Make Your Own Garlic Mayonnaise!

 

Save money by making your own garlic mayonnaise: mix 2 tablespoons store-bought mayonnaise with 1/4 teaspoon chopped garlic, 1/8 teaspoon dried dill and a few drops olive oil. The olive oil gives the mayonnaise a slightly golden hue and suggests it’s homemade.

See all my Money-Saving Tips!

Today Is a Good Day for Soup!

 

Homemade soup is a perfect way to start the weekend, especially if you are making a big dinner on Sunday.

Try This Exotic Salad for Dinner Tonight!

 

Butternut Squash and Radicchio Salad 

The combination of the creamy squash, the crisp radicchio, the crunchy pistachios and the tart juicy pomegranate seeds really hit the spot. I dressed it with a Dijon- Shallot Vinaigrette. – from Blog supporter Grace Markarian

Peel, seed, and chop a medium-sized butternut squash into uniform half-inch pieces.

Toss with a tablespoon of olive oil, salt, pepper, 1/2 teaspoon thyme and 1/2 half teaspoon cardamom.

Spread on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and roast in a 375-degree oven for about 25 minutes, or until tender but not mushy. Let cool.

Chop one head of radicchio into pieces similar in size to the squash.

Depending on how much salad you want to make, mix one (or two) cups of chopped radicchio with one (or two) cups of squash, and some of the vinaigrette (see below).

Top with 1/3 cup of roasted, lightly salted pistachios and 1/3 cup of pomegranate seeds. 

Dijon-Shallot Vinaigrette

Slice or mince half a shallot. Place in bowl or glass jar.

Pour one tablespoon champagne vinegar and one tablespoon lemon juice over the shallot and let sit for 5 minutes.

Add half a teaspoon Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and 6 tablespoons olive oil.  Whisk to mix or secure lid in jar and shake to mix. 

           For more easy recipes, order "Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen!

Valentine’s Day May Be Over!

 

But guess what! My chocolate supply is holding steady. In fact, I made a batch of wonderful brownies yesterday. These Triple Chocolate Brownies, as I named them, distracted me from possibly feeling sad about the end of my favorite holiday.

Today I bought a 72-ounce bag of Costco’s chocolate chips. That should last a while and keep my sweet tooth happy.

Meanwhile, try making these brownies as soon as possible. You won’t regret it.

Triple Chocolate Brownies – serves 8-10

 2 tablespoons butter + more for greasing

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Place an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8- or 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil, making sure two ends of the foil overhang the pan by about 2 inches so you can easily lift the brownies out of the pan later. Lightly rub the bottom and sides of the foil with butter. Set aside.

Combine the chocolate, water and butter in a medium, heavy pot over low heat, stirring occasionally. When the chocolate is just melted, turn off the heat and add the cocoa. Stir until combined and set aside to cool for a few minutes.

Add the sugar, eggs and vanilla and stir until well blended. Add the flour, baking soda and salt and stir until no flour shows. Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts (if using).

Scrape the batter into the pan and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the top feel firm and the brownies pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Carefully lift the ends of the foil and remove the brownies from the pan. Cut into 25 squares and serve. Store in an airtight container or wrapped in foil or plastic wrap.

              For more chocolate recipes get “Chocolate on the Brain”  

The Perfect Substitute: Potato Chips

 

I was making tacos for lunch when I suddenly realized we had eaten all the hummus. What could I use as a replacement alongside the beans and cheese? Then I spotted an open bag of potato chips. Why not crumble some of them and sprinkle on top of the tacos before serving? 

They worked perfectly, adding some crunch. Who needs hummus!

      For more easy recipes, order "Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen!

Surprise!

 

Grocery shopping can be a chore or an adventure. I prefer the adventure part, even if it is 6 am, and I am one of only three shoppers in the store.  At the back of my supermarket there is a small piece of furniture filled with mesh bags full of overripe fruit and vegetables, Every bag is 99 cents, even the bag that held these colorful, stripy bell peppers. I couldn’t resist. I used them in a Chinese stir-fry, but they would be equally good raw.

I wonder what will be on sale next weekend.

             For more easy recipes, order "Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen!"

There’s Always Something New for Cooks to Learn

 

Here is a little-known fact about avocadoes. If you cook them or heat them in any way, they are very likely to taste bitter. If you must add pieces of avocado to Tortilla Soup or any other dish that you traditionally serve hot, add them at the very last minute when the dish is on its way to the table. Avoid heating avocadoes as there is no way to get rid of the resulting unpleasant flavor.

            For more easy recipes, order "Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen!"