Lorri's Cranberry Shortbread

adapted from Martha Stewart's Cookies book

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup finely chopped dried cranberries or cherries
zest of half an orange

Directions

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees.with a rack in center. Combine butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, flour, zest, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Beat with a wooden spoon until combined but not too creamy. (I did it in my KitchenAide until the dough started to come together.) Stir in dried cranberries.
2. Pat dough evenly into an 8- or 9-inch-square baking pan. (Line with parchment paper for easy removal.) Bake until just beginning to turn golden, about 30 minutes. Place pan on cooling rack until cool enough to touch, about 20 minutes. Run knife around edges, remove shortbread, and transfer, right side up, to work surface.

Christina's Mushroom Soup

from Tasty Kitchen via PW Cooks

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 whole Small Carrrot, Finely Minced
1 whole Celery Stalk, Finely Minced
1 Tablespoon Garlic, Crushed And Minced
1 pound White Mushrooms, Sliced Thin
4 ounces white wine
1 can tomato paste1 1/2 cup chicken broth
1 pint Heavy Whipping Cream
1 cup Parmesan Cheese, Freshly Grated

Heat oil, over medium heat, in a large deep pot.

Mince the carrot and celery nice and fine.. Toss into the pot and allow them to soften while you slice the mushrooms. Next, add your garlic, right as the carrots and celery start to cook down. Add the mushrooms to the pot and allow them to reduce and soften. Pour in the wine and let it cook with the mushrooms for a few minutes.

Add the tomato paste and the chicken broth. Allow it to boil for about 5 minutes before adding the heavy whipping cream, and bring to a soft boil. Grate Parmesan and add it to the pot. Let this cook for a few minutes, until the cheese is melted and blended with the soup. Lower the heat and let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes or so, until thickened. Salt and pepper the soup to your own tastes.

Christina's Poppyseed Dressing

adapted from Our Best Bites

1/3 c. white vinegar
1 tsp. Kosher salt
A few turns of freshly ground black pepper
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 green onion, ends removed (both the "hairy" end and where the green part starts to get floppy)--I left this out and it was fine.
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. poppy seeds

In a blender, combine vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar, and mustard. While the blender is running, add the green onion. Continue running the blender and add the oil in a steady stream and is fully incorporated into the dressing.

Pour the dressing into a serving or storage container and whisk in poppy seeds. Serve over leafy greens.

P.S. I liked this dressing, but didn't think it was amazing. I thought it was a lot better after I added about 1/3 cup Dijon mustard.

Christina's Spinach Mandarin Poppyseed Salad

from Our Best Bites

8 oz. (1/2 bag) of baby spinach

1/2-1 head Romaine lettuce, chopped

1/2 thinly sliced medium red onion

1 large avocado, cubed

8 oz. mozzarella or Swiss cheese, shredded

1 12-oz. package bacon, cooked and crumbled--I used ham instead and it was great!

1 large can Mandarin oranges, drained--Blech. I used fresh mandarins instead.

Poppy Seed Dressing, to taste

Combine all ingredients except dressing in a large bowl. When ready to serve, toss with desired amount of salad dressing and serve immediately.

Christina's Cream Biscuits

from Smitten Kitchen

I don't usually make comments since this blog is just for my own personal use, but to any friends and family members who might read this, you need to go make these biscuits. They are super easy, only have a few ingredients (I made them without the sugar) and are the best biscuits that I have ever made. I'm throwing away all my other recipes. No joke. Also, I think they would work well with whole-wheat flour, although you'd obviously need to adjust the amount to make up for the difference in absorption.

2 tablespoons melted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the surface
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Melt butter in a small pot or microwave dish, and set aside. Sift two cups flour, the baking powder, salt and (if using) sugar into a large bowl. Fold in 1 1/2 cups cream.

Turn dough onto a floured surface, mound it into a ball and, using your hands, press it to a thickness of about 3/4 inch. Cut into rounds 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Gather dough scraps and continue to make rounds. Brush the top of each round generously with butter. Bake until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately. Die of happiness.

Christina's Cranberry Muffins

adapted from Ann Poulson

3/4 c halved cranberries
1/2 c powdered sugar
Mix berries and sugar and let stand.

Sift together:
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c whole-wheat flower
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 c sugar

Mix and add to dry ingredients:
1 egg, beaten
1 c milk
1/4 c butter, melted

Mix until dampened, do not beat.
Fold in berries.
Put in greased muffin cups.
Bake 20 minutes at 350.
Makes one dozen.

Christina's Curry Soup with Cauliflower

adapted from Angry Chicken

1-2 yellow diced onions
4-5 Yukon gold potatoes cubed
1 head cauliflower chopped
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne
salt and pepper
lemon juice for 1 lemon
2 cups chicken broth
coconut milk

In a bit of olive oil, saute the onions about 5-7 minutes. Add the spices and the potatoes and saute another 5 minutes. Add the chopped cauliflower. Then add the broth and a bit of water--you need to cover everything. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer and cover. If you are in a hurry this will take about 40 minutes to cook, otherwise I let it simmer all day. Puree with the stick blender and then add the lemon juice and enough milk to change the color and make it creamy. Taste and add more salt/pepper/cayenne as needed.

Christina's Moroccan Vegetables with Quinoa

from Buffy Bailey

Serves 4 to 6

2 T butter or margarine (or 1 TBSP of each)
2 c coarsely chopped cabbage
2 c chopped onions
1 ½ c cubed eggplant (1-inch pieces) (about half a medium eggplant)
1 t ground turmeric
½ t ground cinnamon
½ t ground ginger
1/8 t ground allspice
1/8 t saffron threads (or ½ tsp turmeric)
2 c broth or water
1 ½ c carrot chunks (1-in)
1 c chopped tomatoes, or 1 can of drained diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
2 c cooked or canned and drained chickpeas (or fava beans or butter beans)
½ c golden or dark raisins

Prepared couscous.

In a 6-quart pot, melt butter or margarine over medium-high heat. Add the cabbage and onions; cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, about 4 minutes. Add the eggplant; cook, stirring until softened, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and saffron until absorbed. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Add the carrots, tomatoes, and bay leaf; cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Add the chickpeas and raisins; cook, covered, 20 minutes longer or until stew is slightly thickened. Discard the bay leaf.

Serve over cooked couscous.

Christina's Pumpkin Cupcakes/Muffins

from Martha Stewart

Top with cream cheese frosting or streusel.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice (toss in 1/2 c chopped pecans if desired); set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.

Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

White Chocolate/Cream Cheese Icing

14 oz. pure white chocolate, finely chopped
12 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
12 Tbsp. (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into tablespoon size pieces

To make the icing, in a double boiler, melt the white chocolate, stirring constantly, until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Let stand until just warm to the touch. In a large blow, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until smooth and blended. Add the melted chocolate and beat again until smooth. Use the frosting immediately, coloring as desired. Spread 1 to 2 tbsp. of icing over each cupcake and decorate with colored sugars and decorating pens.

Christina's Red Pepper Risotto

from Pioneer Woman Cooks

8 cups chicken broth (low sodium if you’re buying it in the store)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 red bell peppers, diced
1 3/4 Arborio cup rice
3/4 cup dry white wine.
Salt to taste
4 to 6 ounces goat cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (any combination of cheeses will do)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric (optional)

Bring broth to a simmer in a medium pan. In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium to medium-low heat. Add diced onions and cook until translucent, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add red peppers and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Add uncooked rice and stir for a minute or two, allowing it to be coated with the other ingredients.
Pour in wine and cook for a minute or two.
Now, start adding broth a cup to a cup and a half at a time, stirring gently and allowing each addition to absorb into the rice. Repeat for 25 to 30 minutes, or until rice is al dente. (You might not need to use all the broth.)
At the end, stir in a little more liquid and turn off heat. Stir in turmeric if desired.
Add cheeses and stir. Serve immediately!

Christina's Barbecue Sauce

from Ina Garten as adapted by Smitten Kitchen

Makes 6 cups

1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (1 large onion)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup tomato paste (10 ounces)
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup honey
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

In a large saucepan on low heat, saute the onions and garlic with the vegetable oil for 10 to 15 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not browned. Add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer uncovered on low heat for 30 minutes. Use immediately or store in the fridge.

Christina's Lemon Meringue Bars

adapted from Martha Stewart

Crust:
2 Sticks of Butter, unsalted
2 C flour
1/2 C powdered sugar
2 Teaspoons lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt

Lemon:
6 large whole eggs
2 C granulated sugar
1 C lemon juice (at least half should be fresh squeezed for best results)
2 T lemon zest

Meringue:
4-5 egg whites
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Make crust: Put butter, flour, confectioner's sugar, lemon zest, and the salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until blended.

Transfer mixture to a 9 x 13-inch rimmed baking sheet. Press batter evenly into baking sheet. Bake 20-22 minutes till golden brown. Chill in freezer for 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Make filling: Whisk together whole eggs, granulated sugar, the lemon juice, and lemon zest. Pour over crust. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes making sure the filling is set. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Keep oven at 350°.

Make meringue topping: Put egg white in the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Add sugar and mix at end.

Using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread meringue over filling, swirling to create soft peaks. Bake until meringue begins to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely. Cut into bars. Bars can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 day.

Christina's Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

from Smitten Kitchen

2 eggs, well beaten
1 1/2 cups of milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
3 medium Granny Smith apples, grated
1 tsp cinnamon
a few dashes nutmeg
1 tsp lemon zest or 1 TBSP lemon juice

1. Mix the eggs with the milk in a large bowl.

2. In a smaller bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together.

3. Combine the wet and the dry ingredients and stir in the apples, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice or zest.

4. Heat nonstick skillet over low to medium heat. Drop large spoonful of batter into the pan and flatten it out a little and cook until golden brown underneath. Flip the pancakes and cook them for an additional two or three minutes.

5. Either dust with powdered sugar or serve with maple syrup.

Christina's Asparagus and Green Bean Salad

from Rachael Ray

1/2 pound green beans
3/4 pound regular or pencil asparagus
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup flat-leaf parsley
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1/2 cup fresh basil or 1 1/2 TBSP dried basil
1 small clove garlic or 1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 plum tomatoes, seeded then thinly sliced lengthwise

Bring 1-inch of water to a boil, add salt then green beans, cover and cook 2 minutes, then add asparagus and cook 3 minutes more. If using pencil asparagus, blanch for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain well and cold shock vegetables in ice water to stop cooking process. Drain the vegetables on clean kitchen towels to dry completely. Thinly slice the green beans lengthwise on an angle; pile them together and run your knife through them cutting them into 2-inch pieces. Halve the asparagus lengthwise if thicker, leave in spindles if thin, then cut the spears into 2-inch pieces on an angle. Combine the beans, asparagus, 1/2 cup of parsley and onion in a shallow bowl.

Combine the lemon zest and juice, remaining 1/2 cup of parsley and herbs in a food processor with cheese. Turn processor on and stream in extra-virgin olive oil. Season the dressing with salt and pepper and pour over the salad. Season the sliced tomatoes with salt and garnish salad with them.

Christina's Chili-Lime Mango Chicken

from Our Best Bites

6T olive oil
¼ cup fresh lime juice
Zest of 1 lime
1 t chili powder
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1/2 t salt
1 T sugar
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 ripe but firm mangoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, chili powder, cayenne,
salt and sugar. Place in a zip-lock bag and add the chicken and mangoes, stirring gently to
coat with marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours.

Heat saute pan over medium heat. Remove the chicken and mangoes from the marinade and saute until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Serve over rice.

Note: may need extra salt.

Christina's Deli-Style Pasta Salad

from Better Homes and Gardens

1/2 of a 16-ounce package (about 2 cups) frozen cheese-filled tortellini or one 9-ounce package refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini
1 1/2 cups broccoli flowerets
1 large carrot, thinly sliced
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 medium red or yellow sweet pepper, cut into thin strips

In a large saucepan cook pasta according to package directions, except omit any salt and oil. Add broccoli and carrot the last 3 minutes of cooking; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain again.

Meanwhile, for dressing, in a screw-top jar combine the vinegar, oil, Italian seasoning, mustard, black pepper, and garlic powder. Cover and shake well. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine the pasta mixture and sweet pepper. Shake dressing. Pour the dressing over pasta mixture; toss gently to coat. I also mixed in some leftover chimichurri sauce and it was delicious, so I think that pesto would be a great addition if you have it around.

Christina's Pork Tenderloin with Chimichurri

from Our Best Bites

2-3lb pork tenderloin (2 small-med pork loins)
1 1/2 C chopped parsley
1 1/2 C chopped cilantro
1 1/2 TBSP dried oregano leaves
2 T fresh lime juice
1 T red wine vinegar
3 T chopped garlic (6-7 cloves)
1/4 t red pepper flakes
1 t kosher salt
1/4 t black pepper

Place parsley, cilantro, oregano, lime juice, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Pulse several times until finely chopped.

Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle in some red pepper flakes. Stir in the extra virgin olive oil by hand.

Take about 1/2-3/4 C chimichurri and place in a ziplock bag with the pork. Cover the remaining chimichurri and set both aside for about an hour.

When ready to cook, preheat grill (or indoor grill pan). Remove tenderloins from bag and let excess marinade drip off. Place on grill and cook for about 5-8 minutes before flipping to the other side.

Remove from grill and let stand 5 minutes before cutting. Slice and serve with remaining chimichurri drizzled on top.

Christinas' Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Sauteed Apples

from Smitten Kitchen

For the sautéed apples
2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 tablespoons unsalted butter
1.5 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
fresh lemon juice to taste

For the pancakes
2 large eggs, separated
2/3 cups ricotta
3/4 tablespoons sugar
3/4 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest
¼ cup all-purpose flour
melted butter for brushing the griddle
maple syrup as an accompaniment

Prepare the sautéed apples:
In a large heavy skillet sauté the apples in the butter over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until they are softened, sprinkle them with the sugar and the cinnamon, and cook them over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until they are tender. Stir in the lemon juice and keep the mixture warm.

Make the pancakes:
In a bowl whisk together the egg yolks, the ricotta, the sugar, and the zest, add the flour, and stir the mixture until it is just combined. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold stiff peaks, whisk about one fourth of them into the ricotta mixture, and fold in the remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Heat a griddle over medium low. Working in batches, pour the batter onto the griddle by 1/4-cup measures and cook the pancakes for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until they are golden, brushing the griddle with some of the melted butter as necessary. Transfer the pancakes as they are cooked to a heatproof platter and keep them warm in a preheated 200°F. oven.

Serve the pancakes with the sautéed apples and the maple syrup.

Christina's Spicy Cabbage and Tomatoes

from Fun Foods on a Budget

1 small head cabbage, shredded
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup butter or bacon fat
3 tbsp. water
2 tbsp. butter or bacon fat
2 tbsp. flour
1 cup diced canned tomatoes
1 tbsp. sugar, or to taste
2 tbsp. sour cream
Salt & freshly ground pepper
Several sprinkles of red pepper flakes

Saute the onion in a large frying pan until tender. Add the cabbage and water and cook, uncovered, for about 15 minutes or until the cabbage is tender but still slightly crisp.

In another pan, melt the butter or bacon fat. Add the flour, stir to blend, and add the tomatoes and sugar. Cook until the sauce thickens. Add the sour cream and season to taste with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes

Combine the sauce with the cabbage and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes to blend the flavors.

Christina's Creamed Spinach

from Pioneer Woman Cooks!

1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup flour
1/4 medium onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 cup milk
Salt & Pepper to taste
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
12 ounces baby spinach

Melt 1 stick of butter in a pot. Sprinkle in flour and whisk together. Cook over medium heat for five minutes or until light golden brown. Throw in onion and garlic and stir together, cooking for another minute. Pour in milk, whisking constantly, and cook for five minutes while you cook the spinach.
Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a separate pot. Add spinach in increments until all incorporated, and cook until wilted but not soggy, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Season the cream sauce with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add spinach to the cream sauce, stirring gently to combine.
Serve immediately.