Sautéed Cucumber Rings

Sautéed Cucumber Rings:
Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook

3 medium cucumbers
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Peel cucumbers.  Cut each cucumber into thirds.  With spoon handle, hollow out and remove seeds.  Slice cucumber into rings.

In a large skillet, melt butter.  Add cucumber rings, salt and pepper.  Cook 10 minutes or until cucumbers are just tender crisp, stirring occasionally.

Thai Style Halibut with Coconut Curry Broth

Thai Style Halibut with Coconut Curry Broth:
Food Network -- Ellie Krieger

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 shallots finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
2 1/2 teaspoons red curry paste
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 (6 ounces halibut)
5 cups steamed spinach (make sure it's whole leaves)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2 scallions, green part only, thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons lime juice (1 lime)
Pepper


In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown (about 5 minutes).  Add the curry paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer until reduced to 2 cups (about 5 minutes).

Season the halibut with salt.  Arrange the fish in the pan and gently shake the pan so the fish is coated with the sauce.  Cover and cook until the fish flakes easily with a fork (about 6-7 minutes).

While fish is cooking, steam spinach in the microwave for about 2 minutes.  Chop cilantro and scallions.

Arrange spinach in bowls and when fish is done, place fish on top of spinach.  Stir the cilantro and scallions into the sauce and squeeze the lime juice into the sauce as well.  Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.  Ladle the sauce over the fish.

**Notes:  3/4 cup shallots might have been too much -- try 1/2 cup.  Also 1/2 cup chopped cilantro also seemed very cilantro-y.  Maybe try 1/3 cup next time.  The sauce was yummy -- not too spicy for kids.  I would have liked it spicier so, next time serve with Sciracha to kick it up for the adults.  Overall, very yummy***

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins:

1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 2/3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup plain pumpkin (half of a one pound can)
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Melt butter in a medium size glass bowl.  Set aside.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Put almonds on a baking sheet and bake about 5 minutes, until lightly browned.  Watch carefully so almonds don't burn.  Slide almonds off the baking sheet so the cool quickly.

In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, pie spice, baking soda, baking poder and salt.

Add pumpkin into the bowl with the melted butter.  Break eggs into bowl with pumpkin and butter.  Whisk until well blended.  Stir in chocolate chips and almonds.  Pour pumpkin mixture over dry ingredients and fold in with a rubber spatula just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Scoop batter evenly into muffin cups.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes.  Turn out on a rack to cool.  Wrap in a plastic bag and keep for 1 to 2 days.  Reheat before serving.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken Noodle Soup:

2 Tablespoons butter
1 onion
1 cup chopped celery
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
8 cups chicken broth base
1 can vegetable broth
6 carrots
Rotisserie chicken (chopped)
2/3 teaspoon basil
2/3 teaspoon dried oregano
1/3 teaspoon thyme
Salt and pepper
2 handfuls uncooked eggs noodles (about 2 cups)

In a large pot, over medium heat, melt butter.  Sauté onion and celery until onion and celery for 5 minutes.  Add in chicken and vegetable broths and turn heat up to high.  Add chicken, carrots, spices, salt and pepper.  Can adjust amount of spices based on taste.  Bring to a boil, then add uncooked egg noodles.  Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.  Serve with french bread.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Roasted Brussel Sprouts:
Barefoot Contessa

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
3 tablespoons good olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut off the brown ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour them on a sheet pan with a silpat and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly. Sprinkle with more kosher salt ( I like these salty like French fries), and serve immediately.

Chocolate Brandy Cake

Chocolate Brandy Cake:
365 Great Chocolate Desserts

1 Package Devil's food cake with pudding
1 cup Brandy
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 Eggs
1 1/2 cups mini semisweet chocolate chips
4 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon Brandy extract
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine cake mix, 2/3 cup Brandy, 1/2 cup water, oil and eggs.  Beat with an electric mixer on high speed 2 minutes, scraping down bowl a few times.  Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips.  Turn into a well-greased 12 cup bundt pan.  Bake 35-45 minutes.

During last 7 minutes of cake baking time, prepare glaze.

In a small saucepan, combine butter, remaining 1/3 cup brandy, corn syrup, brandy extract and 2 Tablespoons water.  Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until butter melts.  Stir in remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips and powdered sugar.  Simmer and stir over low heat for 5 minutes.

Immediately upon removing cake from oven, spoon 2/3 of hot glaze over cake.  Let cake cool in pan 25 minutes, then invert onto a cake plate.  Reheat remaining glaze and spoon over top of cake.  Let cool completely.  Cake is best if made a day in advance of serving time to allow flavors to mellow.

Serve with whipped cream and raspberries.

Banana Pancakes

Banana Pancakes:
Allrecipes

1 cup all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2-3 ripe bananas, mashed

In a small bowl, combine flour white sugar, baking powder and salt.

In a large bowl, mix together egg, milk, vegetable oil and bananas.  Stir flour mixture into banana mixture.  Batter will be slightly lumpy.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat.  Cook pancakes until they are golden brown on both sides.  Serve with whipped cream, syrup, and extra bananas.

Note:  Serving size is about 12 small/medium pancakes.  Double the recipe!  Also good to add chocolate chips, blueberries, etc.