019: oyster chicken over couscous

this is a super fast, super easy asian-inspired chicken recipe. it can also be done with kielbasa as the protein, but this is just a bit healthier. since i usually do my cooking for one, this recipe yields 1-2 servings. expanding it would be easy and quite feasible.




equipment:
1 12" frying pan
spatula (heat resistant)
sauce pan
knife


ingredients:
olive oil
1 chicken breast, cut into strips
1/2 c. water
1/3 c. couscous
1/2 c. chopped red pepper
1/2 c. chopped red onion
1/2 c. oyster sauce


steps:
1.) heat a few teaspoons of olive oil frying pan, and add chicken strips. heat until fully cooked.

2.) while the chicken is cooking, begin boiling water for the couscous, and cook according to the directions on the box (i used 1/2 c. water, 1 t. olive oil, and 1/3 c. couscous)

3.) add chopped red pepper and red onion to chicken. cook until caramelized.

4.) add oyster sauce to chicken combo, and heat until sauce is warm.

5.) serve chicken with sauce hot over couscous.



time: 10 minutes cook time
difficulty: 1 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest)
rating: ♦♦♦♦1/2 (4.5 stars out of 5)
suggestions for variation: use kielbasa as the protein


enjoy!
-kl

018: spinach alfredo pasta with italian sausage

so i had some leftover italian sausage from this recipe, and decided to take a page out of my boyfriend's mother's book and do a spin off a recipe she made. since i usually cook for one, these are the proportions i made for approximately 2-3 servings, though the recipe could feasibly be expanded easily to feed more. cook time was about 20 minutes.




equipment:
12" skillet
spatula (heat proof)
colander


ingredients:
2 italian sausage with spinach and mozzarella (i used something similar to this, though any italian sausage will suffice)
2 c. pasta (i used bowtie)
1 to 1 and 1/2 c. alfredo sauce (i cheated and used store-bought, though you can certainly make your own from scratch)
handful of fresh spinach
water


steps:
1.) heat italian sausage in 1/4" water in your skillet over medium heat.

2.) when your sausage is thoroughly heated, add the pasta to the skillet.

3.) add enough water (room temperature) to the skillet to cover the pasta. keeping the pasta cooking with the sausage adds fantastic flavor to the pasta itself.

4.) when the pasta is cooked (al dente), drain the excess water from the skillet using either the lid of the skillet or a colander.

5.) add the alfredo sauce over the top of the sausage and pasta in the skillet over low heat.

6.) when the sauce is warm, add the spinach and mix it in, just to the point where it starts to get tender. stir it all together and serve hot.



time: 20 minutes cook time
difficulty: 2 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest)
rating: ♦♦♦♦1/2 (4.5 stars out of 5)
suggestions for variation: garlic, crushed red pepper, oregano, and basil to taste. try with mozzarella sprinkled on top?, vary types of sausage used


enjoy!
-kl

017: sundried tomato alfredo pasta with italian sausage

wahoo!!!! it has been many MANY moons since i made something original--going on 5 months now! but today i got back in my kitchen and feel better than i thought possible after creating this new recipe. i hope you enjoy it! prep time was about 5-10 minutes, and cook time is about 15-20. i made this for 2 and we had about a serving of leftovers, but it could reasonably be expanded to serve more. buon appetito!





equipment:
1 12" skillet
spatula (heat proof)
paring knife
2 quart sauce pan


ingredients:
3 T. olive oil
2 italian sausage with spinach and mozzarella (i used something similar to this, though really any italian sausage will do)
1/2 c. sliced red bell pepper
1/2 c. sliced red onion
1 t. minced garlic
1 t. crushed red pepper
1/2 t. oregano
1/2 t. basil
1 and 1/2 cups sundried tomato alfredo sauce (i used this)
1/4 c. sun dried tomatoes (i use the jarred ones in olive oil and herbs)
6 c. water
2 c. pasta (i used radiatore)
2 T. olive oil that the sun dried tomatoes were packed in


steps:
1.) heat 2 full sausages in olive oil in the skillet until warm. cut the full sausages into bite-sized pieces.

2.) while the sausages are cooking, slice your red pepper and red onion. add 1/2 c. of each to the sausage pieces. and garlic, crushed red pepper, oregano, and basil.

3.) begin boiling the water for the pasta. pour in some of the oil and herbs that were in the sun dried tomatoes so that the pasta itself picks up some flavor.

4.) when the water boils, add the pasta and cook according to instructions.

5.) cut your sun-dried tomatoes into bite-sized pieces.

6.) add alfredo over the top of the sausage mixture when onions are translucent. add sun-dried tomato pieces.

7.) drain pasta when it's done. add it to sausage and alfredo mixture and stir it all together.


time: 5-10 minutes prep time, 15-20 minutes cook time
difficulty: 2 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest)
rating: ♦♦♦♦♦ (5 stars out of 5)
suggestions for variation: garlic, crushed red pepper, oregano, and basil to taste. try with mozzarella sprinkled on top?, vary types of sausage used


enjoy!
-kl

016: chili cheddar jalapeño bread

goodness, it's been a long time! my apologies about that! this semester has been craaaazy busy, and i just haven't had any time to make anything new in the kitchen. thus, this recipe is an amendment of another one, the jalapeño cheddar bread from last spring. this time i added chilies to the mix, and i like this outcome MUCH better than before. so i highly recommend this one!

equipment:
medium and large mixing bowls
measuring cups and spoons
3 small loaf pans or one standard loaf pan


ingredients:
2 and 1/2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1 and 1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
1 c. cheddar cheese, then some for sprinkling over the top
1/2 c. cubed red onion
1 diced jalapeño
1/4 c. diced red pepper
1 small can green chilies, drained
2 T. parsley
1 t. cilantro
1 t. crushed red pepper
1/2 t. black pepper
2 T. olive oil
2 T. shortening
2 T. sugar
2 cloves minced garlic
2 beaten eggs
3/4 c. plain yogurt
3/4 c. milk


steps:
1.) preheat oven to 350 degrees. fold together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cheese, onion, jalapeño, red pepper, green chilies, and herbs (if you've never worked with hot peppers like chilies and jalapeños before, check out my tips for handling them).

2.) in separate bowl, whisk together oil, shortening, and sugar until smooth. add garlic, eggs, yogurt, and milk. blend until combined well.

3.) add wet ingredients to dry and pour into greased loaf pans.

4.) sprinkle a handful of cheddar over the top of the loaf(ves).

5.) bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.


time: 30 minuets prep, 45 minutes bake
difficulty: 2.5 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest)
rating: ♦♦♦♦1/2◊ (4.5 out of 5 stars)

enjoy!
-kl

015: i'm baaack! the tale of my summer

hello there! well, i'm finally back on campus, in my apartment, and BACK TO MY KITCHEN! goodness how i missed it. see, i was living and working all summer at a hotel in florida, and needless to say, i had an excellent time. however, given that it was a hotel, i did not ever have access to making my own food :( and i haven't exactly been back in mine yet this year--only got back to campus a few days ago and have been training for and/or working one of my 3 jobs since i got back. BUT. the good news is that i have a few pictures of projects that i undertook this summer. nothing original. nothing fancy. but just a little fun and creativity en la cocina.

this was way back in may before i left, and if you're not aware of it already, i am a HUGE minnesota twins fan! however, one of my friends is a huge milwaukee brewers fan. now this is not normally an issue between us, given that the two teams are in different leagues, but they play each other for two series a year, and the border battle gets quite intense. so, just because it was his birthday, i had some fun making some baseball themed cookies.



these are the ones i made for mr. brewers fan.



and these are the ones i made for the twins :o)

it was fun. it was fast. and it brought joy to everyone that went to the game. for the record, the twins ended up SWEEPING the brew crew, and then won 2/3 in milwaukee later in the summer. what up TWINS!!! (also, i am going to the last ever game in the metrodome in october, and i absolutely cannot wait!).

anyway, i promise i will get back to cooking soon. this was just a litte something to whet the appetite, because as i always say: life is uncertain, eat dessert first :o)
-kl

014: cinnamon apple streusel muffins

well, this is my last post for a while, given that i am moving to florida for the summer and will be without a kitchen. so i am leaving you with a delectable muffin recipe. yum! prep time is about 20 minutes, and bake time is about 25 mins. happy summer, everyone :o)




equipment:
2 mixing bowls
measuring cups and spoons
muffin tin


ingredients:
2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
2 t. cinnamon
2 eggs
1 c. sour cream
1/4 c. melted butter
1 and 1/2 c. applesauce (i used chunky applesauce with cinnamon)

streusel topping:
1/4 c. sugar
1 t. cinnamon
2 T. margerine


steps:
1.) preheat oven to 375 degrees. combine all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.

2.) combine all wet ingredients in 2nd mixing bowl.

3.) add dry mix to wet mix bit by bit and mix thoroughly. pour batter into greased muffin tins.

4.) make streusel topping by creaming ingredients together, and sprinkle over top of muffins in tin.

5.) bake at 375 for 20-25 mins, or until toothpick comes out clean.


time: prep time = 20 mins, bake time = 20-25 mins
difficulty: 2 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest)
rating: 4.5 stars out of 5


enjoy!
-kl

013: dijon tarragon chicken

probably one of the fastest and easiest standby meals that i make. as always, this recipe is per chicken breast, given that i typically cook for one. the recipe can be expanded indefinitely to compensate for however many you are cooking for. cook time is about 15 minutes.





equipment:
frying pan
sauce pot (optional)
bowl
spoon
spatula


ingredients:
olive oil
1 [boneless, skinless] chicken breast, cut into strips
1/4 c. dijon mustard
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1 T. tarragon
couscous (optional)


steps:
1.) heat olive oil in frying pan. cut chicken breast into strips for more even cooking, and cook thoroughly.

2.) meanwhile, mix mustard, mayonnaise, and tarragon in a separate bowl. i like to serve this dish over couscous, so if you want, prepare couscous according to directions. otherwise i'm sure rice or pasta would be good as well, or even plain.

3.) when chicken is cooked, pour dijon mixture over it and only keep it on the burner until sauce is thoroughly heated.

4.) serve (as i said, i do it over couscous, and that is how it is pictured).


time: 15 minutes
difficulty: 1 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest)
rating: ♦♦♦♦◊ (4 stars out of 5)
suggestions for variation: perhaps experiment with serving it over different things--couscous, pasta, rice, etc.


enjoy!
-kl

012: blueberry lemon bread with glaze

here's another bread recipe that was just a fun mix of flavors. yum! prep time was about half an hour and bake time is an hour.




equipment:
medium and large mixing bowl
standing mixer (though you can probably use a hand mixer or do it by hand)
measuring cups and spoons
cheese grater


ingredients:
3/4 c. softened butter (or margarine)
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. lemon juice (i found that it is better to actually squeeze the lemon for at least half of the juice rather than something like realemon for the whole thing. i don't know why this makes a difference, but for some reason it seemed to...)
1/2 c. sour cream
1 T. lemon zest
1 t. vanilla
2 c. flour
1/2 T. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 and 1/2 c. dried blueberries (you can probably use frozen as well, but be sure that they are frozen when you fold them into the dough--don't let them thaw!)


steps:
1.) preheat the oven to 350 degrees. in a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with a standing mixer until it is fluffy.

2.) add eggs one at a time, mixing well between each one.

3.) add lemon juice, sour cream, zest, and vanilla until blended.

4.) in a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. add this to the wet ingredients a bit at a time until just mixed. fold in blueberries.

5.) put in greased loaf pan(s) and bake for 60 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.


glaze:
1 c. powdered sugar
1-2 T. lemon juice


mix together these two until it has the consistency of melted wax. poke holes in the top of the bread, and when loaf(ves) is/are cool, spoon the glaze over the top.


time: 30 mins prep time, 60 mins bake time
difficulty: 2 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest)
rating: ♦♦♦♦1/2◊ (4.5 stars out of 5)


enjoy!
-kl

011: pineapple salsa

here is another salsa recipe for you, just in time for... i dunno what. spring parties, easter gatherings, baseball season openers, or just yummy eating. a sweeter version than your typical spicy salsa, this recipe is fantastic as a dip or filling. prep time was about 30 minutes, and sit time is at least 2 hours.




equipment:
cutting board
knife
gloves
medium bowl
measuring cups and spoons


ingredients:
1 and 1/2 c. cubed pineapple
1 jalapeño, seeded and cubed
1/2 c. red pepper, cubed
1/2 c. red onion, cubed
2-3 t. cilantro
2 t. lemon juice


steps:
1.) cube pineapple, jalapeño, pepper, and onion. if you've never cut a pineapple before, here are my suggestions for doing so. if you've never worked with jalapeños before, i have some tips for that, as well.

2.) combine all ingredients into a medium bowl and mix together.

3.) for best results, let it sit for at least 2 hours. serve.


time: 30 min prep time, 2 hour sit time
difficulty: 2 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest)
rating: ♦♦♦1/2◊◊ (3.5 stars out of 5)
suggestions for serving: mess around with your pepper choices for different flavors.


enjoy!
-kl

010: swirly cake

so today is my roommate's birthday (happy birthday, rachel!!), and of course i had to make her some cake, and an awesome cake at that. so then i remembered that her sister-in-law made this crazy wicked cake that she was mooning over, and i decided to give it a try. so here it is. we like to call it rachel and the amazing technicolor clown cake. have fun!




equipment:
1 mixing bowl
twice as many bowls as colors of food coloring that you have
twice as many spoons as colors of food coloring that you have


ingredients:
white cake recipe (i used a boxed cake recipe for a 9x13" pan *NOTE: for better colors in your dye, use the egg white recipe instead of the whole egg recipe, as it eliminates the yellow from the yolk that might mess up your dye colors*)
white frosting recipe (i used a pre-made store-bought white frosting)
food coloring


steps:
1.) mix cake batter according to recipe. separate equal amounts into as many bowls as food coloring colors that you have (i had 4 colors, thus i quartered the batter into 4 bowls).

2.) mix different color into each bowl.

3.) spoon batters into cake pan. i know this sounds weird, but i promise that it will stay put and you won't have colors running into each other to make a non-chocolate brown cake (unless you mix them together yourself). be sure that the batters cover the surface of the cake pan at an even level. if not, add a color (either the same or different, which creates an awesome layering effect) over the top of the bottom layer. be sure to use all of the batter.

4.) bake according to recipe instructions. LET COOL COMPLETELY (this is important).

5.) if you're so inclined, do the same thing with your frosting as you did with your cake batter. i put the same color frosting as was the color of batter underneath just by mixing the frosting together with the food coloring and basically frosting by numbers using the colored cake surface as my guide. the colors thus went all the way through the slices.




time: according to recipe
difficulty: 1 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest). not hard at all, just a touch tedious.
rating: fun!! (no star scale this week, as the recipe belongs to a major cake/baked goods manufacturer and came out of a box)
suggestions for variation: try writing something in the batter, or making other sweet designs and shapes rather than just random swirlings.


enjoy!
-kl

009: cranberry apple oatmeal cookies

how about something sweet? mmm cookies!! and all things considered, they are not terrible for you. prep time is about half an hour, and bake time is 10-12 minutes each sheet. yield is 30-36 cookies.




equipment:
medium and large mixing bowls
measuring cups and spoons
cookie sheets


ingredients:
1 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
3/4 t. cinnamon
1/4 c. applesauce (i used chunky applesauce with cinnamon in it)
2 T. canola oil
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1 and 1/3 c. dried oats (dry oatmeal)
3/4 c. dried cranberries (craisins)


steps:
1.) heat oven to 350 degrees. in medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

2.) in large bowl, mix applesauce, oil, brown sugar, sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth. add flour mixture to this and mix well.

3.) fold in oats and craisins until well blended.

4.) drop dough onto greased cookie sheets in teaspoon sized quantities. place them 2 inches apart on the sheet. bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.

5.) let cool on sheet 2 minutes, then loosen and transfer to rack.


time: 30 minutes prep time, 10-12 minutes bake time
difficulty: 2 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest)
rating: ♦♦♦♦◊ (4 stars out of 5)


enjoy!
-kl

008: jalepeño cheddar bread

yay more bread! prep time is about half an hour, and bake time is 45 minutes.




equipment:
medium and large mixing bowls
measuring cups and spoons
3 small loaf pans


ingredients:
2 and 1/2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1 and 1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
1 c. cheddar cheese
1/2 c. cubed red onion
2 T. parsley
3/4 t. cilantro
1/2 t. crushed red pepper
1/2 t. black pepper
1/3 c. chopped jalepeñons (2)
2 T. olive oil
2 T. shortening
2 T. sugar
2 cloves minced garlic
2 beaten eggs
3/4 c. plain yogurt
3/4 c. milk


steps:
1.) preheat oven to 350 degrees. fold together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, onion, herbs and jalepeños (if you've never worked with jalepeños before, check out my tips for handling them).

2.) in separate bowl, whisk together oil, shortening, and sugar until smooth. add garlic, eggs, yogurt, and milk. blend until combined well.

3.) add wet ingredients to dry and pour into greased loaf pans.

4.) bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.


time: 30 minuets prep, 45 minutes bake
difficulty: 2 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest)
rating: ♦♦♦♦◊ (4 out of 5 stars)

enjoy!
-kl

007: banana streusel muffins

basically, i love muffins, and i had some overripe bananas, so what did i decide to do? make banana muffins out of them :o) prep time was about half an hour, and bake time is about 25 minutes.




equipment:
medium and large bowls
measuring cups and spoons
muffin tin


ingredients:
2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
2 t. cinnamon
2 eggs
1/2 c. sour cream
1/4 c. plain yogurt
1/4 c. applesauce
1/4 c. melted margarine
2 mashed bananas (about 1 and 1/2 c.)
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon
2 T. margarine


steps:
1.) combine all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon) in a large mixing bowl.

2.) in separate (medium sized) bowl, mash bananas, then add other wet ingredients (beaten eggs, sour cream, yogurt, applesauce, and melted margarine).

3.) add wet ingredients to dry, and fill into greased muffin tin(s) about 3/4 full. yield will be somewhere between 12 and 18 muffins, depending on the size of the bananas.

4.) make streusel topping by creaming together 1/4 c. sugar, 1/2 t. cinnamon, and 2 T. margarine. sprinkle over top of the muffins.

5.) bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.


time: 30 minutes prep time, 25 minutes bake time
difficulty: 2 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest)
rating: ♦♦♦♦1/2◊ (4.5 out of 5 stars)
suggestions for variation: mine came out pretty sticky. not sure how this can be avoided, but i would NOT recommend using paper liners. simply grease the bottom of the muffin tin.

006: cranberry pineapple chicken pasta salad

this is an all inclusive dish: fruit, protein, and pasta! and delicious to boot. as usual, i do this on a per serving basis, given that i do most of my cooking for one. for me, this made one dinner and one lunch as leftovers. cook time was about half an hour.



equipment:
3 qt sauce pan
knife
measuring cups and spoons


ingredients:
1 c. pasta (i used rotini)
1/2 t. rosemary
1 T. olive oil
1 chicken breast (1/4 lb.)
1/2 c. chopped pineapple
1/2 c. dried cranberries (craisins)
1/2 c. parmesean or swiss cheese


steps:
1.) cook pasta according to instructions on box. add half (1/4 t.) of the rosemary to the water. when cooked and drained, pour olive oil over top and stir it in to cooked pasta (this is to keep it from sticking). chill.

2.) poach chicken breast, adding the other half (1/4 t.) of the rosemary to the water. when done, cut into bite sized pieces. add to pasta, and chill.

3.) cut pineapple into bite sized pieces. add pineapple, cranberries, and cheese to chicken and pasta when the chicken is cool. serve.


time: 30 minutes
difficulty: 2 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest)
rating: ♦♦♦◊◊ (3 stars out of 5)
suggestions for variation: add pieces of cooked bacon to the pasta salad. use crushed red pepper instead of rosemary, leave out the craisins, and sprinkle chili powder over the top.



enjoy!
-kl

c: poaching chicken

poaching chicken is a great way to cook chicken that is going to be used in something else. it keeps the chicken moist, and it also does not add any flavor to the meat like sauteing it can.

1.) put thawed chicken into saucepan. fill it with cold water until the water just covers the meat.

2.) put over medium heat and bring water to boil.

3.) as soon as the water starts to boil, remove it from the heat and let sit for 15-20 minutes. drain from water and you're good to go.

happy eating!
-kl

b: cutting pineapple

ok, so we've all seen them (and possibly taken pictures with them), but let's face it: most of us have no idea what to do with a pineapple once it's bought. well, here is a short tutorial for the easiest way that i have found to cut a pineapple.



1.) remove the top frilly part of the pineapple (just twist or cut it off), and slice the pineapple from the top down into quarters.




2.) lay each quarter down on its side (spiny part down), and slice the hard middle part off of the top of the pineapple. do this for all 4 quarters.




3.) with the spiny side still down, make vertical slices about 3/4" apart. then, if you want, you can make one slice lengthwise down the middle. this will create smaller, more bite-sized pieces.




4.) finally, slice along the bottom to separate the pieces from the spine. you're done! now wasn't that easier than trying to "skin" or peel it? happy eating!
-kl

005: fresh salsa

this is an incredibly easy fresh tomato salsa recipe. you can use it as a chip dip, on tacos, on sandwiches, or on whatever else you usually use salsa. prep time is about 30 minutes, and you can begin using it immediately, though it is best if you let it sit for a few hours or overnight (yield = about 3 cups).



equipment:
paring knife
bowl (size: approx 1 qt.)
cutting board
measuring spoons


ingredients:
1 jalapeño pepper
2 tomatoes
1/2 c. diced red peppers
1/2 c. diced red onion
1/2 c. corn
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 t. to 1 t. cilantro
1 and 1/2 t. lemon juice


steps:
1.) dice jalapeños (NOTE: if you have never worked with jalapeños before, check out my tips for handling them) tomatoes, red pepper, and red onion. add all of these and the corn to a 1 qt. or larger bowl.

2.) add minced garlic, cilantro (to taste--the more you add, the spicier your salsa will be), and lemon juice.

3.) mix it all together. you can serve it immediately, but the flavors will blend best if left for a few hours or overnight.


time: 30 minutes
difficulty: 1 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest)
rating: ♦♦♦♦◊ (4 stars out of 5)
suggestions for variations: use more jalapeños for spicier salsa. try adding (or subbing) other (like seasonal?) ingredients, like mangoes, pineapple or peach for a sweeter salsa.

enjoy!
-kl

a: handling hot peppers

if you've never worked with hot peppers, here are a few tricks to the trade to keep you from the terrible and long lasting burn on your skin that can accompany working with them (if you've ever experienced this, you know exactly to what i am referring, and if not, consider yourself lucky!). first of all, if at all possible, WEAR GLOVES!!! just your standard latex or vinyl disposable gloves. this will save you from a lot of grievance. especially if you have any knicks on your hands, or even if your hands are chapped, gloves are a must!!! if not, keep the pepper juice off of your hands as much as humanly possible. if you do start to have a burning sensation, do NOT under ANY circumstances try to wash it out with water (cold or otherwise)!!! this will only make it worse! instead, wash your hands with milk--the higher the percentage the better). the alkalinity will help the burning sensation. there are some suggestions out there that people give of using things like lemon juice, bleach, rubbing alcohol or tomato juice on your hands. again, don't do this! the acidity will make the burning worse. something that might feel good is soaking your hands in either oil or melted butter, or putting on lotion. again, don't do it! it will seal the heat in and actually make it worse, no matter how good it might feel at first. milk, or other dairy products, are by far your best bet. despite helping, it may not eliminate the burning. in this case, you basically have to wait it out. keep your hands OUT of water at all costs, and DO NOT TOUCH any other part of your body (especially your face or eyes), as the burning sensation can transfer to that area.

so. the order of tips is thus:
1.) WEAR GLOVES!!!!
2.) if burning sensation starts, DO NOT touch any other part of your body.
3.) wash/soak your hands in milk, avoiding water at all costs.


though some people make it complex, it is actually quite simple to cut peppers. as you probably, typically the smaller the pepper the hotter it is, so exercise more caution with these. peppers like bell peppers and jalapeños are particularly easy to cut. cut them in half from the top down. inside there will be seeds and a structure holding them to the outside of the pepper. simply strip this structure and the seeds into the garbage just using your fingers, and cut from there as needed (strips, dicing, etc).

good luck!
-kl

004: plátanos fritos (fried bananas)

this is another popular spanish dish, and is typically served as a dessert, though it could also be a snack or side as well. it is super easy, and pretty darn scrumptious. *NOTE: i have this recipe set up on a per banana basis, though you could feasibly expand it to pretty much any number of bananas you want. a note, though: only prepare as many as you can eat, as they do not store well.* prep time is about 5 minutes, and cook time is less than 10.



equipment:
skillet
knife
1/4 c. measuring cup
small bowl
spatula


ingredients:
1 T. margarine or butter
banana (still slightly green--barely ripe)
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. orange juice


steps:
1.) melt margarine or butter in skillet while cutting banana into 1/3" chip like pieces.

2.) add banana chips to melted margarine or butter.

3.) let simmer for 3 minutes, flipping once. mix brown sugar and orange juice in separate bowl and add to banana in skillet.

4.) let simmer 5-10 minutes or until mixture is caramelized. serve hot.


time: 15 minutes
difficulty: 1 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest)
rating: ♦♦♦♦♦ (5 stars out of 5)
serving suggestions: serve with any or all of the following: drizzled in honey; sprinkled with cinnamon; sprinkled with nutmeg
suggestions for variations: try with pears, pineapple, even oranges. be creative!


enjoy!
-kl

003: tortilla española

this is an incredibly popular spanish dish. and for those of you not in the know, i have a freakish obsession with all things spain- and spanish-related, including living in spain this past summer. this dish, kind of a cross between a quiche and an omelet, was served on many occasions in my time there. usually, it was served as a tapa, or appetizer dish, but it can definitely be served as an entree as well. prep time is about 20 minutes, and bake time is a half an hour.



equipment:
paring knife
12" skillet
measuring cups
slotted spoon
medium bowl
colander
pie pan (at least 9" x 1 1/2")


ingredients:
1/2 c. olive oil (i recommend spanish olive oil, as opposed to italian, but any kind would work)
1 clove minced garlic
2 c. potatoes (this took me one large baking potato)
1/2 red onion
1/3 red pepper
1/2 c. diced ham (this took me 3 slices of thickly sliced deli ham)
6 eggs
salt


steps:
1.) preheat oven to 350 degrees. pour olive oil and minced garlic into skillet over medium heat.

2.) cut peeled potato into 1/4" slices, and cut into quarters or sixths from there (bite sized pieces).

3.) when sizzling, add potatoes to olive oil and garlic, and let cook for 5 minutes, turning once.

4.) as the potatoes begin cooking, dice the ham, red onion, and red pepper. add these to the mix 5 minutes after the potatoes have begun. let simmer until onions are transparent, being sure to stir frequently. salt to taste.

5.) in the mean time, beat the 6 eggs together.

6.) when onions are transparent, pour onion and potato mixture into a colander to get rid of excess oil.

7.) pour enough of the beaten eggs into greased pie pan to cover the bottom. add about half the onion and potato mixture to pie pan. add about half of the remaining eggs, followed by the rest of the onion and potato mixture, and finished with the rest of the eggs.

8.) bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

serve either hot or cold, keep refrigerated.


time: 50 minutes
difficulty: 2 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest)
rating: ♦♦♦♦◊ (4 stars out of 5)
serving suggestions: typically, this dish is served with either mayonnaise (sounds weird, but tastes wonderful!) or ketchup, but i would also suggest salsa or tabasco.


enjoy!
-kl

002: asiago sun dried tomato bread

it was bread night in the apartment, and this is another fast easy one. prep time was about 30 minutes, and bake time is 45 minutes.




equipment:
large and medium mixing bowl
measuring cups and spoons
spatula
cheese grater or vegetable peeler
3 mini loaf pans (5 1/2" x 3 1/2")


ingredients:
2 and 1/2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1 and 1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
1 c. provelone/asiago cheese (i used a kraft blend of 5 italian cheeses, but for more flavor, i would go with a sharper cheddar cheese, at least partly)
1/2 c. minced red pepper (or onion? different flavor)
2 T. parsley
3/4 t. rosemary
3/4 t. black pepper
1/3 c. drained sun dried tomatoes packed in oil (SAVE 2 T. of oil!)
2 T. saved oil from tomatoes
2 T. vegetable shortening at room temp
2 T. sugar
2 t. minced garlic
2 beaten eggs
3/4 c. plain yogurt
3/4 c. milk (i used skim)


steps:
1.) preheat oven to 350 dgrees.

2.) stir dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda) together in large bowl. add cheese, red pepper, herbs (parsley, rosemary, black pepper) and tomatoes. *NOTE: for best results, dice the tomatoes into at least quarters, if not smaller, before adding them.* toss mixture well.

3.) in separate medium bowl, whisk together saved oil, shortening and sugar until smooth. add garlic, eggs, yogurt and milk. blend until well combined.

4.) add wet ingredients to dry and mix well.

5.) pour into greased loaf pan and bake for 45-50 mins at 350.

6.) let cool for 10 mins and transfer to cooling rack.


time: 1.25 hours
difficulty: 2 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest)
rating: ♦♦♦♦◊ (4 out of 5)
suggestions for variations: use a sharper cheese than asiago/provelone (such as cheddar, or at least partly cheddar). use chopped onion instead of red pepper (or half and half). add a small can of green chilies for more zing (or use instead of red pepper).


enjoy!
-kl

001: cranberry orange bread with glaze

this is a fun, fast bread recipe that does not require the hassle of yeast, kneading, and waiting for rising time. it is also delicious! prep time took me about 30 minutes, and baking time is one hour.


equipment:
measuring cups and spoons
standing mixer (though you could honestly probably do it hand mixed as well) with wire whip
large and medium mixing bowl
spatula
3 mini loaf pans (5 1/2" x 3 1/2")


ingredients:
3/4 c. softened (unsalted) butter
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. orange juice (i used pulp free, but i'm sure it does not matter)
1/2 c. sour cream (i used lean)
1 T. orange zest
1 t. vanilla extract
2 c. flour
1/2 T. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 and 1/2 c. dried cranberries (craisins)


steps:
1.) preheat oven to 330 degrees (yes, i know it's a weird number, but it works).

2.) cream butter and sugar in standing mixer about 3 minutes or until pale and fluffy.

3.) add eggs, one at a time, making sure they are well mixed before proceeding.

4.) add orange juice, sour cream, orange zest, and vanilla extract until well blended.

5.) in a separate bowl, stir together dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt). add to wet ingredients.

6.) fold in dried cranberries. *NOTE: i personally am not a "nut in my bread" kind of gal. if you are, however, i would recommend using 1 c. craisins, and 1/2 c. chopped pecans or walnuts.*

7.) pour into greased loaf pans. bake for 55-60 mins at 330, or until toothpick comes out clean. let cool for 10 minutes, and transfer to cooling rack


glaze:
1 c. powdered sugar
1 T. orange juice

add orange juice (or orange liqueur?) to powdered sugar 1 t. at time until mix has the consistency of melted wax. poke holes in top of loaves, and spoon glaze over top.


total time: 1.5 hours
difficulty: 2 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest)
rating: ♦♦♦♦1/2◊ (4.5 out of 5)

enjoy!
-kl