Recipes!! deadline Fri Jan 18

Forum members are invited to prepare any recipes listed below and submit your photographs to iStock. Once accepted, they may be considered for publication in our magazine. All recipes should be created as is. If you decide to substitute something, that is okay as long as it is not visible. For example, don’t garnish a salad with ham if it calls for chicken, don’t add oranges if it calls for strawberries, etc. Feel free to add something to the photo near the recipe that will enhance the image as long as the focus is still on the main recipe....tablecloth, silverware, a side dish, etc.


Please take both a horizontal and vertical shot. Click below to see a light box of the type of images we like.
http://www.istockphoto.com/file_search.php?action=file&lightboxID=6915274


Images used will be credited next to the image. You will receive a copy of the final printed publication.


Please post a low res image on the forum thread so we can see what you have submitted to iStock. We do not need exclusive rights to the image, so you are free to sell it multiple times.


Thanks, Sharri, aka ecsc 


Theme for the Feb issue’s recipes is Cozy Comfort Food. The Pistachio Cream Cake may be only online. We'll see how space goes...


PB & J SMOOTHIE
SERVES 2 


1 ripe banana
1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoon strawberry jelly or preserves
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup milk (any type)
2 tablespoons plain, Greek-style yogurt
1/2 cup ice cubes


Process all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Garnish with dollop of yogurt and a strawberry, if desired.


 


MARY’S SHEPHERD’S PIE
SERVES 4


1 tablespoon butter
1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 10.25-ounce can beef gravy
1 pound lean ground beef, cooked and drained
2 cups hot mashed potatoes
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded 


In a 2-quart, microwave-safe casserole, combine butter, carrots and onion. Cover with lid; microwave on high for 5 minutes or until vegetables are nearly tender, stirring once during the cooking (remove lid carefully to avoid hot steam).
Stir in the beef gravy and cooked ground beef. Cover and microwave on high for 5 minutes or until bubbling, stirring once during cooking.
Spoon mashed potatoes around edge of casserole (for a festive touch, use a pastry tube to pipe the mashed potatoes around the edge of the dish). Sprinkle with cheese; microwave, uncovered, on high for 3 minutes or until cheese melts. 


 


SPINACH AND CHEESE CASSEROLE
SERVES 4–6


1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach (can substitute broccoli or collard greens)
3 eggs, lightly beaten
8 ounces low-fat, small- or large-curd cottage cheese
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated 


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook spinach according to package directions and drain. Place in a medium bowl, then add beaten eggs. Stir in cottage cheese, flour, butter and cheddar cheese until well incorporated. Spoon mixture into a buttered 9-by-9-inch baking dish. Bake for 50–55 minutes or until very lightly browned. 


 


FLOURLESS PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Makes 2 dozen


1 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium bowl, stir together peanut butter, sugar, egg and baking soda until blended. Stir in chocolate morsels. Drop dough in tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 12–14 minutes. Allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to continue cooling.


 


THE COTTAGE’S PISTACHIO CREAM CAKE


2-1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup pistachio paste (available online)
1/2 cup pistachio nuts, finely chopped
Frosting if desired* (no recipe provided)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray and line three 8-by-2-inch round cake pans with parchment.
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Cream butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy and light in color, about 2 minutes on medium speed. Add sugar and continue to mix until fluffy and light.
Add eggs, one at a time, mixing each well before adding the next one. Add vanilla.
Reduce mixer speed to low and add dry ingredients alternately with sour cream. Add pistachio paste and nuts and mix just until blended.
Pour batter into prepared pans and smooth; pound pans on counter 4–5 times. Bake 30–40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. The top should be nicely browned or, in this case, “greened.”
*For frosting, the best choice is a traditional cream cheese frosting. You can also use a whipped white chocolate ganache or vanilla buttercream. Add pistachio paste and ground pistachios to any frosting for a richer, nuttier flavor.

(Edited on 2012-12-28 13:27:11 by ecsc)

/
/Here are my tries at the smoothie...Sorry i couldn't dollop the yogurt - I never realized how hard it was to dollop yogurt and make it look good


They are in for inspection now. Thanks!


 


 


 


These are approved now, thanks!

(Edited on 2013-01-03 12:12:54 by AWEvans)

hi Sharri - i whipped up the smoothie, cookies, and spinach/cheese casserole.  will link the photos as they are approved.


 

(Edited on 2013-01-08 09:09:43 by ginauf)

Hello,


I think that I am better cook than food photographer but I gave the MARY’S SHEPHERD’S PIE a shot, to be honest it was very tasty for its simplicity.


Here are the freshly approved shots:


 


 


 


Thank you for your consideration.

Here a few smoothie shots. It's a pretty shallow depth of field - trying to keep the focus in the main glass.
They are still in the que, will let you know when and if they are accepted.

Nice, Janine! I wanted to join in, Sharri, but some of the ingredients are really not French I will be back!

I have some Spinach and Cheese Casserole photos in the queue.  I'll post them when approved.  The smoothies look great Lots of good shepherd's pie as well.  Here are my approved Spinach and Cheese Casserole....







(Edited on 2013-01-10 16:23:10 by dsmoulton)

(Edited on 2013-01-11 19:46:12 by dsmoulton)

Here are some Shepherds pie images I have in the que now as well. Will let you know if they are approved.
Thanks!

Some of these Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip should be approved today:


 


I also have some Spinach and Cheese Casserole ones in the queue and will post when they are approved.  Both recipes were yummy!


Brycia


 

(Edited on 2013-01-04 06:50:00 by 1MoreCreative)

This was just approved.  I have 3 more awaiting approval.  Good thing I didn't make a New Year's resolution to lose weight - these are yummy!


 

/
/This was just approved today.




 


 


 


 





SPINACH AND CHEESE CASSEROLE


 


 

 
 

(Edited on 2013-01-06 14:34:56 by haoliang)

(Edited on 2013-01-06 14:35:49 by haoliang)

(Edited on 2013-01-09 02:36:01 by haoliang)

The first of my Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are approved now... a few more options will be coming soon.


 


I also did some of the preparation:


 


There are additional options linked to the above images, too.


Thanks!


Brycia


 


 

/
/These just accepted.  I also made the shepherd's pie, but we ate it before I could get my camera out!


 


 

(Edited on 2013-01-05 14:26:34 by patty_c)

My attempt at the shepard's pie.  Should be approved soon. 


  


 

These are now approved.

One more of the flourless peanut butter chocolate chip cookies -


 

These were just approved.

Here are my first two of the Spinach and Cheese Casserole.  More to come!


 


 


 

Here's a few shots of the PB & J smoothie. They're in the queue now; I'll let you know once they've been accepted. Thanks!


ETA: Everything's been accepted and should be available soon. 


 


 


 


 

(Edited on 2013-01-06 22:08:52 by viennetta)

(Edited on 2013-01-09 11:50:25 by viennetta)

FLOURLESS PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES


  THE


COTTAGE’S PISTACHIO CREAM CAKE





All in Q and not accepted yet. I'll update.