Gingerbread

Thank you Martha Stewart for your gingerbread recipe. My husband will do practically anything I want (like the dishes) if I make these cookies. Seriously, he LOVES them and swears they are the BEST gingerbread cookies ever!

Ingredients:

5 ½ cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 ½ tsp salt

4 tsp ginger

4 tsp cinnamon

1 ½ tsp cloves

1 tsp nutmeg

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 ½ cups molasses

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Beat together butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time scraping bowl down in between. Add molasses and scrape down bowl again. With mixer on low speed add flour.

Chill one hour in the fridge.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough on a well-floured surface until ¼ “ thick. Place dough back in the freezer for 15 minutes. Then cut with cookie cutters.

Bake for 12-14 minutes.

Vegatable Lasagne Bechamel

This recipe comes from the Moosewood low fat recipe cookbook!


1 Tbl. oil
2 Tbl. flour
2 1/2 C. milk
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
salt and ground pepper to taste
1 tsp. olive oil
4 garlic cloves minced or pressed
2 C. chopped leeks, white and tender green parts
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 C. dry white wine
1 1/2 C. peeled and diced carrots
2 1/2 C. broccoli florets
3 C. undrained canned tomatoes(28-ounce cans)
1/3 C. chopped fresh basil
3/4 lb.uncooked lasagna noodles
1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 C. grated mozzarella cheese

Warm the oil in a small saucepan and then stir in the flour, slowly whisk in the milk, 1/2 C. at a time. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the sauce thickens a bit. this bechamel will not be very thick.Add the nutmeg, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. remove from the heat and set aside.
In a heavy or preferably nonstick skillet on medium heat, warm the oil. Add the garlic, leeks, and thyme and saute for 2-3 min. Add the wine, carrots, and broccoli stalks, cover, and simmer for 3-4 min. until all of the vegetables are tender but still firm. add a dash of salt and pepper and set aside. pour the canned tomatoes and juice into a bowl and crush the tomatoes by hand. add the fresh basil, stir well and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare a deep 8x12in. baking dish with cooking spray or a light coating of oil.
Assemble the lasagna. Layer half of the tomato-basil mixture in the bottom of the dish, top with a single layer of noodles, half of the vegetables and a cup of the bechamel sauce, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, and 2 tbl. of the grated mozzarella. Top with a second layer of noodles. and the rest of the vegetables the remaining bechamel sauce and third layer of oodles the rest of the tomato basil mixture and sprinkle the top with the remaining cheeses.
Cover and bake for 50 min. uncover and bake for an additional 10 min. allow the lasagna to rest for 10 min. before serving

Chipotle Ranch Dressing

1-2 chipotle chiles from a can of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

Place all ingredients in a blender; cover then blend until smooth. Use immediately or refrigerate in a covered container. Dressing may be kept, refrigerated, for up to one week.

I use this on a chopped salad of romaine, blackbeans, corn, tomatoes, cucumbers and tortilla strips (you can throw in some chicken if you want to make a meal out of it). It tastes just like Guru's! 

Eggplant

Since we have begun to eat a much more vegetable based diet I have come to LOVE eggplant. It has a great flavor (almost nutty?) and texture if you pick a good one (pick them like zucchini, not too big because there will be more seeds and make sure it's firm). Lately some of our favorites are veggie fajitas and eggplant Parmesan and I've even got pictures!

Veggie Fajitas

1 small eggplant (or half a large)
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 red bell pepper
1 onion
Olive oil
Flour Tortillas
Refried Beans
Sour Cream
Guacamole
Lettuce
Tomatoes

Chop to desired size (bite size or a little bigger) and saute in olive oil starting with the onion and ending with the eggplant. Cook until all vegetable are soft. Warm the flour tortillas and serve with desired toppings.

Eggplant Parmesan

2 small eggplant (or 1 large)

1 egg beaten

Breadcrumbs (seasoned or unseasoned)

Olive oil

1/2-1 jar marinara sauce

8 oz mozzarella cheese

Parmesan cheese

Spaghetti noodles

Slice eggplant to desired thickness (I like mine on the thin side). Dip in egg and then in bread crumbs and fry in olive oil. Note: you can also bake the eggplant on a cookie sheet for about 10-15 minutes each side

Zuchini Cookies

This is a Yummy Healthy Cookie. I eat them for breakfast!
You will need:

1 C. Butter
3/4 C. Honey
2 Eggs
1/4C. Plain Yogurt
1 tsp. each, cinnamon & Cloves
2 . Whole Wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 C. Rolled Oats
2 C. Raisins(optional)
1 1/2 C. Grated Zucchini

Preheat Oven 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl beat together butter, honey, eggs, sour cream, cinnamon and cloves.
Soft together flour and baking soda, and mix with liquid ingredients. Fold in oats, raisins, and zucchini Drop by teaspoons onto prepared baking sheet. I use parchment paper from Costco.
Bake until golden 10-14 min.
Cool or wire rack.
Enjoy
Makes about 4 Doz.
Michelle

Lemon Gnocchi with Spinach and Peas

My favorite way to eat gnocchi!

From Bon Appetite:

1 cup frozen baby peas ( I add 2 cups)
1/2 cup heavy cream (I might also use 1 cup :)
1/4 tsp reed pepper flakes
1 clove garlic minced
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups baby spinach (3oz) (I think I just use the whole bag)
1 tsp lemon zest (I view this as optional)
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 lb gnocchi dried
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Simmer peas with cream, red pepper, garlic, and salt, covered until tender about 5 minutes.
Add spinach and cook over medium-low heat until wilted stirring often.
Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest and juice.
Meanwhile cook gnocchi in boiling water until tender (they will float), reserving a 1/2 cup of cooking water (this is where I add in the extra cream).
Add gnocchi to sauce with cheese and cooking water (or extra cream) and stir to coat.

So maybe I change this recipe a lot, oh well, have fun making your own version!

Basic Pizza Dough

I have tried a couple pizza dough recipes and this is my (and my family's) favorite.

From Cooking Light Magazine:

2 tsp honey
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
3/4 cup warm water (110 degrees)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil

1. Dissolve honey and yeast in water, set aside for at least 5 minutes or until foams.
2. Spoon flour and salt into mixing bowl.
3. Add water mixture to flour and mix on low
4. Add olive oil
5. Once all ingredients are combined knead by hand or with a bread hook for about five minutes until the dough is smooth and not too sticky (the olive oil helps with this).
6. Let dough rise for 1 hour
7. Roll out add your favorite sauce, cheese and toppings and bake for about 12-15 minutes at 475 degrees.

Enjoy!