BIZZY BAKES

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. ...

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 bought the Kitchn cookbook after being impressed with the site, The Kitchn .  I did not get far into the recipe pages when two dishes jumped out at me, Sweet Potato and Caramelized Onion Hash with Baked Eggs and Morning Egg Bake with Turkey, Red Peppers and Spinach. I do not like the name of either recipe - much too long and specific but they did get my attention.  I think, in general, cooks have started listing too many ingredients in the titles of recipes, and that includes me. I made the latter without the turkey and had a pretty and tasty dish in front of me. I also cut the recipe way back to accommodate my needs. Morning Egg Bake Ingredients: olive oil 3 eggs 1/3 cup of milk salt to taste freshly ground black pepper 1/3 cup Parmesan 1 1/2 ounces goat cheese 2 ounces chopped baby spinach 1/2 red pepper, chopped Method: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 6 inch square pan. In a medium sized bowl, beat eggs and add in mil...

I thought Asian Cole Slaw sound different and yummy but now I am not sure.  The soy sauce turns it brownish so it looks like it has been sitting around for months.  The flavor  is good especially with peanut butter in the mix.  Unfortunately, people don't gravitate toward it. I would like to use this sauce again on something else.  It would be great with noodles or chicken or broccoli. Asian Cole Slaw Ingredients: 3 tablespoons Mirin 3 tablespoons  oil 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic 3 cups thinly sliced green cabbage 1/2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced 1 carrots, shredded 1/2 teaspoon chopped cilantro Method: In a medium bowl, mix the Mirin, oil, peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic. In a large bowl, mix the green cabbage, red bell pepper, carrot, and cilantro. Toss with the peanut butter mixtur...

In my quest to find soft foods, my husband can eat, I decided to try to do something with salmon since that is one of his favorites.  I poached the salmon in water and then put it through the mini food processor with some bell pepper and some seasoning.  It turned out to be delicious and can be eaten hot or cold.  It is good plain or on crackers or in a sandwich. I hate to admit how much of his salmon delight, I managed to eat. Salmon Delight Ingredients: 1 salmon fillet without skin 1 tablespoon mayonnaise (optional)  There is no reason for the mayo but I had to  make it creamier for my husband so I added it. 1/4 of red bell pepper, chopped pepper to taste 1/4 teaspoon oregano Method: Place all ingredients into mini food processor and mix until desired consistency.   Place in small bowl or scoop and put balls of salmon on spinach or lettuce. Eat and enjoy. linked to:       Treasure Box Tuesda y...

Eat and enjoy I may not be a meat eater, but don't tempt me with sausage. Granted, this is turkey sausage but, in my innocence, I can't tell the difference between the beef sausage and the turkey sausage. I think, it is due to the nature of the sausage, the spices and the manner, it is cooked. I should admit, I enjoy meat, when I do eat it. I, simply, do not have any desire to eat it. People talk about steak and I would prefer a burger. Beef stew and meat loaf don't tempt me at all. Again, I eat them when presented and it is not a chore to eat them. It is most likely, I have trained myself to reject meat when I am selecting food for the week. It actually brings out negative feelings. I could give up beef tomorrow but I would not say the same about poultry. This is an easy dish to make and it is rich in flavor. For us, it is a good change of pace. Pan Roasted Sausage and Vegetables Ingredients: 8 red new potatoes, cut in wedges Olive oil spray 1/...

I did make cauliflower rice once before and I remember it was good but it obviously did not make a strong impression, long term,  I ventured into it again, optimistic and excited, to find my hubby doesn't like cauliflower.  All these years and that never surfaced.  Perhaps, at times, he is overly polite but this time, he made himself clear and pushed the cauliflower rice to the side and left it there. I am still glad that I made it and will make it for company in the future.  I made a version of fried rice, making a stir fry and adding pieces of eggs.  I loved it but I love cauliflower and often make it for myself for lunch and eat it with a little bit of butter and Parmesan. Cauliflower "Rice" Stir Fry (adapted from Whole Living ) Ingredients: 3 cups cauliflower florets 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 sliced red onion, divided 1/4 cup Vegetable Broth 1tablespoon minced fresh ginger 1 thinly sliced small red bell pepper 1/4 tea...

I have cooked cauliflower so using it raw, in a salad, is new to me.  The clean crisp bite was a pleasure to eat with the other ingredients, it is a sure winner.  It comes from Taste of Home magazine - October-November 2005.  The original recipe included a pound of bacon which I did not use.  While, I would guess that the bacon would make it even more crispy and tasty, it was just fine without it.  I also eliminated the cheese.  It just did not seem to need it. Cauliflower Salad Ingredients: 1 medium head cauliflower, broken into florets  1 medium red pepper, chopped  1 medium onion, chopped  1/2 cup mayonnaise  2 teaspoons honey Method: In a large salad bowl, combine the cauliflower, bell pepper and onion.  Combine the mayonnaise and sugar.  Spoon over cauliflower mixture and toss to coat.  Cover and refrigerate before serving.  Eat and enjoy. linked to...

As I explore new vegetables, I find that I like them. I don't quite understand this. How did I get through life without bok choy, kale, asparagus and purple carrots? There is a whole new world out there and as a great grandmother, I am now discovering it. " Better late than never," definitely fits. OK, you guessed. I bought bok choy with no plans for it and I made this yummy salad. I definitely did not want a salad. I wanted cooked bok choy but I asked my hubby to get me a recipe and he brought me a salad. Being fair, I decided to make it. It turned out to be one of the best salads, I have made. This is an Allrecipes.com dish which you can find here. Of course, I altered the recipe. It is much more fun to be creative when you cook. I do remember the days when each word of a recipe had tremendous meaning. Now, it is change in the middle of everything and make a completely different recipe, using one of the ingredients. I did use the d...

The longer days necessitate more food on the Sabbath.  Our third meal of the day becomes more complex with lots of salads.  I made some new ones this week and this black bean salad was particularly good. Black Bean Salad With Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette 1(15 ounce) can  black beans , drained and rinsed 2 cups of corn kernels 1⁄4 cup diced  red onion 2 red bell peppers , diced 1⁄2 cup  cilantro , chopped Vinaigrette 2 limes, zest of 2 tablespoons  fresh lime juice 2 tablespoons  extra virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves , minced 1⁄8 teaspoon  cayenne pepper                     2 tablespoons  sugar 1 teaspoon  cumin 1/2 teaspoon salt Method: Combine all ingredients in a  large bowl and mix well. Toss with desired amount of dressing. Cover and chill for a few hours or overnight Linked to:   Real Food Recipe Round-Up      Treasure...

This is the very first Catch-Up week for Eating with Ellie.  I missed two recipes because of Passover.  The one, I am making up, this week is  Pasta Fagioli with Zucchini which I believe was scheduled for the first night of Passover (Pesach). Since pasta is one of the items, we do not eat, on Pesach, this was skipped for a very good reason.  I admit, I had wanted to make it ahead of time so it could be posted but with the preparation that went into the holiday, it just didn't happen. I wish, I had the time, to let you peek into our home before the holiday.  Ask any woman who celebrates Passover which is the busiest time of the year, and I would bet that many if not most, would say Passover.  I learned many years ago that despite the work and lack of sleep, to enjoy this prep time.  It is good to love cooking when you  plan a holiday and we did cook and cook and cook.  It can be healthier food if you choose to not to throw matzah in ev...

This is Catch-Up week for the Wednesday with Donna Hay group.  This was quite a challenge for ma since there were many recipes I missed.  I did not belong to the group when it first started so there are a whole bunch of exciting recipes that preceded my participation.  Then in the two years, I have been cooking Donna Hay recipes, there were various times, I had to take a short leave and missed a number of additional recipes.   I was so confused with all the possibilities and this might seem a strange choice but I am fussy about carrots.  I don't like them in soup but in some salads, I find they add a nice crunch.  The dressing for this carrot recipe hit the spot. I did sub in red pepper in place of the spicier chili pepper out of respect to hubby who likes a "quiet" food - no snap, crackle or pop.  Despite the lack of the chili pepper, the dressing was delicious and the very thin carrots could be eaten by my one year old granddaughter.   Si...

This winter has been a COLD one with lots of snow and ice.  That makes it the perfect weather for soup and more soup. The magic of soup is that almost any soup is delicious, or at least, we think so, in our home.  I have proven it by the number of soups that have been made in my kitchen in the past month and we honestly loved each one. I found this soup, aptly called Sunshine Soup in Nigella's book, "Nigella Kitchen."   I could leave this book out and read it, any time, I have a few minutes.  It is a wonderful way to learn about Nigella's life and her thinking about cooking.  There are so many tips punctuating not only her recipes but also her stories. The soup is rich in vegetable broth with corn, garlic and roasted peppers.  Roasted peppers are delight by themselves; put them into a soup and the rich flavor permeates every aspect of the soup. Look out the window at the snow and eat this soup.  You will see the sun reflecting from the snow an...

I don't make salads enough.  I really do love them but I just don't bother making them.  It is funny how I don't mind chopping and shredding for hot food but I do mind for salads.  I did make this combination and we liked it.  And.......I don't like olives. Pepper, Olive, and Mozzarella Salad  Ingredients: 24 Cherry Tomatoes, halved 1/2 Cup Yellow Bell Pepper 1/2 Cup pitted Olives Mozzarella Balls (I used small chunks instead.) 1 teaspoon dried parsley 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil 1/2 teaspoon RiceVinegar with basil and oregano Pinch of ground cumin Salt and fresh ground Pepper to taste Method: In a large salad bowl, mix together the tomatoes, bell pepper, olives, mozzarella, and basil. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, cumin, salt and pepper. Drizzle over salad and enjoy! Results: I took my first bite and my mouth was filled with pops of flavor. This is delicious. I would make it again, happily and I will eat olives, from now ...

My husband got it, in his head, he had to have kasha and went as far as making the kasha. I got a pretty good deal on this one. Wish, he did this, more often. Since, the kasha was cooked, I did a search on what I could add to it, to give it taste and color. This is it. It is a nice grain to work with and I imagine, with a minimum of creativity, we could come up with some really good recipes to incorporate in our diet. Kasha With Zucchini and Red Bell Pepper adapted from Foodista Ingredients: 1 cup organic vegetable broth 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup whole kasha 1 egg beaten lightly 1 onion chopped 1 red bell pepper chopped 1 zucchini scrubbed, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/4-inch slices salt and pepper to taste Method: In a saucepan combine the broth, 1 cup water, and 1 tablespoon of the oil and bring the liquid to a boil. In a bowl combine the kasha and the egg, stirring to coat the kasha well with the egg, transfer the mixture to ...

T his is supposed to be a baked potato soup but due to limited time, I boiled the potatoes.  Other than that, I basically followed the instructions with a few minor modifications.  I left the directions for baking, thinking it might be a more interesting recipe.  Boiled potatoes worked out fine and we had a delicious soup.  I admit, I am a big fan of potato soup and have not met one, I didn't like. Baked Potato Soup -   adapted from Cooking Light September 2007 Ingredients: 3 baking potatoes  1/2 cup brown rice flour  4 cups 2% reduced-fat milk 1 cup reduced-fat shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese, divided 1 cup reduced-fat sour cream 3/4 cup chopped red onion, divided Topping: chopped red pepper, chopped red onion, shredded Cheddar (a small amount of each for each bowl of soup) Method: Preheat oven to 400°. Pierce potatoes with a fork; bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes; co...