Pimiento Cheese

Pimiento cheese: It's a Southern Thing is an NPR article I read recently that reminded me how much I enjoy pimiento cheese when I am in one of the southern states where it is as common spread for sandwiches, crackers, or celery. I first tried pimiento cheese when I was in South Carolina and loved it! A tub of pimiento cheese can be purchased in the cheese section in the supermarkets but it is not nearly as good as the fresh, homemade kind. I prefer mine without mayonnaise, and I like it chunky. After tinkering a bit, I came up with this blend. It's both  smooth and chunky, spreads nicely on bread, and has a nice bite.

Pimiento Cheese

1 8 oz package of sharp cheddar cheese
1/2  8 oz package of low fat cream cheese, softened
1 4 oz jar diced or sliced pimientos
couple dashes of salt

1. Put cream cheese in bowl and let soften.
2. When cream cheese is soft, finely grate 2/3 of the cheddar cheese into the bowl. Thoroughly mix the cream cheese and grated cheddar.
3.  Drain pimientos, reserving 1 teaspoon of liquid (if using sliced pimientos, dice into small pieces). Add pimientos and liquid to the cheese mixture and stir thoroughly until well mixed.
4. Cut remaining 3rd of cheese into tiny diced pieces. Stir diced cheese into pimiento cheese mixture. Makes about 1 cup of spread.

Spread on bread for open-faced sandwiches; substitute for cheese in a grilled cheese sandwich; spread on slices of baguette, crostini, or crackers for an appetizer; serve with bagels; stuff celery; the many ways to use delicious pimiento cheese are endless!

Pasta with Asparagus-Pistachio Pesto

It's asparagus season - the time of the year when I like to find new asparagus recipes to tinker with. I recently watched a Rachel Ray episode and decided to tinker with her asparagus-pistachio pesto recipe. I used a cappellacci pasta (from Miccucci's Italian Grocery) which tends to form a nice substrate for sauces to adhere to.  I also added olive-oil and garlic grilled shrimp- you could add chicken or just enjoy the vegetarian version.

Asparagus-Pistachio Pesto

1 bunch of asparagus
1/4 cup pistachio nuts (shelled)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
3 T olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 T lemon juice
salt to taste
Pasta of your choice (for 4-5 servings)
Optional: 3/4 lb of uncooked shrimp (shelled)

1. Cut the asparagus into bite-size pieces. Cook in boiling water for 2 minutes then take out and plunge into ice water to blanch.
2. Meanwhile cook pasta according to directions for the pasta you chose. Drain and set aside.
3. If using shrimp, toss the shrimp with olive oil and minced garlic and place under broiler or on grill until done. Set aside.
4. Place olive oil, garlic cloves, pistachio nuts, Parmesan, olive oil, and salt in a food processor. Add 1 cup of the drained asparagus.
5. Blend until smooth with tiny, gritty pieces of asparagus.
6. Toss warm pasta with pesto and remaining asparagus pieces (and optional shrimp).

Shrimp and Veggie Shmear

There is a bagel shop near my office in Maine (Bagelmania) that makes the best veggie cream cheese spread for bagels. One day I bought some and mixed shrimp and Old Bay seasoning into it to make a seafood bagel spread. I was hooked and now make my own, preferable with fresh Maine shrimp, and serve it as an appetizer spread with crostini, crackers, or bagel chips. This makes about a cup of spread. Enjoy!

Shrimp and Veggie Shmear

1 8oz package of cream cheese
1 T of finely minced green pepper
1 T of finely minced red pepper
1 T of finely minced red onion
1 T of thinly sliced scallion or minced chives
1 T of finely minced carrot
1 T of finely minced cucumber (seedy pulp removed)
1/2 T Old Bay Seasoning
1/4  lb of medium size cooked shrimp
salt and pepper to taste

1. Chop shrimp into pieces (5-6 pieces per shrimp).
2. Let cream cheeses soften. Once softened, mix in all ingredients.
3. Stir thoroughly to mix. Let set for a couple hours in fridge for flavors to develop.

Curried Hummus

Hummus is an Arabic dip made from garbanzo beans (chickpeas). But did you know hummus means chickpea in Arabic? I love hummus in a variety of flavors but I think curried hummus is my favorite. Traditional hummus is made with tahini. My version does not use tahini. Enjoy!

Curried Hummus

1 can garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained except for 1 T of liquid
1/4 cup olive oil
1.5 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 tsp curry powder
salt to taste

Put garbanzo beans and liquid in food processor. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy (I tend to prefer mine a bit stiffer). Add more olive oil if necessary to get the right consistency. Serve with pita chips and veggies.

To make your own pita chips, cut pita bread into small triangles. Brush lightly with olive oil and toast in a 400 degree oven until they just begin to brown (about 5 min.). Remove from oven and sprinkle with sea salt.

Kale Chips

Kale is one of the super vegetables- very high in Vitamins C and K, beta carotene, and calcium and supposedly contains substances that facilitate DNA repair and block cancer cell formation. I heard about kale chips but never tried them. I wish I had known about these when my children were younger as I think they would have liked them as a healthy snack. I bought a bag of chopped kale at Trader Joe's and thought I would try making kale chips this weekend while Chris was home. Now that I have made a batch and tried them- I'm hooked. Really- these are so easy to make and good for you.

Kale Chips

1 bunch of kale (or bag of chopped kale)
1/2 T olive oil
sea salt

1. Remove ribs from kale and chop leaves into 1-2 inch pieces (or remove ribs from chopped, bagged kale). Chop enough to cover a baking sheet in one layer. Make sure kale is thoroughly dry.
2. Toss kale with olive oil or spray kale with olive oil mister.
3. Spread on single layer on baking sheet, rubbed with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt to taste.
4. Roast at 275 degrees for 10 minutes, toss and turn, and roast an additional 10 minutes or until crisped (taste to see if kale is crisped as it is hard to tell from looking at it).
5. Let cool and serve as chips.

Rosemary and Chipotle Roasted Nuts

One of our former office colleagues, Janre Mullins, passed this recipe on to Meghan Southworth who brought these into the office one day and - wow! I was hooked. I lost my copy of the recipe but fortunately found the Ina Garten version on the Food Network web site.  These are absolutely the yummiest roasted nuts I ever tasted. The chipotle gives it a nice zing. Coming home from Florida yesterday, I stopped at Trader Joe's in Portland and stocked up on nuts. I think you could extend this by adding Brazil nuts, pistachios, macadamias, and even hazel nuts. Trader Joe's has such a good variety of nuts and cheap too! I tweaked the recipe a bit and made a smaller batch. I used raw cashews and almonds but you could use the roasted variety as well.  Go for the unsalted if possible to cut down on the sodium. These would make great gifts at Xmas time wrapped in colorful paper cones. Since Chris picked me up in Portland and is spending the weekend at home with me, this is my gift to him!


Chipotle-Rosemary Roasted Nuts

1 cup cashews
1 cup walnut halves
1 cup of pecan halves
1 cup almonds
1 T olive oil
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 T light brown sugar, packed
2 T freshly squeezed juice from an orange
1 tsp of chipotle powder
1 T of rosemary leaves (preferably fresh but dried will do as well)
salt to taste (use less salt if using salted nuts)

1. Put all nuts in a bowl.
2. Pour in olive oil, maple syrup, and orange juice and mix thoroughly.
3. Add brown sugar, chipotle, and rosemary leaves and mix thoroughly.
4. Spread out on an oiled baking sheet in one layer (I prefer to line my pan with parchment paper).
5. Sprinkle with salt and roast at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, turning nuts at least once through the roasting process. pecans will darken the most. Nuts should have a nice glazed sheen.
6. Remove from oven and let cool, turning several times to keep nuts from sticking together or spread out on parchment paper to cool.
7. Serve when nuts come to room temperature (or slightly warmed).

Wine Lover's Cake

My colleague, Meghan Southworth, introduced me to wine cake at a staff meeting a couple years ago. I was hooked! I couldn't find her recipe so I did some searching and found several variations of wine cake. I created a hybrid version from several of the recipes I found and it was fabulous.  I made one for Nate's belated birthday celebration last week. I think this is my favorite cake, so easy to make, and super moist!

Wine Lover's Cake

Cake:
1 box of yellow cake mix
1 small box of instant vanilla pudding
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of white wine (I used a pinot grigio)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup applesauce
4 eggs
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg

Glaze:
4 Tbsp of a vegetable oil spread like Olivio or margerine
1/3 cup of brown sugar
2 T water
3 T of white wine

1. Put all of the cake ingredients in a bowl and mix with electric mixer for about 3 minutes or until thoroughly mixed.
2. Grease a bundt pan (or a sheet cake pan if you prefer). Pour cake batter into pan.
3. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for one hour if using a bundt pan (or 5-10 min. more if needed- top should be lightly browned and knife inserted should come out clean). If you use a sheet cake pan, adjust time accordingly.
4. Let cake cool and remove from pan once cake is cool.
5. To make glaze, bring all ingredients to a boil except for the wine. Boil for 5 minutes then add wine. Pour glaze on cake and spread evenly. I like to "paint" the sides with glaze using a pastry brush. Let glaze set, then serve.

Calorie Conscious Coconut Shrimp

Gulf shrimp + coconut - one of my favorite tropical combinations. I love coconut shrimp but most versions are deep fried, heavy on the calories. I found this recipe for a low-cal baked version of coconut shrimp in Gulf Coast Favorites, by Holly Clegg, a cookbook benefiting the America's Wetland Foundation (and thanks to my good friend Jean May-Brett and the Louisiana teachers who gave me this cookbook at my presentation in Baton Rouge!). They came out crispy and delicious. I used a bottled sweet/spicy mango dipping sauce to serve them with; if I had time, I would make a fresh pineapple salsa for dipping. Note: if you use smaller shrimp, cut back on the cooking time. This makes enough for 5 people so adjust accordingly.

Baked Coconut Shrimp

1 lb of large, peeled shrimp (21-25 shrimp per pound)
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp cayenne (optional, but nice if you like a bit of zip to the shrimp)
salt to taste
3 egg whites
1 cup flaked, sweetened coconut

1. Peel shrimp (if not already peeled). Use as is or do what I prefer when cooking shrimp- butterfly them. Butterflying involves cutting through the back side of the shrimp 4/5 of the way (almost halving the shrimp but making sure it stays together).
2. Mix cornstarch and salt (and cayenne if you prefer the spicy version) together in a small bowl.
3. In another small bowl, beat egg whites together for about 2-3 minutes until frothy.
4. Pour coconut into a plate.
5. Roll shrimp in cornstarch, then dip in egg white, then roll in coconut, sprinkling coconut on uncovered spots until the shrimp is completely covered with coconut.
6. Place on a baking sheet preferably lined with parchment baking paper. If you don't have parchment paper (one of my "must have" kitchen staples for even browning and non-sticking on baking sheets), lightly grease a cookie sheet or use a non-stick variety.
7. Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes (check at 12 minutes to make sure coconut does not come out like burnt toast. It should be medium browned). Turn shrimp over and bake for another 5 minutes.
8. Serve with fruity salsa or dipping sauce of your choice. Makes enough for about 5 people (about 5 large shrimp per person)

Florida Bouillabaisse

Bouillabaisse is a traditional French seafood stew. While in Florida, I experimented with this modified version of bouillabaisse and it was delicious (I'm always looking for an excuse to use my large fish chowder bowl and accompanying set of serving-size fish bowls!). Choose whatever seafood you have available but be sure to include at least 1 meaty white fish and 2 types of shellfish (shrimp, crab, lobster, langostinos, mussels, clams, oysters, squid, octopus) - you should aim for a pound of fish in all.  I added a poblano pepper for some mild spiciness. I think using Clamato juice instead of bottled clam juice made a nice both, but if you are a bouillabaisse purist, feel free to use clam juice. Make sure you have a nice crusty French baguette on hand for dipping into the broth!

Florida Bouillabaisse

1/4 pound fresh grouper, cut into bite size pieces (halibut, orange roughy, cod, mahi mahi, or haddock work as well)
1/4 pound gulf shrimp
1/4 pound frozen octopus, chopped
1/4 pound calamari rings
1/4 pound mussels
3 T olive oil
1 larges sweet onion, chopped
1 poblano pepper. chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans drained stewed tomatoes
2 cups of Clamato juice
1/4 cup of white wine (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp thyme

1. Saute onions, peppers, and garlic in olive oil until almost soft.
2. Add salt and pepper, thyme, tomatoes, Clamato, and wine (optional) and bring to a boil.
3. Add fish and let simmer for about 20 minutes.
4. Serve with crusty French bread. However, flavors develop more intensely if you refrigerate for 24 hours and reheat and serve the next day.

Asian Cashew Slaw

I must have 5 recipes for cabbage slaws but this one is my favorite. The combination of fresh ingredients, ginger, and cashews makes this slaw extra special! The amounts are my estimate as I seldom measure my ingredients- adjust according to your liking!

Asian Cashew Slaw

1 pkg of shredded cole slaw cabbage or shred 3 cups
1 half red onion - quartered and sliced in thin slivers
1 red bell pepper sliced in thin slivers
1 green pepper sliced in thin slivers
3 carrots cut into thin matchstick pieces
1/2 cup minced cilantro
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup cashews
1 T zested orange peel 
1 T finely minced fresh ginger
1/2 T brown sugar or honey
3 T fresh squeezed orange
1/2 T white balsamic vinegar
1 T canola oil or mild olive oil
1/4 tsp salt

Mix 1st 10 ingredients together (up through and including the ginger). In small bowl, mix last 5 ingredients thoroughly. Pour over slaw mixture and mix thoroughly with the slaw. Makes 6-8 servings.

Chicken Tikka Masala

This creamy tomato-based Punjabi dish is one of my favorites. We had a variety of tikka masala dishes when we were in India and it is one of those dishes I like to order when I am at an Indian restaurant in the U.S. Most of the tikki masala dishes we had in India included chicken but the vegetarian versions with paneer were just as delicious. Looking for another excuse to use the spices I brought back from India (including my Taj Mahal Saffron), I decided to make my own chicken tikka masala last night. It was dreamy! It's easy to make but you must have garam masala on hand. What is garam masala? It is a blend of aromatic spices used in northern Indian cooking that differs from curry in that it usually doesn't include turmeric which gives curry powder its yellowish color. Spices such as cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon give it its special fragrance. Indians make their own garam masala fresh from their spices and there are dozens of ways you can combine spices to make it. You can now find garam masala in most supermarket sections that have the "better" spices or order it from Penzy's. Chicken Tikka Masala is easy to make. Serve it with a basmati rice mixed with peas (and saffron- optional).

Chicken Tikka Masala

3 chicken breasts
1 large onion, chopped
2 T vegetable oil
1 can diced tomatoes
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 T minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon garam masala
4 T plain yogurt
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
Optional: Pinch of cayenne if you prefer it to be on the spicy side

1 cup basmati rice
1/2 cup thawed, frozen peas
pinch of saffron (otional)

1. Broil, bake, or saute the chicken breasts until almost-cooked through. Remove and cut into bite-size chunks.
2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, saute the onion until it begins to soften. Stir in garam masala and saute with onion for one minute to release spice fragrance. Remove from heat.
3. In food processor or with a blender, combine tomatoes (with juice), garlic, ginger, and yogurt until blended through and creamy. Pour into onions and spice, add chicken, and stir thoroughly. Optional: Add pinch of cayenne if you prefer "hot and spicy" masala.
4. Simmer on low heat on stove top for 20-30 minutes while you prepare the rice.
5. When rice is thoroughly cooked, add thawed peas, and stir to warm the peas (optional- add some threads of saffron while cooking the rice to give it a yellow color and fragrance.)
6. Stir in chopped cilantro to tikka masala. Spoon the tikka masala over rice and serve. Makes enough for 4 people.

Kheer- Cranberry Version

Kheer is an Indian rice pudding traditionally made with coconut milk, cardamom, raisins, almonds, pistachios, and a hint of rose water. It is an essential dish at many Hindu celebrations and festivals. While I was in India last month, kheer was my favorite dessert. Furthermore, I am in love with cardamom- the queen of all spices! I brought back some fresh ground cardamom from the spice market in Jaipur. This weekend I had a "kheer craving" so I concocted my New England version of kheer by substituting dried cranberries for raisins and leaving out the rose water.  I also make it a lot thicker than the way it is served in India. If you are looking for a new twist on rice pudding with a nuttier texture and you love cardamom, try this delicious dessert!

Kheer- Cranberry Version

2 cups of coconut milk (I used 1 can of the reduced-fat kind)
3  cups of milk
5 T of white sugar
1 cup of basmati rice (I used brown basmati)
1/4 cup of dried cranberries (or use raisins if you prefer to make traditional kheer)
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup chopped pistachios

1. Bring coconut milk, milk, and sugar to a boil in a large saucepan (I like to use my enamel lined cast iron Dutch oven as it distributes the heat better and doesn't burn the milk at the bottom of the pan).
2. Add rice and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Cover and continue simmering on low heat for another 15 minutes- check every 5 minutes and stir. If it thickens too quickly before rice is soft, add a little more milk.
4. Turn off heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes, allowing rice to steam and soften. Check to make sure rice is tender and creamy. Add more milk if necessary.
5. Stir in cardamom, cranberries, almonds, and pistachios. If pudding is too thick- add more milk to get the consistency you prefer. Pudding should be thick and creamy, not runny.
6. Serve warm in ramekins, parfait glasses, or however you prefer. Makes about 6 small servings.

Naan

Naan is a leavened flatbread typically eaten in the Middle East and Asia. While in India, we enjoyed a variety of naan at all our meals, including several types of delicious stuffed naan and even a sweet potato flavored naan. Naan acts as a scoop for a lot of the sauce-based Indian dishes and is also served with a variety of chutneys- my favorite being the green spicy coriander chutney. While I don't have a clay lined tandoor oven like the ones shown here being used at an outdoor luncheon at one of our meetings in Delhi that can get up to 900 degrees, I did fire up my outdoor grill to about 500 degrees and it worked just fine! Naan is so easy to make and delicious when it is fresh off the grill! It really is just a flatbread.

Plain Naan

1 tsp active yeast
3/4 cup of hot water (100 degrees F)
2 tsp sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking powder
3 T plain yogurt
2 T olive oil

1. In a large glass or medium size bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar into the hot water. Let it sit on the counter in a warm place for about 15 minutes or until frothy.
2. Meanwhile sift the other dry ingredients in a deep bowl.
3. After 15 minutes or when the yeast is frothy, add the yogurt and olive oil to the yeast mixture. Stir thoroughly.
4. Pour the yeast-yogurt mixture into the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly with a fork. When it starts to come together, mix with your hands. Once it becomes pliable, stop kneading (it will be sticky).
5.  Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it sit in a warm, draft free place for 3 hours. It should just about double in size.
6. Divide dough into 6 pieces. Roll out flat with a rolling pin. Sprinkle additional flour to reduce stickiness when rolling. Shape into irregular tear drop shapes.
7. Place naans on a hot grill (you can also use a hot cast iron skillet.  Let naan cook for about 1-2 minutes on a side. It will puff up and the side will be partly charred and blistered- that's OK. Flip and repeat on the other side.
8. Serve while warm or wrap naans in a towel to keep warm and moist until serving.

Delhi Butternut Squash-Lentil Stew

We ate a lot of lentil (dal) dishes while in India. I found this recipe on the Aarti Parti site and modified it a bit to include some of the spices I brought back from India. I could easily become a vegetarian if I continue to find tasty Indian recipes like this one. It makes a thick stew that you can serve over basmati rice. I prefer to use chicken broth but if you are a strict vegetarian, feel free to substitute with vegetable broth.

Delhi Butternut Squash- Lentil Stew

1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 cup orange lentils
1 can stewed tomatoes, partially drained with tomatoes cut into small pieces
1/3 cup shredded coconut
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin
enough chicken stock to cover veggies
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic. minced
1 Tablespoon of honey
juice of one lime
1/2 cup of minced cilantro, stems and all
salt to taste

1. Add first 7 ingredients to a pot or Dutch oven and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes until squash is soft.
2. Temper the spices by adding the oil to a skillet and heat until the oil shimmers. Add the mustard seeds. When they start to pop, add the red pepper, garlic, and a few dashes of salt. Swirl the contents to cook evenly for about 10 seconds. Pour the contents back into the soup. Take some liquid from the soup, add to the skillet, and swirl to get remaining seasonings and pour into pot.
3. Remove from heat and add the honey, lime juice, and cilantro. Stir together, mushing some of the squash so the mixture thickens and serve over rice.

Spiced Lentil Soup with Cashews

Now that I am back from India, I'm going to explore the cuisine of this fabulous country. I brought back several spices and bought a traditional stainless steel Indian spice container to hold my fresh spices. My first recipe is this soup, adapted from Fine Cooking- Soups and Stews issue - and it turned out to be fabulous! I definitely suggest searching for garam masala - the spice that gives this soup its special flavor. You can use curry powder but there is a difference. Curry powders differ from region to region but are usually made up of cumin, coriander, turmeric, fenugreek, and dried ginger. On the otherhand garam masalas, that also differ from region to region are usually made up of cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg. and black pepper. I bought some garam masala at the spice market and it definitely has a taste different from the traditional curry powder I buy here in the U.S. So- if you can get garam masala, please use it for this recipe. You can even grind your own herbs to make your own fresh garam masala, much like many Indian households do. I did check to see if Penzy's spices have garam masala and they do, so you can order it online (by the way- this is the BEST spice store! Check to see if there is a Penzy's store near you!).

Spiced Lentil Soup with Cashews

3 T canola oil
2 medium onions finely chopped
2 tsp garam masala
2 quarts chicken broth (vegetarians can use vegetable both)
2 cans stewed tomatoes with juice (use your hands to tear the tomatoes into little pieces)
4 celery ribs finely diced
3 carrots finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 whole cloves
1.5 cups of orange lentils
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 cup cashews (roasted or raw)
pinch of cayenne pepper (optional) 
salt and pepper to taste
 
1.  Add oil and onions to a soup pot and cook on medium heat until onions are softened.
2. Stir in the garam masala and stir constantly over medium heat for one minute to release aromatic spice flavors.
3. Add all the other ingredients (except for cashews).
4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
5. Add cashews and simmer for 10 more minutes.

Ice Cream Bread

I recently bought a Follette Pottery Dish that came with a recipe for Ice Cream Bread. This pottery is made in Louisiana and every piece comes with a recipe. I've been curious about this "ice cream bread". On my way home from Portland today I stopped at Trader Joes and bought a quart of their famous pumpkin ice cream (if you haven't tried this- you must. It is fabulous!). Decided I would make the ice cream bread with pumpkin ice cream! It is fabulous. Very, very moist and flavorful with the chewy texture of bread. So easy to make. Looking forward to trying it with other flavors of ice cream. I think it would be very good served warm with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.

Ice Cream Bread

1 pint of your favorite flavor ice cream, softened
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour (you can make this self rising flour by adding 2 1/4 teaspoons of baking powder and 3/4 teaspoon of salt and thoroughly mixing it to it is evenly distributed)

1. Grease a small baking dish, about quart size or less.
2. Stir ice cream and flour together. Pour into baking dish.
3. Place in a cool oven. Turn heat on to 350 degrees and bake for about 40-45 minutes.
4. Cool and cut into squares.

I-15 Granola Bars

These are the best granola bars ever! I named them I-15 Granola Bars because they have 15 ingredients in them. I made these for my son Chris, who always has a Nature Valley Granola Bar on hand for a snack. I think he will like these better than the store-bought brand. I adapted the Barefoot Contessa's recipe by adding flax seeds and other nuts besides almonds plus some wheat bran. You can substitute with other nuts such as hazelnuts, pecans, peanuts, cashews) or substitute other fruits such as chopped dried mango, dates, golden raisins, dried apple, etc. The combinations are limitless! Chris, I hope you like these! :-)

I-15 Granola Bars

2 cups oatmeal (not the quick cooking kind)
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup walnut pieces
1/4 cup pistachios
2 T wheat bran
1/4 cup flax seeds
3 T butter
2/3 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 and 1/2 t vanilla
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup dried cherries (each cherry cut in half)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare an 8 by 12 baking dish by thoroughly buttering the bottom and sides of the dish then cutting a piece of baking parchment paper to line the dish.

2. Toss oatmeal, nuts, and coconut in a bowl, mix thoroughly and pour onto a baking sheet. Bake for about 12-5 minutes, stirring every 4-5 minutes. Remove when lightly browned. Meanwhile chop the dried fruit and set aside.

3. Reduce heat to 300 F degrees. Pour oat mixture (without the fruit) into large mixing bowl. Add wheat bran and flax seeds and stir thoroughly to mix.

4. On the stove top, melt butter. Add honey, brown sugar, and vanilla. Bring to a boil and boil gently for one minute. Remove from heat and pour into dry oat mixture. Stir thoroughly until oat mixture is thoroughly mixed with the butter-honey.

5. Add fruit and thoroughly mix.

6. Pour into baking pan. Wet fingers and press mixture thoroughly into the parchment lined baking pan. Keep wetting fingers if granola starts to stick. Really press down hard until well-compacted.

7. Bake 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. After 30 minutes, put pan in fridge for 30 minutes to harden before cutting into bars. Makes about 15 bars.

Maine Blueberry-Oatmeal Muffies

I usually eat the tops of muffins and leave the stumps. So, I bought a "muffie" pan, a shallow pan that bakes only the tops of muffins. It's sort of like having a muffin cookie! I've tried different combinations of ingredients to make these muffies. I think I finally got it down to one I really like- this one.

Maine Blueberry-Oatmeal Muffies

1 cup white flour
1/4 cup of whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups of quick cooking oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 T vegetable oil
1 large egg, beaten
3/4 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Topping:
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 T melted butter
1/3 cup slivered almonds

1. Mix first 7 ingredients together (dry ingredients) thoroughly.
2. In separate bowl, mix next 5 ingredients together so they are thoroughly mixed.
3. Make well in the bowl of dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the well and mix thoroughly.
4. Gently stir in the blueberries until evenly mixed (if using frozen blueberries, toss first with a teaspoon of flour to prevent blueberries from turning batter blue.)
5. Drop 2-3 T of mixture into a greased muffie pan (fill to top of well). Or- make muffins and fill muffin cup 3/4 full.
6. Melt butter in saucepan. Remove from heat and tir in flour, brown sugar and almonds. Mix thoroughly. Spoon streusel on top of each muffie.
7. Bake muffies at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or about 20 minutes if making muffins.

Makes 18 muffies or a dozen muffins.

Summer Squash-Corn Chowder

Looking for a way to use up those yellow summer squash in your garden? I really like this summer squash version of corn chowder. This is my vegetarian version. Bacon lovers may want to add crumbled bacon to the chowder.

Summer Squash Corn Chowder

3 medium yellow summer squash, chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 cup of corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
1 medium chopped onion
3 medium red skinned potatoes, diced
1/4 cup chopped green onion tops or chives
2 T olive oil (or butter)
1 T Chicken Better than Bouillon Paste
1 cup water
2 cups low fat milk
1 teaspoon thyme
salt and pepper to taste

1. Boil potatoes until soft and set aside.
2. Saute squash, celery, and onion until soft. Set half the veggie mixture aside.
3. Combine half the veggie mixture with potatoes. Add a cup of water and bouillon and a cup of the milk and bring to a simmer.
4. With immersion blender or potato masher, lightly blend/mash the ingredients.
5. Add remaining veggies, milk, thyme, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and gently simmer for 5 minutes. If too thick, add more milk.

Blueberry Corn Kernel Squares

August in Maine: Maine wild blueberries + fresh sweet corn from the farm stand down the road = blueberry corn kernel squares. This is my version of blueberry-cornbread. I wasn't sure how it would turn out. I'm on my second batch because it is so fabulous! The taste of extra moist sweet cornbread with blueberries and a unique texture from the corn kernels. I think this will be one of your favorite end of summer in Maine treats!

Blueberry Corn Kernel Squares

1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
2/3 cup of sugar
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups milk
2 large eggs lightly beaten
1/3 cup canola or other vegetable oil
3 T melted butter
1 cup fresh (frozen would be OK) blueberries
1 cup fresh cooked sweet corn (about an ear and a half)

1. Cook the sweet corn and cut the kernels off the corn and set aside.
2. Stir together all the dry ingredients in one bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, oil and butter. Pour into flour mixture and stir until blended.
4. Stir in one cup of the cooked corn kernels.
5. Gently fold in the blueberries.

Pour into an 8 inch greased baking pan. Bake at 350 F for 40-45 minutes, until lightly browned on top. Cool and cut into squares.

Spicy Cantaloupe Salad

I originally saw this salad in Everyday Food magazine. I tweaked it a bit and came up with this version. If you aren't a fan of spicy food, leave out the jalapeno. This recipe makes enough for a side dish to serve with grilled chicken or fish,

Spicy Cantaloupe Salad

1 long English cucumber
1/2 canteloupe
1/2 red bell pepper
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh, seeded jalapeno
Optional: 1/4 cup of pistachio nuts
2 T Thai fish sauce
2 T fresh squeezed lime juice
1 tsp brown sugar
S&P to taste

1. Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and thinly slice.
2. Cut melon half into 3 sections and thinly slice width-wise.
3. Cut pepper half in half and cut ribbons of red pepper.
4. Whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Add S&P to taste.
5. Toss together all ingredients and serve.

Lobster Macaroni and Cheese (Gruyere Version)

A couple years ago I put my lobster macaroni and cheese recipe up on my blog. I have since perfected it and found the perfect lobster mac and cheese recipe! My recipe is an adaptation of Ina Garten's- The Barefoot Contessa. The Gruyere cheese and nutmeg give it a bit of the French mac & cheese flavor and the sherry is optional but I think it goes so well with the lobster. This made enough for 6-8 servings.

It's always tricky to estimate how many lobsters to buy for one pound of lobster meat as it varies with the season. In winter, when they have hard shells, I usually buy 4 1/2 pounds of live lobster to get one pound of meat. Because they were soft shells this time (shedders who are still growing in to their new shells) and I needed 3/4 pound, I bought 6 pounds of live lobsters and I had plenty of lobster meat. I will definitely make more of this! How lucky I am to live in Maine where it is so easy and inexpensive to get fresh lobsters!

Lobster Macaroni and Cheese (Gruyere Version)

3/4 pound of elbow macaroni (the larger elbows)
3 cups of milk
6 T of butter or butter-like spread
3/8 c flour
10 oz of grated Gruyere cheese (a little over 3 cups)
6 oz of grated sharp white cheddar (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3 T sherry (optional- but cooking sherry is fine)
about 1 pound of lobster meat cut into small chunks
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup bread crumbs (preferably Panko)

1. Cook and remove meat from the lobsters. Cut into bite size pieces. (Note: Most Maine Supermarkets or fish markets will cook the lobsters for you at no charge while you wait. It's a lot easier to have them already cooked!)
2. Cook elbows according to directions and drain well.
3. In a small pan, heat the milk but do not boil it! Get it just hot enough before it boils then remove it from the heat (or you can microwave it).
4. Melt 5 T of the butter in a large saucepan. Slowly add flour a little bit at a time, whisking it into the hot butter. Keep adding flour and whisking until flour and melted butter are thoroughly mixed.
5. While whisking, gradually add the hot milk and cook over medium heat for a minute or two until the white sauce is thickened and smooth. Remove from heat and add the Gruyere and Cheddar, stirring as it melts and thickens. Stir in the sherry.
6. Stir in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
7. Add the macaroni to the cheese sauce and stir thoroughly to mix. Add the lobster and stir to mix.
8. Pour into a large baking dish or 4-6 individual gratin dishes.
9. Melt the remaining butter and stir in the bread crumbs to mix thoroughly. Sprinkle on top of the mac and cheese.
10. Bake for about 30 minutes until bubbly and the mac and cheese starts to brown on the top. I usually finish it with 1 minute under the broiler to give it a nice browning.

Plum Barbecue Sauce

This is a fabulous Asian-inspired barbecue sauce. It's fruity, sweet, and tangy. I saw the original recipe in Cooking Light Magazine and adapted it using fresh ginger and clove powder. I also added a squirt of Sriracha sauce- optional for those of you who like it a bit spicy. Plums are in season right now so I made a batch of it last night. The secret is to use really ripe large plums- the almost black kind. After you pit and peel them, you can almost break them apart with your fingers to get small pieces as they are almost too soft to cut. My mother-in-law is coming over next week so I will make a grilled pork tenderloin served with this BBQ sauce. It's especially delicious on grilled pork. This was spoon-licking yummy as I poured it into a jar to use next week!

Asian Plum Barbecue Sauce

2 T vegetable oil
1 large chopped onion
2 finely chopped garlic cloves
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup rice (or apple) vinegar
1/3 cup catsup
2T soy sauce
2 t dry mustard
1/2 T finely minced fresh ginger
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp clove powder (you could leave this out if you don't have any or put 2 whole cloves in while you simmer the sauce and remove when done)
8 very ripe black plums, pitted, peeled, and chopped into pieces

1. Saute onion and garlic in oil in a medium saucepan until just soft.
2. Add all remaining ingredients and stir. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
3. If plums do not completely break down, use an immersion blender or your food processor to process into a smooth, thick sauce.

Smoky Paprika Baked Beans

Looking for a good baked bean recipe for your summer barbecues? This isn't my New England Baked Bean recipe, but it's just as fabulous. The secret ingredient is smoked paprika- not regular paprika. You must buy the smoked kind. It's in the spice section right next to the regular paprika. I used four different types of beans. you can vary the types you use or even use less. Vegetarians can leave out the bacon and substitute a T of olive oil to saute the onions and peppers. Enjoy!

Smoky Paprika Baked Beans

3 medium onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4 slices of bacon, chopped into small pieces before cooking
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 can of black beans
1 can white navy beans
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can red kidney beans
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 T cider vinegar
1 T Dijon mustard
1 T smoked paprika
salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook the chopped bacon until crispy. Remove and drain the bacon but leave the drippings in the pan.
2. Saute the onion and peppers in the bacon drippings until just soft (vegetarians- skip the bacon and saute the veggies in veggie oil).
3. Mix tomato paste, garlic, brown sugar, vinegar, smoked paprika, mustard, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add beans and veggies. Stir thoroughly to mix. Sprinkle bacon on top.
4. Pour into a Dutch oven or casserole dish, cover, and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 30 minutes.

Makes about 8 servings

Patriotic Strawberries!

Happy 235th Birthday America! Thanks to my dear friend, Bev Cox, in Orlando, FL, I learned about this fabulous strawberry recipe and made some for our July 4th celebration in Fort Myers. Bev makes these with cream cheese. I substituted low fat ricotta as I wanted a cannoli-type filling. Thanks Bev for such a yummy treat!

Patriotic Strawberries

1 8oz container of low fat ricotta
2 T powdered sugar (more if you like it sweeter)
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 dozen strawberries
1 pkg fresh blueberries

1. Cut small slice off bottom of each strawberry so the berry sits upright.
2. Mix ricotta, sugar, and vanilla together.
3. Hull each strawberry, cut around top, and scoop out about 1/3 of the berry.
4. Place dollop of ricotta mixture into berry and top with a blueberry.