Category Archives: recipes

broccoli, cheddar and wild rice casserole from smittenkitchen.com

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3 tablespoons butter
1/2 large onion, diced
Salt
2/3 cup uncooked wild rice blend, rinsed
1 pound broccoli
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard powder or 1/2 teaspoon smooth Dijon
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
2/3 cup low-sodium vegetable
8 ounces cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, add onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add rice to onion and cook for 1 minute, then add 1 1/3 cups water and a few pinches of salt. Bring mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to lowest temperature and cook with the lid on for about 50 minutes (or whatever amount of time is suggested on your package of rice). If you’d like a rice cooker to do this for you, transfer onions, water and rice to the machine and set the machine.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Peel broccoli stems and dice them into large chunks. Cut florets into 1-inch pieces. Cook in boiling, well-salted water for 2 to 3 minutes, then drain.

You can use this same pan to make the cheese sauce. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in pan over medium heat. Once melted, add the mustard powder (if using), a pinch of cayenne and garlic and let sizzle for 1 minute. Add flour and whisk until combined, cooking the butter-flour mixture for 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly drizzle in milk, whisking constantly, then broth. Bring to a simmer and cook mixture at a simmer, stirring the whole time, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in smooth Dijon mustard if you didn’t use mustard powder.

Remove pan from heat and stir in 1/3 of grated cheese until melted. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Combine cooked wild rice blend and broccoli in a 2-quart baking dish or a 9-inch oven-safe skillet. Pour cheese sauce over and gently nudge to ensure all pieces get some sauce. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top. Bake casserole for 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly, then run mixture under the broiler until cheese is toasty on top.

Serves 4 as a generous side

best hot fudge sauce from smittenkitchen.com

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  • 2 tablespoon (30 grams) unsalted butter
  • 2/3 cup (155 ml) heavy or whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup (170 grams) light corn syrup, golden syrup, or honey
  • 1/4 cup (50 grams) packed dark-brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup (20 grams) cocoa powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine or table sea salt
  • 6 ounces (170 grams) semi- or bittersweet chocolate, chopped, or 1 cup semi- or bittersweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the butter, cream, sweeteners, cocoa, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer on low, stirring, for 3 to 5 more minutes after everything has melted, then remove from heat and stir in chopped chocolate or chocolate chips. Stir in vanilla.

It’s now ready to ladle over ice cream, although it thickens more as it begins to cool, so you could also wait for 15 to 20 minutes before doing so, if it’s not too unbearable. Pour leftovers into a jar or jars and refrigerate. Hot fudge sauce keeps chilled in the fridge at least a month and often two, although it’s rare it lasts that long.

Browned Butter Honey Garlic Salmon

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  • 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter
  • 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) honey
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced*
  • 1-2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice (or juice of half a lemon)
  • 4 wild caught salmon fillets (about 1/2 pound or 250 grams each), skin off or on
  • Lemon wedges (to serve)
  • Salt to taste

    1. Arrange oven shelf about 8-inches away from heat element in your oven. Preheat your oven to broil (or grill in Australia).

    2. Place butter in a cast iron skillet (or an oven-proof frying pan if you don’t have a skillet). Cook over medium heat, stirring and swirling pan occasionally for about 3 minutes, or until the foam settles; the butter begins to change in colour to golden brown and has a nutty fragrance.

    3. Pour in the honey and let it dissolve into the butter. Then add in the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add in the lemon juice; stir well to combine all of the flavours together.

    4. Add the salmon steaks to the butter in the pan; cook each fillet (skin-side down if there’s any skin) for 3-4 minutes or until golden, while basting the tops with the pan juices. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

    5. Add the lemon wedges around the salmon. Transfer the pan to your oven to broil / grill for a further 5-6 minutes, or until the tops of the salmon are nicely charred.

  1. To serve, drizzle with the reserved brown butter sauce. Serve with steamed vegetables; over rice or with a salad.

Maple-Crusted Salmon from foodiecrush.com

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  • 1 tablespoon chile powder
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 2 teaspoons raw brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 pounds skinless salmon fillets cut into 4 portions
  • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  1. Preheat your oven to broil. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together the chili powder, paprika, sugar, and salt
  3. Generously sprinkle the chili powder mixture evenly over the tops of the salmon fillets.
  4. Place the salmon on the prepared baking sheet and broil for 6-9 minutes, depending on how thick your fillets are and how crispy you prefer the crust.
  5. Remove the salmon from the oven and brush the maple syrup over the tops to coat the spice rub. Return to the oven and broil for an additional 1-2 minutes until the maple syrup is bubbling and has formed a crust. Serve immediately.

vegan meatloaf by Jill McKeever

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1 1/2 cups Soy Curls™ dust and small crumbles
1 1/4 cup veggie broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
10-oz. extra-firm tofu, drained
1 1/4 cups rolled oats
2 tablespoons stone ground mustard
2 tablespoons organic ketchup, plus more for topping
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried cracked rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a large mixing bowl, soak curl dust and crumbles in veggie broth, soy sauce, and liquid smoke for 8 minutes.

In a skillet over medium heat, cook garlic, celery, and onion for 3 minutes, then add 1/4 cup water to prevent browning, cook another 3 minutes, until onion is translucent. OR sauté in olive oil, do not add water if you do this. Remove from heat. Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Once curls are rehydrated, crumble tofu over them; stir in oats, mustard, ketchup. Add spices and cooked veggies. With a clean hand, mash, squeeze and stir until well mixed. Spread meatloaf evenly into a silicone 8×4-inch loaf pan.

Bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven; drizzle top with as much ketchup as you like. Return to oven. Continue baking another 25 minutes. Allow cooling 15 minutes before cutting into it. This loaf is moist after baking. A night in the fridge firms it up perfectly. If you have the time, make it a day ahead. Slice it up and reheat it either in the microwave or toaster oven.

Cold leftover meatloaf is excellent! Hopefully, you will have leftovers to enjoy the next day.

Makes 6 servings

NOTE: I used 14 oz tofu that had been frozen

Ruthie’s Apple Cake recipe by Bonnie Stern

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2 eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
¼ cup orange juice
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
4 to 5 apples, peeled, cored and chopped
½ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
2 tbsp coarse sugar, optional

With an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar in a bowl until light. Beat in oil. Beat in orange and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add to egg mixture and stir until combined.

In a third bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, apples and nuts.

Spread about half of the batter in an oiled and parchment lined 9 inch spring-form pan. Spoon apples on top of this batter. Drizzle remaining batter on top of the apples. The batter on the top layer may not cover the apples completely. Sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for about 50 to 60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. If the cake is browning too much, cover loosely with foil and reduce oven heat to 325 degree F. Makes 8 to 12 servings.

Recipe from “Friday Night Dinners” by Bonnie Stern.

Dutch Baby from NYTimes

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3 eggs
½ cup flour
½ cup milk
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of nutmeg
4 tablespoons butter
Syrup, preserves, confectioners’ sugar or cinnamon sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Combine eggs, flour, milk, sugar and nutmeg in a blender jar and blend until smooth. Batter may also be mixed by hand.
Place butter in a heavy 10-inch skillet or baking dish and place in the oven. As soon as the butter has melted (watch it so it does not burn) add the batter to the pan, return pan to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until the pancake is puffed and golden. Lower oven temperature to 300 degrees and bake five minutes longer.

Shrimp Poke Bowl from main & vine

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2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. fresh grated ginger
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed
1 Tbsp. canola oil
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. sriracha
½ tsp. lime juice
4 cups cooked brown or white rice, cooled to room temperature
3 cups assorted vegetables, (i.e. thin sliced cucumbers, shredded carrots, radish, seaweed salad, edamame, green onion, sliced jalapeno, etc.)
1 avocado, cubed
Pickled ginger
Toasted sesame seeds

  1. Whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, ginger and garlic. Pour ½ of the mixture over shrimp and allow to marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes. Set aside remaining soy mixture.
  2. Meanwhile mix together mayonnaise, sriracha and lime juice; refrigerate until ready to use.
  3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; add oil. Remove shrimp from marinade; add to pan and cook 2-3 minutes tossing occasionally until shrimp just turns pink. Remove from heat and allow to cool; dress with reserved soy marinade. Store refrigerated.
  4. When ready to build a bowl add 1 cup of rice, top with ¼ of the shrimp, about ¾ cup of desired vegetables, ¼ of avocado cubes, and desired amount of pickled ginger and sesame seeds. Drizzle with spicy mayo.

fresh tomato & corn pie, my version

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1 prebaked pie crust, 9-10″
5-6 heirloom tomatoes, sliced
kosher salt & pepper
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (1 lemon)
1 1/2 c cheeses of your choice, divided I used, parm cheddar and fresh mozzarella.
1 1/2 c fresh corn kernels (2 ears), divided
1-2 tsp dijion mustard
finely chopped fresh basil, divided
finely chopped fresh chives, divided

Place tomatoes in a single layer on paper towels; sprinkle with salt. Let stand up to 60 minutes.

Whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, and 3/4 cup cheese in a small bowl.

Spread dijon mustard on crust, used 1 -2 tsp then sprinkle on a bit of cheese

Arrange half of tomato slices  in crust. sprinkle 3/4 cup corn, basil, chives, salt, and pepper. Spread 1/2 of mayonnaise mixture over filling. then repeat ending with cheese.

Bake at 375°, shielding crust with aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning, for 30 – 45 min . uncover and bake until filling is bubbly and cheese melts. Let stand on a wire rack 15 minutes before cutting into wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature.

tomato and corn pie from smitten kitchen.com

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2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 3/4 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons or 3 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus 2 teaspoons melted
3/4 cup whole milk
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 3/4 pounds beefsteak tomatoes
1 1/2 cups corn (from about 3 ears), coarsely chopped by hand (my preference) or lightly puréed in a food processor, divided
2 tablespoons finely chopped basil, divided (skipped this, no harm was done)
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
7ounces coarsely grated sharp Cheddar (1 3/4 cups), divided

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 3/4 tsp salt in a bowl, then blend in cold butter (3/4 stick) with your fingertips or a pastry blender until it resembles coarse meal. Add milk, stirring until mixture just forms a dough, then gather into a ball.

Divide dough in half and roll out one piece on a well-floured counter (my choice) or between two sheets of plastic wrap (the recipe’s suggestion, but I imagined it would annoyingly stick to the plastic) into a 12-inch round (1/8 inch thick). Either fold the round gently in quarters, lift it into a 9-inch pie plate and gently unfold and center it or, if you’re using the plastic warp method, remove top sheet of plastic wrap, then lift dough using bottom sheet of plastic wrap and invert into pie plate. Pat the dough in with your fingers trim any overhang.

Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. If your kitchen is excessively warm, as ours is, go ahead and put the second half of the dough in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. Whisk together mayonnaise and lemon juice.

slice tomatoes crosswise 1/4 inch thick and, if desired, place on towel and sprinkle with salt.  let sit for 30 min or more. Spread 1 tbsp dijon on crust.  Spread a small amount of cheese on crust then Arrange half of tomatoes in crust, overlapping, and sprinkle with half of corn, basil, chives, salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper and one cup of grated cheese. Repeat layering with remaining tomatoes, corn, basil, chives, salt, and pepper. Pour lemon mayonnaise over filling and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Roll out remaining piece of dough into a 12-inch round in same manner, then fit over filling, folding overhang under edge of bottom crust and pinching edge to seal. Cut 4 steam vents in top crust and brush crust with melted butter (2 teaspoons). Bake pie until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes, then cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Do ahead: Pie can be baked 1 day ahead and chilled. Reheat in a 350°F oven until warm, about 30 minutes.

An idea: Want to slab pie this and serve it to a crowd? I agree, it would be brilliant. This is how I’d approach it: Make 1 1/2 batches of the crust (slab pies require more crust for the same amount of filling) and arrange the filling in one layer instead of two in a parchment-lined 15x10x1-inch pan. Increase the amount of butter you brush the top with to a tablespoon or two and the baking time to about 45 minutes (this is an estimate, you should take it out when it is golden and the filling is bubbling). Be sure to remove the tomato seeds; that extra wetness could make for a slab pie mess.