| Grandpa’s Sauerkraut and Kielbasa with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce, adapted Sources: Food.com and Food Network Rating: 10 out of 10 Click for PRINTABLE PAGE |
| INGREDIENTS: 3 Tbsp. butter, cut into 6 pieces 1 medium onion, diced 2 garlic cloves, minced or grated on a microplane grater 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves 3/4 tsp. finely chopped fresh sage, or 1/4 tsp. dried sage 1/4 tsp. black pepper 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced (Yukon Gold are recommended) 1 (16-oz.) bag refrigerated sauerkraut, including juices 1 lb. beef kielbasa, cut into 1/2” pieces (I used Hillshire Farms) Heat oven to 225F. Put cold butter in a large, heavy oven-proof skillet. Add onion and cook on medium-low heat about 10 minutes, or till onions are transparent. Add garlic and sauté 2 more minutes. Add thyme, sage, black pepper, potatoes, sauerkraut with juices and kielbasa. Cook on medium-high till heated through. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 3 hours. Yield: 3-4 servings Serve with mustard sauce, recipe below. Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce: 2 Tbsp. yellow mustard 1/4 cup honey Dijon mustard 1/4 tsp. cayenne 1-1/2 tsp. hot horseradish pinch of kosher salt pinch of black pepper Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl till well combined. |
| Sour Cream-Rum-Pecan Pound Cake with Chocolate Ganache Adapted from Southern Living Magazine Rating: 9 out of 10 Click for PRINTABLE PAGE |
| INGREDIENTS: 1 cup broken pecans 8 oz. sour cream, regular or light 1/2 tsp. baking soda 2-1/2 cups sugar 1 cup (8 oz.) unsalted butter, soft 6 large eggs, room temperature 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 1/4 tsp. Morton kosher salt or table salt 1 tsp. vanilla (I used my homemade vanilla extract.) 1 Tbsp. rum + 1/4 cup rum for brushing on cake Grease and flour a tube pan or bundt pan. Sprinkle pecans evenly over bottom.  Stir baking soda into sour cream; set aside. In bowl of stand mixer, beat sugar and butter at low speed 6 minutes. Beat at medium speed till light and fluffy, about 4 additional minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, on low speed. Sift together flour and salt; add alternately with sour cream, on low speed, beginning and ending with flour. Stir in vanilla and 1 Tbsp. rum. Spoon batter carefully over pecans.  Run a knife through the batter to dissolve air bubbles, and rap bottom of pan on counter twice. Place pan in cold oven. Bake at 325F for 1 hour, 30 minutes, or till a wooden pick inserted in center returns with just a few crumbs. Cool 10 minutes in pan, then turn cake out onto wire rack to finish cooling.  Brush warm cake, top and sides, with remaining 1/4 cup rum.  Drizzle or cover with chocolate ganache. The ganache below is made with a Chocolove Orange Peel in Dark Chocolate bar. The chunks in the ganache are bits of orange peel.  To make ganache, heat 1/4 cup heavy cream over medium heat till steaming. Off heat and add 1 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate. Stir till smooth and use immediately. |
| Coconut Cupcakes Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated’s Coconut Cake Rating: 10 out of 10 |
| Click for PRINTABLE PAGE INGREDIENTS: 3.5 oz. (about 1 cup + 2 Tbsp.) cake flour (I used White Lily all-purpose low-protein flour) 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. + 1/8 tsp. Morton kosher salt 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, soft but still cool, cut in 1 Tbsp. pcs. 3 large egg whites, room temperature 1/2 large egg yolk (3/4 Tbsp.) 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract (I used my homemade vanilla.) 1/2 tsp. coconut extract (I used my homemade coconut extract.) 6 Tbsp. cream of coconut 2 Tbsp. water Coconut Swiss Buttercream Frosting Toasted coconut Heat oven to 325F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper cups. In bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment on stir speed, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. On low speed, add, one at a time, butter pieces that have been softened but are still waxy and cool. Mix till butter is like coarse meal with no particles bigger than a pea. In a small bowl, whisk together egg whites, yolk, vanilla and coconut extracts, cream of coconut and water. Add about 1/2 of this mixture to the flour mixture. Mix on low speed to combine, then increase speed to medium high for about 45 seconds. With mixer still on, add remaining half of liquid slowly on medium high. Mix for another 45 seconds. Divide batter evenly among paper cups, filling each about 1/2 full. Bake 16-18 minutes, or till a wooden pick inserted near center returns with just a few crumbs. Cool in pans 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack. Frost cupcakes with Coconut Swiss Buttercream Frosting and garnish with toasted coconut. |
| Coconut Swiss Buttercream Frosting Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Rating: 10 out of 10 Click for PRINTABLE PAGE |
| INGREDIENTS: 4 egg whites, room temperature 1 cup sugar pinch of salt (about 1/8 tsp.) 1 lb. unsalted butter, cut into 1 Tbsp. pcs., soft, not mushy, still waxy, not melting in hand 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1 tsp. coconut extract 1/4 cup cream of coconut In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer placed over hot, simmering water, occasionally whisk egg whites, sugar and salt till sugar is dissolved completely and thermometer registers 120F, about 5-6 minutes. (Transfer bowl to stand mixer with whisk attachment. Beat at high speed 7-8 minutes, or till mixture doubles and looks like marshmallow cream with glossy peaks. Check temperature. It should be cooled to 80F. (With mixer turned off, stick your finger in the middle to see if mixture has cooled enough so that butter won’t melt.) Stop mixer and change whisk attachment to paddle attachment. Using low speed, add butter, about 8 Tbsp. at a time, mixing for about 1 minute after each addition. When all butter is added, gradually increase mixer speed to medium high and beat till smooth, light and fluffy. (If mixture curdles after butter is added, do not panic, just keep beating till it comes back together and smoothes out. ) Stop the mixer. Scrape the bowl sides and bottom. Add vanilla and coconut extracts and cream of coconut and beat briefly (about 1 minute) on low speed, till mixture is well combined, then increase mixer speed to medium-high and beat for an additional minute. Yield: enough frosting to generously cover a 9” cake, including filling. Leftover frosting may be stored in fridge for about 3 weeks, or in freezer for about 3 months. Bring to room temperature and rewhip before using. |
| Meaty Pea Soup Rating: 9 out of 10 Click for PRINTABLE PAGE |
| INGREDIENTS: 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped 1 medium carrot, peeled, rinsed and chopped 1/2 large celery stalk, peeled, rinsed and chopped 1 garlic clove, grated 1 meaty ham bone, meat removed and chopped to provide about 2 cups of ham 8 oz. split peas, rinsed, picked over and drained 1-1/4 quarts low-sodium fat-free chicken broth 1 cup low-sodium beef broth 2 sprigs fresh thyme 2 bay leaves 1 medium potato, peeled and chopped 1/8 tsp. white pepper 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley In Dutch oven, heat oil on medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring, until veggies are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and ham bone and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add peas and broth. Tie thyme sprigs and bay leaves together with kitchen twine and drop into pot.  Cook about 1-1/2 hours, or till peas and other veggies are cooked through and soft.  Remove thyme and bay leaves. If desired, puree veggies, or mash with potato masher. Add potatoes, pepper and parsley. (No salt is necessary, as broth and ham provide sufficient saltiness to this soup.) Cook 10-15 minutes, or till potatoes are fork tender. Add in reserved chopped ham. Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches or pizza, if desired. Yield: About 2-1/2 quarts of soup. |
Whole-Wheat Chocolate-Cinnamon Swirl-Sour Cream Coffee Cake Rating: 9 out of 10 Click for PRINTABLE PAGE |
| Chocolate Chip-Pecan Streusel: 1/4 cup white whole wheat flour 2 Tbsp. Bob’s Red Mill coconut flour (you may substitute 2 Tbsp. white whole wheat flour) 1/3 cup light brown sugar 1/4 tsp. fine sea salt or Morton kosher salt 1/3 cup toasted pecans 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 3 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter cut into 1” cubes In work bowl of food processor, briefly pulse flours, sugar and salt to combine. Add pecans and chocolate chips; pulse till chips are finely chopped.  Add butter; pulse till combined using quick short pulses. Refrigerate. Chocolate-Cinnamon Swirl: 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 tsp. unsweetened natural cocoa 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips In small bowl, combine all ingredients; set aside. Sour Cream Coffee Cake: 1-1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, whisked then lightly spooned and swept 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour, whisked then lightly spooned and swept 1/4 tsp. fine sea salt or Morton kosher salt 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 cup (1 stick) soft but cool unsweetened butter, cut into 8 pieces 1-1/8 cups granulated sugar (I used 6 Tbsp. sugar + 2 Tbsp. NuNaturals stevia) 2 large eggs 1 cup sour cream (regular or light) 3/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract (I used my homemade.) cinnamon sugar for dusting baking pan Heat oven to 350F. Position oven rack in center position. Grease an 8” springform pan. Dust with cinnamon sugar on bottom and sides. Sift together flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. (You may not want to do this, but please do it anyway. It aerates the dry ingredients.) In large bowl, using medium-high speed of electric mixer, cream butter and sugar till smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add 1/3 of flour mixture using lowest speed of mixer, mixing only till barely combined. Add 1/2 of sour cream, again mixing only till barely combined. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl. Repeat process, ending with the flour mixture.  Stir with spatula to be sure everything is mixed, then pour 1/3 of batter into the prepared pan, spreading to edges with spatula. Sprinkle half of chocolate-cinnamon swirl over batter.  Repeat process. Spread last third of batter, then top with streusel. Bake about 1 hour 10 minutes, or till a toothpick inserted near center returns with just a few crumbs. (If pick returns with melted chocolate, reinsert until you find a chocolate-free area.) Cool in pan on wire rack for 30 minutes, then run a knife around edges of pan and remove sides.  Cut into wedges and serve warm or room temperature. Yield: 8-10 servings |
| Homemade Coconut Extract Source: Alton Brown, Food Network Rating: 8.5 out of 10 Click for PRINTABLE PAGE |
| 1-1/2 ounces freshly grated coconut, approximately 1/3 cup 4 ounces vodka Place 1 1/2 ounces of the grated coconut into a 1-cup glass jar with lid and pour the vodka over it. Seal and shake to combine. Place in a cool dark place for 5 to 7 days, shaking to combine every day. Strain the coconut and discard. Return the vodka to a clean jar or to its original bottle and store in a cool place for up to a year. Reserve the remaining coconut for another use. To open a coconut: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the coconut onto a folded towel set down in a large bowl. Find the 3 eyes on 1 end of the coconut and using a nail or screwdriver and hammer or meat mallet, hammer holes into 2 of the eyes. Turn the coconut upside down over a container and drain the water from the coconut. Store the water in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Place the coconut onto a 1/2 sheet pan and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. The coconut should have cracked in several places. Using an oyster knife or other dull blade, separate the hard shell from the brown husk. Using a serrated vegetable peeler, peel the brown husk from the coconut meat. Rinse the coconut meat under cool water and pat dry. Break the meat into 2 to 3-inch pieces. With the grater disk attached to a food processor, grate the coconut. |
| Maple Tarte Tartin Adapted from “Sugar Shack Au Pied de Cochon” and Bon Appetit Rating: 9.5 out of 10 |
| Click for PRINTABLE PAGE INGREDIENTS: 1/2 of 14 oz. pkg. of puff pastry (preferably all butter, but Pepperidge Farm will work), thawed in fridge 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 1” pieces 3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup 2 Tbsp. frozen apple juice concentrate 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar 3 large Stayman, Fuji, Pink Lady or Honeycrisp apples (about 2 lbs.), peeled, cored, halved Maple syrup-sweetened whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or creme fraiche Unfold thawed puff pastry on a sheet of wax paper or plastic wrap. Using an upside-down 8” cast-iron or heavy skillet as a guide, cut pastry into a 9” circle. Refrigerate pastry circle while making filling.  Heat oven to 425F. Combine butter, syrup and apple juice concentrate in 8” cast-iron pan or heavy skillet. Bring to a boil over medium heat, swirling mixture rather than stirring, until butter melts. (To swirl, just pick up pan by handle and rotate slightly so mixture “swirls.”) Add apples, cut-side down, cramming in as many apples as possible. Cut halves in half to fill in gaps. Notice how the apples don’t quite fit when they first go in the pan. They will shrink as they cook.  Increase heat to medium-high and cook until sugar melts, occasionally swirling apples in pan, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook, continuing to swirl apples in pan, about 5 minutes longer. Flip apples to rounded side down and cook, swirling apples occasionally, until syrup is somewhat thick and light golden brown, 5-10 minutes longer.  Cover apples with chilled pastry round, tucking in edges of pastry.  Bake until pastry is light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375F; bake till pastry is puffed and deep golden, about 20 minutes longer. (I had to cover my pastry loosely with foil about 10 minutes after oven heat was reduced because it was browning too quickly.)  Let tarte cool for 15 minutes. Invert a serving plate over the skillet. Using oven mitts, firmly hold plate and skillet and invert tarte onto plate. Remove skillet; rearrange apples if needed and scrape any caramel left in skillet over the tarte. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream lightly sweetened with maple syrup, as I did, or creme fraiche as the French do, or with plain vanilla ice cream. Yield: 6 – 8 servings |
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| Food Network Magazine’s Senate Bean Soup Rating: 8.5 out of 10 Click for PRINTABLE PAGE |
| INGREDIENTS: 1 lb. dried navy beans, picked over 1 lb. ham (I used a meaty ham bone left from a spiral-cut ham) 1 large russet potato, peeled and quartered* Sea salt or kosher salt 1/2 cup milk* 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter 1 large onion, chopped 1 stalk celery, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley freshly ground pepper (I used 1/4 tsp. white pepper) Put beans in a large bowl and cover with about 3 times their volume of cold water. Soak overnight in a cool place. (I placed beans and water in a large pot over high heat and brought to a boil, then covered, turned heat off and let beans sit for 1 hour.) Drain beans and transfer to large pot or Dutch oven. Add 10 cups water and ham bone. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and cook till beans are tender, about 1 hour, 30 minutes. Transfer ham to a plate to cool slightly, then remove the bone, if used, and dice the meat. Return meat to pot. Meanwhile, cover potato with water in a saucepan and season with salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer until potato is fork tender, 20-25 minutes. Drain potato; transfer to a bowl with milk and mash with potato masher or fork until smooth. Add to bean soup and stir until combined. (*I took a shortcut here and used 1-1/4 cups of leftover mashed potatoes. Since the mashed potatoes already contained milk, I left both the potato and the milk out this time.) Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, garlic and parsley and cook till veggies are translucent, 7-10 minutes. Add veggie mixture to soup, reduce heat to low and cook 1 hour, adding up to 2 more cups water if soup is too thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Yield: 8 servings (Leftovers freeze beautifully.) |
| Low-Fat Whole-Wheat Pumpkin-Rum Raisin Muffins with Rum-Spice Glaze Rating: 9.0 out of 10 Click for PRINTABLE PAGE |
| INGREDIENTS: 1/2 cup raisins 1/3 cup rum (or juice, or water) 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. white whole wheat flour, whisked, then lightly spooned and swept 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, whisked, then lightly spooned and swept 7 Tbsp. granulated sugar + 2 Tbsp. Nu Naturals Stevia (or 1 cup sugar, if preferred) 1 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. fine sea salt or Morton kosher salt 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice 1/8 tsp. powdered cloves 3/4 cup pumpkin, freshly roasted or canned 1/2 cup pumpkin butter, commercial or homemade 1 large egg + 1 large egg white 2 Tbsp. oil (I used extra-virgin unrefined coconut oil) 1 Tbsp. molasses Bring rum to a boil in a 1-quart pot. Add raisins. Cover. Remove from heat and let raisins plump for at least a half hour or longer. Drain raisins over a measuring cup or bowl, reserving drained juice.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Prepare a 12-cup muffin tin by greasing and flouring, or use flour-added non-stick cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt. Add the well-drained raisins and stir to combine. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk pumpkin and pumpkin butter together till combined. Whisk in eggs, oil, molasses and all but 2 Tbsp. of the reserved rum/raisin juice. (The 2 Tbsp. of reserved juice will be used for the glaze.) Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the liquids all at once. Carefully mix with spoon or spatula till just barely combined. Fill each muffin well with a scant 1/4 cup batter. Place in oven and immediately reduce heat to 350 degrees F. Bake for 16-19 minutes. Muffins are done when a wooden pick inserted near center returns with just a few crumbs. Cool pans on counter 5 minutes. Transfer muffins to wire rack to finish cooling. While muffins are cooling, prepare glaze: Heat reserved 2 Tbsp. rum-raisin juice and 1 Tbsp. butter on high in small microwaveable bowl in microwave till butter is almost melted, about 30 seconds. Stir till butter is dissolved. Whisk in 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice and 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar. Drizzle over muffins. Yield: 12 standard-size muffins |
| Blender Oatmeal Pancakes Inspired by Chickens in the Road blog Rating: 10 out of 10 Click for PRINTABLE PAGE |
| 1/3 cut low-fat buttermilk (or low-fat yogurt thinned with some water or milk) 1/3 cup low-fat plain soy milk 1 large egg 2 tsp. extra-virgin unrefined coconut oil 1/2 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/3 cup old-fashioned (5-minute) oats 2 Tbsp. coconut flour (Bob’s Red Mill organic) 1 tsp. wheat germ (I used raw wheat germ) 1 tsp. flaxseed meal (I used Bob’s Red Mill organic golden flaxseed meal) 1/8 tsp. fine sea salt 2 Tbsp. chopped toasted walnuts 1/4 tsp. baking soda scant 3/4 tsp. baking powder Combine all ingredients except baking soda and powder in a blender container and blend at high speed for 2 minutes. (Set your timer and blend for the full 2 minutes; this is an important step.) Add baking soda and powder and blend thoroughly for another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Bake on moderately hot, greased griddle or cast iron skillet, turning each pancake after many bubbles appear on the surface.  After turning, cook another minute or so, or till pancakes are completely done in centers. Stack pancakes and top with Smart Balance Lite buttery spread, or butter or margarine, and a homemade fruit sauce, or pure maple syrup. Yield: 2 servings |
