Oven Roasted Celeriac/Celery Root for One or Try Before You Buy a Lot

Celeriac or celery root is a whitish bulb about the size of a softball which I spy frequently at local farmers markets. On a recent local farmers market visit I was informed roasting celeriac with the carrots I was buying was delicious. I took the recommendation buying one celeriac bulb, one bunch of carrots with the intention of roasting them and serving them together. Well the celeriac got roasted, was eaten immediately upon cooling.  The carrots had a different fate.

This recipe is a modification of Vava Berry's December 5, 2013 The Telegraph post for Roasted Celeriac.


Oven Roasted Celeriac/Celery Root for One

1 small to medium celeriac or celery root
1 tablespoon canola or olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
¾ teaspoon dried thyme.


1) Place oven rack on middle run setting. Preheat oven to 400 degrees farenheit.

2) Peel celeriac by using knife to remove top, bottom and then side. (For visual, see this 2010 post from thekitchn.com).

3) Cut celeriac into ¼ inch slices and then cut slices into thirds making them look like thin, fat strips.

4) Place celeriac strips in a medium-sized bowl.

5) Add oil, garlic and thyme. Toss until celeriac wedges are coated.

6) Spread wedges in a single layer on non-stick baking sheet

7) Bake 15 – 30 minutes until golden brown and easily pierced with a fork.

8) Remove from oven. Serve warm, storing any leftovers in air tight container in refrigerator.

Oven Roasted

Celeriac/Celery Root

ready to eat

"Slow" fudgy brownie recipe

In an earlier post, I shared my quick fudgy brownie recipe. As food allergies, especially the one to cocoa entered my life, I began searching for a “slow” fudgy brownie recipe where I could substitute cocoa for carob, a brown floury powder extracted from the carob bean, used as a substitute for cocoa. I tried multiple recipes and the following from modified from the Fudge Brownies recipe in the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook 10^th Edition to meet my criteria.

½ cup (1 stick) and 2 tablespoons margarine or butter
6 tablespoons cocoa or carob powder
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup all-purpose flour
(optional) 1 /2 cup chopped nuts 

1. Place oven rack on middle run setting. Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit.
2. Grease 8-inch x 8-inch pan.
3. In a small medium saucepan or medium to large microwave safe bowl melt margarine or butter.
4. Stir in sugar, eggs and vanilla extract by hand lightly until just combined.
5. Stir in flour and cocoa or carob powder. Stir in walnuts.
6. Spread brownie mixture evenly into greased pan.
7. Place brownies in middle of oven rack and bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
8. Cool completely in pan until cutting and serving. Store any leftovers in air tight container.

Apple Flavored Glaze

Every now and then I have a jar of applesauce that doesn't seal successfully. I label these as “use first and immediately”. This year, I had two jars of applesauce which fell into this category,--one 8 ounce jar and one 16 ounce jar. I consumed the 8 ounce jar myself in one sitting. And, yes, it was yummy. Wanting to share this year's batch of applesauce with others, I chose to use the 16 ounce jar to make applesauce cake since this is about 1 cup of applesauce. Omitting the raisins and walnuts this time, I chose to top the cake with a glaze.

This recipe is based on the glaze recipe from The Boston Globe's Spiced and Glazed Apple Cake which a coworker gave to me over a decade ago. While I've yet to make the cake from this recipe, I've used variations of the glaze recipe over the course of the last decade primarily to top a loaf of applesauce bread.  

This recipe will cover the tops of two 8” cakes which is what my applesauce cake recipe makes. Do not make glaze until what you plan to top has cooled completely/is at room temperature.

1 tablespoon butter or shortening

3 teaspoons apple cider or apple juice

½ cup confectioner's sugar

Put apple just and shortening in a small microwave safe bowl and heat in microwave until shortening is easy to stir into the apple juice (about 25 to 60 seconds).

Mix in confectioner's sugar until well blended.

Using a butter knife spread glaze over top immediately as glaze will set quickly. 

Applesauce Cake 

with 

Apple Flavored Glaze

"Asian" Style Eggplant

This recipe was shared with me many years ago by someone who once took pilates class with me. Every summer since I make at least 1 – 2 batches which are usually consumed as quickly as they are cool enough to eat. Eggplant can be prepared 1 -2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator prior to cooking. 

"Asian" Style Eggplant

1 pound eggplant, Chinese or Japanese variety recommended as they are long, slender and contain few seeds.  (For photo of these eggplant, click here.)
½ – ¾ cup canola oil
½ – ¾ cup soy or tamari sauce
1 – 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
¾ teaspoon black pepper

1. Place oven rack on middle run setting. Preheat oven to 475 degrees farenheit or highest heat setting.
2. Gently rinse eggplant in water and pat dry with a towel. Slice off ends and cut into 1½-inch segments.
3. Slice each segment into ½ inch by ½ inch strips. The eggplant should like very thick french fries.
4. In a one-gallon ziploc bag place eggplant strips, canola oil, soy or tamari sauce, garlic powder and black pepper.
5. Seal bag and shake contents until strips coated.
6. Spread strips in a single layer on non-stick baking sheet.
7. Bake 8 – 10 minutes, flip eggplant strips continue baking in 2 – 8 minute increments until strips are easily pierced with a fork and slightly browned.
8. Remove from oven. Serve warm, storing any leftovers in air tight container in refrigerator. 

Asian Style Eggplant 

cooling on baking sheet

Egg and Tomato Salad for one

Tomatoes are once again in season here in New England and it's wonderful.  On a recent hot summer day wanting something quick and light for just me I came up with the following recipe. 


Egg and Tomato Salad for one

1 hard boiled egg, peeled and chopped
1/3 cup diced tomato
1 tsp mustard 

In a small to medium sized bowl, gently toss ingredients to mix.  Serve as desired.  Store any leftovers in air tight container in refrigerator. 

Egg and Tomato Salad 

served on lettuce leaf

White Bean Dip

As noted in my hummus recipe, I've come to enjoy eating beans on a regular basis. On several shopping trips, I noticed pre-made, ready to eat white bean dip recipes. Knowing such existed, I decided to try to make my own.

This is a combination of the multiple recipes I read. A single recipe makes enough to be served as an appetizer for 4 with crackers.


1 ½ cups OR 1-15 ounce can of white beans (white kidney or great northern recommended)
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup shallot or red onion, finely diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic

If using canned beans, drain and rinse beans. If using dried beans, soak and cook beans according to package.

In a large bowl, mash beans with a potato masher, fork or beater of a hand mixer. Add olive oil, garlic, shallot or onion. Using either fork or hand mixer on low to medium speed, mix until blended.

Serve. Store unused portion in air tight container in refrigerator.

White Bean Dip on 

Imperfect Crackers

Curried Chicken or Tuna Salad (serves 4)

Curried Chicken or Tuna Salad (serves 4)

In going through my recipes recently, I came across the recipe which was the inspiration for the below. Having made this many times with many variations, this is a quick recipe which can be made a day or two in advance, served as a sandwich, over a salad or by itself.

Curried Chicken or Tuna Salad (serves 4)

2 whole chicken breasts, cooked, de-boned and shredded or 1 6 ounce can white tuna, drained and broken apart with a fork

½ medium onion, diced (red onion recommended)

1 medium Granny Smith apple, diced

¼ cup raisins (golden recommended)

½ cup mayonnaise, plus extra, if needed

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon curry powder

Salt and black pepper, to taste (optional)

In a bowl, combine chicken or tuna, onion, apple and raisins. Add mayonnaise, vinegar, curry powder to chicken or tuna and combine until well blended. If needed, add additional mayonnaise by 1 tablespoon to get desired consistency. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Serve or refrigerate in airtight container until ready to use.

Imperfect Oatmeal Crackers

Every store bought cracker I've ever eaten out of the package has been the same crispness, size and thickness if not broken. These crackers are none of these. They are not store bought and may not be the same size, thickness or crispness as others in the same batch.

This is a variation of the “Oatmeal Crackers” recipe my 13th edition of the Fanny Farmer Cookbook which describes these as having a nutlike taste.

Imperfect Oatmeal Crackers (yield: about 18 crackers)

1 ¼ cup old-fashioned rolled oats (I use quick cook rolled oats)

¼ cup + ½ tablespoon cold water

¼ teaspoon kosher salt or table salt

Non-stick cooking spray

Place oven rack in middle position. Preheat oven to 275 degrees farenheit.

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and then spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium-large bowl, stir 1 cup oatmeal together with water. Let dough rest for 1 minute to let oats absorb the water. Resume stirring until dough holds together in a mass where oats have begun to dissolve.

Sprinkle center of prepared cookie sheet with ¼ cup oatmeal and turn dough out on top of it. Measure/cut piece of wax paper which will cover majority of cookie sheet. Spray one side of wax paper with non-stick cooking spray. Place sprayed side of wax paper atop dough as it will prevent dough from sticking during rolling.

Using rolling pin or 14.5 oz – 15 oz can of tomatoes, pumpkin puree, chick peas, etc. on top of wax paper roll dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Gently lift and re-situate non-stick wax paper occasionally to prevent folds. If dough cracks or splits while rolling, push it together with your fingers. This can be done with the wax paper between your fingers and the dough.

When rolling is completed, gently lift wax paper from dough. Sprinkle salt over the top. With a knife score the dough, without cutting through, into approximately 1 ½ inch squares. End pieces may be rounded and that's okay.

Bake for 30 minutes, turn dough over with 1 – 2 spatulas and bake for 10 – 20 minutes longer. Dough will curl and that's okay.

Remove from oven and cool. Break into individual crackers. If breaks don't occur on the score lines made before baking, that's okay.

Serve as you would any other cracker. Stored any unused crackers in an airtight container. 

Imperfect Oatmeal Crackers

ready for eating 

Roasted Red Pepper and Hummus or Apple and Hummus Triangle Pita Sandwiches (makes 16 sandwiches)

In going through my recipes recently, I found a Hummus Roll-Ups recipe from which became the inspiration for this recipe. The original print version uses a lavash bread, the on-line version, pita bread. Both, though, give instruction for a roll-up. Knowing I neither possess the time nor skill to make a roll-up sandwich, I modified this recipe.

With three ingredients and no cooking, this is a great recipe if you are having company any time of the year.

Roasted Red Pepper and Hummus or Apple and Hummus Triangle Pita Sandwiches

4 pita rounds, 8-inch diameter
1-16 ounce, 2-8 ounce container(s) of plain hummus or one batch of homemade hummus
1 can or jar roasted red peppers, thinly sliced (if making red pepper version)
1 medium granny smith apple, thinly sliced (if making apple version)

Using either a pizza cutter or knife, slice pita rounds into quarters, or a triangle where the short side is partially rounded, not flat. You should have 16 triangles.  

Spread the rough insides of each pita triangle with a thin layer of hummus. Add either the roasted red peppers or apples to the inside of each pita triangle. Serve.

Roasted Red Pepper and Hummus

Pita Triangles Ready to Eat

Fancy Turkey Burgers

This is a variation of a Sun Dried Turkey Burger recipe I picked up somewhere in my travels several years ago but only tried it for the first time last year.  Me being me I altered this recipe by substituting red onion for shallot, spicy brown mustard for dijon mustard, dried basil for fresh.  My personal preference is to omit the sun-dried tomatoes as I think it overwhelms the other flavors and can make the burgers a bit challenging to form. 

Fancy Turkey Burgers  

1 pound ground turkey 
1/4 cup thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

¼ teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

¼ cup red onion, diced

1 ½ teaspoons spicy mustard

In a medium bowl combine turkey, sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, basil, garlic, onion and mustard.  Form into patties.  Grill, pan sear or bake in 350 degree pre-heated oven until done throughout. 

Fancy Turkey Burgers

with 

Oven Roasted Baby Carrots

Whole Wheat Banana Bread

In a recent thumb through my recipes, I came across this one which I used to make regularly when the bananas in the house ripened before they could be eaten as is.  I don’t if it’s good or bad but it’s been a while since a banana in my house has gotten too ripe to eat. 

Whole Wheat Banana Bread  (yield: two loaves)

1/3 cup canola oil

½ cup sugar

2 large eggs

(approximately) 1 ¾ cup whole wheat flour

(approximately) 1/3 cup honey

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

3 ripe bananas, mashed

½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Place oven rack on medium rung and pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. 

Grease two 9 ½” x 5” x 3” loaf pans.

In a medium to large bowl, mix oil, sugar and eggs.   Add 1 1/4 cup of the whole wheat flour, baking powder and baking soda. Mix.  Add honey.  Mix.  Add bananas mix.

Gradually continue to add flour, about 1/8 cup at a time, until batter is dough like, but not dry. Depending upon the amount of banana and honey, more or less than the 1 ¾ cup flour listed will be used.  Dough should be thick and require slight effort to stir.  Add walnuts (optional). Mix.

Pour into well-greased 9 ½” x 5” x 3” loaf pan. 

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until fork comes out clean.  Reomve from pan; cool on rack. 

Julie’s version of Whole Wheat Bread

I don’t make this recipe as much as I used to but in my opinion nothing beats the smell or taste of fresh baked bread on a cold winter’s day in New England.  This is a variation of the Entire Wheat Bread recipe from the 13^th edition of the Fannie Farmer Cookbook which I’ve found to be versatile:  it can be made as one full size loaf or 4 mini loaves, it freezes well, it can be made the night before and baked the following morning or made in one day. 

Julie's version of Whole Wheat Bread

2 cups hot milk

½ cup molasses

1 ½ teaspoons table salt or 1 1/8 teaspoons kosher salt

1 package dry yeast

4 cups whole wheat flour 

In a large microwave safe bowl, heat milk by microwaving for about 4 minutes.  Add the molasses and salt to milk and let cool to lukewarm.  In a small bowl, proof yeast as per instructions on the package.  Add proofed yeast and flour to the first mixture.  Mix until all flour is absorbed and a somewhat sticky dough forms.  Seal bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until dough doubles in bulk or place on shelf in front of refrigerator and let rise overnight.    

Once dough has doubled, place oven rack on middle rung.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees farenheit.  Grease either one 9” loaf pan or four mini loaf pans.  If making one loaf, put dough in loaf pan.  If making four mini loaves, divide dough in quarters while still in bowl and put one quarter in one mini loaf pan.  

Bake bread for about 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean.  Remove bread from pan and cool on rack.  Serve.  Store any leftover bread in air tight container or place in freezer safe storage container for freezing.  Frozen bread should be consumed within 3 months of baking. 

Whole Wheat Bread sliced and

ready to serve