#181 fig and oatmeal cookies

1 stick butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup maple syrup
pinch salt
1/2 of a beaten egg
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup chopped dried figs
1/2 cup quick cooking oats

(I halved the reciped)
Melt butter and cream with brown sugar 1-2 mins, add maple syrup and egg and mix well. Mix in flour and baking soda. Stir in oats and figs, freeze ~10 mins to harden and then bake at 350 ~12 mins.

adapted from recipezaar

#180 fava beans & panchetta

.15 lb panchetta
1 garlic clove (minced)
~1 cup fava beans
2 slices of bread (toasted)

Boil fava beans ~2-3 mins in water, rinse in cold water and shell. Dice panchetta and saute 4-5 mins until almost crisp, add in garlic and cook another 1-2 mins. Add fava beans and stir to heat.

Serve over toast

adapted from epicurious

#179 bulger burgers

1/2 cup bulger
1 cup pinto beans
3/4 cup walnuts
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic
1/2 onion (minced)
1 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper

serve with bread, sliced tomato, lime-mayo (1/4 cup mayo, zest/juice of 1 lime), lettuce

Saute 1/4 of the onion ~5 mins, add bulger and water and simmer until cooked, ~15 mins. Combine with beans, garlic, remaining onion, walnuts, cayenne, pepper, salt, cilantro and cumin and process in food processor until smooth. Stir in cilantro. Form into patties and cook in saute pan until brown on both sides ~10 mins. Serve over bread with tomato and lime mayo

from epicurious.com

#178 scallops & roasted tomatoes

1/4 lb bay scallops (the small ones)
1/4 cup grape tomatoes
1/2 of a red bell pepper (sliced)
2 tbsp rum
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 avocado (diced)
1 mango (diced)

Roast peppers and tomatoes in 400C oven until tomatoes pop. Heat sauce pan, add scallops and cook ~2 mins, stir in rum, lemon and cook another minute or so. Stir in roasted veggies and serve with avocado and mango

adapted from epicurious

#177 suped up leftover rice

1/2 cup leftover white rice
2-3 tbsp diced onion
1/2 tbsp butter
2-3 tsp tamari, to taste

Heat butter and onion in pan 3-4 mins, add rice and tamari and fry until hot.

#176 watermelon salsa

3 cups diced watermelon
1 cup diced honeydew
1 minced jalapeno pepper
1/4 of an onion (diced)
juice of 2 limes and 1 lemon (~1/4 cup)
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp crystallized ginger

Combine onion with lemon and sugar and let sit a few minutes before combining with everything else.

adapted from epicurious.com

#175 chocolate chocolate chip muffins

2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
2/3 plus 1 tbsp sugar
.5 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 1/4 cups milk (added ~2 tbsp more at the end to thin batter)
1 cup (total) chopped almonds/walnuts
1 cup chocolate chips
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together wet ingredients (milk, egg, vanilla) stir everything but nuts/chips. When blended and the right consistency stir in chips and nuts. Put into muffin tins (~1/4 cup per muffin) and bake at 350 ~25 mins.

adapted from allrecipes.com

#174 kettle corn

1/8 cup unpopped popcorn
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar

Heat butter and oil in large pan, when fairly hot add in popcorn (make sure there is enough butter/oil to coat the bottom of the pan). Right before popcorn starts popping (maybe another 3 mins) add in sugar and salt (if you add the sugar too soon it will burn)

#173 vietnamese noodles and grilled steak

1/2 lb spaghetti
3 tbsp apple cidar vinegar
1.5 tbsp tamari
2 large garlic cloves (minced)
4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp worcheshire sauce
1/2 of a red pepper (sliced thin)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3/4 lb flank steak

Boil water & cook spaghetti, meanwhile combine vinegar, tamari, garlic, sugar, red pepper, salt and worcheshire sauce and put aside. Cook steak 3-4 mins per side and let rest. When pasta is done toss with vinegar sauce and stir in red pepper and cilantro. Slice steak and serve.

adapted from epicurious

#172 artichoke, chicken and bean pasta

1 can marinated artichokes
1 large chicken breast
1 can white beans
1 lemon
1.5 cups pasta

Cook pasta, meanwhile drain the beans and place in a bowl, add juice/zest of a lemon. Cut artichokes into quarters and add with can juice to a sauce pan, bring to a simmer. Add diced chicken, simmer 5-10 mins. Add beans. When pasta is done combine with chicken mixture and serve.

adapted from epicurious.com

#171 fig almond snacks

figs
almonds

Split/cut the top of the figs and insert an almond, bake at ~350 for 5-10 mins and enjoy (they're good without heating in the oven too)!

#170 peanut butter, miso pasta

2 tsbp peanut butter
2 tbsp miso
1 tbsp tamari sauce
few shakes toasted sesame oil
few shakes mirin
1/2 package pasta

Boil pasta and stir in everything else.

#169 spinach & orzo salad with chicken

1 cup orzo
~10 cups baby spinach
2-3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup feta cheese
1/4 cup almonds (toasted, chopped)
1 chicken breast
1/4 onion (diced)

Boil orzo in water ~8 mins. Cook chicken breast in a pan, meanwhile microwave spinach 2-3 mins until barely wilted, squeeze out water, chop and squeeze out water again, set aside. When orzo is done drain and remove from pan, add oil to pan and saute onion. Add in spinach, orzo and chicken (diced), feta and vinegar (add vinegar according to taste). Stir in almonds and serve.

Adapted from allrecipes.com

#168 asiago cornmeal muffins

1 cup corn muffin mix
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp cumin
1 cup asiago cheese (grated)
1 egg
2/3 cup water
2 tbsp melted butter

Mix together muffin mix through cheese. Add butter, water and egg and mix until combined. Spoon ~2 tbsp per muffin tin and bake at 375 ~20 mins until golden

adapted from recipezaar.com

#167 turkey soup (2)

~10 cups stock (if dill isn't used in the stock add a few handfuls of chopped fresh dill)
~1.5 cups turkey meat
1/2 cup pasta
1/4 cup corn
1/4 med onion (diced)

Add turkey meat, pasta, corn and onion to stock and simmer until pasta is done

#166 braised turkey stock

2 leftover turkey legs
2 leftover pork chop bones (roasted @450 for 20 mins)
2 corn cobs
1 bunch each of dill and cilantro stems
1/4 onion (diced)
1 carrot (diced)
1 bay leaf
2 tsp salt

The corn cobs, herb stems, turkey legs and pork bones are remains that I froze after using the leaves/meat/kernals so that I have them when I want to make stock.

Add enough water to cover turkey legs, add in everything else. Bring to a simmer and put in a 225 degree oven (so it barely simmers) for ~4 hrs (this way to you don't have to babysit the stock)

#165 mint & pineapple

I wasn't going to post this since it's so easy, however after rave reviews from a few friends I thought I should...

1 pineapple (skinned, cored and chopped)
1/4 cup mint (chopped)

Mix together and let sit in fridge overnight.

#164 black bean hummus

1 can black bean (drained, reserve liquid)
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp black bean water
juice from 1 lemon
1 tbsp peanut butter
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt

Put everything in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add more lemon juice/salt as needed.

#163 calamari thai red curry

1/4 lb calamari (cut into thin rounds)
1/4 lb baby spinach (chopped)
1 can bamboo shoots
handful cilantro (chopped)
1 tbsp red curry paste
1 can light coconut milk
1 tbsp fish oil

white rice

Saute red curry in pan ~1 min, add coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Add bamboo and calamari, turn off heat, stir in spinach, cilantro and fish oil, let sit a minute or so to cook fish. Serve over rice

adapted from epicurious

#162 cheesy orzo

1/4 onion (diced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 cups boiling water
1 cup orzo
~1/2 cup grated asiago cheese

Saute onion in olive oil ~3-4 mins, add garlic and cook until fragrant, add water and when water boils add orzo, cook until all water is absorbed. Stir in cheese.

adapted from foodtv.com (r. ray)

#161 baked donut holes

1 1/3 cups warm milk (95-105 degrees)
2.25 tsp active dry yeast (or 1 packet)
2 tbsp butter (melted)
1/3 plus 1 tbsp sugar
2 eggs
4.75 cups flour (after 4 cups add flour slowly, up to 5 or 5.25 cups depending)
pinch nutmeg
1 tsp salt

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp milk
sugar/cinnamon/powdered sugar for topping

Place 1/3 cup warm milk in bowl and add yeast, let sit 5 mins. Meanwhile in large mixing bowl combine remaining milk, butter and sugar, mix well, add yeast/milk and mix throughly. Add eggs and flour, alternating, and once mixture is thick enough knead by hand and continue to add flour until dough is supple and not very sticky. Knead dough ~7-10 mins. Place in a oiled bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size. Punch down, remove from dough and shape into 1 tsp size balls (or roll and cut out donut shapes), place on cookie sheet and let rise again (covered) until doubled in size. Bake at 375 ~8-10 mins.

While baking melt remaining butter, add milk. In three separate baggies add (1) powdered sugar (2) powdered sugar and cinnamon and (3) sugar and cinnamon. When donuts come out of the oven brush with butter/milk mixture and place in one of 3 bags. Shake well, and transfer the balls to a dish. Continue with remaining balls

recipe adapted from 101cookbooks.com

#160 roasted turkey legs (2)

2 large turkey legs
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp koser salt
1 tsp pepper

Mix together baking powder, salt and pepper and rub on legs. Let sit in the fridge uncovered ~7 hrs and bake at 375 until internal temp is 180. The rub results in a nice crispy skin!

These were much juicer than the first, but way too much salt!

#159 corn, orzo, spinach & lime salad

2 ears corn (cut off cobb)
1/2 cup grape tomatoes (diced)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro (chopped fine)
juice of 1 lime
1 cup baby spinach (chopped)
2 small portabello mushrooms
1/2 cup orzo

Boil water and cook orzo, meanwhile chop vegetables and put in large bowl. Clean mushrooms and cook in saute pan ~4 mins per side, slice thin and add to bowl, add cooked orzo and lime juice.

#158 lime mousse

1 package soft silken tofu
zest/juice of 1 large lime (2 tbsp juice)
1/8 cup of sugar
3/4 tsp gelatin

Puree tofu in blender until it is a smooth cream. Put in sauce pan and heat, add zest of lime and sugar, heat/simmer until sugar dissolves ~5 mins. Dissolve gelatin in lime juice and stir in tofu. Stir well and put in a container, refridgerate until set.

adapted from epicurious

#157 barley for breakfast

~1.5 cups leftover barley
1/3 cup milk
4 tsp sugar
few shakes of cinnamon
handful of raisens
handful toasted pecans

Heat barley and milk in saucepan, bring to a simmer and let cook until milk is absorbed ~5-10 mins. Midway through add sugar/cinnamon and at the end stir in raisens and pecans.

#156 roasted asparagus & lemon

1/2 pound asparagus
olive oil
1/2 lemon

Toss asparagus with 1 tbsp oil and put in baking dish, roast at 375 ~10 mins until tender. Squeeze juice of one lemon over stalks before serving.

#155 white bean ragu over pasta

This was a surprise hit!! Very tasty!

1 can white beans
1 can diced tomatoes (with basil/garlic spices, but would be fine without)
2 large cloves garlic (minced)
2 shakes of red pepper flakes
1/4 of a medium onion (diced)
1 lemon
1 tsp dried sage
1/2 lb pasta

Boil pasta, meanwhile drain beans and put in bowl. Add juice of 1 lemon to beans and let sit. Meanwhile, saute onion in olive oil 3-4 mins, add garlic, sage and red pepper and saute another 1-2 mins. Stir in tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Add beans, let simmer until pasta is done. Drain pasta, mix with sauce and let cool 1-2 mins to thicken before serving.

adapted from epicurious

#154 sweet and sour cucumbers

1 large english cucumber (the ones wrapped in plastic), sliced thin
1 tbsp koser salt
1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
~1/4 cup vinegar
2 tsp sugar

Salt cucumber with koser salt and let sit in colandar ~15 mins. Rinse well and pat dry. Mix together dill, vinegar and sugar and stir in cucumbers.

adapted from epicurious.com

#153 dilled soda bread rolls

1.5 cups buttermilk (I substituted 1/4 cup sour cream, 1.25 cups milk, 1 tbsp lemon juice)
1/2 cup fresh diced dill
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder (double acting)
5 tbsp butter (melted)
3 cups flour

Mix together buttermilk substitute, dill, honey and butter. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder and mix well. Add more flour as needed (maybe 2 tbsp more was added). Knead with hands 30 sec until dough comes together. Shape into roll size balls and bake at 375 ~20 mins.

adapted from epicurious.com

#152 garlic shrimp

1/4 lb shrimp, deveined
water w/ 1 tsp salt dissolved therein
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
2 med garlic cloves (minced)
1-2 shakes of red pepper flakes
1/2 bay leaf

Soak shrimp in cold water ~15 mins. Saute garlic, bay leaf and red pepper flakes in olive oil/butter 2-3 mins. Add shrimp and cook until opaque.

#151 pecan barley salad

~1 cup cooked barley
juice of 1 lemon
~1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
~3/4 cup toasted pecans
1 tbsp olive oil

Mix everything together and serve!

Adapted from epicurious.com

#150 rhubarb tea cakes

1.5 cups flour
1.5 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 stick butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups rhubarb (diced small, about 3 stalks)

Mix together sugar and butter until smooth. Add eggs and blend well. Add dry ingredients and sour cream and mix. Stir in rhubarb. Bake in buttered muffin tins @350 ~30 mins (note: next time use parchment paper lined tins, the bottoms didn't come out of the pan well)

From http://theslowcook.blogspot.com/2008/04/rhubarb-tea-cake.html

#149 ginger tea

black tea
1.5 inch fresh ginger (peeled and sliced in large chunks)

Make black tea according to your tastes. After steeping add ginger and cool in fridge.

#148 rubarbade

1 stalk rubarb (chopped large)
water
sugar

Process rubarb in food processer, over a colander strain/sqeeze out liquid. About 3 tbsp per stalk. Dilute 5 tbsp water per 1 tbsp liquid. Add 2-3 tbsp sugar water (heat sugar in water to dissolve). Chill and serve.