Rachael's Favorite Salads

Delicious and Healthy Salads, Sides and Snacks

 

Hummus

• 2-3 large cans of garbanzo beans (aka chick peas), drained
• 4-6 cloves of garlic
• 1/4-1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 jar pitted kalamata olives, drained
• 2 T tahini (aka sesame seed paste)
• juice from one lemon (occasionally I'll shred the lemon peel for a zestier hummus)
• salt to taste

Put all of the ingredients into a food processor and process until smooth.  Let stand for at least an hour.  Garnish with paprika.  Serve with tortilla chips, crostini or fresh bread.

Oriental Spinach Salad

This salad is lovely with added grilled, cooled and sliced chicken.
Salad Greens:

• 2 parts lettuce
• 1 part spinach
• 6 green onions, sliced thinly

Toasted Topping- broil these together on a cookie sheet while watching carefully so they do not burn:

• 2 1/2 oz sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1 can crispy rice noodles

Oriental Dressing  - heat sugar and rice vinegar until sugar desolves; add soy sauce, oil and pepper; shake well:

• 8 Tablespoons rice vinegar
• 5 Tablespoons sugar
• pepper to taste
• 4 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Curry Chicken Salad

• 2-3 de-boned rotisserie chickens from the grocery store (Or - if I have time - I cook the chickens in my crock pot, save the juice for soups and use the chicken for the salad). Pull apart and chop into bite-sized pieces.
• bunch of green onions, diced
• 1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro chopped up
• chopped up celery - optional
• several tablespoons of mayo- this just depends on how creamy you want your salad to be; I like it light. Start with a spoonful, then add more mayo as needed.
• 1 cup dried cranberries or blueberries
• 1 cup walnuts or pecans
• 1-2 tablespoons of curry powder- again, this depends on how much curry you like
• salt and pepper to taste
• a few dashes of onion powder

Mix all ingredients together and let it meld for at least 2 hours for the flavors to combine.

Regular Chicken Salad

• 2-3 rotisserie chickens, de-boned and in bite-sized pieces
• bunch of green onions chopped
• chopped celery- optional
• several tablespoons of mayo- again depending on how creamy you like it. Start with a little, then add more as needed.
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• a few dashes of onion powder

Mix all ingredients together and let it meld for at least 2 hours for the flavors to combine.

Pasta Salad

• Cook two packages of pasta- spiral pasta, macaroni, or other bite-sized pasta; let cool while you're preparing the rest
• 1 package of feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 jar of kalamata olives, drained and pitted
• 1 can of artichoke hearts, drained
• a few green or red onions, diced
• cherry tomatoes
• sliced cucumber

Pasta Salad Dressing

• mince 1/2 bunch of fresh parsley- either flat leaf or curly
• 2-3 Tablespoons of Olive oil
• finely grated peel of one lemon
• salt and pepper to taste

Combine dressing ingredients and let it sit until the rest of the salad is put together; stir everything together and let meld for about 2 hours or more before serving.

Broccoli and Red Cabbage Slaw

use only fresh, raw vegetables

• 1 red cabbage, sliced
• 2 bunches chopped broccoli
• 2 shredded or diced carrots
• 1 bunch chopped spring onions or leeks
• 3 ears of corn cut from the cob
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1 cup dried cranberries

Mix ingredients above in a large bowl, then stir in the dressing:
mayonnaise
Rice vinegar
S&P
Let sit for an hour at least before serving

Great Garlic Cheese Ball 

• 2x 8 oz packages of cream cheese
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 Tablespoon mayonaise
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Mix above ingredients together by hand.  Form into balls or logs.  Cover with pecans.  Serve with crackers, fresh bread or crostini.

My 4 Favorite Cakes

Whether it’s after a lovely meal or with tea in the afternoon with friends, sharing something sumptuous and sweet together can be a highlight of the day.  Here are several recipes of my favorite cookies, cakes, brownies and other desserts that you will enjoy.

Mocha Mousse Cheesecake

Yes, it is as rich and delicious as it sounds.  Very decadent, this mocha mousse cheesecake is a dense combination of coffee and chocolate and cream cheese on a chocolate chip cookie crust.  The preparation time for cheesecakes are a bit lengthier than other desserts, which makes this dessert choice all the more worthy of special occasions.  (Thanks to Mrs. Fields for this fabulous recipe!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Prepare the chocolate chip cookie crust:
Grind 1 cup of chocolate chip cookies into fine crumbs. 
Add 2 Tablespoons of melted butter; blend until smooth.
Press crust into the bottom of a 9” spring-form pan and refrigerate while preparing the mousse.

Prepare the mocha mousse filling:
In a large mixing bowl, beat 3x 8 ounce packages of softened cream cheese until very smooth.
Add ½ cup white sugar, ½ cup brown sugar and 1 cup of sour cream and blend thoroughly.
Add 3 large eggs and beat until mixture is smooth.
Add 1 ¼ cups of melted semi-sweet chocolate chips, ½ cup of freshly brewed coffee and 1 Tablespoon of vanilla and blend until smooth.

Pour filling into prepared pan and bake for 50-60 minutes.

After this, turn off the oven and crack open the oven door about 1 inch.  Leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour to set.  Then remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.

Prepare the chocolate glaze:
In a saucepan, melt ¾ cup chocolate chips and ¼ cup of butter over low heat, stirring until smooth. 
Pour glaze over the top of the cooled cheesecake and smooth over with a spatula.

Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours or until firm.

Slice, serve and enjoy!  Keep any leftovers covered and refrigerated.

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

I love chocolate.  Let me state that again so that you can clearly understand me: I LOVE CHOCOLATE!  I especially love chocolate that is warm and gooey, like hot fudge, or stove-made pudding.  If you are at all like me and love chocolate, or know of any chocolate lovers, make this recipe; it is the Bomb!

(Thanks to Hershey’s for this recipe)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Prepare chocolate cake batter:

In a large bowl, stir together:

·         ¾ cup white sugar

·         1 cup flour

·         3 Tablespoons cocoa powder

·         2 teaspoons baking powder

·         ¼ teaspoon salt

Add, while stirring:

·         ½ cup milk

·         1/3 cup of melted butter

·         1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Pour batter into an 8 or 9 inch baking pan.

Prepare dry topping:

Stir together:

·         ½ cup white sugar

·         ½ cup packed light brown sugar

·         4 Tablespoons cocoa powder  

 

Sprinkle topping mixture evenly over the cake batter.

Pour 1 ¼ cups hot water over the top of the topping and batter. 

DO NOT STIR

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until center is nearly set. 

Cool for 15 minutes.

Spoon warm dessert into dishes and watch as the hot chocolate sauce from the bottom of the pan can be spooned over the top of the chocolate cake.  It’s like magic!  Add a dollop of freshly whipped cream and voila!  Perfection!

Carrot Cake with Pecans

This is the recipe I used to bake my daughter’s very first birthday cake.  This carrot cake is quite moist and fairly heavy.  Using copious cups of shredded carrots and plenty of pecan pieces, this cake has some healthier attributes than many other dessert cakes (it’s also loaded with lots of sugar and fat from the real butter and cream cheese icing, but that’s what makes it taste so good)!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Prepare carrot cake batter:

·         Mix together 2 cups sugar and 1 ½ cups vegetable oil  

·         Beat in 4 eggs, one at a time

First sift together these dry ingredients, then add to wet mixture:

Prior to icing, cooling carrot cakes completely is key

·         2 cups flour

·         2 teaspoons baking soda

·         2 teaspoons baking powder

·         2 teaspoons cinnamon

·         Dash salt

Mix in 3 cups of grated carrots and 1 cup of pecan pieces

Pour batter into lightly greased and floured pan(s) and bake for 30- 40 minutes.

You can make one 13” x 9” cake, or two 9” round cakes, staked and layered with icing.  I usually opt for making the second, layering the cakes, if I have the time.  The cream cheese icing between the layers of cake help to keep it especially moist.  

TIP:  After removing cakes from round pans and cooling completely, gently slice the top of the cake to a flat plane if it has risen while baking into an arch.  Evening the cakes will help steady the layers.

Cream Cheese Icing

Plastic sandwich bags can be used for icing-
Cut the tiniest hole in the tip
for fine, colorful lines.

Beat together until smooth:

·         1 package softened cream cheese

·         1 stick softened butter

·         1 8 oz package confectioners’ sugar

·         1 tsp vanilla
Splash of milk

Spread icing carefully over cake and lightly between layers after cake is completely cooled.  Keep covered while storing.

TIP: For an extra dash of flair, try separating some cream cheese icing and mix some with orange and some with green food coloring to make decorative icing carrots on the top of your carrot cake.

 

 

Italian Cream Cake

Italian Cream Cake

High power mixer- great for whipping egg whites!

This is my Nana’s recipe and I treasure sharing it with you.  Full of coconut and pecans, this buttermilk cake is truly spectacular and always a rave success when I serve it.  Somewhat involved, take time to make this cake with love.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Prepare cake batter

Cream together:

·         ½ c shortening

·         1 cup butter

·         2 cups sugar

Add 5 egg yolks, one at a time, while mixing

In a separate bowl, mix together dry ingredients:

·         1 teaspoon baking soda

·         2 cups flour

·         ½ teaspoon salt

Add dry ingredients along with 1 cup buttermilk while mixing

Stir in 2 cups of coconut and 1 teaspoon of vanilla

fold in whipped egg whites carefully

Gently fold in 5 stiffly beaten egg whites

Bake in 3 greased and floured 8” round pans for 25-30 minutes.

Frosting

·         1 stick butter, softened

·         1 8oz package of cream cheese, softened

·         1 teaspoon vanilla

·         1 cup pecans

·         1 lb box of powdered sugar

Mix well and spread on completely cooled cake, including between layers.

Store covered (if there is any left over!)

Rachael's Favorite Recipes: Cooking with Wine and Beer

Cooking with Wine and Beer

I never really took the opportunity to cook with wine or beer until recently, and wow!!!! does it make a positively delightful difference in sauces, stews and chili!  Flavors and spices, when used in balance, will meld together to yield a new symphony of taste; When spices and fermented alcohol are harmonious, you will not likely be able to distinguish individual flavors.  Adding a little wine or beer will contribute another layer of depth to your cooking.

I like to follow the basic culinary rules of combining white wine with chicken dishes, red or burgundy with beef, and beer with chili. 

All of these dishes freeze well, so feel free to make a bunch and then portion them out as desired for later meals.

Chicken and White Wine

If you are time limited in cooking, you can combine all of these ingredients into the crock pot and bake together for several hours.  If you have the time and enjoy cooking, follow this step by step recipe:

• 4 chicken breasts, pan seared in a pre-heated skillet with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper
• Add 1 sliced onion, 2 cloves minced fresh garlic and sauté with chicken, adding a small amount of oil as needed
• Add sliced fresh mushrooms and continue to sauté (Tip: To clean mushrooms, use a damp cloth and brush off any dirt)
• Add 1 cup of white wine, 1 can of drained artichoke hearts and 1 jar of drained capers
• Bring to a low, gentle boil
• Cover and cook until chicken is completely done
• Serve with steamed rice and enjoy! 

Healthy and Delicious Marinara Sauce

Never again will you want to use manufactured spaghetti sauce, my friends.  This marinara sauce is fun to make and versatile to use in cooking a variety of dishes.  It is really quite healthy as well as so very, very yummy!

Fresh, local and organic ingredients are key to the success of this sauce.  Use farmer’s market or home-grown tomatoes, freshly picked basil and oregano and other ingredients that are as full of life that you can obtain.   When I don’t have fresh tomatoes, I use canned or frozen local tomatoes that I’ve stored from last season.  When I don’t have any access to any local tomato stash, I use store bought organic canned fire-roasted or regular tomatoes.

Tip: Using a castiron skillet when cooking tomatoes will release a healthy bit of iron into thesauce. 

In a large skillet, heat up a bit of olive oil and sauté together:

• ·         4 -5 cloves freshly minced garlic
• ·         2 - 3 sliced leeks and/ or 1 chopped onion (leeks are slightly sweeter and less biting than onions, I’ve found; I love to use them when possible)
• ·         2 - 4 tablespoons freshly chopped basil (Tip: if using dried herbs, use half of the amount you would for fresh) 

  

  A Spice Grinder is great for tacky herbs, cinnamon, nutmeg and seeds

• ·         1 – 2 tablespoons freshly chopped oregano
• ·         Freshly ground pepper and salt to taste
• ·         1 tablespoon onion powder
• ·         1 tablespoon garlic powder

At this point, if I were making a meat marinara, I would now add pork sausage and cook until done.  You can also use ground beef or turkey if you prefer.

Add sliced zucchini and/ or yellow squash and sliced fresh mushrooms to the sauté and cook until soft

Unless you have an extra-large cast iron skillet, transfer the sauté into a large soup pot to make room for adding the tomatoes.

If you are using fresh tomatoes, be sure to wash, core and quarter.  Leave in the seeds; leave on the peels.  These pieces of the plant have nutrients in them that you will want to consume.  For cherry and smaller tomatoes, wash, cut and toss in as-is.  12 or so large fresh tomatoes ought to do it, or a variation of fresh and canned tomatoes and tomato paste if you like.

As you heat up the stove to medium and the tomatoes start to cook down, stir and occasionally mash the tomatoes with a potato masher.  Wear a heat resistant glove and beware of steam while mashing.  Also, watch your eyes- sometimes a whole cherry tomato may be squashed and squirted who knows where during this process (taken from one whom has had this happen on occasion).

After the tomatoes are cooked down most if not all of the way, add ½ cup of red wine or burgundy then turn down the heat to a low boil.  Do not cover, as you want the liquid to simmer down and your sauce to thicken up.  Yes, you might have to clean up bubbled up tomato splashes on your stove top because the sauce is gently boiling and there is no cover, but it’s so worth it!

Stir occasionally, mindfully ensuring that the bottom does not burn or scorch.  Tip: If you notice the bottom of your sauce or soup has been scorched, STOP stirring up the bottom of your pot; you may be able to save most of your work as long as you avoid scraping the scorched bottom section and contaminate the rest of it with the overpowering flavor.

When you are happy with the taste and scent of your sauce, pull it off the stove and let it cool and mellow for a while.  

Take ¾ of your marinara sauce and puree it in a food processor before adding back to the ¼ of un-pureed sauce.  This method of pureeing most of the sauce ensures that it is smoother, thicker, and slightly chunky and it will not scare away anyone who is afraid of zucchinis or mushrooms in their marinara because they’ll be pretty much hidden from view!

Serve over pasta with a higher end grated cheese mix of Romano, parmesan and asiago.  Using good quality cheese is imperative to highlight the integrity of your sauce.

Use this sauce with chicken parmesan and lasagna.  Marinara freezes and cans well for future use, so feel free to make plenty while local tomatoes are in season.

5 Hour Beef Burgundy Stew

I believe this recipe is from a cookbook my mother got from the Dayton Art Institute.  It’s quick and easy, and yes, a little cheaty too, since it calls for 1 can of tomato soup.  I have yet to proactively prepare my own tomato soup prior to making this stew because often when I make it, I’m honestly pressed for time.  Using processed tomato soup will lend a slightly sweeter flavor than if you make your own tomato soup and use it in this beef stew.

• ·         1 can tomato soup
• ·         1 cup burgundy wine
• ·         1 package dried onion soup mix
• Mix together well to make sauce before adding meat and vegetables.
• 2 lbs stew meat – I usually get whatever beef roast is on sale and cut it up into bite sized pieces.
• Variety of cut up vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots, parsnips, onions, cabbage, kale, mushrooms, etc.
• Toss together.  Place in a covered dish and cook for 5 hours at 250 degrees.

A hearty stew that will surely satisfy!  Freezes very well for future use.  Make this stew when you notice that beef roasts are on sale J

More Chili, Please

Some like it hot, others may not.  You can temper the heat of your chili by how much red pepper and chili pepper that you add.

For meat chili I like to use either ground round, beef roast or steaks cut into small bite sized pieces.

In a large preheated skillet add:

• ·         A little olive oil to keep ingredients from sticking
• ·         Meat (or meat substitute or no meat at all)
• ·         1 diced onion
• ·         1 grated carrot
• ·         2 cloves freshly minced garlic
• ·         Several dashes of onion powder and garlic powder
• ·         1-2 teaspoons crushed oregano (sometimes I will throw in a pinch or so of dried basil too, just for fun)
• ·         1-2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ·         A few dashes of ground red pepper to taste and/ or crushed red pepper flakes
• ·         Several tablespoons of chili powder to taste
• ·         Ground black pepper and salt to taste

After the meat is finished cooking and the onion and carrot are soft, you can drain any grease that may be in the pan.  If you are using a less fatty meat like ground round, you probably don’t have to drain it at all.

Add the following:

• ·         2 cans kidney, black and/ or pinto beans
• ·         2 cans of diced tomatoes or fresh tomatoes
• ·         1 can of tomato sauce
• ·         1 small can of tomato paste
• ·         ½- 3/4 cup cheap beer – I have a tendency to cook chili with cheap beer because at times when I have chosen a more expensive beer, it comes with a stronger flavor which may detract from your overall palatable experience.

Bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally, and let cook for at least 30 minutes or more.

Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream and tortilla chips.  

Freezes well!