Balsamic Thyme Carrots

All you need are a few ingredients to make these guys! Only a handful of ingredients go into it but yet they come together to take carrots to the next level. I prefer a majority of vegetables on their own or lightly seasoned and usually don't go too crazy when cooking them. These carrots I enjoy very much as they take on the flavors of Thyme and Balsamic vinegar. Many times when I cook these for myself, I actually omit the honey. I find that cooked carrots take on a touch of sweetness by themselves but for those who enjoy glazed carrots they would probably prefer an additional touch of sweetness. A drizzle of agave syrup would work well too.

Both dried and fresh thyme will work well in this just know that dried thyme is more potent than fresh. Got rosemary too? It's also delicious in this!

BALSAMIC THYME CARROTS:

1 Pound baby carrots

2 TBSP Olive oil

2 TBSP Balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Dried minced onion (or galirc if preferred) 

Dash black pepper

1 TBSP Fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp dried thyme

Drizzle of honey (if desired)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with non-stick aluminum foil. Place carrots on the baking sheet.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, dried minced onion (or garlic), pepper, and thyme. If you would like some additional sweetness, add a drizzle of honey. This works best with a wire whisk to incorporate the ingredients.

Pour over carrots and toss to coat. Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. The carrots should just begin to brown and be cooked through. Adjust roasting time as needed depending on the thickness of your carrots.

Serves: about 5 

Spinach and Cheese Lasagna Rolls (Vegetarian)

I would consider cooking in general to be enjoyable but this recipe happens to be especially fun to make. Yes, it can get messy if you are not careful, but that's part of what makes it fun and offers a new take on  lasagna. It has very similar ingredients (almost identical) but prepared a bit differently. Lasagna rolls are well, pretty much what they sound like. Instead of noodles laying flat in the baking dish, they are rolled up with a filling. Tomato sauce, fresh basil, and cheese accompany the noodles that are then baked into a special dish to present at the dinner table.

There are actually a number of ways you could make lasagna rolls. You may notice that this particular recipe of mine uses fresh lasagna sheets. You can purchase them in the refrigerated section of your grocery store where they sell tortellini. I chose to use these for two reasons; they are relatively pliable without cooking and are wider in size. Accordingly, the noodles are cooked to perfection as the meal is baked and the wideness of the noodle helps keep in the filling. The filling can be placed down the center of the noodle while leaving a border so it does not fall out as it is rolled up. Of course, if you prefer, you can use dried lasagna noodles but cook them al dente first and be careful when filling. More noodles will probably be needed as well in that case.

Regardless of whether or not you have a vegetarian dining with you, this meal is definitely worth a try. Come to think of it, I don't think I have served this particular dish to a vegetarian; but it has gotten the thumbs up anyway. Add meat to the sauce if you want, but you probably wont miss it if you make the dish as is.

Have fun with this one and enjoy.

SPINACH AND CHEESE LASAGNA ROLLS


1 Small onion, chopped
1 TBSP olive oil
4 Cloves garlic, minced, or 1 tsp garlic powder
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
1 14.5-oz can crushed or diced tomatoes
2 TBSP tomato paste
Splash of red wine (optional)
1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 Cup fresh chopped basil

6 Fresh lasagna noodles (sometimes called lasagna sheets)

1 15-oz container part skim ricotta cheese
1 Egg, lightly beaten
1 9-oz counter frozen chopped spinach; thawed and squeezed dry (as dry as you can get it)
1 1/2 Cups reduced fat Italian cheese blend or Mozzarella, divided
1/2 Cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
Additional chopped fresh basil

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the onions and cook until translucent before adding the garlic/garlic powder; cook for 1 minute longer. Pour in the tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine if using, salt, and Italian seasoning. Allow to simmer on stove while preparing other ingredients adding basil towards the end.

In a large bowl, gently stir together the ricotta, egg, spinach, 1 Cup shredded Italian cheese blend, and 1/4 cup Parmesan until well combined.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Ladle half of the tomato sauce into a lightly greased 9-in by 13-in baking dish. On a clean work surface, lay your lasagna noodles flat. Fresh lasagna sheets should be pliable enough to gently roll them. If not, throw them in boiling water for not even a minute; they cook in the sauce while baking.

Spread a fairly thin layer of the ricotta mixture over each noodle to within about 3/4 inch of the edges (leaving more at one of the short ends). Carefully roll each noodle up and place in the baking sheet. Pour remaining sauce over top. It may look like too much sauce but its not; use it up.

Sprinkle with remaining cheeses and additional chopped basil. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes in your 375 degree oven. Remove foil; bake for an additional 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly on top and noodles are cooked through.  Let sit for 10 minutes or so before serving. Add a fresh salad or some crusty bread and you are good to go.

Serves about 6

Italian Style Turkey Meatloaf

This is probably not the best way to introduce a recipe but I will start off by mentioning that despite having recipes for meatloaf and cooking it for the family, I do not care for it. Not because I don't eat red meat; turkey meatloaf is made just as often as the traditional in our house, but there is just something about it that does not appeal to me regardless of whats in it. It seems as though, however, that I am the only one in the household that feels this way about it. Meatloaf happens to be a comfort food that my mom, dad, and brother will ask for when it has not been on the menu in a while. In that case, either my mom or I will dish it up.

Meatloaf is versatile when it comes to what you put in there, and my mom has a few recipes she likes to use when she makes it. The other night, however, I made a turkey meatloaf with an Italian twist. Don't worry, its not an extreme change from the traditional, but yet a different take on meatloaf that gets high marks in our house (well, from those who enjoy meatloaf that is...so I will step aside for this one). Using turkey instead of a meatloaf mix lowers the fat without sacrificing the quality or flavor. Turkey not your thing? You could use beef but I would keep it on the leaner side. Either way, if one of your go-to comfort foods is a meatloaf then print this out and make it for dinner!

MEATLOAF MIXTURE:
1/2 Cup finely chopped onion
1/3 Cup finely chopped green pepper (seeded of course)
1 TBSP Olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 Cup plain, unseasoned breadcrumbs (we will be doing the seasoning)
1/2 Cup shredded or grated Parmesan
Small handful of fresh basil leaves
1/4 tsp Garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp Black pepper,
Dash of kosher salt or to taste (determine this by checking the sodium content of your breadcrumbs)

1 Egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 Pounds lean ground turkey
2 TBSP milk

SAUCE:
3/4 Cup ketchup
2 TBSP Balsamic vinegar
1 TBSP Brown sugar


Over medium heat, saute the onions and green peppers in olive oil until the onions just begin to turn translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for a minute longer. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

In a food processor, add the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, basil, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and salt if needed. Process until all is well combined.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumb mixture, cooled vegetables, egg, and milk. Crumble turkey over all and thoroughly combine with your hands. Form into a loaf and place in a greased meatloaf pan.. A meatloaf pan will simply have a feature for easy removal and excess fat drippings; a loaf pan is fine and a baking sheet will work if that's all you have.

Cover with aluminum foil and place in the oven to cook for 30 minutes (it is not done at this point).

Whisk together sauce ingredients. Remove the foil and pour half to 3/4 of the sauce over top. Return to oven to bake uncovered for an additional 20-30 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160 in the middle.

Let rest about 5 minutes before slicing and serve with additional sauce on the side. This meatloaf would also work with tomato sauce poured on top instead.

This will serve 5-6 depending on how hungry you are!

Kitchen Wants, Finds and Favorites

Ah yes, if only I had unlimited kitchen space for mini appliances, tools, cooking vessels, and so forth. Though we have a nice sized kitchen, unlimited space for kitchen items is obviously not realistic, so choosing wisely is important. Even when I am not planning on buying something for the kitchen at that moment, I like to have a mental "wish list" for those items. Of course, I do own items that I must say I would not want my kitchen to be without. Some of them are a bit of a financial splurge while others are fairly inexpensive. Either way, here are a few (of the many) things that spark my interest.

                                                                                      Images by Williams-Sonoma

1. "Multi-cooker" Slow cookers: Most people know what a slow cooker is, but now you will find models that also have the capability to do a lot more than slow cook your dinner. Although the specific capabilities do depend on the model, the ones that grab my attention offer you the convenience of browning, sauteing, slow-cooking, roasting, and steaming in the same cooking vessel. There are not a whole lot of these out there right now but I would not be surprised if additional manufacturers jumped on board. Its on my list! If interested, here is where you can purchase the one pictured above; Cuisinart Multicooker

                                                                     Image By KitchenAid

2. KitchenAid Stand Mixer: This is really something that every kitchen should have. With all of the attachments available for it, you can get the ones that would be most relevant to what you would use it for. I myself would like to get a few upgrades for mine, but even without a collection of attachments, I still find myself using it fairly often. It is great for baking, but with the attachments you can make anything from salsa to fresh pasta. It is a bit pricier than other stand mixers, but this one will last a long time and has many more uses than simply mixing cake batter. For fun, it comes in a wide variety of colors; even lime green and yellow if that's what you're into.

Image By QVC

3. Vitamix Blender: I got a Vitamix last spring and I just love it. Aside from mixing up some darn good (and very healthy) smoothies, it has a number of other uses as well. I don't know all of the specifications, but I do know that the design and power of the Vitamix allows for one to make soups, sauces, sorbets, and more. There is a cookbook that has recipes to be used with the Vitamix and rather than just drinks, it has things for every meal of the day. The premium models are larger than your average blender, but considering how useful it is and what it can do, that can be expected. Also, if you are looking for a simple blender to whip up a milkshake from time to time, I will be honest and say it would not be worth the money. I, on the other hand, am thrilled to have it in my kitchen.

                                                              Image By Williams-Sonoma

4. Mandoline: If you have no idea what I am referring to by a mandoline, you will probably recognize it by the picture above; its a tool with adjustable and sometimes interchangeable cutting blades for easy, versatile slicing. There are various models out there and it really depends on how you expect to use it as to which product to go with. I would look into the adjusting capabilities and whether or not it offers interchangeable blades for different cuts. Keep in mind, a mandoline can be very dangerous if not used properly and I would definitely purchase one that not only has a quality hand guard, but is sturdy as well.

Image By Amazon.com

5. Food Thermometer: In my opinion, this is a must have when it comes to the kitchen. Cooking food to the proper temperature not only influences the flavor, but for some foods it is a safety issue. I recommend a digital thermometer that you can have in the food while its cooking with the base and temperature reading outside of the oven/pan/etc. Be sure to read how to use it correctly and to be aware of what temperature your food needs to be. Look around at the different kinds of thermometers there are and see what would best suit your cooking needs, price range or preference.

Moms Favorite Pretzels

When I made these for the first time and my mom tried one, her eyes lit up. Among the many things I make in this house, this simple recipe is one of her favorites. Sure, she loves my homemade lasagna and such, but this is what she craves when it comes to a mid day snack or lunch accompaniment. According to those who have  eaten them, these homemade pretzels taste just like, or better then, the ones you can get fresh at the mall. That is something you can decide for yourself after you make a batch.

Though I do have the recipe down, I will admit I am not the greatest at forming pretzels. I can be a bit of a perfectionist (ok, perhaps OCD) when it comes to my cooking if I let myself be, so sometimes I just avoid the hassle and make pretzel twists. Most people do not care as they obviously taste the same, but for some reason it drives me crazy if they are not shaped how I think they should. Pretzel bites would also be a neat idea for kids or parties but I myself have not formed them that way.

I know the last part of the recipe may seem odd but the baking soda and water is an important aspect of this recipe. I will be honest and say that I am not sure of the science behind it or why, but dipping the shaped dough in the mixture before baking really gives it that pretzel like exterior.

Enjoy and have fun making these; form them into whatever shape you want.

ALSO, this recipe uses the dough cycle of a bread machine. If you do not have one or would prefer to make it the "old fashion" way feel free. I have provided a brief overview of how to adapt this for a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment.

Homemade Soft Pretzels


DOUGH:

1 1/2 Cups warm water
1 Package active dry yeast
2 TBSP Brown sugar
1 tsp Salt
1 Cup bread flour
3 Cups all purpose flour
1 TBSP dry milk powder

BAKING SODA MIXTURE

2 Cups warm water
2 TBSP Baking soda

TOPPING:
Melted butter
Kosher salt to taste (coarse)


Bread Machine:

1.Add ingredients in order as instructed in manufacturer’s directions. Select dough setting. 

2.When cycle is done, remove from machine and gently punch down onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into equally sized pieces. Roll each piece to form a long rope and shape as you would like (pretzel, twists, bites, etc)

3.In a large bowl, combine the water and baking soda; stir well. Gently dip pretzels into mixture and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 425° until golden brown (about 10 minutes) 

3. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse salt. Serve warm with your favorite mustard dipping sauce. 


If using a stand mixer: Dissolve the yeast in warm water. Add the brown sugar, salt, half of the flours, and dry milk. Stir until smooth. With a dough hook, work in enough of the remaining flour to form a soft, smooth dough ball. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. After rising, continue to make the pretzels as instructed above.

"Gingersnapped" Apple Cranberry Crisp

On frequent trips to the grocery store or market, I find myself seeing a beautiful display of fresh produce and can't help but buying an abundance of it. I know, that's where impulse control should come in, but sometimes it just seems to fail me. Now, looking at the bright side, I am able to (usually) control myself in situations where buying an abundance of something would be far more financially destructive. On the other hand, I sometimes end up with more fruit and vegetables than any one person can consume before they go bad. Wanna guess what I bought too many of this time?

Yes, that would be apples. Seeing that I probably couldn't eat them fast enough, I offered to make my dad a warm apple crisp and he was more than willing to take me up on it. I have made many kinds of crisps before and for this one I thought I would try something new. One of the recipes I use actually incorporates graham cracker crumbs into the topping. After opening the cabinet and seeing some gingersnaps, I thought those would be a nice substitution for the graham crackers. The crumbs fill in for some of the flour that is typically used for something like this. It still needs flour, oats, and other common ingredients for a fruit crisp topping, but the gingersnaps add something different.

You will notice that the recipe here asks you to cook the apple mixture for a bit on the stove. You will just begin the cooking process for them. I find that if this is not done, the topping is ready before the apples are tender enough. You certainly don't want them mushy and they don't spend too long on the stove top, but just enough for them to cook to a perfect tenderness. If you happen to like your apples with a bite to them in cobblers and other desserts, you can skip this step, but I personally don't recommend it.

So the next time you are grocery shopping, pick up a few extra apples for this warm delight.

"Gingersnapped" Apple Cranberry Crisp


FILLING:
1/4 Cup sweetened dried cranberries
Hot water
6 Medium peeled, cored, and sliced apples
1 tsp Lemon juice
1TBSP water
1/2 Cup white sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
2 TBSP flour

TOPPING:

1/2 Cup all purpose flour
2/3 Cup gingersnap cookie crumbs (best done with a food processor)
1/2 Cup quick cooking oats
1/3 Cup brown sugar
2 TBSP melted butter
2 TBSP Canola oil
1-2 TBSP apple juice or water

Pour hot water over cranberries. Let sit about 10 minutes; they will begin absorb some of the liquid and become plump. Drain and pat dry with a paper towel.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, toss together the apples, lemon juice, water, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Cook over medium heat until the apples JUST BEGIN to cook and become tender. You do not want the apples to be cooked; the oven will do the rest.

Stir in the cranberries and flour; cook for a minute longer. Pour mixture into a lightly greased, 3-qt baking dish.

For the topping, toss together the flour, crumbs, oats, and brown sugar. With a fork, stir in the melted butter, canola oil, and 1 TBSP juice or water. The topping should resemble coarse, wet sand or unbaked granola. If needed, add another TBSP liquid. You want it to be moist but not sticky. Evenly spread over apples.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until topping is brown and filling is bubbly. Sit on the counter to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Great with low fat whipped topping, frozen yogurt, or light whipped cream.

Ham Barley Soup

We don't get it often, but once in a while someone in my house will get a craving for some honey baked ham. I myself do not eat red meat or pork so I can't say I share that feeling, but I am happy to help make it. Of course, unless it is Easter or we have company for another reason, there is usually quite a bit left over. This time, soup seemed to be an appropriate use for it considering it has been under 30 degrees the past few evenings. The soup I made this time is similar in some ways to a soup I make for myself with chicken, vegetables, and barley.

Due to their versatility I really don't like to write recipes for soups or stews. In fact, the only reason this has one is for the purpose of this blog. If you were to look at my personal recipes for soup, there is not much measuring included in them. I mention ingredients, herbs, and spices I use as well as a few side notes or suggestions, but I rarely use a soup recipe verbatim  Having said that, for the purpose of this blog I have done so but of course, a bit more of one thing or less of another is just fine. Standing in my kitchen measuring out vegetables is not something I typically do when making soup unless I am writing a recipe. So in other words, feel free to mix things up based on your preferences.

I put together this recipe for the slow cooker but if you would prefer the stove top method it would work fine as well.

Ham Barley Soup

Serves 8-10


2 Cups diced onion
2 Cups sliced baby carrots (doesn't have to be baby carrots, its just what I used)
1 1/2 Cups chopped celery
3 Cups cubed, fully cooked ham
2-3 Bay leaves
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp Garlic powder
1 meaty ham bone or ham hock (optional, just for extra flavor)
10 Cups low sodium chicken broth
3/4 Cup uncooked medium pearl barley
1/2 Cup frozen peas

In a large slow cooker, combine the first 7 ingredients. Add ham bone or hock if using, and pour in broth. Cover and cook on low for about 4 hours. Add the barley and peas, cover and cook another 3-4 hours or until barley and vegetables are tender. You could also cook on high for 2-3 hours before adding the barley and peas. Then continue to cook on high for 1-2 hours until all is tender.

Before serving, remove the bay leaves and ham bone or hock (if you used it).

Happy New Year!

Wishing you a safe and happy 2013. I am not one to make specific resolutions but my goal is to make 2013 better than the last. 2012 was not the best year but hopefully better things will come in the new year.