Pear and apple slices in a star anise, vanilla, and lemon-infused syrup. We omitted the pomegranate arils. Recipe from Smitten Kitchen here: http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2008/11/winter-fruit-salad/. We couldn’t find dried apricots, so we used prunes instead. (Oct. 2015)
Tag: dessert
Waimar’s whole cranberry sauce
We made this following Ocean Spray’s recipe: http://www.oceanspray.com/Recipes/Corporate/Sauces,-Sides-Salads/Homemade-Whole-Berry-Cranberry-Sauce.aspx. Bring 1 cup each sugar and water to a boil, then add 12 oz of cranberries (washed and drained). Once the mixture boils, reduce to a simmer and let cook for 10 minutes. We added the zest of an orange and 1-2 inch of fresh ginger… Continue reading Waimar’s whole cranberry sauce
Spicy caramel popcorn
Caramel corn with a dash of cayenne. Recipe from Smitten Kitchen: http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/12/spicy-caramel-popcorn/. My modifications: Rather than pop ½ cup kernels on the stovetop, I used two regular sized bags of Newman’s Natural microwave popcorn. I reduced salt to 1 ½ tsp (the recipe calls for 1 to 1 ½ Tbsp) and used ½ tsp cayenne.… Continue reading Spicy caramel popcorn
Roasted pears
Preheat oven to 400. Place four halved and cored pears, cut side down, on a 9x13 baking dish. Split a vanilla pod and place the pod halves among the pears. Squeeze the juice of one lemon over the pears, then sprinkle generously with sugar - about 1 mounded tsp per pear half (here, vanilla-infused sugar).… Continue reading Roasted pears
Simple applesauce
Peel, core, and slice (into ¼ inch thickness) 6 large apples (preferably a mix of sweet and tart varieties), and place in a large Dutch oven. Add ½ cup apple cider, juice, or water (here, apple cider) and ½ tsp cinnamon. Cover and simmer until apples are mashable with a spoon (about 20 mins). Purée… Continue reading Simple applesauce
Honey-glazed banana
This recipe calls for a young banana, one that is closer to yellow/green than yellow with mottled brown spots. Drizzle some olive or coconut oil (here, 1-2 tsp almond oil) in a large wok on medium heat. When oil is heated, add 1 banana sliced into ¼ inch penny slices, spreading each slice out. Brown… Continue reading Honey-glazed banana
Baked cinnamon honey apples
Recipe from Yummly: http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Apple-Pie-Baked-Apples-1095311. We squeezed fresh lemon and lime juice over the filling and the inside of each cored apple to prevent browning. We also baked leftover filling in mini-loaf pans. (Sept. 2015)
Watermelon and cantaloupe salad with spearmint vinaigrette
Recipe here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/watermelon-and-cantaloupe-salad-with-mint-vinaigrette-recipe.html We used two lemons to make the ¼ cup of lemon juice and added lemon zest. (Sept. 2015)
Indian spiced fruit salad (fruit chaat)
This is a simple salad of various fruits cut into bite-sized pieces (here, 3 small guavas, a red delicious apple, a red pear, a plum, 1 cup red grapes, and 1 banana) tossed with the juice of one lime, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp each cayenne and black pepper. The addition of savory spices… Continue reading Indian spiced fruit salad (fruit chaat)
Cooking Adventures 