Black & White Rice

Tonight I made a pot of white rice but while it was cooking I decided to throw in the toasted wheat berries I had in a jar on my kitchen counter. This cooked up fast and was excellent with the stir fried sesame seeds and red chili garlic ginger broccoli I made.

Sunflower Seeds: Tryptophan, Serotonin, Selenium

Top Three Reasons to Eat Raw Sunflower Seeds Now

by Hicham Chraibi

Some think raw sunflower seeds are for the birds, and it’s true that feathered friends love these little treats. But it’s surprising just how much these power-packed little kernels can bring to the table for humans, including improved moods, nutrition, and taste. There are plenty of great reasons to consider adding them to your diet today – while saving some for the birds, of course.

Sunflower seeds are nutritious
Whether roasted or raw, they provide ample amounts of protein-building amino acids, along with magnesium, potassium, zinc and Vitamin E. In fact, a quarter-cup serving provides 90 percent of daily Vitamin E requirements, which helps prevent asthma, arthritis, colon cancer and cardiovascular disease. Magnesium promotes a healthy immune system and strong bones, potassium improves kidney functioning, and zinc supports healthy overall growth. Even when roasted, these kernels lose only a minimal amount of vitamins and minerals, and still pack a powerful health punch.

Sunflower seeds taste great
Even those who don’t like raw sunflower seeds might enjoy them roasted or covered in chocolate. They are a tasty, easily portable snack for healthy eaters on the go, yet versatile enough for use in gourmet dishes. Whether used as a topping or baked right into the dish, they are a great addition to salads, breads, fish, pasta and vegetables. Salted sunflower seeds provide extra flavor, but can also increase cholesterol significantly. For that reason, unsalted sunflower seeds provide the maximum health benefit and can still add texture to many recipes.

Sunflower seeds make you happy
These kernels contain tryptophan, an amino acid that helps create the neurotransmitter serotonin. In turn, serotonin eases tension, relaxes nerves and prevents depression. There is also a plentiful supply of selenium, a nutrient believed to lighten a mood almost instantaneously. That’s a powerful perk for such an easy-to-use snack. They are versatile, healthy and tasty, not to mention budget-friendly, so your wallet will be happy too. Health, flavor and happiness – what more could you want? Try a pack and you’ll know this tasty snack is not just for the birds!
Hicham Chraibi is a Food Scientist at Superior Nut Company, a successful nut, candy & chocolate manufacturer based in Massachusetts since 1929. http://www.superiornut.com/

Monica's: The Yummy Life

I believe you can’t have too many cook books.
I believe you can’t subscribe to too many cooking magazines.
I believe you can’t have too many kitchen gadgets or dishes.
I believe you can’t have too many baskets or containers.

Monica, founder of The Yummy Life

Carrot Ginger Lentil Barley Wheatberry Soup

I've had a 1/2 gallon of vegetable stock I saved from steaming potatoes and broccoli and it was crying out to be used. We are due to grocery shop so I didn't think I could come up with a soup dinner but I started with boiling a cup of barley and then I peeled all of the carrots I had which was two pounds. I found celery and chopped five stalks. I added a knob of ginger root and peeled six cloves of garlic. I added Adobo and olive oil and kosher salt, and a pound of lentils, and a 1/2 cup of toasted wheat berries I baked this morning. I had to sample a bowl and it is magnifique! It's simmering in the slow cooker at 225 degrees.

Mushroom Barley Soup

Zingerman's Ann Arbor Mushroom and Barley Soup
by Joan Nathan September 1998 Jewish Cooking in America

When I first heard about Ari Weinzweig's delicatessen in Ann Arbor, Michigan, I couldn't believe it. A deli in the home of my alma mater. It's not really a deli but more of an international food emporium like New York's Zabar's with a definite Jewish touch. Mr. Weinzweig, a drop-out Ph.D. candidate, has taken an academic and appetizing interest in updating Jewish recipes like mushroom and barley soup, going back in history to the nineteenth-century Eastern European version similar to that served at New York's Second Avenue Deli.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings (P) or (M)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons dried porcini mushrooms
2 tablespoons margarine
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 ribs celery with leaves, diced
1/4 cup parsley
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound fresh porcini or other mushrooms
1 tablespoon flour
2 quarts beef broth or water
1 cup whole barley
2 teaspoons salt

Preparation

1. Soak the mushrooms in enough hot water to cover for a half hour. Strain through a filter. Reserve the water.
2. Coarsely chop the dried mushrooms.
3. Melt the margarine in a stockpot and sauté the onion, celery, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, carrot, garlic, and fresh mushrooms until soft, about 5 minutes.
4. Lower the heat and add the flour, stirring every 30 seconds for about 5 minutes or until thick.
5. In a soup pot heat the broth or water. Add a cup of mushroom mixture at a time to the pot, stirring.
6. Turn the heat to high, and add the reserved mushroom water and barley. Stir well and add salt to taste.
7. Simmer, covered, for about an hour or until the barley is tender and the soup is thickened, stirring often.
8. Add additional chopped parsley, mix thoroughly, and adjust seasonings.

Reprinted with permission from Jewish Cooking in America by Joan Nathan. © 1998 Knopf /n
Nutritional Info

Calories234
Carbohydrates37 g(12%)
Fat5 g(8%)
Protein13 g(26%)
Saturated Fat1 g(5%)
Sodium1468 mg(61%)
Polyunsaturated Fat2 g
Fiber7 g(29%)
Monounsaturated Fat2 g

per serving (6 servings)

Vegetarian Chili

Tofu Chili

Serves 6
Tofu works well in chili, absorbing flavors and mimicking the texture of meat. Add a small jalapeño pepper to spice it up a bit. Serve chili piping hot in bowls, over steamed brown rice, if you like.

Ingredients:

1 (14-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, drained
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 small jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
2 cups fresh or frozen corn
1 1/2 cup gluten-free vegetable broth or water
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with their liquid
1 (14-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Salt or gluten-free tamari, to taste

Method:
Arrange tofu on a large plate lined with 3 or 4 paper towels and top with more paper towels. Press firmly to release as much water as possible from the tofu. Discard paper towels, crumble tofu and set aside.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium high heat. Add pepper, onion, jalapeño and corn and cook for 5 minutes. Add broth, beans, crumbled tofu, tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin and salt or tamari and stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered or partially covered, stirring occasionally, until thickened and flavors have melded, about 45 minutes. Ladle chili into bowls and serve.
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/tofu-chili
Nutritional Info:
Per Serving: 280 calories (90 from fat), 10g total fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 920mg sodium, 35g carbohydrates, (7 g dietary fiber, 9g sugar), 16g protein.

Carrot Ginger Soup

Serves 4
Freshly grated ginger gives this sweet carrot puree a hint of heat and flavor. For some crunch, add a garnish of toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds.

Ingredients:

4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, divided
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
1 pound carrots, coarsely chopped
1 medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon sliced fresh chives

Method:
Heat 1/2 cup broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in ginger, carrots, potato and remaining broth and heat to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender. In batches, carefully puree in a blender. Add water or broth if needed to thin to desired consistency. Reheat soup if necessary. Stir in lemon juice and garnish with chives.
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/carrot-ginger-soup
Nutritional Info:
Per Serving: 130 calories (5 from fat), 220mg sodium, 28g carbohydrates, (5 g dietary fiber, 9g sugar), 3g protein.

Pumpkin Pecan Cookies

Makes about 30 cookies
Toasted pecans are the foundation of this spiced oat cookie, sprinkled with cinnamon and cloves and scented with orange juice and zest. These cookies are tough to resist fresh from the oven...so don't. Dig in when they're warm, or store them for snacking later.

Ingredients:

2 cups pecans, toasted and cooled
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup puréed pumpkin
1 tablespoon orange zest (from 2 small oranges)
3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from 3 small oranges)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped, pitted dates

Method:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Put pecans and oats in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until a fine meal forms, about 25 times. Add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves and pulse another 20 times to combine all the ingredients. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Add pumpkin, orange zest, orange juice, vanilla extract and dates to the food processor. Blend until a smooth puree forms, scraping the sides down occasionally, about 1 minute. Form a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Scrape the pumpkin mixture into the well and fold all the ingredients together with a large spatula.

Scoop little heaps (about 2 tablespoons) of batter onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 1/2 inches apart. Flatten the batter slightly. Bake 20 minutes, until the bottoms are just browned. Remove to a cooling rack and cool slightly before serving. Store in an airtight container.

Nutritional Info:
Per Serving: Serving size: 1 cookie, 100 calories (50 from fat), 6g total fat, 0.5g saturated fat, 80mg sodium, 11g carbohydrates, (2 g dietary fiber, 5g sugar), 2g protein.
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/pumpkin-pecan-cookies

Wheatena

When I discovered I could make my own Wheatena cereal I was ecstatic. The results were a million times tastier than the store bought cereal. It's so simple. Place a thin layer of wheat berries on a baking pan. Put them in a 350 degree oven. As they bake take a spatula and redistribute the berries so they get toasted evenly and they don't burn at the edges of the pan. Stick around, they toast fast and they can burn easily. When the wheat berries darken a bit they are toasted. Let them cool off and then grind them coarsely in a hand cranked grain mill. I don't know myself but it might be possible to grind them in a coffee grinder or a food processor. Boil the cereal in water and salt. Enjoy! You can use the toasted wheat berries in bread and soup too. You can cook up the cereal and serve with vegetables as a supper dish or make a Middle Eastern tabouleh!

Love is Making Pepper Biscuits for a Friend

I doubled the recipe. I mixed up the dough last night to bake fresh at dawn. These are better than kisses!

Reposted:
I will make these a few hundred more times. I could have a bakery based on wine and pepper biscotti and my bread.
Delicious!!
If you fall in love with these, you will want to double the recipe.

Biscotti Di Pepe - Taralli - Italian Pepper Biscuits

By DeSouter

A great hard biscuit with a twinge of hotness! A staple in Italian delis and "pastosas".

1 (1/4 ounce) package dry yeast (equals 2 and 1/4 teaspoons)
1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees) (I used 1/2 cup of my liquidy sourdough starter)
2 cups flour (I used half whole wheat and half bread flour)
1/2 teaspoon salt (I used a heaping teaspoon of Kosher salt)
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper (I used twice that, cracking the peppercorns myself)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
(I added a Tablespoon of fennel) thanks to Donna Ruzzano who grew up on Da Hill!

Directions

Dissolve yeast in water.
Sift flour salt and pepper onto mixing board.
Make a well in the center and add yeast and oil.
Blend together and gradually incorporate into flour.
The dough will be stiff.
Knead 10 minutes.
Place in oiled bowl, turn to coat, cover with towel and let rise until doubled in bulk.
Preheat oven to 375º.
Break off small pieces of dough and roll into ropes about 6 inches long. (I baked mine straight like bread sticks or cigars)
Form a ring and pinch edges together.
Place on baking sheet and let rise 20 minutes.
Brush with oil and bake 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. (I had to double the baking time)
(I turned the pepper biscuits over halfway through the baking time so they could gently brown on the other side)

THEY WERE FANTASTIC!!!!!
NOTE: My husband pointed out that the reason why I needed to add salt pepper and increase baking time from the recipe was because I used one cup of whole wheat flour instead of white flour and this increased the oil content and need for more spices and salt.
Don't be afraid to pinch a taste of the raw dough to test seasonings.

Quick and Easy Pizza Crust

"This is a great recipe when you don't want to wait for the dough to rise. You just mix it and allow it to rest for 5 minutes and then it's ready to go!! It yields a soft, chewy crust. For a real treat, I recommend you use bread flour and bake it on a pizza stone, but all-purpose flour works well too. Enjoy!"

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
Stir in flour, salt and oil. Beat until smooth. Let rest for 5 minutes.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round. Transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza pan or baker's peel dusted with cornmeal. Spread with desired toppings and bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let baked pizza cool for 5 minutes before serving.

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast (Fleishmann's Instant Yeast NOT Quick rise)

1 teaspoon white sugar or more if using whole wheat

1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)(wrist temperature)

2 1/2 cups bread flour (half whole wheat)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil


adapted from original source

The Daily Miracle

If there was a cooking show where a nearly empty fridge was on stage with random items and the contestant had to make a meal meal I would play. This is my life and I have become quite good at it. "Stone soup every night, the nightly miracle!" I say to my husband laughing. We have been in the bunker mentality for a decade. "We can't go back, we're just like our grandparents now, having survived the Great Depression. I always wanted to be a modern day MFK Fisher." I tell him.

Cocoa Black Pepper Cookies

Source: Martha Stewart Living, November 1998
Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon finely ground pepper, plus more for sprinkling
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon good-quality instant espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Coarse sanding sugar, for rolling

Directions

Sift together flour, cocoa powder, salt, pepper, espresso powder, and cinnamon into a large bowl; set aside.

Put butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined.

Turn out dough onto a piece of parchment paper, and roll into a 2-inch-diameter log. Roll log in the parchment. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove log from parchment paper. Let soften slightly at room temperature, about 5 minutes. Roll log in sanding sugar, gently pressing down to adhere sugar to dough. Transfer log to a cutting board, and slice into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Place rounds on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 1 inch apart. Sprinkle each round with freshly ground pepper.

Bake cookies until there is slight resistance when you lightly touch centers, about 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 2 days.

http://www.marthastewart.com/315946/chocolate-black-pepper-cookies

Comfort me with Mashed Potatoes and Broccoli

2 pounds Idaho or Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled
Kosher salt, to taste
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

Pour enough cold water over the potatoes in a large saucepan to cover them by a few inches. Season the water with salt, and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are tender but still hold their shape, about 30 to 40 minutes, depending on their size. Drain, and let stand until cool enough to handle.

Peel the potatoes, and pass them through a ricer or a food mill with a fine disk. Gently stir in the olive oil, and season them to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

For a variation, toast three garlic cloves in olive oil in a large skillet, then let cool to room temperature before adding to the riced potatoes.

http://lidiasitaly.com/recipes/olive-oil-mashed-potatoes-2/

I fished out the potatoes from the boiling water when they were done (30 minutes). I saved the potato water to blanched 4 heads of broccoli chopped into flowerettes fishing them out when the water came back to boil. I saved the stock for a future soup. Then I mashed the cooked potatoes with their skins on, adding extra virgin olive oil and a dash of milk and a dash of the broccoli potato water. I added Adobo and Kosher salt.

Mobile Chef

I wish I could drive around town and just cook out of my own mobile kitchen.

Sourdough Pizza Crust

King Arthur

Sourdough pizza crust? Well, why not? For one thing, this crust can go from quite sour to "can't even tell it's sourdough," depending on how recently you've fed your starter. And even if you want very little (or no) tang, the vigor of the starter enhances the pizza dough's rise. Even the merest hint of tang comes across as rich flavor, which marries beautifully with the usual pizza toppings of tomato, cheese, veggies, and meat.

We've been looking for ways to use the "extra" cup of starter, the one you're directed to discard with each feeding; this is another good solution for you thrifty bakers who hate to throw anything away.

1 cup sourdough starter, unfed (straight from the fridge)
1/2 cup hot tap water
2 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour or Bread Flour*
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast Fleishmann's*

Irish Steel Cut Oats

Irish oats are the best on zero degree days.

We buy Northern Gold Steel Cut Oats for a bargain at PRICERITE.

Northern Gold Steel Cut Oats are 100% whole grain and are selected and toasted in old world style for exceptional flavor and quality. It’s a nutritious way to start the day with a bowl of oatmeal or use as ingredients in your favorite cooking recipe.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup shortening
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 cups (12 oz package) semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups uncooked Northern Gold Steel Cut Oats
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation:
Sift flour with salt and soda. Cream shortening and sugars; beat in eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Stir in sifted dry ingredients, Northern Gold Steel Cut Oats, and chocolate chips. Drop cookie batter by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake chocolate chip cookies in a preheated 350° oven for about 10 to 12 minutes; cool on racks. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Baking Apple Crisp

We had a refrigerator drawer full of apples that need to be cooked. I greased two skillets and started coring and chopping. I filled two greased skillets with chopped apples, then I made an improvised topping with rolled oats, wheat flour, corn meal, sugar, corn oil, and salt and poured it on top of the apples. They baked for an hour at 350 F.

Beer Here Now

We discovered an excellent local brewery practically on our street and sampled their creations at their tasting. They're open Thursdays 4-7 and Saturdays 1-4. It's a real MAN CAVE environment. Feels like a speakeasy. The place smells just like the milking barn at Wright's Dairy Farm. They use the same sanitizer!

The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind.
– Humphrey Bogart

Always do sober what you said you would do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut.
– Ernest Hemingway

Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.
– Benjamin Franklin

He is a wise man who invented beer.
– Plato

I feel sorry for people who don’t drink. When they wake up in the morning, that’s as good as they’re going to feel all day.
– Frank Sinatra

Give me a woman who loves beer and I will conquer the world.
– Kaiser Wilhelm

I would kill everyone in this room for a drop of sweet beer.
– Homer Simpson

Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza.
– Dave Barry

24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence?
– Stephen Wright

Everybody has to believe in something…..I believe I’ll have another drink.
– W.C. Fields

May your glass be ever full. May the roof over your head be always strong. And may you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you’re dead.
– Irish Toast

You can’t be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline – it helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer.
– Frank Zappa

I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts, and beer. – Abraham Lincoln

An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools.
– Ernest Hemingway, For Whom the Bell Tolls

Always remember that I have taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me.
– Winston Churchill

Ah, beer. The cause of and the solution to all of life’s problems.
– Homer Simpson

Beer makes you feel the way you ought to feel without beer.
– Henry Lawson

I would give all my fame for a pot of ale and safety.
– Shakespeare, Henry V

God made yeast, as well as dough, and loves fermentation just as dearly as he loves vegetation.
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sesame Noodles with Napa Cabbage

This easy dish is equally good hot or cold, and leftovers make a great lunch.

3 Tbs. peanut butter
2 Tbs. roasted sesame oil
2 Tbs. soy sauce
2 Tbs. sherry or mirin (rice wine)
1 Tbs. rice vinegar
1 Tbs. sugar
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes or ½ tsp. chile sauce
10 oz. long noodles, such as udon or spaghetti
½ lb. napa cabbage, shredded (about 4 cups)
¼ cup chopped cilantro

Whisk together peanut butter, sesame oil, soy sauce, sherry, vinegar, sugar and red pepper flakes in saucepan.
Cook noodles according to package directions.
Meanwhile, place cabbage in colander over sink. Warm sauce over medium-low heat.
Drain noodles over cabbage in colander to wilt cabbage. Transfer noodles and cabbage to serving bowl, add sauce, and toss until combined.
Sprinkle with cilantro, and serve.

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/sesame-noodles-with-napa-cabbage/

Oatapaluza

I made granola, hot Irish oats and now apple pie with oat topping.

Roasted Cauliflower with Spinach and Carrots on Multigrain Linguini

My suppers are always unplanned adventures. Last night I chopped up a head of cauliflower to saute in olive oil. I boiled a pound of wholegrain linguini. I was worried about the lack of color. So I added chopped carrots and spinach to the cauliflower then I sprinkled Adobo on it. It was fantastic.

Corn tortilla Cholula and Cheese Grilled

Eaten with ripe avocado and red onion.

Save the world with Soba Noodles

I really believe we can save the world by sharing food, music and poetry!

recipe

Rice and Broccoli

Nothing like shoveling to sharpen the appetite. Lily and I walked downtown to return a movie at the library. Steve had carved a spot in the snow for Lily to sit while I ran in. I kissed Lily and my lipstick made a red print on her white snout. A lady noticed. I was so happy that the sidewalks were plowed. AMEN for pedestrian walkways. When we returned home I shoveled paths through my little and big yards and I hung up my wet laundry in our boiler room. Then I set out to make lunch from leftover rice and fresh broccoli sauteed in olive oil and Adobo.

"We can feed the neighborhood now!"

We bought a 25 pound bag of rice today. I thought "We can feed the neighborhood now!"

New Painting to Share

Here

Tuna Salad with Friends

2 cans of white tuna, 1 pound of chick peas cooked, 1 pound wholegrain elbows, chopped red onion, sliced sun dried tomato, chopped dill pickles. Olive oil, mayo, pickle juice, Adob,o Cajun spice, and chopped celery. Eaten with hard cooked eggs.

Baked Rice

I find the best way to cook rice is to bake it covered in a heavy pot in the oven rather than simmer it on the stove.

Chef Michael Smith "World's Tallest Freestanding Chef"

If you haven't experienced Chef Michael Smith you are missing out on my favorite new chef.

The Inn Chef: Creative Ingredients, Sensational Flavor

Open Kitchen: a Chef's Day at The Inn at Bay Fortune

Chef at Home: Cooking Without a Recipe

The Best of Chef at Home: Essential Recipes for Today's Kitchen

Chef Michael Smith's Kitchen: 100 of my Favourite Easy Recipes

Chef Michael Smith: Fast Flavours 110 Simple Speedy Recipes

Chef Michael Smith: Back to Basics 100 Simple Classic Recipes with a Twist

Chef Michael Smith: Family Meals

Michael Smith: Make Ahead Meals

Three Spaghetti Squashes

Yesterday I baked three spaghetti squashes. I didn't to anything except place them in a 350 degree oven, whole. When they were done I cut them in half and took out the seeds. Normally I slice them and de-seed them first but I wanted to try the lazy method. Both methods work. I also roasted the seeds and ate them. I sauteed spinach in garlic and olive oil and ate it with the spaghetti squash.

I LOVE Pancakes

Monday morning pancakes:

1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour
2 Tbs sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 rounded tsp Kosher salt
2 1/2 cups buttermilk
3 Tbsp corn oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs

I find that making pancakes is meditative. I don't like anything on mine. The batch makes a lot. Save the leftovers in fridge or freezer for quick meals. Warm in the toaster or freezer. Have fun blending flours if you are inclined: buckwheat flour, oats flour, whole wheat flour, corn meal.

Whole Wheat Dutch Baby Pancakes Recipe

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour*
dash of salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a cast iron pan (I did this by placing the pan in the oven while it preheats). Mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl until frothy. Do not over beat. Pour batter into the pan and cook for 17 minutes.
Slice and serve with fruit and maple syrup.

Notes

Serves four.

You can use a mixture of oat flour and whole wheat pastry flour or use all whole wheat.

http://www.thevintagemixer.com/2014/03/whole-wheat-dutch-baby-pancake-recipe/

Home Made Coffee Yogurt

Take a cup of low-fat or fat free plain yogurt. Add a dash of cold coffee and a teaspoon molasses. Stir and enjoy.