White Bean Spread

From The Canadian Living Family Cookbook

1/3 cup olive oil (I reduce this to 2-3 TBs)
3 large cloves garlic
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
1 can white kidney beans (or any white beans) rinsed and drained
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 Tbs Tahini (optional)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2  tsp hot pepper sauce

Add everything to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Favorite Bran Muffins

I make these constantly - bake them all and freeze them so I can have them whenever. They are from Jane Brody's Good Food Book - my favorite ever cookbook

YIELD: 24 muffins

INGREDIENTS
3 cups shredded bran cereal (e.g. All-Bran, 100% Bran, etc.)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup raisins (I use chocolate chips and chopped pecans - stir them in at the end)
1 cup boiling water
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups buttermilk (or milk and a few TBS lemon juice)
1/4 cup molasses
2 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour 4 teaspoons sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

PREPARATION
1. In a large bowl, combine the cereal, oil, and raisins, and pour the boiling water over them. Set the mixture aside to cool slightly.
2. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, and molasses. Add this to the partly cooled cereal mixture.
3. In another small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the cereal mixture, stirring just enough to moisten the dry ingredients. Cover the batter with plastic wrap, wax paper, or a damp towel, and let it stand for at least 15 minutes, preferably for 1 hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 400. Grease 24 muffin cups, and divide the batter among them filling each cup about three-fourths full. Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the muffins from the oven, and, when they are slightly cooled, take them out of the tin and place them on a rack to cool completely.

This is from The Pioneer Woman

I've made this and it's delicious - not to thick and heavy.  I think it would be great with some extra veggies - like cauliflower.

Perfect Potato Soup

Prep: 10 Minutes	Level: Easy
Cook: 20 Minutes	Serves: 12

Description

Potato soup...the way I love it! Simple, delicious, and warms your soul.

Ingredients

• 6 slices Thin Bacon, Cut Into 1-inch Pieces
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
• 3 whole Carrots, Scrubbed Clean And Diced
• 3 stalks Celery, Diced
• 6 whole Small Russet Potatoes, Peeled And Diced
• 8 cups Low Sodium Chicken Or Vegetable Broth
• 3 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour
• 1 cup Milk
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt, More To Taste
• Black Pepper To Taste
• 1/2 teaspoon Cajun Spice Mix
• 1 teaspoon Minced Fresh Parsley
• 1 cup Grated Cheese Of Your Choice

Preparation

Add bacon pieces to a soup pot over medium heat and cook bacon until crisp and fat is rendered. Remove the bacon from the pot and set it aside. Pour off most of the grease, but do not clean the pot.

Return the hot to medium-high heat and add the onions, carrots, and celery. Stir and cook for 2 minutes or so, then add the diced potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, seasoning with salt, pepper, and Cajun spice.

Pour in the broth and bring it to a gentle boil. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are starting to get tender. Whisk together the flour and the milk, then pour into the soup and allow the soup to cook for another 5 minutes.

Remove half to 2/3 the soup and blend in batches in a blender/food process until completely smooth. (***USE CAUTION WHEN BLENDING HOT SOUP; IF POSSIBLE, ALLOW THE SOUP TO COOL BEFORE BLENDING***) Pour it back into the soup pot and stir to combine. Let it heat back up as you taste for seasonings, adding more of what it needs. Stir in cream, then stir in parsley, reserving a little for garnish.

Serve in bowls garnished with parsley, grated cheese and crisp bacon pieces

Flank Steak Marinade

This is the perfect balance salty and a touch of sweet. Recipe from Simple Recipes

Marinade Ingredients

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Other ingredients

• 2 pounds flank steak 
• 
  
• Cover steak with marinade 2 - 24 hours. 

Soft Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies

from Pretty Simply Sweet

Soft, Chewy & Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies

Extremely soft, chewy and thick chocolate chip cookies with a subtle caramel flavor. Warm from the oven they will melt in your mouth.

YIELD 16 large cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups (280 grams or 10 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks or 170 grams) butter, melted (warm, not hot)
• 1/2 cup (100 grams or 3.5 ounces) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (150 grams or 5.3 ounces) brown sugar (preferably dark)
• 1 large egg , plus 1 egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 – 1 1/4 cups (200 grams or 7 ounces) chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup walnuts , toasted and chopped (optional)

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, place the melted butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Whisk until well combined. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract. Add flour mixture and mix just until combined. Do not overmix. Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts.
3. Chill the dough for at least 2 hours, preferably 6 hours or overnight (or up to 3 days).
4. Preheat oven to 325F/165C degrees. Line pans with parchment paper.
5. If the cookie dough is hard to handle, leave it on the counter for a few minutes.
6. Drop rounded balls of dough onto prepared baking sheet, the size of 3 tablespoons each. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cookies just begin to brown at the edges and center is still soft. Cookies will appear undone but will continue to bake on the warm baking sheet. Leave to cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They can also be frozen for up to 2 months.

Easy Pumpkin Cake

Yummy and  easy - from Allrecipes

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Ingredients

• 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice*
• 1 cup (240ml) canola or vegetable oil*
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree*
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• 8 ounces (224g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3 cups (360g) confectioners’ sugar, plus an extra 1/4 cup if needed
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a 9×13 inch baking pan. I always use this glass pan.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice together in a large bowl. Set aside. Whisk the oil, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, pumpkin, and vanilla extract together until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and use a mixer or whisk until completely combined. Batter will be thick.
3. Spread batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30-36 minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you find the top or edges of the cake is/are browning too quickly in the oven, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
4. Remove the cake from the oven and set the entire pan on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely. After about 45 minutes, I usually place the cake in the refrigerator to speed things up.
5. Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. If you want the frosting a little thicker, add the extra 1/4 cup of confectioners sugar (I add it). Spread the frosting on the cooled cake. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving. This helps sets the frosting and makes cutting easier.
6. Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days.

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Notes

1. Make Ahead Instructions: Prepare cake through step 4. Cover the cake tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature, make the frosting, frost, and serve. Frosted cake freezes well, up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, bring to room temperature or serve cold.
2. Special Tools: KitchenAid Hand Mixer | Glass Mixing Bowls | Glass 9×13 Baking Dish | Icing Spatula | Pumpkin Fondant Toppers | Custom Stamped Fork
3. Cupcakes: This batter yields about 24-28 cupcakes. Same oven temperature, fill the cupcake wrappers 2/3 full, and bake 18-21 minutes or until baked through. For 1 dozen cupcakes, use my pumpkin cupcakes recipe.
4. Bundt Cake: This batter will fit into a 9.5 or 10 inch bundt pan. But I suggest using pumpkin bundt cake recipe. Same great flavor and texture as this cake! You can leave out the chocolate chips.
5. 2 Layer Cake: Pour batter evenly into two 9-inch round cake pans. Same oven temperature, bake for 25 minutes or until baked through. This frosting is enough for a 2 layer cake.
6. Spices: Instead of prepared pumpkin pie spice, you can use 1/2 teaspoon each: ground nutmeg, ground cloves, ground allspice, and ground ginger.
7. Oil: Instead of 1 cup of oil, try 1/2 cup (90g) unsweetened applesauce and 1/2 (120ml) cup oil. The cake is just as moist.
8. Pumpkin: I strongly recommend using canned pumpkin puree over homemade in this recipe, though 2 cups of homemade would work just fine. I found the flavor better with canned. I prefer Libby’s brand for this cake.

Best of Bran Muffins

These are from my favorite cookbook ever - Jane Brody's Good Food Book

and these are my favorite muffins

INGREDIENTS

·       3 cups shredded bran cereal (e.g. All-Bran, 100% Bran, etc.)

·       1/2 cup vegetable oil

·       1 cup raisins

·       1 cup boiling water

·       2 eggs, lightly beaten

·       2 cups buttermilk (or milk plus a few TBS lemon juice)t

·       1/4 cup molasses

·       2 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour

·       4 teaspoons sugar

·       2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

·       1/2 teaspoon salt

(I leave out the raisins and add chocolate chips and nuts)

PREPARATION

1.     1. In a large bowl, combine the cereal, oil, and raisins, and pour the boiling water over them. Set the mixture aside to cool slightly. 2. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, and molasses. Add this to the partly cooled cereal mixture. 3. In another small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the cereal mixture, stirring just enough to moisten the dry ingredients. Cover the batter with plastic wrap, wax paper, or a damp towel, and let it stand for at least 15 minutes, preferably for 1 hour. 4. Preheat the oven to 400. Grease 24 muffin cups (I use liners), and divide the batter among them filling each cup about three-fourths full. Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the muffins from the oven, and, when they are slightly cooled, take them out of the tin and place them on a rack to cool completely.