Brown Sugar-Cornmeal Muffins

YUUUM!

Brown Sugar-Cornmeal Muffins

2/3 C plus 1 T packed brown sugar, divided
1/4 C plus 2 tsp cornmeal, divided
2 C all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 C vanilla low fat yogurt
2/3 C fat free milk
2 T butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg, lightly beaten

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Combine 1 T brown sugar and 2 tsp cornmeal in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, 2/3 C brown sugar, 1/4 C cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; make a well in the center.
4. Combine yogurt and next 4 ingredients; add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.
5. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture evenly over muffins.
6. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Remove muffins from pans immediately; place on wire rack.

Grilled Steak and Onion Salad

Delicious!!!

Over the past few weeks I've been feeling in the middle of a food rut. The answer to a food rut = STEAK!

H cooked this recipe for us last week and it was amazing. Sorry, no picture!

Grilled Steak and Onion Salad
Everyday Food Magazine - March 2011

Crusty bread, torn into pieces
3 T of olive oil
2 T grated parmesan
course salt and ground pepper
1 lb. skirt steak, cut into 4 pieces
1 red onion, cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds
1 tsp dijon mustard
5 ounces arugula
3 oz soft goat cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss bread with 2 teaspoons oil and parmesan, then season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown, 7 minutes.

2. Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Season steak with salt and pepper. Drizzle onions with 1 tsp oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill steak and onions until steak is well done and onions are tender, 5 to 7 minutes, flipping once. Let steak rest 5 minutes before thinly slicing against the grain.

3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together mustard, vinegar, and 2 tbsp oil. Add arugula and season with salt and pepper. Add onions, steak and croutons and toss to combine. Crumble soften goat cheese.

Chocolate Nut Bars

Yesterday was all about "bars". I prefer making bars rather than cookies because it's so much quicker! Just layer it all in a baking dish and throw it in the oven!

These were much better than I ever expected them to be. H even tried them and said they were the best he'd ever had...and he's hard to please!




Chocolate Nut Bars

1 3/4 C graham cracker crumbs - I pulsed them in a food processor
1/2 C butter, melted
1 Can (14 oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 C semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts - I used chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 375F. In a medium mixing bowl, combine crumbs and butter; press firmly on bottom of ungreased 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Bake 8 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 F.

2. In small saucepan, melt condensed milk with 1 cup chocolate chips and vanilla. Spread chocolate mixture over prepared crust. Top with remaining 1 cup chocolate chips and nuts; press down firmly.

3. Bake 25-30 minutes. Cook. Chill, if desired. Cut into bars.

Don't you wish you were our neighbor?

Raspberry-Walnut Crumble Bars

DELICIOUS!!! I found this recipe on Real Simple's website and they are to die for!

Click HERE for the recipe.

Persimmon Cookies

Persimmons are an often overlooked fruit. They are in season around the holidays. After some searching for a recipe to use my four persimmons in, I found these delicious cookies!




Most recipes that call for persimmon require you to blend it to a pulp. Just cut the stem off, cut in half to remove the seed and drop it in a food processor or blender.



Here's what you get!


Check out the recipe HERE

Peach Cobbler

Yum, Yum, Yum! A perfect summer treat if you have lots of peaches!

Peach Cobbler
The Cooking Light Cookbook 2000

Check out the recipe here

Note: I changed a few things in this recipe. I did not add sliced almonds. Also, I used a mixture of peaches, nectarines and apricots.

Broccoli Pad Thai

Broccoli Pad Thai
America's Test Kitchen 30 Minute Suppers
Winter 2010

Ingredients

8 ounces rice sticks noodles
2C broccoli florets
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4C water
1/4C fish sauce
1/4C lime juice
1/4C packed dark brown sugar
2 tsp Asian chili-garlic sauce
1C bean sprouts
1/4C chopped cilantro


Directions

1. Cover noodles with boiling water in large bowl and soak until softened but not fully tender, about 20 minutes. Drain noodles.

2. Meanwhile, place broccoli in large bowl and microwave, covered, until bright green and nearly tender, 3-6 minutes.

3. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook eggs, stirring vigorously, until scrambled, about 1 minute. Transfer to plate.

4. Add water, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, chili-garlic sauce, and softened noodles to empty pan and cook until sauce is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Add bean sprouts, cilantro, broccoli, and egg and continue to cook, tossing constantly, until noodles are fully tender, about 2 minutes. Serve.