Apricot Lattice Cookies

17 12 2009

I take no responsibility for this recipe.  It is my grocery store’s fault.  You see, I shop with a list.  And my list and I are so steadfast that I actually don’t shop with a list.

Well that makes a whole lotta nonsense, doesn’t it?  Basically, I buy the same stuff every week.  Eggs.  Half and Half.  Meat, if it is on sale.  Cheese, maybe.  Beans, yes.  Chips, no.  Vegetables that look good.  6 lbs of apples.  Butter (unfortuantely).

So, as a result, I shop with tunnel vision.  I also hit 3 grocery stores each Saturday.  So I’m on a mission.  You can’t stop me.  I cannot be swayed.  I am in.  I am out.  I am gone.

Then, how, just how, did I end up with apricot preserves in my pantry?  I blame it primarily on the Omnivore and secondarily on holiday displays.  Those advertisers so suggestively stack jars of formerly-obscure ingredients, just begging to be turned into a pie, cookie, or cake.  And the Omnivore had recently raved over an apricot crostata his sister had made, inspired by this recipe.

But those preserves didn’t end up in my pantry only to repeat what we’ve already tasted.  We had to try something new.  So that’s when I remembered Linzer Cookies.  They’ve got fruit in them, right?  And they’re ever-present around the holidays, right?  And off I went.  The cookie recipe is inspired by a Good Housekeeping recipe for traditional Linzer cookies.

For the dough
3.5 oz blanch almonds, ground
1 egg
2 cups AP flour
1 cup sugar
pinch salt
3/4 cup softened butter
8 oz apricot preserves
powdered sugar

Beat sugar and butter.  Add egg.  Add flour and ground almonds.  Mixture may be crumbly.  Refrigerate dough 2 hours.  Preheat oven to 350*.

Spray 9×13″ baking dish with nonstick spray.  Press 3/5 of the dough into the bottom of the pan (refrigerate remaining dough while doing this step).  Spread apricot preserves on top.  Roll remaining dough into 5 logs, 13″ long, and 7 logs 9″ long.  Arrange in a lattice on top of preserves (no need to weave dough).   Bake 32-35 minutes until top is golden.  Cool on wire rack and sprinkle with powdered sugar when cooled.  Cut into bars.


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Sour Cream Cranberry Cake

16 12 2009

Come on, ladies, admit it.  I know you’ve been in this situation:

You’re sitting at home, Sunday evening, in front of the crackling fireplace (or creaking radiator), snuggling with your beloved one, and he turns to you and says, “Honey.  I need to tell you something.”

Your heart swells.  Your chest heaves in and out.  He’s going to say it.  Yes, after all these years, I love you still sends chills down your spine. And you wait for him to finish his sentence…

“I have a potluck at work tomorrow.  I said I’d bring something.”

And you leap from your supine position, shocked at the words he’s just uttered.  At least, that’s what I did.  Was I mad?  NO!  I was thrilled.  An excuse to cook!  To bake, even!

And admit it, you are like me.  You know you have far too many recipes dog-eared and book-marked, anyway.  And you really must start actually making these dishes, despite the multiple sticks of butter they call for.  So it’s even a better situation when you can off the delicious goodies to someone else’s waistline.

Moreover, the recipe says the cake is meant to be eaten 24 hrs after baking.  Score!

I was initially surprised at the 1:1 ratio of sugar to flour.  But the tartness of the lemon and cranberries really prevents the cake from being too sweet.  The Omnivore requested icing to keep this cake moist, but it is definitely NOT needed.  It was just perfect.

Cranberry Bundt (adapted from here)
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 stick margarine, softened *or sub butter*
8 oz sour cream, room temp
2 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/4 tsp lemon extract (or zest from 1 lemon)
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 tsp salt
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, tossed with 1 Tbsp flour

But together butter and sugar.  Add sour cream.  Incorporate eggs, one at a time.  Add salt and extracts.  Add flour in 2 batches.  Fold in cranberries.  Fill a sprayed bundt pain with the batter and bake at 350* for 1 hr, or until a tester comes out clean.  Let cool in pan 10 minutes and then on wire rack.  Cover tightly and let sit overnight.  Enjoy the next day.


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Orange Almond Chocolate Chip Cake

14 12 2009

This cake has a very unfortunate story.  It was made as one of my first holiday baking contributions of the season.  But it failed to make an appearance as such.

The Omnivore and I had been invited to our first Christmas party of December.  We were rearing to go.   We had beautiful Christmas sweaters picked out and were just filled with holiday cheer.

And then I pulled this cake out of the oven.  And oh the smell! our plans changed.  That’s right.  No more party for us.  Forget the Christmas sweaters.  It was necessary that this cake be kept for ourselves.  And we each had a slice.  And that routine continued day-in and day-out.  And the cake, how she aged beautifully!  The flavors deepened and the crumb never dried out.  It was neither overwhelmingly orange-y or chocolate-y.  Just right.

Orange Almond Chocolate Chip Pound Cake (adapted from Barefoot Contessa Parties)
1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs at room temperature
1/4 cup grated orange zest (from 4 large oranges)
3 cups all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
3/4 cup buttermilk at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
2 cups good semisweet chocolate chips
sliced almonds

Syrup
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Ganache
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan.  Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, then the orange zest.

Sift together 3 cups flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine the orange juice, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately in thirds to the creamed butter, beginning and ending with the flour. Toss the chocolate chunks with 2 tablespoons flour and add to the batter. Pour into the pan, smooth the top, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, cook the sugar with the orange juice until the sugar dissolves. Remove the cake from the pan, set it on a rack over a tray, and spoon the orange syrup over the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely.

For the ganache, melt the chocolate and heavy cream in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally. Drizzle over the top of the cake.  Garnish with sliced almonds.


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I found my camera!

13 12 2009

I found my camera!  And this is the royal “I,” meaning, the Omnivore found my camera!

I think one of the carnivores was to blame.

Any guesses?

So now you are thinking…  What did I miss!?

You missed two stellar recipes:

Ina’s Herb Roasted Onions.  Divine, I tell you, divine.  I reduced the oil to 1 T and added 1/4 c broth, then followed recipe as directed.

OMG Muffins.  I called them Cranberry Orange Muffins, but the Omnivore insisted that name surely was not good enough.  I used 1/2 c AP flour, 1/2 cup oats (ground in food processor), 1/2 cup WW flour, and 1/2 cup WW pastry flour.  I omitted the nuts and followed the rest of recipe as written.  They were out-of-this-world, according to our meat-eating friend.  A must try!


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Categories : Uncategorized

I lost my camera

8 12 2009

I figured I should let you guys know.

I’m pretty sure you’d not enjoy my blog as much without photos.

So…who knows when I’ll get back to this.

And since I very rarely made dishes twice (what good would I be doing you people if I ate the same things over and over again), you’ll be missing out on the deliciousness I’m feeding myself.  Unless of course I blog without photos.


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Categories : Uncategorized

Avocado Cashew Burritos

8 12 2009

Over Thanksgiving, the Omnivore and I happened across a simply awesome bookstore.  It sold used books only.  And it was filled from baseboard to crown moulding with books.  It was also infested with cats.  And I love cat infestations (but not in that sad, hoarder way, of course).  I especially loved this guy, who I swear was grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

Smiley Guy was in the psychology section. 

But I was more interested in the cookbook section (naturally), which was guarded by a much less-smiley-cat:

She was casting some downright angry glances.  The Omnivore tried to get on her good side, a risky move, I know.

The young girl in the background is obviously itching to see a fight.  Luckily, I was able to snatch up a delicious vegetarian cookbook, The Enchanted Broccoli Forest, and this was the first recipe we tried from that book.

I made this recipe into burritos, but it is originally written as an enchilada recipe.  If that’s what you are looking for, check it out here.

Otherwise, stick with me here for a delicious handheld lunch or dinner.

Avocado Cashew Burritos (serves 4)
2 Hass avocadoes
1 lime, juice of
4 green onions, minced
1/4 cup parsley, chopped finely
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped finely
3/4 cup cashews, toasted
1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt
1 garlic clove, minced (optional)

Combine!  Eat!  In a wrap!

Calories 311.2
Total Fat 25.3 g
Saturated Fat 4.2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3.6 g
Monounsaturated Fat 15.5 g
Cholesterol 0.8 mg
Sodium 34.0 mg
Potassium 702.1 mg
Total Carbohydrate 19.2 g
Dietary Fiber 7.1 g
Sugars 4.0 g
Protein 7.5 g


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Categories : Mexican/Hispanic/Latin, Omnivores add: Chicken, main dish, vegan(izable)

Hungarian Barley Stew

5 12 2009

From now until…well, until I run out of crockpot recipes, the Omnivore will be on dinner duty on Thursday nights.  Of course, that doesn’t exactly mean I’m off the hook.

You see, his dinner duty consists of crockpot duty.  And that means that I’m responsible for identifying a crockpot recipe,  I’m in charge of procuring the ingredients, I provide the helpful hints, and I set out the ingredients on Thursday mornings.

I don’t mind it at all (well, I mind just a little bit), though, because when I come scooting in on Thursday evenings in the dead of winter, frozen to the bone after scooting home from work, I’ll have dinner hot and ready.

This recipe is adapted from a cookbook of collected recipes called Feeding the Flock that I flipped through while visiting my in-laws over Thanksgiving.   It originally called for 1lb of stew meat, which you Omnivores are welcome to add, and was cooked stovetop rather than in the crockpot.  It also neglected any real addition of vegetables other than canned tomatoes.  The Omnivore added an extra 1/3 cup of barley because 2/3c didn’t seem like enough (I guess I should have written in the recipe margin that barley EXPANDS!), but I suggest you keep it at 2/3 c.  A can of beans would be a great addition as well.

Hungarian Barley Stew (5 servings)
2 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 tsp caraway seeds
2 tsp sugar
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2/3 c barley
1 T paprika
2 tsp salt
3 c water

Add all ingredients to crockpot and cook on low for 7 hrs.  Garnish with sour cream and parsley if desired.

5 servings
Calories 207.6
Total Fat 0.6 g
Saturated Fat 0.1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.1 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 395.8 mg
Potassium 311.4 mg
Total Carbohydrate 46.8 g
Dietary Fiber 10.9 g
Sugars 7.2 g
Protein 6.3 g


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Categories : Cheap & Easy, Omnivores add: Italian Sausage, grains, main dish, vegan(izable)

Pomegranate Walnut Couscous

3 12 2009

Couscous is a miracle side dish.  These tiny little pasta flecks should be a pantry staple.  The cooking can be done in the microwave, and your side dish can hit the table in literally 6 minutes.  Plus, the result feels so exotic while actually being not so exotic.

I think it’s all in the name.  Afterall, couscous is just the same stuff as elbow macaroni.  But somehow, I am quite certain, if I served this dish up with macaroni instead of couscous, the Omnivore would not have had this same comment at dinner time, “I could eat this every day for lunch.”

Yes.  He speaks in bold.

This dish reminds me of the time I made red wine spaghetti. Just thought I’d throw that in there.

Pomegranate Walnut Couscous (4 modest servings)
1 cup whole wheat couscous
4 oz pomegranate juice (POM brand!)
4 oz water
2 scallions, sliced
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 tsp salt

Heat juice and water until boiling.  Stir in cous cous.  Remove from heat and cover.  Let stand 5 minutes.  Fluff with fork and stir in walnuts and scallions.  Add salt.

Calories 248.2
Total Fat 6.8 g
Saturated Fat 0.6 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 4.3 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.8 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 9.7 mg
Potassium 127.9 mg
Total Carbohydrate 6.5 g
Dietary Fiber 0.9 g
Sugars 4.8 g
Protein 7.8 g


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Categories : grains, pasta, side dish, vegan(izable)

Whole Wheat Pecan Shortbread Cookies

1 12 2009

It’s time for holiday baking!  And that means, well, it’s time for holiday dieting!

Really.  The last 2 months of the year, well 3 months (if you throw in Halloween and October) are filled with indulgences and moments of weakness (just one more slice of pie…).  Include these healthier shortbreads in your baking packages to ease the holiday blow of refined sugars, enriched flours, and corn syrups galore.

Whole Wheat Pecan Shortbreads (18 cookies, adapted from Uprisings)
2.5 cups whole wheat pastry flour (no subs)
1 stick butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup honey, warmed
1 cup pecan meal

Cream butter.   Drizzle in warmed honey and incorporate vanilla.  Add salt.  Add pecan meal.  Incorporate flour in 3 batches.  Using your hands, roll the dough into small balls and place on a baking sheet.  Press down onto sheet using a fork, in a cross-hatched pattern.  Bake at 350* for 18 minutes until lightly browned.

Calories 170.2

Total Fat 9.0 g
Saturated Fat 3.2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.3 g
Cholesterol 13.6 mg
Sodium 36.8 mg
Potassium 6.4 mg
Total Carbohydrate 21.5 g
Dietary Fiber 2.3 g
Sugars 7.7 g
Protein 2.2 g


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Indian Chickpea Biyrani

24 11 2009

The Omnivore and I have very different agendas when eating in restaurants.  I seek out the most unusual, mind-boggling combination of ingredients or cooking styles as my entree.  The Omnivore?  Likes to make safe picks.

There are pros and cons to this game plan.  The Omnivore knows he’ll enjoy his meal.  He likes Chicken Parmesan.  So why not order it?  Surely it’ll be good.  (So what if I can make it at home.)  At least he’s not shelling out bucks for a potentially bad meal.  There’s merit in that, right?

I take a different approach.  Some (the Omnivore) would call it a dangerous approach.  I need to eat something that I cannot or have not created at home.  To me, I find going out to eat useless if it can just be mimicked here at the homestead.

I love going to our neighborhood Indian restaurant.  Their vegetarian selection is heavy (in a good way, not in a politically correct way) and there’s always something new to try.

The Omnivore always gets chicken tikka masala.  He knows he likes that.  It is a safe choice. But his limitations to one dish mean he does not crave food of the East nearly as much as I do.  But I know he has more safe options on that menu than he thinks.  And the quickest way to prove that to him is to make one of those unsafe recipes here at home, so that when we go out to eat, he can stray a tad bit from the usual.

Chickpea Biyrani (with chicken for the Omnivore)
1 tsp olive oil
1 3/4 cup chick peas (or any bean, really)
1  large diced onion
1  jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1  teaspoon  minced fresh ginger
1 1/2  teaspoons  garam masala
3/4  teaspoon  ground cumin
1/2  teaspoon  salt
2  garlic cloves, minced
1 can diced tomatoes
1  cup  uncooked brown basmati rice
1/3  cup raisins
1 cup frozen peas
14 oz water
1/3 cup yogurt (plain)
1/4  cup  chopped fresh cilantro
1/4  cup  sliced almonds or cashews
lime juice

Toast rice in 1 tsp olive oil until fragrant.  Add salt, cumin, garam masala, diced onion.  Cook 3-5 minutes.  Add garlic and ginger.  Add diced tomatoes, rice, raisins, beans, and water.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat.  Cook 45 minutes, or until rice is tender.  Add peas.  Incorporate yogurt by stiring in 1 T of hot liquid from pot with yogurt in a separate bowl and returning to main pot.  Garnish with cilantro, nuts, and lime juice.

5 servings, info per serving
Calories 221.1
Total Fat 1.4 g
Saturated Fat 0.5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.3 g
Cholesterol 17.8 mg
Sodium 325.0 mg
Potassium 540.9 mg
Total Carbohydrate 38.9 g
Dietary Fiber 7.8 g
Sugars 4.8 g
Protein 14.7 g
*these nutrition facts actually include 1 chicken breast as an ingredient


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Categories : Cheap & Easy, Indian, Omnivores add: Chicken, beans, main dish, vegetables

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