BIZZY BAKES

These days, I am having fun with brussels sprouts,, shredding, boiling, baking and roasting. Roasting.  Today, when I was about to make salmon, I saw the container of brussels sprouts and thought, this has to go together.  My question was how to make it. My usual technique of seeing what is available worked well for me.  Earlier today. I took two partial bell peppers and an onion and sliced them.  I decided to take that bag of vegetables and roast it with the brussels sprouts, in hopes they caramelize and end up as rich sweet nibbles. I also roasted the salmon although for less time.  It made a delicious meal.  This could be served for lunch or supper and I think you will see smiles, all around, unless they refuse to eat those brussels sprouts.  Yes, I know that many of you don't like them.  Maybe, you would if you roasted them.  If you give them a try, please let me know, if you like them. Roasted Salmon and Brussels Sprouts  ...

Chicken is the usual Friday night dish and like a good foodie, I attempt to make a different recipe, each week.  I have not cooked anything from Giada De Laurenttis, in a long time so I checked out her chicken recipes,  I came to this Chicken Milanese which I have never made this dish and was not sure what made it "Milanese".  I looked it up and found this out. Italian Cookery. a. (especially of meats) coated with flour or bread crumbs and browned in hot oil or butter. b.(especially of pasta) having a sauce of tomatoes, mushrooms, grated cheese, shredded meat, and truffles: spaghetti Milanese. As a Kosher, Gluten-Free cook, there is little that I cook, I don't have to change.  In this recipe, I had to sub for the bread crumbs and remove the cheese.  It is pretty automatic to me, making this adaptations but you may wonder, at times, why a major component is missing. Try a panini without bread or chicken Parmesan without cheese. One other issue was I h...

Brussels Sprouts don't win popularity contest but I think, this recipe is a sure-fire way to love them.  They have always been a favorite of mine and I love plain brussels sprouts with a little butter.  Since, not everyone does, I wanted to make these to be more appealing to everyone. The beauty of this is, you can personalize the dish with  your favorite flavors. You can spice it up and add plenty of heat and it will be delicious.  You can add mangoes and shallots and come up with new dimensions.  This is a recipe to be played with and enjoyed. Shredded Brussels Sprouts Ingredients 1/8th cup soy sauce 1/2 teaspoon honey or sugar 1/4 teaspoon Chinese Five Spices (I meant to add a little garlic but forgot) 1 container of ( I think a pint)Brussels sprouts, shredded 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms 1 cup thin sliced red bell pepper a few turns of the pepper mill (black) Method: Heat soy sauce in a large skillet....

You can find spaghetti pie, all over, nowadays but when I made my first one, it was an oddity.  There were not recipes abounding and it was a great concept. The first time, I made one, I was quite impressed with how it turned out.  I am less awestruck, these days because  think that the crust would be more effective as a layer rather than a crust.  The outer spaghetti can dry out.  As a bottom layer, it would keep the moisture. This time, I made the pie without the tomato product and it was different and perhaps better.  I also don't use the meat in the recipe.  Kosher means separation of meat and dairy products.  I opt for the cheesy concoction. Spaghetti Pie (adapted from Epicurious ) 6 ounces gluten-free spaghetti (I like the quinoa pasta the best) 2 eggs beaten 1/4 cup grated Parmesan 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced 1 cup sour cream Italian spices to taste (oregano and parsley from the ...

  Have you ever had an idea for a recipe but was missing an element to make it feel just right?  That was me, tonight.  I knew that salmon was on the menu and also that I wanted to have a side of sauteed spinach and mushrooms.  There were also some beautiful tomatoes, on the counter, looking ignored and sad. I went to the computer and typed in spinach, mushrooms and salmon recipe and what came up was the blending of all my desired ingredients.  I found the recipe on Kraft's site.    I have learned over the years that some of the best recipes came from commercial food companies.  At first, I rejected them, thinking they were only pushing something they were promoting from their food line.  I realized how wrong I was when one afternoon, with nothing to do, I browsed some of the familiar brands and discovered some interesting looking recipes.  From that day on, I was open to the recipes promoted by brands. After all, they want succe...

Whoopee!  This is my week to choose and I picked Rigatoni with Peas, Asparagus and Ricotta. ( Modern Classics 1- p 130. This did not come easily for me since, as some of you are aware, hubby despises asparagus.  When we got married, he told me, there were a few food, he considered non edible.  They were chicken, asparagus and tuna.  Fortunately, he likes chicken now and attributes his dislike to his mother's cooking.  His Mom was known for both under cooking and overcooking but to be honest, I can't remember anything, she made that was either.  She was as plain cook with satisfactory meals, in my opinion.  Of course, there is an advantage to hubby not liking his mother's food.  He appreciates my meals. At first, I thought, I would leave out the asparagus, then I decided to put one stalk in his dish and then, I thought, too bad, once a year, we can have asparagus.  I discovered, I really like it.  After all these years of avoiding ...

Yes, I am behind but I am working on catching up and actually, I am about ready to bake the next cake, a buttermilk bundt cake.  We in The Home Bakers (THB) are using Coffee Cakes by Lou Seibert Pappas.  Since, we are a coffee cake household, this is the perfect book for us.  Except for chocolate which Hubby does not like, the rest of the recipes are just right for him.  This one, Marionberry-Hazelnut Cake is filled with his favorites, not marionberries or hazelnuts though.  What is a marionberry?  I used blueberries and planned to use almonds until I realized, I was out.  I pulled out walnuts instead.  I keep ground flours on hand with a celiac husband.  Nut flours give flavor and are a partial substitute for the all-purpose flour.  I use a gluten-free mixture and the nut flour.  A Great Combo! You can find the recipe here.  My substitutions are as above, walnut flour, gluten free mix, blueberries.  Otherwise, I ...

  I have to admit that this month's food choice threw me.  Croutons.  What do I do with croutons.  I never use croutons, except to throw them into a salad.  With hubby having celiac, I tend to skip bread products or bread creations.  Either, I have to make it first or buy it and it is expensive.  After much thought and more perusing through cookbooks and the Internet, I decided to make a breakfast dish.  I figured a little cheese, eggs and some seasoning and I would have something. Then, I found a recipe on Allrecipes .com. I made it for a 2:00 PM breakfast on Sunday.  No, I did not sleep until then.  I started working on plans for my fifth grade and was too busy to eat.    If I want to diet, all I have to do is start a project, whether cleaning a closet, or leaning something new or making plans for school or even cooking.  I get absorbed and never a thought goes to tempting food. Of course, I can not say that I...

This is my third swap and I am enjoying, finding blogs, I have never sen before.  The adventure in a new blog and a new recipe is lots of fun. This month, I selected my recipe from Sugar Cookies to Peterbilts .  I do what I usually do, jump from one recipe to another and change my mind, each time.  I still plan to make a lemon cake, I fell in love with just looking at the photo and a Southwestern salad with corn and black beans.  Yummy. Kris must be strong living and working on a farm.  She describes all seasons as being difficult so I can imagine, life can be hard but she certainly sounds like she enjoys it.  She and her fiancee have cats a dog and chickens.   I decided on Gram's Buttermilk Pancakes.  I have made pancakes for years but this one was very different than those of my past.  There was no butter and no sugar. Healthy - yes.  I wondered how it would taste. My husband is my judge and when I saw him put a little maple ...

The three ingredients in the title sold me.  If you like them, give this a try.  It looks good and tastes better. I buy avocados from Costco, six at a time, which means, I have to have some dishes to use them in.  Usually, there is guacamole for one or two but the rest are not designated and I usually have fun searching for ways to use them. Granted a salad is not a big deal when using avocado but this particular one is plated on a platter so it has a different look to it, which helps sell it.  For me, it was a special treat since it called for herbs growing right in my garden.  It feels wonderful, seeing all those bits of green on the top, knowing where they came from. Tomato, Onion, Avocado Salad Recipe (adapted from Simply Recipes) Ingredients : 3-4 fresh large tomatoes, sliced 1/2 red onion, sliced 2 avocados, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1 garlic clove, minced 1 teaspoon fresh oregano 1/4 cup red wine vinegar...

I love corn and if I can find an excuse to make it, I gladly do. I keep frozen corn, on hand, all the time, so I can throw together some delicious dish. In the summer, when we can get fresh corn, I refuse to do anything with it than boil it for a few minutes and eat it with all its sweetness.  There is nothing like freshly picked corn.  For the rest of the year, fortunately, there are many enjoyable dishes to make, blending the corn into some concoction or another. This dish was a great success.  Everything blended together beautifully. I had stumbled on this Corn Bake at Pillsbury.  Mexican Corn Bake Ingredients: 2 bags frozen corn 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup chopped red bell pepper 1 large onion, chopped (1 cup) 2 eggs, beaten 1 1/2 cups sour cream 3 tablespoons cornmeal 2 teaspoons sugar 2  cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (8 oz) Method: Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking...

I just discovered, I am a week behind in our schedule.  We have a risotto for this week and it is just too late for me to do anything about it.  Please check out everyone else. Another two day Jewish holiday starts tonight and I have been cooking up a storm. I did not want to miss out on Wednesdays with Donna Hay so I made this week's choice,  one of the dishes for the family. We made Moussaka which is made up of wonderful ingredients such as eggplant, lamb, garlic, onion, tomato puree, vegetable broth, cinnamon, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.  Since I am Kosher, I could not include both the lamb and cheese in the same recipe (we do not mix meat and milk or even serve them, at the same meal.)  I decided to go with the dairy. I was not traditional and used brown rice in place of the ground lamb.  This does change the whole feel of the dish although it still is a good combination to serve.  You can find the original recipe in Modern Classic...

Remember as a kid how much fun it was to belong to a club.  Then came sororities and it got a little more competitive.  Now, joining a club is fun and easy if you enjoy cooking.  Just become a member of the Secret Recipe Club.   Wait for a delightful surprise each month when you are assigned a blog to cook from.  Then have lots of fun, looking through the blog and very likely finding many recipes to make.  Then, eliminate most of them and finally pick the one you are making.  We then wait for the Reveal which is now. My assigned blog was Growing Up Gabel.  Camille and her husband Mitch live in Las Vegas.  Their warm and loving family include a daughter and a son,  Ella and Miles.  Gabel is the kind of blogger I respect, one who loves what she is doing and gets joy from blogging. It was easy to select a recipe because I needed a sauce for pasta, the night, I was cooking my recipe.  I found this straightforward, easy t...

I had used Chicken cutlets for our Donna Hay recipe on Wednesday.  I had two left and no ideas as to what to do with them, a familiar situation.  I think, this is because I am a saver.  I want to know, I have what I will need, in the refrigerator, freezer or cabinets. As a result, I buy a little bit of "everything".  At almost any given time, you will find bok choy, onions, sweet potato, potato, spinach, zucchini, carrots, chopped chicken and chopped beef, chicken cutlets, organic soup, etc., in the house.  Of course that is besides the dairy products.  My basic cheese is Parmesan, Ricotta, Cream Cheese, Cheddar, Mexican shredded, Edam, Goat and some sliced cheese. My point is that I am usually ready with all the ingredients or a good substitute. I remember one day, I met a friend in the food store and she was literally begging me, to stop by and take an onion, she had with no plans for.  I bet her kitchen is more organized than mine.  I...

I usually cook for my Donna Hay group on Tuesdays so I can post it on Wednesdays. I fell behind, this week, but I am getting it out on Wednesdays. It is surprising that I am late in doing this since I look forward to cooking Donna recipes. Almost everything has turned out to be yummy and nothing has been difficult. A win-win situation. This week is no exception. Lemon Chicken Pasta is shredded chicken mixed with spaghetti, garlic, red pepper, shredded chicken breast, lemon juice, lemon zest, basil , salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese . I added sliced onions and I had a little coconut milk in the refrigerator and could not help myself. I added it to the mix and it made it perfect. We do not serve cheese with meat so I left out the Parmesan. This is Gaye’s pick  so take a peek at her wonderful site. Margaret and Kate are the other two members and they welcome you to their  just as wonderful sites.   Margaret   Kayte The recipe ...

    Sometime, we find recipes that are total winners and this one turned out to be  just that.  I was checking out The Tasty Alternative , a site that caters to those who are on special diets, such as gluten-free, dairy free or sugar-free.  There are wonderful recipes and beautiful photos and I am betting you will want to visit. I wasn't sure what to expect from the recipe.  I know that it looked good and has sweet potatoes which I love.  The added apricots and coconut milk were other  incentives to make the dish.  Honey finalized my decision. I followed my gut and it lead me in the right direction.  If I had been cerebral about this, I would have mentioned that I could not see how the beans fit into the recipe, but they did.  Everything blended to make a slightly sweet temptation. Sweet Potato Medley Ingredients:  1 cup sliced  onion 2 cups peeled and shredded sweet potatoes  1 can garbanzo beans 1 ...

I have come to the conclusion, one either loves bananas or hates bananas, at least in my family.  There are those like hubby who eats bananas daily and then there are my daughters who make the most unsophisticated sounds, if they hear the word banana.  Shame on you girls. I like bananas in a fruit salad or in a loaf with chocolate chips.  I don't enjoy a plain banana.  Actually, I grew up on bananas and sour cream.  Yummy. When there are always bananas in the house, one is apt to find some really ripe ones, somewhere.  I say this because this was the Case of the Missing Bananas.  My husband kept insisting that there were more bananas somewhere.  He was so strong about this , I suggested looking under the bed, in the attic and in the car.  Ok, that is a bit extreme.   In the meanwhile, I bought bananas and hubby was happy.  Then one day, I heard him proudly exclaiming, "I knew, we had more bananas."  Yes, he found...

I discovered this wonderful new group and immediately cooked the recipe of the month and promptly forgot I hadn't posted it and that is why I have to cook, at the last minute, in the future.  This is a feeling foolish day.  The name of the group is Make it Mine. To learn about the club, take a short trip to  Cook the Story.    The idea is to take traditional dishes and put your own spin on it. When it came to the dish, Bangers and Mash, I had no idea what we were talking about and didn't feel, I could be too innovative when I didn't have a clue about presentation.  I decided to make potato mounds with the sausage.    Bangers and Mash Ingredients : 1 pound turkey sausage 4 large potatoes, peeled and diced 1 tablespoon olive oil  one onion, diced 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper   Method: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Bake sausages in a square pan until they are a ...

This is the second month of Ina Fridays when we cook a recipe from Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa.  I love her recipes although, at times, I cut down on the butter and oil.  The food is still delicious. This month, we are making side dishes.  There is never a problem finding an Ina recipe and usually, it is online, so it can be posted.   This is no exception. I thought side dishes and first gravitated to rice or quinoa.  Then, I decided on our love, vegetables.  In my search, I came across this tian and stopped right there.  The highlight was the tomato which was rich and filled with flavor.  It sparked up all the other veggies which are more or less bland but do pick up seasoning and sauces well. We would love it if you would join us in cooking.  Let Alyce @ More Time at the Table , who is the originator of our group and the one who works hard to keep us going, know of your interest.  The linky is for members only so co...