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Posts Tagged ‘Recipes’

Winter Squash and Apple Bisque

Posted in About me, In The Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , on January 10, 2012| 2 Comments »

I never knew what the big deal was about butternut squash soup until I tasted some at a Zagat-rated restaurant. It was thick and creamy like most squash soups are, but what made this one stand out was the surprising taste of apple in it. As soon as I got home from dinner that night, I searched the Internet for a similar soup recipe. None of the recipes I found was exactly what I was looking for and I was disappointed. Then at the end of a long day of Christmas shopping, I came across a cookbook for soups and stews that contained a recipe for a butternut and apple soup. Although, I was supposed to be buying gifts for others, I quickly snatched up the cookbook and bought a gift for myself!

Winter Squash and Apple Bisque
Recipe from the Williams-Sonoma cookbook Soup & Stew

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 Pippin, Granny Smith, or other tart apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 2-inch chunks
1 butternut squash, about 2 lb, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2-inch chunks
6 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary, plus whole leaves for garnish
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme, plus whole leaves for garnish
1/2 cup half-and-half
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions:
1. In a soup pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Sauté the onion and shallots until softened, about five minutes.

2. Add the apples and squash and cook until nicely coated, about 3 minutes longer.

3. Add the stock and rosemary and bring to a simmer. Add the thyme.

4. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are very tender, about 25 minutes.

5. Remove from the heat. Using a handheld or standing blender, purée the soup until smooth.

6. Stir in the half-and-half and season with salt and pepper.

7. Reheat gently over medium-low heat.

8. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and garnish with the sour cream and rosemary and thyme leaves.

Makes 6-8 servings

Linnell’ Notes:
1. Just a reminder, butternut squash are easier to peel if you microwave them on high for two minutes first.

2. I would have liked this soup even more if it had a more pronounced apple flavor. The next time I make this soup, I will add one more apple. Also, I think I will experiment with different varieties of apples to see which one gives the soup the best flavor.

3. Other dense, orange-fleshed winter squash could be substituted for the butternut squash.

Enjoy!

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Yugoslavian Christmas Cookies

Posted in About me, Holidays, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on December 20, 2011| 4 Comments »

Christmas just wouldn’t be the same without Christmas cookies. After all, how would Santa maintain his energy during his night-long trip, if no one left out a plate of cookies for him? When my daughter and her friends were looking for something to do the other day, I suggested they bake Christmas cookies. Narrowing down which Christmas cookie to bake was easy for my daughter. The recipe for Yugoslavian Christmas Cookies, a holiday family favorite of ours, is one of the first recipes I received from my mother-in-law after I first got married. No, her family did not originate from Yugoslavia and no, I don’t know the history behind this beloved recipe. I do know, however, that the combination of the buttery cake/cookie crust, slathered with red currant jelly, and topped with a delicate lemony-nutty-meringue is worth savoring. Some recipes were meant to be kept in the family, but others, like this one, beg to be shared! Happy Holidays!

Yugoslavian Christmas Cookies
Adapted from a family recipe

Bottom Layer Ingredients:
1/2 pound butter (2 sticks), room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon salt
2½ cup flour, sifted

Middle Layer Ingredient:
1 cup blackberry or currant jelly, stirred

Top layer Ingredients:
4 egg whites
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup ground walnuts
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cream butter and 1/2 cup sugar thoroughly. Add egg yolk and salt.
3. Sift flour and stir into butter mixture. Pat dough into a 9-inch by 13-inch pan.
4. Beat egg whites until stiff. Gradually add 1 cup sugar. Continue beating until egg whites are a meringue consistency.
5. Fold in ground walnuts and lemon extract. Set aside.
6. Spread slightly whipped jelly on dough crust and swirl meringue over the jelly layer.
7. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts.
8. Bake for 40 minutes.

Makes 3 dozen squares.

Linnell’s Notes:
1. Please note there are two ingredient entries each for sugar and for nuts. I have italicized the measurements in the recipe text to avoid any confusion.

2. After baking, these cookies must be allowed to completely cool in the pan. They are much easier to cut once cooled, since the jelly will not be as “oozy.”

3. When cutting these cookies, remember that the meringue layer is fragile. The meringue will crack, but that’s okay. It’s part of the charm of these cookies!

4. Since they are a little messy to serve and eat, I always serve these cookies in muffin/cupcake papers. See photo.

Enjoy!

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Pepperoni Pizza Puffs With Homemade Pizza Sauce

Posted in Holidays, Kids, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , on December 6, 2011| 1 Comment »

Got kids? Need appetizers? Want football munchies other than Doritos? Whether you need to bring an appetizer to a holiday affair or you’re having a crowd over for football bowl games or you’ve just got lots of kids hanging around the house, you’ll want to whip up batches of these popular, bite-sized, Pepperoni Pizza Puffs and serve them with a flavorful, homemade, pizza sauce. Stir, bake, dip and eat – this make-ahead dish makes entertaining so deliciously easy!

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs
Adapted from a recipe by Rachael Ray

Ingredients:
3/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup whole milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 ounces (about 1 cup) mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 ounces pepperoni (about 1 cup), cut into small cubes
2 tablespoons finely slivered fresh basil
1/2 cup store-bought or homemade pizza sauce (recipe below)

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 24-cup mini-muffin pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder; whisk in the milk and egg. Stir in the mozzarella and pepperoni; let stand for 10 minutes.

2. Stir the batter and divide among the mini-muffin cups. Bake until puffed and golden, 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven.

3. Sprinkle the puffs with 1 tablespoon of basil.

4. Microwave the pizza sauce (recipe below) until warmed through, pour into a serving bowl, sprinkle remaining basil on top for garnish, and serve with the puffs.

5. Do ahead note: Freeze the baked puffs in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag. To reheat, bake the frozen puffs on a baking sheet in a 350-degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes.

Serves 4.

Exquisite Pizza Sauce
Adapted from a recipe by Angie Gorkoff

Ingredients:
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
6 fluid ounces of warm water
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
Salt to taste

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, combine the tomato paste, water, Parmesan cheese, garlic, honey, anchovy paste, onion powder, oregano, marjoram, basil, ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes and mix together, breaking up any clumps of Parmesan cheese. Add salt as needed.*

2. Sauce should sit for 30 minutes to blend flavors. At this point you would normally spread the sauce on pizza dough, but to use it as a dip for the Pepperoni Pizza Puffs, just pour some of the sauce in a serving bowl.

Serves 4 (pizzas), but serves more when used as a dip.

Linnell’s Notes:
1. I purchased sliced pepperoni and stacked them into short stacks. I sliced each stack into strips and then turned the stacks around to slice the strips into 1/4- to 1/2-inch squares.

2. A word about the anchovy paste: I didn’t have anchovy paste, but I did have a can of anchovies. I threw four to five fillets into my mini-food processor and gave them a whirl until a paste formed. Even if you don’t care for anchovies, don’t leave them out of this recipe! You don’t taste them in the sauce, but they do lend some depth to the flavor.

3. *The sauce should sit for a while to allow the flavors to meld before you decide to add additional salt. Not much salt needs to be added because of the saltiness of the anchovies.

4. The pizza puff recipe can easily be adapted. If you would like to substitute your favorite pizza ingredients for the pepperoni, try to keep the total quantity of add-ins to 3/4 cup, so that the batter-to-ingredient-ratio stays the same as in the original recipe. Next time I make pizza puffs, I’m going to add cooked Italian turkey sausage and some sliced olives.

5. Tastes much better hot, but that’s probably not an issue since they disappear so quickly!

Enjoy!

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California Corn Bread Mix

Posted in Gift Ideas, Holidays, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on November 29, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Tucked away in a cabinet are holiday beverage napkins that read, “We Like To Give Homemade Gifts For Christmas. Would You Like One Of Our Kids?”  Whatever prompted me to purchase those particular napkins is a mystery to me. It’s true, I like to give homemade gifts. But even on my worst parenting days, I’ve never considered giving away any of my kids! I can only guess that a combination of the “HOLIDAZE” that normally takes over me at this time of year and too many “Calgon-take-me-away” moments of motherhood had something to do with it! This upcoming holiday season, my kids can rest assured that my homemade gifts will be in the forms of food mixes and baked goods. Food mixes, such as this one for corn bread, are gifts of time-saving convenience and are much appreciated by busy hostesses. Make this corn bread mix, put it in a cute airtight container, type and print up the instructions, and tie them on with a festive holiday ribbon. A voucher for some of your favorite homemade chili would make a great accompanying gift!

California Corn Bread Mix
Adapted from a recipe by Diane Phillips

Ingredients:
2 cups Bisquick baking mix
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder

Directions:
In a large bowl, stir all the ingredients together. Store the mix in an airtight container.

Instructions to be included with the mix:

California Corn Bread
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the corn bread mix in a large mixing bowl, and add the eggs, milk, and butter. Blend until the mixture is smooth. Pour into a well-greased 8-inch baking pan and bake for 30 minutes. Serves 4 to 6.

Enjoy!

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Roasted Butternut Squash with Lime Juice

Posted in About me, Holidays, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 21, 2011| 2 Comments »

Fists would bang on the table! Endless whining would begin! And a cacophony of complaints would strike my ears! All those reactions would occur, well maybe not the fist banging, if I deviated too much from my family’s traditional Thanksgiving menu. Whining would definitely begin if I were to roast a turkey any way other than my dad’s way and complaints would be nonstop if I did not make my family’s ultimate favorite side dish – a Chinese form of “stuffing” made with rice, Chinese sausage, mushrooms and dried shrimp. I am granted a little bit more leeway, though, with the rest of the Thanksgiving menu. Because I like to try out new recipes, our Turkey Day menu varies a little bit from year to year. Being more health conscious now, I have replaced recipes that are loaded with fat and sugar and opted to prepare more healthy ones. Gone is the sweet potato casserole with its butter, eggs and brown sugar. This year’s replacement for that is Roasted Butternut Squash With Lime Juice and I think my family will enjoy this dish with its combination of sweet, savory and tangy flavors. No additional sugar is necessary in this recipe, because the natural sugar in the squash is brought out when it is roasted. Fresh chopped rosemary lends the dish a certain earthiness and the little bit of lime juice adds an interesting layer of depth. Top all of that with the fact that this dish can be made ahead earlier in the day and reheated just before serving!

Roasted Butternut Squash With Lime Juice
Adapted from a Epicurious recipe by Sara Foster

Ingredients:
3½-pound butternut squash
3 tablesppons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 teaspoons fresh lime juice, plus 1 lime cut into wedges for garnish
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cover two rimmed baking sheets with foil.
3. Peel butternut squash and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices and then cut the large rounds into quarters. Set aside.
4. Mix together in a large bowl the olive oil, butter, and the lime juice. Place squash into this mixture and toss thoroughly to coat all sides. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss again.
5. Divide squash evenly between the baking sheets, arranging them in a single layer.
6. Roast for 20 minutes. Turn squash pieces over and roast until soft and golden brown, about 20 minutes longer.
7. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with chopped fresh rosemary. Serve warm with lime wedges.
8. Do Ahead: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let it stand at room temperature. Rewarm in 400 degree oven until hot, about 10 minutes.

Serves 6.

Linnell’s Notes:
1. For easier peeling, stick the whole butternut squash in the microwave oven on high for about two minutes, then proceed with peeling.
2. When cutting the squash try to cut the pieces the same width and approximate size. This will promote even baking and enhance overall appearance.
3. I like to chop the rosemary just before serving, so that it keeps its fresh color.

Enjoy!

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Southwestern Chopped Salad

Posted in About me, Holidays, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 15, 2011| 2 Comments »

Throwing a football party at your house? Got kids coming home for the holidays? Going to a potluck dinner soon? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you will want to make this colorful, flavorful, and healthy salad. It’s the type of salad you can make for two and have leftovers, but it more easily feeds a crowd! There are few hard and fast rules in this great recipe; it is a salad after all! Like avocados? Put them in! Don’t like jicama? Leave it out! Want to serve it as a main dish? No problem, just add some protein in the form of diced chicken breast, bacon, shrimp, taco meat or hard-boiled eggs. Want to make it ahead of time? Prepare the ingredients the night before and store them in airtight containers. Assemble it right before serving. This salad travels well, too. Put the prepared ingredients in separate zip-type plastic bags or small plastic containers and then arrange them over the bed of greens when you arrive at your destination. Other than for the spicy southwestern-inspired salad dressing, there are no specific measurements for this salad. Adjust the amounts of the salad add-ins proportionally to the amount of greens you use. For the sake of giving you some parameters, I am giving you rough estimates of what I would serve as a side salad for six to eight people.

Southwestern Chopped Salad

Southwestern Ranch Salad Dressing (Adapted from a recipe found on Food.com):
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1-2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons minced tomatoes
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons canned diced jalapeno peppers
1 tablespoon finely minced onion
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon honey or real maple syrup

Directions to Make Salad Dressing:
1. Note: The flavors in this salad dressing need time to meld, so it should be made three to four hours ahead of serving time.
2. Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl, except for the milk.
3. Add milk to thin, as needed.
4. Cover and chill.

Salad Ingredients:
3 heads of romaine hearts or 1 head of iceberg lettuce
1/2 red onion, diced
2 cups frozen corn
1 (15 ounce) can of black beans
1 medium can sliced black olives
1 red or orange bell pepper, diced
1/2 medium-sized jicama, diced
1 bunch cilantro
1-2 cucumbers, diced
Shredded cheddar cheese
Corn chips or toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
2 avocados, peeled and cubed (optional)
1-2 fresh tomatoes, diced (optional)

Directions to Make the Salad:
1. Wash lettuce leaves and spin or blot dry. Stack three or four leaves at a time and cut into 3/4-inch-wide ribbons. The large leaves should be stacked and cut in half down the spine before slicing into ribbons.
2. Finely dice half of the red onion.
3. Place frozen corn in a strainer and run cool water over it until the kernels are thawed. Drain thoroughly.
4. Pour the can of beans into a sieve and rinse with cold water. Let drain.
5. Drain olives.
6. Dice the red pepper.
7. Peel and dice the jicama.
8. Wash and spin or blot dry the cilantro, pick leaves off and put into a small bowl.
9. Dice the cucumbers.
10. Break corn chips into coin-sized pieces, reserving whole pieces for garnish along the edge of your bowl.
11. When ready to assemble, place lettuce ribbons into a large, shallow bowl.
12. Except for the red onion, cilantro leaves, cheese, and corn chips, arrange each ingredient in concentric rings on top of the greens, beginning with the ingredient you have the least of and ending with the ingredient you have the most of. Try to balance the colors.
13. Sprinkle the onions, cilantro leaves, cheese, and corn chips decoratively on top of the salad.
14. Place whole corn chips on edge of salad bowl.
15. Serve with dressing on the side.

Linnell’s Notes:
1. Romaine lettuce is more nutritious than iceberg, so it is always my fist choice.
2. All diced items should be diced approximately the same size for a uniform appearance.
3. Taco-flavored Doritos are really good in this salad!
4. Diced fresh tomatoes can be added or substituted for the red bell pepper. I leave out the tomatoes if the salad is to be made in advance or if I’m traveling with it. The red bell peppers provide enough color with out getting juicy like the tomatoes.
5. The salad dressing recipe only makes one cup, so if you’re serving a crowd, multiply the salad dressing recipe as needed.
6. The spicy-heat of the salad dressing can be adjusted by adding fewer jalapenos and less cayenne pepper. Remember to let the dressing sit for a couple of hours before you decide to adjust any of the flavors!
7. The salad dressing makes a great dip for vegetables, too – just don’t thin it out with the milk.

Enjoy!

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Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

Posted in Holidays, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , on November 8, 2011| 1 Comment »

It’s not too early to plan your menu for the Thanksgiving holidays, especially if you are having overnight guests. These pumpkin muffins have a lot going for them: a moist, subtle-pumpkin-flavored cake with a little cream cheese surprise tucked in the center and topped with a nutty, crunchy streusel. All that deliciousness, plus you can do the preparations the night before and quickly throw them together the next morning. Your guests will wake up to the smell of freshly-baked muffins! A word of caution, though, with food coming out of the kitchen like this, your guests may never want to go home!

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins
Adapted from a recipe found on Pumpkin Nook

Ingredients:
1/2 cup pumpkin purée
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg, beaten
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 ounces cream cheese, cut into 12 cubes

Streusel Topping Ingredients:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1-2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and put paper liners into a 12-cup muffin pan.
2. In a bowl, combine egg, milk, pumpkin, oil and mix well.
3. In a another bowl mix together flour, baking powder, sugar, and spices.
4. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients just enough to moisten the dry ingredients. The batter will be lumpy.
5. Fill each muffin cup about 1/2 full of batter.
6. Place one cube of cream cheese on top of each muffin cup of batter.
7. Add remaining batter on top of the cream cheese, distributing the batter evenly.
8. Combine streusel topping ingredients, mixing well. Sprinkle over the muffins.
9. Bake for 18-22 minutes until golden brown.
10. Serve warm.

Makes 12 muffins.

Linnell’s Notes:
1. Do not over mix the batter when incorporating dry into wet ingredients. Too much stirring overdevelops the gluten in the flour, resulting in rubbery and dense muffins.

2. If you like nice, crusty muffins (tops and sides), forgo the paper liners and grease the muffin tins thoroughly, even the top surface.

3. For the best flavor, use butter instead of margarine when making the streusel topping and use freshly ground nutmeg if you can!

4. To do ahead for Thanksgiving morning: prepare the wet, dry, and streusel ingredients in separate bowls. Cover and refrigerate. Cut the cream cheese into cubes and place in airtight container and refrigerate. As soon as you get up the next morning, heat the oven and then proceed with the recipe directions.

5. Watch the muffins towards the end of the baking time. Muffins are baked in a hot oven to get “crunchy” tops, but muffins topped with streusel can also burn easily.

Enjoy!

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Wild Mushroom and Prosciutto Lasagne

Posted in In The Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , on November 1, 2011| 1 Comment »

Tempting layers of sautéed wild mushrooms, thin slices of Italian prosciutto, and wide ribbons of pasta smothered with a béchamel sauce beckon you. Can you resist? From the cookbook Good Friends, Great Dinners by Susan Costner comes this flavor-packed lasagne recipe. Although it does contain Italian tomatoes, prosciutto, and grated Parmesan cheese, it’s a refreshing change from the run-of-the-mill tomato sauce, beef, and ricotta cheese lasagne we so often have. Invite some friends over and pair this lasagne with a fresh autumn salad and a good bottle of wine – enjoy a great dinner with great friends!

Wild Mushroom and Prosciutto Lasagne
Adapted from a recipe by Susan Costner

Basic Ingredients:
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
2 pounds fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided use
1 medium-size onion, finely chopped
14.5 ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound box lasagne noodles
6 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
1/4 pound Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Béchamel Sauce Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups milk
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Bring 4 quarts of water to a rapid boil with 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the pasta strips one at a time, until all are in the pot. Bring to a boil again and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and immediately rinse each pasta strip under cold running water to prevent sticking. Lay them out on paper towels to drain.

3. Soak the dried porcini mushrooms for at least 30 minutes in 2 cups of warm water. With a slotted spoon, carefully remove the reconstituted mushrooms from the water. Reserve the water. Rinse the mushrooms thoroughly and chop them coarsely. Set aside. Pour the mushroom-soaking liquid through a small sieve lined with paper towels into a bowl and set aside.

4. Coarsely chop the fresh mushrooms by hand (the food processor extracts too much liquid).

5. In a large skillet, heat the oil and 1/4 cup butter; then add the fresh mushrooms and cook over medium-high heat until all the liquid has been released and has evaporated.

6. Add the porcini, onion, tomatoes, and parsley to the skillet. Pour in the mushroom-soaking liquid. Partially cover the pan and cook until the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

7. To make the béchamel sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the flour gradually and stir for 3 to 5 minutes over low heat. Slowly stir in the milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and smooth, about 8 to 10 minutes. Season with nutmeg and salt.

8. Liberally butter an 8½ X 10½-inch lasagne pan. Line the bottom of the pan with a slightly overlapping layer of pasta strips. Spread a third of the mushroom mixture over the pasta, top with one quarter of the béchamel sauce and a sprinkling of the Parmesan cheese. Cover with slices of the proscuitto and repeat the sequence two more times. Cover with one last layer of pasta, top with the remaining béchamel sauce and Parmesan, and dot with the 2 tablespoons of butter, cut into small pieces.

9. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden brown on top. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 6*

Linnell’s Notes:
1. I purchase thinly sliced prosciutto at Costco. Each piece is separated by a piece of paper so that the thin slices of meat do not stick together. This is a time-saver when you are assembling the lasagne!

2. When I’m feeling lazy, I purchase bags of prewashed and presliced baby bella mushrooms and coarse chop them.

3. I lay out the cooked and rinsed noodles on a paper towel-lined baking pan. Each layer of noodles is separated by paper towels. To keep the top layer from drying out, it is covered with a damp towel.

4. *I use a 9-inch by 13-inch Pyrex pan every time I make this and it is always filled to the brim. It makes a lot more than the 6 servings stated in the recipe!

Enjoy!

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Caramel Corn

Posted in About me, Gift Ideas, Holidays, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on October 25, 2011| 5 Comments »

The sweet scent of caramel corn permeates my kitchen and transports me back in time. As a young child I remember shopping with my mom at Valley Fair Mall. Back in those days it was an outdoor mall anchored by big stores called the Emporium and Joseph Magnin. While walking from store to store, we would always pass a little caramel corn shop and be seduced by the smell wafting out of the door. My sister and I would beg our mom to stop and buy us some. Having a sweet tooth of her own, my mom usually consented. Carrying a cardboard carton bearing a capital “K”  filled to the brim with the most delicately-coated, buttery- sweet, caramel popcorn imaginable, my sister and I would lag behind mom while grabbing handfuls of the treat and stuffing our faces. Valley Fair is now an enclosed mall and the Emporium and Joseph Magnin stores are long gone, as is the little caramel corn shop whose name I can no longer remember. I make my own caramel corn now and it seems fitting that this great recipe came from my sister. With butter, brown sugar, and its secret ingredient – Mrs. Butterworth’s Original Syrup – it’s almost as good as the caramel corn of my youth!

Caramel Corn
Adapted from a recipe from my sister Nancy

Ingredients:
12 cups popped popcorn
1 cube butter
1/4 cup Mrs. Butterworth’s Original Syrup
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups Wheat Chex
1 cup cocktail peanuts

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

3. Put popped popcorn, Wheat Chex, and peanuts in a large bowl and toss to mix. Set aside.

4. Using a medium-large saucepan with high sides, melt the butter, syrup, and sugar on medium heat until bubbles form on the side of the pot. Heat for 5 minutes longer. DO NOT OVERCOOK!

5. Remove pot from heat and stir in salt and baking soda. The mixture will get foamy.

6. Pour caramel foam over popcorn mixture and quickly stir to coat evenly.

7. Spread mixture onto the two baking sheets.

8. Bake for one hour, stirring the caramel corn every 15 minutes.

9. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

10. Store in an airtight container.

Linnell’s Notes:

1. Be very careful with the hot caramel. Being hot and sticky, it can cause a bad burn! One time I accidentally got some on my knuckle and ended up with a pretty significant burn blister.

2. If you do not want to add the cereal or the nuts, use 15 cups of popped popcorn instead. Also, any type of Chex-type cereal can be substituted for the Wheat Chex.

3. Containers of this caramel corn make great gifts. When my husband and I were poor college students we often made several big batches of this caramel corn, packaged it in cute containers and gave them away as Christmas gifts.

ENJOY!!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (10/14/11)

Posted in About me, Health, Helping Others, inspiration, Photography, Recipes, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 14, 2011| 1 Comment »

Going to scenic Monterey, California, was no longer an option. Undeniably, I was coming down with some poorly-timed illness and my hopes of tagging along on one of my husband’s business trips were swallowed along with an Advil. Allowing myself only a half-hour-long pity-party, I decided to spin the situation into a positive one. I could prevent a few pesky pounds of weight gain by not dining out at all those wonderful seafood restaurants, right? And I considered the perk of being housebound as a gift of much desired reading time. Plus, I rationalized that nobody could oversee the recovery from Xylitol poisoning of Romeo, my neurotic dog, better than his mommy. Disappointment evaporated into gratitude.

#1 – Are You Rich?
Having a bad day? From Marc and Angel Hack Life comes another great list. This list is a reminder of how the ups and downs in life are a matter of perspective.

10 Reasons You Are Rich
1. You didn’t go to sleep hungry last night.
2. You didn’t go to sleep outside.
3. You had a choice of what clothes to wear this morning.
4. You hardly broke a sweat today.
5. You didn’t spend a minute in fear.
6. You have access to clean drinking water.
7. You have access to medical care.
8. You have access to the Internet.
9. You can read.
10. You have the right to vote.

#2 – Glowing, Night Show
A collection of photos titled Red Tide, Blue Surf depict an example of a natural phenomenon called bioluminescence. In these photos tiny red plankton “emit a light blue glow that can be seen in the dark” as a result of chemical reactions taking place in their bodies. Although, this phenomenon occurs in oceans around the world, the beaches of Southern California have been attracting a lot attention of late. In addition to the photos, check out the incredible blue surf in this video:

#3 – Autumn Is Here, Chili Is In The Air
As the weather changes, so do our menus. With football games and crisp autumn air come bowls of piping hot chili! If you are making a big pot of chili and run out of chili powder, mix up a batch of this quick substitute:

1 teaspoon cayenne or red pepper
3 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoon oregano

#4 – Muscle Myths
From the Huffington Post slideshow on 7 Myths About Your Muscles comes this tidbit of information that may change your workout:

While cardio burns more calories than resistance training during your workout, lifting weights torches more fat overall. In a study published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, women who completed an hour-long strength-training workout burned an average of 100 more calories in the 24 hours afterward than those who skipped the weights. The more muscle owned, the more fat burned.

#5 – What Are You Waiting For?
“The greatest weakness of most humans is their hesitancy to tell others how much they love them while they’re alive.” Orlando A. Battista

Tell someone you love them this weekend!

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