Leslie Sarna

Waffles!

I find most people are pancake people or waffle people.  I happen to be a waffle gal myself.  Here is my favorite recipe.  I have no idea where it came from, but it's the one I have always used.  Of course I've made my own modifications. : )  These are perfectly crunchy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside.  Enjoy!

 (of course they are fantastic with some of that homemade butter you made in an earlier post!)

Waffles

What you'll need:

2 cups flour

2 TBSP. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled

2 eggs

1 TBSP. vanilla extract

What you'll do:

In a medium bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients.  

In a larger bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients.  Pour the dry into the wet and mix softly.  You don't want to over mix waffle mix.  You want it to be very lumpy.

There are lots of things you can add into waffles.  My husband loves chocolate chips in his!  I like blueberries, but you can also do nuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, cheddar and chives, anything you want!

Pour into your waffle maker and make to their instructions.

xoxo

 

Tomato Soup

  Tomato Soup

Who needs Campbells??  Homemade tomato soup is so delicious you will never buy a can again!!! 

What you'll need:

 1 tablespoon olive oil 

 2 tablespoons butter 

 1 medium onion, finely chopped 

 2 pounds ripe Italian plum tomatoes, roughly chopped

 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped 

 3 cups vegetable stock 

 ½ cup dry white wine 

 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste (or regular if you can't find it)

 2 tablespoons fresh basil, shredded 

 2/3 cup heavy cream 

 salt and freshly ground pepper 

 What you'll do: 

Heat oil and butter in large saucepan.  Add the onion and cook gently until onions are soft.  Stir in the chopped tomatoes and garlic, then add the stock, white wine, and sun-dried tomato paste, with salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, half-cover the pan and simmer for 20 minutes.  Stirring occasionally.  Blend the soup with the basil in a blender or food processor, then press through a sifter into a clean pan.  Add the cream and heat through, stirring.  Do not boil.  Serve warm. 

** This soup is so good!!  Try it with grilled cheese or freshly baked bread!!  Sooooo Yummmmmy!!!

 

Butternut Squash Risotto

  Butternut Squash Risotto 

 What you'll need: 

 olive oil 

 1 medium onion, finely chopped 

 4 cloves garlic, chopped 

 2 cups arborio rice (that's what risotto rice is called) 

 2 cup dry white wine 

 About 5 cups of hot vegetable stock 

1 butternut squash, one half baked in the oven and then pureed; the other half, peeled, cut into small dice, and sauteed in a little oil and butter until tender 

 A big handful grated Parmesan cheese 

 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 

 What you'll do: 

 Cut the butternut squash in half and remove the ends and seeds in the middle. 

Roast one side of the squash on a cookie sheet in a 375 degree oven for about 1 hour.  (you might want to drizzle a little olive oil so it doesn't get too dried out)  Then puree it and set aside. 

Cube the other half and saute in a pan with some olive oil.  I like to cook these till there a little crunchy on the outside and smooth and sweet in the middle.  I think it gives a really nice texture to the risotto.  Cover a plate with a paper towel and when they are done set them on the plate. 

In a medium-size heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  

Chop and add the onion and garlic and saute till the onions are soft. 

Add the rice and continue to stir till the rice is coated with the oil.

(Sorry for the not so nice photo, I have not yet mastered taking pictures in my kitchen at night) Add the white wine and continue cooking, stirring often, until it has been absorbed by the rice.  Pour in enough vegetable stock to cover the rice completely, and continue to cook, stirring often, until all the liquid is absorbed.

   

Pour in 1 cup more of the remaining stock and stir and cook until it has been absorbed. Repeat with 1 more cup. Add the remaining cup and cook, stirring, until the rice is al dente, tender but still very chewy, and most of the liquid has been absorbed.

(Sim's sister Sahiba stirring both the risotto) Stir in the butternut squash puree and the diced squash and reduce the heat to very low so that the risotto doesn't simmer anymore. Stir in the Parmesan and butter to give the risotto a nice, creamy finish.  I like to top with some chopped chives!

 

 

Chinese Chicken-less Salad

I love this salad!!  So fresh, crunchy and yummy!!  Give it a whirl tonight!

 

  Chinese Chicken (less) Salad 

This salad is so good and can be made with or without the chicken. 

 What you’ll need: 

 Leaf, iceberg and or butter lettuce

 1 drained can mandarin oranges 

 Slivered almonds

 Avocado 

 Sesame seeds 

 Chives 

 Seared tofu (or grilled chicken) 

 Dressing: 

 ¼ cup vegetable oil 

 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar 

 2 tbsp sugar 

 ½ tsp salt 

 ½ tsp pepper 

 What you’ll do: 

 Combine dressing ingredients and let sit to dissolve.   Mix Salad ingredients Toss with dressing.  That simple : )

 

Homemade Butter

Yeah, that's right, I said Homemade Butter!  Impressed yet?  Well, don't be too impressed, it was really really easy!  And oh my goodness is it tasty!!  So rich and creamy!!

 

What you'll need:

heavy cream, room temperature 

yup, one ingredient! 

But if you would like to make salted butter, you can add a big pinch of salt.

What you'll do:

Pour cream into a airtight container with plenty of room.  I used a ziploc twist lid container. 

Next, shake it baby! (once this is over there will be no reason to hit the gym!)

First it will turn into whipped cream:

 

 Then it will turn grainy, then little balls of butter will form into a larger ball and a thin liquid will pull away:

 

Once you've got a solid and a liquid in the container.  By the way, it takes about 20 minutes of shaking!  Strain it through cheese cloth or a metal mesh strainer:

 After straining, I stored in a tupperware in the fridge.  

This is a great activity to do with your kids!  They will have a blast shaking!  

Enjoy!

  

Cheese for Dinner

Anyone that knows me, knows that I love cheese!!  Well, my brother and sister in-law got us a fantastic present this past Christmas, Cheese!  They sent us 3 cheeses from my favorite place, Cowgirl Creamery! 

Here is the MT TAM which is sooo yummy and creamy!

I served it with some plain crackers and truffle honey!! Delicious! 

xoxo

  

Yellow Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

  Yellow Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

  **A true classic 

 Cake: 

 2 3/4 cups cake flour 

 1 1/2 cups sugar

 3 3/4 tsp. baking powder

 3/4  tsp. salt 

 12 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature 

 3/4 cup milk, room temperature

 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

 4 eggs, room temperature 

 Frosting: 

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine

2/3 cup Cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

Fill the cupcake pans with cupcake liners or grease cake pans (2 9x2 inch round or whatever shape you feel like) with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper or waxed paper. Sift the cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a large bowl, or kitchen aid mixer bowl. Cut the butter into 1/2 inch cubes and mix them into the flour mixture on low speed.  The mix should be lumpy. Add the milk and the vanilla extract.  Mix on medium for another minute.  Add the eggs one at a time and mixing in between each addition. Pour the batter into the cupcake pan or the two pans equally. Bake 15-20 minutes for cupcakes and about 30-35 minutes for the cakes.  Let cool completely on a wire rack.  

To remove from the pans, run a butter knife around the edges and flip upside down to release each cake.  Don't forget to peel of the paper on the bottom!! 

 Now for the frosting!! Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

oooooh! Chocolate frosting!! 

So old-fashion and so yummy!!

 

How to get the seeds out of a pomegranate

Here is a little trick to get pomegranate seeds out of the fruit.  Cut the pomegranate in half and place in a bowl of water.  With your hands, work under water and break up the pomegranate.  The seeds will sink and the excess with float.  This is the best way to get the seeds out without staining everything you own!

  

Party Punch

  Green Jungle Punch 

2 liters ginger ale 

1 large container frozen lemonade 

1 large container pineapple juice (chilled) 

1 quart lime sherbet 

Stir liquids together. Add sherbet and stir gently. The lime sherbet melts and makes a milky green punch with foam on top.  Don't forget to add your fruit and ice ring that we made in the previous post! 

 

Homemade Pasta

I love making homemade pasta!!  It is really not that hard and wow it tastes so much better!  Give it a try!  It's amazing with my homemade tomato sauce!

Pasta

(This makes enough for two, but I usually double it)

What you'll need

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup semolina flour

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 eggs

2 Tbsp. water

2 Tbsp. olive oil 

What you'll do:

Mix the flours and salt together in the mixing bowl.  

Make a little well in the center and place on the kitchen aid with the dough hook.

In a small bowl beat the eggs, water and olive oil together and pour into the well of the flour.

Turn the machine on and let it go!  (Don't go past speed 2)

It's done when the dough is one ball and it's slightly damp and elastic.

Remove the ball of dough and wrap in cellophane wrap and let sit for 20 minutes.  

Then roll out and cut or follow the directions on the pasta machine for shapes.

So fun!  Makes the yummiest pasta!!