Thyme Out

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt 
• 1 ½ tablespoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon organic ground cinnamon
• 1 ½ tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 ½ cup milk
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

(more…)

The slight tang from the yogurt balances the sweet cherries. The crunch from the nuts adds texture. Perfect with coffee. Bring a plate in for your co-workers and you’ll be employee (or boss) of the day.

This recipe only makes 4 scones.  Indulge yourself.

(more…)

Every farmers’ market, people ask about turmeric.  They don’t know what it tastes like, but the want to buy it.  Is there is a gorrilla marketing campaign touting the health benefits of Turmeric?  Yes, yes, I know it’s good for you.  But I like it cause it tastes good.  Our curry powder contains turmeric, and I often throw it in eggs to change things up a bit.

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1/4 onion
• 1/2 tomato
• 1/2 cup mushrooms
• 3 Tablespoons fresh cilantro
• 1 oz extra sharp cheese, grated
• 1 teaspoon organic curry powder

Directions

1. Saute onion, tomato, and mushrooms in oil over medium heat.
2. beat eggs with curry powder and a splash of water.
3. Add eggs to pan.
4. Sprinkle cilantro and cheese over eggs.
5. Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.

“Happy Donut.” The name doesn’t exactly market that fact that they also sell the most delicious sandwiches known to man. Toasty warm on the outside and thickly layered with crunchy marinated carrots, bright green cilantro and cold refreshing cucumber – all necessary to cool down the fiery chili-encrusted pork at the core – these Vietnamese sandwiches are dangerously addicting. If you don’t have immediate access to a Happy Donut or its equivalent, here’s an (I’m sure non-authentic, but satisfies the craving) equivalent. I started the preparation for lunch the night before, but we were so excited about it that we had them for breakfast, with Vietnamese style ice-coffee. Thus the name.

(more…)

This is good for breakfast with a large crowd. You make it the night before and then just throw it in the oven in the morning.

Ingredients

1 quart milk
6 eggs
8 pieces bread, broken up
3/4 pound grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons organic ground yellow mustard
salt and pepper
(optional – ham, broccoli, mushrooms, onions)

Directions

1. Grease 9 x 13 pan.
2. Line bottom of pan with broken bread pieces.
3. Add cheese.
4. Mix eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper.
5. Pour over bread.
6. Bake from cold oven – 350° for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

It’s a challenge to get in the recommended amount of vegetables each day. So if you can knock one off at breakfast, you’re on your way! My older kids made this in Chris Passi’s first grade, and it has been a popular item with kids and adults ever since.

Quote from Pepper, age 6, to Kysen, age 4: “Wait until you get in Mr. Passi’s class. He will never yell at you. And when you look up, you will see his smiling face.”

(more…)

At the risk of offending my sister-in-law, Mary Margaret, these are the best biscotties I’ve ever had.  The sambuca soaked cherries heighten the licorice flavor of the anise seed.  This recipe is very versatile, feel free to add different dried fruits, nuts, or frost with icing or drizzled chocolate.  If the sambuca sounds overpowering to you, just substitute amaretto, bourbon, brandy, or frangelico.  No matter what you add, it always turns out great!

(more…)

This is a great brunch recipe. Make it the night before and just pop it in the oven in the morning.

Ingredients

• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon organic ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon organic ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon organic ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon bourbon extract
• 1 loaf french or challah bread, thickly sliced

(more…)

My husband skips breakfast and goes right to an early lunch. He finds typical breakfast fare to be bland, boring, lacking in vegetables or other nutritious elements and simply not worth the effort. He makes an exception for this easy version of Eggs Florentine. The heat from the cayenne and the acidity from the lemon kick starts your day, and you walk off to work feeling like Popeye.

(more…)

Refried beans, sometimes known as frijoles, get a bad rap nutritionally because they’re often made with lard, then fried in oil. Neither is necessary. This healthy version (note that I even snuck a carrot in and no one noticed) is just as delicious and having a pot of them around is an excellent way to stretch your family food budget in this time of financial uncertainty. Pull out the old crock pot for stress-free, one-pot easy preparation. Turn it on low before you leave for work and come home to the robust, earthy aroma of Old Mexico. What can you do with a pot of frijoles?

(more…)

Endive Been Thinking . . . besides spooning them directly out of the crock pot into my mouth, what else can I do with this this nutritious, delicious and oh so economical pot of refried (not) beans, otherwise known as “The Economy Sucks but my Creamy Pinto Beans Rock” Frijoles. All of the below configurations have received rave reviews in my family; in other words, they eat it without complaint.

• Classic Rice and Beans: Spoon over rice and top with shredded mozzerella, jack or queso fresco. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro. (more…)

My friend Caroline left a batch of this granola on my doorstep in a pretty glass jar with her own cute label. The kids and I nibbled on it morning, noon and night and emptied the jar in three days. So I needed her recipe to replenish the jar.  here it is.  Feel  free to experiment. Add shredded coconut, dried cranberries … live it up.

Ingredients

• 6 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup wheat germ
• 1-1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, or cashews)
• 1 Tablespoon organic ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon  organic ground nutmeg
• (or substitute 1 1/2 Tablespoons of Smith & Truslow organic Apple Pie Spice, or organic Ginger Spice Blend for the cinnamon and nutmeg)
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2-1 cup shredded coconut (optional)
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup honey or maple syrup
• 1 cup raisins or cranberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.
2. Mix all the dry ingredients together except the coconut and raisins, then add the oil and honey.
3. Spread the mixture on two baking sheets (I use a little cooking spray so it doesn’t stick).
4. Bake for 30 minutes but check every 10 minutes and stir it up a little. Add the coconut for the last 10 minutes of baking.
5. After you take it out of the oven, add the raisins
6. If you like it a little darker, add an extra five minutes but not much more—it burns easily. It’s soft when you take it out but gets crunchy as it cools. If you like chucks don’t touch or stir until it’s completely cooled, then use a spatula to scrape up. Store in an air tight container.