French Onion Soup

Posted by Annie in Crock-Pot, Soup

When I first decided to become a strict vegetarian, French Onion Soup was one of the things I missed the most. Admittedly, one of my favorite parts is the bread and melted cheese on top, but the caramelized onions and rich broth are hard to beat too! A few years ago I discovered some beef-flavored vegetable broth that was vegetarian-friendly and naturally, the first thing I made with it was French Onion Soup. I experimented with several recipes before coming up with this version, which happens to combine wonderful taste with ease of crock pot preparation. The onions slowly cook and caramelize all day and when you get home at night all you have to do is add some liquid and this delicious soup is ready to go. It’s super easy and low maintenance, and it tastes great.

If you’re a vegetarian and are looking for a beef broth alternative, I’ve had good luck with the brand ‘Better than Bouillon’. There are other brands that work great too, and I’ve also heard that mushroom broth will add a similar flavor.

French Onion Soup

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 pounds yellow onions
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar
  • 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 8 cups beef broth (low sodium) or vegetarian beef broth alternative
  • 1/2 cup Sherry
  • Salt and pepper
  • French Bread
  • Gruyere or Swiss cheese
Directions
  1. Turn the crock pot on high and add the butter. While the butter melts, thinly slice all the onions and add them to the crock pot along with the sugar. Stir to combine and then cook on high for 5-6 hours, or low for 8 to 10 hours, until the onions have caramelized.
  2. Stir the flour in with the onions and let it cook for about 3 minutes. Slowly add the beef broth and sherry then cook on high for about an hour until it’s hot. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Toast the bread in a toaster until browned on both sides. If you have oven safe bowls, ladle the soup into the bowl then place a piece of toast on top. Layer a slice of cheese on top of the bread and put in the oven under the broiler setting for a few minutes until the cheese melts. If you don’t have oven safe bowls, place the toasted slices of bread on a cookie sheet and put a slice of cheese on top and cook under the broiler until the cheese melts, then put the pieces of toast and melted cheese on top of the soup. Enjoy!
Makes: 6 servings
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Blueberry Bread (or Muffins!)

Posted by Annie in Bread and Rolls, Fruit

I’ve been on a big blueberry kick for the last month or so and have been buying a fresh carton nearly every time I visit the grocery store. Mostly I eat them on my cereal in the morning, or mixed with some vanilla Greek yogurt for a snack in the afternoon. Last week though, I realized I had way more berries in my fridge than I was going to be able to eat in a timely fashion so naturally I decided they needed to be baked into something!

This blueberry bread is one of my favorite recipes, it’s moist and the blueberry flavor really shines through. There are two flavor options with this bread- a lemon version that has lemon extract and zest baked into the bread and a lemony glaze that goes on after baking, or the brown sugar streusel option that has almond extract in the bread and a tasty streusel topping. I have to say that I ever so slightly prefer the streusel version. Partially because I’m a little bit addicted to anything that has a streusel, but also because I love the nutmeg and almond extract, they sound a little unusual to pair with blueberries, but the end result is delicious. Both options are fantastic though, you really can’t go wrong!

Blueberry Bread (or Muffins!)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp. almond extract (or 1 tsp. lemon extract for lemon version)
  • 1 heaping tbl. lemon zest (for lemon version)
  • 2 cups blueberries
  • 1/2 cup blueberries, mashed
  • 1/2 cup milk
Topping for Streusel Version (goes on before baking)
  • 2 tbl. brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1 tbl. oats (traditional or quick cook)
Topping for Lemon Version (goes on after baking)
  • 3 tbl. lemon juice
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
Directions
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees for muffins, or 350 degrees for bread.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt, then set aside.
  3. Use a mixer to beat the butter until creamy then add the sugars and beat until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time followed by the extract and lemon zest (if using). Stir in the mashed blueberries.
  4. Fold in half the flour, then half the milk. Add the remaining blueberries then the rest of the flour and milk. Stir until just combined.
  5. Pour into bread pans or muffin tins.
  6. Streusel Version- mix the nutmeg, oats and sugar together and sprinkle on top of the batter. Press down gently.
  7. Bake muffins for 25-30 minutes and the bread for 35-40.
  8. Lemon Version-  heat the lemon juice in the microwave for a few seconds then add the powdered sugar. Drizzle over the cooled bread/muffins.

Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce

Posted by Annie in Breakfast

My day almost always starts off with a bowl of Cheerios and some fresh fruit. I love eggs and other breakfast foods, but I’d rather eat them for dinner instead of first thing in the morning. One of my go-to dinners for nights when I’m feeling lazy is a couple of fried eggs on toast. This baked egg dish takes that general concept and bumps it up a few notches. There is a layer of tomato sauce, a little mozzarella cheese and an egg baked until the white is set, but the yolk is still soft and runny. Serve it with some toast on the side for dipping and it’s a tasty and ridiculously easy meal!

Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

  • 2 cups tomato sauce, homemade or store-bought
  • 1/4-1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 4 eggs
  • 4 slices of bread
  • Fresh basil
  • Salt and pepper
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Heat up the tomato sauce in the microwave or on the stove and divide it evenly between 4 oven safe bowls or ramekins. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the warm tomato sauce and then use a large spoon to make a shallow indentation in the cheese and sauce. Gently crack the eggs and put one in each ramekin being careful not to break the yolk. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the whites are set but the yolk is still runny.
  3. When the eggs are almost done, toast the bread and cut the slices in half. When the eggs come out of the oven, sprinkle them with salt, pepper and fresh basil. Serve immediately and use the toast for dipping. Enjoy!
Makes: 4 servings
Adapted from A Tasty Kitchen

Chocolate Cherry Hearts

Posted by Annie in Cookies

When I was in high school I took several years of Spanish class. Our teacher was very generous with extra credit, and one of the ways we could earn some was by bringing chocolate or baked goods to class. Since I love to bake, that was clearly a policy I exploited! After 3 years of Spanish classes I could barely put together a coherent sentence, but the many baked goods I brought to class ensured I made it through with great grades.  The first time I made this cookie recipe was for that class, but I lost the recipe shortly after and haven’t made them since! When I started thinking about what Valentine-themed cookie I wanted to make, these were the first ones I thought of and fortunately I was able to find the recipe again.

Red Velvet is always a popular, and delicious, choice for Valentine’s day, but if you’re looking for something a little different these Chocolate Cherry Hearts are an excellent alternative. The chocolate cookies have a shortbread-like texture and the maraschino cherry frosting tastes good and adds a great pop of color!

Chocolate Cherry Hearts

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp. almond extract
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup baking cocoa
  • 3/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
Directions
  1. Use a mixer to cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the milk, egg, vanilla, and almond and mix until combined.
  2. In a separate bowl, use a whisk to combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda. Add to the butter mixture and beat until just combined. Cover and refrigerate for about an hour until the dough is easy to handle.
  3. When you’re ready to bake the cookies, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
  4. Lightly flour a surface and roll out the dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Use heart-shaped cookie cutters to cut out each cookie and place them on a cookie sheet. Bake for about 8-10 minutes. Let them sit on the cookie sheet for a minute or two before moving to a wire rack to cool.
  5. To make the frosting, use a mixer to combine the butter and powdered sugar. Add enough maraschino cherry juice to achieve a spreadable consistency and beat until fluffy, then frost the cookies.
Adapted from Taste of Home

Penne Pasta with Vegetables and Caramelized Onions

Posted by Annie in Main Course, Rice and Pasta, Vegetables

Slightly blurry, but super yummy! :D

Pasta is one of those meals that I’m pretty much always in the mood for- it’s good in the summer when it’s warm out, and it’s even better this time of year when you want a warm, filling dinner. Lots of pasta recipes come with heavy cream sauces and lots of cheese, and while those are certainly delicious, it’s nice to have a lighter option too. Even if I wasn’t looking for a healthy pasta meal, this would still be one of my favorites! The caramelized onions and dried cranberries both add a delicious and a unique flavor. Feel free to add more vegetables if you have a favorite that isn’t included in the recipe!

Penne Pasta with Vegetables and Caramelized Onions

Ingredients

  • 2 cups uncooked penne pasta
  • 8 cups water
  • 5 tbl. olive oil, divided
  • 2 cups thinly sliced onions
  • 1 cup broccoli flowerets
  • 1/2 cup chopped red or green peppers
  • 1/2 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 tbl dried Italian herb mix
  • Coarse ground sea salt
  • Parmesan cheese
Directions
  1. Boil a pot of water and cook the pasta until tender. While the water is heating up and the pasta is cooking, prepare the rest of the vegetables.
  2. Heat 2 tbl. of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil it hot, add the onions and cook until brown and caramelized. Add the broccoli, carrots and peppers and cook until the vegetables are slightly tender. It’s best if the vegetables still have a crunchy texture, so don’t overcook. Add the cranberries, herbs and salt to the cooked vegetables.
  3. When the pasta is done and has been drained, move the vegetables to the edges of the skillet and pour 3 tbl. of olive oil into the middle. When the oil is hot add the pasta and stir thoroughly to mix all the ingredients together.
  4. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving. Enjoy!
Makes: 4-6
Source: An Original

Gooey Cookies ‘n Cream Bars

Posted by Annie in Bar Cookies

Marshmallow Cream and Oreos. Basically, that’s all you need to know about these bars. Well, there’s also Cookies ‘n Cream chocolate bars and a top and bottom cookie layer with Oreo crumbs mixed in.

All together, these bars are fantastic, which is a good thing since they’re a little time-consuming to put together. The actual mixing part is very straight forward, but the dough is on the sticky side, as is the marshmallow cream. Layering everything together did test my patience a little bit, but, turn on some good music and it won’t be too bad. Plus- the gooey end result will be more than worth it!

Gooey Cookies ‘n Cream Bars

Ingredients

  • 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cup Oreo crumbs
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup coarsely chopped Oreos
  • 2 king-sized Cookies ‘n Cream candy bars (e.g. Hershey’s)*
  • 3 cups marshmallow creme
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 inch pan with foil and spray it with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cookie crumbs, baking powder and salt.
  3. Cream the sugar and butter together until pale yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat together. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
  4. Place half the dough in the prepared pan and press evenly using the back of a greased spoon on your fingers. Put the remaining dough in the fridge to chill for a few minutes. Break the Cookies ‘n Cream bars into chunks and place them evenly across the dough. Scatter the Oreo chunks across the top. Use a small spoon to put little dollops of the marshmallow cream all over the surface. Take the remaining dough out of the fridge. Scoop out a tablespoon or two sized ball of dough and flatten it into a ‘shingle’ then place it on top of the marshmallow cream. Continue with the rest of the dough, it doesn’t have to make a perfectly smooth layer over the top, it’s fine if some marshmallow or Oreo are sticking through.
  5. Bake for 25-30 minutes, the top should be slightly browned. Let them cool before using the edges of the tin foil to lift the bars out of the pan. Eat at room temperature, or pop them in the microwave 30 seconds to heat them up. Enjoy!
Adapted from Willow Bird Baking

Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup

Posted by Annie in Crock-Pot, Soup, Vegetables

Two years ago I lived in a teeny tiny little studio apartment, I loved nearly everything about it except for the kitchen which was incredibly small and cramped. Now that I live in a house that has actual storage space in the kitchen, it has been fun adding to my collection of kitchen appliances. The newest addition is a crock-pot that I got for Christmas, I’m so excited to try a bunch of recipes in it!

Last week for its inaugural meal I tried making a curry that was… less than awesome. I haven’t given up on curry completely, but I decided to switch gears and try a soup. I love tomato soup, and this one certainly didn’t disappoint! In addition to the tomatoes there are several other vegetables mixed in along with the basil and melted parmesan- basically there is a whole lot of goodness in this soup! I had it for dinner every night for almost a full week and when I finished off the last bowl tonight I was a little disappointed to see it was all gone. It’s safe to say this soup will be on regular rotation for the rest of winter!

Boom likes this soup too since he got to have several pieces of carrots and celery when I was making it!

I slightly altered the original recipe to make this soup a little healthier. The slightly healthier version is still delicious, creamy and rich. If you want to make it even healthier I think you could skip the half and half completely and just use milk. Next time that’s what I’ll do!

Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup

Ingredients

  • 2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
  • 1 cup celery, chopped
  • 1 cup carrots, chopped
  • 1 cup onions, chopped
  • 1 tbl. fresh oregano
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 cup half and half
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Salt
  • Pepper
Directions
  1. Add the tomatoes, celery, carrots, onions, oregano, basil and broth to a large slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours until vegetables are the desired level of softness (I cooked it for 5 hours).
  2. About 45 minutes before you want to serve the soup, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat and whisk in the flour. Cook and stir constantly for 5-7 minutes to create a roux. Slowly stir in the half and half and 2 cups of soup until smooth, then pour it all back into the crock-pot.
  3. Stir in the parmesan cheese, milk and salt and pepper. Add salt and pepper and additional basil or oregano if needed. Cover and cook on low for another 30 minutes until ready to serve.
Makes: About 6 servings
Adapted from 365 Days of Slow Cooking

Peanut Butter Cup Banana Bread

Posted by Annie in Bread and Rolls

I saw a package of mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups at the grocery store recently and immediately started thinking of what I could bake that would include them. When I got home and realized I had several over-ripe bananas sitting on the counter I decided a loaf of banana bread with peanut butter cups needed to be on the agenda. The bread was very easy to make and the peanut butter cups were a delicious flavor combination with the banana!

This moist bread freezes well if you want to keep one loaf out for eating and save the other one for later. Just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then put it in a freezer safe plastic bag. The flavors meld and improve over night, so if you can resist cutting into the bread the moment it comes out of the oven, it’ll taste even better the next day!

Peanut Butter Cup Banana Bread

Ingredients

  • 2 cups mashed bananas (about 3 bananas)
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 3 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. nutmeg
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 cups melted butter
  • 1 3/4 cups brown sugar
  • 4 eggs, room temperature
  • zest from 1 large orange
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp. almond extract
  • 12 oz. mini Reese’s Cups
Directions
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and spray two bread pans with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. In a small bowl, mix the mashed bananas and orange juice together, then set aside.
  3. In a different bowl, use a whisk to combine the flour, oats, salt, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg and cinnamon.
  4. In a mixing bowl, stir together the butter and brown sugar, then add the eggs one at a time, followed by the orange zest and vanilla and almond extracts. Beat for several minutes until light in color.
  5. Alternate between adding the flour and banana mixtures to the mixing bowl, beginning and ending with the flour. Stir gently and briefly after each addition, being careful not to over mix. After the last flour addition stir in the mini Reese’s Cups.
  6.  Divide the batter between the two bread pans and bake for 40-50 minutes. Allow to cool in the pans for several minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
Makes: 2 loaves
Adapted from Moosewood Cookbook

Kale Lasagna

Posted by Annie in Main Course, Vegetables

There is a lot to love about lasagna- layers of pasta, basil studded tomato sauce, vegetables, and most important of all, the cheese. I love the addition of the kale in this lasagna, you’ll barely notice the taste of it, but it adds some good nutritional value to the meal along with the other vegetables that are mixed in the sauce. Don’t worry about the cottage cheese that’s in here, once the dish comes out of the oven it just tastes creamy and cheesey!

The leftovers re-heat wonderfully which makes this a fantastic meal to prepare ahead of time when you have busy week and don’t expect to have time to cook.

Kale Lasagna

Ingredients

  • 3/4 lbs. kale, stems removed
  • 20 oz. tomato-basil sauce (homemade or store bought)
  • 1 tbl. olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 1/2 cups carrots, diced
  • 2 cups cottage cheese
  • 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 6 no-boil lasagna noodles
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and start a large pot of water boiling.
  2. Pour the olive oil into a skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and carrots and cook until the onions are translucent and the carrots are beginning to soften. Add the tomato-basil sauce and simmer for 10 minutes, then set aside.
  3. Place the kale in the pot of boiling water and boil for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse with cool water. Once it has cooled, wrap the kale in paper towels and wring it to get out as much moisture as possible. Chop roughly and then set aside.
  4. Strain the cottage cheese to remove as much liquid as possible then mix the cottage cheese with 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
  5. Measure out about 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce and spread it in a thin layer in the bottom of a 8 x 8 inch pan. Add two lasagna noodles, then half of the cheese, half of the kale, and half of the remaining sauce. Top with a layer of noodles, and the remaining cheese and kale. Add another layer of noodles and the rest of the sauce. Sprinkle the reserved 1/4 cup of Parmesan and 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheeses over the top.
  6. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the cheese on top has browned and the filling is bubbly. Allow the lasagna to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Makes: About 6 servings
Adapted from Annie’s Eats

Chocolate Cookies with Macadamia Nuts and White Chocolate

Posted by Annie in Cookies

Last week a friend requested that I make some chocolate cookies with macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips. I found a recipe for chewy chocolate cookies and adapted it just a bit to add in the nuts and white chocolate which turned out to be a wonderful addition. These might qualify as the chewiest cookie I’ve ever made- the texture is so soft it’s almost fudge-like. Don’t be put off by the instant coffee powder in the recipe, you won’t taste the coffee at all after the cookies have baked, it just intensifies the chocolate flavor!

Be careful not to over-mix these cookies, at each step in the directions mix the ingredients until just combined.

Chocolate Cookies with Macadamia Nuts and White Chocolate

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup  Dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 16 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp. instant coffee or espresso powder
  • 10 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened but cool
  • 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
Directions
  1. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
  2. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler until smooth, then remove from the heat and set aside.
  3. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, vanilla and instant coffee granules and stir until the coffee granules have dissolved.
  4. Use an electric mixer to beat the butter for a few seconds until smooth and creamy, add the sugars and beat until just combined (the mixture will look granular). Gradually beat in the egg mixture on low-speed until incorporated. Add the chocolate to the mixing bowl in a steady stream and continue beating until just combined.
  5. Add the dry ingredients and mix until incorporated, then fold in the white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes until the consistency is fudge-like.
  6. When you’re ready to bake them, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Use a 1 1/2 tablespoon sized cookie scoop to make balls of the dough, place them on the cookie sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the edges have begun to set but the center is still be soft. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Makes: About 40 cookies

Adapted from Annie’s Eats