Super-Light Pumpkin Pancakes

Can you tell I'm obsessed with breakfast? This, my favorite meal of the day, can be packed with useless calories if I'm not careful. This morning, I whipped up a batch of these fantastically light, full-flavored pumpkin pancakes as a sign that Fall is around the corner. I hope you'll give them a try and that you'll enjoy them as much as we do.

Pumpkin Pancakes
Makes 14

1 1/4 C buttermilk
3/4 C pumpkin puree (canned pumpkin will do - NOT pumpkin pie filling)
4 large eggs, separated
2 T granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 T canola oil
1 1/3 C cake flour
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C chopped walnuts (optional)

Whisk buttermilk, pumpkin, egg yolks, sugar, oil, and vanilla in medium bowl to blend. Whisk flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in large bowl to blend. Add dry ingredients to buttermilk mixture and whisk to combine.

Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites in glass bowl until soft peaks form. Fold whites into batter.

Lightly oil or butter heavy large skillet set over medium heat. Working in batches, pour batter by 1/3 cupfuls onto skillet; cook until bubbles form on top, about 1 1/2 minutes. Turn pancakes over and cook until second sides brown, about 1 minute. Transfer pancakes to plates. Sprinkle with nuts and serve with syrup.

Nutritional Info (per pancake)

Calories: 100
Fat: 3.73 grams
Cholesterol: 61.2 mgs
Sodium: 43.5 mgs
Potassium: 92 mgs
Carbohydrates: 13 grams
fiber: .7 grams
Protein: 3.8 grams


Copyright What's Cooking Sunday, 2010

Oatmeal Buttermilk Muffins

One of my favorite ingredients is buttermilk. Whatever I make with it has a tender texture and tangy taste. These wonderful muffins are no exception.

Oatmeal Buttermilk Muffins
Makes 16 muffins
Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1.5 C buttermilk
1.5 C rolled oats
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 C brown sugar, packed
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 C canola oil
1/4 C unsweetened applesauce
1.5 C all purpose flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 C raisins

Spray muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray or line with muffin liners.

In large bowl, soak oats and raisins in the buttermilk for 15 minutes. Stir in eggs, sugar, oil, applesauce, and vanilla.

In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add to oats mixture and stir just until moistened.

Fill prepared muffin tins until cups are three-fourths full. Bake 18-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Nutritional info per muffin:

Calories: 164
Fat: 4 grams
Cholesterol: 1.5 mgs
Sodium: 43 mgs
Potassium: 101 mgs
Carbs: 3.5 grams
Fiber: 1.3 grams
Protein: 4 grams

I just love when pastries are good for you, don't you?

Copyright What's Cooking Sunday, 2010

Chocolate Black Bean Cake

The other night my husband and I were wishing for dessert but, as grocery shopping was a long-overdue chore, the larder was missing the Usual Suspects. What we did have were eggs, cocoa powder and a lonely can of black beans. I dug out this forgotten flourless cake recipe and what came out of the oven was light, moist and loaded with flavor. It was so low in calories that I treated myself to a second piece, completely guilt-free!

Chocolate Black Bean Cake
Serves 8
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 15oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 C splenda
2 T strong brewed coffee OR 1 T instant espresso powder dissolved in 1 T hot water
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
4 large eggs, separated
3 T unsweetened cocoa powder
2 T canola oil
2 T chopped walnuts (optional)

Spray an 8" x 8" baking pan with cooking spray. To make the cake easier to remove, you can line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and spray that.

Blend the egg yolks, splenda, baking powder, oil, vanilla, coffee and salt in a blender. Add the black beans and puree until smooth. Transfer the bean mixture to a mixing bowl.

With a hand mixer, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until still peaks form. fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the bean mixture with a spatula to lighten the batter. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites in two portions with the spatula. It's OK if there are some white streaks left in the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the top with the chopped nuts. Tap the pan on the counter a couple of times to release any air pockets. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

Note: If you don't like the taste of the splenda (it CAN have a bit of an aftertaste), you can substitute granulated sugar. Just add 45 calories per serving to the nutritional info below.

Nutritional Info Per Serving:
Calories: 148
Fat: 6 grams
Sodium: 320 mgs
Carbohydrate: 19 grams
Fiber: 5 grams
Protein: 5.7 grams

If you want a variation for a Vanilla Bean Cake, substitute a 15 oz can of canellini beans and leave out the cocoa and coffee flavorings. If you come up with other variations, please let me know - I'm always looking for low calorie snacks.

Enjoy!



Copyright What's Cooking Sunday, 2010

Wheat Berry-Chick Pea Stew

Here I am, several weeks into my newly discovered resolve to shed (NOT lose) these pesky pounds. They've caused my immeasurable discomfort of the physical variety, not to mention the mental anguish of losing, then finding, them time after time.

My method this time is similar to the last: I'm combining principles from the 1980's Weight Watchers exchange plan with The South Beach Diet, as well as tracking every calorie that wanders into my mouth. So far so good; I'm down nearly 5 pounds in 5 weeks. AND that includes a week of vacation! Whoot!

This week, I made a wonderful vegetarian stew which proved to be nutritious as well as delicious. I hope you'll try it and that you enjoy it as much as we did:

Wheat Berry - Chick Pea Stew
Serves 4

6 oz wheat berries
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 C finely chopped onions
1 C diced carrot
1/2 C finely chopped celery
1 large garlic clove minced
3 C reduced sodium vegetable broth
1-3 tsp chopped chipotle chile pepper
1/2 C finely chopped tomato
1/4 C thinly sliced scallions
1/4 C finely chopped fresh parsley
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 tsp dried oregano

In a large skillet over medium heat, toast the wheat berries until lightly browned about 4-5 minutes. Stir often. Set aside.

Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add oil and heat another 30 seconds. Add onions, carrot, and celery. Saute until onion is golden, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes.

Add broth, chick peas, chipotle, and the toasted wheat berries. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover. Simmer 2 hours until wheat is tender, adding additional water or broth if necessary. Note that the wheat should remain slightly chewy.

While the stew simmers, prepare the topping: In a small bowl, combine tomato, scallions, parsley, jalapeno, and oregano.

To serve, divide stew evenly between 4 bowls and top with one-fourth of the topping.

Nutritional info for 1 serving (1 C stew plus one-fourth topping):

Exchanges:
1/4 Fat
1.5 Vegetables
2 Proteins
1.5 Breads
15 Optional Calories

Per Serving:
402 calories
5 grams fat
261 mgs sodium
74 mgs carbohydrate
13 grams dietary fiber
18 grams protein

Copyright What's Cooking Sunday, 2010

Big Chocolate Cookie

Way back in the day (about 25 years ago) I was deep into Weight Watchers. Every week, I'd walk into the meeting and there'd be a new, interesting recipe written on the board for us to copy and try at home. One week, this recipe for a Big Chocolate Cookie was up there, and I thought, "wow, what's not to like about this one?" The recipe makes one giant cookie. The cookie has loads of good nutrition in it, and can serve as a main meal. I love it for breakfast. Who wouldn't want chocolate cookies for breakfast?

Big Chocolate Cookie
Makes One cookie
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 packet chocolate ALBA shake mix**
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 C rolled oats
1 T peanut butter
1/2 tsp honey
2 T water
2 T raisins

combine all ingredients in small bowl and form into a big cookie on baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake 8-10 minutes.

**The tricky ingredient is the Alba shake mix. You can probably find it in the grocery store with the other milk shake mixers.

Nutritional info:

Calories: 340
Fat: 10.25 grams
Cholesterol: 0 grams
Sodium: 180 mgs
Potassium: 310 mgs
Carbohydrates: 73.5 grams
Fiber: 9 grams
Protein: 15 grams

And if you use Weight Watchers old exchange program, like I do:

1 Bread
1 Fat
2 Proteins
1 Fruit
10 optional calories




Copyright What's Cooking Sunday, 2010

Gazpacho

It's been hotter than blazes here in North Carolina and I am loathe to turn on the stove.

In keeping with my newly gained resolve to lose these extra pounds, it seemed fitting to make a batch of this wonderful cold, healthy soup.

Gazpacho
Serves 5

2.5 C tomato juice (you can also use V8 juice for this)
1 C peeled, seeded, finely chopped fresh tomatoes
1/2 C finely chopped celery
1/2 C finely chopped cucumber
1/2 C finely chopped green bell pepper
1/2 C finely chopped scallions
3 T white wine vinegar
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 tsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl (not aluminum!). Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Each serving:

117 cals
2 g protein
13 g carb
6 g fat
690 mgs sodium
0 cholesterol
4 g fiber

Note: If you don't have fresh tomatoes, you can substitute a 14 oz can of diced tomatoes. If you do this, eliminate the 1/2 tsp salt.

Enjoy!

Copyright What's Cooking Sunday, 2010

Chicken W / Mushrooms & Swiss Cheese

Wow... it's been a while since my last post. I've been so busy cooking up polymer clay jewelry, that I haven't paid attention to what I'm stuffing down my gullet. I saw myself in some recent photos and thought, "who's that fat girl in the picture?". Imagine my shock and distress as I figured out it was ME! Definitely time to pay attention and get back on the South Beach Diet.

I dusted off the notebook which holds all the recipes I've collected and created for this diet plan. First up: Chicken Breasts With Mushrooms and Swiss Cheese. Yummy: succulent white chicken meat smothered with portabello mushrooms, onions, and a light piece of Swiss. The drizzle of vinegar lowers the glycemic index rating for the dish, and the olive oil adds flavor and gives one the illusion of feeling full. A real winner:

Chicken Breasts With Mushrooms and Swiss Cheese
Serves 4
preheat oven 350 degrees

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
3 T olive oil
1 T Cajun-style seasoning
1 8-oz package sliced mushrooms (I chopped up some portabello caps)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 T red wine vinegar
1 C chopped green onion
4 slices low-fat Swiss cheese

In a 9 x 13 inch pan, combine oil and garlic. Add chicken breasts, and turn to coat with oil. Sprinkle with the vinegar and Cajun seasoning. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Remove pan from oven, and cover the chicken with the green onions and mushrooms. Add a few more sprinkles of oil and vinegar and return dish to the oven for another 15-20 minutes.

Remove pan from oven and immediately place one slice of the Swiss cheese on top of each breast. Allow cheese to melt, and serve immediately.

~
**Note: I didn't have green onions on hand, so I sliced up a white onion and sauteed it until slightly caramelized. It was delicious.

***Also, in the above photo, the red juices are from the roasted beets I served on the side, NOT poorly cooked chicken.

I hope you'll try this and let me know how you liked it.

Copyright What's Cooking Sunday, 2010

Green Bean and Fennel Salad

We had a pretty delicious Christmas dinner last night: baked ham, sweet potatoes, and this delicate and crunchy green bean salad. With it's fresh ingredients and simple citrus dressing, this would be perfect for an outdoor summer lunch dish.

Green Bean and Fennel Salad
Serves 8-10

1/2 lb fresh green beans, cleaned and trimmed
2 cups thinly sliced fennel bulb (one large)
3/4 cup julienne-cut red bell pepper
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1.5 tablespoon light olive oil
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoon minced fennel leaves

Wash the beans. Trim the ends, remove the strings and cut the beans in half. Place the beans in a vegetable steamer and place over boiling water. Cover and steam for 5 minutes or until tender-crisp. Drain beans and plunge into cold water. Drain again.

Combine beans, fennel bulb, and bell pepper in a bowl; toss gently and set aside. Combine lemon juice and next 5 ingredients in a bowl; stir well. Pour over vegetables; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with fennel leaves. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Tip: extra virgin olive oil is too heavy a flavor for this dish. When you julienne the red pepper try to keep them about the same size as the green beans. Use fresh lemon juice only! You may want to add a bit of grated lemon rind to taste.

copyright 2009 What's Cooking?

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Marble Man and I found ourselves way ahead of the curve this year:

lists have been checked, and double-checked
gifts are wrapped and mailed
the tree is up

Lots of time left over for baking cookies. Marble Man has so many favorites, that I asked him to narrow his choices to two types.

His pick for this year:

Vera's Checkerboard Cookies

Chocolate Crinkles

Chocolate Crinkles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
makes 52 cookies

2 C plus 2 T all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C butter, room temperature
1+3/4 C granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
4 squares unsweetened baker's chocolate (1 ounce per square), melted
1/2 C confectioners' sugar

Mix flour baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar with electric mixer until fluffy.

Beat in eggs, one at a time until mixture is pale yellow, then vanilla and chocolate until blended.

Gradually add flour mixture, mixing just to blend. Refrigerate dough 1 hour.

Lightly grease cookie sheets. Shape heaping teaspoonfuls of dough into 1.25 inch balls and roll in confectioners' sugar. Place on cookie sheets 1.5 inches apart.

Bake about 12 minutes until tops are puffed and cracked. DON'T overbake! Cookies are quite soft when hot but firm and chewy when cool. Remove to rack to cool.

Per cookie:
80 calories
1 gram protein
12 grams carbs
3 grams fat
20 mgs cholesterol

Enjoy! (Just don't worry about that last part there. ;)

And while you toss some treats together for your family, here's a little Holiday fun to keep you company: Tennessee Ernie Ford singing for a group of children.



His son (sitting next to him) is so into the song that he has to really work to keep from cracking up.

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

copyright 2009 Shibori Girl

Bratwurst and Sweet & Sour Red Cabbage

This winter, Marble Man and I signed up for a fresh-meat-and-eggs co-op through Fickle Creek Farm, one of the vendors at our local Farmers Market. The meats have been incredibly delicious, and the eggs colorful - brown, blue, green... and also delicious. Every two weeks, we head to the market to pick up our assortment of sausages, roasts, chops, and chickens. This week's sausages were bratwursts, and I think they were the best I've ever had.

I cooked them in beer with lots of onions, and a side dish of sweet and sour red cabbage. *Slurp* So good!

Bratwurst
serves 6

6 large bratwurst
water
1 C sliced onions
1 C beer

Prick each sausage before adding to a large skillet. Pour in enough water to cover the sausages with 1/2 an inch of water. Partially cover the pan and simmer until the water has evaporated. Be sure not to let the water boil - this will cause the bratwursts to burst. Uncover and cook the sausages in the small amount of fat remaining in the pan to brown. Add onions and saute until translucent. Pour in the 1 C of beer and simmer another 5 minutes. Serve with spicy mustard on the side.

Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage
Serves 6

1 head red cabbage, shredded
2 Granny Smith apples, cut in small wedges
4 slices bacon, diced and fried
3 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. vinegar plus same amount sweet pickle juice
Salt and pepper

Fry bacon. Leave fat and bacon in skillet and add remaining ingredients. Cover tightly and get it hot, then turn down heat and cook slowly until tender. May be fixed ahead of time and reheated. This would make a wonderful Christmas Eve dish.

Enjoy!

And I want to thank everyone who weighed in on my new image signatures. I will see what I can do to make them less intrusive.

copyright 2009 Shibori Girl

Bourbon Glazed Pork and Easy Corn Casserole

For this week's post, I've got a twofer. Both recipes are easy, and the pork's savory flavor complements the slightly sweet aspect of the corn casserole. The corn casserole can be made a day ahead to make things even easier.

Bourbon-Glazed Pork Tenderloin
Serves 6
Preheat oven 425 degrees

1/4 cup Kentucky Bourbon (plus a little for the cook. ;) )
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
dash hot sauce
2 pork tenderloins, about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds

In blender or food processor, combine bourbon, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, mustard, ginger, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and oil. Pulse until smooth. Remove tenderloins from wrapper and tie together into a roast. Place tenderloin and marinade in a ziploc bag and refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Place tenderloin on a rack in baking pan and roast for 25-35 minutes per pound or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

If you want to grill the meat: cook 4 inches from a hot charcoal fire for 15 to 25 minutes or until the pork has reached 165° internally and is no longer pink in the center. Baste occasionally while cooking.

Slice in 1/2-inch thick slices to serve.

~

Easy Corn Casserole
Serves 8
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1/4 C egg substitute
1/4 C canola oil
1 small (8-3/4 oz) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 small (8-3/4 oz) can creamed corn
1 8-1/2 oz package corn muffin mix
1 C plain non-fat yogurt

Combine all ingredients and stir well to combine. Pour into an 8" square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake 45 minutes until set.

Enjoy!

copyright 2009 What's Cooking?

Pear Cobbler

Now that our kitchen is nearly half painted, I've been able to breathe a little and get down to some cool-weather cooking. As a treat for us, I made an old favorite this week. The pears at the market were rock hard when I brought them home, but a day and a half in a bag with a banana did the trick!

Pear Cobbler
Serves 6
Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Filling
6 ripe pears: peeled, cored, and sliced
3 T brown sugar, packed
1 T lemon juice
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground ginger

Crust
1/3 C flour
3 T chopped walnuts
1-1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 C milk
vegetable oil

Combine filling ingredients in a bowl, stirring to coat the pears with the seasonings. Transfer to a casserole dish.

In small bowl, combine the first 4 crust ingredients. Stir in milk and enough oil to moisten. Drop by teaspoonfuls on top of pears. Bake, uncovered, 25 minutes or until browned.

Each serving: 200 calories

copyright 2009 What's Cooking?

Vanilla Ricotta Creme

Here's a nice easy dessert that I found through the South Beach Diet cookbook for Ricotta Creme dessert. I'll list the basic recipe, but you can add all sorts of flavorings to make it a special treat for any mood.

Vanilla Ricotta Creme Dessert
Serves 2

1 C part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 packages sugar substitute (I use splenda)

With a blender, whiz up the ingredients until the cheese is nice and smooth - I've found an immersion blender works great for this.

Pour mixture into individual serving cups and refrigerate until ready to eat.

~~~
Variations:

Orange (pictured): add 1 T orange liqueur, or a bit of orange zest
Almond: add 1/2 tsp almond extract and reduce vanilla extract to 1/4 tsp. Top with toasted slivered almonds.
Mocha: add 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder. Just before serving, top with a dash of espresso powder and 1 tsp mini chocolate chips.
Lime Zest: add 1/2 tsp grated lime zest
Peanut Butter and Chocolate: add 2 T peanut butter and 1 tsp cocoa powder, then blend.
Pumpkin: Add 2 T canned pumpkin puree and 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice. Top with a tsp of whipped cream.

~

Experiment with flavors on your own, then let me know what you did so I can try them too!

~

The texture of this recipe is very loose. If you want it to be more like a pudding, mix in a beaten egg, spray an oven-safe dish and bake until a knife comes out clean. Equally as yummy!

copyright 2009 What's Cooking?

Scones

When Marble Man and I visited England many years ago, we fell in love with teatime. No matter where we went, one of us asked, "Is it time for tea yet?". Mostly it was the scones that had us hooked. When you get a basket of those delectable pastries in Engand, they aren't shaped like a triangle like the way they are in this country, but small and round like our biscuits. And they are very moist and tender.

When I got back home, I set about finding a really good scone recipe. The one I found has a surprise ingredient (plain yogurt), which adds a little "tang" to the final result, as well as tremendous moisture and tenderness. Purists may say it's not a scone, but a flavorful "something else", but we love 'em anyway. Marble Man does a little happy dance when he smells a batch of these scones baking in the oven!

Scones
**Makes 8 large, or 13 biscuit-sized
Preheat oven to 375

3 C flour
3 T sugar
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 C cold butter, cut up
1-1/2 C plain nonfat yogurt

Lightly butter a baking sheet. Mix flour, sugar, powder, soda, and salt in a bowl Add butter, cutting in with a pastry blender, until mixture looks like coarse meal. Add yogurt, stirring until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. Gather into a ball.

Lightly flour board and knead dough just until smooth. Pat dough into an 8" circle. Cut into 8 wedges and place 2" apart on baking sheet.

Bake until lightly browned, 18-20 minutes.
~~~
** I've found that making 8 wedges means these scones are HUGE and equal about a day's worth of bread all at once. I roll the dough out to about 1" thick and use a biscuit cutter. That way I get 12 scones out of the recipe.

copyright 2009 What's Cooking?

Butternut Squash Soup

Fall is almost upon us, and that means the first pot of my favorite soup is simmering on the stove. God, the color, the smell, the texture... what's not to love about this fabulous recipe?

Butternut Squash Soup
Serves 4

1.5 T freshly grated ginger root
1/2 C chopped onion
3 T butter
4 C peeled, seeded butternut squash (about 1.5 pounds)
2 C chicken broth
1.5 C water
3 cloves garlic
2 T fresh lime juice to taste
lime slices for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place squash in a pan and roast for 30 minutes. Take it out of the oven, prick it several times with a knife, turn it, and roast for another 30 minutes. Allow to cool. Peel, and cut into large pieces.

In large saucepan, cook onion and ginger in butter over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened.

Add squash, broth, water, and garlic. Bring to a boil, then simmer about 20 minutes until squash is soft. Puree and add lime juice. Serve hot or at room temperature. Mmmmm, Mmmmm, Gooood!

copyright 2009 What's Cooking?

Banana Nut Chocolate Chip Muffins

muffin glamour shot

Who hasn't let a bunch of bananas get so so ripe that they practically mash themselves when you pick them up? Before leaving for vacation, I put a pretty ripe bunch in the fridge so I wouldn't have to come home to a puddle on the kitchen counter. When we got home they were intact, though mighty soft. For breakfast I made a batch of these muffins and we ripped through them so fast that I made another batch this week!

Just a note: these banana muffins taste best when the bananas used are good and black, but not to the alcohol stage.

Banana Nut Chocolate Chip Muffins
serves 12
preheat oven to 400 degrees

1-3/4 C all purpose flour
1/4 C sugar
2-1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt

1 egg, beaten
1/3 C vegetable oil
1/2 C skim milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 C mashed banana (about 3 bananas)

1/2 C chopped walnuts
2 oz miniature chocolate chips

Spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray or line with papers.

In large bowl, combine the dry ingredients and whisk together. Make a well in the center and set aside.

In small bowl, combine the wet ingredients well and pour all at once into the center of the dry ingredients. Mix quickly with as little stirring as possible. Fold in nuts and chocolate chips.

Divide the batter evenly in the muffin tin and bake 20-25 minutes until golden. Check with a toothpick for doneness. Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes.

Mmmmm... yummy!

copyright 2009 What's Cooking?

Spices From Penzey's

I've barely come up for air this week and, alas, have no new recipe to post today. So, I thought I'd share my experience with Penzey's Spice company. How many times have you bought a bottle of herbs or spices at the supermarket? Have you ever wondered how long the bottle has sat on the store shelf? Or how about at the warehouse? Are you really getting what you paid for?

A while ago, Marble Man and I were invited to dinner at a friend's house, where she served a sumptuous meal. She finished up with an apple galette which was incredibly delicious. I was trying to figure out which spices she added to the apples, and got as far as cinnamon. When I asked her what else she added, she insisted it was only cinnamon, and then produced the bottle for me to sniff. Oh, the smell! Rich cinnamon with flowery overtones, and a hint of allspice. This was NOT your generic, McCormick's supermarket cinnamon. She told me that at Penzey's, they bottle the spices up fresh and ship them out, so you get a high-quality product.

She gave me an extra catalog, which I pored over at home. The catalog was very well organized and peppered throughout were recipes and ideas for how to use the products they offer. I proceeded to order spices the way I order beads: some of this, some of that, 4 of these, 2 of those... and before I knew it, I'd spent over $60! When the box arrived, the contents were very carefully wrapped. And when I opened the bottles, they were filled TO THE TOP.

I picked out 4 types of cinnamon, and yes they ARE all very different, as well as herbs and spice blends. The parsley smelled like it had just been picked and dried the week before. And the blends were perfect for use in meats and stews. I threw out a bunch of store-bought bottles from my cabinet that were absolutely dead.

I hope you'll give Penzey's a shot - even with the shipping cost, the prices were competitive with supermarket brands. I will never buy seasonings from the store again, unless I find myself in a desperate situation.


copyright 2009 What's Cooking?

Spicy Blue Cheeseburgers

Marble Man and I have been trying to pinch pennies and lose weight by concentrating on fish and beans as our main source of protein. Every once in a while, though, my Inner Meatasaurus rears its giant head, gnashes its teeth, and cries out for beef. Last weekend we made hamburgers stuffed with blue cheese, and they satisfied my carnivorous craving to a " T ".

Spicy Blue Cheeseburgers
serves 4

1 lb lean ground beef
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2-3 cloves garlic minced (or more if you like)
1 tsp paprika
1 T lemon juice
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1/2 C rolled oats
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 C finely chopped onion
~
1/2 C crumbled blue cheese

In large bowl combine all the above ingredients EXCEPT the blue cheese. Form mixture into 8 equal balls. Flatten them into patties and make a well in the center of four of them. Divide the blue cheese crumbles equally and place in the wells of each patty. Top with the remaining patties and seal the edges well.

Grill or pan-fry, about 4 minutes on each side, until the meat is cooked through and the cheese is nice and melty.

copyright 2009 What's Cooking?

Spicy Gingerbread

"If loving you is wrong, I don't want to be right..."

My long-running love affair with dessert continues, and brings to mind that song by Luther Ingram from 1972. While Marble Man and I have been back on our diets, we've tried to keep sweets out of the house, and I just couldn't do it. The past two days I've been Jonesing for a little Somethin'-Somethin' to feed my craving. A fresh batch of gingerbread yesterday did the trick: moist, spicy, and slightly sweet. The recipe I use is from The Enchanted Broccoli Forest cookbook, by Molly Katzen. It calls for lots of freshly grated ginger, and this is key - don't substitute ground ginger as it won't have the same kick.

Spicy Gingerbread
Serves 12
preheat oven 350 degrees

5 T unsalted butter
3 T freshly grated ginger
1/2 C light honey
1/2 C light molasses
1/2 C plain yogurt
1 large egg
1 C whole wheat flour
1 C unbleached white flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp ground cloves or allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Saute the butter and ginger together light, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat.

Beat the honey and molasses together vigorously for 5 minutes. Then beat in the ginger plus all of its butter.

Beat the yogurt and the egg together well. Combine with the above mixture and set aside.

Sift together the remaining ingredients thoroughly into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture. Add the wet mixture. Combine thoroughly, but minimally. Spread the batter into an 8" square pan sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake 30-35 minutes. It's done when the top is springy to the touch, or when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

"MMMmmmm... yummy!"

copyright 2009 What's Cooking?

Barley Salad Vinaigrette

This being July 4th weekend, there are a lot of pot luck parties going on. I've found it very difficult to eat a balanced meal at this kind of party, with available dishes loaded with heavy fats and proteins, or an abundance of desserts. This barley salad tastes great and is loaded with fiber.

Barley Salad Vinaigrette
Serves 4

2 C cooked pearled barley, cooled
1/2 C seeded and diced cucumber
1/4 C each diced red pepper and scallion
2 T chopped radish
1 T each chopped parsley and dill
2 T red vinegar
4 tsp olive oil
1 T water
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
4 C shredded lettuce

In medium bowl, combine barley, cucumber, bell pepper, scallion, radish, parsley and dill. Set aside.

In small bowl, combine remaining ingredients except the lettuce. Stir well. Pour over barley mixture. Toss to coat. Serve over lettuce.

This is sure to be a big hit at your next potluck: not only tasty, but good for you and pretty to look at on the plate. Enjoy!

copyright 2009 What's Cooking?