Easy Cherry Crisp

This recipe originally ran in December 2009. I decided to pull this out to warm up the house as the cool fall air rolls in. This is so easy and quick.

The Original Post:

Ok...I'm going to try to post a "Recipe-A-Day" for the week due to holiday baking in my kitchen. I started with Pizzelles (an Italian waffle cookie) and the house is beginning to take on the aroma of a bakery! Today I made Chocolate Chip cookies- which I know in my house will not last until Christmas. However, to keep hands out of the holiday cookie stash, I need to make something to divert attention!

My dad shared a very simple Cherry Crisp recipe that he tried over the weekend. He said it was so easy and good that the pan did not last long. He suggests trying with vanilla ice cream. I can't wait to make it either!

The Recipe:


Easy Cherry Crisp

2 Cans cherry pie filling
1 1/2 C quick oats
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C pecans, chopped
1 stick butter, softened

Pour pie filling into 9"x13" ungreased baking dish. In separate bowl, combine butter, oats, sugar and pecans. Mix until crumbly. Sprinkle oat mixture over pie filling. Bake in 350` oven for 30 minutes.

Serve with ice cream. **If there is a nut allergy, omit pecans**

Fried Cauliflower

I know, fried anything is bad for you. But this recipe is just so good, that every now and then I think it is ok to indulge in this flavor that is salty and earthy and full of just plain goodness. This is something that was a staple in my house while growing up and if you didn't fill your plate with it the first go around, chances are you would be handing an empty plate back to the kitchen. The best pieces are the really, really dark brown pieces, or as my dad would say, "The burnt ones are the best."


The Recipe:

1 head fresh cauliflower (good for 4 people)
Olive oil
salt

Trim off bottom of cauliflower. Cut into bite-sized pieces (like broccoli).

Steam until fork tender. In medium frying pan, place about 3 tablespoons of olive oil and heat over medium high heat. Place steamed cauliflower pieces into heated oil.

Cook until cauliflower browns, stirring occasionally. If stirred too much, cauliflower will break into small pieces. (Note: our family likes the small pieces, so the end pics will reflect that)

Perfecto!

Quick Easy Pasta

Tradition in our house is that every Sunday we enjoy pasta. I make a fresh pot of red sauce, salad and good hearty bread to dip into salt & peppered olive oil. It is delicious and easy.

This past Sunday, I went to take out of the freezer what I thought to be sauce, only to open the container and see that it was yogurt! I did not have sauce to serve on Sunday! What was I to do??

No worries...I made a quick easy pasta with tomatoes, basil, beans, garlic and onion....a few shaves of Romano cheese and we had dinner!

The Recipe:

1 box Linguini (or any pasta you like)
1 can Cannelinni Beans (White Kidney Beans), drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes
5 fresh plum tomatoes, diced
1/4 red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp Olive oil
salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. Parsley, dried or fresh
5 large leaves fresh basil, chopped

In pot, bring salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to directions. Reserve about a cup of the water for pasta bowl.

Meanwhile, in fry pan, cook onion and garlic in olive oil until tender. Add canned diced tomatoes and all spices. Cook for 10 minutes. Add beans. Heat through. When pasta is done, add reserved liquid to serving bowl. Add drained pasta. Top with frypan ingredients and toss in fresh tomatoes. Top with a couple of basil leaves and shaved Romano cheese.

                                                      

Field Trip Inspiration

I recently took a trip with some girlfriends to the Culinary Institute of America and was re-inspired to get back into the kitchen and to update and post on this blog! It has been way too long to be separated from both. I share with you two pictures from the fanastic meal we shared at lunch. The first photo is our appetizer, crab cakes. The second is my lunch, Halibut over a bed of squash noodles, topped with Yukon Gold potato straws.

Each dish heavenly in it's own way. More to share....stay tuned!

Easter Greetings!

I have been juggling schedules and unfortunately, the recipes have not been added as I would have liked! So, I am going to try a few different ideas, and hopefully a more consistent entry will be found a few times a week rather than once a month! It also will help that dad returns from Florida soon and Sunday coffee will resume. Yay!

One thing, well, actually a few things, I missed from Easter dinner today were ham, roasted sweet and regular potatoes. My kids are boycotting the meat and you can't cook one without the other (at least the meal I was missing) so we ate lasagna instead. I haven't made this dish in a while because the kids didn't like it, but yesterday after cleaning up there was only a half tray left after hearing "yeah, pretty good mom. Didn't think I would like it." Ah, there is hope for the return of ham on Easter!

So, today I will share the lasagna recipe that was the meal that turned the taste buds of some finiky eaters!

The recipe:

3 Cups sauce
2 lb. Ricotta cheese
2 eggs
4 Tbsp parsley ( I used dried)
1 Tbsp garlic salt
1/ 4 C grated Romano cheese (Locatelli)
1 pkg no-boil lasagna noodles ( I used Barilla)

In bowl, mix all ingredients except sauce and noodles. In 10x13" glass pan, layer 3-4 noodles on bottom of pan. Spread about 1 Cup of cheese mixture over noodles, being sure to go to edge of pan to seal in noodles (otherwise they won't cook). place another layer of noodles. Top with another cup (or more if needed) to cover the noodles. Top with sauce. Then remaining cheese mixture, and final layer of noodles. Top with sauce and sprinkle a light layers of grated cheese on top. Cover with foil and cook 50-60 minutes in 375' oven. Let pan sit for about 20 minutes before serving so the lasagna can set.

Hope you had a wonderful holiday!
 

Chocolate Nutella Cookies

I just spoke to my dear friend Kim the other day and she asked me for this recipe. I saw this on the Food Network during the Halloween holiday and Giada De Laurentiis had made this for the Trick-or -Treaters. She made these rolled in orange sugar and placed a Hershey Kiss on top (like a peanut butter blossom cookie). I did not make them the same way (omitted the kiss) - surprise, surprise; but they are so yummy, especially warm, right from the oven!


The Recipe:

1 3/4 Cup Flour
1 tsp. Baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 stick butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup Nutella

Mix flour, baking soda and salt. In separate bowl (or in your mixer) cream butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add egg and vanilla, mix well. Add Nutella and mix until creamy. Gradually add dry ingredients. Make walnut size balls and roll in sugar*. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and place cookie balls on tray. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 8 minutes.**

*Giada's recipe rolled the cookie balls in orange sugar crystals and
** after 8 minutes, she placed a chocolate Kiss in center of cookie and returned to oven for an additional 3 minutes. 

I neither had orange sugar or Kisses at the time I tried these. I rolled in regular sugar and then just baked them. They came out of the oven so warm and gooey and I kid you not, lasted no more than 15 minutes in the kitchen!

I just bought a fresh jar of Nutella, so when I bake a batch I will take pictures and add to this post.

Birchermuesli

This recipe is a great, delicious version of Mueslix that you just have to make!! A few years ago we were in Chicago and stayed at the Drake Hotel. This cold oatmeal was set out in beautiful glasses on a buffet that also included meats and cheese along with typical continental fare. It was so delicious that I looked forward to having it each and every morning. When we returned home, I emailed the chef and he was kind enough to share the recipe! I will provide what was sent to me and below, I will share my version. So very good!

The recipe:

Birchermuesli
A Swiss Health Food Item; Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner; Summer or Winter

For Ten People:

2 Cups oatmeal  (I used Quaker quick oats)
3/4 cup whole milk  (I used skim)
1 cup finely grated hazelnuts or almonds (I used almonds)
1/2 c sugar
2 lbs. apples-grated with the skin on*
2 lbs. pears- grated with the skin on. *
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup plain yogurt (I used vanilla)
Honey to taste ( I did not use this)
Seasonal fresh fruit: berries, peaches and cherries
1/2 cup raisins  ( I did not use)

Whipped cream, rasberries, mint leaf-to garnish ( I did not use)

1. Soak the oatmeal in the milk for about 15 minutes
2. Add nuts and sugar
3. Mix apples, pears, lemon juice and yogurt and add to the oatmeal milk mixture
4. Add a little honey and some seasonal fresh fruit
5. Garnish with whipped cream rosette, rasberry and mint leaf
6. Enjoy your meal "en guete"!

* Dr. Bircher created this dish and he insisted on using apples and pears with the skin on.

** In my latest version I used 2 apples, 2 pears, a generous handful of blueberries, a handful of both red and green grapes, which were sliced.