Welcome to my cookbook! I have several recipes that folks have asked for, so I decided to post them here. Some are included in the ward cookbook, but many of them are things I found after that was published so I wanted a place to put them so my family had access to them. I'll add to this as I find things that I think need to be shared. If you have a recipe you'd like to add, let me know and I'll add you as a contributor.

Monday, May 19, 2014

Corn and black bean salad

1 1/2 cups black beans
1 cup frozen (thawed) or fresh sweet corn
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup torn fresh cilantro
2 limes, juiced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl and toss. This tastes best when made an hour or so ahead of time and will stay fresh in the fridge for a day or two if kept in a sealed container.

Chipotle Lime Butter Whole Roasted Chicken

1 (5-pound) whole chicken, giblets removed
4 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo
2 limes, zest freshly grated and limes cut in half
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 tsp pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (If you can't find it, use part regular paprika and part cumin)
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, mash together the butter, adobo sauce, lime zest and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Lift the skin over top of the chicken breast and stuff the butter mixture underneath, dispersing it over the chicken breasts and legs. Be gentle so the skin doesn't rip. Cover the outside of the whole chicken with the olive oil (rub it down all over!) and sprinkle it evenly with the remaining salt, pepper, paprika and chili powder. Stuff the lime halves inside the cavity of the chicken.  Place the chicken in a roasting pan or baking dish and roast for 75 minutes, or until the juices run clear when you slice into the leg.

Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Slice the chicken and serve it with corn and black bean salad.

Goat Cheese Roasted Chicken

5 pound fresh chicken, giblets removed
8 ounces goat cheese, slightly softened to room temperature
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 lemon
1 bulb garlic, top cut off
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Pat chicken completely dry with paper towels.

In a bowl, combine goat cheese with herbs and garlic salt, mixing well until combined. Rub the non-breast side of the chicken with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put that side down in a baking dish or roasting pan. Lift the skin of the chicken above the breast and stuff with goat cheese, pressing it into the thighs and as far back as possible. Rub the outside of the chicken with some goat cheese as well, using up the mixture. Rub with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stuff the garlic bulb, cloves-facing inward, in the top opening and the lemon, slice-side up, in the bottom opening. Roast for 75 minutes, then remove and let rest for 30 minutes before cutting.

Scones


  • 2 3/4 cups flour 
  • 1/2 cup sugar 
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt 
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder (not baking soda!)
  • 1/2 cup cold butter (1 cube)
  • 1 cup chopped dried fruit, flavored chips, nuts, or a combination, optional 
  • 2 eggs, beaten with 1/2 cup half and half, milk, or cream and 1 tsp. extract of your choice (vanilla, orange, etc.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Work in the butter just until the mixture is crumbly; it's okay for some small chunks of butter to remain unincorporated. Stir in the fruit, chips, and/or nuts, if you're using them. (I like chopped craisins with orange extract.) Make a depression in the center of your dry ingredients and pour in the egg mixture. Stir until all is moistened and holds together.  If you need to add more moisture because your scones won't hold together, you can add up to 3 tbs. more cream (or 1/2 and 1/2, or milk, depending on what you used).

To bake:  I used my pampered chef stone to bake these, and sprayed on a little PAM on to make sure they didn't stick.  If you use a different type of pan, you can line it with parchment paper.  I prefer small scones, like the "mini" scones you can buy at the supermarket.  I took about half of the mixture at a time, formed it into a triangular shaped "tube," and sliced it about 3/4 of an inch thick so that each of the mini scones would be triangular shaped and would be nearly an inch thick when they were finished.  If you prefer large scones, divide the mixture into two parts, round each half into a 5-6 inch circle about 3/4 inch thick right on the baking stone or parchment-covered pan. Using a knife, cut each round into six wedges and pull the wedges away from each other so that there is about half an inch of space between them to allow for them to rise a bit.

You can brush your unbaked scones with a little milk and sprinkle with sugar or cinnamon sugar before you bake them if you like.  (I didn't do this because I serve scones with clotted cream and lemon curd, so I didn't need to add the extra sweetness.)

Bake large scones at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until they're golden brown. Small scones are done quicker, they should be finished in 10 minutes, but all ovens are different so keep an eye on them and as soon as they are golden brown, take them out.  Remove the scones from the oven, and cool briefly on the pan. Serve warm. When they're completely cool, store in covered container at room temperature for up to a week or so.  I actually had them for about 2 weeks and they were still fine.  However, they are best in the first few days of course.











Avocado hollandaise and eggs benedict

avocado hollandaise

1 ripe avocado
1 lemon, juiced
1/3 cup hot water
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Add the avocado, lemon juice and hot water into blender and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides if needed. With the blender running on high, stream in the olive oil slowly. Continue to blend until pureed and smooth.

​For Avocado Eggs Benedict​:

6 slices bacon, fried
6 eggs, poached
​6 slices of toasted bread (sourdough is good)​
a pinch of red pepper flakes
fresh herbs or chives ​ for garnish

Poach the eggs and put the ​toast on the plate. Break a piece of bacon and set it on top of the toast​ and cover with a poached egg. Pour the avocado hollandaise on ​top and sprinkle on some crushed red pepper. Top it off with some fresh herbs or chives​ if desired.

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Buttermilk syrup

  • This stuff is so good I will never eat maple syrup again. Or whatever it is that passes for maple syrup at the grocery store. I think it's even better than real maple syrup, but then I never was a fan of that, though I know many people love it. Use it for pancakes, French toast, waffles, or whatever else you use syrup for.

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  1. Combine butter, sugar and buttermilk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar completely dissolves. Then remove from heat and add baking soda and vanilla. Stir to combine. Syrup will foam up. Don't be alarmed.
  2. David made this for a Mother's Day breakfast for Sarah, Carolyn, and me, and it was absolutely spectacular.