Birchemuesli

Here is a simple, yummy, quick and healthy breakfast idea for you. This is a basic recipe, but you can use any flavor of yogurt and whatever fruit you have on hand to change this up in many ways. And don't limit yourself just to breakfast, this dish has made an appearance or two on our dinner table on a busy night....

1 Medium Apple
1/2 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
1/2 Cup Yogurt

Optional Ingredients:

Sliced, Diced or Chopped Fresh Fruit
Raisins or Other Dried Fruit
Walnuts or Other Nuts

Grate the apple over a bowl on the big holes of a box or cheese grater. Stir in the oats and yogurt. You can eat it just like this, or refrigerate until the oats get a bit soft. Stir in additional ingredients as desired. I really like bananas, strawberries, and walnuts, but any fruit or nuts that you like would make great additions.

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Roasted Red Pepper Dip

Here is a quick one that you can throw together in almost zero time, but is both tasty and healthy! And who couldn't use at least one more healthy choice in their Superbowl spread. It's so simple, in fact, I don't think it needs a printer-friendly version! Go ahead and double the recipe if you have a crowd to feed.





Roasted Red Pepper Dip

1 12-ounce Jar Roasted Red Peppers (The jar I bought had garlic cloves in it, too. The roasted garlic gave the dip a really nice sweetness)
Handful fresh Parsley leaves
1 Clove Garlic , if your peppers didn't come with any
Salt and Pepper to taste

If using fresh garlic, peel it and process in your food processor until finely minced. Drain the bell peppers (and garlic, if yours came with it) and add it to the food processor along with the parsley. Process until smooth. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and enjoy with cut up vegetables, sliced french bread, or crackers.

Olive Oil Crackers

I have been wanting to make crackers for some time, but never got around to it. Until today. I needed to stay home due to some repairs taking place at home, and I needed something to go with the dip I was planning to make. And, of course, crackers go with whatever dips are being served on Superbowl Sunday, and I am sure lots of dips will be served that day!

I went looking around the 'net and came across this yummy sounding recipe. This was really fun to make and turned out great. I baked some whole sheets and broke them up, I cut some squares, and I cut 2 sizes of circles with biscuit cutters. I think my favorites are the whole sheets. I only seasoned with salt this time, but as with so many things, the sky really is the limit. Grated cheese, seeds, spices. You could sprinkle on whatever floats your boat just before popping these in the oven.


Adapted from a recipe by Heidi Swanson at 101 Cookbooks

Olive Oil Crackers

1 1/2 cups semolina flour
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup warm water
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt for sprinkling

Whisk together the flours and salt. Add the water and olive oil. Using a mixer with a dough hook attachment mix the dough at medium speed for about 5 - 7 minutes. Alternately, feel free to mix and then knead by hand on a floured counter-top. The dough should be just a bit tacky - not too dry, not too sticky to work with. If you need to add a bit more water (or flour) do so.

When you are done mixing, shape the dough into a large ball. Now cut into twelve equal-sized pieces. Gently rub each piece with a bit of olive oil, shape into a small ball and place on a plate. Cover with a clean dishtowel or plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 - 60 minutes.

While the dough is resting, preheat your oven to 450F degrees.

When the dough is done resting, flatten one dough ball. Roll into a thin sheet with a rolling pin. You can bake the entire sheet and break into crackers later, or you can cut into shapes now. Either way, place the cracker(s) on a corn-meal coated baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Bake until nice and brown, 8-10 minutes or so. Remove the crackers from the baking sheet and proceed with the remaining dough balls. You will want to let the crackers cool before eating them to get the maximum crunch.

'Homemade' Microwave Popcorn

Popcorn is great snack food. It's healthy, inexpensive, and can be flavored in myriad of ways. This is a great way to make popcorn. It's certainly cheaper and healthier than the store-bought microwave popcorns, and once it's popped, you can doctor it up any way you like. The traditionalists out there will opt for melted butter and salt. Grated Parmesan cheese makes a nice addition, or chili powder, or whatever else floats your boat. I prefer mine with a spritz of cooking oil spray and a sprinkle of salt.

I have based this on an Alton Brown episode I saw once upon a time. Do not be alarmed by the staples in the bag. It really isn't a problem. I promise. I have been making popcorn this way for years. So pop up a bagful or three for your Superbowl party!


'Homemade' Microwave Popcorn

1/4 Cup Popcorn Kernels
1 Brown Paper Lunch Bag
2 Staples

Okay, so the bag and the staples are not really ingredients, but here's what you do. (And yes, I have had that stapler since the '70's.)

Put the popcorn in the bag.

Fold the bag over twice and secure with two staples.


Put in the microwave and cook however you normally cook microwave popcorn. My microwave has a 'popcorn' button which is what I use. I timed it today, and it took 1 minute 58 seconds to pop a batch. If you your microwave doesn't have a popcorn button, I would imagine setting it on high for about 3 minutes would do the trick. DO NOT walk away. There is nothing worse than the smell of burnt popcorn in your house or office. Once the popping has slowed to one pop every 2 seconds or so, it's time to turn off the microwave.


Tear open the bag carefully, and pour the popcorn into a large bowl. Season as desired and enjoy.

Garlicky Basil Cheese Spread

Since the Superbowl is this Sunday, and people often gather and eat snacky foods when the Superbowl is on, I thought for the rest of this week I would post a few of my favorite party snacks. First up, Garlicky Basil Cheese Spread. This is really easy to throw together, looks pretty, and everyone loves it. Plus, it is much cheaper than the pre-made ones they sell in the grocery stores. This recipe is based on one I saw on the Kitchen Parade website several years ago.

Garlicky Basil Cheese Spread

2-3 Garlic Cloves (More if you REALLY like garlic)
1/4 Cup Loosely Packed Fresh Basil Leaves
1/2 Cup Walnuts or Pine Nuts
1/2 Grated Parmesan Cheese
8 Ounces Neuchatel Cheese

Pulse the garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the basil and pulse 2 or 3 times, then add the nuts and process until finely chopped. Don't process too long, or you will get garlic and basil flavored nut butter! Add the cheeses and process until smooth. Serve with crackers, cut up veggies, and/or french bread.

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Braised Short Ribs

I guess it must be winter, since I am preparing so many 'winter foods'. This is a great recipe that you can put together and then leave in the oven for a bit while you do other things. Read a book, play board games, enjoy a nice fire... You get the idea. It's also nice, since the oven is already on, to cook the side dish in the oven at the same time.

Braised Short Ribs

3 - 3 1/2Pounds Beef Short Ribs
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Dried Thyme
2 Tbsp Canola Oil
2 Cups Onions, Diced
1/2 Cup Celery, Diced
1/2 Cup Carrots, Sliced
1/4 Cup Shallots, Diced
3 or 4 Cloves Garlic, Minced or Pressed
Salt and Pepper
Pinch of Dried Thyme
1 1/2 Cups Beef Broth
2 Bay Leaves

Preheat the oven to 350

Trim the excess fat from the short ribs. Season them with salt, pepper, and dried thyme. Heat the canola oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add the short ribs, in batches, and brown on all sides, about 8 minutes per batch. Remove the short ribs from the dutch oven and pour off all but about 2 Tbsp of the fat. Add the vegetables, pinch each salt, pepper, and dried thyme, and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown, about 10 minutes.

Add the beef broth and bring to a boil. Return the short ribs and add the bay leaves. Bake, covered, until the ribs are tender and the meat is pulling away from the bone, 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Remove the ribs and tent with foil. Remove the vegetables to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Pour the broth into a gravy separator. Pour back into the pot, leaving the fat behind. Reduce the sauce over medium-high heat until syrupy, then add back the vegetables and short ribs. Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or butternut polenta.

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Butternut Squash Polenta

This polenta is really tasty. Polenta is really tasty on it's own without squash. And cooking it in the oven makes it a super simple dish to prepare. The addition of the squash just gives it an extra body and smoothness that makes it really special.








Butternut Squash Polenta

2 Cups Stock or Broth (Veggie or Chicken)
1 1/4 Cups Water
1 Cup Polenta
1 Tbsp Butter
1/4-1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese
1 Medium Butternut Squash
Olive Oil for Rubbing the Squash
1/2 Cup or so Water
Salt and Pepper

Preheat the oven to 350

Cut in half and seed the squash. Rub the cut sides with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put cut-side down in a baking dish and add about 1/2 cup of water. Cover with a lid or foil, and bake until very soft, 40-60 minutes. When the squash is done cooking, remove it to a plate to cool, then scoop out the flesh, mash with a fork, and set aside. Alternatively, if you don't have room in the oven while the polenta is baking, you can cook the squash in the microwave: put in the halved, seeded squash and 1/2 cup water in a microwave safe dish with a lid or cover with plastic wrap. Cook on high for 10-15 minutes until very soft.

Butter an 8-inch square baking dish. Pour in the stock or broth and water. Stir in the polenta and 1 Tbsp of butter. Bake the polenta for 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir in the cheese. The polenta may be cooked at this point, if it is not, return it to the over for another 10 minutes.

When the polenta is done cooking, stir in the squash. Adjust seasoning as needed and serve.