Author: cathysmaha

I am a country girl, born and raised on a farm in Central Iowa. I am the youngest of three children by 9 and 14 years….I was the OOPS! Being younger had its advantages in that I was an Aunt at age 7 and grew up with my niece and nephews. My Father died from a farm injury when I was 12, which forever changed my life and strengthened my bond with my Mother. I tagged along with my Mother to visit older people in our community and learned about their lives in the early 1900s, enjoying the many wonderful traditional foods and family stories. I graduated from a class of 25, which gave me the advantage of being involved in sports and clubs that would not have been possible in a large High School. At that time, Home Ec was still an elective and I loved the cooking lessons (not so hot on the sewing classes). While at the University of Northern Iowa, I began to collect and read cookbooks. Perhaps it was the absence of Mom’s home cooking that drew me to dream about cooking (and eating) wonderful food. After college I moved to St. Joseph, MO and then to Scottsdale, AZ and began to experiment with traditional recipes and discovering those of my own. It was such an adventure to discover new dishes and restaurants in historic St. Joseph, Kansas City, then Scottsdale, Phoenix, San Diego…and the list goes on. In the early ‘80s, I moved to Denver, got married, started my telecommunications sales career and discovered the fabulous restaurants in Denver and Aspen. My career took me to cities never before experienced and the seafood in San Francisco, Cajun fare in New Orleans, Tex-Mex in Dallas, Italian in New Jersey, etc. are experiences I will cherish. In 1986 our first daughter, Megan, was born and then Sarah in 1988. Instead of indulging in dinners out, we were cooking more at home and seeking ways to have good meals with limited time. Dinners went from adult gourmet to more kid friendly meals. Megan’s tastes were more basic while Sarah adopted a gourmet palate at an early age. At age 6 her favorite meal was steamed artichokes and crab legs with drawn butter…still her favorite. Megan’s tastes expanded rapidly when she went to college and started cooking for her roommates and now loves to whip up gourmet dishes. I am blessed to have many gal pals that also share my passion for good food. I love to try new restaurants and look forward to the ‘pot luck’ feasts at our book club meetings and other gatherings. It isn’t just the good food that brings us to together, but the great love and admiration we all have for each other. We are addicted foodies…but we try to remember our 12-step foodie program is needed. God grant me the serenity to only eat the food that I LOVE, the courage to walk away from junk food, and the wisdom to recognize the difference. Oh YEAH!
Desserts · Uncategorized

Lemon Bars

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Lemon Bars are a favorite of mine and I rarely make them. However, when we were planning our family high tea, I knew they had to be in the dessert tiers. The photo below seems to highlight the Macaroons, a great Costco find. However the lemon bars on the bottom are the star of this recipe.

After the tea, I had several leftover and discovered they freeze really well.

In case you’re interested in the tiered plate, I bought the plates from Goodwill and used glasses to glue between the plates. It was fun and added a bit of ‘fancy’ to our tea.

Lemon Bars

INGREDIENTS:
  • For the Crust:
    • 2 cups flour
    • 1/2 cup sugar
    • 1/4 tsp. salt
    • 1 cup salted butter, cut into small cubes, plus more for greasing
  • For the Filling:
    • 1 1/2 cups sugar
    • 1/4 cup flour
    • 4 large eggs
    • Zest and juice of 4 medium-sized lemons
  • Powdered sugar, for topping
DIRECTIONS:
  1. For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 13-by-9-inch pan with butter. (Use an 8-by-10-inch pan if you’d like the layers to be a little thicker.) In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and use a pastry cutter to cut it all together until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Press into the prepared pan and bake until golden around the edges, about 20 minutes.
  2. For the filling: In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar and flour. Crack in the eggs, and whisk to combine. Add the lemon zest and juice, and mix until combined. Pour over the crust and bake until the filling is set, about 20 minutes.
  3. Allow to cool in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours, then sift powdered sugar over the top before cutting into squares.

Recipe from ThePioneerWoman

Breads · Family Favorites · Sauces

Devonshire Cream

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Is there anything better than scones with clotted cream, lemon curd and jam? I have never tried making clotted cream, but I have a recipe for Devonshire Cream that is easy and delicious. High tea connoisseurs might argue this isn’t REAL Devonshire Cream but our family loves it. Recently, our family enjoyed a homemade high tea (scones compliments of daughter Megan) and Devonshire Cream front and center. If my memory serves me right, this recipe originally came to me from my sister-in-law, Donna. Another great family cook!

Scones with Devonshire cream, lemon curd and jam would be a wonderful way to treat the special Mom in your life this weekend!

Devonshire Cream

INGREDIENTS:
  • 3 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup whipping cream
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Soften cream cheese. Once softened add sugar, vanilla and whipping cream and beat until smooth.
  2. Chill in the refrigerator and serve with your favorite scones or bread

Attribution

Desserts

Dutch Letter Bars

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Dutch Letters are a pastry delicacy that I must purchase when I visit family in Iowa. Extra Dutch letters are always in my bag to bring back to Colorado for my family to enjoy. A few years ago, my sister told me about the recipe for Dutch Letter Bars that she makes often, and people always like them. My first batch was delicious and reminds me of lemon bars but with an almond twist. They are quite rich, so a small square is plenty but so good!

Dutch Letter Bars

INGREDIENTS:
  • 2 sticks butter
  • 8 oz. almond paste
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 cups flour
  • slivered almonds and sugar for top (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Melt together butter and almond paste, then beat with electric mixer.
  2. Stir in eggs, sugar and flour.
  3. Pour into greased 9×13″inch pan.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Can be covered with slivered almonds or sugar when done.

Recipe from Corn Carnival Cookbook, 90 Years of Family Fun, Gladbrook, Iowa

Desserts

No Churn Nutella Ice Cream

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One of grandsons LOVES Nutella so I decided to try this recipe. It was easy to put together and no churn time is necessary. I didn’t have hazelnuts on hand so we will enjoy it plain. As the original recipe states, it is rich so you don’t need to eat more than a scoopful. While the photo isn’t fantastic, the flavor is!

No Churn Nutella Ice Cream

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 can Condensed milk 395g or 14oz
  • 200 g (.70 cups) Nutella
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup Extra virgin olive oil get the light (tasting) variety
  • 2 cups Cream heavy whipping cream
  • ½ cup Roasted hazelnuts, chopped (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the condensed milk, nutella, vanilla and olive oil
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk the cream until soft peaks form
  3. Carefully fold ⅓ of the cream into the nutella mixture, being careful not to deflate the cream
  4. Add the remaining whipped cream and fold through
  5. Pour the mixture into an ice cream container or prepared pan
  6. Sprinkle with roasted hazelnuts and seal with the lid (or cover with plastic wrap and foil, making sure it is completely airtight)
  7. Place in the freezer for 6 hours before serving
  8. Take the ice cream out of the freezer for about 10 minutes before serving, to allow it to soften and be easier to scoop
  9. Notes:
    • If you can’t find roasted hazelnuts, raw hazelnuts can be roasted in a moderate oven for 10 minutes – just place them on a lined tray and give them a roll around after 5 minutes
    • This ice cream is super rich and delicious -1 scoop is often enough

Recipe from AppleCakeAnnie

Pastas

Chile Crisp Fettuccine Alfredo With Spinach

cathysmahaLeave a comment

What a flavorful, delicious pasta dish! I a spicy wimp so I was surprised that I need to double the amount of chile crisp to get the flavor punch I was looking for. I shared leftovers with one of my daughters and she was equally a fan of this recipe.

Chile Crisp Fettuccine Alfredo With Spinach

INGREDIENTS:
  • Salt
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons chile crisp, plus more to taste (I used double this amount to get the flavor I was looking for)
  • 1 cup heavy cream (I used Half & Half)
  • 1 pound dried fettuccine
  • 1 (5-ounce) package baby spinach
  • ¾cup finely grated Parmesan (2¼ ounces), plus more for serving
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While the water heats, melt the butter with the chile crisp in a very large skillet or Dutch oven over low heat.
  2. Whisk in the cream and keep warm over low. (It should steam, not bubble.)
  3. Cook the fettuccine until al dente according to the package directions. Use tongs to transfer the noodles to the cream mixture, reserving the pasta water.
  4. Add the spinach and turn with tongs until the noodles are well coated.
  5. Add the Parmesan and toss, still over low heat, until the noodles are slicked with a creamy sauce, adding a spoonful or two of pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. Divide among serving dishes and top with Parmesan and more chile crisp, if you’d like. Serve immediately.

Recipe from TheNewYorkTimes

Italian Dishes

Italian Sausage Stuffed Summer Squash

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Last year I had many yellow squash in my garden. While I like roasting vegetables or making lemon yellow squash bread, I needed a new recipe. This recipe is so delicious! I doubled the recipe and the leftovers were just as good as when it was first served. The photo makes it look like I burned the squash, but I did not and it was perfect. You can bake for a lesser time as well. I also experimented with delicata squash and found the rind was too tough. You could easily substitute zucchini for the yellow squash.

Italian Sausage Stuffed Summer Squash

INGREDIENTS:
  • 4 squash halves
  • 1 diced onion
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 4 cloves garlic crushed
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 egg
  • 2 links of Italian sausage hot or sweet
  • ½ cup panko bread crumbs
  • ½ C parmesan cheese
  • ½ C shredding cheese Mexican mix or low monster mozzarella
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • garnish with fresh basil or fresh parsley
DIRECTIONS:
  1. tart by cooking the sausage in a nonstick frying pan. Sauté on medium heat until they are lightly browned about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the sausage from the frying pan and place on a paper towel lined plate.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350.
  3. Sauté the finely chopped onions, crushed garlic and diced bell pepper in the drippings from the sausage. Cook until the onions are translucent and the peppers have softened about 5 to 6 minutes.
  4. Next, add the oregano, cumin, and red pepper flakes to the pan and mix thoroughly with the onions and peppers. Sauté for two minutes to bring out the flavors of the spices.
  5. Place the sausage, peppers and onions mixture into a medium size bowl. Mix in the breadcrumbs, shredded cheese, parmesan cheese and egg and set the mixture aside.
  6. Line a cookie sheet with tinfoil or parchment paper for easier cleanup.
  7. Cut the squash down the middle lengthwise. Using a spoon to scoop out the seedy interior of the squash and discard. Place the squash cut side up on the cookie sheet.
  8. Scoop the sausage mixture in to the wells of the squash.
  9. Bake for approximately 40 to 60 minutes. It depends on the size of the squash.
  10. Notes
  11. You want to use both a Parmesan cheese and some kind of shredded cheese. I usually have both a nice brick of Parmesan Reggiano and the cheap crumbled cheese in the refrigerator. For this recipe I find that the crumbled pram works just fine to add that salty nutty flavor, so I save the nice parm for other dishes.
  12. I have used both shredded low moisture mozzarella and cheddar Colby Jack (“Mexican cheese mix”) shredded cheese. They’re both good and I actually like them Mexican cheese mix the best, but don’t be afraid to experiment and just use what’s in your house.

Recipe from Balancing Bowls

Asian Dishes · Poultry

Baked Thai Peanut Chicken

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My love of Thai food leads me to new Thai recipes. This Baked Thai Peanut Chicken is so easy and so quick, it could easily be in a weekday rotation. While the chicken was baking, I steamed the black rice with a vegetable basket of broccoli and squash. Voila! In 30 cooking minutes, dinner was done. I was so hungry, I forgot to add the sprinkle of cilantro and chopped peanuts.

Baked Thai Peanut Chicken

INGREDIENTS:
  • 5 chicken thighs , boneless skinless
  • 1/2 can coconut milk , 7 ounces1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce , low-sodium
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 3 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1 tablespoon ginger , minced
  • cilantro , for garnish
  • chopped peanuts, for garnish
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. In a large bowl mix the chicken, coconut milk, peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, lime juice, sesame oil, garlic and ginger.
  3. Place the chicken, smooth side down into your baking dish.
  4. Pour the sauce over it.
  5. Cook for 30-35 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (to 165 degrees F).
  6. Optional: Add diced cilantro and chopped peanuts to the top of the baked chicken.

Recipe from DinnerthenDessert

Poultry

Tuscan Chicken

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Tuscan Chicken is an easy, flavorful dinner fit for entertaining. I served this dish over Trader Joe’s Multigrain Blend with Vegetables and liked the combination. Serving with a pasta or potatoes would be equally delicious. I had enough sauce but think doubling the sauce would be even better.

Tuscan Chicken

INGREDIENTS:
  • 2 (8-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts 
  • 1 cup roughly chopped fresh baby spinach
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (I used half & half)
  • 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving 
  • 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (blot off excess oil)
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • salt and pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Prepare Chicken: Cut each chicken breast horizontally so it’s half as thick as before, resulting in 4 thinner pieces. Pat them dry with paper towels. Generously season both sides of each chicken piece with salt and pepper.
  2. Sear Chicken: Heat 10-inch sauté pan over medium to medium-high heat until hot. Add olive oil to cover pan, and place chicken breasts in single layer over oil. Cook until each side is golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side. When chicken is cooked through, transfer to large plate. Work in batches if your pan is not large enough to hold all at once.
  3. Make Sauce: Reduce to low heat. Add heavy whipping cream, butter, and parmesan cheese to pan. Stir until butter and cheese are melted, scraping up any browned bits on bottom of pan. Increase to medium heat and bring to simmer. Stir in spinach until wilted. Stir in minced garlic and oregano until well-mixed.
  4. Return Chicken & Serve: Transfer chicken back to pan, leaving any liquid on plate, and simmer for 1 minute. Top with sun-dried tomatoes. Turn off heat. Serve, and optionally top with additional grated parmesan cheese.

Note: I served this on top of Trader Joes Multigrain Blend with Vegetables

Recipe from SavoryTooth

Appetizers · Gluten Free

Cottage Cheese Crackers

cathysmahaLeave a comment

What do you do when you have cottage cheese that is about to expire? You find a new recipe! This is so, so simple and paired great with a salad I was having for dinner. No doubt, I’ll be making these again.

Cottage Cheese Crackers

INGREDIENTS:
  • Cottage Cheese
  • Everything but the Bagel seasoning
  • That’s all!
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Add spoonfuls of cottage cheese on to a parchment lined baking sheet.
  3. Slightly flatten the cottage cheese with the back of a spoon.
  4. Sprinkle everything but the bagel seasoning on each piece.
  5. Bake for 35-45 minutes r until crispy and golden brown.

Recipe from Jenan-Zammar

Breakfast · Desserts

Peanut Butter Oat Energy Balls

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I love a peanut butter oat bite or dessert. These energy balls go to the next level with chocolate on top. I wish I had remembered to add the flaky sea salt to enhance the sweet/salty factor but they are yummy as they are!

Peanut Butter Oat Energy Balls

INGREDIENTS:
  • ⅔ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • ¾ cup crunchy natural peanut butter (I used regular milk)
  • 3 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup dark chocolate chips (53% cacao) 
  • 1 tablespoon unrefined coconut oil
  • ¾ teaspoon flaky sea salt (I forget this step–oops!)
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Line the cups of a 24-cup mini muffin tin with silicone or paper liners.
  2. Combine 1⅔ cups oats, ¾ cup peanut butter, ½ cup almond milk, 3 tablespoons chia seeds, 2 teaspoons honey, 1½ teaspoons vanilla and ¼ teaspoon salt in a large bowl; stir to mix well. Divide the mixture among the prepared cups, about 1 heaping tablespoon each; firmly press the mixture into the cup bottoms.
  3. Combine ½ cup chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on High until the oil is melted and the chocolate chips have softened, 45 to 60 seconds. Stir until the chocolate chips are completely melted and incorporated into the oil.
  4. Spoon a scant teaspoon of the melted chocolate mixture over the oat mixture in each cup, spreading to cover the entire surface. Refrigerate, uncovered, until the chocolate layer is beginning to set (the surface will begin to lose its shine and become dull), 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with ¾ teaspoon flaky salt; refrigerate, uncovered, until chilled and the layers are fully set, about 1 hour.
  5. Step 3

Recipe from EatingWell