via food

Pumpkin Peanut-Butter Soup, Kristen

2009-11-02T21:18:00.000-08:00

In a large stock pot, melt 4 Tbs. butter. Add 4 cups canned pumpkin, 2 cups pureed sweet potato, 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 4 cups veggie broth, 3 tsp. salt, 1 1/2 tsp. ground pepper and a dash of cayenne. Let simmer on low 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve with a big spoonful of sour cream and maybe a sprinkling of chopped chives. (btw, I didn't do this, but if texture is a thing for you, you might want to strain the soup through a cloth.) Happy Fall!

Procrastination Peanut Butter Cookies, Kristen

2009-03-18T08:15:00.000-07:00

I won't even tell you how many projects I've "postponed" in favor of baking cookies. Here's my current favorite, Procrastination Peanut Butter...

Ingredients:

-3/4 cup peanut butter (Crunchy or creamy? It's up to you and the sort of person you are. So are you a crunchy or a creamy?)

-1/2 cup vegetable shortening

-1 1/4 cups brown sugar

-3 Tbs. milk

-1 Tbs. vanilla

-1 egg

-1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

-1 tsp. salt

-1 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 375. Beat first five ingredients on medium speed till well blended. Add egg and beat until just blended. Add flour, salt and baking soda on low speed and mix until just blended. Portion into desired size and drop 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Flatten slightly in crisscross pattern with a fork. Bake 7-8 minutes or until just beginning to brown.

I added crystalized ginger bits to some of the cookies before baking, and they were surprisingly delicious!

P.S. More projects = more cookies, so tune in next time for Midnight Macaroons, All-Nighter Almond Biscotti, and Utter Denial Chocolate Death!

Spiced Tea, Kristen

2008-12-31T10:09:00.000-08:00

This isn't my own recipe; it was popular in the 50s. My grandmother made it every year at Christmastime. It's totally vintage -the real thing!

Ingredients:

-2 cups Tang (If you can only find sugar-free Tang, it's better to use a generic brand.)

-1 cup sugar

-1/2 cup instant tea

-1 pkg Koolaid instant lemonade

-1 tsp ground cinnamon

-1/2 tsp ground cloves

Mix it all together in a jar. Add 2-3 spoonfuls to a mug of hot water. Garnish with a cinnamon quill.

When you make it, picture yourself in a blue-and-chrome kitchen wearing some sort of starched shirtdress and a lot of lipstick. And curlers.

Spiced tea is also good with a little bourbon added. Naughty housewife.

Broccoli Basil Spaghetti, Amy

2008-12-30T21:42:00.000-08:00

yum! I can't wait to try your recipe Kristen! On the menu this evening was broccoli basil spaghetti. This is the third time I have made this recipe and I still am in love with it! Chris enjoyed it too and I had to make him leave me some so I would have leftovers for lunch tomorrow. It would make a great farmer's market recipe in the summer.

whole wheat spaghetti
1 pound broccoli or broccolini separated into florets (I usually use broccoli because broccolini can be pricy)
fresh basil (about a 1/3-1/2 cup torn in pieces)
2 tbsp butter
1 can (14.5 oz) whole tomatoes
1 can (14.5 oz) stewed tomatoes
~that is my winter substitution since the tomatoes in the store now are not very tasty. in the
summer I think this would be amazing with fresh tomatoes, especially heirloom tomatoes!
grated parmigiano-reggiano or pecorino-romano cheese

Put about an inch or two of water (enough to cover broccoli) in a skillet and bring to a light boil. Put broccoli in and let it boil for about 2-3 minutes.

Put salted water onto boil for the spaghetti noodles.

After the broccoli has cooked for 2-3 minutes, drain the water and set broccoli aside. Melt 2 tbsp of butter in same pan. Once butter is melted add tomatoes and basil. You will need to mash the tomatoes a bit. Season with salt. Lower hear and simmer for about 5 minutes, add broccoli and let simmer for another 3-4 minutes. Final step, add pasta and cheese!

hint on the cheese- these cheeses can be pricey but if you buy it at whole foods they will give you just the amount you think you will need. It often comes in bigger chunks but just ask them to cut it down and they will. That way you only pay for what you need and it doesn't have quite the sticker shock! Enjoy!

Brie en Croute, Kristen

2008-12-30T12:16:00.000-08:00

My new Christmas Eve tradition! It would be so delicious with coffee after dinner. Natural-process coffees have subtle berry flavors that would pair well with the dried cherries in the pastry.

Ingredients:

-1 sheet of Pepperidge Farm puff pastry

-1/3 cup dried cherries

-1/4 cup pecans, chopped and toasted

-1/4 cup honey

-1-2 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped

-1 Brie cheese round (8-14oz)

-1 egg

-1 Tbs water

Set out pastry sheet at room temp for 30 minutes or so (till it's easy to handle).

Set oven to 400 degrees. Mix egg and water in a bowl and set aside.

Soften cherries by adding them to 1/2 cup hot water. Let stand 1 minute and then drain and pat dry. Stir cherries, pecans, rosemary and honey together in another small bowl.

Unfold pastry sheet on lightly floured surface. Pour cherry mixture into the center of the sheet. Set Brie round on top of cherries. Brush the edges of the pastry with egg mixture. Fold over cheese and press together to seal. Trim the overlapping edges and save the scraps.

Place pastry seam-side down on a baking sheet and decorate top with trimmed scraps. Brush with egg mixture and bake 20-25 minutes until it's a deep golden brown.

Before serving, let it stand at least 45 minutes.

Enjoy this! It's just the right amount of sweetness and richness for a winter evening. (When I made this I used my rosemary honey from Capitol Market in Charleston. Good memories!)

Sweet Red Bell Hummus, Kristen

2008-12-30T11:43:00.000-08:00

Since it's post-Christmas, I thought I'd put something healthier up. I for one am stuffed with treats at the moment. (P.S. the blog is SO cute, Amy! Nice job!)

Ingredients:

-1 red bell pepper, chopped and sauteed with garlic and olive oil

-2 cups chickpeas (either canned or dry; if dry, boil and leave to soak 6-8 hours)

-2/3 cup water (or liquid from boiling and soaking)

-1 Tbs tahini

-2+ Tbs lemon juice

-1+ tsp salt

-2 tsp crushed garlic

-4 grinds pepper (or so)

-a big spoonful of sugar

Blend all ingredients in blender or large food processor. Refrigerate overnight to let flavors mix (it's much better that way). Put on sandwiches, pitas, bagel chips or eat with a spoon!

We make pita chips by brushing olive oil on a few pitas, sprinkling with salt, slicing with pizza cutter and broiling for a few minutes.

BTW: Mark and I came up with this recipe while we were in CO Springs two years ago, staying at my grandma's condo and visiting you, Amy!

the long awaited blog!

2008-12-30T10:46:00.000-08:00

Well my beloved friends, it has taken forever but I have finally gotten us a blog! My sincere apologies for my long delay for which I really have no decent excuse however if I try I can come up with many bad ones! I smile as I think of you girls and the memories of WV and my stomach growls as it thinks of all the yumminess that will grace the pages of this blog. I wish that we were closer and did not have to share our lives and recipes from so far away but I'm excited none the less to connect with you gals thru our blog. And hopefully we will be able to share our food at the same table every once in a while! I nominate Kristen's cheese and fruit dessert as one of our first recipes as the pictures on facebook looked delicious!