thanks for coming over!

I am stoked the Otsu went over so well... it was definitely the "healthy" contribution to the meal. Next time I will have a more unified theme. :)

Recipe: Apricot Crisp

Ingredients
2-1/2 lbs apricots, pitted and cut into wedges
7 T sugar
pinch of nutmeg

Topping
1 cup cold unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup Quaker oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine the fruit, sugar, and nutmeg in a mixing bowl. Toss until the fruit is coated with sugar. Set aside.

To make the topping: Put the butter and sugar in a food processor; process until combined. Mix together the oatmeal, flour, cinnamon and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture and process until crumbly.

Spoon the fruit into a buttered 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Sprinkle the oatmeal mixture evenly over the top. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Let cool.

Notes: this recipe came from several sources and is supremely adaptable. You may need more or less sugar depending on your fruit. I used half the butter called for (that counts as lightening up a recipe, right?). I also recommend turning the oven up to 400 degrees.

Recipe: Otsu

From Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Cooking

Ingredients

Grated zest of 1 lemon
Fresh ginger, cut into a 1-inch cube, peeled, and grated
1 tablespoon honey
3/4 teaspoon cayenne
3/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup unseasoned brown-rice vinegar
1/3 cup shoyu sauce (wheat-free soy sauce)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

12 ounces dried soba noodles
12 ounces extra-firm nigari tofu
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cucumber, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 small handful of cilantro sprigs, for garnish
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

Directions

Make the dressing by combining the zest, ginger, honey, cayenne, and salt in a food processor (or use a hand blender) and process until smooth. Add the lemon juice, rice vinegar, and shoyu, and pulse to combine. With the machine running, drizzle in the oils.

Cook the soba in plenty of rapidly boiling salted water just until tender, then drain and rinse under cold running water.

While the pasta is cooking, drain the tofu, pat it dry, and cut it into rectangles roughly the size of your thumb (½ inch thick and 1 inch long). Cook the tofu in a dry nonstick (or well-seasoned) skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes, until the pieces are browned on one side.

Toss gently once or twice, then continue cooking for another minute or so, until the tofu is firm, golden, and bouncy.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the soba, the ¼ cup cilantro, the green onions, cucumber, and about ⅔ cup of the dressing.

Toss until well combined. Add the tofu and toss again gently. Serve on a platter, garnished with the cilantro sprigs and the toasted sesame seeds.

Note: shrimp works equally well next to or in lieu of the tofu!

Recipe: White Bean Dip with Pita Chips

from Giada De Laurentiis's Everyday Italian

Ingredients

• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed


• 2 cloves garlic


• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice


• 1/3 cup olive oil, plus 4 tablespoons


• 1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves


• Salt


• Freshly ground black pepper


• 6 pitas
  
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the beans, garlic, lemon juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, and parsley in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the bean puree to a small bowl.

Cut each pita in half and then into 8 wedges. Arrange the pita wedges on a large baking sheet. Pour the remaining oil over the pitas. Toss and spread out the wedges evenly. Sprinkle with the oregano, salt, and pepper. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until toasted and golden in color.

Serve the pita toasts warm or at room temperature alongside the bean puree.

Thanks from the Hostess

Thanks to everyone for coming to our first cooking club dinner last night. I can't believe I fit seven people in my tiny studio, hope it wasn't too cramped for all of you. Photos from last night are posted. Please feel free to leave comments about the dishes.

And a special thanks to Tory for helping me cook the chicken to perfection and washing all the dishes! I look forward to passing the spatula to Aviva, the hostess for our next cooking club dinner on June 21st.

Cheers, Tabatha

Recipe: Coconut Cupcakes with Lime Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients for cupcakes

cooking spray
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp. potato starch
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. butter (softened)
1 large egg
1 large egg white
2/3 cup fat free milk
2 Tbsp. flaked sweetened coconut
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Ingredients for frosting

3 Tbsp. butter (softened)
1 tsp. half and half
1/2 tsp. grated lime rind
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 1/3 cups powdered sugar (sifted)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To prepare cupcakes, place 2 muffin cup liners in each of 12 muffin cups; coat liners with cooking spray. Combine flour and next ingredients (through salt) in a small bowl; stir with a whisk.

Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until blended (will look like damp sand). Add egg and egg white, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to egg mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in coconut and vanilla.

Spoon batter evently into muffin cups. Place in oven and bake for 18 minutes or until cupcakes spring back when touched lightly in the center . Cool in pan 2 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

To prepare frosting, combine butter and next 3 ingredients (through juice) in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until just smooth. Spread on cupcakes. Sprinkle some coconut flakes on top.



Yield 12 cupcakes. 196 calories; 2.5g protein; 34.8g carb; 0.3g fiber.

Recipe: Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Caramelized Spring Onions, Goat Cheese & Thyme

Ingredients

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/3 cups thinly sliced spring onions (about 1 pound)
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled goat cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon fat-free milk
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
6 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

Directions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to pan; cook 12 minutes, stirring frequently. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook 5 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly. Combine onion mixture, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cheese, parsley, milk, and thyme in a small bowl, stirring with a fork.

Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket; stuff 1 1/2 tablespoons cheese mixture into each pocket. Sprinkle chicken evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Return pan to medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; sauté 5 minutes; turn chicken over. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 10 minutes or until chicken is done.

Remove chicken from pan; let stand 10 minutes. Add wine to pan; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook until reduced by half (about 2 minutes). Add broth, and cook until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 9 minutes). Serve with chicken.

Stuff the chicken and refrigerate up to one day ahead. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before cooking.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and 2 teaspoons sauce) 274 calories; 9.5g (sat 4.3g, mono 3.2g,poly 1.2g) fat; 39.3g protein; 6.6g carb; 2.2g fiber