Avocados with Thai Peaunut Sauce (or anything with Thai peanut sauce)

Hey hey hey! I'm on brief return from my cooking hiatus caused by a disturbing lack of oven in my dorm room. I'll try to work around it next semester (please co-op, get the the key to the community kitchen!). Anyhow, I'm celebrating my glorious return the the kitchen with this tastiness I made the other day (yes my mother and I ate 4 avocados together, stop yelling) oh and p.s. , the idea of an avocado and peanut sauce salad is admittedly stolen directly from Seasons in White Plains. Also: the measurements are approximate (guess-and check-method baby) so adjust as needed because I just threw in what looked good as I went along.

1 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup honey

3 T sesame oil

2 cloves garlic

3 T ginger

1/4 c water

2 T Soy Sauce

(or maybe a little coconut milk if you have it?)

Put it in your blender and go! (until its smooth- it should have a ranch dressing-esque consistency

Slice up about 4 avocados and drizzle on top. Eat right away so you don't face that brown-avocado problem. You WILL have leftover dressing with this number of avocados- so put it on something else!

Cottage Cheese Griddlecakes

(Makes 12)

Beat:

3 Eggs

Add: 

1 c cottage cheese 

2 T melted butter

1/4 c flour 

1/4 t salt 

Mix no more than needed to blend

Fry on a hot buttered griddle

Blum's Chocolate Sauce

This chocolate sauce is EVIL.  My grandma makes it and it is just one of those addictive substances that tastes divine on almost anything you put it on.  Personally, my favorite combination is this sauce with fresh strawberries, vanilla ice cream, and toasted whole almonds.  

In a double boiler, cook until smooth (stirring constantly):

8 oz baking chocolate (melt)

1 can evaporated milk

4 c sifted powdered sugar

Add and cook 'til butter is melted:

6 T butter

1/4 t salt

1 t vanilla

Carrot Cookies

The next half dozen or so recipes come as a consequence of going over copies my Aunt made of my grandma's fantastic recipes.  I took out some personal favorites and here you are.  When I was little, my mom used this particular recipes to barter for my older sister's piano lessons.  I always remember licking the icing off the cookies.  

bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes

Shred and cook until tender: 

2 c carrots

Cream: 

1 1/2 c butter

2 c sugar

Add and beat well:

2 eggs

the cooked carrots

1 t salt 

4 c flour 

2 t baking powder

2 t vanilla 

2 c nuts (or less, or not at all)

bake on a greased cookie sheet 

 

FROSTING:

beat smooth:

1 grated orange rind

2 c powdered sugar

2 pinches salt 

2 T orange juice 

ice cookies while warm

Hearty Cabbage Soup

I don't know how long this recipe has been in the family, but it is one of the best soups I've encountered.  Its very good served with homemade bread.  Challah in particular.  As a kid, I always ate it made with beef, but I don't eat red meat anymore, so I just use ground turkey.  If you have the patience, like beans, this soup is better on the second day.  

Brown: 

1 lb ground beef or turkey

Add and simmer:

6 c water

2 cans tomato paste (6 oz each)

1/2 head of cabbage, chopped

1 large onion, sliced

4 all spice berries or 1/2 t ground allspice

3 T sugar

1 T salt (or a little less)

3 peppercorns 

1 bay leaf 

2 T worcestershire sauce

Stan's Deluxe Hot Cakes

To this day I still have no idea who Stan is, but the fact remains that these fall into the category of very good pancakes.  This is the kind that my grandparents always fix for breakfast when I visit.  

Sift together:

1 1/2 c flour 

1 t baking soda

2 t baking powder

3/4 t salt

Beat together and combine with dry ingredients:

3 T brown sugar

2 egg yolks 

2 c buttermilk

3 T oil

Beat and fold in:

2 raw egg whites 

grill in a lightly greased pan

Classic Rice Crispy Treats

For kids birthday parties you can't really go wrong with these.  My family likes to throw food coloring into the mix and then mold the treat into various shapes.  Past favorites have included Iron Man, a shark, and a rocket ship.

Melt:

1/4 c butter

1/2 lb marshmallows 

Stir in:

5 c rice crispies