Broccoli Stir-Fry with Peanut Sauce

This recipe is a perfect example of how simple, satisfying and delicious an all-veggie meal can be. Stir-fried broccoli, red peppers and garlic get tossed in a peanut sauce and served over rice.

1 cup dried rice, rinsed

1/3 c. peanut butter

1 T. brown sugar

2 T. soy sauce, divided

1 T. rice wine vinegar

2 T. coconut, peanut or other oil with a high smoke point

1 lb. broccoli florets

1 large red bell pepper, cubed

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 c. chopped peanuts

Red pepper flakes or hot chili sauce, to taste

Cook rice according to package instructions.

Make peanut sauce by combining peanut butter, brown sugar, 1 T. soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and 1/4 cup water. Set aside.

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a wok or large skillet. Add broccoli and stir continuously for 3 to 5 minutes or until the broccoli begins to turn bright green.

Add remaining 1 T. soy sauce and 1/4 cup water to the wok along with red pepper and garlic. Bring to a boil and stir fry all veggies until lightly steamed and liquid has evaporated some. 

Remove from heat and stir in peanut sauce. Divide rice and veggies among four plates and top each with 1 T. chopped peanuts. Serve with hot pepper flakes or hot chili sauce, such as Sriracha.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Nothing says "I love you" like a giant heart-shaped cookie! When I was growing up, my mom always got us Valentine's Day gifts, and one year she made my sister and me each a heart-shaped chocolate chip cookie using just the recipe on the bag of chocolate chips and her heart-shaped cake pans. I've resurrected this idea from time to time on Valentine's Day, but this year decided to try it with my husband's favorite peanut butter cookie recipe. What makes this recipe his favorite is that we add "extras" to the batter... like chocolate chips, raisins, chopped nuts, or whatever candy or dried fruit we have in the pantry.

Whether you put it in two heart-shaped cake pans or just drop the dough in spoonfuls on a baking sheet, these cookies are full of love!

1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 cup peanut butter

1 t. vanilla

1/2 cup milk

 2 cups flour

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. baking soda

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1 - 1 1/2 cups of your favorite additions (chocolate chips, raisins, chopped nuts, other candy or dried fruit, etc.) - Optional

In a mixer, cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs, peanut butter, vanilla and milk and continue to mix until combined. 

Separately combine flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. With mixer on, gradually add dry ingredients to wet and mix until combined. Stir in any addtional nuts, dried fruit or candy you'd like. If you want to make one for you and one for your sweetheart, divide the batter in half here and customize the additions. 

Add batter to two greased 9-inch heart-shaped cake pans and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until cooked through. You may need to put aluminum foil on top of them for the last 5 minutes if the tops begin to brown before the cookies are fully cooked.

For drop cookies, scoop out 2 T. of dough at a time onto a greased cookie sheet. You can press them down with a fork to make the traditional peanut butter cookie waffle top. Bake cookies at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Salmon with Couscous Pilaf

I love salmon any way it comes. This recipe has a Mediterranean flare with raisins, almonds and mint, making it suitable for any dinner party. But it's so simple that there's no excuse for making dinner from scratch even on the busiest night.

3 large carrots, peeled and cut julienne

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup raisins

1 cup uncooked couscous

1/4 cup fresh mint or 1 tsp. dried mint

1 t. salt

1/4 t. ground black pepper

1 T. olive oil

1 1/4 c. water

4 (4 oz.) salmon filets (boneless and skinless)

salt and pepper to taste

1 lemon, cut into wedges

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium-sized baking dish (big enough to fit your salmon filets), combine carrots, almonds, raisins, couscous, mint, salt, pepper, oil and water. Mix to combine. Season salmon filets with salt and pepper and place them on top of the couscous mixture.

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake it for 25 minutes or until couscous is tender and salmon flakes with a fork, or desired doneness. Transfer fish to plates and serve on top of or along side with the couscous pilaf and a lemon wedge.

Pesto

If you grow basil in your garden, you'll get to a point in July or August where you can't use it fast enough to keep it from bolting. That's when it's time to make pesto! The peppery flavor of basil combines with spicy garlic, and savory nuts and cheese to make this a rich yet bright sauce that can be used in myriad ways -- on a pizza or pasta, in a salad dressing or marinade, as the spread on a sandwich or wrap, etc.

Blanching the basil leaves will help your pesto retain its bright green color. I think it's worth the effort, especially if you aren't planning on using the pesto immediately, but you can skip this step. Pesto will stay good in the refrigerator for about 10 days or in the freezer for several months.


4 cups fresh basil leaves
2 cloves of garlic, quartered
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 cup good quality olive oil
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 t. salt


In a small saucepan that you can rest a mesh strainer in, boil water (about 1 inch from the top). In batches, place the strainer full of basil leaves into the boiling water for 20 seconds, then remove and submerge in ice water until cool. Squeeze any excess liquid from the basil and set it aside. Repeat until all leaves have been blanched.

Add your garlic to a food processor while it's running. Stop and add basil leaves and pine nuts. With blender running, slowly add olive oil. Once the mixture is pureed, add Parmesan and salt and pulse a few times. Store in an air-tight container with plastic wrap covering the surface of the pesto to keep air away from it, or immediately add it to your favorite recipe.

Swiss Meusli Cereal

I'd been making homemade granola all winter and spring until I went home to Pennsylvania over Memorial Day weekend and discovered Swiss Meusli at the Amish Market. It's the same base of grains, nuts and fruits, minus all the sugar and fat of granola. And it's no bake, which saves your AC from working overtime, and takes half the time to make!

I like to make up a batch of this cereal that I can store in a quart sized Mason jar and use all week long. Then each day add some of your favorite fresh fruit and milk, and you've got one amazing, healthy start to the day!

You can either prepare your daily muesli that morning, or spend a few extra minutes the night before to let your grains soak up all the milk and turn into more of a cold porridge.

Dry Ingredients
2 1/2 cups thick cut rolled oats
1/4 cup unsalted sunflower or pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sliced almonds, or other nuts, chopped
2 T. brown flax seeds
1/2 cup shredded coconut, lightly toasted
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup cranberry raisins or other dried fruit (dates, pineapple, apricots, etc.)

Instructions
Add coconut to a pan over medium heat. Let it sit undisturbed until tips begin to turn light brown. Stir for a few minutes to keep coconut from getting toasted much further, then remove from heat and set aside. Combine coconut with all other ingredients except brown sugar in a large bowl and toss to combine. Transfer to an air-tight container and store for up to several weeks.

To serve

If you want to make it up the night before, here's the process I learned from my local German restaurant who serves muesli on their menu. The below quantities serves 2, but can be easily adjusted for one or more.

1 large ripe banana, mashed

1/2 T. honey

1/4 t. Cinnamon

3/4 c. Milk

1 c. Dry muesli cereal

Mix all ingredients in the order listed and let sit in a sealed container for at least three hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Top with your favorite fresh fruit (apples, peaches, berries, etc.).

If you don't make it up the night before, add the desired amount of milk or yogurt, fresh fruit, sweetener and cinnamon and serve immediately. Or you can heat your milk and pour it over your dry muesli cereal for a hot breakfast, adding your desired fruit, sweetener and cinnamon.

Sweet Salad

Salads are an easy way to have a delicious dish using items you have on hand. The possibilities are endless, including adding fruit to a green salad. It has become very popular in restaurants, but the trick to making one at home is having the right dressing.

Sweet fruit salads are great in the summer when you have more fresh fruit options available to you, but in the winter you can use apples, oranges or even dried fruit.They make great side salads, or add some grilled shrimp, chicken, or even leftover pork or steak from last night's dinner to make this salad into a hearty, delicious meal!

Basic Ingredients
Salad greens
Fruit and veggies
Cheese
Nuts, seeds or anything that will add crunch

With the addition of a few items you're sure to have in your pantry, you've got a dressing that will compliment a sweet salad of any kind.

Dressing Ingredients
2 T. red or white wine vinegar
1 T. water
1 T. sugar
2 T. olive oil
Salt and Pepper

Instructions
Combine vinegar, water and sugar. Slowly add olive oil while you're whisking the mixture. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss your greens, fruit and veggies in the dressing. Top with cheese, nuts, meat, etc.

Salad Suggestions

• Spinach, shredded carrots, diced apples, dried cranberries, shredded cheddar cheese, bacon crumbles
• Mixed greens, quartered strawberries, sliced red onions, blue cheese crumbles, toasted cashews, grilled or rotisserie chicken slices
• Romaine lettuce, sliced red pepper, chopped green onions, orange sections, toasted almonds, grilled shrimp
• Arugula, sliced fresh peaches or apricots (or dried pieces), taleggio cheese slices, toasted pecans

Chocolate Muffins

Chocolate muffins -- are they a breakfast treat or dessert? It's up to you... these could be either! The basics for this recipe are ingredients you probably keep on hand. Then change it up depending on the occasion. Add dried fruit and nuts for a healthier version. Add candy and other confections to make them really decadent!

Essential Kitchen Gadgets

• Mixer (stand, hand or the old-fashioned non-electric beaters)
• Muffin pan

Basic Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 6 Tbsp canola oil
• 1 cup of your choice of dry goodies

Today I used chopped up Hershey's candies and raisins. Here are some other suggestions, but use anything that sounds good to you:

• dried cherries and white chocolate chips
• butterscotch chips and mini marshmallows
• dehydrated banana pieces and chopped peanuts

Instructions

Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. If you have a sifter, sift these ingredients together for a smoother batter. Whisk in sugar and set aside.

In mixing bowl, beat eggs on low and add milk and oil. Gradually add in dry ingredients. Once mixed, stir in your dry goodies.

Grease a 12-muffin tray (with or without muffin papers). Use an ice cream scoop to fill muffin cups with batter just shy of the top. Bake for 20 minutes in preheated 400 degree oven, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Remove muffins from tray and let cool on a wire rack. Once cool, store in an air-tight container until ready to serve.

Serving

All you need to eat this is a napkin to catch the crumbs. Makes them great as breakfast on the go or for taking to a picnic, office party, or to the home of a friend who invites you over for dinner!