A Little Italian

Use this herb and spice mixture in pasta sauces or with braised or roasted vegetables. I use it whenever a recipe calls for "Italian Seasoning." I also add it to breadcrumbs to make my own seasoned breadcrumbs for breading chicken or pork cutlets, or in meatballs. It makes a great little gift.


A Little Italian

2 tablespoons dried basil
2 tablespoons dried marjoram
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried rosemary
2 tablespoons dried savory
1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

The recipe says: "In the bowl of a food processor, combine all ingredients. Process for 30 seconds until finely ground." But I never do that. I just combine all ingredients and mix well. When I use this mixture, I place it in the palm of my hand and crumble it together to release the flavors.

Makes a scant cup

From the Eat More, Weigh Less cookbook, a recipe by Michael McDermott.

Spiced Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is a chocolate variation of the standard chocolate chip cookie. It is definitely an "adult" version, as it has ginger, cloves and cinnamon in it also. I make these smaller, so I don't feel guilty having a cookie. Some kids don't like these, but most adults love them.

Spiced Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup coarsely chopped almonds
2 Tablespoons butter
1-1/2 cups cake flour
2 Tablespoons cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¾ teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
9 Tablespoons butter-flavored shortening
1 cup minus 1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 large egg
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
Grated rind of one orange
1-cup dark chocolate chips
Nonstick cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. On large baking sheet, roast the almonds for 10 to 12 minutes. While the nuts are still hot, stir in 2 tablespoons butter.3. Turn up the oven to 375F
4. Sift together the flour, cocoa, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, salt and baking powder in a medium mixing bowl.5. Using an electric mixer, cream fat and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat thoroughly. Beat in the grated orange rind and vanilla. On low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients until thoroughly combined. Scrape down the sides once with a rubber spatula. Add the almonds and chocolate chips. Beat 5 seconds on low. Use the rubber spatula to finish mixing in well.
6. Spray cookie sheets lightly with nonstick cooking spray. With tablespoon or small ice cream food scoop (I use a #40, about 1-1/2” diameter), drop slightly heaped tablespoons of batter about 2 inches apart onto the greased sheets. Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes or until the edges just begin to brown. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheet on a cooling rack for 3 minutes, then remove the cookies to a rack to cool completely.

Makes about 2-1/2 dozen cookies.


Variations:

• Use a mixture of dark chocolate and cinnamon chips (as I have done here)
  
• Substitute 1 teaspoon Grand Marnier & 2 teaspoons vanilla for the 1 tablespoon of vanilla.

Chocolate Chip Cookies for Adults

I grew up baking cookies with my mother and grandmother, and when my son was growing up, we baked cookies frequently. When he was home for a weekend while in college, he would often ask to bake cookies. We always made chocolate chip cookies. He used to think it was funny to see people buying cookies at the store. "You don't BUY cookies," he used to say, "you bake them yourself. "

After a while I got bored of plain semi-sweet chocolate chip cookies, and started experimenting. Over the next few days, I will post my favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Variations for "Adults."

Here are my son's favorites, White Chocolate Chip Cookies with Dried Cranberries and Peanuts. I use roasted peanuts that are lightly salted. I don't even chop them. I use a bar of good quality white chocolate that I chop by hand. I don't like the flavor of so-called "white chips." Since he is older, I make these cookies quite large.


White Chocolate Chip Cookies with Cranberries and Peanuts*

1 cup coarsely chopped peanuts
1-1/2 cups cake flour
¾ teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
9 Tablespoons butter-flavored shortening
1 cup minus 1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 large egg
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup dried cranberries
Nonstick cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder in a medium mixing bowl.
3. Using an electric mixer, cream fat and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the grated orange rind, the egg and beat thoroughly. Beat in the vanilla. On low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients until thoroughly combined. Scrape down the sides once with a rubber spatula. Add the peanuts, dried cranberries and chocolate chips. Beat 5 seconds on low. Use the rubber spatula to finish mixing in well.
4. Spray cookie sheets lightly with nonstick cooking spray (or use a silicone baking sheet). With tablespoon or ice cream food scoop (I use a #20, about 2” diameter), drop slightly heaped tablespoons of batter about 2 inches apart onto the greased sheets. Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes or until the edges just begin to brown. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheet on a cooling rack for 3 minutes, then remove the cookies to a rack to cool completely.

Makes about 2-1/2 dozen "ordinary" sized cookies, about 18 "big" cookies.


*My son likes puffy cookies, that's why these are made with butter-flavored shortening instead of real butter, and cake flour instead of ordinary white flour. For examples of Thin, Puffy & Chewy cookies, check out Alton Brown's variations.

Turkey Cobb Salad

I'm not a big fan of sandwiches, but I like salad. Here is a Cobb Salad made with leftover Thanksgiving turkey instead of chicken. Crispy bacon, ripe avocado chunks, turkey, tomatoes, cut-up hard cooked eggs and blue cheese chunks are arranged on a bed of chopped romaine lettuce. All that's needed is a little salt and pepper to taste and your favorite vinaigrette dressing.

This one is packed up ready to take to work for lunch.

Szechwan Beef Stir-Fry

My son came over for last night before he went to his karate class. He had only a short time, so I made this quick stir-fry. It's one of those "Beef, it's what's for dinner" recipes. I found it on the back of a Good Housekeeping magazine probably 15 years ago. I make it often, and it is one of my son's favorite meals.

Szechwan Beef Stir-Fry (30 minutes)

1 lb beef flank steak
2 Tb soy sauce
4 tsp dark sesame oil
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp minced ginger
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper pods
1 small red pepper, cut into 1" pieces
1 8 oz package frozen baby corn, defrosted
1/4 lb snow peas, julienned

Cut beef lengthwise into 2 strips; slice across the grain into 1/8-inch thick strips. Combine soy sauce, 2 tsp oil, sugar and cornstarch; stir into strips. Heat remaining 2 tsp oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, ginger and pepper pods; cook 30 seconds. Add bell pepper and corn; stir fry 11/2 minutes. Add pea pods; stir fry 30 seconds. Remove vegetables from the skillet; reserve. Stir-fry beef strips (half at a time) 2 - 3 minutes. Return vegetables and snow peas to skillet and heat through.

Serve over hot cooked white rice.

Serves 4


American Beef Council

English Muffin Bread

I can't remember how long I have been baking this bread. You don't have to know anything about bread baking to make it. It freezes well.

English Muffin Bread (makes 2 loaves)

6 cups unsifted flour
2 packages active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups water
1/2 cup milk
cornmeal

Combine 3 cups flour, undissolved yeast, sugar, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Heat water and milk until very warm (120 - 130 F). Add to dry ingredients and beat well.

Stir in the remaining 3 cups flour to make a stiff batter. It will look like this:
Spoon the batter into 8-1/2" x 4-1/2" x 2-1/2" loaf pans that have been sprayed with PAM and sprinkled with cornmeal:
Sprinkle tops with cornmeal. Cover, let rise in a warm place free from draft, about 30 - 45 minutes.
Bake at 400F for 25 minutes.Remove from pans and cool.

The bread doesn't get very brown, so it may look uncooked. Slice in 1/2" slices and toast until it changes color.It is delicious plain, or with butter, or with jam. I love it with peanut butter and banana slices. My mother slices it about an inch thick and lightly toasts it in her toaster oven to eat with soup.

This bread makes terrific gifts.

I often triple the recipe and make 6 loaves at a time. The only difference is to use 3 Tablespoons of yeast instead of 6.