stuffed bell peppers

Stuffed Bell Pepper Recipe

6 large bell peppers (green, orange, red or yellow)
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small can sweet corn, drained (8 ounce)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
3 cups long-grain cooked rice
2 cups tomato juice
shredded cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Prepare bell peppers for baking by cutting off the tops and removing the spines and seeds. The peppers need to be softened before baking. Softening of the peppers can be accomplished in one of two ways: 1) Steam the bell pepper on a wire rack above water for 10 to 15 minutes 2) Or cover the bell peppers with water and boil for 3 minutes. After softening process set bell peppers aside.

3. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, stir and cook ground beef until it is browned. Be sure to separate beef into small pieces while stirring. Next add onions and garlic cloves, stir and cook for an additional 3 minutes.

4. Remove skillet from heat. Stir in sweet corn, salt, pepper, thyme, cooked rice and 1 cup tomato juice. Mix all ingredients well, then stuff mixture into peppers.

5. Place stuffed bell peppers upright into shallow baking dish and add the remaining tomato juice. Cover with aluminum foil and bake stuffed bell peppers at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 minutes. Remove foil, add cheese topping and bake an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until cheese melts.

6. Spoon the remaining tomato juice from the baking dish over the stuffed bell peppers and serve hot.

Pasta with Peppers

Monday Penne with Sausage and Peppers (and just a little onion)

1/2 small Vidalia onion, sliced into thin half-moons
3 bell peppers, preferably different colours, seeded and sliced into thin strips
1 package (6 links) sweet Italian turkey sausage (I use the Maple Leaf one and it is awesome)
olive oil
1/2 box whole wheat penne or other short pasta

Begin by boiling a pot of water; when it is boiling, drop in the sausages whole and raw; boil for six to seven minutes. Meanwhile, heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a nonstick frying pan. Cook onion until beginning to brown lightly; add a little more oil and the peppers and increase heat to medium-high; cook, stirring.

Drain sausages and slice into 1/4" coins, removing casings if they come off easily (they should). Start a large pot of water boiling for the pasta.

Toss the sausages into the pan with the peppers and onions; increase heat to high and cook, stirring constantly, until sausages are well-browned and peppers are wilted. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of cooking water.

Combine pasta and sausage mixture; add about 1/4 cup of cooking water if mixture appears dry. Stir well and serve immediately. A little grated hard cheese on top would be nice if you have it (I did not).

Zucchini Muffins

ZUCCHINI MUFFINS*

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon ground

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg ground

1/2 teaspoon Stevia Powder Concentrate mixed with 1 Tablespoon of water

1/4 cup Canola oil

1/2 cup applesauce, unsweetened

1 egg

1 egg white

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups zucchini, grated

1 cup raisins

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine flour, baking power, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl. Stir well and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, applesauce, egg, egg white, Stevia/water mixture and vanilla. Add to flour mixture. Mix until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in zucchini and raisins.
4. Spray muffin pan with non-stick spray. Spoon batter into muffin tins. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until tester comes out clean.

Vickie's Notes:

I replaced 1 cup of brown sugar with 1/2 teaspoon of powdered Stevia concentrate dissolved in one tablespoon of water. I increased 1/4 cup of applesauce to 1/2 cup of applesauce. *Original recipe is Loaf of my Life from Looneyspoons Cookbook by Janet and Greta Podleski which was modified by me.

One Last Note...

The rule of thumb for replacing sugar for Stevia Powder Concentrate in a recipe is 1/2 teaspoon of Stevia for 1 cup of sugar. You can adjust the amount of Stevia used to suit your own taste buds.

FLAX AND CARROT MUFFINS

FLAX AND CARROT MUFFINS*

Ingredients

1 cup ALL-BRAN® Cereal

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon Stevia Powder Concentrate mixed with 1 Tablespoon of water

1/4 cup flaxseed ground

3 tablespoons flaxseed whole

1 cup raisins

1 1/2 cups carrots grated

1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons orange juice

1 egg slightly beaten

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare muffin tins by spraying with vegetable oil spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine bran cereal and buttermilk. Let sit for 10 minutes.
3. In another large bowl, combine whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, ground flaxseed, and whole flaxseed. Stir well to blend. Stir in raisins and set aside.
4. Into the bran/buttermilk mixture, beat in the grated carrots, orange juice, beaten egg, Stevia/water mixture and vegetable oil. Add to the dry ingredients, stirring just until blended. Do not over mix!
5. Spoon into the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until tester comes out dry.

Vickie's Notes: I replaced 1/2 cup of brown sugar with 1/2 teaspoon of powdered Stevia dissolved in one tablespoon of water. I increased orange juice from 1/2 cup to 1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons of orange juice. I increased raisins to 1 cup. *Original recipe was published in Ottawa Citizen newspaper and modified by me.

Brainstorm

Too Many:
Tomatoes
Peaches
Red Bell Peppers
Onions
Garlic
Lettuce
Corn on the Cob
Summer Squash
Zucchini

What to make:
Slice a bell pepper for ranch dip
Make summer squash soup from Vita-mix recipe
Slice and freeze peaches
Make peach pie
Make cream of corn soup
Make burgers with corn (tomatoes and corn)
Make a homemade marinara sauce
Tomatoes on tacos
Tomatoes in salad
Salad: Lettuce, Spinach, peaches, tomatoes, avocado,
Zucchini muffins

What to buy:
Chicken
Steaks
Avocado
Milk
Feta cheese
Parmesan Cheese
Tortilla
Hamburger Buns
Apple Sauce (unsweetened)

Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Meat Sauce

1 can tomato sauce
1 can petite tomatoes
1 can Italian flavored tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 and 1/2 pound ground beef
Salt to taste
1 large Spaghetti Squash

Directions for the Squash:
1. Brown the meat with salt
2. Heat up the sauce, onions and petite tomatoes in a sauce pan on Medium seat.
3. Puree the Italian tomatoes in a blender.
4. Add the puree to the sauce.
5. Bring the sauce to a boil, and then stir and reduce heat.
6. Add the meat to the sauce.
7. Serve on a plate of cooked Spaghetti Squash.

Directions for the Squash:
1. Cut the squash in to pieces long ways.
2. Place both halves face down on a jelly roll pan.
3. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
4. Remove the seeds and yucky parts by gently scraping it off the top of the cooked squash.
5. Use a fork to fluff the cooked Squash before adding sauce.

Gluten Free Dairy Free Vita-Mix

http://cindalouskitchenblues.blogspot.com/search/label/Vitamix

Coconut Milk Yogurt

Coconut Milk Yogurt (half batch)
1 can (15 oz.) organic coconut milk or lite coconut milk
heaping 1/4 t. dairy free probiotic*

Tools Needed:
2 half-quart Mason jars (I used cleaned salsa jars)
large stainless steel spoon
2 large/medium stainless steel pots (I used a double boiler nested pot setup)
kitchen thermometer
a few old clean kitchen towels, a large pot and lid (large enough to hold mason jars) OR yogurt maker

Yeah, we have a wee bit of coconut milk hangin' around...

*I used Culturaid dairy free probiotic since it is free of many of the common allergens: gluten, dairy, yeast, corn, and soy.

*UPDATE* As several of you have pointed out, Klaire Labs has discontinued Culturaid. I've written a length response in the comments section, but to keep it short, we recommend Dr. Ohhira's, Essential Formulas Inc., Probiotic, a 60 capsule probiotic with 12 active cultures, a 5-star rating from 300+ reviews, priced at ~$34.50 - $5 (Referal Coupon Code: JOC350), or $29.50, less than the Culturaid and other competing allergy free probiotics/yogurt starters.

Instructions for Coconut Milk Yogurt
[Gluten, Dairy, Soy, Corn, Yeast Free and Low Carb/Low Fat]

1.) Sterilize your container(s):
I boiled water in my electric kettle to sterilize my yogurt jars and stainless steel pot. After the water boiled, I let it sit for 10 or so minutes while I went onto step 2. When you need two yogurt containers, just discard the hot water.

2.) Pour out the sterilizing water from the pot and pour in the coconut milk. If you didn't shake the can and the milk has separated, just give it a quick stir with a clean/sterilized stainless steel spoon. Turn the milk to medium high heat and keep your thermometer handy. Bring the milk to just boiling with your thermometer in the milk, but not resting or touching the pot (you want the temperature of the milk, not the pot). Continuously stir the milk until it reaches around 160 degrees. I've seen the range of 170-180 degrees for "normal" milk in order to kill the bad bacteria, but the canned organic coconut milk does not suffer bovine growth hormones, animal antibiotics passed into the cow milk, pesticides, or any chemical residues that can hamper regular milk. I am more lax with the temperature for this reason. If you'd prefer to go to the higher temperature, go for it, but make sure to keep stirring so the milk doesn't burn. Several discussions about this post around the internet have questioned my rationale for this step - i.e. "why boil the coconut milk at all? Canned coconut milk ought to be sterilized in the canning process". This is true. The culture requires a coconut milk temperature between 80 - 100 degrees Fahrenheit, so the 160 degrees cited above is likely overkill.

3.) Set up your yogurt-making area.

The yogurt culturing area can be a real yogurt maker or this handy type setup shown below. All that is necessary is that the yogurt stay around 100 degrees (or as close as possible). I placed 2 jars in my largest pot with a few warmed towels on the bottom to insulate the jars. I used 1 jar for steaming hot water and the other jar for the yogurt. Here's a cool site for making yogurt by livelonger on HubPages which gives nice pictures and the incubation idea of a cooler and hot water instead of a yogurt maker.

4.) Let the coconut milk cool. Check the milk comes to around 100-110 degrees before adding the probiotic starter. Once the milk has cooled, stir in the probiotic starter. If you were making normal cow-based dairy yogurt, you could use premade/purchased yogurt with live cultures instead of specialty probiotic starter. For dairy free coconut milk yogurt, we can't do this of course- hence the Culturaid.

Boil some more water and pour into one of your open jars shown above. The hot water in this jar along with the insulating towels and closed pot will help keep the yogurt jar warm so the cultures can grown during incubation.

Pour the inoculated yogurt/coconut milk into the other jar and close the lid to keep it warm. I added a few more towels for jar insulation.

5.) Cover the whole setup or your yogurt maker. I turned my pot to very very low heat (barely on) to keep the setup warm. You may not need to do this depending upon the temperature of your kitchen. It was cold and rainy when I made this (Murphy's law in action). Let the yogurt ferment for 6-10 hours. Mine took more like 10 hours since it was so cold in my kitchen (crazy spring weather). Let the yogurt rest while it ferments.

6.) After the allotted time has passed, check the coconut milk yogurt. It should be firm and more of a yogurt texture. Mine was not as thick as cow milk yogurt (which often has yucky thickeners in addition to the plain old yogurt, especially if you eat the nonorganic kind), but it was definitely thicker. It had a nice slightly sweet-sour yogurt bite to it as well as all those uber healthy (nondairy) probiotics! Now I can down yogurt by the quart like Jon, right? :) Refrigerate the yogurt when it is thick and "finished."

The probiotics in yogurt and fermented foods (kraut, etc) are the "good" guys you want in your intestines to help improve your immunity, keep you regular, build and strengthen your bones, lose weight, and detoxify you. One of my favortie online general health bloggers, Cathy Wong, has a great summary of probiotic health benefits and possible interactions. The Harvard Medical School Health Guide also has a good article with some interesting folk uses for yogurt. Probiotics are especially vital in the healing process for those with compromised digestive systems, like those with IBS, Crohn's disease, and Celiac. In addition to this dairy free yourt, I love homemade red cabbage kraut and NutriWest total probiotics. I've noticed a sincere and immeasurable difference in my digestion and energy. It's just anecdotal evidence, but it does obey my "it works" philosophy. Yet another great resource is USProbiotics.org. A general Google search on the health benefits of probiotics is overwhelming, so I'm barely scratching the surface here. Don't fret, I'll be back ranting about them much more in future posts. My other favored site for health info at World's Healthiest Foods has a great summary on (regular) yogurt. Keep in mind that this coconut milk yogurt is dairy free, but since it is cultured with the probiotics it will contain many of the same fermentation byproducts like some B vitamins.

Oh, and Melissa, I have not forgotten about the 6 line meme! Uhh, I am still struggling with 6 (positive.... or at least not blaringly negative) things to say about myself. Here's a try at 6 words that summarize who I am:

1. independent
   
2. open minded
3. compassionate (my mom might disagree when we get into politics, hehe)
   
4. tenacious (strong willed? what's the difference... it is subtle I guess)
5. assertive
6. principled (to a point of aggravation of others I'm afraid :) )

Do I get another 6 billion words to describe a bride-to-be with a few more weeks until her wedding? Suppose not .. stupid rules! Who makes up these things? Why do we need so many rules... why can't we do fun things, like list the top 6 problems with modeling the cosmic ray muon flux near the surface of the Earth? Come on, please? I could use some help and non-wedding motivation :)

Since this post is already riduclously long, I'll be back with a recipe and/or use for the yogurt later. For now I'll just stop here and go spoon some of the leftover yogurt on some freshly ground flaxseed (omega 3's, high protein, and all carbs=fiber), sliced fresh pear (keeping the washed, organic peel for fiber and vitamins), and a drizzle of blackstrap molasses (high in iron, B vitamins). Hey after writing all of this, I'll a little wiped out for a whole fancy recipe :)

A new recipe using yogurt that looks delicious is from Natalie @ Gluten Free Mommy who whipped up some yummy Yogurt Raspberry Lime Ice Cream. I can't wait to try it or something similar! I use the Vitamix to make many of our ice creams/sherbets, so maybe I'll toss some coconut yogurt into my old Raspberry Smoothie in honor of your ice cream, Natalie! (I don't use the egg protein anymore, its not necessary with the coconut yogurt and protein powders are NOT health foods- they're more like weight-building short term tools (I am still trying to gain weight & muscle) and not long term health or meal replacements. The only powder is still love is Manitoba Harvest's Organic Hemp powder- it comes in protein powder, powder plus fiber, and good old hemp seeds- all with the perfect balance of Omega3:6 fats for optimal health! It makes a killer blueberry smoothie, Yum!

Yeast-free Tacos (Yummy)

Yeast-Free Tacos
I often eat beans and tortillas, but this recipes makes it a meal. I love it!

Ingredients
1 can black beans
1/2 can diced tomatoes (italian flavor if possible)
1 cup shelled edemame
1 cup shredded veggies (I used brocoli slaw)
Salt and pepper
Season salt
1o corn tortillas (organic and yeast free)
4 T. coconut oil
Avocados

Instructions
Scoop the oil into a frying pan until it crackles. Place 3 small corn tortillas into the oil and hold them over in half. Cook for 2 to 5 minutes. Try not to burn. Place cooked taco shells to dry on a paper towel to drain extra oil.

While the tortillas are cooking, mix together the rest of the ingredients (except the avocados) and bring to a boil. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes or until the shredded veggies are very soft. Drain some of the liquid. Cool to eating temperature. Fill the taco shells with about 2 tablespoons of mix. Top with chopped avocado and salt.

Equipment from the Test Kitchen

AMCO Houseworks Enameled Lemon Squeezer, model 06-0354 $11.99

Surprisingly easy to use—juice gushes out. Of the squeeze-style juice presses we tested, this was the most comfortable and effective, with curved handles and a well-shaped plunger. Squeezing the rounded handles didn’t hurt our hands like others of this style, and seeds were contained. It was also attractive, sporting a bright yellow finish, but hand-washing is best if you want to keep the paint from chipping. (We tested the paint and found it lead-free.)

Fantes Stainless Portion Scoop #16 $11.99

A perfect circle divided in half, this portion scoop doubles well as a scoop for softer ice cream, though the food “pusher” activated by the squeezable handle was an obstacle when pressing down to scoop hard-frozen ice cream.

iSi Basics Silicone Scraper Spatula $5.99

Perfectly contoured to fit the side of a bowl, this scraper had the most surface contact of all the scrapers. No dough or batter was left behind. It gained rigidity from a steel insert. Opposite the contoured side is a straight edge that doubles as a bench scraper or dough cutter, making this a multipurpose winner.

Victorinox (formerly Victorinox Forschner) 6-inch Straight Boning Knife: Flexible $19.95

The nonslip grip and narrow, straight blade let testers remove the smallest bones with precision and complete comfort. Perfectly balanced with enough flexibility to maneuver around tight joints. The low price was a bonus.

Williams-Sonoma Dial-A-Slice/Adjustable Apple Divider $19.95

Although it took some effort, this slicer plunged through the thick peel and firm flesh of a Granny Smith and made neat, uniform slices of softer Golden Delicious and McIntosh apples. Adjustable blades make eight or 16 slices. Its wider-than-usual, 1-inch, serrated corer gripped the apple and ensured the entire core was removed. We also liked the comfortable rubber handles and plastic cap that pushes the hard-to-reach bottom of the apple entirely through the blades. (Other models left slices attached, forcing us to push the apple back up, which meant we were handling the sharp blades.) A bonus: The cap fits onto the slicer for storage, providing protection from the blades.

All-Clad Stainless 12-Inch Fry Pan $135.00

Testers praised this pan for having “everything you need in a skillet and nothing you don’t,” with enough cooking surface for sautéing eight chicken pieces without crowding; steady, controlled heat for excellent browning; and a good shape with low sides. The weight balance was outstanding; it was easy to manipulate and lift. In the durability test, it sustained the least damage, with barely visible dents.

Sanyo Electric Rice Cooker & Steamer, Model ECJ-N55W, 5 1/2 cups $54.95

The Sanyo excelled with all three types of rice, especially the brown rice, and it was our second-lowest-priced model. Two minor complaints: After two hours in the keep-warm stage the rice became a bit dry, and the indicator lights were hard to read in a bright kitchen.

ThermoWorks Original Cooking Thermometer/Timer $19.00

This user-friendly model allows you to view both time and temperature simultaneously and is free of the annoying and unnecessary USDA-recommended presets for various types of meat that are all too common in other brands. The model lost points for having probes that are sometimes defective.

R.S.V.P. International Onion Goggles $19.00

While they certainly look a bit goofy, the goggles do help maintain focus on the onions—yellow, Vidalia, red, or otherwise—rather than the tissue box. We found that they block irritating fumes better than sunglasses, and the foam padding around the antifog lenses is a more comfortable alternative to swim goggles. Available in white or black with lime green trim.

Kyocera Adjustable Ceramic Mandoline Slicer $26.96

"It looks like a toy, but it works like crazy!" exclaimed one tester, who pledged to go out immediately and buy one. No julienne or waffle blades, but this slicer is razor-sharp, adjusts easily, and fits in a drawer. Plus the price is right.

Tovolo Silicone Spatula $8.99

This sleek spatula has curves in all the right places. It may look like it’s just going to be decorative—until you use it. Then it passes every performance test, scraping, stirring, folding, and sautéing like a champ. It also withstood our attempts to stain and melt it.

Skillet Roasted Chicken

Serves 4 -- Video of this recipe at the America's Test Kitchen website

A whole 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces, can be used instead of the chicken parts. Use a splatter screen when browning the chicken.

Ingredients

Chicken

• 3 1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken parts (breasts, thighs, and drumsticks, or a mix, with breasts cut in half), trimmed of excess fat (see note)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 - 1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Lemon-Herb Sauce

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 medium shallot , minced (about 3 tablespoons)
• 1 teaspoon unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter

Instructions

• 1. FOR THE CHICKEN: Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken pieces skin-side down and cook without moving until golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes.
• 2. Using tongs, flip chicken pieces skin-side up. Reduce heat to medium-low, add 3/4 cup broth to skillet, cover, and cook until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 155 degrees for breasts and 170 degrees for legs and thighs, 10 to 16 minutes (smaller pieces may cook faster than larger pieces). Transfer chicken to plate, skin-side up.
• 3. Pour off liquid from skillet into 2-cup measuring cup and reserve. Using tongs, wipe skillet with paper towels. Add remaining teaspoon oil to skillet and heat over medium-high heat until oil is shimmering. Return chicken pieces skin-side down and cook undisturbed until skin is deep golden brown and crisp and it reaches 160 degrees for breasts and 175 degrees for legs and thighs, 4 to 7 minutes. Transfer to serving platter and tent loosely with foil. Using spoon, skim fat from reserved cooking liquid and add enough broth to measure 3/4 cup.
• 4. FOR THE SAUCE: Heat oil in now-empty skillet over low heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 1 minute. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds. Increase heat to medium-high, add reserved cooking liquid, and bring to simmer, scraping skillet bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Simmer rapidly until reduced to 1/2 cup, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in any accumulated juices from resting chicken; return to simmer and cook 30 seconds. Off heat, whisk in lemon juice, parsley, chives, and butter; season with salt and pepper. Pour sauce around chicken and serve immediately.

Technique

• Keys to Crisp Skin and Juicy Meat

  

  1. SEAR the raw chicken pieces to jump-start the cooking process and crisp the skin.

• 

  2. STEAM the chicken in broth to cook it quickly and evenly and to render fat from the skin.

• 

  3. RE-CRISP the chicken pieces in the cleaned skillet to create super thin, ultracrisp skin.

Hungarian Beef Stew

From the episode: Classic Beef Braises

Serves 6

Do not substitute hot, half-sharp, or smoked Spanish paprika for the sweet paprika in the stew (see our recommended brands at right), as they will compromise the flavor of the dish. Since paprika is vital to this recipe, it is best to use a fresh container. We prefer chuck-eye roast, but any boneless roast from the chuck will work. Cook the stew in a Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid. (Alternatively, to ensure a tight seal, place a sheet of foil over the pot before adding the lid.) The stew can be cooled, covered tightly, and refrigerated for up to 2 days; wait to add the optional sour cream until after reheating. Before reheating, skim the hardened fat from the surface and add enough water to the stew to thin it slightly. Serve the stew over boiled potatoes or egg noodles.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (3 1/2- to 4-pound) boneless beef chuck-eye roast , trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes (see note)
• Salt
• 1/3 cup sweet paprika (see note)
• 1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers , drained and rinsed (about 1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 teaspoons white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 large onions , diced small (about 6 cups)
• 4 large carrots , peeled and cut into 1-inch-thick rounds (about 2 cups)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup beef broth , warmed
• 1/4 cup sour cream (optional; see note)
• Ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Sprinkle meat evenly with 1 teaspoon salt and let stand 15 minutes. Process paprika, roasted peppers, tomato paste, and 2 teaspoons vinegar in food processor until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down sides as needed.
• 2. Combine oil, onions, and 1 teaspoon salt in large Dutch oven; cover and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions soften but have not yet begun to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. (If onions begin to brown, reduce heat to medium-low and stir in 1 tablespoon water.)
• 3. Stir in paprika mixture; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions stick to bottom of pan, about 2 minutes. Add beef, carrots, and bay leaf; stir until beef is well coated. Using rubber spatula, scrape down sides of pot. Cover pot and transfer to oven. Cook until meat is almost tender and surface of liquid is ½ inch below top of meat, 2 to 21/2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Remove pot from oven and add enough beef broth so that surface of liquid is ¼ inch from top of meat (beef should not be fully submerged). Return covered pot to oven and continue to cook until fork slips easily in and out of beef, about 30 minutes longer.
• 4. Skim fat off surface; stir in remaining teaspoon vinegar and sour cream, if using. Remove bay leaf, adjust seasonings with salt and pepper, and serve.

TECHNIQUE

• SKIPPING THE SEAR, BUT NOT THE FLAVOR

  Most stews begin by browning meat on the stovetop to boost flavor. They also call for lots of added liquid. Our recipe skips the sear and goes into a moderate 325-degree oven. Though this relatively low temperature can’t compare with the sizzling heat of a 500-degree skillet, over time, the dry top layer of meat will reach 300 degrees—the temperature at which the meat begins to brown, forming thousands of new flavor compounds. But only the top of the meat will brown; due to the surrounding liquid, the submerged part of the meat can’t rise above the boiling point of water, or 212 degrees Fahrenheit.

Chocolate Chip Cookies American Test Kitchen

Makes 16 cookies

Avoid using a nonstick skillet to brown the butter; the dark color of the nonstick coating makes it difficult to gauge when the butter is browned. Use fresh, moist brown sugar instead of hardened brown sugar, which will make the cookies dry. This recipe works with light brown sugar, but the cookies will be less full-flavored. For our winning brand of chocolate chips, see related tasting.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 3/4cups unbleached all-purpose flour (8 3/4 ounces)
• 1/2teaspoon baking soda
• 14tablespoons unsalted butter (1 3/4 sticks)
• 1/2cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
• 3/4cups packed dark brown sugar (5 1/4 ounces) (see note)
• 1teaspoon table salt
• 2teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1large egg
• 1large egg yolk
• 1 1/4cups semisweet chocolate chips or chunks (see note)
• 3/4cup chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large (18- by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
• 2. Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.
• 3. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny. Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using), giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.
• 4. Divide dough into 16 portions, each about 3 tablespoons (or use #24 cookie scoop). Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets, 8 dough balls per sheet. (Smaller baking sheets can be used, but will require 3 batches.)
• 5. Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.

Homemade Luandry Detergent

Here is a link to the laundry detergent that I make and love:
http://prerogativetobe.blogspot.com/2010/01/homemade-laundry-detergent.html

Cauliflower, Potato, and Pea Curry

Our version of this curry, a favorite combination of vegetables in India, unites cumin, coriander, turmeric, and red-pepper flakes. Fresh cilantro provides an herbal note. Serve the curry as a generous side dish or with rice for a meatless main dish. RECIPE INGREDIENTS 1/4 cup canola oil 1 tablespoon ground coriander 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes 1 medium head cauliflower (about 1 pound), cut into large florets (about 4 cups) 1 1/2 pounds boiling potatoes (about 4), peeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro 1/2 cup water 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup frozen petite peas

DIRECTIONS In a large deep frying pan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric, and red-pepper flakes and stir. Add the cauliflower and potatoes and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables start to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, 1/4 cup of the cilantro, the water, and the salt. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and cook, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the peas and the remaining 1/4 cup cilantro and cook, covered, until the peas are tender, about 2 minutes longer. Variation If you like, you can add three tablespoons dried unsweetened coconut to the curry. Put it in at the same time as the peas.

Overnight Oatmeal

Here is an easy way to serve a crowd a hearty breakfast before facing the elements for a day of winter sports. You can assemble it in the slow cooker in the evening and wake up to a bowl of hot, nourishing oatmeal. The slow cooker eliminates the need for constant stirring and ensures an exceptionally creamy consistency. It is important to use steel-cut oats; old-fashioned oats become too soft during slow-cooking. RECIPE INGREDIENTS 8 cups water 2 cups steel-cut oats (see Ingredient note) 1/3 cup dried cranberries 1/3 cup dried apricots, chopped 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste Ingredient Note: Steel-cut oats, sometimes labeled "Irish oatmeal," look like small pebbles. They are toasted oat groats—the oat kernel that has been removed from the husk that have been cut in 2 or 3 pieces. Do not substitute regular rolled oats, which have a shorter cooking time, in the slow-cooker oatmeal recipe.

DIRECTIONS Combine water, oats, dried cranberries, dried apricots and salt in a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker. Turn heat to low. Put the lid on and cook until the oats are tender and the porridge is creamy, 7 to 8 hours. Stovetop Variation Halve the above recipe to accommodate the size of most double boilers: Combine 4 cups water, 1 cup steel-cut oats, 3 tablespoons dried cranberries, 3 tablespoons dried apricots and 1/8 teaspoon salt in the top of a double boiler. Cover and cook over boiling water for about 1 1/2 hours, checking the water level in the bottom of the double boiler from time to time.