Oatmeal-Banana-Raisin Cookies

Originally uploaded by ted_major

• 1/2 cup canola
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 banana, mashed
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1-1/2 cups white whole wheat flour, such as Wheat Montana Prairie Gold
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3 cups oatmeal
• 1 cup currants (or raisins)

Preheat oven to 350F (use convection if you have it).

Combine oil, sugar, and banana, whisking until well mixed. Add eggs and vanilla and whisk again. Fold in flour, soda, and cinnamon. Add oatmeal and currants, and stir until well mixed.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake 10 minutes or to your liking.

Tuna with Tomato-Pepper Sauce

Originally uploaded by ted_major

Grilled Tuna Steaks with Tomato-Pepper Sauce

• 1 red onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt
• 1 lb. tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 1 orange bell pepper, chopped
• 1 Tbs capers, drained
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 2 Tuna steaks
• Olive oil to coat tuna

Preheat grill to high heat.

Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat, sprinkling lightly with salt. While onion and garlic sautee, lightly salt tuna steaks and let rest. When onion and garlic are soft and translucent, add tomatoes, pepper, capers, thyme, bay leaf, and cayenne. When sauce comes to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer.

Coat tuna with olive oil, the grill over high heat, searing the outside, but being careful not to overcook (it won’t take long! A couple minutes per side should do it.)

Plate tuna and spoon with sauce. Serve with a light salad and fresh bread.

I haven’t made this one yet, but it looks tasty, and the video instructions are entertaining:

Oddcast Cooking Course

Thanks to The Invisible Workshop for the photo and link.

5-hour bread

Originally uploaded by ted_major

5-Hour Bread

Lately, there have been a number of “no-knead” bread recipes that make wonderful loaves, but unfortunately take 20 hours or more to make. What’s so hard about kneading? I’ve combined some aspects of various no-knead recipes (such as the recent “almost no-knead bread” from Cook’s Illustrated,) and combined them with a bit of kneading to cut the time down to 5 hours—start the bread after lunch, and it will be ready for dinner.

• ¾ cup hot water
• ¼ cup light lager beer
• 1 Tbs white vinegar
• 2 tsp dried yeast (or 1 package)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp sugar

Combine water, beer, vinegar, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl, whisking to dissolve. Add flour and then salt. Mix until a dough forms, then turn onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 5 mins. Return to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise about 2 hours at room temperature.

When dough has risen, turn onto a lightly floured work surface and knead 10 to 15 times. Form into a round loaf. Line a skillet with parchment paper sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, and place loaf on parchment to rise. Spray dough with non-stick cooking spray and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise about another 2 hours.

Thirty minutes before bread has finished rising, place a cast-iron dutch oven with lid into the oven and preheat to 500F. When oven has heated, uncover dough, make decorative slashes in top of loaf, and sprinkle with flour. Remove dutch oven from from the oven and take off the lid. Using the parchment paper, lift to loaf and gently place in dutch oven, parchment and all. Return the lid to the dutch oven.

Return dutch oven to the oven, and reduce heat to 425F. Bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 20 to 30 minutes.

Spinach with Grape Tomatoes and Cannelini

Originally uploaded by ted_major

Spinach with Grape Tomatoes and Cannelini
• 1 bag prewashed baby spinach
• 1 pint grape tomatoes
• 1 can canellini beans
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 lemon
• Olive oil for sauteeing

Heat olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, sautee briefly, then add spinach. As spinach starts to wilt, add tomatoes and beans. Continue sautéing until spinach is wilted and beans and tomatoes are heated through. Remove from heat and squeeze lemon over the vegetable mixture.

Sweet Potato Frittata

Originally uploaded by ted_major

Sweet Potato Frittata

• 2 large sweet potatoes, diced
• 3 whole eggs
• 3 egg whites
• 1 cup freshly grated Asiago cheese
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• Olive oil for sauteeing

Beat eggs and egg whites together, then add about ¾ of both cheeses and salt and pepper.

In a non-stick sautee pan with an oven proof handle, sautee sweet potatoes and red bell peppers over medium heat until soft. Add olives and stir to mix until the olives are heated through.

Pour in egg mixture and swirl pan to heat evenly. Cook until eggs just begin to set. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

Place under broiler until the top of the frittata is browned. Remove from broiler, use a rubber spatula to loosen frittata, and slide onto a cutting board.

• 2 lbs small red beans, soaked overnight, rinsed, and drained
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 1 cup green pepper, chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• Olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 1/8 tsp cayenne
• 1/8 tsp cayenne
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1 lb sausage, sliced
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire suace

Sautee vegetables in olive oil until tender and translucent. Add to slow cooker and add beans, stock and herbs & spices. Let cook all day, then remove lid for an hour or 2 to thicken if needed. Just before serving, stir in Worcestershire and liquid smoke. Serve over long grain white rice with hot sauce to taste. As usual, I like a good habanero sauce, but YMMV.
For vegetarian red beans, omit sausage and Worcestershire and substitute vegetable stock.

• 1 1/3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 Tbs flour
• 2 Tbs Canola oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 (28 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (or 2 [14.5] oz cans)
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 2 cups frozen butter beans
• 2 cups frozen sliced okra
• 1 tsp liquid smoke
• 6 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 2 dashes Tobasco sauce

Sautee chicken in oil over medium high heat in a non-stick soup pot. When it begins to brown (8-10 mins), sprinkle flour into the pot and sautee, stirring, 2 to 3 more minutes. Add onion, garlic, and celery and sautee another 8 mins.

Add tomatoes (including juice), broth, and bay leaf, and simmer covered for 50 minutes.

Stir in corn, okra, and butter beans, and add liquid smoke, Worcestershire, and Tobasco. Bring to a simmer and simmer uncovered 20 to 30 minutes more.

• 1 onions chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/3 pounds ground turkey
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon powdered cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup crushed tomato
• 2 teaspoons wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons molasses
• salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper

In a large pot, sauté onions and garlic in oil over medium heat until onions are soft. Add turkey and cook until lightly browned. Add spices (except the bay leaf) and continue to cook for another minute or two, still stirring. Add bay leaf, water, crushed tomato, vinegar, and molasses.

Simmer, uncovered, for one hour, stirring occasionally. Add more water if necessary, keeping the meat barely covered; chili should be thickened but still soupy enough to be ladled. Discard bay leaf and season with salt and pepper.

Serve over spaghetti with grated cheddar cheese, oyster crackers, and kidney beans.

White Pizza

Originally uploaded by ted_major

Dough:

* 2/3 cup hot tap water
* 2 tsp yeast
* 1/2 tsp sugar
* 2 cups flour
* 1/2 tsp salt
* cornmeal to dust peel or pan

Topping:

* EVOO
* 4 cloves garlic (more or less, to taste), minced
* 1 cup freshly grated Asiago
* 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
* 1 can artichoke hearts, sliced
* 2 Tbs chopped fresh oregano
* 2 Tbs chopped fresh parsley

Place baking stone (if you have one) in oven and preheat to 500F.

Pour water into a mixing bowl and add sugar and yeast; whisk to mix. Add dry ingredients and stir until mixed. Turn out onto floured work surface and knead a few times, then form a ball and roll into a round.
Dust pizza peel with cornmeal and place dough on peel (or use a pizza pan or cookie sheet if you don’t have a peel).

Drizzle dough with olive oil and spread with garlic. Sprinkle with cheeses, then place ‘chokes on top and sprinkle with oregano. Bake about 10 minutes until golden brown, then garnish with parsley.