Something Extra: Cucumber Hummus

This Christmas, I got a food processor and one of the first things that Chase and I did with it was attempt to make hummus. The first attempts were satisfying enough (we certainly ate it all), but we couldn't quite get the texture right.

Finally, in a stroke of genius, Chase suggested we add cucumber to the mix. It worked! Granted, the flavor is a little untraditional, but it's absolutely delicious.

We also used peanut butter instead of tahini, a traditional ingredient that's about 10 dollars for a tiny jar. For us, the peanut butter substitution was great, but if you happen to have tahini or gobs of food money laying around, give tahini a try.

Have a great weekend and happy cooking!

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Cucumber Hummus

Ingredients

1 can chick peas

½ cucumber, peeled

1 Tbsp peanut butter

½ tsp basil

½ tsp oregano

1 clove garlic, chopped (brown in skillet first for a milder flavor)

approx. 1 Tbsp lemon juice

approx. ½ cup olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Toasted pita bread or pita chips

Directions

1. Add chickpeas, peanut butter, garlic, basil, and oregano to food processor. Blend until mixed.

2. With the food processor running, add about half of the olive oil into the processor through the tube and mix.

3. Add lemon juice and cucumber, cut into small chunks, into the food processor. Blend until the cucumber is processed and blended in.

4. With the food processor running, add the remaining olive oil into processor, until the mixture becomes smooth. Add a little more or less oil to get to your desired consistency.

5. Add salt, pepper, and additional lemon or spices to taste and blend.

6. Serve with toasted pita bread or pita chips.

Something Old: Sweet Potato Fries

While at the grocery store the other day, my dad and I encountered the biggest sweet potatoes I've ever seen. They could have been used as footballs.

We refrained from doing that (I was tempted), but they reminded me that Chase and I haven't made sweet potato fries in far too long. We haven't made them yet, but I'm looking for a soup recipe to make this week and realized that these fries would be great served beside a cream-based soup. They're not just good for burgers and barbecue!

And since they're baked, not fried, they're good for you, right? ;)

Keep warm and keep cooking!

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Sweet Potato Fries February 8, 2010

Ingredients

2 large sweet potatoes

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp cinnamon

4 Tbsp vegetable oil

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2. Peel any large eyes from the potatoes. If you don't like skins on your fries, peel the whole potato.

3. Slice the potatoes into long wedges of about the same size. Sweet potatoes are hard, so use a large knife and be careful when cutting them.

4. Mix the oil and spices in a large mixing bowl.

5. Add about a third of the potato slices to the mixing bowl and toss carefully with a large spoon until the slices are covered. Move the slices to a cookie sheet that has been coated with cooking spray.

6. Repeat with the rest of the potatoes. Make sure the slices are not touching on the cookie sheet, using two sheets if necessary (both sheets can go in the oven at the same time).

7. Bake for 25-30 minutes, turning the potato slices halfway through cooking.

8. Remove from oven and sprinkle with extra salt while still hot. Serve and enjoy.

Something Old: Pumpkin Muffins

Just in case you're not going to get enough pumpkin in the next week, or in case you're searching for a last minute recipe to take to the family gathering, here's a great recipe for you.

This recipe works as a dessert recipe too! Spread cream cheese frosting on the tops and dust with cinnamon sugar, and you're good to go.

Happy holiday cooking!

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Pumpkin Muffins November 6, 2009

It’s time for fall things! Sweaters, essays, soup and sniffles. But most importantly, it’s time for pumpkin baked goods!

The other day I started craving anything pumpkin, so I went searching for a recipe for pumpkin muffins. I found a few and decided to combine a few to make just I wanted.

After tweaking (brown sugar was a must!) and playing around, this is what I made:

Ingredients

3 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 cups canned pumpkin, unflavored

⅔ cup veggie oil

2 tsp McCormick pumpkin-pie spice

1 ¼ cup white sugar

1 ¼ cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp salt

Topping:

3 tsp cinnamon

3 tsp sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and put paper liners in muffin tin.

2. Mix flour and baking powder in a small bowl.

3. In a large bowl, mix pumpkin, oil, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda and salt.

4. Once that is mixed, carefully add flour mixture until combined.

5. In a separate bowl, combine the topping ingredients.

6. Fill the muffin cups about 2/3 full, then sprinkle with half of the cinnamon sugar topping.

7. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

8. Sprinkle the remaining topping over the muffins. Let cool and enjoy!

Something Extra: Corn Casserole

For any of you who've been to City Barbecue, had their corn pudding, and loved it, this is your recipe.

It's not actually the restaurants recipe, but a recipe my dad made for us whenever my mom let him get away with it (there's a lot of butter in it). Then when I got up here and tried City BBQ's corn pudding, and realized they were close to the same delicious thing.

For those of you who've never experienced corn pudding or corn casserole, it's definitely something worth trying. It's easy to make and amazingly delicious. And don't worry. It's not like corn-flavored Jello pudding. It's similar to the texture of bread pudding, an appropriate texture for a starch dish.

ps- This recipe came from my mom's wedding shower potluck share-your-recipes lunch. I love that idea!

Happy Friday cooking!

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Corn Casserole

Ingredients

½ stick butter

1 can cream-style corn

1 can whole kernel corn (undrained)

2 eggs, beaten

1 carton (8 oz) sour cream

1 box Jiffy cornbread mix

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Melt butter and pour into the bottom of a 9x13 pan (or throw the butter into the pan and the pan into the oven while you mix the other

3. Finally, fold in the raisins using a spatula.

4. Chill for one hour in the refrigerator.

5. Meanwhile, move one oven rack to the very bottom rung of your oven, and cover it with aluminum foil. Move the other shelf to the middle of the oven.

6. Remove from the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

7. Drop the mixture by the tablespoon (I used a measuring spoon) onto a greased or parchment papered cookie sheet.

8. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove to a paper towel or wire rack.

All the ingredients mixed together (in poor lighting).

Batter in the pan. You can see the butter bubbling up around the sides.

Cooked until golden.

Happy cooking!

Something Simple: Pig Blankets & Purse Pockets

Here for you are two recipes that have 3 ingredients apiece. So easy, it's kind of scary. These are recipes my mom probably pulled off biscuit cans over the years. When she made them, my sisters and I were always allowed to help.

I'll allow that the names are kind of silly. But Caitlin and I called them Purse Pockets when we were little, and the name stuck. And "Pig Blankets" was so chosen because I'm a bit too lazy to say (or type more than once) "Pigs in a Blanket." Too many syllables.

These recipes are great for a meal, or made in miniature for appetizers. They're always a hit here because of all the cheese. Plus, Purse Pockets make a great breakfast item too!

Happy Wednesday cooking!

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Pig Blankets & Purse Pockets

Pig Blankets

1 can Pillsbury crescent rolls

4 oz. block cheese (I like Colby Jack)

8 precooked hot dogs

Direction

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Slice the hot dogs lengthwise to make a slit that stops a half inch from either end, and doesn't cut all the way through the dog.

3. Slice the cheese into strips that will fit in the hot dog slit.

4. Place the cheese slices into the slit in the hot dogs.

5. Unroll your crescent rolls and stretch them slightly.

6. Place the stuffed hot dog on the wide end of the crescent roll, about an inch from the edge. Pull the edge up over the cheese, then roll the rest of the crescent over the hot dog. Repeat for all dogs.

7. Place the rolled dogs cheese-side up on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown.

8. Serve and enjoy. They're great with mustard!

Purse Pockets

1 can Pillsbury buttermilk biscuits

1 cup shredded cheese

1/2 cup sliced deli meat (I usually go with ham)

Direction

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Separate the biscuits and stretch them until they are almost twice their original size and about a quarter inch thick.

3. Place about a tablespoon of cheese and a half tablespoon of deli meat in the center of the stretched biscuit.

4. Fold the biscuit in half so that the edges meet. Seal the biscuits closed with a fork.

5. Place on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with extra cheese. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the biscuits are golden brown.

6. Enjoy!

Stuffed hot dog ready for rolling.

The cheese is covered and now the roll can be rolled!

Waiting for the oven.

Cheesy, flakey Pig Blankets.

Purse Pocket assembly line.

Folded and sealed with a fork.

Ready for baking.

Happy cooking!

Something Old: Magic Chicken Salad

Somehow, it's Monday again. Or rather, it's Sunday night but it will be Monday when this is posted. The weekend never is long enough.

Tonight, Chase and I are cooking meatloaf, a recipe I'll share on Thursday. For today, though, make yourself a great batch of chicken salad for lunches this week. Or for many other things. Chicken salad makes for great sandwiches, but it's also wonderful on top of green salads, or as an appetizer on crackers. Probably more things, but I'm partial to lists of three.

Happy cooking!

ps- I'm so happy the weather is finally cooling. Fall/Winter recipes are my favorite!

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Sarah's Magic Chicken Salad January 5, 2010

This morning, Bobbi asked me if I have a recipe for chicken salad tucked in my arsenal. Scandalously, I did not. So after work tonight, I committed myself to a little experiementation to make my own chicken salad recipe.

Because this is neither “cooking” nor “baking,” but what I can only call “making,” there is plenty of room for your own experimentation with measurements. Like pepper? Add an extra dash. Mayo fan? Use a little more. You get the point. “Making” means the recipe tells you which flavors to add for a great dish, but the amount of these flavors can vary based on your tastes.

Now as I sit here typing to you, I am enjoying the most delicious chicken salad I have ever eaten.

Ingredients

1 ½ cups cooked chicken, cubed

½ - ¾ cup Miracle Whip (light)

1 Tbsp minced onion

½ cup chopped pecans

½ cup chopped celery

½ cup dried cranberries

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

¼ tsp paprika

½ tsp pepper

¼ tsp salt

Directions

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine Miracle Whip, paprika, pepper and salt.

2. Add onion, celery, pecans and cranberries into miracle mayo. Mix well.

3. Add chicken and stir gently until all ingredients are well coated.

4. Finally, add fresh lemon juice and give the chicken salad a final stir.

5. Serve on bread or roll with dark salad greens, on a green salad, on crackers, on a boat, with a goat. (sorry)

PS for Bobbi- If you like grapes in your chicken salad, add those instead of (or in addition to!) the cranberries. Just make sure to cut grapes into pieces about the same size as your celery pieces.

The ingredients. The magic is in the lemon!

Leftover grilled chicken works great, presuming it's minimally seasoned. Fried chicken

works as well, as long as you take the skin off.

But the EASIEST way to acquire chicken is to buy frozen, fully cooked chicken. Thaw

according to microwave directions and let cool before adding to your mix.

Three chopped quarter cups.

All together, ready for eating.

Happy cooking!