Ingredients

• 2 sticks butter, room temperature
• 1 c. packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tbsp. molasses
• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 c. rolled oats
• 1 c. coconut flakes
• 1 c. bittersweet chocolate chips
• 1 c. peanut butter chips
• 1 c. butterscotch chips
• 1 c. Heath chips
• 1 c. semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 c. macadamia nuts, chopped
• 1 c. pecans, chopped

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, cream together butter, shortening, and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Stir in molasses. Combine the baking soda, salt, and flour. Stir into butter mixture. Add oats and coconut and stir until well blended. In a separate bowl, toss together the chips and nuts. Add chips and nuts to batter and stir until well combined. Form 1.5-ounce balls and place on a prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 15-17 minutes. Remove and let cool on a cookie sheet for 10 minutes, then a wire rack.

Holly Allen

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 1/2 cups plus
• 2 tablespoons well-shaken buttermilk, divided
• 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

Preparation

Soak oats in 3/4 cup buttermilk 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl.

Stir egg, butter, brown sugar, remaining 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk, and oat mixture into dry ingredients until just combined.

Heat a griddle over medium heat until hot and lightly brush with oil. Working in batches, pour 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto griddle and cook until bubbles appear on surface and undersides are golden-brown, about 1 minute. Flip with a spatula and cook other side, about 1 minute more. (Lightly oil griddle between batches.)

Gourmet, February 2008

Ingredients

• 3 good-sized fresh fall apples—Cortland or McIntosh are both great
• 1/2 Cup sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Topping:

• 1/2 stick cold butter (4 TB.)
• 1/2 Cup flour
• 1/3 Cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease the bottom only of a small (4 cups or so) casserole dish. Peel and core the apples, slice and place in a bowl. Top with sugar, cinnamon and vanilla, toss to coat. Set aside while preparing topping. Make the streusel by cutting the cold butter into a bowl, adding flour, sugar and cinnamon, and rubbing it through your fingers until the streusel is a coarse, sandy/pebbly texture. Put the seasoned apples into the pan, top generously with the streusel, and bake at 350° about 30 minutes, until the streusel is golden brown and the apple is starting to bubble up through the topping.

Penzey’s Spices

Ingredients

• 3 small (4 to 6 ounces each) Italian eggplants
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon sweet or hot paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes (optional)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preparation

Preheat the grill to high.

Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise; do not trim off the stem ends. (If using larger eggplants, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices and grill 3 to 5 minutes per side.) Mix the garlic and oil in a small bowl. Brush the mixture over the cut sides of the eggplants. Combine the herbs and spices in a small bowl and set aside.

When ready to cook, arrange the eggplants, cut sides down, on the hot grate and grill until nicely browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Lightly brush the skin sides of the eggplant with the oil mixture. Turn the eggplants with tongs and brush the tops with the remaining oil. Sprinkle with the dried herb mixture and salt and black pepper to taste. Continue cooking the eggplants, cut sides up, until the flesh is soft, 6 to 8 minutes more. Serve immediately. Serves 6.

“The Barbecue! Bible” by Steven Raichlen

Ingredients

• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 sprigs rosemary, leaves removed and chopped
• 1/2 of a red onion, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped smoked ham
• 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, optional
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini or navy beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation

Place garlic, rosemary, onion, ham and red-pepper flakes in a food processor; pulse to finely chop. Add beans, salt and pepper to taste. Slowly add olive oil with motor running until beans are pureed to a spreadable consistency, about 1 minute. Adjust seasoning.

Note: Serve with thick chips or as a spread on slices of toasted baguette.

Makes 1 1/2 cups.

Chicago Tribune

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 pound lean ground beef
• 1 cup chopped broccoli florets
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 12-ounce package wonton wrappers
• 2 tablespoons oriental sesame oil

Preparation

Blend 4 tablespoons soy sauce, 1/4 cup ginger, vinegar and honey in small bowl.

Combine beef and next 6 ingredients in medium bowl. Mix in remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 2 teaspoons ginger. Place several wrappers on work surface; brush edges lightly with water. Place heaping 1 teaspoon beef filling in center of each. Fold wrappers diagonally in half, pressing edges to seal. Place wontons on waxed paper. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.

Preheat oven to 250°F. Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat; add 1/4 of wontons. Fry until wontons are golden and filling is cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to baking sheet; keep warm in oven. Repeat frying with remaining wontons, using 1/2 tablespoon oil per batch. Serve wontons with sauce.

Bon Appetit, March 1999

Ingredients

• 1/2 c. grapefruit juice
• 1/4 c. orange juice
• 3 tbsp. lime juice

Preparation

Combine all ingredients and let sit for two hours at room temperature.

Ingredients

Cake Batter:

• 2 3/4 Cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3/4 Cup butter, softened
• 1 Cup sugar
• 3 Eggs
• 16 oz. sour cream
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Streusel:

• 3/4 Cup brown sugar
• 3/4 Cup chopped walnuts
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 Cups blueberries, rinsed and drained

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan or bundt pan. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside. In a separate bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Add the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream and vanilla. Mix until blended well. Combine the streusel ingredients except for the blueberries and reserve 1/2 cup. Toss the rest of the streusel with the blueberries. Spread 1/3 of the batter in the pan, top with 1/2 of the berry mixture, another third of the batter, the rest of the berries, and finally the remaining batter. Sprinkle on the reserved 1/2 cup streusel topping. Bake 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Carefully turn the pan over onto a serving plate or cake stand and remove from pan. When completely cooled (2 hours or so) sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Penzey’s Spices

Ingredients

• 3 Cups peeled, grated carrots, ends removed (about 1 lb.)
• 2 Cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 4 large eggs
• 2 Cups granulated white sugar
• 3/4 Cup applesauce
• 1/4 Cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 Cup chopped nuts or raisins (optional)

Frosting:

• 1/3 Cup cream cheese
• 1/4 Cup butter (1/2 stick)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 Cups powdered sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325°. Line muffin tins with paper cupcake cups. Peel carrots, chop off ends, and grate finely, which is easiest using a food processor. Sift flour, CINNAMON, salt, baking soda and baking powder together, set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs until well blended. Add sugar, oil, carrots, and PURE VANILLA EXTRACT, mix well at medium speed. Add flour mixture and nuts or raisins (if desired). Blend on low speed until just mixed, spoon into cupcake cups, about 3/4 full. Place the pans in the preheated oven, bake for 12 minutes. Switch the pans so the pan from the lower rack is now on the upper rack, and bake for 12 more minutes. Check for doneness–cupcakes should be browned and springy to the touch. Let cool completely before frosting. To prepare frosting: let cream cheese and butter come to room temperature. Blend thoroughly with PURE VANILLA EXTRACT, then beat in the powdered sugar at low speed. Add food coloring if desired; it gives the frosting a nice spreading consistency. If you don’t use food coloring, add a drizzle of milk to make the frosting spread more easily if desired.

Penzey’s Spices

Cook needed amount of rice (white or brown) for the folks you are feeding. Cool. Toss with sour cream or yogurt to coat (you don’t want it to be gummy or soupy) and a healthy quantity of chopped cilantro. Put in a well-greased casserole and top with grated parmesan. Cover with foil and bake 20-30 minutes. Remove foil and cook until golden on top.