corn souffle

Corn Souffle
from Shosh

1 can whole corn, drained
1 can creamed corn
2 eggs, beaten
1 stick of butter, melted
1 cup sour cream
8 ounces grated Swiss cheese
1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix

Mix ingredients in the order above. Pour mixture into a souffle dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake covered for 45 to 50 min. Uncover and continue baking for 20 minutes until the top is brown.

cauliflower with almonds, capers, and raisins

Cauliflower With Almonds, Capers and Raisins
from Michael Anthony, Gramercy Tavern

1 head cauliflower, trimmed of leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons fresh soft bread crumbs
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons whole almonds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons golden raisins
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley
1 teaspoon finely chopped tarragon
1 teaspoon finely sliced chives

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut cauliflower from top to bottom in 1-inch slices. Place a large ovenproof skillet over low heat and add one tablespoon butter. When it has melted, add bread crumbs and toss until toasted and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer crumbs to a plate and wipe out pan.

2. Return pan to medium heat and add one teaspoon olive oil. Add almonds and toss until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer almonds to a plate, let cool, and cut each almond into three pieces; set aside.

3. Wipe out pan and return to medium heat. Add remaining one tablespoon olive oil and cauliflower slices. Sauté until lightly browned on both sides. Transfer pan to oven and roast until tender, about 12 minutes. (I had to brown my cauliflower in batches, not having enough surface area in my pan, but tossed everything back in to roast it.) Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over low heat, melt remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter and add raisins, vinegar and 1 tablespoon water. Simmer until raisins are plump and soft, about 5 minutes; drain and set aside. In a small bowl, combine almonds, capers, raisins, parsley, tarragon and chives. Season with salt and pepper and toss to mix.

4. Arrange roasted cauliflower on a serving platter. Spoon almond-herb mixture evenly on top and sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs. Serve immediately.

Serves 2.

poached eggs in spicy tomato sauce

Shakshuka [Poached Eggs in Spicy Tomato Sauce]
Adapted from Saveur

1/4 cup olive oil
5 Anaheim chiles or 3 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed then sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained
Kosher salt, to taste
6 eggs
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Warm pitas or bread, for serving

Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add chiles and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and paprika, and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes.

Put tomatoes and their liquid into a medium bowl and crush with your hands. Add crushed tomatoes and their liquid to skillet along with 1/2 cup water, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Season sauce with salt.

Crack eggs over sauce so that eggs are evenly distributed across sauce’s surface. Cover skillet and cook until yolks are just set, about 5 minutes. Using a spoon, baste the whites of the eggs with tomato mixture, being careful not to disturb the yolk. Sprinkle shakshuka with feta and parsley and serve with pitas, for dipping.

Serves 4 to 6.

oatmeal raisin cookies

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, macadamia nuts)
1 cup raisins
3 cups oats (rolled oats or old-fashioned oats, no instant oats)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat well.

Sift flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add to first mixture and mix well. Add raisins and nuts. Add oats last.

Spoon out by rounded tablespoonfuls on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350°F. Bake for 8-9 minutes. Remove to wire rack. Cool completely.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

banana almond bread

Banana Almond Bread

1 cup all purpose or whole wheat pastry flour
¾ cup almond meal
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup roughly mashed ripe banana, about 2 bananas
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons soy milk
2 eggs
¼ cup chopped almonds
2 small bananas, cut into bite-sized chunks

Preheat oven to 375F.

Mix dry ingredients together. Mix the mashed bananas, butter, soy milk, and eggs in a separate bowl. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and stir just until incorporated. Fold in the chopped almonds and the sliced bananas.

Bake for 17-20 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins.

red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

Red Velvet Cupcake

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup beet juice (or 2 oz. red food coloring)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon white vinegar (used white balsamic vinegar, what I had on hand)
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 dozen cupcake liners

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners.

Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside. In a smaller bowl, mix beet juice (or food coloring) and cocoa powder to form a thin paste without lumps and set aside.

In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in vanilla and the red cocoa paste, scraping down the bowl with a spatula as you go. Add one third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beat well, then beat in half of the buttermilk. Beat in another third of flour mixture, then second half of buttermilk. End with the last third of the flour mixture, beat until well combined, making sure to scrape down the bowl with a spatula.

In a small bowl, mix vinegar and baking soda. Be careful as it will fizz so don't do it in a shallow bowl. Add vinegar mixture to the cake batter and stir well to combine. Fill cupcake cups with cake batter until they are a little under 3/4 full.

Place muffin tins in your preheated oven. Bake for approximately 20, rotating pans halfway through. The cupcakes are done when you are able to pat the tops and the cake springs back up. If it sinks down, they are not yet complete. Or insert a toothpick into the center of a cupcake in the center of the tin, and if it comes out clean, they are done.

Cool the cupcakes before frosting.

Makes about 2 dozen cupcakes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar.

Makes enough frosting for 2 dozen cupcakes.

a better chocolate chip cookie.

Chocolate Chip Cookie
adapted from David Lebovitz's The Great Book of Chocolate

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 1/2-inch (1cm) pieces
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (200 grams) dark chocolate chips
1 cup (130 grams) walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 300F.

Beat the sugars and butter together until smooth. Add in the egg, vanilla extract, and baking soda.

Stir in the flour and salt. Mix to combine. Add the chocolate and the walnuts to the batter.

Make ~2tbsp cookie dough balls and place them about 4 inches apart from each other on a baking sheet.

Bake for about 18 minutes, or until golden brown, and let cool.

Makes about 20 small cookies.