Gleanings of Wheat

Carla , my favorite displaced American blogger who lives in the Great White North, posted this yesterday . Not only does it sound delicious, it's also healthier than the original version of the recipe! I've included the ingredients list, click over for instructions. 1 pkg. (2-layer size) lemon cake mix 1 pkg. (85 g) Jell-O Lemon Jelly Powder (sugar free) 1-1/4 cups water 1/2 cup oil unsweetened applesauce 4 eggs 1/4 cup poppy seed 1/2 cup (1/2 of 250-g tub) (light or reduced calorie) Philadelphia Cream Cheese Spread 2 Tbsp. butter, softened 1 cup icing sugar, sifted 2 Tbsp. shredded peel and 1 Tbsp. juice from 1 lemon, divided * alternatively - use freshly whipped cream with a dash of lemon flavoring for the "frosting"

I'm a sucker for some good Chinese food, the problem is Tong's Tiki Hut ( Google it ) has absolutely ruined Chinese food for me. Their food is the standard by which I judge all other Chinese food. The problem is, I don't really live near Tong's and the cheapskate in me can't stand the idea of spending money on gas AND then on food - even for as much as I love it. I've tried making Chinese at home before, I'm never satisfied with the results - they've always been mediocre or down right bad. About a month I go I treated myself to a bargain bin Chinese cookbook from Barnes and Noble. Tonight I made my first recipe from it. Incidentally it was also the first time I've used my wok. The results? Actually not bad! I mean, it certainly wasn't Tong's and didn't taste the same as the sweet and sour chicken I'm used to, but the flavors were pretty good*. Coupled with a Trader Joe's egg roll, and I'm a pretty happy girl! 2 tbsp uns...

I got another one from my Martha Stewart recipe book . I made this last night for dinner and the kids declared that they were the best pancakes they'd ever had. I guess they like buttermilk? 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons sugar 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 3 cups buttermilk (I made buttermilk using this recipe ) 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 1/2 teaspoon for griddle Heat griddle to 375 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. Add eggs, buttermilk, and 4 tablespoons butter; whisk to combine. Batter should have small to medium lumps. Heat oven to 175 degrees. Test griddle by sprinkling a few drops of water on it. If water bounces and spatters off griddle, it is hot enough. Using a pastry brush, brush remaining 1/2 teaspoon of butter or reserved bacon fat onto griddle. Wipe off excess. Using a 4-ounce ladle, about 1/2 cup, pour ...

I got this recipe out of my Martha Stewart Living cookbook . The second I read the title of it I knew I had to try it. My kids, however, could not be convinced to try it. It was really quite good, I saved the left overs and plan on having it for lunch in the next day or two. 1 tbsp whole fennel seeds, toasted 1 lb white onions, quartered 3 lg Yukon gold potatoees, peeled & quartered 3 tart apples, such as Fuji or Granny Smith 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp olive oil 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more for seasoning 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper 3 1/2 to 4 c chicken broth, skimmed of fat 3 sprigs fresh tarragon Transfer the seeds to a spice mill, and grind into a fine powder. Reserve 1 1/2 tsp of the ground fennel. Preheat the oven to 450, arrange onions & potatoes in a large roasting pan. Core 2 apples (skin on) and add to the pan. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, sprinkle with cumin, ground fennel, 1/2 tsp salt, & pepper. Roast 25 minutes. Remove app...

Here's my game plan for the next week: Chicken Jalfrezi Vegetable Samosas Shrimp and Pineapple Curry Garlic and Cilantro Naan Bread **11/22/10 update** I made everything on the list but the shrimp & pineapple curry. Outcome? Delicious. Seriously. I don't generally like cooked vegetables but the samosas were amazing, especially with the dipping sauce.

Giada posted this on her website earlier and it sounds incredibly interesting! 3/4 cup ( 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature. plus more for the pan 1 cup all- purpose flour, plus more for the pan 1/2 cup fine yellow cornmeal 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt 1/4 cup grated orange zest (from 2 large oranges) 3/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces 1 1/4 cups sugar 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 large egg yolks, at room temperature 2 large eggs, at room temperature Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and orange zest. Place 3 tablespoons of the flour mixture in a small bowl. Add the chopped cranberries and toss to coat. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the...

Who is a big coffee fan? Me. Starbucks (and even McDonalds) is too expensive for me to justify having coffee from them on a regular basis, so when I came across this latte recipe I thought I'd give it a shot. As usual I didn't actually measure anything, but since I've got a pretty good idea of what amounts look like cooking I was probably pretty close. Honestly? Very nice. If I'd gotten the milk a bit more frothy it'd be even better. The recipe assumes a 16oz. mug (2 cups). Start a double-strong batch of coffee. You only need about 3/4 of a cup. While the coffee is brewing, heat 1-1/4 cups of milk until it is almost boiling. (I put mine in the microwave for 3 minutes.) Depending on what equipment you have available, do the appropriate step to froth your milk: If you have a milk frother, use it to froth the milk for about a minute. If you have a blender, it will also do a good job frothing the milk. * Otherwise, use an egg beater or a whisk to stir some ...

Canola, peanut, or veggie oil for frying 1lb (grapefruit-sized pieces) prepared dough 1 firm pear, peeled, cored, & grated 1/3c firmly packed brown sugar 1/2tsp ground cinnamon 2tbsp flour 1/4c currants 1/4c finely chopped pecans or walnuts 1/2c confectioners' sugar Fill a medium saucepan w/ 2 inches of oil and heat till 360 degrees. While the oil warms, cloak the dough, then on a well floured surface, roll it out into a 9x12-inch rectangle. Combine the pear, brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, currants, & nuts in a small bowl. Spread the mixture over the dough, stopping 1/2 inch from the edge. Starting at a long end, tightly roll the dough into a log, then pinch the seam to seal it. Cut into 1/2 inch-thick slices. Fry in batches for 1 minute, then flip & fry until golden brown. Transfer to a plate, drain, & dust with confectioners' sugar.

I got this one at Food Network's site , I'm a huge fan of caramel apples but the whole idea of paying $2 for 3 is insane. 2c sugar 1/4c light corn syrup 1/2c water 2 tbsp unsalted butter 1 tsp vanilla extract pinch of salt Mix 2 cups sugar, 1/4 cup light corn syrup and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring just until the sugar dissolves. Cook, swirling the pan (do not stir), until the mixture is light amber and a candy thermometer registers 320 degrees, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat; slowly whisk in 1/2 cup heavy cream, then 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Return to low heat and whisk until smooth. Let cool until the caramel is thick enough to coat a spoon. Insert sticks into the stem ends of 6 apples and dip the apples into the caramel, letting the excess drip off. Roll in toppings if desired, then let cool on a parchment-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray.

I don't think I've done one of these posts before - and don't have time for a real post - so today you're getting a list of my must have fall recipes! Chocolate Chili (aka Cincinnati Chili) Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins Pumpkin Pie Make Your Own Face Paint Oreo Cream Cheese Balls Cookie Cake Pie Cinnamon Rolls Diet Hot Chocolate - BTW, this isn't really considered diet if you drink a gallon of it, I think.

These look so yummy. 150 ml (2/3 cup) butter, room temperature 125 ml (1/2 cup) sugar 1 large egg 2 ml (1/2 tsp) pure vanilla 425 ml (1 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour 2 ml (1/2 tsp) lemon zest 1 ml (1/4 tsp) salt 175 ml (3/4 cup) apricot jam Yellow, orange and red sugar crystals Preheat oven to 180º C (350º F). In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla and lemon zest. Combine flour and salt and add to butter mixture; mix until just blended. Roll dough into 4-cm (1 1/2-inch) balls. Cut each ball in half with a wire cheese cutter or dental floss. Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for approximately 15-20 minutes, until lightly golden. Watch to make sure they don’t get too brown. Melt apricot jam and brush the bottom half of each cookie when partially cooled and attach the other half. Brush the entire cookie with the melted jam and roll in a combination of yellow, orange and red sugar. Tuck in a sprig of thyme, a candied lea...

So the other day when I watched the Food Network Sandra Lee did this recipe. I'm not a huge steak fan (have I mentioned that?) but I had a top round steak in the freezer I needed to use. This turned out great! Seriously. I didn't have any shredded cheese, though, and couldn't go to the store so I tried to use cheese from a shaker. Just so you know, that "cheese" WILL NOT melt. Ever. In fact, I'm convinced it could withstand a nuclear attack and am in the process of building a fall out shelter with it. 1 1/2 pound top round steak Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary leaves 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 4 hoagie rolls, sliced down the middle 1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon hot sauce Heat an outdoor grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Preheat the broiler. Season the steak with ...

I watched the Food Network today for the first time in months (I've been so busy, guys, it isn't even funny) and have new recipes I'm dying to try. Oh, and William likes Bobby Flay. Here's my to do list for the next couple of weeks: From Sandra Lee: Shrimp Scampi with Pesto Couscous - the left overs from this will allow me to make Shrimp Bruschetta . I don't know if my kids will eat S'mores Pudding Parfait , but I know I sure will. From Bobby Flay: Thai BBQ Chicken Thai-Style Grilled Vegetables Korean Grilled Chicken Bibimbap Salad

At last, a real post about food! Tonight for dinner I grilled some chicken breasts after seasoning them with salt, pepper, and a touch of cilantro. For sides, I cheated and used Uncle Ben's Santa Fe rice, sliced some potatoes and threw them in the oven till they were a bit crispy. By the way, those were seasoned with salt, pepper, cilantro, and thyme. To top the chicken I sliced 3 cloves of garlic, mixed them with some sliced mushrooms, and threw that in a skillet with about a cup of milk; cook those puppies over medium heat until the milk is thick like a sauce. If it won't thicken, add a tablespoon of flour. Here's how it turned out: The chicken? Yum. The potatoes? Yum. The rice was a tad dry, and the mushrooms were nothing to scream over.

So tonight I decided to use some mushrooms up before they went bad, but didn't have an actual recipe or any real inspiration. I added about a table spoon worth of butter to a skillet over medium-high heat, tossed in my pre-cut mushrooms and a few table spoons of white wine and let it cook down until the wine evaporated. Once the mushrooms cooked down I removed them from the skillet, added some more butter & wine, & added my tilapia filets that I previously seasoned with salt, pepper, & minced garlic. The outcome? Fish - nice. Mushrooms - blah.

I'm fixing pork chops for dinner tonight - pork is one of those things I'm not great with, so here's hoping this Tyler Florence recipe turns out great! 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons onion powder 2 tablespoons garlic powder 1 teaspoon cayenne 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4 pork chops, 3/4-inch thick, bone-in 1/4 cup olive oil 1 cup chicken broth 1/2 cup buttermilk Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish Put the flour in a shallow platter and add the onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels to remove any moisture and then dredge them in the seasoned flour; shaking off the excess. Heat a large saute pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat and coat with the oil. When the oil is nice and hot, lay the pork chops in the pan in a single layer and fry for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove the pork chops from the p...

I'm using this Paula Dean recipe tonight on my chicken. My alterations to follow. 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter 1 cup Worcestershire sauce 1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter 2 lemons, juiced Chicken: 2 (2 1/2 to 3-pound) chickens split into 2 halves, to yield 4 halves House Seasoning, recipe follows Heat butter in a skillet. Add the Worcestershire sauce, peanut butter, and lemon juice, and blend well. Simmer for 10 minutes. Prepare grill for direct grilling. When coals are white hot, spread them evenly and place grate on grill to heat. Spray grate with cooking spray to avoid sticking. Rub chickens thoroughly with House Seasoning. Place chicken halves onto your grill to begin the cooking process, this could take up to 1 hour depending on your coals. Turn as often as necessary to prevent burning. About 10 to 15 minutes before serving, start basting with the grilling sauce on both sides, turning constantly. Chicken is done when leg moves easily at joints. House Seasoning: 1 cup...

Got this one from here . 1 quart heavy cream 3 cups sugar 1-1/2 pounds (apprx. 6 cups) chopped pecans juice of 1 lemon In a heavy saucepan slowly simmer cream and sugar over low heat until the mixture becomes golden brown in color and reaches the soft-ball stage (234 degrees F. on candy thermometer). Add pecans and lemon juice and continue to cook until the soft-ball stage is reached again. Drop from a large kitchen spoon onto an oiled baking sheet. Spread each cake out with back of spoon to about 1/4 inch thick and 4 to 5 inches in diameter.* Let harden, then lift from plate or slab with a spatula. Pralines will keep for 2 weeks in a covered tin at room temperature. If they last that long. I prefer my pralines on the thin side. This is where you either spread them thinner or allow them to stay thick.

I'm making this for dinner tonight. I just wanted to use some of the sesame seeds I had sitting around and this was one of the first things that came up as I was searching. Also, I've had some people ask about nutritional value, so as I'm able I'll be posting that info at the bottom of the recipes. 4 (6-oz. size) tilapia fillets 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 6 tablespoons sesame seeds 1 tablespoon vegetable oil Place fish in single layer in shallow baking dish. Drizzle with soy sauce and sesame oil; sprinkle with pepper. Let stand 10 minutes. Press sesame seeds onto both sides of fillets. Heat vegetable oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add fish; cook 4 to 5 minutes or until golden brown and fish just begins to flake, turning once. PER SERVING: 300 calories, 16.5 g total fat (2.5 g saturated fat), 35 g protein, 2.5 g carbohydrate, 90 mg cholesterol, 375 mg sodium, 2 g ...

Ignore me, I'm posting a bunch of recipes I want to try ASAP. Chicken Chicken Sate with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce Butterflied Chicken Greek Style Spinach and Mushroom Stuffed Chicken Breasts Fish Blackened Tilapia Sandwich with Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise Grilled Tilapia with Peach BBQ Sauce Misc Seafood Crab cakes with lemon dill sauce - side dish Other Orange Spiced Chai Lemon Potatoes - side dish My Sweet Italian Angel - dessert (booze involved, anyone know a substitute for limoncello?) Grilled Pizza Brushed with Butter, Cinnamon, Sugar and Star Anise, served with Chocolate Sauce - dessert? dinner? amazing?!