gooey butter cake

There is a time for kale, and a time for quinoa.  A time for lentils with herbed goat cheese, and a time for avocado on toasted sprouted wheat bread.  A time to fill your body with fruits and vegetables, and fuel it with the nutritional goodness that only whole foods can provide.

Folks, this is not that time.

The timing of this post is apropos, since I am in the process of wrapping up several months of heavy travel, and heavy eating.  As I time this, I'm on a plane eating kale chips (and making a total mess of it, come to that- I'm pretty sure my seat mate thinks he's sat next to an overgrown 2 year old whose food ends up everywhere but IN HER MOUTH).  Breakfast was a protein bar, lunch was a veggie chili.  All this healthy-shmealthy food, but my mind is still reminiscing about the fresh pasta, gnocchi, rustic bread with homemade butter, and panna cotta from the night before.  Ah, memories.  **SNIFF**

I'm finally get a decent stretch of time at home, and I plan to embark on some healthy, clean eating to undo the sins from the last couple months.  But NOT before I post a recipe that flies in the face of clean eating: ooey gooey butter cake!

This recipe comes from a former beau who hailed from the south.  The recipe is the purest example of the single girl's golden rule: never break up with a guy before you get his recipes.  Roger that.

The cakes origins lie in St. Louis, Missouri.  There are fancier recipes for it that you could try, but the one below is so easy and so incredibly delicious, why go to the trouble?  You're busy enough!  This recipe is cut from the same cloth as my favorite Cheesy Corn Casserole.  Staple pantry ingredients + box mix = a creation that will make the entire after church crowd swoon.

The cake is made in two layers.  And the result is a buttery, decadent treat that I can almost guarantee you will make over and over again.  I've never had a dessert quite like it, and I can't wait for you to discover it, too!

Gooey Butter Cake

For the first layer:
2 eggs
1 box yellow cake mix
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 stick of melted butter

For the second layer:
3 3/4 cups (or 1 small box) powdered sugar (plus a little extra for sprinkling)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 8 oz. package of cream cheese at room temperature

(1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  

(2) Mix 2 eggs, cake mix, vanilla, and the stick of melted butter.  The mixture will be thick.  Spread in an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.

(3) Next, mix the powdered sugar, 2 eggs, vanilla, and cream cheese.  Spread on top of the first mixture.

(4) Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown on top.  Don't overbake!

(5) When cool to the touch, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Enjoy!
xo h

midnight sun granola

Can you believe it?  It's finally here!  The birds are busily chirping, the sun is shining, and the grass is a lovely shade of verdant green (unless of course it's in my yard, where its still covered in brown patches and dandelions, but I digress).  

IT'S SUMMER!!!  Or practically summer, since technically summer isn't here until June 21st.  No matter!  In Alaska, the non-winter months are so few and far between that we play a little fast and loose with the seasonal calendar.  When it's roughly 54 degrees outside on a bluebird sunny day and the children are complaining of "the heat" on the ball field, it's time to bust out the barbecue and break out the water slide because SUMMER IS HERE!

I spent the better part of the winter in Alaska down in Juneau, where it rained more than snowed, and spent most of my time getting the hang of my new job and new surroundings (and eating several batches of these without enough help).  I spent far less time exercising and taking good care of myself. Let's just say that in the battle between exercise versus beers and pizza at the Island Pub across the bridge in Douglas, you can guess which was usually the victor (and if you happen to be visiting Douglas, try "The Don" pizza-- AMAZING!) 

To make up for the pizza sins of the last few months, I am committed to walking, hiking, yogaing (is that a word?  it is now) and biking my way back into good shape.

But you still need fuel, right?  And it's always better if the fuel is delicious, crunchy, sweet granola, don't you think?  Yup, I thought so too!

This recipe is another gem from my friend Shirley Jewett of Fairbanks.  Momma Shirley has given me some of my most beloved recipes, and this one is no exception.  I've tweaked it a bit over the years.  Sometimes I add dried fruit, such as apricots, cherries, or cranberries.  Or I substitute walnuts or pecans for the almonds.  But every time I taste it, I think of spending time in the kitchen with Shirley and her daughter Stephanie, my dear friends for more than 25 years.  So much laughter and good food has come out of that little kitchen on Farmers Loop Road!  I call it Midnight Sun Granola because it reminds me of home in the Golden Heart of Alaska...Squarebanks.  OOPS, I mean Fairbanks.

(Oh, as if every Fairbanksan doesn't call it that?!)

Granola is my fuel of choice on hikes and bike rides (and boat rides, and trips to the grocery store, and while watching TV...it's really an all-purpose fuel).  So here it is:  hands down, the BEST granola I have ever tasted.  

And NOW I am ready to go hiking.  

But maybe I will start tomorrow.

Midnight Sun Granola

2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup raw almonds
6 cups oats
1 cup wheat germ
2 cups Fiber One cereal (or other fiber-y twiggy cereal)
3/4 cups vegetable oil
1 cup honey
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. 

Spread coconut on a large sheet pan and toast in the oven for 5 minutes (being very careful not to burn it).  Place in a bowl and set aside.

Toast almonds on the same sheet pan for 7-8 minutes.  Place in a bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix oats, wheat germ, and Fiber One cereal, and set aside.  

In a medium sauce pan, mix oil, honey, salt, and brown sugar and bring to a bubbly simmer.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Pour over oat mixture, and mix well.  Spread the entire mixture on a large sheet pan coated with cooking spray.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.  Remove from oven, and stir in coconut and almonds.  Cool at room temperature, then break up and store in an air tight container.

Trust me, this granola is worth all the work!!

Enjoy!
xo h

dispatch from juneau: chocolatey no-bake cookies

Over the past few weeks, my days here in Juneau are spent in committee meetings, dealing with budget numbers, and figuring out just where to find the public lounge in the Capital Building (IT’S ON THE SECOND FLOOR, FOR THE LOVE OF ALL HOLY.  Why is this so difficult to remember when I’m in the building?!)  As a result, my appetite can be summed up in two words:  comfort food.

Hellllooooo????  What happened to "New Year’s Resolution" Heidi????  The one that was going to try eating vegetarian most days of the week, cut back on cheese, and hold the dessert?  The one that was going to try to fit back into her cute designer jeans that cost far more than they are actually worth?

I can’t find her.  She’s nowhere to be found (and frankly, neither are the jeans!)  She’s been replaced by "If It Makes Me Feel Good I’m Going To Eat It" Heidi.  I’ve met this Heidi before.  She made an appearance while studying for the bar, and again when she was buying a house.  I spotted her briefly the week leading up to an important oral argument in court.  But she’s overstaying her welcome right now.

In any event, the good news is that "Comfort Food" Heidi is cooking a lot these days.  She’s too hungry to take photos and post them, but she’s an awful lot happier when she’s in the kitchen!

Ok, enough of the third person voice.

I’ve spent a lot of the time in my tiny little Juneau kitchen lately, and it feels glorious!  Navy bean and ham soup, gnocchi with pesto, homemade ramen, and a delicious scratch bolognese recipe passed down to me from a friend whose family used to own an Italian restaurant in New York City frequented by Frank Sinatra.  (That one I hope to make again and post soon!)

Along with savory comforts, I’ve also been craving these chocolatey no-bake cookies.  My perfect little comfort food in dessert form. These treats are easily one of my favorite bites.  I think I’ve made them 3 or 4 times since I’ve been down in Juneau, and I figured it was time I shared them with others.  Many of you have certainly made these many times over the years, and they’re a classic for a reason.  For starters, they don’t involve the oven.  And for those of us who are slightly baking impaired (guilty), that’s a beautiful thing.  

My Dad was visiting in Juneau recently and, to my surprise, informed me that he’d never had a no-bake cookie.  He was extremely skeptical about them!  I could tell he figured this was simply one of Heidi’s goofy ideas.  Cookies should be baked, he thought.

After they had cooled sufficiently and were ready to eat, I handed him one to try.  He took one bite and his eyes lit up!  After he finished the cookie, Dad proclaimed, “For my very last meal, I want these cookies for dessert!”

In that spirit, I’ll likely make these cookies after the completion of the legislative budget process.  :)

Classic Chocolatey No-Bake Cookies

(Adapted from Add A Pinch)

1 3/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup milk

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into big pieces
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups quick cooking oats

In a medium sauce pan, heat sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa powder over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add vanilla, peanut butter and salt, and mix well. Add oats and mix until fully incorporated. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto a sheet pan covered in parchment or aluminum foil. Allow cookies to cool for 30 minutes.  Makes 2-3 dozen delicious little chocolatey bites!

Enjoy!

xo H

wild alaska! blueberry cornmeal skillet cake

I have a massive issue when it comes to foraging.  Some would call it my gift.  Others (like my berry-picking friends) would call it my curse.  You see, deep in the incomprehensible double-helix thingy of my DNA structure, I have an unmistakable gene for hunting and gathering.  I LOVE it.  But not in the way you love your favorite sweater or lasagna on Fridays.  I mean, I love foraging in a way that were I left to my own devices I would gather to my heart's content and never come home.  You would find me 4 days later up on a mountain picking berries happy as a clam but desperately needing a shower.

 

As I've said before, I don't have an "off" switch when it comes to foraging.  Which is one of the main reasons I always bring a friend with me whenever I embark on my little gathering excursions.  Because someone has to be there to make me stop.

 

I'm not sure exactly what it is that drives me to harvest Alaska's wild bounty.  I suspect it's a mixed bag of reasons, one being simply: FREE FOOD.  But it's roots are much deeper than that.  There is something so satisfying about hitting the jackpot and discovering a trove of currants, or that Devil's Club buds are at the perfect time for harvesting.  And I wouldn't engage in a single foraging expedition if the results weren't also delicious.  I am continually amazed at the plentiful variety of edible plants growing in our own (enormous, massive, breathtaking) Alaskan backyard. 

 

I also believe that I'm most at peace in nature.  And we have a lot of that in Alaska.  I mean, just look at the scenery from the berry-picking expedition with my friend Erica from last week!

This blueberry skillet cake is nearly fool-proof, which is perfect for those of us that are slightly baking-impaired.  It comes together in very little time and I love bringing the whole skillet to the table for serving.  Delicious with homemade whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, it's also perfect on its own and makes a great breakfast treat.  Lately, my taste buds have been craving desserts that aren't super sweet, and this cake fits the bill.  It's not nearly as sweet as your standard cake, which is due in part to our tart Alaskan blueberries.  I've made it with raspberries from my backyard and it's slightly sweeter, but equally delicious.

 

And so, I encourage everyone to get outside, pick some berries.  And see if the foraging bug bites you, too! 

Alaska Blueberry Cornmeal Skillet Cake
Serves 8-ish (Adapted from Martha Stewart)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, plus an extra 1/4 cup for sprinkling
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 large eggs
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 extra tablespoon for skillet
2 cups Alaska blueberries (fresh or frozen)**

(1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Whist together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoon sugar in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk just to combine.

(2) In a 10 inch oven-proof skillet (I used my trusty Lodge Cast-Iron), place one tablespoon of butter in the skillet and pop it in the oven until it's melted and the skillet is hot (3-5 minutes).  Take the skillet out of the oven and swirl the butter to coat the bottom.  Pour the batter into the skillet, and scatter the blueberries on top.  Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar.

(3) Bake in the middle of the oven until it is golden brown, about 40-45 minutes.  Let cool before slicing it.  This is great served either warm or at room temperature. 

**Substituting Alaska raspberries for the blueberries is equally delicious.

Enjoy!
xo h

squash mac & cheese

I LOVE THIS DISH.  But I seriously fretted about what to call it.  Because it's a lighter mac & cheese, but calling it "light mac & cheese" is such a culinary turnoff.  Might as well tell folks to chew on some saw dust, eh?  "A slimmer mac & cheese" sounds even worse.  "Healthy mac & cheese" means zero people will want to make it, much less eat it.  "Mac & cheese that is just as delicious as regular mac & cheese and you can't even tell it has squash in it!" was just getting pathetic.  I felt desperate.  So I settled on owning up to exactly what it is.  And exactly the right (read: wrong) person called me as soon as I'd typed the title of my post. 

 

Meagan.  My beloved friend who abandoned me for Washington, D.C. several years ago and who I've been attempting to coax back home ever since.  She called to catch me up on her weekly goings on, as we do most weekends. 

 

"What are you doing?" she asks.

 

"I'm working on a new post," I respond.

 

"Oooh!" (She's a Chena Girl cheerleader. LOVE her.) "What's the recipe?" she asks.

 

(SUPER.  Here we go...) "Um...squash mac & cheese???"  I cautiously utter.

 

"EWWW!  Gross.  Who would make that?"

 

SEE?!  SEE WHY I FRETTED ABOUT THE NAME OF THIS RECIPE??!!  Because of the Meagans in the world.



You see, the Meagans of the world don't understand that just because you sneak a little squash in a recipe does NOT meant the recipe is ruined!  I wish I could explain to everyone JUST HOW INCREDIBLY DELICIOUS THIS MACARONI AND CHEESE IS!  Seriously, you can't even taste the squash, and yet it adds a velvety richness to the dish and allows you to cut out nearly half the butter and cheese.  I served it to friends at a dinner party once without telling them it's healthy little secret until they'd devoured the entire casserole.  The proof is in the eating.
 

I take my blog recipes very seriously.  (Ok, I don't take myself very seriously, but I'm totally serious about my food.  Ask anyone who has ever met me, like, ever.)  I only post my favorite recipes here, and this mac & cheese fits the bill.  What I love about it is that you can serve it two ways.  It's perfect right from the stove top (my nieces demolished it when I served it to them, more than any alien orange-y box mac & cheese concoction-- a seriously proud Auntie moment).  Or bake it in a casserole dish topped with buttery breadcrumbs and bake until bubbly and golden.  

So to the Meagans of the world, I say this:  broaden your horizons, and embrace the squash. 

(And to one Meagan in particular:  remember when you totally hated Brussels sprouts?  And I told you that you hadn't had them cooked the right way and you need to try them roasted?  And when you did you loved them and it like totally changed your life forever?

 Yup.  It's like that.)

Squash Mac & Cheese

adapted from Barefoot Contessa

1 pound cavatappi or elbow macaroni

4 cups 2% milk

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups shredded gruyere cheese

1 cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese

one 12 ounce package cooked frozen squash, thawed

1 pinch nutmeg (scant 1/4 teaspoon)

1 tablespoon of kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs, plus 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Add salt to the water (a heavy 5-finger pinch) and a drizzle of vegetable oil.  Add the pasta and cook until al dente (or until there's a little bite to it- just don't cook it to mush).  Drain the pasta.

Heat the milk in a saucepan, but don't boil it.  Melt the butter in a large pot, add the flour, and stir for 2 minutes with a whisk over medium heat.  Add the milk, turn the heat down to medium-low, and whisk until thick and smooth, about 10 minutes (it takes a little longer because you're using less flour and butter).   Be careful to whisk often or the milk can burn on the bottom of the pot.  Once thickened, remove from the heat.

 

Add the cheese, 1 tablespoon of salt, pepper, nutmeg, squash, and macaroni.  Stir until combined.  At this point, it's ready to serve as is!  Or...

 

Butter a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish.  Pour the mixture into the casserole dish.  Melt 2 tablespoons of butter (or substitute 2 tablespoons of olive oil if you prefer) and combine it with the panko breadcrumbs.  Top the mac and cheese with the breadcrumbs.  Bake for 30-35 minutes until bubbly and browned.

 

Enjoy!

xo H
 

Mexican Pizza

Growing up in Fairbanks as a kid in the 80s, we didn’t exactly have access to the freshest ingredients or have the most diverse array of restaurants.  I mean, when Boston’s Pizza came to town it made front page news.  So...you get the idea.  Despite that, my parents did their best to expose us kids to a broad spectrum of cuisines.  Or rather, their idea of a broad spectrum of cuisines.

Which is to say, we ate a lot of Mexican food.      

Not just any Mexican food, but my parents’ spin on Mexican.  My parents met when they were very young in Los Angeles.  My mother moved there in high school, but my dad was an L.A. native and has had an appreciation for Mexican cuisine ever since.  Going out to dinner was a rare and expensive treat.  If we did, we usually piled into the Suburban and went to a local Mexican haunt called Los Amigos off South Cushman, where I inevitably ordered a cheese enchilada and a chicken taco…for roughly 15 years.  My sister Holly and I would fight with our brother Erik over who got to pick the song in the tableside jukebox.  Yes, we would literally fight.  (One time, we were so ill-behaved that my Dad made us get up and leave before the waitress came to take our order!  You don’t have to teach kids that lesson twice.)  But if Holly and I were allowed to order Shirley Temples with our meal, we knew Dad was in a good mood.  Those were the nights we usually just let Erik pick the song (because let’s face it, he always won that battle anyway!)

At home, my parents each had their specialties.  Mom made a delicious chili relleno casserole (I’ll dig out that recipe and post it sometime) and was constantly frying up quesadillas for us to scarf down.  My dad made homemade tamales, enchiladas, and his unique specialty:  Mexican Pizza.  I remember it was around the time that Boboli pizza crusts became popular in the grocery stores.  I have no idea where Dad came up with the idea, but it was one of the most requested recipes from our family kitchen.

Last week I was home in Fairbanks with my family and asked Dad if he would make his old specialty in order to post it here on the blog.  He was more than happy to oblige, and came home from the grocery store with all the fixings for one of my favorite childhood meals.  (He was astonishingly patient when I took all my pictures, asking things like, “Do you want me to move this over here for better light?” and "Wait until I scatter the green onion.")  My Mom was less so. (“How many pictures do you need of a slice of pizza?  It’s a slice of pizza!  I’m hungry already- let’s eat, people.”  To those who know and love my Mom, this should come as no surprise.)

At first we hadn’t planned on adding any tomato, as you'll see in most of the pictures.  But Mom insisted that Dad used to add it, and I think she was right.  The fresh tomato was the perfect finish.  You could also add some fresh chopped cilantro if you happen to have it, but cilantro wasn’t exactly plentiful at Fairbanks grocery stores when I was a kid and I wanted to stick with tradition.

I have to say, taking a bite of this pizza for the first time in years brought back a lot of happy memories from a kitchen full of good food.  Thanks, Dad!

Mexican Pizza

(Makes 2 whole pizzas, which is just enough to feed a small Alaskan family)

2 Boboli thin pizza crusts

1/2 medium onion, diced

2 t. olive oil

1 pound lean ground beef

1 t. salt

1 T. chili powder

2 t. cumin

1 cup of salsa

1-15 oz. can pinto beans, drained & rinsed

1-2.25 oz. can sliced black olives, drained

1-4 oz. can diced green chilies

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
3-4 green onions, white and green parts both chopped

1 large tomato, diced (or two small)

hot sauce, to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil to the pan and saute the onion for 4-5 minutes, or until soft.  Crank up the heat on the stove a touch to medium-high, and add the ground beef, salt, chili powder, and cumin, making sure to break up the meat well with the back of your spoon.  Cook until all the meat is browned nicely, about 8-10 minutes.  Turn off the heat and set aside.

Spread 1/2 cup of the salsa evenly over each Boboli crust.  Divide the cooked ground beef, beans, olives, and green chilies evenly between both crusts.  Top each pizza with 1 cup of the cheese.  Transfer the pizza carefully to the oven (a pizza paddle would come in handy here, but it's not necessary).  Bake the pizza directly on the oven rack for 8-10 minutes, or until all of the cheese is melted and the pizza has a crispy bottom crust.  We bake one at a time, for maximum crispyness.

Remove from the oven and top with as much of the diced green onion and diced fresh tomato as you like.  Cut slices, top with hot sauce if you prefer, and enjoy a little Mexico in Alaska!

Enjoy! xo H 

Cheesy Corn Casserole

Like any good foodie, I love me some prosciutto.  And baby arugula.  A salad topped with dried figs, goat cheese, and a balsamic vinaigrette and I'm in heaven.  A pinch of saffron to enhance color and flavor.  A crusty baguette topped with brie and apricot compote.

Sometimes, even I'm just too pretentious for my own good. 

Every now and then, I just want a casserole made with cheddar cheese and Jiffy corn muffin mix.

You know, like the classic casserole your mom took to the church picnic when you were a kid?  You never wanted to know what went into making it.  You just scooped yourself a huge portion, enjoyed every delicious bite of it, and went back for another serving of marshmallow salad.  And no one judged you for it.

This is a casserole of humble ingredients that many of us already have in our pantry (for reals- I didn't even have to go to the grocery store to make this).

So for one evening, stash the grapefruit curd and kale salad and enjoy a dish of nostalgia.

Cheesy Corn Casserole

Adapted from Cooking Light

1 can of cream style corn

1 c. frozen corn, thawed under cool running water

1 package Jiffy corn muffin mix

1 egg, slightly beaten

½ stick butter, melted

½ c. sour cream (use light if you want)

½ c. plain yogurt (I used nonfat)

¼ t. cayenne pepper

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all ingredients, but only ½ c. of the cheese.  Pour into a greased 8 x 8 inch dish, or a round pie dish.  Top with remaining ½ c. cheese.  Bake for about 50 minutes, or until set.

Enjoy! xo H

Easiest Manicotti

There must be something in the water.  Or maybe it has something to do with this crazy winter weather we're experiencing in Alaska.  In any event, it is now the season of BABIES.  So many of my girlfriends are either pregnant right now, or just gave birth to happy, healthy sons and daughters.  For me, this translates roughly to:  the season of the deliverable meal.  I may not have any experience when it comes to rearing newborns, but I have boatloads of experience feeding people.  As I like to say, I play to my strengths.


My friends Mera and Chester's beautiful daughter Opal is now three weeks old.  I delivered this meal to them the day after they arrived home with their new plus one.  A couple days later, I stopped by to check in on the family and Chester said to me, with complete sincerity: "Heidi, that manicotti has kept us alive for the past three days."  Mission accomplished.
 

A meal on the go must be: easy to assemble, filling, tasty, and transportable.  My favorite deliverable meals have got to be my creamy tomato soup and this manicotti recipe that delivers a lot of bang for the buck.  I love it because its composed of relatively inexpensive ingredients, a snap to put together, and tastes delicious.  Plus I think it's a great way to sneak some hidden veggies into a kid-friendly meal.


Making it is simple.  The filling consists of mozzerella and ricotta cheeses, chopped spinach, egg, milk, dried oregano, salt and pepper.  Pour half of a jar of good bottled marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan.  Take dry manicotti tubes and fill them with the ricotta/spinach mixture.  I usually just use my clean hands- a cook's best tools.  Don't be shy to stuff the manicotti to the gills- I usually have a little filling leftover even after stuffing them with as much filling as I can. 

Line the pan with the manicotti.  Pour the other half of the marinara over the shells.  Then pour 1 cup of water or tomato juice evenly over the dish (I usually add the water or tomato juice to the empty jar of marinara and shake it up to make sure I get all the good stuff out of the jar first before pouring it over the shells).  This will add moisture to help cook the shells- it's a pretty clever trick I picked up.  Top the dish with the remaining mozzerella and Parmesan.

Cover the dish with foil and bake at 375 degrees for an hour.  Let the dish sit for 10 minutes or so before serving.  I like to serve it with a caesar salad and crusty Italian bread.  It's the perfect family supper, whether your kids are 2 years old or 22 years old!



Easiest Manicotti

2 1/2 c. shredded mozzerella cheese

1- 15 oz. carton ricotta cheese

1- 10 oz. package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry with paper towels

1 egg, beaten

1/4 c. milk

1 t. dried oregano

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. freshly ground pepper

1 package manicotti (14 shells)

1/4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

1 jar marinara sauce (26 oz.)

1 c. tomato juice or water

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Mix together 1 1/2 cups of the mozzerella, ricotta, spinach, egg, milk, oregano, salt, and pepper.  Stuff mixture into uncooked manicotti shells, making sure to fill them completely.  Spray the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan with nonstick spray.  Pour 1/2 of the marinara sauce in the bottom of the pan.  Line the pan with the filled manicotti shells.  Pour the rest of the marinara over the top of the shells.  Pour the tomato juice or water into the half-filled jar of marinara, shake it up, and pour it evenly over the shells.  Top the dish with the remaining 1 cup of mozzerella, and the Parmesan cheese.  Cover the dish with foil and bake for 1 hour.  (You can remove the foil in the last 5 or 10 minutes of baking if you want the top to be a little more golden brown).  Let the dish set for 10 minutes before eating.

Enjoy! xo H

The Tomato Soup That Started It All

A couple of weeks ago, I wanted to make some soup.  As I was looking through my collection of recipes, I thought to myself, "I wish I could do this all the time."  You see, I love to cook.  And for the most part, I'm pretty good at it.  Or at least I never have a problem collecting my friends at the last minute asking for mouths to feed (especially my friend Bill, who never misses an invite). When folks ask me what my hobby is, I feel like I should respond with:  mountainbiking.  Or ice climbing.  Or skiing, at least.  But what I always tell them is that:  I love to cook.  I also love to eat good food.  So deciding to have a career as a lawyer makes sense, right?  I'm lucky to have found a fulfilling career as a union lawyer, but I realized that I needed an outlet for all the cooking I like to do.  So here I am:  a technologically-impared lawyer writing my own little food blog.  And the recipe that started it all was a delicious soup that is the perfect accompanyment to your classic grilled cheese sandwich:  Creamy Tomato Soup.  This recipe is a combination of two different ones I found online (which is something I typically do- mash together a couple different recipes to find one I like even better).

First things first, chop up one onion.

(Ok, I just started this thing.  I promise my pictures will get better.  Baby steps.)  Next, mince up 4 cloves of garlic.


Dice up one red bell pepper (I forgot to take a picture, but I figure you can manage).  Throw the onion, garlic, and bell pepper in a pot with 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a medium or large pot.  Add a good pinch of salt and several grinds of fresh black pepper.  Saute 4-5 minute, or until the onion is starting to look translucent.

A nice, deep pot like this Le Creuset (thanks Mom & Dad!) is the perfect pot for soup.

Now here comes the weird step- dollop 8 ounces of cream cheese (I used light, but full fat is fine) into the pot.  This makes the soup so good and creamy!

Stir the cream cheese around until it gets melty and ooey-gooey.  (Sorry, I'm a lawyer, not a professional chef.  So I don't know all the techincal words for these things.  I'll try harder, promise.)

Add to that a cup of milk, 3 cups of low-sodium tomato juice, a 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes (I used a box of Pomi tomatoes- which are imported from Italy and you can find them in the regular section of the grocery store.  You pay a bit of a premium, but I think they have the best flavor.  I also love San Marzano tomatoes.  But any diced tomato will do.)  Finally, add the 2 teaspoons of sugar, which helps to cut the acidity of the tomatoes, and brings out their sweetness.  After a stir, it should look something like this.  I taste it at this point and add salt and pepper if it needs it.

Finally, roll up several leaves of fresh basil, and chop 'em up.  Fresh basil is best, but 1 tablespoon of dried basil will work too.

Toss the basil into the soup and stir!  Simmer for 15 minutes or so, stirring frequently.

Finally, use an immersion/stick blender to blend up the soup.  I don't like to overdo it- a few chunks of tomato and onion add a nice touch to me.  If you don't have an immersion blender, blend it in batches in your regular blender, but be careful because it's hot!  Here's what it should look like:

This soup is so delicious and easy!  It is a faithful standby when you're in a pinch, and I think you'll come back to it over and over again. 

I actually forgot to take a picture before I took my first bite of the grilled cheese.  What can I say?  It was dinner and I was hungry. 

Creamy Tomato Soup

1 onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, choppped

2 T. olive oil

8 oz. cream cheese

1 c. milk

28 oz. can (or box) diced tomatoes

3 c. low-sodium tomato juice

handful of fresh basil, or 1 T. dried

2 t. sugar

salt and pepper, to taste

(1) Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add the chopped onion, red bell pepper, and garlic, plus a good pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook 4-5 minutes until the vegetables are soft and the onion starts to look translucent.

(2) Add the cream cheese and stir till melty.  Add the milk and cook until simmering, a minute or two.

(3) Add the tomatoes and their liquid, tomato juice, basil, and sugar.  Simmer the mixture for 15 minutes or so, stirring frequently.

(4) Blend the soup with an immersion or stick blender until smooth but still a little chunky.

This makes a BIG batch of soup- roughly 8 cups.  Too much for this single gal.  But as any of my friends will tell you, I have an inability to make any food in small quantities.  Luckily, I found that despite the fact it has milk in it, the soup actually froze pretty well.  When I reheated it, I had to add an extra dash of sugar because it tasted a bit acidic.  Mass quantity problem solved. 

Enjoy!  xo H