Cumin Quick Sticks

These crispy breadsticks are flaky and yet sturdy enough to hold up to dunking in a soup. Plus, they're just fun to eat because of their size and shape. A hit with kids and grown-ups alike.

I have made these a number of times now and the lesson you need to learn from me is to err on the side of baking them too long. The original recipe called for baking them only 12-15 minutes per batch; my oven runs hot, and I still cooked mine for closer to 25-30 minutes per batch -- until they just begin to brown.




Cumin Quick Sticks
Martha Stewart Living

2 c flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsps baking powder
2 tsp cumin
3 T shortening
2 T olive oil
1/2 c kosher salt for sprinkling


Heat oven to 350. In bowl of food processor, pulse flour, salt, cumin, and baking powder to combine. Add shortening and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. With the machine running, gradually add between 1/2 c + 1 T ice water until the dough comes together, about 1 minute.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Form the dough into a smooth rectangle, about 4x6", with your fingers. Then roll out the dough into an 8x10" rectangle, 1/4" thick. Cut the dough lengthwise into 1/4" wide strips.

Using your hands, gently roll each strip back and forth into 16" long sticks. Arrange the sticks on baking sheets, side by side, but not touching. Brush each stick lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt.




































Bake until firm and cooked through, 14-25 minutes, depending on your oven.





































Transfer sticks to wire rack to cool. Serve, or, store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Savory Monkey Bread with Dill Butter

 

We have been getting bulbs of fennel in our recent Johnson's Backyard Garden CSA farm boxes and I was looking for a way to use up the beautiful leaves. This is a quick and fun way to make bread flavored with dill. I served with a potato soup.

Savory Monkey Bread with Dill Butter  

Savory TV

Yeast:
2 T warm water
1 1/2 tsps active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
Dough:
2 1/4 c bread flour
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/2 c milk
1 egg
1 T butter , melted
2 T dill weed , torn into small pieces
Dill Butter:
5 T butter , melted, separated - (3 T for dill butter, 2 T for brushing during baking)
2 T dill weed , torn into small pieces
coarse salt


Combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water in a small mixing bowl. Set aside for ten minutes at room temperature to allow the yeast to proof. You should see bubbles forming at the surface.
Whisk the flour and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Attach the dough hook and slowly add the yeast mixture to the flour, followed by the milk, egg, 1 tablespoon of melted butter and 2 tablespoons of dill. Mix on medium speed just until the dough releases from the side of the bowl, then knead dough lightly with your hands. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes.

While the bread is rising, stir two tablespoons of dill into three tablespoons of melted butter. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

After the dough has risen, punch it down and roll into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in the dill butter and place the balls in individual ramekins. They will rise before baking and again in the oven, so don’t overfill your ramekins.

Allow the monkey bread to rise in a warm place for 20 minutes. Brush the bread again with the dill butter and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 12-15 minutes, brushing twice throughout the baking with the remaining two tablespoons of melted butter.

Chocolate Thumbprints

 



















Delicious old-fashioned goodness! Nothing like a thumbprint. And I like mine filled with icing, over jam -- just keeps everything easier less sticky.


Chocolate Thumbprints
Better Homes and Gardens, Christmas Cookies 1995
 
1/2 c butter
3/4 c sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 egg yolks
1 oz unsweetened baking chocolate , melted and cooled
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 c flour
1/4 c butter
1 c powdered sugar , sifted
1 T coffee liqueur, raspberry liqueur, or milk (I used amaretto)

Beat 1/2 c butter on medium for 30 seconds. Add sugar and salt and beat until combined. Add egg yolk, cooled choclate and vanilla. Beat until combined. Beat in flour.

Roll dough into 1" balls. Place on greased cookie sheet.





Press centers with your thumb. Bake in a 350 oven for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are set. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet. Remove to wire rack to cool.


 
Beat 1/4 c butter until softened. Add powdered sugar and beat until fluffy. Add liqueur or milk and beat well. Pipe or spoon filling into center of each cookie. Chill until firm.

Spinach Lasagna

I remember growing up thinking that lasagna must be one of the world's most complicated dishes. People were so grateful when a lasagna was brought to a potluck or as a gift that I assumed it was because they didn't want to attempt to make one themselves. As a result, I didn't attempt lasagna for years.

Now thought, I am well over that fear. Lasagna is one of many simple casseroles that are easy to prepare, and lend themselves to endless variation. Here is a particularly easy one to put together.

Spinach Lasagna

Diana Rattray

1 lb no-boil lasagna noodles

36 oz crushed tomatoes (I used 1 batch homemade tomato sauce)

3 cloves garlic

1 T oregano, dried

1 T parsley (she calls for dried; I used fresh)

1 lb ricotta

3 oz Parmesan, grated

8 oz mozzarella, grated

2 eggs

10 oz frozen leaf spinach (I used a 12 oz bag)

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Put the frozen spinach in the bowl of a food processor, and process until broken up and nearly flaked. Add the garlic, oregano, parsley, ricotta, eggs, and mozzarella. Process briefly until the mixture is uniform.

 

Pour about 1/4 of the tomatoes on the bottom of a 9" by 13" baking pan.

Cover the pan with a layer of lasagne noodles (uncooked). Spread 1/3 of the spinach/cheese mixture over the noodles. Repeat two more times with tomatoes, noodles, and spinach/cheese mixture, ending with a layer of plain noodles on the top.

Pour the remainder of the tomatoes on top of the noodles. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

Cover tightly with foil. Bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil, and bake for an additional 15 minutes. If any of the noodles have not softened after the first hour, carefully tuck them under the sauce to be sure that they will soften during the final baking period. Let the lasagne sit for about 10 minutes before serving.

Zucchini Rice

I admit that I am partial to Indian cuisine. If you find that you are a bit afraid of it -- afraid of the heat, or intimidated by the ingredient list -- there are many dishes out there that work very well with Western palates and pantries. This is one of them!

Zucchini Rice

Manjula's Kitchen

1 c rice

2 c water

1 c zucchini, shredded (with skin on)

1 T oil

1 tsp butter

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp black mustard seeds

4 dried red peppers, whole

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp salt

1/2" piece cinnamon stick

1 tsp lemon juice

Heat oil and butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and mustard seeds to the oil. After seeds crack, add red pepper and bay leaves.

Add rice and stir-fry for about 2 minutes.

Add water, zucchini, salt and lemon juice. Stir and bring to a boil.

After rice comes to a boil, turn heat down to low and cover the pan. Cook rice for about 15 minutes, or until tender and the water has evaporated.

Crinkle Top Ginger Cookies

 

I am partial to gingersnaps, ginger chews, gingerbreads, and triple-ginger cookies, but these have to be among the best I have ever tried. Simple to prepare, and no post-baking decorating required -- the topping gets added before you bake, making them a simple cookie to enjoy straight from the oven.

Crinkle Top Ginger Cookies

The 50+ Friends Club Cookbook International Dishes

3/4 c Crisco

1 egg

1/4 c dark molasses

1 c sugar

2 c flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp cloves

1 tsp cinnamon

Mix shortening, egg, sugar and molasses.
Combine dry ingredients and add to mixture.

Roll into walnut-sized balls. Dip half of each ball in water, then in sugar. Set on cookie sheet with sugar-side up. Do not flatten.

Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.

Pumpkin and Feta Muffins

I'll be honest - these muffins are delicious! But it takes serious mind-over-matter to pick up a muffin-shaped muffin, and not expect it to be sweet and dessert-like. So remind yourself with each bite that these are savory, cheesy, goodness and you should be good to go!

Pumpkin and Feta Muffins

Martha Goes Green

1 T unsalted butter

2 T olive oil

2 c pumpkin or butternut squash, cut into 1/2 dice

salt and pepper

handful of baby spinach, chopped

2 T parsley, chopped

3 T sunflower seed kernels

3/4 c Parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 c feta cheese, cubed

2 tsp mustard, whole-grain

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 c milk

2 c flour

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp coarse salt

Preheat oven to 405F / 200C, with rack in the top third. Use the butter to grease a 12-hole muffin pan and set aside.

Sprinkle the olive oil and some salt and pepper over the squash. Toss well and turn onto a baking sheet or roasting pan. Arrange in a single layer and bake for 15 - 25 minutes or until cooked through entirely. Set aside to cool.

Transfer two-thirds of the squash to a large mixing bowl along with the spinach, parsley, sunflower seeds, Parmesan, two-thirds of the feta, and all of the mustard. Gently fold together. 

In a separate bowl beat the eggs and milk together and add to the squash mix. Sift the flour and baking powder onto the squash mix, top with the salt and a generous dose of freshly ground black pepper and fold together just until the batter comes together, be careful not to over mix.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan, filling each hole 3/4 full, top each muffin with a bit of the remaining squash and feta. 

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tops and sides of the muffins are golden, and the muffins have set up completely. Let cool for a couple minutes then turn out onto a cooling rack. I like these muffins cooled a bit, served just warmer than room temperature.

Strawberries and Cream

I love the combination of sweet and tart, or sweet and savory. The pepper was a great addition to this dish! Highly recommended.

Strawberries and Cream

Cook's Country and common sense

1/3 c balsamic vinegar (or maybe less)

2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp lemon juice

3 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced

1/4 c brown sugar

pepper

Bring vinegar, sugar and lemon juice to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until syrup is reduced by half (to approximately 3 T), about 3 minutes. Transfer vinegar syrup to small bowl and cool completely.

With spoon, lightly toss berries and brown sugar in large bowl. Let stand until sugar dissolves and berries exude some juice, 10-15 minutes. Pour vinegar syrup over berries, add pepper to taste, and toss to combine. Divide berries among individual bowls or goblets and serve immediately.

Cream

1 c whipping cream

4 T powdered sugar

Pour whipping cream into the bowl of a standing mixer. Add powdered sugar. Whip until stiff peaks form.