Sweet Potato Rice and Bean Soup

This soup could also be called "pantry soup" because it's great for those days when you haven't been to the store in a while and need to use up your food storage. I originally got this recipe from here: I was looking for a recipe with sweet potatoes, rice, and beans, and this one had all three listed. It wasn't until I started making the soup that I realized that the sweet potatoes were just supposed to be a side dish!

However, I think the sweet potatoes are they key to this creamy and mellow tasting soup. They neutralize the acidity of the tomatoes and tomato sauce and lend a very mellow and delicious flavor.

Ingredients:

1 can red beans

1 can black beans

1-2 cups uncooked rice

1 can diced tomatoes

1 8 oz can tomato sauce

1 can (1 cup frozen) corn

1 can sweet potatoes (you can use fresh, but the canned ones worked nicely)

3 cloves smooshed garlic

2 T olive oil

salt and pepper

6 cups of water (add more as necessary)

Spices to taste (I used my own random concoction of chicken spice and Italian spice)

I just threw everything in the pot and added rice and water until it looked like a good consistency. I like my soups less "soupy" and more "meaty," so I added more rice and less water. It's pretty bland without the spices so I recommend a liberal dose of whatever spices you want.

And seriously, the sweet potatoes add a really nice mellow flavor. This is a great autumn or winter dish.

(And sorry, I didn't add a picture because it tastes much better than it looks!)

Cookie Salad

Okay Breanne, this one is for you. Sorry there are no pictures but this tastes much better than it looks anyway.

4 cans Dole Tropical Fruit Salad
1 large can Pears
1 large can Peaches
2 cans Mandarin Oranges
Red Grapes
1 package Fudge Striped Shortbread Cookies

Sauce
1 small package instant vanilla pudding
1 cup buttermilk
1 9 oz. container Cool Whip

Drain and cut up fruit to desired size. Mix together.

For the sauce; mix pudding with buttermilk until dissolved. (It will be thicker than pudding generally is.) Stir in the Cool Whip.

Mix sauce and fruit. Break up the cookies into smallish pieces. Just before serving mix the cookies into the fruit-sauce mixture.

You can add whater fruit you want but this is the fruit I use.

Honey Cake

Please, no one have a heart attack. I figured it was time to let all of you know that I actually do know how to cook, and now that I have a kitchen with a working stove and oven (and I'm no longer crouching by my refrigerator eating cheese with my hands and drinking milk out of the carton like a barbarian), I should post some recipes.

A couple of weeks ago I had an international desserts party, and since it happened to fall on the same day/night as the first day/night of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, I decided to make a traditional Jewish dessert that I had last year while celebrating Rosh Hashanah in Israel. Jews eat a lot of honey-sweetened things to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, symbolizing the sweetness of the new year. But the great thing about this honey cake is it's just sweet enough to feel like a dessert but not too sweet for breakfast the next morning (especially if you aren't averse to eating such cakey things as banana bread and the like for breakfast).

The original recipe is from here, although I modified it a little.

2 Tbsp. honey dissolved into 3/4 cup hot water

3 eggs

3 Tbsp. oil

3/4 cup apple sauce

3/4 cup honey

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 1/4 cups flour

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1. Dissolve honey into water. Cool.
2. Mix eggs, oil, apple sauce, honey and brown sugar in a using an electric mixer. 
3. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt).
4. Alternating, add flour mixture and honey water to the egg mixture in the bowl. Mix lightly until just smooth. 
5. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes.

(In case you're wondering why there is that odd step of dissolving honey into water, it's because the original recipe called for coffee. I tried substituting honey and it worked out well. But feel free to experiment with other liquidy things if you prefer.)

Strawberry Lemonade Mini Cheesecakes

I recently made these for a piano recital and they were a hit! Miniature cheesecakes with tangy lemon curd, sweet strawberry sauce, and fresh strawberries are essentially summer in a cupcake liner. :)

Lemon Curd recipe from Allrecipes

Strawberry Sauce recipe from Our Best Bites

For the cheesecakes:

24 Nilla wafers

2 8 oz. pkgs Philadelphia cream cheese

3/4 c. sugar

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

Beat together cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, eggs, and vanilla. Place 24 Nilla wafers in cupcake liners placed in muffin tins and fill about 2/3 full with cheesecake mixture. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes, until tops are beginning to brown and toothpick comes out clean.

For the lemon curd:

3 eggs
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 c. butter, melted
1 Tbsp. grated lemon peel


Combine ingredients and cook in the microwave for one minute intervals until it coats the back of a spoon.


For the strawberry sauce:


1 pint strawberries
1/3 c. white sugar
1 tsp. almond or vanilla extract


Combine ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes, breaking up and mashing strawberries constantly. Allow sauce to cool slightly, then put it in the blender and blend until smooth.


To assemble:


After cheesecakes have cooled, top with a dollop of lemon curd, several slices of fresh strawberries, and a drizzle of strawberry sauce. Store in the fridge.

Sweet Cornbread

This is the most amazing cornbread! The recipe is from an old friend, Wendy Smith. It is moist, sweet, and not overly crumbly like most cornbread tends to be. Sam had never liked cornbread until he had this kind--now he loves it!  It comes together very quickly, so it's a great last-minute side. We love it with a little honey drizzled on top!

Pictured with Vegetarian Chili

Cream together:

1 stick butter

2/3 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 c. buttermilk***

Add:

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 c. cornmeal

1 c. flour

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes in a square pan. (If doubled and put in a 9x13 pan, it is not as good.)

***I almost always use 1 Tbsp. vinegar+milk to equal 1 cup instead of buttermilk.

How to Can Pineapple

Canning pineapple had never occurred to me until I saw a post about it on my friend Melissa's blog. It's not much different than canning peaches or pears. When pineapples went on sale for $1 each here, I jumped at the chance and bought 20 to can.

1-Chop pineapple as desired.

Note:  I didn't let the pineapple ripen enough and my canned pineapple is really lacking in flavor. Make sure the pineapple is ripe before starting for best results.

2-Place pineapple in clean jars.

I used quart jars because they were cheaper, but pint and half-pint jars are the more ideal sizes for pineapple, since you don't typically use 4 cups at a time (at least I don't).

3-Add 1/3 cup white sugar.

4-Fill up jar with water, leaving 1/2 inch head space.

5-Bring lids to a boil.

6-Wipe rims of jars off, ensuring sugar grains are removed.

7-Place lids on jars and screw on rings.

8-Process in steam or waterbath canner for 20 minutes, according to your canner's instructions.

Melissa doesn't waste anything, really--she even dehydrates the rind and grinds it into powder to use in drinks and flavorings. She takes the cores and covers them with water, cooks them on the stove for several hours, and then strains the juice into jars to can as well.

The juice didn't have a particularly strong flavor, but it would add a nice punch to some Sprite or something.

Melissa also said she has a recipe for pickled pineapple cores that tastes like wassail. I'm hoping to get that recipe from her and try it for next time!

Spiced Pear Muffins

I adapted this recipe from Taste of Home. I intended to make applesauce muffins, but when I discovered part way through making them that I was nearly out of applesauce, I made up the difference with mashed up bottled pears. The result was a deliciously moist muffin (or cupcake, if you're Jocilyn) with a fun pear flavor. Here's what the original creator (Linda Williams) had to say about them: "These are such a popular item at the restaurant I own that I had it printed up on a card to share with guests."

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c. applesauce

1 1/2 c. very soft pear puree (canned pears work best)

4 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. cloves

Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Stir in applesauce and pears. Combine flour, baking soda, and spices and stir into creamed mixture. Spoon into muffin tins and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpicck comes out clean.

Yield: About 2 dozen

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Layer Cake

Sam's birthday was on the 26th, and something I always look forward to is making his cake. We don't make cake much around here--there is always that issue of what to do with leftovers. Giving someone a plate of cookies or brownies somehow seems so much more socially acceptable than giving someone a plate of leftover birthday cake...

So I love dreaming up a fun cake combination for his birthday. I made these cupcakes for a recent piano recital, so they inspired me to make this cake. I used the same chocolate cake base for the 3rd year in a row--it's so good I can't seem to bring myself to try something else. Sam and I aren't huge cake fans, so this dense, moist cake is perfect for us.

After baking, allowing to cool, and leveling the cakes, whip up the amazing egg-less cookie dough filling (seriously, I love it even more than regular cookie dough) and sandwich a hefty layer between your two cakes. I used parchment paper this time to line my pan instead of just greasing and flouring, and that made a HUGE difference. I definitely suggest using it to prevent broken cakes!

Coat the cake with a thin layer of cookie dough flavored frosting and chill for at least 20 minutes.

To decorate, I used the "cloud cake" frosting technique. Simply pipe 3 large circles of frosting in a vertical line and smear them with the back of a spoon. Then repeat, overlapping each of the smears.

I did the top in a spiral pattern from the outside in. When you get to the end, you can shape the last blobs of frosting with your fingers so you don't have a messy seam.

Then decorate as desired! I made a chocolate chip border around the edge.

It was cute as-is, but I wanted to give it something a little extra.

So I whipped up some little chocolate chip cookies and stuck those in the frosting as well.

Yum! The birthday boy loved it!

Recipe inspired by and adapted from Annie's Eats

For the cake...

Mix together:

2 c. sugar

2 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Bring to a boil:

2 sticks butter

4 Tbsp. cocoa

1 cup water

Pour over the flour mixture and add:

2 eggs

1 c. buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix well and pour batter into two 8-inch round pans lined on the bottom with parchment paper, greased on the sides. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

For the filling...

1 stick butter, slightly softened

3/4 c. brown sugar

2 1/4 c. flour

14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c. chocolate chips (full size or mini)

Combine butter and sugar in a mixer and beat at medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in flour, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla. Stir in chocolate chips.

For the frosting...

2 sticks unsalted butter, slightly softened

1/2 c. brown sugar

2 1/3 c. powdered sugar

2/3 c. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. milk

2 tsp. vanilla

Beat together butter and sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and stir until well incorporated. Add flour and salt, then milk and vanilla. Add milk as needed to create a good frosting consistency.

For garnish...

chocolate chips (full size or mini)

small chocolate chip cookies

To assemble...

Level cakes with a serrated knife. Top one cake with a thick layer of cookie dough filling (you may not use quite all of it). Top cookie dough filling with the second cake. Cover entire cake with a thin layer of frosting and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. Pipe 3 large circles in a verticle line up the side of the cake and smear them with the back of a spoon, then repeat, overlapping the smears each time until the cake is covered. Decorate as desired with chocolate chips and mini chocolate chip cookies.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Waffles

We love these waffles! They are packed full of good, nutritious elements but the chocolate chips make them kid-friendly. They do tend to be fairly dry, so serving them with fresh fruit and whipped cream is a good alternative to drenching them with syrup, although the photo says otherwise.

Recipe adapted from here.

Whisk together:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup pure wheat bran (I use Bob's Red Mill)

2 Tbsp. baking powder

2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

In a separate bowl mix together:

2 cups milk

6 eggs

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 cup applesauce

3 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine wet ingredients with dry ones and fold in 1-1 1/2 cups chocolate chips. Cook according to your waffle iron's instructions.

S'mores Monkey Loaf

(picture and original recipe from here)

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Here's a fun, easy treat. It's fun to eat, and fun to make - great for toddlers to help with!

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Ingredients:

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1 loaf frozen Rhodes bread dough (thaw in fridge for a few hours)

1 cup mini chocolate chips

5 whole graham crackers

5 oz unsalted butter, divided

1/2 cup brown sugar

8 oz (weight) mini marshmallows

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Directions:

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Slice the bread into 1/2-3/4 inch slices. Then cut each slice into about four pieces. Sprinkle chocolate chips on the pieces and push them into the dough (you can even fold the dough over onto the chips like little pockets).

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Crush the graham crackers to fine crumbs and roll the pieces of dough to coat them with crumbs (this is the fun part for the kids). Put the pieces in a well-greased loaf pan.

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Melt 4 tbsp butter and the brown sugar in a small saucepan until smooth and golden-brown. Pour the butter/sugar mixture over the dough pieces. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

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When the loaf is done, let cool slightly in the pan, then carefully dump onto a plate. While it's cooling, melt the remaining 1 tbsp butter and the marshmallows in a large saucepan. Pour the marshmallow cream over the loaf on the plate, let cool slightly, then dig in!

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Notes:

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I'm sure you could make this with homemade dough - just figure out at what point in the raising process to punch it down and form it into a loaf. You may want to chill it to make it easier to cut and work with.

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You can also double the recipe and put it in a bundt pan (like the picture) for a more traditional-style monkey bread. Mine looked absolutely nothing like the picture - it all fell apart as it was coming out of the pan, and I don't even own a bundt pan - but it was still yummy!

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Also, if you slightly burn the marshmallow cream, your finished product will taste very much like a s'more charred over the campfire, though I don't recommend this method. ;)

Chicken Stroganoff

Seriously, just try this soon. It is comfort food with a delicious, creamy, super-fine restaurant flavor, but you made it yourself without a lot of hassle. My family is in love.

(Original recipe and picture from here, slightly adapted)

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Ingredients

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6 whole boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 Tbsp paprika

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 Tbsp flour

1 Tbsp oil (plus more as needed)

1/2 medium yellow onion

8 oz mushrooms

3/4 c chicken broth/stock (divided)

1 Tbsp tomato paste

2 small dried bay leaves

1/4 c sour cream

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1 lb egg noodles

optional: fresh parsley for garnish

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Directions:

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Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and toss with paprika and salt and pepper. Dust with flour. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, then sear the chicken until browned on all sides, about 7 minutes total. Remove from pan and set aside.

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Dice the onion and slice the mushrooms. Add a little more oil to the pan if needed, then sauté the onions and mushrooms until everything starts to brown and caramelize, about 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup of the chicken broth and let sizzle about a minute. Add the rest of the broth, tomato paste, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.

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Return the chicken to the pan and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thickens a tad, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the sour cream and cook 2 more minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.

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In the meantime, boil the egg noodles until they reach all dente. Drain. Serve the stroganoff over noodles and garnish with parsley if desired.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Hummus

When I came across this recipe I was excited because the pediatrician said to emphasize protein with Talmage and this is made primarily of chickpeas and peanut butter! We used it as a dip for animal crackers, but I also tried it on apples and bananas and it was good that way as well. Talmage liked it best by itself, I think! He gobbled it up!

Original recipe from Chocolate-Covered Katie

1 can chickpeas, drained
pinch salt
pinch baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. nut butter (I used peanut butter)
1 Tbsp. milk (plus more as desired)
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. chocolate chips
2-3 Tbsp. quick oats

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until very smooth. Then mix in chocolate chips. Serve with graham crackers, animal crackers, fruit, or whatever else you desire.

Notes:
-I don't own a food processor. I just use a mini-chopper and it does an okay job. It's not perfectly smooth, but the oats disguise the graininess of the beans. You can add more oats as desired.

-I tried this the first time with 2/3 cup brown sugar (as suggested by the recipe) and then the second time cut it back to 1/2 cup. There wasn't a huge difference, and Talmage loved it either way.

Baked Tilapia with Veggies

On the day after Thanksgiving (yes, black friday), we stopped at Costco to pick up some rolls for Thanksgiving dinner #2. (Seriously, who shops when you can eat more?) And we totally lucked out! It turns out Costco gives out free cookbooks every year, and we happened to get one just because we were there. And woo-ee! This is book is amazing - I've made a handful of the recipes out of it so far, and everyone of them was a total winner. It helps that this year was a "best-of" book, but still, they're just amazing. Now, there's no reason to feel bad for yourself that you didn't happen on one of them, though, because all of the cookbooks are posted on Costco's website. As in, you read it just like a digital book so you have the pictures and everything. Just go to costco.com and enter "cookbooks" in the search box. 2011 is the one we have, but I imagine they're all good. Now you're all as lucky as we are.

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Here's a great recipe we tried last week. "Baked Tilapia with Lemon, Garlic and Lavender" (See the picture at the link.) You can use any fish - tilapia is pretty mild, so it's good for non fish lovers, but whatever you can find at a reasonable price should go nicely (hopefully seafood is slightly cheaper in Houston than around here). Fish is so good for you, and easy for kids to eat. This dish has tons of veggies (add more if you want), and if you serve it along with some brown or wild rice or other whole grain, you're in business for an incredibly healthy, mighty tasty meal.

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Ingredients:

4 tilapia fillets (if frozen, thaw)

4 garlic cloves, crushed to a paste

1 tsp curry powder

1 Tbsp freshly grated lemon zest

1/2 tsp salt (plus more to taste)

ground pepper to taste

1 tsp olive oil (plus more for drizzling)

1 lb mixed vegetables, chopped or sliced into bite-size pieces

lavender blossoms

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Directions

Preheat oven to 375.

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Place thawed fillets in a baking dish lined with parchment paper.

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In a bowl, combine garlic paste, curry powder, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and oil. Rub this mixture into the fillets.

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Arrange vegetables around the fillets. (I used a thawed bag of frozen broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots then added some sliced red onion, but you can use whatever suits your fancy.) Sprinkle the vegetables and fillets with additional oil, lavender, and salt and pepper to taste (in place of the lavender, which I could not find, I used herbs de provence).

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Bake for 15 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked through. The vegetables may still be very firm, which is a nice contrast to the softness of the fish.