Searching4Zen

Welcome to Searching4Zen, a recipe sharing and blog discussing adventures in Food & Wine, Travel and Cycling. We hope you will register with us and share your comments.

  • Oatmeal Cake or Cupcakes

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    Ingredients 1 ¼ cup water 1 cup quick cooking oats ½ cup butter 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 eggs 1 ½ cup flour 1 teaspoons baking soda ½ teaspoon salt ¾ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon nutmeg Topping ¼ cup butter ½ cup brown sugar 3 tablespoons cream 1/3 cup […]

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  • Oat Wheat Bread

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    Ingredients 4 to 5 cups bread flour 2 teaspoons salt 2 packages dry yeast 1 cup water ½ cup honey ¼ cup butter 1 cup cottage cheese 2 eggs 1 cup whole wheat flour ½ cup oats 1 cup chopped walnuts Instructions Generously grease 2 9 by 5 loaf pans and set aside. In a […]

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  • My Kind of Chocolate Birthday Cake

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    “All my favorite things are about chocolate.” says Elizabeth. Thin layers of flourless chocolate cake and an intensely chocolaty mousse are paired with crunchy hazelnuts and hints of orange in this truly decadent dessert. Try it with a scoop of coffee-chocolate chip ice cream alongside. For best results, use a premium bittersweet chocolate with a […]

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  • Moroccan Chickpea Soup

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    Ingredients 1 large onion 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Pinch of cayenne pepper 1 small eggplant, cut into ¼ inch dice Salt and pepper 2 carrots, peeled and ¼ inch rounds 2 to 3 cups chickens broth or vegetable broth 1 cup tomato puree 1 can chickpeas, drained […]

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  • Morels in Sherry and Cream

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    Ingredients 3 tablespoons butter 1 .88 ounce Dried Morels, reconstituted 3 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced 2 tablespoons dry sherry 1 teaspoon cornstarch ½ cup half and half 1 tablespoon chopped parsley Salt and pepper to taste Instructions Melt butter in a skillet and sauté morels and shallot for 5 minutes or until mushrooms are […]

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  • Mixed Greens with Gorgonzola Polenta Croutons

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    Ingredients Gorgonzola Polenta Croutons 8 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 medium onion, chopped ¼ pound shitake mushrooms sliced 2 cups water 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup yellow cornmeal 1 egg white stiffly beaten 1/3 cup olive oil 4 ounces gorgonzola at room temperature Salad Greens 1 head radicchio, cored and separated into individual leaves 1 small […]

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  • Mixed Green Salad with Pastries

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    Ingredients 12 ounces blue cheese crumbled 2 chopped garlic cloves 2 tablespoons chopped chives 1 tablespoons sweet wine 1 drop Tabasco or a few grains of cayenne Phyllo dough Melted butter, about 3 to 4 tablespoons Greens for four to 6 people 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons red wine or balsamic vinegar Salt and […]

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  • Minestrone Soup

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    Ingredients ¼ lb. salt pork, frozen 2 cloves garlic 1/3 bunch parsley, leaves only ½ cup pinto beans, washed ½ cup navy beans, washed 6 cups chicken stock 3-4 tomatoes; peeled, seeded and chopped 2 medium carrots, chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped ¼ onion, chopped 1 potato peeled and chopped 1 zucchini, chopped ½ cup […]

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  • Grilled Sausage with Arugula Pesto

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    Ingredients 1 bunch (about 4 ounces) arugula, stems trimmed, washed 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1½ teaspoons coarse salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil 8 assorted Italian pork sausages, both hot and sweet varieties (about 1 pound) Instructions Make the pesto: Place the […]

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  • Minestrone Salad

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    Ingredients 1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more for seasoning 8 ounces gemelli or other pasta, such as penne or rotini 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 small onion, cut into ¼-inch dice 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 carrot, peeled and cut into bc-inch dice 1 zucchini (about 6 ounces), cut into bc-inch dice 4 ounces […]

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