Sunday, August 27, 2006

Raspberry Scones


I came across a recipe for Rasperry Scones in September's issue of Food And Wine, and since I've been wanting to make scones, and this recipe sounded simple,and different, I thought I would give it a try. They were yummiest straight from the oven.

I want to go to BabyCakesNYC next time I'm in New York City, whenever that may be.

An Uncle Larry Meal



As usual, it was delicious.

Monday, August 21, 2006

Peach Chicken Salad with Mint Vinaigrette


There was leftover grilled chicken in the house, and Dad wanted me to find a way to incorporate it into dinner.
So my plan was some form of chicken salad. But I wanted to try something new. My search led me here, to a salad that sounded perfect for summer.
Of course, being me, I didn't walk over to the fruit bowl until it was time for me to wash the fruit and dice it. It turned out that they weren't nectarines at all, so that's how the salad came to be different. From the original recipe that is.

Peach Chicken Salad with Mint Vinaigrette
Serves 5

Dressing:
1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup clear balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Salad:
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
1 cup chopped seeded cucumber
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons minced red onion
3 peaches, chopped
5 boston lettuce leaves

To make the dressing: place mint and sugar in a food processor; process until finely chopped, scraping sides of bowl. Add vinegar, juice, salt, and pepper, and process 30 seconds to combine.

To prepare salad: combine chicken, cucumber, pine nuts, onion, and peaches in a medium bowl. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss well to coat. Place 1 lettuce leaf on each of 5 plates; top each serving with 3/4 cup salad.

Serve with toast or crackers.

Monday, August 14, 2006

Beet Salad


Dad had roasted some beets, and so he wanted me to do something with them.

We ended up having some torn Boston lettuce leaves topped with beets, red wine vinegar, and orange segments.
We did have some other recreated leftovers later, but they didn't turn out how I wanted them to.

Saturday, August 12, 2006

More Pea Salad Cups


I made the pea salad cups to take to a party.
They seemed to be well-received.

Friday, August 11, 2006

Baqali Polow


I made Baqali Polow using my dried fava beans (I think.)
I ended up using about 2 1/2 cups though once they were revived.

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Chicken and Zucchini Salad


Dad brought home a large supply of food on Tuesday night. They're nice to have in the house when we're really busy, but right now I have time to cook, and only 12 more days until school starts, so I don't mind.

But I also don't want to throw it all out. So I found a recipe I could use the Lemon Chicken in. Because it took my so long to wrestle the jicama for the appetizer, dinner wasn't ready when Dad came home, and he decided that the zucchini would be better cooked and took over that, which ruined my flow.

But it was a delicious salad, one which I will try again sometime - with my raw marinated zucchini.

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Wednesday Lunch



I felt like making a plated lunch for me and my grandparents. I used a Pantry Selects Trail Mix salad, some Chef's Kitchen Italian Pinwheels (which when putting the container back in the fridge, got my nail caught on it causing the remaining ones to spill all over the floor), and then, for the home-made portion, a Pea Salad cup on each plate.

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Dainty Pea Salad Cups

I'm not quite finished with this yet. I'm going to make it again tomorrow and change the dressing, because it was too runny. And I still haven't figured out how many of the little cups it fills yet.


When I was visiting Granma, she took me to Willoughby House Cafe, Tearoom, and Gallery. Along with my sandwich and salad, there was a little cup filled with pea salad. Granma has asked what was in them before so she could try to make them for a party, so I did have some better information than my eyes, mouth, and memory. I set out today to recreate something similar to them.

Pea Salad in Cups
Makes ?.


For Pea Salad:
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
2/3 cup finely chopped celery (about two stalks)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella (not fancy or finely shredded)

For Dressing:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vinegar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried dill, crushed with fingers
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon paprika

? wonton wrappers or round pasta wraps

Make dressing:
Whisk together all ingredients. Refrigerate 1-2 hours.
Makes approximately 1/2 cup.

Make cups:
Preheat oven to 325.
Place wrappers in a regular muffin pan. The wrappers should be a bit bunched up to form sides. Keep an eye on them the first couple of minutes in oven to make sure that the sides don't collapse.
Bake for 10 minutes or until golden.
Remove and cool.

While baking cups, prepare salad:
Combine thawed peas, chopped celery, and cheese in a bowl. Mix in 1/4 cup of dressing.

Note: Ranch Dressing can be used as a quicker and easier dressing.

Monday, August 07, 2006

Bell Pepper Focaccia


I made the Bell Pepper Focaccia out of August's Cooking Light.
I wasn't impressed by it. But that could just be faults with me, not the recipe. I think it may have been better if I had oregano, and rock or sea salt(which the recipe didn't call for, but I think it would have been better.)
I felt like trying something new, and I've never made any bread with yeast before. It didn't turn out to great, but that is partially because I misunderstood parts of the directions. Such as when I covered it for the first rise, a crust formed on it. I need to use plastic, not a cloth. I think I know what I did wrong for the most part. And I overcooked it just slightly.