KerriansKitchen

KNR, p. 126 “75 Second Mookies”

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I’ll admit it. I’ve got a sweet tooth. That’s not a secret, but the doc says I should drop ten pounds and that means cutting back on calories. No more eating a dozen cookies in one evening, or having two of those amazing chocolaty chocolate muffins for breakfast, or several of the Vegetarian Detective’s super brownies at one sitting. I could have gotten away with extra helpings of everything before I got sidelined from my very active job, but no more.

We plan a pretty balanced menu, with lots of fruits and veggies, but it’s the extra potatoes and slices of pie that do me in. Exercise burns some of it off, but pushing away from the table is the best diet plan out there.

The Doc and Sheila and I came up with a way to help me lose the weight and it’s mostly about reducing the desserts. She promised not to bake batches of three dozen cookies/muffins at a time and I promised not to hound her or sneak out to the bakery. The Doc admitted that I might feel deprived if I gave up dessert completely, so the new plan could include a daily ‘something’ for my sweet tooth – just not five daily ‘somethings.’ He hinted that fruit between meals might change my cravings, but I’m hedging my bets on that.

So, here’s what Sheila came up with: single serving cookies. That way, there won’t be yummy leftovers calling me from the kitchen, tempting me. She tells me the idea has been around for a long time, but she never had a reason to try it before.

I call them mookies, because to me they’re like a cross between a cookie and a muffin. So simple to make, not a lot of cleanup involved and I can make one myself. All you need is a microwave and a few ingredients and in less than ten minutes of prep and cooking time, you’ve got a dessert. 

Chocolate Chip Mookie

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Mookie

1 Tablespoon butter or margarine

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon Mexican vanilla extract

pinch sea salt

1 egg yolk

4 Tablespoons King Arthur’s cake flour

2 Tablespoons Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips

 

Ingredients for Pumpkin Mookie

1 ½ Tablespoons butter or margarine

2 Tablespoons light brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon Mexican vanilla extract

pinch sea salt

1 egg yolk

1 ½ Tablespoons organic pumpkin puree

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

4 Tablespoons King Arthur’s cake flour

2 Tablespoons Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips

(Topping is frozen vanilla yogurt and a sprinkle of cinnamon)

 

Double Chocolate Mookie

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients for Double Chocolate Mookie

1 Tablespoon butter or margarine

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon Mexican vanilla extract

pinch sea salt

1 teaspoon Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa powder

1 egg yolk

4 Tablespoons King Arthur’s cake flour

2 Tablespoons Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips

 

Preparation for all varieties

Use a medium sized glass or ceramic mixing bowl.

Melt the butter for 20 seconds in the microwave. (Doesn’t have to be completely melted)

Add all ingredients for the chosen mookie to the melted butter.

Mix thoroughly using a fork.

Transfer mookie dough to a ramekin or other cup-sized glass or ceramic dish.

Place in microwave and cook for one minute + 15 seconds (75 seconds).

Serve immediately in the ramekin.

The ramekin will be hot, so handle with care.

 

*Photos by Patti Phillips

 

 

 

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KNR, p. 54 “Kerrian’s Summer Quiche.”

 

We had a bumper crop of tomatoes in July. We gave away a couple of bushels to the neighbors, but they stopped answering their doorbells. We were getting buried under Beefsteaks, so the mailman got a bag or two. Ditto the guys down at the precinct.

Sheila canned, sliced, stewed, and diced tomatoes for weeks. We were running out of ways to serve up the big guys and still they kept popping off the vines. That is, up until my buddy across the street harvested his zucchini. We traded zucchini for tomatoes and gave him Sheila’s recipe for Summer Quiche. Great deal! She made a dozen pies and froze them for later. I used to be a meat and potatoes guy, but after Jamaica, I’ll eat almost anything. And, to my surprise, nobody ever died from eating quiche. Or a salad.

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Kerrian's Summer Quiche
Author: 
Recipe type: Entree
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 3-6
 
Ingredients
  • Deep-dish pie shell
  • 1 stick margarine
  • 1 Tbs. onion powder
  • 4 cups thinly sliced zucchini (chopped broccoli crowns also work well)
  • 1 Tbs. dried parsley
  • 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. dried basil
  • 2 jumbo eggs, beaten
  • 1 1/4 cups low skim shredded mozzarella
  • 1 3/4 cups shredded cheddar
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. sea salt (or to taste)
  • 2 ripe sliced medium tomatoes
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat deep-dish pie shell for 6-8 minutes in 350 oven. Remove.
  2. Melt margarine in large non-stick frying pan.
  3. Add onion powder and zucchini, sauté 10 minutes, stirring until zucchini is heated through.
  4. Add parsley, oregano and basil, stir briefly.
  5. Add garlic powder and salt to taste.
  6. Saute briefly, take off heat.
  7. In medium bowl, mix eggs, mozzarella and sharp cheddar.
  8. Add to mixture in pan, heat for 5 minutes on low heat, stirring until well blended.
  9. Pour into deep-dish pie shell.
  10. Arrange tomato slices on top.
  11. Bake 30-40 minutes at 350 until firm in center and cheese is light golden brown on top.
  12. Let cool for 10 minutes, then slice and serve with salad.

 

*Photo by Patti Phillips

 

 

 

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KNR, p. 217 “Tomato Cucumber Feta Salad”

 

It’s grillin’ season!

Some of our pals grill all year round. We know a guy that keeps a snow shovel inside the house near the deck door – just in case it snows – in order to clear a path on the deck to his five-foot-wide grill.  🙂  But, we’re a little more conservative, and stick to mid-May until first frost in mid to late October.

Whenever your grilling months, you probably serve fresh vegetable salads of some kind along with the great meats and veggies you can sear on the grill top. We like this cucumber and tomato mix, tossed together with an easy salad dressing and feta cheese, for a light salad that goes well with a variety of BBQ food. Hamburgers and hot dogs or steaks and potatoes? It works with everything we’ve tried on the grill and nobody has died yet from eating the fig balsamic or the herbes de Provence. Promise.

 

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"Tomato Cucumber Feta Salad"
Author: 
Recipe type: Salad
Cuisine: American
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4-6
 
Ingredients
  • 3 medium tomatoes, cut into one inch chunks (about 4 cups)
  • 2 large cucumbers, peeled and sliced (about 4 cups)
  • 1 6 oz package feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup fig balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon herbes de Provence
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
  1. Place the tomatoes, cucumbers, feta and onion in a large serving bowl.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the vinegar, herbes de provence, pepper, and lemon juice.
  3. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and cheese and lightly toss until combined.
  4. Serve cold.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

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