Carrot Cake from the Cuisinart recipe pamphlet

 CARROT CAKE

I like to measure out the dry ingredients (flour and spices + sugars) the day before and gather all the pans, etc. Consider making the frosting the day before as that will streamline the following day. You can run the Cuisinart through the dishwasher. In the morning  leave the 4 large eggs out to come to room temp. 

Or if you want to make it in one day - start with the dry ingredients

Sift together:

1 2/3 cup AP flour

1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

If you don't like to chop nuts, use the chopping blade on 1 1/2 c walnuts (6 oz.) I like them chopped fairly fine. Set aside.

Grate 1 pound of peeled carrots - using the shredding disc. There should be 4 cups. Set aside.

You don’t have to wash the bowl before mixing the wet ingredients.

In the bowl of the Cuisinart - with the regular blade - put 

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

4 large eggs at room temp

1 1/4 cup vegetable oil 

1 teaspoon vanilla

Blend for 10 seconds

Add the dry ingredients and pulse til combined - 6-8 pulses

Pour the batter into a large bowl with the carrots and walnuts.

Fold in without over-mixing.

Add 1 cup raisins (plumped golden) if you like raisins.

Pour into pans that are greased and floured and have a round of parchment or waxed paper in the bottom.

2 - 9-inch pans 

- or - 

a 9x12 rectangular pan works. It will be a little taller and will take a little longer to bake.

Bake 350° 35-40 minutes - cool in the pan.

This cake tastes better on the following day.

FROSTING

Use metal chopping blade 

1 1/2 pounds cream cheese - cut into 24 pieces

1 1/2 sticks butter (3/4 cup) cut into 12 pieces

Blend for 1 minute - or until smooth

Add 

3 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Optional - 1/2 tsp almond extract (or 1/4 tsp)

Blend for another 20 seconds

Once the frosting is chilled and set

and the cake has cooled

assemble and frost.

Wilma's Coleslaw

 When asked for her recipe, Wilma said: There is no recipe, you just put it together.

Bags of shredded cabbage do not work. You must thinly slice fresh cabbage. That is half of a small head of cabbage in. the photo - 3-4 cups. 4-5 scallions sliced and I like to halve them lengthwise before slicing then so that they are smaller than just sliced discs and disappear into the slaw.

You must bruise the cabbage. I pound it with a meat pounder. If you do not have one you can substitute with something heavy with a flat bottom like a big round bottle of something or a can of something. Some people bruise their cabbage by squeezing it by hand really hard.  I prefer pounding. You can put the cabbage in a bowl to pound it. I like having it the way it is in the photo because it gives me a good feel for how much salt and pepper - it's the amount you would use if you were seasoning something on a plate. 

Seasoning is a matter of taste. So is the dressing. 

The dressing is just sugar, vinegar and Hellman's. Stir the sugar and vinegar together until the sugar dissolves which takes longer than you would prefer - but eventually it does dissolve. For the amount shown in the photos I added a 1/2 c. of Hellmans. 

Sugar is not quite dissolved. Keep stirring.

Any vinegar will work. Rice vinegar is nice and mild if you keep it on hand. Taste the dressing and if it is too acidic - just add more sugar. It's OK to add sugar after the salad is mixed - without dissolving the sugar. If you have powdered sugar on hand, it works well to adjust after the salad is mixed.

Stir in the Hellman's until it is smooth. If you have a lemon - a tablespoon of fresh lemon is nice, but not essential. If you have heavy cream on hand - it's a welcome addition - a tablespoon or two. Grated carrots are fine to add, if you like a little color. The only other addition to even consider is dill. But, the basic recipe is just fine.

It's nice to let it sit in the fridge for an hour or two before serving...  but that's not essential. If it does sit for a while, taste it before serving. It might need a little more salt. 

Siggi recipes

 

SMOOTHIE

6-8 oz Siggi

1/2 c blueberries (frozen)

1 frozen banana

1 c coconut water

DIP

8 oz Siggi

3 T fresh dill, chopped or 1 tsp dried

1 clove crushed garlic

1/2 a lemon, juiced

Salt and pepper

Chill for 4-8 hours before serving

AVOCADO EGG SANDWICH

1/2 an avocado

2 hardboiled eggs

2 T Siggi

2 slices bread

Greens

Salt and pepper

Black Magic Cake from Cuisinart pamphlet

The very fast and easy chocolate cake that everyone likes.

Preheat to 350°

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups AP flour

3/4 cup Hershey cocoa

2 tsp soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Process in Cuisinart for 10 sec with metal blade

Mix together:

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk or sour cream

1 cup strong black coffee (or instant espresso)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla

Pour into Cuisinart while it is running and process 10 seconds.

Scrape down and process another 10 seconds

Pour into greased and floured pans

2 - 9-in pans - Bake 35-40 min

9x13 pan - Bake 40-45 min

Frosting

Process for 10 seconds - a 3/4 stick of butter that is at room temp

Add 3/4 cup cocoa

2 2/3 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

Process until smooth

Granola

 Heat oven to 300°

The recipe says to dissolve the brown sugar, maple syrup and olive oil until the sugar has melted - but, I have just tossed everything together without doing that step and it works. It clumps better if you do this step - but I see no difference in flavor.

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup 

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Fold the above into the mixture of:

2 3/4 cups rolled oats (I use 3 cups)

1 cup shelled pistachios

1 cup unsweetened coconut chips

1/3 cup pumpkin seeds

1 tablespoon kosher salt - this seems like a lot of salt - and you can taste it - but it balances with the sweetness. I've made the recipe with less - and it's fine with less - just depends on how much you like salty foods.

Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet - or on a silicone baking mat - for 35-40 minutes.

The recipe says to stir it a couple times while baking - but, it turns out fine if you do not stir it. I think it clumps better if you do not stir it.

Bake until it is dry and light golden. It will not be hard and crispy until it cools. It will smell delicious when it's done. I have over cooked it, waiting for it to be *dry* - and it was still ok - but it's better when it's just golden. The sugar gives it a shine - that looks wet - so go by smell.

The recipe calls for 3/4 cup dried cherries - to be mixed in after the granola has cooled and you are putting it into an airtight container - which I have done. Dried cranberries would be fine - or raisins. I do not miss the dried fruit if I don't add it.

Cuisinart booklet cake recipes

These are all from a booklet that came with the first Cuisinart I bought in 1978-79. They are all very good and very easy to make.

 

Chili - from the Preppy Kitchen

 I finally got around to finding a recipe that is easy - and I was pleased with the results. I bought the ground beef at Gateway and I think that made a difference.

Chili

https://preppykitchen.com/chili-recipe/

Jean's comments are in blue

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion chopped (280g)

1 bell pepper green or red, chopped (140g)

4 garlic cloves minced

1 pound ground beef (450g)

1 tablespoon tomato paste

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1½ teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 (14.5-ounce/411g) can diced tomatoes - fire roasted, Muir brand

1 (8-ounce/226g) can tomato sauce

1 (16-ounce/454g) can red kidney beans rinsed and drained

1 (16-ounce/454g) can pinto beans rinsed and drained

2 cups beef broth (480mL) - I used Better Than Bouillon + water

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

To serve:

Lemon juice

Shredded cheese

Sour cream

Tortilla or corn chips

Sliced green onions

• Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
• Add the ground beef and cook for about 5 minutes, breaking into small pieces with a wooden spoon until no longer pink.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, cayenne, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently, until the spices are aromatic.
• Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney and pinto beans, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and beef broth. Scrape the bottom of the Dutch oven to loosen any browned bits and bring to a simmer.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, until the chili thickens, 25 to 30 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Add a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice to each serving. Top with shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla crisps, and sliced green onions, if you like.
• It's always better the day after. It might need some water added when reheating.

• OPTIONS:
  
  For additional savory notes and added warm spice, add up to 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder and/or 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
• To enhance the meatiness of the chili, add up to 1 tablespoon of soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce. I added 2 T of both.
• If you like spicy chili, try using Rotel tomatoes with green chilis in place of plain diced tomatoes. Or add a diced jalapeño to the mix with the onions and bell peppers.
• Mix and match your beans depending on what you have. I’ve made this recipe with all varieties, including black beans and white beans—it’s always a hit! My only recommendation is you skip pre-seasoned “chili beans,” which can be overly salty or overly sweet.
• Make a vegetarian chili be skipping the ground beef altogether and adding two more cans of beans, or using a plant-based substitute.
• Swap the ground beef for another protein like ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork.
• Swap your regular chili powder for all or in combination with ancho chili powder or chipotle chili powder.