Tasty Jambalaya

This dish has all the spicy, carb, meaty goodness that I'm looking for in comfort food. And possibly the longest list of spices I've ever put into one dish.

I came to this deliciousness by searching ingredients that I had in my fridge that needed to be used. This is my favorite way of discovering new things to cook while being my thrifty Mennonite self.

I served the jambalaya on top of sautéed kale. The kale really helped balance all the flavors and heaviness out, especially because I made the jambalaya super spicy.

Here's the real recipe from Chow. My modifications are below.

INGREDIENTS
For the spice mix: (I leaned on the heavy side with all these spices)

• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
• Pinch celery salt

For the jambalaya:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
• A good glug of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 large yellow onions, medium dice
• 2 andouille sausages, medium dice
• 4 bacon slices, medium dice
• 3-4 medium peppers, multi-colored and multi-spiciness, medium dice
• 3-4 celery stalks, medium dice
• 1 jalapeño finely chopped
• 3-4 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes (I used fresh tomatoes, and a larger quantity)
• 1 handful sun dried tomatoes, soaked in boiling water til soft
• 2 cups basmati rice
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken stock or broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 medium scallions, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)

INSTRUCTIONS

For the spice mix:
Place all of the ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine; set aside.

For the jambalaya:
Heat the oven to 375°F and arrange a rack in the lower third. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and set aside.


Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed, ovenproof, 7-quart pot or large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place the chicken pieces in the pot and cook, stirring rarely, until browned all over, about 5 to 6 minutes. Set aside.


Add the butter and melt over medium heat. Add the onions, scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions just begin to brown, about 6 minutes.


Add the sausage, bacon, and half of the reserved spice mix. Stir to coat everything with the spice mix and cook, scraping the bottom of the pot occasionally, until the meat is browned and the onions are very tender, about 10 minutes.


Add the bell peppers, celery, jalapeño, garlic, measured salt, and remaining spice mix. Cook, scraping the bottom of the pot occasionally, until the bell peppers have softened, about 10 minutes.


Add the rice and toast a few minutes.


In a food processor, blend the fresh/canned tomatoes and sundried tomatoes in their soaking water until just slightly chunky but mostly smooth. Add to the pot.


Add the reserved chicken and any accumulated juices. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Add the stock or broth, and bay leaves, stir to combine, and bring to a boil. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, transfer to the oven, and bake until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, about 30 minutes.


Remove the pot to a wire rack and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir to evenly combine the jambalaya, taste, and season with salt as needed. Sprinkle with the scallions and serve.

Sausage & Quinoa Stuffed Squash

Made this last night and it will become a winter staple in our household. SO GOOD. The recipe called for two acorn squash but I had one buttercup squash on hand so I used that instead. I think it'd work great with pumpkin or any larger squash.

There was lots of filling leftover after stuffing the squash. Just finished a delicious lunch of the sausage/quinoa filling that I scrambled with eggs, served in a corn tortilla.

Here's the original recipe. The recipe below is based on my modifications.

Ingredients

• 1 medium- to large- squash, halved and seeded (roast the seeds too, for sprinkling at the end)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground pork sausage (I used spicy italian)
• 1 onion, diced
• ½ cup celery, finely diced
• 4 smallish multi-colored and multi-spicy peppers (or whatever you have to taste), finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 apple, diced
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• ⅓ cup parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper
• parsley, chopped
•  

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Roast squash on pan for 45 minutes, or until the squash is fork tender. After cooking, I scooped out some of the squash to make room for more of the filling.
3. While the squash is cooking, heat a large sauté pan with olive oil. Add the sausage and brown. Add the onion, celery, peppers, garlic, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the onion is tender and translucent.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chopped thyme and rosemary. Stir in the quinoa and apples. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Scoop the mixture into the roasted acorn squash halves. Top with parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes. Serve topped with a garnish of chopped fresh parsley and the roasted seeds.

Cheryl’s Leek and Bacon Quiche

Cheryl made a lovely quiche for me last winter. I begged her for the recipe ad here it is. I hope you don't mind I'm posting it here, Cheryl. I want to easily find it anytime I want. 

Pastry:1 1/4 c. spelt flour (white)
6 T. cold butter
pinch salt


Cut in flour, butter and salt with a pastry cutter. Add enough ice cold water until just sticks together. Roll out and place in pie tin.


The Egg Mixture: Sprinkle a generous amount of grated swiss (or other cheese) onto crust. Top with thinly sliced, softened-by-sauting leeks (2? I often buy frozen ones at Trader Joes and defrost) and cooked thick-bacon, Sprinkle with 1/4-1/2ish t. dried thyme. 

In small bowl, whisk 3 eggs + 1 c. milk of choice (I think I used a mix of dairy and rice on yours), salt and pepper. Pour into crust. 

Bake at 375 degrees for 40ish minutes.

Garlic Coconut Mashed Yams

3 large garnet yams, peeled 1 teaspoon olive oil 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 teaspoon allspice 1 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 cup coconut milk (full-fat, no sugar added) 1/4 teaspoon white pepper Directions: Heat oil in small saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and thyme and saute until the garlic is golden. Remove from heat. Slice the yams into 2-inch cubes. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add the yams and boil for 15 minutes or until the yams are soft. Drain in a strainer and then return to pot. Add sauteed garlic and remaining ingredients. Mash until creamy, using a potato masher. Serve hot.

Ukrainian Red Borscht

I got tired of patching together my memory and a mix of different recipes. Here is the method I use to make borscht. Enjoy!

Water and/or beef or veg broth
4-5 medium beets with skins on, scrubbed clean* 
3 carrots, sliced**
3 large potatoes, cubed**
1 T veg oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2-3 T tomato paste
1/2 medium head of cabbage, cored and shredded
1 (8oz) can diced tomatoes with juices
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp sugar (or to taste)
1-2 T vinegar
1 large bunch of fresh dill, chopped
sour cream for topping

Fill a large pot halfway with water or a mix of water and broth (about 2 quarts), and bring to a boil. Add the beets, and cook until tender enough to peel. Remove beets from water, peel (the skins should slip right off). Discard the beet peels and slice the beets into half moons. Set beets aside.

Add the carrots and potatoes to the beet water and cook until tender. Add the cabbage and diced tomatoes. Add the cooked beets back to the pot.

While the carrots and potatoes are cooking, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until the tomato paste has browned a bit. Stir about a cup of water into the mixture, then transfer to the pot. Add most of the chopped dill (reserving some for garnish). 

Cover and turn off the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Taste, and season with salt, pepper, sugar and vinegar.

Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with sour cream and more fresh dill.

* I cook the unpeeled beets directly into the broth so all the nutrients go into the soup and in my body! It also makes for a beautifully rich deep red broth.

** I also leave the skins on the carrots and potatoes for extra nutrients. 

Quinoa Croquettes

I made/invented these this evening. They were so yum. We ate them over a simple green salad with oil/vinegar/salt and green beans.

1 c. cooked quinoa
1 c. defrosted hash browns (uncooked, basically shredded potatoes)
1 egg
1/4 c. minced red onion
1/4 c. minced fresh parsley
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. dried oregano
3/4 t. kosher salt

Saute onions for a few minutes in olive oil until soft. Set aside to cool a bit.

Mix all ingredients (including onions).

Heat shallow pan. Add a few glugs of olive oil, heat. Toss 1/4 c. balls/patties into the oil, flatten. Cook until brown. Flip, repeat.

Serve!

juicing fun

yes! you too can juice the rind AND LIKE IT. :)

because Daphne asked, here are a few of my favorite raw juice recipes so far. i'll add to it if i come across a delicious new recipe. i like them best when they're very cold, so i refrigerated it for 30 minutes or put ice in it. hardcore juicers would tell you to drink it asap. you do whatever you like, just make sure to include the stems of your greens.

[PS - yes, you really do need an electric juicer for this. chop very roughly, the pieces only need to be small enough to put into the feed chute. for melons or very juicy fruit and greens, i've found i get more juice if i press the tamper down very slowly. you *could* probably do this in a vitamix and add water and ice to thin it, but i haven't tried that yet so attempt at your own risk.]

some recipes from jointhereboot.com

apple/beet/carrot
2 granny smith apples (unpeeled, cored)
2-4 beets, peeled
3-6 whole carrots, scrubbed but unpeeled (i cut the very top off)
4 c.(or to taste) spinach or kale
1" piece of peeled ginger

mexican jugo (this is not sweet, but is limey/peppery/cilantro-y.)
2 cucumbers, unpeeled
4 c. cilantro
1 lime, halved and unpeeled
1 poblano pepper, seeded and de-veined
1 golden delicious or granny smith apple

watermelon cleanser (best on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning)
1/4 med/large watermelon WITH rind (i cut the fruit away and chop the rind into pieces half as big as the one i'm holding in the picture)
1 lime, halved and unpeeled
thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled
this makes nearly a half gallon. i end up drinking this over a couple of mornings.

kermie
1 granny smith apple, cored but unpeeled
1 cucumber, unpeeled
3 c. spinach or kale or whatever green sounds good
1 lemon, halved and unpeeled
1" piece of peeled ginger

cantaloupe yum-yum
1 cantaloupe, seeded and peeled (that's right, no rind)
2 granny smith or golden delicious apples, unpeeled
6 kale leaves
6 swiss chard leaves (i didn't have these so i just did handfuls of spinach instead)

sunset
1 sweet potato (i'm going to peel mine)
1 carrot with peel
1 red pepper
2 beets, peeled
2 golden delicious apples, unpeeled
1 orange (i peel this unless it's organic. they gas oranges to make them orange. this doesn't happen with lemons and limes. fyi.)

leave a comment and tell us what you think about the recipe(s) you try! to your health, ladies. *clink*

(chili and) cinnamon rolls

i hear the trend nowadays is to serve cinnamon rolls alongside a bowl of chili. true? my mom served this pairing recently - real, warm, spicy comfort food.

cinnamon rolls, to me, aren't supposed to be stiff and dripping with cream-cheese frosting. the cinnamon rolls i had as a kid - at least every christmas morning - were my great-grandma's recipe: light, tender, almost melting in your mouth. (she was also famous for the flakiest pie dough that folks said 'had wings'. her pie crust has ruined me for any other pie...except that sour cherry pie cheryl made last summer. OH! but i digress.)


so if you're going to try your hand at this chili-and-cinnamon-roll trend, may i suggest this recipe? [you'll just have to get over the scant amount of vegetable shortening it calls for. one bite and you won't remember it anyway.]

Hazel's Cinnamon Rolls:

scald 1 c. milk (that's just til bubbles form around the edge of the pan), take off heat.

dissolve 2 pkgs active dry yeast in 1/2 c. warm water. (i add a small pinch of sugar to the bowl, too.)- don’t dissolve until milk is scalded.

to the slightly cooled scalded milk, add:
1/2 c. sugar
2 t. salt
1/4 c. shortening

stir together. add the yeast to the liquid mixture, then mix in:
2 beaten eggs
2 c. flour

mix well.
add 1 cup of flour at a time (up to 2 cups), beating into the dough. it may be wetter than you're used to - don't fret (yet)!
turn out onto well-floured surface & knead, adding flour (up to 1 more cup) as needed just until the dough is elastic (about 5 minutes).

place in greased bowl & cover; let rise til doubled, about 1-1.5 hours. (i set the oven to 170F, then turn it off before placing the dough bowl inside, covered with a barely-damp towel.
punch down dough; let it rest 10 minutes in the bowl.
melt two sticks of unsalted butter - have it on hand along with your cinnamon & sugar.
divide dough in half.
roll each half a 15” x9”ish rectangle.
brush dough somewhat liberally with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar generously, to taste.
roll up dought lengthwise; seal ends.
cut in half, then in half again. (each quarter should yield 3-4 cinnamon rolls.)
grease a 9x13 pan or two cake pans; pour melted butter in, and sprinkle some brown sugar in the bottom of pan.
put rolls in pan, spacing evenly.
cover & let rise til doubled, approximately 1 hour.
while rising on counter, preheat oven to 350F.
bake 12-15 minutes til lightly golden brown.
turn upside down on foil & empty pan immediately.
let cool; then wrap in foil. they also freeze well in the foil & a freezer bag.

Mahi Mahi in Brown Butter

I'm always looking for yum food that I can make in under 30 minutes. Tonight we hit the jackpot. You will not be disappointed.

1. Go to Trader Joes and buy their frozen fillets of Mahi Mahi. Let defrost overnight in fridge.

2. melt 3 T. better in skillet over med. low to med. heat.

3. Pat fillets dry with paper towels and toss them into a plastic zip lock bag. Add 1/2 c. flour, salt and pepper. Seal and shake.

4. Observe butter until it is just turning brown. Add fillets (make sure you shake of excess flour first). Set timer for 3 minutes and don't move them.

5. Flip fillets with spatula, set timer for 3 minutes again and also add 3 T. lemon juice and a bit of zest if you have it. Swirl to incorporate and continue the cooking.

6. Check for doneness by inserting fork in fillet. If it easily separates, remove right away and serve. If not, keep cooking and keep a close eye.

7. Serve!! They should be browned and dripping with lemon butter sauce.

salted caramels

my Christmas gift to you, whocaresians near & far. the *new* and *improved* recipe, with a *bonus* thrown in a the end!

*ready?*

;)

Salted Caramels

1 c. heavy cream
5 T. unsalted butter
1 t. kosher salt*, plus extra for sprinkling (*see note below ingredients)
1/4 c. water
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. molasses or light corn syrup
1/2 t. vanilla extract

*note about salt: there is a difference between morton kosher salt (it's easier to locate) and 'nicer' kosher salt like the diamond crystal brand (can find it at Penzey's Spices)...morton's is crumbly, while diamond crystal's is flakier. i've made it both ways and the flakier kosher salt is what i prefer (it's not much more expensive at all), and looks nicer on top of the caramels. that said, use either.


1. Line an 8" square baking pan with parchment, allowing it to drape over two sides. Grease the paper well. (I've also just used a glass pan and greased it really well.)

2. In a small saucepan, combine the cream, butter and 1 t. of salt to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat and set aside.

3. In a deep saucepan, combine 1/4 c. water, sugar and corn syrup or molasses, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stirring occassionally, boil until the mixture is a warm golden brown, if using corn syrup. If using molasses, boil til a candy thermometer reaches 250 F.

4. When the sugar mixture is complete, stir the cream mixture and slowly add it to sugar mixture. Use care - it will bubble up violently. Stir in the vanilla and cook over medium-low heat until your candy thermometer reaches 248 F. Stir constantly - this will take up to 20 minutes.

5. Very carefully pour the caramels into your prepared pan, sprinkle with salt (I wait til it's cooled for about half an hour in the fridge), refrigerating for a few hours, until firm.

6. When the caramel is cold, pry the sheet from the pan onto a cutting board and cut into long strips. Cut each strip into little squares. (I can usually get 4 dozen out of one pan)

*note - using molasses not only give these caramels more depth of flavor, but makes them a bit softer and much easier to cut.

7. Cut parchment or freezer paper into 4x5 inch pieces and wrap each caramel individually, twisting the ends. Store in the refrigerator.

And now, as promised, here's a quick recipe for homemade corn syrup, if you dare:

Light Corn Syrup

2 c. white sugar
3/4 c. water
1/4 t. cream of tarter
dash salt

Combine all ingredients in large pan. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cover for 3 minutes to get sugar crystals off side of pan. Uncover & cook until reaches soft ball stage on a candy thermometer. Stir often. Cool and store in covered container at room temp. It will keep for up to 2 months and makes almost 2 cups.

New Fall Soup

This really hit the spot last night. It was so easy and so yummy.

Butternut Squash Soup

Saute the following in 1 T. butter for 5 minutes:
1 roughly chopped onion
1 chopped carrot (don't bother peeling)

Add:
3 c. chicken broth (or veggie broth)
1 apple, peel and chunked
1 butternut squash, peeled and chunked.

Simmer/boil for 10-15 minutes with lid on.

Add: 2 heaping t. of Chaat Masala (i bought this at the INdian grocery on our Spice Crawl)

Puree with an immersion blender. Enjoy!!

Peach Skillet Cake

skillet cake, in the skillet

skillet cake, a la mode, with coffee

I made this with fresh peaches from Wenninghoff's.  It just sounded old-timey and good.  And, it was.

Fruit/caramel layer:

• 1 can of peach slices (I used 2 fresh peaches, peeled)
• 1/4 c. butter
• 1 c. brown sugar

Batter:

• 1/3 c. butter
• 2/3 c. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 t. ginger (I used powdered)
• 1 1/2 c. flour
• 3 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. salt
• 2/3 c. milk

Drain peaches (if app.). Melt butter and brown sugar in 10" iron skillet (mine is larger, but i reduced the baking time to 25 min and it worked out just fine).  Heat until sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat.  Place peach slices in sunburst effect.

Make batter: Cream butter and sugar.  Beat in eggs.  Combine ginger, flour, baking powder, and salt.  Stir to mix.  Gently pour into skillet over peach slices.  Bake in preheated 350 oven for 35-40 minutes (adjust according to pan size) or until tests done.

Immediately turn upside down onto large serving plate (or cutting board, in my case, b/c of my pan size.  This is likely to be a two-person job and requires good communication/coordination).

The result is a lovely cake that's not too sweet, topped with a gooey layer of fruit and caramel.  The cake has a cornbread-like texture.  Super yummy.  Would be great for breakfast too! 

Rhubarb Custard Pie Filling

This is from my Mom's good friend Clare Pincock. It makes an amazing filling for those rhubarb purists that don't want strawberries muddling the flavor of their pie.

3 c. rhubarb in 8" pie plate lined with pastry
1 c. sugar
2 T flour
1/8 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten

Mix the last for ingredients well and pour over the rhubarb.
Bake 450 for 10 min, 325 for 30 min.
For a 10" pie, double the recipe and bake for an additional 20 minutes.

Blueberry Scones

2 1/4 c. sifted flour
3 T sugar/honey
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Cut in 6 T butter

1 c. buttermilk OR 3/4 c. milk + 3 T white vinegar OR 3/4 c. milk plus 2 - 3 T of sour cream

Combine dry ingredients. Add buttermilk and honey. Mix loosely.
Add two handfuls (2 c.) of blueberries (frozen work best).
Fold in berries. Press dough or gently roll into a small oval.
Cut into pie wedges. Place in a greased cookie sheet.
Cook 12 - 15 min in preheated oven at 400 degrees

If you wish, you may add a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar to the tops of the scones before baking.

European Peasant Bread

From _Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day_.  My friend Xandy introduced me to this bread when I was visiting her in Seattle and I instantly knew I had to make it.

I like this bread a lot.  I've been halving the recipe, so I can actually eat it all before the 14 days are up.  I like that it makes 1 pound loaves, which seem really manageable.  I like making them in round boule shapes, but you can make them oblong or whatever you like.  The BEST part of this recipe is that you can store the dough in the fridge for 14 days (I keep it in a disposable ziploc container and write the date I made it on the lid in permanent marker) and make it when you want it.  It's good and crusty and the flavor gets better the longer the dough is in the fridge, I think.

Okay.  Here goes.

Ingredients (makes 4 1-pound loaves):

3c. lukewarm water
1 1/2 T. instant yeast
1 1/2 T. salt
1/2 c. rye flour (I just use whole wheat, but rye makes it more peasant-y I think)
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
5 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
cornmeal

1.  Mixing and storing the dough: Mix the yeast and salt with the water in a 5 qt. bowl or lidded (not air-tight) container. (I do it in the bowl of my kitchenaid, using the dough hook).

2.  Mix in the remaining dry ingredients without kneading, using a spoon or stand mixer with a dough hook.

3.  Cover (not airtight--I used a kitchen towel), and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and flattens on top (approx. 2 hours).

4.  The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold.  Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight--following Xandy's lead, I use a disposable ziploc container) container and use over the next 14 days.

5.  On baking day, dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1 pound (grapefruit size) piece.  Dust with some flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.  Allow to rest on a cornmeal-covered pizza peel (available at Target for $10) for 40 minutes.

6.  20 minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450 F, with a baking stone placed on the middle rack.  Place an empty broiler tray (or cookie sheet with sides) on lower shelf.

7.  Sprinkle the loaf liberally with flour and slash a cross, scallop, or tic-tac-toe pattern into the top, using a serrated bread knife (don't forget to do this--I did and the loaf was crazy tall and skinny.  Weird.)  Leave the flour in place for baking; tap some off before slicing.

8.  Slide the loaf directly onto the hot stone.  Pour 1 c. of hot tap water into the broiler tray, and quickly close the oven door (I think this makes the crust crusty).  Bake for about 35 min., or until the top crust is deeply browned and very firm.  Adjust baking times according to size of loaf.

9.  Allow to cool before slicing.  Eat and enjoy!

Food Blogs

Brooke, you're inspired a resurgence of Who Cares Cooks! At least for me. Thanks.

So, food blogs. I get the impression lots of us look at 101 cookbooks, simply recipes, smitten kitchen, orangette, the kitchn, pioneer woman and of course chocolate&zucchini...those are some of my faves that I cook from often. Here are a few others I have been enjoying lately, too.

Sprouted Kitchen

Homesick Texan (Tex Mex/Mexican)

Saliu's Kitchen (Indian)

Shutterbean

Food Eaten (a shout out to a great Omaha food blogger)

Del Marie Creamery (ha! but seriously I use the recipe section a lot!)


What are some of your favorite food blogs or websites?

Jam Bars

My mom used to make these all the time when I was a kid.  I made them this week, using homemade plum jam from last summer, and they brought a preview of summer as well as a (tasty!) flashback to childhood.  Super simple.  Super yummy.  Sweet with a hint of salty. 

Mmmm.



Cream together:

• 1c. butter or margarine
• 1 1/3 c. brown sugar, packed
• 2 1/4 c. flour
• 1 1/3 t. salt
• 3/4 t. baking soda
• 2 c. oats (quick cooking or regular)

Press half the mixture into a 9x13 pan.  Spread with 12 oz. of jam or preserves and pat remaining crumb mixture on top.

Bake at 400F for 25 minutes.  Cool and cut into squares.

Asparagus Risotto

I made this tonight and it was GOOD.  I halved the recipe and I used onions instead of shallots, because that's what I had on hand.  Preparing all of the pieces before getting started on the risotto itself made the whole thing quite a bit easier. I think I could eat this every night.  When my sugar snap peas grow, well, I'm gonna make some sugar snap pea risotto.  Yum.

From: http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/asparagus_risotto/

Ingredients

• 1 pound asparagus
• 3 Tbsp plus 1 teaspoon butter
• 1/2 cup chopped shallots
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (or 1 Tbsp lemon juice and 1/4 cup water)
• About 3 1/2 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock for vegetarian option), can substitute some of the asparagus cooking water for stock*
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper

If cooking gluten-free, use gluten-free stock.

Method

1 Prepare the asparagus by breaking off discarding the tough ends (about the last inch of the spear). Cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch pieces (tips longer, base shorter). If your asparagus are especially large, cut into even smaller (bite-size) pieces. Bring a saucepan with a quart of water to a boil. Blanch the asparagus pieces for 2 minutes. At the end of two minutes, use a slotted spoon to remove the asparagus pieces to an ice water bath to shock the asparagus into a vibrant green color and to stop the cooking. Drain from the ice water bath and set aside.

2 In a 3 or 4 quart saucepan, heat 3 Tbsp butter on medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for a few minutes until translucent. Add the rice and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring until nicely coated.
3 While the shallots are cooking, bring the stock to a simmer in a saucepan.

4 Add the wine. Slowly stir, allowing the rice to absorb the wine. Once the wine is almost completely absorbed, add 1/2 cup of stock to the rice. Continue to stir until the liquid is almost completely absorbed, adding more stock in 1/2 cup increments. Stir often to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking and stirring rice, adding a little bit of broth at a time, cooking and stirring until it is absorbed, until the rice is tender, but still firm to the bite, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
Note the stock amount given is approximate. You may need a little more or less. If you end up needing more stock and you find yourself without, just use water or the cooking water from the asparagus.

5 Gently stir in the Parmesan cheese, the remaining 1 teaspoon butter, and the asparagus. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Serves 4.

Beet Hummus

I picked up some amazing beet hummus at a natural food store in Ames, Iowa a few months ago. I tried my best to recreate it from the ingredient label. Here's my best try. I think it is pretty good: (Darby, I adjusted it a bit since you had it)

Beet Hummus

1 can whole beets, drained (would taste better with fresh, I'm sure!)
1 can drained garbanzo beans
2-3 T canola oil
1 1/2 T. red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic
3/4 t. kosher salt
1/4 t. pepper

Blend up in a food processor until smooth.

old fashioned molasses cookies

try these, my friends. you'll be glad you did. we dip one side of doughball in turbinado sugar before placing on parchment paper.