Marbled Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies

MARBLED CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN BROWNIES (shared by Talia)

Ingredients:

• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 cup butter, cut up
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil over the edges of the pan. Grease the foil; set pan aside.

2. In a medium mixing bowl beat cream cheese and the 1 tablespoon butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the 1/2 cup sugar. Beat until well combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in 1 egg, the pumpkin, 1 teaspoon vanilla, the cinnamon, and ginger until combined. Stir in the 1 tablespoon flour. Set aside.

3. In a small bowl stir together the 1-1/4 cups flour, the baking powder, and salt; set aside.

4. In a large saucepan combine the chocolate and 3/4 cup butter. Cook and stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Gradually add the 2-1/4 cups sugar, beating with an electric mixer on low speed just until combined. Add the 4 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in milk and the 2 teaspoons vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture just until combined.

5. Spread chocolate mixture evenly in the prepared pan. Spoon cream cheese mixture in several mounds on top of the chocolate batter. Using a narrow metal spatula, gently swirl the cream cheese mixture into the chocolate batter.

6. Bake about 60 minutes or until center is just set when pan is gently shaken. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Use foil to lift uncut brownies out of pan. Cut into brownies.

Chocolate Bread Pudding

Chocolate Bread Pudding (shared by Michelle)

Ingredients:

1/2 loaf (8 slices) Whole Wheat Honey Bread

1 and 1/2 cups Brownie Truffle Baking Mix (Trader Joe's- just the dry mix, don't add anything else)

2 and 1/2 cups whole milk (*i used 2% milk)

1. Cut crusts off bread slices. Cube bread into 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch pieces. Toss diced bread in an 8 x 8-inch lightly greased or buttered baking pan and arrange so pan is filled evenly.

2. Combine milk and brownie mix. Stir well for a minute until dissolved. Pour brownie mixture over diced bread. Lightly press down on bread pieces so that they are thoroughly soaked through with brownie liquid.

3. Set pan aside while you preheat oven to 350, perhaps 10 minutes or so. This extra time will give the bread time to soak further. Cover pan tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

4. When done, remove pan from oven and let it cool for 15 minutes, allowing bread pudding to set. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Antipasto Pasta Salad with Oven Roasted Vegetables

Antipasto Pasta Salad (shared by Lara)

Ingredients:

3 cups whole wheat fusilli pasta

1 cup ham, sliced or cubed

1 (8 oz.) container marinated mozzarella balls

2 cups oven roasted vegetables (see oven roasted vegetable recipe below), diced into 1-inch pieces

1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives

1 cup canned artichoke hearts, quartered

1/4 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

2. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and toss well. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Oven Roasted Vegetables with Rosemary

Ingredients:

2 zucchini, sliced thinly lenghtwise (1/4 inch thick or less)

1 cup cut butternut squash (available bagged)

1 cup cut yams (available bagged)

1 red bell pepper, quartered, with seeds and pith removed

6-8 cloves of garlic, peeled

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

A few sprigs fresh rosemary

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. Toss vegetables with olive oil, salt, and pepper, thoroughly coating all vegetables.

3. Place vegetables in a single layer in a 9 x 13-inch roasting/baking pan. Make sure red peppers are "cut side down." Place pan in the oven and roast uncovered for 20 minutes.

4. Add rosemary and roast for an additional 10-15 minutes or until veggies look done.

Artichoke Dip

Artichoke Dip (shared by Courtney "dip queen")

Ingredients:

1 can of artichokes (not marinated)- drained

1 can of Rotel- drained

shredded parmesan cheese

mayo

fresh garlic

garlic pepper to taste

*I didn't follow a recipe.

Just mix ingredients together until you get a good consistency. Bake 375 for 25-30 min.

Serve with pita chips, pita bread, crackers, bread or chips.

Dried Cherry Chicken Salad

Dried Cherry Chicken Salad (shared by Michelle)
Serves 12

Salad Ingredients:
4 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup pecan pieces
1 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup fresh chopped chives

Dressing Ingredients:

1/2 cup light mayonnaise

1/4 cup light sour cream (**I used plain fat free yogurt)

Juice of 1 lemon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, combine chicken, celery, pecans, and dried cherries. Stir in mayonnaise, sour cream (or yogurt), lemon juice, salt and pepper, then refrigerate and serve chilled.

**I served the chicken salad with little whole wheat rolls. ENJOY!

Chili Con Queso Dip

Chili Con Queso Dip (shared by Courtney Toller)
1 package of cream cheese
1 can turkey chili no beans
1 can of Rotel
Shredded mexican cheese blend

Spread cream cheese over bottom of square or round deep dish pan.

Then spread turkey chili over cream cheese and rotel over the chili.

Cover with shredded cheese. Microwave for 4-5 minutes or bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes.

I've never actually baked it, but I think it would turn out ok that way. Enjoy!

Mushroom Soup

MUSHROOM SOUP (shared by Megan Bitsoff)

*serves 10-12

Ingredients:

4 T butter

2 chopped yellow onion

1.5 lbs sliced mushrooms

4 T flour

10 cups beef broth

1/2 cup plus 3 T uncooked barley

Juice of 1 lemon

2 cups heavy whipping cream

garnish 6 T chopped parsley

In a large pot, melt butter, saute mushrooms and onion. Cover and steam over low heat for 10 minutes. Stir in flour and add beef broth. Add barley and simmer for 1 hour, until barley is tender. Add lemon and taste for seasoning. Add cream and do not boil. Garnish and serve.

Warm Chicken Sausage & Potato Salad

(shared by Michelle Ulrich & Lara Leone)

Ingredients:

1 pound small potatoes, cut in half

1 5-ounce bag arugula (about 4 cups, gently packed)

(**I used spinach)

12 ounces precooked chicken sausage, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1 tablespoon maple syrup

(**I used agave syrup)

1 tablespoon whole-grain or Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preparation:

1. Boil potatoes until just cooked through. Transfer to large bowl and add arugula; cover with foil to keep warm.

2. Cook sausage in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until browned and heated through, about 5 minutes. Add to the potato-arugula mixture.

3. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in vinegar, maple syrup, and mustard. Gradually whisk in oil. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until the arugula is wilted. Season with pepper.

Serves 4

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Although not everyone liked this book...ok the majority did not BUT all in attendance thought the food was great for the night! Thanks to Megan for hosting and providing the artichoke dip and mushroom soup. Lara and Michelle provided a German inspired warm chicken sausage and potato salad. Recipes provided below.

(shared by Megan Bitsoff)

Spinach artichoke dip

1 3/4 cups Hellman's regular mayo

2 cups (or more) shredded asiago cheese

minced garlic (2 or 3 cloves)

14 oz. marinated artichoke hearts chopped

1 cup thawed chopped spinach (squeezed dry)

Bake in a sourdough breadbowl at 350.

Lentil Dip

Lentil Dip -
(shared by Courtney Toller who says "probably the easiest thing you'll ever make")

Everything you need is at Trader Joe's. We just love Trader Joe :)

*1 package of lentils
*bruschetta sauce - the tub in the refrigerated section, not the jar that is room temp.
*feta cheese

Mix everything together and serve with blue corn tortilla chips. Enjoy!

Israeli Couscous to Still my BEETing Heart

**I am posting this recipe on the book club blog even though technically it is a "Lauren Pisco Briday Shower created by Shannon Davis" recipe BUT it was too good to not share with this group. Shannon I request this recipe for the next book club :)

Israeli Couscous to Still My BEETing Heart
(Shared By Shannon Davis)

It was Valentine’s Day 2011 and the single ladies at work decided to host a themed potluck in which everyone had to bring a red or pink dish. Determined to avoid the standard pasta and marinara sauce, or pink lemonade, I ventured to the farmer’s market to discover the season’s finest treasure: beets.
And while most people don’t like beets, I knew my dish would convert those in opposition, for there’s nothing like a fresh roasted beet!

Keep in mind, this dish is a labor of love. It has a few steps, but it’s well worth it…

Yields 4-6 servings.

Ingredients:
• 5-6 small fresh beets
• 1/8 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 cups Vegetable Broth or Chicken Broth
• 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 cup Israeli or Pearled Couscous
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 cup arugula, stems removed
• ½ mini log of herbed goat cheese, crumbled

Dressing Ingredients:
• ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ¼ cup, plus 2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 ½ Tbsp finely chopped shallot
• 2 tsp chopped fresh dill (or 1 tsp dried dill)
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Rinse beets and scrub to remove any remaining dirt. Discard the tops, or save for a sauté
3. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, place the beets in the middle, drizzle 1/8 cup olive oil over them (enough to coat beets with light layer), and cover with another layer of aluminum foil. Fold the edges of the aluminum foil sheets together to seal in the beets and create a nice little beet love nest.
4. Cook beets for 50-60 min until soft and tender, and a fork is easily inserted.
5. While beets are cooking, prepare the couscous, carmelize the onions, and make the dressing.
6. In a 4 quart sauce pan, bring 2 cups broth and 1 Tbsp olive oil to boil. Add 1 cup couscous. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer for 12-14 minutes until all liquid has been absorbed and couscous is light and fluffy.
7. Add crumbled goat cheese to couscous and mix while hot so the cheese melts and creates a creamy coating.
8. Heat a small frying pan on medium heat with 1 Tbsp olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Onions will become soft and whiter in color. Add ¼ cup balsamic vinegar and continue sautéing for another 2-3 minutes. Let all of the liquid reduce until it is a thick coating on the onions. Remove from pan and set aside.
9. Mix all of the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl or dressing cruet. Shake or stir vigorously to combine.
10. Once the beets are done, let cool for a few minutes, then peel away the rough outer layer of each beet, and then but beets into small cubes.
11. Add everything to large bowl – couscous, chopped beets, arugula, and onions.
12. Pour the dressing over the couscous, mix, and serve warm.

Some helpful notes:
While peeling and chopping the beets, you’ll quickly notice the deep magenta hue that tinges your hands. Have no fear -- it will wash away. Splash some lemon juice on your hands and rub together to help remove the color. Also, it should be noted that beet juice stains easily, so don’t wear white clothing while preparing this meal!

Israeli or Pearled Couscous can be found in the “Specialty” aisle at your local grocery store, or Trader Joe’s.

This dish is also delicious cold. The dressing and dish can all be made a day ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.

Homemade Yellow Birthday Cake

Jack’s yellow birthday cake with cream cheese frosting (shared by Zoe)

Cake:

This was a thin sponge cake. Easy to make in just one bowl when you’re pressed for time, but don’t over bake it as it’s quite a thin layer cake. I used two 8” round pans to make two layers to the cake, or you could just use one 8” round pan.

Have all ingredients at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 375

Grease the bottom of your pan and line with wax or parchment paper (I skipped the parchment paper and it was difficult to get the cakes out of the pan)

Whisk together in a large bowl:

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

Add and mix for 2 minutes at medium speed:

2 large eggs

½ cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat in:

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

Beat for 1 minute at low speed. Scrape the bowl. Beat for 1 ½ minutes at medium-high speed. Scrape the bowl again and beat for 30 seconds on low speed.

Scrape the batter into the pan(s). Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 16 – 18 minutes. Cool before you loosen cake and remove it from the pan.

Cream cheese frosting:

Makes about 2 cups. You might want to double the recipe if you plan on putting frosting in the middle of the cake to make layers.

The Joy of Cooking cook book shares two secrets to making perfectly smooth cream cheese frosting: do not overbeat, and use cold, not softened, cream cheese.

Beat in a medium bowl at low speed just until blended:

8 ounces cold cream cheese

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (this is optional)

2 teaspoons vanilla

Add one-third at a time and beat until just smooth and the desired consistency:

1 pound (4 cups) confectioners’ sugar

If the frosting is too stiff, beat for a few seconds longer; do not overbeat. Feel free to vary the amount of sugar to suit your taste. If desired, stir in additional flavoring to taste, such as grated lemon or orange zest, ground cinnamon, liqueur.

Enjoy!

Pesto Avocado Pizza

Zoe's Pizza You Can’t Live Without (shared by Zoe)

Start with pizza crust dough from Trader Joe’s

Use a pesto sauce (I used Trader Joe’s Genova Pesto)

Top with:

Mozzarella Cheese

Feta Cheese

Thinly sliced red onions

Sliced avocados

Bake according to directions for the crust

Easy and tasty!

Cheesy Garlic Bread

CHEESY GARLIC BREAD (shared by Courtney) French loaf butter garlic pepper quattro formaggio cheese from Trader Joes ( or you could use any other cheese you like) Cut french loaf in half. Butter both sides of bread completely. Sprinkle cheese of bread (as much as you like) Sprinkle garlic pepper over cheese (As much as you like) I like it to be extra cheesy and lots of garlic. Bake at 350 for 6-8 minutes. That's how I cooked it at Zoe's, other ovens may vary. Enjoy!!!

Food We Can't Live Without

"Food We Can't Live Without" was the theme of our last book club meeting and I wanted to recap all the foods that we just can't live without :)

Shannon: hummus, pita chips, veggies

Courtney: Cheesy Garlic Bread (recipe posted)

Megan: cookies and milk

Lauren & Stacey: Sprinkles Cupcakes (http://www.sprinkles.com/)

Malain- chips, salsa, quacamole

Lara- Hot Tamales & Cinnamon Bear candy, Rosemary bread and Brie cheese

Michelle- peanut butter pretzels, sweet potato fries

Zoe- homemade pizza, homemade (from scratch) cake (recipes posted)

Ethiopian Night at the Red Sea

Thanks to Susan Reid for organizing our book club adventure at the Red Sea to discuss "Cutting for Stone" by Abraham Verghese. Susan also provided a list of what she ordered for us that night.

The plates ordered at the Red Sea included:
Green salad

tibs

sawaze tibs

zil zil tibs
vegetarian combo

This will be a great resource for those of us who will venture back to the Red Sea for dinner!

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe (shared by Susan)
Super easy, quick, and, I think, fairly healthy.

The key to this dish is finding the packet of sauce! I first discovered it in Anacortes, Washington. Not so easy in San Diego. After a lengthy search, I stumbled upon it at Cost Plus World Market, of all places! Many grocery stores have several varieties of Panda Brand sauces but not for lettuce wraps.

Lee Kum Kee
Panda Brand
Sauce for Lettuce Wraps

Recipe is on the back of the packet.
I usually use ground turkey. Easier to find. After that, it's carrots, green onions, water chestnuts and peanuts. I use heaping portions of all. Brown the meat in a little oil (don't really need the full amount, add the vegies, simmer and you are done!

Enjoy!

Asian Chicken Noodle Salad

Asian Chicken Noodle Salad (shared by Stacey)

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup sliced almonds

8 tbsp. sesame seeds

7 tbsp. rice vinegar

4 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

½ cup canola oil (I didn’t use all of the oil)

1 16-oz. bag coleslaw mix (I used a broccoli slaw mix so that it had less cabbage)

2 packages Ramen noodles, broken up (throw seasoning away)

2 cooked chicken breasts chopped or shredded

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a skillet over medium low to medium heat, toast almonds and sesame seeds until light brown.

2. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Whisk in oil.

3. In a large bowl, combine coleslaw mix, chicken, and Ramen noodles. Add contents of small bowl and mix well. Toss in the almonds and seeds just before serving.

Enjoy!

Pear and Brie Fancy Flatbread

Trader Joe's Pear And Brie Fancy Flatbread Recipe (shared by Courtney)

INGREDIENTS:

TJ’s Lavash Bread (Regular or Whole Wheat)

1 TJ’s Pear, thinly sliced

8 ounces (or so) TJ’s Brie, cubed or torn into small pieces

2-3 slices TJ’s Prosciutto, sliced thin

2-3 tablespoon TJ’s Organic Brown Sugar

1 cup TJ’s Wild Arugula

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the Oven to 375°.

Layer the lavash with the pear slices, pieces of Brie, prosciutto and sugar, in that order. Bake for 5-6 minutes until the Lavash is golden brown and the sugar has caramelized.

Top with Baby Arugula and serve.

Serves: 4 to 6 as an appetizer

Cooking Time: 5-10 minutes