This was dinner a few times lately, and as I sat enjoying a bowl of leftovers, I thought I’d share the [quick + easy!] instructions. Yay for summertime goodness!

Asparagus and Chard on Quinoa
four servings

• quinoa, prepared, (enough for four)

• one bunch asparagus, woody stems snapped off, and trimmed to 2″ lengths
• one bunch chard, stems trimmed, and cut into 1″ ribbons
• 3 big cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 T butter
• 2T olive oil
• salt + pepper

• 4 T butter
• 2 t soy sauce
• 2 T balsamic vinegar

Prepare quinoa.

Meanwhile, heat butter and oil in skillet. Add asparagus, salt and pepper to taste, and cook until bright green and still crisp (unless you like mushy asparagus!) Remove from pan. Add garlic to pan; cook until fragrant, 30 seconds or so. Add chard, salt and pepper to taste, and cook until wilted, stirring. Remove from pan. Add 4 T butter to skillet and heat until browned (but not burned!). Remove pan from heat; stir in the soy sauce and vinegar. Add quinoa, asparagus, and chard back to the pan and stir well. Top with freshly grated parmigiana reggiano that you happen to have in the fridge… or just with your good ol’ parmesan cheese.

That’s it! Yum!

I highly recommend trying it.

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
2 pounds tilapia fillets

1. Preheat your oven’s broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line pan with aluminum foil.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with dried basil, pepper, and onion powder. Mix well and set aside.

3. Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to over cook the fish.

Fortunately, my mother-in-law hadn’t forgotten about this tasty dish, and whipped it up for our dinner last night. It’s quick and special, all at once, and it was a yummy addition to our baked fish and couscous.

This is a perfect luncheon salad. Served with a nice quiche, or topped with crumbled goat cheese and a side of nice bread, it would be a wonderful, light meal for a lunch with girlfriends. However, lest such an idea cause you to file this in the category of “chic food,” I will point out that Ryan enjoyed this very much!

Spinach and Berry Salad

Vinaigrette:

1/2 c. olive oil
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
[scant] 1/4 c. sugar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 t. dry mustard
1/4 t. onion powder

Mix and chill.

Salad:

1 c. slivered almonds, toasted*
1 lb baby spinach
1 lb butter lettuce
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
1/2 pint fresh raspberries
1/2 pint fresh blueberries**
1/4 cup fresh dill weed

Toss; dress with vinaigrette to taste.

*To toast: Spread on cookie sheet and put in hot oven for a minute or two. Watch them closely; they’ll go from toasted to burned in a split second!

**Or any combination you have on hand.

Banana bread* and roasted brussel sprouts (I add minced garlic, rosemary, and thyme) rounds out the main course.

One-bowl brownies* with ice cream on top. (Got rave reviews for this simplest of all brownie recipe!)

Dinner is served — easy does it! That makes a simple Sunday afternoon and I like that!

———————————-
*favorite family recipes

Banana Bread
1/2 c. oil
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
3 medium bananas, mashed
1 T. milk
1/2 t. vanilla

2 c. sifted flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Beat oil and sugar. Add eggs and bananas, milk and vanilla.
Add dry ingredients and beat well.

Bake 350 approx. 1 hour in 9×5x3 loaf pan (greased)

::This recipe came from my dear friend in the Lord, Cathy Thomas, given to me years ago when she was a newlywed. I have tried others from time to time but none can compare to this one! Thanks, Cathy!

Best Brownies

1/2 c. butter, melted
1 c. sugar (a shy cup)
1 t. vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 c. unsifted flour
1/3 c. cocoa (a generous 1/3…)
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. baking powder
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional — but really, a brownie is much better when it’s nutty!)

Blend butter, sugar and vanilla in large bowl. Add eggs; using a wooden spoon, beat well.
Add flour, cocoa, b. powder and salt; blend in thoroughly. Stir in nuts.

Spread into greased 9″square pan. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until brownie begins to pull away from edges of pan. Cool.

::This recipe is from Hershey’s Chocolate Classics and has made it into the Sinclair all-time trusted recipe collection. It’s always the best brownie going!

My company “yummed” with every bite. “So chewy! What brand is this?!” My answer? “That’s just a simple one-bowl brownie made from scratch. It’s as easy as any box mix and a whole lot better!”

One of my semi-live-ins knowingly smiled and asked if I doubled the recipe. “Actually, I tripled it and baked it in my old roaster,” came my response with a wink. (He knows how things work around here!)

At any rate, you should try these brownies with vanilla ice cream. It can’t be beat!

Saute 1 onion finely chopped, 2 T. minced garlic, 1 chopped red pepper, 1 small container fresh mushroom chopped in 3T. olive oil.

Add two 29 oz.cans of whole tomatoes cut in chunks, 1 T. oregano, 1 T. basil, 1 heaping T. chili powder, 1-2 T. salt, black pepper liberally sprinkled. Cook thoroughly until tomatoes are broken up (5 minutes on medium high).

Add 18 cups water, 5 cups washed mixed beans and peas and lentils, 2 T. beef soup base or bouillon, 1/3 cup lemon juice. Bring to boil for 2-3 minutes. Turn to medium high heat and continue simmering. Cook for 6-7 hours or until beans are tender (varies depending on type of bean used.) Yummy and complete with whole wheat bread!

This is obviously a large recipe. Cut in half for a reasonably large family, in quarter for a smaller family. This fed my crowd (probably 10-12 at the table that night) once with generous leftovers!***

—————

2. Favorite Creamy Tomato Soup
Saute 1/2 onion finely grated, 2 T. minced garlic in 4 T. butter until tender but not browned

Add 75 oz. canned tomato sauce or diced tomatoes (whatever your preference — I like a combination), 20 oz. chicken broth (2 1/2 cups), 12 oz. heavy cream (1 1/2 cups), 12 oz. milk (1 1/2 cups), 1 small can tomato paste. Salt and pepper to taste.

Blend well, simmer for 20-30 minutes.

For extra fun, serve with a dollop of sour cream or non-sweetened whipped cream. Or just dive in like we do. Super good with grilled cheese sandwiches!

—————–

3. New England Fish Chowder
In soup pot, cook several pieces of bacon until crisp. Set aside to crumble and use as garnish. Remove grease.

Melt 2 T. butter in pot. Saute 2 medium onions (I grate mine) in butter until soft but not brown. Add thyme and/or sage (1/4 t. each)

Add 2 lb. potatoes, diced into large bite-size pieces, to pot. Cover with 5 cups chicken stock (I make mine from chicken base.) Bring to boil, cover and cook vigorously for 10 minutes, until potatoes are soft on outside but firm in center. Starch should be thickening broth. If it is not, crush a few pieces with spoon against the side of pot and cook for a few more minutes.

Reduce heat, season well with salt and pepper, add 3 lb. fish (haddock, perch, cod — I use whatever is cheapest, and I buy frozen) and cook for 5-10 minutes. Fish should be breaking into chunks.

Remove from heat and allow to sit for 10 minutes.

Gently stir in 1 1/2 cups heavy cream brought to room temperature (I use half cream and half milk.) If it is not room temp. add to soup before removing from heat.

YUMMY!!!
My whole family LOVES this soup.

***I made Mid-Winter Legume Soup today. I had no mushrooms so I chopped up celery instead. I was tempted to add some cabbage or brussel sprouts, but decided to reserve them for another meal. I used beans and legumes on hand: black beans, black-eyed beans, pinto beans, green split peas, red lentils, and navy beans.
The point of this edit? To let you know that you can use this recipe to fit your kitchen that day — it’s totally flexible!

Black Bean Soup
adapted from Sarah Leah Chase’s Year Around Cookbook

Makes 8-10 servings

olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 (or more!) cloves of garlic, minced
6 carrots, peeled and minced
4 ribs celery, minced
1 can green chilies
1/6-1/4 cup ground cumin (to taste)
1/4 cup dried oregano
1 lb black beans, soaked overnight in water
3 1/2 - 4 quarts chicken broth (or water and chicken bouillon)
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (optional, but yum!)
1/2 cup cooking sherry (optional, but adds depth)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro
sour cream for garnish
sliced avocado for garnish

1. Place olive oil, onion, garlic, carrots, and celery in large stockpot. Saute, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. STir in the green chilies and cook 5 minutes more. Stir in the cumin and oregano.
2. Rinse and drain the black beans and add to the stockpot. Cover with 3 1/2 quarts chicken broth. Simmer uncovered until the beans are very tender and beginning to fall apart, about 2 hours. This with additional broth if the mixture seems to be getting too thick.
3. Stir in lime juice and sherry. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Just before serving, swirl in the cilantro. Serve piping hot bowls garnished with a dollop of sour cream and a few slices of avocado. Pretty and yum!

Tortilla Crisps

Cut a package of 12 7- or 8-inch tortillas into 8 wedges. Spread one third of the wedges on a cookie sheet. Bake in a 350 oven 5-10 minutes, or until dry and crisp; cool. Repeat with remaining wedges. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 weeks.

]]> http://momandus.com/2009/02/24/black-bean-soup/feed/ http://momandus.com/2009/02/05/promised-recipes/ http://momandus.com/2009/02/05/promised-recipes/#comments Thu, 05 Feb 2009 18:04:38 +0000 Darlene Sinclair http://momandus.com/2009/02/05/promised-recipes/ Ruth’s Vanilla Christmas Cookies (thanks to Margaret Nordberg for sharing)

3/4 c. butter
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 T. vanilla
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
3 c. flour

In large mixing bowl cream butter and brown sugar. Blend in egg and vanilla.
In medium mixing bowl sift flour, baking soda, and salt.
Add to creamed mixture in large bowl, mixing thoroughly.

Roll out on floured surface. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes on ungreased cookie sheets.

Glaze:
2 c. confectioner sugar
1 t. vanilla
enough milk to make a fairly thin glaze

*When I made this recipe I doubled the dough and used one glaze recipe tinted pink. I painted the glaze on with a paint brush. It was fun!

Chocolate Chipper Tramps (thanks to Norva Jean Blackstone)

3/4 c. butter
1 1/3 c. brown sugar
2 eggs.
1 t. vanilla
2 1/4 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 c. M&Ms (red, pink, and white for this holiday!)
1/2 c. nuts (optional)

In medium bowl, mix flour, soda, and salt. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugar in large mixing bowl. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture. Add candies and nuts.

Drop by small tablespoonfuls on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Yummy!

]]> http://momandus.com/2009/02/05/promised-recipes/feed/ http://momandus.com/2009/01/27/gingerbread-cookies/ http://momandus.com/2009/01/27/gingerbread-cookies/#comments Tue, 27 Jan 2009 10:00:05 +0000 Brietta Paladin http://momandus.com/2009/01/27/gingerbread-cookies/ When we make gingerbread cookies, there is no recipe we could fathom using other than the one from Recipes from the Raleigh Tavern Bake Shop. If you’ve ever been to Colonial Williamsburg and had the opportunity to taste these amazing cookies– soft and molasses-y and simply amazing– then you know how set apart these gingerbread cookies really are. If you haven’t, well, you’ll definitely want to hurry to your kitchen with the rest of us (err, except me, since I’ve already eaten my fair share these past few days!) to whip up a batch.

Really, they’re that good.

Here is the recipe, a la Brietta:

Gingerbread Cookies

1c sugar
2tsp ginger
1tsp nutmeg
1tsp cinnamon
1/2tsp salt
1-1/2tsp baking soda
1c butter, melted
1/2c evaporated milk
1c unsulfered molasses
3/4tsp vanilla extract
3/4tsp lemon extract (optional)
4c stone-ground or unbleached flour, unsifted

Combine the sugar, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Mix well. Add the melted margarine (butter), evaporated milk, and molasses. Add the extracts if desired. Mix well. Add the flour 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly. The dough should be stiff enough to handle without sticking to fingers. Knead the dough for a smoother texture. Add up to 1/2 cup additional flour if necessary to prevent sticking. When the dough is smooth, form into 2″ balls and roll in granulated sugar.

Bake on floured or greased cookie sheets in a preheated 375* oven for 10-12 minutes. The cookies are done if they spring back when touched.

Makes about 3 dozen if you make them good-sized like at the Raleigh Tavern Bake Shop.

Serve to delighted children with plenty of milk or tea for a wonderful mid-winter treat. Delicious!




]]> http://momandus.com/2009/01/27/gingerbread-cookies/feed/ http://momandus.com/2009/01/13/pizza/ http://momandus.com/2009/01/13/pizza/#comments Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:05:34 +0000 Danica Dunphey http://momandus.com/2009/01/13/pizza/

I’ve tried my hand at homemade pizza more frequently since our move to California. Back home, if we really wanted pizza, we’d get it from our favorite spot (Sergis, of course!) But since we haven’t fallen in love with anything here yet, I figured it was a good opportunity to find a workable pizza recipe for our family.

Easier said than done.

I’m just not a fan of bready, bland, homemade pizza dough — which seems to be what most recipes are serving up. So I kept trying, altering my topping, altering the temperature, finding another promising recipe… Finally, I realized one of my favorite food bloggers at Smitten Kitchen has pizza in her archives. Since she’s a New Yorker, I figured she wouldn’t be recommending any of those thick and heavy bread-pizzas, so I pulled out my new pizza pans and tried it.

Okay, it’s not Sergis. Not even close.

But it wasn’t bad, either. In fact, Ryan actually liked it. (That hasn’t been his response to my previous homemade attempts.) It makes a nice thin-crust pie with plenty of flavor. Pair it with this simple sauce, and you’re off to a good start — or so says my husband, anyway!

Pizza That Makes The Cut
adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Dough:
8 tablespoons warm water
3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Assembly:
torn fresh mozzarella (about 8oz)
several torn basil leaves
sauce (recipe below)

Whisk water and yeast in a medium bowl until yeast has dissolved. Add honey, salt and olive oil and stir. Add flour and no matter how dry it looks, work it with a spoon and your fingers until it comes together as a dough.

Sprinkle some flour on the counter and knead the dough for a minute or two.

Put dough in oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm spot for an hour or up to two, until it is doubled.

Meanwhile, make some sauce [recipe below].

Preheat your oven to its highest temperature. [optional if you have non-stick pans:] If you have a pizza stone, sprinkle it with cornmeal and put it in the oven. Otherwise, sprinkle a baking pan with the same.

Once the dough has doubled, turn it out onto a floured counter and gently deflate the dough with the palm of your hands. Form it into a ball and let it rest on a floured spot with either plastic wrap over it (sprinkle the top of the dough with flour so it doesn’t stick) or an upended bowl. In 15 minutes, it is ready to roll out.

Do so on the floured counter until pretty thin, then lift it onto a cornmeal-sprinkled baking sheet or pizza paddle. Add the sauce, torn-up mozzarella and slivers of fresh basil.

Slide the pizza from the paddle to your preheated pizza stone, or just put the baking sheet in the oven as is.

Bake for about 10 minutes, checking at 7. Slice and serve immediately. –makes one 6-slice pizza.

*****

Sauce:

Saute 3 cloves of chopped garlic in a glug of olive oil until fragrant (but NOT brown). Add a 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes, salt, and pepper, and simmer for about 20 minutes. –makes enough for 2 pizzas.

]]> http://momandus.com/2009/01/13/pizza/feed/