Streamlining links

Since I'm moving, I'm in cleaning mode. It seems easier to clean digital files than the kitchen, living room, bedroom, etc, so I decided to streamline the number of links on my blog. I'm reducing my links to sites I actively read, or want to read in the near future.

Bento sites

Bento-Mania verrueckt nach der japanischen Lunchbox
Just Jen Bento
Kitchen Cow
Willow's Bento Box
Lunch in a Box
Bento Box Lunches
Cloud9Food
Frank Tastes
Warm Olives and Cool Cocktails
Jacki's Bento Blog

Other Sites - that I mistakenly linked with a blog list, and I can't see the links.

64 sq ft kitchen
british larder
eat make read
everybody likes sandwiches
farmgirl fare
food loves writing
guilty kitchen
hungry engineer
i nom things
i ought to be working
ivory hut
kitchen dough dough
kitchen simplicity
maebird
poor girl gourmet
refrigerator soup
savoring the thyme
sophisticated gourmet
sugar plum
summer harms
sunday suppers
perfect pantry
under the high chair
what are you feeding your kids these days?

White bean salad with tuna and parsley

Adapted from this recipe at Kalyn's Kitchen.

1 can cannellini beans
1 pouch Starkist "zesty" lemon pepper tuna
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 lemon, zest and juice
Fresh pepper

Drain and rinse the cannellini beans. Mix together with the tuna, parsley, lemon zest and juice. Add fresh-cracked pepper to taste. (Serves 4)

This is really good served with goat cheese and cracked pepper water crackers. I might use tuna packed in oil for the next version, but I thought it tastes fine without the oil.

White bean salad with sun dried tomatoes, kalamata olives and feta

This is a slight variation of this recipe from Kalyn's Kitchen.

1 can cannellini beans
2 Tbsp. sun-dried tomato pesto
1/4 c. kalamata olives (about 10 olives), chopped
1/4 c. feta cheese

Drain and rinse the cannellini beans. Mix together with pesto, olives and feta. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Serves 4)

Dark Chocolate Clusters

1/2 c. pecan halves
1/4 c. dried cranberries
1/4 c. golden raisins
1/4 c. dried apricots, sliced
7 oz chocolate (70% cacao or more)

Preheat oven to 350. Line 24 muffin cups with small muffin papers. Spread pecans on baking sheet and toast 10 minutes, until browned and fragrant. Cool. Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Spoon 1.5 tsp melted chocolate in each paper-lined muffin cup. Place 1 pecan and 1 tsp dried fruit mixture in melted chocolate. Refrigerate until firm.

(Vegetarian Times, February 2009 issue)

Chocolate Truffles

1 cup chocolate soymilk
1 12-oz pkg Ghirardelli 60% cacao chocolate chips
1 12-oz pkg Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa

Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler. Warm soymilk and stir in melted chocolate until smooth. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours, or overnight. Place cocoa onto plate. Shape chocolate into 1-inch balls and roll in cocoa.

(Basic recipe from Vegetarian Times, February 2009 issue. Modified by me.)

Oat Scones

Dough
1 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
1/3 c. oat bran
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 teas salt
6 Tbsp cold, unsalted butter
2/3 c. half-and-half or whole milk

Topping
2 teas half-and-half or whole milk
2 Tbsp rolled oats
1 Tbsp turbinado sugar + 1/2 teas ground cinnamon

Stir together the flour, rolled oats, oat bran, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter. Mix in half-and-half until dry ingredients are just moistened.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and press together until it forms a ball. Pat out into a 1/2 thick round. Cut into 6 wedges. Place 1 inch apart on parchment covered half-sheet pan. Brush with milk, sprinkle with rolled oats and cinnamon sugar.

Bake at 425 for 13-17 minutes.

(From Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Baking)

French onion and dijon pork

Lightly coat four bone-in pork chops with dijon mustard. Place in the bottom of a slow-cooker. Pour one can of condensed French onion soup and 1/2 can of water over the pork. Sprinkle liberally with Montreal steak seasoning. Cook on low for 6 hours. Make gravy. =)