Garbanzos a la Mexicana (not even vaguely authentic)

2 cans garbanzo beans
1/2 tube "Soyrizo" Mexican chorizo substitute
Diced cilantro
Diced raw onion
Lemon juice

Serve room temperature

Marzipan cookies

2 eggs
2/3 cup canola oil
2/3 cup sugar
2 cups white flour
2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3-4mm thick slices of almond paste log

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Whisk the eggs, then add the oil and whisk, then add the sugar and wisk.  Mix the dry ingredients in another bowl them mix them in.  Wrap each slice of almond paste batter in a little dough on both sides, sealing on the edges and place on an ungreased baking sheet.  Bake for 10 min.

Next to try:

Thin layer of chocolate or nutella (Mozart cookie)
Chopped candied citrus peel (Sicilian cookie)

Blueberry muffins

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

1/2 cup oat flour
3/4 cup white flour
1 cup quick oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking soda
...
1 egg lightly beaten
3/4 to 1 cup greek nonfat yogurt
1/4 cup milk or extra to get right batter consistency
1/4 cup canola oil
...
1 cup frozen blueberries

Mix dry ingredients, mix wet ingredients separately.   Mix together, add blueberries, pour in muffin pan and bake 18 minutes.

Breakfast cake

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup plain greek yogurt
• 1 cup olive oil 
• Juice & grated rind of 1 orange
• 1 cup oat flour
• 1 cup garbanzo bean flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.    Beat eggs, mix in other wet ingredients.  Mix dry ingredients together.  Combine wet and dry ingredients.  Bake 35-40 minutes.  Top with powdered sugar.

Pumpkin custard (what worked, part 2)

Pumpkin custard

Cut a 9" diameter pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds from one half, coat it on both sides with canola oil, put it face-down on a pie pan and bake it at 350 degrees for an hour.  Don't turn off the oven.

Scoop out the flesh -- should be very soft -- and put in the blender.  I'm guessing it was about 1 1/2 cups.  Add to the blender:
  1 1/2 cups of whole milk
  5 oz (a little more than 1/3 of a can) sweetened condensed milk (or substitute about 10 tablespoons of
     granulated sugar (a bit more than 1/2 cup) and another 1/2 cup of milk
  1/2 tsp salt
  1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  1/4 tsp ground cardamom

Blend until smooth.  Whisk 4 large eggs in a large bowl, then pour in the contents of the blender and whisk together thoroughly (maybe sometime we will see if it's OK to put the eggs straight in the blender and blend them in - don't know if this will damage the proteins or something).

Place 6 8oz ramekins in a 9x13" baking dish.  Pour custard to 1" depth in each (about halfway to the rim).  There will be custard left over.  Place the baking dish on the oven rack THEN pour in about 1.5" of boiling water.  Bake for 35 minutes (remember the oven has been left at 350 degrees).

Cool and serve.

Cauliflower patties (what worked, part I)

Cauliflower patties

1 large or medium head cauliflower
4 or 3 eggs
1 or 3/4 cup panko crumbs
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup grated pecorino romano cheese (or parmesan)

Chop and steam cauliflower.  While it is steaming, beat eggs, mix in the rest of the ingredients.  When the cauliflower is done, run it under cold water to cool it off then mash it into the other ingredients with a potato masher.  Use a large spoon to transfer into a frying pan with about 2-3mm of canola oil at medium heat.  Brown on both sides, blot with paper towels and serve with creamy mustard sauce.

Creamy mustard sauce

1 cup low-fat yogurt or fat-free or low-fat sour cream
Dijon mustard
lemon juice
1 clove garlic
salt

Black-bottom pudding

1/3 cup chocolate pudding (Kozy Shack, homemade, or as available)
1/3 cup nonfat Greek-style (strained) yogurt (Fage or equivalent)

Swirl together until partially, but far from completely, mixed. Serves 1.

Really has that black-bottom-cupcake taste, and very nutritious (for dessert).

The icecream-maker page

We'll just update this post every time we try a new flavor. Many thanks to Joyce for the machine and the inspiration!

Round 1: 3/27/11
Raspberry/chocolate/goat cheese ice milk.
2.5 cups nonfat milk
1 cup sugar
4 oz fresh goat cheese
1/4 cup frozen raspberries (half thawed)
1/4 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate
The last two go in 5 minutes before it's done churning.
Notes: blend the goat cheese into the milk next time; lumps were a little too tangy. Or just use goat's milk yogurt (if available). Sarah says chop the chocolate finer. Sweetness was about right.

Ham salad with watercress and potatoes

Sarah liked this and was heartbroken that she forgot to bring the leftovers back to Stockton, so we made it again the next weekend.

Two bunches of watercress, washed and dried
1 lb small red potatoes, washed and cut in quarters
1/2 lb leftover ham, cut into 1/3" cubes

Boil the potatoes until just tender, fry or bake the cubed ham to reheat. Toss the watercress, potatoes, and ham with the dressing below and serve warm. Grind pepper on individual servings at the table to taste.

Dressing:
2 tbs white wine vinegar
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tbs grainy mustard (not seeds, from a jar)
Salt
2 tbs EVOO
Mix all the dressing ingredients except the oil first, then drizzle the oil in while beating the dressing to emulsify; (do this just before tossing the dressing into the other ingredients).

Note: what we get in CA seems to be "upland cress" which is paler and more delicate than watercress, but it has a similar flavor.