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Thursday, November 29, 2012

Banana Nut Oat Muffins Recipe

These Banana Nut Oat muffins are some of the best muffins I've ever made.I got out of the habit of baking when my stove was replaced. I use my bread machine and my Breville Smart Oven but it's too small for many things. Fortunately I have a muffin pan that makes 6 muffins that fits in it perfectly. And you know what? Making 6 muffins is much better than making a dozen!  Muffins, like cupcakes are really good when they're fresh, but they get dry and stale quickly. So making smaller batches more frequently makes good sense. These muffins use lots of healthy ingredients like oatmeal, oat bran, bananas, walnuts and a little bit of olive oil so you can feel good about eating them. I used extra virgin olive oil because it's what I have on hand but you could use any olive oil you like. Olive oil is great for baking, especially in muffins and quick breads. The muffins are moist, with a little crunch from the nuts, a little chew from the oats, and have that buttery te...
Sunday, November 25, 2012

Leftover Turkey

Here is a favorite post from a couple of years ago--what to do with all that leftover turkey... Leftover turkey, even dry, overcooked turkey, is good in soups, salads, sandwiches, stews, smothered in sauce or topped with a poached or fried egg. Here are some suggestions for how to use leftover turkey. I've linked to recipes, some I've tried others just look good to me, but feel free to use your own or your imagination! Turkey Pot Pie Turkey Mole Turkey Enchiladas Turkey Mushroom Crepes Turkey Quesadillas Turkey Barley Soup Turkey Grilled Cheese & Pear Sandwich Turkey Hash Turkey Salad Turkey Noodle Soup Turkey Cobb Salad Turkey Gumbo Turkey Posole If you have any favorite turkey leftover recipes, please share them by leaving a comment. ...
Friday, November 09, 2012

Olive Oil from Spain

Next week I'll be in Spain, tasting the gourmet food and wines of the Basque region , then heading out into the country to visit wineries, a cheese maker and a fish cannery, finally ending in Madrid. But while I'll be indulging in all things Spanish, you can get a taste too.  Olive Oil from Spain is highlighting different olive oil varietals during Olive OIl from Spain Restaurant Week from November 12 -18, 2012 here in San Francisco. Of course Spanish olive oils are not just used in Spanish cooking so in addition to Contigo and Canela , Atelier Crenn is also creating special dishes, inspired by the four most popular Spanish olive oil varietals, picual, hojiblanca, arbequina and cornicabra.  I highly recommend dining at Contigo, I've loved it since day one. I celebrated a birthday at Atelier Crenn earlier this year and was really wowed by the experience, from the food through the service and wines. I've only been to Canela once, and it was right after it o...
Tuesday, November 06, 2012

Thanksgiving Tips

Last month I   cooked a Thanksgiving dinner and a Christmas dinner. The only thing missing was a crowd around the table. Why the feast? I was developing recipes for Roast Turkey, Brown Sugar and Mustard Baked Ham, Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Lightened Green Bean Casserole, a Holiday Salad (with pomegranate seeds and pepitas) and Harvest Apple Stuffing. I also created some recipes using leftover ham and turkey and for a few fun things you can make for the holidays to give as gifts like Peppermint Bark and Chocolate Chip Cookies in a Jar. The recipes were for Grocery Outlet and will be featured in a brochure for customers.  Having never hosted my own holiday dinners for 10+ people, I learned a lot! I shopped for as much of the dishes as possible at Grocery Outlet, after doing my planning and creating shopping lists. Of course making lists of what you need to buy is important, but being open to swapping out ingredients if you find something delicious and on sale is a good idea t...
Monday, November 05, 2012

Mexican Cookbook Roundup

Last year I received a copy of Truly Mexican by Roberto Santibanez. It made it's way into my kitchen and never left. I am often skimming through it and planning my shopping and meals with it. The book focuses on salsas, sauces, moles and adobos. It's a mix and match kind of book, take a sauce use it for enchiladas or a stew, however you like.   I make my own tortillas these days and my freezer is always stocked with big bags of tamales, roasted chiles and tomatillos. It has expanded my repertoire, to say the least. The book also includes a scrumptious recipe for a pipian and jalapeƱo dip I have been in search of literally for years. Because of my recent fixation with Mexican food , I got very excited to see so many new Mexican cookbooks this season, including a new one from Santibanez. His latest book is Tacos, Tortas and Tamales . If you want to recreate Mexican street food at home, this is the book for you. From salt cod tortas to tacos of potatoes in green salsa ...