Pickled Green Tomatoes & Peach Preserves

My favorite helper & favorite hen; Jonathan & Lucy!

A new batch of peach preserves.

Trying new recipes is always fun but today's new kitchen adventure was special, pickling for the first time since I was a kid with 10 year old son. The tomatoes came from my garden, the recipe from the latest issue of my Food Network magazine, Aug/Sept 2009. Iron Chef Michael Symon used regular tomatoes but most of mine are roma & heirloom yellow pear so we'll see if these also work. Jonathan was my sous chef, helping with almost every phase; the picking, washing, slicing and all the measuring. He was exempt for the sterilizing and handling of hot jars. Now is the hard part....waiting until they are at their prime in about 3 months!

Pickled Green Tomatoes Recipe from Michael Symon.

More of my favorite recipes can be found at maryhanks.com on the Food for Thought page.

Biscotti for Breakfast!

Sugar the Hen serving biscotti and Dunkin Donuts coffee for breakfast.

Last week at Whole Foods I tasted a really yummy biscotti, picked up one biscuit to buy but quickly put it back when I saw the price tag....$2.39 for ONE piece.

It didn't take me long to go to Martha Stewart website, search and find a couple of recipes to try. Double Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti and Pecan Cranberry Biscotti were the ones that I made.Loved them both and will experiment more with these goodies. My new RED KitchenAid mixer that my sweet hubby gave me for our anniversary made the process pretty easy, lots of fun and the house smelled SOOOO good while these baked.

More of my favorite recipes on my website, maryhanks.com.

See the Food for Thought link for recipes.

Grand Slams

NEW ITEMS!!! Rabbit Rabbit Pillow and Doggie Diaper Bag

An index and links to more recipes at maryhanks.com on my Food For Thought page.

These mouthfuls get their crunch from a trio of pantry ingredients-cereal, coconut and nuts.

Grand Slams
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup crispy rice cereal
1 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans

BEAT shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Gradually add sugars, beating mixture well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well.
COMBINE flour and next 3 ingredients; gradually add to sugar mixture, beating until smooth. Stir in cereal, coconut, and pecans. Cover and chill 10 minutes.
DROP dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. (I like to line with parchment paper.) Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool slightly on baking sheets; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Yield: 6 dozen

Another cookie recipe that I had to pass on comes from a Southern Living cookbook, Homestyle Cooking. It made it's way to Southern Living after being published in Bully's Bet Bites, a cookbook from The Junior Auxiliary of Starkville, Mississippi.

Happy Valentine's Day, Cookie!

This recipe comes from Martha Stewart, Espresso Double Chocolate Chunk. I've made this several times and think you'll enjoy too. Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine Sweets

Sweets for Jonathan's class party today have turned my green thumbs a rosy pink but were so fun to make. These are Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing and various sprinkles. Next post will have the recipe for Espresso Double Chocolate Chunk that were not for the kids but for his teacher. Can't beat the combo of coffee and chocolate!

Margarita Pie

It's that time of the year where everyone is looking for great recipes for Super Bowl Parties so I'm throwing my favorites in for consideration! This pie recipe is a make ahead dessert that makes entertaining easy. The crust is made of crushed pretzels giving a bit of crunch and saltiness that contrasts the creamy filling! I hope that Margarita Pie will become your favorite too!

Want more recipe ideas?

Southwest Dinner Party Menu

Best Lemonade
Strawberry Lemonade
Crispy Corn Cakes
Avocado Sauce
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Green Onion Sauce
Sesame-Chile Chicken with Gingered Watermelon Salsa

Soups On!!! Pasta E Fagioli

To the Mom who I talked to in Kroger tonight, looking for something new for dinner...this is for you! Enjoy!!!

Olive Garden Pasta E Fagioli

1 T oil
2 lbs lean ground beef
12 oz onion, chopped
14 oz carrots, slivered
14 oz celery, diced
48 oz canned tomatoes, diced
2 C red kidney beans
2 C white kidney beans
88 oz beef stock
1 T oregano
2 ½ t pepper
5 t parsley -- fresh, chopped
1 ½ t Tabasco sauce
48 oz spaghetti sauce
8 oz dry pasta shells

Sauté beef in oil in large 10 quart pot until beef starts to brown. Add onions, carrots, celery, tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse beans and add to the pot. Also add beef stock, oregano, pepper, Tabasco, spaghetti sauce. Simmer until celery and carrots are tender, about 45 minutes. Add pasta to cook about 15-20 minutes before ready to serve.

Makes 9 quarts of soup! Just cut the recipe in half if this is too much.

For more recipes, check out maryhanks.com !

Be sure & check out the Moroccan Chickpea Stew.

Charred Corn Guacamole with Corn Chips

My collection of recipes with southwest flavors just grows and grows. I've been anxious to try this one for a couple of weeks but haven't had the occasion until a couple of days ago. It was a hit even with the non-guacamole eaters so you know that made me happy!

Charred Corn Guacamole with Corn Chips is a Bobby Flay recipe, one of my many fabulous finds on Food Network. The instructions for actually grilling the corn is included but I'd like to add a side note:

Tuesday, when I was preparing the side dishes for dinner the remnants of Hurricane Fay brought much needed rain to drought stricken Georgia! Very happy to have the rain but the grilling was impossible. Plan B....I used my Calphalon Griddle to char the corn & start the cooking, brushed the ears with oil before putting onto the hot griddle. I felt they were not as done as I wanted but not to worry. Onto a plate, 3 minutes in the microwave, covering to steam after cooking, leaving until cool enough to handle & cut from the cob. I'm sure that the grilling would've added even more but as it was, we certainly did enjoy and will definitely make again!

The Ultimate Mango Salsa

Mango Morning II by Sandra Blazel*

I've made & we've thoroughly enjoyed several salsa recipes that involve a mango! Earlier in the summer when my son Peter & his lovely bride Gloria were giving a bridal shower for his sister, (my daughter) Sara & (now son-in-law) Casey, I needed to make a double batch of to take to the party. So, the birth of this recipe, the combination of two great recipes that I've found on Food Network plus another recipe in a magazine...alas...

The Ultimate Mango Salsa

2 ripe mangoes, peeled and diced
1 cup watermelon, diced small
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 cup peeled, diced European or English cucumber
1 finely chopped jalapeno
1 inch fresh ginger root, grated or minced
1/3 cup diced red onion
20 blades fresh chives, finely chopped
lime juice
1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves

Salt and pepper

Combine the mango, watermelon, cucumber, jalapeno, ginger root, red onion, chives, lime juice and cilantro leaves and mix well. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Use as a condiment to chips, the Rice & Black Bean Salad recipe, also on this blog, along side your favorite grilled chicken, shrimp or fish! ....which brings me back to Tortilla Soup! I now have a new addition to this recipe; adding a can of black beans & the kernals from 2 ears of corn gave this already great recipe an added bit of color, texture, flavor and took it to the next level....making a note to self AND in my recipe...

*Sandra suggests pouring the salsa over a block of cream cheese and spread that on crackers as is sometimes done with chutney. Great idea from this etsyian in beautiful Hawaii.

Aloha and Mahalo, I hope you all enjoy!

Delicious, Nutritious AND Economical Dinner!?!

I'm always looking for all of the above and have to please the less adventurous male eaters in the house but stumbled upon a keeper! We've had black beans & rice before but the addition of the corn and spices, cumin and coriander, update this classic combination.
For me, this was dinner, the salad and watermelon, of course! For the guys, they had to have a serving of meat--- tonight it was pork chops for them, but this salad can stand alone as a complete protein---delicious, nutritious AND economical.

Rice, Black Bean, and Corn Salad

2 cloves garlic

2 onions

2 ears of corn

1 1/2 cups water

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspon ground coriander

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2/3 cup long-grain rice (not converted)

1 1/2 cups drained canned black beans

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

2 tablespoons lime juice

Mince garlic and finely chop enough onion to measure 1 cup. Cut enough kernels from cob to measure 1 1/2 cups.

In a small heavy saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, bring water to a boil with garlic, onion, cumin, coriander, and season with salt and pepper. Stir in rice and cook, covered, over low heat 15 minutes. Stir in corn and cook, covered, 3 minutes, or until water is absorbed and rice is just tender. Fluff with a fork and transfer to a large bowl to cool completely.

Rinse and drain black beans. Stir cilantro into rice with beans, lime juice, and season with salt and pepper.

Lemon Square

I finished this little project this morning & hoped to have a new listing in my etsy shop by early afternoon. Problems uploading my images mean that I've got to wait until my technical help makes his way home for dinner. So....I'll post here, just to show that I did something today! And, just so you're not disappointed if you thought there might be a recipe? Keep reading! It's here too!!!

Lemon Square Yo Yo Pillow
A bright modern lemon print by Alexander Henry combined with an old fashion yo-yo technique will add a cheery punch of sunshine to any room. Yellow buttons accent the center of each circle.

This is a 9.25" little lemon square with finished edges of yellow rick rack & white piping. Back is finished with a flap and a removable insert for easy cleaning. Insert was made of super soft fiberfill and is included.

Creamy Lemon Squares

1/2 cup (1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for the pan

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)

4 large egg yolks

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 3 lemons)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Line bottom with parchment paper leaving an overhang on two sides: butter paper.
2. Make crust: Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy. Add flour, and mix on low just until combined. Press dough into the bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of prepared pan; prick all over with a fork. Bake until lightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Make filling: In a large bowl, whisk together yolks, condensed milk and lemon juice until smooth. Pour over hot crust in pan; return to oven, and bake until filling is set, 25-30 minutes. Cool completely in pan.
4. Refrigerate until filling is firm, about 2 hours or up to 3 days. Using paper overhang, lift cake onto a work surface; cut into 16 squares, and dust with confectioners sugar.

Margarita Pie

Tonight's menu was another Southwestern inspired with Margarita Pie for dessert. A pretzel crust and creamy lime filling with bit of tequilla is simple & a make-ahead ending for easy entertaining. More of the menu & recipes here. The Sesame-Ginger Chicken with Watermelon Salsa was the main course. I used a Rachel Ray recipe tonight for the Curry Couscous & Mango Salsa. "Yumm-O!"

Celebration? You bet!!! Date & plans are coming together for my daughter Sara's wedding! Son, Peter & his new bride were here as well. It's all good!

Still Life for Breakfast, Peach Cobbler for Dessert!

It was really hard to decide what to include because there are so many great items. For that reason I'm showing the alternates too. Do enjoy & thank you to this set of great artists!

Peach Cobbler

Dinner tonight? Chicken Enchiladas.

Instead of my usual Pace salsa, tonight I used Newman's Own Black Bean & Corn Salsa plus a tablespoon of adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers and a couple of tablespoons of Pace Chipotle Salsa.

Dessert? Quick Peach Cobbler.

1 stick butter or margarine
1 C self-rising flour
1 C sugar
1 C milk
1 large can peaches, sliced
Ice Cream, Cool Whip or whip cream is optional

Melt butter in medium Pyrex dish in the microwave. Mix flour, sugar and milk (will be thin). Add peaches to butter and pour dough over peaches. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until cobbler is completely cooked and brown on top. If desired, serve with ice cream, Cool Whip or whip cream.

This easy recipe makes a nice family dessert.
When fresh fruit is available, substitute 2 cups fresh sliced
sweetened peaches, blueberries, blackberries or a combination of fruits!


More recipes at maryhanks.com. See Food for Thought for a complete listing.

RX in a bowl!

If you get hit by the bug & want something a bit more interesting than the traditional chicken soup then I've got the recipe for you!!! It's become a family favorite --- note to self...make a DOUBLE batch! I'd love to claim as my own but must give due credit to America's Test Kitchen. Even my picky eater (that's him with Cesar) wants seconds of this warm & spicy southwestern soup.

You may use some leftover chicken or shred one of the rotisserie chickens available at the supermarket.

Before I send you to the soup recipe let me note a NEW recipe that I tried this past weekend. Moroccan Chickpea Stew was a winner with my daughter Sara & her fiance'. This won rave reviews from them & will definitely be a keeper in my recipe go-to file!
Thank you anodyne designs for this great new recipe!

Tortilla Soup from America’s Test Kitchen Despite its somewhat lengthy list, this recipe is very easy to prepare. If you desire a soup with mild spiciness, trim the ribs and seeds from the jalapeno (or omit jalapeno altogether) and use the minimum about of chipotle in adobo sauce (1 teaspoon, pureed with the tomatoes in step 3). Our preferred brand of low-sodium chicken broth is Swanson’s Natural Goodness. If advance preparation suits you, the soup can be completed short of adding the shredded chicken to the pot at the end of step 3. Return the soup to a simmer over medium-high heat before proceeding. The tortilla strips and the garnishes are best prepared the day of serving.

Tortilla Strips
8 corn tortillas (6-inch), cut into ½-inch strips
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Table salt

Soup
2 split bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (about 1 ½ pounds) (skin removed and well trimmed of excess fat)
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 very large white onion (about 1 pound), trimmed of root end, quartered, and peeled
4 medium cloves garlic, peeled
2 sprigs epazote, fresh, or 8-10 sprigs fresh cilantro plus 1 sprig fresh oregano
Table salt
2 medium tomatoes, cored & quartered
½ medium jalapeno chile
1 chipotle chili en adobo, plus up to 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Garnishes
1 lime, cut into wedges
1 Hass avocado, diced fine
8 ounces cotija cheese, crumbles, or Monterey Jack cheese, dices fine
Fresh cilantro leaves
Minced jalapeno pepper
Mexican crema or sour cream

FOR THE TORTILLA STRIPS: Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 425 degrees. Spread tortilla strips on rimmed baking sheet; drizzle with oil and toss until evenly coated. Bake until strips are deep golden brown and crisped, about 14 minutes, rotating pan and shaking strips (to redistribute) halfway through baking time. Season strips lightly with salt; transfer to plate lined with several paper towels.
(Note: You may want to make extra strips!)

FOR THE SOUP: While tortilla strips bake, bring chicken, broth, 2 onion quarters, 2 garlic cloves, epazote, and ½ teaspoon salt to boil over medium-high heat in large saucepan; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until chicken is just cooked through, about 20 minutes. Using tongs, transfer chicken to large plate. Pour broth through fine-mesh strainer; discard solids. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken into bite-sized pieces; discard bones.

Puree tomatoes, 2 remaining onion quarters, 2 remaining garlic cloves, jalapeno, chipotle chile, and 1 teaspoon adobo sauce in food processor until smooth. Heat oil in Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering; add tomato/onion puree and 1/8 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture had darkened in color, about 10 minutes. (This is when I go crazy because the smell is so absolutely WONDERFUL!) Stir strained broth into tomato mixture, bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer to blend flavors, about 15 minutes. Taste soup; if desired, add up to 2 teaspoons additional adobo sauce. Add shredded chicken and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. To serve, place portions of tortilla strips in bottom of individual bowls and ladle soup into bowls; pass garnishes separately.

Chicken & Blueberry Muffins

This treasury has expired but I REALLY loved all these items & wanted to go ahead & post. Some of these items, like BELLACOSAART piece, Hank the Rooster, I've used before because I just LOVE it so. I just purchased a print of this great painting...can't wait!

Yesterday was Valentine's Day & I'd made homemade blueberry muffins for the kids & Jonathan's teacher. These are super easy & so much better than even the best muffin mix. I used a can of blueberries, well drained. There's just the right amount of sweetness. If you you fresh or frozen be sure to sweeten first. I've also given variations for Apple Cinnamon & Banana Nut muffins. With this basic recipe you can add your favorite ingredients, toppings, etc....(chocolate chips are good too!)

Sweet Best-Ever Muffins

1 ¾ C all-purpose flour
½ C sugar
2 ½ t baking powder *
¾ t salt
1 egg, beaten
¾ C milk *
1/3 C oil

* To substitute buttermilk, reduce baking powder to 1 t and add ¼ t baking soda.

Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; make a well in the center. Combine egg, milk and oil; add all at once to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened (do not over mix). Fill muffin pans which have been either papered or greased 2/3 full. Bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes.

Use this basic recipe to create your own wonderful sweet muffins. Toss in some fruit, alter liquid or dress up the tops.

• Blueberry Muffins

Prepare Sweet Muffin recipe; add fresh, frozen or a drained can of blueberries to the batter. You may need to add a bit more sugar if using fresh or frozen depending on how sweet you want the muffins. Bake 20-25 minutes.

• Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Prepare Sweet Muffin recipe adding 1t ground cinnamon in with the dry ingredients. Mix as directed then carefully fold 1 cup finely chopped apple, ½ cup finely chopped pecans, ½ cup chopped dates, optional.

• Banana-Nut Muffins
  

Prepare Sweet Muffin recipe; add a ripe, mashed banana to the milk, egg and oil mixture. Add ½ cup finely chopped pecans to the batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes.