Whole wheat pasta with greens and beans

This recipe makes enough to feed 457 people. O.K. maybe not that many, but it makes way more food then you would think for only 3/4 lb of pasta. Today I thought this was pretty good. I thought it was really good when I made it before. My opinions change I guess. I like more stuff in the stuff to pasta ratio. So, next time I'll try only making 1/2 of the box of pasta. I recommend making this with kale. I think kale is awesome. Buy the green kale, they have it at Central Market and I've seen it recently at Dan's Supervalue. I haven't tried the ornamental (purple) kale. I don't trust that anything grown to be ornamental could taste good. This is a good dish for vegetarians. It is a complete protein with the beans and the whole wheat pasta. Plus you get iron from the kale. This recipe comes from America's Test Kitchen. I agree them, Ronzoni makes good whole wheat pasta.

WHOLE WHEAT PASTA WITH GREENS, BEANS, TOMATOES, AND GARLIC CHIPS

Serves 4-6

If you don’t use 13.25 oz Ronzoni (brand of whole wheat pasta they recommend) use 3/4 lb of a whole wheat pasta.

INGREDIENTS

3 T olive oil

8 garlic cloves, 5 cloves sliced thin lengthwise, 3 cloves minced or pressed through a garlic press (1 Tablespoon)

Salt

1 medium onion, diced small (about 1 cup)

½ tsp hot red pepper flakes

14 c loosely packed kale or collard greens (1 to 1 ½ lbs), thick stems trimmed, leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces and rinsed, water still clinging to leaves (I use 2 bunches)

1 ½ c low-sodium chicken broth (about 1 can)

1 can (14 ½ oz) diced tomatoes, drained

1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

3/4 c pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped

13 1/4 oz whole wheat spaghetti

2 oz Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about 1 cup), plus additional for serving

ground black pepper

1. Heat oil and sliced garlic in 12-inch straight-sided saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring and turning frequently, until light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer garlic to plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with salt.

2. Add onion to pan; cook until starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes; cook, stirring constantly until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3. Add half of the greens to pan; using tongs, toss occasionally, until starting to wilt, about 2 minutes. Add remaining greens, broth, tomatoes, and 3/4 tsp salt; cover (pan will be full); increase heat to high and bring to strong simmer. Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, tossing occasionally, until greens are tender, about 15 minutes (mixture will be somewhat soupy). Stir in beans and olives.

4. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Add spaghetti and 1 tablespoon salt; cook until pasta is just shy of al dente. Drain pasta and return to pot. Add greens mixture to pasta, set over medium-high heat, and toss to combine. Cook until pasta absorbs most of liquid, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup Parmesan; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, passing garlic chips, extra-virgin olive oil, and Parmesan separately.

Sweet Potato Pancakes

I went on a cooking adventure tonight. I only had one lone sweet potato and I didn't know what to do with it. All my recipes call for more then one sweet potato and I didn't want to heat the oven just to bake it. So I decided to experiment. I combined my recipe for potato pancakes (I'll post it sometime) with the spices in my oven baked sweet potato fries. Oh the tension. Would the sweet potatoes be too much work for the food processor? Would the pancakes cook before the they burned? Would they taste good? The results? The were really good. They would be good as a side dish or served for breakfast along side breakfast burritos. They were good on their own or with ketchup. I doubled the recipe when I wrote it here. I'm sure they would be good with whole wheat flour or without the spices (ya know, for the kids). But, I haven't tried either of these things.

SWEET POTATO PANCAKES

Yield 14 3-4-inch pancakes

INGREDIENTS

2 eggs

1 small onion, cut into large chunks

1 tsp salt

2 T flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

2 sweet potatoes, peeled, cut in half and then sliced (it's easier then cutting it into cubes)

1/2 tsp chili powder (I used half chili powder and half chipoltle powder)

1/4 tsp pepper

Place all ingredients in the food processor and process until combined. Cook the pancakes in an oiled, nonstick pan. Spoon on the batter and spread it out. Cook on medium to medium-high. Make sure the first side is done before you flip them so the pancake stays together.

Popcorn update

Recipes for Tabasco popcorn and Chocolate Almond Popcorn have been added to the Popcorn entry.

Martini's (All sorts)

Sorry pregnant and nursing friends and family. I don't mean to taunt you. This can be what you drink in a few months.

Martini’s

Blue Ocean

2 shots Malibu rum (or other coconut rum)

1 shot blue caraco

3 shots pineapple juice

splash of sprite (or 7-up)

Skake all ingredients (except sprite) in a martini shaker. Pour into a martini glass and add a splash of Sprite or 7-up.

In the summer blend all of the ingredients except the 7-up in a blender with ice. Add a splash of 7-up after you pour into a glass.

Chocolate martini

1 shot vanilla vodka

½ shot cream de cocao

1 ½ shot Irish cream

chocolate syrup for garnish

Appletini

1 shot vodka

1 shot apple pucker

1 shot apple juice

Watermelon Martini

1 shot vodka

1 shot watermelon pucker

1 shot cranberry juice (or Juicy Juice Watermelon Juice)

Butterscotch Martini

1 shot butter shots

1 shot vanilla vodka

1 shot Irish cream

1 shot milk

Know Your Whole Grains

No one eats perfectly. I sure don't. I haven't tried a lot of these grains and don't cook others enough. On the road of health, it helps to know what you're steering towards. (Like my pompous sounding car metaphor? I made it up.) My plan is to add more nutrition entries at some point. Here is my first.

KNOW YOUR WHOLE GRAINS

General Whole grain tips.

-Most whole grains freeze well after they are cooked. Then you can unthaw them later and add them to soups or make a quick salad.

-The cooking times will vary. Rice may take 40 minutes one time and 50 minutes another. Taste for doneness. (This is true for dried beans as well.)

-Toast the raw grains before you cook them to add a nutty flavor. Toasting is good with brown rice. But, I don't think it makes much difference with steel cut oats.

-Soaking before cooking will shorten cooking time.

-whole grains have a shorter shelf life then non whole grains. They contain natural oils which will eventually get rancid. Keep in the refrigerator or freezer to extend shelf life.

-Salt. Add salt to the water when you cook whole grains. (or anything you boil in water for that matter) Well, if you are making a sweet dish, use just a dash. Add less salt if you are cooking in broth. Broth is salty on its own.

-The bigger the better. The larger each grain is, the better for you. You want your body to be doing the job of breaking down the grain. It will stay in your stomach longer and make you feel full longer. Example, steel cut oats are better then rolled that are in turn better then instant.

-If you like oatmeal, try a 10 (or 8 or 12 or whatever) grain cereal. It isn't any healthier for you (oats are already whole grain). But, it has a more interesting flavor.

AMARATH-You will sometimes find this in healthy baked goods.

BARLEY-Most often pearl barley, sold under the Mother's brand in supermarkets. Whole hulled barley is also available. I never make barley, and I should. I like it. I'll have to get on that.

BROWN RICE-Regular, medium, or short grain. Brown Basmati has a nuttier flavor (I don't notice a big taste difference however. There is a big taste difference between white rice and white basmati.) Cook 40 to 50 minutes. I like to make Oven Brown rice. Add sauteed onions and garlic and cook in broth to add flavor. Cooking rice in broth makes a huge difference.

BUCKWHEAT-Buckwheat groats are toasted and called kasha in eastern Europe. I don't know much about Kasha except it is usually a breakfast food.

-Buckwheat flour is used in baked goods, notably pancakes. Buckwheat has no gluten.

CORN-Cornmeal-Get whole grain cornmeal, not enriched. The stuff at the supermarket is usually enriched. Hodgkin's Mills makes a whole grain cornmeal and they carry it at Walmart, so I'm sure they have it in the health food section of the supermarket or maybe even by the cornmeal. See my cornbread recipe.

-Poletna is made from coarsely ground cornmeal. It makes an Italian cornmeal pudding. Anything with a porage texture scares me. So, I have no info about polenta.

-Masa Harina is corn flour used to make corn tortillas. Corn tortillas and therefore corn chips are whole grain. So corn chips are a better for you then potato chips.

-Hominy-Sold canned in the Mexican food section of the supermarket. It is also sold dried, but I don't know if they have it in Bismarck. I read in someone's blog the dried is vastly superior (in taste) to canned. Hominy has all the fiber of corn, but has lost some of the vitamins. It has a satisfyingly chewy texture. Check out my Posole recipe (ya know, when I post it).

-Grits-Grits are made from coarsely ground hominy. I know nothing about grits. I'm from North Dakota.

FLAXSEED-Flaxseeds must be ground to get the nutrition from them. Your body cannot digest them whole. Grind them in a coffee grinder or buy them ground. They will last a month ground in the refrigerator. Add them to baked goods, on top of cereal or in a smoothie. If more people buy them they might plant more flax in North Dakota and I could see more beautiful flax fields.

MILLET-I've never tried millet. To my knowledge, no culture has made this a staple of their diet. So, I don't have high hopes for it.

OATS- Like all whole grain, the bigger the grain, the better for you. Your body spends more time digesting, so you stay full longer.

-Instant oats are precooked and dried to make the cooking time shorter.

-Quick cook oats are more thinly sliced then rolled oats and cook in 3-5 minutes.

-Rolled Oats- Rolled oats have been husked, steamed and rolled. Simmered for 10ish minutes for oatmeal. They are a great addition to baked goods, pancakes, bread. Oatmeal cookies anyone? I make granola quite often.

-Steel cut oats (A.K.A. Irish or Scottish Oats)-Steel cut oats are cut into pieces with steel blades. They make a creamier, nuttier, chewier oatmeal. Steel cut oats have a lower glycemic index then rolled oats. They take 40 minutes to cook. I've seen recipes that require soaking first to shorten the cooking time. I make overnight oatmeal.

-Oat Bran-Add oat bran to baked goods or sprinkle on cereal.

-Oat Groats are the whole kernel oats.

-Oat flour- Used in baking. Oat four had no gluten and cannot be used alone for bread.

QUINOA (Keen-Wa)-I don't make this enough. Quinoa is quite the impressive grain. It's a complete protein, which is good for vegetarians. It has a natural insecticide coating. I'm only guessing, but I'd think that would mean they need to use less pesticides when growing quinoa. Because of the natural insecticide, you should rinse quinoa before cooking it. If there is any of the insecticide left, it will make the quinoa taste terrible. I have never encountered this. I know people who never rinse their quinoa and don't have a problem. So, it's up to you. Quinoa is also quicker cooking. It cooks in 25 minutes which is half the time of brown rice. You can find Quinoa is in the health food section of the supermarket. Anything you would serve with rice you can serve with quinoa.

RYE-Rye berries- Used in similar ways to wheat berries. Cooks in 30-40 minutes. Look in the health food store.

-Rye flour-Rye flour is low in gluten and must be mixed with white wheat flour to be made into bread. Trust me I tried several times to make whole wheat rye bread (Pumpernickel actually). Won't rise. But, the hard crust cooked around the dough tasted fantastic. When I couldn't find a recipe for whole wheat rye bread on the Internet, I decided to give up. Anyway, be aware, rye bread is only part whole grain.

Update-Laurel's Kitchen cookbook and this woman say you can make 100% whole wheat rye bread. It must just be me.

SPELT-It's a cousin to wheat. Some people with wheat allergies can eat it. Use spelt flour in place of wheat flour.

TRITICALE (Triht-ih-kay-lee)-It's a hybrid of wheat and rye. It comes in berries like wheat berries or flour.

WHEAT- Whole Wheat Flour-Used in baking. Look for 100% whole wheat (or whole grain) bread. If it just says wheat, it's white flour with Carmel color. I've been fooled more then once. The biggest culprits are bagels and English muffins. Turn the bread over and look for Whole wheat flour as the first ingredient. The important word being whole. If it says wheat flour it means white wheat flour.

-Wheat Berries-Wheat berries are the whole grains of wheat. They can be cooked and eaten for breakfast, made into casseroles or salads (like a pasta salad, but with wheat berries). See Lora's Weird Wheat Berry Salad, and Wheat Berry Pilaf.

-Bulgar Wheat- Is wheat berries that have been steamed and crushed. It comes in fine, medium and coarse grain. Medium is the most common. It can be found in bulk sections and health food sections of your supermarket. Boxes of tabbouleh mix are Bulgar. See my recipes for Tabbouleh and pineapple Bulgar salad. (when I get around to posting them.)

-Whole Wheat Couscous-Is a whole wheat pasta that is in the shape of a small round ball. (Think half rice size, but round) The best thing about couscous is that you cook it by adding water (or broth), bring it to a boil, remove it from the heat and let it sit, covered for 5 minutes. How's that for last minute healthy cooking.

WILD RICE-Wild rice is technically not rice. It's a aquatic grass grown in lakes in Minnesota. (and other places) Use in soups, stews, and salads.

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE ICE CREAM

Yield 1 quart.

INGREDIENTS
3/4 pound strawberries, fresh or frozen (about 1 pint or 2 c)

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup heavy cream

Coarsely chop strawberries and in a blender puree with all remaining ingredients except cream just until smooth. Stir in cream and freeze mixture in an ice-cream maker. Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden.

More bacon fun

Maple bacon lollipop anyone? This link is via http://www.baconunwrapped.com/ . This may or may not be real, but...Diet coke with bacon. And the recipe I'm most likely to try in a week moment...Bacon Popcorn.

Easy Ice Cream (vanilla, chocolate, peppermint, coffee, and butter pecan)

This is the easy "cheater" version of my ice cream recipes. Truth be told, I make ice cream the cheater way more often then not. The non cheater way is to make a custard first. That ice cream is and remains (after a few weeks) more scoopable. It also has a better texture if you make a custard. Made the easy way it freezes harder and only gets harder to scoop the longer it sits in the freezer. Feel free to add 2/3 cup mini chips to any recipe to make it vanilla chip or chocolate chocolate chip, etc. You can also substitute 4 c (1 quart) half and half for the 2 cups of milk and 2 cups of cream.

EASY VANILLA ICE CREAM

INGREDIENTS

2 C cream

2 C milk

1 C sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Whisk the milk, sugar and vanilla until combined. Add the cream and whisk together. Freeze according to the manufactures directions

EASY COFFEE ICE CREAM

INGREDIENTS

2 c cream

2c milk

1 c sugar

1 1/2 T espresso powder or instant coffee powder (more coffee)

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Whisk together all ingredients except for the cream. Add the cream and whisk together. Freeze according to the manufactures directions.

EASY PEPPERMINT CHIP ICE CREAM

INGREDIENTS

2 C cream

2 C milk

1 C sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract

2 or 3 drops of green food coloring

2/3 c mini chocolate chips

Whisk together milk, sugar, vanilla, peppermint, and food coloring. Add cream and whisk. I prefer a lite green color, because I think it looks more upscale. But add as much food coloring as you like. The color will lighten as it freezes. Freeze according to manufacturers directions. Add chips during last part of the freezing.

EASY BUTTER PECAN ( OR BRICKLE)

INGREDIENTS

2 C cream

2 C milk

1 C brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 C chopped pecans or toffee (brickle)

Whisk together milk, brown sugar, and vanilla. Add cream and whisk. Freeze according to manufactures instructions. Add pecans (or toffee) at the end of the freezing process.

EASY CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM

INGREDIENTS

2 C cream

2 C milk

1 1/2 C sugar

1/2 C cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt (helps bring out the flavor)

Whisk together milk, sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla. It doesn't seem like the cocoa will ever whisk in, but keep whisking, it will. Add cream and whisk. Freeze according to manufacturers instructions.

EASY MOCHA ICE CREAM- add 2 tsp espresso powder (or instant coffee)

EASY CHOCOLATE MINT ICE CREAM- add 1/2 to 1 tsp mint extract

Supermarket Pizza Sauce

Who knew? I thought that all pizza sauces would have corn syrup. Flavorite pizza sauce doesn't have any. In fact, it's made from real food (well, it has "natural" flavors and citric acid, but I'll let that pass). In contrast, the Contadina has corn syrup as the second ingredient and also had modified corn starch. Other brands are probably corn syrup free, but I haven't checked.

Congratulations Trojans

Congratulations to the Turtle Lake-Mercer Trojans for taking 2nd place in the North Dakota State Class B Basketball Tournament. Click here to see a video of the town of Turtle Lake preparing to go to state.

Breakfast Cookies

I thought these were terrible. Not cutting the sugar in half might have helped them. However, my mom loved these breakfast cookies. So, I'm posting this recipe at her request so she can make them in Alaska. If you want to try them, I think adding all the sugar is a good idea. This recipe is from Everyday Foods.

OATMEAL-ALMOND CRISPS

INGREDIENTS

1/3 C packed brown sugar (I used 2 T + 2 tsp brown sugar)

1/4 C (1/2 stick)butter, melted (I used 2 T oil and 2T melted butter)

1 large egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract (or almond extract)

1 1/2 C rolled oats

1/2 C sliced almonds (or sunflower seeds or a mixture)

nonstick cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, whisk brown sugar, butter, egg and vanilla until smooth. Mix in oats and almonds.

3. Drop mixture by level tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2-inches apart. Spray the underside of a spatula with cooking spray, and use to flatten cookies into 2 1/2-inch disks.

4. Bake until golden, 14 to 16 minutes. Cool completely on baking sheets. (Handle with care; cookies are fragile.)

Bunny Ear Pancakes

We went down to the town hall today for a pancake and sausage breakfast for the Wilton Ambulance. They also had an egg bake, which is a nice addition the usual pancakes and sausage fare. The Easter bunny was there handing out Easter baskets to the kids. They had bunny shaped pancakes. Well, at least I had a bunny shaped pancake. I thought it was a cute idea for Easter.

Clove of Garlic

According to America's Test Kitchen, a clove of garlic (either minced or pressed through a garlic press) yields:

Small clove=1/2 tsp
Medium clove=1 tsp
large clove=2 tsp
Extra Large clove=1 T

Coleslaw

Welcome back Spring. Made this way, coleslaw is actually good for you. Especially if you use yogurt instead of sour cream. If the yogurt is fat free, the only fat in this recipe comes from the 2 Tablespoons of Mayo. Two tablespoons of Kraft coleslaw dressing has 110 calories and 80 from fat. (these figures are for Kraft food service coleslaw dressing, which I assume is the same as what they sell in the supermarket) If you are going to actually grate your own cabbage, (I'm assuming most people will just buy bag of coleslaw mix) purple (red) cabbage has many more vitamins. The stuff that makes it purple has lots of vitamins. It also looks fancier. The dressing will turn color a bit the next day if you use purple cabbage. Something to note if you care about those kinds of things. This coleslaw recipe tastes like traditional coleslaw. The variations don't actually vary the flavor much, but they might fit with your menu better. This recipe is from America's Test Kitchen.

COLESLAW

INGREDIENTS

1 lb red or green cabbage (about ½ med head) shredded fine or chopped (about 6 cups)

salt

1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded

½ c buttermilk

2 T mayo

2 T sour cream (I use yogurt)

1 small shallot, minced (2 T)

2 T minced fresh parsley

½ tsp cider vinegar

1/4 tsp Dijon mustard

½ tsp sugar

1/8 tsp ground pepper

1. Toss shredded cabbage and 1 tsp salt in a colander over a medium bowl. Let stand until cabbage wilts, at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours. Rinse cabbage under running cold water. Press, but do not squeeze to drain. Combine with carrots.

2. Stir in remaining in a bowl and pour over coleslaw. (Can be refrigerated up to 3 days)

BUTTERMILK COLESLAW WITH SCALLIONS AND CILANTRO

substitute

1 T cilantro for parsley

1 tsp lime for vinegar

omit mustard

add 2 scallions, sliced thin

BUTTERMILK COLESLAW WITH LEMON AND HERBS

substitute

2 tsp lemon juice for vinegar

add

1 tsp fresh thyme

1 T minced chives

Commercials

Two of my new favorite commercials are:
The Dunkin' Doughnuts commercial with Fratalian.
The Reece's Easter commercial.
They are both food related, so I thought I'd share.

Pasta with Mushroom Cream Sauce

I used to make my own pasta with a cream sauce at home. Now, I've pretty much relegated cream sauces to when I got out to eat and decide I really want them. Should you want to venture into the realm of cream sauces, this is a good one. In Italy, pasta with cream sauce is a side dish and not a main dish. You may want to serve it that way. The important trick to this sauce is to actually cook the mushrooms for 10 minutes. They will look like they are done after a few minutes, but if you continue on with the recipe at that point, you'll be disappointed. The sauce will have a weird, bitter taste. That's the voice of experience talking.

Now to deal with the issue of the onions. Originally the recipe did not call for them. Kristy was making a similar recipe that included onions. Hers was better, so I added the onions to mine. I don't remember when I added the onions to the skillet. Instinct tells me that 10 minutes will be too long. I'd guess that adding the onions to the skillet after the mushrooms have been cooking five minutes would work.

PASTA WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

1 12oz package mushrooms

1/2 onion chopped

3 Tbsp butter

1 cup half and half

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1. Coarsely chop mushrooms. In a 10 inch skillet over medium-high heat, cook mushrooms in the butter, stirring frequently. After 5 minutes, add the onions and cook until mushrooms are tender and browned, about 10 minutes total. (not less then 10)

2. Stir half and half and salt and 1/4 c Parmesan into mushrooms; cook, stirring, until sauce reduces slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in extra 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Makes about 1 1/2 cups sauce or enough to serve over 1/2 pound pasta. Serves 2

Lemon Pasta with Chick peas and spinach

This is a quick, easy, healthy, last minute supper idea. Even healthier if you use whole wheat pasta. I recommend Ronzoni. The lemon sauce won't mask the whole wheat flavor of the pasta the way a spicy Puttanesca sauce will. So, you have to like whole wheat pasta to use it in this recipe. By the way, chick peas and garbanzo beans are different names for the same bean. I was out of chick peas when I made the pasta in the picture, so I substituted black eyed peas.

Lemon pasta with chick peas and spinach

INGREDIENTS
2/3 c dried chick peas

1 bay leaf

1 medium clove garlic

OR 1 can of garbanzo beans

3 crushed cloves garlic

1 ½ LB spinach (or one box, thawed and squeezed)

¼ c olive oil

2 tsp fresh minced thyme (or 2 tsp dried)

1 tsp salt

1/2 LB pasta

3 T lemon juice (fresh is better, I use bottled)

The Original instructions:

1. Soak chick peas overnight covered by 2 inches water. Cook with bay leaf and garlic clove 35-40 minutes. Can be refrigerated up to 2 days.

2. Bring 4 quarts of water to boil for pasta.

3. Stem spinach and wash. Cook in a Dutch oven or deep pot with some water until wilted .(5 minutes) Drain.

4. Heat oil. Add garlic and thyme and sauté over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add chick peas until warm. (1 minute) Add spinach and salt. Heat and mix thoroughly. (2 minutes) Taste for salt and seasoning.

5. Toss with lemon juice and pasta.

My way:

1. Cook the pasta.

2. Heat oil. Add garlic and thyme and sauté over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add chick peas until warm. (1 minute) Add spinach (squeezed and thawed from a box) and salt. Heat and mix thoroughly. (2 minutes)Taste for salt and seasoning.

3. Toss with lemon juice and pasta.

Pancakes in a can

In the Bismarck Tribune today they had a story about Batter Blaster. Pancake batter in a whipped cream can. From the article:
"You want pancakes, but the idea of adding water to powder and stirring it around just seems like too much effort. Enter Batter Blaster, the pancake you just point and spray.
Gastronomic genius? Or a sign of the apocalypse?"
Thought I'd share this oddity. It's organic, which makes it seem more odd. It's pretty ridiculous, but might be handy for camping. The demo video on the Batter Blaster website is entertainingly campy.

Jerusalem Sandwich

Those of you from the Bismarck area might remember the Green Earth Cafe. They served a Jerusalem Sandwich and I've tried to recreate it. I had written that you should serve this on Pumpernickel. I don't know if that was the way the Green Earth served it, or if it was just how I ordered it. I have found, however, that I prefer it on whole wheat. I have to give a shout out to Sandi for introducing me to this yummy sandwich. The filling makes enough for one and a half sandwiches. I just made one fat sandwich instead.

Jerusalem Sandwich

INGREDIENTS

2-3 T chopped or sliced black olives

3 T cream cheese

2 T chopped walnuts

2 T chopped dates

sprouts

Two (or three) slices of bread.

Mix the olives, walnuts, dates, and cream cheese. Spread the mixture on one slice of the bread. Top with sprouts and the other slice of bread.

100 easy recipes

At The World's Healthiest Foods they have over 100 really simple, quick and easy reicpes that *duh* are also healthy.

Focaccia

This makes good focaccia bread, but I usually use it as the crust for pizza. This is the dough I use for my indoor pizza. When the weather is warm enough, I cook pizza outside on the grill. When there are a few people around, I usually make two pizza pan sized pizzas and one pizza sized focaccia bread with this recipe. I like to make small crusts for individual pizzas. It's great for a quick lunch or supper. If you have kids, they like making their own individual pizzas. You can also freeze a full size pizza crust for a family supper. Just pop it out of your pan after you bake it and put it back in the pan after you take it out of the freezer.

The original recipe called for all white flour. I've done some experimenting. All whole wheat will also work. It's a bit wheaty the first day, but mellows by the second day. I would recommend substituting 1/2 c whole wheat flour in place of 1/2 c of the white flour, even if whole wheat is not your thing. It adds some flavor and character to the dough. Stacy (who happened to be here when I was cooking the pizza in the picture) say she thinks adding some whole wheat to pizza dough also makes the dough more tender. I think she's probably right. This recipe is from "The Frugal Gourmet Cooks Three Ancient Cuisines."

These pizza rounds are for us to eat when we go to Julie's house after she has her baby. They were requested by her husband Al. He has somehow managed never to be around when I have made pizza. Here you go Al. This is for you.

FOCACCIA ROMANA

INGREDIENTS

2 pkgs. fast-rising dry yeast

2 c tepid water (105-115)

2 T sugar

1/4 c olive oil

1/2 c salad oil

1 tsp table salt

5 1/2 c unbleached flour (see into)

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1/4 c olive oil for topping

1 T whole rosemary

1 T kosher salt for topping

Dissolve the yeast in the tepid water. Add the sugar, olive oil, salad oil, and regular salt. Using your mixer, mix in 3 cups of the flour and whip until the dough begins to leave the sides of the mixing bowl. Let rise about 10 minutes

Mix in the remaining flour by hand or with a dough hook and knead the dough until it is smooth. Allow the dough to rise twice. Punch down after each rising. (The frugal Gourmet, who wrote this recipe, does all this with his kitchen aid. He kneads the dough with the dough hook. Lets it rise right in the bowl. and "punches it down" by turning on the dough hooks.) When I made this yesterday, it took about 30 minutes for the first rise, although I let it go for 45 minutes. It rose for 30 minutes the second time. At this point, there are a few options.

For baking focaccia:

Oil 2 baking sheets, each 13x18 inches, and divide the dough between the 2 pans. Using your fingers, press the dough out to the edges of each pan. Allow to rise for about 30 minutes. Brush the dough with the crushed garlic mixed with the oil for topping. Sprinkle with the rosemary and kosher salt on top. (Fresh Parmesan is nice too.)

Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes.

VARIATION: Top with green onions instead of rosemary.

For baking Pizza:

Oil 2 baking sheets, each 13x18 inches, and divide the dough between the 2 pans. Using your fingers, press the dough out to the edges of each pan. Allow to rise for about 30 minutes. Bake the dough for 15 minutes. Take the dough out of the oven and add your pizza toppings. Bake for the remaining 15 minutes. (it may take a few more minutes. depending on how long you had the oven door open, how many toppings, etc.)

For single serve pizza crusts:

Divide the dough into eight dough balls and roll or press into an circle. (Or an amorphous shape. It doesn't matter. It will look homemade.) Let rise 30 minutes. Bake either on a pizza pan (or baking pan) or directly on a baking stone. Bake for 15 minutes. At this point you can cool and freeze the pizza bases. Or, add pizza toppings and bake for 15 additional minutes.

If you are using frozen pizza bases, add the pizza toppings and bake for 15-20 minutes.

measurements-chart

You might want to print this and tape it inside the door of your cupboard. That's where mine is.


dash..............................less then 1/8 tsp
1 T equals....................3 tsp
1 fluid ounce equals...2 T
1/4 c equals................4 T
1/3 c equals............... 5 T plus 1 tsp
1 c equals....................16 T
1 c equals ...................8 fluid oz.
1 pint equals...............2 C
1 quart equals............4 C
1 gallon equals...........4 quarts
1 lb. equals.................16oz


Apples.................................1 lb (3 to 4 med.)=3 to 3 1/2 C, pared, sliced
Bananas..............................1 lb (3 to 4 med.)=1 1/4 to 1 1/2 C, mashed
Beans, dried.............................1 lb. (2 1/2 C)=6 C, cooked
Bread..................................................1 slice=1/4 C dry crumbs
Butter.....................................................1 lb.=2 C
..........................................................1 stick =1/2 C or 8 T
Cabbage.................................................1 lb.=4 1/2 to 5 cups, shredded
Celery..................................................2 ribs=1 C, sliced
Cheese, blue..........................................4 oz.=1 C, crumbled
cottage..................................................8 oz.=1 C
Cheddar or Swiss....................................1 lb.=4 C, shredded
Chicken....................................3 1/2 lb. fryer=3 C cooked chicken, diced
Chocolate, chips.........................6 oz. package=1 C
Coconut, flaked or shredded.....................8 oz.=2 1/2 C
Coffee, ground..........................................1 lb=4 C or 64 T
...........................................1 T + 3/4 C water= 1 cup of coffee
Currents.................................................1 lb. = 3 C
Dates......................................................1 lb. = 2 1/2 C
Egg Whites, large..........................................1=about 2 T
Yolks, large...................................................1=about 1 T
...................................1 whole egg=2 egg whites (or 2 egg yolks)
Fish..........................................................1 lb.=1 3/4 C, cooked, flaked
Flour, All Purpose.......................................1 lb.=4 C
Gelatin, unflavored...........................1 envelope=2 1/4 tsp.
Gram crackers.................................14 squares=about 1 C fine crumbs
Herbs..................................1 T fresh=1 tsp. dried (excluding tarragon)
Ham.........................................................1 lb.=3 C, cubed
Lemon...............................................1 medium=2 to 3 T juice
........................................................1 medium=1 to 2 tsp. grated zest
Lime..................................................1 medium=1 1/2 to 2 T juice
........................................................1 medium=1 tsp. grated zest
Macaroni, elbow.................................8 oz. (2 C)=4 C, cooked
Macaroni, shell.............................8 oz. (3 1/2 C)=4 C, cooked
Noodles............................................8 oz. (4 C)=4 to 4 1/2 C cooked
Nuts, in shell..............................................1 lb. =1 1/4 to 2 C, shelled
Nuts, shelled................................................1 lb.=4 C
Onion..................................................1 medium=about 3/4 C chopped
Orange.................................................1 medium=6 to 8 T juice
..........................................................1 medium=3 to 4 tsp. grated zest
Peas, dried..........................................1 lb. (2 C)=5 C, cooked
Potatoes......................................................1 lb.=2 1/2 c, cooked, cubed
Raisins.........................................................1 lb.= 2 1/2 c
Rice, white.....................................................1 C=3 C, cooked
instant...........................................................1 C=2 C, cooked
Spaghetti.......................................................8 oz=4 C, cooked
Sugar, brown, packed....................................1 lb.=2 1/4 C
granulated...................................................1 lb.=2 C
powdered.....................................................1 lb.=3 1/2 to 4 C
Tuna or Crab....................................6 1/2 oz. can=3/4 C, flaked
Vanilla wafers..................................................24=about 1 C fine crumbs
Whipped cream...............................................1 C=2 to 2 1/4 C, whipped
Yeast, active dry...................................1 envelope=2 1/4 to 2 1/2 tsp.

Orange (Lemon,Lime or Raspberry)Sherbet

The orange sherbet is by far my favorite version of this recipe. It tastes like the very best creamsicle you can imagine. I recommend that you buy a really good quality orange juice, because you really can taste the difference in this recipe. This is at least 1/3 less fat then ice cream. I'm not a nutritionist, but I did some simple math to figure that out. One day I am going to make good on my threat to make homemade rainbow sherbet. That will be a good day.

Here are some tips. A magnetic oven thermometer (used on your freezer) with an alert works really well for letting you know when to take your mixture out of the freezer at 40 degrees. One lemon contains two to three tablespoons juice. One lime contains one and a half to two tablespoons juice. 2/3 cup measures just under 11 tablespoons. The small amount of vodka in the recipe helps to make the sherbet scoop-able. Homemade ice cream alternatives (sherbets, sorbets, ices) like to freeze as hard as a rock.

FRESH ORANGE SHERBET

yield 1 quart

Freeze canister well so the sherbet sets. Use fresh-squeezed, unpasteurized orange juice (store bought or home squeezed.) Don’t use concentrate. It tastes decidedly unfresh.

INGREDIENTS

1 T grated zest from 1 to 2 oranges

1 c (7 oz) sugar

1/8 tsp salt

2 c orange juice, preferably unpasteurized fresh-squeezed

3 T juice from 1 or 2 lemons

2 tsp triple sec or vodka

2/3 c heavy cream

1. Process the zest, sugar, and salt in a food processor until damp, 10 to 15 1-second pulses. With the machine running, add the orange juice and lemon juice in a slow stream; continue to process until the sugar is fully dissolved, about 1 minute. Strain the mixture through a nonreactive fine-mesh strainer into a medium bowl; stir in the triple sec and then cover with plastic wrap and chill in the freezer until very cold, about 40 degrees, 30 to 60 minutes. ( alternatively, set the bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice water.) Do not let the mixture freeze.

2. When the mixture is cold, using a whisk, whip the cream in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Whisking constantly, add the juice mixture in a steady stream, pouring against the edge of the mixing bowl. Immediately start the ice cream maker (mine's not red) and add the juice-cream mixture to the canister and churn until the sherbet has the texture of soft serve ice cream, 25 to 30 minutes.

3. Remove the canister from the machine and transfer the sherbet to a storage container: press plastic wrap directly against the surface of the sherbet and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours. (The sherbet can be wrapped well in plastic and frozen for up to a week.) To serve, let the sherbet stand at room temperature until slightly softened and an instant read thermometer reads 12 to 15 degrees.

FRESH LIME (LEMON) SHERBET

Use freshly squeezed, not bottled. For lemon sherbet use lemon juice and zest, for the lime juice and zest.

INGREDIENTS

1 T grated zest from 1 to 2 limes (lemons)

1 c + 2 T sugar

1/8 tsp salt

2/3 c lime(lemon)

1 ½ c water

2 tsp triple sec or vodka

2/3 c heavy cream

1. Process the zest, sugar, and salt in a food processor until damp, 10 to 15 1-second pulses. With the machine running, add the lime (lemon) juice and water in a slow stream; continue to process until the sugar is fully dissolved, about 1 minute. Strain the mixture through a nonreactive fine-mesh strainer into a medium bowl; stir in the triple sec and then cover with plastic wrap and chill in the freezer until very cold, about 40 degrees, 30 to 60 minutes. ( alternatively, set the bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice water.) Do not let the mixture freeze.

2. When the mixture is cold, using a whisk, whip the cream in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Whisking constantly, add the juice mixture in a steady stream, pouring against the edge of the mixing bowl. Immediately start the ice cream maker and add the juice-cream mixture to the canister and churn until the sherbet has the texture of soft serve ice cream, 25 to 30 minutes.

3. Remove the canister from the machine and transfer the sherbet to a storage container: press plastic wrap directly against the surface of the sherbet and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours. (The sherbet can be wrapped well in plastic and frozen for up to a week.) To serve, let the sherbet stand at room temperature until slightly softened and an instant read thermometer reads 12 to 15 degrees.

FRESH RASPBERRY SHERBET

In season use fresh raspberries, but frozen raspberries are an option. Substitute a 12 oz bag of frozen from fresh.

INGREDIENTS

3 c fresh raspberries

3/4 c water

1 c (7 oz) sugar

1/8 tsp salt

2 c orange juice, preferably unpasteurized fresh-squeezed

3 T juice from 1 or 2 lemons

2 tsp triple sec or vodka

2/3 c heavy cream

1. In a medium nonreactive saucepan coo 3 c fresh raspberries, 3/4 c water, 1 c sugar, and 1/8 tsp salt over medium heat, stirring constantly , until the mixture just begins to simmer, about 7 minutes. Pass the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl , pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Add 3 T lemon juice and 2 tsp triple sec or vodka; cover with plastic wrap and chill in the freezer until until very cold, about 40 degrees. Do not let the mixture freeze.

2. When the mixture is cold, using a whisk, whip the cream in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Whisking constantly, add the berry mixture in a steady stream, pouring against the edge of the mixing bowl. Immediately start the ice cream maker and add the juice-cream mixture to the canister and churn until the sherbet has the texture of soft serve ice cream, 25 to 30 minutes.

3. Remove the canister from the machine and transfer the sherbet to a storage container: press plastic wrap directly against the surface of the sherbet and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours. (The sherbet can be wrapped well in plastic and frozen for up to a week.) To serve, let the sherbet stand at room temperature until slightly softened and an instant read thermometer reads 12 to 15 degrees.

Vegetarian Pasta Puttanesca

This is a vegetarian version of pasta puttanesca . I got this recipe from my vegetarian sister Kristy. Normally puttanesca includes anchovies. Pasta Puttanesca translates to whorehouse pasta. This is a recipe the whores could make this by opening up cans and heating cooking on a hotplate. I have altered the recipe to my liking, adding way more red pepper flakes and garlic. Normal humans might want to use less. Since this recipe is so flavorful it works really well with whole wheat pasta. I like the Ronzonni brand. (they have it at Central Market) This is an easy last minute dish.

PASTA ALLA PUTTANESCA

INGREDIENTS

1 28-oz can whole tomatoes, juice discarded

¼ c olive oil

4 medium garlic cloves

½ tsp red pepper flakes

8 large black olives (2-oz)

8 large green olives (2-oz)

2 T drained capers

Salt to taste

1/2 LB pasta

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Meanwhile...

1. Rough chop tomatoes

2. Heat oil over medium heat and add garlic and red pepper until golden. (2 minutes)

3. Add the rest of the ingredients until sauce thickens. (15 minutes) Salt to taste. This needs very little salt however, because olives and capers are high in salt.

4. Toss with pasta and Parmesan.

Lora's Weird Wheat Berry Salad

This salad sound weird and looks weird, but tastes good. I think the fresh dill is what makes it so good. The original recipe was called perfect protein salad. It called for soy beans instead of white beans. With the soy beans and the tofu I guess it was quite the protein bomb for vegetarians. I didn't like the name "Perfect Protein Salad" so I changed it. I only made this recipe the first time because I happened to have cooked soybeans and cooked wheat berries on hand. (first and only time that happened). Glad I did, because I would never have made this based on reading the recipe. I make it using cottage cheese. Wheat berries freeze well after they are cooked, so go ahead and make extra wheat berries. See also the Wheat Berry Pilaf for breakfast and my whole grain nutrition entry. This recipe is from the Moosewood Cookbook.

WEIRD WHEAT BERRY SALAD

INGREDIENTS

1 can or 1 1/2 c white beans

3/4 c dry wheat or rye berries, soaked overnight (1 ½ c cooked)

1/4 to 1/3 c cider vinegar (to taste)

1 tsp salt

fresh black pepper, to taste

1/4 c minced fresh dill (or 2 tsp dried)

1/4 to 1/3 c mayonnaise

1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced

½ c finely minced parsley

1 c cottage cheese or mashed tofu

3 scallions, finely minced

1 medium carrot, minced

1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and minced

a little bit of bell pepper (I used 1/4 a green pepper)

optional: minced red onion or celery, fresh alfalfa sprouts, sliced radish, tomato slices for garnish

Soak: Soak the wheat or rye berries for at least 30 minutes. (Soaking them overnight is also fine)

1. Place the soaked wheat or rye berries in another saucepan and add at least 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, partially cover, and simmer until tender. This will take between 1 and 1 1/4 hours. When the wheat berries are cooked, (chewy but not burst open, some will still crack open , that's O.K.) drain well. Transfer to a medium sized bowl.

2. Combine everything and mix well. Serve garnished with ripe tomato slices.