Spiced Nuts

2 egg whites
1 1/2 tsp salt
2/3 - 3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsps cayenne pepper

About 2 lbs nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts or a combination)
1/2 stick (4 Tbsps) unsalted butter, melted & cooled

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Beat whites and salt in a bowl with an electric mixer until very foamy. Gradually beat in sugar and spices. Stir in nuts and butter, combining well, and spread in a large shallow baking pan.

Bake nuts in middle of oven, stirring every 10 minutes, until crisp and golden, about 30 to 40 minutes. Spread nuts on a sheet of foil and cool. Break up nut clusters. Keep nuts in an airtight container at room temperature.

Granola Muffins

1 cup granola
1/2 cup milk
1 cup golden raisins or other dried fruit
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF with a rack in the middle. Oil 12 muffin cups. Combine the granola and milk in a bowl and let sit for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cover the raisins with hot water and soak for 15 minutes. Drain and dry on paper towels. (I didn't soak the dried cherries I used.)

2. Sift together whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. In medium bowl, beat together the eggs, honey, buttermilk or yogurt, canola oil and vanilla. Quickly whisk in the flour, then fold in the granola and raisins. Combine well

4. Spoon into muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then unmold and cool on a rack.

Yield: 12 muffins

Advance preparation: These will be good for a couple of days, and freeze well. Thaw overnight or in the microwave.

Biscotti

Almond Whole-Wheat Biscotti

3 eggs
3/4 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. almond extract
2 1/3 c. whole wheat flour
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1/2 c. chopped almonds

1. Beat the eggs, sugar, and extracts together until thoroughly combined.
2. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until it comes together; dough will be sticky.
3. With wet hands, shape the dough into 2-3 logs (the width of the logs will be the length of your biscotti) and place on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and let cool (on the sheets) for 5-10 minutes. Remove to a cutting board and slice logs on a slight diagonal, into slices about 1/2"-3/4" thick. Lay slices cut-side-down on the cookie sheet and bake at 325 for 15 minutes. When cool, drizzle with or dip into milk or dark chocolate, if desired.

Lemon-Cranberry Cornmeal Biscotti

3 eggs
1 c. sugar
1/2 t. lemon extract
2 c. white flour
3/4 c. cornmeal
1 t. salt
1 t. baking powder
1/2 c. Craisins

Follow directions above, using white chocolate to finish.

Baked Eggs with Roasted-Vegetable Hash

This is delicious and a recipe where the whole is more than the sum of its parts. With a salad and/or bread it makes an easy dinner.
This recipe can be doubled. Serves 3-4.

5 eggs
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
3 or 4 cremini mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1 large sweet potato, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1-2 Tbsps. olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 F, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Butter 1 quart baking dish.
Whisk together eggs, milk, cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour into baking dish. Bake in upper third of oven until puffed, golden, and set, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss together mushrooms, sweet potato, shallot, oil, and salt and pepper in a baking pan. Spread in an even layer, then roast in lower third of oven while eggs are baking, stirring twice after 10 minutes, until tender and golden brown, about 18 minutes.

Serve eggs with roasted vegetables spooned on top.

Chocolate cupcakes

These are from Martha Stewart and have become my standard birthday cake or cupcake.
Makes 24
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 Tbsp. oil
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin tins with paper liners. Sift cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth.

Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to wire racks and let cool. Cupcakes will keep, covered, for up to 3 days. They freeze beautifully.

These are frosted with basic buttercream.

My Faster No-Knead Bread

2 cups whole wheat bread flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. ground flax seeds
1 rounded tsp. salt
1 tsp. yeast

Stir together and add 1 1/2 cups water. Stir until blended. Dough will be very wet. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let rest about 4 hours at room temperature.

Lightly oil a piece of foil and place the dough on it after shaping it into a ball. Cover loosely with plastic and let rest 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 475 degrees after you shape the dough. Put a heavy covered pot (cast iron or pyrex) into the oven as it heats. I use a 3-quart pyrex dish.

When the dough is ready, remove the pot from the oven and sprinkle corn meal in the bottom. Using the foil, carefully flip the dough into the hot pot. Cover with lid and bake 25-30 minutes. Remove lid and bake for 5-10 minutes more until brown. Cool on rack.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

adapted from The Best Make-Ahead Meals

1 lb. whole wheat elbow macaroni
6 Tbsp. butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. dry mustard
6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 1/4 cups chicken broth (low-sodium)
3 1/2 cups whole milk
1 lb. (about 4 cups) Colby-jack cheese, shredded
8 oz. (about 2 cups) extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Bread crumbs

Cook macaroni until just beginning to soften. Drain and leave in colander.

Melt the butter over medium heat in a large pot. Stir in the garlic, mustard and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the broth and milk. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking often, until large bubbles form on the surface and the mixture is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the cheese until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Stir the drained pasta into the cheese sauce until well combined. Pour into one 9 x 13 inch or two 8 x 8 inch baking dishes and sprinkle with bread crumbs.

Bake immediately at 400 degrees until bubbling, 25-35 minutes for large or 20-25 minutes for small.

Or refrigerate for a few days and bake covered: 40-45 minutes for large dish, 20-25 minutes for small until hot. Remove foil and continue to bake until crumbs are crisp 15-20 minutes longer.

Or freeze for a month. Thaw completely in refrigerator 24 hours or more. Bake according to refrigerated instructions.

Dinner Rolls

1 cup warm milk
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
4 Tbsp. butter, softened

Combine in mixing bowl. Add:

1 egg, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp. yeast
2 cups whole wheat bread flour

Stir vigorously for 1 minute. Add all-purpose flour until dough begins to pull away from sides of bowl. Continue adding flour until you have a manageable dough. Knead for 1 minute. Let rest 10 minutes. Knead dough, adding flour as necessary, for 6-8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in an oiled bowl and let rise until doubled in volume.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Shape dough into balls and place on baking sheet. Bake 13-15 minutes until golden brown.

Soft Pretzels

These bake quickly so I make them for our lunch even in the summer. The kids love to help shape the dough. They aren't boiled so they aren't "real" pretzels, but they are an excellent approximation.
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 Tbsp. yeast
1 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. salt
2 -2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 c. oat bran/wheat germ (optional)

Mix together. Add all-purpose flour until a manageable dough forms. Knead until smooth and elastic, a few minutes. Let rise if you have time. Divide into 8-12 pieces, roll into ropes and twist into fun shapes.

You can let the dough rise on the baking sheets for up to 20 minutes if you want. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on racks

Granola

6 c. rolled oats (not quick oats)
1 c. wheat germ or bran (or mixed)
1 c. unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 c. flax seeds
1/2 c. dry milk powder
1 c. brown sugar
1 t. salt
1-2 T. cinnamon

Mix the above dry ingredients together in a large bowl, breaking up any clumps of brown sugar with your fingers.

1 c. melted butter or canola oil
1 c. honey
1/3 c. water

Heat the above liquid ingredients together in a small saucepan until they are combined.

Drizzle the liquid gradually over the dry ingredients, stirring after adding each third. Coat as thoroughly and evenly as possible, using your hands to finish incorporating the two. As you mix, squeeze handfuls together, which will create clumps of various sizes.

Divide the granola onto two cookie sheets (greasing optional), and squeeze or press to create more clumps. Bake in a 275-degree oven for 20 minutes. Add 1 cup of dried fruit (I use a mix of raisins, cranberries, dates) per pan and stir gently. Bake for another 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool for 15 minutes, then use a spatula to stir, breaking up large clumps and getting it off the bottom of the pan before it's stuck. Let it continue to cool completely, then store in an airtight container.

Caramel Corn

3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/3 cup corn syrup
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla
5-6 quarts popped popcorn (2/3 cup unpopped)

Preheat oven to 250 F. Place popped popcorn on 2 cookie sheets, making a pile in the center.
Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil undisturbed 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. Pour over popcorn and stir to coat.

Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. After the first 15 minutes the caramel will be quite soft and can be distributed more evenly over the popcorn, it will be more brittle and not adhere as well after that. Let cool. Store in an airtight container.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Rinse sprouts and cut in half, removing any wilted leaves. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt. Arrange with cut sides down and roast at 475 F for 8-10 minutes. Stir and roast for a few more minutes until tender and browned in spots.

This method works well with broccoli, asparagus and root vegetables as well.