Banana cake

Having guests this week end? Serve this moist and fresh banana cake from one of my favorite cookbooks The Silver Palate (Julee Rosso, Sheila Lukins). Their recipes never fail. My kids couldn't get enough of this tasty treat.

Banana Cake

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the pans

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for flouring the pans

1 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs, separated

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3)

1 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

 1/2 cup buttermilk

1 t vanilla extract

Cream cheese frosting (below)

1 1/2 to 2 medium-size, firm but ripe bananas, sliced

1 1/2 cups shelled chopped walnuts
Confectioner's sugar, for dusting the top

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch layer cake pans.
Cream the butter and granulated sugar together in a mixing bowl. Add the egg yolks and beat well. Add the mashed bananas. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together and add them to the butter mixture. Stir until just combined. Add the buttermilk and vanilla. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Fold gently into the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Set on the center rack of the oven and bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes.
Cool in the pans on a rack for 10 minutes. Unmold and cool on a rack for 2 hours.
When cooled, place one layer on a serving plate and frost with the cream cheese frosting. Arrange slices of banana over the frosting; cover with the second layer and frost the top and sides of the cake.
Cover the sides of the cake with the chopped nuts, holding the nuts in your palm and pressing them firmly to the sides of the cake. Dust the top of the cake with confectioner's sugar.

8 or more portions

Cream cheese frosting:
(This is great on carrot cake as well.)
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
6 T (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups confectioner's sugar
1 t vanilla extract
juice of 1/2  lemon (optional)

Cream together the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl.
Slowly stir in the confectioner's sugar and continue beating until fully incorporated. The mixture should be free of lumps. Stir in the vanilla, and lemon juice if desired.
Makes enough for a 2 layer cake.

Quick tip: Put pieces of parchment paper around and under the edge of the cake to catch spills from frosting. Pull out when you are done and Voila! Clean serving plate.

Savory Sausage Penne supper

Not every single meal I make appears on this blog. When we had lamb Gyros from a package recently there wasn't much to write about. Just thaw and follow package directions. When I made Chicken Tetrazzini not too long ago, I wasn't enthused. It was OK, but not worth blogging about.  This evening's meal however, was great!

Flautas

I  saw  this recipe on one of the many cooking blogs out there, fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com. This girl has a huge following. She makes beautiful meals and takes great pictures. Something to aspire to for sure. I had never heard of flautas before (Spanish word for flutes). Mexican  in origin, these are meaty tortilla roll-ups usually deep fried. These however, are baked.   They sounded so good I just had to try them. And they are terrific! I recommend you all make these for a delicious family dinner. Thanks Pam for sharing with all of us!

I Changed the recipe slightly to accommodate my family. This makes for a mildly flavored  version.

Pork tenderloin, caramelized onion, and Monterey Jack baked flautas

2 T olive oil (divided)

1 sweet yellow onion, sliced

1 pork tenderloin (1 1/2 lbs), diced

1/4 t Chili powder, or to taste

1/4 t coriander, or to taste

1/2 t paprika, or to taste

1/2 t garlic powder, or to taste

1/4 t ground cumin , or to taste

1 t dried oregano, or to taste

sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

2 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

10 flour tortillas

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and cover with cooking spray.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook stirring often, about 10-15 minutes until caramelized and tender. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the skillet over medium High heat. Once the pan is hot add the diced pork tenderloin then season, to taste, with all of the spices. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown, but not yet cooked through (it will finish cooking in the oven). Remove from the stove.

Wrap flour tortillas in wet paper towels and microwave them for 1 minute or until soft.

Place a bit of Monterey Jack cheese in the center of the tortilla then add caramelized onion and the diced pork:; roll. Place seam side down on prepared  baking sheet. Finish rolling the rest of the flautas, then spray each with cooking spray. Place in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes then turn over and cook for an additional 5-6 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.

Serve with guacamole, sour cream and salsa.

Makes 10 flautas

Ratatouille

Since my last posting (yesterday) we have received over 12 inches of snow. It was tough going on the roads around town this morning. Many people in the ditches along the freeway. I was wondering, who do you call when you are really stuck like that? 911? A tow truck? I was just very happy to be back home safe and sound from our adventure to the dentist. I am happy to report zero cavities for the whole family. Good job! Now, on to this evening's dinner. I have never made ratatouille before, but I had a sample at work one recent evening and I decided to put it on the menu immediately. This is a large recipe, fit for a crowd. Cut it in half if you prefer or make the whole batch and freeze some, that's what I am doing. There is quite a bit of chopping involved here. I did most of the work a day ahead, so putting it together today is a charm. There are wonderful smells coming from my kitchen as I am writing this. Enjoy!

Ratatouille
2 cups high quality olive oil

4 small eggplants (about 4 pounds in all), cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
2 t salt
1 1/2 pounds white onions (about 2 large), peeled and coarsely chopped
7 medium-size zucchini, washed, trimmed quartered length wise and cut into 2 inch strips
2 medium-sized red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch strips
2 medium-size green bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch strips
2 T minced garlic
3 cans (16 ounces each) Italian plum tomatoes, drained
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
2 T dried basil
2 T dried oregano
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Line a large roasting pan with aluminum foil and pour in 1 cup of the olive oil. Add the eggplant, sprinkle it with the salt, and toss well. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake until the eggplant is done but not mushy, 35 minutes. Uncover and set aside.
In a large skillet or in 2 smaller skillets, heat the remaining oil. Saute the onions, zucchini, red and green peppers, and garlic over medium heat until wilted and lightly colored, about 20 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, dill, basil, oregano, and black pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.Add the eggplant and simmer for another 10 minutes. Taste and correct the seasoning. Serve hot or at room temperature.

(Recipe from The Silver palate Cookbook, Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins)

Vegetable Mac and cheese

Today we are having a great old Minnesota blizzard blanketing the Twin Cities with snow yet again.

Tasty Tilapia

I am not a seafood lover, but I do like most fish if it is prepared nicely. I often order fish when we go to a nice restaurant.

Once a week Vegetarian.

Growing up in Norway, most of the food I was raised on was very bland and often very white (think white fish balls with white gravy over white potatoes!).  I always loved eating foods from other parts of the world, and coming to America, a whole new experience of cuisines from across the globe was at my fingertips. Thai and Indian foods are two of my favorites. Since we don't eat out a lot I am always trying to find recipes that allow me to have different ethnic foods in my own home. In addition, I have suggested that our family go vegetarian  one day a week. This received a very tepid response from the gang. But I intend to prove to them that you can have a flavorful and satisfying dinner that does not include meat. This curry is full of color and flavor. It exceeded my expectations greatly. It tastes very authentic and wonderful. With the adults this was a great hit (I include my almost 16 year old son here!). For the little ones it was too spicy, so they ended up eating rice and turkey sandwiches. Oh well, it's like I say: "it isn't what you eat but how you eat it" - together!

Vegetable curry

Adjust the heat in this dish by adding more or less red pepper to the curry powder.

1 1/2 t olive oil

2 cups diced peeled sweet potatoes

2 cups small cauliflower florets

1/2 cup thinly sliced yellow onion

3 t curry powder (with about 1/2 t red pepper mixed in)

1 cup organic vegetable broth

1/2 t salt

1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained

2 cans no-salt added diced tomatoes, undrained

3 T chopped fresh cilantro (Coriander)
3 cups Rice of your choice
1 cup plain reduced-fat Greek yogurt

Warm Naan bread

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sweet potatoes to pan; saute 3 minutes. decrease heat to medium. Add cauliflower, onion, and curry powder, cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add broth and next 3 ingredients (through tomatoes); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with cilantro (Coriander); serve over rice with yogurt and Naan bread.

Serves 6, well.


(Recipe adapted from Cooking light magazine, October 2010)

Quick and easy and kid friendly too!

My kids love potatoes! We eat a lot of them, any shape and form. I am a big fan of potato leek soup myself, and have made several different varieties of such a soup throughout the years. The kids always complain about the "green stuff", so today I decided to leave the leeks out and make a plainer potato soup. My husband very accurately described it as "Clam Chowder without the clams". It is very rich and creamy, but a light version nonetheless. The original recipe was from Cooking Light Magazine, (October 2010), but I tweaked it quite a bit. For starters, I doubled the recipe to fit the size of my family. We had an extra child at the table (a common occurrence!), so we were 7 all together. Doubling the recipe was just enough for a nice healthy bowl for most of us, and a couple smaller portions for the kids. In addition, I added a clove of garlic to the sauteed onions and I put in a little red pepper (cayenne). This is a very versatile soup. I think it would be excellent with rosemary in it as well. You could even add some broccoli florets. Just experiment and let me know what you come up with.

Potato Chowder

7 large red potatoes

3 t olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 garlic clove, minced

3 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth

6 T all-purpose flour

4 cups 1% low-fat milk, divided

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1 t salt

1/2 t freshly ground black pepper

1/4 t hot red pepper(Cayenne)

For topping:

8 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

Peel potatoes and pierce with a fork. Microwave on High for 13 minutes or until tender. Cut in half; cool slightly.
While potatoes cook, heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic; saute 3 minutes. Add broth. Combine flour and 1 cup of milk to make a "slurry"; add to pan and add the rest of the milk. Bring to a boil; stirring often. Cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream, salt, cayenne and black pepper. Add potatoes and mash to desired consistency (It should be lumpy). Serve with cheese, green onions and bacon.

We had fresh bread and fruit with this meal. Very satisfying!

Be my Valentine!

When I started working at Cooks I discovered that there is a certain pan for just about anything. Donut pans, popover pans, scone pans, Abelskiver pan, and even a special pan for making brownie edge pieces. Who knew? When I saw the Coeur a la cream dish I was amazed, and really intrigued (it is a heart shaped dish with holes in the bottom). I learned that it is used to make a very delicious french dessert. I knew I would have to try it out, and what better opportunity than for Valentines day? It is really simple to make, though it requires some planning ahead of time (due to the chilling and draining overnight), and preferably some special equipment, such as the cheesecloth (which I assume is not a staple in most people's kitchen!). You don't have to make it in this special mold, a sieve is commonly used as well. You may also have to go to a specialty store for the vanilla beans. But trust me, it is all well worth your while. This dessert is heavenly! Very smooth, and refreshing, and pretty. I just love it! From my heart to yours -Enjoy!

Coeur a la Creme with raspberry sauce

12oz (340gr.) cream cheese, at room temperature

1 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar*

2 1/2 cups cold heavy cream

2 t pure vanilla extract

1/4 t grated lemon zest

seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean

1 12 oz. (340 gr.) bag frozen raspberries, thawed

2T powdered sugar

Lemon juice

Place the cream cheese and confectioner's sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment and beat on high speed for 2 minutes (start out slowly so the powdered sugar doesn't fly everywhere!). Scrape down the beater and bowl with a rubber spatula and change the beater for the whisk attachment. With the mixer on low speed, add the heavy cream, vanilla, lemon zest, and vanilla bean seeds and beat on high speed until the mixture is very thick, like whipped cream, about 4 minutes.

Line a heart shaped mold or a 7 inch sieve with cheesecloth or paper towels so the ends drape over the sides and suspend it over a bowl, making sure that there is space between the bottom of the mold/sieve for the liquid to drain. Pour the cream mixture into the cheesecloth, fold the ends over the top, and refrigerate over night.

To serve, discard the liquid, unmold the cream onto a plate, and drizzle Raspberry sauce around the base. Serve with  fresh raspberries and extra sauce.

Sauce:
Place thawed  raspberries, powdered sugar, and a splash of lemon juice in a blender and blend until smooth about 1 minute. Drain sauce and discard seeds.

For a more grown-up version add a splash of Grand Marnier to the sauce.

*Confectioners sugar is just a fancy name for powdered sugar.

 (Recipe from Ina Garten/Foodnetwork, 2004).

Chicken and cashews

This dish is full of delicious  flavor and color, and the chicken is very tender. Serve over plain rice or prepare a simple pilaf as suggested below. To cut down on prep time, use bottled garlic and ginger, and prechopped veggies.

Chicken and cashews

3 T low-sodium soy sauce, divided

2 T dry sherry

4 t cornstarch, divided

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite

sized pieces

1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

2T oyster sauce

1 T honey

2 t sesame oil, divided

3/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 T grated peeled ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped green onions (about 3 stalks)
1/4 cup chopped unsalted dry-roasted cashews

Combine 1 T soy sauce, sherry, 2 t cornstarch, and chicken in a large bowl; toss well to coat.
Combine remaining 2 T soy sauce, remaining 2 t cornstarch, broth, oyster sauce, and honey in a small bowl.
Heat 1 t oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken mixture to pan, saute 3 minutes. Remove from pan. Heat remaining 1 t oil in pan. Add onion, celery, and bell pepper to pan, sate 2 minutes. Add ginger and garlic; saute 1 minute more. Return chicken mixture to pan, saute 1 minute. Stir in broth mixture. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with green onions and cashews.

Rice pilaf: Heat 1 T canola oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup chopped onion and 2 t grated peeled fresh ginger to pan, saute 2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup water, 1/2 cup long-grain rice, and 1/4 t salt; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 12 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, stir in 2 T chopped fresh cilantro (coriander).

I used basmati rice. I followed the first two steps above and continued by following the package directions for cooking the basmati.

(Recipe adapted from Cooking Light, May 2009)

Skillet sloppy beef sandwiches



Sloppy Jo's is a very common weeknight dinner here in the US. I call it "Sloppy mess" !

Steak and potato dinner

Today's meal was a little bit more elaborate than I had intended, but it was really good! Flank steak is my favorite kind of meat. It is very lean but still very flavorful and it is very easy to prepare. The ideal way to cook it is grilling it. But with single digit temperatures I did not feel like going outside to fire up our charcoal grill. I opted for the next best method, which is flame broiling it in the oven. It is very fast and gives you that "crusty" outside, while not overcooking the inside. Flank steak usually benefits from some marinating, but I am happy with the results I have been getting without this step. The key is to slice it very thin. This way it can be used for a variety of dishes. It is great in fajitas, salads, stir fries, and just on its own, like today. I usually serve it with mashed potatoes, but I really wanted to make the parmesan roasted potatoes. They are really good! They would work well with pork too. I highly recommend trying them. Finally, I was looking for a side dish. Lemony broccoli would be nice with this, but lately I have come to really like kale (see picture in Odds and ends). It is a very robust, stalky, but nutritious green, with a somewhat bitter taste. That's why I thought the sweetness of caramelized onions would mellow it out a little. I Love caramelized onions! I use them on sandwiches, on mashed potatoes, you name it! And I was right! It was a great combination. Just a really good and  healthy meal altogether.  Make it your way!

Broiled flank steak

1 1/2 lb piece of flank steak

1 t salt

1/2 t freshly ground pepper

1T olive oil

1 T dried oregano

Bring the flank steak to room temperature.

Season both sides of the steak with salt and pepper. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the Olive oil on one side of the meat and sprinkle the oregano on top. Place on foil covered broil pan, herb side up. Broil on high for approx. 10 minutes on one side, turn and broil for 6-7 minutes more. Let rest for a few minutes. Cut into thin slices across the grain.

Parmesan roasted potatoes

1 1/2 lb. small red potatoes, skin on, cut into 1/2-inch slices

3 T olive oil

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place a baking sheet in the oven to preheat at the same time.

Toss potatoes with oil in a bowl. Combine Parmesan, bread crumb, and parsley; add potatoes and toss gently until potatoes are coated.

Arrange potatoes on preheated baking sheet. Bake until potatoes are tender, 30-35 minutes.

(Recipe from Cuisine Tonight/Quick and easy menus)


Sauteed Kale with caramelized onions
2T Olive oil

1/2 red onion , diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 t crushed red pepper

1 bunch of Kale, ribs removed, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup vegetable stock or water

2-3 t Sherry vinegar

Salt to taste

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute. Add kale and cook, tossing with two large spoons (or tongs) until bright green, about 1 minute. Add stock, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is tender, approx. 15 minutes. Stir in vinegar to taste and salt.

caramelized onions:
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1 T butter
1 T olive oil
Pinch salt and pepper


Heat Butter and oil in a medium saute pan. Add onion slices and cook over medium-low heat, uncovered, stirring frequently, until onions are very tender and caramel colored (not fried!), 20-25 minutes. Spoon over kale.

Nora requested Jello for dessert and who can say No to that? Serve it with vanilla sauce or whipped cream.

My favorite Chocolate Chip Zucchini bread

3/4 cup sugar

3 T vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 cup applesauce

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 T unsweetened cocoa

1 1/4 t baking soda

1 t ground cinnamon

1/4 t salt

1 1/2 cups finely shredded zucchini (about 1 medium)

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Place first 3 ingredients in a large bowl, beat with a mixer at low speed until well blended. Stir in apple sauce.

lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, level with a knife. Combine flour and the next 4 ingredients (through salt), stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture, beating just until moist.. Stir in the zucchini and chocolate chips. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack, and remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

(Recipe from Cooking Light Magazine)

Amazing Alfredo!

So, a new week is upon us and I am thinking about  what to make for dinner in the coming days. I have some good ideas and a big piece of flank steak in my fridge, so stay tuned.

Fancy pre-superbowl Sunday Brunch

Superbowl Sunday is here! Yohoo! OK, so I am just trying to sound enthusiastic and adapt to American culture.Truth be told, after having lived her in the US for more than 17 years I have never become hooked on football. I think it is a game that is hard to love if you have not grown up with it. Huge guys piling on top of each other, and too much stop and go. Give me a fast paced soccer game or handball game. I can understand that! (handball you say? Google it!).  My guys will be watching though. My family and I are exited, however, that the Black Eyed Peas will be performing during the half time show, with rumors of other surprise acts. We will be glued to that. But first we will host a family brunch with Robert's parents and other relatives. I have put together a really tasty menu, most of which can be prepared a day in advance. That makes the day of, so much more relaxing. Two of the recipes, the Crunchy Zucchini rounds and the strata, comes from this beautiful cookbook I found at Cooks. It is simply named Brunch! 100 fantastic recipes for the weekend's best meal, by Gale Gand. Great inspiration and photos of almost all the dishes makes this book a treat for a food nerd like me.

Here is the menu (all recipes to follow):

Sunday Brunch menu

Crunchy Zucchini rounds

(with roasted tomatoes and goat cheese)

Bacon, cheddar, mushroom

 and tomato strata

Green salad With apples and Parmesan

Carrot cake

Crunchy Zucchini rounds With roasted tomatoes and goat cheese

2 medium zucchini

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Oven roasted tomatoes (see below)

3 oz fresh goat cheese

2 T chopped fresh chives

2 T extra-virgin olive oil

Slice the zucchini into 1/4 inch-thick rounds and lay them flat on a platter (about 24 slices). Sprinkle them with a little salt and pepper. Place 1 piece of roasted tomato on each zucchini slice. Pinch a bit of goat cheese on top of each tomato piece. Sprinkle with the chopped chives, drizzle with the olive oil, and serve.

Oven roasted tomatoes

(Can be made up to 4 days ahead. Keep refrigerated until ready for use. Bring to room temperature before serving.)

Makes 24 pieces

6 plum tomatoes, cut into quarters lenghtwise

1/4 cup olive oil

2 t herbes de Provence

1/2 t salt

1/4 t freshly ground pepper

Lay the cut tomatoes on a baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil, and sprinkle with the herbes de Provence, salt and pepper.

Roast in the oven at 325 degrees for about 2 hours, until the tomatoes are dried and wrinkled and their edges look lightly toasted (mine became a little too dark, so check them occasionally!)

Bacon, cheddar, mushroom and tomato Strata

5 cups cubed French bread (with crust)

2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup crumbled cooked bacon (6-8 strips)

1 cup sauteed sliced white or shiitake mushrooms

1 cup chopped tomatoes

10 large eggs

1 Qt whole milk

1 t dry mustard

1t salt

Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Put the bread cubes in the dish and sprinkle them with the cheddar cheese. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, mustard, and salt. Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes. Combine the remaining ingredients (bacon, mushrooms and tomatoes) and sprinkle over the egg mixture and fold them in gently. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Uncover the baking dish and bake for 60 minutes, until the mixture has puffed up slightly and is golden brown on top, and the strata doesn't shimmy with uncooked custard when you shake the pan. Tent the dish with foil if the top is browning too quickly. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

(recipes adapted from Gayle Gand's book Brunch!)

Baby greens with apples, toasted pecans and Parmesan

10oz baby greens salad mix

1/2  small red onion, thinly sliced

1 apple, quartered and sliced thin

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted

Sweet apple vinegar

Fresh parmesan shavings

Toast pecans in dry pan until fragrant, about 4 minutes.

In large salad bowl, mix salad greens, onion and apples. Toss with apple vinegar. Sprinkle  with pecans and parmesan shavings on top.

Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

Cake:

Cooking spray

9 T butter, softened

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 large egg whites

2 t vanilla extract

9 oz all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)

2t baking soda

1t ground Cinnamon

1/4 t salt

3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

2cups finely shredded carrot

Frosting:

1/2 cup (4oz) block-style fat-free cream cheese

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 t vanilla extract

1/8 t salt

2 cups powdered sugar

1 T orange sugar sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat a 13x9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Place butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 5 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition until pale and fluffy. Beat in 2 t vanilla extract.

Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and 1/4 t salt; stir with a whisk. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, mix after each addition. Stir in carrot. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden pick comes out clean. Cool in pan.

To prepare frosting, place cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, 2 t vanilla, and 1/8 t salt in a large bowl, beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until smooth. Cover and chill 10-15 minutes. Spread frosting over top of cake. Garnish with sprinkles. Store cake loosely covered in refrigerator.

(recipe adapted from Cooking Light magazine/Quick baking)

Fast and easy scones for the weekend

Being that we have a lot of leftovers from yesterday's Lasagna dinner, and this being a work night for me, I am taking a break from dinner making this afternoon. However, when I saw the recipe for Chocolate chip Scones in the latest issue of Cooking light magazine, I was really excited to try it. I love scones! I am not a big fan of currants, so I left those out and put in a few more chocolate chips instead. They came out beautifully! The use of ready made baking mix cuts down on a few steps and in a matter of half an hour you have beautiful scones. Perfect for breakfast or any time you crave a sweet treat with your tea or coffee.

Chocolate Chip Scones
1/2 cup currants, chopped (I did not use)
2 T water

3 cups low-fat baking mix ( I used Bisquick)
5 T sugar, divided
1/2 t ground cinnamon
2T butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
2/3 cup fat-free half-and half
2 T semisweet chocolate mini chips

1 large egg, separated
1 T fat-free half and half

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 t water

Preheat oven to 400˚.
Combine 1/2 cup currants and 2T water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at high for 45 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds. Cool 10 minutes (do not drain)
Combine baking mix, 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl. Cut in butter with 2 knives (or pastry blender) until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add currants, 2/3 cups half-and-half, chips and egg white: stir until just moist. Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls onto a foil-lined baking sheet; place pan in freezer 5 minutes.
Combine egg yolk and 1 T half-and-half; brush over tops and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake at 400˚ for 12 minutes or until golden. Cool on a rack
Combine powdered sugar and 1 1/2 t water; drizzle over scones.

Makes about 12

A new twist on Lasagna

It is another chilly day here in Saint Paul. Thursdays are usually a good day for cooking a nice meal, but today it is a busy one. Lots of picking up and dropping off and waiting around. I realized last night that with Vilde's piano lesson @ 5pm (not our normal time), it would be tricky to get dinner made, so again I had to find something that can be made earlier in the day, and ready to serve when we all get home around 6pm. My plan was to make Chicken tetrazzini, a chicken spaghetti casserole with mushrooms, but when I arrived at Super Target, I discovered  I had forgotten my shopping list and my Cooking magazine containing the recipe. So, what to do? I went to the magazine rack and picked up the latest issue of Rachael Ray's magazine. I looked through it and decided to make her Lazy Bolognese-style Lasagna, with some modifications. She didn't specify what kind of ground beef to use, so I mixed 1lb of lean ground beef with 1/2 lb of extra lean. In addition, I used low -sodium beef stock. I also had a half of a green pepper that needed to be used asap., so I added that too. Since there is no layering involved here, this dish comes together really quickly. Love that! I will keep it warm in the oven until we are ready to eat. A green salad and Ciabatta rolls are also included. Can't wait to dig in!

Lazy Bolognese-style Lasagna
Salt and pepper

1lb wavy lasagna noodles, broken into irregular pieces

1 T extra- virgin olive oil
1 1/2 lbs  lean ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped
2 to 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small carrot, grated
1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped
A sprinkle ground cloves
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 cup white wine
2 cups low sodium beef stock
3 T butter
2 rounded T flour
2 cups whole milk
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
Freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it (optional), add the pasta and cook until al dente.
In a dutch oven, heat the olive oil, over medium high heat.
Add the beef and brown well. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, rosemary, cloves and lots of salt and pepper and cook until tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then stir in the wine for 1 minute. Stir in the stock and simmer for a few minutes longer.

In a sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, then the milk, and let thicken enough to coat a spoon; season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Toss the pasta with the meat sauce and arrange in a baking dish. Pour the sauce over the top in an even layer. Top with cheese. Broil in oven (middle rack) until golden brown.

Quick tip: For easy release of the tomato paste, coat your measuring cup with cooking spray before use.

Make ahead, serve fast!

Wednesdays are always hectic. I volunteer in the kitchen at Meals on Wheels in the morning and I work at Cooks  in the afternoon. I usually make it home just at 6 o'clock.

Comforting in the cold!

Today the temperature took a nose dive again here in Saint Paul, MN, from the balmy 20ies (-6C ) to 6 Fahrenheit right now (-15C). It is the kind of day where I light lot's of candles and drink hot tea. In the winter season I also love to eat soups or stews paired with crusty rustic bread. Today's dinner recipe Carrot Chowder came to me from my friend Brooke. She had received it from her friend. It would be interesting to know where she had found it. Anyway, a great example of how recipes travel. Brooke made this when I was visiting for lunch a while back. She typically cooks a big lunch that serves as dinner later in the evening. Pretty smart! I immediately liked it, and so did my family. It is a great way to get the kids to eat some veggies. The original recipe calls for ground beef, but today I am using lean ground turkey. It would probably be just as tasty with mild Italian sausage. To save time use pre-shredded carrots and pre-chopped veggies. Enjoy!

Carrot Chowder

1 lb. (450 grams) lean ground beef or turkey

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup green or red pepper

4 cups tomato juice

1 1/2 cup water

2 cups cream of celery soup

2 1/2 cup grated carrot
3 garlic cloves, minced

1/8- 1/4 t marjoram

1 t sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Brown meat in a large pot. Add celery, onion, and pepper.

Cover and simmer until veggies are tender, approx. 10 minutes. Add tomato juice, water, celery soup, carrots, garlic, sugar and marjoram. Season to taste. Simmer 30 minutes.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and green onions (optional), bread and a green salad. I always have a bowl of fruit on the table too.

Stay warm!