Stuffed Jalapenos

 

Ingredients

· 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

· 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

· 12 medium jalapeno chiles, preferably with stems

· 6 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)

· 4 ounces cream cheese, softened

· 2 scallions, chopped fine

· 2 teaspoons lime juice

· 1 teaspoon chili powder

· 1/2 teaspoon salt

· Vegetable oil spray

 

Steps

1) Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Toss panko with oil and toast in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, until well browned, 5 to 10 minutes.

2) Cut each jalapeno in half lengthwise through stem, then remove ribs and seeds. Combine cheddar, cream cheese, scallions, lime juice, chili powder, and salt in bowl. Spoon cheese mixture evenly into jalapenos and transfer to prepared sheet. Top with toasted panko and spray lightly with oil spray. Bake until hot, 15 to 20 minutes.

 

Serves: 8

 

From: All Time Best Appetizers

By: Cooks Illustrated

 

Dogs

For all of the dog moms (& dads) that love going the extra mile for their fur-baby, this month’s quirky cookbook selection is just what you’ve been looking for! Sean McCormack’s The Happy Dog Cookbook: Biscuits, Burgers, Bites and More is full of recipes your four-legged friends will adore. McCormack is tails.com’s vet and dog nutrition specialist, and has approved all 24 recipes; in fact, each recipe even includes “plenty of tips on choosing the best dog-friendly ingredients as well as ways to tailor each recipe to your dog's dietary needs” (Amazon). Some fan favorites include “Sabre’s beef Stew with Peas,” “Orchard Fruit Flapjacks,” and “Healthy ‘Yule Dog’ Meatloaf.” While many of the books in our collection will have a recipe or two geared toward pets, this is the only book completely full of dog-specific foods. If you’re interested in this title, you can find it in the Adult Department under the call number, “636.7 McC.”

24-Hour “Omelet”

 

Ingredients

· 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

· 10 slices high-quality white sandwich bread

· 12 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (about 4 cups)

· 8 large eggs

· 3 cups whole milk

· 1 small onion, grated

· 1 teaspoon salt

· 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

· 1 teaspoon dry mustard

· 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

 

Steps

1) Grease 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Spread butter evenly over one side of bread slices, then cut into 1-inch pieces. Scatter half of bread evenly in prepared dish and sprinkle with half of cheddar. Repeat with remaining bread and cheese.

2) Whisk eggs, milk, onion, salt, pepper, mustard and hot sauce together in bowl until well combined. Pour egg mixture evenly over bread and press lightly on bread to submerge. Wrap dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

3) Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap casserole and bake until puffed and golden, about 1 hour. Serve immediately.

 

Variations:

· 24-Hour “Omelet” with sun-dried tomatoes and mozzarella- Substitute mozzarella cheese for cheddar. Add ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese and ½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, patted dry and chopped, between 2 layers of bread in first step. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro over top before serving.

· 24-Hour “Omelet” with pepper Jack and chipotle chile - Substitute pepper jack cheese for cheddar and 2 to 3 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce for dry mustard and hot sauce. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro over top before serving.

 

To make ahead: Omelet, prepared through step 2, can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.

 

Serves: 6 to 8

 

From: The Best Cover & Bake Recipes

By: America’s Test Kitchen

 

Black and Gold Marble Cake

 

Ingredients

· 3 tablespoons hot water

· 2 tablespoons instant coffee

· 2 squares (2 ounces) unsweetened chocolate, melted

· 1 2/3 cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided

· 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, divided

· 2 cups all-purpose flour

· 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

· 1 teaspoon salt

· 3/4 cup butter, at room temperature

· 1 cup buttermilk

· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

· 3 large eggs

· Mocha Frosting (recipe for this available on page 145)

 

Steps

1) Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.

2) Stir the water and instant coffee in a small bowl until well blended. Stir in the melted chocolate and 2 tablespoons of the sugar until well blended. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of the baking soda until well mixed; set aside. Mix the flour, remaining 1 2/3 cups of sugar, baking powder, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

3) Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer set on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add the flour mixture, buttermilk, and vanilla and beat for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally. Add the eggs and beat 1 minute longer. Pour half of the batter into another bowl and stir in the chocolate mixture until well blended. Spoon the plain and chocolate batters alternately into the two prepared pans. Cut through the batters with a knife or spatula to marbleize.

4) Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the cakes spring back when lightly touched. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and cool completely on wire racks. Frost with Mocha Frosting. Cut into slices to serve.

 

Makes: 12 servings

 

From: Coffee Drinks & Desserts Cookbook: From Lattes and Muffins to Decadent Cakes and Midnight Treats

By: Maxwell House

Edited by: Barbara Albright

Photographs by: John Uher

 

Last-of-the-Summer Pesto

 

Ingredients
· 1/2 cup pine nuts
· 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
· 4 ounces basil, stemmed (about 5 cups loosely packed leaves)
· 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
· 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to the taste
 
Steps
1) Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and toast them, shaking the pan and stirring, until golden brown all over, about 3 minutes. Pour the nuts onto a plate to cool.
2) Combine the nuts and all the remaining ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides with a spatula and work the basil toward the blade. Use immediately, or store in the refrigerator for up to a week; or freeze for up to 6 months.
 
Makes: about 1 cup
 
From: The Essential New York Times Cookbook; The Recipes of Record
By: Amanda Hesser

 

World Vegan Day

Each year, World Vegan Day falls on November 1st. For anyone curious about what a vegan is, Food Insite describes a vegan diet as being “made up of only plant-based foods. This type of diet includes fruits, vegetables, soy, legumes, nuts and nut butters, plant-based dairy alternatives, sprouted or fermented plant foods and whole grains. Vegan diets don't include animal foods like eggs, dairy, meat, poultry or seafood”. Whether you’re a veteran vegan, considering adopting this diet, or just want to experiment with new recipes that might be a little outside of your comfort zone, BPL has just the titles for you. Some of our most popular vegan cookbooks include:

• The Everything Vegan Cookbook by Jolinda Hackett

• 30-Minute Vegan Cookbook: Plant-Based Food in a Flash by Ally Lazare

• Veggie From the Start: Easy Vegan and Vegetarian Foods for Babies and Up by Rachel Boyett

With hundreds of plant-based options to choose from, there’s sure to be something you and your family will love. You can find these books, and dozens of other similar titles in the Non-Fiction section of our library. Let a librarian know how you’re choosing to celebrate World Vegan Day, and what recipes you indulge in.