Ricotta Pancakes

I’ve never liked pancakes, I couldn't understand their appeal. Dense and soggy and...eh? Well, apparently I've been eating all the wrong pancakes. I found this recipe and seriously went to heaven upon eating them. These are so delicious, and I now understand the pancake following.

 3/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
Butter for pan
1 cup blueberries (optional)
1 cup maple syrup (optional)

In a bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, sugar, ricotta cheese, eggs, and milk until incorporated. Using a nonstick pan, over medium heat, with a little bit of butter add 2/3 cup of batter, flipping once the top is covered in little bubbles. Cook the other side for another 2 minutes. Serve with warm blueberry maple syrup (1 cup blueberries to 1 cup maple syrup in a saucepan over medium heat until blueberries start to burst and syrup turns purple, serve warm).

These would also be delicious topped with Roasted Strawberries.

Recipe adapted from Bobby Flay

Honey Thyme Salted Flatbreads

 

 These are great as an appetizer, but even better to enjoy for a mid-day bite with a glass of wine accompanied with a book. Yes, I have convinced myself that a beautiful day and a book should always be celebrated with a delicious bite and a glass of wine, you should too!

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup olive oil

1 cup Parmesan Romano, grated

12 tablespoons honey 

8 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

Sea salt, to taste

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place two cookie sheets in the oven after you preheat it, allowing the cookie sheets to warm up with the oven. In a bowl add the flour, baking powder and salt, mix. Slowly drizzle in the water and oil, until it forms a dough ball. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and knead each ball 5 times. Roll out each dough ball using a rolling pin until they are as thin as you can get them without holes. Once all four are rolled thin place two flatbreads on a piece parchment paper, then place on a cookie sheet. Bake for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the majority of the cheese over the flatbreads, leaving behind a couple tablespoons. Return to oven for another 4 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. Drizzle each flatbread with 3 tablespoons of honey, 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme leaves, a pinch of sea salt, and the remaining cheese. Into into pieces, serve warm.

Recipe adapted from Deb Perelman

Vegetarian Pho

 

1 yellow onion, quartered

2 shallots, halved

8 garlic cloves, halved

2-inch piece of ginger, coarsely chopped

1 cinnamon stick

2 star anise pods

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

8 cups clear vegetable broth

1/2 pack rice noodles, preferably rice sticks

8 ounces oyster or shiitake mushrooms (optional)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 lime, sliced
1 small jalapeno, sliced
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
1 cup mixed herbs: cilantro, basil, mint
Sriracha chili sauce, to taste
Hoison sauce, to taste

Assemble a plate of  lime slices, jalapeno slices, fresh bean sprouts, herbs, and sauces.

In a pot over medium heat dry char the onion, shallots, garlic cloves, ginger, cinnamon stick, star anise pods, and ground cloves. Allow to dry char for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and continue to cook for 25 more minutes. In the meantime, take half the package of rice noodles and cook according to package instructions. In a pan saute the mushrooms with the soy sauce for 7 minutes until the mushrooms cook down, set aside. Take the broth and strain the liquid into another bowl, discarding the vegetables and spices. 

 

Assemble individual bowls of pho by adding in the rice noodles, a few mushrooms, and the broth. I normally place the plate of veggies and sauces on the table and allow everyone to add what they prefer to their individual bowls of pho. 

 

Serves 5

Broccoli Slaw

2 small heads of broccoli, chopped including some stalk

1/2 cup almond slivers, toasted

1/3 cup dried cherries or cranberries

1 shallot, thinly sliced

1/2 cup almond milk

1/3 cup vegan mayo

2 tablespoon cider vinegar 

1 tablespoon sugar

In a large bowl add the broccoli, almonds, dried fruit, and shallot. In a smaller bowl whisk together the buttermilk, mayonnaise, cider vinegar and sugar. Pour mixture into the larger bowl and toss to incorporate. Serve immediately, or place in the fridge for later.

Baked Mushrooms

1 pound button mushrooms, cut the large ones in half

2 tablespoons capers, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoon olive oil

3 tablespoons plant-based butter

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 450°F. In a bowl combine the mushrooms, capers, garlic, oil- toss to coat. Pour into a prepared baking dish that has been sprayed with non stick cooking spray. Dot the mushrooms with the pieces of plant-based butter and bake for 15-20 minutes, give the mushrooms a stir halfway through. Take the mushrooms out and toss them in the lemon juice and parsley before serving.

My Grandmother's Bruschetta

In the perfect world where I had loads of free time to myself I would make this and sit outside on the porch I don't have with a book and a glass of red wine. Mmmm perfection!

4 small vine ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons basil, chopped
1 teaspoon mint, chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon vinegar*
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 loaf of french bread, cut into thin rounds (or GF bread, cut into small slices)

In a bowl combine the tomatoes, garlic, herbs, vinegar and oil, stir together. Allow ingredients to marinate together in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes. To prepare the french bread, place the rounds in the toaster drizzled with some olive oil, toast until slightly golden. Spoon bruschetta over the warm toasty bread and serve immediately.

*I prefer a red wine vinegar, it makes the bruschetta lighter and crisper, however using a more traditional vinegar like balsamic works as well

Leek and Butternut Squash Soup with Rosemary and Pumpkin Seed Garnish

4 leeks, chopped (whites only)
3 pounds butternut squash, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 bay leaf
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
5 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon rosemary
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

In a large pot add the leeks, squash, bay leaf, salt, and broth to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the squash is tender, roughly 30 minutes give or take. Allow the soup to cool before pouring it into the blender (in batches) and pulsing to desired consistency. Return the soup to the pot and rewarm on the stove top. Meanwhile, in a small saute pan, heat the oil, once hot add in the pumpkin seeds and rosemary and saute for a few minutes until crispy. Set aside. Pour the soup into bowls, dusting each with the nutmeg and cinnamon, lastly add a spoon full of the pumpkin seed with rosemary garnish.

My Grandmother's Biscotti

I finally was able to convince my grandma to teach me how to make her famous biscotti. I grew up on these delicious cookies, they have the perfect crunch and the sugar ratio couldn't be more spot on!

 

1 cup sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons almond extract

1 cup desired mixer*

Crisco, to grease pan

Preheat oven to 350°F. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the sugar and vegetable oil until glossy, about 1 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time, until well incorporated. Gradually add in the flour. Add in both extracts, and once well mixed, stir in the mixer. Using Crisco generously grease a large rectangular glass baking dish then pour the biscotti dough into the glass dish, the batter should be no more than an inch deep in the baking dish. Bake in the over 15-25 minutes, until the top is light brown, you can also stick a toothpick in to make sure it is done. Take out and allow it to cook for 15 minutes. Cut the biscotti in the pan, make sure to you a sharp knife, cut long strips all the way down about 1 1/2 inches wide, then cut the strips into 3 inch pieces. Carefully turn the cookies over and place on their sides, bake for another 10 minutes, then take out and place cookies on their other side, and bake again for another 10 minutes. Cool and serve.

*Mixer suggestions:

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup slivered almonds

1 cup slivered almonds and dried cranberries

1 cup chopped pistachio nuts and chocolate chips

Baked Quinoa Patties

2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa

4 eggs, beaten

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup chives, finely chopped

1 small white onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 cup feta cheese, or preferred cheese of your choice

1 cup bread crumbs, regular or gluten free

Preheat your oven to 400°F. In a large bowl combine the eggs and salt. Stir in the chives, onion, garlic and cheese. Stir in the breadcrumb, allow to sit for 3-5 minutes so they can absorb some of the moisture. Form equal sized patties, no bigger than the palm of your hand, and place them on a greased baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip the patties, and continue baking for another 10.

This recipe is very forgiving, if you'd prefer to add in additional spices or swap out the chives you'll be able to without a problem. You can also use a combination of cheeses like Parmesan and Gruyère if you'd prefer that to feta.

Makes 12 small patties, freezes excellently 

Recipe adapted from Heidi Swanson

Chocolate Mousse

6 ounces high quality semi sweet chocolate

4 eggs, separate yolks and whites
1 tablespoon dark rum or vanilla extract
8 tablespoons sugar
1 cup heavy cream

In a double broiler melt the chocolate. While the chocolate is melting, whisk the egg yolks, rum or vanilla, and half of the sugar until thick and glossy. In another bowl beat the egg whites with the remaining sugar into a soft meringue. In a third bowl whip the heavy cream until it reaches the soft-peak stage. Slowly drizzle the melted chocolate into the egg yolk mixture whiling whisking until it is completely incorporated. Fold the egg white mixture into the chocolate mixture, once incorporated, fold in the whipped cream. Spoon the mousse into mini dishes (large shot glasses work well) and garnish with a raspberry and powdered sugar. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Makes 8-10 mini desserts

Recipe from Gourmet Cooking Confidential (circa 1975) by Chef Ralph Varketta

Salted Spiced Caramels

So I recently made a batch of fantastic homemade salted spiced caramels and I’ve become sickly addicted to them. I just want to wrap them in little jars and share them with the world!

2 cups sugar
1 cup corn syrup
2 cups heavy cream
3 ounces unsalted butter
1/2 vanilla bean, split
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Candy thermometer 

Prepare a large cookie sheet by spraying it with non stick cooking spray, then line it with a piece of parchment paper and lightly spray the parchment paper with non stick cooking spray. In a large pot over high heat add in the sugar, corn syrup, heavy cream, butter, the vanilla bean (scraping the seeds out and adding them to the pot, along with the bean itself), salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, bring to a boil, stirring often, until the contents teach 250°F. Pour caramel into the prepared pan and allow to set for a minimum of eight hours.

Invert the caramels onto a cutting board lined with parchment paper, cut the caramels into 1-inch pieces, sprinkle with some coarse sea salt, then individually wrap them in parchment paper or cellophane. Store the caramels an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

This recipe was adapted from Ashley Rodriguez

Classic Sugar Cookies

These are the perfect cookies. They're not too sweet so you won't end up in a guilt ridden sugar coma after finishing two. I like baking a few just a tad bit longer than suggested, until they reach a golden color. These cookies come out slightly harder and are perfect for dipping into a mug of tea.

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup salted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk

Sift together the flour and baking powder and set aside. Using an electronic mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until it is light in color. Add in the egg and milk, beat until incorporated. With the mixer on a low speed gradually add the flour mixture, beat until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Divide the dough in half, wrap both halves in saran wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. 

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Sprinkle powdered sugar over a clean surface and roll out one of the refrigerated dough packages to 1/4 inch in thickness. Cut the dough into desired shapes, placing them 1-inch apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 7-9 minutes, or until the cookies begin to turn slightly golden brown. Repeat with the second dough package.

This recipes makes roughly 3 dozen cookies. 

Adapted from Alton Brown

Cheddar Biscuits

2 cups self-rising flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup vegetable shortening

3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon melted butter

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl mix the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add in the vegetable shortening and cut it in with a fork until it resembles a cornmeal or crumbly dough. Add in 3/4 cup of cheese and buttermilk, stir until just incorporated. 

Line a cookie sheet with tin foil and spray with non stick cooking spray. Drop spoon sized amounts of dough onto the pan using two teaspoons to shape. Brush the tops of the biscuits with the melted butter, and sprinkle with the remaining cheddar. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the tops are slightly golden.

Adapted from Paula Deen

Roasted Tomato Soup

 

3 pounds grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 small yellow onions, chopped

6 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons plant-based butter

1 28-ounce can whole plum tomatoes

1 1/2 cup basil, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 quart low sodium vegetable broth

Sprinkle of Diaya cheese (optional) 

Baking Soda and Sugar* 

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare a large baking sheet by spraying it with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl toss together the halved tomatoes, oil, pepper and salt. Pour the coated tomatoes onto the prepared baking sheet in a single layer, roast in the over for 45 minutes.

Once the tomatoes have 15 minutes remaining saute the onions, garlic and red pepper flakes in the plant-based butter in a large pot over medium heat until the onions start to brown, about 10 minutes. Next add in can of plum tomatoes with their juices, basil, thyme, broth, and the roasted tomatoes from the oven along with any juices from the pan. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer cooking uncovered for 40 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool before pouring the soup into a blender (in batches) and pulsing to desired consistency. Add back to the pot and reheat on the stove top. Sprinkle with the optional Diaya and serve!

This recipe makes roughly six large portions and the leftovers freeze excellently.

*Depending on the season and the tomatoes the soup may be a little on the acidic side- this is normal. You can balance the acid with some sugar, or with a tiny pinch of baking soda. The threshold for the perfect soup and a tasteless fizzy soup with the baking soda is very small. Start with just a pinch, stir and taste. Never use more than 1/4 tsp. A pinch of baking soda and a pinch of sugar seem to be the winning combination.