Category: Recipes

Posted on

Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

Print

Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

Ingredients

  • Cake

  • 1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all-purpose flour

  • 3/4 cup (60 grams) unsweetened cocoa, any variety, sifted if lumpy

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

  • 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar

  • 3/4 cup (145 grams) dark brown sugar

  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) olive oil

  • 1 1/2 cups (355 ml) water or coffee

  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) cider vinegar or white vinegar

  • Glaze

  • 3/4 cup (135 grams) semisweet chocolate chips

  • 2 tablespoons (10 grams) cocoa powder

  • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon (20 grams) light corn syrup (for shine)

  • A pinch or two of flaky sea salt

Directions

  • Make cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of 9-inch round cake pan with a fitted round of parchment paper and coat the bottoms and sides with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and granulated sugar in the bottom of a large mixing bowl. Add brown sugar and olive oil, and whisk to combine. Add water and vinegar and whisk until smooth.
  • Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top is springy and a tester inserted in the center comes out with just a few sticky crumbs (but not wet or loose batter). Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then cut around it with a knife to ensure it is loosened and flip it out onto a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way.
  • Make glaze: Combine chocolate, cocoa powder, olive oil, corn syrup, and salt in a medium bowl and microwave to melt, in 15 to 30 second increments, stirring between each until just melted. Whisk until smooth. Pour over completely cooled cake and use spatula to gently nudge it down the sides.
Posted on

BBQ Bacon Wrapped Scallops

Print

BBQ Bacon Wrapped Scallops

Ingredients

  • 10 large scallops , dry packed and muscle removed

  • 10 strips center cut bacon

  • 4 tablespoons BBQ sauce

  • 10 toothpicks*

  • chives or scallions , minced for garnish

Directions

  • Soak your toothpicks in water for up to an hour, but a minimum of 15 minutes. You want them good and soaked before going under the broiler for a long period of time.
  • Prep the bacon. Heat your oven to 400 degrees and arrange in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. bake for about 12 minutes, or until bacon is starting to cook, but not fully crispy. Remove, drain and let cool slightly just so it is easier to handle.
  • Make sure your scallops are rinsed and the muscle has been removed. Pat dry using a paper towel.
  • Wrap each scallop with a strip of bacon, securing with a toothpick. Place on a rimmed baking sheet.
  • Preheat broiler to high heat.
  • Place under broiler (about 4 inches from heating mechanism) for 2-4 minutes. Remove, flip and return for another 2-4 minutes. Remove and baste with BBQ sauce. Return to oven for 2 minutes with the broiler off. *Cooking times will vary greatly depending on the size of scallop. See note.
  • Remove, garnish with chives and serve immediately.

Notes

Posted on

Avocado Corn Salad

Print

Avocado Corn Salad

Ingredients

  • Salad

  • 1 lb cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered

  • 3 ears of corn, cooked, shucked and cut off the cob

  • 2 avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced

  • 1/2 red onion (medium), thinly sliced

  • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (1/2 small bunch)

  • Romaine hearts

  • Dressing

  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

  • 1 teaspoon grated lime zest

  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1-1/2 tablespoons honey

  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

  • 1 clove garlic grated or freshly minced

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  • Salad
  • In a large salad bowl, combine sliced tomatoes, corn kernels, sliced avocado, thinly sliced red onion, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and press in 2 garlic cloves.
  • Drizzle the top with 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 2-3 Tbsp lime juice (adding it to taste). Add 1 tsp sea salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper, or season to taste. Toss the salad gently just until combined and serve.
  • Dressing
  • Whisk ingredients together in a bowl or add ingredients to a mason jar, seal the lid and shake vigorously to blend well. (I’ll probably use a food processor.)

Notes

Posted on

Brown Sugar Strawberry Cobbler

Print

Brown Sugar Strawberry Cobbler

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) cold salted butter

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup old fashioned oats

  • 1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 cup milk (I used almond milk)

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

  • 6-7 cups sliced strawberries

  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup or additional brown sugar

  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 375° F. Drop 8 tablespoons butter into a 9×13 inch baking dish and place the dish in the oven to melt, about 10 minutes.
  • To make the batter. Stir together the flour, oats, 1/2 cup brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix in 4 tablespoons shredded/grated butter. Add the milk and vanilla, mix until just combined.
  • In a bowl, toss the strawberries with the maple syrup and cornstarch.
  • Layer 3/4 of the strawberries over the melted butter in the baking dish. Then, pour the batter overtop, do not stir. Layer the remaining strawberries over the batter. Bake 45-50 minutes, until the center is just set and the edges begin to brown.
  • Serve the cobbler warm or at room temp with ice cream and maple butter drizzled on top.

Notes

Posted on

Brazilian Hot Dogs

Print

Brazilian Hot Dogs

Ingredients

  • Hot Dog Sauce

  • 2 tbsp butter

  • 15 oz tomato sauce

  • 1/2 cup water

  • 1 onion diced

  • 1 green pepper diced

  • 4 garlic cloves minced

  • 3 tsp salt or to taste

  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper or to taste

  • 1/2 tsp oregano or to taste

  • Hot Dog Assembly

  • 8 hot dogs

  • 8 hot dog buns

  • 8 oz corn canned

  • 8 oz peas canned

  • 8 oz shoestring potato sticks

  • ketchup

  • mayonnaise

  • mustard

  • parmesan cheese

  • parsley

Directions

  • First, start by chopping and dicing the green pepper, onion and mincing the garlic cloves.
  • Make a length wise cut down the center of each of your hot dogs. Do not cut through them or slice them completely.
  • Add butter to a sauce pan over medium high heat.
  • Once the butter has melted, add the green peppers and onions. Saute until the onions become translucent.
  • Add the garlic and saute for about 30 seconds.
  • Pour in the tomato sauce and water. Give everything a quick stir.
  • Once the tomato sauce begins to boil, lower the heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir the tomato sauce occasionally.
  • Toast the hot dog buns.
  • Once the tomato sauce has been simmering for 23 minutes, add the hot dogs. Cover and continue to cook for the next 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Place a hot dog inside a bun and add more tomato sauce on top.
  • Add the additional toppings to your hot dog such as peas, corn, parmesan cheese, shoestring potato sticks (batata palha), ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise and even some hot sauce or pimenta malagueta if you’d like.
  • Top the hot dogs with parsley for garnishing, if desired, and enjoy!

Notes

Posted on

Cinnamon Blueberry Muffins

Print

Cinnamon Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients

  • Streusel Topping

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1/4 cup cold butter, cubed

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • Blueberry Muffins

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 tablespoon baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 1 1/2 cups plain lowfat yogurt (I used coconut yogurt)

  • 2 large eggs

  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

  • 1 1/2 cups of fresh blueberries

Directions

  • Streusel Topping
  • Combine sugar, flour, butter and cinnamon in a small bowl. Mix with a fork until crumbly.
  • Blueberry Muffins
  • Adjust the over rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees Celsius. Generously coat a 12-cup muffin tin with vegetable spray.
  • Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Whisk the yogurt and eggs together in a medium bowl. Gently fold the yogurt-egg mixture into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined. Fold in the melted butter. Fold in the blueberries.
  • Use a large ice cream scoop or measuring cup to divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Scatter the topping over the tops of the muffin cups. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with just a few crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes.
  • Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then flip out onto a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • From America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook
Posted on

Buttery Garlic Pita

Print

Buttery Garlic Pita

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

  • Extra kosher salt (optional)

  • Pita bread (store bought is great)

Directions

  • In a small saucepan combine butter, garlic powder, salt and dried parsley. Heat and stir over low heat until butter is melted.
  • Warmup the Pita bread two at a time in your microwave for about 20-25 seconds.
  • Brush butter mixture on warm pita bread and sprinkle lightly with a little more kosher salt, if desired.
  • Use a pizza cutter to cut into four triangles. Serve immediately.

Notes

Posted on

I Wouldn’t Say No to a Bowl of Lentil Soup

Print

I Wouldn’t Say No to a Bowl of Lentil Soup

Ingredients

  • 3 slices bacon, finely chopped

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

  • 1 stalk celery, finely chopped

  • 2 medium carrots, diced

  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped

  • 1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes

  • 6 cups chicken broth, best quality such as Swanson

  • 1 cup French lentils (lentilles du Puy) or common brown or green lentils

  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

  • A few tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

Directions

  • Fry the bacon in a large pot over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the olive oil, onions, celery, carrots, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Do not brown; reduce heat if necessary. Add the tomatoes (with their juices), broth, lentils, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover partially, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the lentils are tender, 45 to 50 minutes (less for common lentils). Fish out the bay leaves and discard.
  • Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until the broth is slightly thickened, or to desired consistency. (Be careful not to purée too much or the soup will get too thick, and you’ll lose the integrity of the lentils.) If you don’t have an immersion blender, transfer about 2 cups of the soup to a blender and purée until smooth, then return the blended soup to the pot. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired and serve. (Note: The soup may thicken as it sits; thin with a bit of water if necessary.)

Notes

Posted on

Strawberry Almond Cornmeal Cake

Print

Strawberry Almond Cornmeal Cake

Ingredients

  • 5 ounces (10 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan

  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • ½ teaspoon fine salt

  • 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar, divided

  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature

  • 1 cup fine cornmeal or instant polenta

  • 2 cups almond flour (found in the baking aisle)

  • 8 medium strawberries, hulled

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and line a 9-inch loaf pan with parchment. Butter the parchment and dust lightly with flour.
  • Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the butter, 1 cup of the sugar, and the vanilla with an electric mixer on high, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until light and fluffy, 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between additions, until fluffy. Fold the flour mixture into the batter. Fold in the cornmeal and almond flour, scraping the bottom of the bowl, until combined.
  • Spoon the batter into the prepared pan; smooth with a spatula. Press the strawberries partway into the batter, leaving space between them. Sprinkle the top with the remaining sugar. Bake until the edges are browned and a cake tester inserted in the center (avoiding the berries) comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 1 hour, 10 minutes. Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool, 10 minutes, before turning the cake out of the pan. Cool completely. Cut into slices and serve.

Notes

Posted on

Strawberry White Chocolate Blondies

Print

Strawberry White Chocolate Blondies

Ingredients

  • Bars

  • 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) salted butter

  • 1/3 – 1/2 cup honey or light brown sugar (I prefer honey)

  • 2 large eggs

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 2 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/2 cup Strawberry jam

  • 1 cup white chocolate chips

  • 1 1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

  • Icing

  • 2 tablespoons melted butter

  • 2 cups powdered sugar

  • 2-3 tablespoons freeze dried strawberry powder

  • 1/4 cup hot milk

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
  • Add the butter to a medium pot set over medium heat. Allow the butter to brown, until it smells toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour into a large bowl. Let cool 5 minutes. Whisk in the honey, eggs, and vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, mixing until just combined.
  • Add spoonfuls of the jam to the dough. Sprinkle over the white chocolate. Then, fold the jam and chocolate into the dough, creating swirls of strawberry jam throughout.
  • Spread the dough out into the prepared dish. Evenly sprinkle the fresh strawberries over the dough. Bake for 22-25 minutes, just until set in the center.
  • To make the icing, mix all ingredients in a bowl with 3-4 tablespoons of strawberry powder. Add additional milk to thin, as needed.
  • Drizzle the glaze over the bars. Let set for 5 minutes. Cut into bars.

Notes