Broccoli Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 bunches raw broccoli, florets only (5 to 6 cups florets)
• 1/2 medium red onion, chopped finely
  
• 1/2 cup raisins (one of the rare times that I prefer raisins to craisins)
  
• 10 to 12 slices bacon, fried and crumbled
• 1/2 cup chopped cashews or almonds
  
• 
  
• Dressing:
• 1 cup mayonnaise (we use half mayo, half plain yogurt. Hyrum didn't like the taste of only yogurt)
  
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar

Preparation:

Separate florets from broccoli stalks and chop into small to medium pieces. Combine salad ingredients; top with dressing mixture (we add it slowly and end up only using about 3/4 of the dressing). Chill and serve.

Adapted from:
http://southernfood.about.com/od/broccolisaladrecipes/r/bl30321h.htm

Raw Brownie

Ingredients:
2 cups whole walnuts (I use half/pieces)
2 ½ cups Medjool dates, pitted (add a few more at a time if needed)
1 cup raw cacao (regular cocoa is fine)
1 cup raw unsalted almonds, roughly chopped (I like half as much, or less)
¼ tsp. sea salt

Directions:
1. Place walnuts in food processor and blend on high until the nuts are finely ground.
2. Add the cacao and salt. Pulse to combine.
3. Add the dates one at a time through the feed tube of the food processor while it is running. What you should end up with is a mix that appears rather like cake crumbs, but that when pressed, will easily stick together (if the mixture does not hold together well, add more dates).
4. In a large bowl (or the pan you plan on putting the brownies in), combine the walnut-cacao mix with the chopped almonds. Press into a lined cake pan or mold. Place in freezer or fridge until ready to serve (it is also easier to cut these when they are very cold). Store in an airtight container.

http://mynewroots.blogspot.com/2011/04/raw-brownie.html

Lemon Cookies

For the cookie (I made 20 cookies with this):

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and lemon juice and beat until combined. With mixer on low, beat in flour mixture.
2. Drop dough by heaping tablespoons, 1 inch apart. Bake until edges are golden, 12 to 18 minutes. Let cool 2 minutes on sheets, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Spread cookies with Lemon Glaze and let set, about 1 hour.

And now for the glaze (this is the original recipe halved, makes the perfect amount):

• 1 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
• 1/6 cup fresh lemon juice

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice until smooth.

From Martha Stewart's Everyday Food

Side note: I left off the glaze for Claire, so it wouldn't be messy for her to eat. It tastes kind of like a lemony sugar cookie. But if you can wait a few hours the glaze will be hard and not messy.

Pad Thai

Pre-soak 8 oz of rice noodles.  The noodles are called "rice sticks" at my Asian market. To pre-soak put noodles in a large bowl and cover with room temperature water.  They need to stay there for about 30-45 minutes.  They should be opaque and bendy.  If you bite into them they should be a bit harder than al dente. Drain and rinse when they're ready.

In a wok put:
2-4 T Oil
4 T chopped carrot
4 T coarsely chopped onion
4 T coarsely chopped tomato
4 tsp minced garlic
1 chicken breast

Stir it around until the chicken is cooked through.  Move the ingredients to the side of the wok and add 3-4 beaten eggs.  When they're nearly cooked add up to 3/4 cup of water and all the pre-soaked noodles.  Mix well.

Add:
4 T soy sauce
3-4 tsp sugar
1-2 T chopped green onion
1-2 T bean sprouts (optional)
1/2 T crushed roasted peanuts

Add to taste:
2-4 tsp chili flakes (if you like it spicy...I don't actually add any)
Juice from 1/2-1 lime

Best Yogurt Ever

Buy a tub of plain yogurt (I imagine this would work best with anything other than nonfat).
Pour off any liquid. Cover a large bowl with a clean dishcloth and secure it with a rubber band. Pour the yogurt onto the dishcloth and then cover it with another bowl or plate. Leave it in the fridge overnight. After 12ish hours a lot of liquid will be in the bowl, and you will be left with creamy, wonderful yogurt. Also, the liquid will seep all over the dishcloth, so just be aware.

The best yogurt I've ever tasted is a brand called Noosa. It is to die for. I've replicated the consistency with this "recipe".

What to do next- add vanilla and agave for vanilla yogurt. I like to add vanilla and blueberry jam for amazing blueberry yogurt (like my favorite Noosa). Claire calls it ice cream. Or any kind of jam I'm sure. SO DELICIOUS!

Idea from here

Massamam Curry

In a wok put:
2-4 T oil
4 T shredded carrot
4 T coarsely chopped onion
4 T chopped tomato
4 tsp red chili paste
4 tsp curry powder

Fry until fragrant.  Add a little water if necessary to avoid burning the paste.  Add 1-2 chicken breasts and partially fry.

Add:
3/4 cup water
1.5+ cups coconut milk.
2 carrots, chopped
2 small red potatoes, chopped
1 red bell pepper, opt
4 T soy sauce
3-5 tsp sugar
lime juice to taste, opt

Simmer, stirring occasionally and uncovered for 1.5-2 hours if possible.

Serves 4

Chili Paste

Blend the following with a mortar and pestle or blender/food processor

2 T green or red chili (red for a red chili paste and vice versa)
1 T Kaffir Lime leaf
1 T Galangal
1 T Lemon Grass
1 T Onion
1 T Garlic
1 T Cumin Powder
1/2 T Soy bean paste or Miso

Blend all ingredients until they are completely crushed and a smooth paste has been created (I started in the mortar and pestle, but the chilis were squirting up into my face - hello burning - so I recommend something else).

This is needed for some of the recipes I learned how to make in Thailand.

Citrus Ginger Smoothie

Orange juice
Frozen strawberries
Frozen pineapple
Fresh lime juice + water or limeade
hunk of fresh ginger
possibly a small piece of banana
possibly a bit of milk

Blend. Adjust to taste. Drink.