Saucy Asian Meatballs
Cindy(mommy_of_love1) via Taste of Home
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon plus 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce, divided
1 pound lean ground turkey
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
In a large bowl, combine the garlic, ginger and 1 teaspoon soy sauce. Crumble turkey over mixture and mix well. Shape into 1-in. balls. Place in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until meat is no longer pink.
In a large saucepan, combine the vinegar, tomato paste, molasses, pepper sauce and remaining soy sauce. Cook and stir over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Add the meatballs; heat through. Yield: 3 dozen.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Brown Sugar Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Brown Sugar Chocolate Chunk Cookies
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt (pref. kosher salt)
14 tbsp butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups dark or semisweet chocolate chunks
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until smooth and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. With the mixer on low, gradually blend in the flour mixture until no streaks of dry ingredients remain visible. Stir in chocolate chunks.
Shape dough into balls just over 1-inch in diameter. Place on prepared baking sheet, allowing for room to spread.
Bake for 12-14 minutes, until cookies are very lightly browned around the edges. Cookies may look slightly “wet” – but not raw – at the center (bake until golden all over for crispier cookies).
Cool for 3-4 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Makes 2 1/2 – 3 dozen cookies
From here.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Whole Wheat Flatbreads
Whole Wheat Flatbreads
by Oven Love, adapted from Cookistry
makes 12 flatbreads (3 WW Points Plus values each)
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 tablespoon agave nectar (you can use honey or white sugar here, too)
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the water, yeast, and agave nectar (or chosen sweetner), and set aside for 5 minutes, until it begins to get foamy.
Add the whole wheat flour and salt and knead with the dough hook until the dough is smooth and beginning to become elastic. Add the olive oil and continue kneading until the oil is incorporated and the dough is smooth, shiny, and elastic.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, the dough will have risen, but it won't be doubled. Take it out of the bowl, knead it briefly, and divide it into 12 roughly equal portions (I use kitchen shears or a large knife for smooth separation). They don't have to be exactly the same unless you're a perfectionist. I actually like the option of having some larger and some smaller.
Roll each portion into a ball as you would for buns, then flatten each one slightly. Cover them with a clean kitchen cloth so they don't dry out as you're working with them one at a time.
Assuming you're using a cast iron pan, heat the pan over medium-high heat while you start rolling the flatbreads. You don't need any oil - these are cooked in a dry pan.
On a lightly floured work surface roll the first flatbread to a 6-inch circle. It doesn't have to be exact, and it doesn't have to be a perfect circle. Brush off any excess flour and put the first flatbread in your frying pan. A little flour clinging to the flatbread is fine, but flour that falls off in the pan may burn so you want to remove as much as possible.
Start rolling the next flatbread while you're keeping an eye on the first. It will start forming bubbles and might puff up completely. It will take a minute or so to cook on the first side, depending on how hot your pan is. When the the bottom is lightly browned in spots but the bread is still completely soft and pliable, it's done on the first side.
Turn the bread over and cook on the second side for about 30 seconds or so. Again, you're looking for a few brown spots. If the bread is puffy, press it down with a spatula so the whole surface is contacting the pan. Press gently to deflate it, and watch out for escaping steam.
If you get a good rhythm going, you can have the next flatbread rolled when the first one is finished. If you have a large griddle, or if you're cooking them outdoors on your grill, you can cook two or three at a time. And here's another time saver. If you're cooking these on your grill, close the lid and they'll cook on both sides. No need for turning, unless you want more browning (or grill marks) on that second side.
Have a clean kitchen towel ready for your flatbreads. Put them on the towel and fold the sides over to cover them as they're done, and stack them up as you have more. They're best served right away, while they're still warm from cooking. If you want to reheat them later, just heat them briefly in your dry cast iron pan. A few seconds is all they'll need.
From here.
by Oven Love, adapted from Cookistry
makes 12 flatbreads (3 WW Points Plus values each)
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 tablespoon agave nectar (you can use honey or white sugar here, too)
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the water, yeast, and agave nectar (or chosen sweetner), and set aside for 5 minutes, until it begins to get foamy.
Add the whole wheat flour and salt and knead with the dough hook until the dough is smooth and beginning to become elastic. Add the olive oil and continue kneading until the oil is incorporated and the dough is smooth, shiny, and elastic.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, the dough will have risen, but it won't be doubled. Take it out of the bowl, knead it briefly, and divide it into 12 roughly equal portions (I use kitchen shears or a large knife for smooth separation). They don't have to be exactly the same unless you're a perfectionist. I actually like the option of having some larger and some smaller.
Roll each portion into a ball as you would for buns, then flatten each one slightly. Cover them with a clean kitchen cloth so they don't dry out as you're working with them one at a time.
Assuming you're using a cast iron pan, heat the pan over medium-high heat while you start rolling the flatbreads. You don't need any oil - these are cooked in a dry pan.
On a lightly floured work surface roll the first flatbread to a 6-inch circle. It doesn't have to be exact, and it doesn't have to be a perfect circle. Brush off any excess flour and put the first flatbread in your frying pan. A little flour clinging to the flatbread is fine, but flour that falls off in the pan may burn so you want to remove as much as possible.
Start rolling the next flatbread while you're keeping an eye on the first. It will start forming bubbles and might puff up completely. It will take a minute or so to cook on the first side, depending on how hot your pan is. When the the bottom is lightly browned in spots but the bread is still completely soft and pliable, it's done on the first side.
Turn the bread over and cook on the second side for about 30 seconds or so. Again, you're looking for a few brown spots. If the bread is puffy, press it down with a spatula so the whole surface is contacting the pan. Press gently to deflate it, and watch out for escaping steam.
If you get a good rhythm going, you can have the next flatbread rolled when the first one is finished. If you have a large griddle, or if you're cooking them outdoors on your grill, you can cook two or three at a time. And here's another time saver. If you're cooking these on your grill, close the lid and they'll cook on both sides. No need for turning, unless you want more browning (or grill marks) on that second side.
Have a clean kitchen towel ready for your flatbreads. Put them on the towel and fold the sides over to cover them as they're done, and stack them up as you have more. They're best served right away, while they're still warm from cooking. If you want to reheat them later, just heat them briefly in your dry cast iron pan. A few seconds is all they'll need.
From here.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Lentil Soup with Sweet Potatoes & Spinach
Lentil Soup with Sweet Potatoes & Spinach
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 1/2 cups brown lentils
4 (15 ounce) cans vegetable broth
2 cups water
2 cans (15 ounce) diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic. Saute until onion is tender and garlic is light brown in color. Add carrot, celery, and sweet potatoes. Cook until vegetables soften, about 5-7 minutes.
Stir in the lentils, vegetable broth, and water. Add the diced tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper and stir. Cook on medium-low heat for about 35-40 minutes or until lentils are cooked.
Add the fresh spinach and stir. If necessary, season with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaves and serve warm.
Serves 8-10
From here.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 1/2 cups brown lentils
4 (15 ounce) cans vegetable broth
2 cups water
2 cans (15 ounce) diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic. Saute until onion is tender and garlic is light brown in color. Add carrot, celery, and sweet potatoes. Cook until vegetables soften, about 5-7 minutes.
Stir in the lentils, vegetable broth, and water. Add the diced tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper and stir. Cook on medium-low heat for about 35-40 minutes or until lentils are cooked.
Add the fresh spinach and stir. If necessary, season with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaves and serve warm.
Serves 8-10
From here.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Beef Stew with Beer and Paprika
Beef Stew with Beer and Paprika
Ingredients
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Butter
2 pounds Stew Meat
1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 can Beer, 12 Ounce Can
4 cups Beef Stock
2 cups Water
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
½ teaspoons Paprika
½ teaspoons Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1-½ teaspoon Sugar
4 whole Carrots, Washed, Unpeeled, And Roughly Sliced
4 whole New Potatoes, Quartered
Minced Parsley (optional)
Preparation Instructions
Heat oil and butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown meat in two batches, setting aside on a plate when brown. Cut pieces in half. Set aside.
Add diced onions to the pot. Stir and cook for two or three minutes until softened, then add garlic for another minute. Pour in beer, beef stock, and water, then add Worcestershire, tomato paste, paprika, salt, pepper, and sugar. Add beef back into the pot. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Add carrots and potatoes, then cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes. (If stew gets dry, just add a cup of hot water at a time to replenish the liquid.) Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Serve in bowls next to crusty French bread. Sprinkle with minced parsley, if desired.
From here.
Ingredients
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Butter
2 pounds Stew Meat
1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 can Beer, 12 Ounce Can
4 cups Beef Stock
2 cups Water
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
½ teaspoons Paprika
½ teaspoons Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1-½ teaspoon Sugar
4 whole Carrots, Washed, Unpeeled, And Roughly Sliced
4 whole New Potatoes, Quartered
Minced Parsley (optional)
Preparation Instructions
Heat oil and butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown meat in two batches, setting aside on a plate when brown. Cut pieces in half. Set aside.
Add diced onions to the pot. Stir and cook for two or three minutes until softened, then add garlic for another minute. Pour in beer, beef stock, and water, then add Worcestershire, tomato paste, paprika, salt, pepper, and sugar. Add beef back into the pot. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Add carrots and potatoes, then cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes. (If stew gets dry, just add a cup of hot water at a time to replenish the liquid.) Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Serve in bowls next to crusty French bread. Sprinkle with minced parsley, if desired.
From here.
Lighter Everyday Cinnamon Rolls
Lighter Everyday Cinnamon Rolls
from the America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook
Preheat oven to 425F. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with aluminum foil and lightly grease.
Prepare the filling. Whisk together all filling ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, or the bowl of an electric mixer, combine all purpose flour, whole what flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine. Add in buttermilk and 4 tablespoons of the melted butter and mix until dough starts to come together into a shaggy ball. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 1-2 minutes, until dough begins to look smooth and can be handled easily. This can also be done by kneading for about 1 minute with a paddle attachment or dough hook, and adding a tablespoon or two of flour to a mixer bowl.
Place dough on a lightly floured surface and press or roll out into a 9×12-inch rectangle with the long side facing you. Take remaining tablespoon of melted butter and brush over dough rectangle. Sprinkle evenly with filling mixture, leaving a 1/2-inch border around each edge.
Using a bench scraper to help you (or a large, flat spatula if you don’t have one), roll the dough up into a tight spiral. Pinch seam to seal.
Use a serrated knife to cut dough into 9 even pieces. Gently flatten each of the rolls before placing them in the prepared pan, to even them out if they were misshaped when sliced.
Cover pan with aluminum foil.
Bake for 12 minutes covered, then uncover the rolls and bake for 14-18 minutes, until golden brown.
Use the foil to life the rolls out of the baking pan and place them on a wire rack. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Prepare the glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk all glaze ingredients together with a hand mixer until very smooth. Drizzle over slightly cooled rolls and serve.
Store leftovers in an airtight container after they have completely cooled.
Makes 9 cinnamon rolls.
from the America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook
Filling
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp salt
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp salt
Dough
1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 oz) all purpose flour
3/4 cup (4 1/8 oz) whole wheat flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
5 tbsp butter, melted and cooled, divided
1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 oz) all purpose flour
3/4 cup (4 1/8 oz) whole wheat flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
5 tbsp butter, melted and cooled, divided
Glaze
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 oz light cream cheese
1 tbsp buttermilk
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 oz light cream cheese
1 tbsp buttermilk
Prepare the filling. Whisk together all filling ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, or the bowl of an electric mixer, combine all purpose flour, whole what flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine. Add in buttermilk and 4 tablespoons of the melted butter and mix until dough starts to come together into a shaggy ball. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 1-2 minutes, until dough begins to look smooth and can be handled easily. This can also be done by kneading for about 1 minute with a paddle attachment or dough hook, and adding a tablespoon or two of flour to a mixer bowl.
Place dough on a lightly floured surface and press or roll out into a 9×12-inch rectangle with the long side facing you. Take remaining tablespoon of melted butter and brush over dough rectangle. Sprinkle evenly with filling mixture, leaving a 1/2-inch border around each edge.
Using a bench scraper to help you (or a large, flat spatula if you don’t have one), roll the dough up into a tight spiral. Pinch seam to seal.
Use a serrated knife to cut dough into 9 even pieces. Gently flatten each of the rolls before placing them in the prepared pan, to even them out if they were misshaped when sliced.
Cover pan with aluminum foil.
Bake for 12 minutes covered, then uncover the rolls and bake for 14-18 minutes, until golden brown.
Use the foil to life the rolls out of the baking pan and place them on a wire rack. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Prepare the glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk all glaze ingredients together with a hand mixer until very smooth. Drizzle over slightly cooled rolls and serve.
Store leftovers in an airtight container after they have completely cooled.
Makes 9 cinnamon rolls.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Little Bear's Birthday Soup
Little Bear's Birthday Soup
We start with 1-3lbs of venison steak, cut into small chunks. Beef works well too, of course, but there is something about the complex flavor and lean nutrition of venison that is hard to duplicate. Besides, we're pretty sure that when Father Bear went hunting, he was more likely to come home with a deer than a steer!
In a large soup pot, bring eight cups of water to a boil. Add meat and simmer over medium low heat for about twenty minutes. Skim fat off the broth if necessary--if you're using venison, you probably will not have to do this, because it is so lean. Add one large (46-48oz) can of tomato juice. Season to taste with salt, pepper, thyme and a bay leaf. Our "secret ingredient" that really adds a lot of flavor is worchestishire sauce. I never measure any of this stuff. I just use my best judgement and do a lot of tasting before the soup gets to the table.
Return to a simmer and add any and all of the following:
1/2 cup lentils
1/2 cup barley
1/2 cup brown rice
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 large celery stalks, chopped
Simmer until the lentils and grains are tender and the vegetables are desired consistency, about 30-45 minutes. I find that the potatoes are a good indicator--if the potatoes are done, the soup is probably done. At this point, I like to add a bag of frozen mixed veggies and simmer just a little longer. This adds peas, corn, green beans, lima beans, and a few more carrots. Of course, if you have any of these veggies fresh on hand, by all means, add them with the rest of the fresh veggies earlier in the recipe.
From here.
We start with 1-3lbs of venison steak, cut into small chunks. Beef works well too, of course, but there is something about the complex flavor and lean nutrition of venison that is hard to duplicate. Besides, we're pretty sure that when Father Bear went hunting, he was more likely to come home with a deer than a steer!
In a large soup pot, bring eight cups of water to a boil. Add meat and simmer over medium low heat for about twenty minutes. Skim fat off the broth if necessary--if you're using venison, you probably will not have to do this, because it is so lean. Add one large (46-48oz) can of tomato juice. Season to taste with salt, pepper, thyme and a bay leaf. Our "secret ingredient" that really adds a lot of flavor is worchestishire sauce. I never measure any of this stuff. I just use my best judgement and do a lot of tasting before the soup gets to the table.
Return to a simmer and add any and all of the following:
1/2 cup lentils
1/2 cup barley
1/2 cup brown rice
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 large celery stalks, chopped
Simmer until the lentils and grains are tender and the vegetables are desired consistency, about 30-45 minutes. I find that the potatoes are a good indicator--if the potatoes are done, the soup is probably done. At this point, I like to add a bag of frozen mixed veggies and simmer just a little longer. This adds peas, corn, green beans, lima beans, and a few more carrots. Of course, if you have any of these veggies fresh on hand, by all means, add them with the rest of the fresh veggies earlier in the recipe.
From here.
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