 This side dish has been a summer staple for as long as we have been cooking. While a traditional creamy coleslaw is a tasty addition to any bbq plate or turkey sandwich, Aunt Rose's coleslaw is a lighter alternative to any summer meal. The vinegar base gives just enough punch to cut though the fat of a pulled pork, or skirt steak, and the addition of celery seeds and dried mustard lends a spicy herbal note to the cabbage. This dish travels well, and can be doctored with whatever peppers you have in the fridge. Aunt Rose’s Coleslaw Serves 8-10 Medium head of white or red cabbage or a mix of half and half 1 small onion ¾ cup Vegetable oil ¾ cup sugar 1 cup white vinegar 1 small green pepper, seeded and shredded 3,4 carrots, peeled and shredded 1 teaspoon dried mustard 1 teaspoon celery seed 1 teaspoon salt Shred cabbage and onion in food processor and then sprinkle with salt and let stand for 1 hour. Then add dry mustard and celery seed to vegetables and set aside. Cook on low the oil, sugar and vinegar until the sugar dissolves and let cool. Pour liquid over cabbage. Top with carrots and green peppers. Do not mix. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Mix next day and serve. 
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 Summer is upon us and the farmers markets are bursting with stone fruit! One of our favorites is peaches as this versitile fruit with its juicy, tangy, sweetness can enhance both savory and sweet dishes. From pies to BBQ sauces, galettes to burrata salads, peaches make everything shine with the sweetness of the season. That was the reason we and Whatannieseating decided to organize another seasonal collaboration, #summerlovespeaches! This time we extended our reach to bakers and savory chefs alike, challenging all these talents to break out their favorite peach recipes! These inspiring instagrammers and bloggers like jojoromancer, pamelasalzman, cloudykitchen, julie_jonesuk, and bakingthegoods have come up with some amazingly creative and delicious recipes highlighting the peach, so be sure to check out their blogs and instagram accounts we've listed below. Our recipe was inspired by trips back East to visit family and a little farm stand, Briermere Farms. Their pies, baked goods, and general offerings are amazing, and their cream pies are a family favorite. They don't ship, nor give any hints about their famous recipes, and seeing that we are on the West Coast, we were forced to come up with a way to emulate and pay homage from afar. After a few tasty trial and errors, we came up with a pie which comes as close to the original as we could while still giving it our own spin. Make it and tell us how we measure up! Its creamy, sweet, sour, tangy, and luscious, everything you want in a pie and more! Fresh Peach Cream Pie with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Crust Makes one pie For Dough: (This makes enough for 2 pies) 1 cup chilled butter 4 tablespoons cream cheese 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon of salt 1 tsp. cinnamon 6 tablespoons water with ice cubes 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar 1 egg, beaten Filling: 8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened ½ cup confectioner’s sugar ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon almond extract 1 ¼ cup heavy cream 3 peaches, sliced Juice of ½ lemon 1 tablespoon of sugar For Dough: Put butter, cream cheese, 2 cups of flour, cinnamon, and salt into food processor. Pulse until you have small pea sized pieces. Add the rest of the flour and virally pulse. Pour mixture into a bowl and add vanilla, and apple cider vinegar. Add chilled water to the flour mixture and fold with a large flat spatula until dough comes together, pressing dough as you fold. Flip dough onto floured surface and push into a ball. Divide into two, and gently flatten each half into a disc. Wrap in plastic and let rest in fridge or freezer until ready to use. If freezing the dough, put in fridge the night before you want to make the tart. Preheat oven to 375 Roll out one disc of dough and place into pie dish, crimping or decorating edges, as you like. Brush with beaten egg, poke the bottom all over with a fork, and weigh down middle with pie weights, or beans. Bake until edges begin to brown, about 20-30 minutes, then remove beans and put back into oven until bottom begins to brown. Remove and cool.  Cream together the softened cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, and extracts. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until it holds soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Spoon the mixture into the cooled piecrust. Refrigerate for at least an hour and ideally several hours. Mix sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl, add peaches and stir carefully. Then, layer peaches in circles onto the filled pie.  Check out these creative chefs bringing their passion for food to their blogs and instagram accounts! www.lemonthymeandginger.com www.amandaskrip.com www.floursinyourhair.com www.pricklyfresh.com www.mindyscookingobsession.com www.cocoaandsalt.com www.thegoodcooker.com www.farmandcoastcookery.com @glutenfrites www.sproutingradiance.com www.smartinthekitchen.com www.cooksandkid.com @my.recipe.addiction @thewholeelchilada www.gobblethecook.com www.weelicious.com www.feedtheswimmers.com www.thegingeredwhisk.com www.itsavegworldafterall.com www.blossomtostem.net www.holajalapeno.com www.somethingnewfordinner.com www.foodfash.com @juangmaggie www.allomamanwhatscooking.com www.alwayseatdessert.com @whatskarencooking www.myafternoonkitchen.com @anna.culina @myloveatfirstbite www.especiallysoutherndishes.com @fabi_recipes www.easyanddelish.com @easygourmetliving @dreamingitalian @forktosummit www.playzwithfood.com @lazy_tyko @m.pontikis www.hatibon.comwww.carlydiaz.com www.flottelotte.eu @motherfoodie www.piegirlbakes.com @thegalettegirl @khabakom www.teebsie.com @ariaadjani www.wellnesswithalyssa.com @hunneedee www.measuringcupsoptional.com www.jessiesheehanbakes.com www.weeknightbite.com www.confettikitchen.com www.ful-filled.com www.lindarcampos.com @jewhungry @candacenelson www.thewoodandspoon.com Also be sure to check out our wonderful photo cards on our ETSY site! These are all cards made from our photos of all the food we make, including pie! Supplies are running out:)   As we have many gluten-free friends, we are always experimenting with different desserts to satisfy their sweet tooth's. Using the gluten-free flour mix from Trader Joe's we were able to easily convert regular cookie recipes into gluten-free! These are chewy, tender, and jam packed with nuts, cherries and of course chocolate! Gluten-free Chocolate Walnut Cherry Cookies Makes about 2 ½ dozen 2 ¼ cup gluten-free flour 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1 cup of room temperature butter ¾ cup sugar ¾ cup brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 eggs room temperature 1 cup semi sweet chocolate morsels 1 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate (about 3-4 oz) ½ cup chopped roasted walnuts ½ cup dried cherries In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the sugars, vanilla extract and the butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. In a small bowl mix flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside. Add eggs one at a time to butter sugar mixture, making sure you scrape the sides after each addition. Then add the flour mixture and mix until incorporated. Fold in the nuts, cherries and chocolate. Chill batter for 3 hours or overnight (if you can wait!) Preheat oven to 375. Scoop batter into about 1 inch balls onto a parchment lined cookie sheet, leaving room as these cookies tend to spread. Bake for 11-13 minutes.   Summer fruit, or really any season's fruit lend themselves to rustic tarts, or galettes. Once you get the basics down, they are an easy, adaptable, and delicious dessert that you can throw together for a party or just for a sweet weeknight treat. Yes, you do have to learn how to make dough, but our recipe is tried and true, and you can make it in the food processor. We always make a full batch of dough as we love having one dough at hand in the freezer. One batch makes two tarts! The dough can be jazzed up with whatever spices you like, this one has some ginger and vanilla in it, but cardamon, cinnamon and nutmeg are all tasty additions. You can also go savory with basil, oregano, or even sesame seeds and fill with veggies. We will post a recipe for a savory galette soon! It may look hard, but we promise, try it and once you make one you won't be able to stop! Mixed Fruit Galette Makes one Galette that serves about 8 ½ Batch of your favorite pie dough or store bought, enough for 1 disc 2-3 cups mixed fruit, cut into bit sized pieces (this has apricots, blueberries and strawberries) 1 lemon, juiced and zested ¼ c to 1/3 c sugar depending on the sweetness of your fruit 1/4 cup cornstarch ½ teaspoon ginger, nutmeg, or cinnamon ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 1 egg, beaten Sugar for sprinkling Preheat oven to 375 Add cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla extract, lemon zest, sugar, and spice to a bowl. Mix then add the fruit. Carefully mix fruit, but mix well so juices begin being released. Mix until cornstarch is almost dissolved then set aside. Roll out your dough on a well-floured surface. Trim sides to get as close to a circle as you can then save the scraps. Move dough onto a parchment lined baking tray preferably without a lip. Place fruit in middle of the dough and spread out, leaving about a two-inch rim around the sides. Brush with egg wash and start at twelve o’clock, folding the dough in. Work your way around the tart and use the egg wash to seal your folds. You will get about 6-8 folds resembling an octagon or hexagon. You can stop here and brush with egg wash, then sprinkle with sugar. Or, reroll scraps and have some fun with cookie cutters, using the egg wash to help stick your shapes to the tart. When done decorating, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 40-50 minutes until fruit is bubbling and dough is brown. If it browns too quickly cover with foil and keep baking. *You can also freeze before baking and then bake when you choose. It will take about 20 more minutes.  We are big lamb fans. Not only is it a source of high-quality protein, it is also an outstanding source of many vitamins and minerals, including iron, zinc, and vitamin B12. These meatballs are a super easy dinner that can be served with all sorts of dips like hummus and tzatziki, and pita. We like to make these into little pita pockets as the kids will eat anything that looks like a burrito! They are bright in flavor, a unique twist with the orange zest, and the spices give them just enough kick to keep things interesting. And, the best thing is they easily can be on the table in under thirty minutes! Easy Lamb Meatballs Makes about 8-10 meatballs 1 lb ground lamb 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon of minced cilantro 1 tablespoon Za’atar 1 tsp. salt zest of half an orange 2 tsp. smoked paprika 1 tsp. coriander 1 tsp. olive oil Preheat oven to 400 degrees Mix all together with your hands and scoop into 1 ½ inch round balls. Place on a cookie sheet Bake for about 20 minutes Serve with Pita and Tzatziki   We have a thing for pie and especially apple pie. This is a riff on Grandma Ceil's award winning apple pie. She didn't do the caramel part, but her pies were always on point. Apples are pretty much always in season somewhere so play around with the different varieties you find. By creating a caramel first, the flavors of the apples and the honey really shine. And, yes, we also have a thing for #pieart. Grab your favorite cookie cutters or practice the braids you did as a child and have FUN! Caramel Apple Pie 1 9 “ pie 1 batch of your favorite pie dough or store bought, you need 2 discs 6 large apples, peeled, cored and sliced Juice of ½ lemon 2 tablespoons flour 2 tablespoons tapioca flour ½ tsp. cinnamon ½ cup butter ¼ cup white honey ½ cup brown sugar Pinch of salt 1 egg whisked Sugar for sprinkling Preheat oven 425 Place apples in a large bowl and toss with lemon juice, flour, and cinnamon. Set aside. In a sauté pan on medium high heat add butter, honey, and brown sugar with a pinch of salt. Swirl pan carefully to mix and let mixture get bubbly. Watch carefully and keep swirling or stirring until the caramel thicken slightly and begins to brown. Add in apples and stir to coat for one minute. Remove from heat and set aside. Remove dough from refrigerator and let warm up for ten minutes. Roll one disc out until about 1/8 inch thick and line pie dish. Leaving over hanging dough. Fill with apples and then roll our second disc. Cover apples with dough and crimp the edges together either with a fork or rolling and using your fingertips to pinch along the edges. With a sharp knife make some small slits on the top to let steam out. You can make little trees or arrows. You can also create a lattice with strips and braids or play with cookie cutters. You just want to leave some negative space so steam can escape. Brush with the whisked egg and sprinkle with sugar. Place in oven and after 10 minutes drop heat to 350 and cook for another 40 minutes or until apples are soft when tested with a knife or tooth pick. If the pie is browning to quickly cover the tip with tinfoil. Let rest before cutting. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream   Our First Product Launch! We are very excited to announce that we are launching our first project! Three sets of limited edition 3"x 5" blank note cards! We have made the cards with all the photos we have taken of food over the last few months. Each set contains 8 cards and 8 envelopes and are thematic: Farmers Market, Baked Goods and On the Table(above). *Limited Supply Head over to our Etsy store to buy!!! https://www.etsy.com/shop/Squaremealroundtable?ref=hdr_shop_menu    This easy dip or condiment enhances most dishes with which its paired. It cuts through the richness of lamb and adds a creamy dimension to falafel. It also makes a great dip with veggies and pita. Serve it as a side for any grilled meat you are throwing on the fire this summer. The littlest chef can easily help mix and let the other kids get in on the grating. If you have any left, thin with a bit of water and instantly you have a tasty dressing for your next dinner. Cucumber Tzatziki Makes about 2 cups ½ large cucumber, grated juice of 1/2 lemon zest of 1 lemon 3 cloves of garlic, minced finely ½ tsp. of salt 1 cup plain Greek yogurt 2 tablespoons minced chives Mix all the ingredients and enjoy! Serve with falafel, lamb or lamb meatballs or just as a dip with pita.   The affinity for this dip rests primarily in its luscious color! Who can resist that shade of fuchsia as we certainly eat with our eyes! Beets are a true superfood and a wonderful way to add sweetness to any dish, that aforementioned color, and a ton of vitamin c, fiber, potassium and manganese. Using them in hummus gives a nice twist to a mediterranean classic. Beet Hummus 1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed 2 garlic cloves 1 large red beet, roasted, peeled and cooled* 1 tsp of salt 2 tablespoons tahini 1/2 cup Olive Oil 1 tsp Zaatar 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tsp lemon zest Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with chips, pita or veggies. *to roast beets, remove stems and leaves and wrap in tin foil. Place in 400 degree oven and roast until easily pierced with a knife. Rub off skin and cool.  Collaborations with other chefs allow us to experiment and in experimentation comes some risk and some rewards. These cookies were certainly a reward! In honor of @holajalapeno and the margarita week she is inspiring, we went cookie as we hardly ever go actual margarita. (Mom is a vodka girl!) These cookies are not too sweet, tender, with a hint of lime. Dare you to eat just one! And, they are safe for the kids to eat as the alcohol burns off in the baking. Strawberry Margarita Cookies
about 1 dozen cookies 1/2 cup butter, softened 3/4 cup of sugar 1 egg 2 tsp Tequila 1 tsp lime juice 1 tsp lime zest 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1 1/2 cups of flour 1/8 cup diced fresh strawberries (dice small and if you have a little more its ok) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Cream together the butter and the sugar. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and lime zest. Set aside. When sugar and butter has lightened in color and become fluffy, add the egg, the lime juice and the tequila. Mix and then add the flour a little at a time until it is incorporated. Add diced strawberries and mix just until evenly placed in batter. Roll dough into 1 to 1 1/2 inch balls in your hand and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for about 15-16 minutes until the bottoms just begin to brown.  2017 has become the year of chili for the little boys of the family and any time we can get protein and vegetables into their growing bodies is a win. The smallest child hates anything that even looks like vegetable, so the fact that he downs this without hesitation is a wonderful wonder. The sweet potato addition is courtesy of goop and Gwyneth Paltrow's chili recipe and we like how it imparts a sweet and heartiness to the dish. We keep this chili mild as we don't want to jinx a good thing, but the combo of spices still brings lots of flavor and smokiness. You could certainly add a jalapeño to kick it up a notch, and that would be a tasty addition. Turkey Chili with Sweet Potatoes and Sweet Peppers Serves 6-8 1 can of black beans, rinsed 1 can of kidney beans, rinsed 1 box of diced tomatoes 1.5 lbs of ground dark meat turkey 2 stalks of celery, diced 1 yellow onion, diced 3 gloves of garlic, minced 2 cups of turkey broth or chicken broth 1/2 cup of sweet peppers, diced (this can be a regular bell pepper) 3 carrots, peeled and diced 1 large sweet potato, diced 1 tsp oregano 1 tsp ancho chili pepper 1/2 tsp mustard powder 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp coriander 2 tsp red chili powder 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp cumin 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tsp salt In a large soup pot or deep saucepan, add 1 tsp of olive oil over medium high heat. Add your onions and 1 tsp of salt and cook a few minutes until beginning to soften. Add garlic, celery, carrots, peppers, and your sweet potatoes and cook over medium heat until all is beginning to brown and soften. Push the veggies to the side and add the rest of your olive oil. Add your turkey and spread out along the half of the pan bottom without disturbing for two minutes. Them mix all together and cook until meat is cooked through. Add your spices, the rest of your salt and mix. Add in the stock and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn heat to medium low and simmer for about 40 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with cheese, cilantro, lime, avocado and sour cream, and let everyone decide!   We are always game to trying something new and when Zest Tea, @getzesttea, sent us some apple cinnamon tea to try, we thought "why not bake with it?" The results were by far the best muffins we have made in awhile. Adding the additional layer of flavor the tea imparted to the butter, really made these muffins sing! The apple cinnamon flavor was pronounced, not lost in the baking. We are definitely going to play around with some other flavors of tea and will let you know how they turn out! A friend suggested ear grey and cherries.....yummy! Apple Cinnamon Tea infused Muffins Makes 10-12 ½ cup or 1 stick of unsalted butter ¼ cup loose apple cinnamon tea 1 ½ cups flour ¾ cups sugar plus 1 tablespoon 1 ½ tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. salt 1 tsp. cinnamon plus ½ tsp. ½ cup milk 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract 1 egg 1 cup grated apples, about 1 large apple. Preheat oven to 375 Grease muffin pan with cooking spray or butter and set aside. To make your tea infused butter, melt butter then add the tealeaves. Let heat over low for about five minutes, it will continue bubbling. Remove from heat and set aside for another few minutes. Butter will look a little green, but don’t worry! Using a fine meshed strainer or sieve, pour butter through and push on leaves, squeezing out all you can. Set aside. In a medium bowl, add flour, ¾ cups of sugar, baking powder, salt and 1 tsp. of cinnamon. In another bowl, add egg and gently whisk. Add to egg, the vanilla, tea infused butter, and milk and mix. Add to flour, with the apples and stir until all is incorporated. Mix remaining sugar and cinnamon in small bowl and set aside. Scoop batter into muffin cups, filling about ¾ of the way. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake for 20-23 minutes until slightly brown on top and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan, then remove and serve.   We are very excited to share this spring recipe with you! We are doing an instagram collaboration with Annie Garcia of @whatannieseating, www.whatannieseating.com and a host of other wonderful chefs to celebrate the PEA! Spring has sprung and it is time to start coming out of hibernation. The colors are brightening, the food gets a little sweeter and a little lighter. This recipe is one of my mom's specialties. She is a brave cook who tosses caution to the wind and often embarks on bigger cooking projects than I do in the day to day. This homemade ravioli with sugar snap pea puree is a wonderful recipe that celebrates all we love about spring. The filling has just a hint of sweetness and the simple garlic sauce lets the peas shine. If you don't have time to make the ravioli, simply do the sauce with store bought, no harm no foul! Sugar Snap Pea Puree Ravioli with Garlic Butter Sauce 5-dozen or so Ravioli For filling: 1 ½ cups of fresh sugar snap peas, shelled ¼ cup chives, minced 1/3 cup of vegetable broth ½ teaspoon of salt 3 oz. fresh mozzarella For ravioli dough: 3 cups flour 4 eggs 3 tablespoons of milk 1 egg yolk, whisked For Sauce: 1 stick of butter 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup shelled peas 1/2 tsp salt For dough, place flour, eggs and milk into stand mixer with paddle attachment and mix until dough forms. Remove from mixer and knead on counter until smooth. You can also do this in a food processor. Let rest for half an hour. For filling, steam peas until crisp tender, then puree in blender with vegetable broth and salt. Add mozzarella and briefly blend. Fold in Chives and set aside. Divide dough into quarters and run through pasta machine. Start at 1, run through then fold into thirds. Rotate so seams face the machine then repeat 2 more times. Then, continue process until you reach 6 on the machine. Lie out sheets of pasta and place 1 teaspoon of filling every inch, inch and a half. Dab egg yolk along edges and in between filling then cover with another sheet of pasta. Run over edges with your fingers and cut with a ravioli cutter or knife into a square. Place finished ravioli on a floured board. You can also use cookie cutters In a sauté pan, place butter, and garlic. Slowly melt butter and when it is foamy, turn heat to low and add peas and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring water to a boil and drop in ravioli, don’t crowd the pot. When ravioli floats to the surface, they are done, about 2-3 minutes. Toss with sauce and serve immediately. *for garnish, you can steam a few whole sugar snap peas and toss with pasta and sauce. *Uncooked ravioli can be easily frozen. Place on a sheet tray and freeze individually, then once frozen combine into a Ziploc for future use. *if making pasta is too time consuming, serve sauce with pre-made cheese ravioli Be sure the check out these wonderful instagram accounts, blogs, and the hashtag, #easypeasyforspring to see what recipes they came up with to celebrate spring and the pea! Here are their instragram names: @Bondandtaylor, @Amandaskrip, @Thegirlfromthe3rdfloor, @Pricklyfresh , @Mindyscookingobsession, @Cocoaandsalt, @theGoodcooker, @Blackthornpublishing, @Days_of_food, @Marypardoux, @Smartinthekitchen, @Cooksandkid, @My.recipe.addiction, @Thewholeelchilada, @Gobblethecook, @Weelicious , @Pamelasalzman, @Feedtheswimmers @Gingeredwhisk, @Its_a_vegworld_afterall, @Blossomtostem, @whatannieseating, @holajalapeno @somethingnewfordinner And, here are their blogs: www.amandaskrip.com, www.thegirlfromthe3rdfloor.com, www.pricklyfresh.com www.mindyscookingobsession.com, www.thegoodcooker.com, www.foodjournalmagazine.com, www.daysoffood.com, www.smartinthekitchen.com, www.cooksandkid.com, www.thewholeelchilada.com www.gobblethecook.com www.weelicious.com, www.pamelasalzman.com, www.thegingeredwhisk.com www.itsavegworldafterall.com www.blossomtostem.com www.holajalapeno.com www.somethingnewfordinner.com www.cocoaandsalt.com  These cookies are nutty and chocolatey, two things that are always a win. We have been playing around with different nut butters and different flours, and this cookie is a nice addition to your arsenal as it gives you the feel of a chocolate chip cookie and is good for your gluten-free friends or family. We have a version on the site with peanut butter that does not have any type of flour whatsoever in it, but the almond flour in this cookie gives the cookie a heartier bite. Maybe we can then eat them for breakfast? Gluten Free Chocolate Almond Cookies Makes about 1 dozen cookies 2 eggs 1 cup almond butter 1 cup brown sugar ½ cup almond flour 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup dark chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350 In a medium bowl whisk the eggs, then add the rest of the ingredients. Once dough comes together, roll into about inch size balls. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 11-13 minutes depending on your oven. Let cool on the sheet pan as cookies are crumbly when they are removed from the oven.  When the kids hear they can have cookies for breakfast, they are super psyched! And, well, these cookies pack enough punch to get them fueled up while they think they are pulling one over on us. They are sort of like the cookie version of loaded oatmeal, filled with lots of oats, dried fruit and coconut oil. You could add a tablespoon or two of almond butter or a 1/4 cup of chopped nuts to the dough if you wanted a hit of protein, but we leave them out as the kids school is nut free and these are also great as school snacks. Breakfast Cookies Makes about 1 dozen ½ cup applesauce ½ cup dried cherries or cranberries ½ cup oats ¼ cup oat flour ½ tsp. cinnamon ¼ tsp. nutmeg ½ tsp. vanilla extract 1 tbsp. coconut oil 1 egg ¼ cup brown sugar ¼ c mini chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350 In a large mixing bowl whisk egg, oil, and applesauce. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until incorporated. Chill in refrigerator for 20 minutes Scoop dough into about 1 inch balls and place on cookie sheet Bake for 14 minutes   We are always experimenting with different pastas that do not have a tomato base, as Mom hates cooked tomatoes. This pasta came together on a rainy night with what we had in the crisper. The little ones have been enthusiastic about eating Zucchini, so perhaps we over bought, hoping to strike while the new taste affection was hot. This was a way to use up the last lonely one! By using fresh pasta, the only thing that you are really waiting on is the zucchini to soften and brown, whereby making this a twenty minute supper. The combo of lemon, Parmesan, and garlic is classic and adding a hint of vinegar adds a layer of flavor to this quick cooking sauce. Enjoy! *This pasta is great also with no pasta at all! Use a spiralizer or a mandoline to cut the Zucchini into noodles or ribbons. Use 3 large Zucchini if omitting the pasta. Follow recipe for sauce just omitting the Zucchini from the sauce. Blanch them in the boiling water until al dente and finish the same way. Zucchini, Spinach, Garlic and Lemon Linguini Serves 2-4 1 package fresh linguini 4 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons Olive Oil 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped 1 large zucchini, diced ½ tsp. salt plus ½ tsp. salt ½ pound baby Spinach, rinsed zest of half a lemon juice of half a lemon 1 tablespoon coconut vinegar or rice vinegar ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese Begin boiling water for linguini. In a large sauté pan add butter and Olive oil on medium high heat. When butter begins to foam, add garlic and zucchini. Add first ½ tsp salt. When the veggies begin to brown add your pasta to the water to cook. Add spinach, lemon zest, lemon juice and vinegar along with the rest of the sale to the zucchini and stir until spinach wilts. Add two ladles of pasta water and stir until water thicken slightly. When pasta is cooked, add to vegetables and mix, adding in the cheese. If you need a little more pasta water, add now. Serve with extra cheese.  We love chocolate and salt and together they make a tasty combination. This cookie is a full on chocolate explosion, however, with the bits of salty pretzels thrown in, it has a delicious balance. Soft and crunchy, salty and sweet. They are ridiculous right out of the oven when the chocolate is still melty and warm, but the kids like dipping cool cookies in milk. Either way its a winner! Chocolate Chocolate Pretzel cookies Makes about 2 dozen cookies 2 c flour ¼ c unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. salt 1-cup butter ½ cup sugar 1-cup light brown sugar, gently packed 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 tsp. espresso powder or finely ground espresso 2 eggs 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks or chips 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chunks or chips 1/4 c pretzels, roughly chopped, plus small whole ones for topping Preheat oven to 350 In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars together until light al fluffy. In a large bowl whisk together the flour cocoa powder, baking soda, espresso and salt. Set aside. Add eggs one at a time to the creamed sugar, making sure you scrape the sides as you go. Add vanilla extract. Then, slowly add the dry ingredients. When everything looks combined, add your chocolate and your pretzels. Do not over mix. Scoop dough into 1 inch to 1.5-inch balls and place on cookie sheet. If topping with whole pretzels, squish one into the ball and slightly press down so the pretzel sits in the dough, not just on top. Bake for 9-11 minutes and cool. Serve with milk!  This gives everyone a little of what they want. The kids get their cheese and pasta fix, the adults get a little lighter version of a lasagna, and any gluten free eaters have a hearty main dish. When the kids were little this actually could pass as noodles, wink wink, but they have gotten more savvy over the years. Substituting the squash for the pasta lightens up the dish and also provides a nice sweetness. Spaghetti Squash Casserole Serves 6-8 3 spaghetti squashes, cut in half with the seeds removed 2-3 cups tomato sauce or Bolognese sauce depending on preference 1 cup ricotta cheese 1 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped ½ cup grated parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons olive oil plus 2 tablespoons more for tossing Preheat oven to 400. Using 2 tablespoons olive oil, rub cut side of squash and place face down on a baking sheet. Bake until squash are tender and easily pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes. Let cool and then using a fork, scrape flesh from skin. When all the squash resembles noodles, toss with remaining olive oil and set aside. Drop oven temperature to 350. In a small bowl mix ricotta, salt, pepper and nutmeg. In your casserole, place a few ladles of sauce, then scatter about half of the squash. On top of squash, spread most of the ricotta leaving a few tablespoons to drop on the top, and half of the remaining sauce. Scatter half of the mozzarella then the remaining squash. Add the remaining sauce, mozzarella, and scatter over the top the parmesan, basil, and the rest of the ricotta. Place in oven and cook until cheese and sauce is bubbly, about 30 minutes. If the top is browning too quickly, loosely place tin foil over the top and continue cooking. When cooked, remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Makes one 11 x 13inch casserole  We were getting sick of banana bread, if that is possible, and the kids decided for the week that they were not eating bananas. So, we tried a banana cake and said kids went crazy for it! The seven-year old ate most of it by himself for breakfasts many days in a row. We topped ours with a chocolate ganache but feel free to top with cream cheese frosting or vanilla ice cream. The cake is not too sweet and very moist thanks to the buttermilk and the graham flour gives it a nice texture. Banana Cake Makes 1 9 inch cake 2-3 ripe bananas, mashed 1 ½ c flour 1 ½ c graham flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. cinnamon ½ tsp. nutmeg ½ tsp. salt ¾ c canola or coconut oil 1 c sugar ½ c light brown sugar 3 eggs, whisked 2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 ½ cup buttermilk Preheat oven to 350 degrees Spray or butter your cake pan so batter will not stick and set aside. In large bowl whisk together the flour, graham flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg and set aside. In a stand mixer or bowl with a hand mixer cream the oil and the sugars together for about 2 minutes. Add the mashed bananas, the eggs and the vanilla and briefly beat until mixed. Then add the dry ingredients alternating with the buttermilk and ending with the dry ingredients. (Dry can be done in 3 parts.) Batter will be lumpy so do not over mix. Pour batter into prepared cake pan and bake for 45-50 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. *Frosting is optional: you can top with your favorite cream cheese frosting or drizzle with chocolate ganache.   This dish is in heavy rotation in our house as all generations enjoy it. It can be made in under thirty minutes so makes for a great weeknight meal. Get the kids involved in separating the lettuce leaves and mixing the sauce. The grown-ups like to add a little heat in the wrapping process. We like this meal as for kids it has lots of veggies, good protein and usual the plates come back clean. Minced Chicken in Lettuce Cups Serves 2-4 1 lb. ground chicken meat 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 small zucchinis, diced 2 carrots, diced 4 scallions, diced ¼ tsp salt 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, finely minced Lettuce leaves, either iceberg, butter, or Boston Bibb 2 tsp. plus 2 tablespoons sesame oil 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 2 tablespoons Mirin 4 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tsp. marmalade (orange, apricot, lemon) ½ tsp. brown sugar ½ tsp. sesame seeds In a small bowl mix 2 tsp. sesame oil, the rice wine vinegar, Mirin, soy sauce, marmalade, and brown sugar. Set aside. Sautee garlic, ginger, and 1 tablespoon sesame oil, then add zucchini, carrots, and scallions. Add salt. Sautee until everything begins to brown and begins to get tender. Push all the vegetables to the side of sauté pan and add the remaining sesame oil, then the chicken. Cook until chicken is cooked all the way through then mix the veggies and chicken together. Add sauce and cook for two minutes until sauce thickens and reduces slightly. Serve in lettuce cups with rice. 
This is one of our go to proteins for any special occasion. We just made it for New Year's Eve and didn't have one slice left! It maybe a bit decadent in terms of cuts of meat, but it is a crowd pleaser everytime. So easy and simple to make, you just roast and leave to sit and finish cooking, then slice! Done! We keep the spices simple, but you could certainly take this tenderloin in any direction, using whatever dried spices are your favorite. Serve with chimichurri or a horseradish sauce. Beef Tenderloin Serves 12 or 8 with leftovers 1 3-4 lb beef tenderloin, at room temperature salt and pepper to taste olive oil to cover about 1/4 cup Preheat oven to 450F degrees. Rub tenderloin with olive oil, Kosher salt & ground pepper. (Or whatever other spices you like for your meats.) Roast 40 min at 450 F. Let stand 20 minutes outside of oven tented with Aluminum foil before slicing. *you MUST let the tenderloin rest, this is where the cooking finishes and all the juices return to the meat.  Canned pumpkin is something we always have in our pantry no matter the time of year. It lends a earthy, tenderness to cakes and we have even used it as a way to vary a basic tomato sauce. It also can be added to hummus to give it a different spin or heated low and slow on the stove with some brown sugar to become a pumpkin butter for breakfast toasts. This cake is a yummy take on a classic coffee cake, and trust us it wont last long. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Streusel Cake For the cake: 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup whole wheat flour 2 teaspoons of cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon baking soda 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 3/4 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup brown sugar 1 large egg 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 cup canned pumpkin puree 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips For the streusel: 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/3 cup whole wheat flour ½ cup packed light brown sugar ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks ½ cup chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray or rub with butter. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugars until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla until well blended. Add the pumpkin puree. Reduce speed to low, and mix in the flour mixture until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan. To make the streusel, in a medium bowl, combine the flours, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add in the butter, using your fingers or a knife, and cut butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Sprinkle streusel evenly over the top of the cake. Next, sprinkle the chocolate chips over the cake. Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until the sides pull away from the pan and a toothpick comes out clean. Place cake on a wire rack and cool completely. Cut into squares and serve.  We've become a little obsessed with these fruit bars. This version we made for bookclub and the raspberry and lime combo was amazing. Sweet and tart with a little floral note from the almond extract. The graham flour was an experiment and it gave the bars a nice chew, and a slightly more dense bite which pared well with some Vanilla Ice cream. Graham Raspberry Lime Crumble Bar Makes one 8 inch round cake or square Pyrex 1 ½ cups of Graham Flour ½ cup brown sugar ½ tsp. baking powder ¼ tsp. salt Zest of 1 lime ½ cup butter 1 egg ½ cup sugar Juice of 1 lime 2 tsp. cornstarch ½ tsp. almond extract 2 ½ cups raspberries Preheat oven to 375 Grease an 8’ inch cake or Pyrex baking dish. In a medium bowl mix flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and lime zest. Then add in the cold butter and egg, cutting it in with a pastry cutter or fork. You can also use your fingers to break up any large pieces of butter. Once the mixture resembles crumbs, press half into the pan. In another bowl, add sugar, lime juice, cornstarch and almond extract and mix. Carefully stir in berries. Spread fruit with juices evenly on top of dough and sprinkle with remaining dough. You want some fruit peeking out. Bake 40-45 minutes until fruit is bubbling and topping is golden brown. Cool before slicing.   The kids were craving cookie...or maybe we were (wink) so here are some cookies with a healthyish twist. We always like adding oatmeal to any baked good as it ups the fiber and whole grains in anything (and somehow saying its an oatmeal cookie) makes it sound healthier. The mix of the two kinds of chocolates gives you some morsels that hold their shape and other chunks that melt and get gooey, just how we like it! Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies Makes about 2 dozen 1 cup of butter, room temperature ½ cup brown sugar 1 cup sugar ½ cup rolled oats 1 ¾ cup flour 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking soda 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla extract ½ cup golden raisins 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips 1 cup bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate chunks, or a baking chocolate chopped up Preheat oven to 375 Line tray with parchment In a stand mixer place butter and sugars and cream together with paddle attachment until light and fluffy In a separate bowl whisk oats, flour, salt and baking soda When sugar and butter mixture is ready, add in the eggs one at a time, scraping down side after each addition. Add the Vanilla extract and then, slowly add in the flour mixture. Mix until just incorporated and add the raisins then the chocolate. Do not over mix. Scoop whatever size cookies you like and bake for about 10-11 minutes until slightly brown.  Somehow by magic, the now seven year old has decided this is his favorite cake. Not, chocolate, not some basic vanilla buttercream frosted, but this carrot cake. It feels like a gift, and while we may not be cake boss decorators, he loved his (healthy) birthday cake. This is filled with carrots, warming spices and the tangy sweet frosting provides a nice balance of flavors. We don't put raisins in our carrot cake, but feel free to stir in a half cup after processing everything together. Carrot Cake Serves: 10-12 (4 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped 1 cup of pecans or walnuts 1 cup brown sugar ½ cup granulated sugar 1 cup all purpose flour 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon of baking soda 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1/4 tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla extract ½ cup vegetable oil ¼ cup Greek yogurt 2 eggs Preheat the oven to 325 F. Butter a 10-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. You could also use a square pyrex baking dish. In a food processer process the carrots and nuts until finely chopped. Add the rest of the ingredients and process, scraping down the bowl occasionally, until combined. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until when tested with a toothpick or wooden skewer, it comes out clean. Allow cake to cool completely in the pan before turning out and frosting. For frosting: 1 cup cream cheese, chopped and softened ¼ cup fresh ricotta or goat cheese 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar 1 tablespoon lemon juice ½ tsp vanilla extract zest of 1 lemon Combine all the ingredients in the food processor and process until smooth. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. It helps to have frosting at room temperature before frosting cake. |
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