Bread

For many years, I baked homemade bread on a regular basis. Then, as life became busy, my output slowed drastically.

But a friend of mine started posting regularly on Facebook that she'd baked another couple of loaves of homemade bread, and how wonderful they made the house smell.

Ah, yes, I thought. I remember how wonderful the house smelled after baking bread..., as I added yeast to my shopping list.

While I don't bake nearly as much as I used to, years ago, I have gotten back into baking bread again. In honor of that, here are six yummy (and wonderful smelling) bread recipes for your enjoyment, including Magic Caterpillar Peanut Butter Bread and my much-loved (by family) Egg Cinnamon Bread. Enjoy!

CRANBERRY CREAM CHEESE MUFFINS

My son and I were both on several long-forgotten emailing recipe lists. This is one of the recipes my son passed along from one of those lists.

Makes 24 muffins.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries [dust with 2 Tbl. - flour] - can substitute blueberry or raspberry

1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line muffin pan with paper liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray.

In mixing bowl, beat together butter, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each.

In separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the butter mix gradually; fold in cranberries and nuts. Spoon batter into greased muffin cups.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or til golden and toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Let muffins stand on cooling rack for about 3 minutes before removing from the pans.

MAGIC CATERPILLAR PEANUT BUTTER BREAD

Years ago, I got hooked on Breaking Bread with Father Dominic on (if I remember correctly) the Food Network. Unfortunately, the show has since left the air, at least where I live. However, you might be able to check out a few episodes by Google-ing his name for the latest places that show him, or on YouTube. Check out his website, The Bread Monk, at http://www.breadmonk.com/. This recipe yields 1 loaf.



Ingredients:

1 package Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast

1/4 cup warm water

1 cup milk

3/4 cup chunky peanut butter

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

For decoration: tubes of colored frosting, candies, gumdrops, licorice, etc.

Directions:

Sprinkle yeast over warm water in large bowl; stir to dissolve yeast. Let stand about 10 minutes, or until foamy.

Combine milk, peanut butter, sugar and salt in small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth. Let cool to lukewarm, then add to yeast mixture. Stir in flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition until flour is thoroughly incorporated.

Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead 5 minutes, adding small amounts of the remaining flour as needed to keep dough manageable. Rinse and dry bowl, then lightly oil surface of dough and place dough in bowl. Cover with a dry cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place 1 hour.

Punch down dough. Knead briefly to expel large air bubbles. Roll dough into a rope about 24 inches long. Form rope into a large S shape on a lightly greased 18x12-inch baking sheet. Using a butter knife or dough scraper, chop rope into 3-inch sections, but do not separate completely. Cover with a cloth and let rise about 30 minutes. (The caterpillar will magically grow back together during rising and baking.)

About 15 minutes before end of rising time, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake loaf 25 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Let cool on baking sheet 15 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Decorate cooled loaf with frosting and gumdrops or other candy. Poke holes in the sides with a wooden pick and insert sections of licorice for legs.

Note: Decorating gel doesn't work as well as frosting as a glue for the candy decorations, so make sure you pick up the right tube at the store. Any candies will work to make spots for the caterpillar's sections. Thin red licorice makes the perfect legs and antennae, unless you know your youngsters prefer the flavor of black licorice.

TEXAS MOPPIN' ROLLS

Yield: 12 rolls.

I frequently make these (from Breaking Bread with Father Dominic) to go with chili or homemade spaghetti. Definitely yummy!



Ingredients:

2 packages Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast

1 teaspoon honey

2 cups lukewarm water

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

1/2 cup minced onion

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

6 1/2 to 7 cups all-purpose flour, divided

Directions:

Combine yeast, honey and warm water in large bowl; stir until completely dissolved. Add salt, hot red pepper flakes, onion, Monterey Jack cheese and Cheddar cheese; stir until thoroughly mixed. Add 6 cups of the flour, 2 cups at a time, mixing after each addition until the flour is completely incorporated.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead 6 to 8 minutes, adding enough of remaining flour to form a fairly stiff dough. Rinse and dry the bowl, then oil surface of dough and place dough in bowl. Cover with a clean, dry cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place about 1 hour, or until doubled.

Punch down dough. Knead briefly to expel large air bubbles. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a fat oval. Place rolls in a lightly greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan (three rolls across, four down). Let rise about 20 minutes, or until nearly doubled.

While rolls are rising, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place on middle rack of oven and bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until top crust is browned. Remove rolls from pan and let cool on racks.

Note: "With so many different palates to please, our abbey cooks are usually pretty cautious about spicy seasonings. As a result, sometimes monastery food is a bit bland, so I like to create breads with strong flavors. Every time I serve these rolls, one of the brothers is sure to comment on how he expected "just another roll" and got a mouthful of pepper-and-cheese-bread-with-an-attitude. These rolls are actually pretty mild compared to a lot of Tex-Mex food, so feel free to increase the amount of crushed red pepper.

"I used ordinary dried crushed red pepper (hot red pepper flakes) for this recipe, but if you keep fresh jalapenos or other hot peppers in the fridge, by all means use them. Three 3-inch jalapenos, minced fine, provide moderate heat. You can experiment with other peppers as well." (All notes after the recipes are Father Dominic's notes.)

EGG CINNAMON BREAD



I've been making this for years – actually, for decades – and almost always gotten rave reviews on this recipe. It got to the point that several people have specifically requested this recipe – and, if I'm visiting, it's pretty much expected that I'll bake up a batch. This recipe makes three loaves.





Ingredients:

2 envelopes yeast

1 C warm water

1-2 T honey

1 C milk (Note: 1 cup soy milk can be used in place of the milk)

1/2 C margarine (1 stick)

2 eggs, beaten

6-7 C unbleached white flour

1/4-1/2 C margarine (1 stick)

2-3 C cinnamon sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Stir honey into warm water. Stir in yeast. Set aside.

Heat milk until warm. Pour into large bowl and add 1/2 C margarine, cut into 4 pieces. Stir, allowing margarine to melt. Cool to room temperature. Stir in salt, yeast mixture and eggs. Add flour, 2 cups at a time until stiff. Place dough on floured towel and knead for 4-5 minutes.

Wash and dry bowl. Oil dough, place in bowl, cover with clean towel and place out of draft in a warm place. Allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until double.

Melt 1/4-1/2 C margarine. Grease 3 loaf pans. Punch dough down, then divide into three sections. Roll out with rolling pin, then brush with melted margarine. Spread cinnamon sugar over melted margarine, then roll all three sections into loaves. Place in pans, place clean towel over pans, and allow to rise again for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Remove towel, then place loaf pans into preheated 350 degree F oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes.

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE-ZUCCHINI BREAD

This comes from Deb Wise on MyRecipes. She wrote, “Got a boatload of zucchini? A loaf of so-simple quick bread is a delightful, kid-friendly way to put it to use. This decadent twist spices up classic zucchini bread with cocoa powder, cinnamon, a rich chocolate glaze, and roasted pepitas. Easy-to-make, incredibly moist, and intensely chocolatey, this Mexican Chocolate Zucchini Bread is sure to be a new favorite.”

Active Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes; Yield: Serves: 10 (serving size: 1 slice)

To view this online, go to https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/mexican-chocolate-zucchini-bread.

Ingredients

3 large eggs

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups grated unpeeled zucchini

1 2/3 cups (about 7 1/8 oz.) all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon table salt

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup, plus 2 Tbsp. roasted and salted pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds), divided

3 tablespoons heavy cream

1 ounce bittersweet chocolate baking bar, finely chopped

1/2 cup (about 2 oz.) powdered sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9- x 5-inch loaf pan with baking spray.

Place eggs in a large bowl; lightly whisk. Add granulated sugar, oil, and vanilla; whisk until smooth. Stir in grated zucchini.

Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl just until combined. Add flour mixture to egg mixture, stirring just until combined. Stir chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of the pepitas into batter. Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth top with spatula. Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 55 minutes to 1 hour.

Cool bread in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of pan to loosen bread. Remove bread from pan, and cool completely on rack, about 1 hour.

Combine cream and bittersweet chocolate in a medium-size microwaveable bowl. Microwave on MEDIUM until chocolate melts, about 45 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds. Add powdered sugar, and stir until smooth. Drizzle glaze over top of cooled bread. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons pepitas.

TRADITIONAL IRISH SODA BREAD WITH CARAWAY

This is a traditional bread to make around St. Patrick's Day, but I could eat Irish Soda Bread any time. This is from the March 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Pricking the surface of the unbaked loaf is an old Irish tradition to let the fairies out.” Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbs. caraway seeds

1 Tbs. granulated sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 cups buttermilk or sour milk

Preheat oven to 425F. Spray round 8-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine flour, caraway seeds, sugar and salt in mixing bowl. In separate bowl, whisk baking soda into buttermilk. Make a well in center of flour. Pour buttermilk mixture into well, and stir to blend, using large spatula or wooden spoon. Dough should be soft but not sticky; if still sticky, work in 1/4 cup flour at a time until dough holds together.

Scrape dough into cake pan. Lightly flour hands, and pat dough flat. Using sharp knife, cut deep cross on top. Prick each quarter three or four times with fork.

Bake bread 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan, and cool slightly on rack. Serve warm with butter.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 200; Protein: 7 g; Total Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 40 g; Sodium: 500 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 5 g

Thursday Recipes

It's almost the end of the week...one more day, and then the weekend. In the meantime, here are six recipes to help you through the day, including Quick Green Chile Soup-Stew and Ratatouille. Enjoy!

VEGETARIAN MUSHROOM WELLINGTON

This comes from Alexa Weibel at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Alexa wrote, “Classic beef Wellington is a technical feat in which a tenderloin is topped with foie gras or mushroom duxelles, then wrapped in puff pastry and baked. This vegetarian version is less exacting yet just as impressive. Seared portobello mushrooms are layered with apple cider-caramelized onions and sautéed mushrooms, which are seasoned with soy sauce for flavor and bolstered with walnuts for texture. The rich mushroom filling is vegan, and the entire dish can easily be made vegan, too. Swap in vegan puff pastry, a butter substitute in the port reduction and caramelized onions, and an egg substitute for brushing the puff pastry. If you want to prepare ahead, sauté the mushrooms and onions in advance and refrigerate them, then assemble the dish the day you plan to bake and serve it. Prepare the port reduction as the Wellington bakes, or skip it entirely and serve with cranberry sauce for a touch of tangy sweetness.”

Time: 3 hours; Yield: 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020596-vegetarian-mushroom-wellington.

Ingredients

For the Mushroom Filling:

4 large portobello mushrooms, each about 3 inches wide (8 to 10 ounces total)

1/2 cup plus 5 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt and black pepper

2 pounds mixed mushrooms, such as shiitake, oyster and cremini

4 shallots, finely chopped (about 1 packed cup)

6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

1/3 cup port, or 1 to 2 tablespoons good-quality aged balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1 cup finely chopped toasted walnuts (about 4 ounces)

Ice, for cooling

For the Onions:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 medium yellow onions (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch rounds

3/4 teaspoon light or dark brown sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup apple cider or apple juice

1 tablespoon good-quality aged balsamic vinegar (optional)

For Assembling:

All-purpose flour, for dusting

1 (14-ounce) package puff pastry

1 large egg, beaten

For the Port Reductions (Optional):

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large shallot, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns

1 1/2 cups good-quality port

1 1/2 cups vegetable stock

3 fresh thyme sprigs

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Kosher salt and black pepper

Preparation

Wipe the portobello mushrooms clean using barely moistened paper towels. Remove the stems, then slice off the excess mushroom rim that curls over the gills. (You are making sure the stem side has a flat surface so it will sear properly.) Reserve the stems and scraps for use in Step 2. Brush the portobello mushroom caps on both sides with 3 tablespoons olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large (12-inch) nonstick skillet over medium-high and cook the mushrooms, gill-side down, until caramelized, 4 to 5 minutes, then flip and cook until softened, about 4 more minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, gill-side down, to cool.

Prepare the mushroom filling: Separate and reserve any mushroom stems. Roughly chop about two-thirds of the mixed mushrooms, then working in batches, transfer the roughly chopped mushrooms to a food processor and pulse until chopped into small pieces. (They should range from 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch in size.) Transfer the chopped mushrooms to a large bowl. By hand, finely chop the remaining mixed mushrooms and stems and the reserved portobello mushroom stems and trimmings into 1/4-inch pieces; add them to the large bowl. (Chopping most of the mixed mushrooms in the food processor will save you some time, but you’ll want to chop some by hand for texture.)

Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. (You’ll use this to quickly cool the cooked mushrooms in Step 4. If preparing in advance, you can simply let the mixture cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.) Wipe out the skillet. Working in two batches, warm 1/4 cup olive oil over medium-high heat. Add about half the mushrooms, shallots, garlic and rosemary, and season lightly with salt and generously with pepper. (You’ll add soy sauce later, so avoid overseasoning at this stage.) Cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and repeat with the remaining 1/4 cup oil and the remaining mushrooms, shallots, garlic and rosemary.

Once the second batch of chopped mushrooms is cooked and caramelized, return the first batch to the skillet. Add the port, soy sauce and thyme leaves and cook over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates, 3 to 5 minutes. (If using balsamic vinegar instead of port, reduce the cook time to 1 to 2 minutes.) Transfer the mushroom mixture back to the medium bowl and stir in the walnuts. Set the bowl over the prepared ice bath to cool, stirring occasionally, at least 20 minutes.

Prepare the cider-caramelized onions: Wipe out the skillet, then melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, sprinkle with the sugar, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the cider and cook, stirring every few minutes, until the liquid evaporates and the onions are caramelized, about 15 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, if using, then transfer to a bowl to cool.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a large piece of parchment paper on your work surface and lightly dust it with flour. Unfold your thawed puff pastry and set it on the parchment. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the pastry out into a 13-by-16-inch rectangle. Transfer the parchment paper and puff pastry to a large sheet pan. Rotate the sheet pan, if needed, so that one of the 16-inch sides is closest to you. Arrange half the cooked mushroom mixture in a strip in the center of the puff pastry (it should be about 4-by-10 inches), leaving a 1 1/2-inch border at the ends. Arrange the caramelized onions in a single, 3-inch-wide strip on top of the mushroom mixture, leaving about 1/2 inch of the mushrooms exposed on both sides. Lay the portobello mushrooms on top of the onions in a single line, stem-side down. (If the portobellos are too large to all fit in a row, square off edges so the cut sides lay snugly without overlapping.) Spoon the remaining mushroom mixture on top of the filling, covering the portobello mushrooms, then gently pack the mushroom mixture to form an even layer on top. (You can shape this the same way you might shape a freeform meatloaf.)

To assemble, lift one side of the puff pastry over the mushroom filling to almost completely cover it. Brush the surface of the puff pastry covering the mushrooms with the beaten egg. Lift the remaining puff pastry flap over the egg-washed puff pastry, gently stretching it if need be to create a second layer of puff pastry on top, then gently press the top layer of pastry onto the lower layer using your fingertips to seal. Brush the insides of the short ends of the puff pastry and press to seal. Trim any parchment paper that extends beyond the sheet pan.

Brush the exposed puff pastry on top with the remaining beaten egg. Decorate the top of the puff pastry as you like: Create a cross-hatch pattern by gently slicing through only the top layer of puff pastry in parallel lines, then cutting parallel lines in another direction. (Apply very little pressure, as you only want to cut through the top layer of puff pastry, not the second layer.) You can also slice small decorative vents in the puff pastry (be sure to slice all the way through both layers of puff pastry), or top with additional strips or shapes made from egg-washed puff pastry.

Transfer to the middle rack in the oven and bake until puff pastry is deep golden and flaky, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet, about 10 minutes.

While the Wellington bakes, prepare the optional port reduction: In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium. Add the shallot, garlic and peppercorns, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the port, stock and thyme, and cook over medium-high until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 25 to 30 minutes. Strain the sauce, discarding the solids. (You should have about 1/2 cup sauce.) Cover and set aside until ready to serve. When ready to serve, warm the sauce over medium. Once warmed, whisk in the butter, season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

To serve the mushroom Wellington, cut it crosswise into 8 even slabs. (Each slab will include a pretty cross-section showcasing the halved portobello mushroom in the center; this is considered the presentation side.) Serve each piece presentation-side up. Pass with port reduction for drizzling on top.

QUICK GREEN CHILE SOUP-STEW

This is from the Vegetarian Times website, and was posted posted online on May 1, 2017. It begins, “In an ever more time-pressured world, 'quick' and 'good' become more and more what we all want. On those nights when we must eat now or our blood sugars will crash, try this. It’s as fast as opening a few cans, but it is in fact uncannily good and healthful to boot. If you’re serving it with the muffins above, put them in to bake, begin making the soup-stew, and all will be done by the time the muffins emerge from the oven. It is good, straightforward and unadorned, but you can serve it with any of the following options passed at the table: grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese or soy equivalents, low-fat sour cream or soy sour cream and minced cilantro.” Makes 6 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 cups black beans, undrained

2 cups kidney beans, undrained

2 cups garbanzo beans, undrained

2 cups black-eyed peas, undrained

1 28-oz. can chopped tomatoes with juice

30 oz. enchilada sauce, preferably New Mexico-style green chile, mild, medium or hot

1 cup canned, unsweetened pumpkin

Preparation

Spray a large soup pot with nonstick cooking spray. Put beans, tomatoes and all liquid into pot, and heat over medium-high heat, stirring often.

When heated through, reduce heat to medium-low, and stir in enchilada sauce and pumpkin. Heat again, stir in salt and pepper and remove from heat. Ladle into large soup bowls, and garnish as desired.

Variation:

Omit pumpkin, using 1 large onion, diced, instead. Heat 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat, and when onion has softened, add 3 cloves garlic, chopped, and sauté for 2 minutes more. Drain the liquid from the tomatoes and the beans over the onions. When the liquid comes to a boil, add 1/4 pound fresh green beans, stemmed and sliced crosswise in 1/4-inch wide lengths, as well as 1 large yam or sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1/3-inch cubes. You may also use or substitute several small scrubbed but unpeeled, diced Yukon Gold potatoes. Reduce heat to low, and cook, partially covered, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until potatoes and green beans are tender. Add all canned beans, tomatoes, and green enchilada chile sauce. Heat through, and serve.

INDIAN BUTTER CHICKPEAS

This is from Melissa Clark, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “A vegetarian riff on Indian butter chicken, this fragrant stew is spiced with cinnamon, garam masala and fresh ginger, and is rich and creamy from the coconut milk. You could add cubed tofu here for a soft textural contrast, or cubed seitan for a chewy one. Or serve it as it is, over rice to catch every last drop of the glorious sauce. You won’t want to leave any behind.”

Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

This was featured in “The Meat-Lover’s Guide to Eating Less Meat”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020739-indian-butter-chickpeas.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large onion, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

4 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

2 teaspoons garam masala

1 small cinnamon stick

1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled plum tomatoes

1 (15-ounce) can coconut milk

2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained

Ground cayenne (optional)

Cooked white rice, for serving

1/2 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, for serving

Preparation

Melt butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook until golden and browned around the edges, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. (Don’t be tempted to turn the heat up to medium-high; keeping the heat on medium ensures even browning without burning the butter.)

Stir in garlic and ginger, and cook another 1 minute. Stir in cumin, paprika, garam masala and cinnamon stick, and cook another 30 seconds.

Add tomatoes with their juices. Using a large spoon or flat spatula, break up and smash the tomatoes in the pot (or you can use a pair of kitchen shears to cut the tomatoes while they are still in the can). Stir in coconut milk and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer, and continue to cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, and continuing to mash up the tomatoes if necessary to help them break down.

Stir in chickpeas and a pinch of cayenne if you like. Bring the pot back up to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 10 minutes. Taste and add more salt if necessary.

Serve spooned over white rice, and topped with cilantro.

RATATOUILLE

Recipe Yield: Serves 4

Source: AICR

Recipe and image appear courtesy of American Institute for Cancer Research.

To view this online, go to https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/ratatouille.

Ingredients

1 small eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 large red bell peppers, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch pieces

4 small zucchini, sliced

1 onion, coarsely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. tomatoes, chopped, OR 1 can (28 oz.) whole tomatoes, drained and chopped

1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions

Sprinkle eggplant lightly with salt and let drain in colander for 30 minutes. Pat dry.

In non-stick skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add eggplant. Stir and cook until soft and browned, about 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer eggplant to bowl.

Add remaining oil to pan and heat until hot. Add red peppers, zucchini, onion and garlic. Cook vegetables, stirring, until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Mix in tomatoes, basil and eggplant. Stirring occasionally, cook on low heat 15 to 20 minutes or until all vegetables are very tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Note: Ratatouille, a specialty of the Provence region of France, is a popular and versatile dish that uses large amounts of produce. The tomatoes and eggplant create a juicy, stew-like sauce that accentuates the flavors of basil and garlic. Serve it hot as a side dish or over a grain for an entree. This version also tastes great when served cold.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 123; Fat: 5 g; Sodium: 200 mg; Protein: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 19 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 3-1/2 Vegetable; 1 Fat

ADAM RICHMAN'S EASY VEGGIE CHILI

This comes from Adam Richman on Today's website. Adam wrote, "This recipe has been my salvation both during my college days and my younger bachelor days. It's easy, it tastes amazing, can all be made in one pot and it keeps for days. Plus, it makes an amazing filling for burritos and tacos. You can even spoon it on top of a hot dog!

“Technique tip: You can roast green chilies on the stove top using the burner to create an even richer flavor.

“Swap option: You can use zucchini and squash in place of some of the beans."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Servings: 8 - 10

To view this online, go to https://www.today.com/recipes/adam-richman-s-easy-veggie-chili-t172166.

Ingredients

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 large yellow onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 container meatless veggie crumbles, such as Lightlife Smart Ground

2 packets chili seasoning

One 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles

One 16-ounce can chickpeas

One 15-ounce can black beans

One 16-ounce jar medium salsa

Hot sauce, to taste

1 medium white onion, diced

Preparation

Preheat an empty pot over high heat. Add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pot by about 1/4 inch. Add chopped yellow onion and 2 pinches salt.

As onion slowly becomes translucent, lower heat to medium and add chopped garlic. When garlic starts to get golden, add veggie crumbles. Stir all ingredients together thoroughly to combine. Add seasoning packets stir to coat ingredients. Add the canned tomatoes with chiles and both cans of beans with the liquid (don't drain the beans). Keep stirring throughout. Add the salsa and stir to combine.

Cover the chili and raise heat to high until the mixture is bubbling, then reduce heat to low and cook, uncovered, for about 20-30 minutes, stirring regularly until desired consistency is achieved. Season with salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste.

Serve garnished with diced white onion.

SEIS LECHES CAKE

This is from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, "This recipe for a tres leches cake (a traditional syrup-soaked confection from Latin America) takes a good thing — namely the combination of milks that saturate its crumb — and doubles it. Instead of just the usual three milks (sweetened condensed, evaporated and heavy cream), it calls for six, adding coconut milk, condensed coconut milk and dulce de leche. Like the original version, it’s a dense, puddinglike cake flavored with cinnamon and rum. But here, notes of coconut and caramel lend complexity and even more richness. Serve this in small squares, preferably with a bitter espresso or some tea to sip between syrupy bites."

Yield: 18 servings; Time: 1 hour, plus cooling and chilling

This was featured in "A Milky Cake Where More Is More", and be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020805-seis-leches-cake.

Ingredients

5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, plus more softened butter for greasing the pan

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus a pinch

6 large eggs, separated

3 tablespoons whole milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk

1 cup evaporated milk

3/4 cup sweetened condensed coconut milk (a 7-ounce can, or use more regular condensed milk)

2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk

3 tablespoons dark or amber rum

1 cup dulce de leche

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Preparation

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, 3/4 cup sugar, the baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon salt. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, melted butter, milk and vanilla.

Using an electric mixer fitted with the whisk or beaters, set on medium speed, beat the egg whites until frothy, about 2 minutes. Add the cream of tartar, and beat until thick, fluffy and white but before peaks form, another 2 to 3 minutes. Add remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, a little at a time, and continue beating until the whites are glossy and firm peaks form when the beaters are lifted, another 3 to 5 minutes.

Whisk half the flour mixture into the yolks (it will seem like paste). Whisk a quarter of the egg whites into the yolk mixture to lighten it. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in another quarter of the whites. Sift half of the remaining flour mixture over the batter and fold in. Fold in another quarter of the egg whites followed by the rest of the sifted flour and finally the rest of the whites. Scrape batter into the pan and smooth the top with the spatula.

Bake until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes.

While the cake is cooling, in a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the coconut milk, evaporated milk, condensed coconut milk, condensed milk, rum and a pinch of salt. Heat until steaming, stirring to dissolve any lumps.

Use a fork to poke holes all over the top of the warm cake, then cut it into 18 pieces but don’t take the pieces out of the pan. Pour milk mixture evenly over the cake. Cover and chill cake for at least 8 hours or preferably overnight (or up to 3 days).

No more than 4 hours before serving, spread 3/4 cup dulce de leche over top of the cake. Whip the cream with the remaining 1/4 cup dulce de leche until thick and mousse-like. Spread the whipped cream on the cake, and sprinkle with more cinnamon.