bake for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake! Allow to cool thoroughly, refrigerate, and cut into 20 large squares.

Wednesday, February 16, 2005

White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies


1 cup butter

1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
2 cups white chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease cookie sheets.
In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until smooth. Stir in the egg and vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, stir into the creamed mixture. Finally, stir in the rolled oats, white chocolate chips and pecans. Drop by tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks.

Tuesday, February 15, 2005

Orange Walnut Muffins with Lingonberry Preserves



1 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
1/3 C. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick butter, softened
3/4 C. mandarin orange yogurt (yoplait is a good one here)
1/4 C. light sour cream
1 tsp. very finely grated orange zest
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. almond extract
1/2 C. chopped walnuts
12 TBS lingonberry preserves

Preheat oven to 400. Spray muffin cups (Either use pan or liners, just make sure you spray!)
Combine all ingredients except walnuts and lingonberries. Fold in walnuts. Batter is very thick. Spoon half of the batter into the muffin cups. Use a spoon or your fingers to make a little "cup" in the top of the batter. Spoon a tablespoon of preserves into each muffin. Top with the remaining batter, spreading to the edges. Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes.

Monday, February 14, 2005

Caponata

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Serving Size : 6

1/4 cup olive oil
1 celery stalk -- chopped
1 medium eggplant -- cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 red bell pepper -- cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium onion -- chopped
1 can diced tomatoes -- (14 1/2-ounce)
3 tablespoons raisins
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon drained capers

Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and saute until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the eggplant and saute until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Season with salt. Add the red pepper and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes with their juices, raisins, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer over medium-low heat until the flavors blend and the mixture thickens, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Add the vinegar, sugar, and capers. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Sunday, February 13, 2005

Lentil and Potato Stew

Recipe shared by bobmark on CLBB

1 cup lentils
4 cups water
1 tsp salt (optional)
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp butter or margarine
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 large potatoes -- peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes (2 to 3)
1 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne or to taste
Salt to taste (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 large tomatoes -- peeled and chopped, or 2 cups canned chopped tomatoes (I use crushed, and have even used sauce in a pinch)
2 tsp. garam masala
1 tsp sugar or honey
Water -- if necessary

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the lentils, water, salt (if desired0 and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to med-low, and simmer the lentils until they are just soft, about 30 minutes.Do not drain the lentils! Discard the bay leaf, then set the lentils aside.
2. In a large dutch oven or saucepan with a nonstick surface, heat the butter or margarine and oil briefly, and add the potatoes. Sprinkle them with the turmeric, cayenne, salt (if desired), and pepper. Cook the potatoes, tossing them, over medium heat, for about five minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes, the reserved lentils and their cooking liquid, the garam masala and the sugar or honey to the potatoes.
4. Cook the stew over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes (I go a bit longer until I reach a thickness I like), stirring the mixture from time to time and adding water if the stew seems to be too dry.
Serving suggestion: Serve with a cucumber raita or a mixed green salad and brown or white rice or an Indian rice with peas.

Saturday, February 12, 2005

Blackberry Lemon Pudding Cake

from Cooking Light Magazine


1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 large egg yolks
3 large egg whites
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups blackberries
Cooking spray
3/4 teaspoon powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine the flour, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl; add the buttermilk, lemon rind, lemon juice, butter, and egg yolks, stirring with a whisk until the mixture is smooth.
Beat egg whites with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Gently stir one-fourth of egg white mixture into the buttermilk mixture; gently fold in remaining egg white mixture. Fold in blackberries.
Pour the batter into an 8-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Place in a larger baking pan; add hot water to larger pan to depth of 1 inch. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Sprinkle cake with powdered sugar. Serve warm. Yield: 5 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Friday, February 11, 2005

Pork and Pineapple Tacos

from Cooking Light Magazine

Serving Size : 4

3/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon chipotle chile pepper powder (such as McCormick)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound pork tenderloin -- trimmed and coarsely chopped
1 can pineapple tidbits in juice -- (15 1/4-ounce) undrained
6 flour tortillas -- (6-inch)
3/4 cup salsa verde

Combine onion and cilantro.Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Combine chipotle powder, chili powder, salt, and pork in a medium bowl. Add pork mixture to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan.
Add pineapple to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in pork mixture; cook 1 minute or until pork is done.
Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon about 2/3 cup pork mixture down center of each tortilla. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons onion mixture and 2 tablespoons salsa; roll up.

Thursday, February 10, 2005

Banana Bread


1 stick margarine or butter- room temperature
1 1/4 C. sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 C. mashed ripe banana (about 3-4 medium bananas)
1/2 C. buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 C. chopped walnuts (if desired)- occassionally I will add chocolate chips as well

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Grease bottoms only of two loaf pans

3. Combine butter and sugar, mixing well. Add eggs, mis in thoroughly. Add bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla.

4. In a seperate bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir well to evenly distribute.

5. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined. Fold in nuts, if desired. Divide mixture into two loaf pans and bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes. Time will depend on the size of your loaf pans.

Wednesday, February 09, 2005

Roasted Mushrooms with Green Peas, and Tomatoes

from Fresh Every Day by Sara Foster


8 ounces cremini, button, or portobello mushrooms, wioped clean, larger ones cut int pieces
3 cups frozen petite peas (16 oz. bag) rinsed and drained
1/2 pint grape or cherry tomatoes ( I used chopped fresh tomatoes)
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced (I used sweet yellow)
2 TBS olive oil
2 TBS melted butter
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 TBS chopped fresh flat leaf parsley (I omitted)
1. Preheat the oven to 400
2. Place the mushrooms, peas, tomatoes, and onion on a large baking sheet with sides. Drizzle the oil and butter, season with salt and pepper, and stir to coat. Spread the vegetables in an even layer and roast for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until the mushrooms are golden brown and the tomatoes soft. Sprinkle with parsley, and additional salt and pepper, and serve warm.
This recipe can also be made with broccoli or green beans, though the beans will take about 5 minutes longer to cook. You can also use this recipe as a base to prepare the vegetables on the grill.

Tuesday, February 08, 2005

Judy's Flakey Pie Crust

from Fresh Every Day by Sara Foster

makes 2 9-inch pie crusts
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 3 TBS vegetable shortening
1 large egg
1/3 cup ice water, plus 2 to 3 TBS as needed
1 TBS white vinegar

1. Stir the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Add the shortening and cut in into the flour with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
2. In a seperate small bowl, beat the egg with the 1/3 cup ice water and vinegar. Pour this into the bowl with the flour mixture, stirring with a fork just until it comes together. Do not mix any more than necessary. If the dough is dry and crumbly, add more water, 1 TBS at a time, until it comes together, but don't add so much water that the dough becomes wet and sticky.
3. Lightly dust your hands and work surface with flour. Turn the dough out onto your work surface and form it into a ball with your hands. Divide the dough ball into two pieces, and flatten each piece into a disk about 1 1/2 inches thick. Wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 days.

Friday, February 04, 2005

Blueberry Pudding Cake


2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (no need to thaw)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk
3 Tablespoons butter or margarine -- melted
Topping:
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup boiling water

Toss the blueberries with cinnamon and lemon juice; place in a greased 8 inch square baking dish.In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, and baking powder; stir in milk and butter. Spoon over berries.Combine sugar and cornstarch; sprinkle over batter. Slowly pour boiling water over all.Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until cake is golden and tests done.Cool a bit and serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Thursday, February 03, 2005

Tuna Burgers

from Tyler Florence

1 1/2 pounds tuna steaks -- cleaned and trimmed
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 green onion -- chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley -- chopped
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
1/3 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs

Cut tuna into tiny pieces. Combine all ingredients, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Brush with vegetable oil.
Pan fry over medium heat, five minutes per side.

Wednesday, February 02, 2005

Lemon Spaghetti

from Giada De Laurentiis

1 pound spaghetti
2/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the oil, Parmesan, and lemon juice in a large bowl to blend. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss the pasta with the lemon sauce, and the reserved cooking liquid, adding 1/4 cup at a time as needed to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with lemon zest and chopped basil.

Tuesday, February 01, 2005

Simple Bolognese

Recipe By : Giada De Laurentiis

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion -- coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves -- peeled and coarsely chopped
1 celery stalk -- coarsely chopped
1 carrot -- coarsely chopped
1 pound ground chuck beef
1 can crushed tomatoes -- (28-ounce)
1/4 cup flat-leaf Italian parsley -- chiffonade
8 fresh basil leaves -- chiffonade
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano

In a 6 quart pot, add extra-virgin olive oil. When almost smoking, add the onion and garlic and saute over medium heat until the onions become very soft, about 8 minutes. Add the celery and carrot and saute for 5 minutes. Raise heat to high and add the ground beef. Saute, stirring frequently and breaking up any large lumps and cook until meat is no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, parsley and basil and cook over medium low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1/2 hour. Finish bolognese with Pecorino Romano. Check for seasoning. Serve hot.