LITTLE ROCK — This time of year is often marked by reflection on time passed and lists of notable events, people and things. And recipes are no exception. Before we dive into whatever culinary adventures 2013 will bring, we thought we’d take a look back at some of our favorite recipes from 2012.
These are the recipes we loved the most. They are the ones raved about and requested by readers, friends and family and even a random stranger or two.
Spices, both fragrant and flaming hot, played a dominant role in many of our favorite recipes.
In chronological order:
This flavor-rich soup got two thumbs up from many members of the cilantrolovers’ fan club.
Cream of Cilantro Soup 1/2 cup butter 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro, stems
and leaves, divided use (see note) 1 small onion, roughly chopped 2 ribs celery, chopped 1 tablespoon ground cumin 4 cloves minced garlic (about 1
tablespoon) 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 7 cups chicken broth 2 cups half-and-half 8 ounces pepper jack cheese, grated Juice of 1 lime Salt and ground red pepper (cayenne),
to taste
In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup of the cilantro, the onion, celery, cumin and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.
Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, until flour is thoroughly coated with butter and mixture is light golden brown.
Slowly add chicken broth a little at a time, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes. Stir in half-and-half and cook 5 minutes more.
Strain mixture and discard solids.
Return liquid to pot. Over low heat, add cheese and lime juice and cook, stirring, until cheese melts. Season to taste with salt and red pepper.
Serve topped with remaining cilantro.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Note: Use the stems in the vegetable mixture and reserve the leaves for the topping.
Recipe adapted from Elaine Bicknell, owner of Elaine’s Table in Hunt,Texas From “Front Burner: Cilantro, cheese make creamy soup,” Jan. 25
The unexpected combination of cauliflower and tahini became an instant favorite for many fans of the cruciferous vegetable.
Roasted Cauliflower With Lemon-Garlic Tahini 1 medium head cauliflower, trimmed
and separated into bite-size
florets 3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
use Salt and ground black pepper 1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons tahini (see
note) 1 tablespoon lemon juice 5 tablespoons water 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf
parsley 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Heat oven to 425 degrees.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
In a large bowl, combine cauliflower, 2 teaspoons of the olive oil, salt and pepper and toss to coat. Arrange cauliflower on prepared baking sheet. Roast 15 minutes or until fork tender.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the remaining teaspoon olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 1 minute or until fragrant. Whisk in tahini, lemon juice and water.
Simmer over low heat 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Divide cauliflower among plates. Spoon sauce over cauliflower. Sprinkle with parsley and sesame seeds, and serve.
Makes 4 servings.
Note: Tahini is a paste made of ground sesame seeds.
Recipe adapted from Vegetarian Times From “How do I love cauli◊ower,” March 21
Pork lovers swooned for this easy slow-cooker Easter ham recipe.
Slow Cooker Honey-Spiced Ham 1 (6- to 8-pound) bone-in,
cured but uncooked picnic
ham (see notes) 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 1/3 cup honey 1/4 cup butter, melted 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
sauce 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 heaping teaspoon garam
masala (see notes)
Place ham, flat side down, on a roasting rack and place rack in the cooking vessel of a 5-quart or larger slow cooker. If you don’t have a roasting rack, tie ham using kitchen twine, so that you’ll have a way to lift the cooked meat from the cooker without it falling apart.
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Pour mixture over ham. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours or until ham reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Notes: If you prefer a traditional ham, this recipe will still work, but you should reduce the cooking time to about 6 hours. Do not use a spiral sliced ham.
Garam masala is an Indianspice mixture that often includes coriander, black pepper, cumin, cardamom and cinnamon. It is available with the spices at most grocery stores.
From “Easy feast,” April 4
Another holiday favorite is this cake recipe that is ready to eat in less than 5 minutes, perfect for tots to make for mom on Mother’s Day.
3-2-1 Cake-in-a-Cup 1 (16-ounce) box angel food
cake mix 1 (18.25-ounce) box cake mix,
flavor of your choice Nonstick cooking spray 2 tablespoons waterOptional toppings: whipped
cream, ice cream, nuts,
coconut, jelly, chocolate
syrup
In a large bowl or zip-close bag, combine the angel food cake mix with any other cake mix flavor of choice. Combine the dry mixes thoroughly. (If preparing mix in a bowl, transfer it to an airtight container for storage.)
To prepare: Coat the inside of a 10-ounce or larger microwave-safe coffee cup or ramekin with nonstick cooking spray. Add 3 tablespoons cake mixture and 2 tablespoons water. Stir until completely smooth. Cook in a microwave on high for 1 minute. (Time may vary according to microwave strength.) Remove to a small plate (use caution, it’s hot) and add toppings as desired.
Makes 1 serving.
From “Munchies for mom,” May 9
We don’t remember the last time a recipe received as many requests for lost copies as this one for frozen apple cake by Pat King.
Frozen Apple Coffee Cake 1/2 cup margarine (softened) 1 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup sour cream 2 cups peeled and chopped
apples 2 tablespoons butter, softened 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 cup chopped nuts
In a mixing bowl, beat margarine and sugar until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well. In a separate bowl, stir or sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and mix well.
Stir in sour cream. Fold in apples. Divide batter between 2 (8- to 9-inch) foil baking pans.
In a third bowl, combine the 2 tablespoons butter, the brown sugar, cinnamon and chopped nuts. Sprinkle mixture over batter. Cover with foil and freeze until ready to bake. To bake: Remove foil and bake (do not thaw) for 55 minutes to 1 hour at 350 degrees.
Makes 2 cakes.
From“Idea Alley: Enchiladas, cake elicit Kat Purrs,” May 23
People across the state lamented the closing of the Georgetown One Stop in late June. Fortunately, fans of the fish house’s popular lemon cake didn’t have to do without for long after L. Biggs shared a recipe for the cake.
Lemon Icebox Cake
(Georgetown One Stop) 1 (18 1/4-ounce) box Betty
Crocker Super Moist Lemon
Cake Mix 1 (3-ounce) package lemon
flavored gelatin 3 eggs 11/2 cups water 1/3 cup oil 1 (6-ounce) container frozen
lemonade concentrate 1 cup granulated sugar 1 (8-ounce) carton Cool WhipPut cake mix in a large bowl along with the lemon gelatin.
Prepare as directed on cake mix package, but add eggs, water and oil. Bake at 350 degrees.
While cake is baking, put the frozen lemonade concentrate in a small pan on top of stove. Heat until hot but not boiling. Remove from fire and add sugar. Stir until dissolved. Set aside.
When cake is done, punch holes in cake with a tablespoon.
Pour lemonade mix over hot cake. Let cake completely cool and then spread on the Cool Whip. Refrigerate.
Note: 6-ounce concentrate is hard to find, so buy 12-ounce and freeze half until next time.
From “Idea Alley: Icebox cake recipe still provides chills” July 11
This not-too-sweet cake features fresh plums and just begs to be served with a dollop of whipped cream and a cup of coffee.
Fresh Plum Cake 6 plums, pitted and sliced 3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus
more for sprinkling 21/3 cups self-rising flour Generous dash ground
cinnamon 1 teaspoon lemon zest 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup butter, softened 3/4 cup milk 2 eggs Whipped cream, for serving,
optional
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Line 2 (8-inch) cake pans with parchment paper. Coat parchment with baking spray or butter and sprinkle with a little sugar. Divide plums between the pans, arranging slices in a circle. Sprinkle plums with a little sugar; set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine the3/4 cup sugar, the self-rising flour, the cinnamon and lemon zest and mix well. Add the vanilla, butter, milk and eggs and beat with an electric mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Batter will be thick.
Spoon batter over plums, gently spreading to cover.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool in pans on a wire rackfor 10 minutes, then invert onto a plate or cake platter.
Remove parchment paper. Cool completely or serve slightly warm.
Makes 12 servings.
From “Late arrivals,” Aug. 22
The fall 2012 season may have been a lackluster one for Razorback football fans, but there was nothing disappointing about this soup recipe from Barbara Sue Turner.
Tailgating Taco Soup 1 pound ground chuck 1 medium onion, chopped 3 (15-ounce) cans chili
beans, Mexican-style
recommended, undrained 1 (14-ounce) can diced
tomatoes, undrained 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce 1 (4 1/2-ounce) can diced green
chiles, undrained 1 (1-ounce) package ranch
salad dressing mix 11/2 cups water Garnishes: shredded lettuce,
chopped tomato, sour
cream, shredded cheese,
corn chips
In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook beef and onion until beef is browned and onion is tender. Drain.
Return beef mixture to pot and stir in beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, green chiles, ranch dressing mix and water.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve with desired garnishes.
Makes 10 to 12 servings.
From“Idea Alley: Kat answers call for cookie recipe,” Sept.19
Lemon lovers agreed: When life gives you lemons, make lemon curd.
Lemon Curd 6 tablespoons butter, softened
at room temperature 1 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs 2 large egg yolks 2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon
juice, from about 4 medium
lemons (see note)
In a large glass or stainless steel bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the eggs and yolks, one at a time, beating on low speed until well combined. Increase speed to medium and beat 1 minute.
Beating on low speed, drizzle in the lemon juice. The mixture will look curdled, but don’t worry, this is OK.
Put water 1 inch deep in a medium saucepan and heat to a bare simmer. Place the bowl with the lemon juice mixture over the simmering water.
Whisking constantly, cook mixture until it is smooth and thick, about 15 minutes. The mixture is ready when it is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon and running your finger through it leaves a trail.
Cover the curd with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic to the surface of the curd, and refrigerate until well chilled. Use within one week or freeze for up to two months.
Makes about 2 cups.
Note: This curd is especially good made with Meyer lemons.
Recipe adapted from ÿnecooking.com From “Front Burner: 4 leftover lemons yield stovetop curd,” Nov. 28
Food, Pages 21 on 01/02/2013