Recipe Column

I have enjoyed cooking for over 20 years and have stumbled across many recipes and ideas that I have incorporated into my own kitchen. Many of these thoughts and ingredient lists reside only in my mind and as I age, I am finding it harder to remember where in my mental filing cabinet I may have stored a particular piece of information.

I have created this blog as a space to get these recipes stored permanantly and to share them with anyone interested in cooking as well as share interesting recipes from others, cooking tips and techniques, and anything to do with the culinary pursuit.

Friday, November 30, 2007

Basic Biscuits

Sometimes you just want a biscuit. Fresh, hot, right out of the oven and served with your favorite jelly. Mmmm, mmmm, good!

Ingredients

2 cups flour
6 tbsp margarine, cut into small pieces
3 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup milk
3/4 tsp salt

Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together in a large bowl.
Add the margarine slowing mixing well until you have included all the margarine and you have a bowl of crumbled mixture.
Stir in the milk until well combined and then with your hands, form the dough into a ball.
Roll out the dough on a floured surface until it is about about 1 1/2 - 2 inches in thickness.
Cut out biscuits with a 2 inch cookie cutter (or open ended soup can).
Place on a greased baking sheet with 2 inches between each biscuit.
Place in a 450 degree, preheated, oven for 15 minutes until browned.

Serve with some butter and jelly and find your love of the biscuit again.

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Classical Music

One of the things I like to have on while I cook is music. Now, I like contemporary music and love jazz, but one of the best types of music to cook to, in my opinion, is classical music.

There is something calming about many classical pieces and I find I pay attention to my cooking much better with classical music on. Maybe it is the perfect accompaniment for just me, but try it out yourself and see if it works for you.

Peppers with Paganini anyone?

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar

Looking for a tasty snack that is super easy to make or for an appetizer to serve your guests before dinner? Try this recipe and it is sure to be a hit.

Ingredients

1 pint fresh strawberries
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp lemon juice

Cut the strawberries in half and sprinkle with sugar and chill for 2-3 hours.
Mix the balsamic vinegar and lemon juice and drizzle over the strawberries.

These go quickly so you may want to make a few pints if you are having a party as your guests will eat these up quickly.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Vegetable Japan

Today I want to point you to another site that I found on the Internet that is both interesting and a great source for some fine vegetarian recipes.

Vegetable Japan is written by a renewed vegetarian who wants to help the Japanese community answer the question, "What's for dinner and where do I get it?" & other things organic, environmental, Japanese and occasionally artistic or poetic.

I especially like the recipe for Bollywood Curry that is listed and the coverage of the rights of non-Japanese living in and visiting Japan is interesting and a bit frightening.

Be sure to stop for an entertaining and informative read.

Monday, November 26, 2007

Pooping Sheep Baa Humbug

Every holiday season I look for fun little items that will be the talk of the season.

This year it is the Pooping Sheep Baa Humbug which will get many laughs from adults and kids will eat them up - figuratively and literally.

There are numerous versions available of this holiday toy including penguins, Poolar bears and reindeer, but I think the sheep is the best with the Santa hat.

Pick up a few of these to pass around the office or give some as stocking stuffers and make the holiday season jolly.

Ho ho ho!

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Pepper Steak

This traditional Chinese dish is very easy to create and will keep them coming back for more.

Ingredients

1 lb of round steak, pounded and cut into fine slices
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 green pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 small piece of ginger, finely minced
3 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp pepper

Add oil to a large saucepan or wok over medium high heat.
Add onion, garlic, ginger and steak.
Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until steak is lightly browned.
Add the peppers and soy sauce and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes.
Sprinkle with pepper and serve hot.

This dish is great over boiled rice or served along with rice noodles. A classic taste that is very simple to make.

Saturday, November 24, 2007

The Elements of Cooking

With many people, myself included, having an even higher interest in cooking the last few years, a "little black book" (in this case orange) to help us in the kitchen was inevitable.

The Elements of Cooking: Translating the Chef's Craft for Every Kitchen is a wonderful book to keep in your kitchen and read over and over.

The writing of foodie Michael Ruhlman is spot on and while you may not agree with everything he has to say (his veal stock religious devotion), you will certainly find yourself going back countless times for tips and techniques while in your kitchen.

For under $15, you could enhance almost every meal you make with the wonderful advice and help Mr. Ruhlman provides in this handy reference.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Happy Thanksgiving

Have a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving! :-)

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Urbani White Truffle Oil

Have you ever had a taste of a great dish that had that extra something special that you couldn't quite put your finger on, but simply made the dish?

One of those types of ingredients is a drizzle of Urbani White Truffle Oil.

A hint of woods, garlic, earth tones all come through in this fabulous oil.

Add a little over your flash steamed veggies. Add it to your favorite rice dish. Or, simply drizzle a small amount in your cooked pasta for that something extra.

A few drops and your tastebuds will thank you.

Monday, November 19, 2007

Rotini and Spinach

This tasty dish brings the flavors of garlic and onion to a simple spinach and pasta dinner.

Ingredients

2 cups of Rotini pasta
8 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, minced
1/2 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the Rotini for 8-10 minutes until al dente and drain.
In a large saucepan, add the oil, garlic and onion. Saute until browned.
Reduce heat and add spinach, mixing well for 5 minutes until spinach wilts.
Add the wine and Parmesan cheese and mix thoroughly.
Add the drained pasta and toss well.

This pasta is great with a side of vegetables and a glass of white wine for a healthy, low fat meal.

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Creamed Spinach

This side is great with some garlic bread to help "sop up" this creamy, garlic flavored spinach dish.

Ingredients

2 - 10 to 12oz packages of frozen spinach
2 tbsp olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 small red onion, minced
1 cup of plain yogurt
Salt and pepper to taste

Thaw spinach and squeeze well to remove moisture.
In a large saucepan, add the olive oil, garlic and onion and saute until onion and garlic has browned.
Add the spinach and heat through, mixing thoroughly for 4-5 minutes.
Add the yogurt and salt and pepper to taste, mix well to warm yogurt.
Serve warm.

The garlic and onion add a little kick to the mild yogurt and spinach and work well with any bread item to help complete a meal.

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Thanksgiving

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I thought it best to throw a link to my favorite food website: The Food Network.

They have a dedicated section covering everything Thanksgiving including some fabulous recipes and ideas to make your holiday great.

Stop by their Thanksgiving page and check out all the fixins' and make your Thanksgiving a great one.

Friday, November 16, 2007

EatingWell Magazine

It is always nice to get new recipes to try and even better when they are healthy and easy to prepare.

EatingWell Magazine brings you these type of recipes in a beautiful, bi-monthly, magazine.

The description from Amazon sums up this magazine even better than I can:

"A delicious balance of cooking and must-have nutrition features, EatingWell is the award-winning magazine where good taste meets good health on every page. Each issue is filled with dozens of delicious and nutritious recipes, smart shopping tips, healthy-in-a-hurry menus and much more! Beautiful color images illustrate never-fail, full-flavored recipes for healthful everyday eating and entertaining."

Save over 50% off the cover price by buying through Amazon.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Apple Cake

This is a delicious dessert you can have almost any time and is a great way to get a helping of your daily fruit.

Ingredients

6 apples, peeled and diced into bite sized pieces
2 cups of sugar
3/4 cup of vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups of flour
3 tsp baking powder
3 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp salt
1 tsp orange zest

Mix all ingredients except apples until thoroughly mixed.
Fold in apples until well combined.
Pour into a greased springform pan and bake at 350 degrees for 70-80 minutes.

This is a great cake that can stand alone or with a side of vanilla ice cream for a tasty dessert

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Fruit Salad

Great as a side dish or a snack, this sweet fruit salad will disappear anytime you make it.

Ingredients

1/2 cantaloupe
1/2 honeydew melon
1 banana
1 can of pineapple pieces in own juice
2 cups of seedless white grapes
1/2 cup of raisins
Pinch of salt

Cut cantaloupe, melon and banana into bite-sized pieces.
Combine all the ingredients into a large bowl including juice from pineapple can.
Add a pinch of salt and mix thoroughly.

Serve this fruit salad in a small fruit bowl topped with a small dollop of whipped cream and enjoy.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Cheesy Mushroom Chicken

This dish makes for crunchy, cheesy chicken dinner that will be well received by anyone you happen to serve.

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
4 slices of provolone cheese
1 can of mushroom soup
1/2 cup of milk
1/2 cup of sour cream
2 cups of dried bread crumbs
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese
1 tsp of dried basil

Place the chicken breasts in an oven safe baking dish.
Place a slice of provolone cheese on top of each chicken breast.
In a saucepan, mix the mushroom soup, milk, sour cream, minced garlic, basil and Parmesan cheese until thoroughly combined.
Pour the mixture over the chicken breasts and provolone cheese.
Top with the bread crumbs and cover with aluminum foil.
Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes, remove foil, and continue baking at 325 degrees for 40 minutes until the bread crumbs turn a medium brown and the temperature of the chicken breasts reach 160 degrees.

This makes a fantastic chicken dish to serve with a side of steamed vegetables and good glass of wine. Give this easy recipe a try the next time you are in the mood for chicken.

Monday, November 12, 2007

Balsamic Vinegar

If you have never tried balsamic vinegar, or even if you have, and have never tried an aged balsamic vinegar, Manicardi Aged Balsamic Vinegar #12 should be on your list as an addition to your kitchen. This wonderful balsamic vinegar is aged in a series of barrels made from various woods including, chestnut, mulberry, juniper, oak and cherry which lend this fabulous vinegar its incredible depth of sweetness.

To learn more about this classic staple to fine food, check out The Balsamic Vinegar Cookbook. Featuring over 40 recipes that highlight the delicious flavor of a fine balsamic vinegar including dishes like Minestrone Modena-Style, Maple-glazed Balsamic Carrots and Salmon with Gingered Balsamic Vinegar, The Balsamic Vinegar Cookbook will be a wonderful addition to your cookbook collection.

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Potato and Onion Soup

I am staying on the potato front today with a simply soup that is a cinch to make and will keep you nice and warm on a chilly day.

Ingredients

2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 medium vidalia onion, diced
2 cups of vegetable stock
1 quart of milk
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of pepper

In a large saucepan, heat potatoes, onion, vegetable stock and oil for 30 minutes or until potatoes have softened.
Add milk, salt and pepper, and continue cooking over very low heat for 10 minutes stirring frequently until all contents are heated thoroughly.

This is an easy soup to make and you can serve with simple saltines, or jazz up the soup a little with some goldfish crackers or croutons.

Saturday, November 10, 2007

Honey Glazed Potatoes

This is a simple potato dish that can be made ahead of time and reheated or served fresh as a sweet side dish that is sure to please.

Ingredients

6-8 medium potatoes
1/2 cup of butter
1/2 cup of honey
1 tbsp of brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Peel the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes in salted, boiling, water.
Drain and move to a roasting pan.
Cover each potato with butter and bake for 25 minutes at 375 degrees.
Rotate potatoes and cover with honey and a sprinkle of brown sugar on each.
Return to oven for 25 minutes at 325 degrees until lightly browned and tender.

This is a great way to serve a rather bland potato and the honey and sprinkle of brown sugar add a nice sweetness to the buttery goodness of the potato.

Friday, November 9, 2007

Banana Muffins

I have always been a fan of muffins. They are the perfect food to grab and run out the door with on the way to work and these banana muffins might even make it all the way there, maybe.

Ingredients

2 cups of pastry flour
2-3 large, very ripe, bananas
1/2 cup of milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp sugar
pinch of salt

Combine flour, salt, sugar and baking powder in a large mixing bowl.
Puree bananas in a blender and then add honey, oil and milk and mix well.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients slowly while stirring.
Pour batter into a greased, 12-cup, muffin pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until lightly brown.

Throw a couple of these into a Ziploc bag and take with you to work along with your coffee and enjoy a tasty breakfast to start your day.

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Grilled Eggplant

One of my favorite grilled vegetables is the eggplant. The eggplant holds flavors wonderfully and grills up nicely while maintaining any flavors you have added to the eggplant.

Ingredients

2 large eggplants with top and bottom removed and cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 cloves of minced garlic
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients except eggplant in a large zip-lock bag.
Add eggplant slices and marinade in the refrigerator for 1 hour, turning once.
Lightly oil your grill and cook eggplant for 3 minutes per side, or until soft.

Serve these over a bed of rice or chopped up in a bowl of noodles and enjoy.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

If you are a fan of the Food Network, then you have probably caught Ina Garten doing her show, Barefoot Contessa. During her show, Ina brings the viewers along while she creates delicious, from the heart, recipes that any cook can recreate.

In The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, Ina brings the same ease of creation she presents on her television show to the reader of her cookbook. This book was a bestseller and it is easy to see why. With recipes ranging from French Onion Soup and Corn Cheddar Chowder to Baked Virginia Ham and Outrageous Brownies, there are many recipes here that will please any palette.

This is definitely a cookbook you should have in your kitchen.

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Garlic Vinaigrette

I just had a simple lettuce, onion, and cherry tomato salad earlier tonight and I thought I would share a tasty vinaigrette dressing with you.

Ingredients

1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 cup of olive oil
1 tbsp of red wine vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
pinch of sea salt and ground pepper

Place all ingredients into a carafe, shake well and serve.

This dressing not only works well on a basic salad, but is tasty on spinach, asparagus and green beans. Quick to make and easy to enjoy.

Monday, November 5, 2007

Indoor Barbeque Grill

If you enjoy grilling, but live in the northeast as I do, then you might be looking for a great indoor grill for this upcoming winter.

The Sanyo HPS-SG3 200-Square-Inch Electric Indoor Barbeque Grill may become one of your favorite kitchen items.

Featuring a virtually smoke-free cooking surface along with an adjustable temperature control and you have a surface for cooking almost anything you would cook on your outdoor grill.

For under $30 and qualifying for super saver free shipping from Amazon, this could be one of the better deals of the season.

Sunday, November 4, 2007

Black Bean Cashew Chicken

This chicken dish is easy to prepare and works great over noodles or rice.

Ingredients

1 lb of skinless, diced, chicken breast
1 small red onion
1 cup of diced Shiitake mushrooms
1/2 cup of cashews
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
4 tbsp of black bean sauce

In a large skillet or wok, add the olive oil, sesame oil and chicken and lightly brown.
Add the onion, mushrooms and cashews and continue cooking for 5 minutes.
Add the black bean sauce and toss well, remove from heat, cover, and let stand 15 minutes.

The cashews and black bean sauce work well to compliment and enhance the chicken and mushrooms in this dish. This combination of flavors is even better the next day when all the ingredients have had a chance to infuse with each other even more.

Saturday, November 3, 2007

Sofa Mix

I can't readily call my trail mix a "trail mix" since mine is consumed when sitting on my ample rear end. Otherwise, this is my favorite combination of snacks and can be tinkered with to your hearts content.

Ingredients

1 cup of plain M&Ms
1 cup of cashews
1 cup of raisins
2 cups of broken pretzel bits

Mix and enjoy!

It doesn't get much simpler than this combination. The salt of the pretzels and cashews works perfectly with the sweet of the raisins and M&Ms. In fact, time for me to go make more.

Friday, November 2, 2007

Eden Genmai Miso

If you have ever had the joy of a good Miso soup in a restaurant and wanted to try to make your own at home, this is the base for you.

Eden Genmai Miso provides a great blend of organic soybeans, brown rice, and sea salt in just the right combination to make a fantastic base for making your own Miso soup, salad dressing, sauce or marinade.

Mix together with your tofu and wakame and any extra ingredients you like in your Miso soup (I prefer Shiitake mushrooms) and enjoy!

(Pack of three)

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Chicken Chili - Slow Cooker Style

If you are looking for a great meal to make in your slow cooker that you can come home to ready to eat, this chicken chili is right up your alley.

Ingredients

4 cups of white meat chicken, shredded
2 16oz cans of red kidney beans
1 medium onion, diced
1/4 cup of chili powder
1 12oz non-alcoholic beer
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients into slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Another 1 step process that produces some fine tasting chili. Serve with some garlic bread, or corn muffins and enjoy.

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