Avocado salsa

Avocado Salsa
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 ripe Hass avocados, peeled, pitted and diced
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1 serrano chile, finely diced
1 to 2 limes, juiced
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 to 2 teaspoons honey
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Shrimp Tacos with Pickled-Red-Onion Salad

Ingredients

Red Onion Salad
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
Salt
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 small white onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons malt vinegar
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 large ripe mango, cut into thin sticks
1/2 cup thinly sliced green cabbage
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves

Shrimp Tacos
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small white onion, finely chopped
1/2 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons salted roasted pumpkin seeds, 1 thinly sliced seeded serrano chile and 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, for garnish
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup shredded jalapeño Jack cheese
Four 6-inch flour tortillas, warmed

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Instructions

1.PREPARE THE RED ONION SALAD: In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, sugar and a pinch of salt to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour the hot pickling liquid over the red onion in a small, heatproof bowl and let cool, then refrigerate overnight. (NOTE: If you did these first thing in the morning, the onions would be pickled enough for dinner that night)

2.In another saucepan, combine the orange juice, white onion, maple syrup, malt vinegar and cumin seeds. Boil over moderately high heat until the liquid has reduced to 2 tablespoons, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a blender, add the oil and lime juice and puree until smooth; season with salt.

3.Drain the red onion and transfer to a bowl. Add the mango, cabbage, cilantro and half of the vinaigrette and season with salt.

4.PREPARE THE SHRIMP TACOS: In a skillet, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat until softened, 5 minutes. Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper and cook, turning, until white throughout, 3 minutes. Add the barbecue sauce and bring to a simmer. Off the heat, stir in the cheese.

5.Spoon the shrimp and red onion salad onto the tortillas and roll them up. Garnish with the pumpkin seeds, chile and cilantro, and serve with the remaining vinaigrette.

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Buttercream Icing

This recipe is from the Wilton Decorating Basics Lesson Plan Book

1 cup solid white vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon wilton falvor (vanilla, almond, or butter)
7-8 teaspoons milk or water
1 tablespoon wilton meringue powder
pinch of salt (optional)

cream shortening, flavoring and water.  add dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until all ingredients have been thoroughly mixed together.  blend an additional minute or so, until creamy.  makes 2 1/2 cups.

chocolate buttercream
add 3/4 cup cocoa or three 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate squares, melted, and an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons water to recipe.  mix until well blended.

Icing consistency

stiff--use for decorations such as flowers with upright petals, like the rose.
use this test to check consistency:

• place 1 cup of icing in a 9 oz. cup, 3 3/4 in. tall and about 2 3/4 in. diameter.
• insert a straight spatula all the way into the center of the icing and jiggle the cup.
• when the icing is stiff consistency, the spatula will not move.

medium--used to create stars, dimensional decorating, borders and flowers with petals that lie flat.

to convert stiff consistency icing to medium consistency add 1 teaspoon of water for each cup of stiff icing (2 1/2 tsp for the full recipe.) nux until well blended.

• use the same test as for stiff consistency
• when the icing is medium consistency the spatula will move slightly and start to lean when you jiggle the cup.

thin--use for writing and printing, leves, icing a cake.

to conver stiff icing to thin, add 2 tsp of water for each cup of stiff (5 tsp for the full recipe) mix well until blended.

• use the same test as for stiff consistency
• when the icing is thin, the spatula will fall over when you jiggle the cup
• when making thin consistency for writitng and printing add 1/2 tsp of piping gel per cup of thin consistency icing.  it will add stretch to the icing to make writing and printing easier

Caffe Mingo Sugo di Carne or Penne with Chianti Braised Beef

This is a signature dish of Caffe Mingo, a favorite Italian eatery that has locations in NW Portland and the Beaverton Round.  Surprisingly it is one of the easiest things to make!  My mother-in-law got the recipe from the chef himself.  You will have more than enough sauce for leftovers.  In fact it's probably better the second day!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 1/2 pound beef bottom round, cut in manageable cubes
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 cup espresso coffee
• 1- 28 oz can of san marzano canned tomatoes (trust me, these tomatoes are worth it)
• 1/2 bottle of your favorite chianti
• 1 cup chicken or beef broth
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup of finely grated parmigiano regiano cheese
• 16 oz penne pasta

Directions:

• In a large pot on medium heat, brown meat with a little salt and pepper in the butter
• add onions and saute until onions are soft
• add espresso, crushed tomatoes, and the wine
• once the sauce is bubbling, turn down to simmer and leave uncovered for 2 to 3 hours
• Be sure to periodically check on the sauce to make sure that it doesn't get reduced too much or burn.  If it gets too thick, put a lid on the pot to prevent further reduction.
• the sauce should be nicely thick and reduced and the meat should be very shreddable. 
• take the meat out of the sauce and shred.
• once shredded return meat to sauce, add chicken broth and 1 tablespoon of butter.
• turn heat to medium high until sauce is bubbling.  let simmer for five minutes
• serve with penne and sprinkle parmesan on top

Creamy Pasta with Asparagus, Walnuts, Mushrooms, and Marscopone Cheese

 This is another favorite recipe from Giada de Laurentis.  It's a very quick pasta, and served with grilled chicken, makes for a very satisfying meal.  Or you can just keep it vegetarian.  I've also used ordinary mushroom in place of the cremini.  You can substitute the asparagus with another vegetable as well.

Ingredients

• 1 pound farfalle pasta
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 1 pound thin asparagus, trimmed, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup mascarpone cheese
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 3/4 cup walnuts, toasted
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• salt to taste

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the farfalle and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and saute until tender and most of the juices have evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the asparagus and saute until the asparagus is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add the farfalle. Stir in the mascarpone and nutmeg and toss until the cheese coats the pasta, adding the reserved cooking liquid 1/4 cup at a time to moisten. Stir in 1/2 cup of walnuts. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper. Mound the pasta in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and remaining 1/4 cup of walnuts. Serve

Easy chicken noodle soup

Ingredients

4 cups chicken broth

generous dash ground black pepper

1 medium carrot, sliced (but I usually add more)

1 stalk celery, sliced (again, I add more)

1/2 cup uncooked extra wide egg noodles

1 cup shredded cooked chicken or turkey

Heat broth, black pepper, carrot and celery in saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil. Stir noodles and chicken into saucepan. Reduce heat to medium. cook 10 minutes or until noodles are tender, stirring often.

Spaghetti Pie

Ingredients

6 oz spaghetti

2 tbsp butter

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 well-beaten eggs

1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup diced green pepper (optional)

1 tsp oil

1 lb ground beef

1.5 cups spaghetti sauce

1 cup cottage cheese (or ricotta)

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Break up and cook spaghetti according to pkg directions. Drain. Stir butter, parmesan and egg into hot spaghetti. Form spaghetti into a crust in a greased 10-inch pie plate. Brown onions and green pepper in the oil until soft. Add meat and brown. Drain. Add spaghetti sauce and simmer 25-30 minutes (I usu. do less). Spread cottage cheese over spaghetti crust. Top with meat sauce. Bake about 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

During the last 5 minutes of baking, top the pie with mozzarella. Remove from oven when the cheese has melted. Let stand about 5 minutes before cutting.

Green bean, ham, and cheese frittata

This recipe is extremely flexible. It's great for using up whatever leftovers you have in the fridge. I don't usually have fontina cheese, so I used a mixture of feta and cheddar last time. And I added mushrooms to mine. Works for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil

1 lb green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 lb ham, cut into chunks or strips

1-2 bunches of scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces

8 large eggs

1 cup shredded (about 4 oz) Fontina cheese

coarse salt and ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in a 10-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add green beans, ham and scallions. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until green beans are crisp tender, about 6 min.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, cheese, 1 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper; add to skillet, and tilt to distribute evenly. Gently press down on vegetables to cover them with egg mixture. Cook, without stirring, until edges are slightly set, about 1 minute.

3. Transfer to oven; bake until center is set, 25-30 minutes. Run a wooden spoon or spatula around edges to serve.

Campbell's® Slow-Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

Tonight's dinner so thought I would post. Nice and easy and you can make in the morning and have ready for dinner time. I don't use potatoes in mine since it is a bit heavy then with the dumplings too. I also just put in whatever vegetables and have and this has worked just fine.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cups whole baby carrots
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 2 (10.75 ounce) cans Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups all-purpose baking mix
• 2/3 cup milk

Directions

1. Place the chicken, potatoes, carrots and celery into a 6-quart slow cooker.
2. Stir the soup, water, thyme and black pepper in a small bowl. Pour the soup mixture over the chicken and vegetables.
3. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours* or until the chicken is cooked through.
4. Stir the baking mix and milk in a medium bowl. Spoon the batter over the chicken mixture. Turn the heat to HIGH. Tilt the lid to vent and cook for 30 minutes or until the dumplings are cooked in the center.

Butterscotch Rolls

These gooey caramel rolls are a big hit at our house. I like to serve them for breakfast when I have company over.

Ingredients

25 oz frozen dinner rolls

3.5 oz butterscotch pudding (not instant)

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup butter, melted

Place frozen rolls in a greased bundt pan (make sure the pan does not have a quick release bottom or it will leak everywhere). Mix butterscotch pudding and brown sugar; sprinkle over frozen rolls. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over the last mixture. Pour melted butter over. Let stand overnight or at least 8 hours. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Cool 10-15 minutes and invert onto plate to serve.

(I also like to add chopped pecans to this recipe.)

Hidden Veggie Pizza (or Pasta) Sauce

Ingredients:

1 eggplant
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
1 zucchini
10 small carrots (or maybe two or three regular size ones)
1/2 yellow onion
NOTE: On the veggies, if these don't work, use whatever is good at the store - it really doesn't matter what you roast, it all works!

6 roma tomatoes
6 whole garlic cloves
1 bunch of fresh basil
salt and pepper
olive oil
italian seasoning
2 (15 oz) cans tomato sauce


Take all the veggies and chunk them into equal size pieces, plus the garlic cloves, toss with salt, pepper, italian seasoning and olive oil. Arrange on two baking sheets and roast for 20-30 minutes, about 400 degrees. Once the veggies are soft to the touch, pull them and let cool briefly (five minutes). Add veggies and basil leaves to a food processor and puree until resembling baby food - but not veggies :-) Add puree and tomato sauce into a stock pot - cook down until flavors blend over low heat, 30 minutes - add seasoning to your tastes. If the kiddos are still picky - use an immersion blender to puree it down again - really hiding the veggies!


Perfect for pasta or pizza. Freezes great!

Jambalaya

Ingredients
1 green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 tbsp butter
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
4 cajun-style andouille sausage, sliced
2 (16 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup white rice (not instant)
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
6 to 10 drops tabasco sauce or to taste
1 lb peeled, deveined raw shrimp



In a stock pot, saute peppers, onions, garlic and celery in butter over medium heat to soften. Remove from pot and set aside. In the same pot over medium heat, saute chicken and sausage, cooking until chicken is almost done (5 or 6 minutes). Return the pepper and onion mixture to the stock pot and add all the remaining ingredients except the shrimp. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat for 25 to 30 minutes. Add shrimp ad cook until it's cooked through - just a couple of minutes.

Serve with a crusty bread for dipping!

Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes with Toasted Marshmallows

INGREDIENTS
9 sweet potatoes, about 12 ounces each
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
1/3 cup pure maple syrup, preferably grade B
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt
Cayenne pepper
3 cups mini marshmallows
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 350° and set a sheet of foil in the bottom. Rub the sweet potatoes with the oil and prick each one all over with a fork 5 or 6 times. Roast the potatoes directly on the oven rack for about 1 hour, until tender. Let cool slightly.
2. Split each sweet potato lengthwise and carefully scrape the flesh into a large saucepan. Transfer 12 of the potato skin halves to a baking sheet (discard the remaining 6 skin halves). Using a whisk, mash and whip the sweet potatoes over moderate heat until slightly dry, about 5 minutes. Add the butter, maple syrup and cinnamon. Season the mixture with salt and cayenne, whisking until it is smooth and hot.
3. Spoon the sweet potatoes into the 12 skins. Press the mini marshmallows onto the mashed sweet potatoes. Bake the potatoes in the center of the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until heated through. Turn on the broiler and broil for about 1 minute, until the mini marshmallows are toasted. Alternatively, brown the marshmallows using a kitchen blowtorch. Serve the twice-baked potatoes right away.

Grilled vegetables

Grilled Vegetables
INGREDIENTS
3 red bell peppers, seeded and halved
3 yellow squash (about 1 pound total), sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick rectangles
3 zucchini (about 12 ounces total), sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick rectangles
3 Japanese eggplant (12 ounces total), sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick rectangles
12 cremini mushrooms
1 bunch (1-pound) asparagus, trimmed
12 green onions, roots cut off
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or prepare the barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush the vegetables with 1/4 cup of the oil to coat lightly. Sprinkle the vegetables with salt and pepper. Working in batches, grill the vegetables until tender and lightly charred all over, about 8 to 10 minutes for the bell peppers; 7 minutes for the yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant, and mushrooms; 4 minutes for the asparagus and green onions. Arrange the vegetables on a platter. The key to getting those great grill marks is to not shift the vegetables too frequently once they've been placed on the hot grill.
2. Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, parsley, basil, and rosemary in a small bowl to blend. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the herb mixture over the vegetables. Serve the vegetables, warm or at room temperature.

Extremely easy baby back ribs

Total cooking time: 5-8 hours

Active cooking time: about 10 minutes

This recipe serves about 4-5 hungry adults

Ingredients

2 baby back pork rib packets

salt/pepper

your favorite bbq sauce

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Lay out a long strip of foil on the bottom of a baking sheet. Put one rack of ribs on the foil, bone side down. Liberally salt and pepper the ribs. Put another sheet of foil on top of the ribs. Tightly seal the bottom and top foil pieces together so that the ribs are encased in a nice little leak-free packet. (You'll be opening and resealing this packet later, so make it easy for yourself.) Do the same for the other rib rack.

Lay both rib racks on the baking sheet (2 racks fit perfectly on 1 sheet) and put in the oven. Bake for 4-6 hours (I usually do closer to 4 or 4.5) and then remove from oven. Carefully open up your foil packets enough for you to heavily brush on lots of your bbq sauce. Reseal the packets. Bake for another 1.5-2 hours or until meat is absolutely falling off the bone.

And feel free to experiment: It's fun to try out a different flavor of bbq sauce in each rib packet.

Baked chicken parmesan

This recipe is from Gina's Skinny Recipes, and it is a lighter version of the Italian classic.

Ingredients

4 chicken breast halves, sliced in half

3/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tbsp butter, melted

3/4 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese

1 cup marinara sauce (yeah, I bought a jar)

cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet lightly with spray.

Combine breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese in a bowl. Melt the butter in another bowl. Lightly brush the butter onto the chicken, then dip into breadcrumb mixture. Place on baking sheet and repeat with the remaining chicken.

Lightly spray a little more cooking oil on top and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Turn chicken over, bake another 5 minutes. Remove from oven, spoon sauce over chicken and top with shredded cheese. Bake 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted.

Delicious served over pasta.

Chunky potato soup

Ok Trinh...this one's for you!

Ingredients

3 medium red potatoes (or you can use russets)

2 cups water

1 small onion

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

crushed red pepper flakes

ground black pepper

3 cups milk

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup cubed cooked ham (you can also substitute bacon)

Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Bring water to a boil in large saucepan. Add potatoes and cook until tender. Drain, reserving liquid. Set aside potatoes. Measure 1 cup cooking liquid, adding water, if necessary; set aside. Peel and finely chop onion. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion to saucepan; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent and tender. Add flour to saucepan; season with pepper flakes and black pepper to taste. Cook 3-4 minutes. Gradually add potatoes, reserved 1 cup cooking liquid, and milk to onion mixture in saucepan; stir well. Add cheese and ham. Simmer over low heat 30 minutes, stirring frequently.

(Soup can sometimes become thick, so feel free to add more milk to thin it the next day.)

Mom's breakfast casserole

My family wakes up to this yummy casserole every Christmas morning. Wouldn't start a holiday any other way.

Ingredients:

6 eggs

2 cups milk

3 slices of bread, cubed

1 lb ground sausage

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dry mustard

4 oz shredded cheddar cheese

Brown sausage. Beat eggs; add milk, salt, and mustard; beat again. Add bread cubes, cheese and sausage; stir. Put in a greased 9x13 baking dish (but I use a smaller square pan for a thicker casserole), cover with foil, and refrigerate overnight. Remove foil and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees, or until egg is set and casserole is brown around the edges.

Ribolitta

This recipe is a hearty soup that can substitute as a meal.  Healthy and so easy to make,  the recipe is taken from Giada de Laurentis and the Food Network.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling on bread
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 4 ounces pancetta, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, 1 minced and 1 whole
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 pound frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1 (15-ounce) can cannelloni beans, drained
• 1 tablespoon herbs de Provence
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (3-inch) piece Parmesan rind (you can find this at trader joe's and also new seasons)
• 4 to 6 ciabatta rolls, halved lengthwise or 1 loaf, sliced (I just use the french bread that you can bake at home)
• Grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, pancetta, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook until the onion is golden brown and the pancetta is crisp, about 7 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir until dissolved. Add tomatoes and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the brown bits. Add the spinach, beans, herbs, stock, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Drizzle the ciabatta halves with olive oil. Toast until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and rub the top of the toasts with the whole garlic clove. Place the toasts in the serving bowls and ladle the soup over the toasts. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve immediately.

Vietnamese Salad Rolls with Peanut Sauce

Did you know that you could make salad rolls at home?  They are a lot cheaper and surprisingly easy.  Salad rolls can even be a meal in itself.

Peanut Sauce:

What you need:

• 1 small pepper, finely chopped, the smallest sold in grocery stores, i think they are called serrano peppers.  this is optional if you do not like it spicy or you can use half the pepper.
• 1 clove garlic chopped
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional)
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 rounded tablespoons smooth peanut butter

What you do:

• in medium heat saute garlic and pepper in a little bit of oil
• add water, fish sauce, and soy sauce and brown sugar
• once the water mixture is close to boiling add peanut butter
• stir mixture until sauce thickens
• serve warm

Ingredients for Salad Rolls:

• rice paper, you will find this at most grocery stores in the asian aisle.  it is cheaper to buy them at asian grocery stores.
• vegetables such as lettuce, cucumber (chopped into small and thin sticks), carrots (grated or chopped into small and thin sticks)  I've even seen apples and pears used.
• herbs such as cilantro, mint or basil
• thin rice noodles.  you can use rice vermeccelli or bean threads.  i personally like the bean threads the most.  again you will find these at most grocery stores in the asian aisle.
• protein such as firm tofu, chicken, pork, or shrimp.  you can either boil, grill or bake.  Cut into strips
• optional (i love eggs in my salad rolls. i've never seen them do this in restaurants but we always had them growing up).  the eggs are made by breaking the yokes and beating them well.  add a little salt or a few drops of fish sauce.  fry in a little bit of oil, cover and once set and the underside is a little browned, flip over and brown the other side.  cut the finished eggs into strips.

How to roll the rolls:

There are many ways to do this.  Because I am lazy, I will prepare the sauce and the filling ingredients, soak the rice paper then have everyone roll the salad rolls themselves.  I prepare the rice paper by soaking it for a couple of seconds in a bowl of hot tap water, then I just stack it on top of each other.  we usuall peel two rice papers to make one salad roll.

But if you are industrious, you can prepare the salad rolls and serve them fully wrapped.  Soak one rice paper for a couple of seconds in a bowl of hot tap water, place it on a wooden board, put all the ingredients in the center of the rice paper, fold the end closest to you, then the two sides, and start rolling until you reach the opposite end: exactly like you would roll a burrito.

Finale:
Dip the salad roll into the peanut sauce and enjoy!

Hearty minestrone soup

Hearty Minestrone Soup
INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 cups dried white beans (8 ounces), soaked overnight and drained
NOTE: you can buy just canned white Beans, drain and rinse well, skipping the overnight soak, just use extra chicken broth in place of the cooking liquid (see step 2)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 ounces pancetta, finely diced
2 medium shallots, minced
2 large celery ribs, finely diced
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 large carrot, finely diced
1/2 fennel bulb, cored and diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (use less if serving children)
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons tomato paste
One 14-ounce can plum tomatoes, chopped, juices reserved
1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup baby arugula
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
INSTRUCTIONS
1. In a pot, cover the beans with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat until tender, about 2 hours; add water to keep the beans covered. Drain the beans and reserve the cooking liquid.
2. Meanwhile, in another pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the pancetta and cook over moderate heat until crisp, 4 minutes. Add the shallots, celery, onion, carrot and fennel, and cook until softened. Add the garlic, crushed pepper and bay leaves and cook, stirring, until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and broth; bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 1 hour. Add the beans and enough cooking liquid to thin out the soup. Discard the bay leaves; season with salt and pepper.
3. In a bowl, toss the arugula and parsley with the lemon juice and remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the soup in bowls; top with the salad.

Grilled chicken with peach BBQ sauce

INGREDIENTS
1 cup chopped peeled fresh peaches or 9-10 ounces frozen sliced peaches, thawed, chopped
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons adobo sauce from canned chipotle chiles in adobo or 1 teaspoon soy sauce (soy will reduce the spice level)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 skinless, boneless organic chicken breasts
Vegetable oil
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a small saucepan. Season lightly with salt and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer until peaches are very soft and flavors meld, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat; let cool. Pour peach mixture into a blender and purée until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place half the sauce in a medium bowl; add the chicken and turn to coat. Let marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes, or cover and chill for up to 8 hours, turning occasionally. Cover and refrigerate remaining sauce.
2. Prepare a grill to medium-high heat. Brush grill rack with oil. Grill chicken until browned and almost cooked through, 4-5 minutes per side. Brush on all sides with reserved sauce; grill until glazed and cooked through, 1-2 minutes per side. Slice crosswise. Serve remaining sauce alongside.

Stuffed bell peppers

Stuffed Bell Peppers
Eva Longoria's Cookbook
INGREDIENTS
4 large green bell peppers (or red, orange, yellow)
1 lb ground beef
2T chopped onion
1-8oz can tomato sauce
1 c dried bread crumbs
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp grd black pepper
1/2 to 1 cup grated or crumbled queso fresco
Pico de gallo for serving
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray baking dish. Cut a thin slice from the stem end of each green pepper. Pull out the core and seeds, rinse. Add peppers to a pan of boiling water and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
2. In skillet, cook beef and onion until mostly browned with a little pink left. Stir in tomato sauce, crumbs, salt and pepper.
3. Stuff the peppers lightly with the meat mixture and put the tops on. Stand them upright in the baking dish. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 35 mins. Remove foil and bake 15 minutes. To serve--sprinkle each pepper with queso fresco and top with a spoonful of pico de gallo.

Zucchini corn bread

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter plus more for pan
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 large zucchini (about 10 ounces)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup medium-grind cornmeal
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Position a rack in the middle of oven and preheat to 350°. Butter a 9 x 5 x 3" loaf pan.
2. Melt 1/2 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Continue cooking until butter solids at bottom of pan turn golden brown, about 3 minutes. Scrape butter into a medium bowl. Set aside and let cool. Whisk in eggs and buttermilk.
3. Trim zucchini ends. Thinly slice five 1/8" rounds from 1 end of zucchini and reserve for garnish. Coarsely grate remaining zucchini. Add to bowl with butter mixture and stir until well blended.
4. Sift both flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into a large bowl. Whisk in cornmeal. Add zucchini mixture; fold just to blend (mixture will be very thick). Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth top. Place reserved zucchini slices atop batter down center in a single layer.
5. Bake bread until golden and a tester inserted into center comes out clean, 55-65 minutes. Let cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan; let cool completely on a wire rack. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
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Cheese-Filled Sweet Potato Muffins

These are the best muffins, ever.

(makes 12 muffins)

What You Need:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup sugar (or substitute 2/3 cup agave nectar)

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup sweet potato (peeled, boiled, and mashed)

1/2 cup olive oil

2 eggs

1/4 cup water

nutmeg, cinnamon, and any other spices that suit your fancy

1 cup of cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, or a mixture of the 2

What You Do:

Preheat oven to 350

Prepare a muffin tin with olive oil spray or butter

Mix olive oil, eggs, water, sweet potato

Add agave or sugar

Mix in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg

Blend ingredients well and pour into muffin tin

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, or until done (you can insert a sharp knife into one of the muffins- if nothing sticks to the knife, the muffins are ready)

Remove muffins from tin and place on baking rack to cool

Once cool, scoop out a section from the top center of each muffin (see photo)

Eat what you have scooped out as your reward for baking

Whip up your cheese, adding cinnamon if you like. Fill each hole with your cheese selection. When I made these I used mascarpone, but wished that it had a sweeter, cheesier taste. Next time I think I will do a mascarpone-cream cheese combo.

Sprinkle cinnamon on top of each muffin and enjoy!

Green Salad with Avocado, Apples, and Baked Tofu (with Tangy Tahini Dressing)

This is one of my all-time favorite salads. It is vegetarian, healthy, and goes great with just about anything.

Ingredients:

4 to 6 ounces baked tofu (half of an 8- or 12- ounce package), diced or cut into strips

1 medium red bell pepper, diced

1 medium head dark green lettuce, or as desired

1 medium-large firm, ripe avocado, diced

2 medium granny smith apples, cored and diced

Juice of ½ large lemon

1. Combine the tofu, bell pepper, and lettuce in a serving bowl.

2. Just before serving, toss the avocado and apples with the lemon juice in another bowl, then add to the salad and toss together. Moisten with the dressing of your choice, then serve, passing additional dressing.

Calories: 188

Total Fat: 10g

Protein: 7g

Fiber: 5.2g

Carbohydrates: 21g

Cholesterol: 0g

Sodium: 321 mg

Tangy Tahini Dressing

Ingredients:

½ cup extra-virgin or light olive oil

¼ cup sesame tahini

2 to 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Juice of ½ lemon

2 tablespoon reduced-sodium natural soy sauce

1 teaspoon dried dill

1 teaspoon dried chives, optional

1. Combine all ingredients in a tightly lidded bottle and shake thoroughly. Shake well before each use. Keeps up to 2 weeks, refrigerated.

Calories: 168

Total Fat: 17 g

Protein: 2 g

Fiber: 0.7 g

Carbohydrates: 3 g

Cholesterol: 0 g

Sodium: 189 mg

This is one of my favorite pampered chef recipes. I don't use their special baker and the recipe turns out fine for me.

Easy Tortellini Toss

Ingredients:
3 tbsp butter, melted 3 tbsp all-purpose flour 1 garlic clove, pressed 1 cup 2% milk 2 1/2 oz Parmesan cheese, grated (about 2/3 cup)		1 (8 oz) slice deli ham (1/2 in. thick) 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper 1 bag (16 oz) frozen cheese-filled tortellini 1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth 6 cups loosely packed fresh baby spinach leaves

Directions:
1.	Combine butter and flour in Classic Batter Bowl; whisk until smooth. Add pressed garlic and milk to butter mixture; whisk well. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 3-4 minutes or until thickened, stirring every 60 seconds. Add cheese; whisk until smooth. Dice ham using Chef's Knife. Add ham and black pepper to batter bowl. Mix well using Small Mix ‘N Scraper®; set aside.
2.	Combine tortellini and broth in Deep Covered Baker. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 12-15 minutes or until tortellini are tender, stirring every 4-5 minutes. Add cheese sauce to baker; mix well. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Stir in spinach; cover and let stand 2-3 minutes or until spinach is wilted.

Welcome!

Hello M & M's and everyone else,

As a mom, I sometimes get into a rut with cooking.  It's superhard to try out new recipes and be adventurous in cooking when you have a picky preschooler and an ADD baby.  We often fall back to the boring mac 'n cheese, green beans and chicken that the kids will for sure eat.  And so I am looking to expand my horizons with this blog.  We will share tried and true favorites as well venture into new territory.  To the M & M's, feel free to post as often as you like, or if you are more comfortable lurking for now, that is fine as well.  I hope you will join me in what is sure to be a fun culinary adventure. 

Happy cooking!

Trinh