Was looking for a recipe using aleppo and yogurt...

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons Aleppo pepper or 2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper plus 2 teaspoons Hungarian sweet paprika, plus additional Aleppo pepper or paprika for sprinkling
1 cup plain yogurt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 garlic cloves, peeled, flattened
2 unpeeled lemons; 1 thinly sliced into rounds, 1 cut into wedges for serving
2 1/4 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast, cut into 1 1/4-inch cubes

preparation

If using Aleppo pepper, place in large bowl and mix in 1 tablespoon warm water. Let stand until thick paste forms, about 5 minutes. If using dried crushed red pepper and paprika combination, place in large bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons warm water and let stand until paste forms, about 5 minutes. Add yogurt, olive oil, red wine vinegar, tomato paste, 2 teaspoons coarse salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper to spice mixture in bowl; whisk to blend. Stir in garlic and lemon slices, then chicken. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Thread chicken pieces on metal skewers, dividing equally. Discard marinade in bowl. Sprinkle each skewer with salt, pepper, and additional Aleppo pepper or paprika. Brush grill rack with oil. Grill chicken until golden brown and cooked through, turning skewers occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes total. Transfer skewers to platter. Surround with lemon wedges and serve.

Posted by Maggie at 10:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

6 servings, about 1 1/3 cups each
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 1/4 hours

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 pounds boneless lamb leg, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups dry red wine
1 cup reduced-sodium beef broth
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup pearl onions, peeled (see Tip), or frozen small onions, rinsed under warm water to thaw
1 cup baby turnips, peeled (1/4 inch of green left on) and halved, or regular turnips cut into 1/2-inch wedges
1 1/2 cups baby carrots
1 1/2 cups peas, fresh or frozen
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

PREPARATION
Season lamb with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven. Add the lamb and cook, turning from time to time, until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Add carrot and onion to the pan; cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables; stir to coat. Add wine and scrape up any browned bits. Simmer until reduced slightly, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add broth, tomatoes, garlic and rosemary; bring to a simmer. Return the lamb to the pan. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 1/4 hours, checking from time to time to make sure it does not boil too rapidly.
Stir in pearl onions, turnips and carrots. Simmer, covered, until the lamb and vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
Add peas and heat through. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
TIPS & NOTES
Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 4. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat on stovetop, in microwave or oven.
Tip: To peel pearl onions:
Cook in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain. Peel when cool enough to handle.
NUTRITION
Per serving: 384 calories; 11 g fat (4 g sat, 5 g mono); 119 mg cholesterol; 22 g carbohydrates; 37 g protein; 5 g fiber; 395 mg sodium; 592 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (120% daily value), Vitamin C (50% dv), Potassium (29% dv), Iron (25% dv), Fiber (20% dv).

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 3 vegetable, 4 lean protein, 1/2 fat

Posted by Maggie at 09:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

saw this bittman article in the times and am intrigued by the worcestershire... will try soon with chicken.

Salt
ounces dried Chinese egg noodles, or 10 to 12 ounces fresh
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons minced ginger
2 pork chops, thinly sliced
1 small head Napa or savoy cabbage, shredded (about 4 cups)
2 carrots, shredded
2 tablespoons ketchup
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons mirin, or a bit of sugar
Few drops Tabasco sauce, or to taste
1 bunch scallions, chopped, white parts only.

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt it and add noodles. Cook until just done, about 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and run under cold water. Toss noodles with sesame oil to keep them from sticking together, and set aside.

2. Put peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add ginger and cook, stirring, until just fragrant, about 1 minute. Add pork and cook for about 5 minutes or until it is no longer pink and starts to brown around the edges.

3. Add cabbage and carrots to skillet and stir; sprinkle with salt. Continue to cook until vegetables soften, adding a bit of water as needed to keep them from sticking.

4. Meanwhile, stir together in a small bowl ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mirin and Tabasco. When vegetables are soft and any liquid has evaporated, add noodles and sauce to skillet. Toss to coat everything well and cook until noodles are warmed through. Serve, topped with chopped scallions.

Yield: 4 servings.

Posted by Maggie at 05:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Just picked up some lemongrass and I will probably add both chicken and shrimp to this...

SERVES 4 (change servings and units)
Ingredients
1 stalk lemongrass
6 slices gingerroot
1 lime
2 small red chilies
4 cups water
4 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon chili paste with garlic
6 ounces tomatoes, cut into chunks
4 ounces mushrooms, sliced (I use white or baby bella)
25 small cooked shrimp
2 tablespoons cilantro

Directions
1Cut off the dry end and a few top leaves of the lemongrass stem.
2Bruise the stem with the handle of a knife and cut into 1-inch long pieces.
3Reserve.
4Bruise the chilies, cut them in half, scoop out and discard the seeds.
5Reserve the chilies.
6Bring the water to boil.
7Add lemongrass and ginger, and squeeze out half the lime into the water.
8Boil 2-3 minutes.
9Add fish sauce and chili-garlic paste.
10Cook for another minute.
11Add tomatoes and mushrooms.
12Cook for 2-3 minutes (or longer, until it boils and the tomatoes start to fall apart).
13Squeeze the other half of the lime into the soup.
14Take off the heat.
15Add the chilies and let stand a few seconds, then add the shrimp.
16Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately.
17Leave lemongrass, ginger and chilies in the soup and warn your guests not to eat these.

Posted by Maggie at 11:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

We had this dish while in Macau and loved it. I guess it's a mix of Portugese, Chinese, and who knows what else since Macau was such a mix. Not sure why it's called African chicken... I used 2 bone in chicken breasts and served it with rice. Tasty!

· Sauce: 4 Tablespoons butter, 3 fresh red chili peppers, chopped (seeded if you don't like it too spicy), 2 cloves garlic, chopped, 1 large shallot, chopped, Grated rind of 1 lemon, 1-1/2 cups coconut milk (fresh if possible), 1/2 cup white wine, 1/2 cup evaporated milk, 1/2 cup grated coconut (fresh if -possible), 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, 1 teaspoon paprika, Salt and pepper to taste, One whole chicken, cut up into pieces.
· For sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the chili peppers, garlic, and shallot. Sauté until softened. Stir in lemon rind, coconut milk, wine, evaporated milk, coconut, tarragon, and paprika. Bring to a boil; then turn down heat and simmer for about 30-45 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and other seasonings; let cool.
· Place the cut-up chicken in a container and pour on some of the sauce to marinate. Marinate for at least 1-2 hours. To cook, place marinated chicken pieces on a broiler pan, spread with more sauce and broil until cooked, turning and basting often. (You could probably also bake the chicken at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes, or even grill it). Serve chicken with extra sauce, a big salad, and French-fries.

Posted by Maggie at 10:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I've been looking around to find something similar to the chicken and rice I had in Singapore. I'd rather make it in small portions and lighten it up. Will try below soon... from NYTimes

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, 8 ounces each
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 5-inch-long piece fresh ginger root, peeled
8 fat garlic cloves
4 jalapeño peppers
1 quart chicken broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice, more to taste
Cooked rice, for serving
Sesame oil, for drizzling
1 bunch roughly chopped basil, for serving
1 bunch roughly chopped cilantro, for serving
1 bunch thinly sliced scallions, for serving
1 European cucumber, thinly sliced, for serving.
1. Cut each chicken breast in half crosswise and season with salt and pepper.

2. Slice about an inch of ginger root into thin rounds and place in a large pot. Coarsely chop remaining ginger and place in a blender. Thinly slice 2 garlic cloves and add to pot. Coarsely slice remaining garlic and add to blender. Thinly slice 2 jalapeño peppers and add them to pot. Halve remaining peppers, discard seeds and coarsely chop flesh; place in blender.

3. Add chicken broth to pot and bring to a simmer. Let cook for 10 minutes. Add chicken pieces to broth and let liquid come back to a simmer. Immediately turn off heat, cover pot and let sit for 10 minutes. Cut into a piece of chicken to test for doneness. If it is not done, bring broth back to a bare simmer, then turn off heat, cover and let sit for an additional minute or two.

4. In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce and brown sugar until sugar mostly dissolves. Set aside. To the mixture in blender add fish sauce and lime juice along with 1/4 cup broth from pot. Puree, if necessary adding a little more broth to help mixture move in blender. Taste and add a pinch of salt and more lime if needed.

5. When chicken is done, transfer to a cutting board and slice. Remove garlic and pepper from broth and discard, if you like. To serve, heap rice in 4 shallow bowls and top with chicken slices. Spoon several tablespoons broth over chicken and rice, then drizzle with sweet soy sauce and sesame oil. Sprinkle on the herbs, scallions and cucumber. Serve garlic-chili-ginger sauce on the side; have additional sesame oil and sweet soy sauce on table for more drizzling.

Posted by Maggie at 12:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Made this recently and used a few different protein components - chicken breast chunks, hot turkey sausage, and shrimp. I browned the chicken and turkey sausage and added with the shrimp a few minutes before turning the heat off. It was easy and very tasty.

Ingredients
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup canola oil
1/3 cup celery, chopped
1/3 cup bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 (16 ounce) can chopped tomatoes
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon basil
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2-1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (Tabasco or cayenne pepper or to your taste.)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup canned corn or frozen corn
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups okra, sliced (fresh or frozen)
1/2-1 lb shrimp, cleaned & shells off
rice
Directions
1Add oil to skillet, heat over medium heat add the flour, to make a roux.
2(It is ready when it's color matches that of a penney).
3This may take about 15 minutes.
4Stir in onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, and black pepper.
5Cook over medium heat about 3 minutes or till vegetables are crisp tender.
6Gradually stir in chicken broth, tomatoes, salt, Worcestershire sauce, pepper sauce, corn, okra, Basil, thyme, cumin and bay leaf.
7Bring to boiling point; reduce heat.
8Cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
9Add SHRIMP during the last 5 minutes.
10Serve over Rice.

Posted by Maggie at 01:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I have an abundance of both thai and regular basil growing on my balcony and we're about to go away for 3 weeks. Time to use it all up! I made 3 different types of basil and threw them in the freezer so will have to update when I get around to trying them.

#1 - Thai Pesto (to be thrown in a quick stir fry)

2 cups fresh Thai basil leaves
1 tablespooon peanut butter
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
3 little green chilis, deseeded and chopped fine
2 garlic cloves

Place all ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth.

#2 - Pesto with Almonds and Tomatoes (an attempt to appease the pesto-hater Melik)

1/4 cup raw almonds, toasted and roughly chopped
2 cups fresh basil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
salt & freshly ground black pepper

Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium-low heat until they just start to brown.
Mix everything together in food processor except the oil.
Once everything is mixed well, drizzle with oil.
Mix until well blended

#3 - Plain Old Pesto

2 cups basil
3 garlic cloves
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil

Mix everything together in food processor except the oil and lemon.
Once everything is mixed well, drizzle with lemon and oil.
Mix until well blended

Posted by Maggie at 05:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Serves 4
Ingredients
1 pound ground turkey breast
1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Tabasco (hot) sauce
4 whole-grain buns
4 slices tomato
4 slices red onion
2 bibb lettuce leaves, halved
4 tablespoons ketchup

Directions
Combine the ground turkey breast, bread crumbs, chopped onion, parsley, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce in a large bowl. Mix well. Divide turkey mixture into 4 equal portions and form into patties.

Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill or broiler (grill). Away from the heat source, lightly coat the grill rack or broiler pan with cooking spray. Position the cooking rack 4 to 6 inches from the heat source.

Grill burgers until nicely browned on both sides and heated through, about 7 minutes a side. Serve each burger on a bun topped with 1 tomato slice, 1 onion slice, 1/2 lettuce leaf and a dollop of ketchup.

Posted by Maggie at 06:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ok I promised Lisa I would send this recipe. Why not kill 2 birds and post it here. This is as close as I can get to the version Melik is used to from Vienna.

Serves 12, about 20 cups!

Ingredients:
5 bacon slices, chopped
3 lbs boneless beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 0.5 inch cubes
2 tbsp vege oil
1.5 lbs onions (4 med), finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp paprika, preferably hungarian sweet
1.5 tsp caraway seeds
1/3 c. a/p flour
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1/4 c. tomato paste
5 c. (40 oz) beef stock or broth
5 c. water
1/2 tsp salt
2 red bell peppers
2.5 lbs russet potatoes (4 large)
Freshly ground black pepper

Cook Bacon in an 8-qt heavy pot over medium heat, stirring, until crisp, about 5 mins. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a large bowl.
Brown beef in small batches in fat remaining in pot over high heat and transfer with slotted spoon to a bowl.
Reduce heat to medium and add oil. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 7-8 mins. Stir in paprika, caraway seeds, and flour and cook, stirring, for 2 mins. Whisk in vinegar and tomato paste and cook, whisking, for 1 min (mixture will be very thick).
Stir in stock, water, salt, bell peppers, beef, and bacon and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45 mins.
Peel Potatoes and cut into 0.5 in cubes. Add potatoes to soup, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 20 mins. Season with salt and pepper.

Posted by Maggie at 09:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

My favorite Thai dish... finally attempted it. As good as the restaurant version except less oily. Perfect!

1 14-ounce packages wide flat rice noodles
1/4 cup vegetable oil
12 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup or less chopped fresh Thai chiles (most seeds removed)
1 1/2 pounds ground or chopped chicken
1/4 cup fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc nam)
1/4 cup black soy sauce
1/4 cup Golden Mountain sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
4 large plum tomatoes, each cut into 6 wedges
4 Anaheim chiles or Italian frying peppers, or 2 green bell peppers (about 12 ounces total), cut into strips
1/2 cup fresh Thai basil leaves

Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring frequently. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and Thai chiles; sauté 30 seconds. Add chicken and next 4 ingredients and sauté until chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Add noodles, tomatoes, and Anaheim chiles; toss to coat. Transfer to large platter, sprinkle with basil leaves, and serve.

Posted by Maggie at 01:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

1 Remove lamb from refrigerator 1 hour before roasting.
2 Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C/Gas 6.
3 Make small slits just large enough for garlic slivers evenly in the leg of lamb, and insert the garlic slivers.
4 Rub all over with lemon juice, then pat the rosemary and black pepper evenly over the surface. Sprinkle with salt to taste. If you're using fresh rosemary, just insert the sprigs with the garlic slivers into the cuts you made.
5 Place lamb, fat side up on a rack in an uncovered pan.
6 Roast 30 minutes to a pound or until the internal temperature reaches 175-180°F, for meat well done. If you prefer slightly rare lamb, roast until 160-165°F.
7 When done, remove from oven, cover the roast in foil and allow it to rest for 20 minutes before carving.
8 If you also want delicious rich gravy, place a 1 1/2 cups of lamb or beef stock in the bottom of the pan before you put the lamb in the oven, making sure that the rack sits above the liquid and the meat doesn't touch it. You can also add a sprig or two of rosemary to it and if you want baste the lamb a couple of times while it's roasting. Just before serving bring the liquid to a simmer on the stove top, making sure you whisk it well and scrape all the bits from the sides and the bottom of the pan. If you want more gravy you can add some extra stock or some of the water you have cooked your vegetables inches Mix 1tbsp of cornflour with 2tbsp of water and whisk it into the stock. Simmer until thickened and you have a wonderful gravy.

Posted by Maggie at 12:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I made this tonight using leftover roast leg of lamb. It was incredible simple to make and was ok... not stellar but a nice comforting dish. Maybe I could spice it up somehow next time.

This quick and easy family meal is a great way to use leftover lamb. Use you food processor to mince the lamb to make preparation even quicker.
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups ground or minced roast lamb
2 cups cooked rice
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 slices bacon, finely diced
PREPARATION:
In a skillet, cook the onion and celery in butter over medium-low heat. Add the ground or minced roast lamb (a food processor will grind cooked lamb quickly), cooked rice, tomatoes, salt, paprika, and Worcestershire sauce.
Sprinkle the diced bacon over top. Bake in a 375° oven for 35 to 45 minutes.
Serves 4.

Posted by Maggie at 12:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I made this tonight using leftover roasted leg of lamb. It came out well and who doesn't like lentils? I used less lamb than they called for and juste pulled the lamb into smaller pieces.

Curried Lamb-and-Lentil Stew
Serve this delicious stew over a bed of rice for a real Indian treat.

INGREDIENTS
1-1/2 pounds lean boned leg of lamb
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 cups low-salt chicken broth
3/4 cup lentils
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
3-1/2 cups chopped collards or spinach (about 1/4 pound)
1/2 cup diced carrot
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Cilantro sprigs (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS
Estimated Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Trim fat from lamb, and cut into 1-inch cubes. Set lamb aside.Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until hot. Add onion, celery, and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add lamb; sauté 5 minutes or until browned. Add curry, cumin, and pepper; stir well to coat. Add broth, lentils, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add greens and carrot; simmer 10 minutes or until lamb is tender. Remove from heat; stir in chopped cilantro. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

YIELD: 6 servings (serving size: 1-1/4 cups stew).

NUTRITIONAL INFO
calories: 309 carbohydrates: 25 g cholesterol: 73 mg fat: 8.8 g sodium: 311 mg protein: 33.7 g calcium: 115 mg iron: 6.9 mg fiber: 5.7 g

Posted by Maggie at 12:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ingredients:
1 head garlic
1 3- to 4-pound chicken, excess fat trimmed and giblets removed
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus additional for seasoning
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Remove 5 cloves from the garlic head, then halve the remaining head horizontally. Season the chicken cavity with salt and pepper to taste, then stuff with the halved garlic. Smash the garlic cloves, sprinkle with the 2 teaspoons salt, and, with the side of a large knife, mash and smear the mixture to a coarse paste. Put the garlic in a bowl and mix with vinegar, the 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and cumin. Rub the garlic mixture on the outside of the chicken. Whisk the soy sauce and sugar together and brush all over the outside of the bird. Tuck the wings under the back, cross the legs, and tie them with kitchen twine. Set a v-rack or regular rack in a roasting pan and brush with oil.

2) Place the chicken breast side down on the rack and roast until the back is golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and turn the chicken breast side up. Cut the string where it holds the legs together and gently open up the legs a bit. Baste the chicken with the pan drippings and roast again until the breast is golden brown and a meat thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 170 degrees F, 20 to 25 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a carving board and let rest for 10 minutes before carving. Carve the chicken and serve drizzled with the sauce.

Aji Verde Sauce Recipe
Ingredients:
3/4 cup fresh cilantro
1/3 cup Cotija Cheese
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup water
2 to 3 jalapenos, stemmed, seeded, and diced (keep the seeds if heat is desired)
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:
1) Puree the cilantro, cheese, olive oil, water, jalapenos, garlic, vinegar, and salt in a blender until smooth.

Posted by Maggie at 11:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The other recipe I've used for this wasn't that great so perhaps I'll try this. Heavy cream though... I don't know.

This dish is best when prepared with whole-milk yogurt, but low-fat yogurt can be substituted. For a spicier dish, do not remove the ribs and seeds from the chile. If you prefer, substitute 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper for the garam masala. The sauce can be made ahead, refrigerated for up to 4 days in an airtight container, and gently reheated before adding the hot chicken. Serve with basmati rice.
INGREDIENTS

Chicken Tikka

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon table salt
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts , trimmed of fat
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (see note above)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

Masala Sauce

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion , diced fine (about 1 1/4 cups)
2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 fresh serrano chile , ribs and seeds removed, flesh minced (see note above)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon garam masala (see note above)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1. FOR THE CHICKEN: Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken on plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger; set aside.
2. FOR THE SAUCE: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.
3. While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Using tongs, dip chicken into yogurt mixture (chicken should be coated with thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on wire rack set in foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.
4. Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Stir in cilantro, adjust seasoning with salt, and serve.

Posted by Maggie at 08:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon lime zest
2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14 1/4 ounce) can low sodium beef broth

Combine all ingredients in a bag and add the chicken to marinade. Let sit at room temperature for 1/2 hr or in fridge for several hours. Enough for 2-3 pounds beef or chicken.

Posted by Maggie at 10:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I conjured this up to use with fajitas... was creamy with a smoky spice.

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
1 fresh lime, juice of
1 tablespoon minced capers, to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/2 to 1 teaspoon minced chipotle in adobo

Posted by Maggie at 10:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This has been a summer devoid of blogging so it must be a revelation to make me enter here! I just had something like this at a restaurant in astoria. They were amazing. I'm going to try my own version as soon as possible. These koftas are served sprinkled wth lemon and rolled up in lettuce leaves.

Ingredients:(serves 4-5)
1.5 cups red lentils
1 cups finely cracked bulgar wheat
3 cups of water (used for cooking the lentils)
4 tbs olive oil
1 big onion, peeled and finely diced
1 bunch of parsley, finely chopped
a handful of dill, finely chopped
6 spring onions, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 lemon's juice
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp mint
salt and pepper to taste

lettuce leaves and lemon wedges for garnish

1)Wash the lentils and cook them in water until lentils are soft.
2)Near the end of the cooking time add the bulghur wheat. Let the bulgur soften for a while.
3)Meanwhile sauté the chopped onions and garlic in olive oil.
4)Add the tomato paste and spices.
5)Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and let the mixture cool for a while(so that you don't burn your fingers while shaping them).
6)Shape them into patties and serve on a bed of lettuce with lemon wedges.

TIP: If you don't feel like measuring ingredients while cooking, be careful in the first step. If you add too much water while simmering the lentils, they will be too watery and it will be very hard to shape them into patties. The important point here is that, when lentils are cooked, nearly all of the water should be absorbed.

Posted by Maggie at 10:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I've been craving palak paneer but want to make it a bit healthier. I found this recipe using tofu in place of paneer cheese.

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 lb Firm tofu, drained, cubed
1/4 c Soy sauce
Oil for deep-frying
2 tb Ghee
2 1/2 lb Frozen, chopped spinach
6 c Fresh tomatoes, cubed
2 tb Ghee
2 ts Curry powder
2 ts Asafetida
1 1/2 ts Ground cumin
1 t Ground coriander
3/4 ts Cayenne pepper
1/2 ts Black pepper
1/2 ts Cinnamon
1/4 ts Allspice
1/4 ts Cloves
2 tb Soy sauce

Soak first 2 ingredients together while heating the oil to 350
degrees. Remove cubes from soy sauce and drain a few seconds in a
strainer to remove excess soy sauce. Drop tofu cubes in heated oil
all at once (or in a couple of separate batches if you desire) and
cook till browned and a little crisp on the outside. Remove from oil
and drain on plate covered with 2 to 3 thicknesses of paper towels.
Leftover soy sauce can be kept and used later.

As the tofu cubes are cooking (or before you start frying them),
combine the next 3 ingredients together in a skillet. Cover and put
on medium flame to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove lid and mix well
(the frozen spinach should be thawed and mixable by now).

Leave uncovered over medium flame to allow some of the juices to cook
off as you make the chaunce. This is done by heating the ghee or oil
in a butter-warming pot and adding all the spices listed. Toast in
oil till the fragrance of the spices fills the kitchen and the spices
appear to be browned. Pour into cooking vegetables immediately, add
soy sauce and mix thoroughly till tomatoes break up.

Turn off heat, add cooked tofu cubes, and cover for a few minutes
before serving. Makes 8 entree-sized servings or twice as many side
dish sized servings.

Posted by Maggie at 01:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I had a bunch of mint I didn't want to waste and I found this recipe. It was great over quick pan fried fish.

1/4 cup (packed) fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup lightly toasted shelled unsalted natural pistachios
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled
Coarse kosher salt

Blend mint leaves, pistachios, olive oil, and garlic in processor until coarse puree forms. Season with coarse salt. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring pesto to room temperature and stir before using.

Posted by Maggie at 01:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This version of dolmas received the best review so far. Melik said it was pretty close to his mom's!

Ingredients
A jar of Grape Leaves,
1 cup long grain rice,
liberal pinch of salt,
1-2 large onions,finely chopped,
1-2 tomatoes, finely chopped,
2 cloves of garlic,crushed,
2 Tbs each finely chopped parsley, dill, and mint
pinch of ground allspice,
pinch of ground black pepper,
3 Tbs of olive oil,
1 pound of ground beef - I use lean sirloin
juice of 1 to 2 lemons,
2 cups water
1 Tbs tomato paste

Cut the stems of the grape leaves.Place them in a large bowl,cover with boiling water and soak for 10-15 minutes and rinse with cold water.
Soak the rice in salted hot water for 25 minutes.
Meanwhile saute the chopped onions,tomato, garlic,herbs and seasoning in the oil.
Remove from heat, add the drained rice and the meat,mixing everything together very well.
Place a grape leave on a work surface, shiny side down, place about 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture near the stem end,then fold in the end and sides and roll up neatly.
Repeat this process untill all the leaves are stuffed.
Line the bottom of a large,heavy based pot with several grape leaves, then pour enough tomato paste mixed with water to cover the grape leaves.
Place a heat proof dish on the top to keep the rolls pressed down.
Cover with a lid and simmer slowly for 1 to 2 hours, or untill the leaves are tender.
Serve the "dolma" lukewarm, with yogurt mixed with herbs for dipping.

Posted by Maggie at 10:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I roasted some trout and had some leftover so I made these fishcakes and a cilantro sauce to accompany. I didn't follow the recipe below exacly... I used vidalia onion and jarred red pepper

About a pound of cooked fish
2 eggs
1 cup green onions, minced
Half a red bell pepper, minced (or a whole one–half is all I had)
Zest and juice of a lemon
1/3 cup bread crumbs, plus more for coating
2 tablespoons Creole mustard (or mayonnaise)
1/8 t. cayenne pepper

Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Shred the fish with a fork, and add it, along with everything else to the bowl. Mix thoroughly. Form into small balls, and then flatten (you’ll flatten them further with your spatula during the cooking, so leave them a bit round for now). Spread more bread crumbs on a plate, and coat both sides of the cakes. At this point, they can be refrigerated until ready to cook. When you’re all ready, heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a very large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the cakes until very brown and crunchy on the outsides, turning once, about 4-5 minutes per side. Serve on salad greens and drizzle with equal parts lemon juice and olive oil.

Spicy Cilantro Sauce:
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 jalapeno chile, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Stir together cilantro, vegetable oil, soy sauce, garlic, lime juice, and chile. Season with salt and pepper.

Posted by Maggie at 10:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I saw this on the foodnetwork and have used it a few times since...

5 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for garnish
12 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
6 (28-ounce) cans chopped tomatoes
2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
Kosher salt
1 pound gemelli pasta or other similar shape
1 small bunch fresh basil, chifonnade, for garnish
1 (8-ounce) wedge Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese, grated or shaved, for garnish

In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant but not browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, bring to a simmer, and cook until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Stir in sugar, and season with salt, to taste.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain.

Serve sauce over hot pasta with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of basil, and cheese.

Let extra sauce cool completely and then seal in airtight containers. Refrigerate for up 1 week and freeze for up to 1 month.

Posted by Maggie at 10:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Found this in a penzeys magazine and made it about 6 months ago. Melik is still requesting this recipe so I dug it up and decided to add it to the list. Will have to make this soon.

4 chicken breast halves, boned and skinned
1-2 T adobo seasoning (1 t garlic and cumin, 1/2 t oregano, black pepper, salt and cayenne)
2 T water
4 T lime juice (2 limes)
1 t salt to taste
2 t butter
2 c cooked rice
1/2 c canned red beans
1/2 c frozen corn kernels

Mix adobo seasoning with water, and let stand 5 mins. Place breasts in a bowl, sprinkle on both sides with juice, then rub with adobo paste. Cover and refridgerate 1-2 hrs.

Heat a nonstick skillet over med heat, add butter and swirl to coat. Sprinkle salt on chicken, add to pan and cook 3-4 mins, then turn. Cook another 3-4 mins until both sides are browned and sprinkle with lime juice to serve.

Add the juice of the last lime half to pan and stir and scrape up any chicken bits. Add 2 c rice, 1/2 c red beans and corn. Stir to coat and heat through, add salt and pepper to taste. Divide between the plates and serve!

Posted by Maggie at 09:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Researching stews for our meeting on monday and came across this. Using beer in my cooking would be a first.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups amber ale such as Grolsch or dark beer such as Heinekin Dark Lager
5 medium yellow onions, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 whole sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 whole cloves
2 (1/2-inch thick) slices day-old country bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1/2 medium lemon), or to taste
Fresh basil or parsley, chopped, for garnish

In medium saucepan over moderate heat, melt butter. Add beef cubes and sauté, tossing occasionally, until lightly browned on most sides, about 4 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl (do not clean saucepan) and add flour, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine, then transfer to slow cooker.

In same saucepan over high heat, bring 1 cup ale to boil, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan. Pour over beef in slow cooker. Stir in remaining 2 cups ale, onions, garlic, brown sugar, mustard, thyme, bay leaves, and cloves. Cover and cook on low 6 hours. Add bread and continue cooking until meat is tender and sauce has thickened, 2 to 3 hours more.

Stir in lemon juice. Garnish with basil or parsley and serve hot.

Cook's note: This recipe was originally prepared in an oval, 6-quart slow cooker.

Makes 6 servings.

Posted by Maggie at 08:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I tried a paella once before that did not turn out well but I'm determined to try again! I got this from the test kitchen recipes. I made this as my inaugural new creuset dish and it was delicious.

Paella
from the Episode: Paella Party

This recipe is for making paella in a Dutch oven (the Dutch oven should be 11 to 12 inches in diameter with at least a 6-quart capacity). With minor modifications, it can also be made in a paella pan (see instructions below). Dry-cured Spanish chorizo is the sausage of choice for paella, but fresh chorizo or linguiça is an acceptable substitute. Soccarat, a layer of crusty browned rice that forms on the bottom of the pan, is a traditional part of paella. In our version, soccarat does not develop because most of the cooking is done in the oven. We have provided instructions to develop soccarat in step 5; if you prefer, skip this step and go directly from step 4 to 6.

Serves 6 1 pound extra-large shrimp (21/25), peeled and deveined
Table salt and ground black pepper
olive oil
8-9 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs , each thigh trimmed of excess fat and halved crosswise
1 red bell pepper , seeded and cut pole to pole into 1/2-inch-wide strips
8 ounces Spanish chorizo , sliced 1/2 inch thick on the bias (see note)
1 medium onion , chopped fine (about 1 cup)
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes , drained, minced, and drained again
2 cups Valencia rice or Arborio
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads , crumbled
1 bay leaf
1 dozen mussels , scrubbed and debearded
1/2 cup frozen green peas , thawed
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 lemon , cut into wedges, for serving

See Illustrations Below: Deveining Shrimp

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Toss shrimp, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1 teaspoon garlic in medium bowl; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper; set aside.

2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until skin begins to blister and turn spotty black, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer peppers to small plate and set aside.

3. Add 1 teaspoon oil to now-empty Dutch oven; heat oil until shimmering but not smoking. Add chicken pieces in single layer; cook, without moving pieces, until browned, about 3 minutes. Turn pieces and brown on second side, about 3 minutes longer; transfer chicken to medium bowl. Reduce heat to medium and add chorizo to pot; cook, stirring frequently, until deeply browned and fat begins to render, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer chorizo to bowl with chicken and set aside.

4. Add enough oil to fat in Dutch oven to equal 2 tablespoons; heat over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 3 minutes; stir in remaining garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes; cook until mixture begins to darken and thicken slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in rice and cook until grains are well coated with tomato mixture, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, wine, saffron, bay, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Return chicken and chorizo to pot, increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally. Cover pot and transfer to oven; cook until rice absorbs almost all liquid, about 15 minutes. Remove pot from oven (close oven door to retain heat). Uncover pot; scatter shrimp over rice, insert mussels hinged side down into rice (so they stand upright), arrange bell pepper strips in pinwheel pattern, and scatter peas over top. Cover and return to oven; cook until shrimp are opaque and mussels have opened, 10 to 12 minutes.

5. Optional: If soccarat (see note) is desired, set Dutch oven, uncovered, over medium-high heat about 5 minutes, rotating pot 180 degrees after about 2 minutes for even browning.

6. Let paella stand, covered, about 5 minutes. Discard any mussels that have not opened and bay leaf, if it can be easily removed. Sprinkle with parsley and serve, passing lemon wedges separately.

7. If You're Using a Paella Pan
A paella pan makes for an attractive and impressive presentation. Use one that is 14 to 15 inches in diameter. A 14-inch ovensafe skillet will work as well, but do not attempt to use anything smaller because the contents will simply not fit. Follow the recipe for Paella, increasing the chicken broth to 3 1/4 cups and the wine to 1/2 cup. Before placing the pan in the oven, cover it tightly with foil. For soccarat, cook the paella, uncovered, over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes, rotating the pan 180 degrees after about 1 1/2 minutes for even browning.

Posted by Maggie at 11:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This month's theme for our supper club was Indian, so of course I quizzed Aunt Ann on her favorite meals. She gave me a list of different recipes and said she recommended this dish. I bought a pressure cooker for the job - new kitchen equipment! Since I've never seen a pressure cooker in action, I didn't know what to expect. They're a bit scary at first! There are detailed instructions and warnings of blow ups if they're not followed. Don't worry because I survived my first pressure cooker experience.

1.5 c raw whole urad beans
3 large cooking onions, cut into thin slivers
pinch of heeg (asofoedita)
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 28 oz can plum tomatoes
1 small indian chili, minced
1 inch piece ginger, minced
2-3 tsp ground coriander
red pepper to taste
1 tsp amchoor powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1-2 tsp salt if needed

Soak beans overnite with water covering by 3 inches.
Add 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tbsp oil and cook beans with water in pressure cooker for 25 mins.
While beans are cooking, peal the onions and cut in half top to bottom and into long thin slivers.
Heat oil, add heeg to oil, followed by cumin seeds. Brown, then add onions and stir fry for 8 mins on medium heat until browned. Add indian chili and ginger and stir for 2 mins. Add can of tomatoes and squish with hands to break up. Add the cooked beans, ground coriander, red pepper, amchoor powder, garam masala, and salt.
Enjoy alone or with fragrant rice.

Posted by Maggie at 09:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I picked up some broccoli rabe at the market and decided to make this - I followed a recipezaar recipe but made some deviations. Was pretty good.

2 bunches broccoli rabe, stalks trimmed and quartered crosswise
12 ounces dried orecchiette - I used spaghetti
3 tablespoons qood quality olive oil
1 lb spicy bulk sausage - I used veggie breakfast sausage
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/8-1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the broccoli rabe and cook until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Strain the broccoli rabe, and reserve all the cooking liquid. Set the broccoli rabe aside.
Cook the orecchiette in the same pot of boiling water until tender but still firm about 8 minutes, stir occasionally. Drain reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.
Add the sausage and cook breaking up with a spoon until the sausage is brown and juices form, about 8 minutes.
Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the broccoli rabe and toss to coat.
Add the pasta and enough reserved cooking liquid, 1/4 cup at a time, to moisten.
Stir in the parmesan cheese, salt to taste, and pepper into the pasta mixture. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

Posted by Maggie at 09:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I had an abundance of onions from Mom and Ken's farm so I made this soup tonight. I used olive oil instead of butter and less than 1/4 c. I also used 1/2 beef broth and 1/2 chicken stock. This was our appetizer to some of Sebnem's Kufte and it was a glorious meal!

Found the below recipe on recipezaar #7751

1/4 cup butter
4 cups cooking onion, sliced
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup dry white wine
4 cups beef broth
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 slices day-old French bread
2 cups swiss cheese, Grated
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, Grated
paprika

In large Dutch oven over medium heat, melt butter.
Add onions and sugar.
Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes or until onions are tender but not colored.
Uncover pan, increase heat slightly and continue to cook, stirring regularly until onions are rich caramel colour (10 to 15 minutes) DO NOT LET ONIONS BURN.
Stir in flour until well blended.
Gradually add wine; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens.
Stir in beef broth and pepper; bring to boil.
Reduce heat to low.
Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
Ladle soup into 6, 1-1/2 cup oven proof bowls.
Top each with bread slice; sprinkle with swiss cheese and parmesan cheeses and paprika.
Place bowls on jelly roll pan.
Broil until cheese melts and bubbles.

Posted by Maggie at 11:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I have lobster frozen from my last Maine trip so I thought I'd try a Westinghouse family classic. Although I love this dish, I thought I'd try to lighten it up and found the recipe below on recipezaar - Recipe #9743. I served it over spaghetti and the first bite brought me back to big family dinners at the "big house" and cozy suppers at Aunt Linda's in New Hampshire.

2 teaspoons butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk (I used soymilk)
2 beaten egg yolks
8 ounces cubed, cooked lobsters
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1/8 teaspoon white pepper or black pepper
1 dash ground red pepper
2 English muffins, split and toasted
snipped fresh chives (optional)

In a medium saucepan, melt butter.
Stir in flour and salt.
Add the milk all at once.
Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.
Cook and stir 1 more minute.
Stir about half the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolks.
Return all to saucepan.
Cook and stir until mixture is thickened and bubbly.
Stir in lobster, dry sherry, white or black pepper, and ground red pepper.
Heat through.
Serve over English muffin halves.
If desired, garnish with snipped chives.

Posted by Maggie at 08:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Another recipezaar recipe - Recipe #95843. I thought it was great but Melik wasn't a fan. He really loves asian marinated fish, so I think he just thinks anything different isn't quite as good...

16 ounces mahi mahi fillets
2 1/2 cups tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/3 cup red shallots, sliced (I didn't have any shallots, so just used a little more onion)
1/4 cup yellow onions, diced
1/4 cup garlic, chopped
2/3 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons fish sauce or soy sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar

Coat pan with cooking oil and pan fry Mahi Mahi fillets until golden brown.
To prepare sauce, saute garlic and shallots in pan.
Add onion, tomato paste and chopped tomatoes, fish sauce, vinegar or lemon juice and sugar.
Stir in chicken stock and simmer until sauce thickens.
Remove from heat and add basil.
To Serve, top Mahi Mahi fillets with generous helping of tomato basil sauce.
(Vegetarian option: Substitute Mahi Mahi fillets with deep fried tofu and use vegetable stock in the sauce.) You can also substitute any mild white flesh fish instead of Mahi if you can't get it in your area.
Garnish with a pretty whole basil leaf or bunch of leaves.

Posted by Maggie at 01:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Thinking about an Italian dish for next week's supper club. Never done eggplant parm... but maybe I'll make my own marinara sauce?
From epicurious:

8 1/2-inch-thick center-cut eggplant rounds (from 2 small eggplants)
All purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten to blend
1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs made from crustless French bread
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 1/2 ounces)
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 1/4 cups purchased marinara sauce
3/4 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese (about 3 ounces)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil baking sheet. Sprinkle eggplant rounds with salt and pepper. Place flour and eggs in separate shallow bowls. Mix breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese in another shallow bowl. Coat eggplant rounds with flour, then eggs, then breadcrumb mixture, patting to adhere.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 eggplant rounds to skillet. Cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side; transfer to prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining oil and eggplant rounds. Spread 2 tablespoons ricotta cheese over each round. Top each with sauce and mozzarella cheese, dividing equally. Bake until rounds are heated through and cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.

Makes 8 first-course servings.

Posted by Maggie at 03:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Last night we had an impromptu dinner party and I convinced May to teach me her stuffed fish recipe. I've never cooked a whole fish so it was nice to have Miss May to introduce it. We picked up a couple trout and fresh cilantro and a lovely dinner was made.

2 1lb trout, scales off and cleaned out
bunch cilantro, chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
Juice from 1 large lemon
3 tbsp olive oil

Make 2 incisions on each side of fish. Don't cut through, just enough to make pockets for stuffing.
Pour 1/2 of lemon on and inside of fish. Stuff the garlic in the pockets and inside the fish. Follow with cilantro. Pour the remaining lemon juice over fish. (I added chopped squash and boiler onions in the pan which were a great accompaniment)
Bake at 400 degrees for 30-45 mins.

Posted by Maggie at 01:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Olive oil Turkish dish that I've been meaning to try. Soo good! Didn't have tomato and just used tomato paste - was still tasty. I used white onion, not green. I felt that white suited this dish.

1 can kidney beans, drained, washed
1 cubanelle pepper, cut in bite sizes
2-3 green onions, sliced
1 small carrot, sliced
2-3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 large tomato, diced
75 ml extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt

Place all the ingredients in a pot except the kidney beans. Add 1/2 cup water. Cook for about 15 minutes on medium heat with the lid on. Then add the kidney beans and 1 cup of hot water. Cook for another 10-12 minutes on the same heat with the lid half covered.

Place on a service plate and let cool. Sprinkle some lemon juice on top and serve cold after your main dish with fresh French or Italian style bread.

Posted by Maggie at 07:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Found on recipezaar Recipe #137530
Made this when Boris was in town. A repeater.

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped into large chunks
4 tablespoons flour or cornflour
2 large onions, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped finely
1-2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 inch fresh gingerroot, finely chopped
6 ounces dried apricots
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 (14 ounce) cans chopped tomatoes
2 (14 ounce) cans chickpeas
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 pint chicken stock
1 pinch saffron or 1 teaspoon turmeric
4 teaspoons ras el hanout spice mix (or make up spice mix below)
1 teaspoon ground coriander (Cilantro)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and black pepper
chopped fresh coriander, to serve (Cilantro)

1. Heat up olive oil in a frying pan/skillet & saute chopped onions & garlic for 5-10 minutes.
2. Add chicken stock & gradually mix in flour or cornflour until well mixed & not lumpy.Add honey & tomato paste & mix well.
3. Add herbs,spices & finely chopped ginger with salt & pepper to taste.
4. Finally add tinned tomatoes & mix well.
5. Pour the above tomato,onion & spice mix into slow cooker or tagine.
6. Add chicken & chickpeas & mix well.
7. Add dried apricots making sure they are covered by juice.
8. Give it a gentle but good stir to mix everything together well.
9. Crock Pot or Slow Cooker - Cook on high for 2-3 hours OR automatic with keep warm facility for up to 8 hours.
If cooking in a Traditional Tagine, do as above & cook SLOWLY over gas or barbeque for about 2-3 hours.
Electric Tagine cooking - same as the slowcooker.If you need to thicken it up towards the end of the cooking time, add cornflour which has been mixed with a little water & add to the tagine - mix well.
10. Serve with freshly chopped Coriander/Cilantro sprinked on top & either with couscous, rice, fresh naan bread, pitta bread or salads. It is also good if not traditional with fluffy pureed or mashed potatoes -- Mmmmmm!
Note: You can use chicken pieces or whole chicken which has been cut up into portions, but you will then need to brown them in a skillet beforehand. Preserved lemons make a great addition too!

Posted by Maggie at 11:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I picked up some fresh swordish on my way back from a trip to the Aunties in NH/ME area. Even though we had swordish steaks prepared by Aunt Andy and Linda only days before, we were ready for more. This recipe can't be more simple.

cut the steaks (I think I had a lb or 2) into 1 in cubes and throw in a ziploc bag with a marinade of:
2 tbsp olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 or 2 cloves minced garlic
handful of chopped herbs (I used parsely and basil this time)

Let marinate in the fridge for a couple hours or at room temp for 1/2 hr. Skewer the cubes, alternating between veggies such as onion and pepper, salt and pepper them and place them under the broiler on the top rack. I broiled for 7-8 mins, flipped and broiled another 7-8 mins. I also used the remaining marinade to baste the kebabs - yum!

Posted by Maggie at 10:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Made this for 3 hungry men on Sunday after the beach. I used a london broil and it was pretty good!

INGREDIENTS:
1 (1 1/4 pound) flank steak
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons minced green onions
1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons water

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DIRECTIONS:
SCORE steak diagonally across grain at 3/4-inch intervals.
COMBINE oil and next 7 ingredients in a shallow dish or heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; add steak. Cover or seal, and chill 8 hours, turning occasionally.
REMOVE steak from marinade, reserving marinade.
GRILL steak, covered with grill lid, over high heat (400 to 500 degrees) about 6 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.
BRING reserved marinade to a boil in a saucepan, and boil at least 1 minute or until reduced by one-third.
STIR together cornstarch and 3 tablespoons water until smooth. Add to marinade; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, 1 minute; remove from heat. Spoon over steak.

Posted by Maggie at 12:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Thinking about summery things and saw this on epicurious.

The flavors and juices of this Provençal-style tuna sandwich seep into the bread while it is being pressed. Serve with: Marinated green beans and herbed orzo salad.

1 1-pound loaf unsliced French bread, about 14 inches long
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup basil leaves, plus sprigs for garnish
2 6-ounce cans tuna packed in olive oil, undrained
2 plum tomatoes, diced
2/3 cup coarsely chopped pitted assorted brine-cured olives
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion (such as Vidalia or Maui)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Slice bread in half lengthwise. Using hands, remove interior of loaf, leaving 3/4-inch shell. Brush interior of both halves with olive oil and line with basil leaves in single layer.
Combine undrained tuna, tomatoes, olives, onion, and lemon juice in medium bowl to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon salad evenly into bottom bread shell. Cover with top half and wrap tightly with plastic. Place in shallow baking pan; top with another baking pan and weight with heavy cans. Let stand 20 minutes.

Unwrap pan bagnat and cut into 1 1/2-inch slices. Place on platter, garnish with basil sprigs, and serve.

Makes 4 servings.
Bon Appétit
August 2004

Posted by Maggie at 10:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I made this tonight with a couple chops I had left over. Cut it down and used water with chicken bouillon in place of broth and just a little cream and cornstarch to thicken it. Served with some rosemary garlic roast potatoes and it was tasty.

INGREDIENTS:
6 pork chops
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons paprika

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DIRECTIONS:
Saute onion and garlic in hot butter. Remove from skillet. Trim excess fat from chops and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brown chops in skillet; pour off fat.
Lower heat, add bay leaf and chicken broth. Cook covered over low heat for 1 hour. Transfer chops to a serving plate, but keep them hot.
Heat juices in skillet and reduce to half. Add the sour cream, onion-garlic mixture and paprika, blending thoroughly. Heat through, but don't boil. Pour over pork chops and serve.

Posted by Maggie at 09:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Made this tonight because I had most in the fridge. Very tasty! used fat free milk, tomato paste instead of whole tomatoes, mango chutney instead of grey, and ginger powder in place of fresh.

2 pounds well-trimmed boneless beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large onions, sliced
6 whole cloves
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 cinnamon sticks
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3 large tomatoes, quartered
3 tablespoons Major Grey chutney
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over high heat. Working in batches, add beef to pot and brown on all sides, about 7 minutes per batch. Using slotted spoon, transfer to plate.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same pot over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté until tender and brown, about 7 minutes. Return beef to pot. Add cloves, garlic, cinnamon sticks, bay leaf and dried red pepper to pot; stir 1 minute. Stir in milk, tomatoes, chutney, lemon juice, ginger, curry powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until beef is tender, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours.

Uncover; increase heat to medium. Boil stew until juices are slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Serve over rice.

Makes 6 servings.
Bon Appétit
November 2000

Posted by Maggie at 12:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Decided to make chicken cacciatore tomorrow night when my old 2653 roommate's come over for dinner. Melik requested small pieces of chicken, so I'm straying from the true recipe that uses a whole chicken... sorry mom. Saw this recipe on recipezaar- maybe I'll add capers and basil as my basil is growing out of control!

Made this for the girls and it was eh. The traditional recipe is better, but takes longer and since I was stuck in traffic for 2.5 hrs coming back to make this I'm glad this was an easier recipe!

From 30 Minute Meals with Racheal Ray.

1 1/4 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (3 pieces) or 1 package boneless skinless chicken thighs, if you prefer dark meat
salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (2 turns around the pan)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 portobello mushroom caps, halved crosswise and thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1/2 cup beef broth or stock
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 lb egg noodles or egg fettuccine pasta, cooked to al dente
crusty bread
grated parmigiano or romano cheese, for passing

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.
Add half of the extra-virgin olive oil and brown chicken breasts or thighs for 3 or 4 minutes on each side.
Remove chicken from pan and season with salt and pepper.
Return pan to stove, reduce heat to medium and add the remaining.
Add crushed pepper, sliced mushrooms, and garlic.
Season with salt (salt is a magnet for drawing out liquid).
Cover and cook mushrooms 5 minutes or until mushrooms are dark, tender and have given off their juices.
Add about 1/2 cup of beef broth to intensify the wild mushroom flavor, then stir in the tomatoes and parsley.
Cut the chicken into bite-size chunks or slices and add to sauce.
Simmer sauce 5 minutes to finish cooking chicken pieces and to allow the flavors to combine.
Toss pasta with cacciatore and serve with crusty bread and grated cheese.

Posted by Maggie at 11:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Just had a nice walk to the asian market in Woodside and picked up a few things including thai basil and chile peppers. Was going to try this recipe... or some variation of. Found on recipezaar.com. Made this and it was pretty good. I think it needed more sauce though. I should have ignored the boiling of the noodles as they were too soft. Next time I'm just going to soak rice noodles.

8 ounces flat rice noodles
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup diced extra firm tofu
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 sliced Thai chile
1 1/2 cups sliced broccoli
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions
1 cup bean sprouts
1 cup Thai basil

Soak noodles for 15 minutes in warm water.
In a large pot of boiling water, cook rice noodles until just tender, about 1 minute; drain and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar and put it aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
Add tofu and cook until its a golden colour which should take about 30 seconds to a minute and set this aside.
Add garlic and cook 10 seconds.
Add chili, broccoli, onion and stir fry for 30 secs.
Add the soy sauce mixture, noodles, sprouts, basil and reserved tofu and stir-fry for 1 minute, or until hot.
Serve in a serving platter.

Posted by Maggie at 04:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I love lemon so I thought I might love this recipe... made this for lunch (5/6/06) and it was super tasty. I forgot to save liquid and even though I zested lemon I forgot to add it. Still yummy though!

Lemon Spaghetti

Recipe By :Giada De Laurentiis
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 pound spaghetti
2/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the oil, Parmesan, and lemon juice in a large bowl to blend.
Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss the pasta with the lemon sauce, and the reserved cooking liquid, adding 1/4 cup at a time as needed to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with lemon zest and chopped basil.

Posted by Maggie at 05:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I made this some time ago for my honey and he remembers it to this day and requested it. I'll have to make it soon. I think I probably just halved it to make enough for 2.

Just made this last night (5/3/06), but I used sirloin steaks and button mushrooms and it was still great. I made the same amount of sauce as the recipe called for because my man likes his meals saucy...

from allrecipes.com and it's a cooking light submission... of course. http://beef.allrecipes.com/az/FiltMignnWithMshrmWinSc.asp

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon margarine, divided
Vegetable cooking spray
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
1/2 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
1 1/2 cups dry red wine, divided
1 (10.5 ounce) can beef consomme, undiluted and divided
Cracked pepper
4 (4 ounce) filet mignon steaks (about 1 inch thick)
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DIRECTIONS:
Melt 11/2 teaspoons margarine in a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add shallots and mushrooms; saute 4 minutes. Add 1 cup wine and 3/4 cup consomme; cook 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove mushrooms, and place in a bowl. Increase heat to high; cook wine mixture 5 minutes or until reduced to 1/2 cup. Add to mushrooms in bowl; set aside. Wipe skillet with a paper towel.
Sprinkle desired amount of cracked pepper over steaks. Melt remaining 11/2 teaspoons margarine in skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add steaks; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 11/2 minutes on each side or to desired degree of doneness. Place on a serving platter, and keep warm.
Combine soy sauce and cornstarch; stir well. Add remaining 1/2 cup wine and consomme to skillet; scrape skillet with a wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute. Add mushroom mixture, cornstarch mixture, and chopped thyme; bring to a boil, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Serve with steaks. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.

Posted by Maggie at 04:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Thinking of making this tonight for "game night" at the astoria oasis.

This was awesome!!! We never ended up having our game night, but I made this and we had a debate night instead.

Chicken Tikka Masala
This is an easy recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala - Chicken
marinated in yogurt and spices and then served in a tomato cream
sauce. Serve with rice or warm pita bread. Prep Time: approx.
30 Minutes. Cook Time: approx. 50 Minutes. Ready in:
approx. 2 Hours 20 Minutes. Makes 4 servings.
Printed from Allrecipes, Submitted by Yakuta
-------------------------------------------------------------------
1 cup yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons freshly ground
black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
salt to taste
3 boneless skinless chicken
breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
4 long skewers

1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
salt to taste
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions
1 In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2
teaspoons cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and salt. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2 Preheat a grill for high heat.
3 Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken onto
skewers, and discard marinade. Grill until juices run clear,
about 5 minutes on each side.
4 Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat.
Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with 2
teaspoons cumin, paprika, and salt. Stir in tomato
sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens,
about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken, and simmer for 10
minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Posted by Maggie at 04:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I had a lot of limes leftover from our housewarming party and ceviche came to mind.

I looked at a bunch of recipes and just came up with my own.

I bought a couple flounder fillets and salt and peppered them. I juiced 3 limes and 1 lemon and poured the juice in a ceramic pan with the fish, onion, garlic, and cilantro. I covered with plastic wrap and set in the fridge for 2 hours. It was eh. I don't know if I just made too much of it, but the lime was really intense. Maybe flounder wasn't the best fish to use?

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 lb flounder fillet, cut into bite size strips (could use any seafood I think)
3 large limes, juiced
1 large lemon, juiced
1 small white onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Posted by Maggie at 07:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Have fish in fridge, maybe I'll use this recipe although it's not snapper, eh.

Snapper Tacos with Chipotle Cream

The fish cooks on top of the vegetables in one skillet. Break the fish into chunks to finish the filling.

1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, seeded and minced
1 1/2 cups chopped onion, divided
1 1/2 cups chopped tomato, divided
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 pound red snapper fillets, skinned
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 (8-inch) fat-free flour tortillas

Combine sour cream, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and chile; set aside. Combine 1/2 cup onion and 1/2 cup tomato; set aside.
Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup onion, 1 cup tomato, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, cinnamon, and minced garlic; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in cilantro. Arrange fish over onion mixture in pan; cover and cook 3 minutes. Turn fish; cover and cook 2 minutes. Break fish into chunks. Stir in rind and juice; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Warm tortillas according to package directions. Fill each tortilla with 1/2 cup fish mixture and 1/4 cup reserved onion mixture; top each serving with 2 tablespoons chipotle cream. Fold in half or roll up.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 taco)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 340(21% from fat); FAT 7.8g (sat 4g,mono 2g,poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 28.1g; CHOLESTEROL 56mg; CALCIUM 108mg; SODIUM 896mg; FIBER 3.3g; IRON 2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 38.1g

Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2002

Posted by Maggie at 11:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

hmm, I have fresh rosemary and thyme, so why not... http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?t=56157
I finally made this tonight (9/13/06) and it was really good. I just used chicken breast and I didn't have stock so I threw some vegetable bouillon in there. I used fresh rosemary which made the dumplings the best part. This would be a great winter night dinner. Oh, I use yogurt in place of buttermilk... who has buttermilk lying around?!

Chicken and Rosemary Dumplings
From Cooking Light

Spoonfuls of seasoned buttermilk biscuit dough form light, fluffy dumplings in this classic American dish.

Soup:
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3 cups water
1 pound chicken drumsticks, skinned
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 thyme sprigs
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups diced carrots
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 cup diced onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt

Dumplings:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 large egg
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water

Remaining ingredient:
Freshly ground black pepper

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove pan from heat. Remove chicken pieces from broth; cool slightly. Strain broth through a sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. Remove chicken from bones. Discard bones; chop chicken into bite-sized pieces. Set chicken aside.

Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic; sauté 6 minutes or until onion is tender. Add reserved broth mixture and 1/2 teaspoon salt; simmer 10 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs. Keep warm.

To prepare dumplings, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 1 1/4 cups flour, rosemary, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Combine buttermilk and egg, stirring with a whisk. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until combined.

Return chopped chicken to the broth mixture; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Combine 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup water, stirring with a whisk until well blended to form a slurry. Add flour mixture to pan; simmer 3 minutes. Drop the dumpling dough, 1 tablespoon per dumpling, onto chicken mixture to form 12 dumplings. Cover and cook 7 minutes (do not let broth boil). Sprinkle with black pepper.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 dumplings and 1 1/3 cups soup)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 366 (24% from fat); FAT 9.7g (sat 3.8g, mono 3.5g, poly 1.3g); PROTEIN 32.5g; CARB 35.1g; FIBER 2.9g; CHOL 115mg; IRON 3.3mg; SODIUM 936mg; CALC 169mg;

Lorrie Hulston Corvin
Cooking Light, APRIL 2004

Posted by Maggie at 11:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Hmm, thinking of making this along with german potato salald and gugelhupf. this thread - http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?p=1021268#post1021268

The Original Wiener Schnitzel Recipe calls for veal cutlets, but you can subsitute it with pork cutlets or turkey cutlets. Wiener Schnitzel is actually a very easy recipe

"Wiener Schnitzel"

4 Veal Cutlets
Salt
Flour, 2 Eggs - whisked, Breadcrumbs for Breading

Canola Oil

Pound Cutlets, season with salt. Coat with Flour, whisked Eggs and Breadcrumbs

Heat Oil in big Pot (I use an old stock pot I got at Ikea for like $5) and fry Cutlets. Don't let them get too dark otherwise they taste way to crunchy.
Place on Papertowels (just to get rid of some of the frying oil).

Serve with slice of Lemon.

Posted by Maggie at 11:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ashleigh and I explored Jackson Heights (neighborhood in Queens known for their thriving Indian community) on a recent lazy afternoon and we bought the makings for palak paneer to bring home and cook together. Ashleigh spent a year in Bangalore, India and I was curious to see if she picked up any tricks to Indian cooking. She insists on using fresh spinach, which I admire, but I made this a second time using frozen - sorry Ash! It still tasted pretty darn good. Many times this dish is put through a food processor but Ashleigh recommended skipping this because the texture is so great as is. I have to say I agree with her on this one. This is a fun dish that you can easily experiment with, adding different combinations of spices and it's tough to mess up. Love it!

Ingredients:
paneer cheese cut in cubes the size of dice
garlic, minced
onions, chopped
tomato, chopped
spinach, washed and torn (or frozen if in a pinch)
spices (can vary - turmeric, cumin, coriander, ginger, garam masala, etc)

Method:

Heat oil in a frying pan and grill the cheese until it's a golden brown and all sides. Steam down fresh spinach. Meanwhile, heat oil in a pot and saute onions and garlic. When it starts to carmelize, add tomatoes, spinach and spices. Cook together until the spinach is of a desired consistency and then add the cheese just so it's heated through. Serve with rice or nan!

Posted by Maggie at 11:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Just thinking about Mac n Cheese and realize I've never made it!

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/859

http://pasta.allrecipes.com/az/MacaroniandCheese.asp

http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?t=87273

Ok, I tried the third one last night (3/3/06) and it was pretty good. Mac n Cheese w/Roasted Tomatoes from cooking light. It definitely wasn't my mom's mac n cheese (I remember velveeta) but the tomatoes were a nice touch. It wasn't super cheesy which could be considered a bad thing but made it taste lighter and probably reduced the caloric intake, so I might try it again. I think it needs something more though... seasoning, a little kick of something, spinach or roasted peppers would be nice too. Will experiment for next time.

Posted by Maggie at 04:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I like slow cooker stuff and found this on cooking light thread http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?t=87272

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
3 TBS ketchup
3 TBS honey
2 tsp bottled minced garlic
2 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tsp dark sesame oil
1/2 tsp five-spice powder
2 pounds boneless Boston butt pork roast, trimmed
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1. Combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Place in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add pork to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator at least 2 hours, turning occasionally.
2. Place prok and marinade in an electric slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours.
3. Remove prok from slow cooker using a slotted spoon; place on cutting board or work surface. Cover with aluminum foil; keep warm.
4. Add broth to sauce in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 30 minutes or until sauce thickens. Shred pork with 2 forks; serve with sauce.

Yield: 8 servings (3 oz. pork and 1/4 cup sauce)

CALORIES 227 (38% from fat); FAT 9.5g (sat 3.1g, mono 3.9g, poly 1.1g); PROTEIN 21.6g; CARB 12.7; FIBER 0.4g; CHOL 73mg; IRON 1.7mg; SODIUM 561mg; CALC 30mg

Posted by Maggie at 10:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I love Turkey burgers and I was looking at a thread and found some inspiration. 2 different recipes that would be fun and easy.

I made a version of the second one here one night and it was great. I used poultry seasoning and put the grilled burgers over feta and kettuce on tomato basil wraps. A repeater!

1. Rachael Ray's Spicy Turkey Burgers
With the right seasoning, turkey is a great substitute for ground beef
Yield: Makes 6 burgers.
Ingredients:
1-1/3 lbs. ground turkey breast
1 tbls. ground cumin, half a palmful
1/4 tsp. cinnamon, 2 or 3 pinches
Coarse salt, to your taste
Black pepper, to your taste
The zest of 1 lemon drizzles
3 scallions, sliced thin
1/2 small onion, chopped fine
A handful of currants
1/3 cup ketchup
1 tsp. vegetable or olive oil
Tahini sesame sauce
Prepared or ranch dressing, to spread on buns
Toppings:
Lettuce
Sliced tomato
Red Onion, sliced thin
6 kaiser buns, split

Directions:
Combine first 9 ingredients and form into 6 patties. Grill over medium high heat in a nonstick skillet in a touch of oil for 6 minutes on each side. Pile burgers on buns spread with tahini sauce or ranch dressing and top with lettuce, tomato and onion.

2. Buffalo Turkey Burgers with Blue Cheese Dressing

Serve with barbecue chips and oil and vinegar dressed slaw. So much better for you than wings, you could eat two.

veggie oil for drizzling
1 pkg (1 1/2 lbs) ground turkey breast
1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 tablespoon grill seasoning, such as McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 scallions, finely chopped
1 celery rib from the heart, with greens, finely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup hot sauce, such as Frank's Red Hot
crusty rolls, split
1 cup sour cream, reduced- fat sour cream, or Ranch dressing
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
salt and freshly ground black pepper
leaf lettuce

Place a healthy drizzle of oil in a mixing bowl. Add the turkey, poutry seasoning, grill seasoning, garlic, scallions, and celery. Mix the brugers and form into patties.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook the burgers for 6 minutes on each side. Remove to a plate.

Wipe the pan clean and reduce the heat to low. Melt the butter in the pan. Add the hot sauce to the melted butter. Return the patties to the skillet and turn to coat in the hot sauce-butter mixture. Place the burgers on the bun bottoms.

In a small bowl, mix the sour cream or Ranch dressing with the blue cheese crumbles and season with salt and pepper. Top the burgers with lettuce and blue cheese sauce, then set the bun tops in place.

4 servings

Posted by Maggie at 10:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I had a going away party tonight since I'm moving out of my 3BR apartment and I decided to have a pizza party where everyone designs their own pizza. I made 2 batches of dough - one wheat and white. The wheat recipe I posted a while ago and I just doubled the recipe with great success. I used a more complicated recipe for the white dough, but I didn't think there was much difference between the two. I think the whole wheat recipe is the way to go... But for future reference the recipe for white pizza dough follows. I doubled this recipe and used more flour than they called for. I just set out a bunch of toppings to choose from and made a simple pizza sauce. My friend Steve decided to make a white sauce which was pretty tasty. I'll include the recipe in another post.

Crust
3/4 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)
1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast (from 1 envelope)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups (about) unbleached all purpose flour

Pour 3/4 cup water into large bowl. Sprinkle yeast over; stir to blend. Let stand 10 minutes to dissolve yeast. Add oil and salt, then 1 1/2 cups flour. Stir until well blended (dough will be sticky). Turn dough out onto generously floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding just enough flour to prevent dough from sticking, about 5 minutes (dough will be soft). Shape dough into ball; place in large oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover bowl with kitchen towel. Let dough rise at cool room temperature until almost doubled, about 2 hours. Punch dough down; form into ball. Return to bowl; cover with towel and let rise until doubled, about 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 500°F. Punch down dough. Form into ball; place on floured work surface. Cover with kitchen towel; let rest 30 minutes. Sprinkle rimless baking sheet with cornmeal. Roll out dough on floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to baking sheet. Bake pizza until crust is brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven.

Bon Appétit
January 2002

Posted by Maggie at 01:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I saw this on cooking light thread and was interested... http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?t=83080
I made this on 10/25, and it was a bit spicy! I'll keep looking for a good meat loaf recipe... Melik requests brown gravy... we'll see.

Meat loaf:
1 (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup regular oats
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup tomato sauce
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 large egg whites
1 pound ground turkey
1 pound ground turkey breast
Cooking spray

Topping:
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare meat loaf, remove 1 chipotle chile and 1 teaspoon adobo sauce from can; reserve remaining chiles and sauce for another use. Chop chile. Combine chile, adobo sauce, onion, and next 14 ingredients (through ground turkey breast) in a large bowl, stirring to combine. Place turkey mixture in a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes.

To prepare topping, combine 1/4 cup tomato sauce, ketchup, and hot sauce in a small bowl; brush mixture evenly over meat loaf. Cover and bake an additional 30 minutes or until thermometer registers 160°. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 239(24% from fat); FAT 7.1g (sat 1.9g,mono 2.5g,poly 1.9g); PROTEIN 36.3g; CHOLESTEROL 94mg; CALCIUM 55mg; SODIUM 753mg; FIBER 1.3g; IRON 2.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 8.4g

Henna Verburg, Worcester, Massachusetts
Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2005

Posted by Maggie at 12:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Made this on the night of 2/18/06 and it was pretty good. The chicken was very juicy which I'm not used to because I'm always grilling skinless chicken breast. Unfortunately, I think I should eat an all celery diet this week just to compensate. I might try an oven fried version next time to see how it compares.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 (4 pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces
3 cups vegetable oil
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a medium bowl, mix together flour and spices. Dip chicken in flour mixture and reserve any remaining.

2. In a large skillet, heat oil to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C). Place coated chicken in the hot oil, and brown on all sides. Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking chicken until tender, about 30 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet, and drain on paper towels.

3. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the frying oil. Over low heat, stir in 2 tablespoons of the reserved flour mixture. Stirring constantly, cook about 2 minutes. Whisk in chicken stock, scraping browned bits off bottom of skillet. Stir in 1 cup milk, and bring all to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Serve immediately with the chicken.

Posted by Maggie at 12:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

huge craving for Indian food lately.

LENTIL & POTATO STEW
("Jane Brody's Good Food Gourmet")

1 cup lentils
4 cups water
1 tsp salt (optional)
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp butter or margarine
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 - 3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
1 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne or to taste
Salt to taste (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or 2 cups canned chopped tomatoes (I use crushed, and have even used sauce in a pinch)
2 tsp. garam masala
1 tsp sugar or honey
Water, if necessary

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the lentils, water, salt (if desired0 and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to med-low, and simmer the lentils until they are just soft, about 30 minutes.Do not drain the lentils! Discard the bay leaf, then set the lentils aside.

2. In a large dutch oven or saucepan with a nonstick surface, heat the butter or margarine and oil briefly, and add the potatoes. Sprinkle them with the turmeric, cayenne, salt (if desired), and pepper. Cook the potatoes, tossing them, over medium heat, for about five minutes.

3. Add the tomatoes, the reserved lentils and their cooking liquid, the garam masala and the sugar or honey to the potatoes.

4. Cook the stew over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes (I go a bit longer until I reach a thickness I like), stirring the mixture from time to time and adding water if the stew seems to be too dry.

Serving suggestion: Serve with a cucumber raita or a mixed green salad and brown or white rice or an Indian rice with peas.

Posted by Maggie at 11:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This was awesome! Ian and I made it while he was visiting from Co. I picked up some jumbos from New Hampshire and used them for this great recipe. I used red onion instead of scallion, regular sugar instead of brown, and ground ginger instead of fresh (because I forgot to pick them up) but it was still tasty. I should definitely make this again. Can easily use the sauce for other seafood too...
oh yeah- just used this with mahi mahi and didn't have coconut milk. Still good!

Recipe courtesy Dave Lieberman

I marinate the shrimp in a sweet and spicy coconut milk marinade then I cook them in a dry pan. The salsa finishes it off with more sweetness and heat. Basil keeps the tongue awake through it all.

Salsa:
1 mango, peeled and finely diced
3 scallions, sliced
5 basil leaves, julienned
1 lime, juiced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Shrimp:
2 fresh jalapenos, sliced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2--inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 lime, zested
1/4 cup coconut milk
Small handful basil leaves, torn
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
15 grinds pepper
1 pound peeled, deveined shrimp
Lime Jasmine Rice, recipe follows

For the salsa: Combine all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Make up to a day in advance. Keep covered in the refrigerator.
For the shrimp: In a mixing bowl, combine jalapenos, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce, lime zest, coconut milk, basil, vegetable oil, salt and pepper. Add the shrimp and marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours, refridgerated.

Heat a nonstick skillet over high heat. Use tongs or a fork to remove the shrimp from the marinade and place in an even layer in the pan, reserving the marinade.

Cook the shrimp until well browned on each side, turning once, about 3 to 4 minutes total. Transfer cooked shrimp to a serving plate.

Add reserved marinade to pan, bring to a boil and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Pour over the cooked shrimp and serve with Lime Jasmine Rice and Mango Salsa.

Lime Jasmine Rice:
1 cup jasmine rice
3/4 cup coconut milk
3/4 cup water
Pinch salt
1/2 lime, zested
Put the rice, coconut milk, water, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cover and gently simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 12 to 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir in the lime zest. Serve immediately.

Yield: 2 to 4 servings

Posted by Maggie at 11:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Found on cooking light Jan/Feb 2006. Looks interesting and I usually have most on hand - maybe use vege burger in place of sausage though...

Crust:
2 cups cooked long-grain white rice, cooled
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
Cooking spray
1/4 cup (1 ounce) reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese

Filling:
1/2 cup prechopped onion
1/2 cup prechopped celery
1/2 cup prechopped red bell pepper
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
3 ounces andouille sausage or kielbasa, chopped (about 2/3 cup)
3/4 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
2 large egg whites
1/4 cup (1 ounce) reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375°.
To prepare crust, combine rice, garlic powder, onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 egg. Spread mixture into the bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle bottom of crust evenly with 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese.

To prepare filling, heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and the next 4 ingredients (through sausage); sauté 5 minutes. Spoon mixture evenly into prepared rice crust. Combine the egg substitute, fat-free yogurt, salt, hot pepper sauce, and egg whites; stir with a whisk until well blended. Pour egg substitute mixture over sausage mixture. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until the center is set. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)

CALORIES 291(32% from fat); FAT 10.3g (sat 4.5g,mono 3.7g,poly 1.6g); PROTEIN 19.5g; CHOLESTEROL 79mg; CALCIUM 181mg; SODIUM 623mg; FIBER 0.9g; IRON 2.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 29.4g
Cooking Light, JANUARY 2006

Posted by Maggie at 03:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Sean's Falafel and Cucumber Sauce - allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 egg
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon salt
1 dash pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup dry bread crumbs
oil for frying

1 (6 ounce) container plain yogurt
1/2 cucumber - peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Directions:
1 In a large bowl mash chickpeas until thick and pasty;
don't use a blender, as the consistency will be too thin.
In a blender, process onion, parsley and garlic until
smooth. Stir into mashed chickpeas.
2 In a small bowl combine egg, cumin, coriander, salt,
pepper, cayenne, lemon juice and baking powder. Stir into
chickpea mixture along with olive oil. Slowly add bread
crumbs until mixture is not sticky but will hold together;
add more or less bread crumbs, as needed. Form 8 balls
and then flatten into patties.
3 Heat 1 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high
heat. Fry patties in hot oil until brown on both sides.
4 In a small bowl combine yogurt, cucumber, dill, salt,
pepper and mayonnaise. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

Posted by Maggie at 11:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Why do I want to make good bread so badly? I haven't come up with anything standard yet... but maybe I'll try this on a lazy Sunday.

Oh, it calls for regular yeast and I only have quick rise. Hmm, saw these recipes -
http://fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/recipe.cgi?r=14091
http://fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/recipe.cgi?r=104736
http://fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/recipe.cgi?r=118164

Poolish (starter)
1 1/4 c unbleached all-purpose flour
2/3 c cool water (around 60 degrees)
1/8 tsp yeast

Dough
Generous 2 1/2 c unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp yeast
2 tsp salt
2/3 c cool water (around 60 degrees)

To make the poolish:
Combine flour, water, and yeast in a medium-sized bowl and mix just until blended. Let it rise for 12 hours or so. It should dome slightly on top and look aerated and spongy. Try to catch it before it starts to fall, as it will be at its optimum flavor and vigor, but don't make yourself crazy about it.

For the dough:
Place the flour, yeast, and salt in a mixing bowl, the bucket of your bread machine, the work bowl of a food processor, or the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the poolish and water and mix the dough until it just becomes cohesive, about 30 seconds. Cover and let the dough rest for 20 minutes.

Knead until cohesive and elastic but not perfectly smooth; the surface should still exhibit some roughness. You'll want to knead this dough less than you think you should, because you'll give it a nice long rise, and during that time the gluten continues to develop.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise for 2 hours, folding it over after the first hour, more frequently if the dough is very slack or wet; folding helps strengthen the gluten. To fold, lift it out of the bowl, gently deflate it, fold it in half and place it back in the bowl.

Divide the dough into three pieces and gently form them into rough logs. Let them rest for 20 minutes, then shape into long (13-14 inches) thin baguettes. Proof them, covered, in the folds of a linen or cotton couche, perforated triple baguette pan, or on a baking sheet, until they've become noticably puffy, 30 to 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven and baking stone to 500 degrees. Just before putting the loaves in the pan, use a lame or sharp knife to make four diagonal cuts in each loaf.

Spray the loaves heavily with warm water. Put the loaves in the oven. Reduce the heat to 475 and bake for 20 minutes or so; they should be a deep golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Let them cool completely before slicing.

---------------------

Naturally, I don't have any of this special equipment, or even a spray bottle! I followed one of their other steam suggestions, and put a cast-iron pan in the bottom of the oven. When I put the baguettes in, I added some boiling water to the pan. This seems to have worked pretty well.

Posted by Maggie at 02:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I made this recently and it was pretty good. Very time consuming with all the preparation of the veggies though. Melik gave it a thumbs up.

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 large Eggplants
Salt
4 small Zucchini
3 small Sweet green peppers
250 grams Okra -- optional
250 grams Green beans
4 small ripe tomatoes -- peeled
1/2 cup Olive oil
3 small Onions -- sliced
2 Garlic cloves -- crushed
1/4 cup Chopped parsley
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup Water

Oven temperature: 180 C (350 F) Cooking time: 1-1/2 to 2 hours
Remove stem from eggplant, wash well then peel off 1 cm (1/2 inch) strips of
skin lengthwise at intervals giving a striped effect. Cut long eggplants in
1 cm (1/2 inch) slices; oval eggplant should be quartered lengthwise, then
cut into chunky pieces. Spread eggplant on a tray and sprinkle liberally
with salt. Leave for 30 minutes, then pat dry with paper towels.

Trim zucchini and cut into 4 cm (1-1/2 inch) pieces. Remove stem and seeds
from peppers and quarter. Wash, trim and (if desired) de-fuzz okra. Soak in
vinegar to remove slime. Drain.

String beans if necessary and slit in half (French cut). Slice tomatoes.

Heat half the oil in a frying pan and fry eggplant until lightly browned.
Remove to a plate - do not drain.

Add remaining oil to a pan, add sliced onions and fry gently until
transparent. Stir in garlic, cook 1 minute, then remove pan from heat.

Place a layer of eggplant in the base of a casserole dish. Top with some of
the zucchini, peppers and beans. Spread some onion mixture on top and cover
with tomato slices. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and some of the parsley.
Repeat until all ingredients are used, reserving some tomato slices and
parsley.

Place prepared okra on top if used and cover with last of tomato.
Sprinkle with parsley, salt and pepper and add water and oil drained from
eggplant.

Cover casserole and cook in a moderate oven for 1 to 1-1/2 hours until
vegetables are tender. Serve from casserole as an accompaniment to roast or
grilled meats or poultry. Often this is served as a light meal on its own;
bread and peynir (feta) cheese are then served with it.

Posted by Maggie at 10:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I made this night of 1/30/2006 and it was easy and Fab. I served it as an entree with focaccia.

Cooking Light, 08/2002

4 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 cups chopped plum (Roma) tomatoes
2 cups chopped eggplant
2 cups chopped zucchini
1 cup chopped bell pepper*
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano (or 1 tsp dried)
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil (or 1 tsp dried)
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tsp dried)
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Heat the oil in a dutch oven or large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add remaining vegetables and garlic, stirring well to mix. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 to 40 minutes or until vegetables are cooked through. Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer, uncovered, an additional 5 to 10 minutes.

Posted by Maggie at 10:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

For the salad:
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 eggplants (about 2 1/2 pounds total), cut into 3 x 3/4 x 3/4-inch strips
2 large green bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch wide strips
2 large red bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch wide strips

8 large garlic cloves (unpeeled)
1/2 cup olive oil

3/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
3/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

8 warm pita bread rounds, cut into wedges

For the sesame spread:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted margarine, room temperature
2/3 cup toasted sesame seeds
1 teaspoon salt

To make the salad:
Position rack in top third of oven and preheat to 450°F. Spray large heavy baking sheet with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Combine eggplant, peppers, garlic and oil in large bowl. Toss well. Transfer to prepared sheet. Bake until eggplant is brown and vegetables are tender, stirring every 10 minutes, about 50 minutes. Remove garlic and reserve. Scrape vegetables and all pan juices into bowl.
Combine vinegar, cumin, salt, pepper and cayenne in processor. Peel roasted garlic; add to processor. Puree until smooth. Toss vegetable mixture with 1/4 cup garlic dressing. Cool, tossing occasionally. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill vegetables and remaining dressing separately. Bring to room temperature.)

Mound salad in center of large platter. Surround with pita wedges. Serve, passing remaining dressing and Sesame Spread separately.

To make the sesame spread:
Beat margarine, sesame seeds and salt to blend in small bowl. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.)

Serves 8.

Posted by Maggie at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"Tandoori chicken gets its name from the clay oven (heated by wood or coal) it is traditionally cooked in—a tandoor—which bakes meat, fish, poultry, and bread at temperatures upward of 500°F. In our version, the chicken is broiled and the signature yogurt and spice marinade contains only ingredients that are readily available on supermarket shelves."
For spice paste
1 large garlic clove
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 small fresh red or green chile such as serrano or cayenne
1/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh gingerroot
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/4 pounds total)
1 small red onion
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

For yogurt sauce
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
a pinch cayenne

Make spice paste:
Mince garlic with salt and mash to a paste. Wearing protective gloves, mince chile (including seeds for a spicier paste) and in a bowl stir together with garlic paste and remaining spice paste ingredients.

Make 3 diagonal cuts about 1/4 inch deep in each chicken breast and rub spice paste into cuts and all over chicken. Marinate chicken, covered, 30 minutes at cool room temperature.

Preheat broiler and line broiler pan with foil. Halve onion through root end and reserve 1 half for sauce. Thinly slice remaining onion half, separating layers, and in a small bowl soak onion slices in ice water to cover while broiling chicken.

Arrange chicken without crowding on rack of broiler pan. Brush chicken with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and broil about 3 inches from heat 8 minutes. Turn chicken over and brush with remaining teaspoon vegetable oil. Broil chicken until lightly browned and just cooked through, about 6 minutes more.

Make sauce while chicken is broiling:
Mince enough reserved onion to measure 1 tablespoon and in a small bowl stir together with all sauce ingredients.

Drain soaked onion and pat dry between paper towels. Top chicken with onion slices and serve with yogurt sauce.

Serves 4.

Each serving, including yogurt sauce, about 222 calories and 5 grams fat.

Posted by Maggie at 10:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

To try:

This one-pot dish is delicious over couscous. What to drink: Wines with distinctive spice notes, such as Gewürztraminer or Syrah.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
6 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced peeled ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups (or more) water
2 cups drained canned garbanzo beans (chickpeas), from two 15-ounce cans
1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes in juice (I used one can)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro stems
1 lemon, quartered, thinly sliced (I just used the juice)
2 tablespoons (or more) fresh lemon juice

4 chicken leg-thigh pieces, skin removed, thighs and drumsticks separated
2 chicken breast halves with bones, skin removed, each cut crosswise into 2 pieces
3 medium carrots, peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 cups 2-inch pieces green beans
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and ginger. Cover and cook until onion is tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add paprika and next 5 ingredients; stir 1 minute. Stir in 2 cups water, garbanzo beans, tomatoes with juices, cilantro, lemon, and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10 minutes.

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper; add to pot. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Add carrots and more water to cover if liquid has evaporated; cook 10 minutes. Stir in green beans; simmer until chicken and vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper and more lemon juice, if desired. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with mint.

Makes 4 servings.

Posted by Maggie at 09:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I've made this a few times and it's excellent.

Mix together with 1 lb cooked bowties:
2 diced carrots
8 minced scallions
2 oz pine nuts
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 cup sundried tomatoes cut into strips
1 cup crumbled feta (I usually put less in)
could also put cranberries or olives in

Cover this mixture with:
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1.5 tbsp italian seasoning
9 tbsp olive oil (I usually put less in)
1 medium red onion, diced (I leave it out most of the time)

Posted by Maggie at 11:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This is a recipe from Aunt Min Tzu and we used to make it all the time growing up. My brother and I had the job of filling and sealing the skins while my mom cooked them up - yum!

2/3 lb ground meat (ground pork, turkey, or chicken)
1/2 c. chopped bamboo shoots
1/4 c. chopped green onion
1/2 c. chopped mushrooms

Put the veges in the food processor and pulse to a rough chop. The veges can be changed according to preference or what's already in the fridge/cupboard - suggestions are broccoli, water chestnuts, etc.

In a large bowl place the meat and veges - there should be a mixture of 1/2 meat and 1/2 veges.
Add to this mixture:
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp minced ginger root
1 tsp salt, a dash of pepper
2 tsp dry sherry
1 egg white - beaten
2 tsp cornstarch

Let the mixture stand for at least 30 mins
Put 1-2 tsp of filling into korean gyoza skins or small wonton skins, seal the edges with water and fold in 1/2.
Fry in oil until bottom is golden over medium heat. Pour 1/4-1/2 c. water into frying pan and cover. Steam until filling is done and water evaporates (about 5 mins).

Serve with a dipping sauce of soy sauce and sherry (5:1 ratio).

Posted by Maggie at 10:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

To try: From eating well.com and says 35 mins total.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound), trimmed of fat
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 large shallots, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup chopped chives (about 1 bunch)

1. Place chicken between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet or heavy skillet until flattened to an even thickness, about 1/2 inch. Season both sides of the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place 1/4 cup flour in a shallow glass baking dish and dredge the chicken in it. Discard the excess flour.

2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, cover and keep warm.

3. Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring constantly and scraping up any browned bits, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour; stir to coat. Add wine, broth and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil, stirring often.

4. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until heated through and no longer pink in the center, about 6 minutes. Stir in sour cream and mustard until smooth; turn the chicken to coat with the sauce. Stir in chives and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 244 calories; 9 g fat (3 g sat, 4 g mono); 72 mg cholesterol; 8 g carbohydrate; 26 g protein; 0 g fiber; 679 mg sodium.

Nutrition bonus: Niacin (50% daily value), Selenium (31% dv).

Posted by Maggie at 12:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

6 chicken thighs -- bone in, skin removed
2 lbs sweet potatoes -- peeled and cut into spears
1/2 lb white button mushrooms -- sliced
6 lg shallots -- peeled and halved
4 clove garlic -- peeled
1 c dry white wine
2 tsps chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 tbsps white wine vinegar

Place all ingredients excpet vinegar in slow cooker; sitr to combine. cook on low til the potatoes are tender, about 5 hours. Before serving, remove bones from chicken, if desired, and stir in vinegar.

6 servings

285 cal, 6 g fat, 35 g carb, 17 g protein, 5 g fiber

Posted by Maggie at 01:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Aunt Linda has made this recipe for me several times when visiting her in New Hampshire. It seems fairly easy and tasty. She said when buying mussels to ask for rope grown or PEI (prince edward island) variety.

2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 c onion, chopped
1/2 c white wine
2 lbs mussels
1/4 c blue cheese, crumbled
2 cloves garlic, minced
handful fresh herbs (cilantro, parsely, basil, or chives)
fresh ground pepper

heat 2 tbsp oil in wok and saute onion until soft. Over medium heat, add wine, reduce 4 mins and then add the mussels and cover the wok. When you start to smell them, they've opened and are done. Throw in blue cheese, garlic, herbs and toss together. Serve with a fresh baguette.

Posted by Maggie at 01:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup quick cooking barley
2 acorn squash (about 1 1/2 pounds each), halved crosswise and seeded
2 teaspoons olive or vegetable oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 teaspoon dried sage
Salt and pepper, optional
4 tablespoons crumbled herbed goat cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Heat the chicken stock in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the barley and simmer until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Scoop the seeds from each squash half and place, cut sides up, in a microwave-safe baking dish. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 5 minutes, or until flesh is tender.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add chicken, onion, green pepper and saute 3 minutes. Add sage, salt and pepper, to taste, and cooked barley and stir to coat. Cook, stirring constantly, until chicken is cooked through and mixture is well-combined.

Spoon barley mixture into each halved squash. Transfer stuffed squash to a foil-lined baking sheet or a baking dish and top with goat cheese. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until cheese is lightly browned.

Posted by Maggie at 05:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Want to try pizza and I love whole wheat anything. First attempt made on 1/15/06 and it was a success! Was pretty easy with my food processor and I just rolled it our onto a baking sheet - I think perhaps I'll try to get it thinner next time. Threw on some tomato sauce, thinly sliced tomatoes, slices of red onion, olive, and goat cheese.

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough-Eating Well

using half whole wheat and half all purpose flour yields a light crust with a distinctive nutty taste. Quick rising yeast shortens the rising time to just 10 minutes, making wholesome homemade pizza a possibility for busy weeknights. A food processor makes fast work of mixing the dough, but you can also use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a little elbow grease to do it by hand. Whichever method you choose, add enough liquid to the dry ingredients to make a soft dough. If kneading by hand, knead for about 10 minutes. The dough will keep, in a plastic bag coated with cooking spray, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 package quick rise yeast, such as Fleischmann's Rapid Rise
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1/2 cup hot water (120-130 degrees), (1/2 to 2/3)
2 tsp olive oil

1 combine flours, yeast, salt, and sugar in a food processor; pulse to mix. Combine hot water and oil in a measuring cup. With the motor running, gradually pour in enough of the hot liquid until the mixture forms a sticky ball. the dough should be quite soft. If it seems dry, add 1 to 2 tbsp warm water; if too sticky, add 1 to 2 tbsp flour. Process until the dough forms a ball, then process for 1 minute to knead.

2 Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Spray a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place it, sprayed side down, over the dough. Let the dough rest for 10 to 20 minutes before rolling.

makes 12 oz dough, enough for one 12-inch
pizza or two 10-inch pizzas

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Form dough into a pizza crust and place on an oiled cookie sheet or corn meal sprinkled, warmed pizza stone. Top pizza with toppings and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until nicely browned.

Posted by Maggie at 06:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Saw this on cooking light thread, interested to try. And I tried it the night of 2/2/06. Tasty chili and not too time consuming. Had a good amount of heat to it with the chipotle, but I could handle it. I didn't miss meat at all!

Mixed-Bean Chili with Tofu

INGREDIENTS
7 ounces firm tofu, drained and crumbled (about 1 cup)
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, divided
1-1/2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1-1/2 cups chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1-1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1-1/2 tablespoons hot chili powder or regular chili powder
1 teaspoon minced drained canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 cups water
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans
1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar (I usually foget to add this, but it's great with!)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream (I usually sub ff plain yogurt with great results)

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add tofu and 3/4 teaspoon cumin; sauté 3 minutes. Stir in soy sauce; cook 1 minute or until liquid evaporates. Remove tofu mixture from pan.

Heat the oil in pan; add 3/4 teaspoon cumin, chopped onion, coriander, and oregano; sauté 4 minutes. Add tofu mixture, tomato paste, and next 5 ingredients (paste through garlic); stir well. Add water, beans, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Stir in vinegar. Spoon chili into bowls; top each serving with cilantro and sour cream.

YIELD: Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 cups chili, 1 tablespoon cilantro, and 1 tablespoon sour cream).

NUTRITIONAL INFO
calories: 256 carbohydrates: 42.8 g cholesterol: 6 fat: 5.4 g sodium: 807 mg protein: 12.2 g calcium: 145 mg iron: 4.7 mg fiber: 9.6 g

Posted by Maggie at 03:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Threw this in the crock pot the morning of 1/10/06 before work and came home to a wonderful dish. We loved it! I couldn't tell there were apples in the dish, but it must have added something because Melik could not stop raving! I cut the recipe down a bit to fit it into the tiny pot. Oh, and I left out the raisins, peanuts, and jalapeno.

Ingredients
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons curry powder
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups peeled and chopped potatoes
1-1/2 cups bias-sliced carrots
1 cup coarsely chopped cooking apple
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon instant chicken bouillon granules
1/2 cup water
1 13-1/2-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
Hot cooked rice
Raisins
Chopped peanuts

Directions
1. In a large plastic bag combine flour, curry powder, cumin, and salt. Add chicken, a few pieces at a time; seal and shake to coat.
2. In a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker combine potatoes, carrots, apple, onion, garlic, jalape¿o peppers, and chicken bouillon. Top with chicken. Pour water over chicken mixture.
3. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 6 to 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 to 4 hours.
4. If using low-heat setting, turn the slow cooker to high-heat setting. Stir coconut milk into chicken mixture. Cover; cook for 30 minutes more. Serve over hot cooked rice. Sprinkle each serving with raisins and peanuts. Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition facts per serving:
calories: 409
total fat: 14g
saturated fat: 10g
monounsaturated fat: 2g
polyunsaturated fat: 1g
cholesterol: 49mg
sodium: 513mg
carbohydrate: 45g
total sugar: 8g
fiber: 4g
protein: 26g
vitamin C: 20%
calcium: 6%
iron: 25%

Posted by Maggie at 04:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I made this on 1/7/05 and it took a while! I halved the recipe and put it in a 9x9 pan. It could have used more tomato sauce (I just used a prego I had in the fridge).

Classic Italian Lasagna Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
User Rating:

Bechamel Sauce:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons for the lasagna
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk at room temperature
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce, recipe follows
Salt and white pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound ground chuck beef
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 pounds ricotta cheese
3 large eggs
1 pound lasagna sheets, cooked al dente
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
3 cups shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Bechamel sauce:
In a 2-quart pot, melt 5 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. When butter has completely melted, add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly to prevent any lumps from forming. Continue to simmer and whisk over medium heat until the sauce is thick, smooth and creamy, about 10 minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of wooden spoon. Remove from heat and add the nutmeg and tomato sauce. Stir until well combined and check for seasoning. Set aside and allow to cool completely.

In a saute pan, heat extra-virgin olive oil. When almost smoking, add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Brown meat, breaking any large lumps, until it is no longer pink. Remove from heat and drain any excess fat. Set aside and allow to cool completely.

In a medium sized bowl, thoroughly mix the ricotta and eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Into the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking dish, spread 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the pasta sheets side by side, covering the bottom of the baking dish. Evenly spread a layer of all the ricotta mixture and then a layer of all the spinach. Arrange another layer of pasta sheets and spread all the ground beef on top. Sprinkle 1/2 the mozzarella cheese on top of the beef. Spread another 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the final layer of pasta sheets and top with remaining bechamel, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into 1/4-inch cubes and top lasagna.

Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place lasagna dish on top, cover and put on the middle rack of the oven and bake until top is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue to bake for about 15 minutes.

Posted by Maggie at 02:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Roasted Chicken with Balsamic Vinaigrette
(Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis)

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 1 hour

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (4-pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces (giblets, neck and backbone reserved for another use)
1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

Whisk the vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper in small bowl to blend. Combine the vinaigrette and chicken pieces in a large resealable plastic bag; seal the bag and toss to coat. Refrigerate, turning the chicken pieces occasionally, for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove chicken from the bag and arrange the chicken pieces on a large greased baking dish. Roast until the chicken is just cooked through, about 1 hour. If your chicken browns too quickly, cover it with foil for the remaining cooking time. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Place the baking dish on a burner over medium-low heat. Whisk the chicken broth into the pan drippings, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the baking sheet with a wooden spoon and mixing them into the broth and pan drippings. Drizzle the pan drippings over the chicken. Sprinkle the lemon zest and parsley over the chicken, and serve.

Posted by Maggie at 02:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Saw this on a cooking light thread and want to try it for fun

Lentil Loaf

This is a lentil-bean loaf topped with sesame seeds and cheese if desired. Originally from the Laural's Kitchen cookbook, but has been modified over time.

Serves 4

1/2 onion chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups cooked brown lentils (1 scant cup dry to 3 cups water; simmer 45 min. Save broth)
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
1/2 tsp sage
2 tbsp whole wheat flour
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup lentil broth
2 tbsp cider vinegar
4 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

(optional: some sesame oil, provolone cheese or other white cheese)

Saute onion until translucent.

Mix all ingredients (including sesame oil if desired) except sesame seeds and cheese. Place in a greased loaf pan coated with cooking spray.

Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

Bake 30 minutes @ 350*, 10 minutes uncovered. During last 10 minutes, add cheese if desired.

Posted by Maggie at 04:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Should I attempt this turkish dish? Melik says he remembers it with strips of onion, not the eggplant and zucchini. And with ground beef, not lamb.

INGREDIENTS

500 gm lamb-minced
4 pieces bread
1/4 cup milk
3 tbsp chopped onion
2 tsp fresh parsley-chopped
1/2 tsp chopped garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
1 eggplant
1 green zucchini
2 tbsp diced tomatoes
1 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp basil paste
1/2 cup water Put bread, milk, pepper, salt, black pepper, onion, parsley, garlic and lamb in a bowl

METHOD

Mix well. Divide into equal barrel shaped portions. Apply little basil paste on them.

Now shallow fry them in a pan. Add diced tomato, onion, parsley, tomato paste and water to make a gravy. Keep aside

Peel the eggplant and zucchini. Cut into long strips. Sprinkle them with a little salt and sear in a pan till it turns colour.

To serve, wrap the kofte in the eggplant and zucchini. Garnish with remaining gravy, parsley and olive oil.

or this recipe

Turkish Kofte

>Yield: 6 servings
>1 lb Ground beef
>1 Large onion minced
>1/2 c Grated parmesan cheese
>1/2 c Minced flat parsley
>1/4 c Chopped dill
>Salt &pepper to taste
>1/2 c Flour
>3 Eggs, beaten
>1/2 c Solid white shortening
>Lemon Egg sauce:
>4 Eggs
>6 tb Lemon juice
>2 c Clear chicken broth
>Place meat and ingredients down to and including salt
>and pepper and knead 5 minutes. Form into egg shaped
>ovals and then roll in flour. dip into eggs beaten
>until frothy. Saute in skillet with hot shortening.
>Makes 12 balls. For sauce: Beat eggs until frothy in
>small saucepan. Add lemon juice and stir. Place over
>low flame. Add broth slowly, stirring constantly. cook
>and stir 10 to 15 minutes until thick. Do not let
>boil. Makes 2 cups. Serve lemon sauce over meatballs
>and serve with steamed broccoli.

or this simple recipe

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb ground beef or lamb 1 onion, chopped fine 2 Tbsp fresh bread crumbs
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley 1 tsp ground cumin (optional) 1 egg
salt and ground black pepper olive oil, for brushing

1 Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl with seasoning to taste. Knead thoroughly.
2 Preheat a hot broiler. Take walnut-size pieces in your hand and flatten to an oval shape. Continue making little patties until you have used up all the mixture.
3 Brush the broiler with a little oil and cook the burgers, turning them for even cooking. serve hot.

Posted by Maggie at 12:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Am trying this recipe - wanted to keep it simple

1 12-lb turkey
3/4 c. olive oil
2 tblsp garlic powder
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp ground sage
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

1. Preheat Oven to 325 degrees F. Clean Turkey (discard giblets and organs), and place in a 9x13 in pan.
2. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and apply the mixture to the outside of the turkey.
3. Bake according to directions on turkey (probably 3 - 3 1/2 hrs, or until internal temp of the thickest part of the thigh measures 180 degrees F). Remove from oven and let stand 30 mins before carving.

Posted by Maggie at 02:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)