Must Love Chutney

Muffin-worthy weather

2011-03-05T12:09:00.001-05:00

I hear lawn mowers outside this morning... and it's only early March!

We've had 3 solid weeks of 70s and sunny down here in Texas, and I am loving it!

Growing up in the Midwest, I can tell you that the whir of a lawn mower or weed-wacker would not be heard anytime prior to May. And so, I decided to celebrate what I deem the official arrival of spring... with homemade muffins for breakfast! Jam-filled peanut butter, banana and oat muffins, to be exact.

These big boys lived up to my very high muffin standards: fluffy, yet substantial. Peanut-buttery and banana-y, with the surprise of warm jam in the middle. A sweet, crusty top... that I don't need to feel guilty about. No butter. No refined grains. I believe the words wholesome goodness sum things up perfectly. :)

Jam-filled Peanut Butter, Banana and Oat Muffins

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sifted whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 large overripe bananas, mashed
6 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup milk or milk substitute
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray or line with paper cups. In a medium bowl, mix together the first 6 dry ingredients (flour through cinnamon). In a separate large bowl, cream together the next 8 ingredients (applesauce through vanilla) until well combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir just until fully combined (do no over-mix).

Fill the muffin cups a little less than half full with batter. Spoon about 1 Tbsp of jam into the center of each muffin. Divide remaining batter evenly over the top of each muffin. The muffin cups will be very full -- these make big muffins!

Bake in preheated oven for 18-24 minutes, until tops are golden-brown and a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool.

Adapted from Healthy Food for Living.

Lentil-licious

2010-09-02T10:42:00.000-04:00

Because lately I've been doing my darnedest to eat a bit lower on the glycemic index. This lentil stew/soup is filling, uber healthy and delicious!

Wish I could say my dear Starbursts and Ginger Chews have fallen out of rotation. But we all need the occassional treat, right?

Check out my recipe, and let me know what you think if you try it! Also, read below for my CSN Stores product review!

Indian-spiced Red Lentil Stew

Ingredients:
7 cups chicken or veggie stock
2 1/3 cups red lentils
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 cups baby spinach
2 tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon Sriracha, or other hot sauce (optional)
Greek yogurt
Lemon juice

Heat oil in stock pot over medium heat, adding the garlic, onion and celery. Cook until translucent. Add stock, lentils, cumin, cayenne, garam masala, cilantro, spinach and tomatoes, and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add Sriracha and continue to simmer until the lentils are tender, about 15 more minutes. Stir in lemon juice and add yogurt to individual bowls of stew just before serving.

CSN Stores product review

As mentioned in my last post, CSN Stores was lovely enough to offer me a great new set of "green" food storage containers to review. The Kinetic Go Green Glasslock Food Storage Container Set features a tempered glass construction and is made with eco-friendly non-toxic materials. I've had my eye on these for awhile, as I've been working towards moving away from plastic food storage containers.

(source)

The verdict after a few uses of the new set -- I love it! The glass, of course, is heavier than the plastic containers most of us are used to, but not overly so. They also take up a bit more room to store, since they're not as easily stackable as Tupperware -- again, not a big deal. And the lids snap on and off very easily, secure so the contents don't spill (I know this because I tipped over a container with the lentil stew, and nothing dripped out!). Also important -- the containers are microwave, dishwasher and freezer safe. Two big thumbs up from this gal!

Crêpe expectations

2010-07-15T22:29:00.002-04:00

First up... coming soon -- my first product review!

The friendly people at CSN Stores have graciously offered me the chance to review one of their gazillion products (seriously, what don't they sell?!). I will report back in the coming days to share my experience... and in the meantime, I'm drooling over their huge selection of dining room tables. Mr. Chutney, are you reading this? :)

Now, back to regular food posting...

The crêpe and I go way back. Back to early high school, in fact, to my 14-year-old self. It was during my freshman year that my family hosted a Parisian foreign exchange student, and when she shared her basic recipe for crêpes with my family, I fervently recorded it, then forever practiced--well, at least daily... for the next two or three weeks.

Later on, when I graduated from college, then moved to Chicago, I sought out all the French spots--particularly those which sold the delicate crêpe. I loved the versatility, loved the outer humbleness of the soft, slightly tanned shell. Loved that, when bitten into, simplicity switched to surprise--of a filling, sometimes complex, sometimes contrasting, yet always comforting and delicious.

Then I traveled to Paris in 2002 and I was head-over-heels smitten. With the gorgeous city's architecture, the history, the culture, the people (with their attitudes!). And of course, with the street-vendor crêpes. Avec Nutella. Avec fromage, jambon. Folded perfectly into a portable triangle of bliss. Smitten!

Two more trips to Paris later, and of course my love for the lovely crêpe still stands strong. And I share with you an easy, fail-proof recipe for one of my favorite treats. Bon appétit!

Crêpes

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

In a bowl with a hand mixer, combine eggs, milk, flour, salt and oil, blending until smooth. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. Spray a skillet with cooking spray, and heat at medium-high. Pour 1/4 cup of crêpe batter into hot pan, tilting quickly to complete a circle and coat the surface of the pan. Cook 2 - 3 minutes, turning once, until golden. Repeat with remaining batter.

Fill each crêpe with your preferred filling (one of my favorites is cottage cheese and strawberry jam -- don't knock it 'til you try it!).

Peanut butter jelly time

2010-05-10T19:50:00.000-04:00

Howdy!

Okayyyy... so maybe I haven't posted in a very long time. Again.

All I can say is that life gets in the way sometimes. But I miss you, so here I am -- sharing my latest recipe love with you. This one is a quickie. A snack, a breakfast, a dessert. A delicious treat that is satisfying yet quite guilt-free.

PB&J Yogurt Parfait

3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (I use skim)
1 tablespoon nut butter (I usually use almond butter)
1 heaping tablespoon jam or jelly (I use low sugar strawberry)
1 teaspoon chia seeds (optional, but highly recommended)
1/2 cup high fiber cereal (I use Trader Joe's High Fiber Cereal)

Add all ingredients to a bowl. Mix until well-combined. Savor... or devour. ;)

The early bird gets the cookie

2010-03-16T09:20:00.002-04:00

Holy cow, has it been a looong time since I've posted! I don't have a good excuse other than, well, life got in the way. But here we go, back on the blog bus for what is hopefully a grand ride down food avenue. ;)

I haven't gotten many emails of late from my readers--I hope that means you've also just been busy, and that all is well! Miss you!

I've got a huge smile on my face this morning because Mr. Sun is in full force. Simple as that! Oh, and I'm currently pushing huge pieces of a ginormous cookie into my mouth. Mmmm.

"What's that," you say--"a cookie... for breakfast?"

Why yes, indeed. It's a breakfast wonder. The healthy, yet ever-delicious breakfast cookie--courtesy of one of my favorite bloggettes (and food n' fitness rockstar!), Fitnessista. (Note, this is a very different recipe from my original breakfast cookies, in that this makes a single, no-bake cookie.)

The coolest part? You don't even have to cook this cookie. Make it the night before and you're set up for your very own cookie hour the very next am!

Breakfast Cookie

Ingredients:
1/3 cup old fashioned oats (or 1/3 cup oat groats or millet, ground into flour)
1/2 scoop protein powder
1/2 tablespoon chia seeds
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch sea salt
1/2 banana, smashed (you can substitute 1/3 cup applesauce, if preferred)
1 tablespoon nut butter of choice
1/8 cup - 1/4 cup milk (or preferred substitute--I use almond milk)
Mix-ins of choice (maca, cacao, dried fruit, chopped nuts, pumpkin, etc.)

Dump everything except the almond milk and mix-ins into a small mixing bowl (I use a tall and wide plastic cup for fast mixing and mashing. Mix and mash with a spoon until everything is very well combined. Add milk or milk sub slowly, stirring until a thick batter (similar to cookie dough) is reached. Stir in mix-ins.

Plop onto a small plate and stick in the fridge, uncovered, overnight. Prepare to be a cookie monster the next morning!

[Breakfast cookie photo coming soon!]

Question: What is your go-to healthy weekday breakfast? Are you a creature of habit, or do you switch things up depending on your mood?

We have a winner!

2009-11-30T22:03:00.004-05:00

Hi all! Did you have a good Turkey Day?

What about a super Black Friday? Cyber Monday? ;)

I had a wonderful long weekend with my family! My parents, sister and BIL drove a long 8 hours to visit us. It was great! We don't get to see them often enough; I think we did a good job of filling the days with QFT (quality family time!)... and of course, hightlights included eating 'til we popped and shopping til we dropped.

Husband and I really did eat like it was going out of style over the past week... sooooo... we've decided the next few weeks will be jam-packed with veggies, fruits and lean proteins (whenever possible, at least).

I even took the plunge and ordered a veggie spiralizer! I had a hunch that cute little spiral veggie "noodles" would be more tantalizing than the normal salad of baby greens -- and I was SO right! Our inaugural meal with the new gadget was such a success, I've been asked to make it again later this week!

Thai "Noodles" (Raw)

1/3 of a large jicama, cut into 2 wide strips, then spiralized into noodles
1 medium zucchini, spiralized into noodles
1 carrot, sliced into thin 1-inch strips
1/3 of a red pepper, sliced into thin 1-inch strips
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 green onions, diced
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, for garnish
2 - 3 lime wedges, for garnish
Thai Peanut Sauce (recipe below)

In a large bowl, add jicama through green onions, tossing until combined. Add 1/4 cup of the prepared Thai Peanut Sauce, stirring until all veggies are coated. Stir in additional sauce until veggies are coated to your liking (you will probably have some sauce leftover).

Scoop about 1 1/2 cups of prepared veggies onto plate and top with some of the bean sprouts and cilantro. Serve with lime wedge.

Serves 2 - 3.

Thai Peanut Sauce

1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
water, added until desired consistency is reached (I probably added 1/4 cup)

Combine all ingredients and process in food processor or mix with an electric hand mixer.

Cookies for breakfast!

2009-11-13T16:08:00.002-05:00

Good afternoon -- hope everyone is having a Friday full of fabulousness! I am sitting at my desk sipping a soothing cup of green tea and snacking on a Kashi TLC Fruits & Grains bar. I must say, the chocolate-coconut variety is yum!

No time for a photo of today's recipe, but I could not wait to share my latest creation:

Breakfast cookies!

These little half-spheres of goodness are soooo tasty, and even better, they are entirely wholesome and healthy. I eat them for breakfast with a slathering of almond butter on top and they taste completely decadent! Hope you enjoy....

Breakfast Cookies

2 cups Fiber One
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup pumpkin or cottage cheese (I've found that both work equally well)
1/4 cup cranberries (optional)
1/4 cup nuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Finely crush the cereal using either food processor or a rolling pin (the latter method definitely counts as a workout!). In a large mixing bowl, add the crushed cereal, flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In another bowl (or in the same bowl of the food processor), whisk together or process the egg, brown sugar, applesauce, vanilla and pumpkin or cottage cheese. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and combine just until mixed. Add in the other mix-ins (nuts, berries) if you're using them.

Drop dough by tablespoonful onto the baking sheets, leaving about an inch between cookies. Flatten cookies with the back of a fork. Bake about 18 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Leave cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Makes about 16 cookies.

Hello, hello!

2009-10-25T17:19:00.005-04:00

Well, hello there, blog. It's sure been awhile.

Hope everybody's been well. I wish I had more time to catch up with you all, but I've got to post and run today. But I would be doing us all a disservice if I didn't share my latest baking attempt.

Introducing the ever-decadent, never-refused...

Layered Peanut Butter Bars

Ingredients:

Cookie base

Peanut Butter Cookie dough recipe

Filling

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1-2 teaspoons milk

Frosting

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup butter

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Press prepared Peanut Butter Cookie dough into bottom of pan. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

In small bowl, beat all filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread mixture evenly over cooled cookie base.

In microwavable bowl, microwave all frosting ingredients on high 30 seconds; stir until smooth. Cool 10 minutes; spread over filling. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until set. For bars, cut into 9 rows by 4 rows.

Adapted from Betty Crocker.

Lovely day for a guinness

2009-09-12T18:24:00.003-04:00

Today, I was a wee bit reckless, opting to pair Saturday afternoon football (Go Blue!) with baking. Luckily, nothing got burned.

On the agenda were the loveliest chocolate cupcakes I've ever dug my teeth into -- dreamy, decadent Chocolate Stout Cupcakes. Made with love with a healthy pour of Guinness.

I paired these chocolate masterpieces with a Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting (real vanilla beans!). It's a standard buttercream recipe that really rocks my mouth off -- especially with the addition of aforementioned vanilla beans.

And now, before I head back into the kitchen for seconds, I dutifully repeat my mantra... Moderation. Is. Key! ;)

Chocolate Stout Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 cup stout (such as Guinness)
1 stick unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)

2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 tablespoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup + 2 tbs sour cream

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 2 muffin tins with cooking spray. Bring stout and butter to simmer in heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using a spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Pour into prepared muffin tins (3/4 full) and bake for about 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into one comes out clean.

Makes 18 cupcakes.

Adapted from Epicurious.com.

Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:
1 stick butter
Vanilla beans, scraped from 1 vanilla bean pod
3 cups powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons cold milk

Cream the butter in the bowl of an electric or stand mixer. Add the vanilla beans and combine well. Begin adding in the sugar one half-cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. After all the sugar has been added and mixed thoroughly, begin adding the cold milk -- one tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each addition until you reach the desired consistency.

Latte love for pumpkin spice

2009-09-05T08:47:00.011-04:00

Somehow we've arrived at September.

I swear, the past 3 months flew by in about 2 weeks time. I've been busy with work, running, baking and yoga -- pretty much in that order, but with work majorly dominating the bunch.

Now that a long weekend is upon us, I have more time for fun stuff, like ~~laundry, vacuuming, dusting and~~ playing in the kitchen.

First on the kitchen-fun agenda: experiment with re-creating my favorite Autumn treat -- the syrup for the much-adored Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte. And Houston, I think we have a problem. I've come pretty darn close to the original creation... which is a bad thing for my caffeine consumption levels. ;)

Good, however, for my taste buds and wallet!

Give this a try in your own kitchen, and let me know what you think!

Pumpkin Spice Syrup

1 cup water
1 cup sugar (I used Sugar in the Raw)
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp of cloves or allspice
1 tsp of freshly grated nutmeg
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Add water and sugar to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring ocassionally. Turn heat down, add all spices, and simmer for several minutes; cool. Add 1 tbsp vanilla extract. Store in an airtight container, away from sunlight.

To make a pumpkin spice latte, if you have an espresso maker, add one shot of espresso and one shot of the pumpkin spice syrup to steamed milk. Top with whipped cream and crushed biscotti if you're feeling decadent.

If you do not have an espresso maker, you can still enjoy this Autumn treat! Add a shot of the syrup and 1/4 cup of steamed milk (or milk alternative) to your favorite morning cup of coffee. Sip, smile and repeat.

xx,
Chutney

Treading gingerly

2009-08-03T18:04:00.003-04:00

Really, the only thing to share here is that I ate 1/2 batch of these cookies in 48 hours. By myself.

As a result, I will no longer be making these cookies -- unless I suddenly need to put on a couple lbs for a starring role as the Cookie Monster... or other such nonsense.

But please don't let that stop you from making a batch of these Ginger Spice Cookies. They're the perfect combination of sweet and heat, soft and chewy -- with that sought-after warm ginger bite. You know, the one that is way too addictive for words? ;)

Ginger Spice Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour (I used 1 cup AP, 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour)
2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup vegetable shortening, room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg, room temperature
1/4 cup (light) molasses

Thoroughly mix first 6 ingredients in medium bowl. Mix in crystallized ginger. In a large mixing bowl, using electric mixer, beat brown sugar, shortening and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add egg and molasses and beat until well blended. Add flour mixture and mix just until blended. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. Form dough into 1 1/4-inch balls and place on prepared sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake cookies until cracked on top but still soft to touch, 11-14 minutes. Cool on cookie sheets 1 minute before transferring to racks to cool. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Adapted from Epicurious.

Rawkin' snacks, part two

2009-07-28T08:46:00.007-04:00

Because I already can't live without my morning "donut hole," I thought I'd make the leap from chocolate to vanilla, devising a recipe similar to my Raw Chocolate Donut Holes from last week.

To be frankly honest, I fancy myself more a vanilla person anyway.

Chocolate is... easy. Predictable. Never really a challenge (honestly, when have you ever met a bad piece of chocolate?). I'd imagine it's a parallel argument to the whole dog vs. cat debate. You know -- dogs love unconditionally, dogs are easily pleased, blah blah blah. While cats are... well, cats are speshul (read: I don't fancy myself a cat person).

So anyway, back to the donut holes.

These may look somewhat odd in photos, but please do not judge a book by its cover. SO GOOD. Let me know if you try them!

Raw Vanilla Donut Holes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup cashews
1/4 cup coconut flakes (I used unsweetened coconut)
1/4 cup oats (dry, uncooked)
2 tsp. chia seeds(optional, but recommended)
4 soft pitted dates (I used Medjool)
2 Tbsp. agave nectar
1 tsp. vanilla
dash of sea salt

In a food processor, combine almonds, cashews, coconut, oats and chia seeds. Process until a fine flour is formed (note: I like mine to have a bit more texture, more like cornmeal). Add dates, agave, vanilla and sea salt. Process again, to form a loose dough. Shape the dough into 12 donut holes. Let the donuts sit on a cooling rack for 2 hours to firm up the outside (inside will remain soft). Refrigerate leftovers.

Banana crumb bliss

2009-07-25T15:52:00.006-04:00

I love bananas, but in our house they tend to go from ripe to overripe in 10.2 seconds. When that happens, I throw 'em in the freezer, to be made into smoothies or baked goods later on.

Who'd think a few measly frozen bananas could majestically evolve into such gorgeous muffins?

Banana Crumb Muffins

Ingredients:
3 bananas, mashed
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional, but recommended!)

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups, or line with papers. In a large bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg, melted butter, cinnamon and vanilla. In same bowl, add 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix dry ingredients just until completely combined with banana mixture (you do not want to overmix muffin batter). Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Adapted from Allrecipes.com.

Light and luscious and lovely

2009-07-23T13:08:00.005-04:00

I wish the title of this post referred to myself. ;)

Alas, I'm talking about my latest treat creation -- Cherry-Rhubarb Frozen Yogurt.

As easy as they come (again, not talking about myself!), this fro yo features fresh fruit and delectably thick yogurt. And of course I used my beloved agave nectaragain for this recipe -- with outstanding results!

Cherry-Rhubarb Frozen Yogurt

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh cherries, pitted
1 cup rhubarb, sliced into 1/4 pieces
4 cups Greek yogurt
1/2 cup agave nectar (you can use 3/4 cup honey instead, if you'd like)

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, cook the cherries and rhubarb, mixing occasionally until mixture comes to a boil. Continue boiling and stirring fruit until very tender/mushy (about 5-10 minutes). Remove from heat. Using an immersion blender, purify half of the fruit mixture (reserving some chunks of fruit). Alternatively, you could put the mixture in a blender or food processor and process briefly to get the same results. Cool berry mixture thoroughly in fridge.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 4 cups of Greek yogurt, cold berry mixture and agave nectar. Pour into prepared ice cream maker and mix according to the manufacturer's instructions, until frozen. You may need to freeze the finished frozen yogurt for another ~2 hours to get a solid, scoop-able consistency.

Rawkin' snacks

2009-07-20T13:16:00.014-04:00

I'll never turn into a raw foodist.

I'm of the "everything in moderation" camp. Yes, IMO, even ~~ketchup-smothered ballpark franks and nachos drenched in jalepeno-spiked Velveeta~~ processed foods are okay on occasion. I just don't make them the rule.

However, I do (to some extent) appreciate the raw foodist mentality. I've knocked back green monster smoothies to feel the buzz of Ye Olde green veggie blood. I love wheatgrass shots. And I wholeheartedly appreciate whole foods (the idealogy, not the store) and fewer, cleaner ingredients.

Unless you're the Cookie Monster himself, you may have noticed and perhaps gasped at the multitudes of sugar- and butter-laiden posts in this blog.

And you won't stop seeing such entries. But from time to time, I will include my forays into the raw foods jungle. Just like you saw last week with my fab Cocoa Almond Butter recipe. 'Cause here in the Chutney kitchen, it's all about balance. ;)

Raw Chocolate Donut Holes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup pecans
1/4 cup coconut flakes (I used unsweetened coconut)
1/4 cup oats (dry, uncooked)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
4 soft pitted dates (I used Medjool)
2 Tbsp. agave nectar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
dash of sea salt

In a food processor, combine almonds, pecans, coconut and oats. Process until a fine flour is formed. Add cocoa, dates, agave, vanilla and sea salt. Process again, to form a loose dough. Shape the dough into 10 donut holes (you could also make mini donut rounds). Let the donuts sit on a cooling rack for 2 hours to firm up the outside (inside will remain soft). Refrigerate leftovers.

Peanut butter-licious

2009-07-13T19:18:00.011-04:00

It takes almost 850 peanuts to make an 18 oz jar of peanut butter. Which means I used a pretty peanut to make my latest concoction: the all-American peanut butter cookie.

This is the PB cookie of my childhood, folks. Straight from Betty Crockerherself. I chose not to alter any of the ingredients or steps (even keeping the shortening -- which is an ingredient I'd usually sub out). Hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

And since I've so obviously dazzled you with the above bit of trivia, let's not waste additional words... and cut right to the recipe!

Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix sugars, peanut butter, shortening and butter in a large mixing bowl, until creamed. Beat in egg. Stir in remaining ingredients until thoroughly mixed. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm (optional). Heat oven to 375ºF. Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Place about 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten in a crisscross pattern with fork dipped into granulated sugar. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheet and cool on wire rack.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Adapted from Betty Crocker.

Worth it

2009-07-05T13:51:00.006-04:00

Don't you hate it when you invest time in a treat that looks and sounds over-the-top tantalizing... yet when you finally sink your teeth into it, it just doesn't deliver?

Fab on your fork + flat on the 'buds = not worth the time, effort or calories.

But these here... these are worth it:

My sister C brought these delightful peanut butter truffle brownies to my attention last week, and I'm ~~cursing her and my scale for doing so~~ super thankful she did!

You see, C was blessed with the same sweet teeth (oh yes, there are more than one!) that I myself must brush, floss and pacify with sugary goodness. So when it comes to desserts, she knows how to deliver.

Oh so worth it.

Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies

Ingredients:
Brownie base
1 cup butter
2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Filling
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons milk

Topping
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a rectangular baking pan. In a large saucepan, melt 1 cup butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs and vanilla. Beat in cocoa, flour, salt and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 24 to 30 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool in pan for one hour.

To make the filling, in a large mixing bowl, combine 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, powdered sugar and milk until smooth and creamy. Add more milk if needed to reach spreadable consistency. Spread mixture evenly over cooled brownie base.

To make the topping, in small microwavable bowl, microwave the chocolate chips, 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup peanut butter, stirring every 20 seconds until smooth. Spread chocolate topping over peanut butter layer, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve. Store remaining bars covered in the refrigerator.

Adapted from Allrecipes and Betty Crocker.

Nectar of the gods

2009-07-04T19:06:00.018-04:00

Full disclosure: from time to time, I'm one of those people.

The ones who tend to become slightly absorbed in the health food buzz o' the moment.

*Cough* Flaxseed, pomegranates, quinoa.*Cough*

Yes, I really do think the above products -- and many others -- earn their place in the pantry. But they're still pegs in the food pyramid... albeit well-rounded pegs with a whole-food focus and often a battery of pumped up nutrients.

Anyway, when I started hearing the buzz about agave nectar as a good, lower glycemic index alternative to sugar and honey, I jumped in the car and headed for Trader Joe's to pick up a bottle of my very own. At 60 calories per tablespoon, it isn't exactly a miracle replacement for sugar. But it does seem more concentrated than sugar and honey, so I'm able to use less of it with similar-tasting results.

I recently test-drove the ol' agave in some homemade almond butter, and it was a resounding success!

Cuckoo for Cocoa Almond Butter!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups raw almonds
1 tablespoon cinnamon (optional, but recommended)
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional, but also recommended)
3 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder
3 tablespoons agave nectar
1 teaspoon oil (vegetable, or whatever you prefer)

Combine the almonds in a food processor and process until the nuts are finely ground. Add the cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa, agave and oil and continue processing until the almond butter reaches your desired degree of smoothness. It may take a bit of time before this happens, so be patient. Add more oil if necessary. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator.

PS To everyone in the US... Happy Fourth! Hope you twirled sparklers, tipped back a cold one, and "oohed" and "ahhed" with the best of them.

You down with NYC?

2009-06-19T18:33:00.004-04:00

The hubs and I are heading to NYC tomorrow morning for a whirlwind weekend in the city that never sleeps. Will we be sleeping? Yes.

Especially after we stay up too late doing laundry and packing (this always happens), then get up too early to catch our flight out of DTW. Since we refuse to pay more than $10/day to park our car at the aiport, we will be using one of the far-away, must take a shuttle, dammit we have to get up even earlier, econ-o lot's a few miles from the airport. So yes, we will be sleeping.

We will also! be! eating!

Here are our current picks for the long weekend (we're staying 'til Monday). Please do let me know if you have any better ideas!

Chola Eclectic Indian (buffet!)
5 Napkin Burger
David Burke Townhouse
Penelope (breakfast)
Mooncake Foods

xo,
Chutney

Snacking au naturale

2009-05-14T07:36:00.007-04:00

Ever sprouted almonds? Ever pulverized said sprouted nuts, then let them mingle with milk, spices and a bit of honey?

Divine energy. Tasty snack.

Spiced & Sprouted Almond Milk

Step 1) Sprout your almonds

Take 20 or so raw almonds and soak them in water (completely covered with h20) in a ceramic or glass container. Change the soaking water twice daily for two days. After 2 days have passed, peel off the top portion of the almond's skin to look for the sprout. If no sprout is visible, you may need to soak an additional day or so. Once you see the sprouts, remove them from the water and store in the refrigerator. Refrigerated, they keep about 3 - 4 days.

Step 2) Make your drink

Ingredients:
20 raw sprouted almonds, skins peeled
4 cups milk (or your preferred non-dairy milk substitute)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon or nutmeg, or a pinch of saffron
Honey (or sweetener of your choice)

In a food processor, pulse the almonds until they become a paste. Add the remaining ingredients, pulsing until mixed well.

Makes 4 servings

Give us this day

2009-03-31T13:23:00.006-04:00

I've been searching high and low for baking recipes that use steel-cut oats. There are an infinite number of oatmeal recipes out there, but most use the processed Quaker-style variety.

Now don't get me wrong -- I love eating my steel-cut oats the old traditional way -- cooked over the stovetop until thick and creamy and lovely, with a splash of cream and a dash of brown sugar. But since I recently purchased six canisters from Amazon, I figured I should step up our consumption ever so slightly. ;)

Last night, while surfing for a good homemade bread recipe to make for our salad dinner planned for tonight, I came across a Cooking Light recipe for steel-cut oatmeal bread. And I was ~~jumping up and down on the couch, cheering like a madwoman~~ thrilled!

Since the recipe makes two large loaves, I didn't use my BFF -- my Cuisinart convection breadmaker. I figure he deserves a good rest every now and again. And the loaves were worth the work. This bread is amazing. A-maz-ing! Hearty, but not heavy. So tasty, yet ultra-healthy. And it smells absolutely heavenly.

Irish Oatmeal Bread

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups boiling water
1 3/4 cups steel-cut oats (I used McCann's)
1 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons brown sugar
Dash of granulated sugar
2 packages dry yeast (or 4 1/2 teaspoons)
1/2 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
3 1/4 cups bread flour, divided
3 cups whole wheat flour
Cooking spray
1 egg, lightly beaten (I used 1/4 cup Egg Beaters)

Combine the first 5 ingredients in the bowl of a stand-up mixer, and let stand 25 minutes.

In a small bowl, dissolve granulated sugar and yeast in warm water; let stand until foamy (about 5 minutes). Add to oat mixture. Lightly spoon flours into measuring cups; level with a knife. Slowly add 2 3/4 cups bread flour and 3 cups whole wheat flour to the oat mixture. Beat slowly, increasing to medium speed until well blended. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes), slowly adding enough of the remaining bread flour to prevent dough from sticking to hands and surface (dough will be somewhat sticky).

Coat a large bowl with cooking spray, and Place dough inside, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, for about an hour or until doubled in size. Dough has risen enough when two fingers pressed into dough leave an indentation. Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes. Divide dough in half, and working with one half at a time (cover remaining half to prevent drying), roll into a 14 x 8-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Roll up each rectangle tightly, starting with a short edge, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets; pinch seam and ends to seal. Put each loaf, seam sides down, in a 9-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Cover loaves and let rise 30 minutes or until doubled in size. Preheat oven to 350º.

Uncover dough, and brush egg evenly over loaf tops. Bake at 350º for 45 minutes or until loaves are browned on bottom and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from pan, and cool on wire racks.

Adapted from Cooking Light.

Gimme s'more!

2009-03-29T13:17:00.010-04:00

Mother Nature has been teasing us Midwesterners as of late. It's the usual dance she performs nearly every spring--sashaying in with Mr. Sun one minute, then throwing down snow flurries the next. So, for the sake of mental stability during this chillier-than-expected March weekend, I decided to bring summertime into the kitchen with some ooey-gooey S'mores Bars.

Bake up a batch of these bad boys, light a few candles to hint at that whole smoky fire/cosy warmth atmosphere, and voila! It's a bonfire party--indoors! Or at least as close as we're gonna get before June....

S'mores Bars

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 king-sized milk chocolate bars (I used semi-sweet chocolate chips with success*)

1 7-ounce jar of marshmallow creme/fluff

For crumb topping:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs

4 tablespoons butter, softened

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a separate small bowl, mix flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined.

Press dough in an even layer on the bottom of the pan. Place chocolate bars over dough (bars should fit well side-by-side; break the bars if necessary, however, fitting chocolate in a single layer no more than 1/4 inch thick. *Instead of candy bars, I spread a layer of chocolate chips evenly over the dough. Spread marshmallow fluff evenly over chocolate.

In a small bowl, cut together brown sugar, flour, graham cracker crumbs and butter until completely combined. Mixture will be crumbly. Sprinkle crumb topping evenly over the marshmallow layer. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until light brown. Cool completely before cutting into bars. Makes 16 squares.

Adapted from the awesome blog One Ordinary Day.

Well heck yes, I licked the bowl!*

2009-03-07T15:06:00.010-05:00

Chocolate chip cookie preference is a pretty personal matter.

I've actually found myself in more than one heated debate about the merits of x versus y chocolate chip cookie recipe. One person's ideal may be a buttery-thin, crisp cookie -- while another loves a substantially thick cookie with a softer center.

Not to start yet another debate here, but I'm going to stand here on my soapbox and shout to one and all that I believe I've found the *perfect* chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Crisp edges with fat, soft centers. An overabundance of chocolate that's tempered with extra vanilla. A lovely, store-bought presentation. Try them and decide for yourself!

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Adjust oven racks to upper and lower-middle positions. Preheat oven 325°. Grease two cookie sheets. Whisk dry ingredients together in a medium bowl and set aside. Mix butter and sugars (with electric mixer or by hand) until thoroughly combined. Beat in egg, yolk and vanilla until combined. Add dry ingredients and beat at low-speed just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Form a half-cup of dough into a ball. Holding dough ball in fingertips of both hands, twist apart into two equal halves. Place formed dough on cookie sheet with jagged side facing up, leaving 2 inches between each.

Bake, swapping position of cookie sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are light golden brown, approximately 11-14 minutes. Do not overbake. Outer edges will start to harden, but centers will be soft and puffy. Cool cookies on sheets until able to lift without breaking, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated.

*Bowl-licking not recommended unless your eggs are pasteurized. Mine were not... let's hope I live to blog again. ;)

Dinner for two

2009-03-04T13:19:00.007-05:00

Tonight will be a salad night.

I'm thinking spinach with dijon-roasted turkey, carrots, celery, tomatoes, hard-boiled egg. A homemade honey mustard dressing to finish things off. And of course, the pièce de résistance: buttery, homemade rolls!

Light Oat and Wheat Rolls

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups water

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup wheat flour

2 cups bread flour

1/2 cup rolled oats

2 tablespoons brown sugar or honey

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Cornmeal, for dusting muffin pans

Eggwash, for brushing rolls

Add ingredients to bread machine pan in the order recommended by your manufacturer, selecing 1.5 pound "dough" setting.

When bread machine dough cycle is finished, preheat oven to 350 F. Grease 2 muffin pans (recipe makes 18 rolls. Lightly dust each tin bottom with cornmeal. Punch dough down, and place on a floured work surface. Roll dough into a 1.5-inch thick log. Pinch dough off and roll into balls that are about 1.5-inch in diameter. Place each dough ball into a muffin tin. When finished, cover tins with a clean cloth and set in a dark, warm place for 15 minutes. Prep eggwash (an egg beaten in a bowl with 1 teaspoon water). Uncover muffin tins and lightly brush each roll with eggwash. Bake uncovered at 350 F for about 20 minutes, or until rolls are golden brown.

Makes 18 rolls.

Adapted from Allrecipes.com.

Sorbet soirée

2009-02-28T18:18:00.008-05:00

I don't typically make ice cream or sorbet during our cold Midwestern winters (brrrr!), but yesterday, while browsing through my cookbooks for dessert inspiration, David Lebovitz's recipe for Chocolate Sorbet caught--and kept--my eye. Rich, chocolatey, decadent, easy... sold!

I tasted an après-dinner dish of it last night, and, well--I don't mean to toot my own horn, but the fabulosity that came out of my ice cream maker here really is quite wonderful.

Now, if only I had ordered that Snuggie.... ;)

Chocolate Sorbet

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups water

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

Pinch of sea salt

6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground espresso

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large saucepan, whisk together 1 1/2 cups of the water with the sugar, cocoa powder and sea salt. Bring to a boil, whisking frequently while continuing to boil for 45 seconds. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate until it's melted. Stir in the espresso, cinnamon, and vanilla extract, and the remaining 3/4 cup water. Pour into a blender, or using an immersion blender, blend for 15 seconds.

Chill the mixture thoroughly. Mix in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions, until frozen. You may need to freeze the finished sorbet for another ~2 hours to get a solid, scoop-able consistency.

Adapted from David Lebovitz's recipe, also posted on Epicurious.

Sweet tooth solutions

2009-02-24T15:10:00.010-05:00

If you hadn't guessed by now--after viewing my often-prominent choice of sugary recipes--I have a sweet tooth.

A big one.

As my father would tell you, this ~~curse~~ tooth runs in the family, and there's really no way around it. It's in our blood. So I grew up learning that dinner was not finished until a glorious slice of pie, hunk of cake, or steaming cobbler made its way to the table, post-entrée.

These days, I still have to have a bite of something sweet after dinner. But over the years, I've experimented with creating some less guilt-instilling treats... my favorite being this Apple Crisp Bowl recipe. It's so easy, so healthy, and scraping-the-bowl good!

Guiltless Apple Crisp Bowl
(makes one serving)

Ingredients:
1 apple, peeled and diced (my favorite to use: a tart Granny Smith)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
4 packets Splenda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of ginger powder
1/4 cup oatmeal
3/4 cup water*

In a microwave-safe bowl, mix the diced apple, lemon juice, Splenda, cinnamon and ginger; heat in microwave for one minute. Stir in the oatmeal and water, and microwave for an additional 2 minutes. Top with vanilla yogurt or low fat ice cream.

*Cook's note: depending on your apple size and microwave strength, you may not require the full 3/4 cup of water. If your first attempt does not look like my photo, try using a bit less water.

The etymology of a cookie

2009-02-22T09:40:00.007-05:00

Most bakers would agree: a snickerdoodle is basically a sugar cookie that's taken a bath in cinnamon before a good bake in the oven.

So why don't we call them something obvious, like "cinnamony sugar cookies?" I try not to lean on Wikepedia for research--but I feel I can trust the source on their explanation here, on how the good 'ol snickerdoodle may have earned its name:

"Joy of Cooking claims that snickerdoodles are probably German in origin, and that the name is a corruption of the German word Schneckennudeln, which means 'snail dumpling.' A different author suggests that the word 'snicker' comes from the Dutch word snekrad, or the German word Schnecke, which both describe a snail-like shape. Yet another theory suggests that the name comes from a New England tradition of fanciful, whimsical cookie names. There is also a series of tall tales about a hero named 'Snickerdoodle' from the early 1900s which may be related to the name of the cookie."

Whether whimsical noun or hero's namesake, "snickerdoodle" is one name that has earned a place in the cookie jar!

Soft Snickerdoodle Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons cinnamon
3 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar in a large bowl. Add eggs, beating until thoroughly combined. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Blend dry ingredients into butter mixture. Chill dough for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, mix 3 tablespoons sugar and 3 teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl. Once slightly chilled, scoop 1-inch balls of dough and roll in the cinnamon and sugar mixture until coated. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, and bake 10 - 12 minutes. Remove from pan immediately after baking. Makes 2 dozen cookies.

In search of perfection, one brownie at a time

2009-02-20T13:34:00.010-05:00

My husband has two loves.

I'd like to think I'm his primary source for affection-giving, but I know that's not the truth. You see, he has a strong like for all things chocolate... and a sincere love for Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownies. The kind you make (gasp!) from a mix. The kind you can (and we do) buy in bulk (gasp!) from Costco.

Now, I'm not the jealous type. But I long to come across a recipe I can make--from scratch, mind you--that knocks him off his feet. My latest from-scratch brownie-baking foray (see photo above, and recipe below) produced some really decadent, fudgy results, and I'd definitely recommend this recipe to others.

But my husband still prefers his Ghirardelli mix... so I'm going back to the drawing board. Any recipe suggestions from my readers?

xoxo,

Chutney

Fudgy Brownies

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
12 ounces high quality dark chocolate (~70%), coarsely chopped
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into large cubes
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a glass or light-colored 9 x 13" metal pan. Sift the flour and salt together into a medium bowl and set aside. Place the chocolate and butter in a large double boiler, stirring occasionally until the the ingredients are fully melted. Turn off the heat. Keeping the bowl over the water of the double boiler, add sugars, whisking until completely combined. Remove the bowl from the pan.

When mixture is room temperature, add the eggs and vanilla to the chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Sprinkle the flour over the chocolate mixture, and beat the batter by hand until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl. (This allows for a crackled top and fudgy, dense texture).

Pour the mixture into the pan and smooth the top with your spatula. Bake the brownies for 30 minutes, checking after the 25-minute mark to make sure the brownies are not over-baking (a toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs). Do not over-bake! Cool the brownies completely before cutting.

Piece of cake!

2009-02-14T20:33:00.012-05:00

I love cake. Angel, chocolate, zucchini. Spice, vanilla, mocha. Banana, black forest, red velvet... and of course, carrot. Gotta love the carrot! Moist, dense, yet not overly-heavy, and perfectly spiced--this recipe is a winner!

Carrot Ginger Layer Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1/2 cup applesauce
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
3 cups grated carrots

1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
2 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
Pinch of salt
Splash of orange juice
Crystallized ginger, finely chopped (optional, for sprinkling on frosted cake)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans. Dust pans with flour, and tap out any excess. Set pans aside. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, applesauce, white and brown sugars and 3 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Stir in carrots. Divide batter between the two cake pans, and bake until a toothpick inserted into the middles comes out clean, about 30 - 35 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn cakes out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

To make frosting: In medium bowl, beat butter on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cream cheese, and beat until well combined and fluffy, about 2 minutes more. Add the remaining ingredients, and beat 5 minutes. Frosting can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to two days.

I heart you, Trader Joe's

2009-01-24T17:35:00.020-05:00

I am quite sure that I don't need to sell my American readers on the wonderful joy that is Trader Joe's. From Greek yogurt to mango chicken sausages to hearty quinoa, they've got the goods to create a well-stocked kitchen--without breaking the piggy bank.

One of my new favorite TJ's products? Lemon Pepper Pappardelle Pasta! It's really the only flavored pasta I've purchased that tastes as advertised. Lemon-y, pepper-y... really, just lovely. And one of my favorite ways to prepare it--a healthy yet tongue-teasing pasta saute featuring spinach, garbanzos, feta and walnuts--follows below. Hope you enjoy!

Spinach-tacular Garbonzo, Walnut and Feta Pasta Sauté

Ingredients:

1/2 of an 8 oz package Trader Joe's Lemon Pepper Pappardelle Pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups (packed) fresh baby spinach leaves
1 cup tomatoes, diced
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup white wine (optional)
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
White truffle oil or olive oil, for drizzling

Cook the pasta as directed. In a large skillet, on medium heat, add the olive oil and garlic and saute for a couple minutes, until fragrant. Add the spinach leaves, stirring until wilted. Add the tomatoes, garbanzos, lemon juice, wine and basil. Saute for a few more minutes, until tomatoes are cooked and most of the liquid is absorbed. Add the noodles and the feta to the spinach-garbanzo mixture, stirring until all ingredients are combined.

Plate and top with chopped walnuts and salt and pepper, and drizzle lightly with truffle or olive oil. Serves 2-3 as a main dish.

Old dog, new (and healthier!) trick

2008-12-29T19:21:00.010-05:00

First off, let me say happy holidays to each of my dear readers! I hope that health and peace follow you into the new year.

My family has been busy celebrating (and eating our way through) Christmas. Now that 2009 is almost upon us, it's time to fall back into healthier eating mode. However... after so many rich and tasty treats, it is just a tiny bit harder to convince the ol' tastebuds to fall in line--hence the need for the following recipe.

Risotto is known to be a decadent, comforting treat, yes? But made with heart-healthy and waistline-friendly barley, no butter and minimal cheese, it about-faces into a guiltless winter delight!

Mushroom Barley Risotto

Ingredients:
6 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup pearl barley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 3/4 teaspoon dried
1 bay leaf

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound assorted fresh mushrooms (such as oyster, stemmed portobello and stemmed shiitake), sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup fresh parmesan, grated

Bring chicken stock to boil in medium saucepan. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.

Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in large saucepan over low heat. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add barley, thyme, bay leaf and 2 cups warm chicken stock; bring mixture to boil, then slightly reduce heat and simmer until most of liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently. Add remaining stock 1 cup at a time, allowing stock to be absorbed before adding more and stirring frequently until barley is tender, about 50 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add garlic and mushrooms; sauté until mushrooms are tender. Add mushrooms and parsley to barley mixture. Season with salt and pepper and mix in parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Adapted from Epicurious.com.

Too much chocolate?

2008-11-08T08:24:00.006-05:00

Too much chocolate, you say? How is this even possible? In my world, if a dessert is mainly comprised of chocolate, it best be structurally STUFFED with the stuff! In every shape and form. Chips, powder, pudding, syrup, shavings -- more forms of chocolate = more fun for the tum!

Last weekend, I made dessert for some visiting relatives... also fellow members of the Chocolate Appreciation Society, of which my husband is a founding member. (Yes, I just ~~made that up~~ invented a new club.) My original plan was to make a cake from scratch, but the pantry's absence of cake flour changed my plans. Embelleshed cake mix recipe to the rescue!

Rich Chocolate Cake with Chocolatey Bailey's Irish Cream Glaze

Ingredients:

1 (18.25 ounce) package chocolate cake mix
1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream (I used fat free)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
3/4 cup warm water
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs and water until all ingredients are combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour batter into a well greased 12 cup bundt pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until top springs back and an inserted wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool cake thoroughly in pan for an hour before inverting onto a plate. Drizzle with Chocolate Bailey's Irish Cream Glaze (recipe follows). If desired, once glaze cools, dust cake top with powdered sugar.

Adapted from Allrecipes.com.

Chocolate Irish Cream Glaze

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream

In a saucepan, combine the butter, water and sugar. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips, stirring until melted. Add 1/4 cup Irish cream.

Mmm-me gustas!

2008-10-13T09:13:00.006-04:00

Mexican and Southwestern flavors are a favorite in our house, and I'm always looking for new recipes to try in this category.

Sure, quesadillas are always a hit, but this time I was looking for something loaded with more veggies and, well, less carbs. The following recipe fit the bill... with fire-roasted pablano peppers as the vehicle for the other yummy cumin-scented veggies stuffed inside.

Cheesy Chiles Rellenos with Cilantro-Spinach Cous Cous

Ingredients:
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock, divided
1 bay leaf
2 cups whole grain cous cous
4 large poblano peppers
3 cups corn kernels
2 tablespoons corn, peanut or vegetable oil, divided
1 red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 pound baby spinach leaves
4 scallions, chopped
2 limes, zested, then juiced
3/4 cup shredded Queso Blanco

Heat 2 1/2 cups stock in a sauce pan with bay leaf to boiling. Add cous cous, cover pot, remove from heat, and set aside. Cous cous will fluff up while you're cooking the remaining ingredients.

If you have a gas stove, turn one of the burners on medium-high heat. Carefully place poblanos on burner, directly over flame, and char evenly by turning every couple of minutes. If you have an electric stove, broil peppers on top shelf for 10 to 15 minutes, turning often, until black char marks appear.

Next, heat 1 tablespoon light oil in a skillet over high heat. When the oil smokes or ripples, add corn, onion and jalapenos and toss until the vegetables char at edges and onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high and add in garlic, fire roasted tomatoes, then season with cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook another minute or 2 then turn pan off.
Place the cilantro, spinach, scallions, lime zest, half a cup of stock and a tablespoon of oil in food processor and process into a green paste. Fluff cous cous with a fork, then stir green paste into your cous cous pot. Stir in 1/2 of the lime juice. Sprinkle the remaining lime juice over the corn mixture.

Split the charred peppers open with small sharp knife then scoop out the seeds. Place peppers in a shallow baking dish and stuff each split pepper with lots of the corn mix. Top each pepper with cheese and place under broiler to melt and char the cheese.

Serve peppers on beds of Cilantro-Spinach cous cous. Serves 4.

Adapted from the Food Network.

You say tomato!

2008-09-05T20:28:00.006-04:00

Is there another appetizer more perfect than bruschetta?

Whomever invented this masterpiece surely gets a few pats on the back from moi!

Best Bruschetta

Ingredients:
6 roma tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup fresh basil, stems removed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 French baguette, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 whole garlic clove
1 cup fresh mozzarella, shredded

Preheat the oven on broiler setting. In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, balsamic, basil, salt and pepper. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, on a baking sheet, arrange the baguette slices in a single layer. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until light brown. Once cool enough to touch, rub the top of each piece of bread lightly with the garlic clove.

Divide the tomato mixture evenly over the baguette slices. Sprinkle the slices with mozzarella cheese. Broil for 5 minutes, or just until the cheese is melted.

Adapted from Allrecipes.com.

Heavenly baguettes

2008-08-27T21:45:00.004-04:00

Really, the title says it all--especially if you're a carb-ovore like myself. :) These lovely loaves were quite easy to pull together, since I used my much-adored breadmaker for the first half of the process.

French Baguettes

Ingredients:
1 cup water
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons yeast
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup Egg Beaters (or an egg wash made by mixing 1 egg yolk + 1 T. water)

Place water, bread flour, sugar, salt and yeast into bread machine pan in the order recommended by manufacturer. Select the dough cycle, and press start. When cycle is complete, put dough ball in greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover, and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes, or until double in size.

Punch down dough. On a floured surface, pinch dough into two halves, and shape into long loaves. Place 3 inches apart on a greased and cornmeal-dusted cookie sheet. Make deep diagonal slashes across loaves every 2 inches. Cover again, and let rise in a warm place for 30 to 40 minutes, or until double in size.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Brush egg substitute lightly over tops of loaves. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

Makes 2 loaves.

Adapted from Allrecipes.com.

My kind of sandwich!

2008-08-21T06:42:00.012-04:00

Why snack on a regular old PB&J sammie when you can sink your teeth into a rich and decadent Peanut Butter Fudge Ripple Ice Cream Sandwich?

First, you'll want to make the cookies.... Though not my favorite stand-alone cookie recipe, these work very well for freezing into ice cream sandwiches:

Rich Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together, then add in eggs. Add vanilla. In the same bowl, slowly add the flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder, scraping the side of the bowl to incorporate all ingredients. Chill dough for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 F and grease cookie sheets. Roll dough into balls, place on cookie sheet and flatten lightly with a fork. Bake for 9-10 minutes.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Adapted from the wonderful Culinary Concoctions by Peabody.

Then, time to make the pièce de résistance--the ice cream!

Peanut Butter Fudge Ripple Ice Cream

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups whole milk

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 cup good-quality fudge sauce

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine milk, peanut butter and sugar, stirring for a couple minutes, until smooth. Stir in vanilla and cool mixture to room temperature. Freeze mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. During the final 10 minutes of ice cream churning,while the ice cream maker is still working, add the fudge by dropping spoonfuls into the ice cream container.

Be sure to freeze the ice cream for a couple of hours, so it's nice and firm for scooping onto the cookies to form the ice cream sandwiches.

Makes about 1 quart.

Adapted from Epicurious.

"Chicken fingers" for adults!

2008-08-08T10:40:00.008-04:00

Happy Friday, all! Not much time for chit-chat here today, so, without further ado--a really great, fun-to-eat, no-fuss chicken recipe. Hope you enjoy!

Almond-Crusted Chicken Tenders with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:
1/2 cup almonds
1/4 cup oats
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
2 eggs (I used Egg Beaters)
1 pound chicken breasts
Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 475. Set a wire rack over a baking sheet, and coat rack with cooking spray. Place almonds, oats, garlic powder, red pepper, parsley, salt and pepper in a food processor; process until almonds are finely chopped and all ingredients are mixed well. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish.

Slice the chicken breasts into 1-inch thick strips. Whisk eggs in a small bowl. Add chicken strips, coating fully, then transfer to dish with almond mixture and coat the chicken completely. Place each strip on the wire rack. Spray chicken tops lightly with cooking spray. Bake until golden brown and no longer pink in center, about 20 minutes.

Makes 4 servings.

Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

Mix all ingredients together until smooth.

One serious cereal bar!

2008-08-05T10:48:00.017-04:00

One of my favorite sweet snack products? Fiber One cereal bars. Yum! However, I don't love that the first two ingredient are "chicory root extract" and "chocolate chips with confectioners shellac." Umm, hello... shouldn't the main ingredient be Fiber One cereal?

So, borrowing from a number of different cereal bar and granola recipes, I came up with this high fiber breakfast and snack bar. Chewy-crunchy-salty-sweet, and husband-approved!

PB & Honey Cereal Bars

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups Fiber One cereal

2 cups quick-cooking oats

1/4 cup chopped almonds or peanuts

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

2/3 cup honey

2/3 cup peanut butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup chocolate chips (optional)

In a large bowl, stir together the cereal, oats and nuts (I also threw in some freshly ground flaxseed for added nutrition). Set aside. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Combine the brown sugar and honey in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat just until boiling, then remove from heat and stir in peanut butter, salt, vanilla and cinnamon until smooth. Pour over the cereal and oat mixture, stirring quickly (as sugar mixture cools it hardens quickly). Immediately press mixture into the prepared pan using the back of a large spatula. Lightly press chocolate chips into top of bars (if using). Allow to cool slightly, then cut into squares. Store in an airtight container.

*8/21 edit: after feedback from a number of people who shared that their bars were too crumbly, and after a few more tries making (and devouring) these bars, I think I've come up with the ideal sugar, honey and PB ratios (reflected in the updated ingredients list above). Let me know what you think!

Makes 18 bars.

Hot days, cool treats

2008-08-02T14:23:00.011-04:00

Special thanks to my parents & sister, who recognize my very large sweet tooth and treated me to a shiny new ice cream maker as a birthday gift.

Yes, I'm turning the big 3-0 tomorrow (gasp!).

For my first foray into homemade frozen decadence, I chose something a bit less guilt-laden than the full fat version. I was going to make your standard vanilla fro yo, but I'd done some research ahead of time, and learned a nice trick--adding 1 - 2 ounces (or hey, even a little bit more) of alcohol to the frozen yogurt base makes it less apt to freeze into a sold mass later on--a common problem with less-fat homemade ice creams and frozen yogurts. A tasty trick that seems to have worked. And it was delish!

Note: this will taste different than the frozen yogurt you buy at the supermarket. The yogurt adds a bit of a tangy taste, and a higher nutritional value than say, full-on dairy cream.

Bailey's Irish Frozen Yogurt

Ingredients:
1 2/3 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sugar (I used 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup Splenda)
4 cups fat free yogurt
1/4 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream liqueur

Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor; blend/process on low speed for 30 seconds, or until sugar is disolved. Pour immediately into prepared ice cream maker, following the machine's instructions. (I use a Cuisinart Pure Indulgence 2-quart machine, and it takes about 25 minutes for the frozen yogurt to reach a thick soft-serve consistency).

Freeze remaining frozen yogurt in an air-tight container. Remove from freezer and let soften for 10 minutes before serving.

Makes approximately 2 quarts (14 half-cup servings).

Gone fishin'

2008-07-24T21:20:00.007-04:00

We had some lovely salmon fillets to cook up last night, and I was debating about what to do with them. After considering this recipe and this one (I'll try those another time), I decided to continue on the "familiar standby" theme of the week.

Here, I present you with an old favorite:

Baked Honey-Dijon Salmon

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter, melted
6 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
3 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
4 (4 ounce) fillets salmon
salt and pepper to taste
1 lemon, cut into wedges, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together butter, honey and mustard. Set aside. In another small bowl, stir together bread crumbs, pecans, parsley and salt and pepper.

Dip each salmon fillet into the honey mustard mixture to cover, and then dredge in the breadcrumb-nut mixture. Place in greased baking dish or cookie sheet, and drizzle any leftover honey mustard on tops of fillets.

Bake salmon 12 to 15 minutes, or until it flakes easily with a fork. Garnish with a wedge of lemon.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Adapted from Allrecipes.com.

One more thing...

2008-07-24T18:13:00.008-04:00

Let's hear a big "Yeah!" for bread that gets its yeast from BEER!

Delish!

Dill & Cheddar Beer Bread

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup finely grated sharp cheddar cheese
12 ounces beer

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine everything except beer in large mixing bowl. Slowly stir in beer and mix just until combined. Spread dough into a greased 8-inch loaf pan, and bake until golden brown--about 45 minutes.

Slather on the butter, and enjoy!

Shortcuts welcome

2008-07-24T14:18:00.006-04:00

Notice a theme with my blog entries this week? Easy, healthy, easy... did I mention easy? I've been feeling under the weather, so my cooking and baking have suffered. (Although I did work in a quick session with my new ice cream maker. More about that in a near-to-come post!)

Below, another standby--dinner made with ingredients I almost always have in my fridge. A quiche that doesn't require prep-work for the crust, since it magically appears during the baking process.

A welcome shortcut for me last night, since all I really wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep. For days.

Quick Spinach, Sausage & Cheese Quiche

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sausage, cooked and cut into bite-size pieces (I used Trader Joe's chicken sausage)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 12 oz. bag fresh spinach
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
6 oz. chevre or feta
1 1/2 cups milk
4 eggs
3/4 cup baking mix (I used Bisquick)
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray pie plate or quiche pan with non-stick cooking spray. Evenly spread the sausage pieces in the pie plate. In large pan, add oil, onion and garlic. Saute for a couple minutes, then add spinach. Stir occasionally, until spinach is completely cooked. Spread vegetable mixture on top of sausage layer in quiche pan. Season with salt and pepper. Add cheese and basil, sprinkling evenly over spinach layer.

In a mixing bowl, beat the milk, eggs and baking mix until smooth. Pour egg mixture over the other ingredients in pie plate. Bake 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean.

Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.

Lean on me

2008-07-22T14:33:00.006-04:00

Sure, I like to get my socks knocked off as much as the next person. Variety is the spice of life. But, when it comes down to it, I'm mostly a creature of familiarity. I yearn for patterns. Rhyme and reason, if you will. And, well--something "good for me," that leaves me feeling like I made a smart choice.

When it comes to snacking, which I do quite often, apples and cinnamon have been one of my go-to choices for years.

I only recently discovered the wonders of Laughing Cow cheese (another standby), which I now dab and dollup on my cinnamony slices.

This, along with a handful of wholegrain crackers, is just about the perfect snack I can think to sink my teeth into.

Ode to an easy-peasy peanut butter treat

2008-07-21T16:15:00.011-04:00

I love to bake. Me + baking, sitting in a tree... k-i-s-s-i-n-- well, you get the point. But some days (or weeks) don't allow for a full-on bake fest. Work gets in the way. Sweltering temps get in the way. A sleepless night gets in the way.

Again, you get the point.

For these occasions, my sweet-treat BFF is this pain-free (except for the calories!), bakeless treat. Best nibbled with a cold glass of milk.

Peanut Butter Cup Bars

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
1 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

To make bars:
Melt 1/2 cup of butter over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in confectioners' sugar. Add peanut butter and graham cracker crumbs, stirring until creamy. Spread mixture in square (8x8" or 9x9") pan. Pat down evenly.

To make topping:

On low heat in a saucepan (I just use the same pan I use for the peanut butter mixture -- one less pan to wash), add 1/4 cup butter and the chocolate chips. Heat until butter is melted, and chocolate is very soft, but not fully melted. Remove pan from heat, and continue stirring until chocolate is melted and shiny. Spread the chocolate over the peanut butter layer. Refrigerate 1/2 hour. Cut into squares. Savor. Store remaining bars in refrigerator.

Makes 12 large or 16 smaller bars.

Source: Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Snoop Dogg

2008-07-17T11:05:00.000-04:00

We've just moved into new digs, in a new state, in a new region of These United States.

Cardboard sags at my feet, in the corners--in every nook-and-crannie, really. Duct tape smells hang heavy beneath my nose in the early heat of the day. The mailman, err, mailperson, comes early here. She totes a package--our first non-moving-related package.

It's from my sister!

I tear into it, happy to have a diversion. Happy to see something from someone familiar. Thrilled to see, when I slip past the paper, and the card, an old-school cartoon character. A dog. Snoopy! In the form of a sno-cone maker! The sno-cone maker of my childhood dreams, complete with grape flavor packet and red ice shovel. And tiny little paper cups.

I know what I'm doing this afternoon. As soon as I get these boxes unpacked in the kitchen--they're sooo blocking the ice maker.

Must Love Chutney

Muffin-worthy weather

Lentil-licious

Crêpe expectations

Peanut butter jelly time

The early bird gets the cookie

We have a winner!

Cookies for breakfast!

Hello, hello!

Lovely day for a guinness

Latte love for pumpkin spice

Treading gingerly

Rawkin' snacks, part two

Banana crumb bliss

Light and luscious and lovely

Rawkin' snacks

Peanut butter-licious

Worth it

Nectar of the gods

You down with NYC?

Snacking au naturale

Give us this day

Gimme s'more!

Well heck yes, I licked the bowl!*

Dinner for two

Sorbet soirée

Sweet tooth solutions

The etymology of a cookie

In search of perfection, one brownie at a time

Piece of cake!

I *heart* you, Trader Joe's

Old dog, new (and healthier!) trick

Too much chocolate?

Mmm-me gustas!

You say tomato!

Heavenly baguettes

My kind of sandwich!

"Chicken fingers" for adults!

One serious cereal bar!

Hot days, cool treats

Gone fishin'

One more thing...

Shortcuts welcome

Lean on me

Ode to an easy-peasy peanut butter treat

Snoop Dogg

I heart you, Trader Joe's