What's your favorite recipe?

It's a tie between jr bau ji and cioppino.

 

 

Mmmmm so good.  Now you're making me hungry.

Well, this is probably not my all time favorite, but I've been having a hankering lately for polenta with a nice pesto/basil sauce.

 

When I eat it this way, I like to bake the polenta.

 

• 3 cups water (you could also use chicken broth if you prefer)
• 1 cup polenta
• 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of cheese (I usually use mostly cheddar with some parmesan - the quantity depends on how cheesy you like your polenta)
• 1/4 tsp of salt

 

Cook up the polenta, make sure to stir continuously until it's cooked.  After it's cooked (usually takes about 15 minutes or so) , layer it onto an oiled or buttered baking sheet or dish.  Smooth it out with a spatula.  Bake at 350 until the top is lightly browned - about 30 minutes.  You can also grill it if you prefer.  Cut it up into triangles.

 

For your basil sauce, you can use your favorite pesto.  I like to make my own with fresh basil, olive oil, a bit of garlic, and pine nuts.

Yeah I saw that episode recently.  I've been kayaking in Moss Landing a few times too - wish I knew about Phil's earlier!  I'll have to go kayaking and cioppino tasting sometime.

One of my favorite things are cupcakes. In Bon Appetit magazine, they have a recipe for lemon-raspberry cupcakes that have raspberry jam in them. I took them to book club one time and even though we didn't talk about the book at all, all the cupcakes got eaten!

 

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 cups powdered sugar, divided
• 4 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel, divided
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups self-rising flour
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
• 12 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon seedless raspberry jam
• Fresh raspberries (for garnish)

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Using electric mixer, beat butter, 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, and 3 teaspoons lemon peel in large bowl until blended, then beat until fluffy and pale yellow. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating to blend after each addition. Beat in half of flour. Add buttermilk and 2 tablespoons lemon juice; beat to blend. Beat in remaining flour.

Drop 1 rounded tablespoonful batter into each muffin liner. Spoon 1 teaspoon raspberry jam over. Cover with remaining batter, dividing equally.

Bake cupcakes until tester inserted halfway into centers comes out clean, about 23 minutes. Cool cupcakes in pan on rack. Meanwhile, whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon peel in small bowl. Spoon half of icing over 6 cupcakes. Whisk 1 tablespoon raspberry jam into remaining icing. Spoon over remaining cupcakes. Let stand until icing sets, about 30 minutes. Garnish with raspberries.

 

You can see the recipe here: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lemon-Raspberry-Cupcakes-241872

I think once i didn't make it with self-rising flour and they kind of collapsed. They were still tasty but they weren't very pretty.

My favorite recipes come with a bit of a catch.  They can't have any added salt.  But cooking salt free doesn't have to mean no flavor!  I actually started up a blog for fun to share some of my experiences with salt-free cooking and some tips and tricks I've learned on the way.  Anyway, there are only maybe three recipes up right now, but you can check it out here: http://sodiumgirl.blogspot.com/

 

Here's one recipe from it which is really easy and makes some of the best eggs I've ever had. 

 

Slow Cooked Scrambled Eggs - deadly and delicate, yet deceivingly easy to make

 

1. So you're ready when the time comes, beat 8 eggs (serves 5-6) in a large bowl. When smooth, mix in 1/2 cup of half and half.

2. Chop a bunch of chives. Sometimes cutting with scissors is easier than using a knife.

3. In a tall pot on medium heat melt 2 tablespoons of sweet butter.

4. Continuously stir the butter as it bubbles and browns - you do not want it to burn but instead turn into a nice caramel color - this will give the dish an extra nutty flavor

5. Pour in eggs and lower heat so its in between a low and medium flame - remember, you want to slowly cook the eggs. And MOST importantly, DO NOT STOP STIRRING.

6. When the mixture becomes smooth and thick, stir in 2 tablespoons of creme fraiche (or really, as much as you like - I find that the creamier the eggs the better) and the chives.

7. Serve immediately! Trust me, you want to wait one more minute to dig in.

Total time: 20-25 min and can be made while entertaining guests in the kitchen. It's a pretty flawless recipe.

I never thought I'd find a better mac 'n' cheese recipe than my mom's, but I modified one I found on FoodNetwork.com and used all organic ingredients. And I have to say it's magnificent! Beware: This is not a low-fat recipe. It's the real deal. :-)

 

Baked Macaroni and Cheese
(Makes 6 to 8 servings)
 

1/2 pound elbow macaroni (tonight I used chiocciole, a snail-shell-shaped pasta)
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp powdered mustard
3 cups whole milk
1/2 tsp paprika
1 large egg
8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
4 oz. asiago cheese, shredded
1 tsp kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
3/4 cup crushed cheddar goldfish crackers (borrowed this idea from an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives)
 

Preheat oven to 350.
 

Boil pasta in salted water to al dente.
 

While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard; keep it moving for about 5 minutes. Make sure it’s free of lumps. Stir in the milk and paprika. Simmer for 10 minutes.
 

Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of both cheeses. Add the salt and pepper. (The mixture should be thick.) Fold in the macaroni, and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese and crushed goldfish crackers.
 

Bake 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and rest for 10 minutes before serving.

One of my favorite recipes is for banana stuffed french toast.  It's actually really easy. Not exactly low fat but really good on a special occasion.  I don't have the recipe on me now but I'll post it later.  All you really need is butter, some thick bread, bananas, egg. Throw some toasted macadamias on top. So good.

This is a favorite whenever I bring it to a gathering.

 

 

 

Jalapeno Popper Spread

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained
2 ounces canned diced jalapeno peppers, drained
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Stir together cream cheese and mayonnaise in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in green chilies and jalapeno peppers. Pour mixture into a microwave safe serving dish, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Microwave on high until hot, about 3 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.

Home made Banana bread made with Walnuts I get from the grower, white raisins, and Craisins, Baked in our Sun oven!

Believe it or not the solar oven does make things taste better!

After some thought, this is really a pretty eco freindly recipe, I thought I would post it. It originally was in a 1950's cookbook,  My Mother adjusted it for high altitude (7200 feet) but we use it at 4500 feet, and then fine tuned it.

First of all we almost always have Bananas in the house but do not care for them when they get a little ripe. So if they get past where we like them we put them in the freezer. When we have enough saved up we make Banana bread. When they come out of the freezer they will be dark and nasty looking, that's OK.

1/3 cup of Olive oil
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon Sea salt
1 cup mashed bananas (cut up banana peels and bury in roses or tomatoes)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts  ( we get ours from the grower/processor while on business trips, no freight)
1/2 cup white raisins   These really make it!  (From processor factory store, also on business)
1/2 cup Craisins (optional. If not using craisins add another 1/2 cup raisins)

Cream together the oil and sugar add eggs and beat well.
Mix all dry ingredients together
add dry ingredients alternately with banana blending well after addition.
Stirs in nuts and raisins/craisins
Pour into loaf pan sprayed with olive oil.
Place in preheated Sun Oven and bake for about an hour. Our's bakes at about 320-330 degrees.
remove from pan, cool on rack.

My favorite recipe is my own for shrimp and chicken Jambalaya. It could be organic, it could eco-friendly but it's probably not politically correct. It's just about the best damn thing anyone could ever eat.

For your altitude, cut the baking powder and soda in half. :)

Thank you for posting this I've been looking for a Backed Mac recipe,
so far my dad has his own version but he aint sharing, and I love Guy & the show
Dinners, Drive-in's, and Dives, he finds some of the best places that I wish I could visit.

Thanks again Red

Haha, well not all good food can be politically correct. But your shrimp and chicken Jambalaya sounds way better than this weird politically incorrect recipe on blisstree. Sure, they're all animals but horse fat, veal gravy, and fattened bird liver?  Yikes.  Even if it was politically correct, it sounds gross.

Anyone who has a favorite recipe that they're proud of should try to win a $250 Whole Food Gift Card in an online contest sponsored by www.greenwala.com (a green social network). 

Take a look -- I think it's definitely worth a shot!! http://www.greenwala.com/greenwala_contests

Did you know that any recipde you try has more nutricions, and more 'light' in it if you grow the ingredients yourself? Just plant some tamatoe plants etc in your garden and use those. There is way more lycopeen in tomatoes that you plant yourself with care.
<a href=http://www.greentimes.comau>green news</a>

This video recipe for Greek Veggie Sliders hits the spot everytime: http://bit.ly/Zj91B

@ beautje - Didn't see anything on that site about tomatoes and 'lycopeen'.

I did find one article about using pee as fertilizer - someone discovered that urea (nitrogen) helps plant grow - surprise but then I guess farmers know this as they have been using urea for many years.

Others can use the pee and I will go to the store for a fertilizer.

Home grown veggies are more nutricious - once in a while - generally farmers will win this contest as they are the professionals at making crops grow. They have to as it is their lifeline. Some home gardeners will always have premium veggies.fruit as they are very good at it. Most have enough troubles keeping things alive.