#366 *bonus leap year recipe* apple strudel

1 puff pastry sheet (defrosted)
2 granny smith apples (peeled, sliced thin)
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp frozen cranberries

milk (to brush over top)
sugar/cinnamon mixture (to sprinkle over top)

Mix apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon and cranberries. Roll out puff pastry so that it increases in width/length by an inch or so. Spread apple mixture leaving 1 inch border, roll up like a jelly roll tucking the ends under. Place on cookie sheet, brush with milk & sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar. Cut vents every 2 inches in the top and bake at 375 ~35 mins until golden

recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

#365 white chocolate chip & cranberry oatmeal

1/3 cup quick cooking oatmeal
2/3 cup milk
1 tbsp white chocolate chips
1 tbsp dried cranberries
1 tbsp assorted nuts (cashew, almond, pecan)

In a bowl microwave oatmeal and milk for 2.5 mins (it should still be a little milky). Add in chips, cranberries and nuts and serve

#364 guajillo chili and mushroom pasta

1 dried guajillo chili pepper (remove stem and seeds and chop fine)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp butter
1/4 lb cremini mushrooms (diced medium)
1/4 cup white wine
1 package soft silken tofu

1/2 lb dried linguini (half a package)

Boil pasta. Meanwhile saute chili and garlic in olive oil and butter ~4-5 mins over low heat. Add mushrooms and saute another 4-5 mins. Add wine and simmer until wine has evaporated. Puree tofu in food processor or blender until smooth (it will have the consistency of heavy cream) and add to the mushrooms. Simmer 1-2 mins, add cooked al dente linguini, stir and let sit 2-3 mins to let linguini absorb sauce. Serve.

adapted from http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/2008/10/guajillo-chile-oyster-mushroom.html

#363 cashew nut brittle

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 cup unroasted cashews, split in half

Cut 2 pieces of parchment paper ~the size of a cookie sheet. Simmer water, sugar and salt until temperature reaches 238F. Remove from heat, stir in cashews and keep stirring until sugar crystallizes. Put back on the heat and stir over medium high heat until sugar dissolves and turns brown (this takes a few minutes, the sugar dries out before melting again). Pour onto parchment paper and cover with a second piece of parchment and roll out with a rolling pin until thin. Let cool and break into pieces.

recipe adapted from epicurious.com

#362 cinnamon carrot bread

1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
1 pinch salt
1 cup grated carrots
~1/2 cup milk (this wasn't part of the recipe but this was really dry!)

Heat oven to 350 and grease/flour a 9x5 bread pan. Mix together sugars and oil, then mix in flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Add in eggs one at a time and add milk, as needed. Stir in carrots, spread in the pan and bake ~1 hr. Cook in the pan at least 10 mins and then turn out on a wire rack

recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

#361 pumpkin seed brittle

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 cup green, untoasted, pumpkin seeds

Prepare 2 pieces of 24 in x 12 in parchment paper, tape one to the table and save the second. In a saucepan cook sugar, water and salt until temperature is 238F, ~10 mins. Remove from heat, stir in pumpkin seeds with wooden spoon and keep stirring until sugar crystallizes. Then, put it back on medium-high heat and keep stirring until sugar melts and turns brown and liquid (this takes 3-5 mins, be patient). Then spread on parchment, place the second piece of parchment on top and roll with a rolling pin until thin. Remove top paper, let cool (or, cut into desired size pieces and let cool). Once cool you can break it apart.

recipe from epicurious.com

#360 best chicken stock recipe

I keep all stems of cilantro/parsley/dill in the freezer after leaves are used, also, I keep corn cobs and any other veg core in the freezer for use in stock.

1 whole chicken (roasted, majority of meat removed)
enough cold water to leave 1/2 an inch of chicken uncovered (as the chicken cooks the bones break apart and fall into the stock, otherwise the stock is too watered down)
1 bay leaf
5-10 whole peppercorns
1 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic
1/2 of a medium onion (cut in quarters)
2 carrots (cut in 2-3 large pieces)
handful of whatever frozen veggies are on hand (cilantro/parsley stems, corn cobs)

Bring to a everything to a simmer and then place in a preheated 225 degree oven for 4 hours (this temp will keep it just at a simmer). Strain, let cool and then refridgerate/freeze the stock.

#359 cranberry upside down muffins

1.5 cups cranberries
1/2 cup sugar

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1/4 cup butter (melted)
1 cup milk

In a sauce pan heat cranberries and sugar ~3 mins, cranberries will pop and mixture will become liquid. Heat ~3 more mins to thicken the sauce, then remove from heat. In a large bowl mix together flour, baking powder, sugar, egg, butter and milk. Spoon cranberry mixture into the bottom of 12 muffin cups then top with the muffin mix. Bake ~15 mins (until golden) at 350. Remove and serve upside down. *next time mix the cranberry mixture in the muffin*

recipe adapted from epicurious.com

#358 slooooow roasted chicken

1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 of a medium onion
1 4 lb chicken

In small bowl mix together all the spices. Rinse and pat chicken dry then rub spice mixture over the entire bird. Stuff the onion in the cavity and place in a 250F oven and cook, slowly, ~3-4 hrs until thickest part of the thigh registers 180F.

recipe from allrecipes.com (over 1000 5 stars!)

#357 cheese rind soup

2 cheese rinds (~5 inch x 5 inch total surface area, parmesan)
1/2 of a medium onion (sliced thin)
1 yellow zucchini (sliced thin)
1 clove garlic (minced)
1 strip thick cut bacon (diced, save grease)
5 cups chicken stock
salt/pepper to taste
1/2 tbsp butter

Saute onion in bacon fat and butter until translucent, add in garlic and zucchini and saute 3-4 mins, add stock and cheese rinds and simmer ~30 mins. Remove cheese rinds and squeeze juices back into soup. Salt/pepper to taste, serve with bacon.

recipe adapted from ciaoitalia.com

#356 carrot soup

3 carrots (diced large)
4 fingerling potatoes (already cooked, but you can simmer w/everything else if not)
1/2 of a medium onion (diced)
1 clove garlic (minced)
handful of fresh cilantro (minced ~2 tbsp, plus 1-2 tsp saved for garnish)
4 cups chicken stock
olive oil
salt/pepper

Saute onion and cilantro in olive oil 2-3 mins, add garlic and carrots and saute 3-4 mins, add chicken stock and simmer ~30 mins, remove from heat. Puree with potatoes (adding water if it is too thick), serve with remaining cilantro as garnish.

adapted from allrecipes.com

#355 swiss cheese soup

3/4 cups chicken stock
3/4 cups water
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 of a large onion (diced)
1 clove garlic (minced)
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp bacon fat (or butter)
1 strip thick cut bacon (optional)
1/4 cup shredded swiss cheese tossed with 1/4 tsp flour
salt/pepper to taste
bread roll to serve
(this is 1 serving)

Dice bacon and saute in a bit of olive oil until crisp. Remove/drain bacon and save the grease. In a separate/dry saucepan saute flour 3-4 mins, stirring constantly, until flour browns. Remove flour from pan. Add bacon grease, onion and garlic and saute until onion is translucent. Add in toasted flour and then slowly (so it doesn't clump) add stock/water/wine. Simmer 15-20 mins (this lessens the wine flavor), then take off the heat for a minute or so and add in cheese, stirring constantly until cheese dissolves into the soup. Serve topped with bacon and a roll.

adapted from allrecipes.com

#354 green curry soup

1/4 cup cooked, chopped chicken
2 tsp green curry paste
1 can light coconut milk
1/4 of a medium onion (diced)
handful of cilantro (rinsed, kept whole)
handful of cilantro (minced)
1 cup chicken stock
4 large cremini mushrooms (~1/3 lb), chopped large
1/2 cup rice
zest of 1 lime
juice of 1/2 a lime
2 tbsp fish oil

Simmer chicken stock, coconut milk, whole cilantro, green curry paste and onions ~10 mins, strain and return broth to saucepan. Add mushrooms and rice and simmer until rice is cooked ~10 mins. Stir in chicken, lime zest, lime juice, minced cilantro and fish oil and serve.

#353 ethiopian lentils with berebere spice

2/3 cup dry lentils
2.5 tsp berebere spice
1/3 of an onion (diced)
1 glove garlic (minced)

Simmer lentils in 1 1/3 cups water for 10 mins, add berebere spice, onion and garlic and simmer ~25 mins, or until remaining water is absorbed (I added more water until lentils were soft, maybe 2-3 tbsp) . Serve with rice

recipe adapted from recipezaar.com

#352 cinnamon sugar hazelnuts

1/2 of a egg froth mixture (see recipe #352)
1 cup hazelnuts
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Mix hazelnuts with egg froth then stir in remaining ingredients. Bake at 250 ~45 mins-1 hr (until the sugar firms up)

recipe adapted from my boss's top secret recipe

#351 savory toasted almonds

1 cup almonds
1/2 of an egg white/water froth (mix 1 egg white and 1 tsp water frothed with a fork, split in half and use half for this half for hazelnuts recipes #353)
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp cayanne pepper

Mix almonds with egg white froth, then stir in all the remaining ingredients. Bake at 250 ~30 mins, stirring every 15.

recipe adapted from recipezaar.com

#350 sugared cranberries

1.5 cups sugar
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves
1.5 cups fresh, whole, cranberries
~1 cup confectioners sugar (I think I used about 1/2 cup)

Simmer together sugar, cinnamon and cloves until sugar completely dissolves. Add in cranberries and let sit 8 hrs in the fridge. Then, drain the cranberries (liquid may be reserved for coctails) and coat with confectioners sugar. They will be very gooey, spread on a pan and let air dry ~ 2 hrs, the sugar forms a crisp shell on the outside of the cranberry.

recipe adapted from recipezaar.com

#349 marshmallows (for dipping in chocolate fondue)

1/4 cup confectioners sugar
2 cups white sugar
1 tbsp honey
4 tbsp unflavored gelatin (get 2 knox brand boxes and measure out the right amount ~3 oz?)
1 1/4 cups water, divided
2 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla (I forgot to put it in, next to add vanilla to the egg whites)

Dust a foil lined 8x8 inch pan with confectioners sugar (I ended up having a hard-ish time removing the marshmallows from the foil, but I'm not sure if it would've been any easier if I didn't use it). In a large sauce pan cook white sugar, 3/4 cup water and honey until the temperature reaches 250-265 (and it forms a very hard ball when you put it in cold water). While it is boiling, in a small sauce pan mix together gelatin and remaining water and put it over very low heat, stirring until gelatin dissolves. When sugar reaches the right temperature *slowly* add in the gelatin mixture (it will foam a lot). Mix well and set aside. With a mixer beat egg whites to soft peaks, add vanilla, slowly stream in the sugar mixture and keep beating until mixture is very stiff. Spread into the pan and refridgerate 8 hrs. Cut into squares.

recipe from allrecipes.com

#348 salsa filled wontons (to dip in fondue)

1/2 a package of wonton wrappers
1/4 cup salsa
2-3 tsp sour cream

Mix together salsa and sour cream, add 1/2 tsp of this mixture to the center of the wonton wrapper and fold up like a wonton. After stuffing all of them, then with a brush and bowl and ~1-2 tbsp oil, brush tops and bottoms of wontons with oil and bake at 350 ~20 mins until crisp (if you forgo the oil the wontons don't crisp well).

#347 mint chocolate fondue

1 recipe of chocolate fondue (I use my grandma's hot fudge recipe, but it's top secret!)
2 cap fulls of peppermint extract.

Mix together and serve.

#346 cheese fondue (serves 5)

1/2 lb swiss cheese
1/2 lb gruyere cheese
1 cup dry white wine (savignon blanc)
2 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg

In a food processor puree/shed the cheeses, then mix the cheeses with the flour, salt and nutmeg. Simmer the wine in the fondue pot, stir in cheese and keep stirring until it is smooth.

recipe from allrecipes.com

#345 peppermint bark

5 oz dark chocolate (~1 cup)
1 cup white chocolate
1/2 tsp peppermint oil

Cover the bottom of a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Melt dark chocolate in a double boiler, spread out on the pan. Let cool in fridge 20 mins. Then melt white chocolate in a double boiler, add peppermint oil and mix together. Let cool 30 seconds and then spread over chocolate. Let cool in fridge until hard, ~20 mins. Break into pieces and enjoy!

recipe adapted from http://www.abouteating.com/peppermint-bark-recipe.shtml

#344 mexican chicken soup

3-4 cups chicken stock
1/2 jar of salsa
1/4 of an onion (diced)
1 carrot (diced)
1/2 can of pinto beans
1/4 cup shredded chicken

sour cream and cheese to serve

Simmer together stock, salsa, onion, carrot, beans and chicken ~10 mins. Serve with sour cream and cheese.

#343 chewy coconut cookies

1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter (softened...heat 1 min in microwave)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups coconut

Cream together butter and white/brown sugars then add in egg and vanilla and mix until smooth. Mix in flour, baking soda and salt and then mix in coconut. Refridgerate 10 mins, then scoop onto cookie sheet and bake at 350 ~10 mins.

recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

#342 onion white rice

1/4 cup white rice
1/4 of a medium onion (diced)
olive oil/salt/pepper

Saute onion in a little olive oil 2-3 mins, add rice and saute another minute or so, add salt/pepper and then 1/2 cup of water. Simmer ~15 mins until water is absorbed, let sit 2-3 mins covered before serving.

recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

#341 fish steamed in foil

1/3 lb catfish
1 jalepeno (seeded, cut in half)
2 slices of lemon
olive oil/salt/pepper

Rinse fish, pat dry, rub with a bit of oil/salt/pepper, place in the center of aluminum foil. Place jalepeno and lemon slices on top and seal foil tightly. Cook at 400 for 20 mins.

recipe from allrecipes.com

#340 cinnamon bun popcorn

3 tbsp unpopped popcorn
~2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp butter
1-2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Pop popcorn in ~2 tsp olive oil, 1/2 tbsp butter on the stovetop. Melt 1 tbsp butter in the microwave, stir in brown sugar and cinnamon and stir over the popped corn.

recipe adapted from recipezaar.com

#339 butter chickpea curry (2)

1/2 of an onion (diced)
1 clove garlic (minced)
1 red potato (microwave 2-3 mins, diced)
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cumin
1 can chickpeas (drained)
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 8 oz can plain yogurt
rice to serve

Saute onion in olive oil 2-3 mins, add garlic, curry powder, garam masala, ginger and cumin and saute/fry 1-2 mins (spices should be smoking). Add tomato sauce, chickpeas and potato, stir and simmer 5-10 mins until rice is done cooking. Stir in yogurt and serve.

#338 split pea soup with ham hock

1 smoked ham hock
1/2 bag split peas (~1 cup)
1 medium potato (diced)
2 small carrots (diced)
1 bay leaf
salt/pepper

Cover ham hock with water (maybe 6 cups?), add bay leaf and peas and simmer until peas begin to dissintegrate ~30 mins. Add potato and carrots and simmer ~45 mins. Season with salt/pepper, remove ham hock and cut off any meat. Return meat to the pot and serve.

#337 russian black bread rolls

1 1/2 cups water
2 tbsp cider vinegar
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup rye flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp dark honey
1 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp caraway seed
1/4 teaspoon fennel seed
2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Dough can be made in a bread machine, I did it by hand: dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water and 2 tsp honey, let sit while you get everything else together. In a large bowl combine flours, salt, remaining honey, sugar, cocoa powder, caraway and fennel seeds, mix. Add yeast/water, and 1/2 cup of warm water. Mix, adding remaining 1/2 of water as needed (I used only another 1/4 cup). Knead 10 mins and then let rise until double (or more) in size ~1 hr. Punch down, knead another minute and divide into 8 rolls. Knead each rolls into a ball and place on baking sheet. Let rise ~30 mins and then bake at 350 ~20-25 mins.

adapted from allrecipes.com

#336 chocolate cupcakes

*this makes 1/2 a batch ~8 cupcakes*

2/3 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1.5 tbsp butter (softened)
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk

Cream butter and sugar and then add the egg, mix well. Add milk, flour, cocoa, baking soda/powder and mix until smooth. Spoon into cupcake cups and bake at 350 ~20 mins

recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

#335 peanut butter glaze

2.5 tsp water
1/2 tbsp peanut butter
1/3 cup powdered sugar

Mix together, add more water to thin as necessary. Spread on chocolate cupcakes. ~6 cupcakes

recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

#334 cranberry chicken soup

1/2 cup cranberries (chopped in half)
3-4 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1/4 cup lentils
palmful each of barley and bulgur
pinch of dry sage
pinch of coriander
~1/4 cup cooked chicken.

Simmer cranberries, stock, onion, garlic, lentils, barley, bulgur, sage and coriander ~20 mins until grains are cooked. Stir in chicken and serve.

#333 spicy eggplant w/tomato sauce and orzo

1/2 of an eggplant (diced)
1/2 of a small can of tomoto sauce (or more to taste)
1/2 of a large onion (diced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 sausage link of your choice ~.3 lb (I used turkey/basil/fennel/sun dried tomato)
lots of red pepper flakes (3-4 good shakes)
1/2 cup uncooked orzo pasta

Boil orzo. Meanwhile, saute eggplant, garlic, onion and sausage (remove sausage from casing and break it up as it cooks). Add tomato sauce and red pepper flakes, simmer ~10 mins. Drain pasta, stir pasta in with everything else. Add more sauce if you like. Let sit 3-4 mins before serving.

#332 sauted eggplant over rice

1/2 of a 1 lb eggplant (diced)
5 cloves garlic
salt/pepper/red pepper flakes to taste
olive oil

rice to serve (~1/4 cup makes 1 serving)

This serves just 1. Saute eggplant and garlic over low-med heat in olive oil (probably 2 tbsp total, adding more as needed so the eggplant isn't dry). Saute ~15 mins until eggplant breaks down. Add salt/pepper/red pepper flakes to taste and serve.