Time to Eat the Donut

So on Monday night (11 ish) Matt and I ran down to the Conoco to get some Krispy Kremes. Just three. That's it. But the manager came over to us and told us to take what was left. I was going to refuse, but Matt spoke first … Anyhoo, we got to talking to her and she said she wanted to do a good deed. She was going in for major surgery the next day.

Anyhoo, thanks to her, we ended up with 97 donut. That's right folks … 8 dozen and a spare (though the spare was gone before we got home). Long story short … I don't think I really want to see a Krispy Kreme donut for a long time (and I've only had 3 of them … hehe). So she did me a huge favor. The idea of Krispy Kreme now disgusts me.

PS. I was going to add a picture, but I seem to have misplaced my digital camera cord … bother.

Tosh and Rot

I've been neglecting Jesser.org shamefully, and for that I am sorry. But really, it's Matt's fault. He bought me SIms 2, and I've been playing that like crazy allll weekend. Sad, really. Anyhoo, things have been going well.

On Thursday, we went to The Fort to celebrate my parents' 32nd wedding anniversary. That was pretty spiffy. The Fort is a really interesting restaurant (a true Colorado original). It focuses on game meat, buffalo (bison) in paticular. So they have stuff like buffalo sausage and steaks. Plus they have quail and venison and the like. The restaurant itself is an adventure too. It's this cool-looking adobe building decorated in old west style. The servers all wear costumes and, maybe it sounds cheesy, but it's really well done and classy.

This weekend, besides simming and work, we watched a couple of movies I hadn't seen before. We went to the theatre and saw Wimbledon with Kirsten Dunst and Paul Bettany. I really recommend this movie! It's a nice, light, romatnic comedy, and it's pretty well done and has some plot surprises. Paul Bettany's adorable too. We also Netflixed Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen. That was kinda trippy/cute. I'm glad I didn't see it in the theare, but it was worth a (cheap) rental. I think i'd like to read the book, maybe. There were some elements of the movie that were a bit disjointed. Kinda funny tho.

Happy B'day Dan


Dan (right) turns 25 today! Dan is in his third year at Tulane Law School, a Virgo, staunch Republican and, ladies, he's still single. He enjoys skiing, drinking, watching CNN, reading thick law journals, writing business plans, and of course, reading Jesser.Org. Hope your b'day is a great one. You deserve it.

Strawberry Banana Bread

from: Everyday Food, Jan/Feb 2003

Ingredients
10 tablespoons (1 ¼ sticks) unsalted butter
¾ cup light-brown sugar
2 small pink grapefruit
1 ½ cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup milk
whipped cream (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Put 4 tablespoons butter in a 9-inch round baking pan. Place the pan in the oven just long enough to melt the butter. Remove pan from oven; scatter ½ cup brown sugar evenly over the melted butter.

With a sharp knife, peel the grapefruit, removing all pith (the white stuff). Slice into small rounds. Arrange the slices to cover the bottom of the pan. In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and allspice. In a separate bowl, using an electric mixer, beat remaining butter until creamy. Add granulated sugar and remaining ¼ cup brown sugar; beat until well combined. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Alternately add dry ingredients and milt to butter mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.

Pour batter over grapefruit in pan. Bake 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; turn cake out onto serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream if desired.

from: Matt & Jess Nichols

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
½ cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 ½ tsp vanilla
2 ¼ cups flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 tsp salt
¾ cups milk
1 ½ cups mixture coarsely chopped bananas and strawberries

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 5×9 inch loaf pan. Cream 1 cup of the sugar, and butter in a large mixing bowl until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the flour. Sift the remaining flour with baking powder and salt. Mix flour alternately with milk into creamed mixture, beating until smooth after each addition. Combine the reserved 2 tablespoons flour with fruit and gently fold into batter.

Turn into prepared pan and bake 1 hour fifteen minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes then pierce gently with a fork. Makes 1 loaf.

Grapefruit Upside-Down Cake

from: Everyday Food, Jan/Feb 2003

Ingredients
10 tablespoons (1 ¼ sticks) unsalted butter
¾ cup light-brown sugar
2 small pink grapefruit
1 ½ cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup milk
whipped cream (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Put 4 tablespoons butter in a 9-inch round baking pan. Place the pan in the oven just long enough to melt the butter. Remove pan from oven; scatter ½ cup brown sugar evenly over the melted butter.

With a sharp knife, peel the grapefruit, removing all pith (the white stuff). Slice into small rounds. Arrange the slices to cover the bottom of the pan. In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and allspice. In a separate bowl, using an electric mixer, beat remaining butter until creamy. Add granulated sugar and remaining ¼ cup brown sugar; beat until well combined. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Alternately add dry ingredients and milt to butter mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.

Pour batter over grapefruit in pan. Bake 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; turn cake out onto serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream if desired.

Bailey's Brownies

from: Everyday Food, Jan/Feb 2003

Ingredients
1 ½ pints strawberries, rinsed and hulled
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup water

Directions
Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until chunky. Pour half mixture into a bowl. Process the rest until smooth. Pour into 3 ounce molds or plastic cups and insert sticks or wooden spoons. Freeze until solid – at least 8 hours.

from: Martha Stewart

Ingredients
6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup sour cream
1/3 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 tablespoon grate lime zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, plus more for glasses
2 tablespoons tequila
2 tablespoons triple sec
½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 graham crackers
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
coarse salt for glasses

Directions
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sour cream, confectioners’ sugar, lime zest, lime juice, tequila, and triple sec; beat until combined. In another bowl, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form; fold into cream-cheese mixture. Cover with plastic wrap; freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.

Pulse graham crackers and granulated sugar in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped. Stir in butter.

To serve, place lime juice on one plate and salt on another. Dip rims of glasses in juice, then salt. Remove mixture from freezer, and scoop into glasses; sprinkle with topping. Let soften slightly before freezing.

from: Jessica Nichols

Ingredients
1 ½ cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
¼ cup butter, melted
3 tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Cream
1 ¼ cups sifted flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder

Directions
Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9-inch square pan with cooking spray. Combine the sugar, eggs, butter, and Irish cream. Combine flour, cocoa, and baking powder; stir into sugar mixture. Spoon into the prepared 9-inch pan and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Margarita Cheesecake Freezes

from: Everyday Food, Jan/Feb 2003

Ingredients
1 ½ pints strawberries, rinsed and hulled
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup water

Directions
Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until chunky. Pour half mixture into a bowl. Process the rest until smooth. Pour into 3 ounce molds or plastic cups and insert sticks or wooden spoons. Freeze until solid – at least 8 hours.

from: Martha Stewart

Ingredients
6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup sour cream
1/3 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 tablespoon grate lime zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, plus more for glasses
2 tablespoons tequila
2 tablespoons triple sec
½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 graham crackers
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
coarse salt for glasses

Directions
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sour cream, confectioners’ sugar, lime zest, lime juice, tequila, and triple sec; beat until combined. In another bowl, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form; fold into cream-cheese mixture. Cover with plastic wrap; freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.

Pulse graham crackers and granulated sugar in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped. Stir in butter.

To serve, place lime juice on one plate and salt on another. Dip rims of glasses in juice, then salt. Remove mixture from freezer, and scoop into glasses; sprinkle with topping. Let soften slightly before freezing.

Brownie Swirl Cheesecake

from: Jess Nichols

Ingredients
¾ cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
5 cups water
1 cup milk
12 oz can evaporated milk

Directions
In a large saucepan, combine sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Slowly stir in water and bring to a boil. Add milk and evaporated milk and heat thoroughly. Ladle into mugs.

from: 103

Ingredients
pudding
1 18-inch loaf of french bread
2 tablespoons vanilla
4 cups milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup raisins
2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons butter

sauce
1 stick butter
1 egg, beaten
1 cup sugar
¼ cup bourbon

Directions
Break bread into bite-size pieces in a large bowl. Cover iwth milk and soak 60 minutes. Mix well. Add egg and sugar. Stir in vanilla, cinnamon, and raisins. Melt butter in a 9X13X2 inch baking dish, tilting to coat all sides. Pour pudding into dish. Bake at 375 for 60 minutes. To prepare sauce, heat butter and sugar in the top of a double boiler. Slowly whisk in egg. Cool slightly. Add bourbon. Serve warm over pudding or in a sauceboat on the side.

from: Zack Newton

Ingredients
1-8oz. pkg. brownie mix
2-8oz pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1 teas. vanilla
2 eggs
1 c. milk chocolate pieces, melted

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Grease bottom of 9″ spring-form pan. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions. Pour batter evenly into pan. Bake at 350 for 15 min. Combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla, mixing at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Pour over brownie layer. Spoon melted chocolate over cream cheese mixture; cut through batter with knife several times for marble effect. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Loosen cake from rim of pan: cool before removing rim of pan. Chill.

Curried Peanut Shrimp

from:

Ingredients
1/3 cup orange marmalade
¼ cup orange juice
2 tablespoons reduced-fat creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1½ teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
¼ teaspoon chile sauce with garlic
32 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 1 pound)
Cooking spray

Directions
Combine the first 9 ingredients in a blender, and process until smooth. Reserve 1/4 cup marinade. Place remaining marinade mixture in a large zip-top plastic bag, and add shrimp. Seal and shake to coat. Marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes.
Prepare grill or broiler.

Remove shrimp from bag, reserving marinade. Thread shrimp onto each of 4 (12-inch) skewers. Place kebabs on a grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray; cook 3 minutes on each side or until shrimp are done, basting frequently with remaining marinade. Spoon reserved 1/4 cup marinade over shrimp.

Nutritional Info (8 shrimp(
calories: 228 carbohydrates: 24.6 g cholesterol: 129 mg fat: 6.2 g sodium: 626 mg protein: 19.6 g calcium: 60 mg iron: 2.5 mg fiber: 0.3 g

Black Bean Burgers

from: cookinglight.com

Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 ¼ cups chopped green onions
¾ cup chopped ham (about 3 oz)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
7 (1-ounce) Hawaiian bread rolls, cut into ½ inch cubes
1 ¾ cups fat free milk
¾ cup egg substitute
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
¾ cup (3 oz) shredded Swiss cheese, divided

Directions
Heat a small nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium high heat. Add onions, ham, and garlic, sauté 5 min. Remove from heat; cool. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange bread cubes on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 15 min or until lightly browned. Combine milk andn ext 5 ingredients (milk through nutmeg) in a large bowl, stirring until well blended. Stir in ham mixture. Add bread, tossing gently to coat. Arrange half of bread mixture in an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with cheese. Top with the other half of the bread mixture. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese; bake an additional 20 minutes or until set.

Nutritional Info (1/4 recipe(
CALORIES 353 (30 percent from fat); FAT 11.9g (sat 5.7g, mono 3.9g, poly 1.1g); PROTEIN 23.9g; CARB 35.9g; FIBER 1.4g; CHOL 50mg; IRON 2.9mg; SODIUM 993mg; CALC 384mg

from: Grandma P.

Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt
pepper
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup good quality salsa (Ortega, Herdez)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 medium onion, chopped
12 corn tortillas cut into 1” squares
8 ounces (approximately) sour cream
1 cup or more sharp cheddar

Directions
Heat oven to 350. Take the chicken breasts and salt and pepper them on both sides. Place them in a shallow baking dish. Put a pat of butter on each and
bake, covered, 1 ½ hours.

Mix the chicken soup, mushroom soup, salsa, onion and tortillas together. Combine the drippings from the chicken and enough sour cream to make a cup and mix that in too. Cut chicken into small cubes and combine it with the soup mixture. Refrigerate over night. Spread in a casserole dish and top with shredded sharp cheddar.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 1 ½ hours. Then uncover and bake 10 minutes more.

from: CookingLight.Com

Ingredients
1 ¾ cups chopped onion
¾ cup chopped green bell pepper
¾ pound ground round
½ cup bottled salsa
1 to 2 tablespoons bottled chipotle sauce (such as La Preferidia) or hot sauce
1 (15 ½ ounce) can pinto beans in zesty sauce (such as S&W), undrained
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
¾ cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2/3 cup 1% low-fat milk
1 ½ tablespoons butter, melted
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and beef; cook 5 minutes or until meat is browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in the salsa, chipotle sauce, beans, and tomatoes; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in ½ cup cilantro. Spoon beef mixture into a 3-quart casserole.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife.
Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (flour through salt) in a large bowl. Add ¼ cup cilantro, milk, butter, and egg; stir until well-blended. Spoon the batter over beef mixture; spread evenly. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes or until golden.

Nutritional Info (1 cup(
calories: 329 carbohydrates: 41.7 g cholesterol: 64 mg fat: 11 g sodium: 655 mg protein: 16 g calcium: 157 mg iron: 4.2 mg fiber: 5.8 g

from: Grandma P.

Ingredients
1 pint sour cream
2 cups Velveeta (cubed)
2 cups cheddar cheese (shredded)
2 cups cottage cheese
4 eggs
5 cups cooked macaroni

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Spread the macaroni evenly in a shallow baking dish. Mix together all the other ingredients and pour over the macaroni. Cook 30-45 minutes until slightly brown around the edges and bubbling.

from: 94

Ingredients
1 ½ cups chopped onions
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
4 cups sliced white or cremini mushrooms
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried
pinch of ground black pepper
1 cake firm tofu
1 cup Neufchatel, at room temperature
1 cup grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon unbleached white flour
½ teaspoon salt
16 sheets filo dough
3 to 4 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions
Sauté the onions in the oil for 5 minutes on medium high heat. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the sherry and soy sauce and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the liquid is gone. Remove from the heat and stir in the dill, marjoram, and pepper. While the vegetables cook, combine the tofu, Neufchatel, grated cheese, and flour in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth and creamy. Combine with the vegetables and salt to taste.

Working with Filo dough is rather tricky. It’s incredibly fragile and it dries out very fast. So when you’re not working with it, cover it with a clean, damp kitchen towel. It’s also best if you work as quickly as possible. For this recipe, keep the other four tablespoons of butter and a pastry brush close at hand.

Grease the a cookie sheet with your choice of cooking spray or butter. Lay two sheets of Filo on the sheet (on top of one another) and brush the top one with butter. Repeat three more times so you have a total of eight sheets laid down. Spread the filling evenly over the sheets. Top the filling with 8 more sheets of Filo done in the same manner as the ones on bottom.

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until lightly browned and slightly puffy. Cut into squares and serve immediately.

Nutritional Info (6 oz(
294 calories, 11.5 g protein, 22.9 g fat, 12.2 g carbohydrates, 8.6 g saturated fatty acids, 37.3 mg cholesterol, 484.2 mg sodium, 1.2 g total dietary fiber

from: 97

Ingredients
Crust:
2 cups, packed, grated raw potato
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup grated onion.

Filling:
1 heaping, packed cup grated cheddar cheese
1 medium cauliflower, broken into small florets
1 medium clove crushed garlic
1 cup chopped onion
3 tbsp butter
dash of thyme
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs and 1/4 cup milk beaten together
black pepper
paprika

Directions
Heat oven to 400. Set the freshly-grated potato in a colander over a bowl. Salt it and leave it for 10 minutes. Then squeeze out the excess water and add it to the remaining ingredients. Pat it into a well-oiled 9-inch pie pan, building up the sides of the crust with the lightly-floured fingers. Bake for 40-45 minutes – until browned. After the first 30 minutes, brush the crust with a little oil to crisp it.

Sauté onions and garlic, lightly salted, in butter for 5 minutes. Add herbs and cauliflower and cook, covered, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spread half the cheese into the baked crust then the sauté, then the rest of the cheese. Pour the milk/egg mixture over and dust with paprika. Bake 35-40 minutes.

from: MarthaStewart.Com

Ingredients
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, de-veined, and finely chopped
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 ½ cups cooked or canned black beans, drained
1 cup cooked rice (basmati is suggested)
2 cups fresh bread crumbs
hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
1 ½ teaspoons coarse salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions
Heat 1 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion, red pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently until soft and onions are translucent, about 8 minutes. Add cumin, turmeric, and ketchup. Cook for 1 minute.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine onion mixture, beans, and rice. Process until well combined. Transfer to large bowl. Add bread crumbs, and mix well. Season with salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium high heat in a large nonstick skillet. Drop ¼ cup balls of bean mixture into skillet. Flatten into 3-inch patties. Cook until golden brown, 3-5 minutes per side. Repeat process with remaining oil and bean mixture. Serve immediately.