Socca (Monaco), by Cheryl

This is post #87 for the year 2015, surpassing our other previous record for the year by 7! Will we add to it before the new year?

I completely skipped over Monaco when making my list of countries for my world cuisine theme. Whoops! At least I wasn't too far past the m's. Anyway, it's time to get back on track with my theme. Socca is a popular street food in Monaco and areas along the French Riviera. It's basically a thin crepe or pancake made from chickpea flour cooked on a griddle. People in Monaco and in southern France like to a hot piece of socca with a cool glass of wine. I did make one minor adjustment - the recipe call for the pan to be placed over a solid bed of coals to cook. I figured that my gas stove came close. They came out a little plain when eaten on their own, but made a really good stand in for bread when we had our salmon chowder. Yum!

Ingredients:

2 cups chickpea flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
pepper

Directions:

1) In a blender mix the flour, oil, water, and salt until smooth.

2) Place a heavy frying pan and griddle over medium heat. Brush surface generously with oil. Pour enough batter to cover the pan surface. Cook until bottom is lightly browned and top is dry to the touch, about 3-4 minutes.

3) Slash pancake into random shaped serving sizes. Eat hot!

Peach "Ice Cream", by Cheryl

Okay, it's almost time to stop eating complete junk everyday... almost. The amount of chocolate and sugary drinks and treats that have been consumed in this house the past 6 weeks is crazy. It started with Julia's birthday, then on to Jon's birthday, then Hanukah and all the gelt that comes with it was soon after, and then all the food that comes with holiday parties and Christmas/New Years time... it just won't stop! I hate the cliche that comes with the statement, "After the New Year I'll... " but we have a wedding on New Years Eve so we're going with it this year. Anyway, in comes the peach "ice cream". I need to have some sort of sweet treat at night and this is a healthier alternative to the chemical ice cream dish I've been gorging on. And it's so easy to make too! I made a couple of adjustments to the original recipe - I used one tablespoon of maple syrup and one tablespoon of honey in order to give it more of a natural sweet flavor and to avoid an overpowering flavor from either of those. I also didn't feel that the recipe needed another tablespoon of either of those. I also added in another 1/4 cup of coconut milk since it was too solid. Just blend it all together and voila! If you want a softer consistency eat it right after blending. Otherwise, put it in the freezer for later and just defrost for 10 minutes before diving in. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz) bag of frozen peaches
1/2 cup coconut milk
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1) Blend all of the ingredients together. Be sure to scrape down the sides so nothing is missed.

Cheryl's Egg Benedict, by Cheryl

I think I know what my new go-to weekend breakfast is going to be. I love ordering this breakfast when we go out to brunch... the goo from the egg yolk with the hollandaise sauce, combined with maybe some spinach or meat, mixed in on a toasted buttery english muffin is so delicate and creamy.

I had some time this morning to actually make myself a decent breakfast so I tackled this. I layered it with avocado, cooked spinach (previously frozen), a tablespoon of sour cream with lemon juice, and a poached egg, all on top of a toasted english muffin. I poached the egg just perfectly, about two minutes in the boiling water, and it was so amazingly delicious. The avocado really added a new layer of creaminess... I didn't want the meal to end! Yum!

Ingredients:

1 egg
half an english muffin
handful of spinach
1/4 avocado
1 tbsp sour cream
dash of lemon juice
salt

Directions:

1) Boil a pot of water. Once boiling, open an egg into the pot and poach for two minutes (three-four minutes if you want it cooked more).

2) Lightly toast an English muffin and top it with ripe avocado, spinach, a tablespoon of sour cream mixed with a little bit of lemon juice, and the poached egg. Dig in! And make sure you get each ingredient with every bite!

Paella-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, by Diane

This recipe came from a Rachael Ray magazine, and originally was supposed to use acorn squash. However, right around this time of year I get extremely fed up with cutting squash open and destroying my kitchen and so I opted for sweet potatoes. It was a great choice, and these were SO good and filling! The paella itself was also delicious and would have been great on it's own. I also added saffron to this recipe, because having just gotten back from Istanbul, I bought it there to add to my next paella dish. :)

Ingredients:

4 medium sweet potatoes
1 package chorizo
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 cup arborio rice
3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

2 threads saffron 
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup jarred, drained roasted red peppers, thinly sliced
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons chopped flatleaf parsley, plus more for garnish

 

Directions:

 

1. Roast or steam sweet potatoes until tender. Cut in half lengthwise and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat a medium saucepan to medium heat. Remove chorizo from casing and add, stirring often and crumbling, until browned. Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the rice, paprika, cayenne, and saffron; stir 1 minute. Add the stock; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is al dente, 15 to 18 minutes. Stir in the peppers, peas and 2 tbsp. parsley; season.
3. Preheat the broiler. Turn the potatoes cut side up and mash with a fork to help create room for the filling. Fill with rice mixture, mounding in center. Broil until browned in spots, 8 to 10 minutes. 

Goat Cheese Rotini with Shrimp and Tomatoes, by Cheryl

I had taken out shrimp to defrost earlier in the day with the hopes that I would figure out what to make with it eventually. Closer to dinner time I stared into my refrigerator, willing for ingredients to pop out at me in order to figure out what to make. Then I saw the goat cheese! We had a lot of goat cheese leftover from our crostini appetizers the other night and we needed to use it quickly. I decided to make a cheesy pasta dish with it, which also included shrimp and tomatoes. It obviously had a very strong taste due to the goat cheese, but it was good! The shrimp didn't contribute too much to it and can easily be substituted for chicken. I wanted to also put spinach in it, but when I suggested it to Jon he wasn't feeling it. But I would definitely add a green in there :) Yum!

Ingredients:

Rotini, or other pasta
shrimp
cherry tomatoes, cut in half
basil, chopped (I didn't have this on hand, but wanted to add it in)
2 garlic cloves, minced
goat cheese, cut into cubes
red pepper flakes
salt
olive oil

Directions:

1) Cook the pasta according to the directions.

2) Add the tomatoes, goat cheese, basil, salt, and red pepper flakes into a bowl. Set aside

3) Add the garlic and olive oil to a pan. When hot add the shrimp and cook until done, about 4 minutes.

4) Strain the pasta when done and add immediately to the cheese bowl. Mix until the cheese has melted and the pasta is covered. Add the shrimp and olive oil from the pan. Mix until shrimp is coated.

Crostini with Heirloom tomatoes and Aged Goat Cheese, by Cheryl

Jon and I took a cooking class a few months ago at Sur La Table. This recipe was the first thing we made. It's similar to the bruschetta that we would make in Italy, except that the bread is smeared with some smooth and lovely goat cheese first. We had some friends over for dinner for Jon's birthday the other night and made these for some appetizers. They were a hit (and were super easy). Yum!

Ingredients:

8 baguette slices (1/4 inch thick)
1 large garlic clove, cut in half
1 tablespoon EVOO, plus more for brushing
2 medium heirloom tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, sliced into ribbons
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper
4 ounces soft ripened goat cheese, at room temperature
flaky sea salt

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 375, with rack positioned in the middle

2) Rub each baguette with the cut side of the garlic. Place baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and brush with oil. Season bread with salt and pepper and bake for about 8 minutes, or until golden brown.

3) In a medium bowl, add olive oil, herbs, lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Thinly slice cheese and layer it over toasts. Spoon tomato mixture over the top. Drizzle with olive oil and flaky sea salt. Serve immediately.

Mozzarella, Tomato, and Avocado Salad, by Cheryl

This picture doesn't have parsley in it. 

This recipe hails from my friend Ashley from Ashley's Cooking Adventures. It's one of her favorites and I've made it several times over the years. The flavors work so well together. It's so good as a snack, or on a baguette for lunch. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 container cherry tomatoes, halved
1 carton fresh mozzarella cheese pearls, drained
1 avocado peeled and diced
1/3 cup basil, julienned
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
baguette, optional

Directions:

1) In a large bowl combine tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and parsley. Set aside.

2) In a small bowl whisk the lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper

3) Pour over the mixture. Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

4)  Just before serving stir in the chopped avocado.

5) Stir with a slotted spoon and enjoy!

Pumpkin White Hot Chocolate, by Cheryl

The ingredients for this came together randomly as I just started adding things to the mix. It turned out really well and they blended deliciously together. It was a great way to start the day! Yum!

Ingredients:

1 cup whole milk (I added some water to the cup in order to fill the mug)

1 tablespoon cocoa

1 cup pumpkin puree

2 or 3 tablespoons white chocolate chips

cinnamon 

Directions:

1) Heat the milk in a saucepan. Add the cocoa and the white chocolate chips. Stir until fully mixed. 

2) Add the cinnamon and pumpkin. Mix. 

3) Enjoy! 

Elaine's Carrot Kugel, by Diane

Definitely orange!

This recipe is a family recipe made by my cousin Elaine each Thanksgiving. We all devour it!! It's good either warmed or cold, or even at room temp. The recipe is pretty basic, but I made a few changes like adding in a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg, and using butter instead of margarine. I also used gluten free flour (brown rice flour) since I made this for our orange-themed Halloween bookclub this week!

Ingredients:

1 lb. bag carrots
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 pinch salt
3 eggs
1 cup flour
1 stick margarine


Directions:

1. Chop carrots and boil them until softened. Mash carrots by hand or with a food processor until smooth.

2. Add carrots to remaining ingredients and mix well.

3. Bake in a greased 9x9 pan at 375 for 45-60 minutes (kugel should be slightly browned on the outside and done in the center).

Chicken Zoodle Soup, by Diane

It's been colder here, so my next two posts are my lunches and dinners for the week in an attempt to warm up! This first recipe is from one of my favorite blogs, The Body Book, and is a healthy comfort food that is packed with nutrition. Using bone broth instead of regular store bought chicken broth really helps to amp up the nutritional factor as well. The zoodles are zucchini noodles, and I made them really thin here so the whole bowl taste like pho. I also added in cilantro, which made it taste even more authentic!


Ingredients:

2 organic chicken breasts
2 tablespoons organic butter
1 tsp herbs de provence
1/2 onion
3 carrots
2 cloves garlic
4 cups homemade chicken bone broth (I used my recipe)
1 cup frozen peas
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 zucchini
Optional: chopped basil


Directions:

1. Cook chicken as desired and shred
2. Chop onions, carrots and garlic
3. Heat pan and melt butter in large soup pot or dutch oven.
4. Saute onions, carrots until onions are clear, then add garlic and herbs and sauté until fragrant (few minutes)
5. Add broth, peas and simmer until vegetables are soft (10-15 minutes)
6. Meanwhile, use a spirlizer to make the zucchini noodles
7. Add shredded chicken and zucchini noodles
8. Let simmer for 10 more minutes
9. Add lemon juice, zest and basil (optional)
10. Season with salt and pepper and additional lemon wedge

Spicy Beef and Potato Curry, by Diane

This recipe actually came from an email I got sent out by Whole Foods. They wrote an article on cooking with turmeric, my favorite spice, and I had to see some of the recipes. They were all amazing, but this is the first one that caught my eye and I've been dying to make it for weeks now. It tastes just like it looks, warm and filling! The whole house smelled amazing too. The chiles didn't wind up being spicy at all, so I added cayenne for a slight kick.


Ingredients:

1/2 onion, chopped
2 serrano chiles (remove seeds for a milder curry)
3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon peanut or expeller-pressed canola oil
1 3/4 pound sirloin tip steak, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
1 cinnamon stick
1 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 can light coconut milk
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 pound red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup packed cilantro leaves 

Directions:

1. In a blender, combine onion, chiles, garlic and 1/2 cup water and blend until smooth. Set aside.

2. In a large skillet with a tightly fitting lid, heat oil over high heat. Sprinkle steak with salt. Add half the steak pieces to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon; repeat with remaining steak. Set aside.

3. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add cinnamon, coriander, cumin and turmeric; stir for 10 seconds and then add the onion and chile mixture. Simmer for 1 minute and then stir in coconut milk, tomatoes and sugar. Add the beef back in, cover the skillet, and simmer 40 minutes. 

4. Stir in potatoes and continue to simmer until beef and potatoes are very tender, about 20 minutes more; remove the lid during last 10 minutes of simmering if you would like a thicker sauce. 

5. Remove cinnamon stick; taste curry and add more salt if desired. Serve garnished with cilantro.  

Pumpkin Soup, by Cheryl

Better picture? Still needs work. 

This is something I whipped up when I realized that I had pureed pumpkin and heavy cream on hand in the kitchen. The rest just fell into place! This is a sweet and savory soup that's filling for a light lunch with a salad, an appetizer, or for a snack in the middle of the day when a Kind bar just won't cut it. I used a chopped onion, but only because I didn't have shallots on hand which I think would give it a better flavor. Ginger would also be good to add in. I topped it with some crispy bacon, but toasted pumpkin seeds would be great as well. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 cups vegetable broth
1 shallot, chopped
salt

Directions:

1) Saute chopped shallot in a pot with some olive oil. Add the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Mix.

2) Add the vegetable broth and mix together. When combined, add the heavy cream. Mix. Let sit on low heat for about 10 minutes.

3) Use an immersion blender to combine everything into a nice soup. Spoon into bowls and top with bacon, or whatever you want!

Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies, by Cheryl

This might be my turning point... I vow to take better photos! 

Ok, yes this photo looks like our old ones back in the day and I think Diane might kill me after seeing it, but I swear I was going to take a better picture after I broke the cookies up! The only problem was that the cookies were sooooo good that we just kept breaking off bits and pieces each time we passed by them and eventually after a mere 24 hours all of the cookies were GONE! If you're like me and you like your cookies CRISPY then these are the cookies for you. I might just have to make another batch, like now! Yum!

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1.5 cups sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350. Mix flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

2) In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in the egg, then stir in the vanilla. Mix in the dry ingredients until blended. Stir in the chocolate chips. Roll the dough into 2 inch balls and place them three inches apart (obviously I did not do this) on a greased cookie sheet.

3) Bake for 20-23 minutes. Allow cookies to cool before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Fall Roasted Brussels Sprouts, by Diane

This was the final side dish that I made for our fall-themed bookclub. I basically combined all the fall flavors I thought would go together and roasted them in the oven. This was so delicious and will definitely be on my regular rotation. You can add or sub any fall ingredient here, like butternut squash, as well. This would be an excellent Thanksgiving side dish too!


Ingredients:

1 lb fresh brussels sprouts, halved
1 cup dried cranberries (fresh would work too)
1 small apple, diced
1/4 cup pecans
2 tbsp EVOO
2 tbsp balsamic vinaigrette
2 tbsp maple syrup
Salt and pepper 
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except the cheese and spread evenly on a baking tray.
3. Roast for 15-20 minutes or until the sprouts are fork tender.
4. Serve warm, sprinkled with blue cheese.

One Pot Butternut Squash Alfredo, by Diane

This looks like soup, but was a very thick alfredo sauce!

This was the main course for our fall-themed bookclub, and was also a crowd favorite. The butternut squash made a really delicious sauce for the pasta, and I added in chicken to make it a more hearty meal. The only problem with this recipe was that it came out way too thin, so I had to thicken it with a rue. In the future I would make this without the 2 cups of water, and add those in at the end only if the sauce needs to be thinned out. I also subbed in chicken broth for veggie broth and for the water, which gave the whole dish a very comfort food feeling!

Recipe credits from Buzzfeed Tasty.

Ingredients:

- 3 cups diced butternut squash (about half a squash)
- 1 cup of vegetable stock.
- Butter (4 Tbsp.)
- One small onion (1 cup diced)
- Rosemary (1 Tbsp.)
- Sage (1 Tbsp.)
- Low-fat Milk (4 cups)
- Parmesan (1 cup, plus more for topping)
- Brown Sugar (2 Tbsp.)
- Nutmeg (1/4 tsp)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- Water (2 cups)
- Fettuccini noodles (1 16oz box)

Directions:
Melt 4 Tbsp. of butter. Add 1 cup of diced onion, 1 Tbsp. of Rosemary and 1 Tbsp. of Sage. Cook for 3 minutes on medium heat until onions soften. Then cook on medium-high heat until the butter begins to brown (be careful not to burn it). Add in 3 cups of diced butternut squash and 1 cup of vegetable stock, stir, then cover and cook for 15 minutes (until butternut squash is softened).

Uncover and mash with a potato masher until you’ve squished all the squash. Add 2 cups of milk and stir. Then, add 1 cup of parmesan and stir. Add 2 Tbsp. of brown sugar, 1/4 tsp. of nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste and stir until well blended.

You can either cook your pasta beforehand in the pot and set it aside, or cook it in the sauce! Break fettuccini noodles in half and place in the sauce. Carefully cover the noodles with sauce. Then, pour in 2 more cups of milk and 2 cups of water and stir. (Add more water, if needed, to smooth out the sauce.) Stir the pasta continuously (to make sure it doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pot) and cook for 15-20 minutes (or until pasta has reached desired texture).

Top off with salt and pepper, parmesan cheese, rosemary garnish, and cayenne pepper (if you’d like a little extra spice). Enjoy!

Salted Caramel Apple Cream Cheese Spread, by Diane

Another fall bookclub appetizer! This was really good, and tasted like a delicious caramel apple you would get at the fair. I modified this a bit by changing the caramel sauce to salted caramel sauce and adding pecans because, why not.

Recipe from http://shewearsmanyhats.com/easy-caramel-apple-cream-cheese-spread/


Ingredients:

1 block cream cheese
Salted caramel sauce
Toffee bits
Chopped pecans
Apple slices (or pears, pretzels, or any other dippers you like!)


Directions:

1. Place cream cheese in the center of the serving dish. Top with warmed caramel sauce, toffee, and nuts.
2. Serve surrounded by apple slices or your preferred dippers.

Mulled Apple Cider Sangria, by Diane

 This recipe was the perfect drink for our fall bookclub, and made the place smell amazing as it cooked. It was a massive hit!! It would be fine as a nonalcoholic drink as well with some sparkling cider. I reduced the cider to 1/2 gallon because, what can I say, we like wine a lot. :)

Ingredients:

1 quart apple cider
3 tbsp mulling spices
1 muslin bag or cheesecloth
1 bottle white wine
Apple slices
Cinnamon sticks for garnish
Directions:

1. Pour apple cider into a slow cooker on slow or small sauce pan on low heat.
2. Wrap mulling spices in cheesecloth or muslin bag and drop into apple cider.
3. Heat on low for 3-4 hours.
4. For warm sangria, add white wine to mulled cider, serve with apple slices and a cinnamon stick for garnish.
5. For chilled sangria, let mulled cider cool then move to the refrigerator.
6. Once cider and wine are chilled, combine and serve over apple slices with a cinnamon stick for garnish.
7. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Crumble Bars, by Diane

Dessert number one for the bookclub was these Pumpkin Pie Crumble Bars, and they turned out pretty well! They were easy enough to throw together, and look fairly impressive for company without being a lot of work. My only complaint on these was that the cake overwhelmed the bars, so next time I might cut down on the amount of cake used to just make a thin crust.

This recipe is a Diane original, but was inspired from here.


Ingredients:

Cooking spray
1 1/2 sticks butter
Yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
1 12 oz can evaporated milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves

1 1/2 cups oats
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, 1 egg, and 1 stick of melted butter. Combine well, then press into the bottom of the baking dish.
3. In the same large bowl combine pumpkin, milk, sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and 2 eggs. Whisk briskly until evenly mixed, then pour over the cake mixture.
4. In a smaller bowl, melt 1/2 stick of butter, then add in oats, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, brown sugar, and nutmeg. Sprinkle over top of the pumpkin mixture.
5. Bake for 45-50 minutes until the oats are golden brown and the pumpkin mixture is solid (the consistency of pumpkin pie).
6. When cooled, cut into bars and store in an airtight container.

Maple Pumpkin Pie Chex Mix, by Diane

This is one of the appetizers I made for the fall-themed bookclub I hosted this week (many more to follow!). This recipe was really easy to throw together (everything went into a crock pot!), but you had to babysit it quite a bit while it was cooking to make sure it didn't burn. It is easily customized to your preferences, and made the whole house smell great! I'm posting the original recipe below, but you can use any combo of salty and crunchy snacks (I used salted nuts so I didn't have to use salt at the end). The end result was crunchy and subtly pumpkin flavored, but was so addicting and delicious!


Ingredients:

6 cups Chex cereal (I used 3 cups each Rice Chex and a storebrand honey-nut Chex; try Cheerios, Golden Grahams, etc.)
2 cups dried fruit (I used 1 cup each dried cranberries and dried cherries; try (golden) raisins, etc.)
1 1/2 to 2 cups nuts (I used 3/4 cup each honey-roasted cashews and honey-roasted peanuts)
1 1/2 to 2 cups pretzels
1 1/2 chopped graham crackers, diced in large 1-inch pieces (about 5 full-size graham crackers)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup maple syrup (I used sugar-free pancake syrup)
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 to 2+ tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
salt, optional and to taste

Directions:

1. In a 5 to 6-quart Crock-Pot, add cereal, dried fruit, nuts, pretzels, and graham crackers. Recipe is very flexible. If you don't have something, don't like something, etc. use something you do have on hand or omit.
2. In a microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl, melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.
3. Add the maple syrup, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice (I used 1 tablespoon but recommend at least 2 tablespoons if you want a more pronounced pumpkin flavor), vanilla, optional salt, and whisk to combine.
4. Slowly and evenly drizzle wet mixture over the dry ingredients in Crock-Pot and stir very well to combine. I use a silicon-tipped spatula so I don't break the cereal.
5. Cook covered on high power for about 2 hours, stirring well every 15 to 20 minutes. Start keeping a more careful eye on mix at about 1 1/2 hours to make sure pieces on bottom don't start burning. All slow-cookers and ingredients vary, and cooking times will vary. Cook until there's no visible liquid pooling and pieces have dried out. They will not be 'dry' and will be more on the sticky and tacky side even when done, but do dry out more as they cool. Note - Although I haven't tested it, you could probably bake in a 250F oven, with the mixture divided between two baking trays. Keep a very watchful eye on it and toss every 15 minutes until it's done.
6. Turn mixture out onto baking tray and allow to dry for at least 2 hours, overnight is better. Mix will keep airtight for up to 5 days.

Apple Cake, by Diane

We made this cake for Rosh Hashanah this year, and it was really good! Unlike other apple cakes, it wasn't too sweet or heavy. We chose a vegan recipe due to some allergies in the family, and so this cake does not contain eggs or butter. Very easy to throw together, and would be fantastic as muffins in the morning!


Ingredients:

1 medium sized apple, peeled, cored and chopped
2 cups flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp cinnamon powder
¼ tsp nutmeg powder
¾ cup powdered sugar
a pinch of salt
¼ cup oil
1 cup water
1 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp of vanilla extract or powder




Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Sieve together flour, soda, powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl.
3. Add the chopped apples and sugar.
4. Stir in the oil, water, lemon juice, and vanilla one by one until mixture is uniform.
5. Pour into a greased cake tin and bake for 45-50 min until a tooth pick inserted in the cake comes out clean.

Blintzes Souffle, by Diane

This is a recipe I've made more than 20 times since we've started this blog, and I've never thought to post it! Blintzes Souffle is a family tradition in our house during most of the Jewish holidays, but we especially love to eat for breaking the fast on Yom Kippur. It was created by my great grandmother, Fannie, and it is the best way to eat blintzes EVER. It's easy to make, and a definite crowd favorite. We like to use a combo of blueberry, cherry, and cheese blintzes, and we always buy the frozen kind in the grocery store to make it even easier. YUM.

Ingredients:

1 stick butter
12 blintzes, any kind
6 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sugar


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300, and while the oven is preheating place a stick of butter in a 9x13 casserole dish and place in the oven to melt.

2. In a large bowl, mix the eggs, sour cream, and sugar together with a blender or whisk until smooth. Bubbles are ok, they make this souffle airy! Set aside.

3. Once the oven is preheated the butter should be melted, if not leave it in until it is. You don't want it to burn!

4. Place the blintzes, 6 on each side, into the casserole dish. Pour the egg mixture over top.

5. Bake for 45 minutes and remove from oven. If butter remains on the top of the casserole, you can pour it off.

Malt Chocolate Mug Cake, by Diane

The cake looks so small bc it's in an extra tall mug to prevent overflow!

I have been trying to find a good mug cake recipe for years. They always come out chewy, dry, or slightly burnt tasting. This is the best one I've found so far. I decided to make it malt flavor because I had some extra ovaltine malt chocolate powder in the house that I subbed in equal amounts for the sugar and cocoa powder in this recipe. I snuck some chocolate chips in about 1/2 way through cooking so they wouldn't all just sink to the bottom, and there was a lava effect going on on in the inside. Definitely a good thing to whip up when you're craving dessert!

Recipe from: http://www.tablefortwoblog.com/the-moistest-chocolate-mug-cake/ (their pic looks much better, I'll snap another the next time I make this!)



Ingredients:

1/4 cup flour
2  tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/8-1/4 cup milk (start with 1/8 and add more if the batter is too thick at the end)
2 tbsp vegetable oil (I subbed an egg to make it healthier)
1 tbsp nutella (I subbed chocolate chips bc that's what I had on hand)

Directions:

1. Mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl. Whisk in milk and oil until smooth.

2. Pour the batter into a large mug to prevent overflow as the cake will rise once it's cooking.

3. Add the nutella into the middle of the cup. Or, cook for 30 seconds then drop the chocolate chips in.

4. Cook for 70 seconds on high.

Raw Pecan Pie Tartlets, by Diane

I whipped these little tartlets up for bookclub this week, our theme was healthy southern comfort food. These looked so impressive and went over really well, and yet they took me around 10-15 minutes to make. Best of all, they tasted like the real thing but were healthy and energizing! I would definitely make these again and use them as an afternoon pick-me-up snack! I got the recipe by going online and then altering what I saw. A lot of recipes called for the use of dates in both the filling and the crust, and I knew that would be too sweet. I think this recipe worked out perfectly!


Ingredients:

1 package of dates (around 20; I've learned the ones in a bag are better quality) 
Cooking spray
1 large bag of walnuts (1 1/2 cups)
1 small can evaporated milk
3 tbsp flax meal
1 tbsp brown rice flour
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 large bag of pecans (1 1/2 cups)
1 tsp vanilla



Directions:

1. Soak the dates overnight in a bowl of water. Alternately, if you are short on time you can place them in a bowl of water so that the dates are completely covered and put them in the microwave for 2.5 minutes, then let sit for 10 more minutes.

2.  Grease a muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.

3. In a food processor, combine walnuts, 1 tbsp milk, flax meal, brown rice flour, and 1/8 tsp sea salt. Blend until the nuts are completely broken down. You want this mixture to be stick together, so add in more flour/flax if it's too wet and milk if it's too dry.

4. Divide the mixture across the muffin cups (this recipe made 6) and press firmly into the cups to form a crust. Place in the freezer.

5. Next, combine the dates plus 2 tbsp of the soaking water, pecans (save 1 per tartlet as a garnish), vanilla, and remaining 1/8 tsp of sea salt as well as 1 tbsp milk in a food processor. Blend until a smooth paste forms. If necessary, add more water or milk.

6. Pour the mixture into the tartlet crusts and smooth out the tops. Top each tartlet with one whole pecan for garnish. Refrigerate for 30 more minutes. You can serve these at room temperature or slightly cooler.

Spicy Green Apple Juice, by Diane

This is the current juice recipe on heavy rotation this summer! It is hydrating, refreshing, and perfect for the heat. Lots of great health benefits in here too! I used red delicious apples here, but any apples would do. If you don't like your juice as spicy, cut back on the amount of ginger. Customize your greens the way you like as well!


Ingredients:

2 small apples
1 1/2 inches ginger
1/2 large cucumber
2 large handfuls of greens (I use a kale spinach blend)
1/2 large lemon, peeled


Directions:

Juice all ingredients in the order listed above and enjoy!

Red Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables, by Cheryl

This is a Cheryl original! It's a super easy recipe that is healthy and ensures that you get your dose of delicious veggies and some yummy quinoa. It's in a white wine and butter sauce with an onion and garlic base. I wasn't in the mood for meat the night I made it, but I added some shredded boiled chicken to the mix for Jon and it tasted great. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa
water to cook quinoa
1 eggplant
1 red pepper (I would use more next time)
1 zucchini
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup wine
olive oil
salt

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 400.

2) Cut up all the veggies into one inch pieces. Spread out on onto baking sheets, cover lightly with oil and salt. Bake for 30 minutes or until tender.

3) Cook quinoa according to package directions.

4) Saute onions and garlic in butter until softened. Pour in wine and simmer until reduced, about 15 minutes. Mix quinoa into pan and cover with sauce.

5) Mix quinoa and veggies together and enjoy!

Black Bean, Shrimp, & Quinoa Bowl, by Cheryl

This recipe comes from Eating Well magazine. It's really easy to make and is very healthy! This is a great filling too if you want tortillas with it... I had it plain as the bowl, but Jon had it with the tortillas. I made a few adjustments: I added shrimp to make it a little more filling for dinner, and avocado because I can't have a Mexican inspired meal without avocado! I wasn't sure how the cabbage would tie in, but it added a nice flavor and crunch! Yum!

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa
1 teaspoon ground cumin
olive oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
4 cups thinly sliced cabbage (I found this to be too much)
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1 medium poblano pepper, chopped
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup salsa

Directions (original recipe):

1) Cook quinoa according to package directions. Fluff with fork and stir in cumin. Partially cover and set aside.

2) Whisk rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add cabbage and onion. Toss to coat.

3) Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat and add the poblano pepper. Cook for about 2-3 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir in beans and chili powder and cook for about 2 more minutes.

4) To serve, layer in each bowl: 3/4 cup quinoa, 1/2 cup bean mixture, and 1/4 cup cheese. Top each portion with cabbage mixture and salsa.

5) I marinated the shrimp in lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and salt, and then cooked in a pan.

Banana, Mango, and Spinach Smoothie, by Cheryl

This has been my go to smoothie in the mornings! It's sweet from the mangoes and gives me a green boost from the spinach. An added bonus is that Julia loves this smoothie as well... I usually end up splitting it with her because she always wants more. Paired with an egg muffin from the previous recipe and it gives me the energy I need for a great morning workout, or a typical morning of chasing after Julia. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut water
1 banana
1 cup frozen mango
chia seeds flax seeds
2 cups spinach (I've made it with kale as well)

Directions:

1) Pour coconut water and chia seeds into blender. Let sit for a couple of minutes in order for the chia seeds to absorb the water.

2) Add the rest of the ingredients and blend well.

Egg muffins, by Cheryl

This is a quick and easy recipe for a great breakfast and snack! Sometimes you just need something on the go when you either don't have anything on hand for breakfast or are short on time. A plus was that Julia loved these as well! Yum!

Ingredients:

5 eggs
milk - I probably used 1/4 cup
veggies- I used spinach, yellow pepper, and onions, diced
shredded cheese (optional)
pan spray
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 350.

2) In a pan cook the veggies (you can skip this step and not cook them first, but I wanted them softer for Julia).

3) Beat the eggs and milk together. Add the veggies and cheese and mix well.

4) Pour into the muffin tins and bake for 18-20 minutes.

Chocoladevla- Baked Chocolate Custard (The Netherlands), by Cheryl

Alright, back to my countries theme! This Dutch recipe (found here) was so good (and very easy)! It seriously belongs in the middle of a chocolate lava cake. It was a little too thin and very rich to just eat on its own (though we did) so I think if it were drizzled on top of a warm brownie or baked inside a cake it would be so delicious! YUM!!!!

Ingredients (makes 4 servings):

1 cup milk
1/2 cup cocoa powder
8 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup cream

Directions:

1) Bring the milk and cocoa powder to a boil. Let cool.

2) Beat the egg yolks with the sugar and mix with the chocolate milk.

3) Add the whipping cream and remove the pan from the stove.

4) Place mixture in the oven at 203F (95C) degrees and let back for an hour.

5) When done, remove from oven and keep stirring the custard until it cools down.

Detox Tonic, by Diane

I make a lot of tonics for yoga each Sunday morning, but this one deserved a posting. I had just come back from a weekend of traveling, drinking, and overeating and really needed a way to detox and cleanse. This was a delicious and effective creation, and really helped me to feel better throughout my day. If you don't have cardamom tea, you can just substitute either crushed cardamom pods or ground cardamom. You can buy tangerine oil from a health food store, I always have it on hand as it's great for your stomach and digestion as well as being anti-inflammatory, anti-septic, and anti-bacterial. Vary all amounts below to your taste preference.


Ingredients:

Hot water
Cardamom tea
Parsley, chopped or whole
Ginger, sliced into thin coins
Turmeric
Cinnamon
Ginger
1 Lemon, juice only
2 drops tangerine oil


Directions:

Let the cardamom tea steep and remaining ingredients in the hot water as directed. Let sit for at least 10 minutes to allow the flavors to mix.

Creamy Asparagus Potato Soup, by Cheryl

This comes from my Eating Well magazine. I was intrigued by it since we always eat roasted asparagus, but I never know what else to do with it! This recipe was just okay... I found it to be a little bland (I, of course, added salt... but that doesn't mean anything). I also didn't find it to be very creamy, but I think I could have cooked the asparagus and potatoes longer. It was good, not great, and I won't be making it again. I didn't even eat the leftovers! Yum?

Ingredients:

Olive oil
1 medium shallot, chopped
3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into pieces
1 cup diced peeled potato
2 teaspoons horseradish
1/4 teaspoon salt
sliced scallions for garnish

Directions:

1) Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring until softened, 2-3 minutes. Add broth, asparagus, potato, horseradish, and salt; bring to boil.

2) Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender.

3) Serve the soup topped with croutons, or scallions.

2 Minute Steak and Mexican Corn, by Diane

This is an odd photo taken in a hurry to eat this deliciousness!

We made the greatest meal of my life last night. It started with a video on facebook of Gordon Ramsey cooking a steak perfectly in 2 minutes. Then we found a show on the cooking channel that made mexican corn with a sriracha mayo sauce. Thus, the perfect meal was born. I'm doing this in a combined post because, as you can see from the caption, we were so excited to eat this that I barely remembered to snap a pic. Plus, it's good combo anyway! YUM.

*Here's the video for the steaks, you may need to watch it to study before you cook the steaks since they are cooked so quickly at such high heat! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmC9SmCBUj4

For the steak:

Ingredients:

2 NY Strip Steaks
Salt and Pepper
EVOO
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 sprig fresh thyme
2 tbsp butter

Directions:

1. Let the steaks come to room temp, about 20 min before cooking.

2. Pat each side of the steak dry with a paper towel and season heavily with salt and pepper (you want a salt crust to lock in flavor and juiciness).

3. Bring a large saucepan up to high heat, add in 2 tbsp EVOO, and then add in the steaks. You want the steaks to sizzle as soon as they hit the pan, otherwise it's not hot enough.

4. Cook for 30 seconds, then flip with tongs. Add in smashed garlic and thyme. Turn the steaks on their side, fat side down, to render the fat for a few seconds.

5. Flip the steaks over again after another 30-60 seconds and add in 2 tbsp of butter, cut in half, so one tbsp goes on the side of each steak.

6. Cook for another 30 seconds and tilt the pan towards you, taking a spoon and basting the steaks with the melted butter. Rub garlic into each of the steaks and flip over one last time.

7. After 30 seconds, remove the steaks and let them rest on a plate or cutting board for a few minutes before cutting them.


For the corn:

Ingredients:

4 ears of corn
1/2 cup mayo
2 tbsp sriracha (this will be VERY spicy, so I suggest starting with 1)
2 tbsp lime juice

Directions:

1. Mix mayo, sriracha, and lime juice in a bowl and set aside in the fridge.

2. Grill corn until blackened on all sides.

3. When the corn is done, remove from grill into a platter/plate and immediately brush with the mayo sauce. Make sure to use a lot, it's really good!!

Watermelon Granita, by Diane

Ermagod this recipe is SO good. I made it as a dessert for bookclub, as our theme this month was 4th of July. This is the PERFECT summer dessert for cookouts, BBQ's, or just when you need to cool off. It could not have been easier to make, and I customized it to make it really summery and delicious (I included what I added in the ingredient list below because it came out so awesome). YUM!

Note: The original recipe called for 1/2 cup of sugar, but I thankfully thought this would be too much and tried it first with 1/4 cup. I'm not even sure this amount was necessary, as the watermelon I picked was sweet enough on it's own. The sugar may be a good edition if watermelon is out of season, otherwise I think you can skip it altogether.

Another note: this recipe also makes a DELICIOUS smoothie if you don't freeze it!! :)

Ingredients:

1 large seedless watermelon, cut in large chunks (or 4 cups)
Juice of 1 lime
1/4-1/2 inch ginger, finely grated
1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped finely
1/4cup sugar, optional

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. You may need to add the watermelon in batches until it fits.

2. Pour into a METAL baking dish- this is important. The granita will not freeze properly in any other type of baking dish. Place the dish uncovered in the freezer.

3. After an hour, scrape with a fork and place back in the freezer.

4. Freeze for 2 more hours, scrape again with the fork. The granita can be served now, or you can cover it with foil and make up to 3 days ahead of time.

Chermoula Sauce, by Diane

I first tried this sauce on a piece of red snapper that I got at a restaurant in West Palm Beach. I don't typically like fish, but I've been trying more and more to find ways to eat it. The waiter at this restaurant assured me that not only would I love this fish, but that I should pick the chermoula sauce to pair with it and I would clean my plate. So I trusted him, and he was right! Not only did I find that I liked red snapper, but the sauce was out of this world and I found myself dipping veggies and bread in it as well.

I looked it up online and there were a couple of different versions, this recipe is the first one I tried. I didn't like it as much as the restaurant version, but it did pair nicely with some tilapia I made this week. It was quick and easy to make, and is incredibly healthy for you! I'm going to contact the restaurant and see if I can get them to share their secret with me! Until then, I'll use this recipe, which also would go nicely with chicken or grilled veggies.


Ingredients:

1 cup cilantro leaves (smaller tender stems are fine to use)
2 cups flat-leaf (Italian) parsley leaves
3 to 4 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika (or some of each)
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes or 1/2 jalapeno chile pepper (seeds and membrane removed)
Large pinch saffron
1/3 cup of good, fruity extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)

Directions: Blend in a food processor until nearly smooth. Keep in airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

Kuvana Krtola - Potatoes w/ Yogurt & Cheese (Montenegro), by Cheryl

This may not look like much, and it may look like something anyone can just put together (and you can), but this Montenegrin recipe is super tasty and so easy! I don't remember seeing these on the menu in Montenegro, but I wasn't exactly looking for them either. Apparently it's the first and foremost thing a traveller has to try when in Montenegro - Diane, maybe you can keep this in mind when you visit! Anyway, the combination of a hot potato, fresh cheese, and yogurt is very very good and is a great snack or appetizer. Yum!

Ingredients (Recipe from here):

1 potato
2 tablespoons yogurt (I used much more than that)
2 tablespoons cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Bake the potato until tender (I microwaved it since I was short on time).

2) Cut into halves, maintaining the long shape.

3) Mix the rest of the ingredients and spread them on the potato halves. Dig in while it's hot!

Zucchini "Pasta" with a Tomato, Garlic, and White Wine Sauce, by Cheryl

This is something I whipped up quickly when I was in the mood for something pasta-like, but not in the mood for the heaviness that accompanies pasta. In comes my vegetable spiraler device, which turns ordinary pieces of produce into long strands of "linguine". The sauce is great and I've used it many times when making a quick pasta dinner. I love how the Parmesan cheese gives it an extra punch! Adding chicken, shrimp, or cannellini beans makes this dish a very healthy alternative. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 zucchini, spiraled
10-15 grape tomatoes, cut in halves
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup white wine
parmesan cheese (optional)
grilled chicken, shrimp, beans (optional)
salt

Directions:

1) Heat olive oil over medium heat with the garlic. Add in the tomatoes and let cook for about 10 minutes or until the juices come out.

2) Add wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add zucchini and salt and mix. Cook until zucchini softens, or about 7-8 minutes. Add cheese if desired and cook until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.