Category Archives: Recipes

Italian Seasonings

Posted on by Laurie

After yesterday’s harvesting and drying of herbs, this morning I found myself thinking about to what uses I wanted to put them. Most of them I will just store plain, but  I will probably make some seasoned salts and after breakfast I did make a batch of Italian Seasonings. (Recipe below.)  The golden oregano, thyme, rosemary and chenzo pepper were from my garden. Except for a few leaves here and there – not enough to merit drying – my basil is already gone for the season.

There are quite a few variations in recipes for Italian Seasonings. Some have majoram, parsley and/or savory. Many don’t have the hot pepper. Here is the recipe that I use.

Ingredients:

4 T. dried basil

4 T. dried oregano

1 T.  granulated garlic

1 1/2 t. dehydrated minced onion

1 1/2 t. dried thyme

1 1/2 t. dried rosemary

1/2 t. dried hot red pepper

Pulse ingredients in a small food processor until desired consistency.

As you can imagine, after producing a batch of Italian Seasonings, I had to make something Italian with it! And luckily for me, I had some fresh vegetables in the house that I needed to use. So for lunch we had polenta with romano cheese and a thick, tasty tomato-pepper sauce. Now I need a nap! Ciao!

Stuffed Pumpkin Butter French Toast

Posted on by Laurie

In yesterday’s Pumpkin Butter post, I said that I would be serving Pumpkin Butter for breakfast this morning.  Keeping my word, this morning’s special was Stuffed Pumpkin Butter French Toast. I know. There is nothing French about this dish; but it is what Americans call “French Toast”.  Whatever the origins … yum! It tastes like autumn is here!

For 2 servings:

4 thick slices cinnamon bread, edges trimmed

3 T. low-fat cream cheese

1 lg. egg

1/4 c. half-and-half

1/4 c. + 3 T. pumpkin butter, divided

3 T. maple syrup

1/4 c. pecans or walnuts

confectioner’s sugar for serving

(1) Spread cream cheese on 2 of the slices of bread. Top with remaining bread. Cut each “sandwich” diagonally into 2 triangles.

(2) Beat together egg, half-and-half, and 1/4 c.  of the pumpkin butter until perfectly smooth. Soak triangles in batter for 2 – 3 minutes on each side. Make sure that the edges are coated with batter.

(3) Preheat a skillet or grill over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles but does not skate across the surface. Coat with butter, canola oil, or vegetable spray. (Butter and vegetable spray work fine in a non-stick skillet, but when I make French Toast on our commercial grill, I use canola oil.) Grill bread on each side for several minutes or until egg is cooked and lightly browned. Remember to grill edges as well.

(4) Meanwhile, stir together remaining 3 T. of pumpkin butter and the maple syrup. Warm just before serving.

(5) Arrange nuts on 2 serving warm plates. Arrange French Toast. Drizzle with pumpkin syrup and then dust with confectioner’s sugar. Serve right away. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Butter – ‘Tis the Season

Posted on by Laurie

The hot weather has finally broken. It is rainy and in the 50’s here today. To make the house feel warm and cozy, I decided to make some aromatic Pumpkin Butter which I can serve for breakfast tomorrow. Oh, yum. This both smells so good while it is cooking and tastes delicious!In a heavy-bottomed pan, combine the following ingredients:

3 1/2 c. pumpkin puree

1 c. honey

2 T. lemon juice

1 T. ground Vietnamese cinnamon

1/4 t. ground cloves

1/4 t. ground mace

Stirring occasionally, cook over very low heat for about 45 minutes or until very thick and smooth. Store in the refrigerator, in glass jars,  for up to 2 weeks. Makes 1 quart.

Pumpkin butter can be served on breads, on top of yogurt, or used to fill tarts.

Piquant Pieper Sauce and Pieper Eggs

Posted on by Laurie

My husband always tells me that the one draw back to my recipes is that I am not sufficiently creative when it comes time to name them.  Despite the unimaginative name -when writing my first cookbook, I ran out of appellations and named this dish after myself – this is quite delicious. It can be served warm or cold to top eggs, tofu, pasta or pizza. It can also be served as a dip for French bread, pita bread or chips. Shown below, Pieper Eggs … what else?

Piquant Pieper Sauce

4 lg. ripe red bell peppers

1 1/2 c. tomato sauce (unseasoned)

1/2 c. chopped white onion

1 jalapeno pepper

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 T. granulated sugar

2 to 3 T. fresh lemon juice, divided

2 t. paprika

1 t. salt

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. fresh ground pepper

1 pinch ground thyme

1 clove garlic, crushed

(1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange peppers on parchment paper. Place baking sheet in the oven and  roast peppers, turning them occasionally with a pair of tongs, for about 20 minutes or until their skins are very blistery. Place peppers in a paper bag. Close the bag and let the peppers cool for 10 to 15 minutes or until they are cool enough to handle.

(2) Meanwhile, wearing plastic gloves, remove the stem and then chop the jalapeno. Place jalapeno in the bowl of a food processor.

(3) Working over the food processor bowl, peel the peppers, removing as much of the skin as  you can. Remove the stems and slice the peppers open. Remove and discard the seeds. Place peppers in the bowl of the food processor.

(4) Add remaining ingredients, starting with just 2 T. of the lemon juice. Process until almost smooth.

(5) Preheat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Pour the sauce into the skillet and cook for about 20 minutes or until the liquids have cooked off and the sauce is very thick. Stir frequently. If the sauce begins to spatter while it is cooking, reduce the heat.

(6) When the sauce is thickened, taste to see whether it needs more lemon juice, salt or pepper. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Use right away or store in the refrigerator in a covered glass jar. Yields about 1 quart.

Pieper Eggs

(per serving)

1 t. unsalted butter

2 lg. eggs

1 T. milk

3 to 4 T. warm Piquant Pieper Sauce, divided

2 slices French Bread, warm and buttered

1 c. baby spinach, optional

1 T. chopped fresh parsley

(1) Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Add butter and swirl it around the skillet. When butter just starts to sizzle, the skillet is ready.

(2) Meanwhile, beat together the eggs and milk. When the skillet is ready, pour in the eggs. Let eggs start to set on the bottom. Use a turner to pull them toward the sides of the skillet. Repeat, without stirring constantly, until the eggs are about half-cooked. Add 1 t. of sauce to eggs and continue to scramble until they are set.

(3) Place French bread on a warmed plate. Optionally, top with spinach. Then top with eggs. Garnish with remaining warm Piquant Pieper Sauce and then parsley. Serve immediately.

Variation: add 1/4 c. shredded mild cheddar cheese to eggs while they are cooking.

Fig & Raspberry Salad

Posted on by Laurie

Making the most of the last days of summer …

Fig & Raspberry Salad

Lightly toss together:

Fresh figs, sliced in half lengthwise

Fresh raspberries

Fresh mozzarella, cut into small slices or chunks

Fresh mint leaves

Drizzle with:

honey

rice wine vinegar

Serve right away.

Two Little Chefettes Monthly Cooking Challenge: Zucchini

Posted on by Laurie

Once again, thank you to Bebe and Ridha for putting together this month’s cooking challenge! Visit Two Little Chefettes to check out other entries and also to view the rules if you are interested in participating.

I thought about trying to come up with an exotic and creative way to use zucchini for the challenge; but since these muffins are such a nice way to start the day, I decided to  use this recipe instead. Basically, a variation on zucchini bread, these moist and flavorful muffins are best served warm and can be eaten with butter or cream cheese, though no further adornment is needed.

Lemon-Glazed Zucchini Muffins

Makes 10 – 12

2 c. all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour

1/2 c. granulated white sugar

1/2 c. light brown sugar, firmly packed

2 1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1 t. ground Vietnamese cinnamon

1/4 t. ground ginger

1/4 t. ground aniseed

1/4 t. ground allspice

1/4 t. salt

pinch of ground cardamom

1 c. lowfat buttermilk

1/2 c. canola oil

2 lg. eggs

2 t. lemon extract

1 1/2 c. coarsely grated zucchini

1 c. chopped pecans

1 c. confectioner’s sugar

2 T. fresh lemon juice

(1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare 12 standard muffin cups or 10 one-half cup ceramic ramekins with baking spray, or with butter and flour, or by lining with muffin papers. (For gluten-free use butter and gluten-free flour or use muffin papers.)

(2) In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugars, baking powder and spices. In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, oil, eggs, and lemon extract until well combined. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until the dry ingredients have been absorbed. Do not overmix. Fold in zucchini and pecans.

(3) Divide batter between prepared muffin cups or ramekins. (If using ramekins, divide them between 2 baking sheets.) Using the back of a spoon, smooth muffin tops. Bake until muffins are firm to the touch, about 15 – 17 minutes for 12 standard muffins, about 20 – 23 minutes for 10 ramekin-size muffins.

(4) While muffins are baking, make glaze by slowly stirring lemon juice into confectioner’s sugar and beating with a spoon until perfectly smooth. Spoon glaze over muffins as soon as muffins come out of the oven. Place on wire cooling racks until muffins are cool enough to handle. Then unmold.

Pasta with Raw Tomato Sauce

Posted on by Laurie

This dish is probably my favorite way to enjoy fresh tomatoes in the summer. It is delicious and easy to make. The key is to have very ripe tomatoes.

Ingredients (measurements approximate)

2 servings of pasta

3 c. diced raw tomatoes at room temperature

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 fresh basil leaves, shredded, plus extras for garnish

1 T. fresh thyme leaves

sea salt, to taste

crushed red pepper flakes, optional

several dashes balsamic vinegar

1/2 c. fresh grated Parmesan cheese

While pasta is cooking, combine tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, basil, thyme, sea salt and red pepper flakes. When pasta is done, drain and divide between two bowls. Top with raw tomato sauce. Dress with balsamic vinegar. Top with Parmesan cheese, garnish with basil leaves, and serve right away.

Zucchini Chickpea Risotto

Posted on by Laurie

One of our guests recently gave me a bunch of young zucchinis from her garden. (Thank you, Madonna!) After serving Zucchini Pancakes, Zucchini & Roasted Chicken Omelettes, and Zucchini Bread for breakfast over several different mornings, I decided that it was time for zucchini at a different meal. For lunch today,  I made Zucchini and Chickpea Risotto. It was a sunny and delicious dish for a gray, humid day.



Ingredients: Arborio Rice, Olive Oil, Minced Shallots, Vegetable Stock, Chickpeas, Zucchinis, Red Pepper Flakes, Dry White Wine, Butter, Lemon Juice, Grated Parmesan Cheese. For instructions on making risotto, see my earlier post Ah … Risotto. Have fun making your own risotto! Feel free to be creative!

One of my go-to wines for making risotto, and serving with it, is Pomelo Sauvignon Blanc, a crisp, citrusy white wine from California. Enjoy!

I’ve Been Inspired By … Donuts

Posted on by Laurie

It’s been a while since I’ve posted in my “Let the Inspiration In” series; but I just had to try Frugal Feeding‘s Cinnamon Dipped Doughnuts recipe. Since I am gluten-sensitive, and couldn’t imagine making donuts and not having one, I used white rice flour instead of wheat flour in the recipe. (My batter looked a little thicker than Frugal Feeding’s appears in his photos.) The only other change that I made was that I needed to double the amount of butter used for dipping the donuts. I served these for breakfast this morning – with roasted turkey and fresh tomato omelettes and dishes of fresh berries – and everyone, including me, agreed that they are delicious. Thank you, Frugal Feeding for the recipe!

Cinnamon Dipped Donuts

1 3/4 c. + 2 T.  (250 g.) sifted all-purpose flour or  1 3/4 c. (250 g.) sifted white rice flour for gluten-free

1/3 c. (80 g.) granulated white sugar + 3 T

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. ground nutmeg

pinch of salt

3/4 c. (180 ml.) buttermilk

2 lg. eggs, beaten

4 – 6 T. unsalted butter

1 T. ground cinnamon

(1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a six-mold donut baking pan with oil.

(2) Melt 2 T. of the butter. In a small bowl, beat together butter, eggs, and buttermilk. Set aside.

(3) In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, 1/3 c. sugar, baking powder and nutmeg. Whisk in buttermilk mixture until smooth.

(4) Divide batter between molds. Bake for 6 to 10 minutes or until they spring back when pressed or until they are firm to the touch (if using rice flour). (I baked my rice flour donuts for 10 minutes.)  Let pan cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before turning the donuts out. Meanwhile combine the remaining 3 T. sugar and the cinnamon.

(5) Melt the remaining 2 – 4 T. butter. Dip both sides of donuts in melted butter then in cinnamon sugar. Serve right away.

Two Little Chefettes Monthly Cooking Challenge: Strawberries

Posted on by Laurie

Thank you to Bebe and Ridha from Two Little Chefettes for suggesting this month’s cooking challenge. My entry is a Strawberry Watermelon Soup with Blueberries swirled with Blueberry Honey Sauce. (These recipes are from my first cookbook A Taste of Morning after which I named this blog). I serve the soup as a fruit course for special occasions or as a light summer dessert paired with a sweet wine. It is easy to make and very refreshing.

Strawberry Watermelon Soup with Blueberries

Serves 4

Except for the sugar, use chilled ingredients.

3 c. sliced fresh strawberries

2 c. seedless watermelon chunks

1/2 c. fresh orange juice

1/3 c. granulated white sugar

1 T. fresh lemon juice

1/2 c. fresh blueberries

Blueberry Honey Sauce for garnish (recipe below)

Place strawberries, watermelon, orange juice, sugar, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until fruits are puréed. Divide blueberries between four dessert bowls. Top with soup.  Swirl 1 T. Blueberry Honey Sauce through each bowl of soup, being careful not to blend it in.

Blueberry Honey Sauce

2 c. frozen blueberries

1/4 c. cold water

1/3 c. honey

1 t. fresh lemon juice

In a medium non-stick pan, bring blueberries, water and honey to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until blueberries begin to pop. Stir in lemon juice. Push berries and liquid through a sieve to remove skins. Use right away or pour into a glass jar, cover and refrigerate. (Yields about 1 cup.)