Harper's Guide to the Kitchen

I’ve had this recipe on a handwritten card for so many years, that I don’t know where it originated from. These are good to serve with Chili, any Mexican or Tex-Mex style meal, or as appetizers.  Mini muffin tins come in different sizes, some only hold 24, Walmart sells one that holds 48. If you only have 1 to use, and it’s not big enough, you will have to bake the muffins in batches-this recipe makes 3 dozen (36). They are labor intensive, especially doing the filling part; this is where many hands make light work, so enlist helpers! If serving at a party, I highly recommend making the day before. Mini Corn Muffins with Chilies and Cheese 1 egg ½ cup milk ½ cup neutral-flavor oil (grapeseed, canola, etc) or ½ cup (1 stick) butter Dash (about 1/8 teaspoon) hot sauce OR pinch of ground cayenne pepper 8 ½ oz. can creamed corn 1 cup flour 1 cup cornmeal, yellow, finely ground 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt Preheat oven to 425 degrees F; g...

The original recipe called for making your own coconut milk…um, not for me! But this is very good-not curry but I think with some basis in Indian cuisine. If you want to serve with brown rice (I prefer brown Basmati rice), start it cooking while the chicken is pan-sautéing, and they’ll be done about the same time. Chicken in Coconut Milk Saffron-3 or 4 threads 6 chicken pieces- breasts, boneless and skinless and/or chicken thighs or legs Pinch of cayenne pepper ¼ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground coriander 14 oz can coconut milk ¼ cup unsweetened flaked coconut (for garnish) Soak saffron threads in 1 tablespoon hot water. Remove any skin from the chicken pieces; season with salt and pepper, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and ground coriander. Sauté in a large skillet until lightly browned on both sides, about 5 minutes. Then pour in the coconut milk and the saffron with the soaking water for the saffron. Simmer for about 30-40 minutes or until chicken tests done; serve over br...

If you're looking for a healthy dessert, or for a dessert for those on a diabetic, gluten free, grain free, dairy-free, or vegan diet, this is very good. If you like your desserts sweeter than the natural sweetness of berries, you can add your favorite sugar substitute, in the amount to replace 1/2 cup sugar. For extra luxury, serve with sugar free ice cream or, if not on a dairy-free or lowfat diet, serve with whipped cream. Low-Carb Berry Crumble 4 cups of berries (any combo of fresh/frozen raspberries/strawberries/blueberries/blackberries) 1 1/2 cups almond meal 2 tablespoons coconut oil (melted) or very neutral oil (grapeseed, canola) 2 tablespoons agave nectar ½ teaspoon cinnamon Preheat oven to 375 degrees; coat an 8” baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spread berries evenly along the bottom of the pan. In a bowl, mix together the almond flour, coconut oil, honey and cinnamon until you have a nice crumbly mixture.   If it seems a little too dr...

Deceptively simple, these really are good. If you're not watching calories or fat intake, you can use mayonnaise instead of the sour cream or Greek yogurt. You do want a sturdy bread, not the light, fluffy stuff. Tuna Cheese Melts ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt ¼ teaspoon garlic powder Dash of salt 8 slices good-quality, whole grain bread 6 oz. can of tuna, drained 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 8 slices of deli cheddar cheese, cut thin; or American cheese Start a large skillet heating over medium heat. Combine sour cream, garlic powder, and salt; spread on 1 side of each slice of bread. In a small bowl, stir together the tuna and mayonnaise; spread on 4 slices of bread. Place a layer of cheese on top, then the other 4 slices of bread. Gently press together. Spray the skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Cook 2 sandwiches at a time (or all 4, if you have room for them to fit in a single layer and still room to turn them), over medium heat. Let cook for 3-5 minutes, until b...

Very simple and quick, this makes a great weeknight supper. It tastes amazing!  Smoked Paprika-Parmesan Fish with Sautéed Greens For the fish: 4 (3- to 5-ounce) thin fish fillets, such as flounder, tilapia, or grouper; if frozen-thawed 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon smoked paprika  Pinch of cayenne pepper 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice Salt and pepper, to taste Lemon wedges, for garnish For the greens: 2 large garlic cloves, minced ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 bunches chard, or other leafy greens like collards or kale, washed and sliced ¾ teaspoon kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar Turn oven on broil. Generously season tops of fish with salt and pepper. Combine Parmesan, paprika, and cayenne in a small bowl. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat until gently bubbling. Place the fish in the pan and cook for 3 minutes. Usi...

If you think you don’t like tapioca pudding (as I always did, before making this for the first time, over 10 years ago), please try this-there is something magical about the creamy pudding with the sweet-tart oranges. Warm Tapioca Pudding with Honeyed Oranges 3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca 1/3 cup sugar ¼ teaspoon salt 2 large eggs 2 cups milk 2 oranges-the easiest to use are seedless, navel oranges ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons honey Place the tapioca, sugar, salt, eggs, and milk in a cold saucepan, whisk to combine, and leave (off the heat!) to stand for 5 minutes without stirring. This is necessary to swell the tapioca. Meanwhile, peel and section the oranges. If you are either picky or serving to company, you can carefully cut the sections out of the membranes with a sharp knife. Combine with the honey in a separate small saucepan and warm up over low heat. Cook the tapioca mixture over medium-high heat, stirring, until it comes to a boil...

For the recipe card giveaway, you can email your "snail mail" address to me at (disguised to keep the robots from collecting, lol!): andreaharper79 AT yahoo DOT com The recipe for today is my son’s favorite pie. I’ve been making this pie for over 15 years, and it turns out wonderful every time. You can substitute a 21 oz. can of cherry pie filling, if you like-I think it’s too sweet like that, but it is a little easier. Don't be intimidated by the length of the recipe-it really is easy, just several steps, and the result is definitely worth it! Serve warm, chilled, plain, or with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Chocolate Cherry Pie 4 tablespoons butter 2/3 cup sugar 1/3 cup baking cocoa 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/3 cup milk 2 eggs, lightly beaten 24-26 oz. jar Morello or regular cherries, in light syrup (Trader Joe’s sells them) 1 prepared pie crust (I buy mine) or unbaked pastry shell (9 inches) 2 tablespoons cornstarch ...

GIVEAWAY-see bottom of post! After over 15 years of friends asking me to write a cookbook, I’m finally writing it! I started this Christmas, by writing out my most frequently used recipes for my family. I’m trying to write it with enough direction for beginner cooks, but also have recipes for special dinners that take more experience to conquer (and usually don't count calories!). There will also be healthy recipes, with indexes for finding the vegan, low carb, gluten free, etc. recipes. I have made every single recipe that I'm publishing; most of them, I’ve made many, many times over the years and perfected them. Part of why I’m writing my cookbook is selfish-I never use recipes exactly as written, so all of my large collection of cookbooks and recipe cards have scribbled notes on them-otherwise, I forget how I adapted the recipe and can never make it again like that. So one of the reasons I’m writing this, is to have all of my recipes in one place! Also, I feel strongl...