Grab Bag Friday: Linda Urban's Bada-Bings

This week, I came across a recipe for some deeelicious chocolate cookies with a zing. In Linda Urban's smart and funny middle-grade novel, A Crooked Kind of Perfect, 10 year old Zoe's dad has a penchant for mail-order Living Room University courses. One of his courses is in cookie making.

So it may come as no surprise that on Ms. Urban's website, you can find a recipe for Bada-Bings...fudgy, chocolate cookies with dried cherries (or cranberries) to give just the perfect balance of sweet with a tang. Yum!

Kevin and I have been loving these cookies. And they're so rich, that I'm actually perfectly satisfied after one or two. Which is unheard of. Gingersnaps, for instance...I could easily eat the whole pan in one sitting. :)

(We halved the recipe and it still made two cookie sheets full.)

I suggest picking up A Crooked Kind of Perfect, whipping up a batch of Bada-Bings, and having yourself a *lovely* weekend!

As for the book, here's the jacket-flap sum-up:

Ten-year-old Zoe Elias has perfect piano dreams. She can practically feel the keys under her flying fingers; she can hear the audience's applause. All she needs is a baby grand so she can start her lessons, and then she'll be well on her way to Carnegie Hall.

But when Dad ventures to the music store and ends up with a wheezy organ instead of a piano, Zoe's dreams hit a sour note. Learning the organ versions of old TV theme songs just isn't the same as mastering Beethoven on the piano. And the organ isn't the only part of Zoe's life that's off-kilter, what with Mom constantly at work, Dad afraid to leave the house, and that odd boy, Wheeler Diggs, following her home from school every day.

Yet when Zoe enters the annual Perform-O-Rama organ competition, she finds that life is full of surprises—and that perfection may be even better when it's just a little off center.

Grab Bag Friday: The Six O'Clock Scramble

I've always said that if I won the lottery, the one thing I might splurge on would be a private chef. I can't stand to plan meals. I'm not a great cook (though I can *bake* like nobody's business!) and Kevin and I only have a few standard meals:

• Burritos
• Tacos
• Chicken Soba Noodles
• Soup
  
• And our tried and true fallback--popcorn and smoothies.

Coming up with a unique meal plan for the week and figuring out what ingredients we would need is like nails on a chalkboard to me.

So recently, we've been trying out The Six O'Clock Scramble. It's an online program that plans out your meals for the week and spits out a grocery list to match. We tested a couple similar programs first, but settled on The Scramble because the meals were both tastier and healthier.

Here's the deal:

You pay $1 a week. You have to pay upfront for a year, but if you don't like it within 30 days you can get your money back.

You can choose how many meals you need for a week, and this takes a little experimenting. We've found that for 2 of us, taking leftovers into account, 3 or 4 meals gets us through a whole week.

You can swap out meals you don't like. Kevin hates fish, so anytime there's a seafood meal, we choose "Custom Menu" and search through the database to pick something else.

So far so good. I love not having to think about what I'm going to make for dinner tonight. The grocery list isn't perfect (it may list things twice if you need it in 2 recipies, so you just have to be vigilant), but it still saves a ton of time. We've had a couple meals we weren't crazy about, but overwhelmingly, they've been delicious. And they've added a *huge* amount of variety to our diet.

Here are just a few of the hits we've had in the last month:

• Southwestern Cobb Salad with Avocado Ranch Dressing
• Barbeque Meatloaf
• Polenta Mozzarella Melt with Roasted Red Peppers
• Peanut Beef Skewers
• Fried Rice with Tofu and Snap Peas
• Panzanella (Italian Bread Salad with Salami)

I can't believe I actually made these things. And seriously. They were easy.

So I'd say The Scramble is worth a shot. I'm certainly enjoying dinnertime a whole lot more. :)

Grab Bag Friday: Alan's Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

When we were kids, my brother used to make these cookies all the time (turtle bread was one of his other specialties). Since they have oatmeal, nuts, and peanut butter chips (practically just as healthy as peanut butter!) in them, my siblings and I all felt completely justified eating them for breakfast. I have to admit, I sometimes still do. :)

Enjoy!

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

1 c butter
1 1/2 c sugar
1 c packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c powdered cocoa
1 t baking soda
3 c quick-cooking or regular rolled oats
1/2 c chopped nuts
12 oz peanut butter chips
12 oz chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl beat butter & sugars until light and fluffy. Blend in eggs & vanilla. In separate bowl stir together flour, cocoa, & baking soda. Gradually add to butter mixture, mixing well. Stir in oats & nuts. (Batter will be stiff.) Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 11-12 minutes or until set. Cookies will be slightly moist in center. Do not overbake. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie to wire rack. Cool completely. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Grab Bag Friday: My Favorite Squash Soup Recipe

It's definitely getting colder here in Maine. Car windows frosting up, heaters kicking on, hats, scarves, and sweaters emerging from storage. Here's a tasty recipe I like to make to take off the chill...

Pureed Butternut Squash Soup

2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 piece (2 inches) fresh ginger, peeled & chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 3/4 pounds small butternut squash, prepared (either cubed in 3/4 inch squares, uncooked; or bake ahead at 450 until soft and scoop out the flesh)
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion until
fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, & squash; cook,
stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in 4 cups
water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer until squash is tender, 20
minutes. (If you pre-baked the squash, you don't need to simmer so
long.)

Puree soup in 2 batches. When blending hot foods, allow the heat to
escape to prevent splattering. Remove the cap from the hole of the
blender's lid, and cover with a dish towel. Stir in juice and 1 1/2
teaspoons salt.

Grab Bag Friday: Nelly's Mexican Fudge

I fully realize that I should wait until Christmas or at least Thanksgiving to post a recipe like this, but I won't apologize. There has been a morning chill in the air all week here in Maine, and temperatures have dropped below the melting point, so I think it's high time we moved on from popsicles and watermelon into something a little more decadent.

A visiting Latin American Studies professor gave me this simple recipe, and I think you'll agree that her years of studying the culture truly paid off. Yum!

Nelly's Mexican Fudge

18 oz. chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
splash of coffee
"good dash" of cinnamon and vanilla

1. Melt.
2. Line pan with waxed paper.
3. Pour mixture into pan.
4. Chill

Grab Bag Friday: Barley, Beet, & Feta Salad

So I'm finally home from my travels, and I came back to another delicious bag of fresh vegetables from our CSA at Hatchet Cove Farm. And beets! I know, I know. You either love them or hate them. I love them. My husband hates them. Here's a yummy salad to use up your beets and arugula, and you can leave the beets on the side...that way somebody doesn't have to eat them. More for me!

Barley, Beet, and Feta Salad
(from Cooking Light)

This hearty salad can be eaten warm or cold. It's a delicious balance of sweet beets, rich barley, tangy feta, and slightly bitter arugula. Each of the components can be made ahead and mixed at the last minute, making it great for dinner on busy days.

1 pound beets
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups uncooked pearl barley
2 cups trimmed arugula
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 (4-ounce) package crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons fennel seeds

Leave root and 1 inch stem on beets; scrub with a brush. Place in a medium saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes or until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water, and cool. Trim off beet roots, and rub off skins. Cut beets into 1/4 inch wedges.

Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the barley; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes. Remove from heat; cool.

Combine the barley, arugula, walnuts, and cheese in a large bowl. Combine vinegar and remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Pour the vinegar mixture over the barley mixture, tossing to coat. Top with beets.

Grab Bag Friday: Chicken Soba Salad

This is a quick, easy, healthy, & delicious recipe I got from Cooking Light Magazine and modified a bit to my liking. It's a great summer meal because it's tasty hot or cold. The chicken only takes about 15 minutes to cook, but you can use rotisserie chicken if you're pressed for time (just don't get the kind with the seasoning). You can find soba noodles at your natural foods store, in the "World" section (or maybe the noodle section) of your grocery store, or at any Asian grocery. Enjoy!

Chicken Soba Salad

2 cups water
2 (6-oz) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
4 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons rice vinegar (I've substituted with white wine vinegar, I'm sure others would work well, too)
4 tablespoons peanut oil (I've also used sesame oil, olive oil, and even canola with good results)
4 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons honey
1-2 garlic cloves (minced)
1-2 teaspoons of chopped jalepeno (Depending on how much zest you like. Use hot sauce if you don't have a pepper)
2 cups cooked soba noodles (about 4 oz. uncooked)
1 cup grated or chopped carrot
1/2-3/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4-1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
4 teaspoons chopped unsalted peanuts (optional)

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, remove from heat, and let stand 15 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken from pan, and discard peppercorns, bay leaf, and cooking liquid. Shred chicken; place in a large bowl.

2. Cook soba noodles according to package directions.

3. Combine vinegar and next 5 ingredients (vinegar through jalepeno), stirring with a whisk. Pour over chicken; let stand 5 minutes. Add soba noodles and the next 4 ingredients (noodles through chopped basil) to chicken mixture and toss well. Sprinkle with peanuts. Garnish with lime wedges. Yield: 3-4 servings.

Grab Bag Friday: Recipe for Turtle Bars

Here's a weekend treat for you. This is a super easy recipe I got out of Real Simple Magazine. It's a great one to make with kids (they can easily help pouring on the layers), and it is deeelicious! Hint: keep them in the fridge...the cooler & more set they get, the tastier they are.

Turtle Bars

2 cups flour
½ cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 large egg, beaten
1 t. vanilla
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped (I use walnuts because they’re cheaper)
¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup toffee-and-chocolate baking pieces, such as Heath or Skor (you can find these at the grocery in the chocolate chip section)

Heat oven to 350. Combine the flour, powdered sugar and butter and beat until a crumbly dough is formed. (This is cool. You beat it & it turns just to crumbles, and then all of a sudden in one instant it turns to dough. Don’t eat all the dough even though it is *yummy*.) Press the dough firmly into a greased 9x13 inch pan. Bake until just golden. about 13 minutes. Whisk together the condensed milk, egg and vanilla. Pour the filling over the baked crust. Sprinkle the nuts, chocolate chips, and toffee pieces evenly over the filling. Bake until the filling is set, the edges are golden brown, and the toffee is melted, about 25 minutes. Cool completely in the refrigerator, about 2 hours.

Enjoy!!

Grab bag Friday: Nana's Rum Cake

Well, now that we've stuffed ourselves silly with so much tasty food, I thought I'd pass on a recipe that I made yesterday: Nana's Rum Cake. Yum!

Now for years, my grandmother has made this delicious rum cake on special occasions, and my siblings and I thought it was passed down for generations, originating probably in Italy where my great-grandmother was born. It looks and tastes so elaborate and fancy that we imagined my grandmother slaving away in the kitchen for hours on end just so that we could taste a bit of family history. When we finally got around to asking Nana for the recipe, it turns out that she found it on the back of a rum bottle, and it is really incredibly easy. (My siblings and I are apparently easily duped...my other grandmother used to make the most delectable noodle dish. She called it "Grandma's Noodles." It took until college for me to find out that the rest of the world calls it something else: Ramen!)

At any rate, this is a delicious cake. And when Nana makes it, it still tastes extra special (could be the extra dash of rum she adds to each slice!)

Nana's Rum Cake

Cake:
1 c. pecans or walnuts, chopped
1 18.5 oz yellow cake mix
1 3.4 oz instant vanilla pudding mix (or use a cake mix that already has pudding added)
4 eggs
1/2 c. cold milk
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. dark rum

Preheat oven to 325. Grease & flour 12-cup bundt pan. Sprinkle nuts on bottom of pan. Combine ingredients and beat 2 minutes on high with electric mixer. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool in pan. Invert on serving plate. Prick top with fork. Drizzle glaze over top of cake.

Glaze:
1 stick butter
1/4 c. water
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. dark rum

(Do this while the cake is baking) Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Stirring constantly, bring to boil and boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat & stir in rum. (The rum may cause steam...be careful!)

Enjoy!