Got Basil?

Everything else in Texas may be dying and turning brown due to the excessive days of 100+ temperatures and no rain, but I have one thing growing like crazy.  BASIL.  I actually shouldn't be surprised.  I planted a new plant this year thinking that it is an annual and wouldn't come back.  I was wrong.  Way wrong.  Either it seeded itself well or last year's root system didn't die off.  I have it growing in at least 4 different bunches and around the pool equipment. 

Today, I harvesedt two batches.  About 12 cups of leaves.  The plan-PESTO.  I should have enough pesto for the entire year.  Here's the classic recipe. 

4 cups fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup olive oil

1/3 cup pine nuts

2 garlic cloves

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

Can't wait to have it on my grilled Ahi tonight!

Kitchen Concoction

Here's my latest easiest kitchen recipe.  Of course it is from my favorite recipe book, but I hadn't made it until a couple of weeks ago.  It's out of the vegetable section...need I say more.  But, really it works well as a vegetarian entree/casserole.  Stop and Smell the Rosemary by the Houston Junior is the end all be all of great showstoppers.  If only I could get my kids to try it, I know they'd like it.  Enjoy!

Tamale Pie

2 c. corn
1 c. chicken stock
1 c. masa harina (in the flour section at the grocery store)
1 can creamed corn
1 t. baking powder
2 T. melted butter

2 cans (15 oz.) black beans rinsed and drained
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. chili powder
1/4 t. garlic powder
pinch of cayenne
1/2 t. oregano
1/4 c. tomato paste
1 can (4.5 oz.) diced green chilies
8 oz. Cheddar cheese, shredded (2 c.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 7X11" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.  Puree corn briefly in a food processor.  Add creamed corn, stock, masa, baking powder, and butter and briefly pulse.  Set aside. 

Combine remaining ingredients, except cheese, in a large bowl and mix. 

Spread 2/3 of the corn mixture on the bottom of the baking dish.  Layer the bean mixture and cheese.  Top with remaining masa corn mixture.

Bake 1 hour.  Serve with salsa. 

Cool Fall Morning Bliss

This morning's adventure was in the kitchen--pumpkin pancakes.  I've been looking for a good kid-friendly recipe with pumpkin that wasn't a cookie or cake.  Cavett's class is having a pumpkin tasting next week and I volunteered to bring something in the non-cookie/cake genre.  Pancakes are on the verge, but I was also looking for something they would actually try.

Compared to some "make from scratch" pancake recipes, this one was pretty easy.  Be ready, these are not Reduced Fat Bisquick style.  Talk about yummy!

2 c. all purpose flour
8 T. packed brown sugar
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 t. pumpkin pie spice
1 2/3 c. buttermilk
1/2 of a can of pumpkin
3 large eggs
2 T. melted butter

Mix the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl and blend.  Whisk buttermilk, pumpkin, eggs and melted butter in a medium bowl until blended.  Add to dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.  Cook in a skillet on medium heat.  Serve with syrup. 

Although, Cavett complained at the start, he said he liked them ok and finished his plate of two.  Kendrick gobbled up two and asked for more.  Let's hear it for vitamin A!

Pumpkin Soup

This weekend, besides my sister's incredibly easy pumpkin cupcakes, I cooked two pumpkins for soup. Last year I found this great low-calorie/low fat recipe. Unfortunately, when I went to make it this spring, there was no pumpkin to be found. So, this year I'm freezing some.

Thought I'd share:

2 Leeks chopped (white and light green parts)

1 can of Pumpkin or 2 cups baked fresh pumpkin

16 oz. can Garbanzo beans (rinsed)

2 c. Chicken broth

1/2 c. Cooking sherry

1 1/2 t. Oregano

1 t. White pepper

Salt to taste

In a pot, sauté leeks in 1 t. Olive oil. Add remaining ingredients over medium heat. Blend with hand held emulsifier/blender. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and parsley.

Enjoy!



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Gingerbread Men

It's Christmas time, so that means it's time to whip up my favorite holiday cookie--Gingerbread cookies. Now, I don't get all "Fancy Nancy" and make houses. The most intricate thing I have made is the stand up cookies. But, who really wants cookies that just look good. I have committed myself to make cookies for the "College Finals Boxes" for the college kids from our church and we have a cookie/yard art party at the end of the week at our house, so I really had to crank them out today. This is a huge recipe depending upon how thick you like the dough. I made 2 batches today and I hope to ice them this evening.

Yesterday Cavett's school day was all about Gingerbread. They read the Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett. They played with homemade cinnamon play-dough with a gingerbread man cookie cutter and then their play went into the oven and magically became a cookie. He was a bit confused when he played with "his dough" this afternoon and I told him he couldn't eat it.

Here's the recipe. Enjoy!

Gingerbread Cookies

5 c. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1 T. ground ginger
4 t. ground cinnamon
3/4 t. ground cloves
1 t. grated nutmeg
1 t. allspice
1 1/2 t. salt
16 T. butter (2 sticks)
1/2 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 c. molasses
1 egg

Over a sheet of wax paper or in a bowl, sift together first 8 ingredients. Set aside.
In a mixer, beat butter until light and fluffy. Add both sugars. Reduce speed and add molasses. Add egg and beat until combined.

Add flour mixture in 4 additions, beating in each addition before adding more. Divide dough into 4 portions. Shape each into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 2 hours or up to 2 days.
Use one disk at a time from refrigerator. Place dough between two sheets of waxed paper and roll out to 1/4 to 3/8" thickness. Cut cookies.

Bake at 400 for 6-9 minutes depending on the size of the cookie.

It's That Time of Year!

Pecans are falling from trees and it's time to bake! Put the two together and you have the best best pie creation known to man. Ok, key lime ranks right up there for me too.

Here is my world famous pecan pie recipe. Enjoy and give thanks with your kin this holiday season.

No Sitck Pie Crust- (makes 2 pies)

1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. water

Combine flour and salt in Cuisinart. Cut butter into Tablespoons and pulse until mixture resembles grains of rice. Add water a little at a time, mixing to a workable dough. Divide in half; roll out or freeze.

Chocolate-Bourbon Pecan Pie

1/2 c. butter
1 c. sugar
3 eggs
1/4 t. salt
3/4 c. corn syrup
2 T. bourbon
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. pecan halves
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1 -9" pie crust

Cream butter and sugar. Stir in next 5 ingredients.

Sprinkle chocolate chips over the bottom of the pie crust. Pour in filling. Float pecan halves on top in concentric circles.

Bake at 375 for 40-50 minutes. Cool at least 30 minutes before cutting.

Blueberry Pound Cake

There is only one thing better in the months of June and July than fresh blueberries--Blueberry Pound Cake. It's so easy and so good. Eat it with ice cream or have it for breakfast. It is truly one of life's simple pleasures. Enjoy!

1 c. softened butter

2 c. sugar

4 eggs

1 t. vanilla

3 c. flour

1/2 t. salt

1 t. baking powder

1 pt. fresh blueberries

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix in salt and baking powder. Stir in 2 c. of the flour. In a separate bowl, dredge blueberries in the last c. of flour. Then carefully fold in the blueberries and flour into the batter. Spoon into greased Bundt pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Last Night's Dinner

I didn't go to the grocery store this week since we are leaving town Thursday. So, I scavenged the pantry, fridge and freezer to come up with this concoction last night. I call it my Mediterranean Chicken Salad. I made it using as few Weight Watcher points as possible (It's 8 per serving. A fifth of the whole thing.) But, it would be even better if you added some Italian dressing or just a little olive oil and vinegar.

-2 packages of Near East Whole Grain Couscous, made by low fat directions

(I happened to have the rice blend, instead of couscous) It was more mushy, but still ok. I'd

just prefer couscous.

-1 lb. cooked grilled chicken breast

-1 pint of grape tomatoes

-1 cucumber, diced

-1 c. feta cheese

-green onions, chopped

-1 T. oregano

-salt and pepper to taste

After cooking, I set it in the fridge to chill. Pretty tasty for using whatever I had.

Chef Jennifer chez nous

Lately, I have been doing nothing, but cooking. Stephen is following the P90X diet which is low carb/low fat/high protien for the first month. We have found some fantastic recipes from the accompanying cookbook including a sauce for grilled chicken that we have had on 3 occasions now. We just can't get enough of it! (Recipe below.)

I cooked 3 of my famous pecan pies this week for a shower for Anna and Mark on Saturday.

Also, Kendrick is really into eating baby food now. He has tried various fruits and we are starting to venture into vegetables that aren't as sweet. I can't seem to get the spoon to his mouth fast enough somtimes. As you may know, I made Cavett's baby food, so of course I am doing the same for Kendrick. It is really pretty easy. In some cases, just mash and feed, in others, boil or steam and blend. It's so much cheaper and you really know what you are feeding them. It also freezes well in ice cube trays for longer storage. Pictured are his latest ventures (top then bottom from left to right): Pear, Carrot, Pea, Plum, Apple, Sweet Potato, Blueberry, Cantaloupe. He also likes mixing the fruit in various combinations.

Honey-Chili Sauce

1/4 c. shallots, chopped

2/3 c. honey

1/4 c. sherry vinegar

1 t. chili powder

1/4 t. cumin

1 and 1/2 c. chicken broth

1 T. arrowroot (for thickening)

salt and pepper to taste

1 T. cilantro

3 T. chopped toasted pecans

Saute shallots until tender with cooking spray in a pan on medium-high heat.

Add honey and vinegar. Stir in chili powder, cumin, and 1 and 1/4 c. of the broth. Reserve last 1/4 c. of broth. Bring to a boil and reduce by half.

With last 1/4 c. of broth and dissolve arrowroot powder. Add to sauce and stir on low heat until thicker.

Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in cilantro. Garnish with pecans.

Great over grilled chicken and probably some fish too!

Anybody else have a fantastic recipe that you'd like to share?