Blueberry Crumb Bars

(Smitten Kitchen)

These are easiest to cut once chilled, and store even better in the fridge than they do at room temperature–something unusual for cookies! Easy to cut in half for an 8x8 size pan.



1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cold unsalted butter (2 sticks or 8 ounces)
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
Zest and juice of one lemon
4 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup white sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9×13 inch pan.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup sugar, 3 cups flour, and baking powder. Mix in salt and lemon zest. Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in the butter and egg. Dough will be crumbly. Pat half of dough into the prepared pan.

3. In another bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Gently mix in the blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. (This took an extra 10 to 15 minutes in my oven.) Cool completely before cutting into squares.

***Chocolate Frosting***

1 batch for a 9x13 pan and 1 1/2 - 2 batches for a 2 layer round cake

2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
6 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
6 Tablespoons butter, softened
5 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Seriously Fast White Bean Soup

(Anne B.)

2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 TBS olive oil (it called for 5 times as much but who needs that much oil?)
1 (14- to 15-ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1 3/4 cups veggie broth
2 (19-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (3 cups) any white bean will do
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
10+ cups fresh spinach, kale or other leafy green. About 5-7 oz. (if kale, coarsely chop it and remove stems)

Cook garlic in oil for 1-2 minutes. Add everything but the greens and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Add greens and cook a few more minutes. The kale will stay just a bit crunchy.

Cucumber Soup

(Jamie T.)

3 cucumbers, peeled (seeded, if desired)
3 cups chicken broth
3 cups sour cream (or use 1/2 plain yogurt)
3 Tablespoons white vinegar
1 clove garlic

Combine in blender and chill.

***Lisa's Favorite Pasta Salad***

(Jamie T.)

16 ounces penne pasta, cooked 

1 cup feta cheese, crumbled 

1 cup diced cucumbers 

1 cup shredded carrots 

1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes (or diced Roma) 

1/2 cup chopped green onions/scallions 

spinach leaves (2 bags of spinach) 

Dressing: 

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar   

1/2 cup sugar

1 garlic clove minced
1 green onion chopped (1 long green onion/scallion)
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon of poppy seeds

Blend dressing ingredients in blender, adding poppy seeds last.

***New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies***

Recipe Found Here
(Travis T.)

Time: 45 minutes (for 1 6-cookie batch), plus at least 24 hours’chilling

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour (I use King Arthur)
1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (see note)*
Sea Salt (Maldon Sea Salt Flakes)

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

4. Form balls of dough about 2 inches, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies.

*Note: Disks are sold at Jacques Torres Chocolate 

Valrhona fèves, oval-shaped chocolate pieces, are at Whole Foods.

Beanland Banana Nut Muffins - healthy

(from Beanland blog)

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Combine in a bowl:
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoonbaking soda
1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Combine in the vitamix (or any blender) until soupy:
2 Tablespoon flaxseed meal (ground flax seed)
3 Tablespoons water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 ripe bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Pour wet into dry, and mix just until combined. This is when the rising starts, so make sure you don’t mix out the bubbles. Be gentle when you spoon into 12 muffin cups (greased or papered).

Top each muffin with two or three crumbled pecans and some brown sugar. Put them in the oven immediately (again, so they stay light).

Bake for 15-20 minutes until they spring back a bit when you touch the center.