tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4786320213738919552024-03-19T04:48:39.275-04:00Delectably MineJanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749567539761280353noreply@blogger.comBlogger289125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478632021373891955.post-68461761175118825212016-03-13T20:48:00.003-04:002016-03-13T20:48:36.203-04:00Time to Redirect!So I've been going on this blog for around 5 years now, I can hardly believe it's been that long! And for a while now I've been feeling like I needed a change. I am certainly no expert on blog design, I know basically nothing about HTML and coding (not even sure if I'm using these terms correctly!). So I bit the bullet and have completed updated and changed the blog. I've moved to a new host, got my own domain name, and redesigned everything! I hate leaving this site but it was time.<br />
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If anyone is interested in following me in my new space, head over to the new <a href="http://www.delectablymine.com/">Delectably Mine</a> and check it out, let me know what you think. And check out the first post on the new site, a wonderful <a href="http://www.delectablymine.com/blog/2016/3/13/e2tcr99pbcmuxm1373iztikkdjf1px">Banana Poppy Seed Muffin</a> that you are definitely going to want to try!! See y'all there!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Looking for the recipe?? You'll find it <a href="http://www.delectablymine.com/blog/2016/3/13/e2tcr99pbcmuxm1373iztikkdjf1px">HERE</a>!!</span></div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749567539761280353noreply@blogger.com93tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478632021373891955.post-78667833798773068732016-03-06T11:44:00.000-05:002016-03-17T09:27:48.143-04:00Peanut Butter and Oat Snack Bars<div style="text-align: justify;">
I've been on a search for some time now for my perfect go-to granola/snack bar. I do have a fantastic <a href="http://delectablymine.blogspot.com/2012/03/crunchy-granola-bars.html">granola bar recipe</a> already on this site, a recipe that is far and away the most popular recipe I've ever posted. While I love these granola bars, and have made them many, many times, I'm on the hunt for something different. I want a bar I can feel good about eating any time, day or night, one that has a modest amount of sugar and fat, and comes together easily using ingredients I will always have on hand. I also want bars that really hold together well. Something I can just throw into a bag in the morning and take with me that won't fall to pieces, or crumble everywhere, making a mess when I want to eat it. </div>
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Throughout the last few months I've been looking at tons of different recipes and trying some out here and there. Part of my problem is that since I live alone, I find it difficult to eat what I make quickly, so this has been a slow process, but a fun one still. I want to share one of the bars I made recently. While it wasn't <i>exactly</i> what I was looking for, it turned out to be a wonderful recipe that hit almost all my requirements. I started with a fairly healthy cookie recipe and adapted it to bars. They baked up beautifully! The end result was a very sturdy, pretty nutritious, tasty bar that will be wonderful for a quick breakfast or satisfying mid-afternoon snack. </div>
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You may wonder why they were not exactly what I was looking for. Really the only thing I would like to be slightly different is the texture of the bar. Because they do have 1/2 cup of flour in them, they turned out a little cakier than I would like. The flour did help them hold together very well, but it also made them feel a little more cookie-bar-like than granola-bar-like. Regardless, this is a great recipe that I will definitely keep in the rotation. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">***UPDATE: I've moved! Check out my redesigned blog at <a href="http://www.delectablymine.com/">delectablymine.com</a> for <a href="http://delectablymine.blogspot.com/2016/03/peanut-butter-and-oat-snack-bars.html">this post</a> and many more!</span></div>
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The flavor of these bars is very nice. Just enough sweetness to make them delicious without making them feel like dessert, and the peanut flavor really shines through, nice and toasty. Lots of good oaty chew helps create a nice, hearty texture. This is a versatile recipe that you can certainly adapt to your preference. If you don't like or can't have peanut butter, use almond butter or another favorite nut or seed butter, and you can throw in whatever mix-ins you like. Any dried fruit, nut, seed or chocolate would be wonderful. </div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Peanut Butter and Oat Snack Bars</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Adapted from <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-museli-cookies-recipes-from-the-kitchn-201475">The Kitchn</a></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
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<li>1/2 cup (128 ounces) natural peanut butter</li>
<li>1/3 cup (112 grams) honey</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon cinnamon</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>1 teaspoon vanilla</li>
<li>1 egg</li>
<li>1 1/4 cup (100 grams) old fashioned oats</li>
<li>1/2 cup (64 grams) whole wheat flour</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon baking powder</li>
<li>1/2 cup mix-ins (I used 10 grams pumpkin seeds, 10 grams sunflower seeds, 20 grams raw walnuts, 20 grams dried cranberries)</li>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b><br />
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Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a baking 8x12 or similar sized pan with parchment paper that you spray with cooking spray.</div>
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In a medium pot over medium heat, melt together the nut butter and honey until smooth. Remove from heat and use a wooden spoon to stir in the cinnamon, salt and vanilla. </div>
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Once the mixture has cooled a little, add in the egg and mix well. </div>
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Add the oats, flour, baking powder and mix-ins to the pot and stir together until combined. The mixture will be quite thick. Transfer dough to prepared pan, spreading evenly all the way to the edges, pressing down to firmly. </div>
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Place pan in oven and bake until golden brown on the edges, 20-25 minutes. Cool completely before removing from pan and cutting into bars. </div>
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Yields: 14 bars</div>
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Nutrition: Approximately 150 calories each</div>
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Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749567539761280353noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478632021373891955.post-91313279270404460652016-03-02T13:15:00.002-05:002016-03-02T13:15:47.789-05:00Slow Roasted Tomatoes<div style="text-align: justify;">
An unusual mid-week post today. I actually have some time off right now and am enjoying it immensely. This includes plenty of extra time in the kitchen! What I want to share today is not really much of a recipe, but a very simple method for preparing slow roasted tomatoes. I miss tomatoes so much in the winter, and every time I see them for sale at the grocery store I secretly want to buy them, but I resist because I know they will have no flavor and a poor texture. It's just not worth buying fresh tomatoes in the winter, unless that is, you want to do something like this to them. </div>
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Slow roasting tomatoes is such a wonderful thing to do with those sad winter tomatoes. You're basically just drying them out and intensifying the sweet and savory flavor of the tomato. When these are done they are almost like candy they are so sweet. I think they are absolutely fantastic on basically anything, and so easy. All it takes is an afternoon in a low oven and you can have a whole tray of these sweet jewels. </div>
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You can pretty much roast these for as long as you want depending on your desired level of dry-ness at the end. I went for 5 hours this time and they were pretty dried out and very sweet, but still had a little hint of juiciness left. Keep testing them from time to time as they roast until they seem to be right where you want them. If you're going to leave your oven on for 5+ hours one afternoon, I recommend roasting up a big batch of tomatoes, make it worth it. Cutting up a few more tomatoes doesn't take very long, and then you'll have a huge stash for the days and weeks to come. </div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Slow Roasted Tomatoes</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">From Delectably Mine</span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
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<li>4 Roma tomatoes, cut into quarters, core removed</li>
<li>A few garlic cloves</li>
<li>Olive oil, </li>
<li>Coarse salt, </li>
<li>Freshly cracked pepper</li>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b><br />
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Preheat oven to 225-235 degrees and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Drizzle tomatoes and garlic cloves with olive oil and sprinkle with a nice amount of salt and black pepper. Place tomatoes in a single layer on prepared baking sheet and roast for approximately 5 hours (or however long you want), rotating the sheet occasionally. Watch the garlic cloves closely, and if they appear to be getting too cooked remove them before the tomatoes are finished. Remove tomatoes from oven and let cool. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days, or freeze indefinitely. </div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749567539761280353noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478632021373891955.post-43224266299363271292016-02-28T08:01:00.000-05:002016-02-28T08:01:02.594-05:00Tahini Butter Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
I believe I've mentioned it before, but that won't stop me from saying it again, I LOVE tahini. Over the past several years I've begun to use it more and more in all sorts of things. My first real introduction to tahini was when I started making my own hummus. I'm sure a lot of other people have the same experience. While I liked it well enough at that time, it wasn't until I'd been using it for a while that I truly fell in love. Now I could use it in almost anything. It's great in salad dressings (check out <a href="http://delectablymine.blogspot.com/2016/02/roasted-cauliflower-and-lentil-salad.html">this salad</a> for an example), sauces, and <a href="http://delectablymine.blogspot.com/2015/10/tahini-honey-granola.html">granola</a> to name just a very few. One of my favorite uses is as an alternative to peanut butter on a piece of toast. Slather on the tahini and drizzle with a touch of honey, it's a heavenly combination. </div>
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And yes, tahini is definitely a great addition to cookies! I've been wanting to try this for a little while now, so I had a free morning this week and I whipped up a half batch of these wonderful tahini butter cookies. They are simply wonderful, especially for someone who loves tahini as much as I do. They are incredibly tender and buttery (surprisingly very reminiscent of these <a href="http://delectablymine.blogspot.com/2015/12/cardamom-walnut-snowballs.html">snowball cookies</a>) and are covered with a sweet coating of powdered sugar and cinnamon that bakes into a moist and tender crust on the outside, almost like a built in icing. And as for the flavor, the tahini really shines through. It's savory nuttiness is a wonderful contrast to these sweet and delicate morsels. If you already love tahini like I do, or even if you've never had tahini in your life, you must make these cookies!</div>
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<a name='more'></a>It often happens that I'm just too lazy to get out an extra bowl and pull out a few extra ingredients to make toppings, or icings, or coatings for various things, but I managed to find the energy to pull out the powdered sugar and cinnamon to roll the dough in before baking these cookies and I'm so glad I did. It really added a lot to the cookies, both in texture and flavor, so I highly recommend this additional step. I also thought the almond pressed into the center of the cookie was just too cute to skip, I think it really elevates the look of the cookie, but of course you wouldn't have to add them to the top if you don't want to or don't have any almonds laying around. They will still be wonderful without it. <br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Tahini Butter Cookies</span></u></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">From <a href="http://prettysimplesweet.com/tahini-cookies/">Pretty. Simple. Sweet</a>.</span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
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<li>1 cup (140 g/5 oz) all-purpose flour, sifted</li>
<li>½ teaspoon baking powder</li>
<li>½ teaspoon ground cinnamon</li>
<li>Pinch of salt</li>
<li>⅓ cup (75 g/2.6 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature</li>
<li>⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon (80 g/2.8 oz) granulated sugar</li>
<li>⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon (100 g/3.5 oz) tahini</li>
<li>3 tablespoons powdered sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, for rolling</li>
<li>Whole almonds, for garnish</li>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b><br />
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In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.</div>
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In a mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, sugar, and tahini on medium-low speed for 1-2 minutes until creamy. Add flour mixture and beat on low speed just until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Place dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to firm up before shaping.</div>
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a pan with parchment paper.</div>
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Using an ice cream scoop or level tablespoon, drop rounded balls of dough, about 1 inch diameter (15-20 grams each). Roll in powdered sugar-cinnamon mixture and place onto prepared baking sheet. Set an almond in the center of each ball, gently pressing to slightly flatten the cookies (they don't spread a lot during baking so make sure to press them down as well as you can without causing them to crack open.)</div>
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Bake for 12-14 minutes, until cookies look cracked and just begin to brown at the edges. Leave to cool for 10 minutes, then transfer gently to a wire rack to cool completely.</div>
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Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749567539761280353noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478632021373891955.post-55887894702025672342016-02-21T08:11:00.002-05:002016-02-21T08:15:41.204-05:00Roasted Cauliflower and Lentil Salad with Lemony Tahini Dressing<div style="text-align: justify;">
This is a salad that I actually made a few months ago and am now getting around to posting about. Just because it took me a little while to post it though does not mean that it wasn't a fantastic salad. I had been looking for a hearty winter salad to bring to a family gathering. I wanted something seasonal but not the typical cranberry walnut apple salad or Brussel sprout and butternut squash salad. These are all absolutely delicious, but I was in the mood for something a little different. </div>
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The recipe caught my eye because it used cauliflower, which I love, that is roasted with some of my favorite spices and topped with a creamy and lemony tahini dressing that is simply scrumptious. A few lentils are thrown in to add heartiness, some dried fruit, toasted nuts, and red onion finish the whole thing off. It came together beautifully, the perfect combination of flavors and textures, a perfect winter salad. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm1LHCa8XR78IwK2v77MoCLMe40PQclgQ8GnIkBL6JRoOrVdqq95__Vq7kGd0YY1WnmIMAPhtzhNMd58MXnPq6gB3JXyiWqT2XkKlZ3oqyoBZBUGC4Z7RtuFL8siQ9wMlqJsJBz99D_Q/s1600/IMG_1596.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="606" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm1LHCa8XR78IwK2v77MoCLMe40PQclgQ8GnIkBL6JRoOrVdqq95__Vq7kGd0YY1WnmIMAPhtzhNMd58MXnPq6gB3JXyiWqT2XkKlZ3oqyoBZBUGC4Z7RtuFL8siQ9wMlqJsJBz99D_Q/s640/IMG_1596.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Since I was serving this salad to a group of people that have some food intolerances, including dairy, I didn't worry about adding any cheese, but I have no doubt that a little crumbled feta would really be amazing in this recipe. This recipe was made as a side dish, but it also makes a great complete meal. With the lentils for protein mixed with the vegetables, fruit and nuts and a nice tahini dressing it really has everything you need. </div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Roasted Cauliflower and Lentil Salad with Lemony Tahini Dressing</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Adapted from <a href="http://www.foolproofliving.com/roasted-cauliflower-salad-with-lentils-dates-and-tahini-dressing/">Foolproof Living</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ingredients</b></span></div>
<b>For the salad:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>1 medium-sized head of cauliflower, cut into small florets</li>
<li>3-4 tablespoons olive oil</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon ground cumin</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon ground ginger</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper </li>
<li>1/2 cup uncooked green lentils</li>
<li>3/4 cup sliced almonds</li>
<li>10-12 Medjool or 8-10 prunes, sliced thin</li>
<li>1 small red onion, sliced thinly into half moon slices</li>
<li>2-3 cups of mixed greens or chopped green lettuce, rinsed</li>
<li>Flat leaf parsley or cilantro for garnish, optional</li>
</ul>
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<b>For the tahini dressing:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>1/4 cup tahini</li>
<li>1 1/2 tablespoons honey</li>
<li>juice of a lemon, freshly squeezed</li>
<li>2-4 tablespoons of water thin (or more based on the consistency you prefer)</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon zat'ar seasoning</li>
<li>Salt and pepper</li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b><br />
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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the cauliflower florets in a large bowl. Whisk together the oil and spices. Pour over the florets. Give it a large stir making sure that most of the florets are covered with the mixture. Distribute them evenly on the baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until tender and beginning to brown. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.</div>
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Place lentils in a small pot and cover it with 2 cups of water. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for 20-25 minutes until tender. Drain and discard the water. Set aside to cool.</div>
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Meanwhile, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Spread the sliced almonds on a baking sheet and toast for 8-10 minutes in the oven, gently tossing them hallway through. Keep an eye on them as they can burn easily. Take them out of the oven and let them cool on the kitchen counter.</div>
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In the mean time, make the tahini dressing by whisking all the tahini dressing ingredients in a bowl. To assemble: Place the greens in a large salad bowl. Add in the roasted cauliflower, lentils, almonds, dates, and red onion slices. Drizzle it with the tahini dressing. Gently toss it while making sure that the dressing is distributed evenly within the salad.</div>
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Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749567539761280353noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478632021373891955.post-80254712375349539922016-02-14T11:00:00.002-05:002016-02-14T11:00:46.039-05:00Peanut Butter Snack Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
If you're a peanut butter fan (and let's be honest, who isn't? If you're allergic to peanuts I am very, very sorry), and you're looking for a fun baking project this week then I have just the recipe for you. This peanut butter snack cake is the perfect combination of tender, buttery cake mixed with the rich deliciousness of creamy peanut butter. The peanut flavor really shines through in this cake without being overwhelming, and the tender crumb of the finished loaf is delicate yet sturdy. </div>
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I left my loaf plain and simple, but a handful of chocolate chips in the batter, or a drizzle of chocolate over the top once cool would no doubt be wonderful. Or if you're into the whole peanut butter and jelly thing, a swirl of homemade jam whirled into the batter right before baking, or a cup of fresh fruit gently folded in would also be simply scrumptious. Customize to your hearts content!</div>
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I decided to halve the original recipe and bake my cake in a loaf shape, but the original recipe yielded a 7-inch double layer cake with chocolate frosting. So if that sounds more like your thing check it out at <a href="http://www.pastryaffair.com/blog/peanut-butter-chocolate-frosted-cake.html">The Pastry Affair</a>. A small loaf was just the perfect thing for me though. It baked up perfectly. I would say that you need to be certain to not over-bake this cake or it will turn out dry, and dry is never good. I always start out with a little less time on the timer than what the recipe calls for, that way you can be sure to check it out before it goes too long. Everyone's oven is a little different, so it never hurts to play it safe. </div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Peanut Butter Snacking Cake</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Adapted from <a href="http://www.pastryaffair.com/blog/peanut-butter-chocolate-frosted-cake.html">The Pastry Affair</a></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
<div>
<ul>
<li>1/4 cup (2 ounces) butter, melted</li>
<li>1/4 cup (64 grams) creamy peanut butter</li>
<li>scant 1/4 cup (40 grams) granulated sugar</li>
<li>scant 1/4 cup (40 grams) brown sugar, packed</li>
<li>1 large egg</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract</li>
<li>1 cup + 2 tablespoons (280 grams) all-purpose flour</li>
<li>1 teaspoons baking powder</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon baking soda</li>
<li>3/8 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>1/2 cup milk</li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b><br />
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease a loaf pan with cooking spray or butter and set aside.</div>
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In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, peanut butter, and sugars until uniform. Add the egg, beating well to incorporate. Mix in the vanilla extract. Gradually add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix in the milk, stirring until batter is uniform and smooth.</div>
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Transfer batter to loaf pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. You definitely don't want to over bake this cake or it will be dry. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool to room temperature.</div>
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Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749567539761280353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478632021373891955.post-29622331115536488342016-02-07T14:11:00.000-05:002016-02-07T14:11:34.592-05:00Seedy Sourdough Crackers<div style="text-align: justify;">
I love making homemade crackers. Hang on, let me rephrase that; I love <i>having </i>homemade crackers on hand to eat. I have to admit I don't always love <i>making </i>them. But honestly, they're not that big of a pain to make, it just takes a bit of time, especially when you have a big recipe. But the end results are completely worth it and that is why I keep making different versions of homemade crackers again and again. </div>
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This recipe is probably the best that I've made to date. I used a basic recipe for sourdough crackers that I've used in the past, but to add some interest to the crackers I added some seeds and grains, for flavor, texture and looks. Looking at what I had hanging around, I decided on poppy seeds, sunflower seeds and rolled oats. I coarsely ground the sunflower seeds and oats in a food processor for just a second or two before adding them so the pieces wouldn't be too big. The resulting crackers turned out delicious! Crisp and nutty with a slight tang from the sourdough. I highly recommend taking the time if you have it to roll out these addicting homemade crackers. </div>
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You could use whatever seeds or nuts you have on hand to add to these crackers. Just be sure to grind up any bigger pieces so they incorporate better into the dough and make it easier to roll out. I used my pasta making to roll the crackers to an even thickness. I have found that this is by far the best way to roll out crackers, but that doesn't mean you can't roll them by hand with a rolling pin if you don't have a pasta machine. Just do your best to roll them as thin and as evenly as you can. You'll have to watch them a little more closely when baking too, to make sure they don't bake too unevenly.</div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Seedy Sourdough Crackers</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Adapted from <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/sourdough-crackers-recipe">King Arthur Flour</a> and <a href="http://www.reformationacres.com/2015/04/buttery-sourdough-crackers.html">Reformation Acres</a></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li>1 cup (4 ounces) whole wheat flour</li>
<li>3/4 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon baking soda</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon baking powder</li>
<li>3/4 teaspoon sugar</li>
<li>1 cup (9 ounces) unfed sourdough starter</li>
<li>4 tablespoons (2 ounces) butter, at room temperature</li>
<li>2-4 tablespoons assorted grains and/or seeds (poppy seeds, sesame seeds, coarsely chopped sunflower seeds, coarsely ground oats, etc)</li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b><br />
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Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium low until everything is well combined into a nice, cohesive dough. Add a little extra water if the mixture seeds too wet and sticky. </div>
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Assemble pasta maker. Roll small pieces of the dough through the machine until very thin (I went to setting 5 or 6 on my machine). Alternatively, you can use a rolling pin and roll the dough out on a well floured surface, trying as much as possible to roll the dough to an even thickness. Cut the dough out using cookie cutters, or use a pastry scraper to cut freehand. </div>
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Place the cut shapes on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the fridge for a few minutes while you preheat the oven to 375 degrees (I find it easier to dock the dough when it has firmed up a little in the fridge, but this is not absolutely necessary). Sprinkle crackers with a little extra kosher salt if desired and use a fork or toothpick to poke a few holes in each cracker. Bake crackers for 12-15 minutes, until nicely golden brown and crisp all the way through. Watch them carefully toward the end as they can over cook quite quickly. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container. </div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749567539761280353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478632021373891955.post-16887221873088358512016-01-31T20:35:00.002-05:002016-01-31T20:35:31.095-05:00Zucchini Oat Bread<div style="text-align: justify;">
Yes, that's right. I'm pulling out a zucchini bread recipe in January. I wanted to bake something to have for breakfast last week and just couldn't seem to decide what I wanted to bake. Then I remembered the bag I had seen stuffed at the back of my fridge a day or two previously; a bag of already shredded and measured zucchini leftover from the summer. This was too good to pass up, so I pulled it out of the freezer and decided on this recipe as it thawed. </div>
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It was just the right choice for my baking indecision. This recipe turned out a deliciously dense and hearty zucchini bread that, sliced up nice and thick, was the perfect snacking loaf to accompany my morning cup of coffee. Just the right amount of sweetness to make it special without turning it into dessert combined with warm cinnamon and buttery walnuts. </div>
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This loaf didn't end up rising as much as I was expecting, and the batter was quite thick, so I'm thinking it didn't have quite enough liquid in it after squeezing a lot of water out of the frozen zucchini. This did not however seem to affect the deliciousness of the recipe, it still turned out a hearty loaf of breakfast bread. Just be sure to not over-bake it, it will be too dry then and that's never good! </div>
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I may try adding a little extra liquid next time, some milk maybe, or yogurt, to just see how that changes the texture and look of the bread. Or maybe not. It was so good as you see, why mess with a winner!</div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Zucchini Oat Bread</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Adapted from <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/zucchini-oat-bread">Bon Appetit</a></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li>1/2 cup toasted walnuts, optional</li>
<li>1 egg</li>
<li>1/2 cup (4 ounces) butter, melted</li>
<li>1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounce) granulated sugar</li>
<li>1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounce) brown sugar</li>
<li>1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla</li>
<li>3/4 cup (3 1/2 ounces) all purpose flour</li>
<li>3/4 cup (3 1/2 ounces) whole wheat flour</li>
<li>3/4 teaspoon kosher salt</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon cinnamon</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon baking soda</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon baking powder</li>
<li>1/8 teaspoon nutmeg</li>
<li>2 cup (approximately 8 ounces) grated zucchini</li>
<li>1/2 cup (40 grams) old fashioned oats</li>
<li>Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling, optional</li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b><br />
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Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 8 1/2x4 1/2" loaf pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper, leaving a generous overhang on long sides. If using, spread walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until slightly darkened and fragrant, 8–10 minutes; let cool, then coarsely chop.</div>
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Whisk egg, butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth. Whisk flours, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and nutmeg in another large bowl just to combine. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients, add egg mixture, and slowly incorporate dry ingredients with a fork (batter will look dry). Fold in zucchini, walnuts (if using), and 1 cup oats. Scrape batter into prepared pan.</div>
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Sprinkle turbinado sugar over batter and bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack and let bread cool in pans 30 minutes; turn out bread onto rack and let cool completely.</div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749567539761280353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478632021373891955.post-57417278460883935762016-01-24T18:16:00.001-05:002016-01-24T18:16:35.268-05:00Polenta Breakfast Squares with Kale and Quinoa<div style="text-align: justify;">
Given the choice between a sweet breakfast or a savory breakfast, I will pick sweet almost every time. There is almost nothing I like better than sitting down in the early morning with a steaming cup of coffee and a delicious, fresh baked pastry. Scones, cinnamon rolls, danishes, muffins, you get the picture, that's my idea of the perfect breakfast. This, however, does not mean that a savory breakfast is never appreciated, on the contrary, some days a perfectly fried sunny-side up egg served over a piece of cheesy toast is ideal. Or a big plate of scrambled eggs, fresh bread and a side of breakfast sausage. I won't discriminate. </div>
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This recipe came from one of those mornings when sweet wasn't at the top of the list. I was feeling like something hearty and savory. I liked the idea of a fancied up polenta bake so I added in a little bit of what I had floating around the fridge; onions, kale and some quickly cooked quinoa for a little extra protein, but you could really add whatever you'd like in the flavor department. It ended up being the perfect fix for my savory breakfast craving. </div>
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I used a recipe I found on The Kitchn as a starting point for these squares, but then adapted it for what I wanted and what I had in the fridge. What I was really hoping for is that these squares would hold together when they were cut and not just fall apart in a crumbly mess. Thankfully they ended up holding together quite well, but I did end up waiting until after they were refrigerated and thoroughly chilled before cutting them up, just to make sure. </div>
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I ended up finding that my favorite way to eat these squares was to broil them in the oven until crisp and hot, then topping each square with a generous piece of cheese and letting the residual heat in the oven melt the cheese to perfection. I nice drizzle of romescu sauce, a poached egg, or even a good spoonful of salsa would also be wonderful. The square reheat well so let your imagination go wild!</div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Polenta Breakfast Squares with Kale and Quinoa</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Adapted from <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-breakfast-polenta-squares-with-spinach-bacon-breakfast-recipes-from-the-kitchn-200887">The Kitchn</a></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
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<ul>
<li>1/4 small onion, minced</li>
<li>2 handfuls kale, chopped into small pieces</li>
<li>2 eggs</li>
<li>1 cup milk</li>
<li>1 cup (158 grams) cornmeal</li>
<li>90 grams quinoa, cooked according to package directions</li>
<li>2 1/2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>Pepper</li>
<li>2 cups boiling water</li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b><br />
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Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9-inch square baking dish (or something of similar size).</div>
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In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat, add the onion and cook for 8-10 minutes, until the onion has softened. Stir in the kale and cook for a few more minutes until kale is starting to wilt. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the cooked quinoa, stirring to combine. </div>
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Beat the eggs in a large bowl and whisk in the milk, then whisk in the cornmeal and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese. Fold in the cooked onion and kale mixture, along with the salt and a generous quantity of black pepper. Pour into the prepared baking dish.</div>
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Pour in the 2 cups of boiling water and whisk to combine in the dish. Bake uncovered for 60-80 minutes total. After the first 20 minutes, whisk thoroughly, moving the polenta from the edges of the pan in to the center, and moving the center of the polenta out, to ensure the polenta is baking evenly. Continue baking until the polenta looks firm and golden-brown on top, and a knife comes out clean. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoons Parmesan over top while the casserole is still hot.</div>
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Serve warm, cold, or hot. The polenta will be fairly soft while hot, but will firm up as it cools. If you want nice, even slices, allow to cool and then refrigerate until chilled before cutting. </div>
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Note: square reheat very well under the broiler; broil until nice and crisp on top, then top with a slice of cheese and allow to melt before digging in. </div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749567539761280353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478632021373891955.post-42009538187089017022016-01-18T09:02:00.000-05:002016-01-18T10:00:09.382-05:00100% Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins<div style="text-align: justify;">
Oftentimes the simple basics are the best. That is certainly the case with these easy 100% whole wheat blueberry muffins. I was hankering for a good old blueberry muffin, but at the same time didn't want it to be completely devoid of nutrition. These muffins grabbed me with their 100% whole wheat title, and when I saw the modest amount of sugar and oil in the recipe I knew it was the perfect muffin to try. And no need to fear, they turned out wonderfully. With all whole wheat flour I was afraid they would be dense and dry but they actually turned out very light. They are perfectly sweet without being sugary and have a wonderful wheat-y nuttiness from the whole wheat flour. A touch of cinnamon shines through as the perfect complement to the sweet and juicy berries. </div>
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As you can probably see, these muffins are not the gigantic muffins you might see at a bakery or coffee shop, they are a bit more modest in size than that. If you're feeling like something a bit bigger you could go ahead and fill those muffins tins a bit more and end up with fewer muffins in the end. </div>
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Side story; I had decided to make these muffins one random morning that I had the day off. Since I don't need to make large batches for just myself, I decided to halve the recipe you see below. I do this all the time and rarely have any problems. All seemed to be going fine, until I tasted the finished batter that is. I thought to myself, 'hmm, these taste kind of oily.' I just figured the taste would bake out and they would be fine. </div>
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Halfway through the baking however, as I was finishing up my dishes I suddenly had the epiphany that I hadn't halved the oil! I don't know why it popped into my head at that point and not when I tasted the oily batter, but no matter. Whatever the case the first batch was pretty much ruined. I let them finish baking and then took a look at them. They were heavy, dense and greasy as I'm sure you can imagine. I shed a (figurative) tear, slowly tossed them into the trash can, and pulled out my freshly washed mixing bowls to have another go at it. Sigh. The trials of a small batch baker. </div>
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Don't worry, the second batch turned out great. And I made sure that I wrote down all the measurements this time, halved! </div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">100% Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Adapted from <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/100-whole-wheat-blueberry-muffins-recipe">King Arthur Flour</a></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li>2 1/4 cup (10 ounces) whole wheat flour</li>
<li>2/3 cup (4.5 ounces) brown sugar</li>
<li>3/4 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>1 teaspoon baking powder</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon baking soda</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon</li>
<li>1 cup (4 1/2 ounces) blueberries, fresh or frozen</li>
<li>1 teaspoon vanilla extract</li>
<li>1/4 cup (2 ounces) vegetable oil</li>
<li>1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) buttermilk or plain (not Greek) yogurt; or 1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) liquid whey leftover from making Greek yogurt - this is what I used</li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b><br />
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Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease the cups of a standard muffin pan; or line with paper baking cups, and grease the paper cups.</div>
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Whisk together all of the dry ingredients, including the blueberries. In a separate bowl, whisk together the vanilla, vegetable oil, and buttermilk or whey. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring just to combine.</div>
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Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them nearly full. A slightly heaped muffin scoop of batter is the right amount. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with coarse sparkling sugar or cinnamon sugar, if desired.</div>
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Bake the muffins for 16 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle of one of the center muffins comes out clean. </div>
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Remove the muffins from the oven, and after 5 minutes (or when they're cool enough to handle) transfer them to a rack to cool. Serve warm, or at room temperature. </div>
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Yield: 12 muffins.</div>
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Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749567539761280353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478632021373891955.post-69718121075538086482016-01-10T13:48:00.000-05:002016-01-10T13:48:23.370-05:00The Ultimate Winter Couscous and Homemade Harissa<div style="text-align: justify;">
While my photos of this wonderful winter couscous are not the best, don't let that stop you from giving this recipe a try. It's January, so by the time this meal finished cooking all my natural lighting was gone. But that didn't stop me from taking a few quick pics so I could at least remember how delicious this recipe was. It comes from one of my newest cookbooks, <i>Plenty,</i> by Yotum Ottolenghi. I've been a Ottolenghi fan for a couple of years now ever since I picked up his cookbook <i>Jerusalem</i> on a whim one day at the library and have been hooked ever since (I've definitely got a case of <a href="http://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-ottolenghi-middle-eastern-cookbooks-20141208-story.html">the creeping Ottolenghis</a>). Every recipe of his that I have tried so far has been just so good, and this recipe was no exception. </div>
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I don't know exactly what it was about this dish that hooked me, but I was flipping through the cookbook just a few days ago and stopped on this page, deciding then and there that I was going to make it. It looked and sounded like a perfect meal for a cold winter evening. It is healthy and hearty and full of fun new ingredients and ideas that I haven't really tried all the much before. Definitely a keeper, and something I would make over and over again. </div>
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This recipe also gave me the chance to finally try making my own harissa, a hot chili pepper paste, which I've been wanting to do for a while now. It is delicious and I highly recommend grabbing a few peppers and making your own, but if you don't feel like it I have seen several jars of harissa at the grocery store. I've never tried any of them so I can't say how good they are but they do exist. </div>
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The list of ingredients for this ultimate couscous does look a little long, that's pretty typical of a lot of Ottolenghi's recipes, but a lot of the ingredients are spices which, if you already have many of them on hand, means you won't have to buy quite as many ingredients. The main players here are some delicious winter vegetables that you cook up really easily in the oven along with some chickpeas and dried apricots. The whole thing is then served over buttery saffron coucous and topped with fresh cilantro. So. Good. </div>
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This was my first time buying saffron. I have never wanted to spend that much money on a pinch of a spice before, but this time I just did it. No, saffron is not cheap, but yes, it did add such a wonderful flavor to the couscous that you just won't get without it. Can you still make this recipe without saffron? Sure, but it will be missing a little something. But don't let that stop you if you want to give this recipe a shot, it will still be delicious! </div>
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Despite the long list of ingredients and instructions, this recipe is actually quite easy. Yes, chopping and prepping the vegetables takes a bit of time, once it's all prepped everything is very simple and a lot of it is hands off. If you prep the vegetables and harissa ahead of time and mix up the spices it actually shouldn't take that long at all. So if you're looking to try something new this winter, new combinations of vegetables and flavors, look no further, this is your recipe. </div>
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All prepped and ready to go!</div>
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Homemade Harissa</div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Ultimate Winter Couscous</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">From </span><i style="font-size: x-small;">Plenty</i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> by Yotam Ottolenghi </span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li>2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch chunks</li>
<li>2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch chunks</li>
<li>8 shallots, peeled </li>
<li>2 cinnamon sticks </li>
<li>4 star anise</li>
<li>3 bay leaves</li>
<li>5 tbsp olive oil</li>
<li>½ tsp ground ginger</li>
<li>¼ tsp ground turmeric</li>
<li>¼ tsp hot paprika</li>
<li>¼ tsp chilli flakes</li>
<li>2 1/2 cups (10 oz) pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cubed</li>
<li>1/2 cup (75g) dried apricots, roughly chopped</li>
<li>1 cup (200 grams) chickpeas (canned or freshly cooked)</li>
<li>1 1/2 cup chickpea cooking liquid and/or water</li>
<li>1 cup (170 grams) couscous</li>
<li>large pinch of saffron threads </li>
<li>1 cup boiling vegetable stock</li>
<li>3 tablespoons (20 grams) butter, broken into pieces</li>
<li>2 tablespoons (25 grams) harissa </li>
<li>1 ounce preserved lemon, finely chopped</li>
<li>2 cups cilantro leaves</li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b></div>
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the carrots, parsnips and shallots in a large ovenproof dish. Add the cinnamon sticks, star anise, bay leaves, 4 tablespoons of the oil, ¾ teaspoon salt and all the other spices and mix well. Place in the oven and cook for 15 minutes. </div>
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Add the pumpkin/squash, stir and return to the oven. Continue cooking for about 35 minutes, by which time the vegetables should have softened while retaining a bite. Now add the dried apricots and the chickpeas with their cooking liquid and/or water. Return to the oven and cook for a further 10 minutes, or until hot.</div>
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About 15 minutes before the vegetables are ready, put the couscous in a large heatproof bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the saffron and ½ teaspoon salt. Pour the boiling stock over the couscous. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave for about 10 minutes. Then add the butter and fluff up the couscous with a fork until the butter melts in. Cover again and leave somewhere warm. </div>
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To serve, spoon couscous into a deep plate or bowl. Stir the harissa and preserved lemon into the vegetables; taste and add salt if needed. Spoon the vegetables onto the center of the couscous. Finish with plenty of cilantro leaves.<br />
<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Harissa</u></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Adapted from <i>Plenty</i> by Yotam Ottolenghi </span><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><br /><ul>
<li>1 red pepper </li>
<li>1/4 tsp coriander seeds or 1/8 teaspoon ground coriander</li>
<li>1/4 tsp cumin seeds or 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin</li>
<li>1/4 tsp caraway seeds</li>
<li>1/2 tbsp olive oil </li>
<li>1 small red onion, roughly chopped </li>
<li>3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped </li>
<li>2 medium-hot fresh red chillies, seeded and roughly chopped </li>
<li>1/2 tbsp tomato paste </li>
<li>2 tbsp lemon juice </li>
<li>2 to 3 tsp coarse sea salt</li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">
Put the red pepper on a very hot grill or under the broiler until blackened (15-20 minutes), turning as needed to blacken all sides. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, leave to cool. When cool, peel and discard the skin and seeds. Set aside.</div>
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Place a dry frying pan on a low heat and lightly dry toast the coriander, cumin and caraway seeds for two minutes. Transfer to a mortar and grind to a powder. (Skip this step if you only have ground spices.) </div>
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Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion, garlic and chillies over medium heat until dark and smoky - six to eight minutes. Cool slightly, then tip into a blender or food processor. </div>
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Add the remaining harissa ingredients, including the grilled pepper and ground spices, and blitz together to make a paste. Set aside until you are ready to use it. </div>
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Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749567539761280353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478632021373891955.post-967493063448214172016-01-03T08:20:00.000-05:002016-01-03T08:20:18.589-05:00No Bake Gingerbread Oat Bars<div style="text-align: justify;">
The new year has arrived, time sure does fly. A lot has happened in the past year, and a lot is going to happen in 2016. I can't believe that I am going to graduate this year and start residency. This is so exciting, and yet completely terrifying at the same time. One day at a time, that's the way to do it. </div>
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Anyway, on to these no bake oat bars. I had been looking for a no bake oat bar to have on hand for a quick snack for those afternoons where you suddenly realize that you didn't eat enough for lunch. These are the perfect solution; hearty and dense, packed full of all those whole grain oats, chewy and perfectly sweet. I was in the Christmas spirit when I made these, so I added a little bit of molasses for that delicious gingerbread flavor. These bars sliced up beautifully, they won't crumble and fall apart on you like it seems so many no bake bars do. If you want a simple and delicious snack for the upcoming week, I highly recommend these tasty bars. </div>
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Like I said, I added a bit of molasses to this recipe for a gingerbread flair, but if you'd rather not have that flavor, go ahead and replace the molasses with a little more honey. The melted chocolate on top makes these bars extra special, but if you're looking for something a little more simple you could always skip it, but I do highly recommend a little chocolate, it's just so good. And although I haven't tried it, I think you could easily add some dried fruit and/or nuts to the mixture for a little extra punch of flavor. I may try experimenting with that soon! Whatever you decide, enjoy!</div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">No Bake Gingerbread Oat Bars</span></u></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Adapted from <a href="http://tutti-dolci.com/2015/06/no-bake-chocolate-almond-oat-bars/">Tutti Dolci</a></span></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li>3/4 cup (180 grams) cashew butter (or your favorite nut butter)</li>
<li>1/4 cup (3 ounces) honey</li>
<li>2 tablespoons (40 grams) molasses</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>1 teaspoon cinnamon</li>
<li>1 teaspoon vanilla</li>
<li>3 cups (240 grams) old fashioned rolled oats</li>
<li>1 cup (15 grams) puffed kalmut</li>
<li>1 cup chocolate chips</li>
<li>Sea salt for topping, optional</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil and spray with nonstick spray. Combine cashew butter, honey, molasses, salt, and cinnamon in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until melted and smooth. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in vanilla, oats, and puffed kalmut until combined. It will be very sticky and thick. Scrape mixture into prepared pan and use a spatula lightly coated with nonstick spray to press evenly into pan. Try to work quickly, it firms up as it cools. </div>
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Place chocolate chips in a glass bowl and microwave in 15-30 second intervals until melted and smooth. Pour melted chocolate over bars and smooth with an offset spatula, then top with flaky sea salt if using. Place bars in the refrigerator and chill until set. Lift foil to remove bars from pan and place on a cutting board; cut into squares with a sharp knife. </div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749567539761280353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478632021373891955.post-2966437965477300352015-12-30T18:14:00.001-05:002015-12-30T18:18:08.970-05:00Christmas Cookies - 2015<div style="text-align: justify;">
Almost a week later, but here it is, the last of my Christmas cookie posts, and probably the most anticipated! Every year my sister Lara pulls out the meringue powder and whips up a batch of sugar cookies beautifully decorated with royal icing. This year was no exception. And even though she had to whip these together pretty quickly this year, they still turned out just as gorgeous as ever. Enjoy!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Check out previous year's decorated Christmas cookies for ideas and recipes</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://delectablymine.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-cookies.html#more">2011</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://delectablymine.blogspot.com/2012/12/christmas-cookies-2012.html">2012</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://delectablymine.blogspot.com/2013/12/christmas-cookies-2013-edition.html">2013</a></span>Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749567539761280353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478632021373891955.post-10479753664405377822015-12-28T17:19:00.000-05:002015-12-29T10:01:38.327-05:00Chocolate Peppermint Cookies<div style="text-align: justify;">
I have to quick share these cookies while the sweet memories of Christmas are still not too far from everyone's minds. They were one of the cookies on the Christmas cookie platter this year, and were included in the bags I delivered to the neighbors. I do have to say that they were absolutely fantastic! A great double chocolate cookie is difficult to find. I've shared several on the blog, and while I adore my <a href="http://delectablymine.blogspot.com/2013/02/death-by-chocolate-chip-cookies.html">Death by Chocolate Chip Cookies</a>, they have so much melted chocolate in them that they can be a little more expensive to make, not to mentioned incredibly rich (not that I'm complaining!). Finding a recipe with just cocoa powder has left me disappointed in the past, but these cookies are not included in that disappointment. </div>
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These cookies are thick, soft, and super chocolatey. The addition of peppermint extract around the holidays is a wonderful touch, but they can be made without the mint flavor at any time of year. Throw in some espresso powder instead if you have it, another great combo. Dipping in some white chocolate sprinkled with candy canes was the perfect touch for Christmas, it really ups the festiveness of these already amazing cookies.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The only thing you want to make sure of when making these cookies is that you have at least a couple of hours to let the dough chill in the fridge before you shape into balls and bake. The dough is just too soft when it is first made. As long as you have the extra time these cookies are quick and easy to make. They really are a favorite of mine, a new go-to recipe when all I <i>need</i> is chocolate!<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Chocolate Peppermint Cookies</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Adapted from <a href="http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2015/12/07/peppermint-mocha-cookies/">Sally's Baking Addiction</a></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li>1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature</li>
<li>1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar</li>
<li>1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar</li>
<li>1 large egg, at room temperature</li>
<li>1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract</li>
<li>1 teaspoon peppermint extract</li>
<li>1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour </li>
<li>1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons (53g) unsweetened cocoa powder</li>
<li>1 teaspoon baking soda</li>
<li>1/8 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>1 cup (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips</li>
<li>4 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped</li>
<li>1-2 large candy canes, crushed</li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b><br />
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In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat on medium high speed until fluffy and light in color. Beat in egg, vanilla and peppermint extracts on high speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.</div>
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In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together until combined. On low speed, slowly mix into the wet ingredients until combined. The cookie dough will be quite thick. Switch to high speed and beat in the chocolate chips. The cookie dough will be sticky. Cover dough tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. Chilling is mandatory for this cookie dough.</div>
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Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes-- if the cookie dough chilled longer than 3 hours, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. This makes the cookie dough easier to scoop and roll.</div>
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Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.</div>
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Scoop dough (I liked about 25 grams of dough each, if you have a scale, I made a few larger one first at 50 grams and I actually liked the look of the smaller cookies better) and roll into balls and place on the baking sheet.</div>
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Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes rotating once during bake time. The baked cookies will look extremely soft in the centers when you remove them from the oven. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet. They will slightly deflate as you let them cool. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.</div>
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Melt the chopped white chocolate in a microwave: placing the chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. Melt in 15 second increments, stirring after each increment until completely melted and smooth. Dip each completely cooled cookie halfway into the white chocolate and place onto a parchment or silicone baking mat-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle crushed candy canes on top of the chocolate. Repeat with the rest of the cooled cookies. Place the baking sheet into the refrigerator to help the chocolate set. Once set, enjoy!</div>
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Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749567539761280353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478632021373891955.post-62182812042106179852015-12-23T13:11:00.000-05:002015-12-23T13:11:03.002-05:00Cardamom Walnut Snowballs<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's Christmas week and I'm on break! I've been taking advantage of my free time by doing one of my favorite things - baking Christmas cookies! Since I have so much to share and only a few more days to do that yet, I'm going to post a couple additional recipes this week. Today I'm sharing these festive cardamom walnut snowballs. They are really quick and easy to make, and they are absolutely delicious, plus, they're just so darn cute! And since there's not even a hint of snow on the ground (it's going to be 60 today!! What??) these cookies are the only way we're going to have a white Christmas this year! </div>
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These little butter cookies are melt-in-your-mouth tender, buttery and nutty, and not overly sweet. It's a perfect combination. I love the mild walnut flavor combined with the somewhat citrusy, herbal character of the cardamom. If you don't have any cardamom you can skip it, but I highly recommend getting some and giving it a try if you haven't tried it before. All-in-all, a wonderful addition to your Christmas cookie platter!</div>
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Other than grinding up some walnuts, this is a super basic recipe. Cream some butter and sugar, add in the dry ingredients, mix it up and you're good to go. There's not even any eggs. Once the cookies are cool you just roll them in some powdered sugar and you're done. You can roll them a second time in the sugar to get an extra heavy dusting, or just leave them after the first time. They're cute and delicious either way!</div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Cardamom Walnut Snowballs</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Adapted from <a href="http://americanheritagecooking.com/2015/12/cardamom-walnut-snowballs/">American Heritage Cooking</a></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li>1 cups all-purpose flour</li>
<li>1 cups finely chopped walnuts, divided</li>
<li>1 teaspoons ground cardamom</li>
<li>3/8 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>1 stick butter</li>
<li>1/4 cup granulated sugar</li>
<li>3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract</li>
<li>3/4 cups powdered sugar, for coating</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b><br />
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Preheat oven to 325°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. </div>
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In a food processor pulse half of the walnuts until they are finely chopped; remove and set aside. Add the remaining nuts to the food processor and pulse until medium grind (no big chunks remain).</div>
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In a medium bowl combine the flour, walnuts, cardamom and salt; whisk to combine. Set aside. </div>
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In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla until well combined. Add all the flour mixture and mix on low speed until the dough just comes together.</div>
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Use a tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the dough and then roll into balls.</div>
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Bake until the bottoms are golden and the tops are beginning to brown, 15-18 minutes. Be careful not to over-bake them or they will be dry and crumbly.</div>
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Cool the cookies 2 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Place powdered sugar in a large plastic bag. Working with two cookies at a time. Toss gently to coat and place back on the wire rack.</div>
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Allow the cookies to sit at least an hour, up to overnight, and then repeat the tossing in powdered sugar.</div>
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Yields: 24 cookies</div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749567539761280353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478632021373891955.post-90130715414092239752015-12-20T15:51:00.000-05:002015-12-20T15:51:54.706-05:00Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti<div style="text-align: justify;">
School is out! And that means one thing - it's Christmas cookie time! I love holiday baking and now that I am free for 2 weeks it is time to fire up the oven and get the cookie party started! This year is bittersweet to me because it is my last official "Christmas break". I think I may cry a small tear. I know, most people don't get a Christmas break until they're 28 but when you're in school for forever you have to find small victories once in a while! So I'm going to revel in this last official break and enjoy every minute of it. </div>
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I've made a few batches of cookies this weekend and the first one I want to share is this cranberry pistachio biscotti. If you take a look around my blog you might notice that I have quite a few biscotti recipes, I just love the stuff. It's so easy and delicious, and something a little different from the norm. The instant I saw this festive biscotti pop up I knew it was on the list for 2015. I wasn't disappointed, and I don't think you will be either. So grab you own mixer and start baking!<br />
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This was a new recipe for me, which always makes me just a little bit nervous. You never quite know how much biscotti is going to spread. But there was no need to worry here, the cookies baked up beautifully. My only disappointment was not having quite enough pistachios to fold in. I threw in what I had and just made the best of it, but if you can, try to get the entire 3/4 cup mixed in. It just adds even more to the festiveness of this deliciously crunchy cookie. </div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Adapted from <a href="http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2015/12/08/white-chocolate-cranberry-pistachio-biscotti/">Sally's Baking Addiction</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span><br /><ul>
<li>2 and 1/4 cups (280g) all-purpose flour </li>
<li>1 cup (200g) packed brown sugar </li>
<li>1 teaspoon baking powder</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed</li>
<li>3 large eggs</li>
<li>1 Tablespoon vegetable or olive oil </li>
<li>1 teaspoon vanilla extract</li>
<li>3/4 cup (75g) pistachios</li>
<li>3/4 cup (120g) dried cranberries</li>
<li>Egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon milk</li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.</div>
<div>
Whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together in a large bowl until combined. Add in the cold butter and mix until mixture is crumbly. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, and vanilla together. Pour into the flour/butter mixture and mix until everything is just barely moistened. Fold in the pistachios and dried cranberries.</div>
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<br />Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and with floured hands, knead lightly until the dough is soft and slightly sticky, about 8-10 times. If it's uncontrollably sticky, knead 1-2 more Tablespoon(s) of flour into the dough. With floured hands, divide the dough in two and place each half onto a baking sheet. Shape each half into an 8-9 inch long roll, patting down until each is about 1/2 inch thick. </div>
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Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the top and sides of each biscotti slab with egg wash.</div>
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<br />Bake in batches (or together) for 25-26 minutes, or until the top and sides of the biscotti slabs are lightly browned. Remove from the oven, but do not turn off the heat. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. </div>
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Once the slabs are cool enough to handle, cut each into 1 inch thick slices. Set slices cut sides upright, ¼ inch apart, on the baking sheets. Return to the oven to continue baking for about 20 minutes, rotating the pan once while baking. The cookies may be slightly soft in the centers with harder edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. As the biscotti cools, it becomes crunchy. </div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749567539761280353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478632021373891955.post-82084489834110251292015-12-13T16:10:00.003-05:002015-12-13T16:10:49.222-05:00Lemon Herb Baked Tofu<div style="text-align: justify;">
I love experimenting with new foods and trying out new things in the kitchen all the time. That's what keeps things interesting and fun. Up until recently, tofu was something I wanted to try (I think I'd had it once, or maybe twice, before), but since I'd hardly ever used it in the past, I just never got around to picking up a package. Finally, I forced myself to buy a pound of it at the store and find something to do with it. </div>
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To start, I wanted to do something simple, and something with which I could really taste the tofu, and get an idea of what its texture was like. I started with some extra firm tofu because it sounded the most versatile to me. After browsing through pages of recipes I settled on baked tofu with a simple lemon herb marinade, I figured this would give me the freedom to use the tofu in many different applications. The verdict? I liked it. Very easy to make and many options once it's done cooking; as a snack, on top of pasta, in a stir fry, on a sandwich, you get the idea. We'll see where this goes in the future, but FYI, I just finished off another package yesterday...</div>
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<a name='more'></a>I've always heard that tofu takes on the flavors of whatever you cook it with, and that was certainly true in this case. The dominant flavors in this recipe were the lemon and the soy sauce. I could sense an underlying flavor from the tofu itself, but for the most part the marinade is what really came through.<br />
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There are some many different options for marinades floating around online, so if lemon herb isn't up your ally, there are many other combinations to try. But the bake instructions should be pretty much the same. All together a very easy recipe that leaves you with plenty of options in the end. It might be worth a try, if you've never picked up a package of tofu before, I highly recommend at least trying it once. You never know what you're missing until you try!</div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Lemon Herb Tofu</span></u></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Adapted from <a href="https://gentlemanlytomato.wordpress.com/2010/12/02/top-10-best-tofu-marinades/">The Gentlemanly Tomato</a></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li>1 cake firm tofu (about 16 oz)</li>
<li>1/4 cup lemon juice</li>
<li>3 Tbsp soy sauce</li>
<li>2 Tbsp olive oil</li>
<li>A couple sprigs each of thyme and rosemary</li>
<li>1/4 tsp black pepper</li>
<li>2-3 garlic cloves, minced</li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b></div>
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Press tofu between a couple sheets of paper towel topped with a heavy pan for about 30 minutes. Discard paper towels and cut tofu into bite sized pieces. </div>
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While tofu is being pressed, whisk together all marinade ingredients in a glass dish. Add the pressed tofu and gently mix to cover everything with the marinade. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30-60 minutes. </div>
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Line a baking sheet with foil. Transfer the tofu and any remaining marinade onto the baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 60 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes. </div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Simple Quinoa and Cheddar Polenta with Kale</span></u></b> </div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">From Delectably Mine</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b></div>
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<ul>
<li>3/4 cup (6 ounces) water</li>
<li>Pinch salt</li>
<li>3 tablespoons (27 grams) cornmeal</li>
<li>1/2 cup cooked quinoa</li>
<li>1-2 handfuls kale, ripped or cut into bite sized pieces</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon butter</li>
<li>1/2 ounce cheddar cheese, broken into pieces</li>
<li>Lemon herb tofu (recipe above)</li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b></div>
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Put the water and salt in a small skillet and heat until boiling. Once boiling, slowly pour in the cornmeal while continuously whisking. Turn the heat back on low and cook until starting to get thick, whisking frequently.</div>
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Once the cornmeal mixture starts to thicken up, add in the quinoa and torn up pieces of kale and whisk together. If the mixture becomes too thick, add some more water as needed. </div>
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Once everything is mixed together, add in the butter and cheddar cheese, whisking until melted and completely incorporated into the mixture. </div>
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Top polenta with lemon herb tofu and enjoy!</div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749567539761280353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478632021373891955.post-7741658302943186872015-12-06T16:16:00.001-05:002015-12-06T16:23:52.166-05:00Simple Butter Crackers<div style="text-align: justify;">
Have you ever tried to make homemade crackers? If you haven't I encourage you to give them a shot! I have tried many different recipes for homemade crackers over the past couple of years, some are good and some are not so good. As I've experimented the results have gotten better and better. These simple butter crackers are one of my recent successes. You only need a few ingredients to quickly whip together a batch of dough that you can use right away, or put in the fridge to roll out a little later. While it does take a little time to roll out the dough and cut into shapes, I don't mind taking a little extra time in the kitchen once in a while, especially when it results in something as satisfying as these buttery and delicious homemade crackers, something you can really be proud of!</div>
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Some of the problems I've had with various cracker recipes is that they can be bland, and also they can be really difficult to roll out because they are so sticky. This recipe had neither of these problems. I've found, not surprisingly, that in order to get a cracker that is not bland I need a recipe that includes at least some fat, it's essential to the flavor of crackers since there isn't much flavor coming from anywhere else. This recipe includes a little butter, my personal favorite way to add flavor. </div>
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Also, these crackers were a breeze to roll out. I used my pasta machine to roll them out to an even thickness (I rolled them to setting 6 on my Atlas pasta roller), but I have no doubt they would be easy enough to roll out with a rolling pin and some arm muscle if you don't have a pasta maker on hand. </div>
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If you've been wanting to try your hand at some homemade crackers, I highly recommend giving this recipe a try, the results are well worth the investment!</div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Simple Butter Crackers</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Adapted from <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/pb/recipes/everona-market-crackers/13322/">The Washington Post</a></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li>1 cups flour, plus more if needed</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon sugar</li>
<li>Heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon baking powder</li>
<li>2 tablespoons butter, cold from the fridge</li>
<li>1/4 cup hot tap water, or as needed</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Directions</b></span><br />
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.</div>
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Combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a small bowl. Add the butter and use a pastry blender (or your fingers) to cut the butter into the flour mixture until crumbly and well distributed throughout. Add the hot water and mix to form a smooth, soft ball, stopping to check the texture before you add all of the water; you might not need all of it. </div>
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Turn the dough out onto the work surface and knead it quickly and lightly. Return to bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes.</div>
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Working with one portion at a time, use a pasta maker to roll the dough out very thin, ideally, the dough should be translucent enough so that you can see the work surface underneath it. I rolled my dough out to setting 6 on my Atlas pasta maker and thought it was the perfect thickness (alternatively, use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out the dough on a lightly flour work surface). </div>
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At this point you can either transfer sheet of dough to a baking sheet and use a pastry cutting wheel or sharp knife to quickly slice the dough into approximately 1 1/2-inch squares, cutting the whole sheet in one direction first, then the other, or you can use a round cookie cutter to cut the dough into rounds and transfer the rounds individually to a cookie sheet. Use the tines of a fork to prick each cracker several times.<br />
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Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the crackers turn golden and are light brown around the edges. (You might need to bake the crackers on the inside of the sheet a little longer, because they will not brown as readily.) Keep on eye on the crackers towards the end of baking as they cab brown very fast. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.<br />
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Cool completely before serving or storing.</div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749567539761280353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478632021373891955.post-11821988915804489032015-11-29T15:19:00.001-05:002015-11-29T15:19:47.718-05:00Thanksgiving 2015<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's done and over, Thanksgiving 2015 is now nothing but another wonderful memory. This is one of my favorite holidays and so I've been looking forward to it for weeks. This year certainly did not disappoint. In fact, the entire weekend was simply wonderful. Thursday morning consisted of Lara and I in the kitchen, steaming up the windows as we roasted up the turkey for the family and put together a handful of other dishes to bring to my grandparent's place for the midday meal. We tried out a new turkey recipe this year which turned out awesome and received rave review from the family. Since we roasted the turkey at my place, it was quite the adventure getting it over to my grandparent's condo in time for dinner. But we made it, turkey, turkey gravy and all, without any misadventures!</div>
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Other menu items included my favorite <a href="http://delectablymine.blogspot.com/2013/01/soft-dinner-rolls.html">soft dinner rolls</a> which have pretty much become tradition for winter holiday parties now. They are always met with great celebration. In order to accommodate a few food sensitivities I made them dairy free by just using water in place of the milk and choosing the vegetable oil instead of the butter for the fat. They turned out great, there were none left over by the end of the day. </div>
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We also whipped together a pan of stuffing that was full of my favorite fall vegetables, caramelized onions, butternut squash and kale, all mixed together with cubes of my absolute favorite sourdough bread from the best local bakery. A fantastic combination in my book. (Adapted from <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2015/11/kale-and-caramelized-onion-stuffing/">this</a> recipe, we just couldn't resist adding some butternut squash)</div>
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Finally, we brought a big bowl of a delicious Brussel sprout and brown rice salad with dried cherries, blue cheese, cinnamon almonds and cocoa nibs. This was a new recipe that I wanted to try and I ended up really loving it a lot, especially the blue cheese!! (Adapted from <a href="http://www.juliesjazz.com/barley-and-brussels-sprouts-salad/">this</a> recipe)</div>
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There were a lot of other delicious salads on the menu from various family members, a really yummy caramel apple sangria, and my mom's famous mashed potatoes with butter AND cream. A meal to remember for sure. </div>
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For dessert Lara made a beautiful apple cake that was stuffed full of fresh apples (based on <a href="http://thekitchenmccabe.com/2014/03/07/irish-apple-cake-with-custard-sauce/">this</a> recipe). I find cake easier than pie, and I love it more anyway, win-win!<br />
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A few of the many farmer's market purchases </div>
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My nephew Tyce was able to help my mom pick up the turkey </div>
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from the farmer's market on Wednesday, fun times with grandma</div>
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Going for a little drive!</div>
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Turkey carving time; now that's what I call a leg<br /></div>
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Turkey for all, with some stuffing on the side</div>
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The whole gang, this is what I give thanks for the most, my wonderful family</div>
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Leftover sandwiches at night, perhaps my favorite part</div>
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of the whole day</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>And a few pictures from the rest of the weekend: </u></span></div>
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Dad loves to "help" with Christmas decorations</div>
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Topping the tree is always exciting</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: AppleSDGothicNeo-Regular, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif, 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', NotoColorEmoji, EmojiSymbols, Symbola, Noto, 'Android Emoji', AndroidEmoji, 'Arial Unicode MS', 'Zapf Dingbats', AppleColorEmoji, 'Apple Color Emoji'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 27px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: AppleSDGothicNeo-Regular, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif, 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', NotoColorEmoji, EmojiSymbols, Symbola, Noto, 'Android Emoji', AndroidEmoji, 'Arial Unicode MS', 'Zapf Dingbats', AppleColorEmoji, 'Apple Color Emoji'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 27px;">♥</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: AppleSDGothicNeo-Regular, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif, 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', NotoColorEmoji, EmojiSymbols, Symbola, Noto, 'Android Emoji', AndroidEmoji, 'Arial Unicode MS', 'Zapf Dingbats', AppleColorEmoji, 'Apple Color Emoji'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 27px;"> </span> Family! <span style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: AppleSDGothicNeo-Regular, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif, 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', NotoColorEmoji, EmojiSymbols, Symbola, Noto, 'Android Emoji', AndroidEmoji, 'Arial Unicode MS', 'Zapf Dingbats', AppleColorEmoji, 'Apple Color Emoji'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 27px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: AppleSDGothicNeo-Regular, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif, 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', NotoColorEmoji, EmojiSymbols, Symbola, Noto, 'Android Emoji', AndroidEmoji, 'Arial Unicode MS', 'Zapf Dingbats', AppleColorEmoji, 'Apple Color Emoji'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 27px;">♥</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: AppleSDGothicNeo-Regular, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif, 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', NotoColorEmoji, EmojiSymbols, Symbola, Noto, 'Android Emoji', AndroidEmoji, 'Arial Unicode MS', 'Zapf Dingbats', AppleColorEmoji, 'Apple Color Emoji'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 27px;"> </span></div>
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Went to the beach on Saturday, it was an absolutely </div>
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gorgeous day to walk along the water </div>
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Peek-a-boo</div>
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Heading to the end of the pier</div>
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Sisters!<br /></div>
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Contemplating either life or the mansion on the hill</div>
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The three girls</div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Glazed and Lacquered Turkey</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Adapted from <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/glazed-and-lacquered-roast-turkey">Bon Appetit</a></span></div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><br /><ul>
<li>1 15-20-pound turkey, neck and giblets removed, patted dry</li>
<li>6 dried bay leaves</li>
<li>2 teaspoons black peppercorns</li>
<li>½ teaspoon allspice berries</li>
<li>½ cup kosher salt</li>
<li>2 tablespoons dried sage</li>
<li>½ cup (packed) brown sugar, divided</li>
<li>¼ cup Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar</li>
<li>¼ cup soy sauce</li>
<li>4 tablespoons olive oil</li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">
Remove wishbone from turkey by lifting neck skin to expose meat and cutting along both sides of bone with a small paring knife to separate flesh from bone. Pull firmly on both sides to snap out (if bone does not come out in one piece, grip remaining fragments with a paper towel and pull out). This will make carving the breast much easier later. </div>
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Grind bay leaves, peppercorns, and allspice in a spice mill until very fine; toss with salt, sage, and ¼ cup brown sugar in a medium bowl. Generously sprinkle dry brine inside cavity and rub all over skin, packing on until you’ve used entire mixture. Chill turkey on a large rimmed baking sheet uncovered 8–12 hours. </div>
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Thoroughly rinse turkey to remove brine; pat dry. Let sit on baking sheet 3 hours to bring to room temperature. </div>
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Meanwhile, bring vinegar, soy sauce, and remaining ¼ cup brown sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thickened to the consistency of molasses (it needs to be very thick to adhere to the turkey; if glaze is too thin, keep simmering), 5–8 minutes. Let glaze cool. </div>
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Preheat oven to 325°. Starting at neck end of turkey, gently slide your fingers between skin and breast to loosen skin. Drizzle olive oil underneath skin, spacing evenly over breasts. Coat a piece of foil large enough to cover turkey breast with nonstick spray. Cover breast with foil, coated side down, avoiding thighs and tucking end inside cavity (foil will protect skin from tearing during first stage of cooking). Place turkey, breast side down, on a V-shape roasting rack set inside a large roasting pan. Roast until back side of turkey is golden brown, 50–60 minutes. </div>
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Remove turkey from oven and transfer to a clean rimmed baking sheet with oven mitts or 2 pairs of tongs. Turn bird breast side up and transfer back to rack in roasting pan; discard foil. Pour any juices collected on baking sheet into pan. Roast turkey until breast is golden brown and skin is crisp, 35–45 minutes. </div>
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Remove turkey from oven and brush all over with glaze. Continue to roast, checking temperature every 5 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast near neck registers 150° and no more (temperature will rise as the bird rests), 15–25 minutes. (I honestly pulled mine at 145° after listening to the Bon Appetit podcast when they talked about this recipe, if you choose to do this, which I recommend, do so at your own risk!) Transfer turkey to a platter and let rest 1 hour. </div>
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Increase oven to 450°. Brush another even layer of glaze over turkey. Roast, watching closely in case glaze starts to burn, until turkey is deep golden brown and skin is shiny and crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a clean platter and let rest 30 minutes before carving. </div>
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Do Ahead: Turkey can be brined 2 days ahead. Brine on Tuesday, then rinse on Wednesday and chill overnight so you are ready to roast on Thursday.</div>
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Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749567539761280353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478632021373891955.post-21014978464255151312015-11-22T05:28:00.000-05:002015-11-22T05:28:25.769-05:00Whole Grain Pumpkin Spice Muffins<div style="text-align: justify;">
Yes, that's right, I'm not done with pumpkin yet. In fact, I think pumpkin is something we should be using more frequently throughout the year, not just in the fall. It's healthy, cheap, and easy to use in so many different recipes, sweet <i>and</i> savory. Today I have for you a whole grain pumpkin muffin that uses whole wheat flour and oats mixed with the pumpkin and a bit of butter for richness. Lightly flavored with all those nice fall spices and a small bit of sugar for a little sweetness. I found these muffins to be a filling way to start my day in a hearty and healthy way and I think you will too.</div>
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Made with 100% whole wheat flour and some oats, these muffins live up to their whole grain name. But don't worry, they aren't dense and dry, the pumpkin along with some milk help keep them nice and moist. And there's a good amount of pumpkin in these which is how I like it, 3/4 cup for 6 muffins. If I'm going to add pumpkin to a baked good I want it to be a good amount, not this 1/4 cup for a whole loaf like you see in some recipes. </div>
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There is not a whole lot of sugar in these, so if you like your muffins to be on the sweeter side I would add a bit more, but for me these are perfect. If you mix in a nice sweet add-in such as dried fruit or chocolate you probably won't notice anyway. </div>
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<br />
<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Whole Grain Pumpkin Spice Muffins</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Adapted from <a href="http://www.thisrunnersrecipes.com/pumpkin-spice-butternut-squash-muffins/">This Runner's Recips</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<ul>
<li>1/4 cup (20 grams) rolled oats</li>
<li>1/4 cup (2 ounces) milk</li>
<li>1 c (4.5 ounces) whole wheat flour</li>
<li>1 teaspoon baking powder</li>
<li>1 teaspoon baking soda</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon cinnamon</li>
<li>1/8 teaspoon cardamom</li>
<li>1/8 teaspoon allspice</li>
<li>1/8 teaspoon ginger</li>
<li>1/8 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>3/4 cup (7 ounces) pumpkin puree</li>
<li>2 tablespoons butter, melted</li>
<li>2 tablespoons (1 ounce) brown sugar</li>
<li>1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)</li>
<li>1/2 cup add-ins (dried fruit, nuts, chocolate, etc.)</li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b><br />
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Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. </div>
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Place the oats and milk in a small bowl and let sit for 5 minutes to soften the oats. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the butternut squash puree, butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup, if using.</div>
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Stir the oat and milk mixture into dry ingredients. Form a well in the center and pour in the wet ingredient mixture. Lightly mix together being careful to not overmix. (If the batter seems too thick, you may add an additional tablespoon of milk to the batter.) </div>
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Grease or line the cups of your muffin pans and divide the batter evenly amongst 6 tins. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until the domes are peaked and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack.</div>
</div>
</div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749567539761280353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478632021373891955.post-56632717036274595552015-11-15T20:54:00.000-05:002015-11-17T08:01:54.429-05:00Spicy Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Soup<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's squash season at the farmer's market and grocery store, I just wanted to let you know in case you've missed the giant piles of butternut, spaghetti, acorn, delicata, hubbard and other squashes that seem to have taken over everywhere produce is to be found. I don't know about you, but I never tire of delicious winter squash, never. I love the sweet and creaminess of this extremely versatile vegetable. You can eat it on it's own, sweet or savory, you can add it to salads, soups, stews, chili, pasta, or you can add the mashed flesh to baked goods, smoothies, oatmeal...the list just goes on and on.</div>
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I have been baking up squashes left and right over the past couple of weeks. I love having already cooked squash sitting in the fridge, ready for whatever I feel like making. One of my recent creations was this delicious soup. With a couple of cups of cooked butternut squash hanging out in the fridge and some red lentils that have been trying to make an appearance for some time now, I knew a simple soup was just the thing. The perfect thing to sit down to on a cool autumn afternoon.</div>
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The inspiration for this soup was a recipe I found on Food52 for a sweet potato red lentil soup. I took the idea and made it my own, substituting butternut squash for the sweet potato and a chipotle pepper for the harissa since I didn't have any harissa on hand. For the spices, I just threw in a mix of some of my favorites such as cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, chili powder, cumin, coriander, paprika, you get the idea. I didn't measure them. When you're making a quick soup for yourself on a chilly day there's no need to measure or worry about exactly which spices to add. Just pick some of your favorites, add in whatever seems like a good amount and go from there. It's not an exact science, that's what makes cooking so fun, it turns out different every time, but always tasty!</div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Spicy Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Soup</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Heavily Adapted from <a href="http://food52.com/blog/14440-dinner-tonight-carrot-sweet-potato-and-red-lentil-soup">Food 52</a></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li>1/4 onion, sliced thin</li>
<li>1 clove garlic</li>
<li>2 small carrots, chopped</li>
<li>1 small chipotle chili</li>
<li>2 cups vegetable or chicken stock</li>
<li>1/2 cup red lentils</li>
<li>1-2 cups cooked, cubed butternut squash</li>
<li>A few shakes each of your favorites spices (cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, chili powder, cumin, coriander, paprika, etc.)</li>
<li>Cilantro, for garnish</li>
</ul>
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b><br />
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Heat a small amount of oil in a small saucepan. Once hot, add the onion and saute for 5-10 min, until translucent and just starting to color. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, a minute or two. Then add the carrot and enough water to cover the bottom of the pan, let cook over medium heat, covered, until carrot begins to soften. Then add chipotle, stock, lentils, butternut squash and spices. </div>
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Cook until everything is soft and cooked through, 20-30 minutes, adding water as needed to reach your desired consistency. Transfer soup to blender and blend until smooth. Return blended soup to pan. (Alternatively, use an immersion blender to blend soup until smooth.) Add water more water if needed. Taste for seasoning and serve, garnishing with cilantro if desired. </div>
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Yields: 2-3 servings</div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749567539761280353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478632021373891955.post-76330571016617445742015-11-08T08:23:00.000-05:002015-11-08T08:23:25.430-05:00Pumpkin Scones with Cranberries and Pecans<div style="text-align: justify;">
Scones are one of my absolute favorite breakfast treats, but they are one of those things I just don't seem to get around to making very often. I'm not really sure why, they are so easy to throw together. Truly, they come together in just minutes, and usually with just a few ingredients. So last week I finally managed to get my act together and whip up a batch of scones, and since it's November I decided on pumpkin scones with some cranberries and pecans. They came together in a jiffy and baked up beautifully. A perfectly delicious fall breakfast. </div>
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<a name='more'></a>Whenever I make scones I make sure that I have time to freeze the cut, unbaked scones for at least an hour or two, preferably overnight. I've found that this ensures the tallest, prettiest scones. To me a scone should rise nice and tall, I really do hate it when scones spread out and flat. But that's just my opinion, I'm sure some people out there like a flatter scone, to each their own.<br />
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Like I said, I filled these scones with dried cranberries and pecans but you can change that up if you'd like. Some dark chocolate would be wonderful, pumpkin seeds would be very fitting, or some other nut, walnuts or almonds maybe. Whatever you decide on you shouldn't be disappointed with this tasty fall treat. Grab a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy!<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Pumpkin Scones with Cranberries and Pecans</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Adapted from <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/harvest-pumpkin-scones-recipe">King Arthur Flour</a></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients </span></b><br />
<ul>
<li>1 3/8 cup (5.75 ounces) flour</li>
<li>3 tablespoons (1 ounce) sugar</li>
<li>1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder</li>
<li>3/8 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>3/8 teaspoon cinnamon</li>
<li>1/8 teaspoon ground ginger</li>
<li>1/8 teaspoon allspice</li>
<li>1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg</li>
<li>4 tablespoons (2 ounces) butter</li>
<li>1.25 ounces dried cranberries</li>
<li>1 ounce raw pecans</li>
<li>1/3 cup (2.75 ounces) pumpkin</li>
<li>1 egg</li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b><br />
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices.</div>
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Work in the butter with a pastry blender or two forks just until the mixture is unevenly crumbly; it's okay for some larger chunks of butter to remain unincorporated. Stir in the cranberries and pecans.</div>
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In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin and egg till smooth. Add the pumpkin/egg to the dry ingredients and stir until all is moistened and holds together, trying not to overwork the dough.</div>
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Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured counter and shape into a 5-6" circle approximately 3/4" thick.</div>
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Slice the circle into 6 wedges and arrange the wedges on a parchment lined sheet pan. Brush each scone with milk, and sprinkle with coarse white sparkling sugar or cinnamon sugar if desired.</div>
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For best texture and highest rise, place the pan of scones in the freezer for 30 minutes, uncovered. While the scones are chilling, preheat the oven to 425°F.</div>
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Bake the scones for 20 to 24 minutes, or until they're golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean, with no wet crumbs. </div>
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Remove the scones from the oven, and serve warm. Wrap any leftovers airtight, and store at room temperature. Reheat very briefly in the microwave, if desired.</div>
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Yield: 6 Scones</div>
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Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749567539761280353noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478632021373891955.post-54530105767595344432015-11-01T15:22:00.001-05:002015-11-01T15:22:32.888-05:00Pumpkin Oat Cookies <div style="text-align: justify;">
The other week I grabbed a large can of pumpkin while at the grocery store with no specific purpose in mind. It's fall, so I knew I would have no problem finding something to do with it. One of my favorite things to do with canned pumpkin, which I have been doing all week, is to throw it in my morning breakfast smoothie. Add a couple shakes of cinnamon and nutmeg and it's pumpkin pie for breakfast - but healthy! I love added vegetables to my breakfast and not even noticing. </div>
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As soon as I got home with the pumpkin though, the baking bug hit. I just needed to bake something pumpkin-y! After a little browsing I finally decided on this pumpkin oat cookie recipe. The oats with the pumpkin seemed like the perfect combination. I added in some pecans and dried fruit and the whole thing came together to create a soft and buttery treat, the perfect afternoon pick-me-up or after dinner snack. </div>
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The original recipe for these cookies was described as being crisp on the outside and chewy in the middle. I actually did not find this to be the case. However, that's is not necessarily a bad thing. My cookies ended up being very soft all the way through. I did like that they didn't spread too much while baking, ending up quite puffy and beautiful. </div>
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Had I had the choice, I would have added chocolate chips to the cookies as the original recipe called for, but since I didn't have any chocolate in the house I had to go a different route. I threw in some chopped pecans and dried fruit which did not disappoint either. I loved how the nuttiness of the pecans mixed with the toasty oats. Dried fruit for sweetness helped finish them off. A comforting fall cookie for any occasion. </div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Pumpkin Oat Cookies</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Adapted from <a href="http://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/pumpkin-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies-non-cakey-version/">Chelsea's Messy Apron</a></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li>6 tablespoons butter</li>
<li>1/2 cup (3.5 ounces) brown sugar</li>
<li>1/4 cup (1.75 ounces) granulated sugar</li>
<li>1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon (3 ounces) canned pumpkin</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon vanilla</li>
<li>3/4 cup (3.5 ounces) flour</li>
<li>3/4 cup (60 grams) old fashioned rolled oats</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon cinnamon</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon nutmeg</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon baking soda</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon baking powder</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>1/2-1 cup of add-ins (chocolate, nuts, dried fruit, etc)</li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In the bowl of a stand mixer beat together the butter with the brown sugar and white sugar. Beat in the pumpkin, and vanilla.</div>
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In another bowl stir together the flour, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.</div>
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Add the dry to the wet and mix until just combined. The mixture should pull away from the edges once all the flour is added. Stir in whatever add-ins you are using. Cover the dough and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour, preferable overnight.</div>
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On the day of baking, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until very lightly browned at the bottom/sides.</div>
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Remove from the oven and allow to set for another 5 minutes on the baking sheet before removing them to a wire cooling rack.</div>
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Yields: about 1 dozen cookies (I got 13)</div>
Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749567539761280353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478632021373891955.post-73339421269095702822015-10-25T08:25:00.000-04:002015-10-25T08:25:34.729-04:00Funfetti Cucpakes<div style="text-align: justify;">
Last month, one of my good friends threw a golden birthday party for her husband. I offered a helping hand, and so was asked if I could make some cupcakes for the party. Funfetti was the request which got me excited, I had never made a funfetti cupcake before, but have always been a big fan of sprinkles! I used my trusty go-to butter cupcake recipe and threw in a half a cup of sprinkles. Voila, funfetti cupcakes! Super easy and super fun! I frosted them with a basic American buttercream that is always a hit. As far as cupcakes go, it doesn't get much simpler than this. So if you're looking for a fun and easy way to add homemade cakey goodness to your next party, look no further. </div>
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<a name='more'></a>I believe this is the third time I've used this cupcake recipe this fall now, and all three times it has turned out wonderfully! It's a great recipe that turns out 24 perfect cupcakes. And although I love a pure white cake, sometimes I just don't want to deal with separating egg whites and yolks and then whipping the eggs whites. This recipe just used 4 whole eggs that go straight into the batter, no separating, no whipping, nice and easy. <div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Funfetti Cupcakes</span></u></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li>3 cups (14 ounces) all purpose flour</li>
<li>1¾ cups (12.25 ounces) granulated sugar</li>
<li>2½ teaspoons baking powder</li>
<li>1 teaspoon kosher salt</li>
<li>1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened, cut into small cubes</li>
<li>4 eggs</li>
<li>1 cup (8 ounces) milk</li>
<li>2 teaspoons vanilla extract</li>
<li>1/2 cup colored sprinkles, plus more for decorating</li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b><br />
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl and stir to combine.</div>
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Add the butter and mix on low speed, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (2-3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, and scrape the bottom of the bowl to make sure all the ingredients are well-combined.</div>
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Combine the milk, and vanilla extract in a measuring cup. Beat half this mixture into the flour/butter/eggs. Beat on medium speed for 1½ minutes, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, add the remaining milk mixture, and beat for another 30 seconds. Add the sprinkles and gently mix into the batter until well combined.</div>
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Fill paper liners ⅔ full with batter, and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.</div>
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Cool completely before topping with buttercream frosting (recipe follows) and sprinkles. </div>
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Yields: 24 cupcakes</div>
<br /><br /><br /><b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Whipped Vanilla Buttercream</span></u></b><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><br /><ul>
<li>1½ cups (3 sticks) butter, at room temperature</li>
<li>3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted</li>
<li>Pinch of salt</li>
<li>2 tablespoons heavy cream (or 1-2 tablespoons of milk if you don't keep cream on hand, I've done this many time)</li>
<li>2 teaspoons vanilla extract</li>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b></div>
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Place the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the confectioners’ sugar and salt to the bowl and mix on medium-low speed just until incorporated. Continue to beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Mix in the heavy cream (or milk) and vanilla on low speed just until incorporated. Increase the mixer speed and whip on high speed until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed, about 4-5 minutes.</div>
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Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749567539761280353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478632021373891955.post-55883735251182927362015-10-18T05:42:00.000-04:002015-10-18T05:42:38.802-04:00Tahini Honey Granola<div style="text-align: justify;">
When I lived in Dearborn a couple of years ago I totally and completely fell in love with Middle Eastern food. There is no better place to have this happen, besides the actual Middle East that is. Because of this, I have lots of those Middle Eastern spices in my cupboard, I find myself drawn to various Middle Eastern cookbooks anytime I'm at the bookstore, and I crave some good shawarma, hummus, falafel and homemade pita more than I would like to admit. It is just all so good. </div>
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One of the things I also know have in my fridge at all times is tahini. I first bought it to make hummus. I love my hummus full of lemon and tahini so I really have to have it on hand. Through the last few years though I've started using tahini in various other applications; sauce and dips, salad dressings, drizzled over roasted vegetables, on top of toast with a little honey, in my smoothies for a hint of nuttiness, you get the picture. I love creaminess it adds to everything, along with that nutty flavor. </div>
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So the other day when I was almost out of granola I got to thinking about making a tahini granola. There are many recipes out there for peanut butter granola, so why not try tahini instead? I added honey for a little sweetness and cinnamon, allspice and cardamom for flavor. A little orange zest at the end adds a nice kick of brightness and almonds, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds joined the oats for extra crunch and flavor. In the end it turned out a delicious batch of granola with all of these delicious flavors melded together to form a wonderfully balanced granola, one that I highly recommend trying. </div>
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I don't love my granola to be overly sweet since I like to eat it for breakfast and not dessert. So I only added a couple tablespoons of honey, but if you like your granola a little sweeter I would add a little more. You might need to watch it a little closer to make sure it doesn't overcook with the extra sugar, but otherwise I think it should be fine. The flavor of the tahini is fairly mild. A nice nuttiness comes through, but if you are not sure about how much you like tahini I wouldn't worry, it's not overpowering. If fact you could add a little more if you want the flavor to come through a little more (I might do that next time!). </div>
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I used almonds, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds for my add-ins, but you could add whatever you want, any different nut or seed would work. I think pistachios or sesame seeds would also be nice! And if you like dried fruit in your granola go for it, just mix it in after the granola is baked and cooled. You can do whatever you like really to truly make this granola your own. </div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Tahini Honey Granola</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">From Jana</span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
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<ul>
<li>2 1/2 cups (200 grams) old fashioned oats</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon kosher salt</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon cinnamon</li>
<li>1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom</li>
<li>1/8 teaspoon allspice</li>
<li>3/4 ounce almonds, chopped</li>
<li>1/2 ounce pumpkin seeds</li>
<li>1/2 ounce sunflower seeds</li>
<li>2 tablespoons (28 grams) tahini</li>
<li>2 tablespoons (35 grams) honey, or more to taste</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest</li>
<li>Water, as needed</li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b><br />
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Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place the oats in a large bowl. Add the salt, cinnamon, cardamom, almonds, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. Mix to combine. </div>
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Combine the tahini and honey in a small bowl. Warm the mixture in the microwave for a few seconds, just to help it become a little less viscous, and easier to mix in. </div>
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Add the tahini/honey mixture to the oat mixture along with the orange zest. Stir to combine everything very well, adding water a teaspoon or two at a time if needed to help bring it all together. </div>
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Spread the mixture on a baking sheet. Bake for approximately 1 hour, stirring the mixture halfway through. Watch the granola closely towards the end of baking to ensure that it does not overcook. Bake until it is completely dried through. Let cool on baking sheet. Store in an airtight container. </div>
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Janahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749567539761280353noreply@blogger.com0