Shef Shanan

GLAZED SOUR CREAM AND LEMON COOKIES

2011-07-18T07:24:10Z

Not much to say here. It's sour cream and lemon. Together. Last I checked there wasn't much that could upstage the combination. In fact by the time I went to glaze the darned things, about two thirds were m.i.a.... and the hubby, normally only supervised around chocolate inclusive recipes, was sitting pretty on the couch with a bit of a tummy ache (as he should have! I started off with over 30 cookies!).

GLAZED SOUR CREAM AND LEMON COOKIES
Servings: 36 cookies
Total Time to Complete Recipe: 1+ hr
Active cook/prep time: 5 - 10 min
Inactive cook/prep time: 55 min
Helpful Equipment: Baking Sheet(s), electric hand mixer, hand whisk, microplane/zester, two mixing bowls, wire cooling rack(s)

TIPS & TRICKS

The only part of this recipe not perfected is the setting of the glaze. It doesn't. It doesn't set quite as perfect as I'd like. I could add a bit more sugar (as you are welcome to) and you'd get a better set. But I liked the flavor right where it was so I stopped adding sugar. But it's up to you. If you need to transport many, it might make sense to add another 1/2 to 1 full cup of powdered sugar to your glaze. However if not transporting, try it as written and enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
COOKIE
    3 c. Flour
    1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
    1 tsp. Baking Powder
    scant 1/2 tsp. Salt
    1 c. (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
    1 1/2 c. Sugar
    2 Eggs
    1/2 c. Sour Cream
    2 tsp. Lemon Zest
GLAZE
    1/4 c. (1/2 stick) Butter, at room temperature
    1/2 c. Sour Cream
    Splash of Almond, Vanilla, or Lemon Extract
    2 c. Powdered Sugar
    Lemon Zest, for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large mixing bowl.
In another large mixing bowl, cream together 1 c. butter and 1 1/2 c. sugar with electric hand mixer.
Beat eggs into butter mixture one at a time until well incorporated.
Blend in 1/2 c. sour cream and lemon zest.
Add flour mixture slowly and blend until completely combined.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 45 min - 1 hr.
Preheat oven to 375º F.
Grease or line baking sheet.
Drop large tablespoon-sized dough 1 to 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
Bake at 375º F 6 to 7 minutes. Rotate sheet 180º and bake additional 6 to 7 minutes or until edges are slightly golden.
Cool cookies on baking sheet 2 minutes before transferring to wire cooling rack to cool completely.
While cooling cookies, place 1/4 c. butter and 1/2 c. sour cream in small bowl. Blend together with electric hand mixer.
Combine flavoring (almond, vanilla, or lemon extract) with mixture.
Beat in powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until smooth. Chill until ready for use.
Glaze cookies and garnish with lemon zest if using.

Recipe Origins: adapted from recipe found in The Great Cookie Book published by Nordic Ware.

APRICOT & BRIE PASTRIES

2011-07-12T07:14:28Z

(Back into the kitchen after a long holiday break...)

Hi. My name is Shanan and I am addicted to grocery shopping. Every now and then, in an honest effort to curb how much I spend on all the necessary culinary components (because really, I do feel guilty), I open the fridge or pantry doors and scratch my chin. I literally "hmmmmm" outloud as I conjure ways to use up any of the random ingredients littering my kitchen from previous cooking adventures. You see, when I made fruit dip a month or so back, I bought a full jar of apricot preserves. I don't use apricot preserves often, so I thought I would use the opportunity to think up some new ways to use my leftovers rather than let them sit for ages until I ultimately tossed them.

These little pastry bites are perfect in so many ways. 1 - they helped use up my leftover preserves (yippee!). 2 - they're super easy. 3 - they're super cute (why is it that puff pastry impresses people so much, myself included, when it's easier to work with than... anything?). 3 - they're super good. The tang of the apricot is great with brie, and the walnuts give just enough additional texture to make you smile.

But really, this recipe is just a reminder of how easy it can be to make something good without much... even a recipe. Puff pastry, some good cheese, and some fruit. Add a little texture and voila. You could change the filling (or perhaps the shape of the pastry) and make this completely your own thing.

BRIE & APRICOT PASTRIES
Servings: 36 individual pastries
Total Time to Complete Recipe: 1+ hr
Active cook/prep time: 5 - 10 min
Inactive cook/prep time: 55 min
Helpful Equipment: Baking Sheet(s), hand whisk, pastry brush

TIPS & TRICKS

Whether or not to incorporate the brie rind is totally up to you. I'm a fan (especially when it's baked), but if you're up to painstakingly removing it, go for it.

INGREDIENTS

    2 sheets pre-made Puff Pastry, thawed per package directions
    Flour, for dusting
    1 1/2 c. Apricot Preserves
    1 (approx. 7 oz.) wedge Brie Cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
    1/2 c. Walnuts, chopped
    1 Egg White

DIRECTIONS

Pre-heat oven to 425º F. Spray baking sheet(s) with non-stick cooking spray.
Unfold thawed puff pastry sheet on lightly floured surface. Cut into 9 equal squares.
Place 1+ Tbs preserves, 1 square of brie, and a sprinkle of walnuts in center of each pastry square.
Fold opposite tips of pastry square over preserve filling, using a dab of water to hold pastry ends in place if necessary.
Whisk egg white with a splash of water until lightly frothy. Brush pastry tops with egg.
Place pastries on prepared baking sheet(s) and bake at 425º F for 15 minutes or until puffed and golden.
Serve immediately.

APRICOT SMOOTHIE

2011-06-28T21:17:09Z

I set EatingWell.com as a home page tab eons ago in the thought that maybe I'd see something healthy and make it (always trying to be healthier, right?). It hasn't worked so well... mostly because I just never view that tab (granted it is buried behind a bunch of other foodie sites). But the other day I made an effort to visit the site and found an article about quick and healthy breakfast ideas. This recipe stood out to me the most - perhaps because I'd just bought a can of apricots for heaven knows why - and the thought of tangy yogurt and apricots together sounded perfectly appetizing.

APRICOT SMOOTHIE
Servings: 2
Total Time to Complete Recipe: <5 min
Active cook/prep time: <5 min
Helpful Equipment: Blender

TIPS & TRICKS

You can use regular plain yogurt if you'd like, I just really love the nutritional value of greek yogurt (high in protein, low in sugar) and it's so incredibly thick and smooth.
If you're really looking to cut more sugar out of this, you could use fresh apricots instead of canned. It would change the texture because fresh apricots aren't as soft as canned ones, so you'd just have to decide for yourself if you want to trade texture for sugar content (granted, it's not a huge difference). Granted, I always buy canned fruit in water or light juice rather than heavy syrup. So it's not a tun of sugar. I've also heard of people rinsing off their fruit as well (but I think the fruit is pretty saturated from canning... so I'm not sure rinsing helps too much).
I've made this with both Truvia (sugar substitute) as well as granulated white sugar and I can't tell the difference.

INGREDIENTS

    2 c. Plain Greek Yogurt
    1 (15 oz.) can Apricot Slices or Halves, drained
    12 - 14 lrg. Icecubes
    6 Tbs. Sugar

DIRECTIONS

Place all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth (stopping periodically and stirring by hand to mix if necessary).
Serve immediately.

RECIPE ORIGINS: inspired by recipe found on EatingWell.com

CHICKEN RAMEN SALAD

2011-06-25T04:48:09Z

I grew up on this at church potlucks and other such gatherings. I thought it was just as normal in everyone else's life as it was in my own. But last time I made it I had a friend over who took a bite... and another... and another... and I quickly realized (between her bites and her nods of approval) that perhaps this was more of a unique gem than I'd previously realized. I mean, I always knew it was special (it was always one of the first buffet items to go), but I think having it so often - right alongside jello salads and Costco bagged rolls - I mentally put it in line with, well, everything else on the table. It was good, really good, but it was basic buffet food.

Or so I thought. I've now been convinced otherwise... that this whole time I had much more of a treasure than I realized. I mean, it is really good. And there is a reason why it disappears from table tops as quickly as it does. And it's so great for this time of year. Light and crisp with all my favorite Asiany flavors (is that a real word?).

CHICKEN RAMEN SALAD
Servings: 12 sides or 4 - 6 main
Total Time to Complete Recipe: 1 hr 15 min (including chill time)
Active cook/prep time: 45 min
Inactive cook/prep time: 1 hr
Helpful Equipment: Large sauce pan, large baking sheet, small mixing bowl, large salad bowl

TIPS & TRICKS

My favorite thing about this recipe is you can adjust it per your preference. You know, make it your own. It's a great starting place for adding things such as fresh ginger, rice vinegar (instead of the regular), frozen peas, toasted sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, chopped fresh button mushrooms and I'm sure many more.
When slicing your cabbage, don't leave your pieces too long. There's nothing more annoying than long dangling pieces of sauced-up cabbage on your chin.
The time can vary greatly when boiling your chicken (due to size of chicken pieces), so just make sure there is no trace of pink and that it shreds very easily. If there is any tug when trying to shred, it's not cooked completely (sometimes a little sniff tells you it's still not done).

INGREDIENTS
SALAD
    Salt (for boiling water)
    3 to 4 Chicken Breasts
    2 pkg. Top Ramen Noodles, crunched
    1/2 c. Slivered or Sliced Almonds
    1/2 to 3/4 Head of Cabbage, sliced thin
    1 Bunch Green Onions, chopped
    1/2 c. Celery or Water Chestnuts, chopped (optional)
DRESSING
    2 Top Ramen Seasoning Packets
    1/2 c. minus 1 Tbs. Oil
    1 Tbs. Sesame Oil
    1/4 c. Sugar
    2 Tbs. White Vinegar
    3 Tbs. Soy Sauce
    1/2 tsp. Fresh Ground Pepper
    2 Tbs. Sesame Seeds (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Fill sauce pan with water and bring to boil.
Place chicken breasts in generously salted water and boil gently until cooked thru (no trace of pink inside/175º).
Shred chicken and refrigerated for 30 minutes.
Pre-heat oven to 400º.
Sprinkle ramen noodles and sliced almonds in thin layer on large baking sheet. Roast at 400º for 5 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Set aside and cool for 5 minutes.
For dressing, combine seasoning packets, oil, sesame oil, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, pepper, and sesame seeds (if using) in a small bowl. Set aside.
Toss together roasted noodles, almonds, shredded chicken, sliced cabbage, onions & celery or water chestnuts (if using).
Drizzle dressing over salad and toss gently until evenly distributed.
Serve immediately or chill and serve within a couple hours.

PINEAPPLE ANGEL FOOD CAKE

2011-06-21T22:00:47Z

I don't go looking for recipes with long ingredient lists nor do I go looking for recipes with intricate details and instructions. Many people mistakenly think that because I am a freak about good food, I am a freak overall and therefore only gravitate towards foods that are freakishly difficult to put together. I couldn't disagree more. Those who really know me know that I just love good food. I love healthy, close to the earth, fresh and simple to prepare foods and I try to compose the majority of my caloric intake around those things... but I promise you there's just as much of me that loves a can of this or that mixed with a bottle of this or that and eaten with greasy these and those. I don't discriminate based on ingredients or level of difficulty. I just love good food.

And this cake is one of those things (courtesy of Ellen... who once again provides us with a noteworthy kitchen contribution). It has two (yes TWO) ingredients. A can of crushed pineapple and a box of angel food cake. That's it. Nada mas! And when done I could eat the. entire. pan. Don't you have a favorite boxed meal or shelf-sauce that is your go-to comfort food on a rainy day?

NOTE: While I like the picture, I think the golden top makes it appear (perhaps?) a little on the dry side. That assumption could not be further from the truth. This may be the most moist, the most dense, the most finger licking good cake I have ever tasted. So if you don't like cake much (as I don't many times... because let's face it - most cakes are dry and crumbly), this cake will pleasantly surprise you.

PINEAPPLE ANGEL FOOD CAKE
Servings: 1 (9x13 pan)
Total Time to Complete Recipe: 50 min
Active cook/prep time: 5 min
Inactive cook/prep time: 45 min
Helpful Equipment: 9x13 baking dish

TIPS & TRICKS

Ummmm.... (I'm trying to make one up in my head).... oh, ok. I can think of one tip. Let it cool before you cut it. It sticks and pulls a bit if it's too warm, so give it some time to cool off and then cut for serving.

INGREDIENTS

1 (20 oz.) can Crushed Pineapple
1 box Angel Food Cake Mix

DIRECTIONS

Set oven to 350º. Grease 9x13 baking pan and set aside.
Stir together pineapple (including juice) and cake mix in a large bowl.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until top is lightly golden.
Let cool for 15 to 20 minutes before cutting.

Recipe Origins: wonderful Ellen!

BANANA SPLIT TRIFLE

2011-06-17T17:51:48Z

If you're anything like me, the sight of a new cookbook - all enticing with it's pretty cover and crisp unopened pages - will stop you in your tracks. This happens to me all too often... as one can easily attest by viewing the bookshelf in my kitchen or many of the shelves in my pantry. So rewind to last Fall when I spotted a Philly Cream Cheese cookbook at the grocery store. A full display of these cookbooks were propped up announcing that I could get a free cookbook with every four cream cheese products purchased. Now most "free" cookbooks and product brand cookbooks are easy to spot - they look free. They are less than enticing and you're lucky if their pictures don't look like some experimental photo session from the 70's. But this cookbook? I would have paid the $19.99 value it claimed the "free" book to be worth. This one made me drool and I had to have it.

Shortly after filling a drawer in the fridge with cream cheese (and thus being able to obtain said cookbook), a friend and I wound up throwing a House Party for Philly Cream Cheese (coincidence? I think not.) I immediately knew which dessert I was going to make - the banana whipped cream pudding and chocolate looking thing that I'd been dreaming about since my first flip thru the recipes. It's a very pretty dish when on display... and surprised us with how truly divine tasting it was. Although the party's purpose was to display dishes highlighting Philly's new cooking creme recipes, the Banana Split Trifle was hands down everyone's favorite.

BANANA SPLIT TRIFLE
Servings: 12+ dessert servings (or 1 big sit-on-the-couch serving)
Total Time to Complete Recipe: 3 hrs 30 min (includes chill time)
Active cook/prep time: 20 min
Inactive cook/prep time: 3 hr 10 min
Helpful Equipment: 9x13 baking dish, hand mixer

TIPS & TRICKS

The first thing that entered my mind when I saw the list of ingredients was Pina Colada. Bananas, pineapple, and ... isn't coconut naturally what comes to mind next? I think next time I make this I'm adjusting the pudding layer to be made of coconut milk instead of regular milk, and then I'll toast some shredded sweetened coconut flakes for the garnish. If you get around to it first, let me know. I'm salivating just thinking about it! Oooh, that even sounds better - Pina Colada Cake!
The original recipe called for 1/3 c. butter in the crust - but I found the crust too crumbling and not holding at all (difficult to even press into the pan). So I increased the butter just a tad to get the hold I was looking for. I add this note more as an fyi, so if you want - when making this - you can start with less butter than called for below, but also know that you might need to add more to make it work.

INGREDIENTS
CRUST
    1 sleeve (9 full crackers) Graham Crackers, crushed
    1/4 c. Sugar
    1/2 c. Butter
FILLING LAYERS
    2 (8 oz.) pkgs. Cream Cheese, softened
    3/4 c. Sugar
    1 (20 oz.) can Crushed Pineapple, well drained
    3 Bananas
    2 (3.4 oz.) pkgs. Vanilla Instant Pudding
    2 c. Cold Milk
    1 c. Whipped Topping, thawed
TOPPING
    1 c. Whipped Topping, thawed
    Chocolate Curls (optional for garnish)

DIRECTIONS

CRUST: Combine crackers, 1/4 c. sugar & butter in a large bowl. Press into bottom of 9x13 baking dish and freeze for 10 minutes to set.
FILLING LAYERS:
- Using a hand mixer, blend together cream cheese and 3/4 c. sugar. Spread carefully over chilled crust.
- Sprinkle drained pineapple over cream cheese layer.
- Slice bananas and make layer over pineapple.
- Using a hand mixer, mix together pudding and milk until pudding is absorbed and mixture thickens to pudding consistency. Add to pudding 1 c. whipped topping, stir gently until evenly combined, and spread over banana layer.
TOPPING: Spread 1 c. whipped topping over pudding layer.
Chill finished dessert for 3 to 5 hours. Garnish with chocolate curls before serving (if desired).

Recipe Origins: original recipe found in Spread a Little Joy cookbook published by Philadelphia Cream Cheese.

BLACK BEAN CHIPOTLE BURGERS

2011-06-15T06:00:40Z

I was strolling the ever-so-exciting freezer section of Costco and this box of Black Bean Chipotle Burgers starting calling to me. They were great, yes, and I've converted many friends into fans. However something always nagged at me to try making them at home - something about the list of ingredients sounding like something I could make even better in my own kitchen. So I did a bit of looking around and concocted up a little plan and yea... it rocked. They rocked. They're DELICIOUS. Even the carnivorous husband found them quite appealing and that doesn't happen too often.

BLACK BEAN CHIPOTLE BURGER
Servings: 4
Total Time to Complete Recipe: 1 hr
Active cook/prep time: 30 min
Inactive cook/prep time: 30 min
Helpful Equipment: Large skillet, potato masher, wax Paper, large baking sheet

TIPS & TRICKS

The trick to this burger is to get as much moisture out of your veggies. Too much moisture and things will fall apart and/or become mushy. So air drying your beans and making sure your sauteed mushroom, onion & pepper are more dry than not is very helpful.
Montreal steak seasoning may seem odd, but really it's just a blend of salt, pepper, garlic, paprika and a number of other spices. I'd seen the suggestion elsewhere online and thought it was a good approach. But you could very easily substitute it by just adding some of your favorite herbs & spices. This recipe is super versatile, so don't be afraid to adjust it to your needs.
If you've never used Chipotle Chiles before, they are divine. But don't underestimate their power... add aditional ones with caution. You can overdo it quickly.
Make sure you've lightly beat your egg before adding it to the mixture (with a fork or something similar). Adding it straight to the mixture without breaking it up with cause it to clump and it won't mix in and bind your burgers like you'll want it to.
Taste test your concoction before you add the egg. That way you can add more salt, chile peppers, spice, cilantro (or whatever) if needed.
I skillet cooked my patties, but imagine broiling would work too. I fear a grill might be a little difficult because these don't hold together quite as well as a normal beef burger and you might wind up eating half your meal off some charcoals.
These are great with a little spiced up mayo (in all honesty, an idea I stole from someone else). I didn't add it as part of the recipe because I didn't really measure anything. I just kept adding some mayo, ranch dressing, diced chipotle peppers and a hint of lemon juice until I had the desired taste.

INGREDIENTS

    1 can Black Beans
    1/4 tsp. Olive Oil
    3 lrg. Button Mushrooms, diced small
    1 sm. Onion or 1/2 lrg. Onion, diced small
    1/2 Green Bell Pepper, diced small
    3 lrg. Garlic Cloves, minced
    1/2 c. Cooked Brown Rice
    2 Tbs. Fresh Cilantro, chopped
    1/4 c. Ritz Cracker Crumbs
    2 sm. Chipotle Chile Peppers in Adobo Sauce, minced
    1/2 tsp. Cumin
    1/2 tsp. McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning
    1/2 to 1 c. Cheese, shredded
    1 Egg, lightly beat
    Oil

DIRECTIONS

Cover baking sheet with wax paper and set aside.
Drain & thoroughly rinse beans, then lay out in a single layer on a paper towel to dry (approximately 15 - 20 minutes). Pat with additional paper towel to speed up the process if needed.
While beans are drying, heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion & bell pepper and sauté, drawing most moisture out of the vegetables.
Add garlic to vegetables and sauté for 30 to 60 seconds, or until aromatic.
Add beans to a large bowl. Smash with a potato masher into a thick paste (but pieces of beans will still be visible).
To smashed beans, add sautéed vegetables, brown rice, cilantro, cracker crumbs, chiles, cumin, steak seasoning and cheese. Combine gently (with hands if needed), then add lightly beaten egg.
Divide the mixture into four equal mounds. Lightly grease hands with oil, pat each mound into a patty, and place patties single-layer on the wax paper.
Freeze patties for 30 minutes.
Heat large skillet over medium-high heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray or lightly oil. Cook patties without flipping them for 5 minutes or until underside is visibly darkened (but not burned). Flip carefully with large spatula and continue cooking until darkened on both sides and heated thru.

COCONUT SYRUP

2011-06-11T16:47:29Z

This recipe comes courtesy my friend Michelle. She's an amazing cook and just when I thought I'd heard of most foodie secrets up her sleeve (not really... I'm sure she's got a thousand she has yet to share), I found this recipe of hers as a suggested topping for some banana pancakes I was making. It is so incredibly yummmmmmm (don't ask how many times I've licked this from my fingers today), not to mention very straight forward with no frivolously added ingredients to make it look any more exotic than it already is. I'm trying to think of a thousand other things to put this syrup on. Any suggestions? (seriously, any suggestions? It's not safe to have a bottle of this sitting around and nowhere to go... hmmmm, speaking of, perhaps I should go get a straw...)

COCONUT SYRUP
Servings: 1+ cup
Total Time to Complete Recipe: 20 to 30 min
Active cook/prep time: 20 to 30 min
Helpful Equipment: Small sauce pan, mesh strainer, and whisk

TIPS & TRICKS

Do NOT try to be healthy and use Lite Coconut Milk. This recipe uses the coconut meat (thick cream) found on top of the milk in the can of coconut milk. Lite coconut milk does not have this cream. And since that's the only portion you use for this recipe, it will absolutely positively not work.

INGREDIENTS

    1 can Coconut Milk (not Lite)
    1 c. Water
    1 c. Sugar
    1 tsp. Vanilla
    Pinch of Salt

DIRECTIONS

Using a mesh strainer, separate thick coconut cream/meat from coconut milk and set aside.
Add water and sugar to small sauce pan. Make simple syrup by cooking over medium to medium-high heat, stirring often, until reduced to about half and is somewhat thickened.
Reduce heat and stir coconut cream into simple syrup and whisk together until smooth. Continue to simmer until thickened (sticks to spoon with desired consistency).
Stir in vanilla and salt. Serve over favorite waffle, pancake, bowl of fruit (peaches - yumm!) - you name it!

Recipe Origins: friend Michelle

The New ShefShanan.com

2011-06-10T21:31:15Z

I've sat here moping about for the last year+ wishing for a money tree to fund the blog of my dreams. I've contacted designers, and researched templates. I've a wish list a mile-long of things the real Shef Shanan site would feature. I didn't want to encourage visitors to the site until I had this dream site up and running. First impressions last. So until I could put my best foot forward, I didn't want to increase my viewership on a site screaming mediocrity.

But having that mentality has kept Shef Shanan in a rut. I may never be able to afford my dream website, but that shouldn't hold me back from getting as close as I can and it shouldn't keep me from trying RIGHT NOW. So a couple nights ago while playing in photo shop it just hit me. I may not have thousands of dollars and I may not be able to get exactly what I'm looking for at this moment in time, but I do have a few tools at hand. I do have some changes I can make. I have some functions I can build a work-around for. I can make Shef Shanan great.

So what's new? Without boring you too much... here are the highlights:

Shef Shanan is now much easier to find at http://ShefShanan.com/. Please update your bookmarks or links from your own sites. The old URL will still work, but not forever.
Shef Shanan now has a button for All Recipes where you can view all Shef Shanan recipes by category and in alphabetical order. This is one of the work-arounds I mentioned earlier... and I hope it becomes a very useful tool for my viewers. (It's been HUGE on my wish list).
Shef Shanan now has an "About Me" button. This may seem trivial for some, but I have always wanted to be able to tell people who I was. I like to connect to other bloggers by reading about them, and I like others to be able to connect to me in the same manner. So while you may never even click this button, it's there. And it makes me happy.
Shef Shanan just looks a whole lot nicer! While this may not be big on your list, it sure is on mine. Having a more professional and visually appealing site is uber important to me and I am glad to finally have one that makes me proud.

So take a moment to browse the new site. I hope you like it. And don't be surprised if you see a few more (minuscule) changes over the next week. There are still a few things I'm adding and changing around. But for the most part, it should stay about the same.

Thank you for visiting!

BANANA PANCAKES

2011-06-06T15:10:44Z

We've been consuming dozens of bananas a week lately... heaven knows why I wanted to eat bananas again in yet another form... but I just couldn't help it. We could eat pancakes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. So these cakes are a great change of pace for us pancake fans who usually stick to the basic buttermilk variety. But like all pancakes, these are also easy to change up by adding nuts, dried fruit, fresh berries, (or...chocolate chips?) - whatever you want! Of course they're also divine with fun syrups. Blueberry syrup, homemade buttermilk syrup, peanut butter syrup, or even coconut syrup (yes coconut syrup... I'll be posting that next!).

BANANA PANCAKES
Servings: 4
Total Time to Complete Recipe: 20 min
Active cook/prep time: 20 min
Helpful Equipment: sifter or mesh strainer, large skillet

TIPS & TRICKS

This is a great starting point for all sorts of things. Add nuts, berries (blueberries?), anything you can think of! (literally anything - my daughter made hers with cupcake sprinkles and they actually weren't too bad). I personally like nuts with bananas, so I would definitely throw some walnuts or pecans in. I also like the contrasting texture of the soft bananas with crunchy nuts. But that's just me. The dear husband? Chocolate chips. Bananas and chocolate chips belong together. Always. (at least in his world)
Sifting your dry ingredients will help things be a tad fluffier. With the banana, these pancakes err on the dense side. Sifting helps.
When cooking your pancakes, you'll want these on a lower rather than higher heat to avoid mushy centers. If your skillet is too hot, you'll overcook your outsides before you've adequately cooked the insides. If you're all for mushy pancakes, then have at it. But if you want it a bit fluffier, be patient and cook lower and slower for longer.

INGREDIENTS

    1 c. Flour
    2 1/2 Tbs. Sugar
    2 tsp. Baking Powder
    1/4 tsp. Salt
    2 sm. Bananas
    2 Eggs, beaten
    1 c. Milk
    2 Tbs. Applesauce
    1 tsp. Vanilla
    1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
    3/4 c. Pecans or Walnuts, chopped (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
In another bowl, mash bananas. Then stir in beaten eggs, milk, applesauce, vanilla, cinnamon and nuts (if desired).
Pour wet ingredients into bowl of dry ingredients and stir until evenly combined. (lumps of banana is ok)
Pre-heat skillet over medium-low heat. (See Tips & Tricks) Spray with non-stick cooking spray and pour approximately 1/4 c. batter per pancake. When bubbles surface and begin to pop (and under-side is slightly golden), flip and finish with cooking the opposite side.
Serve warm with favorite toppings.

Recipe Origins: based on recipe from friend Suzi.

SWEET & SOUR TERIYAKI BAKED CHICKEN

2011-06-03T18:03:57Z

This dish reminds me of one of my favorite childhood dishes, CHINESE CHICKEN. I got it from a family in our congregation who has proved to be a collector of some great recipes. They named this Sweet & Sour Chicken, but I'm not sure the end result matched the name quite like I expected it to. So I've renamed it (don't shoot me - I'm not the best at naming dishes)... in an attempt to help you better anticipate what you're about to indulge on. Its sauce is reminiscent of a sweet teriyaki, but with a hint of ginger and a slight note of garlic and pepper.

Not only is it a fabulous tasting dish, but it's emerging as a staple at our house due to how easily it can be made. I don't know about you, but the hardest time in my day is dinner time. It's like I walk in the kitchen and some radar goes off with the kids - they're under my feet squawking and complaining of starvation until dinner is on the table (when just moments before they were completely content playing with their toys). This takes minutes to throw together, and then you can just toss it in the oven and continue on with life OUTSIDE the kitchen until minutes before it's time to serve. Yea!!

SWEET & SOUR TERIYAKI BAKED CHICKEN
Servings: 4 to 6
Total Time to Complete Recipe: 1 hr
Active cook/prep time: 25 min
Inactive cook/prep time: 35+ min
Helpful Equipment: 9x13 baking dish, sauce pan

TIPS & TRICKS

When bring sauce to a simmer, stir/whisk regularly. The sugar in the soy sauce alone is enough to easily burn and drastically (negatively) alter the taste of the finished dish. So don't think a hi heat will help you here, just keep at it and only increase your heat a little at a time if needed.
Your baking time will vary depending on the size of your chicken cubes. So just keep an eye on it. My cubes were about 1/2-inch in size and 35 - 40 minutes was fine.

INGREDIENTS

    2 Tbs. Cornstarch
    2 Tbs. Cold Water
    1 c. Sugar
    2/3 c. Soy Sauce
    1/2 c. Vinegar
    2 lrg. Garlic Cloves, minced
    1 tsp. Fresh Ginger, minced
    1/2 tsp. Ground Pepper
    2 lbs. Chicken Breast/Thigh, cubed
    Sauteed Veggies & Steamed Rice (for serving)

DIRECTIONS

Pre-heat oven to 350º.
Whisk together cornstarch, water, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger and pepper in sauce pan.
Cook sauce over medium heat until begins to simmer, stirring/whisking regularly.
Pour sauce over chicken in large baking dish. Bake at 350º for 35 minutes or until chicken is cooked thru.
Serve over steamed rice and sauteed vegetables.

Recipe Origins: based on recipe provided by the McGlinchy Family

FRUIT DIP

2011-05-27T17:13:28Z

This is just one of those nummy good recipes that's nice to have on hand. My friend Ellen threw a birthday party for a friend's little boy and this fruit dip was served much to my delight. It's tangy and sweet, but not overly with either. I liked it enough I had to have the recipe and thought I might share it with you. Enjoy!

FRUIT DIP
Servings: 2+ cups of dip
Total Time to Complete Recipe: 5 min
Active cook/prep time: 5 min
Helpful Equipment: Hand mixer

TIPS & TRICKS

You really want to make sure your cream cheese is soft. If it's too cold, you'll get little lumps of unblended cream cheese in your mixture. If needed, you can cut it into cubes and nuke it quickly. But make sure to adhere to quickly (start with less time than more and then warm a little more if needed) or you'll be stuck with a funky mess.
The original recipe called for 1/2 pecans. I like pecans, so I added a little more. Feel free to do whatever!
The powdered sugar was just to give a little more sweetness over the tart. I suggest you start taste testing it (um, twist my arm) at each tablespoon of sugar and stop when you've reached your desired taste. You may not even want to add any at all. (As you can see, this recipe is totally adaptive.)

INGREDIENTS

    1 (8 oz. block) Cream Cheese, at room temperature
    1/3 c. Sour Cream
    4 - 5 Tbs. Apricot Preserves
    1/2 c. Flaked Coconut
    3 Tbs. Powdered Sugar
    3/4 c. Pecans, chopped

DIRECTIONS

In a large mixing bowl, cream together cream cheese, sour cream, preserves and coconut.
Cream in powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time to taste.
Stir in pecans.

Recipe Origins: adapted from recipe by Ellen

MUSTARD & TARRAGON VINAIGRETTE

2011-05-24T17:01:05Z

I was at a baby shower last weekend that featured a fabulous spread of foods from the local farmers' markets. Mingling with the fresh fruits and veggies were some perfectly cooked asparagus (yea for non-limp asparagus!) which randomly got me itching to buy some on my way home. (Are you wondering why I'm talking about asparagus when this recipe has none in it? Hang in there...) Once I arrived home with the asparagus, the itch was gone and there we were, stuck together. Me and the asparagus. So I thought and thought of a fun way to prepare it and came up with this (well, I didn't come up with it on my very own...). It's a fabulous vinaigrette... and not just for asparagus (hence no asparagus in the recipe... just the vinaigrette). Toss it in some salad or over some tomato wedges... or... asparagus.

MUSTARD & TARRAGON VINAIGRETTE
Servings: approx. 1 cup
Total Time to Complete Recipe: 5 min
Active cook/prep time: 5 min
Helpful Equipment: Whisk or blender

TIPS & TRICKS

Whenever you're using olive oil for a dressing, drizzle, bread dip - you name it, if it's not baked in the recipe, you want to use the best quality olive oil. When it's fresh, you literally taste it and a good olive oil tastes great. A not so good olive oil... not so great.
I'll assume you know what to-emulsify means, but if you don't - you know how oil separates from water based things? When you emulsify, you break that barrier and the oil and water products blend together. To get this you need to drizzle the oil in slowly while at the same time whisking quickly (or blending with a blender or processor or immersion blender, etc.).

INGREDIENTS

    2 Tbs. White Wine Vinegar
    2 Tbs. Dijon Mustard
    1 Tbs. Fresh Tarragon, chopped or 1 tsp. Dried Tarragon
    1/2 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
    Pinch of Sugar
    Pinch of Fresh Ground Peppercorns
    1/3 c. Olive Oil

DIRECTIONS

Whisk together vinegar, mustard, tarragon, worcestershire sauce, and sugar.
Drizzle in olive oil while whisking quickly to emulsify.

Recipe Origins: adapted from recipe found in Seattle Jr. League cookbook "Simply Classic"

COCONUT MANGO CHICKEN KABOBS

2011-05-20T21:12:29Z

I've got a few favorite cookbooks. This comes from one at the top of the list, All Fired Up by Margaret Howard (you might recall another huge favorite from the book - grilled ribeye with creamy mushroom and thyme sauce). It's a perfectly sweet and tangy combination with the grilled mango - brushed with the spiced coconut reserve - being the real treat. Granted, I like almost anything with coconut milk. Still, this goes far beyond that.

COCONUT MANGO CHICKEN KABOBS

Servings: 16 - 20 kabobs
Total Time to Complete Recipe: 4 - 24 hrs (including marinading time)
Active cook/prep time: 1 hr
Inactive cook/prep time: 4 - 24 hrs
Helpful Equipment: large zip-lock, kabob sticks, basting brush, outdoor or indoor grill

TIPS & TRICKS

This might be a dumb "tip", but I have to admit... I've majorally messed up this dish. Last time I made it, I thought what the heck. I love coconut milk, so I'll add the entire can (approx. 2 cups) and it'll be fine... and I won't adjust anything else. WRONG. The coconut milk (of which I also used Lite because the store was all out of full-fat... so maybe that was part of the problem?) wasn't overpowering per se, but its sheer quantity in relation to everything else dulled out any other flavor. Kind of like a watered down coconut sauce with a little tiny kick. Not my idea of a good dish (and sorry Sherri for making you guys eat it that night!)
Make sure you soak those kabob sticks or... you'll be eating coconut mango chicken pieces and char rather than kabobs.
Another make sure - is to make sure you oil the grill. Rarely do I oil my grill (maybe I should?), but you definitely need to here or your mango will stick and rip. (And since the mango might just be the best part... I'm guessing you won't want that to happen.)

INGREDIENTS
MARINADE
    1 c. Coconut Milk
    1/4 c. Lime Juice
    2 tsp. Grated Lime Peel
    6 to 8 Garlic Cloves, minced
    2 Green Onions, finely chopped
    2 tsp. Ground Coriander
    1 tsp. Ground Cumin
    1 tsp. Paprika
    1/2 tsp. Salt
    1/2 tsp. Fresh Ground Pepper
    Dash of Hot Pepper Sauce
    2 Tbs. Honey
KABOBS
    2 lbs. Chicken Breast or Thigh, cut into 1-inch cubes
    1 Mango, peeled & cut into 1-inch cubes
    16 - 20 Bamboo Kabob Sticks

DIRECTIONS

Whisk together all marinade ingredients except the honey in a large zip-lock bag.
Add chicken to marinade and keep in fridge for a minimum of 3 hrs, but preferably overnight.
Soak kabobs in water for 30 minutes.
Pre-heat grill.
Remove chicken from bag and pour marinade and honey in small saucepan.
Bring marinade to a simmer and cook, stirring, for a minimum of 5 minutes.
Thread chicken and mango alternately on kabobs.
Place kabobs on oiled grill. Brush with marinade and grill for 10 - 15 minutes or until no longer pink, turning and basting every 5 minutes.

Recipe Origins: adapted from recipe found in All Fire Up by Margaret Howard

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

2011-05-16T19:14:00Z

Only recently have I started to feel successful in baking cookies (other than the death by chocolate cookies that do make me feel superior every time I make them... but other than that... yea... I stink). I know, call me odd. But cookies in our house usually come in a tube from the chilled section of the grocery store (no lie). But I've turned a new leaf and am experimenting more with the thing called the bakers of the world use... the oven.

And when thinking of bakers of the world, I thought of my dear friend Gene. Gene loves baking. Even better is that he's really good. So when I had an itch for peanut butter cookies the other day, I knew I could call him and get a totally-worthy-of-inhaling recipe. I was so completely right (um, of course I was). I love these peanut butter cookies. Their taste is definitely worth praising, but really - in my mind - what separates these from other fabulous peanut butter cookies is their texture. They have a perfectly crisp edge and a soft (not dense) center. The trick is the shortening. Don't use butter. You'll lose the distinguishing aspect of this cookie if you do. Of course, I also love that you don't have to chill the dough - which is required in so many peanut butter cookie recipes (as it is in many cookie recipes over all). When I have an itch for something, I want it right now. Not after two hours of chilling.

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
Servings: 30-ish cookies
Total Time to Complete Recipe: 45 min
Active cook/prep time: 15 min
Inactive cook/prep time: 30 min
Helpful Equipment: Hand mixer, baking sheets and cooling racks

TIPS & TRICKS

There are a few ways I like to make these. Sometimes I roll each cookie in sugar before I press them on the cookie sheet, sometimes I like to add chocolate chips (which is now the house favorite.... seriously, ever had chocolate chip peanut butter cookies? Soooo good).
Depending on your oven, you may need to split your baking time and rotate your baking sheet. For me, that means I bake for 89 minutes, then do a 180 rotation and bake for 1 - 2 more minutes (depending on how thick they are).

INGREDIENTS

    1/2 c. Shortening
    1/2 c. Peanut Butter (creamy or chunky)
    1/2 c. Sugar
    1/2 c. Brown Sugar
    1 Egg
    2 Tbs. Milk
    1 tsp. Vanilla
    1 3/4 c. Flour
    1 tsp. Baking Soda
    1/2 tsp. Salt

DIRECTIONS

Pre-heat oven to 375˚. Lightly grease baking sheet and set aside.
Place shortening, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Cream together with hand mixer.
Add egg, milk and vanilla then blend until just combined.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.
Add flour mixture to creamed mixture and blend together until evenly combined.
Roll dough into small balls (approx. 1 inch) and place on prepared cookie sheet 2-inches apart.
Press cookies down lightly with fork to flatten to 1/2-inch.
Bake at 375˚ for 8 - 10 minutes or until just beginning to brown on most outer edges.
Remove from oven and let cool for two minutes before transferring to cooling racks.

Recipe Origins: Gene

CILANTRO RICE (Cafe' Rio Style)

2011-05-13T18:01:00Z

Sorry for once again going on a cilantro kick. It just happens. And once there I can't really explain how I got there or how long I'll be hanging around. I like cilantro. So to make just one dish including it and not another seems a sin to me. I guess consider this fair warning that whenever I post a recipe with cilantro, you can bet another one will be following shortly.

This recipe came way of sweet cousin Mailee way-back-when I was looking for her Cafe' Rio Dressing recipe. It's a great side dish... better than the standard Spanish or boxed rice. And no, I've never had this at Cafe' Rio, but since I know that's where this recipe is suppose to give credit to, I guess I'll do so as well.

CILANTRO RICE (Cafe' Rio Style)

Servings: 6+
Total Time to Complete Recipe: 30 to 40 min
Active cook/prep time: 10 min
Inactive cook/prep time: 20 to 30 min
Helpful Equipment: Food processor or blender, medium-sized sauce pan with fitted lid or a rice cooker

TIPS & TRICKS

The first time I made this, I was a little surprised to open the lid (note: this happened when I used my rice cooker) and find a bit of the water/herb mixture atop the finished rice... as if it wasn't done cooking (but it was). I wondered if I had just added way too much moisture to the amount of rice. But after fluffing it with a fork and putting the lid back on (even though it was no longer over heat), it came together perfectly. I've never encountered this in my umpteen years of cooking rice. So perhaps you won't either. Still, because I never have, I thought I'd mention it here so that if it happens to you - you don't feel like the recipe failed but rather that you're just fine where you're at.
I listed, under helpful equipment, a sauce pan. But I'll be honest - I haven't made rice in a pan over the stove in.... 10+ years? (ok, not true. I did once and immediately regretted it. I am stove-top-rice-cooking deficient). I listed this as an option because the original recipe came with such details and I figured most out there cook their rice this way. However, I have actually NOT made it this way... and instead made mine in a rice cooker. So just fyi - do whatever you want.

INGREDIENTS
    1/2 bunch Fresh Cilantro
    1 (7 oz.) can Whole Green Chiles, drained
    1/2 Onion
    4 c. Water
    4 tsp. Chicken Bouillon
    4 tsp. Garlic, minced
    3/4 tsp. Salt
    1 Tbs. Butter
    2 c. Long Grain Rice, uncooked

DIRECTIONS (For Rice Cooker)

Pulse cilantro, chiles and onion together in food processor then place in rice cooker.
To the vegetables, add scant 4c. water and remaining ingredients.
Close lid and set to "cook" until done (approx. 20 minutes depending on rice cooker)
Remove from heat, fluff with fork, then replace lid and allow final absorption of moisture.

DIRECTIONS (For Stove Top)

Pulse cilantro, chiles and onion together in food processor.
In medium-sized stock pot, bring water to a boil. Add remaining ingredients along with chopped vegetables.
Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
Remove from heat, fluff with fork, then replace lid and allow final absorption of moisture.

Recipe Origins: Mailee

CILANTRO & LIME CHICKEN TACOS

2011-05-10T16:59:00Z

As I've made known to many, I'm a freak about fajitas. If I'm at a Mexican restaurant, nine times out of ten you'll find steak fajitas on my plate. Garin, on the other hand, will usually have the two-taco combo (and yes, I find it funny that almost every Mexican restaurant we've patronized has a two-taco combo). And after years of seeing and being completely unimpressed with two-taco combos, I must admit that the combo at Baja Fresh caught my eye. Their Baja-style taco is served on a corn tortilla with your meat of choice, diced onions and chopped cilantro. That's it. But something about it looked (and smelled) quite appealing and every time Garin ordered it I secretly wished I had the guts to order one instead of my fajita.

So one day I did. And voila! A new taco combo fan was born. That's not to say anything beats a good steak fajita (because it doesn't. Please don't argue this point.), but man alive... Baja Fresh has some good tacos.

Fast forward a couple years and I've got a new cookbook compiled by my ward (congregation). One of the recipes submitted was Cilantro Lime Chicken. I glanced over the ingredients and they looked good enough. Sure. Why not. However the recipe called for marinating chicken breasts and grilling them up whole. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that (and I'd encourage you to prepare yours that way if you so desire), but something in me thought, "Chicken tacos maybe?". It was a good thought. Because the recipe, as adapted to chicken tacos, is now - hands DOWN - a family favorite. In fact I think the standard prep for it should be to double the recipe. Because there are never any leftovers. And this makes crazy good leftovers if you ask me.

CILANTRO & LIME CHICKEN TACOS

Servings: 8 to 10 (6+ inch) tacos
Total Time to Complete Recipe: 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 hrs (including marinade)
Active cook/prep time: 30 min
Inactive cook/prep time: 1 hr to 3 hr
Helpful Equipment: large zip-lock bag, large skillet, small skillet

TIPS & TRICKS

Even though I use a blender for the marinade, the garlic seems to still need an initial chop or dice before being thrown in. Perhaps I just have really old and dull blades in my food processor and blender, but every time I've made this with whole garlic cloves (thinking they'd get pulsated in the process) - the remain mostly whole when done blending. If I chop them up first, they seem to get blended in better. Granted, you could probably just press them in too and then you'd save yourself the time from chopping.
If the skillet for cooking the chicken is too small, then you'll steam your chicken rather than pan fry it - which will also thicken your sauce and brown things just right. If you find this happening (steaming rather than pan sauteing), you have a few options. Work in batches, or cook meat and sauce separately (so chicken browns on its own and the sauce thickens and cooks thru on its own) and then cook them together until you're happy with the results. Both options should give you a better and more intense grilled flavor rather than just chicken pieces steamed in marinade.
If you haven't used corn tortillas before (are you crazy?), then you'll need to know that you serve them a little different than flour tortillas. Flour tortillas can be served at room temperature or even cold. But corn tortillas will crumble unless heated up first. The best way to do that is to throw them in a skillet, turning over once to toast up each side. Some do this dry, some use oil or butter. That part is up to you.
Resist the urge to add anything else to your first taco. Stick to the basic of the corn tortilla topped with chicken, diced onion, and chopped cilantro. If, after ~~inhaling~~ eating your first traditional-style taco, you don't like it - then adjust as you see fit. But you're not allowed to alter it without first trying it in its ~~best~~ true form.

INGREDIENTS
MARINADE
    1/4 c. Fresh Lime Juice
    1/4 c. Olive Oil
    3 Garlic Cloves, minced
    1 1/2 tsp. Brown Sugar
    1 1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
    1 tsp. Ground Cumin
    1 tsp. Pepper
    2 Tbs. Fresh Cilantro
TACO FIXINGS
    2 lbs Chicken, cut into small cubes/pieces
    8 to 10 Corn Tortillas, toasted/warmed for serving
    1/2 c. Onion, diced
    1/2 c. Fresh Cilantro, chopped

DIRECTIONS

Place marinade ingredients into blender or food processor and blend until combined and smooth.
Place marinade and chicken pieces into large zip-lock. Squish with hands to ensure all pieces are covered in marinade, then place in refrigerator for 1 - 3 hours.
Pre-heat skillet over medium high heat and spray with non-stick spray if needed.
Add chicken to hot pan and stir until browned and cooked thru, approximately 5 - 7 minutes (see Tips & Tricks for additional notes).
Top toasted/warmed tortillas with chicken, diced onions and cilantro. Serve immediately.

Recipe Origins: Inspired by Janette McGlinchy & Baja Fresh

PEPPER & ONION RELISH

2011-05-08T03:49:00Z

Don't ask why I've been offline for a few months. Going from two-plus blog posts a week to one-ish in months is humbling to say the least. Sometimes having three little ones - none of yet who can tie their shoelaces and one still able to lock himself in a closet - keeps me from dabbling in my hobbies. Dare I admit, I'm learning to set things aside without the angst of the past and I'm enjoying the simplest of moments with the little tyrants. Thus rather than cooking and blogging much, I've been serving boxed Mac & Cheese and lots of frozen corn dogs. A good night has included fresh veggies rather than frozen or canned, but that's a stretch. Don't ask me what's changed this week and gotten me back online (perhaps the sun deciding to visit us for the first time since last September???), but I've got a renewed sense of energy and determination and I'm hearing the kitchen (and the treadmill) calling.

So... this recipe. Pepper & Onion Relish. Have you ever walked thru a grocery store (or farmers market, or random little boutique) and seen some completely random jar/can/bottle/thing-a-mah-hoo-ga of stuff and wondered who on Earth ever buys it? Yea. So, there's this little store called Harry & David (not so little... some know it very well... besides it's current news of a bankruptcy... but that's besides the point). They have all kinds of numminess such as chocolate covered berries, jams, hand picked fresh fruits, all sorts of nuts and dried treats... and that's just a beginning. I'm fortunate to live in close proximity to a couple of their retail shops. If I'm ever running errands near one, I literally plan my schedule around their store in order to stop by and get... (drum role) Pepper & Onion Relish.

"Huh????" I know. It sounds pretty... unappetizing. And it's that stuff on the shelf that I'd walked by for years and never ever had an inkling to pick up and examine. Until one day. I had walked in to sample some chocolates and was met by a plump little lady with a tray of ... oh I don't know... this creamy stuff with pita chips. I tried it. And almost died. It was divine! What was it? It was the stuff! The relish stuff. The gelatinous salsa-y stuff I'd never given a second glance to. It was mixed with cream cheese and being served as a dip and oh my gosh. It was divine.

Since then, I can't count how many jars I've purchased. I like to keep a stock in the pantry at all times. But lately, I've been losing sleep over the cost. It's about $6 a jar. And since you use one 8 oz. block of cream cheese per half jar, I only get two uses of each jar. Not the cheapest indulgence in my mind. So I thought heck. I'm sure I can make it at home. Low and behold the world wide web came to my aid once again and now you can have it to at literally a freakin' fraction of the price. I mean - this batch made 18 jars. I promise you I didn't spend (18 x $6) $108 on this recipe. I spent closer to $15. (Granted, I already had all the jars.) But it isn't worth it if it isn't good. And let me tell you. This is GOOD. Dare I even say better than the original?

Enjoy! And thank you Skip to my Lou for the inspiration!

PEPPER & ONION RELISH (Harry & David style)

Servings: 14 (8 oz.) jars, 4 (12 oz.) jars (at least those are the jars I used/filled)
Total Time to Complete Recipe: 2 hrs
Active cook/prep time: 30 min
Inactive cook/prep time: 1 hr 30 min
Helpful Equipment: Large stock pot, canning jars, canning funnel/spout, canning water bath or similar make-shift water bath system.

TIPS & TRICKS

Use. A. Food. Processor.
Depending on how big your veggies are, you may need to adjust the pectin (hence the variance in quantity listed in the ingredients). The bulk of this recipe is juice veggies. Bell peppers have a tun of juice, as do onions, as do tomatoes (especially if they're not drained as well as could be). So don't fret if the first two boxes of pectin don't do much to your concoction. I used four boxes of pectin and even then my set up was still slightly thinner than the store brand. But with a taste of absolute perfection and the ability to still use exactly as intended, I'm not going to complain.
The original recipe called for 6 jalapeños. I admit. I used 6. I stemmed & seeded and diced six. And then when I looked at it in the bowl with all the other ingredients, it just seemed like a LOT of jalapeños. So I took out a bit. In the end I believe I used closer to 3 or 4 jalapeños. But they were large if that helps. And the end result still had more kick than the store version (but not enough that I lost any sleep over it).
A little tip I read about when undertaking a crash course on canning - is that if you boil your pectin too long, you may ruin its integrity. Boil just as long as directed in the recipe (or any pectin recipe for that matter) to keep it working as intended.
Another little tip about canning, although most of you probably know this already, is that doubling a batch can also ruin your final product. Often doubled batches will not set correctly. So just keep them simple and do them one at a time. It'll likely save you many tears.
OK, last tip on canning: when you remove them from the water bath, leave the tops alone. Just set them aside and let them cool. As they do, those that had not yet sealed will seal. But leave them alone in the meantime. Don't try to push down a seal. As long as it was boiled long enough, it'll seal. Just be patient.
Visit Harry & David's Pepper & Onion Relish Recipe site for amazing ideas using this relish. My absolute FAVORITE is the aforementioned cream cheese mixture for your favorite cracker. But their site has 20+ uses for the relish. You can bet with 18 jars of the stuff I'll be trying out more than the usual.

INGREDIENTS
    2 Red Bell Peppers, stemmed, ribs & seeds removed, & diced
    2 Yellow Bell Peppers, stemmed, ribs & seeds removed, & diced
    2 Green Bell Peppers, stemmed, ribs & seeds removed, & diced
    3 Onions, diced
    4 to 6 Jalapeños, stemmed, ribs & seeds removed, & diced
    5 (14.5 oz.) cans Diced Tomatoes, drained well
    1 1/2 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
    6 c. Sugar
    2 Tbs. Salt
    2 c. Vinegar
    2 - 4 (1.75 oz.) packets Pectin

DIRECTIONS

Add all ingredients sans pectin to a large stock pot. Bring to a boil, stirring, then reduce to a simmer for 1 hour.
After 1 hour of simmering, return relish to a boil and add pectin. Stir in pectin until dissolved and boil for 1 minute. Immediately remove from heat.
Pour into relish jars leaving 1/2 inch head room at top for expansion and tightly screw on lids.
Place filled jars in water bath ensuring 1 inch of water clears the tallest jar. Boil for 15 minutes then remove and set on counter till cool. It may take a couple days for relish to fully set.
Devour as desired!

Recipe Origins: Skip to my Lou and my dear friends (Deanna, Michelle, Katie, Erin) who let me call them with random questions along the way. Can you tell I don't can much?

POTATO LEEK & ARUGULA SOUP

2011-02-13T21:05:00Z

The ladies were having an evening together and themed it a soup night. I've got a number of soup recipes that I gravitate towards when the occasion calls, but I'd been itching for some leek-ish soup lately and I didn't have one in my regular rotation. I found this in my old favorite potato cookbook. I was intrigued by the use of arugula and was attracted to its pleasantly simple list of ingredients. Totally totally divine. A new favorite find.

POTATO LEEK & ARUGULA SOUP

Servings: 4
Total Time to Complete Recipe: 30 - 45 min
Active cook/prep time: 30 - 45 min
Helpful Equipment: Large sauce pan, food mill or fine sieve

TIPS & TRICKS

The final texture and thinness/thickness of your soup depends on what gadget you use to strain things - a fine mesh sieve or a food mill (or maybe neither?). If you press your cooked vegetables thru a sieve, you will (likely) need to make multiple passes to ensure you've extracted everything you can. If you use a food mill, depending on the brand and how well it really does it jobs, you may get away with passing the soup just once, or you may need to run it thru again. Your goal is to extract as much final product as possible, but without any bulk from the original casings of your vegetables (kind of like putting garlic thru a garlic press). Of course, if you don't have the desire (and/or the tools) to do this, you're welcome to mash everything up similar to mashing potatoes, but that's up to you. In this case, I wanted a smoother texture rather than a mashed up chowder style. But it's up to you.
If, from passing your vegetables thru a sieve or food mill, your final product struggles thickening up, you can always add a thickening agent. I am not a fan of adding flour at this stage in soup making (not to mention I think it detracts from the flavor), however I'll use cornstarch if necessary. To do so, I ladle approximately one-cup soup from the pan into a large, tall drinking glass. Then I add a bit of cornstarch (1/4 c. or so) and whisk the concoction until smooth and cornstarch is dissolved without lumps. To whisk, I stand the whisk straight down in the cup and roll the handle quickly between my two hands. It seems to do a better job of incorporating the cornstarch than were I to hand whisk it in a bowl. Once it's dissolved, I can drizzle it in the soup (over heat on the oven to help the thickening begin) and stir until thickened.

INGREDIENTS
    4 Tbs. Butter
    1 Onion, diced
    2 Russet (or similar) Potatoes, peeled & diced
    3 Leeks, greens removed & whites diced
    4 c. Chicken Stock
    2 sm. handfuls Arugula, roughly chopped
    3/4 c. Heavy Whipping Cream
    Sea Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste
    Homemade Garlic Flavored Croutons (optional, for garnish)
    Garlic Ciabatta Bread, sliced (optional, for serving)

DIRECTIONS

Melt butter in large sauce pan over medium heat. Stir in onion, potatoes and leeks to cover with melted butter.
Cook over medium to medium-high heat, stirring lightly and occasionally, until vegetables begin to sizzle. Add chicken stock, bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes.
Pass soup thru a fine mesh sieve or a food mill. (See Tips & Tricks)
Rinse out soup pan (to remove any lingering scraps of vegetables) and return puree to pan. Re-heat over medium heat. Then reduce heat to medium-low.
Stir in arugula and cook for approximately 5 minutes.
Stir in heavy cream and add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve warm with garlic flavored croutons or garlic ciabatta bread.

Recipe Origins: original recipe found in Potatoes cookbook