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Comforting Recipes for Cool Autumn Evenings

November 19, 2015 by

Now that fall weather is back, you likely have the urge to spend a whole lot more time in the kitchen. There are few things more relaxing than whipping up something warm and homemade on a chilly evening, and these fall-ready recipes are perfect for those cold nights at home at Prospect Tower!

Double-Crust Chicken Pot Pie [myrecipes.com]
Everyone knows that the best part of any pie is the flaky crust, and this unique recipe offers twice the amount of crust. It’s filled with tender, boneless chicken breast, flavorful herbs and spices, and lots of fresh veggies, but it’s that extra-thick crust that really takes the cake — or, rather, the pie.

Beef and Barley Stew with Mushrooms [thekitchn.com]
Old-fashioned beef stew will likely make you reminiscent for family dinners as a child, but this updated recipe adds a gourmet touch to the tried-and-true classic. Because there’s a lot of room for substitutions and additions, this is a great one to try when you haven’t made it to the grocery store.

Fannie Farmer's Classic Baked Macaroni & Cheese [food.com]
If you’re the type of person who gets excited at the mere mention of mac and cheese, this baked version is a must-try this fall season. Plus, adding a crispy breadcrumb crust on top makes this decadent dish even more delicious.

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Make-Ahead Breakfast Recipes for Busy Mornings

September 17, 2015 by

If you find yourself pressed for time once the alarm clock rings, these make-ahead breakfasts may just be the solutions to your busy mornings. Best of all? Some are so portable that you can even eat them as you dash out the door!

Oatmeal With Apricots and Raisins [realsimple.com]
It takes quite a while to boil water and cook oatmeal on the stovetop, but with this pre-planned recipe you can whip up a whole batch of oatmeal for the entire week. With low-fat milk, dried apricots, and roasted almonds inside, it also offers a healthy boost first thing in the morning.

Herby Frittata with Vegetables and Goat Cheese [myrecipes.com]
If you love eating eggs for breakfast, this make-ahead frittata is the perfect choice. It’s filled with savory goat cheese and fresh herbs, as well as colorful veggies that offer essential nutrients that will keep you feeling even more energized than that cup of coffee.

Crunchy Cashew Sesame Bars [bonappetit.com]
Instead of stocking up on store-bought granola bars, make your own much more delicious (and nutritious) options. These cashew and sesame options have much more complex flavors than the standard breakfast bar, but they’re just as easy to grab on busy mornings.

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Creamy Meets Sweet in These 3 Tres Leches Cake Recipes

August 20, 2015 by

Whether you’re interested in the cuisine of Latin America or you’re simply searching for a unique dessert to try out, the traditional tres leches cake is a truly decadent option. Evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy cream fully saturate a delicious sponge cake base in this rich dish, and a fluffy whipped cream topping is the icing on the tres leches cake. Try out one of these three recipes at your next gathering.

Premium Tres Leches Cake [Betty Crocker]
This recipe from the Betty Crocker website recommends using a box of yellow cake mix to cut down on the prep time for your tres leches cake. The milk mixture is the same as the traditional recipe, which makes this the perfect choice if you want an authentic taste in a shorter amount of time.

Emeril Lagasse’s Tres Leches Cake [Food Network]
While this recipe from Emeril Lagasse takes longer to make than most cake recipes, it’s well worth the effort. The cake is made from scratch using only real ingredients, like whole milk and flavorful vanilla, and the decadent icing topping features subtle notes of mango and papaya for a tropical flavor.

Martha Stewart’s Tres Leches Cake [Martha Stewart]
This is a fairly simple, traditional tres leches cake recipe that incorporates the usual three milks to create a moist mouthful with each bite. Martha Stewart’s version also adds fresh fruit to the whipped cream topping to add a refreshing contrast to the cake’s rich flavor.

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4 Heart-Healthy Desserts That Won’t Ruin Your Diet

August 21, 2014 by

Even when we’re dieting, it can be hard to resist having dessert every now and then. The key isn’t cutting out dessert completely; it’s about changing the desserts you decide to indulge in. These decadent-tasting recipes will satisfy your sweet tooth without ruining your diet.

Frosted Cake
Perfect for birthday parties or family dinners, this sweet frosted cake tastes just like the original, without all of the added sugar. By using things like low-fat cream cheese and skim milk, this cake becomes a smart alternative to the traditional bakery variety.

Tropical Fruit Compote
Because it has a fruit base, this fresh and summery dessert is a much smarter option for an after-dinner treat that’s also low in calories.

Crunchy Pumpkin Pie
Serve this traditional treat for Thanksgiving dinner and your guests won’t be able to tell the difference from its high-calorie original. Whole wheat flour and ground almonds make for a healthier crust, while canned pumpkin is a nutrient-rich base for its creamy middle.

Mousse a la Banana
If you’re looking for a delicious dessert that’s also low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium, this is just the thing. At under 100 calories per serving, this sweet banana mousse is one dish that won’t make you feel guilty for indulging.

For more healthy dessert recipes, visit the NIH website here.

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5 of the Best Uses for Day-Old Bread

April 17, 2014 by

Eating bread before it gets stale can be tricky. If you’ve got a surplus of hard, days-old remains on your hands, here are a few ways to ensure your bread doesn't go to waste:

  1. Make a crostini. One way to maximize your stale bread is to act like you wanted it to be hard and crispy in the first place. Toss the bread in the oven on 325°, then top with your favorite bruschetta, cheeses, meats, or spreads.
  2. Top your French onion soup. French onion soup just wouldn’t be the same without the crunchy croutons smothered in gooey cheese. Roughly chop your stale bread and add a few pieces on top of the soup before you melt the cheese topping.
  3. Try out a bread salad. No, this isn’t a ploy to make salad more delicious (and less healthy). Bread salad, also known as “panzanella,” can be topped with sliced tomatoes, artichokes, grilled chicken, and your favorite Italian dressing to create a rustic, hearty meal.
  4. Make a grilled cheese. It may seem counter-intuitive to attempt to use your day-old bread for a sandwich, but lucky for you, grilled cheese and panini are supposed to be crispy anyway.
  5. Give it to the birds. If all else fails, break the bread up into bird-sized crumbs and you’ll make the avian community in your neighborhood very happy campers.

What to Do With Stale Bread [Real Simple]
17 Uses for Stale Bread [Wise Bread]
The 10 Best Things to Do With Stale Bread [First We Feast]
Recipes for Stale Bread [Saveur]

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4 Unique Dishes to Take to Your Next Potluck

March 20, 2014 by

A potluck dinner is a fun way to experience a wide variety of different cooking styles, inviting every guest to bring a covered dish to contribute to the meal. Whether you’re tired of your usual potluck recipes or you’ve never brought a dish to a party before, don’t sweat it. If you’re invited to an upcoming potluck but don’t know what to bring, these four recipes will help make your dish a hit.

Caramelized Onion and Bacon Tart [Oprah.com]

Best Broccoli Salad [Mr. Food Test Kitchen]

Make-and-Take Potluck Dishes [Chow]

Old Fashioned Pineapple Upside-Down Cake [All Recipes]

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Three Unique Ways to Make a Great Cup of Coffee at Prospect Tower

November 20, 2013 by

Good coffee's almost everywhere these days, with cafes dotting every corner and even fast food restaurants offering espresso drinks. Of course, many coffee aficonados still prefer to make coffee at home, using gourmet beans to create their perfect cup.

Drip coffeemakers might remain the most popular way to make coffee at home. But for those willing to experiment, there are a few other simple ways to make a great cup of coffee. Here are three you can try at home at Prospect Tower:

Pour Over
Like drip coffeemakers, pour over brewers run hot water through ground beans. Made by Melitta and other companies, pour over brewers offer a bit more control over the taste: you'll wait to grind the beans immediately before brewing, you'll pour the water over the grounds evenly, and you'll only make as much coffee as you'd like to drink. Click here to read a guide from Stumptown Coffee Roasters on pour over coffee.

Aeropress
The aeropress follows the same principle, combining hot water with coffee grounds. However, the press speeds up the process: the grounds soak for just 20 seconds, and then you'll press out the coffee into a cup. The result is coffee that's smoother and much less acidic. Click here to learn more about the Aeropress.

Cold Brewed
An increasingly popular way to make coffee, cold brewing dispenses with the hot water entirely and instead involves soaking ground coffee beans for up to 12 hours in cold water, then filtering out the grounds. The result is a very strong coffee concentrate. Mix one part concentrate with three parts water (or milk) and you'll have a very smooth cup of coffee that's very flavorful without much bitterness. Toddy, a company that makes a handy brewing container, offers some more detailed instructions on its website.

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5 Ridiculously Easy Dessert Recipes

October 23, 2013 by

Have a tiny bit of time to spare and a need for a sweet treat? Only requiring a few moments to prepare and little or no cooking time, these five dessert recipes will add a sweet finish to any meal or party.

Chocolate Covered Pretzel Sticks [Disney Family]

Death by Chocolate [Allrecipes]

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake [Allrecipes]

Sweet Grilled Cheese [Food Network]

Nutella No Bake Cookies [Shugary Sweets]

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