Egg Noodles with Soy Broth

Egg Noodles with Soy Broth
Serves 4

Salt
1/3 cup soy sauce, more to taste
1/3 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar, more to taste
A few drops dark sesame oil
A squirt of sriracha or other Asian chile-garlic sauce
1 pound egg noodles, preferably fresh (I used 9 ounces of fresh angel hair pasta)

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. In a smaller pot, bring 6 cups of water to a boil; once boiling, reduce heat so water bubbles gently.

2. To the smaller pot add soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, sesame oil if using and sriracha or chili, along with a pinch of salt. Stir and let simmer.

3. Add egg noodles to large pot; fresh noodles will be ready in just a couple of minutes; dried will take longer. When tender but not mushy, drain. Taste broth and add more soy, salt, vinegar or heat as you like. Divide noodles into bowls and pour hot broth over all.

Peanut-Butter Granola Balls

Ingredients
Makes 24
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup crisp rice cereal
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup dried fruit

Directions
In a small saucepan over medium, heat honey, peanut butter, and butter. Stir until loosened and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cereal, oats, and dried fruit.

Drop mixture by the tablespoon into mini paper cupcake or candy liners. Place on a rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes. To store, refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Chocolate 'n' Cream Sandwiches

Makes 15
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder (spooned and leveled)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg
Cream Filling

Directions
In a bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In another bowl, stir together butter, sugar, and egg. Add flour mixture, and stir until a dough forms.

Divide dough in half; roll out between two sheets of parchment paper to a 1/4-inch thickness. Stack on a baking sheet, and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Using a 2-inch cookie cutter, cut dough into rounds. Place on sheets, 1 inch apart. Bake until cookies are firm and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer to wire racks, and let cool.

Spread half the cookies with 1 tablespoon Cream Filling; top with remaining cookies. (To store, refrigerate in an airtight container, up to 5 days.)

Helpful Hint
Use parchment paper to roll out the dough (a floured surface would speckle it). Chill and reroll the scraps to cut out even more cookies.

Cream Filling
Ingredients
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add confectioners' sugar and granulated sugar, beating until combined. Beat in vanilla extract.

Grilled Fish Tacos

1/4 cup BBQ Sauce

1 Orange, peeled, white part removed and sectioned

1 Jalapeno pepper, seeded, de-veined & chopped

1 1/2 Firm white fish filets (grouper, halibut, red snapper)

1/2 cup Chopped green onions

1/4 cup Orange juice

2 Tbsp Finely chopped fresh coriander

6  Flour tortillas, warmed

Directions:

Pour BBQ sauce, orange sections and jalapeno in blender container; cover. Blend on high speed for 2 minutes or until smooth. Reserve 1/4 cup of the mixture, pour the remaining over the fish in a resealable bag. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Remove fish, discard marinade. Grill over medium-high heat for 4 minutes. Turn over and grill for another 2, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove from grill, let stand for 5 minutes.

Combine reserved marinade, green onions, orange juice and coriander. Spoon onto middle of tortillas, divide fish among tortillas, fold in half and serve.

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 & 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup chunky peanut butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar (plus more for sprinkling cookies)*
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup peanut butter chips
Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter and peanut butter until fluffy. Add sugar and brown sugar, beating until smooth. Add egg, mixing well. Add milk and vanilla extract. Gradually add flour mixture and mix until combined. Stir in peanut butter chips.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Leave several inches between cookies. Lightly indent the tops of the cookies with a fork. Do not overly flatten cookies. Sprinkle each cookie lightly with sugar.

Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cookies may not look done, but do not overbake. Cool on baking sheets for 1 minute. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Applesauce Muffins

Makes 18
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups store-bought applesauce
1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin and a 6-cup tin with paper liners. Sift flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cloves together into a medium bowl. Set aside.

Put 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, the granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs, one at a time. On low speed, mix in applesauce and then flour mixture. Stir in nuts by hand.

Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely in tins on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, in the clean bowl of electric mixer, mix cream cheese with remaining 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter and 1 cup brown sugar on medium speed until smooth. Spread cream-cheese frosting on muffins. Muffins can be refrigerated in airtight containers up to 2 days.

Oat Bran-Applesauce Muffins

Makes 2 dozen
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
2 ounces dates, pitted and chopped (1/2 cup)
1 cup wheat bran
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons honey
3/4 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon old-fashioned oats
Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat 2 mini-muffin tins with cooking spray. Place applesauce and dates in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture is reduced to 1 1/4 cups, 15 to 20 minutes. Spread in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and let cool completely.

Transfer to a large bowl, and stir in bran, buttermilk, egg, honey, ginger, and vanilla. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together flour, flaxseed, baking soda, salt, allspice, and 1/4 cup oats. Stir into bran mixture.

Spoon batter into prepared tins, filling to the brims. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon oats over muffins. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center of 1 comes out clean, 21 to 23 minutes. Let cool completely in pans on wire racks. (Muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.)