Chocolate Gingerbread

I love gingerbread but I only seem to make it in fall. My original recipe is moist and delicious with a good balance of spice. But add chocolate and gingerbread goes to a whole new level. It reminds me of Mexican Hot Chocolate. The spice accentuates the chocolate. Serve it with a dollop of whipped cream. I doubled my recipe to make this. If you would like a smaller cake or want to make 1 loaf, cut the amounts in half.

12 servings

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 stick- 1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup molasses
4 tablespoons crystalized ginger, minced
1 pgk dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly grease a baking pan.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, cinnamon, ginger. Set aside.
Cream the butter & brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs. Mix the buttermilk, molasses together, and add all at once to the butter mixture. Don't worry if it looks a bit curdy. Add the flour mixture and mix just until you get a smooth batter. Fold in the crystalized ginger and chocolate chips being careful not to overmix. Bake until a cake tester comes clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool before serving.

Slow Cooker Short Ribs

My mom used to make ox-tails for us in the winter. They were cooked in red wine and beef stock with loads of veggies. The cooking liquid was made into a gravy and the whole thing was served over mashed potatoes. It was one of my favorite dishes. Over the last few years ox-tails have become harder and harder to find. When I am lucky enough to find them the price is ridiculous. Thanks to the Food Network, ox tails are now considered gourmet. Ox-tails were often on my grandmother's table because they were a relatively cheap cut of meat and was a great way to flavor the pasta sauce. So I have had to make the switch to short ribs. These can also be hard to find but the price hasn't gone through the roof as yet. Both of these cuts of meat require a low and slow cooking process to make them tender. Which of-course makes them perfect for the crock pot.

Serves 4-6

8 large short ribs
1 15 oz can of fire-roasted tomatoes
3 cups of red wine
3 cups of beef stock
3 large carrots, peeled and diced
1 cup diced celery
1 medium onion,peeled and chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried thyme
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
salt and pepper
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp cornstarch mixed into half cup of cold water

Heat the oil in a large dutch oven. Sprinkle the ribs with salt and pepper,on all sides. Place the ribs into the hot oil and brown on all sides. Meanwhile, spray the insert to the slow cooker with cooking spray. Put the carrots, onions, celery and garlic on the bottom of the insert. Place the browned ribs on top. Pour the wine, stock and tomatoes over the ribs. Push the ribs down into the liquid. Making sure the liquid just covers the top of the meat. Season with salt, pepper,thyme and bay leaf. Cover and cook for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high. Remove the meat from the cooking liquid. Drain off any fat. Remove the bay leaf. Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, blend the cooking liquid and veggies unitil smooth. Return everything to the slow cooker, mix in the cornstarch and water and continue to cook for 30 minutes more until the liquid has thickened. Serve over rice, noodles, polenta or mashed potatoes.

You can also make this dish in a dutch oven. After adding the liquid, bring it to a boil on the stove. Place a lid on the dutch oven, remove from the heat and place in a 325 degree oven for 3 1/2 hours.

Apple Upside Down Cake

It's so good to be back in the kitchen today. I'm in the mood to celebrate fall even though the weather these past few days has felt more like summer. I like the change fall brings. Of-course here in Southern California the seasons seem to run together as we have more sunny days than any other type of weather. Which is probably why I like to cook seasonally. Even if the weather doesn't indicate the season at least my dinner table will.

Cook's Notes-If you don't have apple juice concentrate you can make your own by boiling 1 1/4 cup of apple cider until it is reduced to 1/4 cup. This takes about 10 minutes to do.
Serves 8-10

TOPPING
2 granny smith medium apples
4 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
2 tablespoons thawed apple juice concentrate
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup light corn syrup
CAKE
3/4 cup softened butter
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 tablespoons thawed apple juice concentrate
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups flour
1 large granny smith apple, peeled and finely chopped
3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
Directions
1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9" round cake pan at least 2" deep. Line the bottom with parchment, and grease the parchment.
2) Slice the top, including the stem, off one of the apples and set it aside before peeling and slicing the rest of the apples into 1/4" thick wedges.
3) Place the apple top, stem side down, in the middle of the pan, and overlap the rest of the apple wedges in a ring around it.
4) Prepare the topping by heating the butter, sugar, boiled cider, cinnamon, and corn syrup together over low heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
5) Pour 1/2 cup of the syrup mixture into the prepared pan, and set the rest aside.
6) To make the cake: Beat the oil, brown sugar, boiled cider, eggs, spices, and salt together for 2 minutes at medium speed
7) Mix the flour with the baking soda, and stir it into the batter.
8) Add the chopped apple and nuts, and mix until just blended.
9) Drop scoops of the batter atop the apples in the pan, gently spreading to cover. Place the cake pan on a lined baking sheet. This will keep your oven clean in case the sauce bubbles up from the bottom.
10) Bake the cake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted near the center comes out clean.
11) Remove the cake from the oven, and run a thin spatula around the edge to loosen.
12) Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto a serving plate, bottom side up. Scrape out any sauce that remains in the pan, and spread it over the cake.
13) Reheat the reserved topping. If butter starts to separate as you reheat, add water by the teaspoon and stir until the butter rejoins the rest of the sauce.
14) Pour the sauce over the cake. Serve cake warm or at room temperature, with whipped cream if desired.
Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

Thirty Minute Chicken and Mushrooms

I've been working late the past few weeks. As a result, cooking has been parked at the curb. I hate catching a meal on the run, so I made a real effort to get a meal on the table. I came up with this little beauty. Serve it with a brown and wild rice mix and a salad and call it good.

Serves 6

3 large boneless, skinless, chicken breasts cut in half length-wise
1/4 up flour
salt and pepper
3-4 tbs olive oil
2 tbsp butter or margarine
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 1/2 pounds button mushroom, sliced
2 bundles of asparagus tips, cut them 2 inches down from the tip
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup chicken stock
1/4 chopped fresh parsely, optional

Place the flour in a shallow dish. Season the chicken with salt and pepper,both sides. Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium/high. Dredge the chicken in the flour,shaking off the excess. Place the chicken in the skillet. Cook until browned on both sides and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and place in a warm oven. Reduce the heat to medium and add the mushrooms. Allow the mushrooms to brown, stirring as little as possible about 3-5 minutes. Stirring will allow the mushrooms to release their liquid too soon and they will steam instead. Add the thyme, garlic, asparagus, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Add the wine to the pan and allow it to reduce,scraping up the browned bits. Add the chicken stock and adjust seasoning if needed. If you want a thicker sauce, add 2 tbsp of cornstarch to 1/2 cup of cold water. Stir until dissolved and add to the sauce. Allow it to return to a boil, stirring constantly. Return the chicken to the pan. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover until ready to serve.

Plum Cake

Had to get this cake made before the plum season ends. Topped with powdered sugar, it makes a great addition to a sack lunch.

serves 12

3/4 cup or 1 1/2 sticks of butter softened
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp lemon zest
4 large plums, halved, pitted and cut into chunks
powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 375. Spray a 9x11 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Add 2 tbsp of flour to the cut plums and toss, set aside. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well. Add the vanilla and lemon zest. In a small bowl, combine the flour and the baking soda. With the speed on the mixer on low, add half of the flour, followed with the buttermilk and finishing with the last of the flour. Fold the plums in by hand. Turn the batter out into the prepared baking dish and bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Slow Cooker Pork Chow Mein

Ever try a recipe and have it get off at the wrong exit? Well that's sorta what happened with this dish. It was supposed to be asian shredded beef but became Pork Chow Mein. It turned out to be really good and brought back memories of the chow mein my mom used to make when I was a kid.

serves 6

3 pound boneless pork roast
1 large onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh grated ginger
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce or stir fry sauce(I used some of both)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup water
1 tbsp sesame oil
10 oz sliced mushrooms
2 cups bean sprouts about 2 large handfuls
1 1/2 cups of thinly sliced napa cabbage
1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained
4 green onions, thinly sliced
4 tbsp corn starch in half cup water
4 tbsp olive oil
cooked brown or white rice

Spray the insert of your slow cooker with cooking spray. Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven over high heat and add the roast. Sear all sides until browned. In the bottom of the insert place the onion, garlic, ginger, soy and or stir fry sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and water. Add the seared roast, cover and cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8 hours. Two hours before serving, add the mushrooms and water chestnuts. If you are cooking it on low, raise it to high at this point. Take the meat out and slice into cubes or shred. Return the meat to the slow cooker. One hour before serving, add the cornstarch mixed well in the half cup of water. Stir and replace the lid. Ten minutes before serving, add the bean sprouts and cabbage. Stir to incorporate. Serve over cooked rice, garnish with the green onions.

Chicken and Biscuits Casserole

This is absolutely delicious! I had found a recipe for this on the net but I wasn't thrilled with some of the ingredients. After a few changes and a cruise through my local health food market, I came up with this. If you like chicken pot pie but hate all of the work, you'll love this recipe. All the taste with half of the work. Dinner was on the table in about 45 minutes.

Serves 6-8


1 pkg(about 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs)
4 carrots, peeled and diced
1 large onion, diced
1 cup frozen peas
1 can cream of chicken soup(I found a good one at Sprouts if you are in So Cal)
1 cup fat-free half and half
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup light mayo
2 cans of refrigerated biscuits(Von's has a great healthy version)
1/2 tsp dry sage
1/2 tsp dry thyme
2 cups shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp corn starch

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray an oblong baking dish(9x13) with cooking spray. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet and brown the chicken thighs over high heat. Season with salt and pepper. In another skillet over medium/high heat, heat the last tbsp of oil and add the carrots. Let them saute for about 5 minutes then add the onion, thyme, sage, salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are translucent and the carrots begin to soften. Add the peas, stir to combine and turn off the heat. Place the chicken thighs in the bottom of the baking dish. Pour the off the remaining oil from the pan. Return it to the heat and add the wine. Cook over medium heat, scraping up the drippings from the bottom of the pan. Pour the cooking liquid over the chicken. Pour the veggies over the chicken. In a medium bow, mix together the soup, half and half, mayo and corn starch. Season with pepper and pour over the chicken and the veggies. Place into the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the cheese over the top. Place the biscuits on top of the cheese. Placing them as close together as possible. I had 4 leftover. I placed them in a pie plate to bake up with the casserole. Return the casserole to the oven for another 20-25 minutes. Serve.

Chicken Burgers

The addition of the apple, cheese, and bread crumbs allows you to make 6-8 really big burgers with less meat and they help to keep the burger moist

Serves 6-8

2 pounds ground chicken breast
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 granny smith apples, peeled,cored and grated
3 green onions, thinly sliced
3/4 cup grated gruyere cheese
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
2 tbsp dijon mustard

Serve on whole wheat Kaiser rolls, lettuce, red onion and a mixture of dijon mustard and light mayo.

Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix by hand until just combined. Divide the meat into 6-8 1/2 inch patties. Oil the grate on the grill.Grill over high heat for about 4 minutes on each side. Serve.

Thai Noodle Salad

My journey to healthier lunches continues today with this salad. Packed with veggies, whole wheat pasta and a creamy peanut dressing, this salad if both filling and delicious.

Serves 6-8

1 pound whole wheat angel hair pasta,cooked and drained
1 large red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 cup shredded carrots
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1 cup seedless cucumber, diced
1 tbsp black sesame seeds
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tbsp sweet and spicy chili dipping sauce
juice of 2 limes
1/3 cup water
3 tbsp soy sauce
(If you can't find the dipping sauce, substitute chili,garlic paste and 2tbsp of sugar)

Put the pasta, bell pepper, carrots, cucumber, green onion, and bean sprouts in a large bowl. With a blender, blend together the peanut butter, water, soy sauce, chili dipping sauce and lime juice together. Pour over the noodles and veggies. Gently toss. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top of the salad and serve.

Broccoli Salad

I can't believe a whole week has gone by without posting a single recipe. I felt as if the week would never end with five whole days of teaching, Back to School Night and a week of recess duty with no break all rolled into one. Thank goodness I have a 3 day weekend to recoup. We're having burgers tonight and I thought Broccoli salad would make a nice side. Bjorn and Chris have gone out to run a few errands but I'm afraid there won't be any salad left if they don't make it back PDQ. This is one darn good salad!

Serves 6

3 large broccoli crowns cut into small pieces
1/3 cup diced red onion
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup fat-free plain greek yogurt
1/2 cup light mayo
1/4 rice vinegar
salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and boil the broccoli for 3 minutes. Drain off the cooking liquid and place the broccoli in a large bowl half filled with cold water and ice-cubes. Let the broccoli cool in the ice water while you prepare the dressing. In a medium bowl, mix together the yogurt, mayo, vinegar, salt and pepper. Drain the broccoli well. Add it to the raisins, onion and almonds in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over all and toss gently to coat. Serve