I love to cook and bake. I try to cook something new each time I put together our dinner. The new item can be a main or side dish, dessert, or even a drink. However, I do have a few rules before I try a new dish.
| Breads |
| Bannock Bread with Rosemary Easy to make. I liked the tender, chewy texture created by the oat flour. The original recipe browned sage, then placed on top. Weak flavor. And adding the browned oil into the batter looked unappetizing. I love the bread itself, so I've adjusted the recipe to use rosemary. (Easy Soups from Scratch with Quick Breads to Match by Ivy Manning) |
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1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted 1½ tblsps of minced fresh rosemary 1/2 tblsp rosemary leaves for top of bread 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 1/3 cup oat flour 1 tblsp sugar 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup buttermilk 3 large eggs, beaten Preheat the oven to 425F. In a large bowl, whisk together both flours, the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Place a 12-to 14-inch cast-iron skillet in the preheating oven to warm. Add the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, and 1½ tablespoons rosemary to the dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon until just combined and there are no traces of dry flour in the batter. Do not overmix. Take the skillet out of the oven and scrape the batter into it, smoothing the top with a rubber spatula, and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 tablespoon rosemary leaves over the batter. Bake until the bread is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cut the bread into wedges and serve warm. (I let the bread sit in the skillet for another 5 minutes, then took it out and placed it on a wire rack to cool. Perfectly good even when not warm.) Serves 6 to 8
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| Cheese & Other Dairy (2025) |
| Eggs |
| Rice & Grains |
| Pasta |
| One-Pot Sausage, Greens, and Beans Pasta Warm, noodley, comfort food. I would double the chard. It shrinks a lot during cooking. Definitely need to increase the liquid so pasta cooks well. (Everyday Dinners by Jessica Merchant) |
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2 tsps extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 lb Italian sausage 1 shallot, diced 4 garlic cloves, minced Kosher salt 1 bunch of Swiss chard, leaves removed from stems and torn 8 ozs gemelli pasta, or similar shape (I used cavatappi) 3½ cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock (I used 32 ozs) 2 cups water (I added this) 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more if desired 14 ozs can white beans, drained and rinsed Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, for topping (I used 1/2 tsp) Heat a large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the sausage and break it apart with a wooden spoon, crumbling it as much as you can. Cook until browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and transfer it to a plate. Keep the same pot over medium-low heat and add the shallot and garlic with a pinch of salt. Cook for 5 minutes, then stir in the torn Swiss chard. Cook for 5 minutes more. Add in the pasta, stock, 2 cups of water (I added the water to the recipe), 1 teaspoon salt, and the black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil and then cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, so the pasta cooks. Once the noodles have absorbed all of the water (I would ignore this and leave some water since pasta will continue to absorb it), remove the pot from the heat (Why? You're going to continue to cook it.). Stir in the Parmesan, the cooked sausage, and the beans. Cook for 5 to 10 more minutes, until everything is warm and the cheese is melty. Serve immediately, adding the red pepper flakes (I stirred them in) and more Parmesan on top, if desired. Serves 4
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| Salads |
| Two Bean Salad Niçoise One of my favorite kinds of salad. Love the big pile of ingredients, and the briny flavor of the olives. (Better Homes & Gardens: Best Salads) |
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1 lb tiny red or yellow new potatoes, halved 12 ozs fresh green beans, trimmed (I also cut them in half) 1/4 cup olive oil 3 tblsps red wine vinegar 2 tsps Dijon mustard 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp lemon-pepper seasoning 15 ozs can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained 2 5 ozs cans albacore chunk tuna in water 3 hard-boiled eggs, sliced 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved 1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved (I used 1/2 cup) In a large saucepan combine potatoes and enough salted water to cover. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, just until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain potatoes well and cool completely. Meanwhile, put the beans in a microwave safe container with 2 tablespoons water. Cover and microwave for 4 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain well; pat dry. For dressing, in a small jar combine oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and lemon-pepper seasoning; cover and shake well. Arrange potatoes, green beans, and remaining five ingredients (through olives) on a large platter. Drizzle with dressing. (I put everything into a large salad bowl and mixed with dressing. Serves 4
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| Copycat Olive Garden House Salad A classic green salad with crunch, olives, and pepperoncinis. (Better Homes & Gardens: Best Salads) |
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3 cups chopped iceberg lettuce (see next) 3 cups chopped romaine lettuce (I used 1 bag romaine mix for both) 1/4 cup coarsely shredded red cabbage (I used 1/2 cup) 1/4 cup coarsely shredded carrot (I shredded a full small carrot) Italian dressing 2 roma tomatoes, cut into wedges 1/4 cup garlic-and-cheese-flavor croutons 1/2 cup pitted large ripe olives 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion (I left off) 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese Bottled pepperoncini salad peppers (2 or 3) In a large bowl toss together iceberg and romaine lettuces, cabbage, and carrot. Add 1/2 cup Italian dressing, toss to coat (I left off dressing, and let the diners pour their own dressing from the bottle). Top with remaining ingredients. Serves 4
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| Brussels Sprouts and Apple Salad Shredded Brussels sprouts instead of lettuce, sweet crunchy apple and baked chickpeas, creamy avocado bits, crumbles of salty feta, and a lemon and honey mustard dressing. (Better Homes & Gardens: Best Salads) |
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15 ozs can chickpeas, rinsed, drained, and patted dry 5 tblsps olive oil, divided 1 tsp salt, divided 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (1 lemon) 2 tblsps whole grain mustard (Dijon) 1 tblsp honey 1 lb fresh Brussels sprouts, trimmed and shredded 2 Granny Smith apples, thinly sliced (I used Fuji, chopped) 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (2 ozs) 1 large ripe avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and sliced (I chopped) Preheat oven to 425F. In a 15x10-inch baking pan combine chickpeas, 1 tablespoon of the oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the cayenne; spread in an even layer. Roast, stirring once, until browned and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove and cool to room temperature. In a large bowl whisk together lemon juice, remaining 1/4 cup oil, mustard, honey, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add Brussels sprouts, apples, and feta; toss to coat. Serve topped with avocado slices and roasted chickpeas. Serves 6
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| Fruits & Veggies |
| Meats & Fish |
| Cinnamon-Rubbed Chicken Slightly crispy skin with tasty cinnamon based seasoning. (Allrecipes.com - submission by Robski, Holiday 2024) |
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1/4 cup olive oil 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp lemon-pepper seasoning 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp ground thyme 6 (4 to 6 oz each) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 1 cup barbecue sauce Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with foil. Stir together oil, cinnamon, salt, lemon-pepper seasoning, garlic powder, and ground thyme in a large bowl. Add chicken, toss to coat. Arrange chicken, skin sides up, in prepared pan. Roast 30 to 35 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone registers 165F. Cover loosely with foil; let rest about 10 minutes. (Temperature will continue to rise as chicken rests.) Serve with barbecue sauce (I preferred the chicken without sauce and crispy). Serves 4 to 6
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| Easy Cook Chicken Breast (2021) This method seems reliable and easy any time you want to cook chicken breast without getting fancy. (unknown) |
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1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1/8 tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper 1 tsp vegetable oil Pat chicken dry wth paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat vegetable oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown chicken on one side, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip chicken, add 1/2 cup water to skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and continue to cook, 5 to 7 minutes longer. Serves 3
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| Cook a Thick Cut of Meat (2016) This technique worked great to cook a thick pork chop. It was juicy, but still cooked through. (Food Network Magazine, October 2015) |
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Cut of meat at least 1 inch thick Vegetable oil for pan Salt or seasoning salt Bring meat to room temperature and pat it dry. Preheat the oven to 400° and heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add a little vegetable oil to the skillet, salt one side of the meat and sear it salt-side down until browned, about 3 minutes. Salt the top of the steak and flip it over, then place the pan in the oven until the meat is almost to your desired doneness. (To check the temperature, insert a thermometer sideways into the thickest part of the steak.) For medium rare, roast to 125°, about 7 minutes, then let rest 5 minutes; the internal temperature will rise. Serves 1
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| Soups |
| Jamaican Pork and Sweet Potato Stew Love the spice-covered bits of pork, sweet potato and veggies in a warm ginger and pepper broth. Serve with cornbread. (Easy Soups from Scratch with Quick Breads to Match by Ivy Manning) |
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2 tblsps extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped 4 medium garlic cloves, minced 1 tblsp minced fresh ginger 1 tblsp fresh chopped thyme 1/2 tsp finely chopped habanero chile (I used a whole serrano, seeded and chopped) 2 tblsps tomato paste 6 cups chicken broth 1¼ lbs sweet potato or garnet yam, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks 2 tblsps Worcestershire sauce 1¼ lbs pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1 tblsp all-purpose flour 2 tsps brown sugar 1¼ tsps ground allspice 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1/2 tsp sea salt 1 to 2 tblsps freshly squeezed lime juice Soy sauce, for seasoning (I left off)
(Note to me: Chop and collect all ingredients before cooking, or it will get stressful and you'll end up burning the vegetables.) Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and carrot and saute until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, thyme, and habanero and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the tomato paste and stir to coat the vegetables. Add the chicken broth, sweet potato, and Worcestershire. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potato is tender, about 15 minutes. While the soup is simmering, place the pork on the prepared baking sheet and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle the meat with the flour, brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon, pepper, and salt and toss to coat. Arrange the meat in a single layer and broil, without stirring, until the meat is browned on one side, 4 to 5 minutes (the pork will finish cooking in the soup). Transfer the pork and dripping from the baking sheet to the pot (I was worried this was fat, but was mostly tasty juices, so put it in the pot.) Simmer gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally until the flavors have melded and the soup has thickened a bit, about 10 minutes more. If you'd like the soup to be still thicker, use a potato masher to mash some of the sweet potato. Season the soup with the lime juice and soy sauce. Ladle the stew into bowls and serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6
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| Drinks |
| Desserts |
| Skillet Apple Crisp Classic crisp. I enjoyed the juicy sweet apples with crunchy topping. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. (America's Test Kitchen: The Complete Autumn & Winter Cookbook) |
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Topping 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 cup pecans, chopped fine 3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp table salt 8 tblsps unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Filling
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450F. For the Filling: Bring cider to simmer in 12-inch skillet over medium heat and cook until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 7 minutes. Transfer to liquid measuring cup and stir in lemon juice. Toss apples with sugar and cinnamon in bowl. Melt butter in now-empty skillet over medium heat. Add apples and cook, stirring often, until they begin to soften and become translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. (Do not fully cook apples.) Off heat, gently stir in cider mixture. Transfer apple mixture to 13 by 9-inch casserole dish. Sprinkle evenly with topping, breaking up any large chunks. Bake until fruit is tender and topping is deep golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let crisp cool slightly on wire rack, about 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Crisp can be held at room temperature for up to 2 hours; if desired, reheat in 425F oven until slightly warm, about 5 minutes, before serving.) Serves 8
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| Le Gâteau au Yaourt avec des Fraises, de l'Eau de Rose et un Zeste de Citron (Yogurt Cake with Strawberries, Rose Water and lemon Zest) Gorgeous golden color, tender, fluffy texture, and lots of juicy strawberries. This would be a lovely cake for company. Add a dollop of whipped cream to perfect each slice. (Gâteau: The Surprising Simplicity of French Cakes by Aleksandra Crapanzano) |
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10 ozs strawberries or other berries, fresh or frozen 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar Zest of 1 large lemon 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp fine sea salt 1 cup whole yogurt 1/2 cup canola oil 2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly broken up with a fork 3 tsps rose water, or 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tblsp confectioners' sugar (optional) 1 handful of rose petals, fresh, dried, or candied (optional) 1 cup whipping cream, whipped, or Ready-Whip (optional) Preheat oven to 350F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with a round of parchment. Butter the sides of the pan. Slice the strawberries in half or in thirds or fourths if they are large. If using raspberries or blackberries, leave them whole. Combine the sugar and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl and rub them together with your fingertips to release the oils of the zest. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Whisk to combine. In a second mixing bowl, whisk the wet ingredients until thoroughly combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until there are no streaks of flour visible and the mixture is smooth. Fold in the sliced strawberries. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. (If you hit a berry, try again, as it will leave the tester a bit wet.) Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes or so before transferring it to a cake plate. (I recommend letting it cool on a wire rack before placing it on a plate, or the bottom will get too soggy.) If using the confectioners' sugar, wait until the cake has come to room temperature and, right before serving, lighly dust it with the sugar. If using rose petals, scatter them over the cake and give it a second, light dusting of confectioners' sugar. (I did not use any dried roses, and think a dollop of whip cream on each slice would be great.) Serves 6 to 10
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| Chocolate Cherry Cookies These are special. I love the chocolate with a bite of sweet maraschino cherry. "These chocolate morsels won first place in the 1981 Prize Tested Recipes contest." (Better Homes and Gardens: All-Time Favorites Cookbook Volume 2) |
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1½ cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 cup sugar 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1 egg 1½ tsps vanilla 30 maraschino cherries, undrained 6 ozs semisweet chocolate pieces (1 cup) 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk) Preheat oven to 350F. (Place parchment paper on cookie sheets.) Place a colander over a bowl and drain the cherries, saving the juice in the bowl. If there are stems, pull them off and discard. In a medium bowl combine the flour and cocoa powder; set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Beat until well combined. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. (I made them about 2 inches.) Place about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet (parchment paper if using). Press down center of each ball with your thumb. Place a cherry in the center of each cookies. For frosting, in a small saucepan combine the chocolate pieces and sweetened condensed milk. Heat and stir until chocolate is melted. Stir in 4 teaspoons of the reserved cherry juice. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the frosting over each cherry, spreading to cover cherry. (If necessary, thin frosting with additonal cherry juice.) Bake about 10 minutes or until edges are firm. (I baked 13 minutes.) Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer to wire racks and let cool. (To store, place in layers separated by waxed paper (or parchment paper) in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.) Makes 25 to 30 cookies
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