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Spotlight: Recipe for success

Photo: A proud claim to fame is that 95 percent of the food at the UC Davis Coffee House is made from scratch. (Karin Higgins/UC Davis photo)

A proud claim to fame is that 95 percent of the food at the UC Davis Coffee House is made from scratch. (Karin Higgins/UC Davis photo)

Three recipes from the Coffee House kitchen

Coffee House Director Sharon Coulson offers three popular recipes from the two previous Coffee House cookbooks. She expects the new 40th anniversary volume to be published within the year, containing recipes from first and second cookbooks, along with new ones.

Tabouli

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups bulgar, dry
  • 2 cups boiling hot water
  • 1 ¼ tsp. salt
  • 2 medium tomatoes, diced
  • ¾ cup parsley, chopped
  • 1 small carrot, grated
  • 1 small green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 small cucumber, diced
  • 3 green onions
  • ½ cup lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. garlic, dry
  • pinch of black pepper
  • pinch of dry mint (or a few sprigs fresh)
  • 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 15 oz. can garbanzos (optional)

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, mix together dry bulgar, water and salt, it will take about 30 minutes for the bulgar to absorb the water.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine the tomatoes, parsley, carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers and green onions.
  3. Add the lemon juice, garlic, pepper, mint and oil to the bulgar and mix well. Combine bulgar and vegetables.
  4. If desired, drain and rinse the garbanzo beans and mix into the salad. Serve immediately or chill until served.

Yield: 10 cups

Time to make: 1 hour

Cheddar Leek Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp. and ½ cup butter
  • 2 medium leeks, sliced
  • 2 ½ cups of water or vegetable stock
  • 2 large potatoes, cubed
  • 3 ½ cups lowfat milk
  • ½ cup butter
  • ¾ cup flour
  • 2 ¾ cups cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. dry mustard
  • 1 tsp. black pepper
  • 1 tsp. paprika

Directions

  1. In soup pot, sauté the leeks in 1 tablespoon butter until completely softened. Add in water or vegetable stock and cubed potatoes. Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are cooked and broth is thickened. Stir often, the potatoes may burn at the bottom of the pot.
  2. While potatoes are simmering, heat the milk in a small saucepan over low heat. Make sure it does not scald.
  3. In a sauté pan, melt ½ cup butter. Add flour, whisking briskly to make a roux. Slowly add in a little heated milk, enough to make the mixture gravy-like. Add in a little grated cheese and whisk thoroughly. Add the rest of the milk and cheese in small, alternating batches, until both of these are completely combined in the roux. Add cheese mixture to the soup pot, whisking vigorously. Add in salt, mustard, pepper and paprika.
  4. Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference.

Yield: 8 cups

Prep time: 1.5 hrs

Orange Chocolate Chippers

Ingredients

  • 2 ¾ cups flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 cup butter
  • 6 ounces cream cheese
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 tsp. grated orange peel
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • ½ cup walnuts, finely chopped (optional)

Directions

  1. In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  2. Cream butter and cream cheese. Add sugars and cream again until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla and orange peel and mix until fluffy.
  3. Fold in dry ingredients until blended. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts.
  4. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-12 minutes.

Yield: 2 quarts of dough (2-3 dozen cookies)

Time to make: 30 minutes

Baking time: 8-12 minutes