Sunday, February 24, 2008

Kapros-tejfolos gombaleves - Hungarian mushroom soup

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups chopped onions
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
3 teaspoons paprika
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup sour cream

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Saute the onions in the butter for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute for 5 more minutes. Stir in the dill, paprika, soy sauce and broth, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
In a separate small bowl, whisk the milk and flour together. Pour this into the soup and stir well to blend. Cover and simmer for 15 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
Finally, stir in the salt, ground black pepper and sour cream. Mix together and allow to heat through over low heat, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add lemon juice. Do not boil. Serve immediately.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Double chocolate cherry cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup dried cherries


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir into the butter mixture until well blended. Mix in the chocolate chips and cherries. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for about 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or just until set. Cool slightly on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Makes 48 cookies.

Monday, February 11, 2008

Mushroom gruyere strata

1 teaspoon olive oil object
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced shallots
6 cups sliced cremini mushrooms (about 14 ounces)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
12 (1-ounce) slices hearty white bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 9 cups)
Cooking spray
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Gruyère or other Swiss cheese
1 2/3 cups fat-free milk
3 eggs
3 egg whites
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots; sauté 3 minutes or until translucent. Add mushrooms, and sauté 7 minutes or until mushrooms release moisture. Cool slightly. Stir in parsley.
Arrange half of bread in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top bread with half of the mushroom mixture and 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. Repeat layers with remaining bread, mushroom mixture, and 1/2 cup cheese.
Combine milk and next 4 ingredients (through pepper), stirring with a whisk; pour evenly over bread mixture. Cover with foil coated with cooking spray. Refrigerate for 8 hours.
Preheat oven to 350º.
Remove strata from refrigerator, and let stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Bake strata, covered, at 350º for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes or until set and golden brown. Sprinkle with chives, if desired.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Split pea soup

8 c. vegetable broth
2 c. dried green split peas
2 c. chopped celery stalks
2 c. chopped onions
2 tsp thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
2 c. chopped carrots
4 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
2 1/2 c chopped potatoes
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 pinch cayenne pepper
10 oz frozen peas
In a large pot bring to a boil broth, split peas, celery, onion, thyme and bay leaves. Reduce heat and simmer covered about 20 min or until split peas are a little soft. Add carrots, garlic, basil and oregano, bring to a second boil then continue simmering covered until split peas are very tender and are dissolving to form a thick broth. Add potato and simmer until potato is tender but still firm. Turn burner to lowest heat, add soy sauce, cayenne and peas. Heat gently stirring until peas are tender.

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Coconut lime cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
3 teaspoons grated lime rind
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup toasted unsweetened coconut

Beat butter and sugars at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add grated lime rind and lime juice, beating until blended.
Combine flour, baking soda, coconut, and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating just until blended.
Divide dough into 3 equal portions; roll each portion on wax paper to a 12-inch log. Cover and chill 8 hours.
Cut each log into 1/2 inch slices (about 28 slices), and place on lightly greased baking sheets.
Bake at 350º for 12 to 14 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Saturday, February 2, 2008

10 grain bread

1 1/3 cups + 3 tbsp warm water
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
3 tablespoons dry milk powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups bread flour
3/4 cup 10-grain cereal

Add ingredients in your breadmachine pan. Start dough cycle. When finished, transfer dough in a well-buttered 9x5 breadpan. Cover and let rise 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. When the dough is finished rising, bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Friday, February 1, 2008

Quick Minestrone Soup

1 16 oz. bag mixed vegetables (cauliflower, zucchini, lima beans, carrots, peapods)
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with juice
2 teaspoons minced garlic
6 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 cups uncooked whole wheat penne pasta
grated Parmesan cheese
In a large pot, add mixed vegetables, tomatoes with juice, garlic, vegetable broth and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil, turn down heat and simmer 15 minutes. Add penne pasta, simmer an additional 12 minutes. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.