Easy Lemon Cookies

This recipe comes from a cooking blog I frequent quite often:  www.fortheloveofcooking.net.  These cookies are  easy to make and very tasty.  Must love lemon!

Lemon Crinkles    

1/2 cup of unsalted butter, softened
1 cup of white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp fresh lemon zest
1 1/2 cups of flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup of powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with a mixer until creamy. Add the vanilla, egg, lemon juice, and lemon zest and beat until smooth and well mixed. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together until well combined. Slowly add the flour mixture to the lemon mixture until mixed. The dough will be very sticky. Place in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes or until firm enough to roll into balls.  Roll the dough into small balls then toss in the bowl of powdered sugar until evenly coated. Place the balls on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Place into the oven and bake for 9-11 minutes.  Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack for at least 7 minutes to set.

Easy Fish and Chips

Will requested fish and chips for supper tonight.  Since we don't have a deep fryer, I needed to find a recipe for fish that would satisfy his need for some serious breading in a frying pan.  Enter Chef Michael Smith's Fast Flavours cookbook.  This recipe for whole wheat fish was yummy!  We used Atlantic cod - purchased at Costco, hailing from Norway.  We did not make homemade tartar sauce, but we will next time.  The "chips" recipe is adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook.  Easy, healthy and tasty.  Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Fish

1⁄2 cup whole-wheat flour 

1 tablespoon of your favourite spice blend, Old Bay Seasoning, curry powder, or chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
Lots of freshly ground pepper
4 to 6 skinless white fish fillets
a splash or two of vegetable oil
1 heaping tablespoon butter

Preheat your favourite large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, spice blend, salt, and pepper, evenly distributing the lighter powders amidst the coarser ones.  Dredge a fish fillet in the seasoned flour, turning and evenly coating it in a light crust.  Place the dredged fillet on a dry work surface while you finish dredging the others.

Pour a generous splash of oil into the hot pan, swirling and coating the bottom with an even film. Spoon the butter into the centre of the oil, swirling gently as it melts, foams, and lightly browns. Place the crusted fish fillets in the pan. Gently shiver and shake the pan as the first side browns evenly, 4 or 5 minutes. With a thin spatula, firmly and confidently flip each fillet. Continue cooking until the second side is equally browned and delicious, 3 or 4 minutes. 

Homemade Fries

potatoes

olive oil

kosher salt & pepper

any other seasonings you desire

Preheat your oven to 400F. Brush a baking sheet with olive oil or coat with olive oil spray.

Cut your potatoes into fry-sized wedges. Plunge them in a large pot of cold salted water. Bring to a simmer and let them cook just a few of minutes until they are not-quite fork tender (a fork should be able to pierce the potato, but not all the way through).

Using a slotted spoon, remove potatoes from the water onto a clean kitchen towel.  Dry thoroughly and transfer to the baking sheet.  Toss with another tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake your french fries for 50-55 minutes, checking at the halfway point.

Black Bean and Tomato Soup

Skinny Bitch Black Bean and Tomato Soup

The original version of this recipe for black bean and tomato soup comes from Kim Barnouin's Ultimate Everyday Cookbook.  Kim Barnouin of the Skinny Bitch franchise.  This recipe is a low-fat and hearty option.  We like to serve it with nacho chips and melted cheese, but a grilled cheese sandwich would also be a good accompaniment.  I think it's better day 2 (or 3) so you might consider making it on Sunday and serving it for dinner on Tuesday.

 

 

Black Bean and Tomato Soup

 

2 tablespoons oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large red or yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 (15-ounce/430 g) cans black beans, drained
and rinsed (or an equivalent amount of freshly cooked or frozen black beans)
1 (28-ounce/800 g) can plum tomatoes
½ cup corn, fresh or frozen
3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup water
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Juice of half a lime
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped green onions
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

 

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and bell pepper, and sauté about 30 seconds. Add chili powder and cumin, and stir until well combined. Add black beans, tomatoes, corn, stock, water, oregano, red pepper flakes, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir and simmer about 15 minutes. Transfer half of the soup to a blender or food processor and let cool about 10 minutes. Blend until smooth and return to pot. Add lime juice and salt. Stir and simmer 5 minutes. Garnish with the green onions and cilantro.

Barefoot Contessa's Maple-Roasted Butternut Squash

Hugh made this squash recipe for Thanksgiving dinner and it was GREAT!  It is from the Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics cookbook.  We did not use pancetta this weekend, but I intend to try it with the pancetta soon.  We also used buttercup instead of butternut, and it was SO good!

Maple-Roasted Butternut Squash

1 large butternut squash (or 2 buttercup squash)
1 head garlic separated but not peeled
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 1/2 tbsp. pure maple syrup
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces thinly sliced pancetta chopped
16 whole fresh sage leaves


Preheat oven to 400°. Peel and seed butternut squash and cut into 3/4- to 1-inch cubes. Place squash and whole unpeeled garlic cloves in a baking dish or on sheet pan large enough to hold them all in one layer. Toss with olive oil, maple syrup, salt, and pepper, and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until squash begins to brown, turning once during baking.

Sprinkle pancetta and sage leaves evenly over squash and continue to bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until squash and garlic are tender and caramelized.

Easy Weeknight Red Cabbage and Tomato

I found myself with half a head of red cabbage leftover after Thanksgiving dining was complete.  After searching the indexes of many cookbooks, I happened upon this recipe in Michael Smith's Fast Flavours.  Generally speaking, it's not my favourite cookbook.  It's not my "go to" for a last minute great recipe.  I'm not sure why, because this red cabbage is easy and great!  Even the kids loved it.  It's here on the blog because I want to make sure I don't lose this recipe, which has just enough sweet and just enough heat to make it so interesting.  In fact, I'm giving Michael Smith another chance and I've got his Hungarian Beef Stew in the crockpot now...

Red Cabbage and Tomato

1 - 19 oz (540 ml) tin diced tomatoes
1 red cabbage, thinly sliced (or half a massive red cabbage)
1 c water
1/4 c sugar
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp salt
1/2 to 1 tsp of your favourite hot sauce (we used Cholula)

Place all ingredients in a pot with a tight fitting lid.  Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently.  Lowe heat and cook, covered, at a slow, steady simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Lunchbox Israeli Couscous and Tuna Salad

This salad is our current lunchbox favourite.  Israeli couscous (sometimes called pearl couscous) is not really couscous at all but, rather, a small round toasted pasta-like ball.  It's easy to cook and great in salads.  I've had some trouble finding it, but the Bulk Barn online site says they carry it, so I'm going to look there tomorrow.  The recipe originates from Ina Garten/Barefoot Contessa, but I have made a few small changes to reduce oil and salt.  Enjoy!

2 cups Israeli couscous
Around 400 grams of Italian oil packed tuna, drained and flaked
zest of 2 lemons or limes
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
1/3 cup good olive oil
3 tablespoons capers, drained
1/2 cup pitted, oil-cured black olives, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, medium-diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6-8 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup julienned fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium-size pot.  Add the couscous and reduce the heat to very low.  Cover the pot and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until the couscous is just tender.  Drain in a colander.

Meanwhile, combine the tuna, lemon or lime zest, lemon or lime juice, olive oil, capers, olives, red peppers, garlic, 1/2 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper in a large bowl.  Pour the hot couscous into the mixture and stir well.  Cover and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Just before serving, stir in the scallions, basil, juice of the 1/2 lemon or lime, and more salt to taste.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Back to School Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

I got the inspiration for this muffin recipe from a blog called Mennonite Girls Can Cook.  I wanted to make a healthy back to school muffin with bananas and oatmeal.  As pretty much everyone knows these days, school snacks and lunches can't contain nuts.  I was hoping to figure out how to make a banana muffin that was a bit heartier and healthier, with some texture, but without the addition of nuts.  This is what I came up with.  The batter is mighty thick.  Don't be concerned.  The muffins are dense but moist and tasty and relatively good for you.  Most have made it into lunchboxes, but I'll admit they go well with a good strong cup of coffee mid morning as well!

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

2 ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 c plain lowfat yogurt
1 egg
1/3 c canola or grapeseed oil
1/2 c maple syrup*
3/4 c quick oats
1 c flour
3/4 c whole wheat flour
1/4 c milled flaxseeds
2 tsp b powder
1/2 tsp b soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2-3/4 c dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375.
Whisk together wet ingredients (including banana).  Stir in oatmeal and allow to sit while you combine dry ingredients (except chocolate chips) in a separate bowl.  Fold wet and dry ingredients together with chocolate chips just until dry ingredients are no longer visible.
Divide batter amongst 12 muffin tins.  (I use an ice cream scoop - quick and easy.)
Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick tests clean.
Allow to cool in tins for a few minutes before removing to a rack to cool completely.
These keep well several days in a sealed container.

* You can use brown sugar instead of maple syrup if you prefer.  You might need to add a bit more liquid.

Our Favourite Chocolate Chip Cookies

Claire just described these cookies as the best cookies ever.  The recipe is a slight variation on a Martha recipe from her Cookies cookbook (which I've recommended in past posts).  I think there are two key tips to making these cookies:  turn the cookie sheets halfway through baking (switching their positions on oven racks if appropriate) and cool the cookies on the cookie sheets on top of wire racks for 2 minutes before moving them to the racks to fully cool.

Christie Family Chocolate Cookies  (makes 3-4 dozen cookies)


1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups semisweet and/or milk chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the flours and baking soda; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter with both sugars; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low; add the salt, vanilla, and eggs. Beat until well mixed, about 1 minute. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Drop heaping tablespoon-size balls of dough about 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
Bake until cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until they are golden around the edges, but still soft in the center, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool on baking sheet 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

Fiesta Night Ideas - Salmon, Beans and Green Rice

We've been eating a lot of Mexican food lately.  The kids love making fresh corn tortillas and they will fill them with almost anything really.  Most of our Mexican recipes have come from Pati's Mexican Table by Pati Jinich.  Here are three recipes that work well and have become standards at our house.  Even though they contain jalapenos, neither the rice nor the salmon is at all spicy when done.  The salmon and rice recipes are recommended to serve six.  The bean recipe will yield approximately 5 cups cooked beans.  It works equally well with pinto beans or black beans.  I tend to puree about half of the cooked beans with some of the cooking water to have a kind of (but not quite so unhealthy) refried bean puree on hand.  All of these recipes are of course best enjoyed with a good margarita!

Sweet and Salty Salmon

1 cup packed dark brown or demerara sugar
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons seeded and minced jalapeno
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon kosher or coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 salmon fillets (about 6 ounces each), rinsed and patted dry
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro leaves for garnish
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions (white and light green parts only) for garnish

In a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, soy sauce, lime juice, jalapeno, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring for a couple of minutes just until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool.
Place salmon pieces in a baking dish large enough to hold them in a single layer and pour marinade on top, turning to coat both sides. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours, spooning the marinade over fish one or two times.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove fish from refrigerator at least 10 minutes before cooking.
Bake fish for 15 to 18 minutes, or until it flakes easily with a fork. Place salmon on individual plates or a serving platter, garnish with the cilantro and scallions, and serve.


Pati's Favourite Green Rice

2 cups long grain rice (jasmine or basmati)
2 poblano chilies, halved, seeded and cut into chunks (or one green pepper and one jalapeno pepper, or a combination of interesting but not too hot peppers on offer at your local grocery)
½ cup water (plus 2 tbsp if necessary)
2/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 cloves garlic
1½ tsp kosher salt
2½ - 3 cups chicken stock (or more as required)
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1/3 cup coarsely chopped white onion
1 tbsp fresh lime juice or more
½ cup crumbled queso fresco or mild feta

Soak rice in hot water to cover 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water until water runs clear. Drain well.
Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, puree chiles with 1/2 c water, cilantro, garlic and salt until smooth. Strain into a measuring cup and note how much you have. Keep this separate but place enough chicken stock in another measuring cup so that the total amount of liquid is 4 cups.
Heat oil in a large saucepan and add rice. Cook 3 to 4 minutes until rice turns opaque and milky white. Add onion and saute one to two minutes. Stir in chile puree and cook 2 to 3 minutes until absorbed by rice. Stir in stock and lime juice, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and cook 15 minutes. If rice is not tender yet, add remaining 2 tbsp water and cook, covered a few more minutes. Let rice rest, covered 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and sprinkle with cheese.

Simple Beans from the Pot


1 pound or about 2 1/4 cups, Pinto, Peruvian or Black beans
1/2 white onion, peeled of outer skin but held together by the root end
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt, or to taste
2 sprigs cilantro

Rinse the beans in cold water and drain. Place them in a big heavy pot and cover with enough water to come up to at least 3″ above the top of beans, about 10 cups of water. Add onion and garlic, and bring to a boil. Let the beans simmer, partially covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, until the beans are soft.  Add salt and cilantro. (Don’t add the salt in the beginning or it will toughen the beans!)
Cook for about another 15 minutes, or until the beans are so soft they come apart if you hold one between your fingers, and the broth has thickened to a soupy consistency. If the beans are not yet soft and the broth is drying out, add more water.
Remove onions and cilantro before serving.
To make bean puree, combine 5 parts beans to 1 part cooking water (and salt to taste) in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Two New Cocktails

I have always loved a proper margarita.  One made with reposado tequila and without that crappy sweet bar mix.  Just lime juice, tequila and a Gran Marnier float.  During our recent trip to Arizona, I discovered that the reason I hadn't been able to replicate the perfect margarita at home was because I wasn't adding agave.  Last night was fiesta Friday at our house, and I made margaritas.  I'm sharing the recipe here because frankly, for my taste, I've finally found the recipe for my favourite margarita.    Feel free to play around with the quantities until you achieve your perfect margarita.  (Salt rimming optional.)

The second cocktail here is a one which I recently discovered at The Venetian in Las Vegas.  One of the few things about Las Vegas that I will remember with fondness.  When I googled the recipe,  I learned that it originate in Venice (rather than at The Venetian).  It's a great change from sweet cocktails and I do love the fizzy.

Cheers!

My Favourite Margarita

1.5 oz tequila (preferably reposado)

1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice

2 tsp agave nectar

Grand Marnier to taste

Put lime juice and agave in a shaker and shake until blended.  Add tequila and enough ice to fill your glass.  Shake until the ice is starting to melt.  Pour into glass and float a little Gran Marnier on top.  

Venetian Spritz

3 oz prosecco

1.5 oz Aperol

1.5 oz soda water

Green olive for garnish

Stir liquid ingredients together gently, serve over ice and garnish with a green olive.

Asian-Style Chicken and Rice

Chinese New Year.  A perfect time to enjoy some Asian-style comfort food.  This recipe appeared in today's Globe and Mail, credit to Lucy Waverman.  Easy and great for a cool February night.  The recipe in original form calls for a "spicy citrus sauce" to drizzle on top.  I'm frankly too exhausted for spicy citrus sauces, no matter how wonderful.  Even without, it led my husband and me to second helpings.  Gung hay fat choy!

Asian-Style Chicken and Rice

500 grams (1 pound) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced in half

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots

2 tablespoons finely chopped ginger

2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

Salt and freshly ground pepper

8 large shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, cut in half

1 1/2 cups Thai jasmine rice, rinsed

2 cups chicken broth or water

1 teaspoon sriracha (Asian chili sauce)

1/2 cup green peas

1/2 cup finely chopped green onions

1 tablespoon chopped mint or coriander

Place chicken thighs in bowl. Combine shallots, ginger and garlic in separate bowl. Toss chicken with half of this mixture and all of the soy sauce and sugar.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet over a medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade, season with salt and pepper and add to pan. Fry 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until golden-brown but not cooked through. Remove from pan, add mushrooms and sauté 1 minute or until softened.

Season mushrooms with salt and pepper and set aside. To prepare the rice, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the remaining shallot mixture and sauté for 30 seconds. Stir in the rice, chicken broth (or water) and sriracha. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and place chicken pieces and mushrooms over the rice. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Scatter in peas and cook, covered, until both rice and chicken are cooked (about 7 to 10 minutes longer). Spoon into a serving bowl or serve from the pot. Garnish with green onions and mint or coriander. If there is a layer of rice that is slightly browned and sticking to the pot, this is considered a delicacy.

Sweet Potato, Carrot and Red Lentil Soup

This is another recipe that owes its introduction into our family to my book club.  Our neighbour, Alison, brought this to a recent book club potluck dinner and, although it was meant to be the starter, I found room for a second bowl.  I made it for the first time here at home later the same week, and everyone liked it very much.  I like the addition of lentils.  Makes me feel especially healthy.  The original recipe called for 1/4 c butter, which I've reduced and changed to oil.  Use butter if you prefer.

Sweet Potato, Carrot, Apple and Red Lentil Soup

2 tbsp grapeseed or olive oil 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped 1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped 1 onion, chopped 1/2 cup red lentils 1/2 teaspoon (or more) minced fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon paprika 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth plain yogurt

1.	Warm oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Place the chopped sweet potatoes, carrots, apple, and onion in the pot. Stir and cook the apples and vegetables until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.
2.	Stir the lentils, ginger, ground black pepper, salt, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and vegetable or chicken broth into the pot with the apple and vegetable mixture. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the lentils and vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes.
3.	Puree soup in a blender in batches until smooth. Alternately, you can use an immersion blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot.
4.	Return the pureed soup to the cooking pot. Bring back to a simmer over medium-high heat, about 10 minutes. Add water as needed to thin the soup to your preferred consistency. (You WILL need to add water!)  Serve with yogurt for garnish.

Turkish Lamb with Lemony Quinoa

When I took out this lamb recipe today, I realized that I have been making it for over 10 years.  Which is kind of crazy!  I clipped it out of Gourmet magazine in June 2002, and I've never tired of it.  It's meant to be used on cubed boneless leg of lamb and thread onto skewers with cherry tomatoes.  More often, however, I use it on lamb chops or steaks cut from the leg of lamb.  It's amazing!  Tonight I was looking for a gluten free side and I came upon a spicy lemon quinoa recipe on the Martha Stewart site.  With a few minor revisions, a perfect side for our Turkish lamb.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. The below quantities should serve 4.

Turkish Lamb

3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp EVOO
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp packed fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tsp salt

1 to 1 3/4 lb lamb, cut as you wish (see above)

In a container large enough to hold the lamb, stir together all ingredients except lamb.  Add lamb and stir to coat.  Marinade, covered and chilled, stirring occasionally for at least 2 hours.  Grill to desired doneness.

Lemony Spinach Quinoa

1 c quinoa
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c toasted pine nuts
1 tsp grated lemon zest
4 c fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/8 c fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/8 c EVOO

Put quinoa into a saucepan with salt and 1 1/8 c water.  Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer.  Cook until completely absorbed, 18-20 minutes.
Place chopped spinach in a serving bowl.  Transfer quinoa to the serving bowl and add the pine nuts, lemon zest, cumin and cayenne.  Drizzle with lemon juice and EVOO and toss until well combined.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Oysters with Mignonette

Thank you Lucy Waverman!  I have always eaten oysters with seafood sauce.  Not very exotic, I know.  Now that I have discovered this mignonette, no more seafood sauce for me.  Excellent!

Mignonette for Oysters

For 36 oysters

1/4 cup red wine
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons cracked peppercorns
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

2 tablespoons chopped shallots

Combine red wine, red wine vinegar, shallots, peppercorns and lemon rind and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Let sit for 2 hours to concentrate the flavours. Chill before serving with oysters. Makes about 1/2 cup.