Chipotle Black-Bean Chili

This was featured on the cover of Midwest Living Jan/Feb 2009. Super tasty and filling.

1.5 lbs ground meat of your choice: beef/pork/sausage/turkey

2 14-oz cans low salt beef or chicken broth

1 16-oz jar mild or medium chunky salsa

1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 15-oz can golden hominy, rinsed and drained

2 cups loose pack frozen diced hash brown potatoes with onions and peppers

1 to 2 canned chipotle chile peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp dried oregano, crished

1 tsp ground cumin

Chopped avocado and or shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

In large skillet, cook meat until brown. Drain off fat. Transfer to 4 qt. slow cooker. Stir in broth, salsa, beans, hominy, potatoes, peppers, and spices. Cover and cook on low 7 to 8 hours or on high 3.5 to 4 hours. Top with avocado and or cheese.

Six servings

Raspberry Oaties

Ingredients

• 1 3/4  cups  all-purpose flour
• 1  cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  baking soda
• 3/4  cup  unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 1/2  cups oats
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 1/2  cups  raspberry jam, (microwave at 30-40% power for 45 seconds to thin)

Preparation

Heat oven to 350° F. Place the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and butter in the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times until the ingredients are combined and a crumbly dough is formed. Add the oats and nuts and pulse quickly twice to combine. Press 2/3 of the dough firmly into a greased 9-by-13-inch pan. Spread the jam evenly over the crust. Sprinkle the remaining dough over the jam, gently pressing down. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Cool completely, about 2 hours. Cut into 24 bars. 

Focaccia bread

Focaccia Bread

1 1/3 cups warm water (105 to 115 degrees)

1 package (2 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast

3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups all purpose flour

2 tbsp Olive Oil

1 tablespoon salt

(1 tbsp sugar if you want)

Combine the yeast and the warm water in a large bowl. Let sit until yeast is dissolved (5 minutes, roughly). Add remaining ingredients and mix to form dough for about 1 minute on low speed (if you are using a mixer – but I, the rustic, use my hands). Knead for about 10 minutes with you hands, or on low speed with a mixer (may take less time in a mixer) until dough is smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise in a warm environment until doubled. (1 to 1 1/2 hours). Punch down and divide dough in half. Roll eachpiece into a round 1/2 inch thick. Place in well-greased 8 or nine inch cake pans (round or square) and let rise covered in greased plastic wrap for 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees. Ten minuted prior to baking, make indentations all over the dough with your finger tips and drizzle with:

Up to a 1/2 cup of Olive Oil

Top with:

2 tbsp of grated cheese, such as Parmesan

1 tsp of dried herbs, or 2 tsps of fresh (I used Rosemary and Oregano).

1/4 tsp coarse salt

Bake until golden – for 20-25 minutes, depending on your oven. Take out of pans immediately and let cool on a rack. can be served warm or at room temperature.

The Great Jamie Oliver Carrot Cake

I've tried numerous recipes trying to duplicate restaurant-quality carrot cake -- ALL to no avail until I discovered his recipe. This is fairly time-consuming and expensive to make, and it tastes like it! LOVE this cake.

"A rather pleasing carrot cake with lime mascarpone icing" (serves 8-10)

Cake ingredients:

1 1/4 cups softened unsalted butter 4 oz. chopped walnuts

2 cups light brown sugar            1 heaping tsp cinnamon

5 large organic eggs                 pinch of cloves 

Juice and zest of one orange        pinch of nutmeg

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour               1/2 tsp ground ginger

10 oz carrots, coarsely grated           sea salt

1 slight heaping tsp baking powder   

1 cup ground almonds

Icing ingredients:

4 oz mascarpone cheese

8 oz cream cheese (I actually used 12 oz of cream cheese)

1 cup powdered sugar

zest and juice of two limes (I only use one lime...two is a bit too "citrusy")

Preheat oven to 350 deg. Grease and line a 9 inch square cake pan or a round equivalent with wax paper. Beat the butter and sugar together by hand until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks one by one, and add orange zest and juice. Stir in flour and baking powder, add ground almonds, walnuts, spices and grated carrot and mix well.

In separate bowl, whisk egg whites with salt until stiff, then fold into cake mix. Scoop batter into prepared cake pan and cook in preheated oven for about 50 minutes until golden. Remove it after 5 seconds and if it comes out clean the cake is cooked; if slightly sticky it needs a bit longer in the oven. Leave to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn onto a rack to cool for a hour before icing.

Ice and sprinkle with chopped walnuts if desired.

Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp cayenne

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

12 tbsp butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

Sift together flour, cocoa, cinnamon, cayenne, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in vanilla extract and egg. Gradually add flour mixture until dough is uniform in color and no unmixed flour remains.

Shape in two 9" long logs and wrap tightly in plastic wrap or foil. Make sure your wrapping is airtight. Freeze several hours or up to 6 weeks.

When ready to use, preheat your oven to 375F and bake for 8-10 minutes. Cookies should feel a bit firm at the edges. Store in an airtight container when cool. Makes 4 dozen

Pizza Queen Marguerite

This recipe makes a fool-proof, mouthwatering pizza, and is a quick affair. Though it calls for bread flour, regular old flour seems to work just fine. Also, for an even better pizza, use a mix of Italian or "pizza" cheeses (mozzarella, provolone, parmesan and asiago or such).

3 cups bread flour  

1/2 lb mozzarella cheese

1 pkt dry yeast (1 3/4 tsp)  

2 Tbs Parmesan cheese

1 tsp salt  

1 14-oz can Italian tomatoes

1 Tbs sugar  

5 springs fresh oregano (or lots more)

1 cup 110-deg. water (35-50 secs in micro)

Lightly oil two large pizza pans. Put sugar in cup of heated water and add yeast. Wait until the yeast/water combo bubbles up. If it does not happen water was probably too hot or cold. 

Add yeast water to three cups of flour and one tsp salt. Knead until smooth. Place in greased bowl, cover and allow to rise about 45 min or until double in size.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Roll out dough and press into pizza pans. Cover with shredded mozzarella and the oregano. Drain juice from tomato cans and discard; place sliced tomato pieces on top of cheese. Top with grated parmesan and lightly drizzle with olive oil if desired. Bake for ten minutes or until browned.

Lemon Squares

I found this recipe on the Web a couple of Christmases ago. Super-easy to make...one of the few recipes that needs no tweaking.

Makes about 12 

For the crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup butter

For the filling:
2 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

additional confectioners' sugar

Stir together flour and confectioners' sugar; cut in butter until mixture clings together. Pat into an ungreased 8-inch square pan; bake at 350 F. for 10-12 minutes. Meanwhile, beat eggs in mixing bowl; add granulated sugar and lemon juice and beat until thick and smooth, 8-10 minutes. Stir together flour and baking powder; add to egg mixture, blending until all ingredients are moistened. Pour egg mixture gently over baked crust layer. Bake at 350 F. for 20-25 minutes. Cool slightly. Sift additional confectioners' sugar over top. Cool completely; cut into 1-1/2-inch squares.