Extra Schmaltz!

I really like ice cream. When I am trying to remain virtuous, I tend to get pretty creative. Tonight I had an inspiration: I always keep frozen blueberries on hand because they are really delicious. I also usually have one or two sliced bananas in the freezer, because they are great in protein drinks or smoothies. Here is what I came up with: Combine in food processor or blender: 1 cup frozen blueberries 5-6 slices frozen bananas ¾ cup milk 1 TBSP maple syrup (or sweetener of your choice) Blend until smooth and consistent. Serve immediately. Makes two sensible or one awesome portion. Another insane thing to do with frozen blueberries is this: Put berries in deep cup or parfait glass Drizzle with maple syrup or honey (not much) Cover with whipping cream (not whipped) or half & half Wait about 10 minutes (this is the hard part). The berries will freeze the syrup and cream into an unholy blast of deliciousness. Dig in.  If this doesn't keep you from runnin...

Typical potluck bean salad is an affront to the senses: bland yet pungent, mushy, tin-can-flavored filler. This recipe is none of those things. It's a simple and quick preparation that highlights fresh herbs and ever-delicious olive oil. I recommend using white wine vinegar (NOT all-purpose distilled white or cider vinegar), but you could also use lemon juice or verjuice . 1 can cannellini (white kidney) beans 1/4 c. red onion, finely chopped 1/4 c. celery, finely chopped 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar 1 small handle fresh parsley, chopped 1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped salt and black pepper to taste 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped (optional) Drain and rinse the beans. Rinse the onions in cold water for ~ 30 seconds to reduce their pungency. Place the beans, onions, and celery in a bowl and add the oil, vinegar, and seasonings to taste. Stir in the egg right before serving, if desired. Also good with a pungent cheese, such as feta. Feel free...

I'm adding this by request, although it's very simple and I don't have a photo of it yet. It's great for using up whatever you have in the kitchen, and offers a wholesome, hearty, and warming meal. I like to serve a green vegetable on the side as well. Ingredients onion mushrooms pearl barley (I use about 2 cups.) red pepper broccoli chicken broth milk  flour cheese - cheddar, parmesan, or whatever is on hand Directions Cook barley in chicken broth (for about an hour). Sauté diced veggies.  Add sautéed veggies to barley, and pour in some milk and a tablespoon of flour. Add some grated cheese (I use 1/2 cup or more). Grease baking dish, and pour mix into dish. Top with parmesan or other cheese. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes.

These could be made with any berry, or even rhubarb. They yield a tender, moist muffin with medium sweetness and a tender crumb. I used raspberries and blackberries for the ones in the picture. Instead of lemon and vanilla you could go with a cinnamon spice approach instead, and add a streusel topping. 1/4 c. unsalted butter, softened 1/2 c. packed light brown sugar 3/4 c. buttermilk + 1/4 c. heavy cream OR 1 c. sour cream 2 eggs 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. Meyer lemon zest 1 tsp. vanilla 1 1/2 c. flour 1/2 c. granulated sugar 3/4 tsp. baking soda 1 1/2-2 c. berries or rhubarb cut into 1/4" pieces Preheat oven to 375. Place 12 paper liners into a muffin tray. Spray the top surface with non-cook spray for easy muffin removal. Cream together the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Mix together the buttermilk, cream, eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, and salt. Mix into the butter and sugar mixture until well combined. Stir together the flour, 1/2 c....

I baked this bread for a family brunch (to go with a frittata and fruit salad). It was a great success. I got the original recipe from Judy Kivi's book, Myths and Recipes of the Last Frontier: Alaska . Ingredients 1 pound chopped dates 2 teaspoons baking soda 2 cups boiling water 2 tablespoons shortening (I prefer coconut oil) 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 eggs 4 cups sifted flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup nuts 1 teaspoon vanilla Directions Sprinkle soda over dates and add boiling water. Let stand. In separate bowl, use mixer to cream shortening, sugar, and eggs. Alternate mixing in flour and salt and date mixture. Add nuts and vanilla. Bake in 2 loaf tins for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

I take great delight in convincing people they like foods they thought they hated. Spam is one of them. I re-examined this ingredient after a trip to the Spam Museum in Albert Lea, which led me to stumble across this recipe. It is also known as spam musubi, and it is native to Hawaii, where the US military bases introduced the locals to the 'wonders' of canned luncheon meat. Since each musubi is made with a cross-section of the whole Spam loaf, they make for a very filling appetizer. You can either season the rice as for sushi or leave it plain. These are a real crowd-pleaser and I've had a number of requests to bring these to parties. 1 can Spam 2 Tbsp. oil 1/3 c. terriyaki sauce 2 sheets nori, cut into 1.5" strips 1-2 qt cooked sushi rice (season with rice vinegar, salt, and sugar if desired) Remove the Spam from the tin--this may take some vigorous shaking. Slice into 1/4" pieces. Brush the pieces with terriyaki sauce. Fry lightly in a small amount o...

I've been finding Moroccan style sausage at many different meat shops lately. This was made with goat merguez sausage from Clancey's, which had really good flavor. I used a spice blend, but I'm sure you could use fresh spices and add some more ingredients (like dried fruit), but it turned out tasty when made this simple way. 4 links Merguez sausage, sliced 1 large onion, chopped coarsely 2 carrots, in large chunks 2 c. small cauliflower florets 2 Tbsp. tomato paste 3 Tbsp. Moroccan spice blend (ras al-hanout) 1 Tbsp. minced ginger 1 can chickpeas 1.5 c. chicken broth 6 Tbsp. butter Use a heavy bottomed pot to heat 4 Tbsp. of butter. Add the onions and saute until soft and starting to caramelize. Add the sausage and cook, stirring for 3-4 minutes until the liquid cooks off and everything starts to sizzle. Add the tomato paste and stir so it is well distributed. Stir in the spice blend and ginger. Add the carrots and 1 c. chicken broth and cover, simmering for 20...