A couple of months back I baked a batch of muffins. I can’t remember what kind, but Charlie devoured one immediately and then asked for another “momo.” Since then, he asks me every morning for a momo, which have become a part of his breakfast along with milk and yogurt. Since I don’t want him eating store bought muffins—whose ingredients are unknown to me—I have been baking a fresh batch of momos every couple of weeks and storing them in the freezer. It’s a good opportunity to sneak in an extra serving of seasonal fruit or veggies, and now that rhubarb and strawberries are readily available at the farmers market, it was time to combine these two into a baked good.

I found this recipe on the blog The Faux Martha and gave it a shot. Delicious, although I may omit the crumble topping in my next batch. It wasn’t crumbly enough and I barely had enough to cover all 12 muffins. (This may be because in my first attempt I accidentally added 1/4 cup of maple syrup to the crumble when I should have added it to the batter, so I was rushing to fix my mistake.) What I like about this recipe is that you don’t need huge amounts of either fruit. One stalk of rhubarb is plenty and you’ll have berries left over for snacking (another of Charlie’s favorites). Strawberry and rhubarb is an excellent combination of sweet and tart and since my father-in-law is a big fan, we will be having a strawberry rhubarb crisp for dessert at our Father’s Day barbecue. If you are doing a brunch to celebrate the dads in your life, these muffins are a welcome addition!

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Muffins (from The Faux Martha)

Crumble

1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 cup white whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg

Pinch of sea salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Muffins

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup white whole wheat flour

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder

1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoons sea salt

1/2 cup rhubarb, diced

1/2 cup strawberries, diced

1 large egg

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line muffin tin or bread pan with parchment paper. Make crumble. In a small bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt. Melt butter either by microwave or stove. Mix in maple syrup. Add butter mixture to flour mixture and stir until crumble forms. Set aside.

Make muffins. Melt stick of butter by microwave or stove. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Wash, dry, and dice rhubarb and strawberries in a uniform size. Set aside. To the melted butter, whisk in egg, brown sugar, maple syrup, greek yogurt, and vanilla extract until well combined. Add butter mixture into the flour mixture stirring until just combined. Batter will be thick. Fold in fruit and 3 tablespoons of the crumble. Using a spring release scoop, evenly distribute batter in prepared tin or pan. Top with crumble carefully pressing into batter. Bake mini muffins for 15 minutes, regular muffins for 20 minutes, or bread for about 35 minutes.

Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

My favorite farmers market started their summer season on June 2 and I could hardly wait to get there. The promise of locally grown, fresh produce filled my head with possibilities for delicious warm weather meals. One of my first stops at the market is always Blooming Hill Farm—which I have mentioned several times on this blog—where I stock up on lots of varieties of organic greens. I often find produce I’ve never cooked with before which was the case with chicory. I had always thought of chicory as something that New Orleans natives add to their coffee and, while that is true of its root, chicory leaves actually have a broccoli rabe-like flavor and are hearty of enough to withstand the heat of the grill. Not only is it delicious, but it’s a nutritional powerhouse, loaded with vitamins A,C,E, and K. I decided to pair ours with orecchiette pasta and Trader Joe’s Andouille chicken sausage. Btw, have I mentioned how much I LOVE Trader Joe’s pre-cooked chicken sausages? That was a rhetorical question, as I have used them in many recipes on this blog. Seriously, they’re full of flavor, they come in several varieties, and they don’t have any weird ingredients. Oh and they’re like $4 for a package of 4 or 5. If you haven’t tried them, do so on your next TJ’s visit.

But back to the chicory. It’s fantastic, especially alongside a spicy sausage and a heartier pasta such as orecchiette. Look for a head of chicory with long leaves, which will be easier to handle on the grill. This is such a simple meal to prepare you’ll surely add it to your summer dinner rotation!

Orecchiette With Chicory and Andouille Chicken Sausage

1 pound orecchiette pasta

1 head of chicory leaves, halved length wise and washed

4 Andouille sausages (I like the pre-cooked Andouille chicken version from Trader Joe’s. Great on the grill!)

Juice from ½ a lemon

Olive oil

Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Carefully halve the head length wise, and gently trim the edges. Wash the leaves, discarding any yellowed ones, and pat dry. Brush the leaves with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. When the grill is hot, turn off one of the burners and cook the chicory over indirect heat, turning once or twice, about 4-5 minutes on each side or until tender.  Grill the sausage while the chicory is cooking. Remove everything from the grill, chop the chicory into bite size pieces, slice the sausage diagonally and add to a bowl with the cooked pasta. Toss with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Serve warm with crusty bread.

We are big fans of bars in this house. (The kind you eat, not the kind you frequent, though once upon a time, we were fans of those as well.) Our current favorite are the Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt KIND Bars. I’ve had Larabars in the past and enjoyed those too, especially since their ingredients list is very short. And as anyone who regularly eats protein bars can tell you, they can get pretty pricey. So when my friend Chris told me about this recipe for homemade Larabars from the blog Cookie & Kate, I decided to give it a shot. The best part: no baking required, which in this heat, is a definite plus.

These are really tasty! At first I thought mine were a bit crumbly, despite freezing them for longer than the 30 minutes the recipe suggested, but once I refrigerated them overnight they held together much better. I did not wrap mine individually, which might also help them hold. In any case, these bars couldn’t be easier to make (though you will need a food processor.) Chris told me that he also did a walnut raisin version that I am eager to try as well. Make a batch of these this weekend for a snack that will last all week long!

Homemade Larabars (from Cookie & Kate)

1 1/2 cup almonds (or other nuts, raw or roasted but definitely unsalted)

1 generous cup Medjool dates, pitted

1 cup dried apricots (or other dried fruit like cherries, cranberries or dehydrated apples)

A pinch of sea salt

Line an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper or wax paper. In a food processor, pulse the almonds until they are chopped (stop before they start turning into nut butter). Pour them into a bowl.

Process the pitted dates, dried apricots and sea salt until the dried fruits are mashed into a paste. They may try to ball up in the processor, in which case you’ll want to stop and break up the mixture with a spoon before continuing.

Break up the fruit mixture and add the nuts to the food processor. Process until the chopped nuts are incorporated evenly into the fruit mixture. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish, and use your hands to press it into an even layer.

Chill the baking dish in the freezer for at least 30 minutes, then use a sharp knife to cut the fruit-and-nut blend into squares or bars. Wrap each bar tightly for individual servings (see notes). These bars should last for a couple weeks at room temperature, but store them in the refrigerator or freezer for prolonged shelf life.

I am thankful in so many ways for my delightful little boy and the fact that he is an excellent eater is no exception. This kid loves food, which makes my heart swell with pride. But despite the fact that he eats pretty much what we eat, I do find that it’s much easier to get him to choke down a vegetable if it’s “disguised” as something else. He’ll eat kale if it’s part of a pesto topped pizza (or pizz, as he calls it) or peas if they’re tossed in with pasta, but often times if I serve him a veggie straight up it either ends up on the floor or remains untouched on his plate. This has happened several times with broccoli (unless, of course, it’s on pizza).

I started thinking about ways I could get Charlie to eat broccoli and I had seen various mentions of making little fritters or nuggets out of it. Since he loves meatballs, the veggie kind included, I decided to concoct a version of broccoli “meatballs” using ingredients I had on hand. I am happy to say they were a success (for all members of the family).  The only addition I might make would be to add a clove of fresh garlic. I left it out because I didn’t want the flavor to put Charlie off, but if adults are eating them, go for it. These are super easy to make and will freeze and reheat well. What more could you ask for in a toddler meal?

Broccoli Cheese “Meatballs”

Makes 12-13 “meatballs”

1 16 ounce bag of organic frozen broccoli florets (you can also use one head of fresh broccoli)

1 cup Italian style breadcrumb

1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/4 cup parmigiano, grated

3 eggs, beaten

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Steam the broccoli until just cooked through. Let cool, then roughly chop. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Form into small balls and place on a baking sheet. Bakes 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

This post is part of Food Network’s Sensational Sides series. For more ideas on how to cook with cheese, check out the blogs below:

Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Fresh Tomato Burrata Cheese Pesto Dip

Napa Farmhouse 1885: Roasted Asparagus With Balsamic Vinegar and Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese

Red or Green: Grilled Vegetable and Cheese Quesadillas

Feed Me Phoebe: Skillet Lasagna With Zucchini, Arugula and Fontina Cheese

Cooking With Elise: Cheesy Chicken Quesadillas

Weelicious: Cheesy Corn on the Cob

Domesticate Me: Seared Scallops With Spring Vegetables

Devour: Cheese-Filled Summer Side Dishes

The Heritage Cook: Creamy and Cheesy Potato Casserole (Gluten-Free)

Dishin & Dishes: Baked Squash Casserole

The Sensitive Epicure: Frico: Parmesan Cheese Crackers

Virtually Homemade: Easy Cheesy Enchilada (Gluten-Free)

FN Dish: Cheesy Spring Sides

First, apologies on falling off the blogging map for the last couple of weeks. I caught a nasty throat infection that had me down for the count—and then I needed to play catch up on all of the things I was supposed to be doing while I was lying on the couch. I’ve been keeping our meals simple of late—lots of greens, grilling etc.—and when I saw that the Food Network’s assignment for this week was a salad, I knew exactly what I would contribute.

Salad has always been one of my favorite side dishes (except for the first trimester of my pregnancy when I could barely look at lettuce) and part of the reason is because it really takes very little effort for a huge flavor pay off. One of my PR contacts sent me a couple of bottles of grapeseed oil to try and it’s become my new obsession for salad dressing. It’s light in taste and high in vitamins C and E—and it’s good for your skin, thanks to its high omega-6 content. I really love it, especially when paired with a really great aged balsamic vinegar.

In any case, grapeseed oil has become my new go to dressing, and this simple salad is always a crowd pleaser. I add everything by taste and this combination of ingredients is truly delicious. My dinner guests frequently ask me what I put in my salads, so here are my favorites. Try this at your next party, or even for dinner tonight, and tell me what you think.

Mixed Greens With Grapeseed Oil and Balsamic

One bunch or clamshell of mixed greens or baby lettuces

Roasted red peppers, sliced

Hearts of palm, sliced into round coins

Red onion, thinly sliced

Kalamata olives, chopped

Crumbled feta

Capers

Slivered almonds

Grapeseed oil

Aged balsamic vinegar

Combine all ingredients in a large salad bowl. Add oil and vinegar and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

This post is part of Food Network’s Sensational Sides series. For more delicious salad options, check out the blogs below:

Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Mexican Chopped Salad With Lime Cilantro Dressing

Feed Me Phoebe: Grilled Chicken Paillard With Chopped Nicoise Salad

Cooking With Elise: Garden Spring Rolls

The Cultural Dish: Arugula Salad With Beets and Goat Cheese

Napa Farmhouse 1885: Mixed Greens Salad With Shrimp and Oranges

Red or Green?: Spring Salad Greens With Spicy Chiocciole Pasta and Pine Nuts

The Sensitive Epicure: Green on Green Chopped Salad

Weelicious: Southwestern Salad

FN Dish: Vivacious Pasta Salad Sides

I love a good pesto and I rarely limit myself to just the basil variety, since basil is really best during the summer months. As readers of this blog know, I’ve made pesto out of many different kinds of greens. When I saw that this week’s Food Network challenge was to feature a no-cook recipe, pesto came to mind. And since we’ve been eating a lot of Swiss chard lately (how did I not know how good this stuff was until now???) I wanted to try making it into a pesto.

Now I used my pesto over pasta, which technically isn’t no-cook, but you could easily use this as a dip or a spread for crostini. Johnny often sops up any trace of pesto that’s left in the food processor with a piece of bread. I actually wrote down the ingredients as I was making this pesto (normally I just keep adding stuff in to taste) but use this as a basis. If you like your pesto with more garlic or lemon or salt, add away. I had some frozen basil in the fridge so I added that in too for extra flavor. Definitely make this recipe. It’s another way to get greens into your diet. Oh and it’s delicious!

Swiss Chard Pesto

1 bunch of Swiss chard, stemmed and chopped

Juice of one lemon

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup almonds

1/2 cup Parmigiano, grated

2 garlic cloves

A handful of basil (frozen is fine)

Pinch of crushed red pepper

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until desired consistency, adding more olive oil as necessary.

Note: I served my pesto with farfalle pasta, fresh mozzarella, chicken* and roasted red peppers

*More to come on this later

This post is part of Food Network’s Sensational Sides series. For more no-cook recipes, check out the blogs below:
Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Mixed Fish Poke Tower

Feed Me Phoebe: Smoked Tofu Summer Rolls

The Lemon Bowl: Asian Cabbage Slaw With Mint and Scallions

The Cultural Dish: Caprese Salad

Cooking With Elise: Good for You Guacamole

Dishin & Dishes: Chicken Salad With Dried Cherries and Walnuts

Napa Farmhouse 1885: Cilantro, Ginger and Garlic Dip

Red or Green?: Avocado and Three Chile Salsa

Weelicious: Avocado Honey Dip

Devour: No-Cook Kale Salad Recipes

Domesticate Me: Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Cauliflower

The Sensitive Epicure: No-Cook Vietnamese Spring Rolls

FN Dish: Go Raw With Shaved Salads

It was rainy and cold here on Friday, just the kind of day for staying inside and baking. I wanted a recipe that was simple and could be made with whatever ingredients I had in the house. Since I am perpetually on the hunt for the perfect corn muffin recipe, when this one popped up on Martha Stewart’s website, I decided to give it a try. Many corn muffin recipes call for buttermilk, which I almost never have on hand, so I was pleased that this one did not.

I was also delighted to find that these little baked goods may have finally satisfied my criteria for the perfect corn muffin. Not too sweet, with just the right amount of crunch (which could be because I used coarsely ground corn meal.) The texture is fantastic! Charlie clearly agreed. He grabbed one off the table as I was photographing them and has been enjoying a muffin with his breakfast all weekend long. These muffins aren’t just for savoring in the morning, however. I bet they would also be a great side dish to chili or pulled pork.

Honey Corn Muffins (from Martha Stewart Living, July 2010)

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal (for extra crunchiness, use coarsely ground)

1 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

Coarse salt

1/4 cup sunflower or safflower oil

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons mild honey, such as acacia or orange blossom

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with baking cups. Whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt in a large bowl. Combine oil, butter, and honey; stir in eggs and milk. Stir oil mixture into cornmeal mixture. Divide batter evenly among baking cups.

Bake until tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Most mornings, I start my day with a bowl of Greek yogurt mixed with granola and a swirl of honey. It’s healthy, satisfying and fast, which is exactly what I need at that hour. My friend Anne is a granola guru and she has given me several delicious recipes over the years. But my favorite is one that I happened upon last year in the March & April 2012 issue of Cook’s Illustrated. I like it because it doesn’t require a lot of ingredients and it truly lives up to its title of “Super-Chunky Granola.” As you can see from the photo below, the pieces are well, chunky, a result of pressing the entire mixture into the pan with a metal spatula. I make this granola regularly, as well as a version with walnuts and spices, and it is delightful for breakfast or a mid-afternoon snack. In fact, it’s hard to stop sneaking handfuls throughout the day, especially when it is freshly made. This granola is so much better than what you’ll find in stores—it has way less sugar and won’t break your bank. Make up a batch and tell me what you think.

Almond Granola (adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, March & April 2012)

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

4 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

5 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (do not use quick oats)

2 cups raw almonds, chopped coarse

2 cups raisins or other dried fruit, chopped. (I omit this, because I like it better with just almonds.)

Adjust oven rack to upper middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla and salt in a large bowl. Whisk in oil. Fold in oats and almonds until thoroughly coated. Transfer oat mixture to prepared baking sheet and spread across sheet into a thin, even layer. Using a stiff, metal spatula, compress oat mixture until very compact. Bake until lightly browned, 40 to 45 minutes, rotating pan once halfway through baking. Remove granola from oven and cool on a wire rack to room temperate, about 1 hour. Break cooled granola into pieces of desired size. Stir in dried fruit if using. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Spiced Walnut Version

Add 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger, 3/4 teaspoons ground allspice, 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoons black pepper to maple syrup mixture in Step 2. Substitute coarsely chopped walnuts for almonds.

This post is part of Food Network’s Sensational Sides series. For more delicious ways to prepare grains, check out the blogs below!

Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Chinese Shrimp Fried Rice

Devour: Farro Salad With Greek Yogurt

Dishin & Dishes: Kale, Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

The Cultural Dish: Lemon Risotto

The Sensitive Epicure: Stir-Fried Quinoa With Chinese Vegetables

Virtually Homemade: Spring Couscous Salad With a Citrus Vinaigrette

Cooking With Elise: Mediterranean Orzo Salad

Weelicious: Mushroom Barley

Thursday Night Dinner: Quinoa Salad With Cucumbers, Tomatoes and Mint

FN Dish: Good Grains Make for Balanced Meals

I have a weakness for Easter candy and, as many of you know, Cadbury Mini Eggs have always held a special place in my stomach. (Have you had the dark chocolate variety? Truly dangerous.) I haven’t figured out how to make my own yet, but someday I may attempt this. In the meantime, recipes for homemade peanut butter cups abound on the Internet, including this one, which Christie forwarded to me around Christmastime. I set out to make them back in December and then realized that I didn’t have any paper liners for my muffin tin. Since I already had all of the ingredients ready, I decided to forge ahead anyway, which was a mistake. Though they tasted delightful (really, how can chocolate and peanut butter not?) they were almost impossible to get out of the muffin tin intact. So while I did add them to my cookie tray, I did not photograph them for this blog.

On one of my trips to Target earlier this month, I came upon these cute little mini muffin wrappers and inspiration struck: I would make these peanut butter cups again for Easter. (Christie gave me the idea to top each one with a mini egg. As though I needed much convincing.) I think my Easter guests will be only too happy to help me eat these babies. They are so easy to make—no baking!—and are a special kind of delicious. I made mine with dark chocolate chips, but feel free to use semisweet or milk chocolate if that’s what you prefer. You won’t be disappointed. Happy Easter!

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups (adapted from The Luxury Spot)

Makes 24 mini peanut butter cups

1/4 cup butter

3/4 cup peanut butter

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup dark chocolate chips (I used Ghiradelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate chips)

1/4 cup whole milk

Cadbury Mini Eggs (optional)

Line a mini muffin tin with papers. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter and peanut butter together for 45 seconds.  Stir until smooth.  Add graham cracker crumbs and sugar and mix to combine.  Distribute mixture evenly between the prepared muffin cups.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes to set peanut butter layer.

After the peanut butter has chilled, combine chocolate and milk in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 25 second intervals until chocolate is just melted.  Stir until smooth.  Distribute chocolate evenly over the top of the peanut butter layer.  Press a mini egg into the center of each cup. Chill until firm, at least 30 minutes.  Store covered in the fridge.

Once I really started paying attention to where my food was coming from and avidly reading labels, I realized how many unnecessary, sketchy ingredients are in every day grocery store finds. I also learned how easy it is to make many of these products from scratch with basic pantry items. One such discovery was homemade Bisquick. The ingredient list is long on a typical box of Bisquick, which is surprising given how simple it is to replicate. I’ve made my own a few times, and when I discovered this recipe for a homemade whole wheat version on the blog Fat Girl in a Skinny Body, I decided to try making a quiche with it.

This quiche is loosely based on a dish my cousin Jeanne makes. I was hoping Charlie would eat it, given that it was chock full of broccoli, but he wasn’t a huge fan. Perhaps he will be tomorrow. Johnny and I, however, loved it. The consistency is just about perfect and the savory flavor is delightful. If you are planning an Easter brunch, this would be a tasty addition to your menu!

Broccoli Quiche

1 pound of frozen broccoli, thawed and chopped (I used Trader Joe’s organic broccoli florets)

1/2 of a large onion, chopped

1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used a cheddar, Monterey Jack, mozzarella blend)

1/2 cup sunflower oil

2 cups homemade Bisquick (recipe below)

4 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

Freshly cracked pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Pour into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and sprinkle with pepper. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Homemade Bisquick (adapted from Fat Girl in a Skinny Body)

Makes about 4 cups

1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 cups white whole wheat flour

3 tablespoons baking powder

1 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter cold

Mix together flours, baking powder, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender Mix the butter and flour mix until the butter is in small balls and is coated in the flour. Store in the fridge or freezer. (Mix will last in the fridge until the expiration date on the butter).

This post is part of Food Network’s Sensational Sides series. For more ideas on how to cook with what you already have in your pantry, check out the blogs below.

Feed Me Phoebe: Tropical Trail Mix With Ginger and Coconut

The Cultural Dish: Green Bean Salad

Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Easy Roasted Tomatoes and Spring Asparagus

Napa Farmhouse 1885: Pizza With Kale-Walnut Pesto, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Pickled Garlic

Red or Green?: Spring Greens With Homemade Vinaigrette

The Sensitive Epicure: Pasta alla Ghetto Fabuloso (Gluten-Free and Milk-Free)

Dishin & Dishes: Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

Haute Apple Pie: Broccoli Cheesy Rice

FN Dish: Pantry-Friendly, Budget-Friendly Side Dish Recipes