Camalized Onion Dip

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 pounds onions, diced (4 large)
• Salt
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 cup Greek non-fat yogurt
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more for sprinkling
• raw vegetables such as carrots, celery, radishes, etc

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook the onions with 1 teaspoon salt, stirring often, until caramelized, about 30-45 minutes.
2. Deglaze the pan, add the water and cook , scraping up any brown particles from the bottom of the skillet. Transfer the onions to a medium bowl and let cool for 30 minutes.
3. Stir yogurt, sour cream, lemon juice, and cayenne into the onions.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Sprinkle with cayenne, and serve with vegetables and/or chips.

Spiced-Up Hummus

Ingredients: Makes 3 cups

• 15 (1 can) ounces chickpeas, drained, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid
• 1/4 cup tahini (sesame paste)
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon ground star anise (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped, plus whole leaves for garnish (optional)
• 1 plum tomato, peeled, seeded, and very finely chopped
• 2 scallions, very thinly sliced
• Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

1. In a food processor combine beans and reserved bean liquid, tahini, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, star anise (if using), ginger, and cumin; puree until smooth.
2. Transfer to a serving bowl and stir in cilantro, tomato, and scallions; season with salt and pepper. Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons oil over the top of the hummus. Before serving, garnish with cilantro leaves if desired.
3. Source: Martha Stewart Online 

Chicken and Basil Stir-Fry

Serves 4

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (longer pieces cut crosswise in half again)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 6 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, halved and cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges
• 2 bell peppers (red, green, or a mix, ribs and seeds removed), cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 cups fresh Thai (see note) or other basil leaves, larger leaves torn in half
• Cooked white rice, for serving (optional)

Directions  (Total Time: 40 minutes)

1. Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels. In a medium bowl, toss chicken with cornstarch until coated; season generously with salt and pepper.
2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high. Cook half the chicken, turning once, until browned, but not completely cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes total. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with another 2 teaspoons oil and remaining chicken. Transfer chicken to plate. Set aside. Wipe out skillet with a paper towel.
3. To skillet, add remaining 2 teaspoons oil, onion, and bell peppers; cook over medium-high heat, tossing often, until beginning to brown, 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Add 1/4 cup water, vinegar, soy sauce, and chicken to pan; cook, tossing, until chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in basil leaves. Serve immediately, over white rice, if desired. 

Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

Makes one 9-inch cake; Serves 10

FOR THE TOPPING

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Coarse salt

FOR THE CAKE

• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for buttering pan
• 1 pound rhubarb, trimmed and cut on a very sharp diagonal about 1/2 inch thick
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• Coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest plus 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup sour cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the topping: Stir together butter, flour, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until moist and crumbly.
2. Make the cake: Butter a 9-inch round cake pan (2 inches deep). Dot with 4 tablespoons butter (cut into pieces). Toss rhubarb with 3/4 cup sugar; let stand for 2 minutes. Toss again, and spread in pan.
3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Beat remaining stick butter and cup sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in zest and juice. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream, until smooth. Spread evenly over rhubarb. Crumble topping evenly over batter.
4. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and top springs back when touched, about 1 hour. Let cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake, and invert onto a wire rack. Let cool completely.

Let the cake cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan. The rhubarb will be too hot to handle safely right after baking. But if the cake sits much longer, it may stick.

Source: Martha Stewart Living

Rhubarb Custard

Makes 6

3/4 cup sugar

12 ounces rhubarb trimmed and cut crosswise (1/4 in thick)

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup flour

2 large eggs plus large egg yolk

Heat oven to 350.  Butter six 5 1/2in gratin dishes (1 inch deep) and dust with sugar;  arange on a rimmed baking sheet.  Toss rhubarb with 1/4 cup sugar, and divided among dishes.  Cover each first with parchment and then with foil, and bake until rhubarb is just beginning to release liquid and soften, about 30 minutes.

Puree milk, cream, flour, egg and yolk, remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a blender until smooth.  Divide mixture evenly among dishes.  Bake, uncovered, until just set, 22 to 24 minutes.  Let cool for 20 minutes.

Rachel's Thoughts: I don't have gratin dishes, so I just used some small pyrex ones and covered with one layer of rhubarb.

Source: Martha Stewart Living

Baked Raspberry Custard

- To try once my raspberry bush gives me berries! -

Serves 6

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups raspberries (about 9 ounces)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In oven, melt butter in a 9-inch pie plate, about 6 minutes.
2. In a blender, combine milk, eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, flour, salt, and vanilla. Add melted butter and blend mixture until smooth, 30 seconds.
3. Distribute berries evenly in pie plate and pour batter over top. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar and bake until slightly puffed and just set in middle, 20 to 25 minutes. Heat broiler and broil until top is deep golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve warm.

Rhubard Lime Sherbet

Ingredients

• 6 oz (two large stalks) of rhubarb, washed and trimmed
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbs sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 tbs freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 cup whole milk

Thinly slice rhubarb. In a medium nonreactive sauce pan, combine rhubarb, sugar, and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and let simmer 5 minutes, until rhubarb is soft and cooked through. Remove from heat and let cool.

Puree rhubarb mixture in a blender or food processor and scrape into a medium bowl. Add lime juice and milk and stir until combined. Thoroughly chill for 4 hours (or overnight) in the refrigerator. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Source: Modern Domestic Blog
Note to Self -Double recipe for my ice cream maker!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
3. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Pasta with Goat Cheese and Roasted Asparagus

 Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 2 bunches asparagus (2 pounds total), tough ends removed
• 4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
• 12 ounces cavatappi or other short pasta
• 1 small log soft goat cheese (5 ounces), crumbled
• 2 to 3 tablespoons snipped fresh chives, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta. Place asparagus on a large rimmed baking sheet; dot with 1 tablespoon butter, and season with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, tossing occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes; cut into 2-inch lengths.
2. While asparagus is roasting, generously salt boiling water. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Set aside 1 1/2 cups pasta water; drain pasta and return to pot.
3. In a medium bowl, combine goat cheese, remaining 3 tablespoons butter, and 1/2 cup pasta water. Season with salt and pepper, and whisk until smooth. Add goat-cheese mixture and asparagus to pasta; toss to combine, adding more pasta water if necessary for sauce to coat pasta. Serve pasta garnished with chives.

Chocolate Double Layer Cake

Frosting

Makes about 4 cups

• 2 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
• 3/4 cups sour cream

Directions

1. Sift together confectioners' sugar, cocoa, and salt. 
2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese and butter until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add sugar mixture; mix until combined. Mix in melted and cooled chocolate and then sour cream; scrape down sides of bowl and continue beating until smooth. Use immediately, or frosting can be stored in the refrigerator up to 5 days, or frozen up to 1 month, in an airtight container. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat on low speed until smooth.

Cake

• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons safflower oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans (2 inches deep) dust with cocoa; set aside. Sift together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl, beat on low until just combined.  Raise speed to medium and add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl to assure batter is well mixed.
2. Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake until set and a tooth pick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 35 minutes, let cool for 15 minutes.  Turn out from pans.  Let cool completely.
3. Spread 2 cups of chocolate frosting onto top of 1 cooled layer.  Top with remaining layer; frost top and sides with remaining 2 cups of frosting.   
4. Cupcake Option: Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20 minutes, rotating pan once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

• Note: To Make buttermilk add 1 tbsp of lemon juice to 3/4 cup of milk and let sit for 5 min