Double batch brownies

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 tsps. vanilla extract
4 eggs
3/4 cup cocoa
4 tbsps. oil
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup unbleached flour

Pre-heat oven to 325 F. Cream sugar and butter in a large bowl. Add vanilla then eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add cocoa and oil, mix well. add salt and flour, mix well. Pour into 13 x 9 in. pan coated with butter spray, spread. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until top cracks and when tested, a little soft batter remains on tester.

Pumpkin curry soup

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 large red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tsps mild curry powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 cups peeled, diced potatoes (about 2 large)
5 cups vegetable broth
1 29 oz. can pumpkin puree
1 cup half and half

Heat olive oil; add onion, sautee until translucent - about 3 minutes. Add garlic, sautee for 1 minute. Add spices (curry+garam masala) and sautee for 1 minute. Add potatoes and 3 cups of broth, heat until boiling. Turn down heat, simmer for 15 minutes. Add pumpkin puree, salt and pepper and remaining 2 cups of broth, heat until boiling, then turn down heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Puree soup in two batches in blender; return to pot, add 1 cup half and half. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Potato salad

5 potatoes
3 eggs
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Greek yoghurt


Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool, peel and chop.
Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; boil eggs fro 10 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.
In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, eggs, celery, onion, garlic salt, mustard, pepper, yoghurt and mayonnaise. Mix together well and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Pumpkin orange pecan bread

1 large orange
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/3 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup chopped pecans


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
Cut orange into wedges, and remove seeds. Place orange, peel and all, in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped; set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the pumpkin, water, and the ground orange. Mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir into batter just until moistened. Stir in nuts. Spoon into the prepared loaf pan.
Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes, then remove from pan, and cool on a wire rack.

Black and white cupcake

Cream cheese filling:

8 oz (227gr) cream cheese, room temperature

1/3 C (65 gr) sugar

1 large egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate cupcakes:

1 1/2 C(195 gr) all-purpose flour

1 C (210gr) light brown sugar

1/3 C (30 gr) natural unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 C (240 ml) water

1/3 C (80 ml) vegetable/canola oil

1 tbsp white vinegar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Black Bottom Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners, or generously butter or spray each cup with a non stick vegetable spray.

Cream Cheese Filling: In your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar, egg, and vanilla extract and beat until creamy and smooth. Set aside while you make the Chocolate Cupcake batter.

Chocolate Cupcakes: In a large bowl sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl mix the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla extract. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ingredients until nice and smooth. Evenly divide the batter among the 12 muffin cups. Then spoon a few tablespoons of the cream cheese filling into the center of each cupcake.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, or until the cream cheese filling is a little brown and the cupcakes feel springy to the touch (a toothpick inserted into the chocolate part of the cupcake will come out clean). Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

Makes 12 cupcakes

Recipe from "The Joy of Baking"

Garden fresh tomato and herb salad

3 medium to large ripe tomatoes, diced
1/2 large cucumber quartered, and then sliced
1 small green pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 C. chopped fresh basil
1/4 C. chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp basamic vinegar
salt and freshly ground pepper

Mix first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl, and pour over veggies. Mix well. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
3 large eggs
1 large egg white
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (8-ounce) carton lemon low-fat yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°.

Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 5 minutes). Add eggs and egg white, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 tablespoons flour and blueberries in a small bowl, and toss well. Combine remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in blueberry mixture and vanilla; pour cake batter into a 10-inch buttered and floured tube pan. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Tzatziki - Greek cucumber-yogurt salad

1 16 oz container Greek yogurt

1 large English/hothouse cucumber, peeled, coarsly grated

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp fresh or 1 tsp dried dill

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, refrigerate at least an hour.

Black bean mango salsa

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 mango, peeled and chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 large red onions chopped
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
juice of one fresh lime
grated peel of lime
2 tbsps chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Stir together ingredients in a medium bowl; cover and chill 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Serve with tortilla chips.

Roasted red pepper and gabranzo bean dip

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 (16-ounce) can garnazo beans, rinsed and drained
1 (7-ounce) bottle roasted red bell peppers, rinsed and drained
2 large garlic cloves
2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place first 5 ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. With processor on, slowly add oil through food chute. Stir in salt and black pepper.

Moroccan Couscous

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
1 red, green, or yellow bell pepper, cut into 1" pieces
2 zucchinis, halved lengthwise and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 teaspoon kosher salt
grated zest of one orange
1 (14.5 ounce) can low sodium garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup whole wheat couscous


Place a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Stir in the cumin, ginger, cloves, cayenne, cardamom, coriander, and allspice; gently toast until fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in oil and onion, cook until softened. Stir in the bell pepper, and zucchini; cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the raisins, salt, zest, and garbanzos.
Pour in the broth and orange juice; turn heat to high and bring to a boil. When the mixture is boiling, stir in the couscous and remove from heat; cover, and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

4th of July Cheesecake

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
2 (8 ounce) packages 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
1 cup light sour cream
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 eggs
about 1/2 cup blueberries

about 1/2 box strawberries, quartered

Combine crumbs, 2 tablespoons sugar and butter. Pat mixture into the bottom of a 7 x 11 inch rectangular pan. Bake on 325 for about 10 minutes.
Mash cream cheese until soft and creamy. Gradually beat in sour cream, 3/4 cup sugar, vanilla and flour. Beat in eggs one at a time.
Pour mixture into crumb-lined pan. Bake in a preheated 325 degree F (165 degrees C) oven for 1 hour or until firm to the touch.

place blueberries in the top left corner, and create lines with the strawberries.

Polenta pizzette with bruschetta and parmesan topping

1 tube polenta with garlic and basil
1 jar tomato bruschetta
4 tbsps freshly grated parmesan
freshly grated black pepper

Preheat boiler, line baking sheet with aluminum foil. Coat aluminum foil with vegetable spray. Slice polenta in 1/4 inch thick slices, arrange on prepared sheet. Broil each side until they start turning golden around the edges. Spoon about a tbsp of bruschetta on each polenta slice, and top with parmesan and pepper. Broil until cheese melts on top.

Ginger carrot soup with thyme

1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tbsp butter
2 tsps fresh ginger
1 tsp thyme
2 lbs baby carrots
1 large potato, chopped
5 cups of vegetable stock
about 1 cup milk
salt and pepper according to taste

Saute chopped garlic and onion in melted butter until onion is translucent. Add ginger and thyme, and saute for a minute. Add carrots and chopped potato, saute for a couple of minutes. Add stock, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Simmer until veggies are tender, then puree with a hend-held blender or in a food processor. Add milk to desired consistency, and bring back to a boil.

Blackberry cheesecake

1 prepared graham cracker crust
2 packages cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tbsp half and half, or cream
2 large eggs
2 cups fresh or defrosted blackberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and half and half in large bowl until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until well mixed in. Pour mix in graham cracker crust. Place crust on middle shelf in preheated oven, bake for 35-40 minutes, or until set in middle. Cool on wire rack, top with berries.

Trader Joe's rice mix, peas and parmesan

1 cup Trade Joe's brown rice medley
2 1/2 cups water
1 tbsp butter
about 1 cup frozen peas
freshly grated parmesan, according to taste

Bring water to boil. Add butter and rice medley, simmer for about 35 minutes. Add peas, cook until peas warm up. Add freshly grated parmesan.

Parmesan-cream cheese pinwheels

2 8oz tubs crescent rolls
1 8oz package light cream cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
dash of garlic salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix together cream cheese, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and garlic salt.
Roll out crescent rolls. Put two triangles together to form a rectangle, and spread some of the cheese mixture evenly over it, covering the whole rectangle. Roll up starting at shorter side of the rectangle. Cut into 4 pieces, lay pieces on lightly greased cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining crescent rolls and cream cheese mixture. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until golden - don't over bake. Cool on wire rack.

White chocolate chip oatmeal cookies

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats

1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375°F.
In a large bowl using an electric mixer combine the sugar, brown sugar and butter; mix well to cream together. Add in egg and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Add the cinnamon, baking soda, salt and flour and mix well. Fold in the oatmeal and white chocolate chips- making sure that all ingredients are uniformly distributed.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place 3 inches apart onto a greased cookie sheet and bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes, just until the edges are lightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool for 2-3 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer cookies to cooling rack.

Calamari Rings with Lime Dipping Sauce

half of an 8 oz key lime yogurt
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp fish sauce
1/2 tbsp lime juice

mix ingredients - refrigerate for 1 hour

Calamari rings are baked according to package directions - from Tader Joe's

Cardamom orange cookie

1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
grated peel of one orange
1/3 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup butter
1 beaten egg
2 tablespoons of orange juice

Sift together flour, sugar, and spices; stir in peel and almonds. Cut in margarine till mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in egg and juice till mixture forms a ball. Shape into a 2 1/2 in wide log, chill for an hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut log into 1/4 in wide circles. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, bake for 8 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Broccoli Cheese Quiche

2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, minced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3 eggs, well beaten
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Over medium-low heat melt butter in a large saucepan. Add onions, garlic and broccoli. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of cheese on the bottom of the crust. Spoon vegetables into crust and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Combine eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until center has set.

Moroccan Lentil Soup

1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
6 cups stock
1 cup lentils
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
1 (19 ounce) can cannellini or kidney beans
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil

In large pot saute; the onion, garlic, and ginger in a little olive oil for about 5 minutes.
Add the stock, lentils, chick peas, white kidney beans, diced tomatoes, carrots, celery, garam masala, cardamom, paprika and cumin. Bring to a boil for a few minutes then simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or longer, until the lentils are soft.