Couscous Chicken Salad

1 1/4 cup chicken broth
1 cup uncooked couscous
1 Tbsp butter
3/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp Dijon-style mustard
1 large clove garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup cooked, diced chicken
4-5 diced scallions, greens included
1 large crisp apple, cored and diced
1 large rib of celery, diced
Lettuce leaves
Parsley sprigs, for garnish

1. In a saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil. Add couscous and butter. Bring to a boil again; cover, remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork and let cool. You should have about 2 cups of cooked couscous.
2. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, salt, coriander, mustard, garlic, and pepper; mix well.
3. In a large bowl, combine cooled couscous, chicken, green onions, apple, and celery. Add olive oil mixture; toss to coat all ingredients. Serve on a bed of lettuce. Garnish with lettuce. Season to taste with freshly ground pepper. Serves 4.

Source: Cooking with Grace

Try #1 - February 28, 2012
This was great! Nice and light, a good change of pace. We doubled this recipe, and it could easily be tripled or more for a larger group.

Monterey Beans and Cheese

2 slices bacon
1/2 medium-sized onion, sliced
1/2 green pepper, diced
2 cups cooked kidney beans
1/4 - 1/2 lb shredded cheddar cheese
2 ripe tomatoes, diced, or 3/4 cup tomato sauce (I used 1 cup canned diced tomatoes)
1/4 cup beef bouillon or tomato juice
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper
Rice

1. Fry bacon, drain, and break into pieces. Set aside.
2. Saute onion and green pepper in bacon fat until tender.
3. Add beans, cheese, tomatoes/tomato sauce, beef bouillon/tomato juice, chili powder, salt and pepper. Cook slowly, stirring constantly, until ingredients are blended and cheese is smooth - about 5 minutes. Serve with rice.

Source: More-with-Less

Try #1 - March 12, 2012
This was a hit with the family! Super easy, and yummy. I was surprised that the bacon taste came through, with such a small amount, but it did, and made it AWESOME. I will definitely make this again. We had hardly any leftovers - maybe next time I'd double the recipe.

Lentil, Spinach, and Bacon Stew

3 thick slices bacon, diced
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
3 gloves garlic, pressed
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups small green French lentils, picked over and rinsed
2 cups chicken stock
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
6 cups (8 oz) baby spinach leaves
Fried Bread Crumbs, for serving (optional)

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the bacon and saute until most of its fat is rendered and the bacon is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the carrot, onion, celery, and garlic, and saute until tender, 2-3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Add the lentils and stir to coat with the fat. Raise the heat to medium-high, add 3 cups water, and the stock, thyme, and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add 1 tsp salt, and simmer, uncovered, until the lentils are tender, 35-40 minutes.
3. Stir the spinach into the lentil mixture and cook until wilted, about 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl, sprinkle with the bread crumbs, if using, and serve right away. Serve as is, or spoon it over buttered egg noodles.

Source: Family Meals

Try #1 - February 14, 2012
This was pretty good... but didn't taste much different than other lentil soups I've made. I really only gave it a try because I happen to have some bacon in my freezer. I guess the addition of spinach added some nutrients, so that's a plus. I served it with corn bread (not bread crumbs or egg noddles), which was a good complement.

Mac and Cheese

2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3 cups whole milk
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/2 bay leaf
pinch of grated nutmeg
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 lb macaroni, shells, or other shapes
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) mixed grated hard cheeses such as aged Cheddar, Gruyere, and Parmesan
1/2 cup heavy cream

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Butter a 10-inch square or similar baking dish or 4-6 individual baking dishes.
2. To make the sauce, in a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, until the mixture forms a ball, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and whisk in the milk, 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition until smooth. Return the pan to medium heat and whisk until the mixture comes to a boil.
3. Add the onion, bay leaf, and nutmeg, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl and cover to keep warm. You should have about 2 1/2 cups.
4. Bring a large pot three-fourths full of salted water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Drain, transfer to a bowl, and stir in the butter. Add the sauce, 1 cup of the cheese, and the cream, and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Pour the pasta into the prepared dish and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese over the top. Bake until golden and bubbling, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Source: Family Meals

Try #1 - February 13, 2012
Abby requested macaroni and cheese for her birthday dinner, so I decided to try out a new homemade recipe (my other one hasn't been as much of a hit with the kids recently). We also let Abby pick out the pasta shaped she wanted (bowties!). The kids did seem to like this one better, whether it was the recipe, the fact that Abby got to pick the pasta (oh, and she helped me make it too), or the fact that it was Abby's birthday. This was a little creamier than my other recipe, although I did halve the amount of heavy cream to 1/4 cup. By the time I got to adding the cream, the sauce looked creamy enough, so I figured I didn't need to add that much more fat. For the cheese I used grated Parmesan and shredded Cheddar.

Quick Buttercream Frosting

2 stick of butter, at room temp
6 cups powdered sugar
5 Tbsp milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean pod, optional
a few drops of food coloring, optional

1. Place all ingredients in your mixer bowl. Beat on low just until you have no more dry streaks of powdered sugar. (Add a bit of food coloring/gel here, if using. If using a vanilla bean, split the pod in half, scrape with the edge of your knife, and add the scrapings to the mixer bowl.)
2. Turn to high and whip for 3-4 minutes, until light, fluffy, and smooth, stopping once to scrape down the sides.
3. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip (I use a Wilton 1M).

Note: Extra frosting can be stored in the fridge for quite a while. Bring to room temp and whip for a couple of minutes before using.

Source: http://www.jasonandshawnda.com/foodiebride/archives/3948

Fresh Strawberry Cake

24 oz organic frozen or very ripe fresh strawberries, hulled (if frozen, thawed)
1-2 tsp sugar (optional)
1/4 cup milk, at room temperature
6 large egg whites, room temperature (4 whole eggs can be substituted, per reader comments)
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cup cake flour, sifted
1 3/4 cup sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
12 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened (not melted)

1. Thaw frozen strawberries in whatever form (sliced, whole, etc) and in whatever container/bag you have them in. Pour into a fine strainer placed over a bowl and let sit. Lightly toss the strawberries occasionally to remove any pockets of excess liquid. Reserve the liquid for another use or discard.
2. Place strawberries in a food processor or blender and puree. (You most certainly can use non-organic and you can use fresh strawberries if you don't have a stash of frozen strawberries in your freezer. Just hull, slice and toss with a teaspoon or two of sugar and cover. Let them sit at room temperature for a couple of hours, until nice and juicy. Place strawberries in a food processor or blender and puree.)
3. Reserve 3/4 cup puree for the cake. Use leftover puree to fill the cake or fold into the frosting, if desired. It's also fabulous spooned over ice cream... and eaten straight with a spoon.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare two 8 inch pans: spray inside with baking spray with flour (or use some sort of grease/flour combination) and line outside with heavy duty foil (optional; I used Bake Even strips).
5. In small bowl, combine puree, milk, egg, vanilla and mix with fork until well blended. In bowl of stand mixer, add sifted flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and mix to combine. Continue beating at slow speed and add butter. Mix until combined and resembling moist crumbs.
6. Add liquids and beat at medium speed for about 1 minute or until full and evenly combined. Stop mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl and hand beat for 30 more seconds. Divide the batter evenly among the pans and smooth tops.
7. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (time will vary). Let cakes rest in pan for about 10 minutes and turn out onto wire racks. Let cakes cool completely (about 2 hours).

Source: http://www.jasonandshawnda.com/foodiebride/archives/1088

Try #1 - February 13, 2012
I made this for Abby's 4th birthday, at her request - "I want strawberry cake with pink frosting." I went searching for a recipe that called for real strawberries (not jello mix or something like that). It wasn't half bad for my first (I'm ashamed to admit) cake from scratch. I liked that it wasn't overly sweet, but still had a basically white/vanilla cake taste. I added a layer of strawberry puree over the frosting filling, which was really yummy - next time I might make the puree layer even thicker. Speaking of puree... 24 oz of strawberries made WAY more than the 3/4 cup needed for the cake. We still have a cup or two left over. You could use 12 oz of strawberries and be fine. I used 4 eggs instead of 6 egg whites - the cake was a bit dense (and maybe a little dry?), but just a texture thing, it didn't seem to affect the taste. And I don't know if the density was due to the eggs or not. I'm not that cake savvy.

For the frosting, I used this recipe - basically the same as my mom's old stand-by, but with a little less sugar... and it was better, I thought. I halved the recipe, which didn't make quiet enough for the top of the cake, but I think doing the full recipe would have been too much. Depends on how much frosting you like, I guess. I did add a teaspoon or two of the strawberry puree to the frosting as well, more for color than for taste (I also added red food coloring).

Cornmeal Pancakes with Honey-Pecan Butter

Honey-Pecan Butter:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted European-style butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons honey
Generous pinch of ground cinnamon
1/3 cup finely chopped toasted pecans

Cornmeal Pancakes:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/3 cup fine yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Melted European-style butter
Maple syrup, warmed

1. Using electric mixer, beat 1/2 cup butter, honey, and cinnamon in small bowl until fluffy. Stir in pecans. Season with salt.
2. Sift flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into large bowl. Whisk eggs in medium bowl to blend; whisk in sour cream, milk, oil, and vanilla. Gradually add liquid mixture to dry ingredients, whisking just until blended.
3. Heat griddle or heavy large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, brush griddle lightly with melted butter. Pour batter by 1/3 cupfuls onto griddle. Cook until bottoms brown, about 4 minutes. Turn pancakes over and cook until second sides brown, about 2 minutes. Divide pancakes among plates and top with honey-pecan butter. Serve, passing warm maple syrup separately.

Source: From epicurious.com, and clicking this link will also lead you to many other delicious pancake recipes!

Try #1 - February 12, 2012
Wow, these were delicious! Moist and fluffy. I didn't make the honey-pecan butter, but found they were good topped with butter and strawberry jam.

Falafel

1/3 cup bulgur
1/2 cup water
15-oz can garbanzo beans, drained (about 1 3/4 cup)
1 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp flour or bread crumbs
6 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp ground red pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander (fresh-ground seeds are best)
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1-2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt (optional)
Oil for frying

Yogurt Sauce:
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
Mix and let stand 30 minutes to blend flavors.

1. Soak bulgur in 1/2 cup water for 30 minutes. Drain excess water.
2. Combine drained bulgur with remaining ingredients (except oil) and process into a smooth paste. If too thick, add second egg to help Falafel balls hold together when frying.
3. Heat 2 inches oil in heavy saucepan to 350-365 F. Form batter into small balls with 2 teaspoons (like drop cookies) and drop into hot oil. Balls should not be too large, and oil must stay hot. Cook, 4-5 at a time, 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Nuggets should be moist inside, but not wet. Drain on paper. Makes about 30 balls.
4. Serve hot or at room temperature in pita bread, with cucumbers and tomatoes or lettuce and olives, and yogurt sauce.

Source: Extending the Table

Try #1 - February 12, 2012
Yummy! Nathan in particular was a big fan. William seemed to like it too, but not so much Abby. It was fun to try something new, and relatively easy to make.

Whole Wheat Pita Pocket Bread (Bread Machine)

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup bread flour
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp active dry yeast or bread machine yeast

1. Add ingredients to the bread pan according to the manufacturer's instructions. Select the Dough cycle and start.
2. After the cycle is complete, remove the dough from the machine and cover with a large bowl. Let it rest for about 10 minutes.
3. Divide the dough into seven equal portions and shape each into a smooth ball. Place the balls on a lightly floured work surface and use a rolling-pin to roll each ball into a 6 inch circle. Cover the circles and let them rise for about 30 minutes or until they puff slightly.
4. Place 2 to three dough circles on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake in an oven at 450 degrees for about 3 minutes, turn the dough once, then bake for an additional 3 or 4 minutes, or until the bread is puffed and the tops are beginning to brown.
5. Remove the pita rounds from the oven and let them cool on a rack, and repeat with the remaining dough circles. You should end up with 7 to 10 pita rounds.
6. To serve, cut the pita in two and fill the inside with the filling of your choice, or just wrap the pita around the desired filling.

Source: http://www.bread-maker.net/Bread-maker/bread-recipes2/Whole-Wheat-Pita-Bread.htm

Try #1 - February 12, 2012
These are good, and easy, but make sure to let them puff up before turning them! Otherwise you end up with flat pita that has to be sliced with a bread knife to make the pocket.

Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir-Fry

1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
1 8 ounce can pineapple chunks, drained and juices reserved
3 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp rice vinegar

3-4 tsp vegetable oil, divided
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs diced into 1 inch pieces
(you could also use pork tenderloin, or sliced boneless pork chops)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
3 cups broccoli florets
1 medium bell pepper, stemmed , seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch squares
Hot cooked white or brown rice

1. Combine cornstarch and water in a medium sized bowl and stir to dissolve. Add the reserved pineapple juice*, ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, and vinegar to the bowl and stir to combine.
*If you’re using a stainless steel pan, save pineapple juice for de-glazing it
2. Heat 2-3 teaspoons of the oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, salt, pepper, garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry until the chicken is cooked and no longer pink, 3-4 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and cover to keep warm.
3. Add the remaining 1-2 teaspoons oil to the pan and add the broccoli and bell pepper. Stir-fry over medium-high heat until the vegetables are crisp-tender and the broccoli is bright green, 3-5 minutes.
4. Return the chicken to the pan and add the pineapple chunks and sauce mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook until everything is heated through and the sauce has thickened, 1-2 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve over the hot cooked rice. If desired, top with sesame seeds and chopped fresh cilantro or parsley.

Source: Bites

Try #1 - February 11, 2012
This was good. However, I never buy 8-oz cans of pineapple, so I just used my regular 20-oz can. Which made it a bit too sweet... next time I could probably still use all the pineapple chunks from a 20-oz can, but I would probably halve the amount of juice from the can. Other than that, this was a delicious and fast dinner!