You just can't shut this girll up!
And furthermore, recipes!
Because gaudete1066 asked:
2 cups ap flour (I've used 3:1 ap to whole wheat)
1/2 cup powdered sugar (I replace with 1/4 cup Splenda baking mix or 1/2 cup Splenda)
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter
(I've also been adding a sprinkle of nutmeg to the crust)
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (again, replaced with 3/4 cups Splenda baking mix or 1 1/2 cups Splenda)
3 tbsp ap flour
1 tsp lemon peel
3/4 cup lemon juice (about 4 Meyers seems to do the trick)
1/4 cup half-and-half, light cream or milk (I've been using heavy cream, 'cause it's what's in the fridge)
Powdered sugar (I leave this out)
Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 13x9x2 inch baking pan. In a bowl, combine the 2 cups flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake 18 to 20 minutes or until edges are golden.
Meanwhile, stir together the eggs, granulated sugar, 3 tbsp flour, lemon peel, lemon juice and dairy. Pour filling over hot crust and bake for 15 to 20 minutes more or until center is set.
Cool completely and dust with powdered sugar (if you're so inclined). Cut into bars and store in the refrigerator. Or just eat.
And because she didn't:
Baked Orzo Ratatouille
1 pound orzo
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 small eggplant, diced (the smallest eggplant I could find was still pretty big)
1 zucchini, quartered and sliced
1 squash, quartered and sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 15oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
salt, to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup fontina cheese, grated (I left out the fontina and used extra Parmesan)
Bring a large pot of water to boil over medium-high heat. Cook the orzo according to the package directions, or until it reaches al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, drain and set aside.
In a large cast-iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for 3-5 minutes, or until translucent. Add the eggplant and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until the eggplant has begun to soften. Toss in the zucchini and squash and cook for another 3 minutes, or until the squash is tender.
Add the garlic, balsamic vinegar and tomatoes with their juices to the skillet. Season with red pepper flakes and salt to taste.
Turn the heat down to medium-low and allow the squash tomato mixture to reduce for a minute or two, until some of the tomatoes’ acidity has softened to preference. Add the cooked orzo and the reserved cooking liquid (I didn't add the extra liquid). Stir until everything is well incorporated.
Preheat the broiler and smooth the surface of the orzo mixture in the skillet. Cover the orzo ratatouille evenly with the Parmesan and fontina cheese. Place the skillet in the oven for about five minutes, or until the cheese has melted and begun to brown.
I was a little cautious about this one, since I wasn't sure mastersantiago would like it -- he'd been hesitant about ratatouille thinking that the tomatoes would be too acidic. But he's a convert now. This one will become a regular in our dinner rotation, and it makes spectacular leftovers.
Because gaudete1066 asked:
2 cups ap flour (I've used 3:1 ap to whole wheat)
1/2 cup powdered sugar (I replace with 1/4 cup Splenda baking mix or 1/2 cup Splenda)
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter
(I've also been adding a sprinkle of nutmeg to the crust)
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (again, replaced with 3/4 cups Splenda baking mix or 1 1/2 cups Splenda)
3 tbsp ap flour
1 tsp lemon peel
3/4 cup lemon juice (about 4 Meyers seems to do the trick)
1/4 cup half-and-half, light cream or milk (I've been using heavy cream, 'cause it's what's in the fridge)
Powdered sugar (I leave this out)
Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 13x9x2 inch baking pan. In a bowl, combine the 2 cups flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake 18 to 20 minutes or until edges are golden.
Meanwhile, stir together the eggs, granulated sugar, 3 tbsp flour, lemon peel, lemon juice and dairy. Pour filling over hot crust and bake for 15 to 20 minutes more or until center is set.
Cool completely and dust with powdered sugar (if you're so inclined). Cut into bars and store in the refrigerator. Or just eat.
And because she didn't:
Baked Orzo Ratatouille
1 pound orzo
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 small eggplant, diced (the smallest eggplant I could find was still pretty big)
1 zucchini, quartered and sliced
1 squash, quartered and sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 15oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
salt, to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup fontina cheese, grated (I left out the fontina and used extra Parmesan)
Bring a large pot of water to boil over medium-high heat. Cook the orzo according to the package directions, or until it reaches al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, drain and set aside.
In a large cast-iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for 3-5 minutes, or until translucent. Add the eggplant and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until the eggplant has begun to soften. Toss in the zucchini and squash and cook for another 3 minutes, or until the squash is tender.
Add the garlic, balsamic vinegar and tomatoes with their juices to the skillet. Season with red pepper flakes and salt to taste.
Turn the heat down to medium-low and allow the squash tomato mixture to reduce for a minute or two, until some of the tomatoes’ acidity has softened to preference. Add the cooked orzo and the reserved cooking liquid (I didn't add the extra liquid). Stir until everything is well incorporated.
Preheat the broiler and smooth the surface of the orzo mixture in the skillet. Cover the orzo ratatouille evenly with the Parmesan and fontina cheese. Place the skillet in the oven for about five minutes, or until the cheese has melted and begun to brown.
I was a little cautious about this one, since I wasn't sure mastersantiago would like it -- he'd been hesitant about ratatouille thinking that the tomatoes would be too acidic. But he's a convert now. This one will become a regular in our dinner rotation, and it makes spectacular leftovers.