BIZZY BAKES

It says, "thai" so I have to like the Thai Chicken San Choy Bau that we are making this week in our Donna Hay Wednesday group.  It was a bit spicy and the chopped chicken was a nice change of pace. Kayte selected this recipe from On the Shelf on page 124.   I tried it with the greens and it was very good and then I put it on spaghetti and it was spectacular.  My toddler granddaughter even liked it.  Must have been the hot sauce. I used romaine for the greens and I subbed in red pepper and added some Sirracha to spice it up to make up for the real chilis. Do check out the other cooks' dishes at our   Wednesday with Donna Hay site.

I have been trying with a minimum of success to share with you the recipes I made for the jewish holidays.  I look at my photos and unfortunately, in some cases, I have no idea what they are.  Kugels and casseroles have similar looks.  I am guessing, this is a cabbage casserole but I am not sure.   What I am sure of is that it was delicious and went quickly.  I am finding more and more ways to make cabbage.  It is a versatile vegetable and mixes with many other ingredients.  Forget only using it for cole slaw.  It is a multi-"talented" veggie. Cabbage Casserole   (adapted) 1/4    cup butter  1  bag shredded cabbage (green or white) 1   large  onion, finely chopped 3/4  cup milk 2   eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup panko crumbs 1/2   teaspoon salt 1/4  teaspoon black pepper Method: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Sp...

This week, Gaye chose Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan and Vincotto from the Donna Hay magazine,  Jun/Jul 2015 on page 88. I have a few stores where I do my food shopping and it all depends on where I am at shopping time which one I go to.  This week, I ended up in the smaller kosher store in the neighborhood and of course, they did not have brussels sprouts.  Granted, this is not my favorite store and I usually walk out unhappy, I still like to support the ownership who are nice people who don't seem to be making a success of their venture. I had no time to travel to the bigger stores with the better produce so I put on my thinking cap and came up with a substitute which is a bit far fetched, broccoli.  I can't vouch for the brussels sprouts but I will say, the broccoli was delicious with a taste of lemon, garlic, red chili, Parmesan and black pepper.  Pulled together with olive oil, it made a delicious side. Check out what others cooke...

I make salmon, so often, it is easy to confuse my recipes. We love salmon so I admit, it is hard for us to consider almost any salmon recipe, a failure. Some are not particularly good looking but tasty, they are. This one, my guests also loved, so it is probably a winning recipe. It originated from Baked Dijon Salmon from allrecipes .com. I have been, recently, making lots of salmon with soy or Teriyaki sauce and as much as I love that, I wanted a real change. Honey and Mustard was the way to go. To me, a touch of sweetness is important for salmon. You can use brown sugar or agave, instead of the honey, if that is your choice. The idea is to have some sweetness. This was a successful recipe but as I said, it is difficult to go wrong with salmon in our house. I plan to make this several times over. Honey Dijon Baked Salmon Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 1/2 tablespoons honey 1/4 cup flax seed meal 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley...

Peggy selected a unique recipe, Mini Pumpkin Jar Cakes found on page 291 in Weeknight Wonders.   This was easy or quick to make, and I used pumpkin pie spice in place of the various individual spices which made it even easier. I ate it hot out of the microwave and it was yummy.  Check what the other members made at Eating with Ellie.   Full Plate  Thursday  

This is a dessert week for the WwDH bakers.  We made  Chocolate, Banana, and Coconut Muffins.  I skipped the coconut because my grandchildren were visiting and they don't like coconut.  Instead, chocolate chips made a major difference to them. These were easy to make and my little granddaughter loves them.  She took one bite and gave a sigh of satisfaction.  The older grandkids enjoyed them as well. Check out the other Donna Hay members and  H earth and Soul Hop       Tuesday’s Table            What' d You Do  This Weekend               see their cupcakes.

I am coming back to blogging slowly but surely.  It is hard not to have this as a daily discipline and then expect to jump in full force.  I couldn't do it.  I think, once I get a few days posted in a row, I will pick up the volume and hopefully fill you in on some wonderful dishes, I made over the holidays. Something Sweet is the name of a recently published book by Miriam Pascal who has a blog, the Overtime Cook.   I decided to use it for most of my holiday baking and it truly fit my needs. Miriam thinks like I do and prefers using oil to a less healthy margarine in many of her baked goods. The mousse, I made from the book, had no raw eggs, something I am diligent about not using. The best part of the book for me was the recipes, Miriam chose to use.  I wanted to make almost all of them and I have made a good start already.  Some recipes, I baked were Peanut Butter and Banana Chocolate Chip Cake - a huge success with our guests, Snickerdoodle Bund...

This week,  I selected this recipe for EwE but I unfortunately did not post it in time for our weekly Thursday cooking.  Better late than never definitely is proven because this turned out to be a fantastic side dish.  The noodle with caramelized onions, garlic, parsley and caraway seeds blended together for the right flavor and the right crunch. I recommend this recipe,  Egg Noodles with Onions, Caraway, and Parsley  from Weeknights Wonders  by Ellie Krieger.  Check out our Eating with Ellie page to see what others have done with this recipe.         Foodie Friends Friday                  Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge     This is How We Roll

I am recovering from the Jewish holidays and I am not really back blogging but I did bake this cake from Donna Hay for  my company.  I took some chocolate nutty candy and put it in the food processor and dropped it in globs on top of the cake.  I also added some caramel chips to the batter.  I figured this would appeal more to the children than a plain cake. The "Wednesdays with Donna Hay" group baked this, this week and I am taking bets, they found it as easy as I did to make. Peggy selected this and it is from Off the Shelf.  Thanks Peg. To see what the others did with this recipe, check out our page  .

I was right when I said, I would not be able to post for a while.  I have cooked literally dozens of new dishes but had no time to blog.  I thought, I would get at least one here to prove I didn't forget you. The holiday, we are celebrating is Succos and it is a time we eat and some sleep in the sukkah, a temporary structure covered with wood slats or branches or bamboo.  People decorate them with pictures and projects, the children make in school. If you are interested in learning more about the holiday and its meaning, I found should fill you in. Here is the inside of one which I found online.  Another: Some are fortunate and have a yard where they can build their sukkah which is relatively close to the kitchen.  Some live in apartment houses and have a shared sukkah outside meaning, all the food is taken from the floor they live on down several flights of stairs.  Since we do not use elevators on the holiday itself, it means carrying...

When I prepare for the holidays, I marathon cook.  So far today, I have made two broccoli kugels, 2 cauliflower-leek kugels, a ton of kneidlach (matzah balls) and this carrot apple kugel.  I didn't start till almost 2 o'clock. We just finished the first two days of the holiday Rosh Ha Shana, head of the year, and while we eat well, that is not the priority.  The meals were good but my focus is on Succos which comes around in two weeks.  There are six major meals a week plus a seventh smaller one (not counting regular meals on the non-holidays.  Each meal has challah, a fish course with salad, soup, meat or poultry with a few side dishes and desserts.  By the last meal, I am full before we start. Along side of the heavier dishes which I make ahead of time, I like to serve fresh vegetables to lighten the meals.  I also make the potato and apple dishes a day or two before the holiday since I don't find they freeze well.  So far I have two...

The Jewish holidays are upon us and they go on for a month.  There is much spiritual, emotional and physical preparation.  I don't want to commit to the blog and then not come through.  I have new wonderful recipes that I have been making and I am excited about sharing them with you. Whenever, I find free time between teaching, celebrating the holy days, being a wife, mom and grandmom, I will post. Wishing those who are Jewish a sweet new year.  May you be blessed with all that you need.  To everyone, enjoy and happy cooking. Coming....... All the above are from Bing Images.

For me, this is one of the best recipes, we have had, so far.  The Eggplant, Ricotta and Parmesan Bake was chosen by Margaret for our Wednesday with Donna Hay group.  I knew originally when I saw the ingredients, I would love this.  It is my kind of dish.  Even if you are not a fan of eggplant, it is well disguised and I think most people who like a cheesy kind of dish, would enjoy it. The ingredients include eggplant, ricotta, parmesan, eggs, cream and basil.  They seem to be made for each other.  I finished this by myself over several days.  You can find the recipe here .  You can see what others have done with this recipe here.    Foodie Friends Friday                  Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge      This is How We Roll

I have not added many new recipes in the last week because school started and I found it hard not to think about  my class and what will make it an effective year for them.  I believe strongly in a class personality and that factor determines how I handle the class both in learning and discipline. I am teaching two classes, this year, and when I walked into each one, I felt good.  The boys were normal with no one glaring as a discipline problem.  I know that in one class there is a child who has been difficult over the years.  I made it a point to connect with him immediately.  He behaved and participated.  One day of success.  Now for the days to come. Last year, the class was supposed to be a dream class and from the moment I walked in, I felt a tension, I never felt before in that room.  It remained for at least half the year and never dissipated completely.  It took me months to understand that this class felt entitled. ...

This week, I made Broccoli Soup with Beans and Pasta.  This is the easiest recipe, the perfect one to make when you come home from work, with little impetus to fuss, in the kitchen.  It has few ingredients and is from the book, "Thirty Minute Pasta" by Giuliano Hazan.  This is my contribution to our group of cooking ladies who weekly attempt to make a recipe from this book.  The recipes are generally easy, yet delicious. Check out the blogs of these ladies  Kayte , Margaret , Peggy , Glennis  to see what they have made this week.

This dish is in prep for the cold weather that will surely come our way in the near future although that is hard to believe, at the moment, with the sun shining down upon us with such a strong force. This is the perfect dish to come home to, after work, when I am tired and want to warm up.  It can be made ahead of time and it can be served with noodles, rice, quinoa or vegetables. Rush Hour Chili was selected by Gaye and is found on page 101  in Weeknight Wonders by Ellie Krieger.  This book gets closer to my heart and tummy with each recipe I make.  This is another easy to make meal that fills you mouth with flavor.  I would gladly make this again.  Thanks Gaye. Check out what our other members did this week with chili at Eating with Ellie. (EwE)

Each week, I skim through the pages and each week, there is a recipe that I stop for, this Spaghetti with a Savory Onion Sauce.  Then I continue, to check the ingredients and keep on turning pages.  The reason is that this calls for anchovies and I don't want to use anchovies and it seems to me that would be a major ingredient with all the flavor it brings to a dish.  In trying to be true to this recipe and others that call for anchovies, I have lost the opportunity to enjoy them, I looked online for a similar recipe by Hazan an d I found it here.   This makes a larger quantity and does NOT have anchovies.  Otherwise with minor exceptions, the recipes are almost the same.  Since the ingredients are the same, I decided to make the one from the book without the anchovies. There are differences in the steps to the final dish, the reason most likely being the thirty- minute guideline.  The one on Food.com has the onions sauteing for almost 45 minute...

Before I fill you in on this recipe, I must share these were supposed to be mashed.  I wasn't in the mood for sweet mashed potatoes and I knew the flavor would be the same, so I left the potatoes in chunks. These mulled cider sweet potatoes were selected by Peggy and they are too easy to make and delicious.  I guess the hardest part was peeling the potatoes.  Added to the potatoes were butter (it was optional and I opted out.) maple syrup and spices. You can probably imagine the taste.  Of course, I think you almost can't go wrong with any sweet potato recipe. Do check out EwE page and see what the other cooks have made.  We do  not print the recipes from our group and we think that you would like having this book, Weeknight Wonders in your own  home. Linked to:  Waste Not Want Not Wednesday             Full Plate  Thursday  

In the Jun/Jul 2015 Donna Hay Magazine on page 32, you will find a recipe for Pumpkin, Caramelized Onion, and Feta Gratin.  This week, Gaye selected this intriguing recipe for our group, WwDH to make.  When I first saw it, I was quite happy about the choice and already knew, I would use butternut squash. My problem was, in this case, I felt I needed a photo and since I did not have the magazine, I only had a copy of the printed word.  The recipe called for chopped squash or pumpkin, but I had no idea what the size was.  Was it more diced like chop or a bigger one?  I guessed and easily lived with the decision.  I can't wait to check out everyone else and see how they interpreted this if they also did not have the magazine. Also caramelized onion relish was called for (store bought) and I have never seen that in any of the stores.  I simply caramelized the onions and ended up burning some, in the process. The recipe called for flaked almon...

Memories of childhood have lots to do with mashed potatoes. If I did not feel well, I got mashed potatoes and I felt better or so I told myself. I don't have strong memories of food and my childhood but oh how I remember potatoes. I still like almost any kind of potato but it is the mashed that bring back the memories. I guess, I sat on the sofa and ate them, when unwell. I can picture cuddling on one end of the sofa with a bowl in my hand, filled with those wonderful potatoes. So, here I am remembering and making mashed potatoes. These are light and tender. Memories are funny.  Some are vivid, some are dim and others are gone which means they are not memories.  My hubby and I have different times that we remember clearly.  I assume this is related to the importance of the incidents to each of us. Mashed Potato L ove Ingredients 2 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon chopped onion 8 ounces re...

Melting Goat Cheese  I  have found that I like to add vegetables or different cheeses to Hazan's recipes.  I find his dishes simplistic but they have the flavor and texture.  I just, at times, want  a little more, maybe a tomato, zucchini, Ricotta or Feta.  As I go through the book, I take advantage  of his flexible recipes and make them more intact with my family. You can see the original recipe here . T agliatelle with Peas adapted from  Giuliano Hazan’s Thirty Minute Pasta Ingredients:  1 tablespoon olive oil 1 cup frozen peas   1/2 orange pepper, sliced 2 tablespoons Parmesan 2 ounces goat cheese, chopped Salt Freshly ground black pepper 8 ounces left over small pastas ( using up pasta in house) Method: Fill a pot for the pasta with about  4  quarts of water, place over high heat, and bring to a boil. In a skillet, add peas and bell pepper to the olive oil and seas...

I am proud of myself.  I selected this week's recipe for Eating with Ellie (EwE).  I loved this and it could not be easier.  Two minutes is really two minutes.  It is called  Two-Minute Mango Coconut Sorbet. The recipe has four simple ingredients, frozen mango (I am sure fresh mango can be used), honey, basil and coconut milk.  Into the blender and zap, you have a frosty refreshing scrumptious dessert, breakfast, snack or whatever you want whenever you want it.  I could sit down to these, particularly in the hot weather at any time. I made mine while the mango was still partially frozen so it came out icy cold but it can be frozen or it can be put in the refrigerator.  In my opinion, icy is better. I liked this more than I have liked any dessert in a long time and that includes chocolate.  I am sure, you could make this with any fruit if you are not a mango fan.  Peaches to blueberries should work. Only a little honey is used ...