Curried Egg Salad Sandwich

Several days ago I made egg salad sandwiches. Last week I made a curried turkey salad. Can you see where this is going...? So when I came across this curried egg salad recipe on 101 Cookbooks I instantly added it to my virtual recipe file. Since Heidi (of 101 Cookbooks)'s egg salad recipe was inspired, and I'd recently discovered that mayonnaise, yogurt, and curry are meant for each other, why wouldn't this new combination work?!

With creamy and soft hard-boiled eggs (no that's not an oxymoron, despite their name hard boiled eggs should be soft!), you don't miss the meat in your sandwich. Plus there's crunchy red onions, sweet diced apple, and pretty green flecks of fresh chives. This curried concoction does work- and it's delicious!

It's fortunate that I recently acquired these recipes. As of last night, we're snowed in! Stuck under a foot (at least ) of snow. As exciting as this is, (I'm still hoping for classes to be canceled on Monday- how inconvenient that it snows on a Saturday), I didn't rush to the grocery Friday night and stockpile my fridge. I choose to not take part in the madness. But when our leftovers run out, I might regret my decision! But I do have bread and eggs. And mayonnaise, always mayonnaise. So I'm thinking egg salad might get us through. Or at least give us the energy to don our ski gear and sweep our way down the sidewalk (we don't own a shovel- also inconvenient) so we can uncover our cars and slide down the street to the store. I'll let you know how that goes. For now, I'm going to stay under this blanket and the heat radiating off my laptop and hope I don't have to step out into that frozen white world anytime too soon.

INGREDIENTS
5 large eggs
1 Tbsp. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. plain Greek yogurt (nonfat works fine)
1- 1 1/2 tsp. curry powder (to taste)
2 large pinches salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 apple, chopped
1/4 red or white onion, diced
1/4 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
small bunch chives, chopped

whole wheat bread (optional)
butter lettuce (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Place the eggs in a large pot and cover with cold water. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Immediately remove from the heat, cover, and let sit 10 minutes undisturbed. Remove the eggs from the water and rinse in cold water or set in a bowl full of ice water until cooled. Crack and peel each egg and place in a medium sized bowl.

2. Stir to combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, curry powder, and salt in a small bowl. Pour over the eggs and use a fork to mash to a chunky consistency. Gently stir in the apple, onion, pecans, and chives to coat. (If needed, add a little extra plain yogurt for moisture.) Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over toasted whole wheat bread with butter lettuce.

Serves 2-3.

(Adapted from 101 Cookbooks)

Chunky Peanut, Chocolate Chip, and Cinnamon Cookies

There must be at least a thousand different ways to make a chocolate chip cookie. I hope that means I'll never run out of creative new cookies to share with you! This peanut butter and chunky roasted peanut-loaded chocolate chip cookie (say that three times fast!) is superb! It's full of peanut flavor, but not enough to overwhelm the semi-sweet chocolate. And it's all balanced by a subtle saltiness. Sweet and salty, soft and crunchy, all in one cookie.

This cookie dough has an amazing texture. The cookies puff right up in the oven and stay tender and chewy once cooled. No flat cookie pucks, which is my cookie nightmare. I stuck the dough in the fridge for the recommended 15 minutes prior to baking, but if you're in a hurry, go ahead and skip that step. These keep well stored at room temperature for a few days or tucked away in the freezer for several weeks. They'll last a lot longer out of sight!

INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup roasted, salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. In a medium sized bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In a large bowl, mix butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium speed, until combined, about 2 minutes. Add sugar and mix another 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and eggs, one at a time. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and peanuts by hand. Refrigerate dough until slightly firm, about 15 minutes.

3. Lightly grease or line a baking sheet. Distribute the dough by rounded tablespoons-fulls onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes until golden brown on the edges. When done, cool cookies on pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. 

Makes 24-36 cookies.

(Adapted from Martha Stewart's Cookies via Every Last Cookie)

Egg Salad Sandwich

The key to a good egg salad is in how you cook the eggs. Hard boiled eggs, as simple as they seem, take some practice to perfect. I detailed my new found method in step 1 below. I've repeated it several times now and always achieved the same result: a soft and creamy yellow center, a pure solid white (no green ring in sight), and a shell that practically slips right off.

Because egg salad is all about the eggs, I think you should keep it simple. I didn't even bother with mustard (but left the option for you mustard lovers). This is how egg salad should be done: gently chunked eggs, light on the mayonnaise (notice I've included a lighter alternative), celery for crunch, chives for kick, and a splash of lemon to freshen it up. Serve it piled high on toasted whole wheat over a slice of smooth butter lettuce. (Yes, I made that whole wheat bread! Recipe found here.)

INGREDIENTS
6 large eggs
2-3 Tbsp. mayonnaise (you can try using Greek yogurt for part of the mayo)
squirt of mustard, to taste (optional- I went without)
1 large or 2 small stalks celery, chopped
1/2 bunch fresh chives, chopped
splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt and pepper, to taste
8 slices whole wheat bread, toasted
4 butter lettuce leaves

DIRECTIONS
1. Place the eggs in a large pot and cover with cold water. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Immediately remove from the heat, cover, and let sit 10 minutes undisturbed. Remove the eggs from the water and rinse in cold water or set in a bowl full of ice water until cooled. Crack and peel each egg and place in a medium sized bowl.

2. Add the mayonnaise, mustard (optional), and a splash of lemon juice. Mash with a fork into bite-size chunks. Stir in the celery and chives. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

3. To assemble the sandwich, place lettuce on one slice of the toasted bread. Top with some of the egg salad mixture, then the second slice of bread. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches.

Makes 4 sandwiches (or 2 very large ones).

(Adapted from 101 Cookbooks)

Curried Couscous with Cranberries

School is back in full swing and the cooking has slowed down. But at least one day a week (usually ends up being Saturday or Sunday) I like to go all out and cook a real meal. (Not that tacos and paninis aren't for real, I just mean a dinner with multiple side dishes and even dessert! So last Sunday I roasted this herb marinated pork tenderloin and paired it with a curried couscous salad. The juicy, tender pork medallions went so well with the fluffy sweet couscous. A successful match!

When I first glanced at this recipe I was concerned over the amount of curry powder it called for. A full tablespoon seemed like it would overwhelm the dish, but it did not. It was just right. The little couscous beads soaked up the citrus and curry flavors. Tossed with crunchy green onions, toasted walnuts and sweet chewy cranberries, this salad made a sparkling side dish!

INGREDIENTS
1 cup whole wheat couscous
1 cup boiling water
3/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1 Tbsp. curry powder
1/2-1 tsp. salt (to taste)
1 tsp. organic cane sugar
1/2 navel orange, juiced
2-3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (to taste)
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped (can be toasted in a dry skillet over medium-low heat or in the oven)
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium sized bowl, stir to combine the couscous, cranberries, curry powder, salt, and sugar. Bring water to a boil and pour it over the couscous. Add the orange juice. Give it a big stir, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and let it stand, giving it a big stir once or twice, until the water is absorbed and the couscous is tender, about 5 minutes.

2. Fluff up the couscous with a fork. Add the olive oil, scallions, parsley, lemon juice, and walnuts. Stir until everything is distributed evenly throughout the couscous. Make up to 2 hours ahead of time and keep at room temperature until you're ready to serve (it can be enjoyed cold, although we liked it best warm). Check the seasonings just before you serve and add salt and pepper, to taste.

Serves 4.

(Adapted from Food Network)

Carrot Ginger Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Last year I made a carrot cake that I absolutely loved. You can read me gush about it here. Then a few weeks ago I came across this recipe for a ginger carrot cake that caught my eye. I wasn't hoping to replace my favorite carrot cake, but to augment my cake recipe collection. Carrot cake is so good, why not have a few spectacular styles up your sleeve? I think what really got me was the ginger-carrot combination (I love love love a good carrot ginger vinaigrette!). And this cake uses fresh ginger instead of powder. That's unique!

So as I always can, I found an excuse to make a double decker cake and eat way too much of it. The cake itself is light, but the frosting (which uses fresh ginger as well) is thick and decadent and rich. Flecks of bright orange zest add a citrus zing to to the frosting that pairs perfectly with the cake. The ginger flavor is not overwhelming- I found it rather refreshing. I used the pecans called for in the batter, but I suppose you could leave them out. The only advice I would give you is to not overbake your cake. I think I left mine in the oven a bit too long (and I blame Martha), because it was rather crumbly when I went to decorate. If anything, you want to slightly under-bake for a super-moist cake.

INGREDIENTS
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup (3 oz.) pecan halves, toasted (this can be done in a skillet or the oven) and finely chopped
about 1 lb. large carrots, peeled and finely grated (2 1/2 cups grated)
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup nonfat buttermilk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups canola oil
1 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 (8-oz. each) cream cheese, room temperature
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 Tbsp. freshly grated orange zest
2 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger
Pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Butter and flour two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans.

2. In a large bowl, combine carrots, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, sugar, oil, and ginger. Whisk until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in the toasted pecans.

3. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans and bake in preheated oven for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove pans from the oven to cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack to continue cooling to room temperature.

4. To make the cream cheese frosting, whip butter with an electric mixer on medium high for 2 minutes until fluffy. Add cream cheese and beat until well combines and fluffy, about 2 minutes more. Add the remaining ingredients and beat several minutes more. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

5. Once the cakes have cooled, they are ready to frost. You can make a 4-layer cake by slicing each cake round in half with a serrated knife. (I chose to keep it 2 layers as I was worried it would crumble too much when slicing.) Place a layer of frosting between each layer of cake, then cover the sides and top with the remaining frosting. The cake can be frosted ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

Makes a tall 8 or 9 inch round cake (serves around 12).

(Adapted from Martha Stewart)

Avocado Feta Salsa

As I was reading reviews on this recipe (on All Recipes) prior to posting it, I came across one that suggested removing the feta and replacing it with corn and black beans (because it would be so much better!). WHAT? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? HOW...DARE... THEY... (I call this my recipe rage) suggest something so absurd! Did someone miss the title? It's called avocado feta salsa for a reason. Because it's all about the feta!!! It's the star, the special ingredient that makes this so sinfully good. So, dear absurd All Recipes reader, go stick your opinionated nose elsewhere if you want a corn, black bean, and tomato salsa. You've clearly missed the point. I came here for feta salsa, and that's what I'm gonna get!

Phew, I'm glad I got that off my chest! Some people are so unreasonable (and I wonder if not somewhat mental). Because feta, Greek king of cheeses, is pungent, it's bold, it's fantastic. It goes exceptionally well with avocado which is mellow and mild. The other ingredients in this salsa are meant to accessorize. They bring the taste together. Serve it with with pita or tortilla chips, raw veggies for dunking, or on top of a taco. I don't care how you eat it, just keep you corn and black beans out of sight!

INGREDIENTS
1/2 tsp. dried oregano (or 1 1/2 tsp. fresh)
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and chopped
2-3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 oz. feta, crumbled (I used garlic and herb flavored feta, use as much as you want, to taste)
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium sized bowl, toss to combine avocado, tomato, onion, and garlic. Stir in oregano and parsley. Drizzle with red wine vinegar and olive oil; toss to coat. Gently fold in the feta. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and chill for several hours, or until ready to serve.

Serves 4.

(Adapted from All Recipes)

Grilled Chicken Fajita Pizza

Oh, I love pizza. You couldn't tell, could you? Over the last year I've only posted ten different pizzas! All on my homemade (half whole wheat) crust. All delectable, all delish! This is a new twist: a southwest style fajita pizza. Replacing the traditional tomato sauce is thick and chunky salsa, which is topped with grilled fajita-seasoned chicken, peppers and onions, and then smothered in spicy Pepper Jack cheese. You're losing the tortilla, but you're getting a golden chewy crust! Very conveniently you can ramp up (or dampen) the heat to your liking- just use your favorite level of salsa (mild, medium, or hot) and preferred intensity of Pepper Jack (I recently learned they make a version using habeneros- only for the brave crazy!). Grilling the meat and vegetables gives them that distinguished smoky flavor- don't skip that step- it's easy and so worth it!

INGREDIENTS
1 recipe pizza dough
1 skinless boneless chicken breast half
1/2 white onion, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 green bell pepper
1/2 orange or yellow bell pepper
extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
3/4 cup salsa (I used our favorite thick and chunky jarred salsa)
approx. 2 cups Pepper Jack cheese
cilantro, chopped (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare pizza dough according to recipe directions.

2. While the dough is rising, preheat indoor grill pan to medium-high heat. In a small bowl, combine chili powder, garlic powder, and sea salt. In a large bowl, toss vegetables with 1/2 tsp. of the spice mixture and a drizzle of olive oil to coat. Rub the remaining spice mixture over the surface of the chicken breast.

3. Place vegetables on preheated grill and grill for several minutes on each side, until the onion begins to soften and the pepper skins begin to blister. Remove from the grill and once cooled, cut into thin slices. Place the chicken breast on the grill and cook until the juices run clear. Remove from the grill and let sit several minutes before slicing.

4. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 F. Prepare crust according to recipe directions.

5. Spread salsa over the prepared crust. Top with grilled chicken and vegetables. Sprinkle Pepper Jack over top. Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Sprinkle with cilantro before slicing.

Makes 1 large pizza.

(Adapted from Blog Chef)

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

There's nothing I've been wanting more to make, to master, than honey whole wheat. Now you think I'm crazy. Let me explain. Bread, to me, is the pinnacle of baking. The toughest and yet the most rewarding prize to produce. But I wasn't going to be happy with just any bread. I wanted to create a hearty, healthy loaf of whole wheat. One that would compare to ones I buy from local bakeries that are soft and chewy, moist, and sweet. That taste like home.

I had my doubts about this goal. I'd never baked a perfect loaf before and I didn't know where to start. I knew I wanted to keep it simple. Five ingredients: whole wheat flour, water, yeast, salt, and honey. No butter, oil, or fat of any kind. It's not necessary. I don't want to rely on fat for taste and texture. I want it to be the skillful combination of healthy whole ingredients that result in a loaf our grandmothers would be proud of. And I want to stop buying store-bought sandwich bread. It's never very good.

So here's what I did... I did not look at a recipe (except for a suggested baking temperature). I figured I knew enough about baking bread that I could wing it (and it worked wonderfully when I invented my pizza dough recipe!). I proofed the yeast in honey + water. Yeast thrives on sugar, so this activates it very quickly. Then, I soaked half of the flour in the yeast, honey, and water mixture. This allows the gluten to develop (which can be a problem in whole wheat dough). I only soaked it for half an hour, but you might get even better results the longer you let it sit. Then I stirred in the salt (and not a moment sooner, because salt can de-activate yeast) and the white whole wheat flour (made from white wheat, has a higher gluten content than red wheat) and kneaded until I had dough. I allowed for two rise cycles in the warmest place I could find- or create (this can be done by preheating your oven to say, 250 F, turning it off, and then placing the rising dough in or on the oven). In the summer I have no trouble rising dough but the winter is another matter.

Partway through baking wonderful smells began to emanate throughout my house. The kind that bring hungry wanderers to the kitchen. That would be me, in this case. I couldn't help but watch through the glowing oven door as the loaf rose and slowly turned golden brown. I could hardly wait to cut a steaming slice off and take a bite. I didn't wait. There are some times when I have no self control and baking bread is one of them. I sawed right down the middle of that loaf and cut myself a hefty slice. And then another. That loaf disappeared ridiculously fast. Good thing I left out the fat.

Just to make sure my first attempt wasn't a freak accident and that I really could bake a loaf of whole wheat bread that good, I repeated the procedure yesterday. And while the loaf rose a little less vigorously (so I extended the rise time), I ended up with another scrumptious loaf of honey-sweet whole wheat. This time the minute I took the bread out of the oven I left the house. That way it would have time to cool without my interfering. By the time I returned home the bread had reached room temperature, so I set about to slicing. I successfully sliced it thin enough for sandwiches and it is now resting in my freezer (carefully wrapped in a Ziploc sac).

Somehow I'm going to have to fit bread-baking into my school schedule. It might take time, but I'll be saving money (and calories) by making my own. I'll probably make double recipes from now on (since they freeze so well). And I'm going to experiment with variations- such as sunflower whole wheat!

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups warm water (100-110 F)
1/4 cup honey
1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2-2 cups white whole wheat flour

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine honey and warm water in a large glass or plastic bowl (I sometimes microwave the honey for a few seconds to get it to dissolve better). Add yeast and let sit 10 minutes or until frothy.

2. Add the 2 cups of whole wheat flour, and stir until no dry clumps remain. Cover and let sit at least 30 minutes until bubbly.

3. Stir in the salt and 1 cup of white whole wheat flour, mixing until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding the remaining flour as necessary to prevent sticking, 8-10 minutes until smooth. Return the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

4. Lightly grease a loaf pan with cooking spray. Punch down the dough and form into a log (dusting your fingers with flour will help prevent sticking). Place the dough into the bottom of the loaf pan and cover (I use a thin kitchen towel that I dampen with hot water). Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled (the dough should rise well past the top of the pan).

5. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown on top (the loaf will sound hollow when tapped). Remove from the pan to cool on a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing (especially if you want thin slices for sandwiches). Keeps for several days at room temperature and much longer in the freezer.

Makes 1 loaf.

(My own recipe.)