Culinary Goods

  Firs,t I would like to note that with this post, I have officially published more recipes than Stef, which is a FIRST. Go MEL! This was awesome. John have me 3 compliments on this, and it’s at least an 8.5.  First, it’s all in the homemade green chile enchilada sauce. This is a must. Here is the link of the sauced we made:  http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/green-chile-sauce.aspx The reason we used that recipe instead is because it called for tomatillos, which is a much in my opinion. We used Anaheim peppers. It was so good. Also, I bought pre-cut butternut squash from Costco, and they were huge chunks. I think I’ll buy my own squash and cut them next time because it took at least 25 minutes to cook. I put other changes in bold. Also, I would serve this with avocado or something, maybe even olives. They are almost like enchiladas. Black Bean and Butternut Enchilada Skillet Make a note that this recipe calls for cooked chicken so plan ahead. You could easily lea...

I made up this recipe, so I had to make up a title, and this was as creative as I could be. First, this was good. I will use this many times over from now on. It’s healthy and fast and tasty. I give this an 8. Avocado dressing 1 avocado 1/4 cup olive oil I will reduce this to 2 T. next time large spoon sour cream I used light 3/4 tsp. salt juice of 1/2 lime 2 cloves garlic handful cilantro Blend this. It will be thick, so you will have to spoon it on to the salad.

  The recipe came from melskitchencafe.com. These were good. Not awesome, but good. However, they are more suited to be a side dish. They just aren’t filling enough for a main dish. But, they were good. I give them a 7. We didn’t change anything on this recipe. Little Quinoa Patties Yield: Makes 11-12 patties Ingredients 2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa, room temperature 4 large eggs, lightly beaten 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 2 cloves garlic, finely minced 1 cup finely crushed saltine or Ritz crackers or bread crumbs, plus more if needed 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil Directions Combine the quinoa, eggs, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in the parsley, cheese and garlic. Add the cracker or bread crumbs. Stir the mixture until combined. If the mixture seems overly wet, add a tablespoon or two more of cracker or bread crumbs. If it seems too dry, add a tablespoon or two of wa...

  This recipe came from melskitchencafe.com, and my kids love these. They were really simple, although I did tweak this a bit. Looking at the notes she has made, I think I might add chia seeds next time. They don’t taste like much, but they are healthy. They would be good with coconut, and really great with some nutella thrown in. No-Bake Granola Bites Yield: Makes about 30 bites Ingredients 2 cups quick oats I used old fashioned 1 cup crispy rice cereal (like Rice Krispies) 1 cup creamy peanut butter 1 cup ground flaxseed 1 cup mini chocolate chips I used big ones 2/3 cup honey or agave nectar I cut this down to 1/3 cup and it was plenty sweet (I used agave) 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract I cut this down to 1 tsp. 2 tablespoons coconut oil Directions Combine all the ingredients together in a large bowl, mixing gently so the crispy rice cereal doesn't get crushed. Mix until well-combined. Using a cookie scoop (or roll small amounts in your hands), drop rounde...

Emma was bugging me to make some blueberry pancakes, and I found a recipe on annieseats.com that looked good, so I used that as a basis. However, hers called for yogurt which I didn’t have, so I basically made up my own recipe. The top one is batch #2. The bottom one is batch #1. Sigh. The original recipe idea suggested whole grain, so my first batch was entirely multi-grain flour (spelt, kamut, wheat, brown rice, barley, oat groats). The batter was wretched. And in fact, you can see from the picture that they were totally flat. The flour lumped up on me for some unknown reason. The second version was better. I’m honestly just not a huge fan of blueberry pancakes, but if I made them again, I have some serious changes, which you will see below in bold. Blueberry Pancakes 1 cup flour I used half whole grain and half white on the second batch, and it was better, but honestly, it would be better with all white flour 2 tsp. sugar ¾ tsp. baking powder ¼ tsp. salt 1 ¼ cup buttermilk ...

These were fabulous. I gave them a 9 and Jared gave them a 9.5. Because they seemed more simple and authentic I thought they were going to be only so-so, but the flavors really worked well together. The feta cheese is a must because it gives is a really sharp flavor. I got the recipe from my Fine Cooking magazine. 2 large ripe avocados, pitted 2 limes, 1 juiced and 1 cut into wedges 1-1/2 tsp. kosher salt; more as needed 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper; more as needed 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil 1 small yellow onion, finely diced 1 tsp. chili powder I was out, so just put a few shakes of cumin and oregano in Scant 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 14-1/2oz. can petite-diced tomatoes, drained 1 medium chipotle chile...

This is a good winter soup and I will definitely make it again. Jared gave it a 7 and I gave it a 7.5. I got the recipe from Fine Cooking. If you leave the breadcrumbs out, it is a good low-carb dish. 5 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil 1-1/4 cups small-diced pancetta (about 6 oz. or 6 thick slices) I used cootage bacon from our pig.  4 cups large-diced Savoy cabbage (about ½ small head) 2 cups medium-diced onion (10 to 12 oz. or 2 small) 1-1/2 cups medium-diced carrot (about 4 medium carrots) 1/2 tsp. kosher salt; more as needed 2 Tbs. minced garlic 1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary 1 tsp. ground coriander I didn't add this since I was out of it 1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained ...

My dad made this for Thanksgiving, and I would definitely give it a 9. Super yummy. Here is the recipe, and it’s detailed because my dad doesn’t condense information much. Chocolate Silk Cream Pie You need 1 saucepan and 2 bowls In first bowl, 2 large eggs, 1/4 cup unsweetened dutch processed cocoa, 3 Tbs. cornstarch, 1/4 cup milk. Whip until smooth, it will smooth out even if looks bumpy In saucepan, take 2 3/4 cups milk, 2/3 cup sugar, pinch salt. In 3rd bowl, put in 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate. 2 Tbs. unsalted butter. On the side, have 1 tsp. vanilla. Dad has experimented with the chocolate and you can do part milk, but his opinion is that it's best with all dark. Boil ingredients in sauce pan until it's at a full boil and then dump hot into eggs and dump back in to main pot. Over medium heat, bring mixture to a full boil. With a whisk, which 1/4 cup of hot mixture into egg mixture, and whisk egg mixture into the milk mixture. Cook continuing to whisk rapidly u...

  My camera didn’t take a great picture of this, but it doesn’t need a great picture. It is AWESOME! I give this a 9. I had my dad over for dinner, and he gave me 3 compliments. If you know my dad, you know this means the soup is beyond great. I got the recipe from melskitchencafe.com, and I made a few adjustments that you will see below. I will try this again and again. Yum. It probably only serves 4, FYI. Creamy White Chili Yield: Serves 6   Ingredients 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes I used chicken, but it would be better grilled—my dad suggested the Tequila lime marinade he does, and that would make it better) 1 medium onion, chopped 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder or 2 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced I used 3 cloves fresh garlic 1 tablespoon oil 2 cans (15 1/2 ounces each) Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained I used dry beans that I cooked beforehand, and I probably used 1 1/2 cups dry beans. I would add more beans tha...

I got this recipe from melskitchencafe.com, and it was a good find. I give it an 8. Gavin gave it a 10. I don’t even think he even tries most meals, so this was a big success. However, there are some changes I would make, which I list in bold. Roasted Cauliflower and White Cheddar Soup Yield: Serves 4 Ingredients 1 head cauliflower Mine was small, so I would definitely do at least 2 if they aren’t huge 4 whole cloves garlic 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup diced yellow or white onion 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 2 teaspoons fresh), finely chopped I used dried herbs, and they worked great 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary (or 2 teaspoon fresh), finely chopped 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1/2 cup milk I would use evaporated milk 6 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups) I used sharp orange cheese Salt and pepper to taste Fresh parsley for garnish Croutons for topping (optional) Directions Wash and trim the cauliflower into bite-size pieces. To...

First, the cookie on the top was my version and the one on the bottom was the original version I tried at my friend's house (minus the bite that I should have left in tact). You can see the color difference because I was missing 4 oz. of chocolate. But anyway, I had these at a friend’s house this week, and they were awesome. Her version (made by her awesome dad) was a 9. Mine was an 8, and maybe lower if you don’t love chocolate chip cookies as much as I do. Here is the recipe, and here is what I think I did wrong.   Mrs. Field's Cookies/Lisa Cookies Cream: 2 cups butter 2 cups brown sugar ( I decreased this by 1/3 cup, but I don’t think this had anything to do with it) 2 cups sugar (Again, I decreased this by 1/3 cup) Add: 4 eggs 2 tsp. vanilla Mix together (in separate bowl): 4 cups flour (I will decrease this next time a slight bit) 5 cups oatmeal (put in blender and blend up until it turns to powder) ( next time, I will cut this down as well) 1 tsp....

So, this was good, but not great. I give it a 7. The recipe came from 100daysofrealfood.com. First, here is what it looks like: I know my pictures suck, but I’m a good cook, so I can’t be skilled at everything. Anyway, John made this, and it was a bit tough, but that might have been because the pork was frozen when we put it in to cook. This does have some kick, and I put our changes in bold. Pulled Pork in a Crock Pot Serves: 6 – 8 Ingredients 3 tablespoons paprika 2 tablespoons salt (if desired, you can cut back on the salt by only using 1 tablespoon) 2 teaspoons black pepper 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (if desired, you can cut back on the pepper by only using ½ teaspoon of cayenne) 1 teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon dried thyme ½ cup honey John cut this in half ¼ cup red wine vinegar 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, peeled and cut in half 3 to 3 ½ pounds pork shoulder, cut in half Instructions In a medium size mixing bowl, mix together the first six ingredients (all ...

  So the whole reason I made rye bread was so I could make these reuben sandwiches. Jared and I love reubens and this recipe didn't disappoint. He gave these a 9 (!) and I gave them an 8. I got the recipe from my Fine Cooking magazine. Open-Faced Reuben Sandwiches 2 Tbs. mayonnaise 1 Tbs. ketchup 1 Tbs. dill relish (not sweet) 1-1/3 cups sauerkraut, preferably bagged, not canned I used canned 3/4 lb. thin-sliced corned beef 4 large 3/4-inch-thick slices rye bread 2 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened 6 oz. Gruyère, thinly sliced I used Swiss Position a rack 6 inches from the broiler and another rack in the bottom third of the oven. Heat the broiler on high. Combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, and relish in a small bowl. Cut two 12x18-inch sheets of fo...

So these instructions make this look a lot harder than it actually is. I bought the light rye flour off Amazon (Bob's Red Mill brand), which saved me about $10 in shipping because I didn't order it directly from Bob's Red Mill. This actually bought quite a lot- four 22 ounce bags- and it was $14.50. I only used about 1/2 bag, so I'll have lots to use in the future. I just need to find other recipes that call for rye flour.  I added caraway seeds to this and really liked the end result. I would give this bread an 8. Oh, and I got this recipe from my Fine Cooking magazine. For the light dough 8 oz. (1-3/4 cups) unbleached bread flour; more as needed 4 oz. (3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs.) light rye flour (see All About Rye Flours for more information)  1-1/4 tsp. kosher salt 1 tsp. instant (quick-rise) yeast 1 tsp. whole caraway seeds (optional...

This recipe came from melskitchencafe.com, and it was fantastic. I give it an 8. The only picture we got is of cousin Michael cleaning his plate. But, trust me, it’s good. And, there’s a great picture of it here: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2010/04/creamy-orzo-with-chicken-mushrooms-and-red-peppers.html Anyway, there are a few changes, that I put in bold. Creamy Orzo with Chicken, Mushrooms and Red Peppers Yield: Serves 4   Note: this pasta is best served immediately as it tends to get less creamy as it sits at room temperature – so serve warm right as it finishes cooking! (Incidentally, it heated up just fine the next day in the microwave on low power.) Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 average-sized chicken breasts (about 1 to 1 ½ pounds), cut into chunks I only used one 1-2 red bell peppers, cut into ½-inch pieces definitely use 2 8 ounces white button mushrooms, quartered I would use twice this 1 teaspoon dried thyme 3 cloves garlic, finely minced I would ad...

We all know what guacamole looks like, and here is a really good recipe for the stuff. I got this from Rebecca. 3 avocados (I use the big ones from Costco) juice from 1 lime 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 cup onion 3 T. cilantro (I increase this by at least 1 T.) 2 roma tomatoes 2 small cloves garlic Mix it together and eat it. When this comes out right, I give it a 9. I love it.

So I didn't take a picture of this, but most bean dips look prety much the same. I loved it so much that I knew I had to blog it so I always know where to find it. I would give it an 8. I got the recipe from threemanycooks.com. Seven-Layer dip 1 can (16 ounces) refried beans  1 can (4.5 ounces) chopped green chiles, undrained  1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus another 2 tablespoons for avocado layer  2 teaspoons chili powder  1/4 teaspoon ground cumin  Salt  3 avocados, halved, pitted, flesh spooned out  1 cup sour cream 1/2 cup mayonnaise  1 jar (16 ounces) salsa strained to equal 1 cup I made my own salsa and added a chipotle in adobo sauce to it. It gave the dip a lovely smokiness. 3/4 cup sliced canned black olives  1 cup (about 4 ounces) grated pepper jack cheese  1/2 cup green onions Mix beans, chiles, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, chili powder, cumin, and a pinch of salt in a small b...

I really loved this chili, especially as a winter-time meal. I got the recipe from my Fine Cooking magazine and gave it an 8, while Jared gave it an 8.5. It's also low-carb (yay), especially if you leave the beer out. I served it with cornbread and honey butter. Turkey and White Bean Chili 1/2 lb. ground turkey 2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 2 can black beans, drained and rinsed 2 C. chopped onion 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 Tbs. chili powder 1 Tbs. cumin 1 tsp. corinador I didn't add this chipotle powder I didn't add this 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped 1/4 tsp. cinnamon cider vinegar I used white wine vinegar 1/2 C. beer 1/4 C. water 1 14-oz. can tomatoes with juice 1 1/2 C. chicken stock Garnish avocados green onions lime wedges I didn't use these tortilla strips I didn't use these corn monterey jack cheese Brown the turkey in a pot and then add onion and garlic. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt and cook over medium h...

  I got this recipe from annies-eats.com, and it was a good recipe. Mine looked like crap because I couldn’t figure out a good way to pipe the batter into the oil. I ended up trying cookie scoops, but it was a big failure because they were raw in the middle. The ones that did work were really good though. I give these an 8 (if you can get them to work). Ingredients For the churros: 4½ tbsp. unsalted butter 1 cup water 2 tbsp. granulated sugar Pinch coarse salt 1 cup flour 3 large eggs, beaten Canola oil, for frying To coat: ½ cup granulated sugar 1 vanilla bean (optional) 1 tsp. ground cinnamon For the chocolate dipping sauce: 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped ½ cup heavy cream 1 tbsp. butter, at room temperature Directions In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, water, sugar and salt over medium-high heat.  Stir frequently.  Bring the mixture to a boil.  Remove from the heat and transfer to a food processor (a stand mixer would also work.) ...