Martha Stewart's Strawberry Cupcakes

I got together with Steph and Jenn to do some cupcake baking.  This was my contribution, courtesy of Martha Stewart.  The cupcakes were pretty labor-intensive due to the meringue in both the cupcake batter and the frosting, but they came out quite delicious.  The frosting was particularly yummy!  The cupcakes themselves were very good, but came out a bit crumbly.  That may be because I used all-purpose flour instead of cake flour, because I couldn't find any at the store.  

Instead of reposting the recipe here, I'll direct you to the links for the white cupcakes and the strawberry meringue buttercream frosting.  If you're not familiar with making meringue, I would watch the videos of Martha making these cupcakes with Jennifer Garner!

Rachael Ray's Lemon Chive Spaghetti with Veggies

I saw this recipe on the Rachael Ray show so I thought I'd give it a try.   I thought it was okay, but to me the sauce was too lemon-y.  I might try it again but I would only use one lemon.

Ingredients

Salt

1 pound egg tagliatelle, such as Delverde brand or other thin, wide pasta or egg pasta (I used fettuccine)

1/2 pound thin asparagus, trimmed of tough ends

1/4 to 1/3 pound of thin green beans, a couple of handfuls

1 cup frozen green peas (I used canned)

1 tablespoon EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 tablespoons sweet butter

1/2 cup finely chopped chives

2 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 Meyer lemons or 2 ripe organic lemons

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to taste, plus some to pass at table

Pepper

2 cups mache or other baby lettuce (I omitted)

Directions

1) Bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta. Cook pasta to al dente according to package, about 7-8 minutes.

2)Slice asparagus in 1-inch pieces on an angle. Cut beans into thirds, also on an angle. Midway through cooking the pasta, add asparagus and beans to water so they cook 3-4 minutes in boiling water with the pasta.

3) Add peas to the pot 1 minute before draining. Reserve about 1/2 cup starchy cooking water just before you drain the pasta.

4) Meanwhile, heat EVOO in pan and melt butter into it over low to medium-low heat. Add chives and garlic and stir a minute or two. Then add wine and gently reduce a couple of minutes more. Juice the lemons, stir in Dijon and lemon juice and turn off heat.

5) Add pasta and remaining starchy water and toss to coat evenly 1-2 minutes. Add some cheese and pepper to taste. Fold in baby lettuce and serve with extra cheese on top.

Commander's Palace Pain Perdu

Gary and I went to New Orleans last year and loved it. A highlight of the trip was our dinner at Commander's Palace. Gary bought me their cookbook, and a few weeks ago made this French toast, or "pain perdu" from the book. Delicious!

Ingredients

6 medium eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp nutmeg
8 slices day-old French bread, cut 3/4 inch thick on the bias
2 TB butter
1/8 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cane syrup, molasses, or honey butter
salt and pepper

Directions

1) Whisk eggs with the milk and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add to egg mixture and whisk until well blended.

2) Place 4 slices of bread into the egg mixture, soaking for 5 seconds on each side. Melt 1 TB butter in a nonstick skillet over high heat. When butter starts to brown (about 2 minutes), put the soaked bread slices in the pan and reduce heat to medium-high. Cook for 1-1.5 minutes on each side until done.

3) Remove slices from pan and keep warm. Wipe pan with a paper towel, melt another TB of butter, and repeat until all the bread has been cooked.

4) Finish the slices with powdered sugar and serve with syrup, molasses, or honey butter.

Asparagus Quiche with Fried Onions

Another easy quiche recipe. I got this from my sister Leanne.

Ingredients
One nine-inch frozen premade pie shell
3 medium eggs
1 green onion, chopped (I omitted)
3 ounces (1 can) of french-fried onion rings
1 cup of shredded Swiss cheese (I used asagio cheese)
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup of asparagus, cooked, chopped
½ cup of milk
½ cup of cream (I used fat free half-and-half)

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Let frozen pie shell defrost for about 10 minutes.

2)Mix together all of the ingredients and pour into the pie shell.

3)Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean.

4)Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Pumpkin Black Bean Soup

Shannon made this once and I loved it, so she shared the recipe. I've made it several times now. I have also used pureed sweet potato instead of pumpkin, which is also very good. I have simplified it from the original recipe. Quick and easy.

Ingredients
2 15 oz. cans black beans, drained and well rinsed
1 15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
1 15 oz. can pumpkin (or pureed sweet potatoes)
1 32 oz. box of vegetable stock
3 TB rice vinegar (can substitute sherry vinegar or cider vinegar)
1/2 large yellow onion, diced
approx 3 TB minced garlic
1 TB butter
salt and pepper

Directions
1)Melt butter in the bottom of a large soup pot over medium heat. Season the onions and garlic with salt and pepper and saute them in the butter until the onions are carmelized, about 15 minutes.

2)Add all the remaining ingredients-- vegetable stock, beans, tomatoes, vinegar, and pumpkin. Stir all ingredients together and reduce heat to medium low.

3)Cook the soup for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens. Remove from heat and serve.

Butternut Squash Risotto

Gary said this is one of the best things I ever made!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1 cup white wine
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 medium onion, minced
2 TB minced garlic
3-4 cups butternut squash, cubed
1 cup baby bella mushrooms, sliced
A big handful of fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
3-4 TB of toasted pine nuts
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray. Add the butternut squash, mushrooms, and sage. Salt and pepper to taste. Toss with enough olive oil to lightly coat the vegetables. Roast the veggies in the oven until soft, approximately 30-40 minutes.

To cook the risotto, heat a few TB of olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add the garlic and onions, and cook until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add salt to taste. While you are cooking the onions, warm the broth in a separate pot over medium low heat (do not boil). Risotto cooks best when the broth is warm.

Stir in the rice. Cook for about 2 minutes until rice is covered with oil and lightly toasted. Pour in the white wine. Stir the rice constantly until the wine is almost completely absorbed, and the rice starts getting plump and creamy. Begin adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time. Each time you add broth, continue to stir the risotto until the broth is almost absorbed, and then add more. Continue until all your broth is used up. The whole process will take about 20-25 minutes. The rice should be soft and creamy by the time you are done.

Stir in the parmesan cheese until it is melted. Finally, stir in the roasted vegetables and toasted pine nuts. (To toast pine nuts, place in the toaster oven or regular oven at 400 degrees on a cookie sheet for about 3 minutes.) Sprinkle some more parmesan cheese on top and serve immediately. Serves 2 with leftovers.

To rewarm leftover risotto, add a little milk to moisten before reheating in the microwave or the stovetop.

Easy Broccoli and Mushroom Quiche

This is an easy and forgiving quiche recipe that is very flexible. Instead of broccoli, mushrooms, and cheddar cheese, substitute your favorite veggies, meat, or cheese. This is a quick and easy weeknight dinner, or make ahead for brunch-- it reheats beautifully. The measurements below are approximate.

Ingredients

1 frozen deep dish pie shell
1 1/2 cup chopped broccoli, steamed until soft
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
4 eggs
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 cup half and half
2 TB flour
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take pie shell out of the freezer and allow to thaw for about 10 minutes.

Beat eggs in a large bowl. Stir in half and half, cheddar cheese, flour, salt, and pepper.

Place broccoli and mushrooms in the pie shell. Pour egg mixture over the vegetables, and top with parmesan cheese.

Put the pie shell on a cookie sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick placed in the quiche comes out clean.

Allow to cool at least 15 minutes before serving. Serves 4+.