As usual I am LATE to the party, but BF and I made the BEST applesauce date bread tonight. He loves dates. This is going to be quite the keeper, since I think it could be used for all kinds of dried fruits like raisins or dried cherries for example. The original recipe was for figs. I very often have applesauce and yogurt in the fridge to use up. This bread is YUM! Date, Applesauce and Almond Breakfast Loaf (original recipe was for Figs) Recipe by Barbara Estabrook, for "Cooking Light" magazine, October 2010. Makes 2 8 inch loaf pans. Struesel topping (I left this off) 2 1/2 TBSLP brown sugar 2 TBLSP all purpose flour 1 1/2 TBLSP coarsely chopped almonds 1 TBLSP chilled butter, cut into small pieces 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon Bread: 1 cup dried figs (or dates) 1/2 cup boiling water Cooking spray 1 TBLSP all purpose flour 2 large egg whites 1 large egg 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce 1/3 cup fat free yogurt 1/4 cup canola oil 1/2 tsp. almond extract (I used Amaretto liqueur instead) 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 1/3 cup chopped toasted almonds (no salt) 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. baking soda Preheat oven to 350 degrees Prepare struesel topping ingredients by mixing them together in a small bowl and setting them aside. Spray or grease the two 8 inch loaf pans and then shake the flour around in them until very lightly coated. Combine wet ingredients Add flours and baking powder, soda, etc. Drain dates and mix in Add almonds. Pour batter into pans, top with streusel. Bake for 55 min. or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Not the best photo, one of my bread pans was too large.

Cookalong #21-----BEANS Posted by wizardnm (My Page) on Mon, Feb 8, 10 at 22:26 This subject is wide open for interpretation... .........BEANS......... green beans, navy beans, red beans, yellow beans, black beans, white beans...did you ever think about how many colors beans come in? No wonder there's a recipe called Calico beans.... :) Thank you Kathleenca...fun choice! Beans, beans, the musical fruit......(I'll stop there) Add recipes now thru Feb 20. Nancy Here is a link that might be useful: Cookalong #20---Broccoli Follow-Up Postings: o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by denise8101214 (My Page) on Mon, Feb 8, 10 at 22:34 Don't forget ceci/garbanzo/chick pea! All the earlier Cookalong threads are linked below. Here is a link that might be useful: All the other Cookalong Links o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by lorijean44 (My Page) on Mon, Feb 8, 10 at 22:42 I made a traditional hummus, cooking dried chickpeas. Much easier than I expected! Traditional Hummus Cover 1 cup dried chickpeas with water and soak overnight. Drain and place in a sauce pan with 1/2 teaspoon salt and water to cover. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer until tender, about 1 hour. Drain and reserve the water. Place the chickpeas in a food processor with the juice of 2 lemons, 3 minced garlic cloves, and 2 or 3 tablespoons of the cooking liquid. Process until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 cup tahini, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, and salt & pepper. Process. Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. (I first drizzled some good olive oil over the top before sprinkling with the parsley.) Serve with toasted pita. You can substitute one 16-ounce can of chickpeas for the dried. Yield: about 1-1/2 cups. Source: Memories of a Lost Egypt - A Memoir with Recipes, copyright 1999 Lori o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by pat_t (My Page) on Mon, Feb 8, 10 at 22:53 Lori! You're killing me! I want some! My niece suggested that I cook some red beans & rice for dinner on Wed. and then proceeded to invite herself over for dinner. I guess you know we'll be having cornbread too. RED BEANS AND RICE 1 lb. dry red beans 6 cups cold water 6 cups hot water 1 lb. meaty ham bone or smoked ham hocks 1 large onion 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 bay leaf 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. ground red pepper 1 lb. smoked sausage, cut into bite-size pieces Hot cooked rice Sliced green onions Rinse beans. Soak overnight in covered pan. Drain and rinse beans. In Dutch oven combine the beans, water, ham bone, onion, garlic, bay leaf, and red pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 2-1/2 hours or until the beans are tender, adding more water if necessary, and stirring occasionally. Remove ham bone; cut meat from bone and add to beans. Add sausage. Boil gently, uncovered, 15-20 minutes more or until a thick gravy forms, stirring occasionally. Serve over rice. Sprinkle with green onions. Remember to remove bay leaf! Yield: 8 servings. o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by ann_t (My Page) on Tue, Feb 9, 10 at 0:16 This is a favourite. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Green Bean, Zucchini and Potato Stew (Fassolakia Iadera ======================================================= Adapted from: Krinos Foods (The original recipe called for a large can of tomatoes and did not include garlic or oregano.) Green Bean, Zucchini and Potato Stew (Fassolakia Iadera)This is a traditional vegetable mixture that is often eaten cold, accompanied by hunks of country bread and feta cheese . 1/4 cup olive oil 1 cup chopped onion 1 clove of garlic, minced 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed, halved crosswise 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 8 ounces zucchini, cut into 1-inch-thick slices 8 ounces russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes 3/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh oregano chopped (or dried) 1 14 ounce can of Italian-style tomatoes, chopped. 1/2 cup chicken broth . Heat oil in heavy large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and saut� 5 minutes.Add Garlic and green beans and saut� until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add zucchini, potatoes, cayenne pepper, parsley and oregano. Pour tomatoes and their juices over vegetables. Add chicken broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, stirring frequently, about 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Can be prepared 1 day ahead -- cover and refrigerate. Serve warm or at room temperature. 6 To 8 Servings o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by sherrmann (My Page) on Tue, Feb 9, 10 at 9:43 I have 2 lbs of pinto beans soaking right now. We'll eat them over the next few snow days as bean soup, tostadas, burritos, beans and eggs...... I'll see if I can find Uncle George's Amazing Baked Bean recipe to post. I make them often enough that I don't know the proportions of ingredients, but boy, are they good, and they start with canned pork and beans. Bacon, hamburger, brown sugar, ketchup, onions. Mmmmmm. o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by skeip (My Page) on Tue, Feb 9, 10 at 11:32 Two for a snowy winter day: SPICY BLACK BEAN SOUP 2 Cups Dried Black Beans 1 Large Onion, Chopped 1 Pound Bacon, Cut Up 1 6 Ounce Can Tomato Sauce 1 14 Ounce Jar Medium Hot Salsa, hotter if you wish 2 Tablespoon Minced Garlic 2 Tablespoon Dried Basil 2 Tablespoon Instant Chicken Bouillon Freshly Ground Black Pepper Salt to Taste Sort through the Beans and remove any foreign material, and any discolored beans. Rinse well under cold running water. Place the beans in a large kettle or stock pot, and cover with two inches of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for one hour. While the Beans are cooking, cut up the bacon and chop the onion. Place both in a heavy skillet and over low heat sautee until the bacon is just starting to brown and the onion is cooked. Drain off most of the Bacon Grease if you wish. Add the Salsa, Tomato Sauce, Garlic, Basil, Pepper, and Salt. Heat to a simmer, taste to correct seasonings, and remove from heat. This mixture should be fairly spicy. After the Beans have cooked for one hour, add the Bacon and Onion mixture to the stock pot. Bring back up to a simmer, cover and continue cooking over low heat for an additional hour, or until the beans are as tender as you like them. If the soup seems too thick add more water. Soup should be fairly thick, and the Beans still whole. Serve with a dollop of Sour Cream and a sprinkle of grated Cheddar Cheese and chopped Green Onion. Serves 8 generously. PROVENCAL STYLE WHITE BEAN SOUP 2 Cups Dried Navy Beans 1 Large Onion, Chopped 1 Pound Bacon, Cut up 2 14 Ounce Cans Stewed Tomatoes 2 Tablespoon Minced Fresh Garlic 2 Tablespoon Dried Basil 2 Tablespoons Dried Oregano 2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley 2 Tablespoons Instant Chicken Bouillon Freshly Ground Black Pepper Salt to Taste Sort through the Beans and remove any foreign material, and any discolored beans. Rinse well under cold running water. Place the beans in a large kettle or stock pot, and cover with two inches of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for one hour. While the Beans are cooking, cut up the bacon and chop the onion. Place both in a heavy skillet and over low heat sautee until the Bacon is just starting to brown and the Onion is cooked. Drain off most of the Bacon Grease if you wish. Add the Stewed Tomatoes, Garlic, Basil, Oregano, Parsley, and Chicken Bouillon. Bring this mixture to a simmer, taste to correct seasonings, and remove from heat. This mixture should be fairly highly seasoned. After the Beans have cooked for one hour, add the Bacon and Onion mixture to the stock pot. Bring back up to a simmer, cover and continue cooking over low heat for an additional hour, or until the beans are as tender as you like them. Soup should be fairly thin. Serve with a dollop of Plain Yogurt and a sprinkle of chopped Fresh Parsley. o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by kathleenca (My Page) on Tue, Feb 9, 10 at 15:04 A friend gave me this one about 1963. Though it starts with canned pork 'n beans, the flavor is really good. I like it a lot more than DH does - it's a little too spicy for him. Barbeque Beans 6 - 8 servings 1 1-lb 15-oz can pork 'n beans 1/2 c ketchup 1/8 c Worchestershire sauce 2 - 3 squirts Tabasco sauce 3 Tbsp dark molasses 1 tsp salt 1/2 - 1 tsp liquid smoke 1 - 2 Tbsp dry mustard 1 tsp pepper 1/2 tsp vinegar Mix all ingredients in a 2-qt baking dish & bake in a 325 degree oven until bubbly. Bake for 2 hours for more flavor. Can also be simmered in a pot on the stove, but the baked flavor is richer. I have also made it with vegetarian beans. o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by liz_h (My Page) on Tue, Feb 9, 10 at 15:56 We had red beans & rice the other day. I usually use andouille sausage, but tried it with Johnsonville's hot 'n spicy bratwurst (with Cajun seasoning) instead. It was very good! Red Beans & Rice for Two 1/3 medium onion 1 stalk celery 1/2 bell pepper 1 tsp bacon fat, butter or oil 1 bay leaf salt & pepper 1 or 2 cups homemade stock (pork, chicken or beef) 1 can red beans 1 link andouille sausage, cooked and sliced 2/3 cup dry rice, prepared with 1-1/3 cups water Mince vegetables & saute in hot fat for a few minutes. Add stock & bay leaf. Boil until liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Add sausage and undrained can of beans. Simmer together for 10 minutes or so. Meanwhile, prepare rice. Serve beans over rice. DH suggested that next time I cook the rice with the beans from the beginning, making it even simpler to prepare (& clean up) I'll try that. o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by doucanoe (My Page) on Tue, Feb 9, 10 at 17:47 Can you believe I have never had red beans & rice? I am definitely going to try one (or both) of the above recipes! Here are my contributions. I'll probably be making the minestrone in the next few days. Julie�s Baked Beans 1lb ground beef, browned and drained 1/2lb bacon, cooked until crisp, crumbled 1T Worcestershire sauce 1/2c catsup 1/2c light molasses 1/2c brown sugar 2 medium onions, chopped 1 3lb7oz can B&M or Bush�s beans Place all ingredients in casserole and bake one hour at 325F OR Place all ingredients in crockpot and cook 5-6 hours on low. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cannellini Minestrone my adaptation of a recipe found in Cooking Light magazine. 1 T olive oil 1 c chopped onion 1/2 c chopped celery 1 clove garlic, minced 3 14 oz cans cannellini beans, drained 1 tsp salt 1/8 tsp black pepper 1-1/2 c beef broth 1 T dried parsley 1 T dried basil 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes 12 oz fresh spinach, roughly chopped 1/2 tsp green chili sauce Heat olive oil in large non-stick skillet, saut� onion, celery and garlic 3-5 minutes or until tender. Place1 can of the beans, salt and pepper in food processor, puree until smooth. Place drained beans in a large stock pot. Stir in puree and beef broth. Add onion mixture to pot and bring to a simmer. Stir in parsley, basil, pepper, tomatoes, spinach and chili sauce, simmer until spinach is wilted and soup is heated through. 8 servings ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Navy Bean Soup From Food Network Kitchens 1 lb navy beans, picked over, rinsed and drained 10 sprigs parsley 2 sprigs fresh thyme 1 bay leaf 2 large smoked ham hocks, about 1-1/2 lb 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped 1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped 8 c cold water 1 medium carrot, coarsely chopped Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper Butter for garnish Place beans in a large saucepan and cover with cold water by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, remove from heat, cover and let sit for one hour. Drain and reserve. Tie parsley, thyme and bay leaf together with kitchen twine. In large soup pot or dutch oven, combine the beans, herb bundle, hocks, onions and garlic with the water. Bring to a boil, cover and adjust the heat so that the soup cooks at a gentle simmer. Cook until the beans and hocks are completely tender, about 1-1/2 hours. Turn off heat and remove hocks. Cool slightly. Remove meat from hocks, discarding the bones, fat and skin. Cut meat into small cubes. Remove herb bundle from soup and discard. Puree about 3 cups of the beans with some of the liquid in a blender. (For a smooth soup, you may puree all the beans). Stir the puree and diced meat into the soup. Heat the soup and adjust seasoning as needed with salt & pepper. Ladle into heated bowls, place a small pat of butter on top of each bowl of soup, serve. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Green & Yellow Bean Salad with Chunky Tomato Dressing and Feta Source: The Best of Cooking Light 3/4 lb yellow wax beans, timed 3/4 lb green beans, trimmed 2 c chopped tomato 1 T sherry vinegar 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1/2 c fresh basil, thiny sliced 1/2 c crumbled feta cheese Cook beans in boiling water 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and rinse with cold water Combine tomato, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Divide the beans among 8 salad plates. Spoon 1/4 cup of the tomato mixture over beans on each plate. Sprinkle each serving with 1 T of the basil and 1 T of the feta. Serves 8 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nacho Cups 4 (12 inch) flour tortillas 6 oz Monterrey Jack Cheese, shredded 3 roma tomatoes, diced � red bell pepper, chopped 4-5 green onions, chopped 1 (14 0z) can black beans with cumin & spices � c salsa 6 oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray two 12 cup muffin tins with cooking spray. Cut each tortilla into 6 wedges, and push each wedge into muffin pan to form a cup. Layer approx. 1 tsp each of cheese, tomato, pepper, onions, beans, salsa and cheese in each cup. Cover loosely with foil and bake 5 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 minutes more until bubbly and cheese is golden. Makes 24 appetizers **You could use any ingredients you like in these, try cooked taco meat, diced jalapenos, Mexican rice, pepper jack cheese, etc. for different flavor combinations. Linda o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by ci_lantro (My Page) on Tue, Feb 9, 10 at 17:59 Recipe from a New Orleans souvenir postcard. I've been using this recipe for years: Red Beans & Rice 1 ham bone 1/2# ham, cubed 1# dried red beans 1 large onion, chopped 1 c. chopped green onions, tops & bottoms 1/4 c. chopped bell pepper 1/4 c. chopped parsley 1/2 t. basil 2 bay leaves 1/4 c. butter Salt & cayenne pepper to taste *I aways add lots of garlic to this recipe Put beans in a heavy pot w/ enough water to cover; bring to a rolling boil for a couple of minutes, then soak overnight in that same water. In the morning, bring to a boil again & add all the other ingredients. Reduce heat & simmer for at least 3 hours. The ham bone is important for flavor. Be sure beans are not old. They should become very creamy, but most will remain whole. Add cold water as needed. Goes well with smoked sausage & sliced raw onions. ***[Rice cooking instructions that I've never followed but including it because it's part of the orig recipe.] Serve over fluffy long grain rice cooked as follows. Bring 3 quarts of water to a rapid boil. Add salt, one tablespoon of oil and one of vinegar, and one cup of rice. Oil will keep water from boiling over and vinegar will let each grain of rice falls to itself. Reduce heat and simmer exactly 18 minutes. Drain in a colander, rinse off excess starch with cold water and steam in colander until well warmed again. This is a very good recipe, very much like the red beans & rice that I ate in NOLA. I always douse them liberally w/ Tabasco. o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by kathleenca (My Page) on Tue, Feb 9, 10 at 20:34 Here's another recipe that's especially good this time of year. Pistou Soup makes 3 1/2 quarts 2 Tbsp butter 1 c chopped onion White part of 1 leek OR green onion, chopped 1 c 2-inch cut green beans 1 c shelled butter beans OR small lima beans 1 c peeled potatoes in 2-inch cubes 1 1/2 c peeled chopped tomatoes OR 1 c canned tomatoes, broken up 8 c chicken stock 1/2 c vermicelli, spaghetti or small pasta, broken into 1-inch pieces salt & pepper 2 Tbsp tomato puree 1/4 c olive OR salad oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme OR 1/2 tsp dried 1 c grated Parmesan chees Melt butter in large pot or skillet over medium heat. Saute onion & leek until tender. Add green beans, butter beans, potatoes, tomatoes with liquid, & chicken stock. Cover & bring to boil. Reduce heat & simmer 15 minutes. Add pasta & cook 15 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Place tomato puree in bowl & whisk in oil, drop by drop. Add garlic, basil & thyme. Stir mixture into soup. (Soup may be made to this point several days in advance, frozen & reheated.) Sprinkle with grated Parmesan at serving. o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by lpinkmountain (My Page) on Tue, Feb 9, 10 at 23:09 Ack, I just got the ingredients for the broccoli cookalong today, that's how behind I usually am! I eat beans almost every day, so every day is bean cookalong for me! What I'd like to make is hummus starting from scratch with dried garbanzo beans. I've only ever made it with canned before. I saved the hummus thread so that's where I'll get my recipe. Right now I've got two bowls of butterbean soup to finish, and then I'll probably make this soup out of my "Cucina Ebraica" cookbook by Joan Nathan. It is very, very similar to the other bean soups listed, and pretty typical of the kind I usually make, with the exception of adding the fake meat crumbles. Pasta e Fagioli alla Veneta - Venetian White Bean Soup with Pasta and Beef Sausage Serves 6 1 3/4 cups (~14 oz.) dried white or borlotti beans, picked over and rinsed. (I'll use canned canelinni beans this time) 4 TBLSP EVOO 2 onions, finely chopped 2 celery stalks, finely chopped 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped 3/4 lb. freshly made or purchased fresh fettuccine, cut into maltagliati (irregular 1 1/2 inch pieces) (I bought tiny penne for this instead, dried. I can't afford fresh pasta and I don't make it.) About 2 cups meat broth (I'll use veggie broth) 1/2 lb. meat mixture for beef sausage, rolled into tiny meatballs. (You're on your own with this, I'll use 1/2 lb. fake meat crumbles or fake italian sausage cut up.) The mix Joan mentions included boneless beef shoulder, finely ground, 1/2 lb. beef kidney fat (whatever THAT IS), and lots of spices. Maybe chuck that and just buy some italian sausage and cut it up. Buy all beef if you want to stick to the original Jewish origins of this dish. Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Cook beans as you usually do for dried beans (in my case that means soaking in 2 times their volume of water overnight and then draining). Add fresh water to cover and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, sautee the onions, celery, and carrots in 4 TBLSP of olive oil until softened, about 10 min. Add to the beans and return to a boil. Cover and reduce heat and simmer until beans are tender, about 1 1/2 hours. If you're making this with canned beans, you can skip the cover with water and bring to a boil part, and just add the beans after you've sauteed the vegetables. Then add the vegetable broth to cover all the soup ingredients. Also, I would suggest adding 1 tsp. of italian seasoning unless you are using a spicy italian sausage in the soup. While the soup is simmering, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta. Also, scoop out half the bean mixture and puree when the beans are sofrt(I just run the hand blender for a couple of seconds until half the soup is pureed, or mash with a potato masher a bit). The recipe says bring the meat broth to a boil and cook the meatballs. If you're doing meatballs you're on your own as to how you make them, but they need to be the small ones. Add the meat broth and meatballs to the soup and simmer 10 more minutes for flavors to meld. (In my case it will be add the fake meat and some additional broth to cover.) At the very end, add the pasta and 2 cups chopped cooked swiss chard or curly endive to the soup. (Yeah right. I just toss in some frozen chopped spinach and cook until it is defrosted and heated through). Before serving, season with salt and pepper to taste. You can also use tubetti pasta in this soup. I couldn't find tubetti which is why I bought the tiny penne. The last recipe I'll share is from my friend Carolyn. I've been craving it, but I have a ton of other food to use up in the fridge so probably won't get to it this cookalong. But it is definately worth trying if you're up for something adventurous and want to expand your bean repertoire. Carolyns' kids are quite picky yet they like this, although they have been raised vegetarian so they love pasta. Definately for cilantro lovers though, that's what makes the dish. Carolyn's Yummy Sauce 1 can of white beans 6 garlic cloves pressed (I use 3) 2 TBLSP fresh ginger, grated 2 cups fresh cilantro (basically one bunch) 1 TBLSP chinese sesame oil 1 TBLSP hot chili oil (1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper dissolved in 1 TBLSP sesame oil). (I use commercial Thai chili sauce) 1/2 cup peanut butter (or maybe tahini, but I use peanut butter) 1/2 cup soy sauce 2 TBLSP sugar (I use brown) 3 TBLSP rice wine vinegar or rice wine Combine all ingredients in a food processor and puree until the mixture is of uniform creamy consistency. Pour over hot pasta and heat additionally in a pan if necessary to heat through. Garnish with chopped scallions, sesame seeds, chopped peanuts or diced cucumber if desired. This is great with fusilli, shell shaped pasta, or cavatelli, or orichiette or those snail shaped ones, lumache or whatever they are called. I add a small amount of finely chopped steamed broccoli to this or spinach, or sauteed red pepper, if I am in the mood but it is not necessary. Don't use tahini in this if you can't get it fresh, peanut butter is fine. o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by katiec (My Page) on Wed, Feb 10, 10 at 0:58 We eat a lot of beans, but I don't have many recipes. I don't think I've ever had red beans and rice either...maybe that's what we'll make this weekend. Doubt I could fine andouille around here,though. This is a fun one... * Exported from MasterCook * Quitza Recipe By : Katie, from Baking With Julia Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- --DOUGH-- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast 1/2 cup Yellow cornmeal 3 tablespoons Nonfat dry milk 3 cups Unbleached all purpose flour 2 ts Chili powder 1 1/2 ts Salt 1 cup refried beans 1/4 cup Chile-infused olive oil or vegetable oil 1 lg Egg 1 tablespoon Chile-infused olive oil or vegetable oil 2/3 cup water -- (approximately) --TOPPING-- 12 ounces cream cheese -- room temp 2 cups chunky salsa -- drained if watery 1 cup Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese -- shredded Put dough ingredients into bread machine and set for dough. Dough should form a ball; add up to 1/3 cup more water a little at a time, if necessary. At the end of the dough cycle, remove and let rest on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes. Working on a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 16 inch circle. Fit the dough into oiled pan, stretching and pressing it so that it covers the bottom of the pan and comes up the sides. Spread the softened cream cheese over the bottom of the dough. Spoon the salsa over the cream cheese and top it with the shredded cheese. Let rise, uncovered, at room temperature for about 30 minutes or until the dough is puffy and doubled in bulk. Bake at 475F on center rack for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the crust is deep brown and the cheese is bubbling. Serve hot or at room temperature. Quitza is best served the day it is made. o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by rob333 (My Page) on Wed, Feb 10, 10 at 11:44 I can't take a photo of it (I guess I could use my cell phone, but that wouldn't really be all that great!). I'll post one my mom and I asked for the recipe at a local restaurant. It's pretty close to what they make. Haricot Vert from J Alexander's 1/2 1b green beans, snapped and strings removed 2 tablespoons olive oil Montreal seasoning (recipe below) Cook the beans according to your preference. I like to boil the beans until tender, but still green, and then drain them. While the beans are still hot, add them back to the pan, drizzle with olive oil and then sprinkle on Montreal seasoning. Toss. These are usually best when the beans sit for a few minutes and absorb the oil and spices. __________________________________________________________________ Montreal seasoning 2 tablespoons black pepper 2 tablespoons paprika 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon granulated garlic 1 tablespoon granulated onion 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon ground coriander 1 tablespoon dill seeds Combine and set aside o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by sally2 (My Page) on Wed, Feb 10, 10 at 12:30 I do something with green beans kinda similar to what Ann posted, but just with onions, garlic occasionally, green beans and new potatoes. It's very informal. I just saute a sliced onion till softened, add the garlic and saute for a minute more, then add either fresh, which is best of course, or canned green beans and small or quartered large new potatoes. Add enough water or veggie broth, or broth of your choice, to cover, and let cook slowly till tender and the liquid has reduced a bit. Salt and pepper and butter to taste. Some chopped parsley is good added at the last minute, too. Simple but very tasty. I also like to just quick cook fresh green beans till al dente, either by steaming or sauteing, and top with a Lemon-Shallot Vinaigrette. The vinaigrette is actually from a recipe for asparagus, but it's great on green beans, too. I just substitute green bean for asparagus. It's from Jack Bishop's The Complete Italian Vegetarian. 1 1/2 pounds Green Beans 1 teaspoon grated zest and 2 tablespoons juice from 1 large lemon 1 medium shallot, minced Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Whisk together the lemon zest and juice, shallot and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil until smooth. Adjust the seasonings and set aside. For the green beans, either bring a pot of water to boil and boil the green beans just until tender but not mushy, (In the original recipe using asparagus, he says to boil till tender but not limp, about 4 minutes. I think green beans would take about the same amount of time, maybe a little longer, though) or steam them till the same texture. Drain the green beans and place in a single layer on a large platter. Whisk the dressing again and drizzle it over the green beans. Let cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. I have to confess...one of my favorite things to do when I don't feel like cooking is to toss a can of black beans or pinto beans and a can of Chile Fixins Rotel together, with some chopped onion and sometimes a diced clove of garlic, and some chopped cilantro if I have some on hand. Heat until hot and serve. I call them chile beans. Simple, and surprisingly good. Do Lentils count as beans? I've made this lentil soup before, and it's quite good. I don't remember if I've posted it before, so I apologize if I'm being redundant. from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison (You'd think I didn't have any other cookbooks, but really I do. It's just that this is my go to cookbook for most of my every day things.) Hearty Lentil Soup 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cups finely diced onion 3 large garlic cloves Salt and freshly milled pepper 3 tablespoons tomato paste 1/3 cup finely diced celery 1/3 cup finely diced carrot 2 bay leaves 1/2 cup chopped parsley 1 1/2 cups French green or brown lentils, sorted and rinsed 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar Chopped celery leaves and parsley Heat the oil in a soup pot over high heat. Add the onion and saute until it begins to color around the edges., 5 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, mince or pound the garlic in a mortar with 1 teaspoon salt. Work the tomato paste into the onion, then add the garlic, celery, arrot, bay leaves, and parsley and cook for 3 minutes. Add the lentils, 2 quarts water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the lentils are tender, 25 to 35 minutes. Stir in the mustard and vinegar. Taste and add more of either as needed. Check the salt, season with plenty of pepper, remove the bay leaves, and serve, garnished with the celery leaves and parsley. The longer the soup sits before serving, the better it will taste. Sally o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by jude31 (My Page) on Fri, Feb 12, 10 at 20:57 AnnT...we loved your Green bean, Zucchini and Potato Stew. We had it with a rotisserie chicken and rolls and it was GREAT, definitely a keeper. Thanks, jude o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by jude31 (My Page) on Wed, Feb 17, 10 at 18:41 This chick pea salad is really good and a little different. Chick Pea Salad: 2 16 oz. cans Chick Peas, rinsed and drained 2 C. chopped Romaine Lettuce (use scissors) 1 1/3 C. Seedless Red Grapes, halved 1 C. Sweet Red Pepper, chopped 2/3 C.thinly sliced Celery 1/2 C finely chopped Onion 1 1/2 to 2 C. Poppy Seed Dressing Poppy Seed Dressing: 3/4 C. sugar 1/3 C. cider vinegar (heat to boil and pour over sugar) 1 teas.salt 1 teas. dry mustard 1 teas. finely chopped green onion 1 C. vegetable oil 1 T. (+) poppy seeds Combine first 5 ingredients in blender til smooth. Turn blender on high and gradually pour in oil in slow steady stream. Stir in poppy seeds - cover and chill. Enjoy. jude o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by ruthanna (My Page) on Thu, Feb 18, 10 at 8:45 My family has always loved beans and I make them so many ways. This recipe posted here by AdrienneLIQ is one of our favorites. When I make a casserole of beans, it's usually served as the main course rather than a side dish. TUSCAN BAKED BEANS Ingredients: 1 lb dried cannellini beans 4 T EVOO 2 cloves garlic, crushed 4 oz. Pancetta, roughly chopped 3 leaves fresh sage (if fresh not available, use 4t chopped fresh parsley). 1 Leek, finely sliced 1 14 oz. can plum tomatoes, chopped with their juice salt and freshly ground black pepper. 1. Carefully pick over the beans, discarding any stones or other particles. Place the eans in a large bowl and cover with water. Soak for at least 6 hours or overnight. Drain. 2. Preheat the oven to 350. In a small saucepan, cook pancetta until crisp. Remove pancetta from pan and set aside. Heat the oil and sautee the garlice cloves and sage leaves for 3-4 minutes until garlic is tender but not brown. Remove from the heat. 3. In a large deep baking dish combine the beans with the leek and tomatoes. Stir in the oil with the garlic and sage. Add pancetta. Add enough fresh water to cover the beans by 1 inch. Mix well. Cover the dish with a lid or foil, and place in the center of the oven. Bake for 1 3/4 hours. 4. Remove the dish from the oven, stir the beans, and season with salt and pepper. Return the beans to the oven, uncovered, and cook for another 15 minutes, or until the beans are tender. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 7-8 minutes before serving. Serve hot or at room temperature. **For vegetarian version, simply omit the pancetta. For 'everyday' baked beans, I use this recipe. They're better when made ahead and reheated with some additional water to thin out the sauce. BAKED BEANS 1 lb. Great Northern or navy beans, soaked overnight in cold water 1 cup chopped onions 4 slices bacon, diced 2 Tbs. white sugar 1 Tbs. dry mustard 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper 2/3 cup molasses 2 Tbs. cider vinegar 1 1/2 cups tomato juice 1 cup water Salt to taste Drain beans and add fresh water. Simmer until beans are almost tender. Drain. Combine remaining ingredients and add to beans. Bake uncovered in bean pot or deep casserole at 250 degrees for 4 hours or until very tender. Check them every once in a while and add more water to keep them from drying out. I have made nearly every bean recipe in Molli Katzen's Vegetable Heaven cookbook because that woman know what to do with them. Here are two recipes from her book that I have made many times. FIRECRACKER RED BEANS (6-8 servings) 2 Tbs. olive oil 3 cups finely minced onions 2 Tbs. minced fresh ginger 2 tsp. fennel seeds 2 Tbs. minced garlic 1/2 tsp. allspice 1 tsp. dried thyme 1 1/2 to 2 tsp. salt 1 cup dry sherry 2 Tbs. prepared mustard 1/4 cup ketchup 1 tsp. minced chipotle chiles 1 cup water 1/4 cup almond butter 2 Tbs. brown sugar 1/2 cup boiling water About 6 cups cooked small red beans or kidney beans (3 or 4 15-ounce cans, rinsed and drained) Wedges of lime Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over med-high heat. Add the onion, ginger, and fennel seeds, and saute for about 5-10 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium, add the garlic, allspice, thyme and 1 1/2 tsp. salt. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 3 minutes. Stir in sherry, mustard, ketchup, chipotles and 1 cup water. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes. Place the almond butter and brown sugar in a small bowl. Add the boiling water and mash with a spoon until it becomes a uniform mixture. Stir this into the sauce and cook uncovered over low heat for about 5 minutes. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the beans in a 9 X 13 inch baking dish or equivalent casseerole, and pour in all the sauce. Cover with tight-fitting lid or foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove the pan from the oven and let it sit for about 15 to 20 minutes, still tightly covered, so the beans can continue to absorb the liquid. Serve hot or warm, with squeezable wedges of lime on the side. Notes: You can make the sauce a day or two before serving and keep in the refrigerator; then combine with the beans before baking. Add 15 minutes baking time. The sauce can also be pureed in the blender before pouring onto the beans but I like it chunky. TUNISIAN TOMATO SOUP 1 to 2 (15 oz.) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 cup uncooked lentils (any kind), rinsed and picked over 7 cups water 1 cinnamon stick 2 Tbs. olive oil 4 cups finely minced onion 2 Tbs. minced garlic 2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. tumeric 1 1/2 tsp. whole cumin seeds 1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin 1/4 tsp. ground coriander 2 large or 3 small bay leaves Approx. 6 cups water, chicken broth, or vegetable broth 1 20-oz. can crushed tomatoes Black pepper and cayenne to taste 3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice (or to taste) Cook the lentils with 7 cups of water or broth and the cinnamon stick until tender, about 30 minutes for gray lentils or about half that time for red lentils, which I prefer for this soup. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick; drain lentils, saving the cooking water. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion, garlic, salt, tumeric, ground and whole cumin and coriander, and saute over medium heat for 6 to 10 minutes, or until the onions are slightly softened. Add 6 cups of water or broth (including the reserved cooking water from the lentils, if any is left) and the tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, partially cover, and cook for another 15 minutes of so. Fish out and discard the bay leaves. Stir in chickpeas and lentils, and cook for only about 5 minutes longer, so the legumes don�t get mushy. Season to taste with black and cayenne pepper and lemon juice. Serve hot, topped with some yogurt and fresh chopped mint, if desired. Makes about 6 servings and freezes well in an airtight container. o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by ci_lantro (My Page) on Thu, Feb 18, 10 at 10:57 Oh my--those Firecracker Beans sounds delicious, Ruthanna! My mom copycatted a green bean recipe from a local restaurant many, many years ago. Quickly became a family favorite. She dubbed it 'Spanish Green Beans' because it is much like her Spanish Rice recipe. No specific am'ts. It's one of those wing-it type recipes. Anyway, it goes like this: Jerry's Spanish Green Beans Saute some chopped bacon (3-4 strips) to desired degree of doneness. Remove the bacon & discard most of the fat, leaving 1-2 T. Add chopped onions to the bacon fat & saute til soft. In a casserole dish, empty a couple of cans of green beans. Stir in reserved bacon & sauteed onions. To this, add some tomatoes. Doesn't really matter--she used home canned tomatoes. OR, a couple of small cans of tomato sauce is very good. I kinda' prefer using the tomato sauce. Alternatively, a combination of tomatoes & tomato sauce makes for a prettier dish & is very good. [Garlic is a nice addition.] Cover the dish & bake in oven. I often cheat & use the microwave, but the results are better if you cook it in the oven. I've always used canned products for this, probably because it's a hearty winter-type dish. (My garden fresh & frozen beans usually get a quick saute.) o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by bunnyman (My Page) on Thu, Feb 18, 10 at 14:14 I like to keep my beans simple. Being single and working I don't have time for anything these days. With beans I like to work with smoke, heat, and sweet for flavoring. For smoke I use ham, smoked poultry, or liquid smoke. For heat I use red cayenne and habenera with green jalapeno and serreno peppers used pretty much chili only. The red peppers seem to tickle my taste with bean dishes. For sweets I work with brown sugar, onions, garlic, molasses, and maple syrup. To me onions and garlic are fairly potent sweeteners when cooked with beans. I've had lots of fun with variations on bean soup. My current favorite is a mixture of black beans and kidney beans in a ham broth with cayenne... chopped cabbage optional. Hot and smokey. Lentils I've fallen in love with adding spinach to the soup. Gives the soup a green tint and flavor. White beans (navy/great northern) I've been enjoying as a side dish. I was making bean soup when I got hungry and scooped out a bowl of just done beans. I had flavored the cooking water with a couple drops of liquid hickory smoke but added nothing else. They were delicious and I drained the cooking water so the rest of the beans could be eaten as just beans. Dry beans are one of the best bargins on my grocery bill! My pantry has a few pounds most all of the time. At the moment I have black, navy, and kidney beans, as well as green peas and lentils. Peas soup is wicked with a single slice of habenera pepper added to the pot. Amazing how many people I meet that have never had pea soup! When I cook a pot full I often share some with friends and have made a few into soup-a-holics. : ) lyra o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by lpinkmountain (My Page) on Sun, Feb 21, 10 at 17:12 Well, finally, two weeks after I got the ingredients, I made my version of the Pasta e Fagioli alla Veneta - Venetian White Bean Soup with Pasta and Beef Sausage. I used fake italian sausage instead of making meatballs, and I used tiny pene instead of making fresh pasta or breaking up spaghetti. And I added a bay leaf and 1.25 tsp. of Penzey's "Tuscan Sunset" to the soup. Oh, and I used a red onion because I had half of one I had to use up, and I threw in one wilting roma tomato. And I used canelinni beans because I have never seen borlotti beans. For someone who is of N. European Jewish and Scots Irish, English and Dutch heritage, I sure have an affinity for Italian style cooking! o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by wizardnm (My Page) on Sun, Feb 21, 10 at 19:47 Green Beans Oriental 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans 2 slices bacon 1/2 cup red bell pepper strips 1/2 cup thin onion wedges 1/2 cup whole cashews In a small bowl, stir together the teriyaki sauce, honey, and butter. Fill a bowl with cold water and ice cubes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the lemon juice. Drop in the beans and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until beans are bright green. Drain the beans in a colander and then plunge them into the iced water. Drain again and set aside. In a skillet, cook the bacon until very crispy, crumble and set aside. Saute the bell pepper and onion in the hot bacon fat for 2 minutes. Add the beans, cashews, and bacon to the skillet. Add the teriyaki-honey sauce and toss gently Note: I have made this using soy sauce and maple syrup instead of teriyaki and honey, both ways are good. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Michigan Beans & Sausage 1 lb. fully cooked kielbasa or Polish sausage, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced 1 medium onion, chopped 1 c. catsup 3/4 c. packed brown sugar 1/2 c. sugar 2 T. vinegar 2 T. molasses 2 T. prepared mustard 3 cans (15.5 oz. each) great northern beans, rinse and drained Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In an oven-proof Dutch oven, bring the kielbasa and onions to a boil with water to cover and boil for 2 minutes. Drain. Put the remaining ingredients in the Dutch oven with the kielbasa and onions. Mix well. Cover and bake for 1 1/2 hours until the mixture reaches the desired thickness. Serves 8-10. NOTE: Can also be prepared in a Crock Pot. Prepare up to baking and place in Crock Pot on LOW and heat for 6-8 hours. Nancy o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS// clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by wizardnm (My Page) on Sun, Feb 21, 10 at 20:53 I just pulled a new name out of the hat...from those who posted over the last two weeks... it is: ~~~~~~~~~~ Lorijean44 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lori, please post your choice for the next cookalong here. I'll be watching for it... Thanks Nancy o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by sally2 (My Page) on Mon, Feb 22, 10 at 10:03 Well, I didn't make beans this weekend, but we've had beans frequently during this time period. Shortly after this cookalong was posted, I cooked up a pot of pinto beans. Nothing fancy, just good old fashioned pinto beans with onions, carrots, celery, garlic, poblano peppers, bay leaves and other herbs I've forgotten, salt and pepper - oh, and a splash of liquid smoke. I still have some in the freezer, as I can't make just a small amount of beans. That Pasta e Fagioli alla Veneta looks delicious! I'm going to have to try that soon. Sally o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by wizardnm (My Page) on Mon, Feb 22, 10 at 10:39 Sally, that sounds good and something I need to do, soon! Lorijean.....please pick the next cookalong ingredient. Nancy o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by annie1992 (My Page) on Mon, Feb 22, 10 at 11:53 I'm not really late, just late in posting. I cleaned out my pantry last week and found that I had cranberry beans, great northern beans, navy beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, red lentils, green lentils, brown lentils, green split peas, yellow split peas and half a package of mayacoba beans! So, Elery made bean patties for breakfast, we had them with eggs and salsa. Well, he had salsa, I had eggs and bean cakes, LOL, and then Saturday we had split pea soup for lunch. Beans twice in one day... Annie o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by wizardnm (My Page) on Mon, Feb 22, 10 at 14:22 ttt Lori??? o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by annie1992 (My Page) on Mon, Feb 22, 10 at 16:19 Lpinkmountain, I forgot to mention, that bowl is just beautiful, I love the colors. C'mon Lori, pick the next ingredient..... Annie o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by ci_lantro (My Page) on Mon, Feb 22, 10 at 18:49 Annie--What are bean cakes? How do you make them? o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by annie1992 (My Page) on Mon, Feb 22, 10 at 21:03 cilantro, Elery likes spicier food than I do and he eats it for breakfast, so be forewarned, LOL. The original recipe comes from Mayo Clinic, but Elery added the jalapenos and he adds cumin to everything, I swear. The bean cakes are easy, drain and rinse two cans of black beans, mash them roughly with a fork or potato masher. Add a couple of cloves of mashed/minced garlic, some chopped green onion, maybe 1/2 cup of cilantro and a tsp. of cumin. Elery adds jalapenos to his but he made mine before he put jalapeno in the rest of them. Shape the mixture into patties and put them in the refrigerator for an hour or so to firm up. Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and fry the bean cakes until they are browned and crunchy on both sides. We had ours topped with soft eggs, he had salsa. Not me, mine were just bean cakes, no jalapenos and eggs. I don't know how he can eat that stuff first thing in the morning, he always covers his eggs with Sriracha if we're having omelettes! Annie o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by wizardnm (My Page) on Tue, Feb 23, 10 at 12:31 ttt....still looking for Lori I'll try an email o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by lorijean44 (My Page) on Tue, Feb 23, 10 at 14:01 I'm here! I'm here!! How about... Eggplant! Lori :D o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by ci_lantro (My Page) on Tue, Feb 23, 10 at 14:39 Thx, Annie! They sound yummy. I love hot & spicey so I'll try it the Elery-way but w/ less cumin. :) o RE: Cookalong #21-----BEANS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by wizardnm (My Page) on Tue, Feb 23, 10 at 15:55 We seem to be on a real vegetable roll... Lori has picked Eggplant for the next Cookalong A big -----THANK YOU---- to all who participated!! Nancy

Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by wizardnm (My Page) on Thu, Dec 9, 10 at 16:17 Lorijean44 has picked dates for our final Cookalong of the year. Good timing, I know I use more dates during the Holidays than the rest of the year. I picked up three boxes the other day and when I got home and was putting them away, I found four boxes that I had already stashed. So bring on the date recipes, I've got an overload. Our next Cookalong will be in 2011! Nancy Here is a link that might be useful: Cookalong #37 --------BUTTER! Follow-Up Postings: o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by lorijean44 (My Page) on Thu, Dec 9, 10 at 17:12 Mmmmmm. Dates - I love them. I just picked up the freshest dates I've ever tasted at Sprouts. If you have a Sprouts store near you, run and pick some up! :) Date-Nut Bread 1-1/2 cups chopped dates 1-1/2 cups boiling water 1 tablespoon shortening 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 egg 2-1/4 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup coarsely chopped nuts (I use either pecans or walnuts) In a small bowl, pour the boiling water over the dates and let cool. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a standard loaf pan (or 3 mini loaf pans). Mix shortening, brown sugar, and eggs. Add cooled date mixture. Combine flour, salt and baking soda, and stir into date mixture. Stir in nuts. Pour batter into prepared pan(s). Bake standard-sized loaf for 60 - 70 minutes, mini loaves for about 40 - 45 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. * * * * * * * * * * Date-Nut Balls 1/2 cup butter 1 cup granulated sugar 1 egg 1-1/2 cups chopped dates 1-1/2 cups chopped nuts 2 cups Rice Krispies cereal shredded coconut Combine butter, sugar and egg into a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in dates, nuts, and cereal. Form into balls, squeezing mixture together. Roll in coconut. Lori o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by lindac (My Page) on Thu, Dec 9, 10 at 17:32 I have about 3/4 of a cup of very ordinary dates to use up...I'll be watching this thread...oh yes and a cup or more of brazil nuts... o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by fori (My Page) on Thu, Dec 9, 10 at 17:55 Fruitcake! o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by velamina (My Page) on Thu, Dec 9, 10 at 17:57 You've all been a big help and I thought I'd contribute with a recipe from my Christmas cookie box; they've been a favorite for years. Anise-Scented Fig and Date Swirls from Gourmet/September 1996 and reprinted December 2001 (About 36 cookies) Ingredients 1 cup packed soft dried figs (8 oz), stemmed and coarsely chopped 1 cup packed pitted dates (7 oz), trimmed and coarsely chopped 1/3 cup water 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons anise seeds, ground in an electric coffee/spice grinder 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened 4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 large egg yolk 1/4 cup granulated raw sugar such as turbinado or Demerara Directions Puree figs and dates with water and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar in a blender or food processor until almost smooth. Whisk together flour, anise, baking powder and soda, and salt in a bowl. Beat together butter, cream cheese, and remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at moderate speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla and yolk until combined well. Add flour mixture and mix at low speed until just combined. Halve dough and form each half into a rectangle. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, about 1 hour. Roll out 1 piece of dough between 2 sheets of wax paper into a 9- by 7-inch rectangle, about 1/3 inch thick. Remove top sheet of wax paper and drop half of fig mixture by spoonfuls onto dough, then gently spread in an even layer, leaving a 1/4-inch border around edges. Starting with a long side and using wax paper as an aid, roll up dough jelly-roll style into a log. Roll log in raw sugar to coat completely. Make another log in same manner. Chill logs, wrapped in wax paper, until firm, at least 4 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut logs crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices and arrange slices about 2 inches apart on lightly buttered baking sheets. Bake in batches in middle of oven until pale golden, 15 to 17 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool. Cooks' notes Logs can be chilled up to 3 days. Cookies keep, layered between sheets of wax or parchment paper in an airtight container at room temperature, 1 week. o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by doucanoe (My Page) on Thu, Dec 9, 10 at 18:38 Oh nuts! Not a fan of dates so I'll pass on this cookalong, but will be watching from the sidelines! Gotta say tho, Lori....that bread could almost make me a convert! LOL Linda o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by caliloo (My Page) on Thu, Dec 9, 10 at 18:54 These are a little unusual and very tasty. I love the salty prosciutto with the sweet wine soaked fruit. Alexa ************************************************************ Christopher Wren Gems 8 os Calimyrna figs 8 oz pitted dates 1 cup Marsala 8 oz cream cheese ½ cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped 8 oz prosciutto, thinly sliced Juice of ½ lemon Lemon slices (garnish) Chopped parsley (garnish) 1. Cut figs in half and combine with the dates in a small bowl. Cover with 1 cup Marsala and let stand at least 1 hour. 2. Process the cream cheese, hazelnuts and 1 tablespoon Marsala in a food processor fitted with a steel blade until blended. Refrigerate until cold. 3. Drain figs and dates, reserving the marsala. Slit each date down the center and open each fig half to form a pocket. Fill each fig and date with a heaping teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture. 4. Preheat oven to 350 5. Cut strips of prosciutto slightly smaller than the dates and figs are long and wrap 1 strip around each stuffed fruit. Sprinkle with some of the reserved Marsala as your work to keep the prosciutto from drying out. 6. Place wrapped figs and dates on a baking sheet and bake until heated through, about 7 - 10 minutes. Let cook slightly, arrange on a serving platter, sprinkle with lemon juice and garnish with lemon slices and parsley. Makes about 50. o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by craftyrn (My Page) on Thu, Dec 9, 10 at 18:59 Oh-- goodness in a little brown thing !! When I was a kid we only had dates at Christmas time & what was considered a big treat were Mom's Stuffed Dates-- one of the first things I was allowed to help prepare-- simple treat-- pitted dates were what was available then--we removed the pit, stuck a walnut half in the cavity, pushed it closed and rolled in sugar. Now my favorite is Sugar Plums-- on this plate they're at 4 o'clock next to the peanut brittle. Free Image Hosting at Diane's Home Cookin Chapter: Candy & other confections Sugarplums ========== Ingredients: 1/2 cup finely chopped pitted dates 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts 1/4 cup finely chopped dried apricots 1/4 cup finely chopped dried figs 1/4 cup finely chopped pistachio nuts 2 tablespoons brandy 1 tablespoon apricot preserves 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon ground clove 1/3 cup sugar . Line a small baking sheet with waxed paper. In a food processor, combine the dates, walnuts, apricots, figs, pistachios, brandy, apricot preserves, cinnamon and cloves. Pulse until the mixture begins to clump together. Using a teaspoon, scoop up a rounded spoonful of the mixture, press together, and roll between your palms into a compact ball. Roll the round in the sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining fruit-and-nut mixture and sugar. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Makes about 18 confections. Recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma Lifestyles Series, After Dinner, by Kristine Kidd (Time-Life Books, 1998). o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by lindac (My Page) on Thu, Dec 9, 10 at 19:07 Fori...the dates and brazil nuts are left over from making fruit cake...I also have about 1/2 cup glace cherries and about 1'/2 cup of glace pineapple....and raisins and apricots but they will go into something some time...even if it's only whole wheat bread. As I said...I'm watching this thread... My mother allowed me to make "date candy" by pitting dates, stuffing them with peanut butter and rolling in granulated sugar. o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by joanm (My Page) on Thu, Dec 9, 10 at 20:51 Bacon wrapped dates! I can't stop eating them when I make them. My notes say: I used thick cut bacon on a broiler pan. Slice bacon in half and wrap around the date, secure with tooth pick. Bake at 450 for about 17 minutes. Turn halfway through cooking. I am sure I have made it many more times with regular thin sliced bacon. I am craving these things just thinking about them. I need to pick up some dates. o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by chase (My Page) on Fri, Dec 10, 10 at 12:37 Listen up ! This recipe is drop dead to die for. I first had it while in Louisiana visiting Karen (Riverrat) and her wonderful DH,, Karen can attest to the fact I did everything but offer my body to the waiter to get the recipe for this delectable treat.......come to think of it I may have offered my body. He was some cute...... No luck, but a year later the restaurant, Snake River Grill, published a cook book and low and behold there was the recipe! Karen, sweetie that she is, sent me the book. I have served this almost too often; it is that good. They are amazing when doing the sausage filling from scratch but a really good Chorizo, raw not smoked, works fine and saves time....but if you have the time, and the inclination, make the meat mixture it is so good. Bacon Wrapped, Sausage Stuffed Dates from the Snake River Grill in Lake Charles LA. 2 TBSP olive oil 1 pound ground lamb or beef 4 oz ground pork 1 TSAP salt 3/4 tsp Black pepper 1 cup finely chopped red onion 1/2 cup finely chopped fennel 1 TBSP garlic puree 1 1/2 TBSP Smoked paprika 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp cayenne pepper 1/4 cup sherry vinegar 1/2 cup orange juice 2 tomatoes, blackened and pureed 1 1/2 TBSP chipotle puree 3/4 cup chopped parsley 24 pitted Medjool dates 24 slices good quality bacon Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the ground meat , salt and pepper. Saute until crumbly. Add the onion, saute 5 minutes. Add the fennel and garlic. Reduce heat to low and add paprika, cumin and cayenne. Cook 5 minutes. Add the vinegar, stirring to deglaze. Add the orange juice and cooked until reduced by 3/4. Stir in tomato puree and chipotle puree. Simmer 15 minutes. Remove from the heat , cool to room temp, stir in parsley and refrigerate. Spoon the cooled meat mixture into each split and pitted date. Wrap each tightly with a slice of bacon. Place seam side down and bake at 385 for 20 minutes until crisp....I find I need to turn them once. o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by coconut-nj (My Page) on Fri, Dec 10, 10 at 12:56 Does anyone have a T&T recipe for date bars that have an oatmeal crust? I imagine I can make one up but was wondering if anyone had one. Like the old Betty Crocker date bar mix but real. Smiles. o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by skeip (My Page) on Fri, Dec 10, 10 at 13:34 Try this one, it's an old family favorite that I still love. DATE BARS Filling: 2 Cups Dates, cut up 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar 1 1/2 Cups Water 1 Tablespoon Flour Grated Zest from one Orange 1/8 Teaspoon Salt 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Combine all the above ingredients in a heavy sauce pan, and cook over low heat until the dates are soft, and the mixture has thickened. Remove from heat, mash any remaining whole Dates. Set aside to cool. Crust: 1 Cup All-purpose Flour 2 Cups Quick Cooking Oatmeal 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda dissolved in 2 Teaspoons HOT Water 1 Cup Brown Sugar 3/4 Cup Melted Butter Combine all of the ingredients for the crust and stir until well blended. Press 2/3 of the crust mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 cookie sheet. Top with the date mixture, and sprinkle the remaining crust mixture over the top of the dates. Bake 30 minutes in a preheated 350 o F oven. Steve o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by coconut-nj (My Page) on Fri, Dec 10, 10 at 13:40 Thanks Steve! That looks just right. Now I have to get some dates. o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by cooksnsews (My Page) on Fri, Dec 10, 10 at 17:11 This is one of my fav desserts. By making them in individual cups, I have a fighting chance of exercising a bit of portion control. Sticky Toffee Pudding Ingredients: *** *FOR PUDDINGS *** * 4 1/2 ounces Butter, at room temp 7 1/2 ounces granulated sugar 3 Eggs, beaten 9 ounces Self rising flour 9 ounces Dates, chopped 9 fluid ounces -- boiling water 3/4 teaspoon Vanilla 3 teaspoons instant coffee 1 1/8 teaspoon Baking soda *** *FOR THE SAUCE *** * 9 ounces Brown sugar 6 ounces Butter 9 tablespoons Double (whipping) cream 1 1/2 ounce Pecans, chopped Directions: Preheat oven to 350 F. You will need twelve 6 oz metal pudding basins or eight 3 inch ramekin dishes (I use muffin tins), lightly oiled, and a baking sheet. Begin by putting the chopped dates in a bowl and pouring boiling water over them. Then add vanilla, instant coffee and baking soda. Put to one side. Next in a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar together, beating until mixture is pale, light and fluffy. Now gradually add beaten eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition. After that, carefully and lightly fold in the sifted flour using a metal spoon, then fold in date mixture including liquid. The mixture will look sloppy, but don't worry. That is perfectly correct and the slackness of the mixture is what makes the pudding so light. Now divide the mixture equally between the ramekins/muffin tins. Place them on a baking tray and bake in the centre of the oven for 25 minutes. Using a palette knife, slide it around each pudding and turn it out. If they have risen too high, you may have to cut a slice of the top so that they can sit evenly on the plate. Now place the puddings on a shallow, swiss roll type pan. Next, make the sauce by combining all the ingredients in a saucepan and heating very gently until sugar has melted and all the crystals dissolved. To serve puddings: Pre-heat broiler to its highest setting, and pour the sauce evenly over the puddings. Place the pan under the broiler so the tops are about 5 inches from the heat. Knock off any nuts on top to prevent them browning. Let the puddings heat through for 8 minutes. The tops will become brown and slightly crunchy and the sauce will be hot and bubbling. Serve with chilled pouring cream. From Delia Smith's Christmas serves/makes 12 o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by cloudy_christine (My Page) on Fri, Dec 10, 10 at 18:03 I haven't made this yet, but it sounds very good. It's from Nigella Lawson's Christmas cookbook. Lamb and Date Tagine 3-4 tbsp goose fat or olive oil 2 onions, peeled and chopped 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground allspice 1kg / 2 lb 3oz boneless leg of lamb, chopped into cubes 250g / 9oz soft dried dates, stones removed, or Medjool dates, stones removed 250ml / 9fl oz pomegranate juice 250ml / 9fl oz water 2 tsp Maldon sea salt, or 1 tsp table salt Warm the goose fat (or oil) in a wide heavy-based pan with a lid. Add the onions and cook gently over a low heat for ten minutes, or until softened. Add the ground cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, cumin and allspice and mix well. Turn up the heat and add the lamb, stirring often, until browned all over. Add the dates, pomegranate juice, water and salt and bring to the boil. Cover with the lid and turn down the heat to very low to cook for two hours. (You can cook in the oven if you prefer, for two hours at 300F.) Here is a link that might be useful: recipe on BBC site o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by lowspark (My Page) on Sat, Dec 11, 10 at 17:51 I normally post this at Passover. It is my family recipe for Haroset. My parents are from Egypt where they make haroset with dates, not apples. My mother learned this recipe from my father's mother and passed it on to me. This stuff is sweet and delicious and could probably hold bricks together if called upon to do so. I mention that because the haroset represents the mortar which held the bricks together in the story of the Hebrew slaves in Egypt which we read at the Seder. In addition I"ll mention that my mother did not use a food processor, she used an old fashioned food mill. This method is better than a food processor because all the peels of the dates naturally separate out during the process but are ground in in the FP. Anyway, here it is. HAROSET 1 lb dates 1 lb raisins 1 Tbsp sugar 1/2 cup kosher for Passover red wine chopped walnuts cinnamon Soak dates and raisins in water for 15 minutes. Drain. Rinse. Put in pot, cover with water (barely covered). Heat to boiling. Simmer on medium 20 minutes. Drain. Puree in food processor. Add 1/2 cup water & sugar. Heat on low 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Add wine and nuts. Simmer another 15-20 minutes. Put in bowls and top with nuts and cinnamon. Refrigerate. o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by ruthanna (My Page) on Sun, Dec 12, 10 at 15:53 This was one of our daughters' favorite breakfast dishes, and my GD's too. APPLE-COUSCOUS PUDDING 1 cup milk 1 cup apple juice 1 Tbs. honey 1 Tbs. butter 2 inches stick cinnamon 1/4 tsp. finely grated nutmeg 1 cup couscous (can use whole wheat) 1 cup chopped, peeled tart apples 1/4 cup chopped, pitted dates Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium-size saucepan, combine milk, juice, honey, butter and spices. Heat just toboiling. Stir in couscous, apples and dates. Heat until bubbles appear at edges of pan. Remove cinnamon stick and turn into buttered 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until top is lightly browned. Serve warm. 4 servings o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by ruthanna (My Page) on Thu, Dec 16, 10 at 9:19 Dates and pecans are the main ingredients in these fruitcakes. I made a bunch of them this year for our church bazaar but the photo makes them look flatter than they are. MINI FRUITCAKES - makes 3 2 cups pecan halves 1 pkg. (8 oz.) pitted dates, cut in half crosswise 1 container (4 oz.) candied red cherries (3/4 cup) 1 container (4 oz.) candied pineapple, cut in chunks (1/2 cup) 1 egg 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup flour 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/8 tsp. salt 3 Tbs. bourbon Grease well 3 small loaf pans. Line bottoms with waxed paper and grease again. Set aside. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Thoroughly mix nuts and fruits together and set aside. Mix together flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Beat egg with sugar until light and fluffy in a large bowl. Stir in flour mixture just until blended. Stir in fruit-nut mixture until lightly coated with batter. Divide among pans and press down with hands moistened with water until solidly packed. Bake on middle rack of oven for 40 minutes or until tops are dry but not brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle each cake with 1 Tbs. bourbon. Let set for 5 minutes; then loosen edges, remove loaf from pan, peel off waxed paper and turn top side up to cool. Wrap airtight. Let stand in a cool, dark spot for at least a week to develop flavor. Store in a cool place up to 3 months. Add additional bourbon if they seem to be drying out. Slice thinly with a sharp knife. Photobucket o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by barnmom (My Page) on Thu, Dec 16, 10 at 11:13 Ruthanna! Those look so much like the mini fruitcakes my grandmother made every year that she was able. She candied her own cherries and pineapple and used walnuts but the rest is so close. My family were teetotalers so no bourbon but I have learned to love a boozy fruitcake since then. I will have to make some in her honor from your recipe. I never got her recipe if she had one. o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by ruthanna (My Page) on Thu, Dec 16, 10 at 11:55 Barnmom, that recipe came from my grandmother too. She liked her fruitcakes to be all fruit and nuts with just enough batter to hold them together. Being from Pennsylvania, I imagine she originally used walnuts too but her sister moved down south and used to send her big a big box of pecans around Thanksgiving every year. I never saw her drink a single glass of anything alcoholic but she did use it when cooking. To this day, I add a cup of beer to the broth when making bean soup, which I learned from her. o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by dlhealdquilter (My Page) on Thu, Dec 16, 10 at 13:13 SOMETHING ON A RITZ 1 can sweetened condensed milk 1 cup chopped dates 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts Ritz crackers Almond bark (white) Cook the milk, dates and nuts slowly until thick. Spread 1 teaspoon date mixture on each cracker. Bake at 350 degrees for 6 minutes. Melt almond bark and drizzle over crackers. o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by lpinkmountain (My Page) on Wed, Dec 22, 10 at 17:41 I made these last night at BF's house. He loves bananas and dates, so together they are a great combo. They are an old recipe of mine. I had forgotten how yummy they were. Excellent with coffee. Banana Date Muffins Makes 12 muffins Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full, or use paper cup liners instead of greasing. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until muffins test done. 1 1/2 cups sifted flour (I use 1 cup unbleached and 1/2 cup whole wheat, I never sift, but you can if you like) 2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 cup mashed bananas (that's about 3 med. ones or maybe two large ones. Measure because you don't want dry muffins with not enough banana) 1 egg 1/3 cup salad oil (I use canola for baking but other veg. oils will work too.) 3/4 tsp. salt 1/2 cup sugar 8 oz. diced dates, the fresher the better Mix together dry ing. and wet ing. separately. Mix dates with flour so they don't clump togther. Add wet ing. to dry, mix until just combined. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake for 25-30 min. at 400 degrees. Note: If your oven bakes a little hot, try lowering the temp. 375 would not be out of the question. o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by wizardnm (My Page) on Mon, Jan 31, 11 at 16:15 Time to get started on Cookalong #39. Thanks to all that added these yummy date recipes! Nancy Here is a link that might be useful: Cookalong #39 ---- CITRUS o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by lpinkmountain (My Page) on Fri, Feb 11, 11 at 22:16 As usual I am LATE to the party, but BF and I made the BEST applesauce date bread tonight. He loves dates. This is going to be quite the keeper, since I think it could be used for all kinds of dried fruits like raisins or dried cherries for example. The original recipe was for figs. I very often have applesauce and yogurt in the fridge to use up. This bread is YUM! Date, Applesauce and Almond Breakfast Loaf (original recipe was for Figs) Recipe by Barbara Estabrook, for "Cooking Light" magazine, October 2010. Makes 2 8 inch loaf pans. Struesel topping (I left this off) 2 1/2 TBSLP brown sugar 2 TBLSP all purpose flour 1 1/2 TBLSP coarsely chopped almonds 1 TBLSP chilled butter, cut into small pieces 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon Bread: 1 cup dried figs (or dates) 1/2 cup boiling water Cooking spray 1 TBLSP all purpose flour 2 large egg whites 1 large egg 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce 1/3 cup fat free yogurt 1/4 cup canola oil 1/2 tsp. almond extract (I used Amaretto liqueur instead) 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 1/3 cup chopped toasted almonds (no salt) 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. baking soda Preheat oven to 350 degrees Prepare struesel topping ingredients by mixing them together in a small bowl and setting them aside. Spray or grease the two 8 inch loaf pans and then shake the flour around in them until very lightly coated. Combine wet ingredients Add flours and baking powder, soda, etc. Drain dates and mix in Add almonds. Pour batter into pans, top with streusel. Bake for 55 min. or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Not the best photo, one of my bread pans was too large. o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by triciae (My Page) on Sat, Feb 12, 11 at 8:12 I'm a CA native. Some of my favorite memories from home are abalone sandwiches at Huntington pier, crab Louis in Pismo (for some reason they didn't taste as good any place except Pismo), & date shakes. The Coachella Valley, in SoCA, is a date mecca. I used to drive down for a date shake somewhere near Indio (can't remember the name of the place...maybe, something like Hadley's?). They were great...just fresh date puree, ice cream, & milk. So fantastic on a 110 degree day! I also got date shakes in Newport, on coast highway. I think that place was just called the "date shack". There's no comparison between fresh dates & those that come in the boxes. Sorta like the difference between raisins purchased from Sun-Maid's Selma/Kingsburg plant & those in the cardboard boxes. Fresh dates are so creamy...like butter. Yum! /tricia o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by ann_t (My Page) on Sat, Feb 12, 11 at 9:02 I'm late as well. This is my favourite date and nut loaf. I've been making it a couple of times a month lately because Moe loves it too. More often than not I bake it in mini loaf pans but I also like it baked in a square springform. Topped with a little cream cheese. You can switch up the nuts as well or add coconut. Last time I made it I used Macadamia nuts. Date and Walnut Loaf ==================== Adapted from Kate in the Kitchen 2 1/2 cups chopped dates 1/4 cup butter 1 cups boiling water 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1 egg 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts . Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees F). Grease and flour a 9�5 inch loaf pan. (or three small loaf pans. Combine the dates, baking soda and butter in a large bowl. Pour boiling water over them, stir and let stand until cool. When the dates have cooled, stir in brown sugar, egg, sour cream and vanilla. Stir until well blended. Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into the date mixture until just blended. Do not over mix. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. If using mini loaf pans reduce baking time. OPTIONAL - MY CHANGES Add 1/2 cup of shredded coconut to the mix Orange Zest Bake in an 8 or 9 inch square cake pan (Springform) Substitute Roasted Macadamia Nuts Glaze warm cake with: 1/2 stick butter 1/8 cup of honey or agave syrup 1 tablespoon water o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by dgkritch (My Page) on Sat, Feb 12, 11 at 9:49 I'm glad this thread was bumped up. I'll be in Indio next week. Friday I'll be at the Date Festival (and I'll be thinking of you, Triciae, when I have my date shake)! I'm planning to bring home dates, so this thread will be put to use! The hard part will be deciding which recipe to try first!! Deanna o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by tracey_oh (My Page) on Sat, Feb 12, 11 at 12:46 I don't have much experience with dates aside from making my grandma's date pinwheel cookies which were a complete pain. Lately though I've been on a kick to make homemade Larabars which are my favorite breakfast when I'm not home. I've had a bunch of dates on hand while I play around with the bars. I found this recipe from the Mayo Clinic website and I have to say it's a pretty good way to use up some of the extra dates. The only problem I ran into was my blender (cuisinart) did not completely chop up the dates so there were some chunks at the bottom of the blender. Frosty Almond Date Shake This thick, creamy shake is a breeze to make. Just be certain that the almond milk and yogurt are truly ice cold, and the banana is frozen. Peel and halve the banana before freezing. By Mayo Clinic staff Serves 4 Ingredients 1/3 cup chopped pitted dates 2 tablespoons warm water 2 cups vanilla almond milk, chilled 1/2 cup fat-free vanilla soy or dairy yogurt 1 very ripe banana, frozen 4 ice cubes 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg, plus extra for garnish Directions Put the dates in a small bowl and sprinkle with the warm water. Let soak for 5 minutes to soften, then drain. In a blender, combine the dates, almond milk, yogurt, banana, ice cubes and the 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg. Blend until smooth and frothy, about 30 seconds. Pour into tall, chilled glasses and garnish each with a dusting of nutmeg. o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by soonergrandmom (My Page) on Sun, Feb 13, 11 at 21:33 lorijean44- Your date bread recipe is wonderful. It will become a regular in my kitchen. Thanks. o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by lorijean44 (My Page) on Mon, Feb 14, 11 at 7:46 You're welcome, Soonergrandmom. It's a nice addition to a meal but a great breakfast treat, too, isn't it?! Lori :D o RE: Cookalong #38 --- Dates clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by lpinkmountain (My Page) on Mon, Feb 14, 11 at 10:48 I left off a step in the directions for the applesauce date bread, darn it! You have to soak the dates in the boiling water and then drain them before you mix them into the bread. You could easily leave that part out if you have really fresh moist dates. I think I'm going to try making that recipe in an 8 inch square cake pan. Would be easier to incorporate the struesel topping that way, IMHO. It would make a nice coffeecake. Not sure about the baking time for that style. But first I will have to try Ann T's version!! :) But date bars are on the menu ahead of that. Funny, I can take or leave dates, but BF gets all excited when I make something with dates, and that's worth it to me!

Posted by sheshebop (My Page) on Fri, Mar 12, 10 at 9:12 Wow! I clipped and saved so many of these recipes, and still wasn't even half way through. I ended up printing the entire thread. As one who loves very tart tastes, this thread was perfect for me. I love the tartness of a cranberry. Whoever picked cranberries, good choice! o RE: Cookalong #23 ------CRANBERRIES clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by lpinkmountain (My Page) on Fri, Mar 19, 10 at 20:13 I just finished off my last slice of cranberry apple pie. I still have about a cup of cranberries left, which I think I will use to make those Empire muffins. I've got the carrots, walnuts AND the applesauce. o RE: Cookalong #23 ------CRANBERRIES clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by wizardnm (My Page) on Mon, Mar 22, 10 at 9:20 Really good recipes! I'm sure I'll be checking these over next fall when cranberries are plentiful again. Time for a new topic! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~drawing a name~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ OK...got it........................ >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Pat T <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Pat, please give us an ingredient focus ASAP! Just post it below, I'll watch for it and then start the new thread. Thanks to everyone for the cranberry recipes. Nancy o RE: Cookalong #23 ------CRANBERRIES clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by annie1992 (My Page) on Mon, Mar 22, 10 at 9:25 I should have posted yesterday, I made 12 half pints of Gina's cranberry citrus marmalade! OK, Pat T, I'll wait for your selection now... Annie o RE: Cookalong #23 ------CRANBERRIES clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by pat_t (My Page) on Mon, Mar 22, 10 at 9:39 OK Nancy - Let's go with PASTA as the new focus. I'm looking forward to some new recipes & ideas! PS: Thanks for picking me. I feel so special! LOL o RE: Cookalong #23 ------CRANBERRIES clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by stacy3 (My Page) on Mon, Mar 22, 10 at 9:56 as usual I am a day late and a dollar short but in since these threads get saved I'm going to add two of my favorite recipes - I love cranberries. And I love Alexa's crustless cranberry pie. I like it in the freezer cut into little bite sized pieces to grab a little piece every once in awhile...yum. thanks everyone for sharing all these great recipe! Drenched Cranberry Cake - Lorijean 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder 3 tablespoons vegetable shortening, melted 2/3 cup milk 1 egg 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries Sauce: 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter 1 cup sugar 3/4 cup heavy cream 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter a 9-inch round pan. Sift the flour, sugar, and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the shortening, milk, and egg. Beat for 2 minutes, or until smooth. Stir in the cranberries. Pour into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake for 1 hour, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack. While the cake is baking, make the sauce. Melt the butter in the top of a double boiler over simmering water (I just put a small saucepan over an extremely low flame and dispensed with the double-boiler!) Add the sugar, cream, and vanilla bean. Stir to mix well. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean. Serve the cake with each individual slice generously with the warmed sauce. Serves 8 Source: Very Cranberry, copyright 2003 posted by lorijean Cranberry Lemon Cookies -Jenn A wonderful cookie I discovered at Gail's Recipe Swap. They freeze well, but thaw them before adding icing. I posted this last year and got quite a few comments from people who said everyone loved them. * 1/2 C butter * 1/2 C sugar * 1/3 C brown sugar * 1/2 tsp. lemon zest * 1 egg * 2 tsp. vanilla * 1 C flour * 1 tsp. baking powder * 1/2 tsp. cinnamon * 1-1/2 C chopped pecans (I use walnuts) * 1-1/2 C chopped fresh cranberries Cream butter, sugars, and lemon zest. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Gradually beat into butter mixture. Stir in nuts and cranberries. Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350F for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden. Let cool slightly before removing to cooling racks. Frost when cool. ICING: Whisk together 1 C confectioner's sugar, 2 Tbsp milk, and 1/4 tsp. lemon zest. ============================================================ NOTES: * Though our oven tends to run hot, these cookies seem to take 13-14 minutes to bake. Check after 12 minutes and add an extra minute or two if needed; they should just be golden brown. * Icing is best when made at least a day ahead of time. This gives the sugar time to absorb the milk, and lets the lemon zest impart a strong lemon flavor. * The original recipe did not give the amount of vanilla, so I guessed at 2 tsp. o RE: Cookalong #23 ------CRANBERRIES clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by wizardnm (My Page) on Mon, Mar 22, 10 at 10:12 Great choice Pat! I'm getting another idea to go along with it. Thanks! Nancy Here is a link that might be useful: Cookalong #24-------PASTA! o RE: Cookalong #23 ------CRANBERRIES clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by sally2 (My Page) on Mon, Mar 22, 10 at 12:48 I was half way through the day yesterday, and had already made 2 loaves of bread and a pan of dark ginger bread (since we had 5 inches of snow !!! it seemed like a good day for baking, especially gingerbread) when I remembered about the cranberry cookalong. I'm going to copy and paste this thread, though. There's lots of good ideas for cranberries. Thanks for all the recipes. Sally o RE: Cookalong #23 ------CRANBERRIES clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by jessyf (My Page) on Wed, Mar 24, 10 at 11:45 I can't believe no one has posted Cranberry Jezebel. Cranberry Jezebel Sauce Recipe 1 cup water 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 (12 oz) bag fresh or frozen cranberries 3 tblsps prepared horseradish 1 tblsp Dijon mustard Garnish: fresh mint sprigs Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat. Add cranberries, and return to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool to room temp. Stir in horseradish and mustard; cover and chill. Garnish, if desired. o RE: Cookalong #23 ------CRANBERRIES clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by jimster (My Page) on Thu, Apr 1, 10 at 19:35 Better late than never, right? I finally got around to developing and testing this recipe and making the photos. My goal was a zippy cranberry chutney. Cranberry chutney is not such an original idea as I first thought. Malna posted one early in this thread and it turns out there are many recipes for it on the Internet. Anyway, here is mine. Chutney Ingredients Chutney Appetizer CRANBERRY CHUTNEY 12 oz. fresh or frozen cranberries 1 orange, chopped 1 apple, chopped 2 Tablespoons finely minced shallots 1 Tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger root 3/4 Cup white vinegar 3/4 Cup white wine 1 Cup sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil in a covered pot. Simmer covered for 5 minutes. Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes. Note: Prior to cooking, it may appear that there is not enough liquid. Check the consistency after the first five minutes of cooking. Add wine or water if necessary. The final product should be thick. Jim o RE: Cookalong #23 ------CRANBERRIES clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by chase (My Page) on Thu, Apr 1, 10 at 22:03 Jim, I'll go back and check the recipe in a minute but those pictures are amazing. Especially the first one! Gorgeous. You been hiding your talent boy! o RE: Cookalong #23 ------CRANBERRIES clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by lpinkmountain (My Page) on Fri, Apr 2, 10 at 8:58 So was it any good? I've been looking for a good cranberry chutney recipe, the one I have calls for sage and I've been skeptical so haven't made it. o RE: Cookalong #23 ------CRANBERRIES clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by jimster (My Page) on Fri, Apr 2, 10 at 12:00 Thanks for the nice words, Sharon. You made my day. LPM, this chutney was pretty much what I expected it to be. It's based on a review of many other recipes so I couldn't go too far wrong. My main innovations were to use shallots, ginger root and wine, nothing especially daring but fitting to the concept of a chutney I thought. I was tempted to use balsamic vinegar but went with white vinegar for the sharpness I wanted. I figured the other ingredients would provide enough fruitiness. Since it is the only cranberry chutney I ever tasted, I have no basis for comparison. I can only say it tastes good to me. I agree about that recipe which called for sage. I would not use green herbs. IMO, it's sweet spices you want with the fruitiness of chutney and that is consistent with most of the recipes I looked at. I just looked at Malna's recipe again and it looks like she also used ginger root, not ground ginger. Check her recipe and look at a few of the other on-line recipes and see what you think. Let us know if you make chutney. Jim o RE: Cookalong #23 ------CRANBERRIES clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by lpinkmountain (My Page) on Fri, Apr 2, 10 at 16:55 Right now I have the ingredients for Gina's Cranberry Citrus Marmelade languishing in my fridge, so if I do make preserves, that will be it. Most likely I will make the chutney to give as Christmas gifts next year, so I'll have to save this thread. I liked Malna's recipe too, but somehow I can't get my brain around curried cranberries! There is no total reason for this, other than I've never tried it. But also, I am not a big curry fan, and I don't really know why, because I liked seasoned food. There must be some particular ingredient in curry I don't like, and I think it may be fenugreek. Maybe that's not in Balti seasoning. o RE: Cookalong #23 ------CRANBERRIES clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by malna (My Page) on Fri, Apr 2, 10 at 18:58 I thought I heard my name being bantered around here LOL. Here's my take on the chutney issue - I much prefer the sweet one. As a matter of fact, I can just eat it right out of the jar. On a turkey sandwich? To die for. The curried one - DH loves it. I liked it right after I canned it but, as I said above, I think the curry part got too strong after a few months on the shelf. BTW, the ingredients in Balti are coriander, garlic, ginger, cumin, dundicut chilies, Ceylon cinnamon, mustard, cardamom, cloves, fennel, fenugreek (sorry, LPM), charnushka, star anise, ajwain, black cardamom, cilantro, anise seed and bay leaf. Whew, long list to type!