Tomato-Feta Salad

Miracles can be small but let me tell you, today's miracle is that I have managed to find/make/create an extra-generous 15 minutes to sit and blog about a recipe that will not only make a pretty addition to your summer-time/pot-luck/bbq/fathers'day table, but it will also make your breath incredibly offensive to any close talkers and that's always a telling indication of the quality of your food. I always think the more repugnant residue on your breath, the tastier and more flavorful the dish. 

I have made this pretty little salad a number of times in the last few years but have failed to ever post it here. Naughty. How could I be so negligent?? It's like eating the fruits of your hard-earned garden labors in Greece somewhere: you got the fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, fresh onion from your garden, and then the flavor of the salad pinnacles with Greek-imported feta and I will tell you that nothing will bring you closer to Greece or the summer time than this salad, and neither are a bad place to be. I mean, right? Greece, summer, Greece, summer, together?? Masterpiece.

Ta ta!

Tomato-Feta Salad

{Ina Garten}

4 pints grape tomatoes, red and yellow mixture

1 1/2 cups small-diced red onion (2 onions)

1/4 cup good white wine vinegar

6 tablespoons good olive oil

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 1/2 pounds feta cheese

Cut the tomatoes in half and place them in a large bowl. Add the onion, vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, basil, and parsley and toss well. Dice the feta in 1/2 to 3/4-inch cubes, crumbling it as little as possible. Gently fold it into the salad and serve at room temperature (side note: it could be the fact that I don't do leftovers very well, but this salad is especially unattractive the next morning, so eat it all up if possible in the one sitting).

The Puuuurfect Cinco De Mayo Drink

Something happened this last weekend. 

Cinco de Mayo. 

And we ate like it was your grandmother's last Thanksgiving dinner. 

We had three types of tacos, all sorts of various toppings, roasted corn salad, fresh guac, Mexican chocolate cookies, and unspeakable amounts of cilantro-infested everything. 

This was one of my favorite parts of the evening, though, this, honeydew agua fresca. It might just be the very tastiest and most refreshing, cooling, soothing beverage to trickle down my throat yet.  The lime, honeydew, ice, raspberries.....ooohhhh, you are in for a treat, and I mean, a treat.

Plus, who knew blending an entire honeydew was so much fun.

Did I just write 'fun'? 

Boy, I gotta get out more. 

Please make immediately, okay? 

Okay.

Honeydew Agua Fresca

{Martha Stewart}

14 cups honeydew melon or cantaloupe (from a 5-pound melon)

1/3 cup superfine sugar

1/2 cup fresh lime juice (from 4 limes)

Ice

Raspberries for garnish (we used frozen, and I liked that- they kinda “slush-ized” the drink a bit)

Set a large fine-mesh sieve over a large pitcher or jug. In batches, in a food processor or blender, puree melon until smooth. Pour melon puree through sieve, pressing on solids with a rubber spatula (you should have about 4 cups juice).

In a small bowl, combine superfine sugar and fresh lime juice; stir until sugar dissolves. Add lime mixture and 4 cups water to melon juice and mix well. Adjust sweetness with more sugar if desired. (Mixture can be refrigerated, up to 2 days.) To serve, add plenty of ice and top with raspberries.

Island Chicken with Avocado Salsa + Coconut Rice

Aloha. Aloha.




Oh. You thought I've been Hawaiing- it- up, did you? Maybe it's because I've been un-posting for two weeks and you thought I was laying indolently on the beach. And maybe I really threw you off with my tropic-centric greetings.

No no.

It's just that this meal, this one very wonderful meal we had lately kinda takes me to some tropical pacific island. 

Eating just a mere bit is like an instant culinary/mental getaway to somewhere balmy and beachy. 

I hope you try it- this is one of those dishes I think I'll keep making and making and making until someone finally pukes and just can't take it anymore. It's so flavorful, healthy, uncomplicated, and a bit jazzier than most normal dinner meals. Well, most normal meals that WE have, that is. (cough). 

And even though I have a bit of an anathema against eating whole pieces of meat, i.e., a slab of chicken breast in one sitting, this passes as in indisputably delicious meal and it's a good once-in-a-while ritual. 

Lastly, don't judge me, but my body is screaming for sleep tonight, and I just don't have much "type" left in me to knock out this recipe right here in this post, but, I will take you directly to the link and that's pretty much the same thing. One click more and this recipe is yours!

And may I just ask who can really have anything against eating starchy white rice that's been marinated in coconut milk and then topped off with that sweetened flaked-out coconut? It's almost better than a 10 o'clock run to 'seven eleven for a coconut/mango/cherry slurpee.

Almost. 

Recipe here!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cake Batter Truffles

I gotta be honest; pinterest has been a bit of a revelation to me over a multitude of different topics and interests. It's absurd to confess here in front of the web world, but it's made me a better person in many ways- a better baker, a better gardener, more resourceful, more innovative.... and so, as addicting as it could be, I am still grateful it exists. Most of the good food we've recently eaten originates from there, and these little cake truffles are no exception. They have improved my life; and although you can't buy happiness in this life, cake batter truffles will help you get closer to that happiness.

You really must try them. Few words will justify how delightfully sweet and insanely delicious they are. Upon taking his first bite, my husband closed his eyes, and almost like instinct, let out a sincere "hmmmm" under his breath and that, is when I know, a good recipe has fallen into our hands.

This recipe seems versatile enough- instead of yellow cake, you may feel the inclination to use white, red velvet, or chocolate. But I gotta tell ya, the combination of yellow coated in white chocolate with sprinkles....

... well, it's basically better than a movie night with your girlfriends watching "Twilight" (which I can't speak of from personal experience, but I'm imagining it's a heckuvalot better).

Cake Batter Truffles

{Pinterest}

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

½ cup white sugar

1 ½ cups flour

1 cup yellow cake mix

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt

3-4 Tablespoons milk

2 Tablespoons sprinkles

Truffle Coating:

16 ounces (8 squares) almond bark (or white candy melts)

4 Tablespoons yellow cake mix

sprinkles



Beat together butter and sugar using an electric mixer until combined. Blend in vanilla. Add cake mix, flour, salt, and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Add 3 Tablespoons of milk or more if needed to make a dough consistency. Mix in sprinkles by hand. Roll dough into one inch balls and place on a parchment or wax paper lined cookie sheet. Chill balls in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up.

 While dough balls are chilling, melt almond bark in the microwave in 30 second intervals until melted. Stir between intervals. Once melted, quickly stir in cake mix until incorporated completely. Using a fork, dip truffles into almond bark and shake of excess bark by tapping the bottom of the fork on the side of your bowl. Place truffle back on the cookie sheet and top with sprinkles. Repeat with remaining balls until finished. {Note: for smoother looking truffles, don't add cake mix to melted chocolate, just leave it by itself}

Chill cake batter truffles in the refrigerator until serving. Makes around 24-30 truffles.

Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Quinoa & Chipotle

A cousin of mine and I got chatty chatty over the weekend as we smashed down freshly fallen snow under our snowshoes. Quinoa came into topic, among many other things, and she was stunned when I responded with my mediocre-at-best liking for it. It seemed to appall her that I wasn't more ga-ga over quinoa (keen-wa, ahem)....

... and it's been bugging me all week since this conversation: why don't I like quinoa more? What's my problem? It's packed with nutrients, fiber, protein, blah blah blah, it's easy to make, versatile, and trendy (everyone's-doing-it mentality).

So, this week, I've been courting it like Romeo to Juliet; taking it out of the cupboard frequently, experimenting with it in all sorts of various means and the results? I am really liking it a lot. A lot more than I did a week ago, that's for sure. Cousin E.M. I hope you are proud of me!:)

Initially, the flavor was the main issue for me- it was too "earthy" tasting- or something weird that just wasn't striking cords with my palate. But once some other ingredients are added in to spice it up, it's totally right up there with oatmeal in my book.

Anyway, this is a great recipe- full of heat and zing- I should warn you. It's kind of like the dainty 1950's wife's version of stuffed green peppers with rice and ground beef gone ultra contemporary with poblanos, chipotle, and quinoa. It will make even the seemingly devout meat- and- potatoes- guy into a soggy, grateful mess that someone made it for him.

Really.

And you can feel good about the fact that it's a filling dish without having to use meat or poultry, and two, that it's pretty inexpensive- black beans, corn, and quinoa (or rice), really should be in your pantry anyways.

Stuffed Poblanos with Quinoa and Chipotle

{Whole Living}

4 large poblano peppers (pasilla work too!- I think they are one in the same chilli?)

2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon chopped chipotle chile in adobo

1 garlic clove

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped, plus more for garnish

1/3 cup quinoa

8 ounces small mushrooms, such as white button or cremini, trimmed and quartered*****

1 cup frozen corn kernels

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup crumbled fresh goat cheese (Kate note; we used feta- and it was fine!)

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, rub peppers with 2 teaspoons oil. Roast until slightly blackened and softened, 15 to 20 minutes, turning once. When cool enough to handle, remove skins. Make a small slit in each pepper and carefully remove seeds, keeping stem end intact.

In a blender, combine chipotle, garlic, and 3/4 cup water; season with salt and pepper and blend until smooth. Add cilantro and pulse once to combine.

In a small saucepan, bring 2/3 cup water to a boil. Add quinoa, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes; fluff with a fork.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add mushrooms; season with salt and pepper. Cook until mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes; add corn and beans and cook until heated, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup cheese and quinoa.

Pour sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Stuff peppers with filling and arrange in dish; dot with 1/2 cup cheese. Bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes.

Kate note: we served these with sour cream and fresh cilantro as well as lime juice on top. It sealed the deal.

****instead of mushrooms, we used one large, white onion in its place and it was fabulous.

Health Bites

Why hello.

Hello.

Hi.

My all-too-quick- to- speak mouth can't hold itself back right now by conceding that the thought to shut down the ol' blog here has really been dancing around my mind lately. I'm feeling too busy to blog these days. Are you too? But there are two reasons why I hesitate to close up shop:

-writing

-cooking

And the two together form near perfect unwinding-ness in my world of diapers and tot discipline. After a beautiful, but sometimes more lengthy day of submerging myself into cute little toddler world, which I absolutely love and pray they never grow out of, a little writing, a little baking/cooking, goes a LONG way for my soul. It forces me to keep my culinary erudition somewhat sharp and it forces me to use words like, "erudition". See?

Thus, I continue to blog.

This fabulous recipe, kudos to pinterest, is really quite great. Ever had no-bake cookies? Homemade granola bars? These health bites cross both territories and combine them into one. They are yummy. Addicting. Reasonably healthy and so snappy to whip up it's like easier than kool-aid but the output is far better.

Next time I'm adding in some chopped dried fruit and dark chocolate chips. I know what I'm dreaming about tonight!

Health Bites

1 cup (dry) oatmeal (old-fashioned oats work best!)

1 cup toasted coconut flakes

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter (or any almond, cashew, etc butter)

1/2 cup ground flaxseed

1/3 cup honey

1 tsp. vanilla

Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you would like. (Mine were about 1/1/2-2″ in diameter.) Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

(Kate note: I also added in a little pure maple syrup as well as a tad bit of maple extract and it was spectacular!)

Makes about 20-25 balls.

Garden Chowder

I sat sweating like an Olympic track athlete as the interview questions came pounding on me. "What is a roux"?... asked the Chef.

"Ahh.mmm..... fancy French talk for some concoction".. was my approximate reply.

I got a laugh from it. Or a sharp crusty... can't quite recall...

.. anyhow, later on the job in this wonderful restaurant, I learned what it was and would see Chef make roux many times to create a host of soups and sauces. Ever since then I have been a believer in roux. It makes everything better, because essentially, it's butter and flour, and then liquid added to make a creamy and rich liquid, serving as the base to many a things. And in that, I would run a campaign with Paula Deen on why butter makes life better.

This deliciously addicting and partially healthy (hoorray!) soup, has a roux base to it and then gains even more richness from the evaporated milk and later-added cheese. It's so flavorful- the whole thing, you'll eat at least two bowls in the first sitting. These colder winter months and shorter sunshiny days really beg for something comforting to eat and lemme be the first to inform you, that this is perfectly winter appropriate.

My cousin recommended this recipe to me some time ago, and then I've seen it in a few cookbooks recently.

I can see why now.

A favorite soup. Definitely.

It goes something like this:

Garden Chowder

3 TBSP butter (yes, the real deal stuff)
1 onion

2 zucchini

3 large carrots

¼ cup freshly cut basil

¼ cup freshly cut Italian parsley

1/3 cup flour

3 cups chicken stock

1 can evaporated milk

1-2 large handfuls of cheese ( I used an Italian shredded mix, but use whatever you wish)

1 cup white corn, thawed and drained

2 tomatoes, diced (remove the inner seeds)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

In a large saucepan, sauté the onion, zucchini, carrots, and herbs in the 3 tbsp of butter until mostly tender. Add the flour and stir until everything is coated. Slowly add the chicken stock and bring to a boil- allow it to simmer and medium high heat for 20 ish minutes. Now add the evaporated milk, cheese, corn, tomatoes, and seasonings and allow to cook through for 10 minutes or so, stirring often.

Serve warm. Bon Appetit!

Wicked Marshmallow Brownies

Have I posted this recipe already? Honestly, I cannot remember. But I know this isn't the first time I have made these so-called "wicked marshmallow brownies" and I know that this isn't the last time you'll hear me talk about them.

Why?

Because, imagine: moist brownie layer underneath, suffocating by creamy and oozy melted marshmallow layer atop, and then drowning in a rich and chocolatey, but not over-the-top glaze. SLURRRRRRPPPP!

Most of the time, if you place a homemade cookie and a homemade brownie in each of my hands, I'll tell you what I'd go for first: the cookie. Always. I am just not a huge brownie fanatic by nature nor do I regularly crave them, but believe you me, these little wicked souls might change that drastically overnight. They are really a brownie WORTH eating- I have always thought brownies fell under one of two categories: dull dry and gross OR superbly delicious to transcend any other sweet in existence.

What are you waiting for? Go, hurry! Deliciousness is right at your fingertips!

Wicked Marshmallow Brownies

{Keeping Up Cookbook}

1 cup (2 sticks), butter melted

2 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

¼ cup cocoa powder

1 tsp salt

1 ½ cups flour

2 ½ cups mini marshmallows

Mix the butter, sugar, eggs, extract, and cocoa powder until smooth. Add the flour and salt, mixing just till combined. Bake in a greased 9 x 13 glass pan at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes (mine were just slightly undercooked at 20 minutes and I put the marshmallows on top right then and let them cook for a total of 22 minutes- they were perfect, but ovens vary, so do pay attention!). Immediately top the brownie mixture with marshmallows and bake an additional 2 minutes. Use a knife dipped in water to spread the marshmallows evenly- cool completely, then frost.

Frosting:

¼ cup butter, melted

2 Tbsp milk

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 ¼ cups powdered sugar

Whisk ingredients until smooth. Pour over marshmallow layer. Slice and serve!!!

Olive Oil Muffins

I have the public library to thank for the bounty of good recipes I get. My two little darlings and I have a routine: we go there and get them the Mt Everest-stacked high stack of children's books, 1 cookbook for me, and then we bring them all home, read the life out of them, and then three weeks later, return, and do the same thing all over again. It's a system I'm quite fond of.

Fate must collide with my luck whenever I return to the library because I always seem to have impeccable timing when all the "good" cookbooks are back in stock there. One of Giada de Laurentiis' newer cookbooks sat waiting on the shelf and I instantly checked it out. This gem of a recipe was located right inside towards the front and it grabbed my attention immediately, almost as if the words, "olive oil muffins" were flashing at me like Las Vegas neon lights. Desire and curiosity go well together.

You would never really expect to soil your muffin batter with olive oil, would you?? Me neither. Yet, it provides moisture: light, spongy, somewhat flavorful, moisture. I love the unpredictable crunch from the smooshed up almonds and the fresh zest of lemon and orange in abundance. I would sit and zest the skin off lemons and oranges all day if I had no other life- there is nothing to compare with that aromatic scent of citrus... AHH. It's what heaven will smell like.

Lastly, everyone who has sampled these muffins seems to say the same things: "Wow. I would've never thought.... soo delicious.. ...so moist...... so flavorful". And if you think I mis-typed the recipe, well, I didn't.... the muffins really DO call for balsamic vinegar too, which seems a bit counter-intuitive, but fret not, you don't taste it whatsoever.

Yup. I can't keep this recipe to myself. I hope you'll try them asapers!

Olive Oil Muffins

{Giada De Laurentiis}

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons orange zest

2 teaspoons lemon zest

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons whole milk

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Powdered sugar, for sifting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place paper liners in a 12-cup muffin tin. Blend together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer beat the sugar, eggs, and zests in a large bowl until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vinegar and milk. Gradually beat in the oil. Add the flour mixture and stir just until blended. Crush the almonds with your hands as you add them to the batter and stir until mixed. Fill the muffin tin almost to the top of the paper liners. Bake until golden on top and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes. Remove the muffins onto a platter and let cool for 5 more minutes. Sift powdered sugar over the muffins and serve.

Peanut Butter Fudge

Did you have a merry weekend? I sure hope so. I just love Christmas, and the day after is usually such a let-down. All that hype, all the decorations, that glorious music, the preparation, all the wonderful good tidings.... gone---for another 365 days--- but then I console myself in the fact that if 2012 evaporates into thin air is fast as 2011 did, then we'll be right back at this spot talking about Christmas in no time.

One of our neighbor gifts distributed this year was peanut butter fudge. It has got to be one of my favorite little treat recipes because the output is so much greater than the input. You spend a wimpy 5 minutes tops making it the mixture, and believe me, it's so easy a first grader could do it, BUT then the results are magnificent and last for days. Well, hours if it's not going to anyone else, that is.

If you are the one required to bring dessert to your next party between now and Jan 1, I'm telling ya, this recipe would be a really good candidate....

..just be sure to not over-add the powdered sugar- it will result in a crumblier fudge as my picture kinda depicts (not the worse thing in the world, but eh..).

Peanut Butter Fudge

8 oz. unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla extract

16 oz. confectioners' sugar

Line an 8 x 8-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Lightly grease with butter. Combine the butter and peanut butter in a microwave safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on full power for 2 minutes. Remove from the microwave, stir, and microwave on full power for 2 minutes more- watch out and be careful as the mixture SHOULD be boiling hot.

Carefully remove the bowl from the microwave. Add the vanilla and confectioners’ sugar to the bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until evenly combined. The mixture will become difficult to stir and lose its sheen.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Place an additional piece of parchment directly on the surface of the fudge. Refrigerate until cool, at least 2 hours. Use a large knife to cut into 1-inch pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Holiday Peppermint Meltaways

Every time the yuletide season rolls around, I always feel like I have to "up" last year's cookie recipe. It's an odd mental mini-civil war within my head that I cannot with reason, explain logically.

Well, eat your heart out 2010. I think I have my new favorite Christmas cookie recipe: peppermint meltaways with freshly dashed peppermint pieces all over it. Kleenex. Kleenex please my mouth is drooling.

Anyway. Need I fawn more over these?? And have you ever had a meltaway before by the way? They live up most accurately to their name. Melts.right.in.your.mouth. Instantly.

This post shall end here. There is a craving firing within me for another one of these. Must quickly gallop downstairs and answer that craving.

Holiday Peppermint Meltaways

{Land O Lakes}

Cookie:

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

Frosting:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 TBSP butter, softened

1 to 2 tablespoons milk

1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

2 to 3 drops red food color, if desired

Candy canes or hard peppermint candy, crushed

Combine butter, powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add flour and cornstarch. Beat until well mixed. Cover; refrigerate until firm (30 to 60 minutes).

Heat oven to 350°F. Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let stand for a couple of minutes; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, combine 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract and just enough milk for desired consistency (I like the frosting thicker) in a small bowl. Stir in food color, if desired. Drizzle over cooled cookies. Immediately sprinkle with crushed candy.

Cranberry Streusel Cake

There are things in life where words just lack. This cake is one. I can't tell you how crazy good it is and how the people it was served to flipped, including moi. You are just going to have to trust me on this one. It is like those delicious coffee cakes (which don't have coffee in them) you make for the mornings... except better, for some reason- almond extract, sugared cranberries.. a very sophisticated and posh "YOW-sers" is about all I can find in my brain to utter at this time.

I found this recipe on pinterest- link is provided. The recipe instructions weren't phrased as clearly as one might hope, so I (hopefully) delved a bit deeper and tried to clarify things a trifle better (i.e. like dusting the cranberries with a little flour, etc).

Enjoy! Best cake ever! For the holidays at least!!:)

Cranberry Streusel Cake

2.5 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 stick salted butter, softened at room temperature for a few hours

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

½ tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp almond extract

1 ½ cups sour cream

2 cups fresh cranberries (yours are probably frozen, allow them to thaw at room temperature for an hour)

3 tbsp sugar

Topping/streusel:

½ cup brown sugar

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 ½ sticks, salted butter, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9 inch round baking pan- grease very well- might I add.

In a medium bowl, mix the flour and baking powder- set aside. In another mixing bowl, cream 1 stick of butter and the 1 cup sugar until well mixed and creamy. Add in the eggs, one at a time- make sure to use a rubber scraper to stir it all by hand and make sure everything on the very bottom has gotten a chance to be mixed in!

In a small bowl, combine the cranberries with a dusting of flour (so they don’t sink to the bottom of the cake while baking) and mix with the 3TBSP of sugar. Set aside briefly.

Add in the extracts, sour cream, and flour mixture- stirring only until combined (again, make sure you dig down and account for everything sitting at the way-way-bottom of the bowl). Fold the cranberries in gently. Spoon the batter into the cake pan. In a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients until crumbly. Spoon evenly over the top of the cake. Bake until light golden brown, about 50-60 minutes- or just when the center is no longer “jiggly” when shaken.

Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes. Invert the cake into your hand (hopefully, it’s a big hand you’ve got) and then gently and gingerly put it streusel side up on a plate.

Dust with confectioners’ sugar just before serving.

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Bars- VEEG Style!!!

It's true. These are vegan friendly... and if you thought life couldn't get any better, you must make these and then watch it improve some more.

These bars somehow encompass three of my favorite foods: peanut butter, pumpkin, and oatmeal, and somehow, don't even taste like a 1rst grader made them. I never knew it was possible.

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars

{adapted from love veggies and yoga.com}

2/3 cup peanut butter

1 cup pumpkin

2 cups oatmeal

1 cup brown sugar

½ white sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 TBSP cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

½ tsp ginger

½ tsp all spice

Mix all the ingredients together and place in a greased 8 x8 pan. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes (more or less). Remove from the oven and allow these to cool ALL.THE.WAY before cutting, like, an hour at least…I promise. You will die by the smell. This is a true test of patience to see if you can wait all that time before diving into them to taste them. I couldn’t do it.

SOOOOOO GOOOODDDDDD.

Swiss Chard Roll- Ups. Don't Judge!!

I was on an airplane watching Food Network shows when Giada's came on and she made this lovely vegetarian dish that had me glued with attention. Goat cheese?? Lentils? Arugula? Big leafy greens? All wrapped up together somehow and smothered to death in marinara and Parmesan cheese?? This might be as close to my definition of a perfect dish as possible. I couldn't think of anything else for hours after seeing it.

Though experience from making it taught me that you wholly and entirely MUST know your audience before serving it. My sweet husband, who eats everything like it's his favorite food, later told me quite gently that of all the things I've made, this was one of his least favorite. Of course, he isn't partial towards goat cheese and lentils, which happen to be two of my favorite foods ever.

So, if you have friends over for dinner who you know are strict vegetarians, then fly with it! If you are having family over that tend to follow a meat and potatoes kind of trend, I'd steer clear. If you don't like lentils or abhor the taste of goat cheese, this may not be your dish. Of course, having that said, it's also highly versatile and you can use the recipe as a guide but create a different filling.

This recipe posted below is a spin- off of what Giada did on her show. I couldn't find the recipe anywhere on line, so this is my memory doing it's best to recall what went in and what I did personally. I think it worked out splendidly. Ooooh it's soooooo good and heart-warming and healthy. I LUVVVVVVVV eeet.

Swiss Chard Rolls with Lentils and Goat Cheese

{Inspired by Giada DeLaurentiis}

1 large bunch swiss chard

1 cup brown rice, cooked and set aside- add 1 huge handful of arugula to the rice while it’s still warm.

1 cup lentils, cooked and set aside

4-5 ounces, goat cheese, crumbled

1 huge handful of baby arugula (see the instructions above for how to incorporate it)

1 tsp herbs de provence

½ tsp crushed red pepper

1 tsp salt

Pepper

Olive oil

Favorite marinara sauce

Parmesan cheese

Prepare the swiss chard first: you will need a large pot of simmering water. Wash and dry the Swiss chard. Using a large chef’s knife, cut out the stiff stem that is in the middle of each leaf, all while trying NOT to cut the leaf in half (yes, the leaf will have a large sliver cut out of the middle). Using kitchen tongs, place each prepared leaf into the simmering water for LESS THAN A SECOND. You will literally dip it in, and remove it immediately onto a dry paper towel. If you have them in the water for much longer, they will be soggy. You are simply trying to barely soften the leaf so you can wrap it easier.

Once all the leaves have been dipped in the hot water, pat each one off gently with a paper towel. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the rice and arugula with the lentils, goat cheese, salt, herbs de Provence, a drizzle of olive oil, and crushed red pepper. Taste it to make sure it has enough flavoring- add more seasonings if needed.

Preheat oven to 350.

Take one Swiss chard leaf and lay it flat on the counter, overlapping the leaves were the stiff stem was taken out. Tag a normal dinner spoon, place a heapful of mixture into each Swiss chard leaf. Very gingerly, wrap up each leaf and place in baking dish. Continue until all the leaves are used up.

Pour as much marinara sauce over the wraps as you wish. Sprinkle the surface with lots of shredded Parm. Cheese and then drizzle lightly with olive oil to keep it moist. Bake for 25-35 minutes until everything is bubbly hot.

Pumpkin Butterscotch Cookies. Triple Yum.

I have a really cute 3 year old who is pressing me to watch "Curious George" right this very second and so, I must be concisely brief right now and save the rambling for another post.

But.

Let's just say this.

Pumpkin + butterscotch chips = dynamite- out- of -this- world glorious perfection of autumnal blissful raptures.

Do it. I may never use chocolate chips again in my pumpkin cookies.

Ever.

Pumpkin Butterscotch Cookies
{Annie’s Eats}

2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
½ cup vegetable or canola oil
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat the oven to 325° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; whisk to blend. In a the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs and sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth and light in color, about 1 minute. Blend in the oil, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract until well combined. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Gently fold in the butterscotch chips with a spatula.

Drop mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets (I used a medium-sized dough scoop), spacing them a few inches apart. Bake, rotating the sheets halfway through baking, until the tops feel set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry, about 14-16 minutes. Allow to cool on the baking sheets 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Peanut Butter Blondies

A friend of mine brought by a cupcake for me the other day that was so prettily set in a black box, I was almost certain there was jewelry inside. It was better. A chocolate cupcake, topped with chocolate meringue and peanut butter frosting somewhere in between. My heart literally stopped for a few seconds as my own little PB and chocolate world collided and my tongue and tummy settled into ecstasy.

The next day I went searching for peanut butter and chocolate dessert combinations. La dee da there they were: peanut butter chocolate blondies. There wasn't much of a squabble to get me baking those babies up. They taste like a giant pan of peanut butter cookie with chocolate chips, essentially. Duh, no brainer there!

And the real nice thing with these are- they are nearly instantaneous! Remember those NY Chocolate Chip Cookies recently?? No waiting around for the dough to chill, no pacing back and forth for that silly butter to come to room temperature... face the facts: most of us have PB in our pantry. Most of us hopefully have chocolate chips (cmon, do you??) and it doesn't matter what state of solidification your butter is in: frozen or refrigerated, it doesn't.matter.at.all. The butter is combined in a pot with sugar and you allow it all to melt anyways.

Like I say, they can be made in a zip!

I like zip.

Well. Here's to these amazing bars and a mighty hefty good luck trying not to consume the entire pan (which you shouldn't feel guilty about anyway).

Peanut Butter Blondies

{Two Peas and Their Pod}

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

2 cups light brown sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup chocolate chips (Kate note: I used semi-sweet)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch by 13-inch pan and set aside.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and brown sugar, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from the heat, and stir in the peanut butter, until creamy and combined. Set mixture aside to cool. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the eggs, one at a time, to the peanut butter mixture, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared dry ingredients, and stir until batter is smooth. Fold in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips, reserving the rest for sprinkling on top.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, spreading the batter evenly to the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips and lightly press them into the batter.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden and the edges are slightly browned. Remove blondies from oven and place them on a wire rack to cool. Once cooled, cut into squares and serve.

RoadTrippin' Granola Bars

We were gone...

...all last week-driving 2 small children in a packed up mini van across to California- through Utah, through Nevada, and onto the beach in Orange County. It's been a few years since I've made that drive and let me tell you- rain drops never fall in southern Nevada- true fact. And so, entering California and seeing ocean as far as the eye could see was like tasting ice cream for the first time: so good you never wanted it to end. Oh how I could inhale that salty oceany smell for the rest of my life and never tire of it. It was so wonderful. I loved watching my children squeal with perfect innocence while they strenously played and galloped on the shore.

And over all, road trips are fun. Err... revision. Road trips with youngens are a lot of fun work. Yes that it's it. It is FUN, but boy, it is a lot of WORK dragging these two cuties along with us though I wouldn't have it any other way. But today I can simply and fully appreciate and understand the highly- used cliche of , "we need a vacation from our last vacation". Perhaps you can imagine well the majority of our car being piled roof high with snacks and treats and goodies and electronics. And between all the i-pad playing, the smarties, the infinite amount of highly processed chicken nuggets from Mcadeez and Wendys, I think my children need some major detoxifying this week- a library and carrot/celery diet if you will.

These granola bars are perfect road trip food material- if you're kids will eat it- I think these were a bit too, what's the word.... chunky/nutty/fibery for my toddlers' to stomach. My man and I, on the other hand, la-la-la LOVED gnashing on these babies. The honey imparts such a subtle but not overbearing sweetness and the texture derived from a multiplicity of good things, like dates, craisins, nuts, coconut... is just hard to beat, and they are filling and healthy.

That Ina Garten. She sure knows how to make a good granola bar.

Homemade Granola Bars

{Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics}

2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal

1 cup sliced almonds

1 cup shredded coconut, loosely packed

1/2 cup toasted wheat germ (Kate note: I used flaxseed instead)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2/3 cup honey

1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup chopped pitted dates (Kate note: I used the Dole brand of pitted dates)

1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 by 12-inch (I used a 9 x 13 sized and it worked fine!) baking dish and line it with parchment paper.

Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the wheat germ.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

Place the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for a minute, then pour over the toasted oatmeal mixture. Add the dates, apricots, and cranberries and stir well.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Wet your fingers and lightly press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for at least 2 to 3 hours before cutting into squares (another test of patience!! Indeed- follow this instruction- they must cool!!!! So very hard to wait but worth the painstaking delay!). Serve at room temperature.

Zucchini Banana Flaxseed Muffins

Greetings, Monday morning. It's zucchini week; the mighty green squash of summer that we all anticipate eating with great excitement by now. Let's get something clear: I am a lover of zucchini bread- don't mistaken me at all on it- it will always be one of my top ten favorite quick breads to make. However, by October, I've had my fill - and I can only eat sauteed zucchini so many times before I start gagging on it.

So this week is all about some variations on how to use zucchini more creatively and in some perhaps, unexpected ways. I hope you enjoy it!

First up: zucchini banana flaxseed muffins. Clarification: different in my mind than a normal zucchini bread recipe. For one thing, ripe mashed banana, flaxseed, whole wheat flour, and ZERO oil or butter take over the recipe. They add a new flavor and new texture without all the fat or calories. I mean, if it's any indication, my otherwise adorable picky toddler ate three in a row- but let's not talk about his diaper 5 hours later.

These muffins have such great *moistness* (yes, this word makes me cringe too) to them, you will never know they weren't made with a cup of oil. AND, there is a subtle banana flavor with a hint of cinnamon leaking through. The zucchini, well, it's flavorless in this but adds to the moist (argh, said it again!!!) texture of this muffin.

In sum, this recipe has me swooning from left to right and from low to high. It's just good and healthy and satisfying, all in the same bite. Oooh ooh ooh I love 'em.

Zucchini Banana Flaxseed Muffins

{Martha Stewart, Everyday Food, September 2011}

Nonstick cooking spray

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled) (Kate: I used whole wheat flour- works great)

1/2 cup ground flaxseed

1 cup lightly packed light-brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/2 cups coarsely grated zucchini (from 1 large zucchini)

1/3 cup mashed ripe banana (from 1 large banana)

3/4 cup whole milk (Kate note: I used 1 % milk, worked wonderfully)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat 12 standard muffin cups with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, flaxseed, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add zucchini and banana and stir to combine. In a small bowl, whisk together milk, egg, and vanilla. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and stir until combined (do not overmix).

Divide batter among muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let muffins cool completely in pan on a wire rack, about 30 minutes.

Nutella Gelato

I keep thinking that someday there is going to be a drought of recipes to pull from. Can new recipes really keep emerging?? And yet, all I have to to is a tiny bit of electronic surfing around favorite foodie-centered websites and like a bolt of lightning striking my head, there's again, another recipe I am screeching to try.

Come 6 months from now, ice cream will be as extinct as the dinosaurs (you can tell I've been playing with a certain 2.5 year old cutie today). I just don't make homemade ice cream as frequently in those winter hibernation months. Makes sense, no?

And since we're really good friends, can I admit right here and now that nutella might be one of my all-time favorite foods? Nutella and I have been well acquainted for many years- it's always been a loyal friend, a total comfort food fall back, and ever reliant for my high strung chocolate needs. I like nutella on my toast, drizzled over pound cake, used as a dip for pretzels, slathered in evil proportions between freshly made crepes, spooned over ice cream, and now, as the main star in a homemade ice cream recipe.

I think this ice cream also falls into the "OMG" category of life. It's kinda good, like, excellent good. Smooth and creamy and invigorating........think Wendy's Frosty, but homemade and slightly richer. That's what it tastes and feels like on your tongue- only again, you get that slight hazelnutty undertone because, well, it's made with hazelnut chocolate spread but it's hardly noticeable and completely not overly daunting for any nut non-enthusiasts.

I'm just now feeling bad that amongst the three of us (me + 2 children), we have consumed the majority of the recipe as if we were in a world ice cream eating competition, with hardly any leftovers for the man who works so hard for us. Hmmm... must think of plan B for that stud.

Enjoy!!!

(oh yes, PS, please excuse my lack of ice-cream-all-scooped-up-so-cute-in-a-dainty-bowl photograph. We ate it too quickly before it had a chance!).

Nutella Gelato

{Giada de Laurentiis}

2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup sugar, plus 1/4 cup

4 egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)

1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, crushed, for garnish

In a saucepan combine the milk, cream, and 1/2 cup sugar over medium heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whip the egg yolks with the remaining sugar using an electric mixer until the eggs have become thick and pale yellow, about 4 minutes. Pour 1/2 cup of the warm milk and cream mixture into the egg mixture and stir. Add this mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Place a strainer over a medium bowl and pour the warm custard mixture through the strainer. Stir in the vanilla and hazelnut spread until it dissolves. Chill mixture completely before pouring into an ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions to freeze. To serve, scoop gelato into serving bowls and top with hazelnuts (kate note: or if you’re like us, you won’t even need a garnish when it’s eaten straight from the ice cream freezer! Bwa ha ha!!)