Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes with Hoisin and Cilantro

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Sloppy Joes. They totally bring you back to your elementary school days, right? I can't think about sloppy joes without Adam Sandler's Lunch Lady song popping into my head. And once it's in your head, good luck getting it out! I constantly found myself humming the song as I prepped this recipe :)

I feel like I've been trying to work through the stash of ground turkey in our freezer all winter. Every time I think I've cooked the last of it, I find another pound lurking on the back of a shelf. We have a handful of go-to recipes like meatloaf, chili, and meatballs, but we were long overdue for a change of pace. A recipe for sloppy joes wouldn't normally have caught my eye but this one calls for hoisin sauce, one of my all-time favorite ingredients, so I just had to give it a try.



This is a perfect weeknight dinner idea - it's super low maintenance and comes together in less than 20 minutes. You could even make it in advance and reheat it before serving. I microwaved leftovers for lunch one day and thought they were just as good as the first night I made the recipe. The ginger, hoisin and cilantro give the sauce a flavor that's deeper and more unique than your typical sloppy joe, but it's not so out there as to scare off any picky eaters. If only the school cafeteria had served these sloppy joes, I would have looked forward to them a whole lot more! :)

Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes with Hoisin and Cilantro
barely adapted from Fine Cooking

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, mashed to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 lb ground turkey
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 sandwich rolls, toasted

Add the oil to a large nonstick skillet and set the pan over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic paste, ginger and cayenne and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, just until fragrant. Add the ground turkey to the pan and brown, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Once the turkey is browned, stir in the tomato sauce and the hoisin. Continue cooking for 5-7 more minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. Turn off the heat under the pan and stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Divide the mixture evenly among the rolls and serve.

Devil's Food Cupcakes with Nutella Buttercream

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I'm already bracing myself for a little bit of pushback on these cupcakes. But I'm just going to ask you to trust me on this one ok? I wouldn't share these if they hadn't been eaten and loved by several people, promise :)

So, here's the thing: there's no butter or oil in this recipe. Instead, if you scan the list of ingredients, you're going to see mayonnaise. I know. Personally, I don't have a problem with mayonnaise but it seems to elicit a strong response from a lot of people (and generally not a positive one). But if you think about it, good mayonnaise is really just made from egg yolks and oil (and yes, I realize small quantities of a few additional ingredients), right? And oil and eggs are very typical ingredients for cupcakes. That was my thinking anyway when I decided to be brave and give this recipe a go. After all, the recipe comes from the Bouchon Bakery cookbook, and if mayo in Devil's Food Cake is good enough for Thomas Keller's beloved bakery, who am I to argue?

(And on that note, if you love to bake and haven't flipped through a copy of Bouchon Bakery, I highly recommend checking it out. It's a coffee table book for sure - oversized with gorgeous pics and tons of mouth-watering recipes.)



I told Shane I was making this recipe and asked him if he'd be open to trying one of the cupcakes. The response was a pretty emphatic "no thanks" - he was just as skeptical as I suspect you guys are :) But eventually I convinced him and he gave them a definite thumbs-up. The cupcakes are moist with a light and tender texture, and not a trace of mayonnaise flavor. In fact, I left a few for Shane's parents and didn't think to tell them there was mayo in the cupcakes and from what I've heard, they never would have guessed. The Nutella buttercream swirled on top is out-of-this-world good. I've made it once before to fill whoopie pies, and had forgotten just how much I loved it. If you're making a special Valentine's Day dinner at home, I think these cupcakes would be the perfect way to finish it off!



Just a few other notes on the recipe: Weight measurements are preferred for this recipe, and you'll notice they're all listed first below. Baking with weight measures is faster and easier, it's definitely my preference which is another reason I love this book. Volume measures are also given but because they're converted from the weight measures, they're not as "neat" as you may be used to. The egg measurement specifically may throw you off so here's a tip - one large egg usually weighs between 50 and 55 grams. Mine weighed 53 grams, and rather than crack a second egg, I just made up the difference with a little bit of egg white from a carton of them I had in the fridge.

Devil's Food Cupcakes with Nutella Buttercream
cupcakes barely adapted from Bouchon Bakery by Thomas Keller, frosting adapted from Handle the Heat

{Note: If you like to top each cupcake with a lot of frosting (like me) you'll probably want to increase the recipe slightly - I'd make 1 1/2 times the amount below. The full recipe will top all of the cupcakes only if you do a smaller swirl than shown in the pictures.}

Cupcakes

101 g (1/2 cup plus 3 1/2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
31 g (1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) Dutch-process cocoa powder
2.5 g (1/2 teaspoon) baking soda
0.5 g (1/8 teaspoon) baking powder
1 g (3/8 teaspoon) kosher salt
56 g (3 1/2 tablespoons) egg, at room temperature
126 g (1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons) sugar
2 g (3/8 teaspoon) vanilla extract
86 g (1/2 cup plus 2 1/2 tablespoons) mayonnaise, at room temperature
105 g (1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons) water, at room temperature

Nutella Buttercream

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup Nutella
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk (I used 1%)
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 325 F. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder into a medium bowl. Add the salt and whisk to incorporate. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla on medium-low speed for 1 minute, then increase the speed to medium and continue beating for 5 minutes, or until the batter is pale yellow in color and thick. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat for another 5 minutes on medium-high. The batter should be very thick, and when the whisk is lifted, the batter should ribbon from it and slowly dissolve into the batter in the bowl. Beat in the mayonnaise until combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer, and using a rubber spatula, alternately fold in the dry ingredients and water in two additions each (so dry, water, dry, water).

Divide the batter evenly among the liners, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake for about 18 minutes, or until the cupcakes spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the pan to a wire rack and let the cupcakes cool for a few minutes, then remove them to the rack to cool completely.

To make the buttercream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and Nutella on medium speed until well combined. Mix in the vanilla and milk. Add the confectioners' sugar and beat on low speed until incorporated then increase the mixer to medium speed and beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy. Transfer the frosting to a large pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip. Pipe frosting into a swirl on each cupcake.

Makes about 10 cupcakes

Homemade Four-Cheese Ravioli Hearts with Porcini Mushroom Sauce

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I was pretty content eating dried pasta for the first 30 years of my life. It's cheap and easy, what's not to like? But last year we started making this fettuccine alfredo, and since the recipe specifically noted that fresh pasta would yield better results, I began buying it from the refrigerator section at my grocery store. The first time we tried it I remember thinking there was no going back. Fresh pasta is a million times better than dried, there really is no basis for comparison!



I knew eventually I wanted to start making the fresh pasta rather than buy it, but it took me a while to build up the courage to try it. And then once I did, I felt kind of silly for having put it off so long. What seemed so daunting at first was actually really simple and not nearly as time consuming as I had anticipated! I "borrowed" one of the simple countertop rollers from my mom (ummm, more than a year ago, I'm not sure she's expecting to see it again at this point :) ) and have grown to love it, but I've been told you can also roll the pasta with just a rolling pin and some elbow grease. If you've never made homemade pasta, I found this tutorial from Annie really helpful when I was starting out. It's still the recipe I use most often when I make fresh pasta.





Last month when I was trolling Pinterest for Valentine's Day ideas, I came upon this heart-shaped ravioli and fell in love. We're staying home and cooking dinner for Valentine's Day, and I thought they would be perfect. I actually made them a few weeks ago and popped them in the freezer so all I have to do tomorrow is boil some water and throw them in. Easy peasy! This was my first time making ravioli and it wasn't any more difficult than fettuccine, though the assembly did take some time. I might enlist a helper next time to move things along more quickly :)



I snuck a few of the ravioli out early so I could share them with you before Valentine's Day. Even though I was only making them for myself, I took the time to whip up a quick porcini mushroom sauce. Shane doesn't like mushrooms so it was definitely a special treat and I enjoyed every last bit of it! The ravioli were fantastic too, though with four different types of cheese stuffed inside of them, I didn't expect anything less. I haven't decided what I'm going to serve with the ravioli tomorrow, but I know at least one portion of our special meal is going to be absolutely delicious!

Homemade Four-Cheese Ravioli Hearts with Porcini Mushroom Sauce
ravioli adapted from Annie's Eats, sauce adapted from Bon Appetit, January 2000 (via Epicurious)

Ravioli
1 lb fresh homemade pasta
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup shredded asiago
1/2 cup shredded parmesan
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch ground black pepper

Sauce
1 1/2 oz dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup hot water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry Marsala
1/2 cup dry vermouth
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

To make the ravioli: Roll the pasta into sheets - they should be thin enough that you can see the outline of your fingers through the sheet. Cover the dough with a damp towel. Stir all four cheeses, the garlic, and the herbs and seasonings together in a medium bowl. Working with one sheet of pasta at a time (and keeping the others covered so they don't dry out), use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut hearts from the dough. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out pasta shapes. Place about 2 teaspoons of filling in the center of half of the hearts. Brush the outer edge of the heart with water (it's easiest to use your finger to do this), then top with a second heart. Press around the filling to remove air, then press the sides together to seal the ravioli. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet dusted with flour. Repeat with the remaining hearts, then repeat the process with the other sheets of dough.

{Note: at this point you can freeze the ravioli if you don't want to cook them immediately. I set mine on a rimmed baking sheet I'd dusted with flour and let them dry at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour, then transferred the baking sheet to the freezer, and once the ravioli were frozen moved them to a resealable plastic bag.}

To make the sauce: Place the mushrooms in a small bowl. Pour the water over them and then cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let stand for 30 minutes, or until the mushrooms have softened.

Meanwhile, fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil so you're ready to cook the ravioli when the sauce is done.

Remove the mushrooms, squeezing excess liquid back into the bowl. Set the mushrooms aside and save the liquid.

Set a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Heat until shimmering, then add the shallot. Cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots have softened and are starting to brown around the edges. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, just until fragrant. Stir in the Marsala and the vermouth. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the the chicken broth, mushrooms, and the reserved mushroom liquid (if there's any dirt or sediment at the bottom of the bowl but sure not to add it). Return the sauce to a simmer and cook until reduced to about 2 cups. Meanwhile, use a small rubber spatula to stir the butter and flour together in a small bowl. Once the sauce has reduced, add the butter butter, whisking to incorporate. Continue simmering until the sauce has thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low so it stays warm while you cook the ravioli.

Salt the boiling water then add the ravioli. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until al dente. Use a spider strainer to transfer the ravioli to the skillet with the sauce. Toss to coat. Garnish individual servings with parsley before serving.

Beer Batter Bread

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I remember growing up "bread and butter" used to be a thing. At dinner there would be a loaf of fluffy white sandwich bread and we'd smear it with what I suspect was probably some type of margarine spread (my memory fails me on the specifics). I must have gotten my fill as a kid because these days I'm really not much for bread or rolls with my dinner unless we're out at a restaurant, in which case all bets are off :)

We've been eating a lot of soup lately, and I know in Shane's mind it's a stretch to call a bowl of soup a complete meal, so one night I decided to make him bread to go with it. While I'm not big on it, he still loves a slice of bread served alongside dinner. Of course I waited until about 5 pm to come up with this plan (typical...) so my options were limited.



Luckily, this beer batter bread is one you can whip up at the last minute on a total whim. There are only a handful of ingredients, most of which I can almost guarantee you have in your house at all times. It's a quick bread so you won't find yeast among the ingredients required, which also means the prep time is literally just a few minutes. A handful of dry ingredients are whisked together, and then a bottle of beer is stirred in. Transfer the batter to the baking pan, drizzle with melted butter and into the oven it goes. And best of all, when it's done baking there's no waiting for it to cool! Is there anything better than a thick slice of warm bread slathered in butter? I think not.

You could make this bread with almost any beer you like so it's perfect to use up those random bottles hanging out in the back of the fridge. For me, that meant grabbing a wheat beer leftover from a 12-pack we brought home from Canada last summer. The bread will take on the characteristics of the beer you choose so be sure to go with something you like drinking. I love that you could make this bread five times with five different beers and the result would be a slightly different flavor profile every time!

Beer Batter Bread
from The Williams-Sonoma Baking Book

3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 (12 oz) bottle beer, at room temperature and unopened
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt together until combined. Open the beer and immediately pour it all into the bowl with the dry ingredients (there will be lots of foam, that's ok). Stir the batter until it just comes together - it's going to be very thick and a little lumpy so don't try to use a whisk here.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, spreading it into an even layer. Drizzle the melted butter over the top of the batter. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and allow the bread to cool for 5 minutes before turning it out of the pan. You can cut into this bread and serve it warm or wait for it to cool to room temperature - either way, slather with butter first :)

{Note: the recipe suggested this recipe be served the day it was made, but we ate leftovers the following day too. I just popped them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds to soften and warm them up.}

Homemade Pizza Rolls

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I was scrolling through Pinterest last week (the single best way to procrastinate) when a photo of these pizza rolls jumped out at me. I mean, pizza rolls! I haven't given them much thought in, oh, 15 years, but seeing that picture immediately took me back to that time. Pizza rolls were a staple of our high school years. I couldn't cook to save my life, but I could operate the microwave so pizza rolls were a very popular after-school snack. Even though half the filling inevitably oozed out while they cooked, they were so quick and easy we turned to them over and over again.



I honestly can't remember the last time I had pizza rolls and I'd be lying if I said I was ever tempted by them when I pass through the frozen foods in the grocery store, so making this recipe wasn't about satisfying a craving. I just think it's really fun to attempt homemade versions of foods that are typically store-bought. Just to see if it's possible, you know?



This recipe is deceptively simple, if not a little time-consuming thanks to all the assembly going on. A quick tomato mixture is made, then combined with cheese and basil to comprise the filling. Wonton wrappers are used to enclose the filling and then the pizza rolls are frozen briefly before being fried. Like I said, assembly takes some time, but once you get in a groove it's not bad. And these can be frozen for a month so make a whole bunch at once and then pull them out as you need them!

When I told Shane I was making these pizza rolls, his eyes lit up. If I liked pizza rolls back in the day, he *loved* them. And this homemade version absolutely exceeded his high expectations! Once fried, the wrappers are super crisp while the filling hidden inside is gooey, cheesy and flavorful. We both had to restrain ourselves from grabbing one after another so there'd be enough left to photograph and share here. These pizza rolls would be a great appetizer at your next party or a fun snack to enjoy on game day (or Oscar night - did you guys watch? I was so glad to see Argo win Best Picture!).



A few quick notes about the recipe: First, it calls for pre-shredded cheese - the one you buy in a bag. I normally advise against using it but the folks at America's Test Kitchen actually tested this recipe with freshly shredded cheese and in the end decided the bag stuff was well-suited to this recipe. The agents used to keep it from clumping actually help hold the filling together so just go with it :) I was super nervous the filling would leak out when I fried the rolls, but I didn't have a single issue here. Also, while these were at their best just a few minutes after they were fried, we still thought they were quite good at room temperature.

Homemade Pizza Rolls
from America's Test Kitchen Feed

{Note: the original recipe also included 1/2 teaspoon of ground fennel, which was intended to lend some sausage flavor without actually adding sausage. I didn't have any on hand, and the filling was plenty flavorful without it, but I'll leave the decision up to you.}

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons tomato paste
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained well (juice reserved) and chopped fine
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups (8 oz) shredded 6-cheese Italian blend
3 tablespoons minced fresh basil
5-6 dozen wonton wraps
vegetable oil for frying

Add the oil to a 12-inch nonstick skillet and set over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the tomato paste. Cook, stirring continuously, for about 3 minutes, or until the mixture is a deep rust color. Add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes to the pan. Cook for about 30 seconds, or just until fragrant. Mix in the chopped tomatoes and the reserved juice. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer, then continue cooking until it has thickened and reduced to a thick paste. This will take about 10 minutes, and when it's done, you should have about 1 cup. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days.

Meanwhile, line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a fine mesh sieve, dust about half of the cornstarch onto the parchment.

Add the cheese and the basil to the chilled tomato mixture and stir to combine. Season the mixture to taste with salt and pepper. To assemble: Place the wonton wraps on a plate and cover with a damp towel (this will prevent them from drying out). Fill a small bowl with water and set on your work surface. Working with a few wrappers at a time, lay them on your work surface. Add 1 teaspoon of filling to the center of each wrapper. Dip your finger in the water, and moisten the edges of one of the wrappers. Fold the bottom of the wrapper up and over the filling, then continue to roll toward the opposite edge. When you finish, the seam should be on the bottom. Gently press your fingers on either side of the filling to work out any air, then press the edges to seal completely. This is optional but the sides will be a bit long, so feel free to trim them down (I did). Transfer to the prepared baking sheet (seam side down). Repeat the sealing process with the other wrappers then continue to fill and seal using the remaining filling and wrappers. (Note: place additional sheets of parchment dusted with the remaining cornstarch between layers of pizza rolls on the baking sheet.)

Once you've assembled all of the rolls, cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and transfer to the freezer for at least 30-60 minutes (until they are firm) or up to 1 month.

Meanwhile, set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. Top the rack with a layer of paper towels. Add enough vegetable oil to a pot to measure about 1 1/2 inches deep - you can do this in a large Dutch oven or a smaller pot but just be aware that you should fry fewer rolls at a time in the smaller pot so as not to overcrowd and drop the oil temperature too much. Set the pot over medium to medium-high heat and heat the oil until it measures 375 F on a candy thermometer. Add the pizza rolls (how many depends on how big a pot you used) and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring and flipping them over a few times so both sides brown evenly. Try to maintain the oil temperature between 350 and 375 F - adjust the heat under the pot as necessary. Use a spider strainer to transfer the pizza to the wire rack you prepared earlier to allow any excess oil to drain. Return the oil to 375 F before frying the next batch of rolls. Continue until they've all been fried.

The rolls will be very hot when they come out of the oil so let them cool for a few minutes before serving. Serve as is or with marinara sauce for dipping.

Makes 5-6 dozen

Lilly's Beet Soup

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A few years ago, when I was doing my Masters in MTL, I lived in graduate residence. It was apartment style, and I was lucky enough to have two amazing roommates. On top of being wonderful people, fun to  chat and hangout, they were both great in the kitchen. I definitely learned a lot. Lilly is a great cook, always making tasty and delicious meals with healthy ingredients, and Linda is an amazing baker! She makes the prettiest looking desserts. She also makes the best dumplings! One of my favourite parts of my time in mtl, was cooking and eating with these two wonderful ladies :) I miss you both!!

One of Lilly's staples, is this delicious soup filled with garlic and ginger and made quite spicy. It's great to ward off any impeding colds or flu. Last year, I was feeling sick and asked Lilly to please send me the recipe. I never got around to making it. Then, the other day I had a sore throat, so I dug up the recipe, hit the grocery store and made it. I've been eating it for lunch and dinner and my throat is much better now.

Growing up, I had an aversion to beets. My dad used to say how it was the only thing he really didn't like. My mom didn't like them either, and so by association, neither did I. But, after years of not wanting anything to do with them, this soup put an end to my unjustified hatred of beets. This was my first time cooking with them, and it was pretty easy.

Ingredients:
-garlic
-ginger
-knor beef or chicken soup cube
-bay leaf
-vegetables: grated carrot, cut up beets, onion, fennel, cilantro, spinach, potato
- beans: white, black or red, or a mixture of the three
- tumeric, ground flaxseed, chilli flakes

Directions:
1) Use about 1 garlic clove per person and as much ginger as you'd like, and blend in a food processor or magic bullet, until it almost pasty
2) fill a medium sized pot with water. Add beans (rinsed and drained), bay leaf, soup cube, garlic ginger paste and bring to a boil.
3) reduce to simmer and add vegetables. As some veggies take longer to cook, put potatoes first, and add green veggies (spinach, swiss chard) towards the end)
4) add spices: 1 tsp tumeric per person, 1 tsp flaxseed per person- mix and make sure it doesnt clump together
5) add chili flakes to taste. The spicier, the better if you have a cold.

Serve with multigrain bread. ( I used flaxseed bread, as i didn't have any flax to add to the soup)

enjoy!

Rachel's Mac and Cheese

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So, this recipe says Rachel's mac and Cheese but it should maybe be called Mary-Anne's Mac and Cheese because Rachel got the recipe from her mom. When Andrei and I were down visiting her and David this weekend, Rach made this for us for dinner one night. We devoured it!!

When I got back, I told my mom all about this, and she was was like..um yeh, that's how you make mac'n cheese. I guess this recipe is for those who,  like me, had no idea how to make macaroni and cheese. It's definitely something everyone should have in their recipe collection.

Ingredients:
-macaroni
-margarine
-milk
-flour
-cheddar
-paprika, salt, pepper

 Directions as per Rach:
Cook and drain in cold water, 2 cups macaroni (elbows)
Melt 1/2 cup margarine (or butter) and stir (or whisk) in 3 tablespoons flour. Add slowly 1.5 cups of milk and cook until thickened. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Sprinkle into the sauce mix 1 cup grated cheese (I always use extra sharp cheddar) until melted.
Combine the pasta with the cheese sauce and put into an 8x8 dish.
Dot with 2 tablespoons margarine (or butter) and additional cheese. (This step is optional; on Saturday I just put some extra cheese on top).<< yaay
Bake at 350 for 1/2 hour.
Sprinkle with paprika (also optional)

Keldi's Mini Quiches

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I know some of you will be super excited to see this recipe!! When I lived with Keldi, she made these little quiches for book clubs, and entertaining. They were delicious. I loved them and could easily eat about 5 of them in one sitting. Possibly more. On one occasion, someone ate nearly 10 at a poker night. There's something about them that's highly addictive. The shells can be made from scratch, or bought. You can probably guess that I did the latter.

I decided to bring these to M&Js for the break fast. Keldis was nice enough to share her recipe with me. They are an adaptation of "quiche lorraine" from the Joy of cooking. I wonder how I lived with Kel for 2 years and didn't learn how to make these sooner. They were quite easy to make, the hardest part was not being able to taste anything, or eat a crumb as I went..

I made 2 varieties, roasted red pepper and goat cheese (my personal favourite- shown above) and leek and cheddar. You can try any combination that suits your fancy.

Ingredients:
- Tart shells (I used tenderflake- on accident, I bought 2 different sizes, tarts and mini tarts, butboth were good)
- 1 egg white
- 2 cups milk ( I used skim)
- 3 eggs
- nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
-1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp chives
- roasted red pepper
- goat cheese
- leek, sauteed
- cheddar, grated

Directions
-preheat oven to 375F
-brush tarts with egg white (beaten with a fork), so they dont get soggy (let them though 5 minutes if they are frozen, they dont have to be pre-cooked)
- place fillings in the bottom of each tart
- mix egg/milk, salt, peper, nutmet, chives in a food processor or blender. Pour into tarts. You can fill them quite full as they will shrink a bit when they cool.
- Bake for approximately 30 minutes. Check them after 20 mintues to ensure they don't burn.

Good luck eating just one.. They are also good cold as leftovers.

Vanilla Kipferel

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These Austrian cookies are delicious.  They are a real treat, that I eat maybe once a year when I go to Austria. This December, I was asked to participate in a cookie exchange, so I decided to try and make them.  I used the recipe from my grandmother (Kaditza's recipe), with consultations from my cousin, my aunt and my cousin's 'Kundel Oma'. I admit, I made a slight mistake in following the recipe ( hey, the recipe was in German! my limited knowledge, and google translate can only get you so far), but they still turned out pretty well. I ended up making them again twice more, with the help of my mom and they turned out better each time. I definitely need some practice, as I don't have much experience making dough!
These are lovely cookies to have around the house for dinner guests or to bring as house gifts. They also keep for a long time, if stored in a container (wrapped in foil is also good)
Ingredients:150g butter - 2/3 cups50g sugar- 1/4 cup210g flour- 1, 3/4 cups80g ground nuts ( I used almonds)- 3/4 cupsvanilla sugar and powdered sugar 
Directions:-Preheat oven to 400F- mix butter with sugar, flour and flour, let sit in fridge 1 hour- role it out or shape it, so it's about 1 inch thick, then cut into pieces and bend so it looks like crescents- if its too crumbly add 1 egg yoke or a few drops of milk- bake 12-15 minutes ( do not brown!)- before it cools, roll in vanilla sugar and powder sugar mixture. 
It's quite easy once (if) you get the hang of it ! enjoy! 

Greek Turkey- Stuffed Peppers

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I have made stuffed pepper before, but never have I made any that tasted as flavorful and delicious as these! We had about a lot of peppers to use up at home, and coincidentally this recipe was featured in the food network magazine. It was in the "weekend" section of the magazine- which apparently means it takes hours to prepare!! Chopping a million ingredients and simmering something for an hour on the stove..before putting it in the oven. That is just not my style. So I switched things up, and the recipe still turned out great. My mom was a sous-chef and she helped with a lot of the prep work. We also had leftover rice which was convenient and speeded things up. The fresh herbs in this really make the dish, so don't settle for dried herbs.  I had leftovers in my lunch today..yumm!!

Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups short grain brown rice
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1/2 cup fresh dill
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley
- 4 green onions
- 6 medium bell peppers
- 8 ounces lean ground turkey
- about 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella or cheddar (recipe called for 2 but I lightened it up)
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 cloves fresh garlic
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tsp grated lemon zest
- salt, freshly ground pepper

















Instructions:
- Combine 2 1/2 cups water, rice, and cranberries in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce, cover and let simmer 45 minutes. Fluff with a fork and then transfer to a bowl and let cool about 20 minutes. As I said, we used leftover rice.
- Cook turkey in a pan about 8 minutes, until no longer pink and cooked through
- Add turkey to rice, and add in walnuts, the green onions, garlic, lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper and half the herbs and half the cheese- At this point it looked like this:
- Meanwhile, let the peppers cook at 350 in the oven (If you prefer them more tender then boil them in a  large pot of water for a few minutes)
- Stuff the peppers with turkey/rice/herb mixture, and bake for 15 minutes at 350. Put oven on broil, add cheese and herbs and cook for an addition few minutes until cheese is nice and melted.

They taste really good, and also look cute. Could be a nice idea to serve for dinner guests.

Asian Garlic Pepper Green Beans

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You know how when you go to an Asian restaurant they have those scrumptious green beans you can order? Not to oily, full of flavor. Garlic, and Pepper...Yum. Well I got these really cool organic purple beans from Naturally To Your Door. I had not worked with purple beans before, but I was told they turn green when they are cooked. Magic color changing beans? Why not give them a try! 
My husband ate all these beans in one sitting for lunch. They were so good that we could not stop. I will be making this on a regular basis and won't need to order them anymore. Enjoy!
Asian Garlic Pepper Green Beans adapted from She Knows
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced1 pound green beans (or purple), washed2 teaspoons canola oil1 tablespoon sesame oil1/8 tsp white pepper1 tsp ginger3 dried red chili peppers2 tablespoons braggs amino acids -or- gf soy sauce1 tablespoon toasted sesame seedssea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat a large pan or wok over medium heat. Pour in canola oil and add sliced garlic, cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Toss in green beans and sesame oil. Stir the beans to coat with oil. Add bragg's amino acids (or gluten free soy sauce), white pepper, ginger, and dried red chili peppers. Cook for about 8-10 minutes, until beans are bright green.  Stir in toasted sesame seeds and transfer to a serving platter.

AMMACHI'S ACHAPPAM & a tin full of fond memories

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If only you could see me now! I cannot tell you how happy I am to have made this traditional snack at home. I am very excited because I've heard a lot of people saying that it's a palaharam/ traditional snack which is hard to find success in it's first attempt. I must say, I proved them all wrong. This was my very first attempt and I haven't stood next to anyone trying to learn it. All I had was my Grandmother's 'achu' / brass mould + self confidence + an age old recipe.


I vaguely remember Mamma frying the Achappams in her big old kitchen but I very very clearly remember eating them.The clearest of them all was when Mamma bought a huge tin full of her special Achappams to our house. That evening Babitha, my childhood friend came over to play and Amma gave her some Achappam to eat. She always had a big appetite (I hope she doesn't have the time to read this !) and would eat them very soon. Then, she would ask for more! I was a single child for 8.5 years so I didn't like the idea of sharing , a lot. I did share a share of those Achappams but when she asked for more, I clearly remember being disturbed :-)Anyway, the Achappams are long gone now but we are still thick pals.


Unfortunaltely none of us got hold of Mamma's recipe instead Amma has her twin sister, Daisy's mother-in-laws recipe.All of us fondly call her 'Ammachi'...to be specific...Kothamangalathile Ammachi. I remember eating Ammachi's achappams during our 1000 stop overs and sleep overs in Daisy Mummy's house. It used to be very thin, crisp, tender and yummy! I could easily eat a truck load of those because my stomach could never get filled with this light weight palaharam.


One evening, without any specific reasons, I felt like eating Achappams. So I went ahead and soaked my Mamma's acchu in oil, overnight.The next morning, I dialed Amma and got hold of that precious family recipe for this awesome palaharam. I am so glad I tried these because I can now proudly say, I can make Ammachi's Achappams at home! :-)

AMMACHI'S ACHAPPAM
Recipe source: Kothamagalathile Ammachi
Makes 100 achappams

Ingredients
4 c fresh rice flour*
1 c maida/flour
2 c coconut milk, medium thick
6 eggs, beaten
2 tsp black sesame seeds/cumin seeds
Salt to taste
Powdered sugar for dusting
Oil for deep frying

Method: In a large bowl, mix rice flour, maida & coconut milk together. It will be quite thick like Idli batter. Leave it aside for 2 hours. After 2 hours, add beaten eggs , seeds & salt. Mix well.Keep aside.

Heat about 4-5 inches of oil in a sauce pan on medium-high and while doing so, immerse the mould into it. Let it heat up along with the oil. To check if the oil is heated enough, add a drop of the batter into it and if it sizzle up right away, it's ready. Take the mould out of the hot oil and dip just 3/4 th of it into the batter, lift it up and then dip it into the oil. Hold it for a count of 5 and the shake the mould gently to release the achappam. If you are finding it a little difficult, use a skewer/thin knife to help it release. It will go smooth from the second one onwards. Fry till golden. You may or maynot have to adjust the heat depending on the colour of your fried goodies.

Drain on paper towels and when cooled, dust with powdered sugar.Munch away!

* I used Sona Masoori rice. I soaked 3c of rice in tap water for 1 hour,rinsed, spread it over a paper towel and let it dry for 45 mins. Then I powdered it very very fine in my mixie and it was sieved once before using. DO NOT use store bought roasted rice flour.
* A lot of recipes use sugar in the batter but we don't since we don't like the Achappams to turn dark.

Believe in yourself, be it in the kicthen or anywhere and you are bound to find success. That's all I did when I tried this out. When I was measuring and getting the things ready for it, I felt there was someone looking over my shoulders to make sure I was doing it right. I bet it was Mamma, my paternal grandmother. She was an interesting character,who lived to eat and cooked the most amazing Chinese food! Appan still complaints that Amma's fried rice is no where close to Mamma's even though Amma learnt it from her :-)

So go ahead and oil your Achappam mould right away and make these for your family or for yourself and enjoy!

JOBIN'S SPECIAL 3 INGREDIENT COOKIE

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Last night as I put Ian vaava to sleep,I felt a sense of achievement.I was able to share something with you on my bloggie's birthday. Around 5 am this morning,I recieved a call from Jobin asking if we had shredded coconut at home. I wondered why and asked him the same.I don't remember what his answer was as I was very sleepy then. As usual when we spoke again this morning, the question popped in my head as to why would he need shredded coconut! The question was repeated and the answer was,'check your email'. And that was one of the best surprises ever! Read on for the surprise!

12 Oct 2012
08:15
Jobin wrote:

Ria’s blog has turned four, given that she has almost no hobby time I thought something should be done to celebrate the four year mark. So I baked a very basic macaroon cookie to keep up the spirit. All I needed was a cup of shredded coconut, a banana and four pieces of dates. Grind them all together, roll it up and bake it for fourteen minutes on each side at two hundred and seventy five degree and let it cool down. It’s a good cookie for coconut lovers and for people who just love to bake. It is a bit crunchy, filling, satisfying and healthy. I hope people try it and enjoy it. My very dear friend Cor shared this with me and I am sure he will be happy to know it’s been put to good use.

Caution : I am a bad "food photographer".


What should I say other than I am so very very happy right now? :-) And yeah, I think the temperature mentioned is in Fahrenheit. This is definately going to be one my bloggies best birthdays!

Thank you so much,Jobin! And Cor, to you too :-)