Cinnamon Apple Bars

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 35-40 minutes

Grade: A-

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Whole Grain Baking

This recipe also includes a peanut-butter honey glaze, which I am sure is delicious, but I skipped, to save on calories. I liked these a lot. I could detect the whole wheat flour a little though, which is why I give this recipe a "-" instead of just an A. I am discovering that anything made with cinnamon chips is a winner for me. I'm so glad I was able to find them at my local Super Target.

Asparagus Omelet

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Grade: B+

Make Again: Maybe

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (May 2007)

I stink at making omelets. The pulling of the eggs up allowing uncooked to go under made me have an omelet that was really thick around the edges and skinny in the middle. So it wasn't as pretty as it should be. But it tasted good. I mostly stick to eggs dishes where I can scramble the eggs, and that won't change, but this recipe is decent. I did lighten it a bit with less butter and cheese, but I liked using the asparagus.

Easiest 100% Whole Wheat Bread

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Rise Time: 1 hour
Bake Time: 45 minutes

Grade: B

Make Again: Maybe

Recipe Source: Whole Grain Baking

This was as billed - very, very easy. No kneading but it is a yeast bread. It tastes fine, but not as good as CI's whole grain more complicated recipe. I do wonder if my whole wheat flour is a little rancid though, because I am not loving the two things I tried with it. There is a little bit of an off flavor or something. I haven't used whole wheat flour that much so I can't be sure. This was the white whole wheat.

Sesame Chicken Bites

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Marinade: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Grade: B-

Make Again: No

Recipe Source: Cook's Country (October 2005)

This was fine, but I didn't love the sauce flavor - it was a little one-dimensional I guess. However, I do like the idea of cooking chicken bites this way, and may try it with some other sauces. Instead of stir-frying you bake the bite sized pieces of chicken and it worked well. (I skipped the skewers)

Peanut Butter Muffins

Prep Time: 18 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes

Grade: B+

Make Again: Maybe

Recipe Source: Whole Grain Baking

I had high hopes for this recipe, but it wasn't quite as great as I thought it would be. I could tell that the muffins were made with whole wheat, I think. However, the frozen muffins tasted better to me, so maybe I like them more than I first thought. They were not as sweet as I thought they might be. I did not add the optional chocolate chips and that might have helped!

Curried Brown Rice with Tomatoes and Peas

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (May 2004)

This is a new favorite (although I had tried it before and liked it.) I have been making brown rice and bean variations of this recipe a lot lately, because it is so easy and really healthy too. I love the nuttiness of brown rice, but don't like it plain really, and this recipe ends up quite flavorful.

I modified just a bit to make it a little easier to make. Basically, I bring everyting but the rice to a boil in a dutch oven then add the rice (and some chickpeas - my own addition), cover and cook in the oven. It still works out well, although probably not as perfectly as pouring boiling liquids into a baking dish and covering with foil. Some grains of rice on the pan do get a a little overcooked, but not a lot and I prefer the ease of this method.

Oatmeal Snack Cake

Prep Time: 18 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Frosting: 15 minutes (with cooling)

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (May 2008)

This is a very yummy simple cake (said from someone who doesn't love cake.) It is very moist, and I really liked the frosting. I don't have a perfect 8x8 pan, and choose to use my 9x9 pan instead of the one that is really 7.5x7.5. This was fine, just had to cook a little less. However, the frosting did not cover the cake. I hoped it would, because I can usually get away with a less thick layer, but there was not enough. I quickly made a half recipe of the frosting and that was enough. I'd probably use the smaller pan next time.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Rise Time: 60 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Rise Time: 90 minutes
Cook Time: 45-60 minutes
Cool Time: 2 hours

Grade: A-

Make Again: Maybe

Recipe Source: Cook's Country (April 2007)

I really liked this bread, and thought the dough was really tasty. But I ended up wiht some gaping holes in it with the cinnamon sugar dripping out. Due, I'm sure to my shabby rolling technique. You can't see from this picture, the gaps were a few slices in.

I don't know if it is worth the effort to make again. I might actually skip the swirl part, and mix a little more of the sugar mixture into the dough (it already includes 1/4 c.) instead. You also sprinkle some on top, so the bread it still quite tasty without the swirl, so I think it might be worth a try.

Spicy Pasta Bake with Chorizo

Total Time: 28 minutes

Grade: A-

Make Again: Yes (modified)

Recipe Source: Cook's Country (February 2008)

I did modify this recipe a bit to make lighter (less sausage, cream, broth and cheese) and it was still very rich and good. I used a larger can of tomatoes and would do that again. I think I would even skip the cheese and baking, because there is enough flavor from the spicy tomatoes and chorizo, and I don't want a quick and easy dish like this to be so rich.

There was more sauce than I needed, so I think this is what I would do in the future:

4 oz horizo sausage , halved lengthwise and sliced thin
1 onion , chopped fine
4 garlic cloves , minced
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/4 cups water
1 (15-ounce) can Petite Diced tomatoes with chilies
1/4 cup heavy cream
12 ounces penne pasta
Salt and pepper


~ Saute onion and sausage. Add garlic saute until fragrant. Add broth, tomatoes, water, cream, Penne and 1/2 t. salt and pepper each. Bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes until pasta is tender.