toddler truffles

Makes about 24 balls
recipe from gourmet mom on the go

you don't need to be a toddler to love this fudgy dessert. i love how there is no flour, just black beans.

ingredients:

One 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed*
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts (optional) -- i used walnuts
1/4 cup (2 ounces) butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 c. cocoa powder
Pinch of kosher salt
2 eggs
sprinkles or powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray or butter an 8 by 8-inch pan; set aside.
In a large, deep bowl, combine the beans, sugars, nuts, butter, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Using a stick blender or food processor, start to work the ingredients around. When they are fully blended, add the eggs and blend to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until firm and the edges get slightly crisp. Cool and cut into small cubes or take a spoonful and roll into small balls in your palms. Dust with powdered sugar or sprinkles.
Store covered, up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Variations:
• Substitute white beans, pintos, or adzuki beans. They can be found in the ethnic aisle of your store. The texture and color may change, but the idea stays the same—a cake made of beans!
• Add a tablespoon of orange zest, try different kinds of chopped nuts, or add dried currants after blending for a chunkier texture.

*jessica's note: a 15 oz can equals 1 1/2 cups of cooked black beans. i cooked 3/4 c. dry black beans instead of using canned. it was a little more than what i needed so i made sure to measure 1 1/2 cups for the recipe.

bowtie chicken caesar salad

i got this recipe from my friend meg, who got it from her sister-in-law, joslyn. it makes a ton so it's ideal for bridal/baby showers and other large gatherings. but don't count on having any leftovers.

serves 30-40

16 oz farfalle pasta, cooked per package directions
2 heads romaine lettuce, washed, spun dry, and chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
1 - 4 oz pkg slivered almonds, sugared
1 - 6 oz pkg grated parmesan cheese
1 - 6 oz pkg croutons
1 - 8 oz carton mushrooms, sliced
24 oz of your favorite caesar dressing

to sugar the almonds: in a dry skillet, add 1/2 cup sugar and almonds, turn the burner to medium. in a few minutes, the sugar will start to melt. stir to coat the almonds. when the sugar reaches a light golden color-it will happen quickly, remove from heat and spread the almonds on waxed paper to cool, then break apart. you can also follow the directions on this website: jeenaskitchen

to prepare the salad: combine all the ingredients in two+ large bowls. (it make so much, you won't be able to fit it all in one.) toss to coat everything with the dressing.

jessica's note: i'm not a fan of soggy lettuce, so i wait until just before serving to stir it in. also, i didn't bother sugaring the almonds and the salad was still awesome.

coconut waffles with mango-strawberry compote

this recipe came from a chef i saw on oprah many years ago.

1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into small cubes
1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
2 tablespoons sugar

1 3/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 stick of butter, melted
3 large eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup milk
1/2 cup coconut milk*
1/4 cup shredded sweetened coconut, roughly chopped
whipped cream

to make compote: toss mango, strawberries, and sugar in a medium bowl. cover and let stand for about 90 minutes.

to make waffles: heat a waffle iron and lightly oil the grids. whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl to combine. make a well in the center and pour in the melted butter, milk, eggs, and coconut milk. whisk just until smooth - do not over mix. fold in the coconut. spoon waffle batter into the waffle iron, cook until the waffle is golden brown, 3-4 minutes. serve the waffles hot, spooning the compote and whipped cream on top.

*this recipe only uses about a half can of coconut milk so make this recipe with the other half.

thai chicken and rice

this is based on a recipe i found on the website 365 days of slow cooking. i'm not sure how authentic it is to thai food, but it turned out pretty tasty and my family likes it a lot. you can find the original recipe here.

serves 6

1 1/2 lb chicken cut in bite-sized pieces
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup carrots, cut in short strips
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2" piece of fresh ginger, finely grated
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 red bell pepper, cut in short strips
1/2 can of coconut milk*
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup cornstarch

hot cooked rice
3/4 cup peanuts or cashews, chopped (i prefer cashews)
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
3/4 cup cilantro, chopped (i leave it out)

place the first 7 ingredients into a slow cooker. cook on low for 3 hours. mix cornstarch and lime juice. turn slow cooker to high. stir in peanut butter, cornstarch/lime slurry, coconut milk, and red bell pepper strips. cover and cook 45 minutes to 1 hour or until sauce is thickened and chicken is cooked through. place broccoli and 1/4 cup water in a microwave safe bowl. cover with plastic wrap and cook in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes or until crisp-tender. drain the broccoli. serve the chicken and sauce over rice, add steamed broccoli to each serving, and sprinkle with nuts and cilantro.

*check out this recipe to see what to do with the leftover coconut milk.

pumpkin bread

i know pumpkin bread is made a lot around christmas time, but my little boy and i couldn't wait that long.

see, he's totally eyeing the bread while planning his next move.

i found this recipe on allrecipes.com, it makes 3 loaves or 6 mini loaves. i only have 4 small loaf pans so i use those plus a regular sized loaf pan. the original recipe can be found here as i made some minor adjustments.

pumpkin bread
adapted from allrecipes.com

• 3 cups canned pumpkin puree
• 1 cup applesauce
  
• 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 3 cups white sugar
• 6 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoons ground cloves
• 6 ounces dark chocolate chips
  

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9x5 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin, oil, sugar, and eggs. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and chocolate chips; stir into the pumpkin mixture until well blended. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The top of the loaf should spring back when lightly pressed.

spring pasta

i got this recipe from a local cooking class many, many years ago. it tasted so delicious then, but i never got around to making it until today. the recipe says it serves 8 -- that would be as a main dish, 12-15 as a side dish. today i used spaghetti, a few pinches of dried thyme, and a diced roma tomato because that's what i had on hand. i think i'll cook up some chicken breasts and serve this for dinner.

ingredients:

1 pound linguini pasta

sauce:
juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons white wine
1/3 cup olive oil
1 stick of butter
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 sprig fresh thyme
2 teaspoons cavender's greek seasoning (found in the spice aisle at any grocery store)

1 bunch fresh asparagus (1-1/2 lb.)
1/2 lb. grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced
1/2 bunch of green onions, finely chopped
1 can olives, coarsely chopped
1 cup grated parmesan cheese

cut woody ends off asparagus. boil asparagus for 5 minutes then run them under cold water. cut into 1" pieces. sauté the mushrooms in a tablespoon or two of butter until golden brown, set aside. prepare sauce in a food processor, all ingredients except butter. transfer sauce to a small pan, add butter and heat until the butter melts, but do not boil. meanwhile, cook linguini according to package directions, drain. add all vegetables and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese to the pasta. pour warm sauce over pasta and vegetables, toss. sprinkle remaining cheese on top and serve immediately.

*jessica's note* i love this pasta dish, but am not a big fan of raw garlic. so the next time i make this recipe, i will either sauté the garlic with the mushrooms, or use roasted garlic. see how to roast garlic here.

breakfast burritos

we have a hard time with leftovers at our house. no one wants to eat them, but i feel bad when food goes to waste. the other night i made some tasty street chicken tacos. we had quite a bit of
tortillas, rice and beans left over so i had to come up with a good use for them. these breakfast burritos are quite delish and are a great way to start the day out with some protein. i may just keep rice and beans in the fridge from now on.

breakfast burritos
-serves 1

2 - 5-6" corn tortillas
1 egg, scrambled
4 tablespoons cooked black beans
4 tablespoons cooked rice
2 tablespoons salsa
2 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt

warm the tortillas on both sides in a hot, dry pan. warm up the rice and beans for a few seconds in the microwave. divide the egg, beans, rice, salsa, and sour cream evenly between the two tortillas. roll them up (if you can) and enjoy.

gyoza

gyoza is a japanese version of the chinese pot sticker. i made this recipe for new year's eve and it was a big hit. and my sister who lived in japan said they tasted pretty authentic. they are quite time consuming to make, but if you can get a few people to help fill the wrappers, it should take no time at all. i got the recipe from this food blog: wasabi bratwurst. so if gyoza sounds like something you want to make, check out that site because it has pictures of what they should look like.

This recipe will make just over 50 gyoza, adjust as necessary. I would recommend freezing a batch to enjoy at a later date.

6 cups minced napa cabbage leaves, shredded
1 1/2 teaspoon table salt (no kosher as it is too coarse)
1 1/2 lbs ground pork
3/4 cup of garlic chives, minced. If not accessible, white and green parts of scallions can be used for substitute.
1/4 teaspoons white pepper
2 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons grated ginger*
2 tablespoon grated fresh ginger* (No substitution with the dried stuff, please!)
3 large cloves of garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press
3 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 package of gyoza wrapping skins
vegetable oil and water for cooking
* (not sure if that was a typo adding ginger twice, so i just used 2 tablespoons ginger and called it good.)

Gyoza Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoon rice vinegar
chili oil to taste (sesame oil and hot sauce can be used as substitute)
Dash of white pepper
Minced scallions - green parts only

Combine all ingredients in bowl, sauce can be refrigerated overnight.

the Procedure

1. Toss cabbage and salt in colander and place inside a medium bowl - the salt will help to draw out the extra moisture in the cabbage. After about 20 minutes the cabbage will begin to wilt, at which time you will want remove the excess water. You can use a rubber spatula and press the cabbage along the sides of the bowl, however, I find squeezing the cabbage in my hands with a towel is much more effective. If you used your hands be sure to toss cabbage to separate and fluff the combine with other filling ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold (minimum of 30 minutes, no more than 24 hours).
2. Now for the fun part…Wrapping Things Up! When working with the wrappers you want to be sure to keep them from drying out, the best way to do this is to keep them covered with a damp cloth until they are ready for use. Remove one wrapper from under the cloth and begin…
* Place the gyoza wrapper in your palm and place a small spoonful of filling in the center. Use enough of the mixture to fill out the wrapper completely without overstuffing it. Be sure to keep the edges clean giving you room to enclose the filling with the wrapper. It may take a couple to get it just right; just remember practice makes perfect.
* Place your index finger of your opposite hand into the water and use it to wet the edges of the gyoza skin (no need to wet the edges all the way around, just the top half). If you have any filling that is approaching the edges at this point, you have too much filling. Remove the excess and reposition the remaining filling in the center of the wrapper with your fingers.
* Fold the bottom half of the wrapper to meet the top half that you moistened in the previous step. I work from one edge of the skin to the other, making pleats by crimping the bottom half of the wrapper to meet the top half. I follow each pleat with my index finger to keep the sides from sticking before I am ready to bring them together. I also use that same finger to keep the filling from escaping. Continue making pleats until the filling is completely encased, you should have about 5-6 pleats total. The gyoza should naturally curve as you’re working.
* Place the wrapper gyoza on a baking sheet to flatten the bottom of the dumpling. At this point you can also press down on the pleats to ensure a tight seal while eliminating any air bubbles.
* If you are not eating right away, freeze gyoza in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once fully frozen, place into freezer bags.

If you are like me and cannot resist, move on to the cooking phase…
3. Grease bottom of a 12-inch nonstick skillet with vegetable oil using a paper towel to spread to all edges of the pan. Add gyoza to the skillet, laying them flat and being sure not to crowd. Place skillet over medium-high heat and cook for 4-5 minutes WITHOUT moving. You want the bottoms to become golden brown. At this point add a couple of shots of water (just enough to cover the bottom of the skillet) and cover with a tight fitting lid. The intention is to steam the dumplings - you do NOT need a lot of water. Cook for another 4-5 minutes. You will undoubtedly have to cook and eat in batches. Serve with Scallion Dipping Sauce and eat while hot!

eggnog shakes -- just like hogi yogi

this recipe was created out of necessity. i absolutely love the eggnog shakes hogi yogi makes around the holidays, but the location near me went out of business. plus they were kind of expensive, so this was what i came up with. only 2 ingredients! (and i'm sure this version is much more figure friendly.)

1 serving

1 cup eggnog
1+ cup ice

mix the eggnog and ice in a blender until smooth, adding additional ice cubes until desired thickness is reached. serve immediately.

cauliflower soup

i serve this spicy soup with bread sticks and a green salad for dinner during the winter months.

1 head of cauliflower cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
3 cups low sodium chicken stock or broth
1 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese*
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese*
salt and pepper to taste

in a large saucepan, add the cauliflower, chicken stock, and water. cover and bring to a boil. turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until tender. remove from heat and allow to cool. ladle the cooked cauliflower into a blender and add some of the chicken stock. puree until smooth. (this can be done in two batches and you will probably use most, if not all of the chicken stock.) pour the puree into a bowl and set aside.

in the empty saucepan, melt the butter. stir in the garlic and flour. whisk in the milk gradually so no lumps form. over medium heat, bring the milk to a slow boil, stirring constantly until it thickens. continue to boil for 2 minutes more. turn the heat to low. add the cauliflower puree, shredded cheddar and pepper jack cheese one handful at a time, stirring each addition until it melts into the soup. season with salt and pepper. serves 5-6.

*do not use pre-shredded cheese; it won't melt.