Bahn Mai sandwiches, with FISH

1 french baguette (pref. the par-baked kind you finish off at home)
6 fried fish fillets (we use 6 Gordman's crunchy fish fillets) OR 3 real fried ones
1 carrot, shredded/grated
a few leaves of lettuce, well rinsed and dried

sauce:
1 Tbl mayo
1 Tbl plain yogurt
1/2 Tbl sirracha (asian hot sauce with garlic)
1/2 Tbl dried mint leaves
<1 tsp rice vinegar or lime juice

while the oven is preheating: mix all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. set aside.

bake the fish as directed on the package, finish cooking the bread in the same oven (follow the directions for the bread NOT the fish when it comes to the temp, just leave the fish in a few minuets longer and flip and extra time so as not to burn the bread)

serve while still hot, topped with cold veg, room temp sauce, and hot bread and fish

EAT OVER A PLATE, this is one deliciously messy sandwich

Carrot (Bran) Muffins

Despite having 2 cups of crush bran cereal, these have just a hint of bran to them; the molasses, brown sugar, and cinnamon add enough spice to hide it. And the apple sauce and carrots make these a deliciously moist breakfast treat. Good "first time" muffins too, because they don't tunnel (over stir) easily.

3 c AP flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking power
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbl cinnamon
2 c crumbled bran cereal flakes
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 c applesauce
1 c oil
1 1/4 c firmly packed brown sugar
3 c finely grated carrots (4 carrots, grated with a coarse microplane grater is perfect)
1 c currants

Heat oven to 350 F. Lube muffin tins or line them with paper.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together. Add crushed bran flakes.

In another large bowl (I used an 8 c measuring cup) combine beaten eggs, apple sauce, oil and brown sugar. Stir in carrots and currants.

Pour egg mixture over flour mixture and combine until just barely moist through the flour. There will still be some floury bran flakes, don't worry about them.

Makes 24 normal size muffins.

Bake for 20 minutes, rotate tins in the oven 1/2 way through (just like tires!).

adapted from Muffins: Sweet & Savory Comfort Food

poooooor thumb

FYI, you should be VERY careful when opening your microplane grater. I'm going to miss that chunk of thumb. Apparently the cover is much trickier to get off than I expected.

Time to go change my bandage :(

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

1 c AP flour

1 c white whole wheat flour

5 Tbs low fat buttermilk powder

1/4 c sugar (brown or white)

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp all spice

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 c water

1 egg

1 Tbl vegetable oil

1 apple, peeled, cored, and diced

makes 12 standard muffins, or 6 jumbo.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Grease a muffin tin well.

In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients together with a fork.

Separately, beat the egg in the water with the vegetable oil.

Toss the apples in the dry ingredients, pour the water mixture over the dry/apple mixture. Stir to just combined. Spoon into muffin tins.

Bake for 20 minutes. Cool for 5, turn muffins out onto cooling rack (or they'll get soggy bottoms).

side note: these are really good with some slices of cheddar cheese on the side. 

If you can't find buttermilk powder in the baking aisle of your grocery store, substitute 1 c yogurt and 1/4 c water for the buttermilk powder and water.

Black Pepper Mushrooms

1 Tbl butter
1 Tbl olive oil
1 (6-8 oz) package of sliced mushrooms
1 c leftover wine or champagne
freshly ground black pepper, lots
sea salt
1/2 c milk
2 Tbl (or whatever you have leftover) heavy whipping cream*

*if you don't have cream, just add another Tbl of butter and an extra splash of milk

-heat the butter and olive oil in a medium frying pan

-cook the mushrooms until they're wet looking and noticeably softer

-season well

-add the champagne or white wine, bring to a simmer

-stir in the milk and cream/more butter, bring to a simmer

-reduce to 1/3 volume

Serve over pasta, rice, salad, or as a side dish.

cheddar cheese and onions soufflé

Guys, this may be the tastiest recipe I've ever made up. Seriously. It theoretically makes 6-8 servings, I think it made 4 for us. We couldn't stop eating it! The middles are so warm and gooey, the top so golden-brown and cheesy, there's nothing wrong with this recipe unless you're a gluten free, lactose intolerant, sad person.

1 day-old loaf grocery store French/Italian bread (the loafy kind, not a baguette)
6 oz shredded cheddar (reduced or low fat, if you have it)
2 c warm milk (also low fat)
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
3 eggs, separated
1-2 Tbl butter
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
6 (or more) scallions/green onions, finely sliced

-preheat the oven to 450 F

-butter a casserole dish

-cut the bread into thick slices, tear off the crust and tear the bread into 1" or so chunks, place in a large bowl

-mix the egg yolks into the warm milk with all of the seasoning, pour over the bread and let soak while doing the remaining steps

-set 1 to 2 Tbs of butter in a frying pan, over medium heat

-finely dice 1/2 an onion and soften in the pan of hot butter until translucent, let cool slightly

-beat the egg whites to stiff peaks

-slice the scallions/green onions, keep separate

-mix softened onion and cheese into the milk/egg yolk/bread mixture

-in 3 additions, fold egg whites and green onions into the mixture

-pour into buttered casserole dish

-bake for 45 minutes, yes it will sink/deflate when you take it out of the oven. serve warm with salad and/or veggie burgers

inspired by: a Real Simple recipe

Butterscotch Oatmeal Blondies

1 c butter, softened

3/4 c sugar

3/4 c packed brown sugar

1 t. vanilla extract

1 1/4 c flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

zest one medium orange (or 2 tsps dry zest)

3 c old fashioned oats

1/2 (or more, if you're into sweets) bag butterscotch chips

Using the wrapper from the butter, grease a 9" x 13" pan. Or 9" x 9" if you like thicker blondies.

Cream the butter and sugar together. While that's going, sift the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together.

Add the remaining wet ingredients (vanilla and eggs) to the sugar and butter.

Add 1/2 of the flour mixture, mix until just incorporated. Add the remaining flour and mix until just incorporated.

Add the oats one cup at a time. Add the butterscotch chips just before pouring the batter into the pan. Smooth it out and bake for 18-22 minutes. Cut while still warm.

These ship well, if you're looking for cookies to mail. Just pack in layers of wax paper in a large plastic bin.