Thai-Style Noodles

 

Ingredients

· 1 (8-oz.) package wide lo-mein noodles

· 2 Tbsp. light brown sugar

· 2 tsp. loosely packed lime zest

· 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

· 1 1/2 Tbsp. fish sauce

· 1 tsp. Asian Sriracha hot chili sauce

· 1/2 cup coarsely chopped roasted peanuts

· 1/4 cup sliced green onions

· 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

 

Steps

1) Prepare noodles according to package directions

2) Meanwhile, whisk together brown sugar, lime zest, lime juice, fish sauce, and chili sauce in a large bowl. Stir in peanuts, green onions, and cilantro. Toss peanut sauce with lo-mein noodles. Serve immediately.

 

From: Pasta Night: 101 Flavor-Packed Weeknight Dishes From Noodle Bowls to Cheesy Casseroles Plus Salads, Soups, & Sides!

Oxmoor House Publishing

 

National Homemade Bread Day

  Nothing compares to walking into a building that smells of freshly baked bread, especially on a cool fall day. This year, National Homemade Bread Day falls on November 17th, which is the perfect excuse to fill your home with those warm, cozy scents, and fill your belly with fluffy, buttery goodness. There’s dozens of ways to celebrate this yummy day! Muffins, rolls, loafs, cakes, toast, and more; share with a friend, or keep them all to yourself – we won’t judge! BPL has bread books galore, you’re sure to find the perfect recipe to help curve your carb cravings. There’s so many delicious titles to choose from, but we recommend:

• The Bread Bible By Rose Levy Beranbaum

• Amy's Bread By Amy Scherber

• The Hot Bread Kitchen Cookbook: Artisanal Baking From Around the World By Jessamyn Waldman Rodriguez

• The Art of Baking with Natural Yeast: Breads, Pancakes, Waffles, Cinnamon Rolls & Muffins By Caleb Warnock

• The Best Quick Breads: 150 Recipes for Muffins, Scones, Shortcakes, Gingerbreads, Cornbreads, Coffeecakes, and More By Beth Hensperger

If you don’t see something here that sparks your interest, the 641 section of BPL’s nonfiction has dozens more! We’d love to hear about how you celebrated National Homemade Bread Day and what recipes were fan favorites in your home.

Up to No Gouda

 

Ingredients

· 1 tablespoon olive oil

· 1 garlic clove, finely sliced

· 100 g/4 oz. cooked Brussels sprouts, shredded

· 1/4 lemon

· 2 slices sourdough

· 1 tablespoon butter

· 1 tablespoon bacon jam

· 3 heaped tablespoons grated smoked Gouda

· Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Steps

1) Heat a frying pan over medium heat, add the oil and garlic and fry until just beginning to brown, then pile in the shredded sprouts and season to taste. Sauté for 4-6 minutes until crisp and browned, then add a little squeeze of lemon juice.

2) Spread both slices of bread with butter and turn them over. Spread one slice with the bacon jam, pile on the sautéed sprouts and then the cheese. Season and top with the second slice of bread, butter side up.

3) Heat a frying pan over a medium-low heat and fry the sandwich for 5-6 minutes each side until it is beautifully golden and the cheese has melted.

 

From: The Grilled Cheese Sandwich: 60 Unbrielievably Delicious Recipes

 

Lightened - Up Sweet Potato Gratin

 

Ingredients

· Vegetable oil, for the baking dish

· 1 cup low-fat milk

· 1/2 cup half-and-half

· 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

· 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

· 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, or 2 tablespoons dried

· 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

· Salt and freshly ground black pepper

· 3/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese

· 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

· 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced very thinly, like a sweet potato chip

· 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

 

Steps

1) Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 4-quart glass lasagna-style baking dish with vegetable oil.

2) In a saucepan, whisk together the milk, half-and-half, flour, butter, thyme, and nutmeg and season with salt and pepper. Heat over medium heat, allowing the milk mixture to thicken lightly, like a looser roux.

3) In a medium bowl, mix the Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses.

4) Arrange the potatoes in tight, thin layers in the prepared baking dish, pouring a bit of cream mixture over each layer and sprinkling a couple of tablespoons of cheeses on top. Aim for five or six layers and reserve some of the cheese to top the last layer.

5) Top the reserved cheese, sprinkle with the bread crumbs, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the cover and bake until the top browns and a knife inserted into the potatoes comes out easily, 10 to 15 minutes more. Serve.

 

From: At Home with Natalie: Simple Recipes for Healthy Living From My Family's Kitchen to yours

By: Natalie Morales

 

Apple, Brie, and Prosciutto Crepes

Ingredients

· 1 recipe Basic Crepe Batter (page 104)

· 1 1//2 cups apple butter

· 1/2 pound thinly sliced prosciutto

· 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

· Extra-virgin olive oil

· 10 ounces Brie cheese, sliced, at room temperature

· 1 bunch watercress, thick stems discarded

· 1/2 bunch fresh chives, cut in 1-inch pieces

· Freshly ground black pepper

 

Steps

1) Make the crepes as indicated in the basic recipe. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2) Lay the crepes on a flat surface. Smear the crepes with the apple butter, about 2 tablespoons each. Lay 3 slices of prosciutto in a single layer across the crepes and then add some apple slices. Drizzle a cookie sheet wit a little oil and lay 2 crepes side by side on the pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until crisp like a thin pizza. Take the crepes out of the oven and lay a few slices of the Brie on top so it melts slightly. Add a handful of watercress, some chopped chive, and several turns of freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle with some olive oil before serving.

 

From: Tyler Florence’s real Kitchen: An indispensable guide for anybody for likes to cook

 

Stuffed French Toast

 

Ingredients

· Large or extra-large eggs, 5

· Sugar, 1 teaspoon

· Salt, 1/4 teaspoon

· Unsalted butter, 4-6 tablespoons

· Whole-wheat or white bread, 8 slices

· Cream cheese, 1/2 pound at room temperature

· Citrus marmalade such as orange, kumquat, or Meyer lemon, 1/2 cup

 

Steps

1) Break the eggs into a shallow bowl, add the sugar and salt, and beat with a fork until the whites and yolks are blended. In a large frying pan over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. When the butter foams, immerse the bread slices, one at a time, in the beaten eggs and then place them in the hot pan, adding as many as will fit without crowding. Cook until lightly golden on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Using a spatula, turn them over and cook until the second side is lightly golden, about 4 minutes more. Transfer the toasts to a warmed platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining slices, adding more butter as needed to prevent sticking.

2) Spread 4 of the slices with a layer of cream cheese, dividing it evenly. Then spread  layer of marmalade over the cream cheese, again dividing it evenly. Top with the remaining 4 slices.

3) Return the frying pan to medium heat, adding more butter as needed to prevent sticking. When the butter foams, place the filled French toasts in the pan and cook until the bottom is golden brown, about 1 minute. Gently flip the toasts and cook the other sides until golden brown, about 1 minute more. Transfer to warmed individual plates and serve right away.

 

From: Brunch: Recipes for Cozy Weekend Mornings

By: Georgeanne Brennan

 

Terrie's Staff Pick

When asked for a staff recommendation, Terrie, BPL’s assistant director, stated, “one of my favorite cookbooks among the vast BPL cookbook collection is Tasty Ultimate.” She went on to include, “part 1 is titled "Impress Yourself" and has chapters on meat, poultry, eggs, desserts, and my favorite - Cheese! Part 2 is titled "Impress Your Friends". With dishes like Sausage, Apple & Cheddar Monkey Bread, Mozzarella Stick Onion Rings, and Homemade Soft Pretzels, how can you not?” This book has over 150 recipes for every skill level. As Terrie said, “there is truly something for everyone in this book”. If you’re a fan of this book by Tasty, BPL has several others in our collection with similar types of recipes:

• Tasty Latest & Greatest: Everything You Want to Cook Right Now 

• Tasty Adulting: All Your Faves, All Grown Up

• Tasty Dessert: All the Sweet You can Eat

• Tasty Every Day: All of the Flavor, None of the Fuss

Each one of these titles can be found in the nonfiction section of the adult department at BPL; two of them can even be found on our digital resource - Hoopla! These books are certainly a fan favorite amongst our patrons, and hopefully will become one of yours as well!