Spaghetti with Creamy Marinara

Serves 6
You will need:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 (28 ounce) cans whole tomatoes
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
4 ounces goat cheese
kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
1 pound dried spaghetti
Preheat oven to 325.
In a large oven proof pot or dutch oven heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour in whole tomatoes.
Place tomato sauce in the oven and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Stirring occasionally.
Remove from oven. Using an immersion blender puree until smooth (Note: If you don’t have an immersion blender, carefully transfer, in batches, to a blender and blend until smooth). Place on stove top over medium heat. Stir in oregano and goat cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer while you prepare the noodles.
Prepare the noodles according to package directions.
Divide noodles evenly among bowls and spoon sauce over the top. Serve.

Sauteed Soybean/Edamame

Sauteed Soybean/Edamame Recipe

Quick and easy, this side dish takes only about 10 minutes. Especially if you buy the pre-shelled soybeans.

Ingredients

2 T Olive Oil
3 Shallots, roughly diced
3 Garlic cloves, mashed or finely diced
1/2 lb Soybeans (shelled, pre-cooked)
few sprigs Fresh Thyme
Sea salt
fresh cracked Black Pepper
1/2 T Soy Sauce

1. Over med. high heat, warm saute pan. Add olive oil, then after it warms, add shallots. After shallots soften (@2 min.) lower heat to medium, add garlic and saute for another minute or two.

2. Add soybeans and thyme. Season with salt, pepper, and soy sauce, then continue to cook until soybeans are fully heated (@ 1 min.)

3. Serve warm or allow to cool and serve at room temp.

Sticky Buns

Easy Sticky Buns-Barefoot Contessa – Back to Basics

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1/2 cup pecans, chopped in very large pieces

1 package (17.3-ounces/ 2-sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted

For the filling:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 cup raisins (I left them out – yucky!)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place a 12-cup standard muffin tin on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the 12 tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Place 1 rounded tablespoon of the mixture in each of the 12 muffin cups. Distribute the pecans evenly among the 12 muffin cups on top of the butter and sugar mixture.

Lightly flour a wooden board or stone surface. Unfold 1 sheet of puff pastry with the folds going left to right. Brush the whole sheet with the melted butter. Leaving a 1-inch border on the puff pastry, sprinkle each sheet with 1/3 cup of the brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of the raisins. Starting with the end nearest you, roll the pastry up snugly like a jelly roll around the filling, finishing the roll with the seam side down. Trim the ends of the roll about 1/2-inch and discard. Slice the roll in 6 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place each piece, spiral side up, in 6 of the muffin cups. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry to make 12 sticky buns.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the sticky buns are golden to dark brown on top and firm to the touch. Be careful – they’re hot! Allow to cool for 5 minutes only, invert the buns onto the parchment paper (ease the filling and pecans out onto the buns with a spoon) and cool completely.

Tortillas

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups whole wheat bread flour
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water
• all-purpose flour for rolling

Directions

1. In a large bowl, stir together 1 cup all-purpose flour, the whole wheat flour, and salt. Rub in the shortening by hand until the mixture is the texture of oatmeal. Make a well in the center, and pour in the boiling water. Mix with a fork until all of the water is evenly incorporated. Sprinkle with a bit of additional flour, and knead until the dough does not stick to your fingers. The dough should be smooth.

2. Make balls the size of golf balls, about 2 ounces each. Place them on a tray, and cover with a cloth. Let stand for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours.

3. Heat a griddle or large frying pan over high heat. On a lightly floured surface, roll out a tortilla to your preferred thinness. Fry one at a time. Place on the griddle for 10 seconds, as soon as you see a bubble on the top, flip the tortilla over. Let it cook for about 30 seconds, then flip and cook the other side for another 30 seconds. Roll out the next tortilla while you wait for that one to cook. Repeat until all of the balls have been cooked. Tortillas can be refrigerated or frozen.

FOOTNOTE

• For white Mexican Flour Tortillas, use the same amounts of flour, but using white flour only. Another variation is to use 3/4, 1 cup, or 1 1/4 of vegetable shortening or lard. All these amounts work; I have tried them, but I like to keep things light. I must say the best tasting recipe is the one with all white flour, and 1 1/4 cup lard...of course!

Eggadilla

Eggadilla (from Relish Magazine)
Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 eggs

1 egg white

2 (8-inch or 10-inch) flour tortillas

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Salsa (optional)

Diced avocado (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat a nonstick sauté pan, big enough to fit tortillas, over medium-low heat. Add oil. Add eggs, breaking yolks. Cook until eggs are set enough to flip, about 2 minutes. Flip; cook until eggs are done (over-hard), about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out pan.

2. Return pan to heat and increase heat to medium. Place one tortilla in pan. Sprinkle on half the cheese. Place cooked eggs over cheese. Top with remaining cheese and tortilla. Cook until bottom tortilla is a little brown and cheese starts to melt, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip with a spatula and brown the other side. Remove from pan. Transfer to cutting board. Cool 1 minute. Slice into wedges. Serve with salsa and diced avocado if using. Serves 2.
Nutritional Information Per serving: 340 calories, 19g fat, 240mg chol., 19g prot., 25g carbs., 1g fiber, 570mg sodium.

Biscuits

This recipe mixes up in 1 bowl, with very few ingredients, doesn't involve the freezing of butter or other special procedures. It's simply mix, cut, bake and done, the only thing that might take a few extra minutes is your oven to pre-heat!
What You Need
Ingredients2 cups all purpose flour2 1/2 teaspoons sugar2 teaspoons baking powder3/4 teaspoon kosher salt1 1/2 cups heavy cream (divided)
EquipmentParchment Paper8"x8" Metal PanParchment Paper

nstructions

1. Prep & Preheat: Place a layer of parchment paper across the bottom and up 2 sides of an 8"x8" pan. Preheat oven to 425°F degrees.

2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, mix together dry ingredients and stir with a whisk to combine.

3. Add Cream: Stir in all but 1/4 cup cream. Dump onto floured work surface and add remaining cream to the dry bits left in the bowl, scrape out and add to dough already on counter. Knead briefly (30 seconds) until dough comes together.

4. Form Dough: Shape dough into a long rectangle and cut in half length-wise and then cut each piece into 4 pieces horizontally (see picture above).

5. Bake: Place in oven on middle rack for 15-18 minutes until golden.

Additional NotesThis recipe comes together super quick and because of its cream base, has the ability to hold extra add-ins if you so desire. A cup of shredded cheddar or some chives are nice, but no matter what, this biscuit is prime for a good slathering of butter fresh out of the oven!

Strawberry Scones
from Confessions of a Tart (as seen on The Food Librarian)
1 cup strawberries (or other fruit)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, in cubes, slightly softened
2/3 cup half-and-half or cream or cold buttermilk (I used cream)
Topping:
1 tablespoon sugar
Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
If using larger fruit, cut into bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle fruit with 1/2 tablespoon sugar; set aside. Be sure to make the pieces small, or they tend to fall out of the dough. They'll still be plenty prominent in your finished scones.
Combine remaining sugar with flour, baking powder and salt. Add butter to the mixture and cut in using a pastry cutter or 2 knives. Stir in fruit; then add cream/half-and-half/buttermilk all at once. Use rubber spatula to gently stir dough until it holds together.
Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times to incorporate dry ingredients. Be gentle so you don't break up the berries and don't overwork the dough. Sprinkle dough with flour if it gets sticky.
Press (pat) the dough into a circle 3/4 inch thick. If any berries peek out, push them into dough. Cut circle into 6-8 wedges, then transfer wedges to the cookie sheet, leaving at least 1/2 inch of space between them. Bake 15 minutes.
Sprinkle with sugar and bake 5-10 more minutes or until the tops are beginning to brown and spring back when you push them. (The sprinkling of sugar over the top for the last few minutes of baking creates a simple, sparkly topping.)
Yields 6-8 scones.

Spicy Crab Sushi!
http://www.kohlercreated.com/blog/?p=3988

WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Ingredients (to make approximately 3 rolls):
2 cups Jasmine “sushi” rice
2-3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Sugar
Nori/Packaged seaweed
1 cup fresh or imitation crab, diced (you can easily substitute crumbled tofu if you’re looking for a vegetarian alternative)
1-2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1-2 teaspoons sriracha (to taste)
1 teaspoon fresh ginger
2 carrots, sliced lengthwise
1/2 cup cucumer, sliced lengthwise (approximately 1/2 a cucumber)
Soy sauce for dipping

PREPARATION:
1. The Rice
Most people we’ve talked to that have ventured into at-home sushi have had the most trouble with rice. Rice is the foundation of any good sushi, and the consistency and taste have to be right or it throws the whole process out of whack. Don’t get disheartened, it will take several wasted batches before you figure out your groove, but here are our tried and true techniques:
Always to wash your rice with water until it runs clear and is no longer milky.
Make your rice in a rice cooker using no less than 2 cups (any less will burn).
Always use Jasmine “sushi” rice from your local store or Asian Market.
Follow exact cooking times for your rice cooker or directions on bag of rice.
Rice flavoring is essential for that sushi rice taste, it also helps the rice stick together.

Rice flavoring:
2-3 tblsp rice vinegar
2 tblsp sugar
1 tsp salt

1. Heat vinegar, sugar, and salt in a pot until sugar is dissolved, set aside.

2. When rice is done cooking, spread it evenly (important so rice does not overcook in bowl) in a shallow bowl or wood rice bowl and drizzle the flavoring mixture over the rice, mixing it with a plastic rice paddle until evenly mixed. Place damp cloth over the rice bowl and allow to cool until near room temperature.

Tip: Mix 1 part rice vinegar with 10 parts water and coat your hands with it while working with sushi rice during preparation and while assembling your rolls. It will prevent the rice from sticking to your hands nearly as much.

2. The Crab and Veggies
I think our favorite part about sushi is that each combination has its own personality and makes for a unique experience. We like our sushi spicy, so here is our fantastic spicy crab filling recipe. It couples nicely with any sort of veggie you might decide to use. On this occasion we used fresh organic carrot and cucumber.

Spicy Crab Filling:

1 cup fresh or imitation crab, diced (you can easily substitute crumbled tofu if you’re looking for a vegetarian alternative)

1-2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1-2 teaspoons sriracha (to taste)

1 teaspoon fresh ginger

1. Combine ingredients, stir, and chill until ready to use.

Asparagus and Crab Salad

Ingredients
Makes 4 servings
1/2 pound cooked lump crabmeat
1/2 tablespoon rice wine
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 Thai chile, finely

Directions

1 - Combine crabmeat, rice wine, soy sauce, lemon juice, chili, and green onion.

2- Blanch asparagus in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until bright green, about 1 minute. Drain and rinse with cold water until chilled.

3- Toss asparagus and crabmeat mixture in a salad bowl. Top with nuts and serve.

Sauteed Beef with Asparagus and Corn

Ingredients
Serves 4
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch medium-size asparagus, (about 1 pound), trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces on the diagonal
10 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded (caps halved if large)
1 (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels, unthawed
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
3/4 pound top blade chuck steak, sliced into thin 2-inch-long strips (any gristle removed)
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Directions

1- In a 12-inch skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over high heat. Add asparagus, mushrooms, and corn; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus are lightly browned and tender, 5 to 6 minutes.

2- Remove from heat and transfer vegetables to a bowl. In another bowl, toss together beef, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cornstarch until coated.

3- Reheat skillet over high heat with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add beef and cook, without stirring, until browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Add asparagus mixture and 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Cook, tossing, until sauce has thickened slightly, about 30 seconds. Serve.

Roast Chicken with Potatoes, Lemon, and Asparagus

Ingredients
Serves 4
1 1/2 pounds new potatoes, halved
3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 package cut-up whole chicken (about 3 pounds)
1 bunch asparagus (1 pound), trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
6 sprigs fresh thyme

Directions
Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place potatoes and half the butter in a roasting pan; season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing once, until potatoes are golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
Place chicken, skin side up, on top of potatoes; season with salt and pepper. Roast until chicken begins to brown, about 20 minutes.
Scatter asparagus, lemon, remaining butter, and thyme around chicken. Roast until asparagus is tender and chicken is opaque throughout, 5 to 15 minutes. Serve chicken, vegetables, and lemon drizzled with pan juices.

Brioche French Toast with Asparagus and Orange Beurre Blanc

Serves 4

FOR THE ORANGE BEURRE BLANC
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice (from 2 oranges)
2 small shallots, thinly sliced
1/2 cup heavy cream
6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

FOR THE ASPARAGUS
1 pound asparagus, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

FOR THE FRENCH TOAST
4 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 one-inch-thick brioche slices
1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter

Directions
1-Make the orange beurre blanc: Bring wine, 1/2 cup orange juice, and the shallots to a boil in a large skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 3 tablespoons, about 10 minutes. Whisk in cream, and cook until reduced by three-quarters, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, whisking after each addition. Strain into a heatproof bowl, and add remaining 2 tablespoons orange juice and the zest. Season with salt and pepper. Thin with water if too thick. Cover to keep warm.

2-Make the asparagus: Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Toss asparagus and oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until golden, about 8 minutes.

3-Make the French toast: Whisk together eggs, cream, zest, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Pour mixture into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, add brioche, and soak, 2 minutes per side. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until sizzling. Add brioche, and cook on 1 side until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Flip, and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Top each slice with asparagus, and drizzle with orange beurre blanc. Serve with remaining beurre blanc.

Baby Carrots in Lime Ginger Butter
This recipe highlights tender baby carrots, fresh out of the garden, tops and all. This dish is brilliant served with Easter dinner but is so easy that you can serve it any day. Make sure and use the real baby carrots, not the fake ones that have been whittled down to nubs.
3- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 pound of baby carrots, with tops, peeled
1 tablespoon of butter
1 teaspoon of fresh grated ginger
1 tablespoon of fresh cilantro
½ teaspoon of grated lime zest
1 tablespoon of lime juice
¼ teaspoon of salt
Slice, all but 1 inch, of the carrot tops off the carrots. Give them to the goat. Get out your big steamer and steam the carrots, covered, for about 8 minutes or until they are just barely tender. When the carrots are finished in their sauna, prepare the butter. Heat up a largish skillet over medium high heat and add the butter, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute, till it becomes very fragrant. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining ingredients. When everything is well mixed, toss in the carrots and roll them around. Serve immediately and then go plant some more seeds.

Chili-Lime Grilled Chicken

Ingredients:
-4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
-3/4 cup lime juice
-1/4 cup olive oil
-2 tbs chili powder
Directions:
Simply put all of the said ingredients in a resealable bag and allow it to marinate overnight for the best results. When you are ready to cook them, put the chicken breasts on a barbecue, preheated to 450 F. Cook on each side for 4-6 minutes until done. Enjoy.