Blueberry Muffins

Andy is teaching a course this semester, he has two T.A.s that are responsible for running the lab associated with the class AND grading mid-terms over spring break. So, to sweeten the task, once they're done grading they can trade their tests for baked goods. They'll have a choice of these or banana bread (upcoming post).

1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 1/4 cup low-fat yogurt, Greek style (very thick)1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/ 8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups blueberries (leave in freezer until you are ready to use them)

Preheat oven to 375°. Have all ingredients, except frozen blueberries, at room temperature (this takes at least an hour). Prepare muffin pan with paper cup liners.

1. In a medium-sized bowl, beat the egg briefly with a wire whisk to lighten. Add the sugar and continue to whisk until you can no longer feel any resistance from undissolved sugar.
2. Add the butter to the bowl and mix briefly to combine, then add sour cream and vanilla, whisk until mixture is very smooth.
3. In another bowl, combine the dry ingredients and stir thoroughly to mix and eliminate lumps.
4. Add the blueberries to the dry mixture, toss gently for a few seconds to coat the berries.
5. Add flour mixture to the liquid mixture and combine with a few quick folds.
6. Scoop batter into muffin pan.
7. Bake for about 25 minutes.

Once they come out of the oven, brush with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Yields: 12 muffins

Time: 45 minutes, once all ingredients are at room temperature

Super Natural Cooking - Swanson

I bought this cookbook a couple of weeks ago. I have been following Heidi Swanson's blog for about year. If you haven't seen it you should check-it out. The photos alone are enough to make you drool.

Nothing but a down to earth approach to cooking and eating, whole natural foods comes across in both the blog and book. Without seeming like a "food-elite" Swanson sings the praises of alternative grains (think Mesquite flour and amaranth) and less than familiar presentations of tried and true veggies (Hedgehog Potatoes pg. 97 and Shredded Green Beans pg. 91). All around the book does an excellent job of inspiring you to not only try something new but also puts a new twist on the familiar.

Here's a quick summary of the recipes I've tried.

Roasted Tomato and Paprika Soup (without the paprika) p. 99
In a 375 F oven, roast 5-8 cored and quartered tomatoes, 1 large red bell pepper, and 3 onions peeled and quartered, 5 cloves unpeeled garlic, drizzled with 2-tablespoons of olive oil. Bake until everything starts to look caramelized and yummy. Turn if you suspect burning.

Peel the garlic cloves, dump everything into a soup pot, add about 3-4 cups of veggie broth, puree with a hand blender. Warm over medium. Taste and adjust seasoning to taste.

Yields: 4-6 servings
Time: 1 - 1.25 hours (mostly unattended)

Sweet Potato Spoon Bread p. 110

You need 3 medium-large baked sweet potatoes. (It takes about 1 hour in 425 F oven to bake sweet potatoes. I highly recommend doing baking them a day ahead. Otherwise this recipe is a bit laborious to prepare). In a small skillet, over medium heat in lots of butter brown 4 sliced thin, large shallots. Cook, until everything is golden brown, about 10 minutes.

In a large bowl coming 3/4 cup of flour (whole wheat of course!), 1 teaspoon of onion powder, salt and pepper to taste. Add a splash of 1 cup of boiling water, continue to add a bit at a time till its all incorporated, never mind the lumps. Add the sweet potato flesh and blend. Stir in shallots and all that butter, then add 3 eggs one at a time, thoroughly mixing to combine.

Put 2/3 of the sweet potato mixture in a lightly greased casserole dish, dollop with 1/2 of 6-ounces of goat cheese. Finish with dollops of sweet-potato mixture and than the rest of the goat cheese. Bake 30- 35 minutes at 375 F (this is lower than the original recipe), until the goat cheese browns and the bread has set.

Yields: 6 - 8 small servings
Time: 1- 2.5 hours, depending on if you have pre-baked sweet potatoes

Catch-up

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am optimistic to a fault. When I announced this blog's exsistence in my holiday letter I hoped it keep me on track with writing and posting. Anyone who's been checking (anyone?? anyone??) knows that it hasn't.....Although I have been cooking I haven't found the time to post. I am going to keep trying.

A couple of things from the last couple of months that have kept me going through the hours school work.... In something like chronological order....


Melanie Bliss, Andy's mom sent two pairs of these great Valentine's Day socks. I love them! I wear them on days that I think might be bad. They make me smile and feel loved!


Two weeks ago, on a random Tuesday this man made me Molten Chocolate Baby Cakes from this book. What can I say?? Andy should be cloned as the ideal boyfriend.


I love my cat. Even when she steals the covers.


I think these might be my favorite flower.

Lemon Curd

From 1 or 2 Photos

In a medium size, heavy-bottomed sauce pan over low-heat, whisk together 3/4 cup of lemon juice (I used wonderfully flavorful Meyer lemons), 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, 3/4 cup of sugar and 3 eggs. Cut 1 stick of unsalted butter into small bits and add. Cook stirring very regularly until quite thick like pudding, about 10 - 12 minutes. Resist the urge to raise the heat past medium, you do not want cooked egg in the finished product.

I have double this recipe on more than one occasion, substituting some of the juice for orange juice, the same with the zest.

You can use the curd to sweeten yogurt, as a decadent treat on toast, in a layer cake or with just a spoon.

Time: not more than a half-hour

Yields: 1 2/3 cup of curd

From this recipe at Epicurious.

Chicken-Chile Mango Pizza

From 1 or 2 Photos

Note: This is my attempt at a pizza that Andy had (and loved) in New Zealand after returning from Antartica in 2003. He can't remember the name of the cafe where he had it but he highly recommends both the pizza and Antarctica.

- Over medium heat in a small sauce pan, saute 1/2 chopped onion till tender, add red pepper flakes* to taste. Add 1 cup of prepared Mango Sauce from Trader Joe's (it can be found with the apple sauce), reduce heat and allow reduce to very thick, 10 - 15 minutes.
- Over medium-high heat in a medium sized skillet, brown 1/2 lb of boneless, skinless chicken tenders or breasts. (In lieu of this step, use any cooked chicken on hand). Season with salt, garlic powder and chili powder to taste). Once thoroughly cooked remove and chop into strips. In the same skillet, brown one thinly sliced onion and one thinly sliced red bell pepper for garnish.
-Pre-heat oven to 450 F. The oven should be very hot for a crisp crust.
- Roll out prepared pizza crust (also available at Trader Joe's. You'll find it with the prepared salads and sandwiches). Keep the crust on the thick side (1/4 inch thick or so) to avoid a soggy center. Place on a cookie sheet dusted with coarsely ground cornmeal to avoid stickage.
- Cover the pizza crust with a thin layer of shredded mozzarella cheese (low-fat mozzarella is fine), a thin layer of mango sauce, chicken, red bell peppers and onions. Finish with a thin layer of cheese.
-Bake for 10 - 12 minutes. Allow to sit for a few minutes before cutting.

*In order to balance the sweetness of the mango, you want to add some type of chile to the recipe. This can be in the form of red pepper flakes, chili powder or even actual chiles (fresh or dried and re-hydrated). Feel free to experiment. The mango is very sweet, so you can add quite a bit without burning your tongue!

Time: 45 minutes

Yields: about 3 servings