This baked beans recipe is an (updated) old Mack family favorite. Now, it’s one of the staples our friends look forward to at Huber gatherings. It has a long list of “goes with” … hot dogs, hamburgers, roast pork, barbecued chicken. You name it. Honestly, these baked beans make a meal in and of themselves. They also freeze really well, which makes them ideal to pull out for camping or ski trips, when we know we’ll be feeding a crowd.
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Granita is a super-simple summer dessert or appetizer that’s simply a frozen mixture of water, sugar and other flavorings. I planted a lemon verbena in our garden right near our Adirondack chairs simply because I wanted to be bathed in its heady fragrance whenever I was chilling out. And then I made this granita and fell in love with the plant even more. If you don’t have lemon verbena on hand, try lemon thyme or lemongrass, or just add the zest of another lemon.
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By Cheryl Sternman Rule
This recipe gets its sweetness from turbinado sugar, honey, and bananas, which become delightfully soft and almost custardy. Because it’s traditional to eat foods fried in oil during Hanukkah, look no further if you celebrate this festive holiday.
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons turbinado or (light or dark) brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup lowfat milk
1 whole egg plus 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
6 bananas, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
Canola oil for frying
Honey for drizzling
Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt on a piece of waxed paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, whole egg, egg yolk, and almond extract. Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the wet and stir gently with a rubber spatula to combine. Add banana chunks and stir to coat.
Affix a candy thermometer to a deep saucepan, and add one inch of oil. Bring oil slowly up to 375 degrees. (Adjust heat as necessary to maintain this temperature throughout frying.) Working in batches, carefully spoon battered banana chunks into hot oil, four to six at a time, without crowding the pan. Fry until golden brown, 1-2 minutes per side, turning them carefully as they bob. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels to drain. Drizzle hot fritters with honey and serve immediately.
Makes 35-40 fritters
A while ago I was profiling a group of moms who met through a CSA and was intrigued by their stories of how the CSA experience had shaped the way their kids eat. One veggie the kids unanimously preferred (demanded) fresh from the farm rather than from a grocery store bag was carrots: “They’re so much sweeter that way.” Well this way gilds the lily even further, by adding honey and ginger to the mix.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 pound carrots, peeled
Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.
Mix together olive oil, ginger, honey, thyme, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
Spread carrots in a heavy-duty roasting pan and toss to coat with honey mixture. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until carrots are tender and caramelized.
Serves 4
