Rhubarb Bread

This Rhubarb Bread recipe came from a Norwegian cookbook my mom passed along to me.  Glad she did!   I modified the amount of rhubarb from the original and it was a big hit.  I like that it makes 2 loaves--one to eat right away and one to put in the freezer.  I don't have a picture right now because it didn't last long enough.

Rhubarb Bread

1 1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
2/3 c. oil
1 egg
1 c. sour milk
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1 t. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
3 c. diced rhubarb
1/2 c. sugar
1 T. butter

Mix the brown sugar, oil, egg, milk, salt, baking soda, vanilla, and flour.   Add rhubarb.  Pour equally into 2 greased and floured bread pans.

Cream together the sugar and butter and sprinkle over the prepared loaves.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

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Comments:
c = cup
t = teaspoon
T = tablespoon
If you don't have sour milk, never fear.  Just subtract 1 T. from the amount of milk and add 1 T. vinegar in its place.  Let it sit 5 minutes before adding to the mix.

Baked Falafel Pitas with Yogurt Sauce

When we are at Epcot, I like to stop in Morocco for their falafel pitas.  Eating this at home with my eyes closed while listening to the Illuminations pre-show soundtrack brings me right back there.

At least for a second.  Then I come back to reality……

I made the mixture and the sauce and prepped the patties a few hours ahead of baking them and stored them in the fridge until I was ready to bake them and it turned out just fine.

With this recipe, we got 6 really generous sandwiches.

Baked Falafel Pitas with Yogurt Sauce

1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 of a red onion, chopped
1 c packed fresh parsley and cilantro.  You determine the ratio you like
1 egg
1/3 c panko, additional may be needed
2 t. ground cumin
1 1/2 t. ground coriander
3/4 t. fresh ground pepper
1/4 t. sea salt
1 garlic clove, chopped
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/3 c white whole wheat flour
3 whole, whole wheat pitas sliced in half to stuff the pocket

Sauce:
2 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
1 c. 2% plain greek yogurt
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 T. fresh parsley and cilantro combination

Garnishes:
Chopped romaine lettuce, sliced cucumber, red onion, sliced tomatoes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a large baking sheet with foil and spread a layer of olive oil on it.

In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, onion and parsley/cilantro combo.  Pulse until roughly chopped.  Add the egg, panko, cumin, coriander, garlic, cayenne, pepper and salt.  Pulse until mixture forms a chunky puree.  Transfer to a bowl.  If the mixture seems to wet, add additional panko.

Sprinkle flour on a small plate.  Scoop out 2 tablespoons chickpea mixture at a time and form into a balls.  Press down each to make a thick patty.

Lightly flour both sides, shaking off excess and place on the baking sheet.   Lightly spray the tops with cooking spray.

Bake until bottoms are brown, about 12 minutes.  Flip patties and bake until other sides are golden, 7 minutes or so more.

Cool them to room temperature if you want a cold sandwich.  I like them a bit warm, though.

Assemble the pita halves with 3 falafel patties, sauce, and garnishes.

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Comments:
c = cup
t = teaspoon
T = tablespoon

I used Fage Greek yogurt and Feta that was pre-seasoned with mediterranean spices.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Wow, these are good!  If you ever had no-bake cookies, these taste a lot like those and you already know the potential of just how good these can be.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars

2/3 c. honey
a generous 1/2 c creamy peanut butter
1/4 c. light brown sugar, packed
1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder (I use a little less.  1/4 c. makes them really chocolatey)
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1/2 t. salt
2 c. quick oats
1 1/2 c. rice cereal (like Rice Krispies -- snap, crackle, POP!)
1/2 c. mini semi sweet chocolate chips, divided (I no longer use these--they just don't need them!)

Line an 8x8 pan with aluminum foil overhanging.  Spray with cooking spray.

In a microwave safe bowl, combine the honey, peanut butter and brown sugar.  Heat for 1 minute and stir.  Heat another minute and stir.

Add vanilla, cocoa, and salt.  Whisk to combine.

Stir in the oats.   Add the rice cereal and carefully stir.

Add 1/2 of the chocolate chips and stir.

Turn the mixture into the prepared pan and press it down firmly with a spatula or use the tools God gave you--your hands.

Sprinkle the remaining chips and press them down into the bars.  Cover with foil and but in the freezer for 1 hour or the fridge for 3 hours to set.

Once set, remove them from the pan by lifting out the foil.  Remove the foil and cut them in granola bar size.   I cut mine in 16--a very nice size!

Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and store up to a month in the cupboard, 2 months in the fridge, 6 months in the freezer.  But, seriously….they'll never last more than a week, so it doesn't really matter!

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Comments:
c = cup
t = teaspoon

I used Smuckers All Natural Peanut Butter, Trader Joe's Honey, and Quaker Oats.

I didn't have mini chips on hand so I just used the regular size.

Fresh Herb Garlic Bread

This may not be the healthiest option, but who doesn't love garlic bread?  This is made with fresh herbs.  Plus, when you make it yourself, you get to pick the kind of bread to use--one that you are happy with. All things considered, I bet you can make it right in your head.

There is enough in the recipe to cover a very large loaf.  I used 8 large Torta rolls split and still had mix left over.

Fresh Herb Garlic Bread

6 cloves garlic
1/4 c. fresh oregano, chopped
1/4 c. flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 t salt
dash of pepper
1/2 c. olive oil
2 T butter
Loaf of bread, split in half lengthwise ( like Ciabatta, Italian, etc) or rolls (like Torta.  They look like Ciabatta rolls to me.)  Or any bread you're cool with, really.

In a food processor, mince garlic.  Add the parsley, oregano, salt and pepper.  Pulse a couple times.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a sauce pan.  Add the garlic mix.

Spread the garlic oil mix over the bread.

You can put the halves together, wrap in tin foil and bake for 5 minutes at 350 degrees and then open the foil and bake another 5 minutes
OR
You can keep the halves open, sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan and bake at 350 for 5 minutes and broil for a couple minutes to finish them off.  I chose option 2 for the picture above.

Marinade for Flank Steak

It's grilling season….FINALLY!  In honor of warmer weather, here is another marinade.

This is good if you have a taste for fajitas.  Saute some colorful bell peppers and onion with olive oil and garlic.  Pull out your whole wheat tortillas.  Put the veggie mix and THINLY sliced flank steak on your tortilla with a dollop of sour cream and a bit of salsa.  Take a bite, and another, and another.


Marinade for Flank Steak

1/2 c. pineapple juice
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
2 T. brown sugar
1 t. pepper

Combine all the ingredients and marinate the flank steak for 12-24 hours.  Flank steak needs it.  It's one of your tougher cuts.

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Comments:
T  = tablespoon
t = teaspoon

Spinach, Mushroom and Feta Breakfast

I found this online labelled as a 'crustless quiche'.  I prefer to call it a breakfast casserole in a pie dish.  Real men will like it more.

Fresh fruit on the side and freshly squeezed OJ would be delightful.

Spinach, Mushroom and Feta Breakfast
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 t minced garlic
10 oz frozen spinach, water drained/pressed out
2 - 3 oz feta cheese, crumbled  (I used a seasoned feta for extra pizzazz)
4 eggs
1 c milk
1/4 c grated parmesan
1/2 c shredded mozzarella
salt and pepper to taste

Sauté the mushrooms in a skillet coated with non-stick spray until the moisture is released and there is no more water in the pan.  Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds more.

Spray a pie dish with non-stick spray.  Spread the spinach in the bottom of the dish.  Add the mushrooms and feta.

In a bowl, whisk the eggs.  Add milk, parmesan and a sprinkle of pepper and whisk.  Pour over the spinach, mushrooms and feta.

Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees until solid in the center and golden brown on the top.  Mine took about 30 minutes.

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Comments:
c = cup
t = teaspoon

Lemon Dill Marinade for Salmon

I kinda feel like I am cheating on this one. It seems so obvious, but I am going to post it anyways because it just works.  I am estimating on these measurements.  I just add it until it 'looks right'.

Lemon Dill Marinade for Salmon

3-4 T. olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 T. minced garlic
1-2 t. dill, depending on the size of the fillet
Salt and pepper
1 lemon, sliced

Combine olive oil and lemon juice.  Brush over a large salmon fillet.  Wild Caught Preferred!!!!
Coat with garlic
Shake with fresh ground pepper and salt
Pinch dill all over fillet.
Top fillet with sliced lemon.

Let salmon sit for a couple of hours.

This is really good grilled on a cedar plank.  Make sure to soak the plank for several hours so you don't end up with an unexpected bonfire.

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Comments:
T = tablespoon
t = teaspoon

Use an organic lemon and wild caught salmon if you can

Tomatillo Pulled Chicken in the slow cooker

This crowd pleaser crockpot recipe was designed for sandwiches but works great as a filler in a tortilla, too.  I got the recipe after a a friend brought it into work for a potluck.  The office smelled great that morning!

We made this recently as a friday night kick off to our Memorial Day weekend.

Tomatillo Pulled Chicken

2 purchased roasted chickens, 2 - 2 1/4 lbs each
1 recipe for Tomatillo Garlic Sauce (below) or cheat like I did and by a jar of Tomatillo Salsa Verde
a good amount of pepper ( 1+ teaspoons perhaps?)
sprinkles of salt


Remove meat from chickens.  Using two forks, pull the meat into shreds.  Place chicken in a slow cooker and mix it with the tomatillo salsa, salt and pepper.

Cook until heated through, about 3-4 hours on low, 2 hours or so on high.

Serve on ciabatta rolls with toppings of your choice (cheese, red onion, lettuce, tomatoes) or use it in tortillas as a soft taco filler.


Optional Tomatillo Garlic Sauce
2 cans tomatillos, 11 oz each
1 c chopped onion
3/4 c loosely packed fresh cilantro
2 T lime juice
1 T oil
1 jalapeño, seeded and coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic
1/2 t ground cumin
1/4 t salt
1/4 t ground pepper

Add all to a blender or food processor to blend until smooth.

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Comments:
c = cup
T = tablespoon
t = teaspoon