New dinners

Marcella Hazan's Simple Marinara

* 2 cups canned plum tomatoes (whole, peeled, chopped, with their juices about one 28-oz. can)
* 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut in half
*1-2 Tb. molasses
*1 Tb. balsamic vinegar
* salt, to taste

Preparation

#1 Combine the tomatoes, their juices, the butter, and the onion halves in a medium saucepan.

#2 Add a pinch or two of salt. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, at a very slow but steady simmer, adjusting the heat as necessary, for about 45 minutes, or until droplets of fat float free from the tomato.

#3 Stir occasionally, mashing any large pieces of tomato with the back of a wooden spoon. Taste and salt as needed.

#4 Add molasses, and balsamic vinegar

#5 Carefully puree one batch of sauce at a time in a food processor, return to heat and serve immediately.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/MARCELLA-HAZAN-SIMPLEST-TOMATO-SAUCE-EVER-1273750#ixzz1YMCo5Lcz


Turkey and White Bean Chili

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
• 3 cups beef stock or canned beef broth
• 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
• 3 15-ounce cans small white beans, rinsed, drained

• Chopped red onion
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Plain low-fat yogurt or light sour cream

Preparation

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions; sauté until light brown and tender, about 10 minutes. Add oregano and cumin; stir 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high. Add turkey; stir until no longer pink, breaking up with back of spoon. Stir in chili powder, bay leaves, cocoa powder, salt and cinnamon. Add tomatoes with their juices, breaking up with back of spoon. Mix in stock and tomato sauce. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add beans to chili and simmer until flavors blend, about 10 minutes longer. Discard bay leaves. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium-low heat before continuing.)

Ladle chili into bowls. Pass red onion, cilantro and yogurt separately.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Turkey-Chili-with-White-Beans-3090#ixzz1YMDdDKle

Scones, scones....

I've been able to host some visitors to my new city, which has allowed for some experimenting and new recipes:

I'd also like to note that for both scone recipes, I've substituted whole wheat flour for half the white flour and things have turned out beautifully!

Blueberry Oat Scones (Orangette.blogspot.com)
Adapted from Standard Baking Company (Portland, ME)

If you use frozen berries, do not thaw them before using.

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed golden brown sugar
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. kosher salt
11 Tbsp. (5 ½ ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 ¾ cups cold half-and-half
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries or blackberries

For garnish:
3 Tbsp. old-fashioned rolled oats
5 tsp. Turbinado sugar

Set racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade attachment, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Pulse to mix well. Add the butter and pulse again briefly, until the mixture looks coarse and the largest lumps of butter are no bigger than a pea.

In a large bowl, stir together the half-and-half and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and the rolled oats, and stir until just combined. The dough will be thick and sticky. Add the berries, and stir briefly to mix. [When I use blackberries in particular, I find that it’s difficult to stir them into the dough without crushing them, overworking the dough, and turning the whole mixture purple. My solution is to only stir a little, and then move on to the next step. As you scoop the dough onto the baking sheets, you can use your fingers to press any errant berries into the mounds of dough.]

Using a 1/3-cup measuring cup, scoop the dough into mounds, arranging them 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Garnish the tops with rolled oats and Turbinado sugar.

Bake for 24 to 27 minutes, or until the center of the scones feels firm to the touch.

Note: Wrapped in plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container, these keep beautifully at room temperature for 4 or 5 days. Warm in a toaster oven before eating.

Cinnamon Bun Scones

Ingredients

• SCONES
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup Quaker® Oats, quick or old fashioned, uncooked
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter or margarine, chilled and cut into pieces
• 3/4 cup whole or 2% milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• GLAZE
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 3 to 4 teaspoons Tropicana Pure Premium® orange juice, Dole® 100% orange juice or milk

Preparation

Heat oven to 425°F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.

In large bowl, combine flour, oats, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, baking powder and salt; mix well. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In small bowl, combine milk, egg and vanilla; blend well. Add to dry ingredients all at once; stir with fork or rubber spatula until dry ingredients are moistened. In small bowl, combine remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar with the pecans and cinnamon; mix well. Sprinkle evenly over dough in bowl; gently stir batter to swirl in cinnamon mixture (Do not blend completely.) Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.

Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire rack; cool 5 minutes. In small bowl, combine powdered sugar and enough orange juice for desired consistency; mix until smooth. Drizzle over top of warm scones. Serve warm.

Yield

12 SCONES

Whole Wheat Heath Chocolate Chip Cookies

Heath-Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup butter softened

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup raw sugar (if you don't have raw sugar, you could use 1/2 white and 1/2 brown)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 cups flour (I usually use white whole wheat, but white would work)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 bag miniature chocolate chips

1 bag Heath chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk together flour, salt and baking soda in medium bowl and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, using mixer cream butter, oil, and sugar together until well combined. Gently mix in vanilla. Then add eggs and beat well. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips and Heath chips.

Using a cookie scoop (sprayed with cooking spay or buttered), place dough 2" apart on cookie sheets. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until gently browned. Remove and cool.

Life updates

In reverse order....


Over the last 3 months I've gained a sister...




Finished the school year and said good bye to some amazing kids


Said good bye to some amazing friends and church family



Graduated with my Master's degree







I've also driven all the way across the country, learned a new city, gotten a new job and done more new things such as...
Backpacking in Kentucky

Drove to New Jersey and took a quick trip to New York City

and met some friends from New Mexico, and this little boy...

Who I taught for 2nd grade, and his cousins, who I taught for 2nd and 3rd grade!

Roasted Jalepeno Cheddar Hummus, Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins and Addictive Granola

The weather outside is frightful....yes indeed. Just another typical "spring afternoon in Las Cruces. 40 mph winds and thankful to be inside!!

My mom and I both like ethnic foods and don't mind a little heat in our salsa or hummus, which is why this recipe is perfect! I upped the warmth by adding 3 jalepenos instead of 1, which was the original recipe and added cayenne pepper to it. It's warm, but not too hot and the cheddar is a nice twist!

Ingredients:

2 14.5-oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

3 jalapeno pepper, chopped and seeds removed

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

4 T warm water

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat broiler to high, slice and devein 3 jalepenos. Place on baking sheet and roast under broiler for 10 minutes. Immediately place roasted jalepenos in a zip-loc bag and let them steam for another 10 minutes. The steam will allow the skin to come off easily.

Combine the chickpeas, jalapeno pepper, olive oil, water, cumin, cayenne pepper, black pepper and salt in a vita-mix or food processor. Process until smooth (adding more water if you desire to thin the hummus out a bit).

Add the cheddar cheese and process again until everything is well combined.

This is the second batch of Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip muffins that I've made in the past week. They're great snacks and you can certainly opt out of the chocolate chips! (Why??) I added walnuts and chocolate chips, which were great!!

Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of organic whole wheat flour
• 1 cup of organic unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup of chocolate chips
• 3 mashed ripe bananas
• 1/3 cup of canola oil
• 1/4 cup of milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and grease or place liners in a muffin pan.
2. Place the ripe peeled bananas in a mixer and blend on low speed for 3-5 minutes until well mashed.
3. Add the oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla and mix again on low speed for 1 minute until combined.
4. In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flours, sugar, b.powder, b.soda, salt, and chocolate chips)
5. Add the banana mixture to the dry mixture and combine until just blended (DO NOT OVER MIX!)
6. Fill each muffin up about 3/4 full.
7. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and a piece of dry spaghetti or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Place muffins on a cooling rack and allow them to sit for 10-15 minutes before attempting to remove the wrapper. Makes 12 large-ish muffins.

My last recipe from this week is a great granola (from the NY Times). *Note, I didn't have the unsweetened coconut, pistachios, pumpkin seeds or cardemom. I just had the oats, tossed in pecans and used just the cinnamon, salt, maple syrup and brown sugar and it turned out just fine! It's addictive!! I love it on top of greek yogurt!!

Olive Oil Granola

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 1/2 cups raw pistachios, hulled

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, hulled

1 cup coconut chips

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

3/4 cup chopped dried apricots

Fresh ricotta, for serving (optional)

Fresh berries, for serving (optional).

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, combine oats, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, coconut chips, maple syrup, olive oil, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and cardamom. Spread mixture on a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until golden brown and well toasted.

2. Transfer granola to a large bowl and add apricots, tossing to combine. Serve with ricotta and fruit, if desired.

Pumpkin Oat Muffins

Here is another great morning muffin recipe that I tried out during our 3-day snow break in February!

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 
  TOPPING:
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tablespoon cold butter

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Combine the egg, pumpkin, milk and oil; add to the dry ingredients just until moistened. Stir in oats and raisins.
• Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour and pie spice; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle 1 rounded teaspoonful over each muffin. Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm. Yield: 1 dozen

Cinnamon Leaves

My dad is getting spoiled with weekend baking, and he's been my official taste tester (along with my mom). So far, everything has been 2 THUMBS UP.

I was craving something cinnamon-y this morning, so I tried out a Cinnamon Leaves recipe. It's a basic cinnamon roll recipe, where the dough and filling are cut into strips, then cut into squares and stacked into a loaf pan (instead of being rolled).

This a great one!!

Cinnamon Leaves
(This recipe was adapted from Joy the Baker)

For the Dough:


2 3/4 cups plus all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup water
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Filling:

1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons butter, melted

1. Mix the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, yeast and salt) together in a large bowl, reserve one cup of the flour. On the stove or in the microwave, heat the milk, water, and butter until the butter is liquid. Allow the mixture to cool until it is still warm, but you can touch it with out burning yourself. Beat the two eggs together in a small bowl. Then add the butter mixture and eggs to the dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon to combine. The dough will take a while to mix. Once everything is a very sticky dough, kneed in the remaining one cup of flour- about five minutes of kneading should do it.
   
2. Place the dough in a greased a bowl, rise with a clean towel over top until double. I like to warm my oven for a five minutes then turn it off and let the dough rise inside the slightly warm oven. It should take about an hour. Bread will rise really fast at about 90 degrees.
   
3. Roll out the dough on a clean surface to 12 by 20 inch rectangle. Now your ready to add the filling. Brush the melted butter over the surface of the rolled out dough. Then mix the cinnamon, sugar and nutmeg together and sprinkle it over top. It will seem like a lot, just trust me on this part.
   
4. Then cut the dough into six strips. Stack the six strips on top of each other. Cut those strips into three or four stacks of squares. Put the stacks of squares into the greased 9x5 loaf pan.
   
5. Allow to rise a second time until double (about 15-30 minutes).
   
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Check to make sure the loaf is done before you tip it out by using a butter knife to press down on the top, if it springs back it is done. If it doesn't the dough isn't quite baked, put it back in the oven for another 5 to 10 minutes.
   
7. Use the butter knife to loosen the edges then invert the bread onto a plate. The syrup that was made from all the sugar, is really hot and will run down the edges. Let the bread set for five minutes before you dig in so you don't burn your mouth.